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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/3/2021 1189153 NHL lottery: Ducks drop to 3rd, Kings 8th; Buffalo 1189186 Blue Jackets stay put in NHL draft lottery, will pick fifth Sabres get first pick overall 1189154 Ducks fall again, dropping to 3rd from 2nd in NHL draft 1189187 Blue Jackets eager for NHL's draft lottery, which could lottery boost retooling effort 1189188 Hold it: Blue Jackets stay put, will draft No. 5 in 2021 NHL Draft. Who could they select? 1189155 Bruins’ Craig Smith might play Game 3 Thursday 1189156 Advice to Bruins defenseman Jeremy Lauzon: Do not be ultra-conservative with puck 1189189 No lucky Stars: Dallas stays put with No. 14 overall pick 1189157 General manager Lou Lamoriello, with his deep Rhode following NHL draft lottery Island roots, is going strong at the helm of the Islanders 1189190 Yousuf: Maple Leafs-Canadiens playoff series gives Stars 1189158 Bruins notebook: Craig Smith returns to practice plenty to think about on both sides 1189159 Boston Bruins Smith Trending Toward Game 3 Return 1189160 Boston Bruins Talk Game 3 ‘Improvements’ Vs. Islanders 1189161 Tuukka Rask’s injuries flare up in Game 2. What does it 1189191 2021 NHL draft lottery: Detroit Red Wings get sixth overall mean for the Bruins’ defenders? pick in first round 1189192 Is Michigan hockey star Owen Power in Detroit Red Wings' future? Answer comes tonight 1189162 Next steps for , Sabres uncertain with 12-week 1189193 Red Wings stay put, will pick sixth in NHL Entry Draft period of rest complete 1189194 Steve Yzerman: Red Wings will get ‘good prospect’ at No. 1189163 Sabres own first overall pick in NHL draft after winning 6 lottery again 1189195 Red Wings land No. 6 pick in draft lottery; Buffalo No. 1 1189164 With best odds to draft No. 1, Sabres have chance to 1189196 Red Wings well-represented in World Championship secure a top player quarterfinals 1189165 Sabres land No. 1 pick, but it’s still unclear if Jack Eichel’s 1189197 Last-place Sabres win draft lottery; Red Wings stay in No. health has improved 6 spot 1189166 NHL Mock Draft 2021: Owen Power to Sabres as we pick 1189198 Bultman: The Red Wings can build a winner without lottery for every lottery team (and predict trades) luck. It’s just going to take a while 1189167 How different would the Sabres look if the draft lottery didn’t exist? Oilers 1189199 VAN DIEST: Award season begins for Oilers' McDavid with Ted Lindsay nomination 1189168 Flames will select 12th overall in 2021 NHL Draft 1189200 Lowetide: The Oilers need to add four wingers to their top 1189169 Calgary set to host women's world hockey championship nine this summer — who could they get? in August 1189201 Knight vs. Bob? Barkov extension? Panthers’ GM answers 1189170 Hurricanes could be down two of top three regular-season offseason questions after big 2021 -scorers for Game 3 1189202 Panthers offseason of goalie questions begins; unique 1189171 Hurricanes, running out of options, can’t change players ... situation with Knight, Bobrovsky, Driedger on hand but can change goalies 1189203 Florida Panthers re-sign defenseman Kevin Connauton 1189172 Hurricanes need to quickly find a hero or get a break against Tampa Bay. Or else. 1189204 NHL draft lottery: Ducks drop to 3rd, Kings 8th; Buffalo Sabres get first pick 1189173 Chicago Blackhawks face a 2nd lawsuit relating to an 1189205 Kings land pick No. 8 from 2021 NHL draft lottery alleged sexual assault by former video coach 1189206 If the Kings don’t trade the No. 8 pick in the NHL Draft, 1189174 Blackhawks don’t win lottery, will pick 11th in NHL draft which prospects might fit? 1189207 Kings to select eighth overall in 2021 NHL Draft 1189208 Live Thread – NHL Draft Lottery 1189175 Avalanche wins Game 2 thriller over Vegas in overtime; 1189209 World Championships Update – Nine Kings advance to now lead series 2-0 quarterfinals 1189176 Knights-Avalanche Game 2 Quick Hits: Power play comes through in overtime 1189177 Avalanche’s underlying goal for Game 2: Increase depth 1189210 Next up for Wild's Kirill Kaprizov is new contract scoring 1189211 Wild's Kevin Fiala: 'I will be better next year' 1189178 Philipp Grubauer steals a win for the Avalanche as Mikko 1189213 Expansion draft looms, but Matt Dumba wants to remain Rantanen pots an overtime winner with Wild 1189179 Deen’s List: Philipp Grubauer exceptional in Avalanche’s 1189214 Zach Parise ready to return to Wild despite season of thrilling Game 2 victory over Vegas demotions, uncertainty 1189180 Avalanche Game 1 was like deja vu 1189215 Wild star Kirill Kaprizov on his rookie season, his contract 1189181 Rantanen scores OT winner, Avs up 2-0 in series vs. status, and his future in Minnesota Knights 1189216 Wild star Kirill Kaprizov talks rookie year, contract talks, 1189182 It was a Ball; Avs win thriller in OT against Vegas the Calder and his Wild future 1189183 ESCAPE! Rantanen Rips OT Winner, Avs Gain 2-0 Series Lead 1189184 Game 2: Lines and D pairs for Colorado Avalanche against Vegas 1189185 5 Tips for Students to Overcome Fear of Failure In Hockey Canadiens 1189217 Red-hot Canadiens strike early to take advantage of rusty 1189246 Penguins GM Ron Hextall: 'If we go into the next season Jets in second-round playoff series opener with this group, we’re comfortable' 1189218 Habs win Game 1 against Jets, but lose Evans to nasty hit 1189247 Penguins named finalist for Ted 1189219 Canadiens fans believe in Carey Price as series with Jets Lindsay Award begins 1189248 Minor league report: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins sign 1189220 Stu Cowan: A bumpy road back to second round of forward Shaw Boomhower playoffs for Canadiens 1189249 Mark Madden: The Penguins need change, and trading 1189221 Canadiens Game Day: NHL must act after vicious hit on Jake Guentzel would likely provide big return Habs' Jake Evans 1189250 Trustee chair: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert tried to save 1189222 Basu: Mark Scheifele’s hit on Jake Evans is part of the Robert Morris hockey, and Penguins are willing to help game, and that is the problem 1189251 ‘We see a future with this core’: Ron Hextall expects 1189223 Canadiens playoffs plus/minus: Corey Perry antagonizes, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang to return next season Joel Edmundson stabilizes and the Jets’ frustrations b 1189252 Sidney Crosby named a finalist (again) for the Ted 1189224 Scouting the ’ enemy: Breaking down Lindsay award the with Murat Ates 1189253 Yohe: Ron Hextall’s comments and what they tell us about the Penguins’ future 1189254 Full Story: Hextall, Penguins Stay in Win-Now Mode; 1189225 Will Pekka Rinne return next season for Nashville Expect Malkin, Letang Back Predators, or is this it? 1189255 Crosby Named One Of Three Finalists For Ted Lindsay 1189226 Predators exit interviews: Pekka Rinne’s future, Mattias Award Ekholm and Filip Forsberg open to extensions and more 1189256 Fleury Basks in First Vezina Nomination (Finally); Chasing Heroes Devils 1189227 Buffalo Sabres Win N.H.L. Draft Lottery 1189228 Red Wings well-represented in World Championship 1189257 No luck for San Jose Sharks at NHL Draft Lottery quarterfinals 1189258 NHL Draft Lottery: What channel is it on, when does it 1189229 Change reduces Red Wings’ chances of moving up in start, and what are each team’s odds? draft lottery 1189259 Sharks' draft possibilities wide open with No. 7 pick 1189230 NJ Devils stay put in NHL Draft Lottery, will pick 4th 1189260 Sharks have No. 7 pick in 2021 NHL Draft after lottery overall 1189261 Why Jumbo's legacy is secure with or without 1189231 Sabres win NHL Draft lottery; Devils fourth and Rangers 1189262 BREAKING: Sharks Will Pick No. 7 in First Round of 2021 15th NHL Draft 1189232 ‘I want us to take him’: Devils’ connections run deep with top 2021 draft prospects Seattle Kraken 1189263 Seattle Kraken gets No. 2 overall pick in next month’s NHL entry draft 1189233 Islanders’ Mat Barzal isn’t ‘consumed’ by lack of 1189264 Kraken get No. 2 overall pick in next month’s NHL entry production draft 1189234 Islanders turn blown Game 2 lead into valuable 1189265 Seattle Kraken get one of the top picks in lottery for the experience 2021 NHL Entry Draft 1189235 Looks like Barry Trotz will stay with same Islanders lineup 1189266 With the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the that won Game 2 vs. Bruins for return to Coliseum Seattle Kraken select … ? 1189236 Is home ice really an advantage in the NHL playoffs? 1189237 There are no mysteries between hard-working Islanders St Louis Blues and Bruins on eve of Game 3 1189267 Exposing Tarasenko to the Seattle Kraken would be a 1189238 Islanders ‘Identity Line’ Helping to Shape Team On and foolish idea. Here's why Off Ice 1189239 Trotz: Islanders Likely to Go with Same Lineup in Game 3 1189268 Consider this a two-minute drill the Lightning are prepared to win 1189240 Rangers unlucky in lottery, will have No. 15 pick in this 1189269 Ranking the most impressive win (or title) streaks in year's NHL draft Tampa Bay history 1189270 Lightning-Hurricanes Game 2 report card: Nothing to it 1189271 When the Lightning have a dirty job to do, the call goes to 1189241 After lottery balls drop, Ottawa Senators stay in No. 10 Anthony Cirelli spot for NHL draft Maple Leafs 1189272 The are feeling awful, and so are the 1189242 Donna Ashbee, wife of former Flyer Barry Ashbee, dies at rest of us 82 1189273 Tavares speaks publicly for first time since frightening 1189243 The Flyers will pick 13th in this year’s NHL draft, during a collision against Canadiens crucial offseason for the franchise 1189274 There’s nothing wrong with the Leafs, Brendan Shanahan 1189244 Flyers center Kevin Hayes is expected to recover by suggests, that a little ‘killer instinct’ won’t cure training camp after recent core muscle surgery 1189275 The Leafs will stick to their core four with the belief the 1189245 Hayes has successful offseason surgery team’s best days are still ahead 1189276 Leafs captain still hasn’t seen Game 1 hit but he knows it was ‘significant’ Maple Leafs Continued Websites 1189277 The Leafs’ critics are pointing at Mitch Marner and Auston 1189317 The Athletic / What is the allure of prospect Simon Matthews, but stars’ teammates believe in them Edvinsson in the NHL Draft: ‘Just imagine how good he 1189278 Maple Leafs left searching for answers after another can opening-round playoff exit 1189318 The Athletic / NHL draft-eligible Chaz Lucius is more than 1189279 ‘We have no excuses.’ Dejected Maple Leafs address his goal scoring media in final news conference of the season 1189319 The Athletic / NHL Draft scouting report: What to expect 1189280 Hyman, Spezza among in-house, off-season items on from likely No. 1 pick Owen Power Dubas' to-do list 1189320 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: The 2021 draft lottery 1189281 Maple Leafs captain on Matthews, Marner: 'No one wants power rankings according to maximum chaos factor, who it as bad as them' a 1189282 HORNBY: Losing Leafs missed fast track to Stanley Cup 1189321 The Athletic / The fall from No. 1: Aatu Räty is no longer final the 2021 NHL Draft’s top prospect, but that isn’t t 1189283 Leafs captain Tavares fine, but still foggy about Game 1 1189322 .ca / Scheifele’s predatory hit on Evans takes hit shine off Canadiens’ Game 1 win 1189284 SIMMONS: At his lowest , Maple Leafs president 1189323 Sportsnet.ca / NHL facing unique situation with potential Brendan Shanahan still promises the Stanley Cup Scheifele charging suspension 1189285 TRAIKOS: Should the Maple Leafs trade Mitch Marner? It 1189324 Sportsnet.ca / Avalanche rob Golden Knights of Game 2 depends on the offer win after contentious call in OT 1189286 The gory details: A sad recent history of Maple Leafs 1189325 TSN.CA / Shanahan: ‘Killer instinct’ missing in Habs Game 7s series; Leafs want to keep core 1189287 Why Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas are sticking with 1189326 TSN.CA / Marner, Matthews at a loss to explain Leafs their vision for the Maple Leafs after a lost season latest playoff flop 1189288 Maple Leafs players consider possible concerns, changes, 1189327 TSN.CA / Tavares says he’s recovering well from extensions, exits and more after latest playoff disap concussion, knee injury 1189289 ‘We’re at a crossroads’: Trashed jerseys, busted TVs and 1189328 USA TODAY / Montreal Canadiens' Jake Evans taken off more tales from the aftermath of the Maple Leafs coll on stretcher after hit by Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele 1189329 USA TODAY / Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy Canucks leads Lightning past Hurricanes in Game 2 of NHL playoff 1189313 Draft lottery: Status quo for luckless Canucks, select ninth in 2021 draft Winnipeg Jets 1189314 NHL draft: Unprecedented season supreme test for 1189305 Fans in stands hint at return to normal in trying times scouting prospects 1189306 Habs outplay hosts in series opener marred by nasty hit 1189315 Canucks win by staying put at NHL Draft lottery: ‘We know 1189307 Habs accuse Scheifele of 'dirty' and 'disgusting' hit, skate we’re going to get one of those nine guys’ away with Game 1 win 1189316 Every Canucks first-round pick, ranked: From the Sedins 1189308 Canadiens jump all over Jets in Game 1 of North Division to final 1189309 JETS SNAPSHOTS: Jets thrilled to have fans in the stands 1189290 Avalanche leaning on Brandon Saad for championship 1189310 Mark Scheifele’s dangerous hit ruins the emotional night experience that Jets fans deserved 1189291 Golden Knights-Colorado Avalanche Game 2 recap 1189311 Basu: Mark Scheifele’s hit on Jake Evans is part of the 1189292 Graney: Golden Knights make amends for Game 1 game, and that is the problem debacle but still lose 1189312 Scouting the Winnipeg Jets’ enemy: Breaking down the 1189293 Golden Knights fall into 2-0 hole against Avalanche Montreal Canadiens with Arpon Basu 1189294 Golden Knights select for Game 2 against SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 Avalanche 1189295 Robin Lehner, Mattias Janmark scratched by Golden Knights 1189296 Golden Knights announce mask policy at T-Mobile Arena 1189297 Golden Knights fall in OT of Game 2 to Avalanche 1189298 Five things we learned about the Golden Knights in a tough overtime loss in Game 2 1189299 ‘We embrace the situation’ — Jonathan Marchessault and Golden Knights re-adopt ‘misfit’ mentality 1189300 Golden Knights Lose Painful 3-2 Overtime Decision To Colorado Wednesday, Return To 100 Percent Capacity Crowds 1189301 WHAT?! Golden Knights Waste Effort, Lose in OT; Trail 2- 0 1189302 Fleury Can’t Hide Smile, Enjoys First Vezina Nomination 1189303 Willie O'Ree statue headlines Black hockey exhibit in NMAAHC 1189304 Did Laviolette provide what MacLellan hoped in his first season? 1189153 Anaheim Ducks

NHL draft lottery: Ducks drop to 3rd, Kings 8th; Buffalo Sabres get first pick

By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST

JUNE 2, 2021 4:35 PM PT

The Ducks will have the third pick in the NHL’s annual draft, a spot determined Wednesday by the league’s draft lottery.

They moved down from No. 2, based on their regular-season finish of 30th among the NHL’s 31 teams. They entered the draft lottery with a 12.1% chance of getting the first overall selection, behind only the Buffalo Sabres’ 16.6% chance of landing the No. 1 pick.

The Sabres have the first pick of the draft and the expansion Seattle Kraken the second. The Kings, who had a 5.8% chance to win the lottery, will draft eighth.

The draft lottery consisted of two drawings, one for the first overall pick and another for the second overall pick. The draft will be held virtually, with the first round to be conducted July 23 and rounds two through seven July 24.

This year’s draft is considered top-heavy on standout defensemen and short on scorers with the potential to become a franchise player.

Ducks general manager Bob Murray and coach Dallas Eakins will be back with the team for the 2021-22 season despite another disappointing season.

Owen Power, a Canadian-born defenseman who played for the University of Michigan last season, was the top North American skater in rankings compiled by the NHL’s Central Scouting Services. Power is an imposing 6-foot-5 and 211 pounds. He had three goals and 16 points in 26 games for Michigan last season.

“Owen Power is at the top of this draft class as he is the best at his position,” Dan Marr, the director of Central Scouting, told nhl.com. “His game presence displayed NHL skills and attributes, and his game continued to mature and impact throughout the season.”

NHL salary cap expert Jeff Solomon has left the Kings after 15 seasons to become the Ducks’ vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager.

The second-ranked North American skater is center Mason McTavish of Peterborough of the . He’s followed by Michigan center Kent Johnson, defenseman Luke Hughes of the U.S. National Team Development Team program, and right wing Dylan Guenther of Edmonton of the .

The top-ranked European skater is 5-foot-10 left wing William Eklund of Djurgarden in the .

LA Times: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189154 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks fall again, dropping to 3rd from 2nd in NHL draft lottery

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

PUBLISHED: June 2, 2021 at 4:59 p.m. | UPDATED: June 2, 2021 at 8:26 p.m.

What, you expected something else? The Ducks didn’t win the NHL draft lottery Wednesday afternoon, but they did fall for the third consecutive year and failed to get the ultimate payoff for skating through the worst season in franchise history.

The Ducks dropped from second to third in the 16-team draft lottery, swapping places with the expansion Seattle Kraken. The Buffalo Sabres, the league’s worst team during the pandemic-shortened, 56-game regular season, won the lottery for the second time in four years.

Seattle was the only team to move up and the Ducks were the only one to move back.

The Sabres had the best odds at 16.6 percent to make the first pick in the June 23-24 entry draft. The Ducks had a 12.1 percent chance of jumping from second to first in the lottery. The Kraken and the each had the next-best odds at 10.3 percent.

“It is obviously disappointing for us and our fans to not remain in the top two of this draft, but we still have the opportunity to make a top-five selection for the first time in 16 years,” Ducks general manager Bob Murray said in a statement. “The top part of the draft has some outstanding talent, and we will look to add to the exciting young prospects in our organization for years to come.”

Last year, the Ducks fell from fifth to sixth and picked defenseman Jamie Drysdale, after the Ottawa Senators selected defenseman Jake Sanderson. In 2019, they fell from eighth to ninth and picked center Trevor Zegras. Drysdale and Zegras could form the franchise’s cornerstone for many seasons to come.

Murray said last week he’d consider it a win if the Ducks didn’t drop in the draft.

The Ducks have never picked first overall since joining the NHL as an expansion team in 1993-94. They have picked second twice and fourth twice. They have never picked third. This will be their highest pick since taking Bobby Ryan second in 2005, one spot behind Pittsburgh’s selection of Sidney Crosby.

Although the Ducks missed a chance to draft Owen Power, a University of Michigan defenseman who is the top-ranked North American prospect, they are almost assured of selecting an impact player. Left wing William Eklund of Djurgarden in Sweden is the top European prospect.

Centers Mason McTavish of Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League and Kent Johnson of Michigan are the second- and third-ranked North American prospects, followed by Luke Hughes, a defenseman with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program Under-18 squad.

Hughes, the younger brother of Quinn Hughes of the , and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils, says he will play at Michigan next season.

Murray said last week he would take the best player available rather than try to fill a specific position. But there’s no question, the Ducks need scoring help, after they had a league-low 126 goals and also set a record for power-play futility with an 8.6 percent success rate this past season.

“Obviously, our power play and goal-scoring are a huge problem, a huge problem,” Murray said last week. “So we have to address that in a few different ways: Our top six forwards, we have to add to that. And you know, there’s two ways to do that: trades and the draft.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189155 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ Craig Smith might play Game 3 Thursday

By Matt Porter Globe Staff

Updated June 2, 2021, 7:32 p.m.

Will Craig Smith play Game 3?

Smith looked every bit his usual self on Wednesday. He zipped around the ice in Brighton during drills, chomping on gum and whipping hard snapshots at Jeremy Swayman. After sending a 2 on 1 pass into David Pastrnak’s skates during a drill, he angrily smacked a puck against the boards.

Cassidy loved it. He wasn’t sure what he would get from Smith, whose lower-body injury cost him Game 2.

“He looks a lot better,” Cassidy said. “That’s a good development for us. We weren’t sure, to be honest with you. But he made it through the entire practice, did a little work early. That’s a positive. Obviously, tomorrow morning, let’s see if there’s any residual effect. If not, I assume he’ll be in the lineup.”

With Smith off the No. 2 unit, Taylor Hall-David Krejci-Jake DeBrusk had some good looks, registering the highest expected goals for rating (0.97, per Natural Stat Trick) of any Bruins line.

“We all had some pretty good looks,” said DeBrusk, who said skating with the speedy Hall was “kind of a similar vibe” to when playing with Rick Nash as a rookie.

“I had a good look in front of the net. Hallsy had two, one in overtime. Krech had one in the slot as well. It’s all about production, but I thought we did well considering.”

If Smith returns for Game 3, Cassidy said DeBrusk would stay in. He would likely replace Karson Kuhlman on the No. 3 line.

Boston Globe LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189156 Boston Bruins “I had a good look in front of the net. Hallsy had two, one in overtime. Krech had one in the slot as well. It’s all about production, but I thought we did well considering.”

Advice to Bruins defenseman Jeremy Lauzon: Do not be ultra- If Smith returns for Game 3, Cassidy said DeBrusk would stay in. He conservative with puck would likely replace Karson Kuhlman on the No. 3 line.

DeBrusk fine ‘warranted’

By Matt Porter Globe Staff DeBrusk didn’t have an issue handing over $5,000 for his cross-check on Updated June 2, 2021, 7:27 p.m. Scott Mayfield in Game 2.

GLOBE STAFF “It was warranted,” said DeBrusk, who had not been fined before. “Got my stick in a dangerous position there in front. Kind of Bruce Cassidy suited up for 37 NHL games in his playing career, all with realized it as the play was going on. Obviously he went down pretty hard the Blackhawks, one of them in the Nassau Coliseum. and was able to come back, and it didn’t necessarily hurt him.

He didn’t have the date handy — Feb. 25, 1988 — but remembers the “It’s one of those things where it’s the heat of the battle in front of the net. game well. Lost where my stick was. I understand that’s obviously not OK. It won’t happen again.” It was a tie, and Chicago’s only goal was a gift. In a scoreless third period, Islanders defenseman Gord Dineen sent what the Chicago Miller not ready to return Tribune’s game report called a “blind, backhanded clearing ” past his stunned netminder, Billy Smith. Defenseman Kevan Miller is “not ready” to return, Cassidy said, from the Dmitry Orlov hit in Game 4 of the Washington series. He has yet to “I had never seen something like that. I’ve seen a lot of own goals, guys practice since … Jakub Zboril (upper body), who skated in a regular around the front of their net sort of make plays where they try to clear it, jersey, is “getting closer, if we go down that road, down the road” … but this went right by the goalie,” Cassidy said. “Troy Murray got credited Tuukka Rask will start Game 3, despite Rask’s recent acknowledgement for the goal. Probably the easiest goal he ever scored in his life.” he is less than 100 percent. “He’s fine,” Cassidy said. “Tuukka’s been ready to go every playoff game. There’s no issue there. Someone asked As Bruins coach, Cassidy is excited to experience the last days of the old me the other day, I think he just, like a lot of guys, there’s a few things Coliseum, which will turn out the lights after this postseason. Game 3 on here or there or he said something. He’s ready to go. He practiced in full Thursday (7:30 p.m., NBCSN) is also a chance to steer one of his today and he’ll be in the net tomorrow night” … Islanders coach Barry defenseman, Jeremy Lauzon, past a gaffe that decided Game 2. Trotz once again said Oliver Wahlstrom is “getting closer” to a return … “He’s going to make some good ones and other ones that could have Once Nassau, circa 1972, closes, Madison Square Garden (1968) and been better,” Cassidy said of Lauzon, whose misfire on a cross-ice pass the Saddledome in Calgary (1983) will be the only buildings older than 30 led to a breakaway OT winner by Islanders grinder Casey Cizikas in years. “I love the old buildings,” Cassidy said. “I know that listen, things Game 2. “We’ll keep encouraging him and working with him. He’s a great progress. You build newer stuff with more amenities, better amenities, kid. He’ll be in there tomorrow night and hopefully he helps us win.” revenue-generating and that. I still have a fondness for those old buildings, seeing all the sweaters hanging from those Islander teams I Cassidy’s advice to Lauzon, who paired with Connor Clifton at watched play a lot growing up. I think it’ll be loud. Should be. It’s playoffs. Wednesday’s practice in Brighton, was to worry about defending first, Hope it is. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.” blocking shots and parrying pucks. His stick positioning on the kill, which led to a PPG by Jean-Gabriel Pageau, was another teaching point. What Lauzon should not do, according to Cassidy, is be ultra- Boston Globe LOADED: 06.03.2021 conservative with the puck.

“He’s a confident kid,” Cassidy said. “If you watch him, he tries plays out there. More than most that have his experience level. I’m not worried about that part of it. I think the message to Jeremy for the most part is now, moving forward, listen, we’re all onto Game 3. Game 2 is over. Be true to your identity, and that is in the simplest terms, you have to be at your best to keep pucks out of our net.

“There are guys that survive in the league that stay in their comfort zone and do what they do best, but I think for the most part, if you want to get the best out of any player, you have to allow them some rope,” Cassidy said. “Not so much that they trip over it or strangle themselves, but try some things and see what they can get away with and where they fit in.”

Smith to play Game 3?

Craig Smith looked every bit his usual self on Wednesday. He zipped around the ice in Brighton during drills, chomping on gum and whipping hard snapshots at Jeremy Swayman. After sending a 2 on 1 pass into David Pastrnak’s skates during a drill, he angrily smacked a puck against the boards.

Cassidy loved it. He wasn’t sure what he would get from Smith, whose lower-body injury cost him Game 2.

“He looks a lot better,” Cassidy said. “That’s a good development for us. We weren’t sure, to be honest with you. But he made it through the entire practice, did a little work early. That’s a positive. Obviously, tomorrow morning, let’s see if there’s any residual effect. If not, I assume he’ll be in the lineup.”

With Smith off the No. 2 unit, Taylor Hall-David Krejci-Jake DeBrusk had some good looks, registering the highest expected goals for rating (0.97, per Natural Stat Trick) of any Bruins line.

“We all had some pretty good looks,” said DeBrusk, who said skating with the speedy Hall was “kind of a similar vibe” to when playing with Rick Nash as a rookie. 1189157 Boston Bruins “I first came into the league as an outcast,” he said, remembering headlines at the time that pointed out he had never played, coached, or managed in the NHL. “I came from a totally different background.”

General manager Lou Lamoriello, with his deep Rhode Island roots, is And his early path had its potholes. Oh, not in the results, which saw his going strong at the helm of the Islanders first Devils team in 1988 sneak into the last Patrick Division playoff spot and even upend the Islanders and Capitals in the first two rounds.

By Tara Sullivan Globe Columnist But it was in the conference finals against the Bruins that the world would learn about Lamoriello’s twin streaks of stubbornness and righteousness, Updated June 2, 2021, 3:22 p.m. resulting in his getting an injunction to prevent his then-coach from serving a one-game suspension for an incident with

referee Don Koharski. One look across the ice in this playoff series and Lou Lamoriello just It was Schoenfeld’s incendiary “have another doughnut” screed to might see himself reflected in Black and Gold. No, the Hall of Fame Koharski that would live in infamy, the end of a postgame altercation that hockey man never suited up or played for the Bruins, which is somewhat had Koharski believing Schoenfeld pushed him (though video later surprising given his deep and enduring ties to New England. But the showed Koharski had slipped). Islanders general manager has his fingerprints all over the current edition of the franchise. But it was Lamoriello’s Al Davis-like willingness to fight the power that endured even more, and when his coach was on the bench for the Jay Pandolfo and Kevin Dean on the coaching staff over here. Jamie ensuing Game 4 (he would eventually sit out Game 5 as punishment for Langenbrunner in the front office over there. Jay Leach at the reins in verbal abuse of an official), the hockey world was put on alert as to the Providence. lengths Lamoriello’s competitive fire would take him. “Four Devils looking at me in the eyes,” Lamoriello said in a recent phone He even stepped in to coach Game 5, which would be a 7-1 Devils loss, conversation. “I’m a big fan of them all.” and the Bruins won the series in seven. Boston went to the Stanley Cup Of course, they are on opposite sides right now, heading into Nassau Finals before losing to the Gretzky-Messier Oilers. Coliseum Thursday night for Game 3 of a second-round playoff series “I was a fan of the way the Bruins played,” Lamoriello said. “To this day, currently tied at a game piece. But what they represent says so much the job they’ve done there, Cam [Neely] and [Don] Sweeney and about the life Lamoriello has built in hockey, from his days growing up in everybody. They’ve done a great job. They’ve consistently done it the Providence (as a Bruins fan) to this remarkable second NHL act on Long right way day in and day out, so there’s a pride factor in their model of Island. work ethic. I grew up right under that umbrella.” Or that one look across the ice, where his legacy plays out in living proof, And though he never made a professional stop there, his impact is felt all four former Devils using the philosophies they learned while Lamoriello the same, one small slice of a legacy for one of the best general was their GM to carry them to their own greater heights in the game. managers, in any sport, of his generation. He would see it if he were actually looking, if he were the type of person interested in puffing out his own chest. But to know Lamoriello is to understand that it’s never really about him. It’s about the work, about the Boston Globe LOADED: 06.03.2021 team, about the name on the front of the sweater being far more important than the one on the back, which counts as one of his all-time favorite mantras.

It was with the Devils that Lamoriello built the most famous section of his hockey résumé, winning three Stanley Cups by turning the once-Mickey Mouse punch line of a franchise into a model of stability and success. And it is with the Islanders that he is using the same model to rebuild a once proud and champion franchise, the tenets of teamwork, toughness, and grit helping them channel their 1980s dominance, when they won four straight Cups from 1980-83.

There are no signs of slowing down for the 78-year-old Lamoriello, whose explanation for such endurance is perfect in its simplicity.

“I’m still enjoying it,” he said in a chat prior to the start of this series, one that has turned into just the sort of slugfest that was predicted, featuring two teams that mirror each other with their depth, talent, and complementary play. Though he could have easily rested on those Stanley Cup laurels when his time in New Jersey came to an end, the game continued to beckon. I had to ask him why.

“I can’t answer a question like that because sometimes I wonder what I’m doing and why,” he said with a laugh. “When you have the opportunity to work with great people and you still have the competitive drive, you do it. You’ll know when it’s time, when you lose that.

“Other than that, you just keep doing the things you believe in and you allow the end result to take care of itself. You try and associate with the best players and best coaches you can possibly get. They allow you to be you.”

Hockey has been the backdrop of Lamoriello’s life since those childhood days snagging tickets to the Providence Reds American League games, through teenage years heading up to Boston and straining to see the Bruins from the balcony of the old Garden, through the heady early coaching days when he led Providence College and helped establish the landscape that thrives so much to this day that the championship trophy is named for him.

His road into the NHL was far from traditional. 1189158 Boston Bruins others that could be better. We’ll keep encouraging him, working with him. He’s a great kid, he’ll be in there (Thursday) night and hopefully he helps us win.”

Bruins notebook: Craig Smith returns to practice DeBrusk was whacked with a $5,000 fine for his crosscheck to the back of Scott Mayfield‘s head on Tuesday and, on Wednesday, he issued a pretty straightforward mea culpa. By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald “It was warranted. Obviously, got my stick in a dangerous position there PUBLISHED: June 2, 2021 at 4:55 p.m. | UPDATED: June 2, 2021 at in front,” said DeBrusk. “I kind of realized it as the play was going on, 6:09 p.m. obviously he went down pretty hard. He was able to come back, didn’t necessarily hurt him, so it’s one of those things where it’s heat of the

battle, you’re in the front of the net, I just lost where my stick was. A fine The extra day off between Monday’s Game 2 in Boston and Thursday’s is a fine, it’s a warning. It’s my first thing with player safety, so I Game 3 on Long Island appears to be have been quite beneficial for the understand that’s obviously not OK, and it won’t happen again .” Bruins. B’s expecting a rocking Coliseum Craig Smith, who missed Game 2 with a lower body injury, tested out Games 1 and 2 were the first time the Bruins had a full house cheering what was bother him about 45 minutes before practice and then returned for them since Mach 7, 2020. They’ll now get the flipside of that when with the team for the full session, taking his regular spot on the second they play before what should be a raucous Nassau Coliseum crowd on line with David Krejci and Taylor Hall as well as his role on the second Thursday and Saturday. power-play unit. While coach Bruce Cassidy did not go so far as to declaring Smith in for Game 3, things looked promising. “I think it’s great. I love the old buildings. I realize things progress, you build newer stuff with more amenities, better amenities, revenue- “He looks a lot better,” said Cassidy. “That’s a good development for us. generating and all that. But I still have a fondness for those old buildings, We weren’t sure, to be honest with you. But he made it through the entire seeing all the sweaters hanging from those Islanders teams. I watched practice, did a little work early, so that’s a positive. Obviously, (Thursday) them play a lot growing up,” said Cassidy. “I think it would be loud. It morning, let’s see if there’s an residual effect. If not, then I assume he’ll should be. It’s playoffs. It’s the way it’s supposed to be. The Garden was be in the lineup.” rocking the other day and I’m sure the Coliseum will be rocking. You can Goalie Tuukka Rask, who produced a fair amount of teeth-gnashing use that to your advantage, too, as a player. It gets you going. So that’s when he showed some discomfort on on his right side after a failed Mat what I suspect will happen. It looked like that’s what was going on with Barzal breakaway in Game 2, returned to practice Wednesday and was Pittsburgh in Game 6 and I hear they’re opening up to a few more fans, named the starter for Game 3. Both Rask himself, in a WEEI interview so it will be even louder.” last week, and Cassidy on Tuesday acknowledged the goalie was On the mend battling nagging injuries. On Wednesday, Cassidy downplayed the significance of those injuries. Another good sign for the B’s was that Kevan Miller skated prior to practice with coach Kim Branvold. He will not be ready for Game 3, but “He’s fine,” said Cassidy. “Tuukka’s ready to go every playoff game. it’s an important step in his recovery from what was believed to be a There’s no issue there. Somebody asked me the other day and, like a lot concussion he suffered in Game 4 of the Washington series. of guys, there’s a few things there and I said something. But he’s ready to go, practicing full and he’ll be in the net (Thursday) night.” Also, Jakub Zboril skated with the main group for the first time since suffering an upper body injury in the last regular-season game. He could Presuming Smith is able to return, that would mean someone from the be an option down the road. … Game 2 lineup would have to come out. Cassidy said that it would not be Jake DeBrusk who’d be scratched, even though it appeared as though In accordance with CDC and NHL guidelines, fully vaccinated fans are no that might be the case as he was a man without a line in Wednesday’s longer required to wear masks inside TD Garden. Masks are still strongly practice. However, the coach did not say who would be the odd man out. recommended for unvaccinated fans.

Karson Kuhlman remained with Charlie Coyle and Nick Ritchie in practice. Though Kuhlman played reasonably well, picking up an assist on Coyle’s game-opening goal, he’d be the best guess here to take a sit. Boston Herald LOADED: 06.03.2021 Another possibility would be Chris Wagner, who skated a team-low 9:53 in Game 2, though his fourth line with Curtis Lazar and Sean Kuraly has played reasonably well in a defensive role. We shall see.

Cassidy also said that he was sticking with Jeremy Lauzon. The young defenseman has been on the ice for seven goals against (and four in favor) in his three playoff games and his bad cross-ice pass attempt led to the game-winning breakaway away goal from Casey Cizikas in Game 2.

A impactful play like that could leave a mark on a young player’s psyche, but Cassidy believes he’ll be able to mentally bounce back from that play There are some areas that Cassidy would like to see Lauzon improve, however.

“He’s a confident kid. If you watch him, he tries plays out there more than most at his experience level. So I’m not worried about that part of it,” said Cassidy. “I think the message to Jeremy for the most part is, listen, we’re moving on to Game 3, Game 2’s over. And be true to your identity, and that is in simplest terms you have to be at your best to keep pucks out of our net. That’s your first job, that’s what you’re good at, that’s why you got into the lineup. You’re obviously hard to play against, willing to block shots. … Be hard to play against and keep the puck out of your net. That starts with good defending, that starts with a good stick, which is what we addressed with him the other night. We thought his stick could have been in better positions, specifically on the (penalty kill). Offensively, we have certain things we like to run in the O-zone. The other one (on the breakaway goal) didn’t work out the other night. We addressed it. But he still has to make the plays in front of him. And he’s going to be like everyone else on our team, he’s going to make some good ones, and 1189159 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Smith Trending Toward Game 3 Return

Published 13 hours ago on June 2, 2021

By Joe Haggerty

BRIGHTON, Mass – It looks like the Boston Bruins will get a little closer to full roster strength as they head into Long Island for the all-important middle games of their playoff series against the New York Islanders.

Right winger Craig Smith (lower body) was back practicing at his usual second line spot during Wednesday’s practice at Warrior ice Arena and getting reps on the second power play unit, a couple of unmistakable signs that it’s looking promising for him to play in Game 3 on Thursday night.

“He looks a lot better. That’s a good development for us. We weren’t sure to be honest with you, but he made it through the entire practice, and he did a little work early. So that’s a positive,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “We’ll see tomorrow morning if there’s any residual effects, and if not then I’ll assume he’ll be in the lineup.”

Smith missed Game 2 after absorbing a leg-on-leg hit with Cal Clutterbuck in last weekend’s Game 1 that knocked him out of commission in the third period and has one goal and three points along with a plus-1 rating in six games during the playoffs. Cassidy further mentioned that Kevan Miller (upper body) and Jakub Zboril were both getting closer to a return but wouldn’t be available for Thursday night’s game on Long Island.

Miller skated on his own prior to the team practice on Wednesday, an indication that he’s progressing in his recovery from an upper body injury suffered during a nasty Dmitry Orlov hit during the first round of the postseason. Cassidy also indicated that Jake DeBrusk wouldn’t be coming out of the lineup if Smith goes return for the Black and Gold for Game 3, so that leaves Karson Kuhlman as the likely odd man out after subbing in for Smith on Monday night.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189160 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Talk Game 3 ‘Improvements’ Vs. Islanders

Published 18 hours ago on June 2, 2021

By Joe Haggerty

BRIGHTON, Mass – They say it’s not officially a playoff series until a home team loses in the series, so the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders officially have a Stanley Cup playoff thing going on right now.

The Bruins clearly didn’t play their best in Monday night’s Game 2 overtime loss to the Isles and the second period was probably their worst 20 minutes in the playoffs to date. But despite all that they still managed to come back in the third to push overtime and the Isles needed several bounces, two power play goals and a whole lot of good fortune to beat the Black and Gold in the extra session.

So, what are the adjustments for Game 3 at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday night with the B’s in need of taking at least one out of two to regain home ice advantage?

A lot of it comes down to the defensemen corps getting better in both zones as the Perfection Line continued to dominate in Game 2 with three goals seven points and 22 shot attempts against an Islanders defense geared to stop them.

“They just turned it up,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy of the Islanders. “They recognized where they were in the game. Give them some credit. There are going to be ebbs and flows to the game, but I think there are things in our game that need improvement. Below the goal lines and on our breakouts, we knew that was going to be an issue in this series if we weren’t clean. It caught up to us a little bit. Offensive blue line play, if they’re going to collapse on us then we need to be better.

“We got better in the third period and made some good plays up there, so that’s something that’s going to be required in there if they’re going to pack it in to try and take away our slot looks. That’s an adjustment we made in-game the other day and we’re going to have to work on it and be good again [in Game 3]. That’s what we’re looking at: Be clean coming out of our end, support the puck better and our ‘D’ are going to have to make better decisions with their first touch.”

It was an “ill-advised play” from young D-man Jeremy Lauzon that ultimately sank the Bruins in overtime, but it was also an average night from Tuukka Rask between the pipes as well at a time of year when average doesn’t cut it. Let’s also credit Lauzon for a game-saving block in OT as well prior to the D-to-D pass thrown to nobody that led to the game-winner for Casey Cizikas.

So, the Boston Bruins know they need to be better headed to Long Island and they can’t afford to take a period off as they did in Game 2 and hope to come out on top, even if they clearly look like a superior hockey team through the first couple of games in the series.

“Obviously, we’d like to be up 2-0 in the series, but you’re playing good teams this time of year. It’s not that easy. We’ll work on the parts to get us wins and then go out there and hopefully execute better than the other team,” said Cassidy. “That’s the plan. They made one more play than us in overtime, and that’s the difference. So, we go up there, enjoy the moment and enjoy playoff hockey.”

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189161 Boston Bruins Even one injury can compromise the Bruins’ defense. Kevan Miller has been unavailable since Game 4 of Round 1 when he took a high hit from Dmitry Orlov. The hard-rock defenseman has been riding the stationary Tuukka Rask’s injuries flare up in Game 2. What does it mean for the bike. He has yet to skate. Bruins’ defenders? Miller’s calling card is physicality. But he can move the puck better than opponents expect. Had Miller been healthy and locking down the right side of the No. 3 pairing, Clifton would most likely be his left-side partner. By Fluto Shinzawa Instead, the Islanders will be targeting Lauzon, especially at home in Jun 2, 2021 Games 3 and 4. With last change, coach Barry Trotz can choose between his fourth-line heat-seekers (Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal

Clutterbuck) or his top-line dynamo (Mathew Barzal) to roll against The Islanders placed the puck well in their 4-3 Game 2 overtime win. Lauzon. They pursued it even better. The 24-year-old has handled such assignments well before. But he is Every line committed to executing crushing wall work on the forecheck, carrying the weight of a back-breaking overtime turnover. supporting the puck in close quarters and sending bodies into Tuukka The Bruins will ask Lauzon to do what they request of all their Rask’s kitchen. defensemen: Flush mistakes. Make plays. Play to their strengths. It’s up The latter became problematic. to Lauzon to bounce back.

Midway through Game 2, the accumulation of pucks and people turned Rask’s usually smooth movements into more labored maneuvers. At one The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 point, Rask appeared to be favoring his right hip and groin.

Rask missed parts of 18 regular-season games. His troubles started on March 7 when he skated off the TD Garden ice holding his lower back.

“He’s been dealing with some injuries all year,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “Obviously good enough to play. They’re nagging. Not unique to just Tuukka for that position.”

Tuesday was an off day for the Bruins. Rask was scheduled to undergo treatment at Warrior Ice Arena. The Bruins will practice on Wednesday in Brighton before departing for Long Island.

“Right now, I don’t believe there’s any reason to think he won’t be ready to go Thursday. That’s where we’re at with Tuukka,” said Cassidy. “I thought they did a better job getting to the front of the net as well, crashing the top of his crease. The second goal was a good example of that. They were rattling around, getting their sticks in there. That’s playoff hockey. That one’s a little bit on us to box out better. Let him see those pucks and freeze those pucks. That’s just something goalies deal with as you get farther and farther in a season. As for his injury, I don’t believe there will be anything to worry about. If there is, obviously we’ll have to sort through that.”

One solution to easing Rask’s burden is faster and cleaner puck movement in the defensive zone. It would reduce the length and frequency of the Islanders’ visits.

The Bruins had bursts of this in Game 2 from their most proficient transporters: Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk, Mike Reilly and Connor Clifton. But no team rolls out six puck movers. It is as much an issue of roster construction as shortness of supply.

The Bruins, like every team, require in-zone presence and muscle to deter down-low attacks, especially on the penalty kill. It’s why Brandon Carlo (27:01 of ice time in Game 2) and Jeremy Lauzon (21:27) receive regular shifts. They are meat-and-potato defenders. Carlo and Lauzon are optimized to negate sticks, confront puck carriers and nudge opponents out of dangerous areas.

They are not as well designed for rapid in-zone puck movement or chance creation at the offensive blue line. But there are times when the defensive defensemen are required to execute puck plays. When those instances occur in Game 3, Carlo and Lauzon have no choice but to make them to the best of their abilities.

“Behind our goal line and our breakouts, we knew would be an issue in this series if we weren’t clean,” Cassidy said. “It caught up to us a little bit. Offensive blue line play. If they’re going to collapse, we need to be better up there. We got better in the third period. We made some good plays up there. So that’s something that’s going to be required if they pack it in like they did the other night to try to eliminate some of our slot looks. That’s an adjustment we made in-game the other day. We’re going to have to continue to work on it and be good at it again on Thursday. That’s what we’re looking at — to be clean coming out of our end, support the puck better and our D are going to have to make better decisions on their first touch. Which is tough against a good forechecking team. But that’s the hand they’re dealt. Every team has strengths.” 1189162 Buffalo Sabres someday win the Hart Trophy. Eichel totaled a career-high 36 goals with 78 points in 68 games during the 2019-20 season.

This disconnect could lead to a separation this summer, but there’s Next steps for Jack Eichel, Sabres uncertain with 12-week period of rest reason to wonder how Eichel’s injury and disappointing 2020-21 season complete would impact trade negations. He totaled only two goals and 16 assists for 18 points while shooting a career-worst 3.3% in 21 games. Eichel, though, may have played through pain. Lance Lysowski Eichel, who was drafted second overall in 2015, missed the start of Jun 2, 2021 Updated 5 hrs ago training camp with a broken rib suffered during a preseason on-ice shooting drill at LECOM Harborcenter. He also sat two games with a

sprained ankle and played through an abdominal injury that’s bothered The 12-week period of conservative treatment that was at the root of the him since the 2019-20 season. disagreement between Jack Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres is complete. The herniated disk – and Eichel’s preferred recovery plan – may alter the Eichel, 24, the Sabres’ captain and star center, begrudgingly finished the course of a franchise that tanked the 2014-15 season to draft a player of recovery plan provided to him by the Sabres’ doctors, despite his public his caliber. preference to undergo surgery on a herniated disk in his neck that limited “So now, I don’t have the information to say to you, ‘Here’s where we go him to only 21 games this season. from here,’ ” Adams said. “Jack may have had some other thoughts over Sabres own first overall pick in NHL draft after winning lottery again these last few weeks, but we’ll see. That’s the next conversation: 'OK, where are we at? What are the doctors saying? Where is Jack’s thought General Manager and the rest of Sabres management process on all of this?' And then we’ll go from there.” learned during the virtual lottery Wednesday that they will be at the front of the line to pick another building block for a franchise that has not Coaching search reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011. Sabres opt to not sign center Marcus Davidsson, a second-round draft Neither General Manager Kevyn Adams nor the Sabres’ doctors have choice in 2017 changed their minds. They have no interest in allowing Eichel to undergo One of Jason Botterill’s first draft choices as general manager of the an artificial disk replacement. Buffalo Sabres is free to sign with another NHL team. After learning at the lottery on Wednesday night that the Sabres will draft Adams declined to name specific candidates whom he’s spoken to about first overall on July 23, Adams revealed to the media that he has yet to the Sabres’ coaching vacancy, but he confirmed Wednesday night that meet with Eichel’s camp to plot next steps. The Sabres will evaluate the the process has included people with experience in the NHL, American most recent medical information before engaging in dialogue with the Hockey League, NCAA and Europe. face of their franchise. There isn’t a timeline to make a hire, Adams said. He and associate “There will be for me a lot of information gathering over the next few general manager Jason Karmanos plan to have more preliminary days,” Adams said. “Speaking with our doctors, speaking with Jack’s conversations before they conduct follow-up interviews with finalists. camp and just kind of where we go from here. So, I don’t really have an update, but it’s going to be coming here in terms of information I get in “For me, I’ve learned from every one of those conversations,” Adams the coming days. I think it is important just to mention our doctors, their said. “We’ll work our way through a number of people. Like I laid out expertise, they still aren’t comfortable with any type of surgery that’s before, I don’t have a timeline on exactly when this will wrap up, but then never been done on a hockey player before. So, that’s kind of what I said we’ll narrow it down and get a little further into the weeds on some before and that hasn’t changed.” maybe hockey-specific type questions and fit and kind of go that direction.” More change is on the horizon for the Sabres, but the extent of that change won’t be determined until after GM Kevyn Adams completes his search for the team’s next coach. Buffalo News LOADED: 06.03.2021 Adams declined to speculate what he expects to hear from Eichel’s camp in the coming days. If Eichel’s public expression of frustration was any indication, it’s unlikely he’ll be pleased with the Sabres’ refusal to approve the surgery.

On May 10, only two days after the Sabres completed a regular season in which they finished at the bottom of the NHL for the fourth time in eight years, Eichel told the media that a “disconnect” developed between him and the team stemming from desire to have surgery. This fueled trade speculation and Adams’ rebuttal to reporters two days later painted a clearer picture.

According to Adams, the Sabres’ doctors – and a medical expert sought out by Eichel for a second opinion – agreed on a “conservative rehab approach” for 12 weeks before imaging would determine next steps. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the artificial disk replacement Eichel wanted has never been done on an NHL player. The only notable professional athlete to have the procedure is mixed martial artist Chris Weidman.

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If Eichel still wants the procedure, his only recourse would be filing a grievance with the NHL Players’ Association, a process that could give him and his representatives an opportunity to present their case to an independent arbitrator.

Regardless of what’s next, it’s unclear whether Eichel wants to be part of the Sabres’ future. He has five years remaining on a contract that carries a $10 million annual cap hit. His full no-movement clause begins July 1, 2022, which would allow him to nix any trade. Teams around the NHL will line up to try to acquire a player who many consider talented enough to 1189163 Buffalo Sabres Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has one year remaining on his contract, may also receive a change of scenery this summer after he told Adams during an exit interview last month that he was indifferent about Sabres own first overall pick in NHL draft after winning lottery again remaining in Buffalo.

The Sabres also have two notable pending unrestricted free agents in goalie Linus Ullmark and defenseman Jake McCabe. Though Lance Lysowski CapFriendly.com projects the team to have $32.6 million in salary-cap space, it may be difficult to convince Ullmark and McCabe to be part of a Jun 2, 2021 Updated 5 hrs ago possible rebuild in 2021-22. Adams will also have trouble luring free agents to Buffalo with the Sabres mired in a 10-year playoff drought, tied for the longest in NHL history. Acalamitous 56-game season that included a Covid-19 outbreak, the midseason firing of former coach Ralph Krueger and a franchise-record If Adams plans to go young in Buffalo, he has some impressive building 18-game winless streak led the Buffalo Sabres to another high-stakes blocks in defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Henri Jokiharju, centers NHL draft lottery on Wednesday night. Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens, and a few prospects on the cusp of earning full-time NHL jobs, including defenseman Mattias Samuelsson Their award for finishing last in the league for the fourth time in eight and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Tage Thompson, Anders Bjork, seasons: the top pick in the first round of the draft, which will be held Rasmus Asplund and Arttu Ruotsalainen also performed well in the final virtually on July 23. weeks of the season under interim coach .

General Manager Kevyn Adams and the rest of Sabres management If Eichel and/or Reinhart are traded, the Sabres’ most notable immediate learned during the virtual lottery Wednesday that they will be at the front need is at center. Though Quinn may shift to the middle at some point of the line to pick another building block for a franchise that has not during his development trek, Adams may have the option to choose reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011. Matthew Beniers or Kent Johnson from the University of Michigan. Beniers has shown during the IIHF World Championship that he’s close Defenseman Owen Power, a 6-foot-6 18-year-old, is regarded as the top to NHL-ready, as he already has a solid two-way game to help him reach prize in a draft that will include 32 teams with the arrival of the expansion Buffalo quickly. Johnson, meanwhile, is a gifted playmaker who can Seattle Kraken, who will pick second. The Anaheim Ducks will select create time and space for himself or his teammates. third, followed by the New Jersey Devils at No. 4 and the Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 5. Sabres opt to not sign center Marcus Davidsson, a second-round draft choice in 2017 This is the second time in four years that the Sabres have won the draft lottery. Buffalo has previously selected first overall on three occasions: One of Jason Botterill’s first draft choices as general manager of the defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (2018), center Pierre Turgeon (1987) and Buffalo Sabres is free to sign with another NHL team. center Gilbert Perreault (1970). Mason McTavish, William Eklund and Dylan Guenther are among the "It was a challenging season," said Adams. "A lot of adversity. We were forward options the Sabres may consider in the first round. in the position we were in. And you certainly don't want to be there but that's the reality. ... So to have this fall our way, to be in this position, it's Immediate need is rarely at the forefront of scouting directors’ minds whoo, it makes some of the things we went through this year ... I feel little leading up to the draft. A best-player-available approach could lead the bit better about it. But no, it's a huge opportunity for our franchise to Sabres to select one of the top defensemen in this draft. Power is the improve. I feel like this is a really, really big step, something we need and consensus top pick, but Luke Hughes of the USA Hockey National Team excited about it." Development Program and Brandt Clarke of the Barrie Colts are dynamic playmakers on the back end. More change is on the horizon for the Sabres, but the extent of that change won’t be determined until after GM Kevyn Adams completes his This would provide Sabres with ample defense options in Dahlin, search for the team’s next coach. Samuelsson, Johnson, Laaksonen, Jokiharju and one of the three top prospects in this draft. This approach would provide the organization with The Sabres will be able to improve a depleted prospect pipeline with their insurance in the event one of their top defense prospects regresses. 10 selections in this draft, including a pair of picks in the second and third rounds. Adams can use the draft capital to move back into the first round The reality, though, is the that Sabres will be scrutinized if they opt to not or acquire someone who can help the NHL team next season. He can select a forward, regardless of whether they bid farewell to Eichel and/or also use a pick or picks as a bargaining chip to convince the Kraken to Reinhart. There’s a glaring need for more help up front in the interim and not select a specific player in the expansion draft next month. long-term, and Quinn is the only unsigned prospect in the system who has a track record of scoring goals against top competition. With notable prospects reaching the NHL this season, the Sabres’ top draft picks yet to reach the NHL include winger Jack Quinn, defenseman Adams does not plan to reveal his selection until the Sabres are on the Oskari Laaksonen, defenseman Ryan Johnson, goalie Erik Portillo, clock for draft day, but he said his staff will pick the player they believe forward Aaron Huglen, winger Lukas Rousek, winger J.J. Peterka and will be the best in the future. center Matteo Costantini. "There's only one team that gets the number 1 overall pick," said Adams. Most importantly, though, the Sabres will add a player in the first round "It can change the course of your franchise. There's a lot of good players that can supplement a young core that Adams has referred to last month in this draft, so we're excited about that. We're excited to get to the point as a “bright light.” Stockpiling talent will be pivotal during an offseason in where we feel comfortable when that draft rolls around the name we're which this franchise may lose its top two players: Jack Eichel and Sam going to call. Reinhart. "But for sure, it's energizing to the players in the room. I'm sure if you Eichel, a 24-year-old captain selected second overall in the 2015 draft, asked our players, they're excited right now. It's energizing to our may want to be traded with five years remaining on his $80 million fanbase. It's energizing just to the people that work in this organization contract after what he called a “disconnect” with the team related to his that love this place so much. It's all the above. And it's a big, I'll say, step preference to have surgery on the herniated disk in his neck. in the right direction of where we're headed."

Reinhart, meanwhile, will also have his name mentioned in trade rumors after a career year in which he matched his previous career-best 25 Buffalo News LOADED: 06.03.2021 goals in only 54 games. Drafted second overall in 2014, Reinhart is one year away from being an unrestricted free agent. It is unclear whether he would be open to signing with Buffalo long-term.

With best odds to draft No. 1, Sabres have chance to secure a top player

Here’s a look at the players the Sabres might have the opportunity to draft next month. 1189164 Buffalo Sabres William Eklund, left wing, Djurgardens IF (Swedish Hockey League)

Ranked the top international skater in this class, Eklund had an impressive season in Sweden’s top professional league. He totaled 11 With best odds to draft No. 1, Sabres have chance to secure a top player goals and 23 points in four games before adding two points in three playoff games.

Lance Lysowski Listed at 5-foot-10, Eklund also had an exceptional junior season in 2019-20 and is lauded by scouts for his on-ice instincts. Jun 2, 2021 Updated 6 hrs ago “Eklund is a speedy winger who played a big role on Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League,” said Marr. “He competes and works hard with excellent hockey sense, quickness and elite puck skills to be both a The Buffalo Sabres were saved by the rules. playmaker and a scorer. A scoring threat on every shift, he plays bigger When the NHL Draft Lottery is held Wednesday night, the Sabres will than his size and plays to win.” learn whether they pick first, second or third overall to kick-start the Matthew Beniers, center, University of Michigan virtual seven-round draft on July 23-24. Considered by many pundits as the top center in this class, Beniers is In past years, the last-place Sabres could have dropped down to as far representing the United States at the IIHF World Championship. The 18- as No. 4. Recent changes, though, ensure the franchise will select in the year-old had 10 goals and 24 points in 24 games as a freshman with the top three for the fourth time in eight years. Buffalo earned the best odds Wolverines. He also attended the USA Hockey National Team to draft first overall for only the fourth time in franchise history – Rasmus Development Program in 2019-20. Dahlin (2018), Pierre Turgeon (1987) and Gilbert Perreault (1970) – by finishing at the bottom of the NHL with a 15-34-7 record. Kent Johnson, center, University of Michigan

This latest top pick comes during a draft year in which many prospects One of three Wolverines on the list, Johnson played mostly left wing as a were unable to play in their respective junior league or they had their freshman, but he’s expected to transition back to center in the future. He seasons cut short because of the Covid-19 pandemic. has elite speed and offensive instincts, possessing the creativity to create time in space for himself and his teammates. Johnson’s shot is also like ”It’s challenging, but I equate it to bad ice for a hockey game,” said Sabres prospect Jack Quinn’s in that he’s able to create deception with Sabres associate general manager Jason Karmanos. “Everyone is his release. playing under the same conditions. So, it is very different than usual. I feel badly for the kids that haven't been able to play this year. … It’s been Johnson will need to gain strength to excel against bigger competition, a difficult situation for everyone to deal with and certainly, from a scouting but his upside was on display this season as he totaled nine goals and point of view, it presents challenges. … We have a good staff, and I’ve 27 points in 26 games. He was an elite goal-scorer in the British gotten to know the scouting staff much more since I first started. It’s an Columbia Hockey League with 41 goals during his final two seasons of ongoing process and one we still have a lot of work to do. Fortunately, junior hockey. the draft is a little bit later this year. Everybody is tackling as much video as they can. We’re no different. I see it as a big opportunity.” Luke Hughes, left-shot defenseman, USA Hockey National Team Development Program The odds to pick No. 1: Sabres (16.6%), Anaheim Ducks (12.1%), New Jersey Devils (10.3%), Seattle Kraken (10.3%). Hughes has the skill set to develop into an elite playmaking defenseman in the NHL. Listed at 6-foot-2, Hughes’ pedigree adds to his case – his Here’s a look at the players the Sabres might have the opportunity to brothers Jack (first overall, 2019) and Quinn (seventh overall in 2018) are draft next month. excelling in the NHL – but he also produced at nearly a point-per-game pace at NTDP with 34 points in 38 games. Owen Power, left-shot defenseman, University of Michigan (NCAA) Hughes is expected to attend the University of Michigan in the fall. Power was ranked by NHL Central Scouting as the No. 1 North American skater in this class after he totaled three goals and 16 points in 26 games Dylan Guenther, right wing, Edmonton (Western Hockey League) as a freshman. The 18-year-old also showed at the IIHF World Championship that he is likely ready to make the jump to the NHL, as he A 6-foot-2 forward with a shot release one scout compared to Jack took over a top-pairing role for Canada following the injury to Sabres Eichel’s, Guenther might be the best pure goal scorer in this class. defenseman Colin Miller. Guenther had 12 goals and 24 points in 12 games during the WHL’s shortened season. He added four goals and seven points in seven Power, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 213 pounds, showed remarkable games at the U18 world championships. offensive upside during his two seasons with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League. During that span, he had 23 goals and 42 The Sabres did not have a scout covering the WHL this season. Their assists for 65 points in 103 games. former scout in the area, Randy Hansch, was formerly general manager of Guenther’s junior team: the Edmonton Oil Kings. Every piece of intel Power can become the third NCAA player taken with the No. 1 overall helps in preparing for the draft. pick, and first since the New York Islanders selected goaltender Rick DiPietro out of Boston University in 2000.

“Power is an excellent package of NHL size, skating and attributes which Buffalo News LOADED: 06.03.2021 he utilizes effectively in all situations,” Dan Marr, the director of NHL Central Scouting, said in a news release. “His hockey sense is intuitive and instinctive. A very fluid and agile skater who can transition quickly on plays and separate himself from checking. He plays a mature game for his age and is at the top of this draft class.”

Mason McTavish, center, Peterborough Petes (Ontario Hockey League)

McTavish, a Canadian national born in Zurich, Switzerland, used a strong performance at the IIHF U18 World Championship as a springboard to become central scouting’s top-ranked North American forward in this class. Listed at 6-foot-1, McTavish totaled five goals with six assists for 11 points in seven games while captaining Canada to its first gold medal at the tournament since 2013.

With the OHL unable to launch its season, McTavish played 13 games with EHC Olten in the Swiss second division. He had 29 goals and 42 points in 57 games with Peterborough during the 2019-20 season. 1189165 Buffalo Sabres In an unprecedented draft with limited live viewings and leagues that didn’t even play, other top prospects for the Sabres to ponder include center Matthew Beniers, right wing Dylan Guenther, left wing William Sabres land No. 1 pick, but it’s still unclear if Jack Eichel’s health has Eklund and defenseman Luke Hughes. improved “It’s not just about who may be the best player now, you’re looking to project ultimately who the best player becomes,” Adams said. “We need to improve in every area, so we’re certainly not going to focus on a By John Vogl position or a need. We’re looking to definitely take the best player.”

Jun 3, 2021 If they decide it’s Power, he’d become the fourth defenseman taken in the first or second round in the past four drafts. After selecting Dahlin,

Buffalo took Mattias Samuelsson with the opening pick of the second The Sabres have the first chance to draft a future star. Before that, they round in 2018 and chose Ryan Johnson with the final pick of the first need to deal with their current one. round in 2019. Though the Sabres need scoring, that quartet could evolve into an enviable top-four unit. General manager Kevyn Adams will meet with Jack Eichel this week to discuss the next steps in the captain’s recovery from a herniated disk. It The Sabres’ pick in July will probably have the skills to jump right into the could be a contentious chat because Buffalo’s view has not changed. NHL, but Adams won’t apply that pressure.

“Our doctors and their expertise, they’re just still not comfortable with any “We’re not going to put a player in a position we don’t feel is best for their type of surgery that’s never been done on a hockey player before,” development, so whether that means on our team or somewhere else, Adams said Wednesday night. that’s OK,” Adams said. “We’re not going to rush a player, and we’re certainly not going to pick a player we think has the best chance to play Eichel and his camp were steadfast in their belief that surgical artificial right away. We want the player we think is going to be the best player in disk replacement is the best treatment for the 24-year-old. The team and the long run, so that’s really a critical differentiate as we look at this player agreed to go through a 12-week rest-and-rehab process before draft.” meeting again. Time’s up and it’s unclear if Eichel’s health has improved. The last No. 1 pick to not immediately play in the NHL was defenseman If it hasn’t, what does Adams expect to hear from the captain? Erik Johnson in 2006, so odds are good Buffalo will get help next season.

“It’s hard for me to answer that question because I need to speak with The pressing question is whether Eichel will be part of the help. The Jack’s agents and Jack himself and just kind of understand where they’re answer will come soon. at,” Adams said. “Everybody agreed that the 12-week rehab was the first step in this process, so now I don’t have the information to say to you, ‘Here’s where we go from here.’ The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 “Jack may have had some other thoughts over these last few weeks, but we’ll see. That’s the next conversation, right? ‘OK, where are we at? What are the doctors saying? Where’s Jack’s thought process in all of this?’ And then we’ll go from there.”

The direction of the franchise could hinge on the results. If Eichel remains upset with the Sabres’ handling of his injury, a tenuous marriage could become unsalvageable.

“It’ll be, for me, a lot of information gathering over the next few days, speaking with our doctors, speaking with Jack’s camp and just kind of where we go from here,” Adams said.

There is certainty in where the Sabres are going at the NHL Draft. They’re going to the podium first. They won the lottery Wednesday and will select No. 1 on July 23.

“There’s only one team that gets the No. 1 overall pick. It can change kind of the course of your franchise,” Adams said. “It’s a big step in the right direction of where we’re headed.”

The last-place Sabres held the best odds of winning the lottery, but those were still just 16.6 percent. They had a better chance of falling to the third pick as the Nos. 1 and 2 selections were chosen via the bouncing balls.

The win is a small reward for a hellacious season that included COVID- 19, the firing of coach Ralph Krueger, poor or boring play and personnel squabbles.

“To have this fall our way, to be in this position, it makes some of the things we went through this year feel a little bit better,” Adams said. “It’s a huge opportunity for our franchise to improve. I feel like this is a really big step, something we needed. I’m excited about it.”

This is the fourth time Buffalo has held the No. 1 selection. The Sabres picked Gilbert Perreault at No. 1 in 1970, started the 1987 draft with Pierre Turgeon and selected Rasmus Dahlin at the top in 2018.

It’s possible, if not probable, the Sabres add another defenseman to a core featuring Dahlin. Owen Power is ranked No. 1 by NHL Central Scouting and most draft experts. The 6-foot-6, 213-pound blueliner starred as a freshman at Michigan after excelling in the United States Hockey League and Toronto’s youth leagues. The 18-year-old is representing Canada at the World Championship and has three assists in seven games.

“I have watched him,” Adams said. “I’ll certainly be watching a lot more of him and others here in the coming weeks.” 1189166 Buffalo Sabres bigger than Jack (and Quinn), skates incredibly well and could absolutely blossom into the top-pairing defenseman the Devils desperately need in the coming years. -Corey Masisak

NHL Mock Draft 2021: Owen Power to Sabres as we pick for every 5. Columbus Blue Jackets: Simon Edvinsson, LHD, Frolunda-SHL lottery team (and predict trades) The Blue Jackets could absolutely use some firepower up front, especially at center. So with Beniers off the board to Seattle, Mason Corey Pronman McTavish was a very strong consideration in this spot. But we went with Edvinsson for two reasons beyond the simple fact that he has enormous Jun 3, 2021 potential. The Blue Jackets are likely to trade Seth Jones this summer — he has told them that he plans to test free agency rather than sign an

extension — leaving a gigantic hole on the Columbus blue line. The lottery balls fell into place and the top of the NHL Draft order starts Youngster Andrew Peeke is expected to be an NHL regular next season, with the Buffalo Sabres at No. 1, the Seattle Kraken at No. 2 and the but beyond Peeke the Blue Jackets’ pipeline of defensemen is virtually Anaheim Ducks dropping to No. 3. void of high-end talent. Edvinsson is 6-4, 203 pounds. When he fills out, he’ll have the size of a prototypical top-pairing defender, drawing The question that will remain until the first round is held virtually on July comparisons to another sizeable Swede: . It’s unclear 23, is who is your team going to draft. To give a look at how things could when Edvinsson will be ready to make an NHL splash. But he has play out, The Athletic’s NHL writers made all of the lottery picks. offensive upside, is a tremendous skater and has power-play capability. - Aaron Portzline Then prospect writer Corey Pronman audited their selections, along with getting feedback from NHL scouts. 6. Detroit Red Wings: William Eklund, LW, Djurgarden-SHL

Will the top four defensemen go early? Is any team going to take a goalie The Red Wings need a bit of everything, and at this spot on the board, in the top 15? Let’s draft. they have options to choose from at every position. Eklund checks a lot of boxes as a strong skater with good hockey sense who can make 1. Buffalo Sabres: Owen Power, LHD, Michigan-Big Ten plays. Production-wise, he outscored 2020 top-10 picks Lucas Raymond Power is the safe, logical pick. He also might be a tough sell in Buffalo. (Detroit’s fourth-overall pick) and Alexander Holtz this year in the SHL. The Sabres haven’t been able to score for a decade. With a thin pipeline, And while Eklund is on the smaller side at 5-foot-10, he’s regarded as a they desperately need more talented forwards. But Buffalo sure has the good competitor, which has been an important trait for the Red Wings makings of a defensive powerhouse after adding Power. The 6-foot-6, under Steve Yzerman. Eklund has played wing in the SHL, but he also 213-pounder would join a stockpile of young blueliners that features has some experience playing center, and it’s worth it for Detroit to at Rasmus Dahlin, the No. 1 pick in 2018; Mattias Samuelsson, the No. 32 least try him there to see if he’s able to play down the middle as a pro. pick in 2018; and Ryan Johnson, the No. 31 pick in 2019. Once they The Red Wings’ Swedish pipeline lives on. -Max Bultman mature, that quartet could be a top-four group that is the envy of the 7. San Jose Sharks: Brandt Clarke, RHD, Barrie-OHL league. It will just take a while for that to happen, so Buffalo fans will need the one thing that’s run out during 10 years of playoff misses: Considering their lack of true elite-level prospects, the Sharks probably patience. By most accounts, Power will be worth the wait. His skating shouldn’t be targeting specific positions; rather, they should just take the and two-way game make him a solid No. 1 pick. -John Vogl best player available. Still, a defenseman is probably preferable to a forward after they used all nine of their picks on either centers or wingers 2. Seattle Kraken: Matthew Beniers, C, Michigan-Big Ten in 2020. Clarke is similar to Ryan Merkley in that he’s a right-shot The Kraken could go in a number of directions. But the pick — for now — defenseman, but he’s bigger than the 2018 first-round pick who had an could be Beniers. Kraken general manager Ron Francis has a history of underwhelming first professional season with the AHL Barracuda. While choosing defensemen when it comes to the lottery, going back to his there was a temptation here to take one of the two goalies who could end days with the Carolina Hurricanes. But selecting Beniers offers the up going in the first round, I just don’t think the Sharks would go that Kraken a two-way forward who stands out because of his work ethic and direction based on their history. -Kevin Kurz his commitment. Someone like Dylan Guenther might be the more potent 8. Los Angeles Kings: Kent Johnson, C, Michigan-Big Ten offensive option. But Francis oversaw teams that made two-way play a priority, and it is possible Beniers could be their choice with the The Kings will need a highly skilled winger to play alongside center understanding that anything is plausible between now and when the time Quinton Byfield, and Johnson could be the perfect complement to last comes to make the first pick in franchise history. -Ryan S. Clark year’s No. 2 draft pick. It could take a couple of years for Byfield to get fully established in the NHL, and Johnson will also will require time to 3. Anaheim Ducks: Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton-WHL develop. In fact, one NHL scout pointed that out to me recently, saying: Well, this could be very interesting for the head honchos in Anaheim. As “He’s probably on the lower end of being physically ready and developed. the only team to fall in the lottery, the Ducks will likely miss out on adding However, you can’t help but notice the level of skill and creativity that Power to the blue line, and they could also miss the opportunity to plug in goes with him.” Another potential option for the Kings, who are awash in Beniers, the fellow University of Michigan standout with a strong two-way draft picks, would be to trade the selection as a piece of a much larger game and a persistent motor who would have fit comfortably behind trade to bring in present-day, high-end NHL talent. -Lisa Dillman Trevor Zegras on the Ducks’ future center depth chart. They’ve long 9. Vancouver Canucks: Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough-OHL insisted that their draft motto is best player available, but maybe this is a year where falling a spot isn’t so tragic. Guenther didn’t get as many draft Canucks general manager Jim Benning is a best player available showings as others at the top, but 24 points in 12 WHL games with the absolutist. And he thinks this draft class has a relatively solidified nine- Edmonton Oil Kings is mighty impressive. He has good size and is player tier, that becomes a bit more disparate and unpredictable from equally adept at making plays for teammates or beating goalies from there. “There’s nine guys we really like,” Benning told The Athletic on some distance. The Ducks like their forwards to be well-rounded, and Wednesday night following the results of the draft lottery, “and we know Guenther’s work away from the puck will appeal to them. But they’ve now we’re going to get one of those nine guys.” So the Canucks are in a needed offense for years. With Power most assuredly gone by their bit of a read-and-react spot in the draft order, and that’s what we’ve done selection, it makes sense to continue beefing up the skill level up front. - here. With the way the board our colleagues mocked broke down, Eric Stephens McTavish is the guy remaining from that well-defined nine-player tier. Perhaps Vancouver would, in its heart of hearts, prefer one of the big 4. New Jersey Devils: Luke Hughes, LHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL four defensemen, but McTavish is no consolation prize. Gritty, intelligent, By sticking at No. 4, the Devils are guaranteed to land one of the top four possessing a lethal shot and with scouts across the industry raving about defensemen in this class. That is an obvious area of need. Does that his character; he’s the sort of player the Canucks might’ve taken a long, mean the best player on their board will be a defenseman when it’s their hard look at even higher in the draft order. -Thomas Drance turn? In this scenario, they’d still have three of the big four left to choose 10. Ottawa Senators: Chaz Lucius, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL from. The youngest of the three Hughes brothers is an obvious connection given that older brother Jack is one of two franchise players The Senators need to add some skill up front and Lucius should fit the in the organization. This isn’t strictly a nepotism pick, though. Luke is bill. Described as a natural goal scorer, he scored 13 goals in just 12 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program this past before the draft in a package to fill a need (possibly to Buffalo for Jack season. I know there are some question marks around his skating ability, Eichel, giving the Sabres two picks in the top 15?). -Rick Carpiniello but he’s got a knack for scoring and his shooting accuracy is something scouts rave about. He’s committed to the University of Minnesota next Pronman’s audit season and could be a nice piece of the offensive puzzle in Ottawa when The most interesting part of our staff’s mock draft process (other than this team is ready to contend down the road. -Ian Mendes Ryan Clark making Seattle’s initial pick and then asking for a takeback on 11. Chicago Blackhawks: Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago-USHL it shortly after) was that neither of the top goalie prospects — Jesper Wallstedt or Sebastian Cossa — went in the first half of the first round. This might be a little high from where most draft experts expect Coronato to go, but the Blackhawks have proven that matters little to them. They’re When I talk to NHL teams, most think both have good chances to go in going to draft whomever they project to be the best player regardless of that range. However, you also talk to scouts who say they wouldn’t want what others think. The Blackhawks know Coronato quite well. Probably to take a goalie that high due to the positional risk — even if they like the no NHL team saw him and the Chicago Steel as much in person as the athlete. You see that hesitancy in our writers’ picks even though two Blackhawks did this season. Coronato’s numbers speak for themselves, goalies have gone recently in that range, and Yaroslav as he scored 56 goals in 59 USHL games. What was especially Askarov. I would bet at least one goalie goes in this range, but it’s not impressive about that production was he scored in so many different exactly easy to find the team who does it. The Rangers like Igor ways. There’s not just one way to contain him, and that should help the Shesterkin a lot. The same with Philly and Carter Hart, and Vancouver probability of him becoming a future top-six NHL winger. A league source and . Does Dallas take another first-round goalie so thought his ceiling could be comparable to Brad Marchand due to recently after Jake Oettinger? There are options but they’re not easy to Coronato’s similar size and blend of offense, motor and feistiness. find. If I had to single out a few teams, Ottawa or Chicago could be Coronato’s high-pace style is a lot like the way the Blackhawks have possible landing spots. expressed they’d like to play. He’ll probably need a year or two at Other than that, I thought the writers did a good, realistic job of projecting Harvard before joining the Blackhawks. -Scott Powers the skater order. After McTavish and arguably Lucius went, the options 12. Calgary Flames: Cole Sillinger, C, Sioux Falls-USHL become wide and not easy to project. What I found interesting was the consensus top-four defensemen in Power, Hughes, Edvinsson and This pick could have gone a few ways for me. Fedor Svechkov is a solid Clarke were all gone by No. 7, which is about how I think it could play out two-way center. While Brennan Othmann is a skilled scorer who brings a on draft day. pest-y side to the game. Corson Ceulemans was also available on defense. But, one of the Flames’ biggest issues this year was consistent NHL scouts audit goal scoring, which isn’t a new issue in Calgary. Adding skill up front will There wasn’t a ton of criticism from the NHL scouts I polled about how likely be a priority at the draft and Sillinger fits that bill. He was among the our writers did. One said the full order looked completely reasonable. top players in the USHL this year, scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 31 games. Sillinger is a physical, skilled center with the ability to score from Among top skaters, several scouts didn’t think McTavish will get to mid-to-long range with a great wrist shot. He would be a great piece to Vancouver at No. 9. I think some people were surprised when they saw add to the Flames’ forward depth, and specifically at the center position. - NHL Central Scouting elevate McTavish to the No. 2 North American Hailey Salvian skater, but he’s being seriously discussed as a top 5-7 pick by teams after his great U18 World Championship, especially in a draft light on 13. Philadelphia Flyers: Fabian Lysell, RW, Lulea-SHL center depth.

The Flyers could use more center depth in the pipeline. But one thing Once you got past about No. 9, which is where the consensus top skater that they’ve lacked at the NHL level for quite a while has been true, group ends, the range of possibilities really opened up and the scouts game-breaking speed. Lysell brings that to the table, in addition to strong started to disagree more. production at the junior level and nearly a full season’s worth of experience in the SHL. Flyers scouts haven’t shied away from taking A couple of scouts didn’t like the Ceulemans pick at No. 14 to Dallas, Swedish products in the past, and neither did Chuck Fletcher when he saying it was too high, but some thought he could be gone by then. He’s ran the show in Minnesota. Add in the fact that Lysell shows high effort a divisive prospect in the scouting community who got only the U18 defensively, and a Philly scouting department that tends to prioritize two- worlds and in eight AJHL games this season. way acumen shouldn’t be scared away, even if a stylistic speedster Some scouts didn’t like Othmann at No. 15, and some think he’s a top 15 doesn’t fit their usual mold. That is, if a bound-to-be-aggressive-this- lock. Some didn’t like the Sillinger pick, and some thought he could go summer Flyers front office doesn’t trade No. 13 before the pick can be higher than No. 12. made. -Charlie O’Connor And like myself, they almost all thought a goalie should have gone at 14. Dallas Stars: Corson Ceulemans, RHD, Brooks-AJHL some point. This pick comes with a few caveats. The Stars will lock up Miro “There is a zero percent chance Wallstedt gets out of the top 15,” said Heiskanen for the long haul, whether it be through a bridge deal or a one NHL scout. long-term contract this offseason. After that, there are question marks. Will the Stars be able to re-sign Jamie Oleksiak this offseason? Will John “I think both Wallstedt and Cossa go in that range,” said another scout. Klingberg be in Dallas beyond next season? If the answer to those questions is no, setting up Ceulemans to join Heiskanen, Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell would give the Stars a strong top-four. If the Stars have The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 the opportunity to take a true difference-making forward, they should do it, but Ceulemans would be a strong selection, especially if Klingberg leaves in 2022. Ceulemans is an offensive defenseman who needs to do some work on his defense, but his skating and playmaking abilities spew great upside. It works out, too, because the Stars can afford to be patient with defensemen. -Saad Yousuf

15. New York Rangers: Brennan Othmann, LW, Flint-OHL

Othmann did not play in 2020-21. I’m certain that new team president/GM Chris Drury would take the best player available at No. 15, especially since that player shouldn’t be expected to arrive at the NHL level for at least a couple of years. That said, the Rangers are overstocked on defense, and heavy on skill-laden forwards they’ve accumulated over the last four years. So I think, all things considered, a forward who plays a hard game – like last year’s second-rounder Will Cuylle – would be ideal. And having said that, I think there’s a better than good chance the Rangers won’t be making this pick, but rather trading it 1189167 Buffalo Sabres points, so he could pick up some of the slack, but the Sabres would have needed to find a winger somewhere.

Given their different positions, it’s not easy to say whether Ekblad or How different would the Sabres look if the draft lottery didn’t exist? Reinhart would have been the right choice for Buffalo. But it sure would have been an altered experience.

By John Vogl 2015

Jun 2, 2021 Draft slot: First

After lottery: Second

The NHL Draft Lottery has become an annual rite of spring for Sabres It was the most-hyped lottery in NHL history, rivaled by only the 2005 fans — for better or worse. event in which every team had a chance at Sidney Crosby coming out of the lockout. The winner in 2015 got Connor McDavid. The team drafting There’s been jubilation for winning the top pick and disappointment over second would land Jack Eichel. losing it. There have been countless visits to lottery simulators, especially heading into the 2015 selection show. Lottery talk has consumed Surely, no one needs reminding of the results. The last-place Sabres fell immeasurable hours online, over the air and in print. to second as Edmonton jumped from the third position to first.

But how much has the lottery really impacted the Sabres during the past Infamously, Murray announced he was disappointed for Sabres fans. The decade? What if it didn’t exist and Buffalo’s draft slot corresponded with GM was arguably the biggest McDavid fan on the planet, telling The New its position in the standings? Would the Sabres be much different than York Times: “I watch him too much, and I think too much about him. I they are today? wish I could help myself.”

Let’s follow the bouncing balls since Buffalo became a lottery regular in The hockey world is seeing why. McDavid, a six-year veteran, is favored 2012. to win his second Hart Trophy and third Ted Lindsay Award. He just claimed his third as the league’s leading scorer. He’s on 2012 another level, putting up numbers that no one in his draft class can sniff.

Draft slot: 12th Top scorers from the 2015 NHL Draft

After lottery: 12th Buffalo was fortunate and excited to “win” the McEichel Derby, finishing last in 2014-15 to assure itself of one of the two centers. Eichel is a The only movement featured No. 2 Edmonton leapfrogging Columbus to three-time All-Star. He’s one of the league’s most skilled players. get the top spot, pushing the Blue Jackets to the second pick. Nothing changed for the Sabres, who selected Mikhail Grigorenko at No. 12. But McDavid would have improved the Sabres’ roster, something that could be said for every team in the NHL. Though there’s no guarantee he It would have been nice to draft Tomas Hertl, Tom Wilson or Andrei would have changed the results, there’s no doubt the past six years Vasilevskiy instead of Grigorenko and No. 14 selection Zemgus would have looked dramatically different with McDavid in blue and gold. Girgensons, but the lottery had nothing to do with that. 2016 2013 Draft slot: Eighth Draft slot: Eighth After lottery: Eighth After lottery: Eighth Because of the Sabres’ tank, the NHL added lotteries for the second and Once again, the lottery meant zilch to the Sabres. They drafted Rasmus third picks in addition to the first. None of that affected Buffalo in 2016. Ristolainen at No. 8. While there was jockeying ahead of the Sabres, they remained in the No. The only lottery change came at the top, where No. 2 Colorado won and 8 spot. switched spots with last-place Florida. They took Alex Nylander over Mikhail Sergachev, Charlie McAvoy and 2014 Jakob Chychrun. Again, that wrong choice had nothing to do with the lottery. Draft slot: First 2017 After lottery: Second Draft slot: Fifth The last-place Sabres thoroughly earned the No. 1 pick. They went 21- 51-10 for only 52 points, a whopping 14 behind 29th-place Florida. But After lottery: Eighth after failing to win with the best odds in 2013, the Panthers pounced past The Sabres felt a double whammy with bad lottery luck and the arrival of the Sabres in the lottery and pushed Buffalo to the No. 2 spot. the Vegas Golden Knights. At the lottery, Philadelphia and Dallas vaulted The Panthers chose consensus No. 1 Aaron Ekblad. The Sabres went past the Sabres into the second and third spots, respectively. That with at No. 2. Ekblad is a top-pair defenseman. Reinhart is dropped Buffalo from fifth to seventh. The NHL also slotted the a top-line forward. It worked out for both teams (though they would have expansion Golden Knights ahead of the Sabres, pushing them to eighth, been better off selecting Leon Draisaitl, who went third, or David where they selected Casey Mittelstadt. Pastrnak, who went 25th). The original No. 5 position certainly would have been nice. Vancouver Sabres general manager Tim Murray said Reinhart was at the top of his drafted Elias Pettersson, who won rookie of the year in 2019 and has draft board, but Buffalo likely would have taken Ekblad at No. 1. He was three seasons of recording nearly a point per game. a clear-cut choice. Though Mittelstadt has had his ups and downs, he has performed better Ekblad in blue and gold might have changed plenty. than No. 6 selection Cody Glass and No. 7 pick Lias Andersson. Staying at No. 5 could have been a game-changer, but dropping past Nos. 6 and The right-handed Ekblad would have skated on Buffalo’s top pair every 7 didn’t hurt. year since his selection. That would have allowed the Sabres to use the right-handed Ristolainen on the second pair. Ristolainen, miscast and 2018 overworked as a No. 1 blueliner, might have performed better against Draft slot: First lesser competition while Ekblad handled the tougher assignments. The Sabres might have had two solid pairings instead of none. After lottery: First

Subtracting Reinhart would leave a huge hole up front, and the Sabres The last-place team picked first as Buffalo won the lottery and brought in have hardly been an offensive juggernaut as it is. Reinhart is fifth in his Rasmus Dahlin. draft class with 134 goals and 295 points. Ekblad has 82 goals and 234 2019

Draft slot: Fifth

After lottery: Seventh

For the second time in three years, two clubs jumped past the Sabres. Chicago flew from 12th to third, and the Rangers moved up four spots to No. 2.

So far, the two-spot tumble hasn’t hurt the Sabres. Neither the No. 5 pick, Alex Turcotte, nor the No. 6 selection, Moritz Seider, has made his NHL debut. Dylan Cozens, meanwhile, spent this season in Buffalo and recorded four goals and 13 points. His 41 games are the fifth most in his class, so it appears the Sabres got the player they were supposed to get.

So far.

2020

Draft slot: Seventh

After lottery: Eighth

The Sabres were one of seven teams that failed to make the return to play following the COVID-19 pause. The Rangers passed all seven in a two-phase lottery, pushing each team down a spot.

Since the first round of games in 2020 was technically a playoff qualifier, the NHL put eight place-holder spots in the opening phase of the lottery. It was held before the qualifying round, and a place holder got lucky with the No. 1 pick. The second phase awarded the top slot to New York.

It’s too early to tell whether the bad lottery luck will affect the Sabres. They drafted forward Jack Quinn at No. 8, and the Devils picked Swedish winger Alexander Holtz at No. 7. Neither has made his NHL debut.

Most years, the draft lottery hasn’t really affected the Sabres. But the few times it has, the impact was substantial. Things would have been dramatically different with Ekblad, McDavid or Pettersson.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189168 Calgary Flames Further proof of his positive impact in his first season with the Flames, defenceman Chris Tanev will have his name engraved on the J.R. ‘Bud’ McCaig Award.

Flames will select 12th overall in 2021 NHL Draft Named for a longtime member of the team ownership group, the annual honour is a nod to two personnel — one skater and one staffer — who “best exemplify Mr. McCaig’s enduring virtues of respect, courtesy and Wes Gilbertson compassion for all individuals he encountered both in his professional and everyday life.” Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 Brian Armstrong, the executive chef for Calgary Sports & Entertainment

Corporation, is the other recipient for 2020-21. No. 12 is the most famous number in Calgary Flames’ franchise history. Flames prospect Jakob Pelletier was announced as one of three finalists Maybe that’s a good omen. for the Guy Carbonneau Trophy as the QMJHL’s best defensive forward. While Pelletier didn’t win the award, the 20-year-old left-winger currently The Flames didn’t make a lucky leap — and didn’t drop, either — in has his focus locked on another trophy. He’s captained the Val-d’Or Wednesday’s NHL Draft lottery. They now officially hold the No. 12 Foreurs to the league final and that best-of-seven series against the overall selection in the opening round in 2021. Victoriaville Tigres is currently knotted at two wins apiece. Pelletier, who represented Canada at the world juniors, has been a difference-maker at Those were, of course, the digits that Jarome Iginla donned during his both ends for the Foreurs. He registered 13 goals and 30 assists and record-setting career at the Saddledome. (That was not Iggy’s draft posted a superb plus-25 rating in 28 regular-season games and is position, but ask anyone around Cowtown about the number that they currently tied for second in playoff scoring with 22 points . . . According to associate with the sharpshooting right-winger, and 12 will absolutely be a report out of Russia, Joakim Nordstrom is poised to sign with CSKA their reply.) Moscow of the KHL. The defensive-minded forward logged 44 The Buffalo Sabres were the big winners in Wednesday’s lotto, hardly a appearances this past season with the Flames, skating mostly as a surprise since they had the highest odds after an awful campaign. They’ll fourth-liner and a regular on the penalty kill. have the first crack at Owen Power, a towering defenceman for the

University of Michigan Wolverines. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.03.2021 The expansion Seattle Kraken moved up a smidge and will select second overall, while the Anaheim Ducks slid slightly to third.

“You always have your fingers crossed when you go through the lottery, but we’ve been sort of planning that we were going to be in the position that we’re in,” Calgary’s general manager, Brad Treliving, told Flames TV after the weighted raffle. “It’s finalized now and we’ll get through the final meetings and final preparations for the draft.”

The Flames’ franchise has twice before picked at No. 12, and both of those prospects turned out to be impact sorts at the NHL level. Gary Roberts was an important piece for the Stanley Cup-winning squad in 1989 and is one of just seven gents to enjoy a 50-goal campaign in Calgary’s colours, while Paul Reinhart — drafted back in the Atlanta days — was one of the highest-scoring blue-liners in club lore.

Around the league, there are plenty of No. 12 picks on active rosters. That list is headlined by veteran defencemen Cam Fowler, Ryan McDonagh, Tyler Myers and Marc Staal, as well as forwards Max Domi and Martin Necas.

The Flames wound up in Wednesday’s lottery after sputtering to a 26-27- 3 record and finishing four points south of the playoff cut-off in the North Division. Their scouting staff can now focus on whittling their list of first- round options to a dazzling dozen.

Since No. 12 hangs from the rafters at the Saddledome, perhaps that’s a good omen.

The 2021 NHL Draft is slated for July 23-24.

A hat-trick of Flames are through to Thursday’s quarterfinals at the 2021 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Riga, Latvia.

After a fourth-place finish in their pool, Andrew Mangiapane and Team Canada will be the underdogs in a loser-goes-home clash against Nikita Nesterov and the Russians (11 a.m. MT, TSN3).

With four goals and eight points in only four games since he completed his quarantine and was plugged onto the top line, Mangiapane is a big reason that the Canadians were able to rebound from an 0-3 start and still qualify for the playoff round.

Nesterov has an impressive stat-line of his own — two goals, a pair of assists and a plus-7 rating in four tournament appearances. With four points, he’s matched his offensive output in 38 dates this winter on Calgary’s third defence pair.

Meanwhile, Connor Mackey and the Americans will face as they try to advance to the medal games. Mackey, who logged a half-dozen outings as a rookie with the Flames and also earned all-star kudos in the AHL’s Canadian Division, is averaging 15 minutes per night on Team USA’s back-end but is still looking for his first point in international action. 1189169 Calgary Flames the City of Calgary, Tourism Calgary, WinSport and all our event partners for working together to provide the best women’s hockey players in the world an opportunity to compete for a gold medal.”

Calgary set to host women's world hockey championship in August Ultimately, for the Olympic hopefuls on Canada’s Olympic team, the Calgary tournament will provide a vital opportunity to test out their skills against the best competition the world has to offer while also developing Daniel Austin vital chemistry with teammates.

Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 That’s an opportunity that hasn’t been readily available since the start of the pandemic.

“There’s been a lot of unknowns throughout this year, a lot of ups-and- Rebecca Johnston can’t wait to finally compete for the world hockey downs,” Johnston said. “For us, having a world championship scheduled, championship. hopefully things continue to go in the right direction and hopefully we’re On Wednesday, the Calgary-based forward found out she’s going to get able to pull it off.” to do that at home this summer.

That’s a relief, especially after the world’s elite-of-the-elite female hockey Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.03.2021 players were left bitterly disappointed by the last-minute cancellation of the previously-planned IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championships in Nova Scotia a month ago.

Admittedly, though, there will be a few schedule adjustments that need to be made.

“One of my best friends is getting married during the tournament and I’m the maid of honour, so the timing is a little unfortunate, but we’ll try to figure it out,” Johnston said with a laugh on Wednesday afternoon. “It’s a little strange having it in August, but this last year has taught us to adapt and take it one-day-at-a-time and just try to make the most out of every situation.”

Calgary has become something of a women’s hockey hub in 2021. There’s a large group of players — including Johnston — who train in the city, and last week it also hosted a Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association tournament that saw teams from Toronto and Montreal compete with the locals.

The IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championships just take that to the next level, though, especially in the year before the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The 31-game tournament will go from Aug. 20-31 and bring teams from 10 countries to Calgary to compete for gold.

The best in the world will go for gold at Canada Olympic Park beginning August 20.

The previously-scheduled competition in Nova Scotia had been something that elite players from around the world had been using to stay motivated throughout the long months where the COVID-19 pandemic made training and competing difficult.

The IIHF announced new dates for the tournament on April 30, but the host location wasn’t revealed until Wednesday.

“We were all in Halifax training together and about to make the roster when we heard the news (of the cancellation) the day before teams were going to arrive,” Johnston said. “I think we were all in shock. I never thought it was going to happen, so yeah, it’s exciting to have the tournament re-scheduled to August. It’s something to look forward to.”

Canada has previously played host to the women’s world championships eight times, although this edition figures to look a little different from years past.

The 2021 tournament will go down in a bubble environment at WinSport, the same facility that played host to a series of major international curling events in early-2021.

Teams are expected to arrive in Calgary on Aug. 10 and will immediately enter quarantine. They’ll then resume practice and, if possible, a couple pre-tournament games before the puck drops on the real competition Aug. 20. A full schedule will be announced at a later date.

“Despite the unfortunate cancellation of the IIHF Women’s World Championship in April, Hockey Canada’s ongoing priority has been to host the event this year, and we have remained committed to running a world-class event in Canada,” said Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer with Hockey Canada.

“A tremendous amount of work and collaboration with Health and Alberta Health Services has taken place to ensure the event will be held in a safe and secure manner. We are grateful to the Province of Alberta, 1189170 Carolina Hurricanes News Observer LOADED: 06.03.2021

Hurricanes could be down two of top three regular-season goal-scorers for Game 3

BY LUKE DECOCK

JUNE 02, 2021 02:41 PM

Vincent Trocheck was still being examined Wednesday morning after his high-speed ankle-to-ankle collision with Warren Foegele late in Tuesday’s second period, Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said.

Trocheck went straight to the bench, unable to put any weight on his right leg, and lasted all of one 16-second shift in the third period before departing for good.

“That’s another challenge we’re going to have to overcome,” Brind’Amour said.

With Nino Niederreiter not traveling with the team to Florida, the Hurricanes go into Game 3 at the Tampa Bay Lightning without their second- and third-leading goal-scorers from the regular season having yet to score a five-on-five goal in a pair of 2-1 home losses to open the series. Only Sebastian Aho (24) had more goals than Niederreiter (20) or Trocheck (17) going into the playoffs.

“It’s not nice to see your buddy go down,” Aho said. “That’s been all year for us. We’ve been missing players, big players, a lot of players at the same time. It’s always the next man up.”

PERSPECTIVES

The Hurricanes outshot the Lightning 70-45 in the two games in Raleigh, and each coach had a very different perspective on the 32-15 disparity Tuesday night.

Brind’Amour: “That’s why these are harder losses. Game 1, I thought if we weren’t the better team, we were close. ... (Tuesday) felt like a very similar game from my standpoint, so what more can you do? We’re going to try to tweak some things and get better here and there and adjust a little bit. But if you had said to me we’re going to give up 15 shots, or 20, in two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, I’d say that’s pretty good.”

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper: “People will look at the shot clock and sit there and say, ‘Wow, look they plainly got outshot.’ But we look at, were they quality shots? Could our goalie see them? That’s what we want to do for him. Let him see shots, clear rebounds and when we do break down he’s there for us.”

ROAD WARRIORS

The Lightning have opened both of their playoff series on the road and won all four opening games: The first two games at the Florida Panthers in the first round, and now the first two games in Raleigh in the second.

“I just think we know how important it is to win on the road in the playoffs, how tough it is, especially in a building like this,” Lightning forward said. “It was rocking the last two games so to come in here and get both wins was huge. We know how hard it is to win this time of the year, period, so to come in here it’s a huge lift for us. We get to come home in front of our fans who will be just as rowdy.”

The last Stanley Cup winner to lead 2-0 in each of its first two series the next spring: The Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, who went on to repeat as champions.

TAILWINDS

Both of Andrei Svechnikov’s goals in the postseason have come with one net empty — the first to seal the Game 1 win over the Nashville Predators, and Tuesday night’s with Alex Nedeljkovic on the bench for an extra attacker. … One area of success for the Hurricanes in this series: They have allowed only one power-play goal on five Tampa chances. The Lightning connected at a 40 percent clip in the first round. … The Hurricanes have allowed the first goal in seven of eight playoff games. They scored first in five of eight playoff games in 2020. 1189171 Carolina Hurricanes News Observer LOADED: 06.03.2021

Hurricanes, running out of options, can’t change players ... but can change goalies

BY LUKE DECOCK

JUNE 02, 2021 11:50 AM

Nothing against Alex Nedeljkovic, but the Carolina Hurricanes need a 1,000-volt shock to their system and there’s only one way to get it.

When you can’t change the players, change the goalie.

Petr Mrazek hasn’t played in more than three weeks, but down 2-0 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, home-ice advantage squandered, the Hurricanes have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

As long as their popgun offense continues to misfire -- they haven’t scored a five-on-five goal in this series -- they need a goalie who can outplay Andrei Vasilevskiy at the other end. Nedeljkovic, for all his strengths, hasn’t been able to do that in a pair of 2-1 losses. He bounced back from his Game 1 gaffe with a better performance in Game 2, but still gave up two goals on 15 shots.

Mrazek, at his very best, may have a higher ceiling. Whether he can get there is a gamble Rod Brind’Amour has to make.

The Hurricanes are in desperate need of a spark from somewhere, and yet there’s nothing they can, or should, change strategically. They’re doing what has generally brought them success throughout the season; they’re just not doing it well enough. Their goal-scorers have gone so cold, there aren’t many options left.

This isn’t a team built to win if Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas aren’t scoring five-on-five goals, if Teuvo Teravainen isn’t setting them up, if it gets only a single goal from Warren Foegele and Jordan Martinook and Jesper Fast. And that’s when Vincent Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter are uninjured and available -- not that either of them was denting the back of the net with frequency, either, as well as Trocheck had played before his leg-to-leg collision with Foegele on Tuesday.

There are probably a few little tweaks to be made, but not a lot, and what’s the point of creating more chances if they can’t finish those, either?

So: Roll the dice with Mrazek.

Hope Mrazek can harness the motivation of being left behind for the entire postseason and show up Thursday night with something to prove.

Hope making the switch from a popular rookie who has carried the team through the postseason serves as a wakeup call to an underperforming group of forwards.

Hope this will shake something, anything loose.

It’s a little awkward to be sure, with Mrazek marinating on the bench for almost a month as Nedeljkovic claimed the job. It wasn’t the Hurricanes’ plan to roll this long with Nedeljkovic, but he earned that run during the Nashville series. That kind of thing happens in the playoffs, which so often take on a life of their own, from game to game, series to series.

When Cam Ward took over for the struggling Martin Gerber when the Hurricanes dropped the first two games of a series at home in 2006, Ward at least got a period and change of relief work in Game 2 to get his feet wet before getting thrown to the lions in Montreal.

Mrazek wouldn’t have that advantage, but he’s also a veteran who has been through this before, which Ward had not. Rusty as Mrazek may be, it’s one of the few levers Brind’Amour has left to pull. It’s a risk he has to take.

The Hurricanes are running out of bodies and running out of options. They haven’t been able to crack Vasilevskiy, but they haven’t made it hard enough on him, either. If they’re not going to score on him, they need their goalie to outplay him. Nedeljkovic hasn’t been able to do that. Perhaps Mrazek can.

1189172 Carolina Hurricanes If Svechnikov isn’t the hero the Canes need, Martin Necas might be. Or Aho. Or Staal, the captain. But someone needs to step up and step it up.

“We believe in our group,” Staal said after the game.”Those games were Hurricanes need to quickly find a hero or get a break against Tampa Bay. tight. We’re going to have to go into their building and play the same kind Or else. of game they played here, and that’s not giving up too much and playing a good road game. We have to find a way to get a win.”

The Canes need to find a hero, get a bounce, whatever. If the Canes BY CHIP ALEXANDER don’t, and quickly, what has been a special season will come to an agonizing end. JUNE 02, 2021 07:30 AM

News Observer LOADED: 06.03.2021 The Carolina Hurricanes need a hero, badly.

They need a few good breaks, badly.

They’ll also need to show their resolve on the road if they hope to extend their playoff series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. If not, the Canes will have played their last game this season at PNC Arena.

It would be good for the Canes if, say, Steven Lorentz took a sharp-angle shot that was just thrown at the net and have the puck somehow squeeze through goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Or if, say, Jesper Fast collected the puck inside the Tampa Bay blue line, turned and just let it rip and somehow had it find the net.

The Canes can’t count on that. Coach Rod Brind’Amour again said after the 2-1 loss Tuesday in Game 2 that his team was “right there” with the 2020 Stanley Cup champions but couldn’t get the one bounce needed or the one big, game-deciding shot. They’re down 2-0 in the series against a very good team but not being overwhelmed, he said.

“I don’t think we’re getting outmatched one bit,” Brind’Amour said. “A play here or there is the difference. There’s a lot of positives to draw on moving forward.”

It’s seemingly similar to the Canes’ second-round playoff series in 2019 against the New York Islanders. The Islanders lost the first two games on home ice at the Barclays Center in New York, both in tight games. Isles coach Barry Trotz then was adamant, almost defiant, about his team being able to go into PNC Arena and win the next two games, given how his team had played.

We all remember how that ended. The Canes came home and won two more games and that was that for the Islanders -- the series over in a sweep.

The Canes not only have lost the first two at home but lost two key offensive contributors, winger Nino Niederreiter and center Vincent Trocheck. Making it worse is that Niederreiter was injured in a practice Saturday, quietly leaving the ice, and Trocheck was hurt in the second period of Game 2 when he collided with teammate Warren Foegele and appeared to injure his right knee.

“It doesn’t look good,” Brind’Amour said of Trocheck’s injury.

So as coaches like to say, what now?

“Our team never gives up,” forward Andrei Svechnikov said. “We’re going to try to win the next two games.”

Maybe Svechnikov can be that hero the Canes need. The winger, after an uneven regular season and modest first-round playoff series against Nashville, is capable of being a game-changer. He has the power and the shot and the willingness to make a difference.

It was Svechnikov who finally got a puck past Vasilevskiy on Tuesday when the Canes scored with a sixth attacker. Sebastian Aho and worked the puck behind the net and Staal centered to Svechnikov, open in front of the crease.

Svechnikov had a game-high six shots Tuesday. While he did misplay the puck into a few giveaways, he was looking to attack and made a strong power move to the net in the second period.

Svechnikov is capable of going off and scoring in binges. He had six goals in the first eight games of the season, looking the part of one of the league’s best young dynamic forwards.

Svechnikov’s scoring touch disappeared much of the regular season. For the Canes, it would be an opportune time for it to reappear. 1189173 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks face a 2nd lawsuit relating to an alleged sexual assault by former video coach

By PHIL THOMPSON

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

JUN 02, 2021 AT 6:11 PM

A former Michigan high school hockey player has sued the Chicago Blackhawks in a second civil complaint tied to sexual assault allegations against former video coach Bradley Dale Aldrich.

In a complaint filed May 24 in Cook County Circuit Court, the plaintiff, identified in the lawsuit as John Doe 2, alleges that neglect by Hawks management allowed Aldrich to continue working in hockey circles and led to Aldrich sexually assaulting him in March 2013.

In relation to that 2013 assault, Aldrich on Feb. 13, 2014, was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation, and he registered as a sex offender.

According to the filing on March 6, 2013, John Doe 2 was 16 years old and a hockey player for Houghton High School in Houghton, Mich., where Aldrich was an assistant coach.

“At an end of season gathering for the players, Aldrich provided alcohol to the then-minor plaintiff and performed oral sex on the plaintiff without his consent,” the lawsuit says.

Hawks vice president of communications Adam Rogowin said in a statement Wednesday: “As this is a pending litigation matter, it would be inappropriate for us to comment.”

John Doe 1, a former Hawks player from the 2009-10 team that went on to win the Stanley Cup, sued the Hawks on April 30 seeking $150,000 in damages based on claims Aldrich “turned on porn and masturbated in front of him,” then “threatened to injure (him) … physically, financially and emotionally if the plaintiff did not engage in sexual activity.”

That suit also alleged team mental skills coach James F. Gary dissuaded the player from pursuing disciplinary action against Aldrich.

The Hawks said the allegations “lack merit.”

Susan E. Loggans, the attorney for both cases, told the Tribune another former Hawks player, a witness in John Doe 1′s case, also complained to the team about Aldrich.

Based on the Hawks’ alleged handling of the 2010 complaints, the latest suit alleges the Hawks acted with “utter indifference or conscious disregard for the safety of others” when they failed to properly investigate or fire Aldrich, “provided positive references to future employers … despite having knowledge of his sexual assaults” and failed to report Aldrich to any hockey or coaching organizations.”

Loggans said Wednesday: “The Blackhawks, by failing to document and acknowledge that this guy was a sexual predator and investigate and tell potential later employers, they subjected other people to be later victimized by him and caused this child to be on one of his teams. And he molested him and pleaded guilty to it.”

Loggans said her client’s mother contacted her about two weeks ago about filing a lawsuit.

The suit lists damages of “in excess of $50,000,” a clerical limit set for Cook County filings, but in terms of the actual amount that will be sought, Loggans said, “We have to wait and see what the full damages of this person turn out to be. But this is a lifetime injury with significant recovery.

“We have to wait and see how all the psychological treatment is.”

Loggans said the Hawks were served notice on the John Doe 1 suit a week ago and anticipates a response from the team within three weeks.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189174 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks don’t win lottery, will pick 11th in NHL draft

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Jun 2, 2021, 6:29pm CDT

The Blackhawks will pick 11th in the 2021 NHL Draft in July after not winning the draft lottery Wednesday.

The Hawks entered Wednesday with a slim 2.7% chance of picking first and 2.9% chance of picking second, the only two spots decided by lottery this year.

They predictably weren’t selected, with the Sabres keeping the No. 1 pick and the expansion Seattle Kraken — which entered in with the third- highest odds — winning the No. 2 pick. The Ducks dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 as a result.

The lack of movement in this year’s lottery greatly contrasted with last year’s lottery, when a placeholder won the No. 1 overall pick before the August playoffs and the Rangers later won a lottery among the qualifying-round losers to occupy that placeholder spot.

The NHL did officially eliminate the Coyotes’ forfeited pick from the nominal order, however, aligning the Hawks’ official pick number with their actual location in the draft order.

And plenty of high-level prospects will be available for the Hawks at 11th, even if they aren’t of the same caliber as the top two picks.

Forwards like Matthew Coronato, Chaz Lucius, Cole Sillinger, Aatu Raty, Xavier Bourgault, Brennan Othmann, Fabian Lysell and Daniil Chayka will all be considered, as will defensemen Corson Ceulemans and Carson Lambos and Jesper Wallstedt and Sebastian Cossa.

The Hawks hold eight total picks in the draft, including two second-round selections in addition to 11th overall.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189175 Colorado Avalanche Girard also had the primary assist on Saad’s game-opening goal 3:39 in. Girard’s stretch pass from the defensive zone found Saad at the offensive blue line and Saad — despite dribbling his shot — scored on a breakaway with the puck slipping through Fleury’s legs. Avalanche wins Game 2 thriller over Vegas in overtime; now lead series 2-0 Saad extended his goals streak to six games, the third-longest in club playoff history behind Claude Lemieux (seven in 1997) and Joe Sakic (seven in 1996).

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Post Vegas owned the second period, outshooting the Avs 15-6 and getting a goal from Smith at 10:28 to tie it 2-2. With speed over the offensive blue PUBLISHED: June 2, 2021 at 11:36 p.m. | UPDATED: June 3, 2021 at line, Smith received a sharp diagonal pass from linemate Jonathan 1:31 a.m. Marchessault and got behind Girard and Ryan Graves before beating Grubauer with a backhand to the glove side.

The NHL’s two best regular-season teams had two of the three Vezina Ryan Reaves is suspended. But tensions remain high between Trophy finalists as the league’s best goalies matched up Wednesday Avalanche and Golden Knights for Game 2 night. It was more of the same in the third period when the Knights produced A classic duel between the pipes ensued at Ball Arena. the first five shots and had eight of 10 at the television timeout. Vegas outshot the Avs 31-12 in the second and third periods and 40-23 through Philipp Grubauer was backstopping the first Avalanche team to begin 5-0 regulation. in the postseason. Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury returned to the Golden Knights’ net after surprisingly being relegated to a backup role in Game 1 Grubauer, however, was sensational. of the second-round series. “We knew that they were going to come out with a better effort tonight,” To no one’s surprise, Game 2 required overtime, and Colorado’s big line Saad said of the Knights. “Even though we didn’t play our best it’s a big got it done as Mikko Rantanen scored 2:07 into overtime for a 3-2 victory character win to hold on and finish it off on the power play. We’re going and a 2-0 series lead. to touch upon things we have to improve and take it one game at a time in Vegas.” Grubauer was the player of the game with 39 saves. Fleury had 22, facing just 14 shots through the final two periods and overtime. Footnotes. The Avs used the same lineup from Game 1. … Vegas fourth- line winger Ryan Reaves served the first game of his two-game “We needed Grubi in a big way tonight and he showed up for us,” Avs suspension for his roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct against coach Jared Bednar said. Graves in Game 1. Third-line winger Mattias Janmark was also among the Knights’ scratches. Janmark suffered an upper-body injury in the “He had a really, really good game,” Rantanen said of his goalie. “He second period of Game 1 on a hit by Graves that triggered the chippy kept us in the game. He was the reason why we got to OT and then our play that led to 74 penalty minutes. Dylan Sikura replaced Janmark and special teams step up there. But Grubi, he was awesome and, for sure, Keegan Kolesar stepped in for Reaves. Also, Lehner was scratched. the best player in the game.” Fleury’s backup was Logan Thompson. Rantanen’s goal came on the power play, with Vegas winger Reilly Smith in the penalty box for slashing Rantanen off a faceoff in Grubauer’s end. Knights coach Peter DeBoer didn’t like the call, dubbing it soft and Denver Post: LOADED: 06.03.2021 accusing Rantanen of embellishment.

“That’s an easy one to call for me because (Smith) didn’t have to do it and if Mikko is going out to the point to cover the point, the puck’s out there and he knocks the stick out of his hands,” Bednar said of the play. “If he doesn’t have it, (the puck) could end up in our net.”

The Avs improved to 20-0-1 in their last 21 games at home, including a two-game sweep of the Knights to begin this series. Game 3 is Friday in Las Vegas.

“Tough game but we found a way to win it,” Grubauer said. “Obviously, huge (penalty) kill there at the end of the third period and then the power play stepped up and won us the game.”

Colorado finished 2-of-6 on the power play. Vegas scored on its first man-advantage opportunity but the Avs killed the latter two. The last one began at 16:39 of the third period when defenseman Devon Toews went to the box for tripping.

“Huge performance from our special teams tonight to help us get the win,” Bednar said.

Colorado did not get a point from its top line of center Nathan MacKinnon and wingers Gabe Landeskog and Rantanen through regulation. The trio combined for five goals in Game 1’s 7-1 rout on Sunday. But in OT on Wednesday, Rantanen scored the biggest goal of his career off an assist from MacKinnon.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy series,” Rantanen said. “We knew there were going to be tough periods and maybe some tough games like tonight. We couldn’t really create that much offense but we know we have to be responsible in the D-zone. That’s what we have to do. If we’re not feeling it offensively we have to bear down defensively and make sure we don’t give up anything.”

The Avs again started strong, scoring twice in the first period, as they did in Game 1 with Robin Lehner getting the start ahead of Fleury. This time, the scorers were forwards Brandon Saad and Tyson Jost, the latter on the power play at 17:08 to break a 1-1 tie. From between the circles, Jost one-timed a Sam Girard feed from the wall. 1189176 Colorado Avalanche

Knights-Avalanche Game 2 Quick Hits: Power play comes through in overtime

By RYAN O’HALLORAN | [email protected] | The Denver Post

June 2, 2021 at 11:27 p.m.

1. Second-line success

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar kept his third line together … but made them his second line, and kept his second line together … but made them his third line. Get all that? Elevated to a bigger role were center Tyson Jost and wingers Brandon Saad and Valeri Nichushkin and moving down a peg were center J.T. Compher and wingers Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi. It paid first-period dividends. Saad made it 1-0 only 3:39 into the game when his fanned shot went through the five-hole of Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Nichushkin drew a penalty later in the first and on the Avs’ third power play opportunity, Jost scored on a one-timer from the high slot. Bednar was looking for more balanced scoring and he got it.

2. Power-play hiccups

The Avalanche power play entered Game 2 clicking at an NHL-high 47.1% in the playoffs. Obviously, no team — except maybe the high- flying of the 1980s — can sustain that pace, but the Avs squandered a chance to blow the game open in the first period. The Avs scored on even strength to make it 1-0, but then went 1 of 4 on the power play the rest of the period as the Knights were called for holding (twice), slashing and delay of game. Credit the Knights with a between-games adjustment, something St. Louis tinkered with in Round 1. The Knights pushed one of their forwards into the Avs zone to prevent the drop pass to center Nathan MacKinnon. That forced somebody else, usually defenseman Cale Makar, to find an alternative zone entry. In overtime, though, the power play came through on Mikko Rantanen’s goal for the 3-2 win.

3. Grubauer stands out

The Avalanche’s “A” game disappeared in the second period and returned for only a few surges of the third period. Goalie Philipp Grubauer needed to stand tall and he did. He stopped 15 of 16 shots in the second period, the only goal scored by the Knights’ Reilly Smith on a defensive mix-up/break-down. To begin the third, Vegas controlled the play, recording the first seven shots on goal and hitting the post twice. After an Avs power play, Grubauer kept it a 2-2 game when out-of-the- penalty-box Knights winger Alex Tuch was stopped on a breakaway. In the final three minutes, Grubauer stopped four shots on a Vegas power play to force overtime (16 saves in the third period).

Denver Post: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189177 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche’s underlying goal for Game 2: Increase depth scoring

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

PUBLISHED: June 2, 2021 at 4:38 p.m. | UPDATED: June 2, 2021 at 4:42 p.m.

Blessed with a top line that features the NHL’s top three players in playoff points-per-game, the Avalanche entered Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night looking for a little more support from the other guys.

Coach Jared Bednar is certainly happy with how his team has played en route to a 5-0 start in the postseason. But he still has some proven playmakers who haven’t yet hit their strides.

Second-line winger Andre Burakovsky had 19 goals in 53 regular-season games but had none through five playoff games. J.T. Compher, the second-line center since Nazem Kadri was assessed an eight-game suspension after Game 2 of the St. Louis series, has just one point in the playoffs. Kadri also had just one point prior to his suspension two games in. Third-liners Tyson Jost and Valeri Nichushkin each have one goal, but Nichushkin’s was an empty-netter. The fourth line has contributed just one goal and three points.

“We need more depth scoring,” second-line winger Joonas Donskoi (two goals, four points in five games) said after Wednesday’s morning skate at Ball Arena. “Especially our line. Haven’t really created much. We’ve been talking about it a lot and just trying to get better here every day.”

Donskoi is the fifth member on the No. 1 power-play unit that features the Avs’ top-four playoff scorers in forwards Nathan MacKinnon (eight goals, 12 points), Gabe Landeskog (four goals, 11 points) and Mikko Rantanen (two goals, nine points) and star defenseman Cale Makar (two goals, seven points). Two of Donskoi’s four points have come on the power play.

Ryan Reaves is suspended. But tensions remain high between Avalanche and Golden Knights for Game 2

The top line and Makar produced six goals in Sunday’s 7-1 Game 1 rout over the Knights, with third-line winger Brandon Saad also scoring — his fourth of the playoffs. MacKinnon, Landeskog and Rantanen have the league’s top three points/game average at 2.40, 2.20 and 1.80, respectively.

“Obviously, our top line has really led the way and got us some real good starts so far here in the playoffs through five games. But I’m not disappointed in our (other) lines,” Bednar said pregame. “They played well the other night. Some good O-zone time, some good looks, we had Saad score again. I think we’re getting the contributions that we need to win hockey games and that has to continue — whether that’s every night or every second night — but we need our whole lineup.

“I liked our game throughout — all six D and 12 forwards that played (in Game 1) played well and it has to continue, especially with the game we’re going to see from Vegas.”

The Avs’ lineup for Game 2 is projected to be unchanged from the series opener; Bednar no longer reveals it pregame.

Denver Post: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189178 Colorado Avalanche Colorado drew four penalties in the first period, but it was able to capitalize on only one against a stingy Vegas penalty kill. Fleury didn’t offer the Avs much help, making six short-handed saves in the period, including one that halted a tough Saad backhander. Then, late in the Philipp Grubauer steals a win for the Avalanche as Mikko Rantanen pots period, Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo saved a goal. Fleury was an overtime winner down after halting a rush of shots, and Avalanche forward had an open net. The Colorado captain fired it on target, but

the puck bounced off Pietrangelo and out of play. By Peter Baugh “I liked our first period: We were skating, drawing penalties, winning a lot Jun 3, 2021 of races, winning a lot of puck battles,” Bednar said. “In the final 40 minutes, we didn’t do that.”

Vegas started controlling play in the second period, dominating After every game this postseason, the Avalanche players have awarded possession and keeping the puck in the Avalanche’s defensive zone. their top performer a thick gold chain attached to a foot-wide team logo. Bednar said he felt the Knights won every race and puck battle during the The recipient drapes it around his neck in the dressing room and then, period, and they eventually got rewarded. Halfway into the period, after the next game, passes it on to someone else. Avalanche defenseman Ryan Graves failed to snatch a loose puck, and it instead slid to Vegas’ Jonathan Marchessault. The forward fed it to a Mikko Rantanen might have roofed an overtime winner against Vegas on wide-open Reilly Smith, whom the Avalanche defense had lost track of. Wednesday, handing the Avalanche a 2-0 series lead, but there was no He skated unencumbered to the net, deked Grubauer and tied the game way he was getting the chain. Defenseman Cale Makar instead handed it with a top-shelf backhand. to 29-year-old goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who outdueled fellow Vezina Trophy-finalist Marc-Andre Fleury and stole a win for Colorado. That set up a tense, back-and-forth third period that featured close calls but no goals. The Avalanche failed to score on a power play at one point, “He bailed us out today,” Rantanen said. “He kept us in the game. He’s and the top unit nearly allowed Vegas to score short-handed. The the reason why we got to OT.” Knights nearly took the lead at the end of the penalty, too, when Alex Teams that make deep playoff runs usually have goalies who steal Tuch rushed out of the box for a breakaway. games in big moments. That’s exactly what the Avalanche’s German, Grubauer was there to halt him, seizing the wrist shot to rob the speedy cowboy hat-wearing netminder did against Vegas in a 3-2 win, one of the forward. most exciting games of the postseason so far. He saved 39 shots, including three on a penalty kill at the end of regulation, and looked “We didn’t have our best night in front of him,” Saad said. “He made unflappable — just like he has all season, the best of his nine-year NHL some huge, key saves for us. Changed some momentum swings.” career. Added Bednar: “Grubi steals us that one.” “Anxiety level: zero,” said Grubauer, now 6-o this postseason, when asked if he gets anxious when facing a lot of shots. “It doesn’t matter if I Vegas got a power-play chance of its own with 3:21 left when Alex face 40, 50 or even 10 shots. The approach is the same.” Pietrangelo drew a tripping call on Devon Toews. The Avalanche needed a big penalty kill, and they leaned on Grubauer during the tense two- At the end of the game, moments after the crowd erupted following minute stretch. Colorado caught a break when Smith sent a shot into a Rantanen’s game winner, Grubauer skated back onto the ice when the post, but then Grubauer halted pucks sent his way by Jonathan public address announcer recognized him as first star of the game. No Marchessault and Pietrangelo, who had two shots on the power play. one could hear the voice overhead, though: The chants of “GRUUU” were too loud. The Avalanche escaped regulation tied, despite trailing 40-23 in shots.

The Avalanche, who won 7-1 in Game 1, got outplayed most of the night, “The guys still had the belief in the locker room,” Bednar said. “Came out trailing Vegas 41-26 in shots. Looking to even the series, the Golden in overtime and were ready to play. We draw another penalty, and the Knights came to play. power play was really good tonight.”

“You knew they were going to come out with their best game,” said But that drawn penalty didn’t come without controversy. Coming off a Grubauer, who studied film of Fleury, his 36-year-old counterpart, when faceoff in the defensive zone less than a minute into the period, Smith he came to North America as a teenager. “Their backs were against the knocked Rantanen’s stick to the ice and was called for slashing. Vegas wall a little bit.” coach Pete DeBoer called the call “soft” and accused the Avalanche of embellishing throughout the night. The start of the game, which saw the Avalanche get off to a quick start, looked a lot like the series opener on Sunday. Forward Brandon Saad “Well, I was trying to get out to the point,” Rantanen said. “The call is that seized a Samuel Girard pass early in the first period and split two Vegas if you slash the other guy’s stick out of his hands or break his stick, it’s defensemen to get a breakaway on Fleury. Saad mostly whiffed on his always a penalty. I’m a pretty strong guy, so I can hold on to my stick, but shot but got enough of the puck to put it on net, and Fleury made an that was a pretty hard slash. I don’t think I would purposely drop my stick uncharacteristic mistake, letting the soft shot trickle through his legs. in the D-zone. I don’t know who does that.”

Saad, who won two Stanley Cups in Chicago, has now scored in five “It’s an easy one to call for me,” Bednar added. consecutive postseason games and continues to show why Avalanche And the penalty set up the overtime winner. The Avalanche’s top line of general manager Joe Sakic acquired him this past offseason. Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Rantanen hadn’t registered a point “He’s a guy who’s performed in big moments his whole career and on the evening, but the unit found a groove on the overtime power play. seems to get better as the season goes on,” Jared Bednar said. “He had First, MacKinnon came inches away from ending the game by hitting the some jump early in the game.” post, causing him to lean his head back in exasperation.

But unlike Game 1, the Avalanche couldn’t maintain pressure after But Colorado kept the puck in the zone, cycling it back to MacKinnon, kicking off the game’s scoring. Vegas cycled the puck well on a power who shook Vegas’ William Karlsson. That gave him space to pass to play midway through the first period, and Max Pacioretty set up Alec Rantanen, who sent the puck flying off Fleury’s shoulder and into the net. Martinez for a one-timer. The defenseman sent the puck past Grubauer Joonas Donskoi, Rantanen’s fellow Finn, was first to mob the goal to give the Golden Knights a burst of life. scorer, and MacKinnon and Landeskog threw their arms around each other in celebration. Saad was one of the first Avalanche players off the Girard temporarily got the Avalanche back on track, remaining involved bench, and he found himself celebrating with the team’s top player that offensively. He drew two Vegas players toward him on a first-period game: Grubauer. Avalanche power play. That left Colorado forward Tyson Jost alone in the slot, and the 23-year-old forward ripped a Girard pass into the net. “It’s a big moment for our team,” Saad said.

“Josty is hot right now,” linemate Valeri Nichushkin said recently. “It’s “It wasn’t our best game,” added Rantanen, who has now scored in 16 easy to play with him. He moves the puck, shoots very well.” consecutive playoff games. “We know that, but that’s what we need: We need to find a way even when we don’t play our best.” A goaltending performance like Grubauer gave them goes a long way in making that happen.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189179 Colorado Avalanche Scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes was a game-changer. That’s twice now in this series, and putting two pucks past Fleury early was key.

Vegas started Fleury on Wednesday after Robin Lehner surrendered Deen’s List: Philipp Grubauer exceptional in Avalanche’s thrilling Game 2 seven goals on 37 shots in Game 1. Fleury, 36, has been outstanding victory over Vegas against Colorado this season. But like Game 1, the Avs scored twice in the opening frame.

The Avs have been shutout just twice over the past 102 games and both By Aarif Deen times Fleury was the opposing goaltender.

June 3, 2021 He’s one of the best goalies in the league at getting into a rhythm and getting stronger as the game goes on. Even though Saad’s goal was a

whiffed shot that fortunately found its way through Fleury’s five-hole, it Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer was named a finalist for the Vezina was still crucial because it broke the dam early. Trophy on Tuesday and it took just one day to prove why he’s deserving Blueline Dish of the award as the NHL’s best goaltender. And he did it against one of the other finalists in Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights. Just as it did in Game 1, the Avalanche’s defensemen set up each of the first two goals — by Saad and fellow forward Tyson Jost. But unlike The Avalanche were outshot 41-25 by the Knights in Game 2 Sunday, it wasn’t the top line that was doing the scoring. Sam Girard had Wednesday night but were victorious by a score of 3-2 after a Mikko two assists and Ryan Graves and Devon Toews each had one. Rantanen overtime goal at Ball Arena. Cale Makar also recorded an assist on the game-winning goal. The Avs, who were outplayed for much of the second and third periods, Colorado’s defense continues to do its part offensively while shutting are 6-0 in the Stanley Cup playoffs and lead the Golden Knights 2-0 teams down most nights. heading into Las Vegas for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday. Grubauer might have stolen Game 2 for Colorado. Kid experiment

For the first five games, the Avs relied on their high-powered top line to Rookies Sampo Ranta and Alex Newhook are both in the lineup because lead the way. But the story on Wednesday was the man they call Grubi. Nazem Kadri’s suspension opened up an extra roster spot. But it’s time for Bednar to consider using Carl Soderberg or Kiefer Sherwood on the He made 39 saves, including a pad stop during a late third-period power fourth line and taking one of the kids out — or both. play for Vegas. Before that, he stopped Alex Tuch and Max Pacioretty on breakaways. Colorado was outshot 16-6 in the second period and Newhook played just 6:08 and took a minor penalty. Ranta saw just 5:56 Grubauer was “awesome,” according to Rantanen. of ice time and did not record the shot. Neither has been a factor in this series. “He had a really, really good game,” Rantanen said of Grubauer. “He kept us in the game. He was the reason why we got to OT and then our special teams step up there. But Grubi, he was awesome and, for sure, the best player in the game.” milehighsports.com LOADED: 06.03.2021

Having that top line that can do what Nathan MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog and Rantanen can do and then have a goalie that can steal games the way Grubauer can is a recipe for success.

This team — now on an 11-game winning streak — has what it takes. It’s just a matter of continuing to grind through what could be a long run to the Stanley Cup.

The Deen’s List

6-0

The Avs are perfect in their last 11 games dating to the regular season, where they won their last five to close out the regular season and clinch the Presidents’ Trophy.

But after sweeping St. Louis and winning the first two against Vegas, the Avs are just the third Presidents’ Trophy winners to start the post-season 6-0. The other two are the 1994 New York Rangers and the 1999 Dallas Stars. And yes, both of those teams ended up winning the Stanley Cup.

Could be their year.

The Saad factor

It was expected that the offseason acquisition of Brandon Saad was going to show its true value when the playoffs came around.

Saad was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in a four-player trade involving defenseman Nikita Zadorov. He’s won two Stanley Cups with Chicago and at the young age of 28, brings a team-leading 87 games of playoff experience and pedigree.

That’s paid off through six games. Saad scored the opening goal Wednesday, finding the back of the net for the fifth consecutive game — the third-longest in club history behind Claude Lemieux (seven in 1997) and Joe Sakic (seven in 1996).

“He’s a guy that’s performed in big moments his whole career,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He seems to get better as the season goes on.”

Solving Fleury early 1189180 Colorado Avalanche of cross-checking netminder Philipp Grubauer in the head, who decided to inflict pain.

Everyone watched him notice Graves, grab him, and pull him to the ice. Avalanche Game 1 was like deja vu What occurred after we may never truly know. There were reports that Graves had hair pulled out of his scalp. The cameras showed what looked like Reaves kneeling on Graves’ face or neck more than once, and all the while nobody could get the 6-foot-2, 225-pound forward off of By Ryan Boulding his prey. June 2, 2021 This scene could have ended the same way as the last one. Luckily Graves appears to be largely unharmed and Reaves was ejected and subsequently suspended by the NHL, albeit it for just long enough that he “Seems like I’ve been here before/Seems so familiar/Seems like I’m will no doubt be back for Game 4. slipping/Into a dream within a dream” But it’s what happens next that will determine whether there’s going to be Yes, the above are lyrics from prog-rock laureate Maynard James another sojourn into the darkness or not. You have to imagine that the Keenan’s fitting Tool track Sweat, but they also apply to the situation in league has already reached out and said enough. which the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights have found themselves. It failed to do so earlier this season, which resulted in the New York Rangers, enraged by the lack of punishment for Public Enemy No. 1 Tom In fact, the verse has been living on repeat in my head since the Wilson, throwing down against the Washington Capitals in a wondrous conclusion of the massive blowout of Game 1 on Sunday. I know, what a display of old-time hockey at the start of the next contest. It was fun way to live. despicable and appointment viewing at the same time, which completely highlights the odd duality of hockey being graceful and hideous all within It seems like we’ve been here before, and while the circumstances aren’t the allotted 60+ minute timeframe. exactly the same, tell me if you’ve heard this one before. Jared Bednar said all the right things in his press conferences, signaling Hockey player on Team A—literally with an A on the chest of the that he didn’t like it but not inflaming already high tensions. Peter DeBoer sweater—lays a hard hit on a player on Team B, leaving the latter defended Reaves to the best of his abilities without seeming ridiculous, injured. Team B takes exception to the play, vowing retribution. Chaos but what else is he supposed to do? Gabriel Landeskog left it up to the unfolds at a later time, during what is a lopsided drubbing by Team A, NHL to handle, which it did. Now Vegas needs to get over it. and when the snowflakes settle on the ice the original player is left sprawled out and in pain as team trainers rush to ply their trade. That’s the only way this potentially epic showdown of modern gladiators ranked Nos. 1 and 2 delivers what the hockey world wants to see. Fans Now maybe things unfolded faster than the first time I watched this want to watch the two best teams in the west play ice chess with the movie, and there weren’t bounties placed on the heads of opponents or winner likely heading to the Stanley Cup Final. chests puffed out as verbal sparring occurred in the Thunderdome-like arena of the media, but boy does this feel like a poor Hollywood remake There’s no room or further need for retaliation from either side. If Vegas of dark spot in Avalanche and NHL history. needed to make a statement about the hit on Janmark, it was made. If the Avs wanted to make a point about controlling this series, the If it seems so familiar, it’s because I’m talking about the time Avs forward unrelenting offensive onslaught surely did that. Steve Moore obliterated Vancouver Canucks captain Markus Naslund with a questionable hit and Todd Bertuzzi ended Moore’s career with Now that the sideshow has been put aside, it’s time for some incredible some of the most despicable thuggery the sport has seen. hockey to unfold. It’s up to the players to prevent this from slipping into a dream within a dream. But I’m also talking about what unfolded on Sunday when Avs rear guard Ryan Graves knocked Vegas forward Mattias Janmark out of the game and became the target of all the Golden Knights’ ire. milehighsports.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 Now hockey has always had and likely always will have a bit of an ugly undercurrent of violence flowing through it. With the pace of play ever increasing and physicality occurring in the blink of an eye it is unlikely to change too much. Sure, fighting occurs less and you don’t always get the big, egregious hits anymore, but the skeleton, the frame of the sport hasn’t been altered too much.

This includes the aspect of players self-policing the game, which occurs regularly and is an important part of the sport, no matter how much people in the local media pretend not to understand what that really means. The “beat-them-on-the-scoreboard” adage that children are taught to prevent all out mayhem doesn’t apply. The players dictate what is tolerable and what isn’t in the confines of a match or series, and often the officials are along to try and keep things within the rules.

You saw it when Vegas, frustrated by a game that was quickly getting out of reach in any reality, began targeting Graves any chance they could. They felt that the original hit had been to Janmark’s head and therefore crossed the line. There would need to be blood.

Graves’ hit may have been a tad late, which resulted in the interference call against him, but it also occurred on the very edge of that razor blade of hockey timing where it appeared simultaneously clean or dirty to those who saw it. Either it seemed like a blatant head shot or contact that occurred from the chest upward.

Golden Knights captain saw it as the former, and commented as much after the match. His remarks paint a picture of how Vegas viewed things from that point onward. So they went after Graves numerous times.

And just like in the original movie staring characters like Joe Sakic, , and Marc Crawford, a line was eventually crossed in this inferior carbon copy. This time it was Ryan Reaves, fresh off a real hockey play 1189181 Colorado Avalanche Martinez. It marked the first time in this postseason the Avs have surrendered a goal in the opening period.

Saad started the scoring at 3:39 of the first when he barely got anything Rantanen scores OT winner, Avs up 2-0 in series vs. Knights on a wide-open shot but the slow roller caught Fleury by surprise and the puck trickled between the veteran goaltender’s pads.

Saad extended his goal streak to five games, which is tied for the third- By Pat Graham The Associated Press longest string in Avalanche history for a playoff year. The record is seven straight by Claude Lemieux (1997) and Joe Sakic (’96). Thu., June 3, 2021 AROUND THE RINK

Colorado is 14-1 in a best-of-seven playoff series when winning the first DENVER (AP) — Mikko Rantanen scored a power-play goal 2:07 into two games since relocating to Denver in 1995-96. ... Avs D Samuel overtime, Philipp Grubauer outdueled fellow Vezina Trophy finalist Marc- Girard had two assists. Andre Fleury and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round SUSPENDED playoff series. Vegas F Ryan Reaves served the first of a two-game suspension for his Rantanen took a cross-ice pass from Nathan MacKinnon and sent a liner roughing and unsportsmanlike conduct on Colorado D Ryan Graves in over the glove of Fleury to set off a celebration in front of a boisterous Game 1. ... Colorado F Nazem Kadri sat out his fourth of an eight-game crowd. The goal came with Reilly Smith in the penalty box for slashing suspension he received in the first round. Rantanen. SCRATCHED “Not our best game, but still found a way,” Rantanen said. “That’s what we’ve been doing the whole year. Sometimes we haven’t been feeling it Vegas F Mattias Janmark and G Robin Lehner, the Game 1 starter, were and Grubi’s been awesome and stealing some wins for us — like today. scratched. Janmark was banged up on a check near the boards from That’s what you need if you want to win the Cup.” Graves in the series opener. G Logan Thompson was recalled and served as the backup to Fleury. The Golden Knights weren’t pleased with the slashing call.

“Just a soft call,” Vegas coach Pete DeBoer said. “I can’t even blame the refs. Because they’re fighting the embellishment of grabbing your face, or LOADED: 06.03.2021 falling down, or dropping your stick every period. I can’t even blame the referee on it. They fooled them on it.”

Brandon Saad and Tyson Jost also scored for the Avalanche, who’ve won six in a row to start the postseason, tying the franchise mark set in 1987 when the team was based in Quebec.

Grubauer had 39 saves in becoming the first Colorado/Quebec goaltender to pick up six straight postseason victories.

Alec Martinez and Smith had goals for the Golden Knights, who controlled large portions of the action after two full days off following a 7- 1 loss in Game 1. A fresh Fleury provided a big boost. He didn’t play in the series opener after a grueling seven-game series with Minnesota. Fleury stopped 22 shots.

The series heads to Vegas for Game 3 on Friday.

This was more like the tight series that everyone was expecting. The Avs and Golden Knights split the eight games in the regular season and finished tied for the most points in the league. The Avalanche earned the Presidents’ Trophy — along with home ice throughout the postseason -- on a tiebreaker.

Vegas vowed to bounce back from the penalty-filled first game, with William Karlsson commenting after the morning skate: “The sun is shining today.”

The Golden Knights clanged three shots off the post in the third period.

“If we keep playing the way we did tonight, we all have confidence in our team that we can come back in the series,” Fleury said.

Colorado finished 2 for 6 on the power play and was outshot by a 41-25 margin. The top line of MacKinnon, captain Gabriel Landeskog and Rantanen was held in check — until overtime. The trio combined for five goals and three assists in Game 1.

Rantanen now has at least a point in his last 16 playoff games dating to last season.

Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore had two assists — and a spectacular play on a breakaway from Rantanen late in the third. Theodore was able to disrupt the play at the last moment.

Colorado remains tough to beat at home, winning its 13th straight at Ball Arena dating to the regular season.

Smith tied the game at 2-all when he broke free and lifted a backhanded shot past Grubauer.

Jost gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead in the first with a power-play goal. His score was after Vegas tied the game on a power-play score from 1189182 Colorado Avalanche I think this was the first game in which I question the use of Alex Newhook and Sampo Ranta together on a fourth line. That line wasn’t very involved, didn’t play a lot and didn’t control the puck much. Newhook got a little careless with the puck in his own zone at times, too, especially It was a Ball; Avs win thriller in OT against Vegas on one occasion in the second period.

The Golden Knights hit the post twice early in the third period.

Published 4 hours ago on June 3, 2021 I wouldn’t be shocked if we see Bo Byram for Conor Timmins in Game 3. Just a hunch. By Adrian Dater I thought the Avs had a chance to really clamp down on the Golden

Knights in the first period with a couple of power plays and a 1-0 lead, but Want to see how the sausage is made sometimes? OK, since this is my they got a little too fancy. Vegas seemed to take some life from those site and I make the rules…I had a story written that had the Vegas kills. Golden Knights winning Game 2. It felt like it was headed that way, and I Tyson Jost’s first-period goal was a beauty. He created pressure in the wanted to have something ready to roll soon after the final horn. Vegas zone with a slick venture down the wall, then went to the middle But NO, I get to write something instead, like….Avalanche victory in and one-timed a shot past Fleury. Game 2, 3-2 in overtime. Mikko Rantanen with the pinpoint laser of a Brandon Saad’s goal? Probably not a beauty, but it still counted. He wrist shot from the left circle, on the power play, wins it. fanned on a wrist shot coming down the left side, and that change of Colorado leads two games to none and will play Game 3 Friday night in pace on the puck fooled Fleury. Vegas. Vegas forward Reilly Smith put his team on the penalty kill early I thought this was a game the Avs really could have used a Nazem Kadri. in the OT, a really dumb slashing penalty against Rantanen, that knocked The Avs had a lot of trouble in the faceoff dot, one of his specialties. J.T. his stick out after a faceoff. Compher had an off night in most areas, as Kadri’s second-line center After Nathan MacKinnon hit the post with a shot on the PP, the Avs replacement. worked it around the horn some more, with MacKinnon finding Mikko on Gabe Landeskog had the tie-breaking goal on his blade with about 9:25 the other side. Rantanen sized up his shot and beat Marc-Andre Fleury left, but Mikko Rantanen’s crossing pass into the crease was a bit too up high. Game over. hard and it squirmed away. Eleven wins in a row for the Avs. Game 3 at T-Mobile Friday. Grubauer made a great save on Alex Tuch to keep it a 2-2 game late. OK, so here’s what I was going to run if Vegas had popped in that winner Tuch had a breakaway. in OT: Reilly Smith just flat out missed on an open net in the third, off a bad Pete DeBoer, coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, promised a better rebound by Grubauer, that would have made it 3-2. Smith hit the post. performance from his team in Game 2 against the Avalanche and he kept That Avs kill with 3:25 left was one for the oxygen tanks. This is it. How does a team that lost by six goals in Game 1 come out and something the Avs will need to address moving forward though: It just felt outshoot the Avs 40-23 in the first three periods, then wins it in overtime? like Vegas’ power play was better at keeping pucks in the zone and firing Because Vegas is a damn good team and wasn’t going to lay down after shots, while the Avs had trouble setting up at times and overpassed. the Avs partied all night against them Sunday. Now, it’s the Avs’ turn to DeBoer called the Smith slash in OT a “soft call.” Naw, it was the right dig deep and prove they aren’t the paper champion that has bailed out call. If that was a soft call, so was the Toews trip on Pietrangelo with 3:25 from the second round the past two seasons. left. Pietrangelo mostly just skated over Toews’ skates. Game 3 is Friday night in Vegas, in a building that will be open 100 Here’s how Mikko saw the slash: “The call is if you slash the other guy’s percent, with no masks required. It’s going to be loud and it’s going to be stick out of his hands, it’s always a penalty. I’m a pretty strong guy, so I tough for the visitors. But the Avs have to prove, eventually, that they can can hold onto my stick, but that was a pretty hard slash.” go in and do to Vegas what the Golden Knights did here in their gritty Game 2 win, 3-2. Grubauer was named the No. 1 star and I can’t argue with that. He had a couple of shaky moments in the game, but really was excellent toward One thing is for sure: the Avs are going to be in a lot of trouble in Vegas if the end when the Avs were just seemingly too tired to play like they can. some of their better players shrink from the moment like too many of them did in Game 2. I’m talking about guys such as J.T. Compher, Andre Burakovsky, Alex Newhook, Sampo Ranta and even others such as Joonas Donskoi and Ryan Graves. Colorado hockey now LOADED: 06.03.2021

The Avs just didn’t seem to have a full crew for this game. Not that any of the aforementioned didn’t try out there, but they just weren’t very noticeable all night. This is an Avs team that is supposed to wear you down with depth, but in this game anyway, Vegas seemed to tire out the younger, faster Avs.

Hey, it’s one game and nobody should get all panicked. But the reality is: Vegas has home-ice advantage now, in a five-game series. The Avs had the opportunities to win their 11th game in a row. But it just seemed like Vegas wanted it more.

And, they got it.

Now, it’s over to you, Colorado Avalanche, to find out just how hungry you are.

No, it’s back to you, Vegas. That’s what I meant to say all along lol.

THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

Vegas went to more of a packed-in defensive system in the neutral zone in the second period, and it worked. The Avs’ forwards had trouble at times getting through the system, which is a bit of a left-wing lock kind of thing, where the third forward high tries to steer to play to one side or the other. 1189183 Colorado Avalanche the crease, Smith quickly shot it back to the open net but amazingly hit the post. Iron shot #4.

In the final three minutes, Marchessault cut across Devon Toews, who ESCAPE! Rantanen Rips OT Winner, Avs Gain 2-0 Series Lead tripped Marchessault. Vegas power play. Several Grubauer saves later, the Avalanche killed the power play, and 60 minutes wasn’t enough.

Smith then took a slashing penalty just 45 seconds into OT. The Avs Published 4 hours ago on June 3, 2021 again had a properly served opportunity, but Nathan MacKinnon ripped a shot off the near-side post behind Marc-Andre Fleury. By Dan Kingerski No matter, Rantanen finished the job a few moments later. Avs win.

The Vegas Golden Knights needed a period to find their legs. For 40 minutes, they bombarded the Colorado Avalanche with shots, hits and Colorado hockey now LOADED: 06.03.2021 Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer made saves and coughed up rebounds. It seemed like Vegas’ game.

Until Reilly Smith took a penalty just 45 seconds into OT and Mikko Rantanen (3) ripped a top-shelf wrister over Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for the OT game-winner Wednesday night at Ball Arena. The win delivered a commanding 2-0 series lead for the Avs as the series shifts to Vegas for Games 3 and 4, beginning Friday.

The Avalanche picked up where they left off in Game 1, though it took a little bit of luck on top of their effort. Brandon Saad split the Vegas defense at the blue line for a breakaway. As Saad bore down on Fleury, he fanned on the wrist shot.

Saad (5) absolutely whiffed, but the sliding puck…slowly…sliding…puck fooled Fleury. 1-0.

However, Vegas weathered the early push and evened the game with a power-play goal. Midway through the first period, Alex Newhook got the gate for holding, and Vegas got the tying goal.

After good puck work around the perimeter, then a sharp pass through the Avalanche box, Alec Martinez pounded a one-timer past a lunging Vezina trophy nominee Philipp Grubauer.

Unlike Sunday, when the Avalanche snowed Vegas, the shots were even through the first period and with a little bit of rest, Vegas looked like a different team. A little bit, anyway.

Vegas clearly had trouble dealing with the Avalanche speed. On the corners and to loose pucks, the Colorado Avalanche created time and space. Vegas winger Jonathan Marchessault took the third of four Vegas penalties in the first period, and the Avs punched the ticket for another lead.

After a handful of tape-to-tape passes, Sam Girard appeared to go wide on the left-wing, but instead feathered a saucy pass into the slot and onto Tyson Jost’s stick. Jost (2) snapped it past Fleury. 2-1.

The Avs had several more golden chances on their fourth power play of the period. In the waning seconds, it appeared Fleury was down-and-out, but somehow kept a pair of shots from lighting the lamp.

Overall, Colorado’s shot advantage was only 11-9, but the quality disparity was in the Avs favor. With 7:30 of power play time, the Avs had seven of their 11 shots at 5v4.

The second period was a bit different. OK, a lot different. The Avalanche didn’t get a shot on goal for over seven minutes in the second period. Those tape-to-tape passes began finding the wrong tape.

Vegas got to their skill game in the second period. The Avs helped along with turnovers by the case. The Grade A chances were suddenly on the stick of the players in white. Midway through the second period, Marchessault sprung Reilly Smith (2) behind the Avs defense. Smith used a sweeping deke for a top-shelf backhander. 2-2.

Vegas outshot the Avalanche 15-6 in the second period.

And Vegas kept charging in the third period. The 2-2 game that felt disappointing to Avs fans began to feel lucky as Vegas ripped shots off three posts and outshot the Colorado Avalanche 24-7 over 30 minutes beginning with the start of the second period. That includes one lonely shot in the first 10 minutes of the third period.

Through the second and third periods, Vegas outshot the Avs 31-12.

Smith missed his golden shorthanded chance midway through the third period to give Vegas a lead. After Grubauer misplayed a loose puck in 1189184 Colorado Avalanche

Game 2: Lines and D pairs for Colorado Avalanche against Vegas

Published 16 hours ago on June 2, 2021

By Adrian Dater

Hello from Ball Arena, where the Colorado Avalanche are finishing up their morning skate in preparation for tonight’s Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights. Here are the expected lines and D pairs:

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Rantanen

Burakovsky-Compher-Donskoi

Saad-Jost-Nichushkin

Ranta-Bellemare-Newhook

D

Toews-Makar

Graves-Girard

Nemeth-Timmins

Grubauer

NOTEBOOK: This will sound weird, but I think the Avs are almost sick of practicing now. They’ve only played one game in the last 10 days. Starting tonight, though, they’ll be back on an every-other-day schedule. … Remember, the game is at 8 p.m. Get those pregame naps in. … As I type, Carl Soderberg is doing post-skate drills with skills coach Shawn Allard. You gotta feel a bit for Carl. He comes over to the Avs at the deadline, probably thinking he’s going to play in the postseason quite a bit, and now he’s a healthy scratch with two rookies (Newhook and Ranta) supplanting him. That’s hockey. … Nathan MacKinnon got passed over for the Ted Lindsay Award. … Mattias Janmark, injured in the Game 1 hit from Ryan Graves, was not on the ice for the Golden Knights at the morning skate.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189185 Colorado Avalanche Act Against Your Fears Students must try to take action against their fears. Directly facing your

dilemmas and fears can help you shatter them pretty easily. Do not keep 5 Tips for Students to Overcome Fear of Failure In Hockey pushing them under the rug. Change your entire perspective and outlook when dealing with the prospect of fear.

Practice Published 16 hours ago on June 2, 2021 There can be nothing more fruitful than practice. This is also the only way By Adrian Dater to harness and positively channel your fear. If you really want to do well in , make sure that you put in extra effort and hours. You can

read stories and summaries of success from all over the world and ages “Philosophy’s main task is to respond to the soul’s cry; to make sense of to motivate yourself. and thereby free ourselves from the hold of our griefs and fear.” – Focus Epictetus. If you can make your dreams stronger than your fright, you will know how We are all afraid of something or the other. There are phobias and there to overcome fear of failure. Chase your dream and do not rest till you is a fear of letting oneself down we call failure. The most important goals have achieved them. Remember, you don’t wanna regret it after years. in life make us go weak on the knees and race our hearts. The feeling of overcoming this fear is beyond explanation but when the same fear Final Words cripples you instead of motivating you, it becomes a hindrance. With those tips in mind, anybody can become a champion in ice hockey. Students are constantly under performance pressure and thus it Conquer your fear and unleash your true potentials. Train your mind to becomes difficult for them to overcome fear of failure. There are several break the fetters and only then can your body give its best. The day you examples to satisfy this claim. Fear is a human’s defense mechanism decide to leave the baggage behind, you will be surprised to see that and it has helped them save their lives, build civilizations and live out your performance and strengths have multiplied. other species. It is an impetus of fear that compelled man to art and storytelling. You can read free essays about it at https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/fear/ and see for yourself Colorado hockey now LOADED: 06.03.2021 the pattern and psychology. This being said, we must not forget that fear is the greatest motivator and there are examples enough to establish that as well.

Why Students are Afraid of Failure in Hockey?

There are several essays and research papers that deal with fear among students and why it can hinder them to achieve great heights. Let us briefly go over the probable reasons.

Low Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem is one of the major reasons why students do not feel confident in facing their fears. Failure is better than a lifelong regret. For you can overcome your failures with success but regret cannot be conquered so easily. Self-doubt convinces students of their inferiority and they start believing in their failures before they fail.

Lack of Parental Support

Parents who do not encourage their students to take up sports or anything they have a passion for doing substantial damage to their children. Even if they take up hockey against their wishes, they are constantly under pressure to be a success as failure will be met by taunts and humiliation.

Gender Discrimination

Fear of failure in women and such ideas have been the topics and titles of certain Gender Studies essays and thesis. Women are not seen as equal to men and thus they instill a sense of impending failure which holds them back from giving their best. This is even truer when it comes to hockey or any other sports.

5 Tips to Overcome the Fear of Failure in Ice Hockey

Overcoming your fear of failure may take some time but with perseverance and belief in yourself, you can do it quite comfortably. Remember, to achieve any goal, focus and hard work are all you need. If you are scared of losing, practice harder instead of giving up. Use your fear productively and don’t let fear control you.

Locate Your Fear

The first step is to identify the locus of your fear. Once you have it located, own up to them and face the challenges. Accepting your fear is the first step to overcoming it.

Rationalize Your Fright

Try self-counseling. Think of the worst possible situation and how you can face it. Once you start contemplating and philosophizing on your fears, you will be surprised to find answers that are practical and soothing. 1189186 Columbus Blue Jackets Coyotes, who will forfeit their first-round pick for a scouting violation, technically in the 10th spot.

"You’re happy when it goes right in the (exact) order behind you, so you Blue Jackets stay put in NHL draft lottery, will pick fifth overall know that nobody’s going to push you backwards," said Kekalainen, who watched the revelation of the lottery results along with other team executives in the board room of the team's front office location at Nationwide Arena. "That’s what you’re hoping for when you’re watching Brian Hedger it, and then, once we get to five and it’s our team, then you’re The Columbus Dispatch (disappointed). You don’t want to be there.”

Will the Blue Jackets stay there?

The Blue Jackets will pick fifth overall in the 2021 NHL draft, not losing Throw that question onto the heap of others yet to be answered this and not gaining a single spot from their fifth-best odds to win it. offseason, including which coach will be tabbed to replace John Tortorella and whether Jones or other NHL players will be spun off in Their drafting fate was determined by two lottery draws Wednesday at trades. the league’s NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey and the results were revealed later in the day on NHL Network and NBCSN. It has already been a busy offseason for Kekalainen — and now Davidson — but they at least have one thing answered. The Jackets own "I guess you’re a little bit disappointed, because you’re hoping to get one the fifth pick, plus those other two in the first round, and it might not be a or two — and then you would’ve pretty much known who you'd get," said bad idea to stock their remote draft room this year with various antacid Blue Jackets general manager, who learned the results while seated next options. to recently re-hired president of hockey operations John Davidson. "There’s not that certainty with five, obviously. Now, we’re going to have "I don’t think it changes much except we have to bite our nails for four to be a little bit nervous for four picks and see who slides and hope picks and see who’s available," Kekalainen said. "If we move back, we’ll somebody slides who’s real high on our list.” have to bite our nails for five or six picks.”

As it turned out, neither of the draws was even necessary. The NHL could've arranged this draft order the way the NFL and Major League Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.03.2021 Baseball determine theirs every year, going in reserve order of the league's final standings.

Instead, two draws were held just to spit out results in which every eligible team was placed in the exact reverse order of the NHL’s final standings with the exception of the Anaheim Ducks and expansion Seattle Kraken — who shared the third-best odds of winning with the New Jersey Devils.

The Kraken received the second pick and the Ducks, who posted the second-worst record in the league, will pick third. The Buffalo Sabres, who finished with the NHL’s worst record, received the first overall pick for the second time in the past four years.

The Devils got the fourth pick and the Blue Jackets will pick fifth for the first time in franchise history. They also have a number of options attached to that pick plus the two later in the first round they acquired before the April 12 trade deadline from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Combined with valuable assets from their NHL roster, such as star defenseman Seth Jones or either of their goalies, the Blue Jackets might have the means to move up from the fifth spot. They could also move back a spot or two if the right trade offer comes along from a team behind them.

"We have some extra currency with the other two first round picks, so we’ll see," Kekalainen told the Dispatch.

University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power, who's 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, is projected by many as the top player available. The towering puck-mover is followed closely in most rankings by his college teammates, Matt Beniers and Kent Johnson, a pair of talented centers.

Luke Hughes, younger brother of forward Jack Hughes (Devils, No. 1 overall 2019) and defenseman Quinn Hughes (Canucks, No. 7 in 2018) is also a coveted defense prospect with the U.S. National Team Development Program.

The Blue Jackets, who currently have nine picks on tap in the draft, finished last in the realigned Central Division with a record of 18-26-12. They tied with the Detroit Red Wings at 48 points, but Detroit had four more regulation wins (16-12) and finished higher by way of the league's standings tiebreakers.

The Jackets were given an 8.5% chance to win the top pick and had a 17.1% chance to land one of the top two. The Red Wings had a 7.6% chance to win the top pick and 15.4% chance to land one of the top two.

Seattle and New Jersey each had a 10.3% chance to win the top pick and 20.5% chance to land one of the top two, while the Sabres' odds were 16.6% to win the first draw. Behind the Blue Jackets, the order was a carbon copy of the NHL's reverse finishes — including the 1189187 Columbus Blue Jackets picks for the Jets, including Laine taken one spot ahead of Dubois in 2016.

The league voted in March to change its lottery protocols, beginning this Blue Jackets eager for NHL's draft lottery, which could boost retooling year with the number of draws reduced to two. That means the Jackets effort will pick either first, second, fifth, sixth or seventh. The scouting for this draft was more difficult because of COVID-19, which reduced some amateur leagues’ schedules and kept the Ontario Hockey League out of action, but Kekalainen has confidence in his scouts. Brian Hedger "I think we’ve gotten enough live viewings on the top guys and plenty of The Columbus Dispatch video," he said. "In our calculations, we’ll get a real good player in any of those spots.”

After slogging through their worst season in five years and receiving a The Blue Jackets also have two additional first-round picks, which were gut punch from star defenseman Seth Jones, the Blue Jackets could use gained in deals with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs some good news. before the April 12 trade deadline. The exact slots of those picks will be determined after the Stanley Cup is decided, but will likely wind up in the Good thing there's some on the way with the NHL's lottery draw 20s. Wednesday in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Blue Jackets have the fifth- best odds (17.1%) of winning one of the top two picks, including an 8.5% Those could also be used a number of ways, which could make this chance to land the No. 1 overall slot. Results will be determined by two year's draft one of the most important in franchise history. draws and be revealed at 7 p.m. on NHL Network and NBCSN.

“We haven’t been in the lottery very much, which is nice because it Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.03.2021 means you have a chance to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and play for the ultimate prize,” said Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who has been part of the draft lottery only twice since coming to Columbus in 2013. “Since we’re in it, hopefully we get some good luck and win No. 1.”

The Blue Jackets will have a lot of options if they do.

They could use their highest of three first-round picks to trade back and gain additional picks or, add an impact NHL player or players to help turn their ’ fortunes around sooner. They could also use the No. 1 pick to take the draft’s top player, which draft experts feel is either University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power or center Matt Beniers, Power’s teammate in Ann Arbor.

Either might be ready for the NHL and both play key positions, especially in lieu of the recent news that Jones, the Jackets' top defenseman, has told the team that he doesn’t plan to re-sign in Columbus beyond next season.

“We have a lot of good options in front of us,” Kekalainen said.

If the Jackets don’t gain the first pick, they'll have a chance at gaining the second overall pick by winning a second draw, which they’d have slightly better odds to win after the winner is subtracted from the field of 16 non- playoff teams.

There are also two significant side notes in this lottery field.

The first is the expansion Seattle Kraken, who will share the third-best odds (10.3%) with the New Jersey Devils. The second involves the , whose first-round pick will be forfeited for violating the NHL’s scouting combine testing policy prior to last year's draft. The Coyotes will technically be included in the two draws, but there will be redraws held if they win either one.

Kekalainen, who will watch the lottery announcement at Nationwide Arena along with other Blue Jackets executives, said he doesn’t have superstitious rituals or good luck charms. He’s just hopeful that karma plays a role.

“I’d think we’d be due for some good luck,” said Kekalainen, whose team has lost several key players through free agency and trades that were either requested or prompted by contract negotiations.

The Blue Jackets’ history with the draft lottery also suggests some better luck is due. Columbus has never won the first overall pick — trading up to No. 1 overall in 2002 to select Rick Nash — and the Jackets have moved down four times from their finishing spot in the overall NHL standings.

They've moved up just once in 2016, gaining the third pick by winning the third of three lottery draws. Pierre-Luc Dubois was selected with that pick and rewarded Kekalainen two seasons later as a 19-year-old breakout rookie center.

Dubois, however, requested a trade prior to signing his first contract extension last offseason and was shipped to the Winnipeg Jets on Jan. 23 for forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic — a pair of first-round 1189188 Columbus Blue Jackets Matt Beniers, C: A true two-way center with exceptional competitive spirit and character. He may not have extraordinary offensive skill, but he’s a surefire NHL top-six center.

Hold it: Blue Jackets stay put, will draft No. 5 in 2021 NHL Draft. Who Simon Edvinsson, D: Has drawn comparisons to fellow Swede Victor could they select? Hedman because of his size (6-foot-4, 205 pounds), his smooth skating and his offensive instincts, including on the power play.

William Eklund, LW: Played and produced (11-12-23) in 40 games in the By Aaron Portzline top league in Sweden, but missed the world juniors due to COVID-19.

Jun 3, 2021 Dylan Guenther, RW: Maybe the most explosive scorer in the draft. He averaged two points per game this season (in 12 games) with Edmonton

of the Western Hockey League. COLUMBUS, Ohio — Just seconds after NHL deputy commissioner Bill Luke Hughes, D: The younger brother to two NHLers, Jack (New Jersey) Daly flipped the No. 5 card and revealed the Blue Jackets’ logo in and Quinn (Vancouver). He’s bigger and is a better defender, but doesn’t Wednesday’s draft lottery, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen was skate quite like his siblings. shown on camera smiling and muttering a few words in disgust. Kent Johnson, LW/C: High-end offensive skill, but most scouts project Social media “lip-readers” believed he said “well, shit,” and Kekalainen that he’ll be a winger, not a center. Plays with great speed, great vision agreed a few minutes later: “It was probably something like that.” and is a tremendous puck handler. The Blue Jackets didn’t move up in the draft order, but what’s new.

That’s happened only once in 15 years, and it was one measly spot — from No. 4 to No. 3 — in 2016. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021

But they didn’t move back, either. As such, the Blue Jackets will have the No. 5 selection when the NHL draft is staged virtually on July 23-24.

“I’m a little bit disappointed,” Kekalainen said. “At least we didn’t move back. It’s better to stay put than slide to No. 6 or 7, but I wish we could have gotten to No. 1 or No. 2. That would have been nice.

“We’ll get a real good player at No. 5. There’s no question about it.”

This figures to be one of the most unpredictable drafts ever. The COVID- 19 pandemic shuttered many development leagues for months on end, and it kept amateur scouts from making their usual trips all over the globe to survey the next wave of talent.

But we can safely assume that defenseman Owen Power, the heavy favorite to go No. 1, will be long gone before the Blue Jackets are on the clock. After Power, though, it gets murky quickly.

The Blue Jackets have a well-publicized need for centers after sending away Pierre-Luc Dubois in a trade to Winnipeg in January.

They also have a sudden need for defensemen, with Seth Jones likely to move on from the organization this summer after making it known to the Blue Jackets that be won’t be re-signing with them. He can become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

“We’re not picking by position,” Kekalainen said. “I’ve said it so many times … by the time one of these guys will be ready to make a difference on our team, we may have made this trade or that trade and have four more centers and no more D.

“You pick a center over a winger because he’s a center and 10 years from now the winger has 600 goals and the center has 150 points and you’re like, ‘What the hell were you thinking, picking that guy?’

The Blue Jackets have had 13 top-10 picks through the years, but have never picked in the No. 5 spot.

Kekalainen will also have two picks later in the first round. The Blue Jackets acquired Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in the trade that sent defenseman David Savard to the Lightning, and Toronto’s first-round pick in the trade that sent forward Nick Foligno to the Maple Leafs.

Here are the latest rankings by The Athletic’s draft guru Corey Pronman.

“We’ve been able to study a lot of video,” Kekalainen said. “We’ve done our background stuff (on prospects). We have at least some live viewings of all of them. We’ve gone harder than in a regular year, but video is not the same as live viewings. But you do the best you can.

“It’s funny. Once you’ve watched somebody 10 times on video, you don’t even have to see their (sweater) number, you recognize them by the way they play, the way they move, the decisions they make.”

Names to keep in mind at No. 5: 1189189 Dallas Stars

No lucky Stars: Dallas stays put with No. 14 overall pick following NHL draft lottery

By Matthew DeFranks

6:47 PM on Jun 2, 2021 CDT — Updated at 6:51 PM on Jun 2, 2021 CDT

There were no lucky Stars for Dallas to thank on Wednesday night.

The Stars did not win either the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the upcoming NHL draft, and will select 14th when the first round begins on July 23. Dallas entered the night with the 15th-best odds to win one of the top two picks, but moved up a selection due to Arizona’s forfeiture of its first-round pick.

Buffalo won the first pick and expansion Seattle will pick second. Anaheim dropped from second to third, while all other teams remained in their slots.

Entering the lottery, the Stars had a 1.4% chance of winning the first pick, 1.5% chance of winning the second pick, 95.0% chance of staying where they were, and a 2.1% chance of dropping a pick.

At No. 14, it is the highest draft pick for the Stars since 2018, when they selected center Ty Dellandrea at No. 13. In the last two years, Dallas picked Mavrik Bourque at No. 30 in 2020 and Thomas Harley at No. 18 in 2019.

The Stars have picked No. 14 twice in franchise history, and picked defensemen both times. Dallas plucked Julius Honka in that slot in 2014 and Jamie Oleksiak at No. 14 in 2011.

Also for the first time since 2018, the Stars have a selection in each of the seven rounds. They only had nine combined picks the last two years.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189190 Dallas Stars As I watched Game 7 and Toronto’s hapless offense fail, my first thought was a Game 7 I watched two years ago. Against the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2019 playoffs, Bishop did everything in his power to help the Stars advance. He stopped 52 of 53 shots through 85 minutes Yousuf: Maple Leafs-Canadiens playoff series gives Stars plenty to think before the Blues finally broke through a second time to end the series in about on both sides double overtime.

Former Stars first-round pick Jack Campbell didn’t have quite that performance but the lack of goal support was embarrassing, especially By Saad Yousuf considering the presence of and Mitch Marner. It made Jun 2, 2021 me go back to that 2019 Stars series and look at the full picture, and the results were interesting.

In the four games Toronto lost to Montreal, they had one game in which If anyone needed a reminder of how hard it is to win in the NHL playoffs, they scored three goals, one game in which they scored two goals and the first-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal two games of scoring one goal, including the one-goal dud in Game 7. In Canadiens offered a stark reminder. As a beat reporter covering the the four games Dallas lost to St. Louis in 2019, well, ditto. One loss with Dallas Stars, I find it difficult to turn that switch off sometimes. No matter three goals, one with two goals, two losses with one goal and the one- the team or division, my brain often views performances through the lens goal Game 7 dud. of the abilities and inabilities of the Stars. So, while the first reflection was the outstanding goaltending play of Price Perhaps it was the magnitude of the pressure on Toronto, or maybe it and how important that is, the second reflection is the other side of the was the roles of former Stars Jack Campbell, Corey Perry and Jason coin. No matter your goaltending, you can’t just be inept offensively. Spezza, but the seven-game set between the Maple Leafs and Scoring goals in hockey is also kind of important, no matter what your Canadiens rung that bell a few times, from both sides of the aisle. Let’s last line of defense is doing on the other side. The Stars should keep that dive into some Stars reflections that came from this series. I’m sure I in mind. missed a few so feel free to contribute your own in the comments, if you have them. Role player extraordinaire

Goaltending matters Roll your eyes all you want, and I know many will, but it was hard to miss Perry as Montreal mounted its late-series comeback. He had an assist in Entering Game 5, Montreal was on the brink of elimination. Following a Game 5, a goal in Game 6 and the series-winning goal in Game 7. Last Game 1 victory, the Canadiens lost three straight and looked to be season, he scored 21 points for the Stars in the regular season and then headed to summer vacation soon. Instead of folding, Montreal turned had a big playoff series in the Stanley Cup Final. This season, he scored Game 5 into the beginning of an unforgettable comeback. 21 points for the Canadiens in the regular season and had a big playoff series in the first round. This is what he does. Canadiens goaltender Carey Price manned the net the entire series, including the 32-save performance in Game 5. On that day, Price was 33 I won’t spend too much time going over all of that again since I just wrote years and 284 days old. That’s the exact age Ben Bishop was the last about him, and others, including Jason Spezza, on Tuesday. The point time he played an NHL game. Coincidentally, it was also a Game 5 but here is to reflect on what it means for the Stars and in that regard, the the roles were flipped. Whereas Price had the pressure of being down 3- team needs to have a player who doesn’t have a starring role but can 1 in a playoff series, Bishop’s game came last postseason in the make big-time plays in big-time moments. In their 2020 Stanley Cup Final Edmonton bubble in Game 5 of the Colorado series, when the Stars were run, that was Perry and Joe Pavelski. had a solid playoff run up 3-1 in the series. The results, as you may recall, were also vastly and Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg lit things up, as they should, but different, because Bishop didn’t last a period (though there was plenty of those two veterans came through in big moments for the Stars, albeit blame to go around beyond the goaltender that day). more Pavelski than Perry.

Where the Canadiens go from here is anybody’s guess. Maybe they get Pavelski is still on the team but there’s an argument to be made that he’s swept in the second round, maybe they go on to hoist the Stanley Cup or now in a starring role. He can still come through in the big moments, of maybe it’s something in between. But what’s clear is that if Price plays course, as can a handful of other Stars veterans, but when you get the way he did from Game 5 onwards, the Canadiens will at least have a beyond Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, who will step up for the Stars puncher’s chance. After his Game 5 performance, Price went on to stop when the going gets tough? Perry did it for the Canadiens. 41 of 43 shots in Game 6 and punctuated the series by shutting out the Maple Leafs through over 58 minutes in Game 7 and ultimately stopping Winning is hard 30 of 31 shots. It was a goaltending masterpiece, one the Stars have Lastly, it’s hard to win in the NHL. Compare the Maple Leafs to the Stars seen Bishop be capable of — when healthy. over the past four seasons. Toronto has made the postseason in each of And that’s the big-money question, of course. Can Bishop return in those seasons (didn’t make it past the qualifying round last year but it still decent health? If he does, can he sustain it for the duration of a full counts, officially). The Stars have made the postseason only twice in the season and into the postseason? There’s little question that the Stars will past four seasons. However, the Maple Leafs have not sniffed the have a more talented roster next season than what the Canadiens rolled second round in that span. They have zero playoff series victories. The out in their first-round series. Even in this injury-riddled, wacky season, Stars have won four playoff series, been to the second round twice and the Stars finished 17th in the overall NHL standings. The Canadiens played in the Stanley Cup Final. And although both pipelines feature came in one slot below. But the question is whether the Stars will have Robertson DNA, the young talent in Dallas looks a lot more appealing the anchor in the back end next season. than what’s going on in Toronto.

Maybe that anchor isn’t Bishop. Perhaps Jake Oettinger takes a massive Now, that probably says more about the Maple Leafs than about the step forward to build off of a strong rookie campaign. Or maybe it’s Stars. Toronto is hardly the standard in the NHL, unless the standard is Bishop who returns to good health and plays the kind of hockey he’s choking embarrassments. But it’s a point, nonetheless. Toronto sacrificed been known to play. One is an unknown of the future while the other is premium draft picks at the trade deadline, has top-end players in an unknown regarding the past. Matthews and Marner, a capable goaltender and is the center of the hockey universe. All of that for a first-round exit and an offseason full of None of this changes the fact that the Stars need to have an aggressive question marks. offseason beyond the crease and upgrade the roster. They can’t enter a key season in 2021-22 banking on a couple of unknowns to pan out in their favor. But elite goaltending is the best insurance policy and masks a The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 lot of deficiencies. You’ll hear little of how the Canadiens averaged 1.7 goals per game in regulation in their series against Toronto. Price made sure of that.

Offense matters, too 1189191 Detroit Red Wings

2021 NHL draft lottery: Detroit Red Wings get sixth overall pick in first round

Helene St. James

The Detroit Red Wings once again had no luck in the NHL draft lottery, staying in the position in which they finished: Sixth.

They had 7.6% odds of getting the first selection, which would mean they could have chosen from Michigan defenseman Owen Power, or forward Matthew Bernier. That pick went to the Buffalo Sabres, who will pick first for the second time since 2018.

The Wings had a 15.4% chance to land one of those picks. They could pick third, fourth or fifth, and had a 30% chance to pick sixth, a 43.8% chance to pick seventh, and a 10.9% chance to pick eighth, which is the latest they can pick.

The Wings haven’t had the first pick in the draft since 1986, when they selected Joe Murphy. They haven’t picked second since 1971, when they drafted Marcel Dionne.

The Wings are in a rebuild, and drafting well is key to becoming a playoff contender. This past season saw increased competitiveness thanks to the contributions of recent first-round picks including forwards Michael Rasmussen (ninth overall, 2017) and Filip Zadina (sixth, 2018).

Defenseman Moritz Seider (fourth, 2019) looks like he’ll provide a significant boost to next season’s squad.

The Wings haven’t had any luck since entering the draft lottery in 2017, which up until this season featured draws for the first three picks. In 2017, they missed out on defenseman Miro Heiskanen (third, Dallas Stars), who has drawn comparisons to Nicklas Lidstrom.

In 2018, they missed out on defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (first) and forward Andrei Svechnikov (second) — and they passed on defenseman Quinn Hughes, who the Vancouver Canucks drafted at No. 7. Forward Jack Hughes (younger brother of Quinn) was the consensus top pick in 2019, though as consolations go, Seider projects to be an impact player.

THE FUTURE:Moritz Seider in 'super-happy place' but has sights set on Wings

The biggest gut punch came last year, when the Wings finished 31st but were pushed back to fourth in the draft lottery, causing them to miss out on adding Alexis Lafreniere to the rebuild.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189192 Detroit Red Wings 11. Arizona Coyotes, 3.1% 12. Chicago Blackhawks, 2.7%

13. Calgary Flames, 2.2% Is Michigan hockey star Owen Power in Detroit Red Wings' future? Answer comes tonight 14. Philadelphia Flyers, 1.8%

15. Dallas Stars, 1.4%

Helene St. James 16. New York Rangers, 1.0%

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.03.2021 The Detroit Red Wings should know shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday whether their rebuild will receive a huge boost.

That’s when the NHL draft lottery will be conducted, with 16 teams vying for a chance to call out the first name at the virtual event July 23. Michigan defenseman Owen Power, who is currently playing for Canada at the IIHF World Championship in Latvia, is projected to be the first overall pick.

The Wings have a 7.6% chance of getting the first pick. Their 19-27-10 record was fifth-worst in the final standings, but they were bumped back one spot because expansion Seattle automatically slotted into the third- best odds, at 10.3%.

GETTING BACK UP:Why the Wings are taking pride in 2021

MAILBAG:What the Wings need to make the playoffs

The Buffalo Sabres have the best odds at 16.6%.

The Wings have been pushed back by the lottery four straight years. In 2017, the year their 25-season playoff streak ended, they were bumped from seventh-worst record to the ninth pick, and drafted forward Michael Rasmussen. In 2018, they were bumped from fifth to sixth, and drafted forward Filip Zadina. In 2019, the Wings were bumped from fourth to sixth. That was Steve Yzerman’s first draft since being named general manager, and he selected defenseman Moritz Seider.

A HUGE STEP UP:Why Moritz Seider's buzz is building with the Wings

Then came the travesty that was the 2020 draft lottery. When the Wings lost to the Carolina Hurricanes March 10, it guaranteed the Wings would finish in last place. When the NHL suspended the season March 12 because of the pandemic, the Wings (17-49-5) were the only team mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Their 39 points were 23 fewer than 30th-place Ottawa.

With the season incomplete, the NHL decided to include the eight teams that emerged from the play-in round in the draft lottery, creating a scenario in which the New York Rangers went from the playoff bubble to the first overall pick. The Wings were bumped to fourth, leaving Yzerman to seethe.

“Anything I say is going to be self-serving,” he said when the first phase of the 2020 lottery was held last June.

Yzerman used the pick on forward Lucas Raymond.

The Wings have a 15.4% chance to pick in the top two. They cannot pick third, fourth or fifth. They have 30% odds to pick sixth, 43.8% odds to pick seventh and 10.9% odds to pick eighth, which is the latest they can pick.

Chances are ...

The odds for //the No. 1 pick// first lottery draw are as follows:

1. Buffalo Sabres, 16.6%

2. Anaheim Ducks, 12.1%

3. Seattle Kraken, 10.3%

4. New Jersey Devils, 10.3%

5. Columbus Blue Jackets, 8.5%

6. Detroit Red Wings, 7.6%

7. San Jose Sharks, 6.7%;

8. Los Angeles Kings, 5.8%

9. Vancouver Canucks, 5.4%

10. Ottawa Senators, 4.5% 1189193 Detroit Red Wings Rangers, and Edmonton), and two each in the third (Vegas, and the Wings’ own), fourth (Tampa Bay, and the Wings’ own), and fifth rounds (Ottawa, and the Wings’ own).

Red Wings stay put, will pick sixth in NHL Entry Draft Some good players easily could tumble into the lower rounds simply because they haven't played this season, and could be huge surprises in the years ahead.

Ted Kulfan "You can look at it two ways: It could be potentially tougher to find people or you might find them later," Yzerman said. "Maybe they didn't play

much, or maybe you saw them a year ago and one of your scouts saw Detroit — As usual, the Red Wings had no luck at Wednesday's NHL him a year ago and says 'I'd really like to pick that player.' You're going to Draft lottery. get lucky, or unlucky.

The Wings went into the televised event with the sixth-best odds to land "(But) I do think there will be some real good players, for whatever the top pick overall — and that’s where they’ll be picking, sixth overall, reason, that are picked later in the draft. Maybe they didn't play at all, or after draws were complete Wednesday at the NHL Network maybe they played a little bit or played in a men's league or hardly got on headquarters. the ice, and you're going to wake up in three years and say I had no idea this guy was going to be this good'," Buffalo, with the league's worst record, won the first pick, with expansion Seattle second and Anaheim third. With technology the way it is, scouts have watched a lot of video, and they still have assessments of players from a year ago. But, it will be Last season, the Wings had the NHL's worst record by far, but tumbled to different leading up to this draft. the fourth pick overall in the draft lottery, making the NHL tweak some regulations this season. "We've had access to watch it on video; that's not ideal, but you do the best you can and make sure you know the players," Yzerman said. But general manager Steve Yzerman wasn't in a frustrated mood "That's what we've done. Every team is in the same boat, and we try to Wednesday, instead concentrating on the fact the Wings likely will get find some players based on what we've seen at this stage. We're another talented prospect in this draft. prepared as we can be."

"There's no sense complaining about the system," Yzerman said in a The Wings will not concentrate on one position with the sixth pick. media chat on Zoom afterward. "Good for Buffalo. I wish them well. Organizationally, they need depth at every position. They're lucky to have the first pick. We have the sixth pick in the draft; we didn't go backward, and we'll do our best to make a good selection. "We do need help in every area, and the reality is whoever we pick, one or two or three years, when they're ready to play, things change," "Whether it's first, fifth, sixth, whatever, you have to find players in this Yzerman said. "Our philosophy, or plan, is to pick the best prospect on system. It's the same for everyone. We just have to find a way to get the board. Our intention is to pick the best prospect available when we good players. pick sixth."

"There's not much you can do about it. I'm not going to lose a minute's NHL Draft lottery sleep over it." Results from Wednesday's NHL Draft lottery: The NHL Entry Draft will be held virtually July 23 (first round) and July 24 (Rounds 2-7). 1. Buffalo Sabres

Given the odds, the Wings shouldn’t have expected anything much better 2. Seattle Kraken than what ultimately happened. 3. Anaheim Ducks The Wings had a 30% chance of staying at No. 6, had a 43.8% of 4. New Jersey Devils dropping to seventh, and a 10.9% chance of falling to eighth. So, for the first time in four years, they didn't fall back. 5. Columbus Blue Jackets

It's the third time the Wings will pick sixth in the last four years. They 6. Detroit Red Wings selected Filip Zadina in 2018, and Moritz Seider in 2019. 7. San Jose Sharks Yzerman feels the Wings can get another talented player in this year's pool in what will be an unpredictable draft. 8. Los Angeles Kings

Given the pandemic, many junior leagues all over the world either didn't 9. Vancouver Canucks play or played a limited schedule. Scouting was difficult, or impossible, 10. Ottawa Senators and it's likely draft boards across all 32 teams will look vastly different. 11. Chicago Blackhawks "I've seen a majority of the kids in that 1-to-10 range, and we're excited about the possibilities," Yzerman said. "Moreso this year than any other 12. Calgary Flames year, you're going to have a vastly different lists. Based on which league these kids were playing in, and how much they did or didn't play. This 13. Philadelphia Flyers one will maybe have more surprises than ever. 14. Dallas Stars

"I'd guess sitting at six, there are players who we think will be there, 15. New York Rangers multiple players, and we'll be excited about the pick. I've seen most of the kids in the top 10, who we think are in the top 10 anyway, and I don't Detroit News LOADED: 06.03.2021 know what other teams are thinking, but you're going to get a good prospect, and we'll go from there."

Who could the Wings select?

Defenseman Owen Power, the consensus No. 1 pick, is likely gone at that point. But Power’s Michigan teammates, centers Matthew Beniers and Kent Johnson, forwards Dylan Guenther (Edmonton, WHL) and William Eklund (Sweden), and defensemen Luke Hughes (Plymouth Township-based USNTDP), Simon Edvinsson (Sweden) and Brandt Clarke (Barrie, OHL) are among players who could be available at six.

The Wings will have 12 selections overall — including Washington’s first- round pick — and three picks in the second round (their own, New York 1189194 Detroit Red Wings 1. Buffalo 2. Seattle

3. Anaheim Steve Yzerman: Red Wings will get ‘good prospect’ at No. 6 4. New Jersey

5. Columbus By Ansar Khan 6. Detroit

7. San Jose The Detroit Red Wings didn’t beat the odds Wednesday and move into the top two in the NHL draft lottery, but at least they didn’t fall any spots, 8. Los Angeles like they have each of the previous four years. 9. Vancouver The Red Wings had the sixth-best odds, and No. 6 is where they will select. 10. Ottawa

The Buffalo Sabres won the lottery for the top pick, after securing the 11. Chicago best odds with the worst record in the league. A year ago, the Red Wings 12. Calgary had by far the worst record but dropped to fourth in the lottery. 13. Philadelphia “There’s no sense complaining about it, the system is what it is,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. “We didn’t go backwards. 14. Dallas We’ll do our best to make a good selection. Whether it’s the sixth, the first, the fifth, whatever pick you have, you got to find players. The 15. N.Y. Rangers system is the same for everyone. We just got to find a way to get good (Arizona’s first-round pick was forfeited). players.” Michigan Live LOADED: 06.03.2021 This will be the third time in four years the Red Wings select sixth. That’s where they landed Moritz Seider in 2019, Yzerman’s first draft as Detroit’s GM, and the big defenseman is widely regarding as one of the best prospects not in the NHL.

The Red Wings took Filip Zadina sixth in 2018, after he dropped a few spots lower than many analysts projected.

“I think we’ll get a good prospect,” Yzerman said. “I’ve seen the majority of the kids that’ll be in the 1-10 range. We’re excited about the possibilities that’ll be there.”

Several leagues were either canceled or shortened and players moved to various teams and scouting opportunities were reduced due to COVID- 19. This could lead to some draft-day surprises.

“I think more so this year than any other year you’re going to have vastly different lists, just based on which leagues these kids were based in and how much they played or didn’t play,” Yzerman said. “Maybe there will be more surprises than ever. Sitting at six, there’s players we think will be there, multiple players. We’ll be excited about the pick and ultimately do they move the needle? We hope they do. But when that happens, we’re not sure.”

Yzerman said they are not focused on a particular position.

“We do need help in every area and the reality is whoever we pick, in one, two, three years when they’re ready to play, things can change,” Yzerman said. “Our plan will be to pick the best prospect on the board. I don’t think we’re in a position with the sixth pick to say we definitely need this position.”

Michigan defenseman Owen Power is projected by many to be the first overall selection. Two of his teammates, centers Kent Johnson and Matthew Beniers, could go in the top 10 as well.

Power is among several defensemen expected to be taken high, a list that includes Simon Edvinsson of Sweden, (Frolunda), Brandt Clarke of Barrie, who played in Slovakia while the OHL was shut down, and Luke Hughes, of the U.S. National Team Development Program, whose brothers Quinn (No. 7 to Vancouver in 2018) and Jack (No. 1 to New Jersey in 2019) were taken in the top 10.

The Red Wings have 12 picks in the draft, including Washington’s first- round selection from the Anthony Mantha-Jakub Vrana trade. That pick will be No. 23 if Tampa Bay, up 2-0, defeats Florida in their playoff series. If the Panthers come back and win the series, the pick will be No. 24.

Detroit also has three second-round selections and two picks in the third round.

The draft takes place virtually on July 23 (first round) and July 24 (Rounds 2 through 7).

Draft lottery results 1189195 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings land No. 6 pick in draft lottery; Buffalo No. 1

By Ansar Khan

The Detroit Red Wings landed at a familiar spot Wednesday in the NHL Draft Lottery – they will select sixth overall for the third time in four years.

The Red Wings finished with the fifth-worst record in the NHL but were bumped down a spot due to the expansion Seattle Kraken receiving the third-best lottery odds (along with New Jersey).

Detroit had a 30 percent chance of winding up sixth. Its best odds were at No. 7 (43.8 percent). It had only a 7.6 percent chance of winning the lottery.

The Red Wings selected Filip Zadina at No. 6 in 2018 and Moritz Seider sixth in 2019.

This is the fifth year in a row the Red Wings will have a top-10 pick.

The Buffalo Sabres, who finished with the worst record in the league, won the lottery for the right to select first and possibly take Michigan defenseman Owen Power.

Seattle will draft second, followed by Anaheim, New Jersey and San Jose.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189196 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings well-represented in World Championship quarterfinals

By Ansar Khan

The Detroit Red Wings -- past, present and future -- will be well- represented Thursday in the quarterfinals of the World Championship in Latvia:

United States (6-0-0-1, W-OTW-OTL-L) vs. Slovakia (4-0-0-3), 9:15 a.m. ET (NHL Network)– Team USA led all teams with 18 points in the preliminary round and will ride a six-game winning streak into elimination play. Former Red Wing Justin Abdelkader, however, will miss the remainder of the tournament due to a leg injury. Abdelkader, the team captain, had one assist in six games. Conor Garland (Arizona) leads the U.S. with eight points (three goals, five assists). Jake Oettinger (Dallas) and Cal Petersen (Los Angeles) have split duties in net.

Switzerland (5-0-0-2) vs. Germany (4-0-0-3), 9:15 a.m. ET – Top Red Wings prospect Moritz Seider is following up a strong season in the Swedish League with a solid tournament. He had four assists in seven games and leads German defensemen in ice time ( averaging 18:54).

Finland (4-2-1-0) vs. Czech Republic (3-2-0-2), 1:15 p.m. ET – A trio of Red Wings are making an impact for the Czech Republic as Jakub Vrana and Filip Zadina each have two goals and two assists while Filip Hronek has a goal and three assists. Defenseman Libor Sulak, who played six games for Detroit and 61 games for the in 2018- 19, is tied for the team lead in goals (three) with Dominik Kubilak (Chicago).

Russia (5-1-0-1) vs. Canada (3-0-1-3), 1:15 p.m. ET (NHL Network) – Detroit defenseman Troy Stecher has a goal in seven games for Canada. Connor Brown (Ottawa) leads Canada in scoring with 10 points, including two goals.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189197 Detroit Red Wings Central scouting director Dan Marr referred to Power as “a fluid and agile skater, who can transition quickly on plays and separate himself from checking.”

Last-place Sabres win draft lottery; Red Wings stay in No. 6 spot The Wolverines are rounded out by centers Kent Johnson, ranked third, and Matthew Beniers, ranked sixth.

The second-ranked North American skater is Canadian junior center By JOHN WAWROW AP Hockey Writer Mason McTavish, who played in Switzerland last season.

Central scouting ranks Swedish-born left wing William Eklund as its top international skater. BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres won the NHL draft lottery and the expansion Seattle Kraken jumped up the order to take the No. 2 In Buffalo, the sabres woes carried over into the offseason with captain pick Wednesday night. Jack Eichel questioning his future in Buffalo, by citing differences with the team over how to treat a herniated disk, which forced him to miss the The Detroit Red Wings stayed in the No. 6 position. final two months of the season. The Sabres have the No. 1 pick for the fourth time in franchise history The two sides are expected to meet this week to determine whether to go and second in three years. It marks a turnaround for a team that finished ahead with servical disk replacement surgery, which Eichel prefers. The last in the overall standings for the fourth time since 2013-14, and lost the Sabres’ medical staff has advised against it because the procedure has draft lottery in both 2014 and '15. never before performed on an NHL player. Seattle, meantime, can get, ahem, Kraken in preparation for its first Forward Sam Reinhart, who led the team in scoring, and veteran season after jumping ahead of Anaheim. The Ducks finished 30th in the defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen also expressed doubts about wanting overall standings, but will be selecting third overall. to remain in Buffalo. The Kraken were provided the third-best odds at 10.3% — tied with New In the meantime, Adams has spent the past five weeks conducting a Jersey — to win the lottery. coaching search, whose candidates include Don Granato, who The Vegas Golden Knights were placed in the exact same position completed the season in an interim role. entering the 2017 draft lottery in advance of their opening season. Vegas Macomb Daily LOADED: 06.03.2021 wound up selecting sixth after failing to win three lottery drawings.

The only change this year involved the NHL reducing the number of drawings to determine the top two slots.

The Sabres had a 16.6% chance of landing the top pick, which was 1.9 points lower than the previous three lotteries, including 2018 when Buffalo maintained its spot to select defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at No. 1.

“It’s a great moment for our franchise. It’s obviously been a tough year,” Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said. “We’re very excited, we’re proud to have this selection. It’s a step in the right direction.”

The Sabres are coming off a calamitous season in which they fired coach Ralph Krueger in mid-March while in the midst of an 18-game winless streak, which matched the NHL’s 14th-worst drought. Buffalo also missed the playoffs for a 10th consecutive season to match the NHL record.

Overall, Buffalo became the 10th last-place team to retain the top pick in the draft since the lottery was first introduced in 1995.

The Arizona Coyotes, who finished 22nd, were barred from winning the lottery after the NHL stripped the team of its first-round selection for violating league rules by physically testing draft-eligible players before the 2020 pre-draft combine. Though Arizona was included in the lottery process to maintain the odds, the NHL would had a redraw if the Coyotes' number came up.

The Coyotes were also stripped of their second-round pick in last year’s draft.

The remaining 12 teams retained their order in the draft by virtue of where they finished in the standings, with the New Jersey selecting fourth and the New York Rangers 15th.

The two-day draft will be held virtually for a second consecutive year, with the first round being held on July 23 — two days after the expansion draft, during which the Kraken will select one player from each of the 31 teams.

The coronavirus pandemic has added more uncertainty to this year’s class of prospects, due to shortened or even canceled seasons, and because of travel limits placed on scouting staffs.

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau has three Michigan players listed among its top six North American prospects, and led by 6-foot-6 defenseman Owen Power, the top-ranked player, who is current representing Canada at the World Hockey championships in Latvia. From Mississauga, Ontario, Power had three goals and 16 points in 26 games in being named to the Big Ten’s All-Rookie team last season. 1189198 Detroit Red Wings The Red Wings are going to have to build their winner another way. And that means a harder, more uncertain way.

Right now, the odds of Detroit getting its true superstar in the 2021 draft Bultman: The Red Wings can build a winner without lottery luck. It’s just appear relatively low. But that would have been true at first or second going to take a while overall, too. Michigan’s Owen Power has emerged as a near-consensus top pick publicly, but Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said Wednesday that he feels this year’s top 10 could go in any order.

By Max Bultman That may have been true of this class regardless, but has likely been even more exaggerated by the variance in different prospects’ schedules

(or lack thereof) this season. There are two annual questions on NHL Draft Lottery night in Detroit, “Everybody’s lists will be so different, and vary from list to list,” he said. each arising shortly after the Red Wings either drop or hold serve in the “There’ll be, maybe, a lot of surprises in everybody’s eyes when the draft league’s draft order. actually takes place.” One is eminently answerable: Will the Red Wings still be able to pick The surprises, in and of themselves, are value-neutral. Maybe they seem someone good? The answer to that one is an unqualified yes. They just confounding and turn into a home run — Detroit has already given fans might have to work a little harder to identify that player than they would one dose of that under Yzerman. Or maybe they seem incredible draft have in a lottery win. heists and turn out to be flops. The beauty (and frustration) of the draft is The second question is a larger one: Will the lottery ever break their you can’t actually know how it went for several years. way? It’s impossible to say for sure. But year by year, the answer “There’s been draft classes in the last 10 years that we look back and we increasingly seems to be: probably not. said ‘wow’ at the time: ‘This is a tremendous class and we’re excited Detroit bottomed out last season with one of the worst seasons of the about all the different players,'” Yzerman said. “And you look back 10 modern era and picked fourth. It was a tough break but the kind the years later and you go review them and they weren’t as good as you lottery is designed to induce. The odds are always against any one team thought. … I’ve seen most of the kids that are in the top 10 (this year) — winning. that we think are in the top 10 anyway, I don’t know what other teams are thinking — and you’re going to get a pretty good prospect and go from It’s a plain truth, laid out clearly each year, but it can be a hard one for there.” fans of perennial bottom dwellers to accept for a simple reason: Usually, at least recently, teams that have won the Stanley Cup have also had at So though right now this crop doesn’t appear star-laden, it’s also at least least one top-two pick on their roster. Go through the past decade: possible a 2017-like scenario could occur, where picks three, four and Tampa Bay had Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman. Washington had five (Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar and Elias Pettersson) outshine the top Alex Ovechkin. Pittsburgh had Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, two. (Though Detroit would, uh, surely prefer for that grouping to extend Chicago had Patrick Kane, and Los Angeles had Drew Doughty. Even to pick six if history repeats this season.) the 2010-11 Bruins had a young Tyler Seguin. The point, though, is that any of those three players, in hindsight, is good Recent history says winning it all without first getting one of those lottery- enough to headline a contender, all good enough to go top two in many dictated picks is rare. And so, when the Red Wings came up short again years. And yet, there they were. It happens. Maybe not often, but enough Wednesday, landing sixth in the NHL’s 2021 draft order, that second for it to be meaningful. And this year could be an open door for exactly question came with an added layer. that.

It wasn’t just will they ever win one? It was what happens if they never “I think there’s going to be kids that go much later in the draft than they do? normally would have if they had got a chance to play all year,” Yzerman said. “And the same way, kids will go a lot higher just basically because It’s a much more existential thought than the draft lottery should teams got to see them a lot.” realistically induce. This night is supposed to be about mock drafts, if we’re honest. But that’s what a rebuild does to a team, and to a fan base: The expectation shouldn’t be that the Red Wings find their Pettersson or It heightens the sense of helplessness and the frantic want for a savior. Makar this year, mind you. Or next year. Or any year, individually, because those are rare, exceptional players. But by acquiring as many The increasing likelihood is that the lottery will simply never deliver one to picks as they have, the Red Wings are giving themselves a chance to Detroit. But for whatever it’s worth, I’m not convinced the lottery is the capitalize on both the uncertainty of this scouting season and the more only way to win in the NHL. inherent uncertainty of projecting the futures of 17- and 18-year-old boys.

Now, I will say, I’d bet the farm this year’s champion has multiple top-two Again, it’s the hard way. But it’s the only road available to the Red Wings. picks on its roster once again. That’s because Colorado and Tampa Bay And likely will continue to be. appear to be a collision course for the Cup Final. Detroit’s five picks in the first two rounds this season will also give them The defining feature of those teams, however, is not simply that they the opportunity to develop that other quality the league’s current titans have No. 1 and No. 2 picks wearing their jerseys. It’s that they are possess: depth. And not just in terms of bodies. The Avalanche and immaculately constructed around those headline players, with the stars, Lightning have very good hockey players, up and down their lineups. depth and the salary cap structure to pull off that blend. That may not be the sexy part of those teams, but it may well be what differentiates them from the other star-laden teams that haven’t yet It sounds simple, but year after year there is ample evidence to prove broken through. how hard it really is. This year’s early exit by the Maple Leafs was just the latest example. Unlike the one franchise-changing star whom lotteries sometimes provide, that kind of depth takes years to fully reveal itself, if it arrives at Yes, Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Stamkos and Hedman are all. That’s one more maddening aspect of all the lost lotteries, and why irreplaceable for their teams. But Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen, Brayden the prospect of superior lineup depth (eventually, and also only maybe) Point, Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy own just as much credit for hardly feels like a suitable consolation. these teams’ juggernaut status, to say nothing of Devon Toews, Sam Girard, Anthony Cirelli, Ryan McDonagh and Mikhail Sergachev. Among But it’s the other piece of the puzzle the Red Wings have to keep many others. chipping away at while they continue looking for the star or two they so badly need. Make no mistake: Winning big in the NHL does require big-time talent at the top of a roster. There’s no way around that, and the best place to get It’d be easiest, for Detroit, if the ping pong balls made that big search that talent is picking first or second in a draft. But without the Red Wings simple one of these years. It’s becoming increasingly clear, however, that possessing the ability to will themselves into one of those coveted Detroit’s path back to relevance isn’t going to shoot out of a hopper. positions, and facing the likelihood their recent top draft picks will soon start pulling them out of the prime range to luck into one, hoping for a “We’re going to do the best we can,” Yzerman said. “If the plan is to be lottery-delivered savior is starting to look like a fool’s errand in Detroit. really bad and get a first or second pick, it’s hard to get. As Red Wings fans, we all sit here and watch the last five years, we haven’t been able to get a top-three pick. We’ll find a way. … We’ll build a good team and we’ll figure out a way. We’ll get a superstar along the way in the draft somewhere.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189199 Edmonton Oilers valuable to his team than McDavid was this season. He was in on a record 57.3 per cent of the Oilers’ goals this season.

McDavid, along with Draisaitl, has lifted the Oilers to new heights and VAN DIEST: Award season begins for Oilers' McDavid with Ted Lindsay created greater expectations for an organization that has struggled as nomination badly under the ownership of .

The Players’ Association announced McDavid Since Katz took over the Oilers in 2008, they have just two proper playoff was one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award along with Sidney appearances to show for four first-overall selections and have only made Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Auston Matthews of the Toronto it out of the first round once, back in 2017. Maple Leafs The Oilers are also under their fifth general manager and ninth coach in the 13-year tenure under Katz.

Derek Van Diest “I think the standard has gone up and that’s where it all starts,” McDavid said the day after the Oilers were eliminated by the Jets. “I think we have a culture where you come to the rink every day and demand better from each other and expect better from each other. The Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid (97) celebrates his 100th point during the second period against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers “I think if this was a couple of years ago, we’d be sitting here so happy Place in Edmonton on Saturday, May 8, 2021. that we got to play four playoff games. That’s definitely not the mood in here. We want more and we want lots more. We want to continue to work Article content together and win a Cup one day.” The NHL season may be over for Edmonton Oilers captain Connor It’s actually frightening to think how much better McDavid can get. He’s a McDavid, but awards season is just getting underway. generational talent who has exceeded enormous expectations coming On Wednesday, the National Hockey League Players’ Association into the league. announced McDavid was one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay “I’m only 24 years old, I have lots left,” McDavid said. “I have lots of ways Award, along with Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Auston to continue to grow my game in different areas, find different ways to Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs. have success. It feels like I’ve been in the league a lot time, but ultimately McDavid, 24, has already won the Ted Lindsay twice as the NHL’s most I’m still a young guy in this league and I have lots of good years ahead of valuable player as selected by his peers, and is likely to claim his third. me.” Leon Draisaitl won the Ted Lindsay last season to go with his Hart As a captain, McDavid is growing as well. He became the youngest Trophy, while Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning won it in 2019. permanent captain in NHL history when given the role by the Oilers as a Prior to that, McDavid won the award in 2017 to go with his Hart Trophy 19-year-old in 2016. and then again in 2018. McDavid is the runaway favourite to win the Hart “Being a captain in this league is a job that there’s no guidebook to it,” Trophy again this season and it would be surprising if he didn’t claim McDavid said. “There’s no one telling you what to do and what not to do. both, along with the Ted Lindsay. He is already the Art Ross Trophy There is a lot of learning on the job. I was very young when I was able to winner for leading the NHL in scoring this season. wear the ‘C’ and still very grateful and humbled to be able to wear it for In 56 games, McDavid put up an astounding 105 points (33 goals, 72 such an amazing organization and I take that with a lot of responsibility. assists). He won the scoring race by 21 points over Draisaitl and was 36 Being a leader is part of being a better player too. There are lots of areas points ahead of third-place finisher Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins. where I can get better and that’s for sure one of them.”

By comparison, Matthews finished with 66 points (41 goals and 25 Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.03.2021 assists), while Crosby had 62 points (24 goals and 38 assists) this season.

Unfortunately for the Oilers, McDavid’s regular-season success did not translate into the playoffs, where they were swept out of the first round by the Winnipeg Jets.

Neither Crosby nor Matthews made it out of the first round either, as the Penguins were upset by the New York Islanders in six games, while the Maple Leafs collapsed and blew a 3-1 series lead on their way to a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

McDavid had a goal and four points in his four playoff games, while Crosby had a goal and assist in six, and Matthews had a goal and four assists in his seven.

Crosby is at the tail end of his Hall-of-Fame career, which has seen him win three Stanley Cups, while McDavid and Matthews are still trying to turn their teams into contenders.

The Oilers have one playoff series win since McDavid joined the club after being selected first overall in 2015, while the Maple Leafs have not won a playoff series since Matthews arrived as the first-overall pick in 2016. The Leafs have not won a playoff series since 2004 and the Oilers missed the playoffs 13 of the last 15 years, counting their play-in exit in 2020.

“It’s really humbling to be in the same conversation as those two players,” Matthews said Wednesday. “It’s always nice (being a finalist), but at the end of the day, going home leaves a sour taste in your mouth. Those individual awards, I think they’re great and all, but I don’t think there’s any type of satisfaction compared to winning with the team and accomplishing something as a team.”

Having led the league with 41 goals this season, Matthews will likely be a finalist for the Hart Award as well, but it’s difficult imagining anyone more 1189200 Edmonton Oilers the Ducks in a recent article for The Athletic, so the idea of acquiring him is reasonable.

Here’s how his stats stack up against the incumbents: Lowetide: The Oilers need to add four wingers to their top nine this Rickard Rakell five-on-five stats summer — who could they get? Rickard Rakell

0.55 By Allan Mitchell Jun 2, 2021 1.65

8.6 The Edmonton Oilers’ summer shopping is about to get underway. Expect to see four or five new faces opening night 2021-22, about equal 6.4 to 2020-21, when Kyle Turris, Jesse Puljujarvi, Slater Koekkoek, Dominik Kahun and Tyson Barrie skated for the Oilers after playing elsewhere the Jesse Puljujarvi previous season. 0.89

This year, Mike Smith needs a new deal, Adam Larsson needs a 1.53 contract, someone needs to check on Oscar Klefbom, and a right-handed centre like or Brandon Sutter wouldn’t go amiss. 8.0

But the heart of the summer procurement should be on the wings. 11.1 Edmonton once enjoyed great strength in this area, but trading Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and others has left the organization badly in need of Kailer Yamamoto upgrades. 0.56

Most of the early talk surrounds adding two left wingers, but I’d like to 1.28 suggest the organization is a full four wingers short. 5.1 Why? In an offseason in which general manager finally has the financial room to compete for players of high value, ending the 10.9 summer with enough wingers to contribute to three scoring lines is of highest importance. His shooting percentage has been on a downhill trek for three years now, but Anaheim general manager Bob Murray is quoted in the Stephens Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto are the only two wingers currently under article in regard to the scoring dropoff. He’s still getting chances, control who can reasonably be deployed on the top three lines, which according to Murray, and for Edmonton this might be the ideal time to means Holland needs four more before October. acquire a quality winger at a low price.

Oilers wingers five-on-five stats Left wing

Jesse Puljujarvi If Rakell fills out the top-nine depth on right wing at a reasonable cost, and if we assume rookie Ryan McLeod will be the third top-nine centre, 55 left wing becomes the position where Holland will spend his free-agent 1.53 cash, and each man will need to have a history of outscoring opponents five-on-five. There are a dozen suitable options, but I’ve reduced that 53.1 number to five that make the most sense for ease of comparison:

52.5 UFA left wingers five-on-five stats

Kailer Yamamoto Gabriel Landeskog

52 0.67

1.28 2.36

50.5 7.7

57.1 59.5

Yamamoto was shy in five-on-five this past season, but over the last two Brandon Saad seasons has delivered significant offence. Both young wingers have good possession and outscoring numbers, and the cap hit should come 1.49 in under $3.5 million for the pair once Yamamoto (a restricted free agent) 2.29 is signed. Those cap hits are part of what allows Holland to spend a little this summer. 7.2

Both Puljujarvi and Yamamoto can turn over pucks and drive opponents 50.9 to distraction, the result being 50-50 pucks. Edmonton’s skill centres (Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl) thrive on jailbreak opportunities Zach Hyman presented by turnovers and the clean air that comes from defenders 0.84 being out of position. 2.14 What kind of player would best complement the two youngsters? 8.2 The third right winger can be a little more expensive, and ideally brings experience playing with high-end linemates, plus speed, passing skill, 66.7 puck protection and great anticipation. Two-way acumen would be a Blake Coleman positive. 0.80 Since we’re looking for perfect-fit solutions, I’ve chosen Rickard Rakell. He can play up and down the lineup, all three forward positions and he is 2.04 on a reasonable contract (under $4 million with one year remaining) with the Anaheim Ducks. Eric Stephens discussed Rakell as a trade option for 8.5 55.4 Tomas Tatar Whatever happens, it promises to be a summer of loud noises coming for the Oilers. Despite a disappointing conclusion to the 2020-21 season, it’s 0.68 nonetheless an exciting time to be an Oilers fan.

2.03 The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 6.6

59.3

I have sorted this group by points per 60 minutes, and it’s a quality group. We’re looking for the three best left-wingers available without regard to cap hit (more in a moment), but realistically Gabriel Landeskog is likely to re-sign with the Colorado Avalanche this summer (possibly after winning the Stanley Cup).

That leaves a quality group to choose from, and the numbers choose Brandon Saad, Blake Coleman and Tomas Tatar. Imagine adding that group to the Oilers’ current forwards! Music!

There is the matter of the cap, and other areas to address. If we estimate Holland having $25 million to spend this offseason, it’s likely the contracts of Larsson and Smith will take most of $7 million.

If that’s the case, how many forwards can Edmonton acquire with $18 million? Acquiring Rakell will take assets, but the cap total ($3.8 million) is an asset for the team acquiring him.

That leaves $14 million. What’s the perfect use for that money? Could Holland get, say, Hyman, Saad and Coleman?

In this scenario, Tyler Benson lands in Seattle and James Neal gets bought out. Dmitri Samorukov and Mikko Koskinen (with $2 million retained) are sent to the Ducks for Rakell and Derek Grant. There is $750,000 in cap room and just 21 players (no extra forwards).

It’s also true that the Seattle Kraken and other teams will be aggressively pursuing these free agents, so it’s impossible to sign everyone.

It’s easy to say “the perfect fit” wingers for Edmonton are Rakell, Saad, Hyman and Coleman — or to go wild and sub Landeskog onto the list — but Holland probably can’t get that much done in free agency. What about a scaled-back version?

Tweaks on perfection

Edmonton’s “next man up” sure-thing prospect is Dylan Holloway. He’s likely to begin the season in Bakersfield of the AHL and could be a midseason recall. A check down at No. 3 left wing until he’s ready takes care of the cap issue and gives Holland a more realistic template for the summer:

There are a couple of other tweaks here (William Lagesson is taken by the Kraken this time), but the Neal buyout and Anaheim trade remain part of the proceedings. We can upgrade the backup-goaltender spot with the money saved on Saad. This roster has about $1.5 million in cushion entering the season.

Holland’s way forward

The moves above are justifiable. Trading Samorukov takes away from the left side of the defense, the deepest spot on the roster and through the system. The money is spent on good-t0-great bets like Hyman, Coleman and Rakell.

Still, there’s much that will be out of Holland’s control. Klefbom will indicate during the summer if he’s coming back, but will there be a free- agent option (like Jamie Oleksiak) replacing him? Should Nugent- Hopkins be part of the mix? If he came in under $6 million would this allow the organization to continue to build with its current foundation? And there’s no knowing what the Seattle Kraken will do with their expansion pick, or whether they will flood the market with cap space and price out the Oilers on free-agent wingers.

It’s crucial to add new top-nine wingers — four if possible — with only Puljujarvi and Yamamoto looking like they belong in those slots. But while one model above satisfies that need, it fractures the roster elsewhere, and in the other model, the third scoring line doesn’t quite get there.

It’s too much pressure to put on Holloway and Benson to expect them to fill these roles, but perhaps the big takeaway of the models we tried is that Edmonton’s 2021-22 improvement may depend on one of those two young players stepping up in a big way and completing the top-nine group. 1189201 Florida Panthers After a disastrous debut season with the Panthers, Bobrovsky was better in Year 2, posting a .906 save percentage and 2.91 goals against average in the regular season before falling apart in the Stanley Cup playoffs. In three playoff games, Bobrovsky posted an abysmal .841 save Knight vs. Bob? Barkov extension? Panthers’ GM answers offseason percentage with a 5.33 goals against average. questions after big 2021 Knight, who began the year playing for the Boston College Eagles, played in four regular-season games with a .919 save percentage and 2.32 goals against average, then put up a .933 save percentage with a BY DAVID WILSON 2.06 goals against average in two postseason starts.

“I can speak for Q and one thing that we’ve been trying to work toward is Bill Zito took almost five full seconds to sort through his thoughts to sum the best players play, so on any given night Q’s going to address the up his first season as the Florida Panthers’ general manager. lineup, and he said this time and time again: I’m going to try to win hockey games,” Zito said. “There’s a lot of factors that go into many There was an easy answer to the big-picture question posed things, so we’re going to get with the goaltending department and we’ll Wednesday: How much closer do you think you are, ultimately, to where figure it out.” you want to get to today than in Day 1 you had on the job? CAN PANTHERS EXTEND ? For almost every season in the past 25 years, the Panthers were an afterthought. This year, they looked like a Stanley Cup contender before Barkov is locked up through the 2021-22 NHL season, but both he and falling to the defending-champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round the Panthers say they want to get an extension done before next season of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. begins.

Progress, at this point, is undeniable and there’s a good chance Zito will The center said last week he’s as happy as he has ever been in his win the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award because of it. hockey career and “we’ll come up with something” with regards to an extension. “Well, we needed 16 wins,” Zito said after his lengthy pause. “We got two.” Conversations have not yet begun between Zito and agent Todd Diamond, but Zito said figuring out a deal is “paramount.” He conceded, of course, the Panthers “made great strides” and kept referring to the season as “fun.” It was, after all, a record-setting year for “I’m going to reach out to the agents and start those processes in short Florida, which recorded its best points percentage ever, tied the franchise order,” Zito said. “It’ll be something that’s paramount for me and we’ll record for goal differential despite the shortened schedule and reached address in short order.” the Stanley Cup playoffs for only the seventh time. WILL AARON EKBLAD BE READY? It also ended the same way nearly ever Panthers season does, with an Aaron Ekblad is up and walking around, Zito said, after sustaining a leg early exit before the second round of the Cup playoffs. fracture in March. The foundation might be in place for a serious Cup run, but there was still “He’s making some pretty significant progress,” Zito said. no reason to go home happy after the Lightning finished off a 4-2 series win with a 4-0 victory last Wednesday in Tampa. In a series of exit Last week, Quenneville said the defenseman is on track be ready for meetings in the last week, Zito has seen a uniform response from his training camp after missing the final two months of the season and all players. reports are positive.

“To a man, every single guy started out with, I have a bad taste in my Ekblad’s presence was sorely missed in the Cup playoffs, as Florida kept mouth,” Zito said. “Those are my words, but some version of they were shuffling its defensive pairings while it searched for answers. The dissatisfied with how the season ended and felt that we could do more, Panthers are at risk of losing some defensive depth because of the 2021 and were excited to get back for next season, so that collective NHL Expansion Draft, too — Florida may not be able to protect dissatisfaction with where we are actually makes me feel very, very good defenseman Gustav Forsling — so Ekblad will be needed to stabilize a about where we are as a team.” tumultuous unit.

Zito’s first offseason was an overwhelming success. The GM overhauled WILL ANTON LUNDELL JOIN PANTHERS? the fringes of the roster to get the most out of star forwards Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, and unearthed a few new potential Florida doesn’t just expect Anton Lundell to join the team for training stars and foundational players in the process. camp later this year.

With about $10 million in projected cap space, Florida can bring back “I’m going to go get him myself,” Zito joked. most of the current roster and even probably upgrade. On Wednesday, The Panthers took Lundell with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Zito started to provide some answers to some of the biggest questions Entry Draft and ESPN.com ranked him as the No. 22 prospect in hockey facing his team this summer. after an excellent start to the 2020-21 season. He finished the year SERGEI BOBROVSKY OR SPENCER KNIGHT? in Finland’s top league with 16 goals and nine assists in 26 games, and has been just as good at the IIHF World Championship with four goals The single biggest dilemma Zito faces going into his first full offseason and two assists in seven games so far. with the Panthers is his goaltending situation. Between Lundell and Knight, Florida could enter next season with two of Sergei Bobrovsky is heading into the third year of a seven-year, $70 the top 15 prospects in hockey — and left wing Grigori Denisenko million contract. Chris Driedger, the stalwart backup goaltender, is likely actually currently ranks higher than both of them. headed elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent for a chance to be a full- time starter. Spencer Knight, the 20-year-old rookie goaltender, still has Miami Herald LOADED: 06.03.2021 only six games of NHL experience, but he was clearly Florida’s top option in the playoffs.

Once the 2021 IIHF World Championship wraps up, special advisor to the general manager Roberto Luongo will return to South Florida — he’s currently working as Canada’s general manager — and Zito will hold a meeting to discuss the goalie situation.

“We’ll sit down with the goaltending department , and we’ll go through everything with coach [Joel Quenneville] and Robby Tallas, and decide on a strategy for the goaltending next year,” Zito said. “Spencer did a great job and I thought there were a lot of highlights to Bob’s season, as well.” 1189202 Florida Panthers “It’ll be something that’s paramount to me, and we’ll address it in short order,” Zito said Wednesday.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 06.03.2021 Panthers offseason of goalie questions begins; unique situation with Knight, Bobrovsky, Driedger on hand

By DAVID FURONES

The Florida Panthers have one of the most unique goaltender situations in the National Hockey League.

The rise of 20-year-old prospect Spencer Knight by season’s end has many excited to see what the future holds for him, on one hand. On the other, the Panthers are also handcuffed by the five years remaining on underperforming veteran Sergie Bobrovsky’s seven-year, $70 million contract. Add to that, Chris Driedger was one of the league’s most effective backups for much of the season before Knight got into the mix.

It makes for an interesting summer as Driedger, 27, is set for unrestricted free agency in an offseason that will also involve the expansion draft of the new Seattle Kraken.

“I don’t know exactly,” said Panthers general manager Bill Zito in a Wednesday afternoon web conference with reporters on the team’s goalie outlook. “I can’t sit here and tell you specifically what the future’s going to hold, but we’re going to review everything thoroughly and make some decisions.”

With six games of NHL experience, many already want to anoint Knight as the goalie of the future after he went 4-0 in his regular-season appearances and then extended Florida’s season by saving 36 of 37 shots in Game 5 against the potent Tampa Bay Lightning in their first- round playoff matchup, which the Panthers eventually dropped in six.

“When [Knight] gets back, we’ll sit down with the goaltending department, and we’ll go through everything with coach [Joel Quenneville] and [goaltending coach] Robbie Tallas and decide on our strategy for goaltending for next year,” Zito said.

“I thought Spencer did a great job, and I thought there was a lot of highlights to Bob’s season, as well. I think there were areas that he would like to improve upon, but he had some bright spots, too — and also Chris.”

Zito, named Panthers general manager on Sept. 2, 2020, inherited Bobrovsky’s contract, signed in 2019, as well as Driedger and Knight, who was Florida’s first-round pick in the 2019 NHL draft before he signed and joined the team on March 31.

Bobrovsky was 19-8-2 with a 2.91 goals against average and .906 save percentage in the 2021 regular season. Driedger went 14-6-3 with a 2.07 GAA and .927 save percentage. The duo had an uneven first four games against the Lightning in the postseason, leading Quenneville to go to the rookie Knight for the final two playoff games.

“One thing that we’ve been trying to work toward is best players play,” Zito said. “On any given night, Q is going to dress the lineup, and he’s said this time and time again, ‘I’m going to try to win hockey games.’ There’s a lot of factors that go into many things. We’re going to get with the goaltending department, and we’ll figure it out.

“We need to approach each season from a fresh perspective. We’re going to do that. We’ll get with the goaltending department and we’ll evaluate and we’ll do everything in our power — as we do with all our players — to help each of our players, individually and collectively, be as good as they can be. And I think they will be.”

Zito said the Panthers plan on getting 19-year-old prospect and 2020 first-round pick Anton Lundell in for training camp ahead of next season.

“He’ll be here. There’s a plan. I’m going to go get him myself,” said Zito of Lundell, the center from Finland. “He’s tearing up the world championships. He’s a pretty good prospect.”

On Friday, star Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, who is entering the final season on his contract, said he hadn’t put much thought into negotiations, but expressed a general desire to want to remain in South Florida. 1189203 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers re-sign defenseman Kevin Connauton

By MALLORY SCHNELL

Defenseman Kevin Connauton will be returning to the Florida Panthers. The team announced he signed a one-year, two-way extension that begins in the 2021-22 season.

“Kevin is a veteran defenseman who provided our club with invaluable stability and leadership both on and off the ice,” Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said in a press release. “We’re pleased to have him return to our defensive corps for the 2021-22 season.”

In his seven appearances throughout the 2020-21 season, Connauton, 31, recorded one assist, 12 hits and three blocked shots. He accumulated a +4 rating and a fighting major with an average of 14:13 time on the ice per game.

The Edmonton, Alberta native was taken by the Vancouver Canucks in the third round (No. 83) of the 2009 NHL draft. Since then, Connauton has played in 321 NHL regular season games with the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and most recently, the Panthers.

This will be Connauton’s second contract with the Panthers. On Jan. 13, 2021, Connauton signed a one-year, two-way contract as a free agent.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189204 Los Angeles Kings

NHL draft lottery: Ducks drop to 3rd, Kings 8th; Buffalo Sabres get first pick

By HELENE ELLIOTT

The Ducks will have the third pick in the NHL’s annual draft, a spot determined Wednesday by the league’s draft lottery.

They moved down from No. 2, based on their regular-season finish of 30th among the NHL’s 31 teams. They entered the draft lottery with a 12.1% chance of getting the first overall selection, behind only the Buffalo Sabres’ 16.6% chance of landing the No. 1 pick.

The Sabres have the first pick of the draft and the expansion Seattle Kraken the second. The Kings, who had a 5.8% chance to win the lottery, will draft eighth.

The draft lottery consisted of two drawings, one for the first overall pick and another for the second overall pick. The draft will be held virtually, with the first round to be conducted July 23 and rounds two through seven July 24.

This year’s draft is considered top-heavy on standout defensemen and short on scorers with the potential to become a franchise player.

Anaheim Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins, center, talks with, from front left, centers Adam Henrique.

Ducks general manager Bob Murray and coach Dallas Eakins will be back with the team for the 2021-22 season despite another disappointing season.

Owen Power, a Canadian-born defenseman who played for the University of Michigan last season, was the top North American skater in rankings compiled by the NHL’s Central Scouting Services. Power is an imposing 6-foot-5 and 211 pounds. He had three goals and 16 points in 26 games for Michigan last season.

“Owen Power is at the top of this draft class as he is the best at his position,” Dan Marr, the director of Central Scouting, told nhl.com. “His game presence displayed NHL skills and attributes, and his game continued to mature and impact throughout the season.”

NHL salary cap expert Jeff Solomon has left the Kings after 15 seasons to become the Ducks’ vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager.

The second-ranked North American skater is center Mason McTavish of Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League. He’s followed by Michigan center Kent Johnson, defenseman Luke Hughes of the U.S. National Team Development Team program, and right wing Dylan Guenther of Edmonton of the Western Hockey League.

The top-ranked European skater is 5-foot-10 left wing William Eklund of Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League.

LA Times: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189205 Los Angeles Kings

Kings land pick No. 8 from 2021 NHL draft lottery

By ANDREW KNOLL

The NHL held its annual draft lottery in Secaucus, N.J. Wednesday, and the Kings will select eighth in the draft, which will be held on July 23 and 24. The Buffalo Sabres, who had the worst points percentage in the league last season, won the first pick, while the expansion Seattle Kraken will select second. The Ducks dropped to the third position after posting the second-worst campaign in 2021.

For the Kings, their position corresponded with their record; they neither rose nor fell via the lottery. It will be the first time in franchise history that they have the eighth overall selection.

This season was the third straight season that they missed the playoffs. They carried one of the youngest rosters and lowest payrolls in the NHL for 2021. In the past two seasons they selected a pair of coveted prospect centermen, Quinton Byfield second overall in 2020 and Alex Turcotte fifth overall in 2019. Byfield played six games last season while Turcotte skated in 32 games with the Kings’ top minor league affiliate.

Assuming that they keep their selection or move up, the Kings will make the 21st Top 10 pick in franchise history on July 23. Of their previous 20 selections, one has gone on to become a hall of famer, defenseman Larry Murphy, and another almost certainly will after his career, defenseman Drew Doughty.

This also marks the third occasion on which the Kings have found themselves in the top 10 for three consecutive drafts.

They selected Doughty second overall in 2008, after the relative disappointment Thomas Hickey went fourth in 2007 and before 2009’s fifth overall pick Brayden Schenn, whom they traded during the final stages of building their 2012 championship team.

Between 1986 and 1988, they selected the prolific scorer , who was later a centerpiece of the Wayne Gretzky trade; defenseman Wayne McBean, who played just over 200 NHL games; and Martin Gelinas, who had a solid career that spanned 1273 games.

The Kings iced a roster of home-grown products between their own draft picks and undrafted free agents. Out of 33 players who played at least one game and remained with the team at the end of the season, 21 began their pro careers with the Kings’ organization.

While that may not have translated to a winning campaign, the Kings also have one of the top farm systems in the NHL, and now have an opportunity to add an impact player at any position in the first round, as well as some potential cogs with high picks in rounds two through seven.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189206 Los Angeles Kings good league — but to have that level of success and have that transition, the ease of the transition was certainly impressive.”

Swedish forward William Eklund of Djugardens in the SHL, went No. 6 in If the Kings don’t trade the No. 8 pick in the NHL Draft, which prospects our mock draft but he’s been a fixture in the No. 6 to No. 8 range might fit? elsewhere.

“You can look at his game and what he has done in the SHL – it almost goes down as historical in terms of the level of success he’s had,” the By Lisa Dillman Jun 3, 2021 NHL scout said of Eklund. “He’s probably 5-10, 5-11. However, he plays with such energy and pace and speed that whatever issues you had in

regard to his size seem to be negated. Maybe we all got spoiled when chaos ruled at the draft lottery last year, “He has a little Nikolaj Ehlers in him in terms of the pace he plays, how requiring a second phase to determine the destination of the No. 1 he pushes tempo and how he creates through his skating and his skill. overall pick. There were times when he was arguably one of top players on his SHL In what was largely an uneventful draft lottery on Wednesday – the team. If you look at the historical data, what he did offensively and Anaheim Ducks were the only team to drop a position – perhaps it wasn’t production-wise as a draft-eligible is really impressive.” the worst thing in the world that the Los Angeles Kings were able to hold Now for much more of a long shot. Quite often, there’s one unexpected, steady at No. 8. off-the-wall pick that throws the rest of the draft into a version of chaos. The individuals who crunch the data and were able to view the prospects If that were to happen, possibly one of the top four rated defensemen in real time believe that there are eight to 10 players in this draft class could fall to the Kings, which would be a surprise but a significant win. who will be really good. Draft guru Craig Button of TSN had Luke Hughes, the younger brother of After that, it’s a guessing game. NHLers Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes, listed as the fourth-best defenseman after Owen Power, Brandt Clarke and Simon Edvinsson. But isn’t it always? Hughes missed the U-18 World Championships in Texas this spring Because of COVID-19 restrictions that created limitations in live viewing because of a lacerated foot tendon, which required surgery. and other circumstances beyond control, drafting will be even more complicated than ever in the scouting world. The NHL Draft will be held “Obviously it would have been great to see him play at the worlds — a July 23-24. freak injury which was unfortunate,” the NHL scout said. “His game really improved this past season. Prior to the injury, I thought he was “It is going to shotgun at about (No.) 15, 16 and then it’s going to be consistently one of the best players on the ice. unbelievable to see what happens after that,” one NHL scout told The Athletic. “I thought it was bad last year.” “One thing you have to write: there is a level of dynamic to him. There’s a level of dynamic in his game that is not too dissimilar to his two other This season, in Canada, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League got in brothers. However, at 6-2, it’s impressive. the most playing time, followed by the Western Hockey League. The Ontario Hockey League never started its season, enabling the Kings to “And he wasn’t the elite player all the way through, like the other two keep two top prospects, Quinton Byfield (No. 2 pick, 2020) and Arthur brothers. This one keeps improving.” Kaliyev (No. 33, 2019) in the most of this past The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 season.

“The U.S. was (mostly) fine. Europe was shut down here and there,” the scout said.

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen. I have a feeling there will be a lot of players in the U.S. that will get drafted because you’ve seen them. I don’t see how it’s not going to help them because at least you got to see them.

“There’s always uncertainty but now we’re adding onto it.”

The Kings have a lot of prospects in the pipeline and a cache of picks in this year’s draft, including five in the first three rounds. Of note, they’ve been in the draft lottery three consecutive years, after taking Alex Turcotte at No. 5 in 2019 and Byfield in October.

With a steady stream of NHLers heading out the door the past couple of years, the Kings need more established players coming back the other way, a point stressed emphatically by defenseman Drew Doughty in his postseason session with the media last month.

You have to have plenty of courage to trade the No. 1 or No. 2 overall draft choice. At No. 8, it is far easier to trade the pick if a larger deal can be crafted or if a team outside the top 10 is interested in moving up.

Essentially, the Kings have more flexibility now than they did before the lottery.

Who could the Kings get if they end up keeping the pick?

In our mock draft for The Athletic, I went with left wing Kent Johnson of the University of Michigan.

The same NHL scout I quoted in our mock draft had a couple of other observations about Johnson. Johnson, who is 6-foot-1, 167 pounds, recorded 27 points in 26 games for Michigan this season and previously played center for the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League. Johnson had 101 points in 52 games with Trail in 2019-20.

“He’s really offensively gifted,” the scout said. “To have the level of success he had at the NCAA, coming from the BC league – which is a 1189207 Los Angeles Kings Owen Power, a 6’ 6” defenseman from the University of Michigan, places No. 1 among North American Draft prospects in rankings released last week by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. Rounding out the top-five North American skaters are No. 2 Mason McTavish, a center for Kings to select eighth overall in 2021 NHL Draft Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League who played on loan with Olten of the Swiss second division in 2020-21; No. 3 Kent Johnson, a

center with the University of Michigan; No. 4 Luke Hughes, a By Zach Dooley defenseman from Team USA’s Under-18 National Team Development Program and the brother of recent high-end selections Quinn Hughes (No. 7 by VAN in 2018) and Jack Hughes (No. 1 by NJD in 2019); and No. 5 Dylan Guenther, a forward from Edmonton of the Western Hockey The LA Kings will hold the eighth overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, League. to be held virtually on July 23 and 24. William Eklund, a left wing for Djurgarden of the Swedish Hockey As a result of tonight’s draft lottery, the first 15 positions in the first round League, tops all international skaters while Sebastian Cossa of of the 2021 NHL Draft have been selected, listed as follows – Edmonton in the WHL and Jesper Wallstedt of Lulea in the Swedish 1. Buffalo Sabres Hockey League rank No. 1 among goaltenders on the North America and International lists, respectively. 2. Seattle Kraken NHL Central Scouting Rankings – NA Skaters / NA Goaltenders / 3. Anaheim Ducks European Skaters / European Goaltenders

4. New Jersey Devils With the Kings’ selection now officially locked in, we will take a look at 5. Columbus Blue Jackets some of the prospects projected to be available in that range as we approach the draft. In a year without a consensus regarding the overall 6. Detroit Red Wings rankings at the top of the draft class, as well as a year in which there is less information available on prospects from certain leagues, it could be 7. San Jose Sharks a fruitful year to pick towards the backend of the Top 10, with rankings 8. LA Kings likely to vary between teams.

9. Vancouver Canucks Much more to come as we approach the eventual day!

10. Ottawa Senators LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.03.2021

11. Chicago Blackhawks

12. Calgary Flames

13. Philadelphia Flyers

14. Dallas Stars

15. New York Rangers

*Note that the Arizona Coyotes were awarded the 11th overall selection from the lottery, but will forfeit their selection.

Participants in the Draft Lottery included all clubs that did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the expansion Seattle Kraken, who begin play in the 2021-22 season. The remaining positions will be determined by the results of the playoffs. The Arizona Coyotes will forfeit their first- round selection, as a result of violating the NHL Combine Testing Policy during the 2019-20 season.

Seattle was the only team to rise in the lottery, moving from a tie for third- best odds to second, while Anaheim fell from second to third. All other percentages held firm. The Kings had a greater than 50 percent chance to select eighth and that turned out to be the case, with just the one change throughout the evening. Last season, the Kings rose from the fourth-best odds to select second overall, with each of the top three selections changing hands during the lottery.

The Kings pick in Rounds 2-7 will be the eighth in each round, which was predetermined, though the organization has traded some of its own draft picks, and acquired others. A full list of draft selections is shown below –

1st Round, 8th Overall (LAK)

2nd Round x2 (LAK, STL)

3rd Round x2 (LAK, TOR)

4th Round (CGY)

5th Round (LAK)

6th Round (LAK)

2021 will be the first time in franchise history that the Kings have selected eighth overall.

Regarding the top-ranked players, per the league’s official release –

The 2021 NHL Draft will be held virtually over two days. Round 1 will take place on Friday, July 23, followed by Rounds 2-7 on Saturday, July 24. 1189208 Los Angeles Kings 9 – Dougie Hamilton (11), Jacob Trouba (12), (13), Nikolaj Ehlers (14), Timo Meier (15), Mikhail Sergachev (16)

10 – Jonas Brodin (11), Valeri Nichushkin (13), Nick Ritchie (14), Mikko Live Thread – NHL Draft Lottery Rantanen (15), Tyson Jost (16)

Where exactly the Kings fall in that range, or if they are able to win one of the lottery draws for the second straight season, remains to be seen. By Zach Dooley Following the conclusion of the lottery, we’ll have an article with where the Kings will be selecting and the full list of lottery results, plus any relevant notes, quotes, videos, etc. Be sure to remember exactly what WHAT: NHL DRAFT LOTTERY you were doing when the Kings won the lottery in 2020 and do exactly WHEN: Wednesday, June 2 @ 4:00 PM Pacific the same things here in 2021. Will I be lugging my television back to the apartment I watched from last season, in order to watch in the same WHERE: NHL Network Studio – Secaucus, NJ location? Maybe….just maybe.

HOW TO FOLLOW: NBCSN, NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVA Sports 4 PM Pacific, go ping pong balls go!

Insiders, welcome back to the Draft Lottery! LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.03.2021 This season’s edition is less confusing than last, which involved a mystery team winning the first-overall selection, but still more confusing than a usual draft lottery, considering the added quirk of Arizona forfeiting its first-round pick.

The Kings enter the lottery with the following odds at selecting in one of five slots –

1st Overall – 5.8%

2nd Overall – 6.0%

8th Overall – 49.4%

9th Overall – 34.5%

10th Overall – 4.3%

The odds of selecting in the Top 2 are actually slightly higher though, considering Arizona’s forfeiture of their first-round selection, as a result of sanctions placed on the organization for violating the NHL Combine Testing Policy during the 2019-20 season. Any result in which Arizona wins either the first or second selection will result in a re-draw.

The Kings odds, per Micah Blake McCurdy, are actually 6.0% and 6.3% respectively, moving the Kings’ overall odds of selecting in the Top 2 for the second straight season from 11.8% to 12.3%.

The league changed the lottery probabilities again, here they are for reference: pic.twitter.com/5D8WKq2NgC

— Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) May 19, 2021

According to McCurdy, the Kings’ odds of selecting eighth are slightly higher (52.8%), and their odds of selecting ninth (31.7%) or tenth (3.2%) are slightly lower.

Regardless of odds, however, the Kings can select in one of five different spots in the upcoming NHL Draft. For reference, here is the Kings all- time history of selecting in each of the five picks that are a possibility for the 2021 Draft Lottery –

1st Overall – Rick Pagnutti (1967)

2nd Overall – Quinton Byfield (2020), Drew Doughty (2008), Jimmy Carson (1986), Doug Smith (1981)

8th Overall – None

9th Overall – Craig Duncanson (1985)

10th Overall – (1985), Jim Fox (1980)

History has shown that the odds of selecting a long-term contributor do greatly rise for players selected first or second overall. A deeper look into some numbers around those two selections is available here from last season’s lottery.

From 2011-16 though, players selected between eighth and tenth have, thus far, panned out to be relatively successful, with those players ranging from still early in their professional careers to established NHL players.

8 – Sean Couturier (11), Rasmus Ristolainen (13), William Nylander (14), Zach Werenski (15) 1189209 Los Angeles Kings — IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 28, 2021 For Team Finland, Maatta assisted on the overtime game-winning goal

against Latvia, with a cross-ice feed to teammate Anton Lundell. Maatta’s World Championships Update – Nine Kings advance to quarterfinals helper came just four seconds from what would have been a shootout, as Finland locked up a Top 2 position in Group B.

WHAT. A. FINNISH!!! �� #IIHFWorlds #FINLAT @leijonat By Zach Dooley pic.twitter.com/VdACuuh6ts

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 30, 2021

The World Championships began with 10 LA Kings and we’re down to The United States are back in action tomorrow morning at 6:15 AM nine as we’ve reached the quarterfinals. The United States, Finland and Pacific, while Canada and Finland play their respective quarterfinal Canada have all advanced from pool play to the knockout round, while matchups tomorrow at 10:15 AM Pacific. Team Sweden finished fifth in Pool A and did not advance to the knockout stages. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.03.2021

With that, Adrian Kempe’s tournament is completed, but the Kings will have nine players across three teams in the hunt for a medal.

First, the knockout round schedule –

Quarterfinals – Thursday, June 3

United States vs. Slovakia

Finland vs. Czech Republic

Canada vs. Russia

Germany vs. Switzerland

Semifinals – Saturday, June 5

Gold & Bronze Medal Games – Sunday, June 6

Pool Play Recap

Moore and Petersen are placed within the tournament’s leaders, with Moore tied for fourth among all skaters in goals, and Petersen leading the tournament in save percentage and shutouts, while ranking a close second in goals against average. Petersen is the only goaltender thus far with multiple shutouts, after blanking both Kazahkstan and Germany across his two starts. Petersen has allowed just four goals across his four games played.

Petersen posted his second shutout with a 33-save effort against Team Germany, with the Americans outshot by more than a 2-to-1 margin, to help secure a big victory. Petersen was named as his team’s player of the game for the second time in the tournament with the victory and appears set to lead Team USA in net during the quarterfinals.

“We knew they were going to push, being down, so that was expected and they’re a team that moves the puck really well, they get a lot of guys in front of the net, so I knew they were going to try and do that, clog up the middle, get a lot of screens and rebounds,” Petersen said, after the win over Germany. “Just one of those things, team did a really good job of boxing out guys, I saw a lot of shots which is great, and I was able to control those rebounds that I saw. It was a group effort shutting it down and getting the win in a tight game.”

Cal Petersen.

That’s it. That’s the tweet. @usahockey #IIHFWorlds #USAGER @LAKings pic.twitter.com/k3fiicX0nX

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 31, 2021

Kempe finishes his tournament tied for Team Sweden’s lead in points and second in assists. Moore ranks third on the United States in total scoring, trailing only his linemates Conor Garland (ARI) and Jason Robertson (DAL).

Though Team Canada has struggled, and the three Kings on the roster have had lower offensive figures, both Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Gabe Vilardi had key assists in helping the team sneak into the knockout round. Anderson-Dolan assisted on the game-winning goal in a must-win over Kazahkstan, earning Player of the Game honors, while Vilardi assisted on the game-opening goal against Finland, helping Canada earn their final point to secure the fourth seed in Group B.

It’s Goal Perfetti time, of course!

Canada takes the lead! #KAZCAN #IIHFWorlds @HockeyCanada @NHLJets pic.twitter.com/KmCyndqCZF 1189210 Minnesota Wild Wild, is ineligible for an offer sheet from another team and doesn't have arbitration rights. The longest the Wild could sign him for is for eight years.

Next up for Wild's Kirill Kaprizov is new contract "This summer we're going to have the chance to sit down and think through all the options and what's best for the team and for me, and I'm The NHL's probably rookie of the year lived up to the hype during his first confident that we will come to a good agreement," said Kaprizov, who season in Minnesota. plans on being involved in the negotiation. "I like everything. Everything's been good, the team's been good to me, so I am very happy here

overall." By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 2, 2021 — 11:29PM Right now, though, he has a reunion in his hometown of Novokuznetsk, Russia, on his radar.

Going from Russia's top league to the NHL wasn't the most challenging "The plans are, first and foremost, to get home, see my family, see my adjustment Kirill Kaprizov faced in his debut season with the Wild. friends, get some rest," Kaprizov said, "and then of course start training and getting ready for next season." Grocery shopping and outfitting his Minnesota home were. Star Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 "On the ice, things took care of themselves," Kaprizov said in Russian through an interpreter. "I had good teammates, good conversations, loved being in the locker room, loved being on the ice."

The entire hockey world will likely be reminded of just how smooth Kaprizov's transition was on Thursday when the 24-year-old is expected to be named a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie.

And while that recognition is reflective of his past, Kaprizov is already excited for the future.

"Hopefully we can continue to get better," he said. "I know there's a lot of things I need to work on. Same with my teammates, getting the right pieces in place, developing our game so that we can have better cohesion and better play next season. That's going to be really important in the offseason."

Although Kaprizov's credentials pre-Wild were impressive, they didn't guarantee he'd be just as successful in the NHL.

Kaprizov soared in the KHL, pacing all goal scorers in his each of last two seasons, but what works in one league doesn't always click in another.

And Kaprizov was aware of this uncertainty.

"Maybe I don't perform at all," he said. "Maybe I perform super well. So, just trying to clear my head of what to anticipate just so I can go out and play, just do my job and do it to the best of my abilities and let things take care of themselves."

The answer to the question how Kaprizov would adapt arrived quickly and definitively.

Not only did Kaprizov live up to the hype of being a prized draft pick, selected in the fifth round in 2015 by the Wild, but he immediately became one of the most vital players on the team.

His 27 goals ranked first on the Wild and among NHL rookies, and eighth in the league. Kaprizov also led the Wild and rookies in points (51) while claiming several Wild rookie records including goals, assists, points, goal streak and point streak.

"I'm not really one to compliment myself," Kaprizov said. "I'll let others do that."

Cue the Professional Hockey Writers Association, which votes on the Calder Trophy that Kaprizov has been the favorite for since the beginning of the year. The winner will be announced before the Stanley Cup playoffs conclude.

"Having such a tough season and leaving in the first round of the playoffs, obviously it would make things a little bit better," Kaprizov said of potentially receiving the honor. "But honestly, I'm the type of person that doesn't really look for personal accolades. I'd much rather have the team win and have the team do better than my own personal gains."

Even though he was the Wild's offensive leader, Kaprizov still wants to improve all aspects of his play including his skating and how he thinks through different scenarios.

But before next season, he'll need a new contract.

Kaprizov is coming off his entry-level deal and falls into the unique category of not meeting restricted free agency or unrestricted free agency requirements. He's only allowed to negotiate and sign with the 1189211 Minnesota Wild

Wild's Kevin Fiala: 'I will be better next year'

The Wild winger made a list of what to improve.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 2, 2021 — 7:44PM

While the Wild was flying back to Minnesota after getting eliminated from the playoffs in Vegas, Kevin Fiala wrote down how he wanted to improve next season.

• Be consistent.

• Compete in the defensive zone.

• Enhance his shot and score more goals.

"I'm going to work hard," Fiala said, "and I will be better next year."

How Fiala finished the season could set him up for the progress he seeks.

Despite scoring only once against the Golden Knights before the Wild was ousted from the first round in seven games, the 24-year-old looked much more like the complete player he's striving to become, especially in comparison to how the playoffs went for him the previous season.

"Last year I scored more goals, but I feel this year I played a great playoff series," Fiala said. "I had a lot of chances. I could have scored a lot of goals I feel like. Didn't go in, but I really felt like I was playing probably my best hockey."

Fiala was more productive last August when the Wild was in the Edmonton playoff bubble taking on Vancouver in the qualifying round.

He had a team-high three goals, helping the Wild to a split through two games of the best-of-five. But Fiala went goalless the rest of the series while racking up four penalties as the Canucks tested his discipline. Three of those infractions came in Game 3 before the Wild was knocked out in Game 4.

This year against Vegas, Fiala had plenty of reasons to be frustrated. He was getting off shots, including an impressive eight in Game 2 alone, but the puck was staying out of the net.

Not until Game 6 did Fiala finally capitalize, on the power play, and he finished the series with 22 shots — the most by a Wild player.

But while he was searching for offense, Fiala stayed focused. He committed only one penalty the entire postseason, a slashing call in the first period of Game 1.

"I was fast," Fiala said. "I was competitive on pucks and everything was good, just not the result. That's how it is, and I'm going to move forward and going to work hard in the summer."

That's not all Fiala will have going on this offseason.

He is up for a new contract after getting through a two-year, $6 million deal he signed with the Wild in 2019. Fiala will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

"Ever since I got traded here, I love it here," said Fiala, who was acquired from Nashville for Mikael Granlund in the second half of the 2018-19 season. "I want to win here. Let's see what happens."

And after another effective season in which Fiala ranked second on the team in goals (20) and points (40), he is helping stoke the optimism about the Wild's future.

"There's something special in this team I feel like," Fiala said. "Everybody wants to win, wants to do everything for each other to win.

"We had some up and downs all season, but we always stuck together. That's why I love this team. We never quit."

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189212 Minnesota Wild

Wild's Kevin Fiala: 'I will be better next year'

The Wild winger made a list of what to improve.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 2, 2021 — 7:44PM

While the Wild was flying back to Minnesota after getting eliminated from the playoffs in Vegas, Kevin Fiala wrote down how he wanted to improve next season.

• Be consistent.

• Compete in the defensive zone.

• Enhance his shot and score more goals.

"I'm going to work hard," Fiala said, "and I will be better next year."

How Fiala finished the season could set him up for the progress he seeks.

Despite scoring only once against the Golden Knights before the Wild was ousted from the first round in seven games, the 24-year-old looked much more like the complete player he's striving to become, especially in comparison to how the playoffs went for him the previous season.

"Last year I scored more goals, but I feel this year I played a great playoff series," Fiala said. "I had a lot of chances. I could have scored a lot of goals I feel like. Didn't go in, but I really felt like I was playing probably my best hockey."

Fiala was more productive last August when the Wild was in the Edmonton playoff bubble taking on Vancouver in the qualifying round.

He had a team-high three goals, helping the Wild to a split through two games of the best-of-five. But Fiala went goalless the rest of the series while racking up four penalties as the Canucks tested his discipline. Three of those infractions came in Game 3 before the Wild was knocked out in Game 4.

This year against Vegas, Fiala had plenty of reasons to be frustrated. He was getting off shots, including an impressive eight in Game 2 alone, but the puck was staying out of the net.

Not until Game 6 did Fiala finally capitalize, on the power play, and he finished the series with 22 shots — the most by a Wild player.

But while he was searching for offense, Fiala stayed focused. He committed only one penalty the entire postseason, a slashing call in the first period of Game 1.

"I was fast," Fiala said. "I was competitive on pucks and everything was good, just not the result. That's how it is, and I'm going to move forward and going to work hard in the summer."

That's not all Fiala will have going on this offseason.

He is up for a new contract after getting through a two-year, $6 million deal he signed with the Wild in 2019. Fiala will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

"Ever since I got traded here, I love it here," said Fiala, who was acquired from Nashville for Mikael Granlund in the second half of the 2018-19 season. "I want to win here. Let's see what happens."

And after another effective season in which Fiala ranked second on the team in goals (20) and points (40), he is helping stoke the optimism about the Wild's future.

"There's something special in this team I feel like," Fiala said. "Everybody wants to win, wants to do everything for each other to win.

"We had some up and downs all season, but we always stuck together. That's why I love this team. We never quit."

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189213 Minnesota Wild Free-agent decisions Impending unrestricted free agent Nick Bonino expects to have contract

talks with Guerin ahead of the expansion draft, but Bonino understands Expansion draft looms, but Matt Dumba wants to remain with Wild Guerin must be mindful of the Seattle situation in addition to re-signing players like Eriksson Ek, Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala. The team already has three defensemen who must be protected, so they'll have to maneuver to keep Dumba. That could cause a holding pattern for soon-to-be free agents if their current teams decide to hold off on any new deals until after the expansion draft is done, potentially making it easier to get to free agency.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 2, 2021 — 6:55AM "You want to extend. You want to have security and get a deal," Bonino said. "But the closer you go to free agency, you always want to see what

is out there, too. You're that close to 31 now other teams having an Matt Dumba wants to continue to play for the Wild, and Minnesota is option to sign you. home for the defenseman. "So, I think the longer it goes, in most cases most UFAs might see that That's the message Dumba relayed to General Manager Bill Guerin as an opportunity to test the market. But then again, the team you're in, during Dumba's exit meeting on Tuesday, but the team figures to have you built relationships with the players. I know Billy pretty well, obviously, some maneuvering to do to shield Dumba from Seattle in the NHL's and my agent does, too. So, I'm sure there will be some discussion." latest expansion draft in July. Defenseman Ian Cole is another free agent and is open to sticking "They always made a way to make it work in the past," Dumba said. "My around with the Wild. name's in trade speculation every year, at the deadline, throughout the "I had a great time here," said Cole, who was acquired in January in a year. I've become accustomed to it. It is what it is. I've expressed my trade from Colorado. "I love the guys. I think it's a very good team — a feelings and where I want to be, where my heart is. At the end of the day, young, up-and-coming team — and I'd love to be a part of it." that's all I can do." Star Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 This is a familiar crossroads for Dumba and the Wild.

When the NHL had an expansion draft for Vegas in 2017, the Wild enticed the Golden Knights into selecting Erik Haula and steering clear of the likes of Dumba by trading Alex Tuch to Vegas. A similar strategy might be required this year if the Wild wants to hold onto Dumba, who has two seasons left on his five-year, $30 million contract.

The Wild can choose to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie, or eight skaters and one goalie. If the Wild goes the first route, the three spots on defense would be taken by captain , Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin since they have no-movement clauses; players with such clauses have to be protected unless they waive them.

And if the Wild opted to pick eight skaters regardless of position, the team could run the risk of exposing a forward it wants to keep. Zach Parise and Mats Zuccarello are the forwards with no-movement clauses. First and second-year players, like Kirill Kaprizov, are exempt from the expansion draft and don't have to be protected.

"I love it here," Dumba said. "It's felt different this year, this season. I'm super excited to be a part of this new Minnesota Wild team. I know from a fan's perspective, it does feel like that. This isn't your old Minnesota Wild team. It's not boring hockey. We've got high-octane offense. We play this gritty style, different than in years past.

"I feel like I fit into that kind of group. I want to be here."

In the meantime, Dumba will try to block out the rumors.

"I'm thinking of going to the Bahamas and just leaving my phone," he said.

Injury update

Brodin was knocked out of Game 7 against Vegas with a shoulder injury, spraining his AC joint after he was crushed into the boards by the Golden Knights' Nicolas Roy on just Brodin's third shift of the game.

"It was really disappointing," Brodin said. "It hurt pretty good, but I thought it was worse than it was. So, it's going to get better. Just a couple weeks and then I can start training. It's not going to affect me in any way next year coming up."

Center Joel Eriksson Ek is also healing after suffering a knee injury flying into a goalpost.

"That's how it is in playoffs," Eriksson Ek said. "Everybody plays hard. Everybody gets something."

Eriksson Ek is up for a new contract after a breakout season in which he scored a career-high 19 goals.

"I want to be here," Eriksson Ek said. "I think it's pretty clear I like it. I've been here for four years now, four-and-a-half almost, and it's been nothing but great. The fans, the city, and everybody on the team is amazing." 1189214 Minnesota Wild league So hopefully next year I'll get a chance to be back there because I just feel like that's my biggest strength is around the net and scoring goals around the net."

Zach Parise ready to return to Wild despite season of demotions, Zach Parise career statistics uncertainty While Parise believes it's best to keep his conversations with the Wild The Wild winger, 36, remains confident in his ability to play despite his private, he said he didn't have a better feeling about what transpired after tumble down the team's depth chart during the 2020-21 season. his exit meeting. General Manager Bill Guerin and coach Dean Evason are scheduled to talk to the media on Thursday.

"I'm sure in every situation you can look back and wish or hope things By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JUNE 3, 2021 — 1:13AM were handled differently or done differently, but that's too easy to do," said Parise, who will turn 37 in July. "There's a lot going on throughout

the course of a season. I am not sitting here complaining about the Zach Parise plans on attending Wild training camp ahead of next season. communication.

A player with four years left on his contract doesn't usually have to make "As far as anything could be handled differently, I don't know. I'm not sure a declaration like that, but such is the murky reality between the Wild and if things could be or not." one of its faces of the franchise. Uncertainty about Parise's future peaked Ready for return in the playoffs and has spilled over into the team's offseason. Asked if he would be open to a trade, Parise mentioned the term left on "I have no problem coming back in here ready to go," Parise said his contract and said he intends to show up for camp, hasn't been told Tuesday in a virtual interview after his exit meeting with Wild brass. otherwise and doesn't want to cause speculation. "That's where my mentality is right now. You always hope that you come back with a clean slate and come back and spots are up for grabs. I'm "I've always enjoyed playing here," said Parise, whose deal includes a very confident that if spots are up for grabs, I'll be able to grab one of no-movement clause and an annual cap hit of approximately $7.5 million. those. "We're invested in the community here. So the last thing you want to do is up your family and move and get out of here. I don't want to play "That's what I'm looking forward to, and then we'll see what happens." anywhere else." After being a focal point of the Wild offense since signing a 13-year, $98 That's what would make Parise satisfied, continuing to get on the ice with million contract in July 2012, Parise fell down the depth chart this year the Wild. until he was eventually completely out of the lineup. "I can play the game," Parise said. "There's not a doubt in my mind on He was a healthy scratch for three of the last four games in the regular that. It was a different year that I've ever had from that standpoint, but season, this after he was benched one game in March for overextending there's never been any doubt in my mind that I can play the game and be a shift in a loss. Parise was also idle for the start of the Wild's first-round productive and contribute to this team and help this team win." playoff series against the Golden Knights. Star Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 "The hardest part is watching your teammates play, not practicing on a line consistently," Parise said. "Watching them play in the playoffs for those first three games was brutal. You start each season so excited about the season but with the prospect of playoffs and playing in playoffs. When you have to watch your team play, that's tough. That was hard."

Not until Marcus Johansson suffered a broken arm did the Wild utilize Parise, ushering him in for Game 4 on the fourth line, where he spent most of the season when he wasn't scratched or sidelined because of COVID-19 protocols.

“I'm sure in every situation you can look back and wish or hope things were handled differently or done differently, but that's too easy to do. There's a lot going on throughout the course of a season. I am not sitting here complaining about the communication.”

Zach Parise

Ahead of Game 5, Parise was promoted to skate alongside Kevin Fiala and Ryan Hartman and delivered a goal in the 4-2 victory at Vegas. In Game 6, he assisted on the game-winner in the Wild's 3-0 shutout and scored again during the team's 6-2 letdown in Game 7 to get eliminated. Overall, his two goals and three points tied for the team postseason leads.

"I've known the whole time that that's the player that I am and can be," Parise said. "Given the opportunity, there was no doubt in my mind that I can play and contribute."

In 45 regular-season games, Parise recorded seven goals and 11 assists while averaging 13 minutes, 57 seconds — his lowest average ice time since his rookie season. The franchise leader in power-play goals, Parise was rarely used with the man advantage as the season progressed. He had zero power-play goals for just the second time in his 16-year NHL career.

Net-front presence

His involvement with the power play wasn't discussed in his Tuesday chat with the team, but Parise is hopeful he can rejoin the unit.

"I've taken a lot of pride and I've always felt like being around the net and being a net-front guy on the power play has been my strength," said Parise, who has tallied 69 of his 199 goals with the Wild on the power play. "I feel like I've been one of the better players in that position in the 1189215 Minnesota Wild Asked about his overall performance, Kaprizov replied, “I’m not really one to compliment myself; I’ll let others do that.”

Though it might seem like things came easy for Kaprizov, he admitted Wild star Kirill Kaprizov on his rookie season, his contract status, and his there were some challenges, particularly away from the rink. Like not future in Minnesota having his family or his friends be able to attend games in person. Or having to learn English on the fly without being able to socialize much. What a rookie season is was for the 24-year-old superstar. And yes, it’s fair to use the word superstar. “Just sitting at home not really getting a chance to get out much,” Kaprizov said. “That was probably something that was more challenging throughout the season. Hopefully that’ll get better next season.”

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: June 2, 2021 at 5:53 p.m. | Needless to say, Kaprizov is anxiously awaiting a return to normalcy. He UPDATED: June 2, 2021 at 9:43 p.m. still hasn’t gotten to explore the Twin Cities, nor has he gotten to play in front of a packed house of 18,000 fans at Xcel Energy Center.

That said, Kaprizov did get very close with his teammates during his Kirill Kaprizov flew back home to his native Russia on Tuesday rookie season. That bodes well for the Wild as they aim to keep him afternoon. He said he was most looking forward to seeing his family and around long term. friends after being isolated from them for the entirety of his rookie season with the Wild. “Each of us got to know each other better and better as the season went on,” Kaprizov said. “I’m really excited about the future and hopefully we What a rookie season it was for the 24-year-old superstar. And yes, it’s can continue to get better.” fair to use the word superstar. Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.03.2021 After existing almost solely in the form of YouTube highlights for nearly half a decade, Kaprizov took the league by storm as a rookie, and along the way, pretty much singlehandedly changed the narrative surrounding the Wild.

Instead of a perennial pretender — good enough to make the playoffs, not good enough to win the Stanley Cup — the Wild have the makings of a legitimate contender for the first time in forever.

As long as general manager Bill Guerin finds a way to sign Kaprizov for the foreseeable future. That’s without a doubt the top priority for the Wild this offseason with Kaprizov’s entry-level contract set to expire.

While it’s assumed that the Wild will aim to sign Kaprizov to the maximum term of eight years, they will have to shell out a lot of money to make that happen. Try north of $8 million per year at an absolute minimum.

That would instantly make Kaprizov the highest paid player in franchise history. Is it worth it? That’s something the Wild have to decide in the coming weeks.

For what it’s worth, it sounds like Kaprizov will be very involved in the contract discussions.

“I’m hoping we can discuss everything together and see what the best option is,” Kaprizov said through a translator this week. “Just think through everything and make sure it’s the right decision for me and the team and everything.”

If Kaprizov signs for the maximum term, he would be under contract with the Wild until he is 32 years old. The other option for Kaprizov is signing a shorter deal — presumably with a lower average annual value — which would set him up for a huge pay day when he’s theoretically in his prime.

Asked if he could see himself staying in the Twin Cities long term, Kaprizov initially sidestepped the question before providing Wild fans with some calming words of encouragement.

“I’m not one to predict the future and predict what’s next,” Kaprizov said. “This summer we’re going to have the chance to sit down and think through all the options and what’s best for the team and for me. And I’m confident that we will come to a good agreement.”

“I like everything about Minnesota,” Kaprizov added. “Everything’s been good, and the team’s been good to me, so I am very happy here overall.”

Honestly, it’s impressive that Kaprizov was so effective as a rookie considering the situation he stepped into. He arrived in the middle of the pandemic, and with strict COVID protocols restricting him from exploring his new surroundings, Kaprizov spent most of his time at the rink. Add in the fact that the Wild had games pretty much every other night throughout the regular season, and nobody would’ve blamed him for starting to burn out.

That wasn’t the case. In fact, Kaprizov got better as time progressed, finishing with 27 goals and 24 assists to assume the title of best rookie in the league. He’s expected to be named a finalist for the Calder Trophy on Thursday. 1189216 Minnesota Wild family was unable to get a visa, his mom, dad and brother were unable to visit him in Minnesota or see him play any games in person.

Yet, on the ice, he thrived by leading rookies in virtually every category Wild star Kirill Kaprizov talks rookie year, contract talks, the Calder and and becoming the franchise’s all-time rookie leader with 27 goals, 51 his Wild future points, eight power-play goals, 19 even-strength goals, 24 assists and 38 even-strength points in 55 games. Over an 82-game season, that would be a 40-goal and 76-point pace.

By Michael Russo Jun 2, 2021 He became the 46th NHL rookie since 1950-51 to lead his team in scoring and his 0.49 goals per game was tied for first with Patrik Laine

and Auston Matthews among NHL rookies since 2006-07. Make no mistake, Kirill Kaprizov may have no free agent “rights” when it Kirill Kaprizov's rookie season comes to the ability to file for arbitration, sign an offer sheet elsewhere or leave the Wild in any fashion, but he’s Priority No. 1 this offseason. STAT HOW MANY ROOKIE RANKING

Whenever the young star signs on the dotted line, Kaprizov’s annual cap Goals hit could be a franchise record setter and top Jared Spurgeon’s $7.575 million average annual value. 27

The only question, really, is how long the contract extends out to. 1

In the coming days, Wild general manager Bill Guerin will touch base Assists with Kaprizov’s agent to restart the contract talks that began in March 24 and were tabled until after the season. He’ll also reach out to the representatives of fellow restricted free agents Kevin Fiala and Joel 2 Eriksson Ek to begin contract negotiations. Points The Wild have roughly $22 million in salary cap space available for next season, but that’s with only 14 players locked up. These three talents will 51 eat into a large chunk of that. 1

“I definitely plan on being a little bit more involved (in contract talks),” Power-play goals Kaprizov said through a translator before returning home to Russia on Wednesday. “I’m hoping we can discuss everything together and see 8 what the best option is. (We’ll) think through everything and make sure it’s the right decision for me and the team and everything.” 1

Basically, what Kaprizov, 24, will have to think about is term. Shots

If he wants to sign for the maximum of eight years and commit himself to 157 the Wild until age 32, Guerin would entertain such an option if the cap hit 1 is right. Power-play points But if the Wild aren’t willing to go north of an $8.5 million or $9 million cap hit on an eight-year deal, Kaprizov may prefer to sign for four, five or six 13 years so he can truly hit a home-run contract at age 28, 29 or 30. 2 The Wild, even though that would not be their preference, may have to Plus-minus bite the bullet and sign Kaprizov to a term in that range. 10 What the Wild don’t want to do is sign him to a one-, two- or three-year contract because, as of now, he’d be free to sign with any of the 31 other 3 teams as an unrestricted free agent in 2024. “There wasn’t anything super challenging throughout the season. I think Asked if he could see himself in Minnesota for a long time, Kaprizov said especially on the ice, things went well,” Kaprizov said. “There are through a translator, “I’m not one to predict the future and to predict obviously things I need to improve on and work on. But overall, not being what’s next. This summer we’re going to have the chance to sit down and able to see my family … and sitting at home not really getting a chance to think through all the options and what’s best for the team and for me, and get out much and just go to games and back home I think that was I’m confident that we will come to a good agreement.” probably something that was more challenging throughout the season.

Probably realizing that could be misinterpreted and give fans and the “Hopefully that’ll get better next year.” organization heart palpitations, Kaprizov butted into the interpreter’s translation and added, “I like everything (about Minnesota). Everything’s Kaprizov is hoping for a sense of normalcy next season where 18,000- been good, the team’s been good to me, so I am very happy here plus Wild fans can fill Xcel Energy Center, where he’ll get to experience overall.” the Winter Classic at Target Field and where he’ll get to visit 31 NHL arenas and markets, not just the seven in California, Las Vegas, Arizona, That feeling is mutual. Denver and St. Louis.

While he was no typical teenage rookie or young 20-something because “I think any normal season you get out there and you get to explore the he arrived in North America with six years of professional experience in city,” he said. “It’s much better for the fans. It’s much better for the Russia, you still never know how somebody from a vastly different culture players. I’m definitely anxiously awaiting next season.” off the ice and style of game on the ice is going to adjust. The Wild don’t traditionally get a lot of love from award voters. We’ll find “Going into the season, there was a lot of thoughts about what could out this weekend if Eriksson Ek will be named a Selke finalist or perhaps happen, maybe I don’t perform at all, maybe I perform super well,” Spurgeon or Jonas Brodin received some Lady Byng love. Dean Evason Kaprizov admitted. “So just trying to clear my head of what to anticipate could be in the running to be a Jack Adams finalist next week, while just so I can go out and play, just do my job and do it to the best of my Guerin could be in the running for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award abilities and let things take care of themselves.” after the second round of the playoffs is complete.

He arrived in the middle of a pandemic where he was mostly supposed to But on Thursday, Kaprizov is a shoo-in to be named the Wild’s first drive to the rink and drive home only. He was largely prohibited by NHL Calder finalist in their 20-year history. He’s also the front-runner to win protocols and state restrictions for much of the season from being able to the hardware. In fact, last week, Kaprizov earned a clean sweep of 42 go out and meet people and explore the area. The language barrier, he first-place votes from hockey writers at The Athletic. said, made it difficult to order groceries and organize his life. Because his Wild All-Time Voted-Upon Awards 2020

PLAYER/COACH TROPHY YEAR OUTCOME Winner

Jacques Lemaire He said if he wins the honor, it won’t make up for the Wild’s first-round exit in Game 7 to the Vegas Golden Knights though. Jack Adams “Leaving in the first round of the playoffs, obviously it would make things 2003 a little bit better,” Kaprizov said when asked about the Calder. “But Winner honestly, I’m the type of person that doesn’t really look for personal accolades. I’d much rather have the team win and have the team do Wes Walz better than my own personal gains.”

Selke Kaprizov admits the playoffs were an eye-opener. The standard of officiating changes, the games become much more physical and, in 2003 essence, the rink shrinks as it’s much harder to get to the areas needed Finalist to score. He still scored tying goals in Games 5 and 7 but hopes to work on his skating this summer and the defensive part of his game. Niklas Backstrom You can also bet he’ll be interested in talking to Guerin to determine what Vezina the GM’s plan is to further build the Wild into perennial contenders. As good a season as Kaprizov had, one can presume a lot of points were 2009 left on the table because of the Wild’s lack of production down the Finalist middle.

Ryan Suter At one point Victor Rask had one even-strength point in a 22-game stretch playing between Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. That’s frankly Norris hard to believe.

2013 Ryan Hartman, usually a right wing, was ultimately moved to the line out of necessity but isn’t exactly your typical top-six center. So, if Kaprizov is Finalist going to commit to eight years in Minnesota, he’ll probably want to get an Josh Harding idea of how Guerin plans to address the center position.

Masterton But the chemistry Kaprizov developed with Zuccarello, especially at the beginning when they began to play with each other in mid-February, was 2013 pretty special. So was their relationship off the ice as demonstrated when Winner Zuccarello interrupted Kaprizov’s Zoom with a goodbye hug.

Devan Dubnyk BROTHERS // БРАТ PIC.TWITTER.COM/A3W13Q1HTY

Masterton — MINNESOTA WILD (@MNWILD) JUNE 1, 2021

2015 “The team this year was for me personally really a feeling out process of getting to know all of the guys throughout the season and having them Winner get to know me better,” Kaprizov said. “Each of us got to know each other better and better as the season went on. But moving forward, really Devan Dubnyk excited about the future and hopefully we can continue to get better. I Vezina know there’s a lot of things I need to work on. And same with my teammates, getting the right pieces in place, developing our games so 2015 that we can have better cohesion and better play next season, that’s gonna be really important in the offseason.” Finalist Overall, it was a joy to watch Kaprizov play from the moment he Mikko Koivu registered three points in his NHL debut, including the overtime winner. Selke There was his hat trick against Arizona, his 12 third-period goals, his top- 10 finish in goals among all NHLers, his prolific run down the stretch with 2017 17 goals and 26 points in his final 25 games.

Finalist A game breaker like him is not something often seen donning a Wild sweater. Mikael Granlund “He’s been awesome,” Spurgeon said. “From the first day he got here he Lady Byng just works hard and loves the game of hockey and being around the 2017 guys. I think by the end with us having fans and other buildings having fans, he got a bit more of the taste of the NHL and even with going to Finalist certain cities near the end that were a bit more open.

Jason Zucker “But he’s still the same. He still lies to you guys that he doesn’t speak English. Other than that, he’s been awesome this year.” King Clancy KIRILL THE THRILL IS FOR REAL PIC.TWITTER.COM/VZIYWEV1X7 2018 — BALLY SPORTS NORTH (@BALLYSPORTSNOR) JANUARY 15, Finalist 2021 Jason Zucker The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 King Clancy

2019

Winner

Matt Dumba

King Clancy 1189217 Montreal Canadiens Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry (17) puts the puck through the five- hole on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price (31) during their playoff game in Winnipeg on June 2, 2021.

Red-hot Canadiens strike early to take advantage of rusty Jets in JOHN WOODS/The Canadian Press second-round playoff series opener In the second period, the teams reverted to the formula that allowed these two non-superstar teams to edge into the playoffs and find success in Round 1: they shut things down. In 20 minutes of play there was a JOHN WOODS/ The Canadian Press single good chance on both sides, Price making a fine save off Mathieu Perreault in the opening minutes, Hellebuyck making a great glove save

off Montreal’s Joel Armia in the dying minutes. Other than those odd “The first 10 minutes may not look like the next 10 minutes.” moments, it was cluster hockey, with not much happening.

Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice certainly had to hope so as the In the third period, Winnipeg drew again to within one goal when puck dropped on Game 1 of Round 2 between Maurice’s Jets and the defenceman Derek Forbort beat Price on a wrist shot from the high slot, Montreal Canadiens. but it would not be enough to salvage the match.

Yet the first 10 minutes would turn out to be crucial, as the Canadiens Shortly after, Montreal defenceman found himself on an took the early lead in the opening game of the series and rode it to a unlikely breakaway, could not beat Hellebuyck, but forward Brendan dramatic 5-3 final victory at Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place. Gallagher followed up and chipped in the rebound for a 4-2 Montreal lead. Maurice had correctly predicted that the advantage would go to the Canadiens in the early going. His team had been on a nine-day break The Jets were able to come again with in a goal when, with less than two following its surprise defeat of the Edmonton Oilers and the league’s two minutes remaining, scored on a hard one-timer from a hard top scorers, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. cross-net pass from Nikolaj Ehlers.

The Canadiens, on the other hand, had played only two days before, The Canadiens settled the game when Montreal forward Jake Evans finishing off a three-game comeback that dispatched the powerful scored on the empty Winnipeg net, his celebration cut short when Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games. Winnipeg’s Scheifele T-boned him at the side of the net. Evans, who turned 25 this day, was taken off the ice on a stretcher. It was the old “rust or rest” debate – and it was settled quickly. The sickening hit drained much of the Canadiens’ ability to enjoy their “They are in that rhythm,” Maurice had said. impressive victory.

Montreal forward Corey Perry agreed with Maurice. “You can get into a “It’s tough,” Perry said. “It was a huge win for us, definitely emotional out groove,” Perry said earlier in the day. “Things don’t change for us.” there at the end … we’re going to talk to him.”

“We just have to keep it simple,” said Jets’ star forward Mark Scheifele, “If [Scheifele] gets back in the series,” added Montreal defenceman Joel ”not try to win the game in the first 10 minutes.” Edmundson, “we’re going to make his life miserable.”

For the first time this season, the Jets had humans in the building rather For Hellebuyck, the Vincent Price lookalike – check the eyebrows – this than pumped-in crowd sound and fake fans. Some 500 health-care was a game to leave behind. He would also take comfort in something workers were invited to attend, a fraction of what were in attendance at the long-ago Hollywood horror movie star once said: the last Montreal game, but it was still a welcome change. “I don’t play monsters. I play men besieged by fate and out for revenge.” “Awesome,” Scheifele said. Revenge will have to wait until Friday, when the two teams will meet “Just the sense of it,” added Maurice, “chance of a change, of a return to again in Winnipeg for Game 2 of the series. some kind of normal – we’ll take it.” “We just weren’t particularly sharp,” Maurice conceded in a post-game In what had been billed as a goaltender duel between Montreal’s Carey interview. Price and Winnipeg’s – both recent Vézina winners as the NHL’s top goalie – the Canadiens would score on their very first Earlier Wednesday a Winnipeg reporter had pointed out that over recent shot when 20-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi tipped a Jeff Petry point shot NHL history the team that wins the first match of a series goes on to take behind Hellebuyck. the series roughly 80 per cent of the time. Maurice disputed this, suggesting that the numbers are twisted somewhat by victories of top Less than two minutes later, Montreal went ahead 2-0 when the Jets seeds over bottom seeds in the playoffs, whereas both his Jets and the suffered a defensive meltdown and veteran Perry and veteran Eric Staal, Canadiens would be considered middling seeds this year. 35 and 36 respectively, combined for a beer-league-level cross-crease feed that left Staal with an empty Winnipeg net to fill. “Winning the first game in a tight manner I don’t think is going to break the other team’s belief that they can win,” Maurice said.” These are all Five shots, two goals, the 10-minute mark barely halfway through …. going to be really tight games.”

“Next time we’re going to come out with a good start,” Hellebuyck Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.03.2021 promised after the game.

“This was just one of those nights that doesn’t go your way.”

Maurice had dearly to hope the following 10 minutes would be different, and to a large part, it was. The Jets shed their rust slowly and began to play the highly defensive, careful game that served them so well against Edmonton.

With the Canadiens on a power play, defenceman Erik Gustafsson blew an easy keep at the blueline and allowed Jets forward Adam Lowry to slip away on a breakaway, beating Price down low to bring the score to 2-1 Montreal.

With less than three minutes left in this chaotic first period, Montreal went ahead 3-1 on a curious play in which 21-year-old Nick Suzuki flew over the Jets’ blueline on a two-on-one break and didn’t seem to quite know what to do with the puck. So he kept it, and was able to reach back and tuck the goal in just before he slipped behind Hellebuyck’s net. 1189218 Montreal Canadiens

Habs win Game 1 against Jets, but lose Evans to nasty hit

Mark Scheifele collided with Evans after the goal. He was taken from the ice on a gurney.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

Carey Price won the battle of Vézina Trophy-wining goaltenders as the Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 in the opening game of their best-of-seven North Division final Wednesday at Bell MTS Place.

Price, who was outstanding as the Canadiens rallied from a 3-1 series deficit against Toronto in the opening round of the playoffs, continued his excellent play as he made 27 saves, while Connor Hellebuyck, who won the Vézina Trophy last year, stopped 29 shots.

The win extended Montreal’s current win streak to four games. The Canadiens’ longest win streak in the regular season was three games.

There was some drama late in the third as the Jets pulled Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor scored to bring the Jets to within a goal, but Jake Evans scored an empty-netter. Mark Scheifele collided with Evans after the goal and the Montreal player was taken from the ice on a gurney. Scheifele received a charging major and a game misconduct for the hit.

Derek Forbort scored midway through the third period to cut the Montreal lead to 3-2 but the Canadiens responded wth a power-play goal that featured a stretch pass to defenceman Shea Weber. Hellebuyck made the stop on Weber but Brendan Gallagher swooped in to score on the rebound.

The Canadiens had a quick start as they scored twice in a 1:41 span to take a 2-0 lead early in the first period.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who is making up for a mediocre regular season, opened the scoring at 3:30 when he found an opening at the far post and redirected Jeff Petry’s pass from the point.

The veterans made it 2-0 as Corey Perry drove hard to the net and then slipped the puck past Hellebuyck to set up Eric Staal at the far side of the net.

The Canadiens’ power play produced three goals in the final two games against Toronto, but Montreal’s first opportunity Wednesday backfired when Eric Gustafsson had a pass blocked by Adam Lowry, who took off on a breakaway and beat Price through the five hole.

Nick Suzuki displayed a veteran’s poise as he restored the Montreal’s two-goal lead. He faked a shot and then pulled the puck back and found some room behind Hellebuyck after the goaltender committed himself.

Joel Edmundson beat Hellebuyck with a shot from the point late in the first period but the goal was waved off when Kotkaniemi was sent off for goaltender interference.

The Canadiens defencemen, who had only two assists in the entire Toronto series, were more involved Wednesday, collecting six assists. Edmundson. who is best known as a defensive defenceman, and Petry each had two helpers while Weber and Gustafsson each added one.

Montreal managed to kill three penalties and the Canadiens have the best penalty-killing record in the playoffs.

The Jets played with only five defencemen after Dylan DeMelo suffered what appeared to be a sprained ankle on his first shift.

While Manitoba is experiencing a record number of COVID-19 cases, the Jets were given permission to open the the doors of Bell MTS Place for 500 fully vaccinated health care workers. The same number of fans will be admitted to Friday’s Game 2.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189219 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens fans believe in Carey Price as series with Jets begins

“Everybody is out and almost everyone is vaccinated. It’s about time."

Paul Cherry Montreal Gazette

Based on the length of Sylvie Fleury’s pink fingernails and the way she crosses her fingers, there is no way the Montreal Canadiens can lose.

Like many people in downtown Montreal Wednesday evening, Fleury sought out and found a large screen from which she could enjoy Game 1 of the Habs playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets.

Fleury was watching the game from the Cage aux Sports restaurant at the . Its outdoor terrace was full before any puck was dropped.

“Everybody is out and almost everyone is vaccinated. It’s about time,” Fleury said when asked if she had any concerns about being out in a social setting with the COVID-19 pandemic still hovering around.

Everyone in the vicinity of the Bell Centre shared two opinions: the Canadiens will beat the Jets in a long, hard-fought series and Carey Price was the reason the Canadiens pulled off a surprise elimination in the first series against Toronto.

“He’s a good goalie. I don’t know how many years we’ve had him and I hope we’re going to have him next year,” Fleury said.

Sean MacArthur also managed to find a good seat on the Cage aux Sports terrace and was able to watch the game from the restaurant’s large screens indoors.

“It’s the second round and I think we’re all surprised Montreal took it this far, and we’re just going to support our team. We’re going to get the W tonight. So, we’re excited,” he said. “There was no doubt in my mind the Habs were going to make it this far. Toronto had no chance. I was more surprised that the terrasses are open. It was a welcome surprise.”

Scott Morency was with two friends seeking out a terrasse with a big screen on Peel St. and was waiting for a space outside McLean’s Pub.

“I think (the series) will go 4-2 Montreal. If they have to play Colorado after, or even Vegas, that’s going to be hard,” Morency said.

Leon Holder was deep into a plate of nachos on the pub’s terrasse with a nice view of lively Dorchester Square just before the puck dropped.

“I’m just here to watch the game and see if they can keep the streak going,” said Holder, who believes the series will go to seven games with the Canadiens victorious. “After Game 4 (in the Toronto series) I wanted them to trade Price, break the whole thing up. You know, like fire the coach. And now, like everybody else, I want it to keep going. It’s a pretty good run so far.

“They just started skating. They played with some heart and Price was unbelievable. He was just super solid.”

When asked if, back in April, he believed the Montreal Canadiens would be playing playoff hockey in June and that he’d be able to watch it on a pub’s terrace he quickly replied with: “No and no.

“It’s all gravy right now.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189220 Montreal Canadiens is a challenge, getting possession of it off the wall and then moving with it … they can close, too. They can get to you, they can get it stopped on the wall. it’s why they’re as stingy as they are.

Stu Cowan: A bumpy road back to second round of playoffs for “You just have to hope that you can play in their end long enough that Canadiens over a period of time you’ll put some miles on those guys, but that’s no different than any other team,” Maurice added. “They’re structured very Carey Price, Brendan Gallagher and Jeff Petry the only three players well as a group of five and then they’ve got two men with good size and remaining from the last time Habs advanced to the second round in good strength in their (defensive) pairings that can kill plays.” 2015. When Bergevin met with the media after the Canadiens were eliminated by the Lightning in 2015, he joked that he had made a trade for the No. 1 pick at that year’s NHL Draft. Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette “My reality, it might not be the same as the PlayStation that I play at

night,” Bergevin said. “I made a trade last night (on PlayStation), called For the first time in six years, the Canadiens are back in the second the GM this morning and he hung up on me.” round of the NHL playoffs. Getting back to the real world, Bergevin said his plan for the future was to In 2015, the Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators in six games in the first build the Canadiens through the draft and the team’s development round before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the program. second round. The Canadiens haven’t advanced past the second round That’s not what has happened since then, but the Canadiens do find since 2014 when they lost to the New York Rangers in six games in the themselves back in the second round of the playoffs. Eastern Conference final. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.03.2021 Since 2015, a lot has changed with the Canadiens. Only three players remain from the team that lost to the Lightning: Carey Price, Brendan Gallagher and Jeff Petry. Michel Therrien was the coach in 2015 and since then the Canadiens have had Claude Julien and now Dominic Ducharme behind the bench.

Apart from Price, Gallagher and Petry, the only connection remaining to that 2015 team is GM . With that in mind, it’s interesting to look at how he built the team that was on the ice for Game 1 of the second-round series against the Jets Wednesday night in Winnipeg.

Of the 20 players in the Canadiens’ lineup, Price and Gallagher are among only five players the team drafted, along with Jake Evans, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Cole Caufield. Price was drafted in 2005, Gallagher in 2010, Evans in 2014, Kotkaniemi in 2018 and Caufield in 2019. There are some big gaps in years there between drafted players in the lineup, which is a big reason why the Canadiens have struggled just getting into the playoffs in recent years, never mind advancing past the first round.

Starting in 2009, the Canadiens had a string of seven straight years where their first-round draft picks didn’t work out well: Louis Leblanc (2009), Jarred Tinordi (2010), Nathan Beaulieu (2011), Alex Galchenyuk (2012), Mike McCarron (2013), Nikita Scherbak (2014) and Noah Juulsen (2015). In 2016, Bergevin selected Mikhail Sergachev in the first round, but later traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Jonathan Drouin, who is now absent from the team for personal reasons.

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Bergevin, who has been GM since 2012, has tried to make up for the draft failures through trades. Eleven Canadiens in the lineup for Game 1 against the Jets were acquired that way: Phillip Danault, Nick Suzuki, Josh Anderson, Eric Staal, Joel Armia, Shea Weber, Joel Edmundson, Jeff Petry, Brett Kulak, Erik Gustafsson and Jake Allen. Three players were acquired through free agency — Tyler Toffoli, Corey Perry and Ben Chiarot — while Paul Byron was picked up on waivers.

Bergevin likes to say there are players who can get you to the playoffs and others who can get you through the playoffs. The GM obviously had that in mind this season when he added veterans Perry, Toffoli, Edmundson, Staal and Allen, who all have Stanley Cup rings.

While the Canadiens scored only four goals in their first four games against the Leafs, Jets coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday that Montreal’s offence is built for the playoffs.

“They’re going to put pucks to the net and they’re going to put a lot of bodies to the net,” Maurice said after his team’s morning skate. “Just look at the number of point shots from their defence in the last series. They got a bunch of guys who can heat it up from the blue line and that’s going to be their game, which is the playoff game, which means they’re going to be very good at (it).”

Maurice also likes the Canadiens’ defence.

“They’ve got a great mixture there when you combine it with Carey Price,” the Jets coach said. “Very difficult to get to the net on. They’re able to move the puck, they’ve got some good puck movers back there, but they’re all of good size and strength. So getting the puck off the wall 1189221 Montreal Canadiens “Jake is — you guys don’t even know — he’s a great guy in the room,” Kotkaniemi added. “He’s a super-funny guy, he keeps the energy up in the room. I think he’s one of those guys when you want to win the games you put him out there. When you want to get a goal or make sure the Canadiens Game Day: NHL must act after vicious hit on Habs' Jake other team’s not scoring.” Evans Ducharme had Evans on the ice to close out this victory and he did his Jets' Mark Scheifele shouldn't be allowed to play again in this series after job perfectly. What happened after he scored the empty-net goal was predatory hit following empty-net goal in Habs' Game 1 victory. disgraceful and the NHL should be embarrassed if it doesn’t deal with it properly.

“We haven’t talked to the league,” Ducharme said. “I think it’s pretty Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette obvious. They’re going to look at the incident. We haven’t talked to them, but we’re confident that they’re going to take the decision and make the right decision.” If the NHL Department of Player Safety wants to keep any kind of credibility, the Winnipeg Jets’ Mark Scheifele should not play another We can only hope. game in this North Division final against the Canadiens. I’ve seen a lot of replays & ive read a lot comments about the Scheifele I would suggest Scheifele shouldn’t play another game as long as the hit. Its a very heavy hit & probably gonna be suspended for it. But, after Jets remain in the playoffs — at least — but that’s probably putting too watching this replay & hearing the commentary, Evans sees what’s much faith in a safety department run by former NHL “enforcer” George coming. Does your opinion of the play change? Parros. pic.twitter.com/VvnMRdGnMP

The violent, vicious hit Scheifele put on Jake Evans after he scored the — Carlo Colaiacovo (@CarloColaiacovo) June 3, 2021 final goal in the Canadiens’ 5-3 win over the Jets in Game 1 of the Habs on a roll second-round playoff series Wednesday night in Winnipeg has no place in hockey. It was a deliberate attempt to injure and Evans appeared to be The Canadiens failed to win more than three games in a row during the seriously hurt. regular season.

Scheifele started his attack on Evans deep in the Canadiens’ zone. He They have now won four straight in the playoffs. took more than 15 strides to gain full speed before delivering a head shot to Evans just as the Canadiens forward put the puck into an empty net The Canadiens scored only four goals in the first four games of their first- with 57 seconds left on the clock. Evans appeared to be out cold before round playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. falling awkwardly and hitting his head on the ice. Thankfully his helmet They scored five goals in Game 1 against the Jets with Kotkaniemi, Eric stayed on. Staal, Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher beating goalie Connor It was frightening and Evans wasn’t moving a muscle while lying face Hellebuyck before Evans scored his empty-netter. down on the ice. He was eventually taken off on a stretcher after being The Canadiens have looked like a totally different team since winning tended to by doctors and other medical staff. Games 5 and 6 against the Leafs in overtime. They won Game 7 against It was ugly and it was sickening. The fact it happened on Evans’s 25th the Leafs 3-1 in convincing fashion Monday night in Toronto and carried birthday made it seem even worse. that performance over into Game 1 against the Jets.

Scheifele was given a five-minute major penalty for charging and a game “Any time you win a game in overtime you get momentum, you get misconduct. confidence,” Corey Perry said. “We’ve had four lines, six D playing and then Carey (Price) back there. It’s been 20 guys on the ice for the game After the game, Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme said Evans had that have really bonded together and pushed each other. We demand a yet to be taken to hospital and was still being evaluated by doctors at the lot from each other and that’s definitely helped. arena. “It’s tough,” Perry added about what happened to Evans at the end of the “I think it’s disgusting,” the Canadiens’ Jesperi Kotkaniemi said about the game. “It was a huge win for us. It was definitely emotional out there at hit. “A little respect for the other players out there. I’m not saying anything the end. We’re going to think about him, we’re going to talk to him and more than that.” see how he’s doing and all that for the rest of the night. It’s tough when you see that.” Joel Edmundson was willing to say more. Perry said he was most proud about the way the Canadiens started the “It was a dirty hit,” the Canadiens defenceman said. “But the league’s game, jumping out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Kotkaniemi and Staal in the going to take care of it. If he gets back in the series we’re going to make first 5:10 of the first period. his life miserable. But I think the league’s going to do a good job with that.” “It’s not easy coming off a Game 7,” Perry said. “The high, getting ready for Game 1 of a new series, a new opponent and only two days later. I Mark Scheifele literally travelled the whole 200ft on the ice to hit Jake thought the way we came out in that first 10, 15 minutes, the way we Evans. This is not what being a 200 foot player means folks. This is just battled, the way we played. Got a couple of early goals and kind of set horrifying. pic.twitter.com/UYzcRmWoRV the tone for us.” — Connor Williams (@cwilliams_384) June 3, 2021 #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/XqdC0Kz3Xv You’d like to think so. But with Parros and the Department of “Player — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 3, 2021 Safety” you never know. Kotkaniemi scores again Sadly, I wouldn’t be totally shocked if Scheifele ends up with a $5,000 fine — the maximum allowed by the league. If I was a betting man — and After being made a healthy scratch for Game 1 against Toronto, with the way the NHL often turns a blind eye and even seems to Kotkaniemi now has four goals in seven games — matching the four encourage these type of hits — I’d say it will be a one- or maybe two- goals he scored in 10 postseason games last year. game suspension. “Who would have thought a little rest would be good for a 20-year-old That would be even more disgusting than the hit on Evans. guy,” Kotkaniemi said dryly. “But it’s fun to be out there and do my best.”

Evans was able to give Kotkaniemi a fist pump as he was being taken off Kotkaniemi only scored five goals in 56 regular-season games this year. the ice. When asked if he could explain his playoff success, Kotkaniemi said: “I “Just seeing him moving after a thing like that it’s huge,” Kotkaniemi said. just like the big games. Every game matters, so try to do your best. When “Giving him the fist pump that’s just great. It’s great to see that and you’re trying hard enough you once in a while get the puck in the net.” makes my life feel so much easier right now just knowing he’s OK. Suzuki’s goal was his third of the playoffs, while Cole Caufield picked up The Canadiens outshot Winnipeg 33-30 and won 52 per cent of the his second assist of the postseason after being a healthy scratch for the faceoffs, but were outhit 42-24 by the Jets. The Canadiens went 1-for-4 first two games against Toronto. on the power play, while the Jets went 0-for-3.

“Those three guys … they’ve come a long way and you can see their Ben Chiarot led the Canadiens in ice time with 26:38, followed by Petry game growing,” Perry said. “Just game-by-game and shift-by-shift. You with 25:49, Edmundson with 24:44 and Shea Weber with 24:36. Brett just keep talking to them, keep telling them make the simple plays. Limit Kulak had 9:54 of ice time and Erik Gustafsson only played 6:41 after our turnovers and they’re going to get their chances. They’re world-class making a costly mistake on the power play that led to the Jets’ first goal players. They’re young and skilled and we’re happy to have them on this while short-handed. side.” Evans led the forwards with 17:55 of ice time, followed by Phillip Danault On prend l'avance tôt grâce au 4e but des séries de Kotkaniemi! with 17:42 and Armia with 16:22. Staal, who had two assists in the Game 7 win over the Leafs, had a goal and an assist in Game 1 vs. the Jets. An early lead thanks to Kotkaniemi's 4th of the postseason! #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/QpbBR8dVRw Weber and Edmundson tied for the team lead with five shots each, while Kulak had four. Weber and Chiarot tied for the team lead in hits with — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 2, 2021 three each.

Praise for Perry Suzuki went 9-6 on faceoffs (60 per cent), Staal went 5-5 (50 per cent), Ducharme emphasizes the importance of making smart decisions with Danault went 7-9 (44 per cent) and Kotkaniemi went 1-2 (33 per cent). the puck and Joel Armia has been making a lot of them since being put Ça méritait une reprise. on the fourth line with veterans Perry and Staal. This one needed another look.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/zfNzAxNuEC “I thought they were really good tonight,” Ducharme said. “Army is so good at protecting the puck. He’s got great skills. He plays a heavy game — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 3, 2021 and he’s playing with two guys that are doing the same thing right now. I thought they gave the Jets a hard time with their O-zone shifts and every The French Connection shift.” With Jonathan Drouin still absent from the Canadiens for personal Playing with two veterans on his line — not to mention the conversations reasons and not expected back during the playoffs, Danault is the only they can have together on the bench — seems to really be helping French-Quebecer on the team. Armia. The Jets have two in Mathieu Perreault and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The Jets’ Kotkaniemi called it a “huge honour” to be around a guy like Perry. Paul Stastny was born in Quebec when his father, Peter, played for the Nordiques. “I think we were down 3-1 against Toronto, we had a little meeting (before Game 5) and he stepped up and he talked a little bit about how “As a kid growing up in Quebec, this is kind of almost a dream to have a often you get chances to be in the playoffs and how rare is that,” chance to play against the Canadiens in the playoffs,” Perreault, who is Kotkaniemi said. “Just great to hear all the stories he has. Just a great from Drummondville, said after the Jets’ morning skate Wednesday. “So guy on and off the ice. He’s a great add for our team.” super-excited. I know all family and friends are going to be watching. Maybe some of them will be cheering against me for this one specific Désolés, on était occupés avec les buts en 1re période, mais on n'a pas playoff series. So it’s going to be fun.” oublié cet arrêt. On ne s'attend jamais à dire: «Weber en échappée, suivi de Gallagher»... Sorry, we were busy with all those goals in the 1st period, but we haven't mais bon. ♂ forgotten about this save. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/aoipnbMvH2 We don't often expect to say: "Weber on a breakaway, followed by — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 3, 2021 Gallagher..." but hey!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/XhnvynedfH

Steady Eddie — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 3, 2021

Edmundson and his partner Jeff Petry had a solid game on defence. Habs honour frontline heroes

They both picked up two assists and were plus-2, while Edmundson had The Canadiens announced Wednesday that they will have a “Heroes five shots on goal. Section” for each future playoff game at the Bell Centre with a chance to win free tickets through a draw. Edmundson has been a steady performer for the Canadiens all year, finishing with a team-best plus-28 during the regular season, which Fans can nominate a deserving frontline hero of their choice — a doctor, ranked fifth in the NHL in plus/minus. first responder, teacher, grocery-store employee or any other essential- service worker — by going to canadiens.com/IGAheroesand completing “I got to give a lot of credit to my D partner,” Edmundson said when a form by noon on Friday. All eligible submissions will be entered into a asked about his consistent play. “Petey’s been awesome this year. He’s draw that could see the nominee win tickets to be among the select been great to work with and he makes my life a lot easier. So got to give 2,500 fans allowed into the Bell Centre for each playoff game. There will a lot of credit to him. Just feeling good. I was healthy all year. Knock on be 100 people each game in the “Heroes Section.” wood that continues and just got to keep it rolling.” All those winning tickets to the “Heroes Section” will also receive an Edmundson is from Brandon, Man., so this series against the Jets is official Canadiens jersey and be honoured live during the TVA Sports something special. broadcast that night.

“Lots of my family members are all Jets fans until I come to town,” he The schedule said. “Lots of my friends it’s the same thing. All of Manitoba, it’s a huge hockey spot, so when the Jets came back it was obviously a huge deal. Here’s the rest of the schedule for the North Division final between the To be able to play against them and see my family once in a while it’s Canadiens and Jets: kind of nice. But it’s always nice to get a win against them.” Game 2: Friday, June 4: at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m. #Habs tweeted this earlier today ... so sad that Jake Evans's 25th birthday ended with him being carried off the ice on a stretcher after a Game 3: Sunday, June 6: at Montreal, 6 p.m. vicious, violent hit by Jets' Mark Scheifele that was 100-per-cent intent to Game 4: Monday, June 7: at Montreal, 8 p.m. injure #HabsIO https://t.co/7QHnuan9rd x-Game 5: Wednesday, June 9: at Winnipeg, TBD — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) June 3, 2021 x-Game 6: Friday, June 11: at Montreal, TBD Some stats x-Game 7: Sunday, June 13: at Winnipeg, TBD

x-if necessary Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189222 Montreal Canadiens The league will indeed have its opinion, but Maurice correctly identified the factors that will go into it, and the need to respect the other players on the ice was not one of them.

Basu: Mark Scheifele’s hit on Jake Evans is part of the game, and that is What makes that lack of respect so jarring is that moments later, one of the problem Scheifele’s own teammates showed what respect is supposed to look like. While the Canadiens went after Scheifele and a scrum ensued, Jets forward Nikloaj Ehlers went to Evans and saw he was in bad shape. Ehlers immediately tried to shield the scrum away from Evans laying By Arpon Basu Jun 3, 2021 prone on the ice. He called for additional medical attention. He was concerned about the health and safety of an opponent in a way his teammate had so glaringly not been just moments earlier. We all know the routine. We go through it far too frequently. Ehlers had just played the same game as Scheifele. He is just as Anyone who loves hockey, as we all do, loves the physical nature of it, competitive, he was just as frustrated, but none of that took precedence loves how the players on the ice have to pay a price for success, how over what was truly important. they have to go to the “dirty areas” of the ice to be rewarded and how they all — every last one of them — accept that risk to their own health to “I came back and saw that he wasn’t looking good,” Ehlers said. play this game and entertain us all. “Obviously when something like that happens there’s a scrum, but I was just trying to keep everyone away from him. In a situation like that you But when a game is so inherently violent, when that physical price is don’t want anyone falling on top of him, so I was just trying to keep woven into the very fabric of the game, especially at this time of year, everyone away.” that routine is there. It’s always there, and it’s getting tiresome. The Canadiens were angry after the game, as one would expect, but to a One player takes the violent nature of the game too far, we all debate just man, they expressed confidence that the league would take care of it, how far that player went, we slow down the video to determine what was that Scheifele would be suspended and that would be that. Considering the point of contact, how much of the head was contacted, whether that the Canadiens just won Game 1 in the series, the Jets losing Scheifele makes it the main point of contact, we wait to find out how badly the for at least Game 2 would give the Canadiens a huge advantage and an player was injured — because for some reason that is a major factor opportunity to head back home up 2-0 in the series. here — and then we wait to see what the NHL’s department of player safety thinks. But that’s when another side of what is ugly about the inherently violent nature of hockey shone through, because one Canadiens player wouldn’t We argue, we dig in on our positions, and we wait. leave it at that, that a suspension would be enough and it would give them that advantage. When Mark Scheifele skated full speed the length of the ice in an attempt to stop Jake Evans from scoring an empty-net goal late in Game 1 of the “It was a dirty hit, but the league’s going to take care of it,” defenceman Winnipeg Jets second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens, at Joel Edmundson said. “If he gets back in the series, we’re going to make one point he ceased trying to prevent a goal. He had speed, he saw his life miserable. But I think the league’s going to do a good job with Evans circling the net, he knew Evans’ head would be down because that.” he’s focusing on the puck on a tricky wraparound play and, despite still having a chance to get his stick on the puck and prevent it from going in, This was the second straight series the Canadiens played where Game 1 Scheifele’s priority changed. was marred by an ugly injury. In the last round it was John Tavares being checked in the neutral zone by Ben Chiarot and then falling right into the Inflicting as much damage as possible on Evans became the priority. path of Corey Perry, whose knee hit Tavares directly in the face. It was horrifying. Tavares, like Evans, left the ice on a stretcher. Tavares, And that’s where the inherent violence of the game becomes tricky. If you hopefully like Evans, escaped without a serious injury aside from a watch the hit Scheifele delivered to Evans, he does not appear to contact concussion, which is clearly serious. the head — at least not as the main point of contact — he tucks his arm into his body and drives his shoulder through Evans’ chest with full force. But as play resumed and the players needed to get their mind back on a Evans was eligible to be hit on the play, and probably knew he would be. game, Perry had to fight Nick Foligno, even though there was no intent But no one can expect to be hit like that. on Perry’s part to do anything to Tavares, and no one felt worse about what had happened than he did. It was a clear case of charging, and that’s what Scheifele was penalized for. In this case, there was intent, and if Scheifele plays in the series again — it would be stunning to see him suspended for the remainder of it — he The rule on charging reads, in part: “A minor or major penalty shall be will need to “answer the bell” for what he did. And we will continue going imposed on a player who skates, jumps into or charges an opponent in around in circles forever. any manner. Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner.” Hockey is a violent game, and that is part of what makes it so compelling. We love to see big hits — until the hit is so big, the circumstances around It was an illegal hit, but how illegal was it? Does it rise to the level of it are so unsavory, the intent to injure as opposed to hurt seems so clear, supplementary discipline, as the DOPS so often says? That is the that the hit becomes gut-wrenching. It ceases to be compelling and determination that will need to be made here, and it will be based on instead becomes revolting. factors that should be irrelevant. If Evans somehow escaped injury on the play, despite leaving the ice on a stretcher, that will be a factor. The fact The players policing the game themselves was always meant to serve as that we are in the playoffs will be a factor. The fact Scheifele is not a dirty a deterrent to hits like the one Scheifele decided to lay on Evans, and player and has no history of behaving like this will be a factor. The fact he apparently — as we have seen so often — that code still exists. And yet is a star player — though no one would ever admit this — will be a factor. these hits keep happening. The DOPS levying suspensions is supposed to serve as a deterrent, but these hits keep happening, and the intent on What will surely not be a factor is that the level of respect players have those hits continues to run through the minds of the players that play this for each other continues to plummet, and that is what this play comes game and dictate their actions in malicious ways. down to. It is about Scheifele having some form of respect for the health and safety of a vulnerable opponent, a colleague, in many ways, and None of the deterrents are working. how the emotions of a game that was clearly frustrating for him took precedence over that respect. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021

And having that respect is what allows these players to play such a violent game without it devolving into something that is not a game at all.

“Well, hopefully the young man’s going to be all right,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “It’s such a highly unusual play because you’re backchecking back to kill an empty-net play, you’re coming full speed. Mark stopped skating, he kept his arms in — it’s a heavy, heavy hit, there’s no doubt about that. I’m sure the league will have its opinion.” 1189223 Montreal Canadiens Corey Perry: Hi everyone, I’d like to present a PSA on the risks and rewards of driving to the net. For this PSA, I’d like to show a highlight from Triple Gold Club winner and Experienced Playoff Veteran™ Corey Perry. On this play, Perry willingly drives to the net despite an oncoming Canadiens playoffs plus/minus: Corey Perry antagonizes, Joel swarm of Winnipeg Jets players. He takes the hit, but not before he Edmundson stabilizes and the Jets’ frustrations boil over dishes the puck to fellow Experienced Playoff Veteran™ Eric Staal.

If you are daring enough to try this in your beer league games — if they’re even that punishing — please wear a helmet and assume the By Julian McKenzie Jun 3, 2021 potential risk of being pummeled by the defence. It is not for the faint of heart.

Rest and momentum have a funny way of either working for you, or COREY PERRY TAKES A HUGE HIT, BUT ERIC STAAL BURIES THE against you, in the Stanley Cup playoffs. PASS FOR A 2-0 LEAD! PIC.TWITTER.COM/T2MI19E9OO

The Montreal Canadiens had a great start to the first period of their — SCOTT MATLA (@SCOTTMATLA) JUNE 3, 2021 Game 1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, about 48 hours after disposing of When Perry wasn’t setting up shop in front of the net, he was pissing the Maple Leafs in Toronto. The Jets, who sat at home for a week after everyone else off and — literally — throwing other players off their game. sweeping the Edmonton Oilers, were late to start and showed some rust. They ended up playing from behind most of the game — and, despite #GOHABSGO COREY PERRY CHIRPING #GOJETS MATHIEU their efforts, never really threatened to come all the way back. PERREAULT FROM THE BENCH. HE MISSES THE FACEOFF.

With the Jets entering the game rested compared to the Canadiens, I @NHLONNBCSPORTS PIC.TWITTER.COM/T1SOCOUNKW expected Winnipeg to take control from the jump. My experienced and much smarter colleague, Arpon Basu, thought the opposite and he was — BOBBYLOTSOFNUMBERS (@THEREPLAYGUY) JUNE 3, 2021 right. Despite winning the high-danger chance battle (and the heatmap above “We just got off a hard-fought battle against Toronto and we wanted to clearly shows the Canadiens were more dangerous near the net than the bring that intensity into Game 1 and I thought we did a good job of that Jets were), Perry felt his team could’ve been a bit busier in front of Jets tonight,” Canadiens defenceman Joel Edmundson said. “They were netminder Connor Hellebuyck. sitting around for a week, so we wanted to go at them right away.” “I thought we had some solid screened shots going to the net,” Perry The Canadiens emerged victorious because they constantly crashed the said. “We could probably get a little bit more traffic, but that’ll come as we net. They were unafraid to set up shop in front, had more quality chances learn our opponent and games come. We’re going to find a rhythm and (the Canadiens led in high-danger opportunities 9-2) and they took we’ll figure that out.” advantage of those opportunities, using their speed (even Shea Weber Nick Suzuki: Suzuki possessed so much patience on his team’s third had a breakaway, which led to Brendan Gallagher whacking away at a goal, capping a near-perfect start for the Canadiens. When you’re able to rebound and scoring) and frustrating the Jets. toe drag and make a fool out of a Vezina-winning goaltender, you have a Speaking of frustrations, the Jets boiled over in the final moments of the lot of confidence. game. With nothing going their way, Mark Scheifele delivered a ÇA MÉRITAIT UNE REPRISE. suspendable, dangerous and downright malicious hit to Canadiens forward Jake Evans, who had just put the puck in an empty net to close THIS ONE NEEDED ANOTHER LOOK.#GOHABSGO out the contest. An ensuing scrum saw the teams go at it, while Jets PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZFNZAXNUEC forward Nikolaj Ehlers did his best to keep the cluster from falling onto Evans who was still laying flatly on the ice. — CANADIENS MONTRÉAL (@CANADIENSMTL) JUNE 3, 2021

NO REASON FOR SCHEIFELE TO THROW THIS HIT LIKE THAT ON Joel Edmundson: Edmundson could easily earn himself a plus by playing EVANS. ABSOLUTE TRASH a clean game with few mistakes. But Wednesday night, he contributed two assists to the Canadiens’ offensive efforts. And he even went above PIC.TWITTER.COM/BPSWEQWBYM and beyond his standard defensive responsibilities. “Steady Eddy” did his things Game 1. — DREW LIVINGSTONE (@PRODUCERDREW_) JUNE 3, 2021 JOEL EDMUNDSON' STICK SNAPS, GIVING MATHIEU PERREAULT A Postgame, the Canadiens did not mince words when it came to their LANE TO ATTACK. PERREAULT CAN DO A WHOLE PILE OF THINGS thoughts on the hit. BUT BURN A DEFENCEMAN WITH SPEED IS NOT OFTEN ONE OF “It was a dirty hit but the league’s going to take care of it,” Edmundson THEM. THE PLAY ENDS WITH EDMUNDSON SHOVING PERREAULT said. “If (Scheifele) gets back in the series, we’re going to make his life HARMLESSLY TO THE ICE. miserable.” — MURAT ATES (@WPGMURAT) JUNE 3, 2021 “I think it’s disgusting,” Jesperi Kotkaniemi said. “(Have a) little respect Jeff Petry: It took until Game 6 against Toronto for him to register his first for the other players out there. I’m not saying anything more than that.” point of the playoffs, and it looked as if he was labouring through most of “Useless,” Canadiens interim head coach Dominique Ducharme said. the first round. But it took just under four minutes for Petry to make an impact against the Jets in Game 1, completing a slap pass that led to a DOMINIQUE DUCHARME BROUGHT UP THE INCIDENT WITH JOHN Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal. He also had a secondary assist on Gallagher’s TAVARES, HOW YOU NEVER WANT TO SEE A PLAYER LAYING ON second goal of the playoffs. It’s the best he’s looked all postseason. THE ICE LIKE THAT, BUT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. HE SAID BOTH TEAMS JUST HOPED HE WAS OK. Jesperi Kotkaniemi: The Finnish youngster has now matched his playoff goal total in last year’s pandemic bubble with his fourth of the playoffs. "I DIDN'T FEEL THAT FROM THE OTHER SIDE TONIGHT." The minuses — ARPON BASU (@ARPONBASU) JUNE 3, 2021 Erik Gustafsson: The Canadiens took it to the Jets for much of the The hit soured the moment for the Canadiens, a team that entered Game opening period. Their biggest blemish, a shorthanded goal allowed, came 1 off the high of upsetting the highly favoured Leafs. The Canadiens as a result of Gustafsson’s mistakes in the offensive zone. The power carried the momentum into the start of their second-round series with an play might earn some flack for not shooting on that particular instance, important road victory, but their thoughts will likely be with a fallen but the Canadiens were moving the puck around until Gustafsson fired a teammate instead of exclusively thinking ahead to Game 2. pass into the corner and away from the nearest teammate. When he got the puck back, he lost it at the line to Adam Lowry. The defenceman Dangerous hit aside, we can move on to the pluses and minuses, where couldn’t catch up. Gustafsson didn’t inspire much confidence after that, there was good and bad. A lot of good, but the bad is worth noting, too. either, and he was nailed to the bench in the third period. Does that The pluses mean the Canadiens will opt to play Alexander Romanov in Game 2? We’ll see. Cole Caufield: He didn’t necessarily play a bad game. He’s still providing a lot of energy on the offensive end and he found himself on some odd- man rushes with Nick Suzuki. But he only had one official shot on goal to show for it. He could’ve gotten a shot off on the power play, and on a few other instances in the second period. Now, in four of his last five playoff games, he’s ended the game with a lone shot on net. The expectations needn’t be sky high for Caufield, but it would be encouraging to see him shoot the puck more.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189224 Montreal Canadiens Much like the Canadiens, the Jets had to shut down a two-headed offensive monster in the first round and they did so four straight times. The Canadiens are not built that way. They get scoring from up and down the lineup. They are built on depth. The Jets are similarly deep at Scouting the Montreal Canadiens’ enemy: Breaking down the Winnipeg forward, but how do you think some of Winnipeg’s depth defencemen are Jets with Murat Ates equipped to handle legitimate scoring threats further down the Canadiens’ lineup?

Winnipeg’s defence is not built with household names and it’s definitely By Arpon Basu and Murat Ates Jun 2, 2021 the team’s biggest weakness.

The most important players will be Josh Morrissey, who I expect fans are Well, that was fast. aware of, partnered with Dylan DeMelo, whose fame I’m going to guess is a little more lacking. It’s been less than 48 hours since the Montreal Canadiens eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the first round, and here they are, in The best personnel decision the Jets made in the first round was moving Winnipeg preparing to begin the second round against the Jets on DeMelo — the only partner with whom Morrissey consistently produces Wednesday night. above-average shot and expected goals metrics — back to the top pair. It led to great communication, a pile of those boring, safe, five-foot passes The Jets are definitely a different animal than the Maple Leafs, but they that don’t make it onto highlight reels, and a fighting chance against do share a few characteristics. They have two potent forward lines up Edmonton’s obviously superior firepower. front, just like the Maple Leafs did (until John Tavares got injured). Their defence is definitely a weak point, just like the Maple Leafs’ was. That partnership is going to be all the more important against the Candiens, whose speed and willingness to lay the body can confound But there are also similarities with the Canadiens here. The Jets are breakouts with even the best of intentions. deep at forward, with a top nine that is as good as anyone’s in the NHL. They have a veteran-laden fourth line, just like the Canadiens. And, most Beyond that, Neal Pionk is going to annoy Canadiens fans — this I important of all, they have a rock in goal in Connor Hellebuyck, just like promise. Pionk is generously listed as 6-foot and less than 200 pounds the Canadiens do in Carey Price. but he hits early and often and holds his own against much bigger players. Derek Forbort might be ripe for exploitation by Montreal’s faster To try and get a handle on the Jets prior to the start of the series, we forwards. He’s the one player in the top four most likely to have been have asked our man on the ground in Winnipeg, the outstanding Murat displaced had the trade deadline yielded more than Jordie Benn. Ates, to come share his wisdom on the team he covers because no one out there can give you a better glimpse of the Canadiens’ opponent in the But you asked me about depth, Arpon. second round. Winnipeg’s problem isn’t a shortage of good bottom-pairing defencemen; OK, Murat. This should be fun. So the first question I have about the Jets it’s that the Jets have too many of them and sometimes like to play them is: How did they do that? I read your piece explaining the sweep of the much higher in the lineup. Logan Stanley is massive at 6-foot-7 and Oilers, but for the benefit of our readers who might not have, how did the deceptively good at moving the puck, while Tucker Poolman is a player Jets do it against the Oilers, and what, if anything, do you think they who can crush third-pairing minutes but looks exposed against top-end might need to switch up against the Canadiens? talent.

The first point to make abundantly clear is that the Jets did not dominate I suppose what I am saying is: If Montreal finds a way to overpower the Oilers. Winnipeg’s four-game sweep over Edmonton was the most Winnipeg’s defence, I think it’s going to happen with top forwards against tightly contested bit of broom work in my admittedly failing memory. The the Jets’ top four as opposed to the bottom of the roster picking on final three games all went to overtime — Game 4 took three of them! — Poolman and Stanley. and even Game 1 was a one-goal game before empty-netters broke it Hellebuyck was obviously outstanding in round one, and he is also quite open. obviously an incredible goaltender — best in the league for my money. So how did Winnipeg get the one-goal edge four straight times? But you look at his career playoff numbers, and he’s gone from an outstanding first playoff experience to less good and then last year where I’m sure any Canadiens fan can appreciate the importance of a he was not all that great. What are the differences you saw in the first legendary goaltending performance. round this year compared to the play-in round last year that suggest we will see the real Hellebuyck in this series? Hellebuyck is the heartbeat of this team, its source of confidence, and gives the Jets a very real opportunity to win any game against any I think fans get tired of people like me going off on “Hellebuyck is great” opponent. He leads all playoff goaltenders in goals saved above rants. As much as I think goaltending is Winnipeg’s biggest strength and expected (Price is an impressive third) and his .950 save percentage is defence its biggest weakness, fans want to know how and why. That’s also first. why I like this question so much.

The second key piece of information is that, for perhaps the first time all For me, the biggest difference in Hellebuyck’s game is a sense of season, the Jets showed an incredible ability to adapt to the team they maturity. He made some terrible giveaways for goals against Calgary last were playing and game plan their way out of the trouble spots. I’ve summer and against Vegas in 2018, which, in part, served to undo his seldom seen a Jets forecheck as structured or a neutral zone as own excellence. All of the highlight-reel saves in the world don’t matter if organized and clogged as Winnipeg kept it against Connor McDavid and you’re spotting teams a freebie once per round, no? Leon Draisaitl. Between this and a willingness to get a piece of Edmonton’s stars whenever they attacked the Jets line, Winnipeg Canadiens fans might remember the stanchions of Centre Bell working adapted tactically against the Oilers in the playoffs in a way it failed to do against Hellebuyck during the regular season this year, too. during the season. Franchement, puck handling can be an adventure for the guy.

What does this mean for Montreal? It’s just an opinion but one thing I So I think my answer is that Hellebuyck has simply let the game come to think Winnipeg struggled mightily with against the Canadiens this season him, focused on what he’s been good at, and stayed away from his more was the speed of Montreal’s forecheck. Pierre-Luc Dubois compared the catastrophic adventures. Canadiens’ frenetic pressure to the work of “bees” and the results were You can tell that I’m a non-goalie, though, because I still view it as evident: Winnipeg struggled to break the puck out cleanly and effectively. witchcraft. If the Jets succeed in taking lessons from the first round into the second We need to talk about the Jets’ top six because, to me, that group is round, the lesson will be that they need a game plan to deal with scary good. The Canadiens played their top four on defence an Montreal’s strengths and need to commit to it with just as much devotion outrageous amount from Game 5 onward in their series against the as they showed against McDavid and company. Leafs, and they had a clear mandate to physically wear down Toronto’s Hellebuyck continuing to play out of his mind wouldn’t hurt. skill forwards. I don’t think the same strategy will work quite as well here, but what do you think? Is that group susceptible to constant physical pounding? Or will they thrive in that type of game? I don’t think Winnipeg’s forwards are that well-built to take a pounding. team and his ability to lead it on a run? Is he under any real heat here, or has sweeping the Oilers alleviated that to a certain extent? Seriously, I don’t. I’ve made a point of praising Winnipeg’s adjustments against Edmonton, is a big, focused man and far from a wallflower. Dubois is particularly in the neutral zone, in the Jets’ efforts to stop McDavid and also more than capable of using his large frame to protect the puck on Draisaitl. the wall. But I look at top scorers like Kyle Connor, Nik Ehlers and Mark Scheifele, and I don’t see a lot of physicality. This isn’t to say a bit of I’ve also praised Maurice for moving DeMelo beside Morrissey and violence will get them down, but Winnipeg is rich with brilliant finishing bumping Poolman down to the third pairing. This wise, correct, fruitful and not nearly so well stocked in forwards who drive the net or fight for decision could easily have been reversed partway through Game 1 when prime real estate in the slot. DeMelo made a giveaway that ended in a goal against and Poolman scored the game-tying goal. That heavy, grinding style of offence will come from Wheeler or Dubois or, more likely, from Andrew Copp, Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton on But Maurice stuck with it, leading to success against McDavid and the third line. Draisaitl — no easy feat, especially in back-to-back-to-back overtime games. I really like that Jets third line. They will likely face Jesperi Kotkaniemi with Paul Byron and Josh Anderson (assuming Dominique Ducharme Perhaps the most important bit of coaching is that Maurice got his star sticks with his line combinations, which is no sure thing). I feel this could centre Scheifele to buy in to a passive forecheck. become an important matchup in the series if it works out that way. What do you like about that Lowry line? What makes them effective and what Scheifele is an incredible offensive player — ninth in league scoring, five makes them a difficult matchup? straight point-per-game seasons, you name it, he can do it — but was benched on for a 90-second shift with a lazy line Speak of the devil! You were right to point at Copp, Lowry and Appleton change at the end of it. His defensive commitment is not always sterling, as the unheralded but vital part of Winnipeg’s forward group. whether that means leaving the zone before a breakout is guaranteed or being a step behind his man on the backcheck. The Jets’ series against Edmonton looked most within reach when it was these guys going toe to toe with McDavid’s line, but without an obvious This is not meant to be a rip job — Scheifele is one of the NHL’s top elite offensive threat, Winnipeg is left with two choices. If you tell me that players — but he is a player with clear strengths and equally clear Tyler Toffoli, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield are the purest scorers, then weaknesses. the Jets could run Lowry’s line as a pure matchup trio, making Paul Stastny’s line with Dubois and Ehlers the de facto third line. Scheifele played as patient of a game as is possible for him against Edmonton, with short shifts, a passive forecheck and a willingness to But Paul Maurice told me Tuesday that he won’t be chasing matchups track back and mostly stay on the right side of the puck. This was not a nearly as hard this round as he has done in the past. guarantee when Maurice benched him on primetime television one month ago. That might mean rolling three lines and asking Lowry’s line to try to make hay against Kotkaniemi’s. The heat on Maurice diminishes with every round he wins.

Here’s the lowdown. Lowry is the prototypical checking centre of days And as much as it’s tempting to say Hellebuyck did the heavy lifting, gone by: big, strong, a heavy hitter, a responsible presence in his own Maurice got his stars to play the right way when it mattered most. He’s a end, more than willing to park in front of the crease, and better at renowned speechmaker and motivator. He’s loved by his veterans. protecting the puck than sniping with it. Copp plays wing for Lowry but was raised as a centre his whole life and, to my mind, is Winnipeg’s best He earned heat this season — there is a story I could tell you about an two-way forward. He has the same defensive instincts as Lowry, but injured Nathan Beaulieu playing on Winnipeg’s top pairing — but he Copp had a breakout offensive season, scoring 39 points in 55 games. deserves praise, too. Winnipeg has confidence in Maurice. Finally, Appleton is the purest offensive threat on the line — by far Last one: For the Jets to win this series, they will need to … Winnipeg’s most likely player to turn the corner on a defenceman, lower his shoulder, and drive to the net no matter how much punishment he … pounce on what should be an exhausted Canadiens team. I have this takes. series as close to 50/50 as can be imagined so any freebie at all — a mental mistake, a special play — to spot a team a game will be a I’m not saying they’re going to lead the way offensively, but this is such massive difference-maker. For me, that’s Game 1, with Montreal coming an important line for Winnipeg. off of a dramatic Game 7 win and Winnipeg coming off of several days’ Were Ehlers and Dubois running at full speed in the first round? This rest. eight-day break will obviously help, but how did they look when they But NHL teams plan and the hockey gods laugh. returned from injury and how important are each of them to what the Jets are trying to accomplish and how they generally want to play? What Winnipeg really needs to do to beat Montreal is find just enough offence in the dangerous parts of the ice — despite Phillip Danault, They were most decidedly not. despite the beating Shea Weber, Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry, and Joel This might be an astonishing thing to say, given that Ehlers scored two Edmundson can lay — while Hellebuyck equals (or even bests) the goals — including the overtime winner — in his first game of the 2021 legend Price. playoffs, Game 3, but neither player was at his best in the first round. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Their line with Stastny was used third out of the gate and, despite its star power, it played like Winnipeg’s third-best line.

The thing to understand here is that chemistry is a work in progress. Not only were Dubois and Ehlers each returning from injury, but Dubois’s previous injury — and the two-week, post-trade quarantine that preceded it — turned his season into something more awkward than dominant.

Dubois told me Tuesday that the extended break and the practice time it afforded him have helped him find real momentum in what has been a difficult season. Meanwhile, Ehlers is Winnipeg’s most dynamic offensive player and, whether or not all of the practicing solved the chemistry issues on that line, an extra week for his shoulder to heal is Winnipeg’s biggest X-factor heading into this round.

The coaching matchup here is fascinating to me, with a rookie in Ducharme and a veteran in Maurice who, shall we say, was severely questioned all season. The thing about the Oilers season is Maurice didn’t have much of a reason to adjust anything along the way since, you know, they never lost a game. What’s the vibe around his handle on this 1189225 Nashville Predators the 2019-20 season. He said his coaches have been "super straight" with him regarding how he'd be utilized.

"Last season there were times when it was tough on me," he said. "For Will Pekka Rinne return next season for Nashville Predators, or is this it? such a long time I played a lot of games ... you didn't have to worry about my playing time. It has been a big change. This season was a lot easier. It makes it easier that (Saros) is my partner. I'm genuinely so happy, so proud of the guy and the way he's playing." Paul Skrbina Tennessean LOADED: 06.03.2021

In many ways, May 10, 2021, felt like goodbye for Pekka Rinne.

The most beloved player in franchise history shut out the Carolina Hurricanes in the regular season finale at Bridgestone Arena. The 38- year-old absorbed showers of cheers, took a final lap around the ice while the spotlight illuminated him and his teammates looked on in wonder.

The scene had to be seen to be believed. There's also a belief that Predators fans haven't seen the last of Rinne in a Nashville uniform.

Sure, things are different now. He's a backup goalie in the twilight of his career. He became a first-time father in December. He's also an unrestricted free agent with options.

Rinne didn't want to "close any doors" to other potential suitors — try imagining him in another uniform. He didn't discount the option of playing in his native Finland, saying it was "an option, for sure."

He also knows general manager David Poile's door is open, should Rinne decide he wants to suit up for a 16th season with the only NHL team he's ever known.

"I don't want to give my (retirement speech) here yet," Rinne said. "I want to give it some time, think about things with my family and what do I want to do. It's a thing I'm thinking about a lot, but again I'm not ready to make a decision."

Rinne also said he'd prefer to retire playing at the highest level.

He did offer a preview of that speech, though.

"I've been so fortunate,' he said. "I'm so proud that I've been in one organization all of my career. (Possibly retiring) is something I want to focus on later. (Nashville) has changed my life, my family's life. My son was born here. This is my home now. It means everything to me."

Rinne said he and Poile plan to "sit down" in a few weeks to discuss his future before talk starts turning to his past and all the franchise records he holds. How he'll most likely be the first player in franchise history to have his number retired.

Predators captain doesn't make such decisions, but was quick to show how he would play this hand.

"I think he's got a lot of years left," Josi said.

Josi said watching Rinne go from full-time goalie with no kids to full-time dad and part-time goalie was "definitely different."

He'd prefer Rinne stayed, all the same, and add to his 772 games played, 414 wins, 19,978 saves and to his legacy.

"When you come up like (Juuse Saros) as a young kid, there's nobody better to look up to than (Rinne)," Josi said. "This year, it wasn't easy ... he's still an amazing goalie. He's probably the most respected guy on our team. When he says something everybody listens."

Whether what he says in the coming months is something Predators fans want to hear remains to be seen. Rinne was a $5 million cap hit the last two seasons, and a $7 million hit the seven seasons before that.

Yes, Poile has many decisions to ponder this offseason — the expansion draft, potential trades, potential extensions for Filip Forsberg and , whether to re-sign Mikael Granlund.

But signing Rinne hardly would be solely a sentimental move. He posted a .907 save percentage and a 2.84 goal-against average in a career-low 21 starts.

The Predators don't seem to have any NHL-ready goalies in their system.

Plus, Rinne, a Vezina Trophy winner, said he's not opposed to coming back to continue to be a backup, a role that really was cemented during 1189226 Nashville Predators down in the playoffs here and be that guy that can find a goal and help the team push through the first round (and) make things happen.”

Ekholm, who signed a six-year, $22.5 million deal in October 2015, was Predators exit interviews: Pekka Rinne’s future, Mattias Ekholm and Filip at the center of trade rumors when the Predators appeared to be trending Forsberg open to extensions and more toward a rebuild. His leadership was vital to the team’s turnaround.

“It wasn’t easy to deal with at all times,” said Ekholm, whose wife, Ida, gave birth to the couple’s second child in February. “To move in these By Adam Vingan Jun 2, 2021 times, and not knowing if my family would be able to come with me or what have you, it was a tough month leading up to (the trade deadline).

… About a contract, all I can say is I’ve been here my whole career. I’ve One week after being eliminated from the postseason, six Predators loved every second. Both my kids were born here. We have a really good players spoke to reporters Wednesday. Here are the highlights of those life here. I have nothing bad to say about this city or the organization. I conversations. hope to stay here a lot of years, and I hope it works out.”

Pekka Rinne remains undecided about his future Roman Josi might not have played in Game 7

Pekka Rinne was given an emotional send-off by his teammates and In the third period of the Predators’ season-ending loss to the Carolina Predators fans in his final start of the season last month. Hurricanes, Roman Josi was on the receiving end of a hit from Jordan Martinook that knocked him out of the game. The 38-year-old goaltender, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent, is still contemplating his future. Asked if he suffered a concussion on the play, Josi, who has a history of such injuries, did not directly answer. “To be honest with you, I want to give it some time,” Rinne said. “I want to take a little step (back) after the season and think about things with my “I was shaken up after,” Josi said. “I’m feeling better now. Obviously, family and what I want to do. It’s a thing that I’m thinking about a lot, but there is a lot of time to recover now and get a lot of rest. The season I’m not ready to make a decision yet.” ended so quick after with the OT loss and stuff. I can’t really say if I would have been able to come back for Game 7 or not, but I feel a lot The Predators’ longtime workhorse has transitioned to a backup role over better and (am) definitely going to be ready for next season.” the past two seasons, which he said has been tough for him at times. Rinne expressed appreciation for Predators coach John Hynes and Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen address the Seattle expansion draft goaltending coach Ben Vanderklok, who were communicative with him There will be a lot of talk this offseason about the futures of $8 million as his playing time decreased. forwards Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen. Rinne, who started four of the Predators’ final 27 regular-season games Both said Wednesday that they have higher expectations of themselves. after Juuse Saros returned from injury March 18, has not lost his competitive fire. “A lot more than anyone can put on me,” Johansen said when asked about the internal pressure that comes with being the highest-paid “No. 1, to play (at) this level, it’s the passion,” Rinne said. “You know how forward on the team. “I keep myself to a standard, and when things aren’t much work needs to be done. To me, that’s the most important thing, just going well, this business is tough. Professional sports is tough. It beats the love for the game, the passion. I feel like I still have that. … I’m not you up. I just always take a lot of pride in my game, and in those big stressing. I’m in a good place and just trying to give myself a chance to moments in big games, I know that’s what I get paid to do. I get paid to not regret anything, any decision I make.” be a producer and a very successful player throughout a season, but Rinne said that continuing his career in Finland is an option. He also did playoffs are the biggest moments and where you really earn your money. not rule out signing with another NHL team. I feel like I’m always there and I’m ready to go and ready to elevate my game. I feel like I always do.” “I don’t want to close any doors, to be honest with you,” said Rinne, who debuted with the Predators in 2005 and has appeared in 683 games for Duchene and Johansen were asked about next month’s Seattle Kraken the franchise. “I’ve always said (that) this is my team. It makes me proud expansion draft and whether they have considered the possibility of that I’ve only played for one team, one organization. But at the same being exposed. time, I don’t want to close any doors. I don’t want to say anything that I’m “It’s out of my control,” Johansen said. “My job is to go out there and going to regret. I want to keep that door open, too, and weigh my options work my butt off every day and try to be the best I can be. I believe that here.” takes care of itself. We’re obviously aware there’s a new team coming in, Mattias Ekholm and Filip Forsberg, both of whom have one year left on and someone’s going to leave. Whoever it may be, that’s this business.” their contracts, are eligible to re-sign with the Predators this summer. “Who knows?” Duchene said. “Anything’s possible in this league, but I General manager David Poile previously said that locking them up long- haven’t really given it two seconds (of) thought.” term is among his offseason priorities. “I am proud and honored to be a Nashville Predator,” Duchene later said. “It’s one of those things that management and me and my agent (J.P. “This is where I wanted to be for a long time. Just because of two kind of Barry) are going to have to talk through,” Forsberg said. “I’ve loved every shortened, weird seasons that didn’t go the way we wanted (them) to, minute of my time here in Nashville, and I don’t see why I wouldn’t love that doesn’t change for me. The future’s bright here. I believe even more the future, too. … We have to see how everything plays out. I think now in our core group than I even did when I signed here. To commit to David’s got some other priorities with the expansion draft and things like seven years to an organization, that’s a big decision to make. I obviously that coming up before that. At some point, we’ll definitely sit down and had faith in what was in this organization (and) on this team to make that discuss that, I’m sure.” commitment, and that hasn’t changed one bit.

Forsberg, who has made $6 million per season since 2016, is the “I’m excited for the future here. I love the boys. We became a really, Predators’ most talented scorer. He has been unable to crack the top tier really tight group this year. That was something that maybe (was lacking of scoring wingers league-wide, though. last season), when we were tight but not as tight as we needed to be. I think we came together through the adversity. … I’m really proud of the In recent years, Forsberg has been slowed by injuries. This season, he guys. I’m proud to be here. I want to spend the rest of my career here. had 27 points through 26 games before missing a month and finishing That’s my outlook, and I’ll do everything in my power to do that and help with 32 points in 39 games. this team hopefully win a Stanley Cup in the near future.”

“The mindset has been there for several years,” Forsberg said. “I’ve been The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 there at moments. I’ve been there through periods of time in seasons, and even this season I thought I was playing at that type of level early in the season. It’s just about finding that consistency. I thought that was better. I thought I contributed more all over the ice this season, but at the same time, you’ve got to find a way to be the key guy, especially coming 1189227 New Jersey Devils “Once the O.H.L. kept postponing their start, I came to the realization that they probably weren’t going to start,” he said in a phone interview. “So I started looking around in November.”

Buffalo Sabres Win N.H.L. Draft Lottery He added, “I really wanted to make sure I was going to be seen in my draft year.” The Sabres missed the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season and had the best odds for the No. 1 pick. Owen Power, from the University of The N.C.A.A. held its championship, won by Massachusetts, but St. Michigan, is most widely projected to be taken first. Lawrence, Notre Dame and Michigan were forced to withdraw from the tournament because of Covid-19 protocols.

That deprived the tournament of Michigan’s three freshman prospects By Andrew Knoll who are potential top 10 picks — Power, center Matthew Beniers and left wing Kent Johnson. Beniers had decommitted from Harvard with the Ivy

League season uncertain. The Buffalo Sabres won the top selection in the 2021 N.H.L. entry draft at Power (Canada) and Beniers (United States) are both competing at the the league’s lottery Wednesday in Secaucus, N.J. The draft is scheduled World Championships in Riga, Latvia. Johnson has been working with for July 23-24. private coaches in British Columbia, Canada. Buffalo endured an 18-game losing streak, missed the playoffs for a 10th Johnson said that despite Michigan’s removal from the tournament consecutive season and finished six points behind the Anaheim Ducks, because of positive tests, he felt fortunate to have skated with Beniers the next-worst team, who will pick third. and to have had continuous practice time with one team from August The University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power has been most through March, continuity that some of his peers missed. widely projected to be taken first, but there is not the same level of “Guys want to play hockey and guys want to play games, especially at consensus that existed in 2020 when the Rangers selected Alexis this age when development is pretty huge,” Johnson said in a phone Lafreniere No. 1 overall. interview. “It’s a great moment for our franchise,” Buffalo General Manager Kevyn Although they had a more limited look at some prospects than they would Adams said. “It’s obviously been a tough year for a lot of different have in the past, the Sabres have the same opportunity to find a reasons. We’re here and we’ve very happy to have this selection,” difference maker. Adams added that his team “needed to get better in every area, in every New York Times LOADED: 06.03.2021 way.”

Anaheim was the only team to slip from its projected spot based on the regular season, falling to No. 3 from No. 2. The Devils will select fourth. They had the league’s third-worst record, but were given the same odds at the top pick as the Seattle Kraken, who will select second just two days after the expansion draft.

The Rangers ended up at No. 15, the final pick available to lottery teams. They missed the East Division playoffs but had one more point than the Montreal Canadiens, who are currently playing the Winnipeg Jets in a second-round series in the North Division.

After rules changes, the lottery draws determined the top two picks, rather than the first three. Next season, two other changes will take effect.

First, teams cannot move up more than 10 spots from their projected pick based on their regular-season finish. Last season, the Detroit Red Wings finished 23 points behind the next worst team but ended up picking fourth, the same fate that befell the last-place Ottawa Senators a year before (though they had traded their pick to Colorado). Second, from 2022 onward a given team can only pick first overall twice in any five- year period. Previously, the Edmonton Oilers picked first in three straight seasons and four times in six years.

Complications in draft preparation created by the coronavirus pandemic have forced scouts to adapt. Many developmental leagues and foreign pro circuits experienced pauses, truncations or outright cancellations of their seasons, while travel and in-person attendance were severely limited.

The Philadelphia Flyers, for example, could not use their usual Quebec- area scouts because of travel restrictions, so they had to add staff in the Maritimes.

“It’s been a challenge, for sure,” Brent Flahr, Philadelphia’s assistant general manager, said in a phone interview. “The good thing is that if this were 15 years ago, without the video programs and access to video we have, it’d be an even bigger problem.”

Canada’s top three junior leagues, a major source of prospects, did not go unscathed: The Western Hockey League played a regular season but not a postseason; the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is staging its championship series; but the Ontario Hockey League did not play at all.

Center Mason McTavish, whose father played briefly in the N.H.L. before having a long career in Europe, was a displaced O.H.L. product. McTavish, born in Switzerland but raised in Canada, played in Switzerland’s second-tier league and finished second in N.H.L. Central Scouting’s North American skater rankings behind Power. 1189228 New Jersey Devils

Red Wings well-represented in World Championship quarterfinals

By Ansar Khan

The Detroit Red Wings -- past, present and future -- will be well- represented Thursday in the quarterfinals of the World Championship in Latvia:

United States (6-0-0-1, W-OTW-OTL-L) vs. Slovakia (4-0-0-3), 9:15 a.m. ET (NHL Network)– Team USA led all teams with 18 points in the preliminary round and will ride a six-game winning streak into elimination play. Former Red Wing Justin Abdelkader, however, will miss the remainder of the tournament due to a leg injury. Abdelkader, the team captain, had one assist in six games. Conor Garland (Arizona) leads the U.S. with eight points (three goals, five assists). Jake Oettinger (Dallas) and Cal Petersen (Los Angeles) have split duties in net.

Switzerland (5-0-0-2) vs. Germany (4-0-0-3), 9:15 a.m. ET – Top Red Wings prospect Moritz Seider is following up a strong season in the Swedish League with a solid tournament. He had four assists in seven games and leads German defensemen in ice time ( averaging 18:54).

Finland (4-2-1-0) vs. Czech Republic (3-2-0-2), 1:15 p.m. ET – A trio of Red Wings are making an impact for the Czech Republic as Jakub Vrana and Filip Zadina each have two goals and two assists while Filip Hronek has a goal and three assists. Defenseman Libor Sulak, who played six games for Detroit and 61 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2018- 19, is tied for the team lead in goals (three) with Dominik Kubilak (Chicago).

Russia (5-1-0-1) vs. Canada (3-0-1-3), 1:15 p.m. ET (NHL Network) – Detroit defenseman Troy Stecher has a goal in seven games for Canada. Connor Brown (Ottawa) leads Canada in scoring with 10 points, including two goals.

Star Ledger LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189229 New Jersey Devils x-Arizona 3.1 percent Chicago 2.7 percent

Calgary 2.2 percent Change reduces Red Wings’ chances of moving up in draft lottery Philadelphia 1.8 percent

Dallas 1.4 percent By Ansar Khan N.Y. Rangers 1.0 percent

x-forfeited pick The Detroit Red Wings have dropped in each of the past four NHL draft lotteries. The Coyotes were stripped of their 2021 first-round pick (and their 2020 second-rounder) after violating NHL rules regarding the draft combine by Due to a change in the format, their chances of moving up are reduced conducting physical testing on 2019 draft-eligible players prior to the even further during this year’s draft lottery Wednesday night from the combine. NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, N.J. (7 p.m., NBC Sports Network, NHL Network). If Arizona is selected in either lottery draw, there will be a redraw.

This year, there will be only two draws (for the first two selections) Star Ledger LOADED: 06.03.2021 instead of three.

The Red Wings have a 7.6 percent chance of winning the lottery for the No. 1 pick, the sixth-best odds. They have a 15.4 percent chance of landing one of the top two picks.

The Red Wings, who finished fifth from the bottom of the overall standings, can’t select third, fourth or fifth. According to Tankathon.com, they have a 30 percent chance of winding up with the sixth pick, a 43.8 percent chance at the seventh selection and a 10.9 percent chance of winding up eighth, which is the lowest they can go.

The Buffalo Sabres have the best odds of winning (16.6 percent), followed by the Anaheim Ducks (12.1 percent). The expansion Seattle Kraken were afforded the third-best odds, same as the New Jersey Devils (10.3 percent). The Columbus Blue Jackets round out the top five (8.5 percent).

The NHL entry draft will take place virtually on July 23 (first round) and July 24 (Rounds 2 through 7).

The Red Wings have 12 selections, including two in the first round (they also own Washington’s pick, which will be either No. 23 or 24), three in the second and two in the third.

Michigan defenseman Owen Power is projected by many to be selected first overall.

Two of Powers’ teammates, centers Matthew Beniers and Kent Johnson, could be drafted in the top 10 as well.

Several other defensemen are likely to be taken high, including Simon Edvinsson (Frolunda, Sweden), Brandt Clarke (Owen Sound, OHL; Nove Zamky Mikron HC, Slovakia) and Luke Hughes (U.S. National Team Development Program), the brother of Jack (first overall to New Jersey in 2019) and Quinn (seventh overall to Vancouver in 2018).

The Red Wings, relative to their place in the standings, dropped from seventh to ninth in the 2017 draft lottery, from fifth to sixth in 2018, from fourth to sixth in 2019 and from first to fourth in 2020.

Despite finishing 23 points behind the next-worst team in 2019-20, the Red Wings watched three teams draft ahead of them.

This is what prompted the NHL to alter the lottery format.

Here are the complete odds to win the draft lottery:

Buffalo 16.6 percent

Anaheim 12.1 percent

Seattle 10.3 percent

New Jersey 10.3 percent

Columbus 8.5 percent

Detroit 7.6 percent

San Jose 6.7 percent

Los Angeles 5.8 percent

Vancouver 5.4 percent

Ottawa 4.5 percent 1189230 New Jersey Devils

NJ Devils stay put in NHL Draft Lottery, will pick 4th overall

Robert Aitken Jr.

The New Jersey Devils will draft 4th overall in next month's NHL Entry Draft after the league's draft lottery on Wednesday night.

"We feel that we will get an impact player at four," said general manager Tom Fitzgerald. "We feel fortunate that we will add to the riches of young talent that we already have."

The Devils had a 10.3% chance of acquiring the top overall pick in the draft, tied for the third-highest odds in the league with the expansion Seattle Kraken. Only the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks had higher odds than the Devils and the Kraken.

Buffalo ended up with the first overall pick. The Sabres began the lottery with a 16.6% chance of winning the first pick, the highest chances of any team. Seattle, which had the same odds as New Jersey, will select second overall.

The Devils have won the draft lottery three times times since 2011, most recently in 2019 with the pick that resulted in Jack Hughes. The Devils also drafted first overall in 2017 after winning the draft lottery. The Devils had won the 2011 draft lottery with the league's eighth-best odds, but league rules only permitted a winning team to move up a maximum of four spots. The Devils selected Adam Larsson with the fourth overall pick and draft lottery rules were adjusted by the 2015 lottery.

BLUESHIRTS:NY Rangers stay put/jump up in NHL Draft Lottery, will pick No. 15 overall

A new change this year allowed only the top two picks to be determined from the lottery, down from the top three picks in previous years. Starting next year, a team can only move up a maximum of 10 spots among the 16 non-playoff teams. Also effective next year, a team is not allowed to win the draft lottery more than twice in a five-year span.

The Devils will have another first-round pick this year, acquired from the New York Islanders in the trade that involved Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri. That spot is yet to be determined as the Islanders are still involved in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

2021 NHL Draft Order

(note: the Arizona Coyotes have forfeited their first-round pick)

1. Buffalo Sabres

2. Seattle Kraken

3. Anaheim Ducks

4. New Jersey Devils

5. Columbus Blue Jackets

6. Detroit Red Wings

7. San Jose Sharks

8. Los Angeles Kings

9. Vancouver Canucks

10. Ottawa Senators

11. Chicago Blackhawks

12. Calgary Flames

13. Philadelphia Flyers

14. Dallas Stars

15. New York Rangers

Bergen Record LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189231 New Jersey Devils Central scouting director Dan Marr referred to Power as “a fluid and agile skater, who can transition quickly on plays and separate himself from checking.”

Sabres win NHL Draft lottery; Devils fourth and Rangers 15th The Wolverines are rounded out by centers Kent Johnson, ranked third, and Matthew Beniers, ranked sixth.

The second-ranked North American skater is Canadian junior center By Associated Press June 2, 2021 | 8:05pm | Updated Mason McTavish, who played in Switzerland last season.

Central scouting ranks Swedish-born left wing William Eklund as its top international skater. BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres won the NHL draft lottery and the expansion Seattle Kraken jumped up the order to take the No. 2 pick In Buffalo, the sabres woes carried over into the offseason with captain Wednesday night. Jack Eichel questioning his future in Buffalo, by citing differences with the team over how to treat a herniated disk, which forced him to miss the The New Jersey Devils snagged the fourth pick, while the New York final two months of the season. Rangers settled for the No. 15 selection. The two sides are expected to meet this week to determine whether to go The Sabres have the No. 1 pick for the fourth time in franchise history ahead with servical disk replacement surgery, which Eichel prefers. The and second in three years. It marks a turnaround for a team that finished Sabres’ medical staff has advised against it because the procedure has last in the overall standings for the fourth time since 2013-14, and lost the never before performed on an NHL player. draft lottery in both 2014 and ’15. Forward Sam Reinhart, who led the team in scoring, and veteran Seattle, meantime, can get, ahem, Kraken in preparation for its first defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen also expressed doubts about wanting season after jumping ahead of Anaheim. The Ducks finished 30th in the to remain in Buffalo. overall standings, but will be selecting third overall. In the meantime, Adams has spent the past five weeks conducting a The Kraken were provided the third-best odds at 10.3 percent — tied with coaching search, whose candidates include Don Granato, who the New Jersey Devils — to win the lottery. completed the season in an interim role. The Vegas Golden Knights were placed in the exact same position New York Post LOADED: 06.03.2021 entering the 2017 draft lottery in advance of their opening season. Vegas wound up selecting sixth after failing to win three lottery drawings.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly announces draft positions at the lottery.

The only change this year involved the NHL reducing the number of drawings to determine the top two slots.

The Sabres had a 16.6% chance of landing the top pick, which was 1.9 points lower than the previous three lotteries, including 2018 when Buffalo maintained its spot to select defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at No. 1.

“It’s a great moment for our franchise. It’s obviously been a tough year,” Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said. “We’re very excited, we’re proud to have this selection. It’s a step in the right direction.”

The Sabres are coming off a calamitous season in which they fired coach Ralph Krueger in mid-March while in the midst of an 18-game winless streak, which matched the NHL’s 14th-worst drought. Buffalo also missed the playoffs for a 10th consecutive season to match the NHL record.

Overall, Buffalo became the 10th last-place team to retain the top pick in the draft since the lottery was first introduced in 1995.

The Arizona Coyotes, who finished 22nd, were barred from winning the lottery after the NHL stripped the team of its first-round selection for violating league rules by physically testing draft-eligible players before the 2020 pre-draft combine. Though Arizona was included in the lottery process to maintain the odds, the NHL would had a redraw if the Coyotes’ number came up.

The Coyotes were also stripped of their second-round pick in last year’s draft.

The remaining 12 teams retained their order in the draft by virtue of where they finished in the standings.

The two-day draft will be held virtually for a second consecutive year, with the first round being held on July 23 — two days after the expansion draft, during which the Kraken will select one player from each of the 31 teams.

The coronavirus pandemic has added more uncertainty to this year’s class of prospects, due to shortened or even canceled seasons, and because of travel limits placed on scouting staffs.

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau has three Michigan players listed among its top six North American prospects, and led by 6-foot-6 defenseman Owen Power, the top-ranked player, who is current representing Canada at the World Hockey championships in Latvia. From Mississauga, Ontario, Power had three goals and 16 points in 26 games in being named to the Big Ten’s All-Rookie team last season. 1189232 New Jersey Devils Owen Power, a 6-foot-6 defenseman who is one of the three University of Michigan freshmen expected to go in the top 10, has emerged as the favorite to go No. 1. If that happens, the intrigue starts with the next pick, unlike recent seasons when Andrei Svechnikov (2018) and Kaapo Kakko ‘I want us to take him’: Devils’ connections run deep with top 2021 draft (2019) were the clear-cut second-best prospects, and Quinton Byfield prospects was nearly the consensus No. 2 a year ago.

Should the Devils win the second spot in the lottery, that could put them in prime position to land Hughes, a 6-2 defenseman from the USA By Corey Masisak Jun 2, 2021 Hockey National Team Development Program who could join Power at Michigan next season. But it also could put them in a position to pass on Hughes in favor of another prospect, and that presents a fascinating bit The Devils will find out Wednesday night which of the first six picks in the of behind-the-scenes drama. 2021 NHL draft they will receive as a potential silver lining after one of the strangest and least successful seasons in franchise history. Jack Hughes was asked about convincing his bosses that they should take a certain defenseman from the NTDP. There is a 20.5 percent chance that one of the two ping-pong balls drawn will have a Devils logo on it, but there is also a 68 percent chance New “There shouldn’t be much convincing needed to do,” Jack said. “I would Jersey will slide back to fifth or sixth. Wherever the pick lands, the think that if he’s there, I want us to take him. I’m not shy about saying intrigue with the 2021 draft is only beginning. that. … Luke is going to find his way. He’s a great player and I’d love to have him in New Jersey. But if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. It is already a fascinating draft, which will be held virtually July 23-24, for There’s a good chance that we will get a pick and Luke is gone before two big reasons: us.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the prospects’ ability to play a Luke Hughes has forged his own path as a prospect, and he has one normal amount of games and scouts’ abilities to see said games in advantage over his older brothers: his height. Jack compared him to person. Shea Theodore, a Norris Trophy candidate with Vegas this season, and said he’s not “a typical Hughes” because his height starts with a six There is a lot of uncertainty at the top of the draft, with a favorite to go instead of a five. No. 1 but not a clear-cut, no-doubt franchise guy, and then a cluster of players who could slot in anywhere from second to the back of the top Fitzgerald handled a question about the youngest of the Hughes clan 10. with, understandably, a little more political messaging.

“I believe we’re going to get a really good player, wherever we end up “We’ll go through the process of how we build this list out. Where certain picking with our first pick,” Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. players with certain last names end up … we’re going to be true to the “I think there’s some real quality defensemen, from my understanding. process,” he said. “I can just be frank about that. I’m sure the Hughes Obviously the same up front, probably even in the top 10. There is a family is very excited about where Luke is going to be, what kind of Swedish goalie that’s supposed to be high-end and another Canadian player he’s going to be versus the other two. It must be exciting to have (Western Hockey League) goalie that’s supposed to be high-end. I think two NHL players under the same roof plus a future NHL player. There it’s probably a mix, but I do know what we’re going to get a really good must be something in the water at the Hughes house.” player wherever we draft.” There is a consensus top four among the defensemen: Power, Hughes, There is an added level of intrigue for the Devils, one that makes the Clarke and Simon Edvinsson from Sweden. Clarke is the only one of the draft unlike any other. Three players expected to go in the top 10 all have quartet who is a right-handed shot. direct connections to the franchise. In previous years, the Clarke brothers played against each other, Luke Hughes and Brandt Clarke are two of the top four defensemen, a Graeme with Ottawa and Brandt with Barrie in the OHL. Both went to position of obvious need for the organization. They are also the younger play for HC Nove Zamky when the OHL season was delayed. Graeme brothers of Jack Hughes and Graeme Clarke. Then there is William came back to play for Binghamton, but Brandt spent the rest of the year Eklund, who has risen through the Djugardens youth system in Sweden in Slovakia. with Alexander Holtz and played significant roles on the men’s team this season, sometimes on the same line. Eklund is expected to be one of the “It was a good experience for both of us,” Graeme said. “I was only there first five forwards off the board next month. for like a month or so. Played some games and it was almost like a warm-up for me after I hadn’t played in a while. But for him, I think it was “I just think it adds another layer to what we’re already doing, which is a really good opportunity. He played almost a full year there and it was that kind of detailed work and preparation of the draft our staff does every really good development for him. For us to play together, it was really year,” Devils assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon said. “But cool. We never played together on a team, so to just be able to say that certainly, the fact that in Jack’s case, as an example, he’s got a younger now and forever we played together, it’s pretty cool. brother who is fairly highly touted and you just know the pedigree is so strong already with what the two older brothers have been able to do “A couple of the (New Jersey) development guys have asked me a early on in their careers in the NHL. Whoever is picking in the right spot couple of things about him, but nothing too crazy. He’s got some for that player, you have some confidence I think it adds to your meetings with a bunch of teams coming up here, and the Devils are one confidence level that you’re going to a player who is going to be able to of them, so he’s excited obviously. If he went to New Jersey, it would be translate to the NHL.” really cool. At the same time, anything can happen in the draft. We’re just excited that he hopefully goes pretty high and he’s going to have the start In a normal year, having a direct line to someone who knows three of the of a great career.” top 10 players better than anyone would be interesting. But this is a different year. Eklund began this season on a line with Holtz and former Devils center Jacob Josefsson. A study of Holtz’s game before the WJC included Clarke played 26 games in Slovakia because the OHL never started a several highlight-reel passes from his pal, and it’s clear they have a 2020-21 season, and that’s not exactly the typical place for a 17-year-old chemistry on the ice that takes years to build. Canadian to be in his draft year. Hughes has a huge profile because of his older brothers, but he missed the end of the season with a foot injury Here’s Eklund to Holtz for a pretty goal… and didn’t get nearly the international-event exposure that Jack and …and Holtz returning the favor to Eklund. Quinn got. Eklund did get to play a full season in Sweden but he also missed the world juniors, where he would have likely centered the top “William is my best friend,” Holtz said. “We have been best friends for a line next to Holtz, because of a COVID-19 diagnosis. long time. We were roommates with Djugrdens for every single road game, from U-18s to the men’s team, so we’ve spent a lot of time “You’re always looking for as much level of confidence in your picks in together. He’s a fantastic person and an incredible hockey player. He’s what is essentially a 17-year-old or early 18-year-old draft,” MacKinnon so smooth and such a good skater. Such a good passer and has a good said. “So if that can add anything, it’s helpful.” shot now too.” Holtz thinks Eklund can play center in the NHL. He’s played in the middle in the past, but spent more time on the wing as a 17-year-old playing in Sweden’s top division. If the right team picking in the top two or three also believes Eklund can be an effective NHL center, his offensive potential is immense.

Eklund also played in 43 games for Djugardens this year, close to a full season. Two of the top five forwards, Mason McTavish and Dylan Guenther, played 17 and 16 league games, respectively, plus seven in the U-18 world championships for Canada. While Mathew Berniers has crept into the mid-30s in games played because of international competitions, his Michigan teammate, Kent Johnson, had just 26 for the Wolverines.

Trying to piece all of this together and choose the right player won’t be easy for anyone, even if the Devils might have some inside intel on three of the best prospects in the class.

“It’s such a strange year because it’s probably going to amount to the most unequal kind of balance of viewings, if you’re talking to top 35 to 40 kids,” MacKinnon said. “Every staff tries to achieve an equilibrium in terms of live viewings, follow-up video viewings. It just wasn’t possible to do that across the board. You kind of have to extrapolate. I’ve always believed that fundamentally, what you’re doing is you’re identifying top talent, but really you’re building a draft list. That is the order that ultimately matters, right? Ordering this year’s draft list is probably going to be even more challenging than past years.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189233 New York Islanders

Islanders’ Mat Barzal isn’t ‘consumed’ by lack of production

By Mollie Walker June 2, 2021 | 6:17pm | Updated

When Barry Trotz took over as head coach of the Islanders in 2018, Mathew Barzal was 21 years old and about to embark on just his second full NHL season.

Back then, if the Isles star center was about to compete in his ninth playoff game of the season and still hadn’t scored a single goal — like he is currently — he may have gotten in his own head and been visibly frustrated with himself. But that was before he had three seasons under Trotz, who has worked to shape Barzal’s mentality and helped him mature over the years.

“He’s in a really good spot,” Trotz said Wednesday of the now 24-year- old Barzal. “Honestly, that’s what I think is the biggest growth in Barzy. … He’s not getting consumed by you guys asking him, ‘You haven’t scored.’ All he’s concerned about is, ‘Did I play well, did I do my job and did we win?’ Last game, he played well and we won a hockey game.

“That’s all that he’s concerned about, which is really a big growth on Mathew because early in his career, he felt that if he didn’t do something then the team couldn’t win. He’s realized he has to just be a contributing piece.”

Trotz has been pleased with Barzal’s contributions away from the puck through the first-round win over the Penguins and the first two games of the second-round series with the Bruins. He’s pointed out that Barzal, who has four assists in eight playoff games, has still been dangerous, effective in the hard areas and fighting for his inches.

Mat Barzal hasn’t scored so far this postseason.

The next step, according to Trotz, will be for Barzal to ask himself how he can find a way to get on the score sheet.

“Would I like him to produce a little bit more? Absolutely,’’ Trotz said. “But he will. He will, and he’s a proud player, he’s a good player, and I have a lot of trust in him that he’s going to be able to do that.”

Trotz said he expects to roll with the same lineup for Game 3 Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum, as rookie winger Oliver Wahlstrom continues to nurse a lower-body injury he sustained at the end of the Penguins series.

Both Wahlstrom and Michael Dal Colle, who has been scratched through the playoffs but “tweaked something” recently, have been skating and are still considered day-to-day.

Nassau Coliseum will host 12,000 fans for Game 3, which is as close to full capacity as the arena has gotten since before the pandemic.

“I think [the fans] know, bring it, we’re gonna need them,” Trotz said. “We’re gonna need every one of them just to get through this because we’re playing a very good hockey team. We want to do it for the area, for our fan base, for ourselves as an organization.”

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said he assumes second-line winger Craig Smith, who missed the first two games of the series with a lower-body injury, will be back in Boston’s lineup for Game 3.

New York Post LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189234 New York Islanders

Islanders turn blown Game 2 lead into valuable experience

By Mollie Walker June 2, 2021 | 3:06pm | Updated

When you’re a team that’s been a consistent playoff contender for the past three seasons, with players that have been jelling together for years, every new experience is of value.

That’s at least how head coach Barry Trotz likes to view the Islanders’ blown 3-1 lead in the third period of Game 2 Monday night, before their eventual 4-3 win over the Bruins in overtime.

In the moment, Trotz and the Islanders certainly would have preferred for a few of their opportunities to have found the back of the net to pad their lead even more. Defenseman Noah Dobson likely wishes he could’ve somehow gotten out of the way of screening goalie Semyon Varlamov from the Bruins’ ’s 3-2 score. And, no doubt, Josh Bailey would like to take back that too-many-men penalty he caused that led to Brad Marchand’s game-tying power-play goal.

But in a game of momentum swings against a feisty team like the Bruins, the push is expected and can’t always be contained. It’s how the Islanders responded that counts.

“I think you learn from all different experiences that you have in this league,” Matt Martin said after practice Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s Game 3 at Nassau Coliseum. “Ideally, you want to hang on to a 3-1 lead in the third period. We’ve done a pretty good job of that over the last three years since Trotz has been here. I liked our ability to reset and stay with and find a way to win a game.

Matt Martin and the Islanders found confidence in their reaction to Game 2 mistakes.

“It definitely builds confidence knowing that we have the group and we have a mature enough group to overcome any obstacles that come our way.”

In recent years, the Islanders have not been a team that blows two-goal leads often. During the regular season, according to More Hockey Stats, they only lost three games when leading by two goals at some point. And when leading by three, the Isles only lost one game.

In fact, they’re a club that can take a stranglehold on a game when sitting with a comfortable lead and just run out the clock.

What Monday’s series-tying overtime win proved to the Islanders was that they’re capable of overcoming a third-period breakdown. Trotz often lauds the Islanders’ team mentality, and it came through in overtime, when they controlled the pace before Casey Cizikas’ first playoff goal since 2015 secured the win and tied the series 1-1.

“I think it might have been one of the best things that happened to us [Monday] night was the fact that we did give up a 3-1 lead, and we did find a way to win at the end,’’ Trotz said. “Those are things that can help you more than, us winning, scoring on the breakaway, and then [Anthony] Beauvillier scoring and making it 5-1, and it’s not much of a game.

“The experience of being up 3-1, and then giving up those two goals, and being able to get your game back and finding a way to win that hockey game after all the momentum in that game shifted to Boston, that’s a better experience for our hockey team. And when guys look back, they’ll go bring up those experiences next time it happens to us.’’

New York Post LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189235 New York Islanders

Looks like Barry Trotz will stay with same Islanders lineup that won Game 2 vs. Bruins for return to Coliseum

By Andrew Gross

Barry Trotz doesn’t expect to tinker with his Islanders’ lineup for Thursday night’s Game 3 against the Bruins at Nassau Coliseum.

Wednesday’s practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow saw the same line combinations and defense pairings that Trotz used in Monday night’s 4-3 overtime win in Boston. Oliver Wahlstrom (lower body) and Michael Dal Colle did not practice with the main group on Wednesday and neither is ready to return.

"They’re both skating," Trotz said. "We’re going to go with the same lineup as we went the last game. But they’re getting closer."

Trotz did not specify a starting goalie but is expected to go back to Semyon Varlamov after he made 39 saves in Game 2.

The NHL’s call

Trotz mentioned before Game 2 that it was getting harder to communicate with his players on the bench with TD Garden — and the Coliseum — nearly back to full capacity. That task is even harder with Trotz wearing a mask, as per the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols.

Trotz was asked Wednesday whether that might change.

"It’s been brought up to the league," Trotz said. "I know they’re looking at it. It is getting harder. I’m watching games and the coaches are wearing chinstraps right now because the players can’t hear you. We’re yelling as hard as we can and, during the playoffs, the masks do muffle it a bit. When it’s time for us to take them off, the league will give us an indication. But it is a little tougher."

Bruins news

Right wing Craig Smith (lower body) is likely to return to the Bruins’ lineup for Game 3 after absorbing a heavy check from Cal Clutterbuck in Game 1. He practiced Wednesday…Goalie Tuukka Rask also practiced and is expected to start Game 3 despite some health concerns.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189236 New York Islanders taking the ice there with 12,000 people screaming their support guarantees nothing.

Performance is all that matters. In Game 3 against the Penguins, the Is home ice really an advantage in the NHL playoffs? Islanders left the ice after the second period to scattered boos.

The point is, the game is played on the ice, and if the noise is better for the vibe and the energy level – which it is – it arguably is better for both By Neil Best sides, especially seasoned teams such as these.

When Trotz was asked about having three of the five potential remaining games in the series at home, he said, "I think that both teams are pretty It would be absurd to suggest that nearly filling Nassau Coliseum with comfortable on the road in the playoffs." 12,000 fans on Thursday night is anything other than a good thing. Yup. It is a great thing, actually, for community morale, for business, for television optics, for . . . fun! Still, when Trotz recalls the playoff games in the bubble last season and the games in Canada still being played with few or no fans, he feels But what about the 20 people who matter most to Islanders fans for fortunate that things around here are mostly back to normal. Game 3 of a second-round playoff series against the Bruins – the Islanders themselves? He said the energy after a crucial play without fans in the building "dissipated right away. You score, great, and it’s like playing old-timers’ That is more complicated. Home ice in hockey long has been a mixed hockey. blessing, or maybe just a neutral factor. "You score a goal, everybody taps each other, you line up at center ice The NBA, this is not. and there’s no momentum. It’s an empty rink at midnight when you’re After Tuesday’s games, the NHL said 25 of the first 50 playoff games this playing old-timers." season had been won by the road team, which marked the sixth time in As he has done regularly, Trotz sought to keep the paying customers on the past 10 non-bubble years that that figure was at least 50%. his side. When prompted during a news conference about "mobilizing" This is the fourth time in the past five non-bubble playoffs that home the fans, he said this: teams have won 50% or fewer of the first 50 games. "Bring it. We’re going to need them. We need every one of them, just to That’s hockey, Suzyn. get through this, because we’re playing a very, very good hockey team. We want to do it for the area, we want to do it for the fan base, we want Unlike in the NBA, fans are separated from the action by a wall and to do it for ourselves as an organization. glass, and unlike in the NBA, officials’ calls tend to be less swayed by the emotions of the crowd. "So we’re going to need all their help, positive vibes, all the stuff that they can bring, the craziness that they can bring to the Coliseum. [I’m] Also, any given hockey game is more subject to randomness and luck absolutely mobilizing them." than in the NBA. Can’t hurt. Right? Islanders players uniformly have expressed excitement and gratitude for fan support as attendance levels at the Coliseum have risen, from 1,400 Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.03.2021 to 6,800 to 9,000 to 12,000.

The trick, though, is to channel that energy in a positive way and not get TOO amped up by it and lose focus.

As a professional party pooper, I tried my too-amped theory on Matt Martin after practice on Wednesday, and he did to that notion what he often does to opponents: He body-slammed it.

"I don’t think so," he said. "I think it’s all good. I think we have a veteran group, a pretty mature group. We’ve learned to keep our composure pretty well under Barry [Trotz], so I think we really feed off our fan base.

"They kind of push us through, give us the energy we need to beat a good team . . . Hopefully, they bring that same type of energy they brought in the first round, which I’m sure they will. This is what we play for. We love it. So, bring all the noise."

By all means. Again, games are more fun to play in and watch since the fans returned.

But remember: The Islanders repeatedly have said they feed off not only fans in their own building, but also the fans in road arenas in Pittsburgh and Boston.

"As a hockey player, you go into another team’s building and the crowd’s roaring and they’re going, it gets you amped up as well," Casey Cizikas said before Game 1 in Boston. "So it’s fun to play in another team’s building and kind of feed off that energy as well."

Said Kyle Palmieri, "It’s awesome to be back in a hostile atmosphere. That’s why we play. It’s exciting."

If that is so, then logically the Bruins also should be energized by the venom of opposing fans on Long Island.

And unlike, say, Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry, it is unlikely veteran Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask will be shaken by hearing Coliseum fans chant his name derisively.

It is a positive for the Islanders that they have been excellent at the Coliseum this season, fans or no fans, going 21-4-3. But again, just 1189237 New York Islanders

There are no mysteries between hard-working Islanders and Bruins on eve of Game 3

By Andrew Gross

Either the Islanders or the Bruins will have a 2-1 series lead after Thursday night’s Game 3 as Nassau Coliseum hosts a season-high 12,000 fans.

Attendance figure aside, that’s not necessarily earth-shaking news. But it is indicative this second-round series, predicted to be a close one with teams that play similarly hard-edged, defensively-structured games supported by superior goaltending, is going as expected.

No surprises remain after meeting eight times in the regular season.

"I think it’s gone pretty well the way we thought it would," Matt Martin said after Wednesday’s practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. "Us and them are built pretty similar overall. Even the crowds and the fan bases are similar in the type of atmosphere they bring. They’re blue-collar crowds for blue-collar teams in the way both teams work and get in on the forecheck. They’re a good team and we believe we’re a good team as well. Just got to keep finding ways to win."

So, it’s become a best-of-five for the right to advance to the NHL semifinals against either the Lightning or Hurricanes after the Islanders’ 4-3 overtime win in Monday night’s Game 2 at TD Garden, with three of those potential games at the Coliseum. The Islanders reached the Eastern Conference finals last season. The Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2019.

"We did what we needed to do in terms of stealing one of their home games," Martin said. "Now, we have an opportunity to play well in front of our fans and get wins. If we take care of business in our building, we’ll be able to move on to the conference finals. It’s a long road ahead. They’re a good team and not going to go away easily. It’s going to be a hard- fought battle to the end."

While Islanders coach Barry Trotz does not believe home-ice advantage will turn out to be a deciding factor in the series, he does have the last change for the next two games.

That will help him slightly in getting the matchups he wants on the ice.

Regardless of the personnel Trotz deploys, the Islanders’ priority remains keeping the Bruins’ top line of Patrice Bergeron between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak in check as much as possible. Pastrnak had a hat trick in the Bruins’ 5-2 win in Game 1 as that line combined for six points.

Bergeron and Marchand — who scored the third-period, power-play equalizer — both had goals as the Bruins erased the Islanders’ 3-1 lead after two periods in Game 2. But keeping the top trio to four points constituted an improved effort.

"That line is very dynamic and you’ve got to be aware when they’re on the ice and you’ve got to do a good job against them," said defenseman Ryan Pulock, who, along with top-pair partner Adam Pelech has drawn the bulk of the assignments against the Bruins’ top line.

"I thought we did a little better job against them in Game 2 than Game 1," Pulock said. "For us, we’ve got to keep getting better against those guys because that gives us more of a chance to be successful. It’s a big challenge. Having that role to try and shut them down is fun for me."

Game 3 will likely be determined on which team is most successful in its adjustments.

"It’s razor thin," Trotz said. "It’s important that we continue to build our game and just tweak our game in terms of some of our systematic things. You start playing Boston day after day here, line tendencies, individual tendencies come more to the forefront."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189238 New York Islanders success is meaningful, because they get a lot of the grunt work and don’t get the recognition.”

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021 Islanders ‘Identity Line’ Helping to Shape Team On and Off Ice

By Christian Arnold

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — When it comes to players associated with a team’s identity, it’s hard to find a closer correlation than Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck have with the New York Islanders brand.

Dubbed the identity line, their hard-nosed, gritty, blue-collar style of play has not only become the face of what Islanders hockey has come to mean, but it has endeared themselves to an entire fanbase. That love affair was only added on to on Monday night when Cizikas scored the game-winning goal in overtime to send the Islanders’ Second Round Series with the Boston Bruins back to Long Island tied 1-1.

Clutterbuck, Cizikas and Martin are not known for their offensive, even they would acknowledge that, and as a line, they’ve registered four points (two goals, two assists) combined through the first eight playoff games this year. It has been Clutterbuck who has found the back of the net among the three of them with two goals so far.

“We’re always pretty confident in ourselves in terms of what’s kind of expected of us out there,” Martin said after practice on Wednesday. “Generally we just want to get in on the forecheck, play with energy, be physical, be responsible on defense. Those things, but obviously scoring big goals is nice. I think that was an awesome moment for Casey. Scoring a big OT goal and he’s a heart and soul player for this team.”

CASEY CIZIKAS!

The #Isles win Game 2 in OVERTIME. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/UTixGDaH2o

— NHL on NBC Sports (@NHLonNBCSports) June 1, 2021

That label could just as easily be placed upon any of the three identity line mainstays. All three encompassed the heart and soul mentality through their physical play on the ice and their timely scoring when it seemed to count the most.

In the first round, Clutterbuck’s two goals came at crucial points in game 3 against Pittsburgh. His first goal pulled the New York Islanders within one and his second of the night tied the game at four.

And last year Matt Martin scored a career-high five playoff goals in the Islanders run to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, it’s the work away from the puck that truly makes the identity line what it is.

“He does a lot of the dirty work that I think the fans appreciate but he doesn’t always get the credit for,” Martin said about Cizikas. “In terms of blocking shots and faceoffs and big plays on the penalty kill, and the job he does defensively against team’s top lines.”

As three of the longer-tenured Islanders on the ice, their mark has extended well beyond the ice. The three often receive some of the loudest ovations when they’ve been introduced at the Nassau Coliseum.

And they’re sure to get a hero’s welcome if they’re given the task of starting on Thursday for Game 3 in front of a nearly full Coliseum crowd.

“We’re going to need all of their help (fans), all of their positive vibes, the craziness they can bring to the Coliseum.”

Barry Trotz pic.twitter.com/u3vE7OIezm

— x – New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) June 2, 2021

“There’s nothing better in life than knowing you count for something,” New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said. “Knowing that you’re a piece of something very important and the identity line when you have success and you have that identity. It’s easy to like the guys that work and give you everything every day. That’s the easy part in terms of liking those guys because you know they’re giving you every ounce of everything they have.

“But to do it night in and night it is the hard part and they have. … The identity they give us they do it night it in and night out. For them to have 1189239 New York Islanders

Trotz: Islanders Likely to Go with Same Lineup in Game 3

By Christian Arnold

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — Don’t expect any changes to the New York Islanders lineup on Thursday, at least that was what head coach Barry Trotz was trying to convey following the team’s practice on Wednesday.

The Islanders’ lines were the same at practice as they had been in Game 1 and Game 2 against the Boston Bruins. All three goaltenders also practiced on Wednesday at Northwell Health Ice Center.

Oliver Wahlstrom did not skate with the main group at the Islanders suburban Long Island practice facility, but Trotz did say he skated on his own. The Isles rookie has missed the last three playoff games after being hit awkwardly into the boards in Game 5 of the First Round.

“They’re still day-to-day,” Trotz said, while also addressing the injury to Michael Dal Colle. “I think we’re going to go with the same lineup as last game. They’re getting closer, but they’re still day-to-day.”

Dal Colle is dealing with an undisclosed injury, but he had not appeared in any postseason games during the First Round or Second Round so far. Wahlstrom had played in the first five games of the New York Islanders series with the Pittsburgh Penguins before he was hurt in Game 5.

The New York Islanders and Boston are currently even 1-1 as the series shifts to Long Island for Game 3 at the Nassau Coliseum. The puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

New York is 6-1-0 in the playoffs at the Nassau Coliseum under Trotz.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189240 New York Rangers

Rangers unlucky in lottery, will have No. 15 pick in this year's NHL draft

By Colin Stephenson

The Rangers didn't have any good fortune on Wednesday the way they did in the previous two NHL draft lotteries.

Instead, the Rangers will remain in the 15th spot in the selection order for the July 23-24 draft, and the Buffalo Sabres, who had the worst record in the league in 2021, will have the first pick overall.

The expansion Seattle Kraken, who will begin play as the NHL’s 32nd franchise in the 2021-22 season, began the night in the third position in the drafting order and moved up one spot, to No. 2 overall. The Anaheim Ducks dropped one spot, to No. 3 overall. The Devils will pick fourth.

The Sabres, who were 15-34-7 in 2020-21, had a 16.6% chance to retain the No. 1 spot. It will be the second time in the last four seasons that they have the No. 1 pick. In 2018, they had the first pick overall and took defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. This year, the player who most expect to be the first pick is also a defenseman, 6-5, 214-pounder Owen Power, of Missisauga, Ontario, and the University of Michigan.

Seattle had a 10.3% chance to move up from the third position. The Rangers, who were 27-23-6 on the season, had a 1.0% chance to win the first overall pick.

Two years ago, in 2019, the Rangers moved up to the second overall spot, and drafted Finnish forward Kaapo Kakko. Last year, when the NHL took 24 teams to its 2020 re-start in the Toronto and Edmonton bubbles, the league held a first-phase lottery for the seven teams who did not make it to the bubbles, and a placeholder representing the eight teams who would lose in the preliminary round of the postseason. The placeholder ended up winning, which necessitated a second lottery among the eight preliminary-round losers. The Rangers won that one, and chose French-Canadian forward Alexis Lafreniere.

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1189241 Ottawa Senators organization has made steps in the right direction and is now focused on making the playoffs in the near future.

Dorion was on hand at a room in the rink waiting to see the results, and After lottery balls drop, Ottawa Senators stay in No. 10 spot for NHL draft this one didn’t have the drama because the odds were slim the club would make a move.

The Senators used the No. 3 overall selection in the 2020 NHL draft in Bruce Garrioch October to take forward Tim Stuetzle of Mannheim in the German league and then selected defenceman Jake Sanderson at No. 5 from the Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 University of North Dakota. Stuetzle had a strong rookie season while the 18-year-old Sanderson spent his first year in school.

The Ottawa Senators finished the draft lottery where they started Dorion offered Sanderson the opportunity to come out of school to join Wednesday night. the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville on a pro tryout after UND wrapped up its season in March, but he opted to stay in Grand Forks for one more The Senators didn’t move up or back when the lottery results were season. The expectation is Sanderson, a highly-skilled blueliner who will revealed on Hockey Night in Canada and, as a result, general manager most certainly play in the top four, will join the club at the end of the Pierre Dorion, chief scout Trent Mann and the rest of the hockey season. operations staff can now prepare to make the No. 10 selection. Of course, Dorion will study every option. Teams will call him to see if The Senators went into the lottery with the 10th-best odds, with a 4.5 per they can move up and if the pot is sweetened sure he’ll think about cent chance of winning the No. 1 overall selection and a 9.3 per cent moving back. The Senators have plenty of defensive prospects, but it opportunity at getting the No. 2 selection. The Buffalo Sabres (16.6), wouldn’t be any surprise if they decided to go with a forward in this draft, Anaheim Ducks (12.1) and expansion Seattle Kraken (12.1) had the best but that decision hardly needs to be made now. odds to land the No. 1 pick when the drawing was done at the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, N.J.

The Sabres won the lottery while the Kraken moved up to No. 2, and Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 Anaheim will have the third selection.

Dorion was pleased with where the ball dropped for the Senators. TSN’s director of scouting Craig Button had the likes of Djurgarden centre William Eklund, winger Zachary L’Heureux of Halifax, Russian centre Fedor Svechkov and Kent Johnson of Michigan ranked close to where Ottawa will select.

“This is a good draft. Our scouts, and the organization, are looking forward to selecting a player at 10th overall,” Dorion said after the results were announced. “We know we’re going to get a good player that’s going to help us have a long, successful run for years to come.”

The Senators believe they’re going to get someone who may be able to help them down the road.

“With the 10th overall pick, we feel we’re going to get a quality player, an impact player, that will definitely be able to help us win,” said Dorion. “Someone that’s going to be able to jump into our lineup, hopefully, in the next few years. It will be interesting to see who the first nine players are that go, but we feel we’re going to get a good one at No. 10.”

The lottery only determined the order of selection for the first 15 picks, which will be held virtually July 23-24, and the rest is determined by the outcome of the playoffs. This year was the first year there was only two separate lotteries to determine the No. 1 and No. 2 selections. In the past, there has been three so that hurt Ottawa’s chances of moving up.

That was done so that the team that finished with the worst record, in this case the Sabres, could fall no further than No. 3.

However, only 31 teams will make selections in the first round of the draft because the Arizona Coyotes forfeited their first-round pick as a result of scouting violations. They were still in the draw, but if, by chance, they won the lottery to move up to No. 1 or No. 2 then the league would simply have held a re-draw.

The preparation for this draft hasn’t been easy for NHL teams. The Ontario Hockey League never did start its season while the QMJHL and WHL both provided limited viewings. A lot of scouts attended the IIHF under-18 tournament in Texas last month where most of the draft-eligible players from North America and Europe were on hand.

Dorion said the Senators have been doing their homework.

“The preparations this year have definitely been different compared to other years,” said Dorion. “This year, obviously, the OHL didn’t have a chance to play. Our scouts watched a lot of video, they attended a lot of tournaments they could attend and we feel we’re going to be well prepared when the draft comes around July 23-24.”

Last year, Senators owner Eugene Melnyk and Dorion spent draft lottery night physically distanced in a ball room at the Canadian Tire Centre. This time, it felt like the lottery was a bit of an afterthought because the 1189242 Philadelphia Flyers

Donna Ashbee, wife of former Flyer Barry Ashbee, dies at 82

Gary Miles

Donna Ashbee, 82, of Glen Mills, the widow of former Flyers defenseman Barry Ashbee and a constant for many years at the team’s games and annual Flyers Wives Carnival charity event, died suddenly Monday, May 31, at home of what the family said was a cardiac event. The official cause of death is pending.

Mrs. Ashbee was married to Barry Ashbee, a former star defenseman and assistant coach with the Flyers who died of leukemia in 1977. The Barry Ashbee Trophy is awarded each year to the Flyers’ best defenseman in voting by local media, and Mrs. Ashbee often personally presented the trophy to the selected player.

“She loved hockey and the Flyers, and the whole family atmosphere around the team,” said her daughter, Heather Oehler.

The Flyers alumni association said on Twitter, “Donna was a wonderful person, and will be missed by all.”

In 2002, Mrs. Ashbee told The Inquirer that she met her husband when they were high school juniors in their hometown of Weston, Ontario, Canada. They lived in Hershey, Pa., while Barry played minor-league hockey and moved to the Rose Tree-Media area in Delaware County in 1970 when he joined the Flyers.

“We were in Hershey for eight years and loved it, and came here and also really loved it,” Mrs. Ashbee said in 2002. “It has been such a great experience being involved with the Flyers. The whole Flyers organization has been great to me and my family.”

Before her retirement, Mrs. Ashbee lived in Newtown Square, worked for the law firm of Riley Riper Hollin & Colagreco, and volunteered at Riddle Memorial Hospital. She moved to Maris Grove in Glen Mills six years ago.

Mrs. Ashbee was often part of the annual Flyers Wives Carnival, one of the region’s most successful and popular charity fundraisers, and she often brought her children and grandchildren to the arena to participate.

“She was active all these years, and always wanted to help,” said Joe Kadlec, a former Flyers executive.

In 2007, Mrs. Ashbee spoke of how the carnival kept her family close to the team. A portion of the proceeds each year are awarded to cancer and blood diseases research dedicated to her husband’s memory.

“Having Barry’s name attached to the success of this carnival is very important to me because my children, and now my grandchildren, can be a part [of the carnival],” she said. “My grandchildren learn something new or hear something they haven’t heard before each time the event rolls around. The older they get the more it means to them.”

In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Ashbee is survived by son Daniel, sister Beverly Bradstock, two grandchildren, and other relatives.

Funeral service and interment is to be later at Glendale Memorial Gardens, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.

Donations in her name may be made to the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, 3601 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19148.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189243 Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers will pick 13th in this year’s NHL draft, during a crucial offseason for the franchise

Mike Sielski

The Flyers will have the No. 13 pick in this year’s NHL draft, as determined by the league’s lottery Wednesday night, an unsurprising outcome given that they had just a scant chance of coming away with the first-overall selection.

The pick will be the Flyers’ highest since 2017, when, like Wednesday, they were likely to get the 13th pick. But at that lottery, they moved to No. 2, where they drafted Nolan Patrick. This time, entering with a 1.8% chance of getting the No. 1 pick, they stayed where the odds said they would. Draft prognosticators and experts have suggested that forward Mason McTavish of the Swiss League, center Kent Johnson from the University of Michigan, and center Chaz Lucius of the University of Minnesota are among the players who could be available at No. 13.

“”It’s a high pick; it’s a deep draft,” Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Wednesday. “I think our scouts are confident there will be a wide range of good hockey players available.”

The Buffalo Sabres, who had the NHL’s worst record in 2020-21, won the lottery and will have the draft’s first pick. Defenseman Owen Power, one of Johnson’s teammates at Michigan, is likely to go first. The draft will be held Friday-Saturday, July 23-24, in Secaucus, N.J.

The lottery’s result Wednesday delivered a bit more clarity to what promises to be as intriguing and consequential an offseason for the Flyers in years. After coming within one victory of reaching the Eastern Conference Final during the pandemic-truncated 2019-20 season, they finished sixth in the revamped, eight-team East Division in 2020-21 and missed the playoffs for the fifth time in the last nine years.

With the Seattle Kraken, who will have the second-overall pick, joining the NHL next season, the league’s expansion draft on July 21 will likely lead to the departure of a key veteran from the Flyers’ roster – a development that would put more pressure on the Flyers’ young players to improve their play. During his end-of-the-season media availability, Fletcher noted that, with the exception of forward Joel Farabee, who is 21 and led the team in goals with 20, too many of those less-experienced players plateaued or regressed this season.

“That’s a big concern for me,” Fletcher said. “Since 2014, this franchise has put a lot of time and effort into drafting and developing young players. Frankly, for us to take a step forward, we’re going to need that group of players to take on a bigger role, play better, and help us win games. We’re going to have to look outside the organization, but certainly it’s difficult to replace the whole team. You’re going to need your young players to take a step and be better.”

The notion that the Flyers’ first-round draft choice would step in immediately to help, however, is a long shot at best. Over the Flyers’ last three drafts, Farabee – a first-round pick in 2018 – is the only player to have made any significant contributions so far. He’s also one of just two players in those three drafts to have suited up for the Flyers at all. Defenseman Cam York, the team’s first-round pick in 2019, is the other, and he appeared in three games late last season.

Other recent drafts have not yielded the dividends that the Flyers would have hoped, either. German Rubtsov, the 22nd-overall pick in 2016, has played just four games for the team because of various injuries. In the 2017 draft, the Flyers took Patrick at No. 2, then acquired two first-round picks from the St. Louis Blues, using one of those picks to select Morgan Frost at No. 27. But injuries have hampered both players, and Patrick, when in the lineup, has not been especially productive, collecting 30 goals and 70 points in 197 games.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189244 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers center Kevin Hayes is expected to recover by training camp after recent core muscle surgery

Ed Barkowitz

Flyers center Kevin Hayes had core muscle surgery last week and will be off his skates for about a month, the Flyers announced.

Hayes, who turned 29 on May 8, had 12 goals in 55 games but just one in the season’s final 21 as the Flyers stumbled out of the playoff race.

Initial prognosis following the procedure, performed by a renowned doctor, William Meyers of the Vincera Institute, has a five-week recovery time. That would leave Hayes plenty of time to hit September training camp in top form.

Hayes will be entering his third season for the Flyers. He was one of the club’s best players in 2019-20, posting 23 goals in 69 games, including an NHL-best four shorthanded tallies.

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Hayes has successful offseason surgery

BY JORDAN HALL

The procedure, which was performed by the renowned Dr. William Meyers, will require an expected five-week recovery. The Flyers will open training camp at some point in September ahead of the 2021-22 season.

This season, Hayes had 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists), a minus-2 rating and 127 shots (second on the team) over 55 games this season. Last season, Hayes had 32 points (17 goals, 15 assists), a minus-11 rating and 136 shots through 55 games. He finished 2019-20 with 41 points and was on pace to break his career high of 25 goals (he had 23 in 69 games) before the season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2020-21, as the Flyers surrendered the NHL's most goals per game at 3.52, the 29-year-old Hayes admitted he wasn't pleased with his defensive consistency. One would think the hernia issue started to hinder his game, although Hayes didn't pin anything on the injury.

"I just think it was kind of a mix of everything, the type of season the team had, the type of season the league had, a bunch of different factors," Hayes said last month at his end-of-the-season press conference. "I felt like my first year in Philly was amazing, it was a great start to my career here, and this year was kind of a little hiccup, not the way I wanted it to go obviously. I want to be a guy that's relied on every single night and a guy that plays the right way, 200-foot game. This year, I can't honestly say that that was the case. I'm kind of going to get away from the rink for a little bit and then get back after I feel better. Get back to work and start working toward next season."

Hayes will be entering his third season with the Flyers, who are aiming for a return to the playoffs after falling short of expectations in 2020-21.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189246 Pittsburgh Penguins as pretty much every guy does. You learn from it, and you get better. We’re confident that Tristan is going to get better.”

• Hextall lauded the coaching staff but stopped short of saying if it would Penguins GM Ron Hextall: 'If we go into the next season with this group, return intact going into the 2021-22 campaign: we’re comfortable' “We were very pleased with our coaching staff,” Hextall said. “Having five of your top nine forwards out and continuing to find ways to win is hats off to the coaches and certainly to the players. It was a tough year. I’d be SETH RORABAUGH remiss if I didn’t mention the challenges with (covid-19). Our entire staff, not just the players and the coaches, but our entire staff I think did a Wednesday, June 2, 2021 4:34 p.m. terrific job. … It was a challenging year for everybody. The way we lost in the playoffs obviously leaves a sour taste in your mouth. But there were a lot of positives that happened this year for our club and for the Penguins general manager Ron Hextall looks on during a morning skate organization.” Thursday May 20, 2021 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. • The future of the “core” — i.e. forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang — appears to be safe going into next season, though As a goaltender with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1980s and 1990s, Hextall declined to get into specifics when asked about potential contract Ron Hextall was often furious. If you dared cross him or a teammate, he extensions for Malkin and Letang, each of whom are entering the final would unleash something ferocious upon you, usually in the form of a year of their current deals: slash to the ankle or a punch to the face. “Those are discussions that are certainly ongoing within our staff,” Hextall As a general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2021, Hextall seems said. “I’m not necessarily eager to discuss them right now. But we see a anything but furious, at least publicly, in the aftermath of his team’s future with this core. These guys have been here a long time. We had a underwhelming first-round exit at the hands of the New York Islanders. good year. It certainly didn’t give me pause to think, ‘What we should do with this core?’ I think we were fifth in the league (overall). Most of our Making his first public comments Wednesday, a week after his team was goals against, goals for, all those types of numbers were good. So it eliminated, Hextall was very calculated if not contemplative. wasn’t a fluke. I expect to have these guys back next year for sure.” Unlike his predecessor, Jim Rutherford, who pilloried his roster by • Hextall acknowledged the realities of the expansion draft and the flat outright questioning the desire or drive of players following opening- salary cap but did not offer many specifics: round losses in 2019 and ’20, Hextall expressed quite a bit of satisfaction with a team that won the East Division during the regular season but only “They’re going to be big factors for sure,” Hextall said. “Trying to figure could claim victory in two postseason contests. out what’s going to happen in expansion is a tough thing. We don’t have our list finalized yet and, obviously, I wouldn’t necessarily share that (with “Liked a lot of the things from our team this year,” Hextall said via video media) anyway. But we’ve got ideas on it. What Seattle will do, I don’t conference. “Our resiliency, through a lot of injuries — I think we had five have a real good idea and probably won’t until it actually happens. The of our top nine forwards out at the same time — and our guys battled flat cap is going to be a challenge for us for sure. (Forwards Teddy through. There were times, I know a lot of people had us dead to rights Blueger and Zach Aston-Reese) are restricted free agents, and (we are) because of our lineup. We found a way to win. There’s a special drive to trying to project those numbers. We’ve got some work to do here for this group and a chemistry that we like. We do believe that we’ll do sure, and we’ve got our challenges.” everything we can to get better this summer at every position. We’ll see what comes our way. • Unlike in the 2017 expansion draft when the Penguins, under Rutherford, reached an agreement with the Vegas Golden Knights to “Our goal next year is to come back and to make the playoffs and select goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury by trading a 2020 second-round hopefully go on a run.” pick to Vegas, Hextall suggested the Penguins will not steer the Kraken How the Penguins accomplish that endeavor remains to be seen as they to any incumbent players on their roster by offering any future assets. have some considerable challenges to deal with this offseason. Namely, “We’re going to probably lose a pretty good player,” Hextall said. “Rather how do they manage their roster with an expansion draft for the Seattle than give up a couple of assets to try to keep, I think we’ll probably lose a Kraken franchise while also trying to remain compliant with the NHL’s flat pretty good player. I’m speculating there, obviously. Who knows what will salary cap figure of $81.5 million? come along? But right at this point, I’d say we’ll just lose a player.” Hextall addressed those issues as well as a number of other subjects • Hextall was asked if there was a difference in what kind of roster is Wednesday. necessary for success in the regular season compared to the • First and foremost, Hextall offered a hearty endorsement of postseason: beleaguered starting goaltender Tristan Jarry. “It’s something to think about right now. The standard, I think, has gone In six games this postseason, Jarry had a bloated 3.18 goals-against up in terms of what is and what isn’t a penalty since the playoffs started. average and a wretched .888 save percentage. A puck-handling error in It’s something that you can’t just ignore. The biggest thing in the playoffs the second overtime period of Game 5 led to the winning goal by is you’ve got to have a team that’s willing to play through. There’s going Islanders forward Josh Bailey, and Jarry simply looked overwhelmed to be teams that want to play physical and run you because they feel like during Game 6 as he allowed five goals on 24 shots. that’s the only way they can beat you. You’ve got to have players that are willing to play through that. Quite honestly, I think we showed that in the Regardless, Hextall professed confidence in the 26-year-old. first round, that we have a lot of players that are willing to play through “We do feel like Tristan did a good job for us this year,” Hextall said. the hard stuff, the hooks and the holds and the interference and the hits, “From the time that (president of hockey operations Brian Burke) and I guys leaning on you. So for the most part, I thought we did pretty good. came in mid-February there to the end of the year, we had very good It’s a fair question. If we can add a little bit of size to help with that, we goaltending from both guys (including backup Casey DeSmith). would.” Obviously, we saw what happened in Game 5, an unfortunate error • Averaging 6-foot-1 and 194 pounds, the Penguins had the second- there. And then Game 6 wasn’t the best. But I think we wouldn’t have smallest roster of any team in the postseason season this spring. Hextall been where we were without Tristan. spoke to a desire of adding some size or toughness to his NHL roster:

• A 13-year veteran as an All-Star goaltender in the NHL, Hextall offered “The standard for a player to be able to play in your top-12 forwards has perspective on Jarry’s career following his first season as a full-time gone way up. So there’s not a lot of guys that have enough skill, skate starter: well enough and also bring that other element. So there’s just not a lot of “We all have to remember, Tristan is a young player,” Hextall said. “He’s it around. It is in demand. The (teams) that have those top guys are going to learn from this, and he’s going to come back better in certainly not going to part with them. It’s a tough thing to find. If we can September. We all learn lessons in life. If you’re going to be a goaltender find it and the price is reasonable and we can fit it in our cap, we’ll in this league for a long time, you’re going to have your ups and downs certainly do it. But as I said, we’re comfortable with our team. We had a real good regular season and played well in the playoffs. Again, that doesn’t mean we won’t look to get better. We always look to get better. If we can find ways to tweak things and get better, we will.

“Would we like to have a little bit of size? Of course, we’d like to add a little bit of size. A little bit of toughness? Yes. It would be nice. But there’s not a lot out there. We’ll look at what’s there this summer, we’ll make adjustments. But if we go into the next season with this group, we’re comfortable.”

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Penguins captain Sidney Crosby named finalist for Ted Lindsay Award

SETH RORABAUGH

Wednesday, June 2, 2021 11:52 a.m.

In 55 games this past season, forward Sidney Crosby led the Penguins with 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists).

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award.

The honor recognizes “the most outstanding player in the NHL,” during the regular season as voted by fellow members of the National Hockey League’s Players’ Association (NHLPA).

During the 2020-21 campaign, Crosby led the Penguins with 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists) in 55 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid were also named finalists.

The winners of all the NHL’s individual awards will be announced during the Stanley Cup Final in July with the exact date still to be determined.

The center has won this award three times during his career, including when it was formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award (2006-07, 2012-13 and 2013-14).

The only players to win it more often are members Wayne Gretzky (five times) and Mario Lemieux (four times).

In addition to Crosby and Lemieux, forward Jaromir Jagr won this award twice as a member of the Penguins.

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Minor league report: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins sign forward Shaw Boomhower

SETH RORABAUGH

Wednesday, June 2, 2021 10:54 a.m.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed forward Shane Boomhower to a one-year American Hockey League (AHL) contract for the 2021-22 season.

A native of Bellville, Ont., Boomhower, 22, did not play during the 2020- 21 season. During the 2019-20 campaign he primarily played for the of the ECHL, appearing in 23 games and recording seven points (four goals, three assists) as well as 86 penalty minutes.

Boomhower (6-foot, 215 pounds) made his AHL debut in 2019-20 with the , playing in two games with no points and seven penalty minutes.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189249 Pittsburgh Penguins But he benefited greatly from skating with Crosby, as any winger obviously would. He is unlikely to produce elsewhere like he has with Pittsburgh. Whoever takes his place on Crosby’s flank would probably see his numbers increase. Mark Madden: The Penguins need change, and trading Jake Guentzel would likely provide big return If Guentzel is swapped, judge the deal by fit. Not just prior stats.

Guentzel has played every game possible in three of his five NHL seasons, including the one recently completed. But his slight frame is MARK MADDEN doubtless absorbing cumulative wear and tear.

Wednesday, June 2, 2021 9:59 a.m. I am not campaigning to trade Guentzel.

I am campaigning for significant change.

The Penguins’ Jake Guentzel tries a wrap-around on Islanders If the coach, core three and goaltender all return, what options remain in goaltender Ilya Sorokin in the third period during Game 4 on Saturday, that regard? May 22, 2021, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. I’d rather trade Bryan Rust or (especially) Jason Zucker. The latter hasn’t Mike Sullivan will reportedly be back as Penguins coach. fit despite his skill set indicating that he should.

It’s a good bet the core three will return. Sidney Crosby will never leave But Guentzel would be in bigger demand, would bring bigger return and unless he asks out. Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin are entering the final is the exact stereotype of the player the Penguins have too many of. year of their contracts. Tickets can (and need to be) sold next season, so deciding on Letang and Malkin will be put off for a year. If/when they depart via free agency, blame can be placed on them. It’s better PR that Tribune Review LOADED: 06.03.2021 way.

Goaltender Tristan Jarry should be ditched. But that’s much easier said than done. The NHL’s GMs saw what happened. They all own TVs. Who would take him?

So how is meaningful change effected?

It probably won’t be.

But the main goal of GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke figures to be making the roster more balanced by way of going bigger and heavier.

The Penguins have a good team. But they have way too many of the same type of player: fast, skilled and small.

The New York Islanders’ physical dominance took advantage of the Penguins’ imbalance in their first-round playoff series.

A big move in correcting that imbalance might be trading winger Jake Guentzel.

It could be a deal akin to what then-GM Jim Rutherford did in 2014 when he sent James Neal to Nashville for Patric Hornqvist. Neal was more skilled, but Hornqvist’s size and grit provided something the Penguins didn’t have enough of — and don’t now, either.

Guentzel is a tremendous player. He might be Crosby’s best linemate ever.

But he has three goals in his last 14 playoff games. The Penguins won just three of those.

Guentzel can’t adjust to the physicality of current postseason hockey, which keeps trending bigger. Guentzel is lucky the medical staff didn’t have to scrape him off the ice with a coal shovel following that series against the Islanders.

Guentzel has guts. That often gets him battered.

As his tenure in Pittsburgh progressed, Hornqvist grew too slow through the neutral zone to skate a regular shift with Crosby.

But perhaps Hornqvist should have, anyway, because Hornqvist took much of the physical burden away from Crosby while forcing that line to play down low more. Crosby may be the NHL’s best player ever below the hash marks, but he does it less as he ages. He prefers to attack mostly off the rush. Against the Islanders, his line stayed on the perimeter too much.

It’s time for Crosby to get a Hornqvist-type linemate again.

Those aren’t easy to come by.

Guentzel would be a loss. He’s just 26 and carries a relatively affordable cap hit of $6 million.

But the Penguins can’t stand pat.

Guentzel isn’t a Crosby creation, per se. 1189250 Pittsburgh Penguins time to fundraise for themselves to keep the programs alive. There was no warning or opportunity to push for donations.

At this point on the calendar — more than two months after their seasons Trustee chair: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert tried to save Robert Morris have ended — if the school has already said the teams are dead, current hockey, and Penguins are willing to help players need to look at transferring to find new places to play. Coaches need to find new jobs.

Those on the team can’t wait through a protracted process of donors TIM BENZ potentially buying the Island Sports Center and making plans to improve it, let alone the school establishing whatever the parameters would be to Wednesday, June 2, 2021 6:20 a.m. endow the program.

One of the main concerns expressed by those associated with both Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert was among those programs is that Howard is constantly putting forth a wide set of numbers who “emotionally” appealed to keep the hockey for what needs to be raised to make the program solvent. At various teams alive, but his pitch ultimately fell on deaf ears. Now the Pittsburgh times, he has said $10 million to keep the program going, $20 million to Penguins are willing to help resuscitate the programs. endow it and anywhere between $5 million and $30 million for building renovation, construction and/or lease of space. If that’s at all still possible. That’s not a really specific number to write for a goal on a charity car Those are just two details emerging from a 45-minute telephone call with wash sign in the parking lot at the Island Sports Center, is it? RMU board of trustees chair Morgan O’Brien. Now enter another high-ranking Pittsburgh sports executive, Penguins It was a conversation that made one thing ironically clear. The original President and CEO David Morehouse. Robert Morris is the man credited with financing the American Revolution. Yet the university that bears his name can’t figure out how to The Penguins have long been in conversations with Robert Morris about fund a pair of college hockey teams. being part of an expansion of the UPMC Sports Performance Complex. It’s a plan that would’ve required the Colonials to build their own locker Even when some of Pittsburgh’s most prominent sports executives are room with access to a new third sheet of ice in Cranberry. But the bill lending support. could’ve been paid down over time. And the ice time costs could’ve been roughly offset by the slots opened up at the Island Sports Center with the Speaking with “Breakfast with Benz” Tuesday evening, O’Brien gave his Colonials vacating all those practice times and game nights. version of events during a virtual board meeting the night the members decided to eliminate the programs. A meeting he says lasted two days Four people in the athletic department have informed me that Athletic between May 20-21. Director Chris King and men’s coach Derek Schooley were looking at artistic renderings as recently as the Frozen Four in April. According to O’Brien, university President Chris Howard spoke at the annual strategic planning meeting of the board, which goes through all Pens also blindsided by RMU hockey decision. Had been working with the different aspects of the school’s business plan for the upcoming year. RMU on 3rd Cranberry sheet to solve facilities issue (5 architect designs/financial models studied). Hopeful funding could be raised, Howard put forth his plan to the board, which included the elimination of solution achieved. Never asked to “save” program/no idea it needed to hockey, then left the room. According to Robert Morris’ website, 37 be saved. people are listed on the board. O’Brien believes roughly 30 were on the call. And he gave an opportunity for everyone to speak. He estimates Morehouse told the Trib on Wednesday that the Penguins were never “80-90%” of the board members supported Howard’s plan. aware the Colonials program was on the brink of insolvency.

University bylaws say a formal vote was not required because O’Brien “We are very disappointed that the only Division 1 program in Pittsburgh claims “a consensus” was reached. The board didn’t have to “approve” has eliminated men’s and women’s hockey,” Morehouse said. “We are Howard’s plan that night per se, but the near unanimity was a sign of especially concerned about the student-athletes that are impacted and support from the trustees for the plan. where they can go from here. We’ve always had a great relationship with RMU. We’ve hosted the Frozen Four twice in the last 10 years. We’ve Regardless, based on what O’Brien said, had a formal vote been taken, worked extensively with them on the feasibility of elevating their program. Howard’s plan would have been supported by a “vast majority.” We think it is important to have Division I hockey in Pittsburgh. We were “If it was close, I would’ve taken a tally,” O’Brien said. surprised when they eliminated Division I hockey.”

O’Brien’s account mirrors that of Howard, who spoke during virtual media O’Brien claims that he and Morehouse are close, a sentiment Morehouse availability Tuesday, when he referred to the count as a “straw poll.” echoed Wednesday. When O’Brien was at People’s Natural Gas as the president and CEO (he’s now with WATT Fuel Cell Corporation), he was After the straws were drawn, it was the RMU hockey teams that were left one of the people who wanted to partner with the Penguins. He pushed with the short end of the stick. to get that giant People’s flame outside of the Fifth Avenue entrance of One of those board members who argued against the elimination of the PPG Paints Arena. teams was Colbert — a 10-year board member and RMU graduate. O’Brien says Morehouse called him Tuesday morning to check about the News broke over Memorial Day weekend that Colbert resigned his post state of affairs with the programs. after the decision. “What he told me is that if something came to life, he would want to help I asked O’Brien if Colbert did so immediately upon seeing the results of us see if this could work. He wants to be helpful if something is real the straw poll. here,” O’Brien said. “He knows that if ever we need their help, we could “I don’t want to comment on Kevin,” O’Brien said. “You should talk to call on him.” Kevin about that. He’s too good of a friend of mine to put words in his Now would be a good time for O’Brien and Howard to call Morehouse. To mouth.” recap, you allegedly “need $5 million to $30 million” in building TribLive reached out to Colbert through the Steelers for comment over renovations. Plus “$10 million to $20 million” in cash for operating funds the holiday weekend and has yet to hear back. But O’Brien did say and endowments of the program. Colbert used his allotted time during the meeting to lobby for retaining the You’ve got the general manager of the Steelers and the president of the RMU hockey squads. Penguins trying to keep the teams alive. You’ve also got Murry Gunty of “To this day, I’m sure he thinks it was the right thing,” O’Brien said. “He’s Black Bear Sports Group — which specializes in buying and refurbishing such a good person. He holds a lot of people’s respect.” rinks — offering to get involved.

The biggest complaint from players on the rosters and supporters of the Maybe if you — what’s the phrase I’m looking for here? — “took a straw programs is that the timing of RMU’s announcement has given them no poll” of most people involved in sports in Pittsburgh, they’d tell you that’s a pretty good start toward saving your programs. But the “consensus” is, you’re running out of time.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189251 Pittsburgh Penguins “It’s easy to look back on the series we lost, and it’s so disappointing,” he said. “On the other hand, you do have to look at how you played. … I didn’t see a whole lot of holes in the playoffs that I feel like we have to fill. If we can get a little bit bigger and maybe a little bit of toughness, we ‘We see a future with this core’: Ron Hextall expects Evgeni Malkin, Kris would certainly look at that.” Letang to return next season He acknowledged the Penguins must consider whether the current roster and style, which has led to regular season success, can still get it done in the playoffs. Matt Vensel “It’s certainly something to think about right now,” he said. “The standard, 6/2/2021 I think, has gone up in terms of what is and what isn’t a penalty since the playoffs started. And it’s something that you can’t just ignore. But I think the biggest thing in the playoffs is you’ve got to have a team that’s willing Ron Hextall was considered a patient, calculated team builder during his to play through that.” tenure as the general manager in Philadelphia, which came to an end in 2018. He felt the Penguins attempted to fight through it against the Islanders. But, he reiterated, “if we can add a little bit of size to help with that, we Three years later, it does not sound like his approach has changed. would.” Certainly not after the Penguins impressed him with their resilience in 2021 and in his eyes “deserved” to win their first-round playoff series Other topics that the general manager touched upon Wednesday against the New York Islanders. included the team’s goaltending situation and its approach to the looming expansion draft. He declined to say if there will be changes among the Hextall on Wednesday confirmed that Mike Sullivan will remain behind assistants on Sullivan’s staff. the bench and said he does not envision massive personnel changes this offseason. He added that he intends to keep Evgeni Malkin and Kris Hextall suggested that Jarry, who was a flop in his first postseason as the Letang around. No. 1 goalie in Pittsburgh, will be back to at least share the net in 2021- 22. “We see a future with this core. These guys have been here a long time,” Hextall said during his postseason press conference, which took place “You saw what happened in Game 5, an unfortunate error there. And virtually. “We had a good year. It certainly didn’t give me pause to think then Game 6 wasn’t the best. But I don’t think we would have been about what we should do with this core. … I expect to have these guys where we were without Tristan, and we all have to remember Tristan is a back next year, for sure.” young player,” he said. “He’s going to learn from this and he’s going to come back better in September.” Malkin and Letang at 34 are both heading into the last year of their contracts. The Penguins are permitted to offer extensions to them this And he said a flat salary cap and the July 21 expansion draft will be offseason. Hextall said his staff is having “ongoing” discussions about factors in their decision making this offseason. However, he does not their respective situations. envision working out a side deal with the Seattle Kraken to entice them to select a particular player. Of course, contract negotiations can go awry, especially when they involve great players and franchise icons who are entering the twilight of “Rather than give up a couple of assets to try to keep [players], I think their careers. we’ll probably lose a pretty good player,” he said. “I’m speculating there, obviously. Who knows what will come along? But right at this point, I’d But if the core of Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Letang will be back in 2021- say we’ll just lose a player.” 22, it’s fair to wonder what else Hextall and new president of hockey operations Brian Burke can possibly do in one offseason to turn this into Two players who don’t appear to be going anywhere are Malkin and a Stanley Cup-caliber squad. Letang.

After all, the Penguins are 3-13 in their last 16 playoff games. They Some will question whether that is the right approach. Ditto for keeping haven’t won a playoff series since 2018. And they’ve lost their last four around the Cup-winning coach. But Hextall made it clear Wednesday that elimination games. he doesn’t believe the wrecking ball is needed in Pittsburgh. Just like the gambler who preceded him, the patient, new general manager appears Internal meetings, trying to hatch a perfect plan, are already underway. willing to bet on this core.

And, yes, Hextall confirmed that the offseason blueprint will include more “We’ve got some pretty special players. They’re obviously not in their 20s size and toughness. He said Sullivan is in alignment with the front office anymore, but they’re still playing at a high level,” Hextall said. “So we’ll on that. be in win-now mode, trying to balance giving away future [draft picks and prospects while] also trying to find ways to try to make our team a little bit That said, after observing the organization up close the last four months, better here and there.” Hextall sees a lot he already likes — depth, resilience, hard workers, speed and skill.

“Jimmy [Rutherford] did a really good job here,” Hextall said of his Post Gazette LOADED: 06.03.2021 predecessor. “Burkie and I inherited a very good team with obviously some top players but also a lot of really good support players. We’re excited about our group.”

And Hextall sees veteran leaders still driven to hoist the Stanley Cup again.

“The biggest thing I learned is probably the resiliency the group showed,” Hextall said. “Five out of [the top] nine forwards are out and we just continue to win. We wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Obviously, it starts with your top guys. But it also has to trickle down your lineup. And it did. We had a lot of guys step up.”

Hextall said the Penguins “deserved” to beat the Islanders in the first round.

He argued that had they gotten “a little bit of puck luck” in Game 5, they would have won in regulation. Instead, the Penguins lost in double overtime after Tristan Jarry’s puck-handling blunder. The Islanders then took Game 6 and the series. 1189252 Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby named a finalist (again) for the Ted Lindsay award

Matt Vensel

6/2/2021

Sidney Crosby is a finalist for the Ted Lindsay award, which goes the NHL’s “most outstanding player” as voted on by members of the NHL Players’ Association.

Crosby has won the Ted Lindsay award three times in his career, most recently in 2013-14, and is looking to become just the third NHL player to ever win the award four or more times. Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky accomplished that.

Crosby faces stiff competition for the award. The two other finalists are Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Toronto’s Auston Matthews. McDavid ran away with the scoring title, putting up 105 points in 56 games. Matthews, meanwhile, scored 41 goals, which was eight more than McDavid, the second guy on the list.

The winner will be announced at the 2021 NHL Awards ceremony sometime in the coming weeks. The exact date for that has not yet been revealed.

Crosby, 33, finished 10th in the NHL with 62 points and helped the Penguins win the stacked East Division despite the team’s injury woes throughout the season. He reached the 20-goal plateau for the 13th time in his career, surpassing Lemieux and teammate Evgeni Malkin for the most such seasons in team history.

Crosby could be in the mix for the Hart Trophy and Selke Trophy, too. The NHL will continue to reveal the finalists for all its major awards on a daily basis.

Post Gazette LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189253 Pittsburgh Penguins Hextall’s answer: “Those are discussions that are certainly ongoing within our staff. I’m not necessarily eager to discuss them right now. But we see a future with this core. These guys have been here for a long time. We had a good team. It didn’t give me pause to figure out what to do with this Yohe: Ron Hextall’s comments and what they tell us about the Penguins’ core. It wasn’t a fluke. I expect to have these guys back next year for future sure.”

Yohe analysis: I’ve been given no reason to believe the Penguins are going to consider trading Malkin or Letang, not with one year remaining By Josh Yohe on their deals and, thus, a less-than-ideal return to be expected in any Jun 2, 2021 such trade. The real question is whether either or both of the stars will be offered a new contract this summer. Hextall didn’t want to go there. I suspect the Penguins would ideally love to bring both back for two or three more years, but only if they’re willing to take substantially less The Penguins enjoyed a wonderful regular season, providing tangible money than in their current deals. evidence that their championship window isn’t closed. This is tricky because they are franchise icons. We’ll have more answers Of course, a fourth straight postseason series loss may suggest later in the summer, but there is every reason to believe they’ll finish their otherwise. contracts next season in Pittsburgh. Ron Hextall is the man in charge of altering the Penguins’ roster with 4. Are the Penguins going to be bigger and stronger come October? necessary championship pieces while not destroying the franchise’s future. The job is immense. Hextall’s response: “We’re excited about this group. Sid, Tanger, Geno, they’re not in their 20s anymore. But bringing Jeff Carter in and having a Hextall spoke with Pittsburgh reporters on Wednesday afternoon about deep team, a hardworking team, a skilled team, a fast team … would we the Penguins’ short- and long-term issues, a number of which were like to add a little bit of size? Of course we’d like to add some size and raised. toughness. There’s not a lot out there. We’ll make adjustments. But if we 1. Is Tristan Jarry capable of being a Stanley Cup goaltender? go into next season with this group, we’re comfortable with that.

Hextall’s response: “Tristan did a good job for us this year. We had very “There’s just not a lot of it (size and toughness) around anymore. The good goaltending from both (Jarry and Casey DeSmith) guys. Obviously, standard for a player to be able to play in your top 12 forwards has gone you saw what happened in Game 5, an unfortunate error there. Game 6 way up. There’s not a lot of guys that have enough skill, skate well wasn’t his best. We wouldn’t have been where we were without Tristan. enough and that bring that other element. There’s not a lot of it around. It We all have to remember that Tristan is a young player, he’s going to is in demand. Teams that have those top guys aren’t going to part with it. learn from this and he’s going to come back better from this in If we can find it and the price is reasonable, we’ll certainly do it. But we’re September. We all learn lessons in life. If you’re going to be a goaltender comfortable with our team. We had a real good regular season and in this league, you’re going to have your ups and downs as pretty much played well in the playoffs. That doesn’t mean we won’t look to get better. every guy does. You learn from it and get better. We’re confident Tristan We will.” is going to get better.” Yohe’s analysis: The Penguins are going to get bigger and tougher next Yohe’s analysis: Hextall handled this question about as delicately as season. That’s a guarantee. But how much? It sounds to me like there possible. The Penguins front office, from everything I’ve heard, isn’t quite are players the Penguins like on the open market or on the trade market as down on Jarry as fans are. That’s understandable. However, Hextall but that snatching such players will cost an arm and a leg. And a couple did say the Penguins want to “make ourselves better” at all positions this of skates. What will they be willing to give up to change the identity of the summer, which leaves the door open for the Penguins to do something team? That’s the question. bold at goaltender. 5. What have you learned about the expansion draft from past Best I can tell, the Penguins are still addressing the situation and experiences? considering all options, as they should be. Hextall’s response: “I was actually a GM at the time (in 2017). We did 2. Is Hextall happy with the coaching staff and will it be returning intact lose a player. It’s a tough one. Everyone has different assets, young next season? assets, older assets. Cap issues. I could see players being out there just because of the flat salary cap. We all learned our lessons from last time. Hextall’s response: “We’re (Hextall and Mike Sullivan) aligned. We’ve got My approach is that we’re probably going to lose a pretty good player. a really good team. I always mention Jimmy Rutherford when I say that Rather than give up a couple of assets, we’re probably going to lose a because he built the team. Jimmy did a very good job here. Burkie (Brian good player. That’s probably the way it’s going to be.” Burke) and I inherited a very good team. Top players. Really good support players. Yohe’s analysis: Smart answer. Many teams gave Vegas draft picks and other assets in 2017 just so they wouldn’t select a certain player in the “We were very pleased with our coaching staff. Having five of our top expansion draft. Everything about that whole process was a little sleazy, nine forwards out and continuing to find a way to win is hats off to the frankly. I like that Hextall isn’t willing to part with draft picks just to protect coaches. It was a tough year. Our entire staff did a terrific job. There certain players. Perhaps this is partially because he doesn’t have many were a lot of challenges in the hotels on the road and all the testing here assets to dangle Ron Francis’ way. But good for Hextall for not playing and whatnot. It was a challenging year for everybody. The way we lost in that game. the playoffs obviously leaves a sour taste in your mouth. There were a lot of positives with the club and the entire organization.” 6. When building a team, is there a difference between aiming for regular-season success and for postseason success? Yohe’s analysis: My sense is that Hextall, Burke and Sullivan are going to communicate a lot this summer and that they are on the same page. Hextall’s response: “That’s a great question and something we’ll debate Hextall and Burke want the Penguins to get bigger and tougher. We don’t every year. It’s something to think about right now. The standard has associate that kind of hockey with what Sullivan likes, but from what I’ve gone up in terms of what is and what isn’t a penalty in terms of the been told, Sullivan is perfectly fine with their vision. playoffs. You can’t just ignore it. The biggest thing in the playoffs is that you have to have a team that’s willing to play through things. Some One thing, though. Hextall didn’t answer the question regarding whether teams will play physical and run you because they think that’s how they his staff will return intact next season. I have to think Mike Buckley is in can beat you. Quite honestly, I think we showed in the first round that we hot water and I’m not convinced that Mike Vellucci shouldn’t be. Perhaps have a lot of players that are willing to play through the hard stuff, the he simply forgot to answer that portion of the question. But Hextall is interference, the hooks and the holds. I think we played through it. But if intelligent and answers what he wants to answer, so I’d stay tuned on we can add a little bit of size to get through that, we will. that one. “I don’t think there’s one thing I can point to. We could have won Game 5 3. Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have one year remaining on their in regulation by more than a goal or two. A little bit of puck luck. respective contracts. Are there plans for new contracts with them? Whatever. It could have been totally different. On the other hand, you have to look at how you played and whether you had shortcomings. Were we not able to play through the hooks and the holds and the interference? We were. I didn’t think there were a whole lot of holes in our game.

“There’s a special drive to this group and a chemistry that we like.”

Yohe’a analysis: Hextall spoke like a man who wasn’t going to make the wholesale changes that many expected after the final two games of the series against the Islanders. This is a very level-headed customer, which is a good attribute for a general manager. I still think he’s going to make some substantial moves this summer, but Hextall said all of the right things on Wednesday.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189254 Pittsburgh Penguins move. And Hextall admitted he, too, would like to add some of what many of you are clamoring for: Size.

Beef. Girth. Ill-intent. Hammers. Grinders. Size. Full Story: Hextall, Penguins Stay in Win-Now Mode; Expect Malkin, And it will be to deal with the obstruction, hooking, holding, tackling of the Letang Back lesser talented teams, which the NHL officials seemed to allow in the playoffs. Hextall saw that, too.

Published 12 hours ago on June 2, 2021 “That’s something to think about right now as the standard has gone up, in terms of what is and what isn’t a penalty since the playoffs started,” By Dan Kingerski Hextall admitted. “And it’s something that you can’t just ignore. But I think the biggest thing in the playoffs is you’ve got to have a team that’s willing

to play through it…” Bad news for Pittsburgh Penguins fans who want to see Evgeni Malkin or And yes, Hextall and Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan are Kris Letang in different uniforms next season, and good news for others, indeed on the same page. We can put that drama to rest, as well. including Letang, who want to stick around. “There’s going to be teams that want to play physical and run you Penguins general manager Ron Hextall was fairly definitive in his because they feel like that’s the only way that that they can beat you. season-ending press conference on Wednesday. Sorry, Letang and And you’ve got to have players that are willing to play through that,” Malkin detractors. The Penguins core will more than likely be back. Hextall continued. “And quite honestly, I think we showed that in the first “We see a future with this core, and these guys have been here a long round that we had a lot of players are willing to play through the hard time…We had a good year. (It) certainly didn’t give me pause to think stuff and the hooks and the holds and the interference.” about what we should do with this core,” Hextall said. “…Most of our But through it all, the goal will not change from this season. PHN gave goals-against, goals-for, all those types of numbers were all good. So it Hextall the “out” to admit he’s looking for balance or will take a wasn’t a fluke. So I expect to have all of these guys back next year, for conservative strategy, but the group sold Penguins brass on the depth of sure.” the lineup; Hextall mentioned several times that the Penguins won the One wonders if the answer would have been the same had the Penguins East Division despite missing five of their top-nine forwards. not dominated large portions of the series against the New York He’s not wrong. He also gave credit to former GM Jim Rutherford for Islanders. It’s no matter. The Penguins’ acquisition of Jeff Carter building the team. But it’s Carter who was the missing piece. So, don’t solidified the lineup for at least one more year, and the Penguins’ best cancel your PHN+ subscriptions just yet. You’ve got at least one more chance to win a Stanley Cup or simply make the playoffs will be to keep year of going for the Stanley Cup. the core + Carter intact. And, I can’t argue. The Pittsburgh Penguins are still too close to give up. It delays the inevitable, but it also gives the Penguins another fighting I’m in Denver covering the Avalanche-Golden Knights Round Two chance–if they get better goaltending in the playoffs from Tristan Jarry or series–the clash of the titans. Take my word for it: the Penguins could whoever is appointed the backup goalie. play with either of these teams. A few less soft goals come playoff time, “(We) saw what happened in Game 5, an unfortunate error there. And and the Penguins just might have been. then Game Six wasn’t the best, but I think we wouldn’t have been where “We’ve got some pretty special players that they’re obviously not in their we were without Tristan,” said Hextall. “And we all have to remember, 20s anymore, but they’re still playing at a high level,” said the GM. “So Tristan is a young player. He’s going to learn from this, and he’s going to we’ll be in win-now mode, trying to balance, giving away futures, come back better in September. So we all learn lessons in life. And if obviously, but also trying to find ways to try to make our team a little bit you’re going to be a goaltender in this league for a long time, you’re better here and there.” going to have your ups and downs as pretty much every guy does…” One more go? Yep. Hextall’s confidence in Jarry probably comes from experience as much as his management. After a brilliant rookie run to the Stanley Cup final in 1987, Hextall himself tanked in the following two playoff years, including being broken by Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1989. Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021 You may remember Hextall chasing Robby Brown with murderous intent in Game 5, but not remember that Hextall was benched for Game 7 of that series in favor of Ken Wregget, who slammed the door on the Penguins (before being a part of the Penguins 1992 Stanley Cup team).

If you didn’t read our chat with Robby Brown last summer, you missed out!

Hextall seemed to speak with confidence on Jarry, the return of the Penguins core, as well as his belief that he will not give up the Penguins’ second-round pick to Seattle to protect any of his players.

“My approach is that we’re going to probably lose a pretty good player and rather than give up a couple of assets to try to try to keep (players),” the GM said. “I think we’ll probably lose a pretty good player. I’m speculating there, obviously, who knows what will come along, but right at this point, I’d say we’ll just lose a player.”

PHN will examine the Kraken Expansion Draft as the weeks get closer, but Jared McCann, Brandon Tanev, Marcus Pettersson, and Jason Zucker are the prime potentials to be left twisting in the breeze for Seattle GM Ron Francis. The Penguins and the league learned their lesson after Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee fleeced everyone for additional compensation. Just imagine, the Penguins GM Jim Rutherford coughed up a second-round pick to make sure McPhee picked Marc- Andre Fleury.

Go ahead. Imagine Vegas NOT selecting the current Vezina trophy nominee.

So, with the core + Carter coming back, but the Penguins needing to find a way to improve their results, look for the secondary players to be on the 1189255 Pittsburgh Penguins point games, and finished second in goals (33), game-winning goals (11) and even-strength goals (24). He averaged the second-highest time on ice per game (22:09) of his career – fourth among NHL forwards. A two- time TLA recipient (2016-17, 2017-18), and now a four-time finalist (also Crosby Named One Of Three Finalists For Ted Lindsay Award 2018-19), McDavid is looking to become only the seventh player to receive the award three or more times (following Guy Lafleur, Wayne

Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby). Published 18 hours ago on June 2, 2021

By Shelly Anderson Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021

Who said the NHL has gone over completely to the young stars? Pittsburgh Penguins center and captain Sidney Crosby still has it, according to his league brethren, who have voted him one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award as “the most outstanding player.”

Crosby, 33, has won the award (originally dubbed the Lester Pearson Award) three times. The only players in NHL history to win it four times or more are Penguins Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux and all-time great Wayne Gretzky.

The finalists this year were announced Wednesday. The others are Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Toronto’s Auston Matthews, two of the top young stars in the league. McDavid is probably considered the favorite. There is no NHL awards show this year. The winners of the annual league awards will be announced during the semifinals and final of the playoffs, with the Lindsay Award winner announced during the final. Specific dates will come later.

A wrap-up of the three finalists’ accomplishments is below, but keep in mind that beyond the black-and-white numbers, Crosby was also a monster defensively this season and dominant all over the ice in helping the Penguins win the East Division. The voting for the award happened before the playoffs.

Here is the description of Crosby’s season from the Penguins’ news release:

Crosby finished the 2020-21 campaign ranked 10th in league scoring with a team-high 62 points (24G-38A) in 55 games, helping Pittsburgh to its 15th-consecutive postseason appearance – the longest active streak among North-American professional sports leagues.

The captain’s 1.13 points-per-game average was 11th highest in the NHL, as he averaged at least a point per game in each of his first 16 NHL seasons. Only Gretzky (19) has started his career with more consecutive point-per-game seasons, and only Gretzky (19) and Gordie Howe (17) have accomplished this feat more than Crosby.

Crosby also had the distinction of hitting the 20-goal plateau for the 13th time in his career, surpassing Mario Lemieux (12) and Evgeni Malkin (12) for the most 20-goal seasons in team history, while also leading the team in points for the 11th time in his career, tying him with Lemieux (11) for most such instances in franchise history.

And here are summaries on the other finalists from the NHL Players Association news release:

AUSTON MATTHEWS, Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthews played in 52 of Toronto’s 56 regular-season games to help the Maple Leafs secure first place in the North Division. The 23-year-old forward won his first “Rocket” Richard Trophy by leading the league in goals (41) – scoring eight more than any other player – to become the first Maple Leafs player in 75 years (Gaye Stewart, 1945-46) and the second American (Keith Tkachuk, 1996-97) to win the goal-scoring race. He led the league in even-strength goals (31), placed second in even- strength points (53), while he tied for fifth in the league in points (66) and power-play goals (10). Matthews topped the league in game-winning goals (12) and shots (222), and his career-high average time on ice (21:33) ranked fifth among NHL forwards. A first-time finalist for the TLA, Matthews is looking to become the first Maple Leafs player and second American (Patrick Kane, 2015-16) to receive the award.

CONNOR MCDAVID, Edmonton Oilers

McDavid played in all 56 of Edmonton’s regular-season games to help lead the Oilers to a second-place finish in the North Division. The 24- year-old forward led the league in points (105) to win his third Art Ross Trophy, finishing 21 points ahead of the next highest scorer. He also paced all players in assists (72), points per game (1.88), power-play points (37) and even-strength points (68). McDavid recorded 33 multi- 1189256 Pittsburgh Penguins smiles, and success to his teams has finally been recognized as one of the best.

What took so long? Fleury Basks in First Vezina Nomination (Finally); Chasing Heroes “I think my mom was always the funnier one, a bit, but one thing my dad always told me was to go to the rink and try hard. Do your best and have fun. Those things he would tell me, and that’s what I’ve tried to do in my Published 20 hours ago on June 2, 2021 life,” beamed Fleury. “Coming to the NHL at a young age to a great group of veterans that still brought that and emphasis on that–that we have to By Dan Kingerski stay loose–to keep smiling and having fun. For me to play well, I think I need to be relaxed and smiling, and having fun. And that’s what I’ve done my best games…” DENVER — It was a good day for Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc- Andre Fleury. On Tuesday, he basked in recognition of his first-ever It certainly is fun to watch Fleury have success. It’s also fun to see him Vezina trophy nomination, and he was named the starter for Game 2 of recognized. Vgeas’ Round Two series against the Colorado Avalanche. One quick story: With no cameras rolling, with his Pittsburgh Penguins The former Pittsburgh Penguins’ first overall pick and franchise future already concluded after the 2017 Stanley Cup win and his Vegas cornerstone is on top of the world right now. future assured, Fleury did an autograph signing at a sporting goods store near the Penguins practice rink. The demand was so great, the store had If Fleury, 36, had to pick the Vezina nomination or the Game 2 start, he to issue a limited number of tickets but invited several media outlets to would probably select the Game 2 start. It was a grueling seven-game cover it. series against the Minnesota Wild in Round One, in which Fleury helped beat back a stiff and surprising challenge. Vegas won in seven. We watched and photographed, and talked to fans who showed up with signs and jerseys and adulation. Fleury didn’t just sign things. He Fleury was nearly unbeatable in the series, despite losing three games. stopped everyone to talk. He listened to stories and gushing praise. And He posted a 1.71 GAA, and a .931 save percentage. However, Vegas at the end, he shook all of the media members’ hands, too. coach Pete DeBoer chose to give Fleury rest for Game 1, and Robin Lehner was blitzed for seven goals as Colorado boat raced Vegas 7-1. Fleury is finally a Vezina finalist. But he’d probably trade it for a series win. In classic Fleury fashion, he expressed regret for his teammate’s rough night.

“It was a hard series, no doubt about it. (We were) traveling, the time Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021 change, playing every other day. You get a big win like that, and the next day I fly to Colorado. So I think it was tiring for our whole team,” Fleury said. “I think it showed a bit in game one. But I knew from the beginning that Robin would play some games, and I feel bad Robin was thrown into that one–to the lions where we didn’t have our best game, and they had their best one. Right?”

Marc-Andre Fleury Journey

For the first time in Fleury’s NHL career, which began in the 2003-04 season behind a pretty bad Penguins team, he cracked the magical 2.00 goals-against-average. This season he rocked a 1.98 GAA while posting a .928 save percentage.

It was truly a Vezina-worthy season.

In addition to Fleury, Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy, 26, and Fleury’s Game 2 opponent, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer, 29, are the other Vezina finalists.

While the other two are comparatively youngsters, this has been a long time coming for Fleury, who has three Stanley Cup rings but had to cede the net to Matt Murray in the Penguins 2016 Stanley Cup run and share it in 2017.

Through the ups and downs of his Pittsburgh Penguins career, there were far more ups and some brilliant seasons, but he never got the Vezina nomination until now.

“It’s pretty cool. I never go into this season thinking I want to be a nominee or finalist for Vezina. My thoughts are always about winning games and on winning in the playoffs,” Fleury said. “That’s always my mindset. And yeah, I’m not looking for individual awards. But this is definitely very flattering, and I’m honored to among these guys.”

Fleury, who is sporting a mustache and some chin growth, talked about his childhood heroes, who were goalies, of course. They also happen to be the two men Fleury is chasing as hockey’s all-time winningest goalies.

“Marty Brodeur and Patrick Roy were the guys that I really tried to model my game after. Roy with the butterfly style he brought in, Brodeur still did it, but sometimes he would go to one knee down, a poke check, two-pad stack–you know, a little bit more unpredictable,” Fleury said. “…but I’m a hockey big fan. I love hockey. I love goalies especially. And always, I watch games. I watch highlights still nowadays and see what guys do…”

Marc-Andre Fleury is now in their company. The goalie who once hid in a hockey bag to scare a teammate, bundled up a new teammate’s clothes and hung them from the rafters before practice, and has brought laughs, 1189257 San Jose Sharks 3. Anaheim Ducks 4. New Jersey Devils

5. Columbus Blue Jackets No luck for San Jose Sharks at NHL Draft Lottery 6. Detroit Red Wings NHL Draft Lottery: San Jose Sharks get the No. 7 pick in next month’s draft; Buffalo Sabres will draft first 7. San Jose Sharks 8. Los Angeles Kings By CURTIS PASHELKA PUBLISHED: June 2, 2021 at 4:20 p.m. | 9. Vancouver Canucks UPDATED: June 2, 2021 at 5:13 p.m. 10. Ottawa Senators

11. Chicago Blackhawks The San Jose Sharks did not have much luck in the NHL’s draft lottery on Wednesday. 12. Calgary Flames The Sharks did not win either of the two draws that determined which 13. Philadelphia Flyers teams would have the first and second overall selections in next month’s 14. Dallas Stars NHL Draft, as they landed the No. 7 pick – still their highest as an organization in over 15 years. 15. New York Rangers The NHL Draft will be held virtually over two days, with the first round on San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.03.2021 July 23 and rounds 2-7 on July 24. It is the first time in their 30-year history that the Sharks will draft seventh overall. The Buffalo Sabres, who finished with the NHL’s worst record this season, won the lottery. The Seattle Kraken and Anaheim Ducks, two of the Sharks’ Pacific Division foes for next season, landed the second and third overall selections, respectively. The expansion Kraken was guaranteed to pick no worse than fifth overall. The Sharks, who finished with the league’s seventh-worst record at 21- 28-7, had a 6.7 percent chance of winning the lottery, and another 6.9 percent chance of winning the second draw for the second overall pick. The likeliest outcome of Wednesday’s lottery for the Sharks was to either hold onto their pick in the No. 7 slot or fall to No. 8 if another team with lesser odds of winning jumped into the top two. They could have also fallen to ninth overall if two teams leaped past them. The NHL held one draw for the first overall pick and another for the No. 2 selection. But the lottery went as expected for picks No. 4 to 15 before Seattle jumped Anaheim, which had the league’s second-worst record this season, for the No. 2 spot. Now the Sharks will get to work as far as talking to players. Doug Wilson Jr., the Sharks’ director of scouting, said last month that starting Thursday, the team will begin to interview about a dozen prospects on Zoom, a process that will continue for the rest of the month. “So, it’s just been a little bit of a process getting those,” set up, Wilson Jr. said. “We’re not allowed by the league to interview players in person yet. So we just scheduled all of our zoom calls starting June 3 so that we can interview them after we know exactly where we’re picking.” The best player available in this year’s draft is widely considered to be Owen Power, a 6-foot-5, 214-pound defenseman who might be able to jump into the NHL right away next season. In his freshman year at Michigan, Power had 16 points in 26 games and is right now competing for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championships in Latvia. Other top players include defenseman Simon Edvinsson and forward William Eklund, both of Sweden, WHL forward Dylan Guenther, and Michigan center Matty Beniers. Defensemen Luke Hughes and Brandt Clarke, and center Kent Johnson are also believed to be among the best players available this year and are most likely to be available to the Sharks at No. 7. This season marked the first time under general manager Doug Wilson that the Sharks have missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Wilson, who began his tenure as the Sharks’ GM in May 2003, has only had four picks inside the top 10 in the last 18 years, starting with forward Milan Michalek, who was taken sixth overall in June 2003. Since 2005, the Sharks have drafted inside the top 10 three more times, most recently in 2015 when they missed the playoffs, finished ninth in the lottery, and selected forward Timo Meier. Other players taken by the Sharks inside the top 10 under Wilson were Devin Setoguchi at No. 8 in 2005 and at No. 9 in 2007. NHL DRAFT LOTTERY RESULTS 1. Buffalo Sabres 2. Seattle Kraken 1189258 San Jose Sharks

NHL Draft Lottery: What channel is it on, when does it start, and what are each team’s odds? Buffalo Sabres have the best odds, followed by the Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken and New Jersey Devils

By CURTIS PASHELKA | June 2, 2021 at 4:01 a.m.

The NHL Draft Lottery, used to determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks in the first round of the 2021 draft, will be held Wednesday at the NHL Network’s Secaucus, N.J., studio. The draft lottery will begin at 4 p.m. (PT) and will be televised on both NBCSN and NHL Network. The lottery will have two drawings: the first to determine the team that selects first overall, and the second, naturally, will determine which team selects second overall. Participants include the expansion Seattle Kraken, who begin play in the 2021-22 season, and all teams that did not qualify for this season’s Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kraken enter the lottery as the No. 3 seed, owning the same lottery odds as the No. 4 seed New Jersey Devils, who finished the regular season with the third-worst regular-season record. The Kraken will be guaranteed no lower than the fifth overall selection. To accommodate a 16th team in the lottery, the odds for all other participating teams have been reduced proportionally from the odds utilized in the 2020 lottery. The allocation of odds for the first lottery draw is as follows: TEAM PERCENTAGE OF WINNING NO. 1 PICK Buffalo Sabres 16.6 Anaheim Ducks 12.1 Seattle Kraken 10.3 New Jersey Devils 10.3 Columbus Blue Jackets 8.5 Detroit Red Wings 7.6 San Jose Sharks 6.7 Los Angeles Kings 5.8 Vancouver Canucks 5.4 Ottawa Senators 4.5 Arizona Coyotes 3.1 Chicago Blackhawks 2.7 Calgary Flames 2.2 Philadelphia Flyers 1.8 Dallas Stars 1.4 New York Rangers 1.0 NOTE: The Coyotes will forfeit their first-round pick as part of sanctions the NHL announced in August of last year for violating the league’s combine testing policy during the 2019-20 season. If Arizona wins either lottery draw, a redraw will be conducted. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.03.2021 San Jose Sharks pick a player who, ultimately, can be the face of what the elder Wilson 1189259 has termed the franchise's "reset."

If the Sharks nail the pick at No. 7, chances like this might not come Sharks' draft possibilities wide open with No. 7 pick around very often. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 BY MARCUS WHITE

Unlike the last time the Sharks had a lottery pick, the top of the 2021 NHL Draft is very uncertain. While there are a handful of top prospects, there's no Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel standing a cut above the rest. Take Michigan defenseman Owen Power, the No. 1 North American prospect according to NHL Central Scouting. Ten NHL scouts TSN's Bob McKenzie surveyed in April have Power as the top prospect overall, McKeen's Hockey in April ranked Power at No. 3 and Elite Prospects had Power a spot higher last month. After a season in which most prospects, at minimum, played fewer games than they normally would as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 NHL Draft is as wide open as any in recent memory. That's a great place for the Sharks to be heading into next month, giving San Jose a chance to inject some much-needed dynamism into its prospect pool with the No. 7 overall selection. While the player general manager Doug Wilson and Co. ultimately select would -- in all likelihood -- be a long shot to make the roster out of training camp, the Sharks have a chance to add someone who can contribute in the NHL sooner rather than later. A year after selecting no defensemen, the Sharks -- if they so choose -- could be in position to draft a player primed to eventually take the reins from Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson. It's conceivable that one of Brandt Clarke, Simon Edvinsson and Luke Hughes is available by the time San Jose's brass steps to the proverbial podium on July 23. Clarke turned 18 in February, and impressed in Slovakia's top league (15 points in 26 games) playing against men. Some mock drafts have him as the second blueliner off the board behind Power, but considering Central Scouting ranked Hughes higher in their final rankings, that's not necessarily a lock. Still, one of Hughes (No. 4 in Elite Prospects' consolidated rankings) and Edvinsson (No. 6) seems likelier to be available for the Sharks at No. 7. Both are left-handed shots, allowing San Jose to envision a long-term 1- 2-3 punch of Hughes or Edvinsson, Mario Ferraro and Nikolai Knhyzov down the left side. Hughes has high offensive upside and NHL pedigree with two brothers (Quinn and Jack) in the league. Edivnsson, meanwhile, has the size -- 6- foot-5, 207 pounds -- and skills that reminded his general manager at Frolunda of Tampa Bay Lightning star Victor Hedman. Although Ryan Merkley struggled in his first professional season with the AHL Barracuda this year, he now has professional experience under his belt. Ferraro and Knyzhov are established on the Sharks' blue line, so the time is right to add a high-upside defensive prospect. Of course, the Sharks' ability to do so will come down to the six teams ahead of them. The Buffalo Sabres could easily take Power to pair with -- or play behind -- Rasmus Dahlin, and the expansion Seattle Kraken have the blankest of canvases to work with. The Anaheim Ducks, picking No. 3 overall, have built out from the blue line before and Bob Murray's still the general manager, so picking Jamie Drysdale last year doesn't mean they'll pass on a defenseman this year. The New Jersey Devils (No. 4), Columbus Blue Jackets (No. 5) and Detroit Red Wings (No. 6) can all credibly say they need a young defender to build around, so it's very possible -- if not likely -- the Sharks draft another forward. Considering the players available, there's not much downside to that possibility. William Eklund, Central Scouting's top European skater, seems like the kind of undersized (5-foot-10, 172 pounds), skilled play-maker Sharks director of scouting Doug Wilson Jr. has prioritized in recent drafts. Michigan center Kent Johnson (No. 7 in Elite Prospects' consolidated rankings) starred on the same team as San Jose prospect Thomas Bordeleau last season, and he has the two-way smarts the Sharks value. The Sharks should be blessed with options on the blue line and up front once they ultimately pick, even though they didn't benefit from any lottery luck. Any of the aforementioned players contributing in the NHL this season would be a bonus, but San Jose still has a real opportunity to 1189260 San Jose Sharks

Sharks have No. 7 pick in 2021 NHL Draft after lottery

BY DALTON JOHNSON & MARCUS WHITE

The Sharks have been awarded the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft after Wednesday's lottery. Lucky number 7!!!⃣ It's the first time in our history we will be drafting seventh overall and our highest selection since 2003 (Milan Michalek). pic.twitter.com/zwmwdShpBv— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) June 2, 2021 San Jose came into the lottery in the No. 7 slot. That gave them just a 6.7 chance at earning the No. 1 pick. The Sharks have never before picked seventh overall. Though 16 teams found themselves as part of Wednesday's lottery, only 15 had a chance at the top two picks. The Arizona Coyotes were docked their 2021 first-round pick for violating the NHL’s scouting combine policy. The Buffalo Sabres were awarded the No. 1 pick, while the expansion Seattle Kraken will pick No. 2 overall on July 23. The Sharks went just 21-28-7 in the regular season. They missed the playoffs for the second straight season, after making the postseason in 21 of the previous 23 campaigns. Ahead of the NHL trade deadline, general manager Doug Wilson made it clear he would not trade the Sharks' first-round pick, showing he has his eyes on the future. San Jose hasn't selected a player this high since drafting winger Timo Meier ninth overall in 2015. The Sharks selected winger Ozzy Wiesblatt in the first round last year with the No. 31 overall pick. Wiesblatt, a native of Canada, played six games with the San Jose Barracuda this season and totaled three points. He also scored 28 points in 23 games for the Prince Albert Raiders in the Western Hockey League. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189261 San Jose Sharks

Why Jumbo's legacy is secure with or without Stanley Cup

BY MARCUS WHITE

Joe Thornton fell short of his stated goal for his 23rd NHL season. The Sharks legend left San Jose last fall to sign a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the prohibitive favorites in the NHL's one-and- done North Division for the league's second season in as many years altered by the coronavirus pandemic. Thornton told reporters in October he "[needed] to win a Stanley Cup," but the Leafs' season ended in heartbreak seven months later. Toronto lost Monday in Game 7 of its first-round series, blowing a three- games-to-one lead against the rival Montreal Canadiens. For the 23rd time in 23 seasons, Thornton's year ended without the elusive Cup. Any disappointment the 41-year-old felt two mornings after the Leafs' early exit is understandable, as is the empathy any number of his fans in the Bay Area currently feel. Thornton's latest shot very well might've been his last, even though it feels like the same could've been said about any point since the Sharks' 2014 first-round collapse against the Los Angeles Kings. Yet any of those feelings should start and end on Thornton's behalf. There certainly shouldn't be any in Thornton himself, nor in him for not winning a Stanley Cup in San Jose. Thornton needs a ring to fulfill his own dreams and expectations, not anyone else's for him. No matter what the NHL said in its centennial season, Thornton is one of the top 100 players in hockey history. He's seventh all-time in assists (1,104) and 14th in points (1,529). Thornton's sixth (1,682) in Hockey- Reference's adjusted points -- which allows more accurate comparisons across eras -- and fourth in adjusted assists (1,210). Only Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Jaromir Jagr are ahead of him on the latter list, and Gretzky, Howe, Jagr, Mark Messier and Ron Francis are the only ones who top him on the former. Thornton won Olympic gold in 2010, and World Cups in 2004 and 2016. In a testament to his longevity, Thornton and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester were the only players to appear on both rosters. The Sharks didn't lift hockey's Holy Grail during Thornton's 15 years in San Jose, but it was through no lack of trying. His Sharks never truly had the right mix of depth and goaltending, and San Jose usually just lost to the better team. During Thornton's 12 playoff runs with the Sharks, San Jose lost four times to the eventual Stanley Cup champions and two other times to a Stanley Cup finalist. In the years the Sharks didn't lose to one of the last two teams standing, San Jose once lost to a team that was a year away from winning a Stanley Cup (2006-07 Detroit Red Wings) and twice to a team that had won a Cup within the previous two years (2008-09 Anaheim Ducks, 2013 Los Angeles Kings). Thornton, a 0.96-point-per-game scorer in the regular season with the Sharks, was a 0.8-point-per-game scorer in the playoffs. You can say he Didn't Raise His Game, or whatever, but you could also look at his playoff shooting percentage falling by about three percentage points (8.4 percent) and say he didn't get the bounces. Why, in the supposed ultimate team sport, any one player's legacy has been tied to the success of their team is beyond me. But by all reasonable and unreasonable standards, Thornton's legacy is secure with or without a Stanley Cup, and it has been for quite some time. So if Thornton decides to play a 24th NHL season and once more pursue a Stanley Cup, he'll do so for himself. As is the case with any other all- time great, being along for the ride is more than enough for the rest of us. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189262 San Jose Sharks

BREAKING: Sharks Will Pick No. 7 in First Round of 2021 NHL Draft

1By Sheng Peng

The San Jose Sharks aren’t going anywhere in the 2021 NHL Draft. After tonight’s Draft lottery, they will be picking No. 7 in the first round of the Draft on July 23rd. They came into tonight with the seventh-best odds of winning the lottery. Instead, it’s the Buffalo Sabres who will draft No. 1, followed by the expansion Seattle Kraken. The Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Detroit Red Wings round out, in that order, the top-six. There will be a plethora of promising prospects available to the San Jose Sharks at No. 7. Defenseman Luke Hughes, right winger Dylan Guenther, center Matthew Beniers, and defenseman Brandt Clarke, No. 4 through 7 respectively on the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s final rankings for North American skaters, are more likely possibilities for San Jose’s draft position. Left winger William Eklund and defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who top the Central Scouting Bureau’s final rankings for International skaters, could also be available. Or the Sharks could look between the pipes at consensus top goalie Jesper Wallstedt. Per Bob McKenzie’s mid-season Draft rankings, centers Kent Johnson and Chaz Lucius could also be there at No. 7. The last 10 No. 7 picks have been respectively, from 2020 to 2011, Alexander Holtz, Dylan Cozens, Quinn Hughes, Lias Andersson, Clayton Keller, Ivan Provorov, Haydn Fleury, Darnell Nurse, Matt Dumba, and Mark Scheifele. The San Jose Sharks have never picked No. 7 in the Draft. Our partners at Locked On Sharks have done in-depth podcasts with experts on virtually all of the likely top picks of the 2021 NHL Draft: San Jose Hockey NowLOADED: 06.03.2021 Seattle Kraken But the lack of playing time for Clarke and numerous other top prospects 1189263 due to COVID-19 scheduling restrictions has created challenges for those doing the drafting. Seattle Kraken gets No. 2 overall pick in next month’s NHL entry draft “It’s been a crazy year to say the least,” Francis said. “It’s been a crazy year for the entire world. We had leagues that didn’t play. Leagues that started late. … Our guys have done a great job in doing what it took to watch players play. Whether that was on video, or whether that was By Geoff Baker finally getting to see players play live.” If Francis opts for a non-defenseman, a centerman would be next on his Inside the NHL team-building model. Power’s Michigan teammate, Matthew Berniers, performed well for Team USA in winning gold at January’s world junior Oh, did the Kraken come tantalizingly close Wednesday to pulling off one championship. of those debut NHL coups for which the Vegas Golden Knights became famous for four years ago. Completing a trifecta of Michigan players expected to go in the top 10 is Kent Johnson, also listed as a center. Of the pair, Berniers is seen as the Not that landing the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s NHL entry draft most likely to stick to the center spot in the NHL, where prospects often would have equaled Vegas making the Stanley Cup Final its inaugural get converted to wing. 2017-18 season. But the Kraken just missed causing weeks of sour- grapes grumbling among existing NHL teams by nearly winning Johnson played left wing for all of his recently completed NCAA season. Wednesday’s draft lottery in Secaucus, New Jersey, before dropping into Francis wasn’t tipping his hand Wednesday as to whether getting the No. the No. 2 overall slot behind the Buffalo Sabres. 2 pick had at least clarified the position on which he’ll focus. “I wish it would have been us,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis Instead, he repeated a familiar pre-draft GM line about taking the “best said after the top 15 slots for the July 23-24 virtual draft were unveiled on player available” and left it at that. As for how soon before the draft he’ll NHL Network following the closed-door lottery. “But based on where we have a coach, Francis reiterated he’d like one by month’s end. were, the fact that we get to move up is exciting for us, our fans and our ownership group.” He’ll conduct a second interview Thursday with former teammate and ex- Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet. But whoever the coach winds up The Kraken will already benefit from the same favorable expansion draft being, he’ll inherit a roster that likely just got better with Wednesday’s rules the Golden Knights parlayed into their Cup Final appearance. That lucky lottery ball bounce. draft takes place July 21 and will see the Kraken pick one existing and unprotected player off the rosters of each of 30 other NHL teams not Seattle Times LOADED: 06.03.2021 including Vegas. And now, two days after that ends, the Kraken will have a shot to add a top-two, likely-NHL-ready amateur prospect to that mix. The most recent Seattle team in the four major men’s professional sports leagues to draft this high was the Mariners in 2009, taking Dustin Ackley at No. 2 overall. The NBA’s Sonics in 2007 picked Kevin Durant from the same slot. The Sounders had a No. 1 overall selection in 2009, used on Steve Zakuani, and the Storm picked Jewell Loyd first overall in 2015 and Breanna Stewart from the same spot in 2016. Buffalo entered Wednesday with a 16.6% chance to land the top pick, the highest of any team courtesy of finishing with the league’s worst record. The Kraken, which hasn’t suffered through the on-ice misery of the Sabres and others vying for that top selection, nonetheless received the third-best pre-lottery odds of 10.3% as one of several favorable perks for the record $650 million expansion fee it paid to the league. Vegas had similar odds in its first draft lottery but tumbled all the way to No. 6 once the balls were dropped. Recent changes to the format this year guaranteed the Kraken could place no worse than No. 5, and moving up to No. 2 should clarify things immensely for Francis ahead of possibly the trickiest draft in recent memory. “We knew we would be in the top five, so we were zeroing in on players we think could be in the top five,” Francis said. “Now that we know we’re at No. 2, we’ll even tighten that up a little more to make sure we’ve got it right.” Defensemen and centermen are generally the most coveted positions come draft time given the unpredictable nature of young goalies. This year’s top 10 should feature several players at both positions, but only a handful are generally viewed as likely to make the NHL right away. University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is widely seen as the most likely to go No. 1 overall, given what has been described as NHL- ready poise, maturity and superior puck movement. Other defenders on top-five radars include Brandt Clarke from the Ontario Hockey League and Simon Edvinsson from the Swedish junior circuit. Assuming the Sabres take Power at No. 1, Clarke presents the Kraken with an interesting choice, given he’s a right-handed shot — a rarer commodity in the NHL than lefty-shooters — and did well during a professional stint in Slovakia this past season. Clarke played there after the OHL season was canceled due to COVID-19, though his 26 games were about a third of what he’d ordinarily play and be judged on in the junior ranks. Those well-versed in advanced hockey analytics are impressed with Clarke and suggest he could make a pro leap sooner than some expect. Francis was known for using high-round picks on defensemen as Carolina’s GM, and he reiterated Wednesday that he prefers building teams traditionally up “the middle” with goalies, defensemen and centermen. 1189264 Seattle Kraken

Kraken get No. 2 overall pick in next month’s NHL entry draft

GEOFF BAKER The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — The Kraken had a big question answered by Wednesday’s NHL entry draft lottery, and now have some new ones worth asking. Kraken general manager Ron Francis, already guaranteed a pick in the top five, waited for the lottery balls to tumble twice at NHL Network studios in Secaucus, N.J., and learned he had come away with the second overall pick in the draft — Buffalo will choose at No. 1 — which runs virtually on July 23-24. The Kraken entered the lottery with the third-highest odds — 10.3% — to obtain the No. 1 overall pick, the same as the New Jersey Devils. Buffalo had the highest odds at 16.6% based on finishing with the league’s worst record. With his spot secured, Francis faces a choice on whether to go big on a defenseman or a centerman with that selection. The consensus is that this year’s draft field offers prime opportunities at both spots, with University of Michigan blue-liner Owen Power widely expected to be taken No. 1 overall. Other defensemen rated after Power on most expert draft boards include Swedish juniors stalwart Simon Edvinsson, Brandt Clarke from the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts and Luke Hughes of the U.S. National Team Development Program. But complicating matters is that many top prospects lacked complete development the past year because of COVID-19 scheduling cutbacks, with some junior-level prospects traveling overseas for playing time after Canadian circuits were either curtailed or canceled. Power did play his NCAA schedule and is viewed as possibly the only NHL-ready defenseman of this year’s draft class, given his poise and puck- movement skills. With the OHL season canceled, Clarke, 18, played 26 games on loan with a Slovakian pro team and reportedly did well, scoring five goals and adding 10 assists. The right-handed shooter was scouted by the Kraken at the recent Under-18 world championships in Texas, where he won gold with Team Canada. So, with Power likely off the board before the Kraken’s pick, the question is whether Francis takes a chance on another defenseman such as Clarke — a favorite of the analytics community, though possibly in need in need of minor league development — at a position where gauging young prospects is often difficult. Or, whether he opts for one of the talented center pieces instead. Michigan has three prospects projected to go in the top 10, and two of them — Matthew Beniers and Kent Johnson — are listed as centers. Beniers, who stood out for Team USA’s gold medal squad at last January’s world junior championships, is viewed by many scouts as possibly the only true NHL center of the top-rated bunch. Players at the center position are often switched to wing once they turn professional. Johnson, though listed as a center, played left wing this past season. If the Kraken opt for a non-center, Dylan Guenther of the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings is seen as more of a pure scorer from the wing and also was scouted by the Kraken at the U-18 tournament. The draft of top amateur prospects takes place virtually with the first round July 23 and remaining rounds the following day. Besides the top- five selection, the Kraken is guaranteed to pick third in each ensuing round, plus whatever other selections are possibly accumulated in prior deals. The entry draft starts two days after the July 21 expansion draft, in which the Kraken will select one existing player from each of 30 NHL teams other than the Vegas Golden Knights. News Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189265 Seattle Kraken

Seattle Kraken get one of the top picks in lottery for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft

By Lauren Kirschman

The Seattle Kraken will take the ice this fall as the NHL's 32nd team. Here are some key facts and dates to look out for as the team begins their inaugural season. By Joshua Bessex The Seattle Kraken took another step toward building their team during the NHL Entry Draft lottery on Wednesday. General manager Ron Francis and the Kraken earned the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. The Buffalo Sabres will pick first while the Anaheim Ducks will go third. In addition to the Kraken, the lottery featured the 15 teams that didn’t make the playoffs. The Kraken had the third-best chance (10.3%) of winning the top pick, the same odds as the New Jersey Devils. Because they had the worst record this season, the Sabres had the best chance (16.6%) of earning the No. 1 selection. University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick. After him, highly-rated defensemen include Simon Edvinsson (SWE-JR), Luke Hughes (U.S. National Team Development Program) and Brandt Clarke (Ontario Hockey League). At center, Michigan’s Matthew Beniers and Kent Johnson are both projected to be top-10 picks. The NHL Expansion Draft, during which the Kraken will select one player each from 30 teams, will take place on July 21. The NHL Entry Draft will follow from July 23-24. Here is the full NHL pick order revealed on Wednesday. Picks 16-31 will be determined by the results of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Buffalo Sabres Seattle Kraken Anaheim Ducks New Jersey Devils Columbus Blue Jackets Detroit Red Wings San Jose Sharks Los Angeles Kings Vancouver Canucks Ottawa Senators Chicago Blackhawks Calgary Flames Philadelphia Flyers Dallas Stars New York Rangers News Tribune LOADED: 06.03.2021 Seattle Kraken scoring ability. He scored 26 goals and finished with 59 points in 58 1189266 games in his first season with the Oil Kings.

Playing in the WHL meant prospects playing in that league had a later With the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Seattle Kraken start than normal. COVID-19 limited the WHL season to 24 games, a select … ? significant reduction from the typical 64-game regular season. It’s why Guenther began the season playing in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, where he had three goals and five points in four games. He joined the Oil Kings and scored 12 points while amassing 24 points in as By Ryan S. Clark Jun 3, 2021 many games. He represented Canada at the U-18s, finishing with four goals and seven points in seven games. Because managing an expansion draft while navigating a coaching Kron described Guenther as a sniper, adding that “he proved it in the search simply is not enough, the Seattle Kraken are faced with another WHL.” He said Guenther also played well at the U-18s. Kron outlined looming franchise-altering question they must answer this summer. how Guenther has size, a quick release and a strong work ethic. But for him? It’s the shot that stands out the most. Kron said the Kraken had two Who will they take with the No. 2 pick in the NHL Entry Draft? scouts — Jeff Crisp and Darren Yopyk — based in Alberta who were able to watch Guenther. In fact, all of the Kraken’s Canadian scouts had Enough is in place to suggest that University of Michigan defenseman a chance to watch Guenther in person both in the WHL and when he Owen Power could already be off the board by then. As for who could go played at the U-18 worlds. second? Let’s just say that the Kraken are more than aware that they have options. General manager Ron Francis knows the lottery landscape “We got enough viewings, I believe, particularly on Dylan,” Kron said. quite well. He is a four-time participant dating to when he oversaw the “We know what we can expect from him. … Dylan was pretty good in Carolina Hurricanes. He’s been in the top five, including in 2015 when Edmonton and even in the prior season. We had information on these the Canes drafted Boston College defenseman Noah Hanifin with the fifth guys coming in and you see where these guys rank on the Central pick. Scouting lists and all of that. What he’s done is not a surprise.” Francis has a penchant for taking defensemen. He did it three times, Luke Hughes, D, U.S. NTDP (USHL) selecting Jake Bean, Haydn Fleury and Hanifin. Will he do it again? Or will he be more inclined to go with a forward, such as when the Canes Here is where it gets a bit interesting. Francis and the Kraken could drafted Martin Necas in 2017? ultimately decide to take a defenseman. If so — and Power is gone — they could be in a position to turn to Hughes. Central Scouting rates “I think right now, the only guy we have in our organization is (center) Hughes as the No. 4 North American skater. Pronman, however, rated Luke Henman,” Francis told reporters Wednesday after the draft lottery. Hughes as the No. 2 prospect and has him over Power after previously “It’s not like we have a strength in one area or the other. As we go rating the youngest Hughes brother as the top prospect in this draft class. through this draft and look at it, we’re going to make sure we take the best player available (with) the No. 2 pick.” Teams were able to receive ample viewings of the 17-year-old Hughes, who is slated to spend next season at Michigan. He finished the season But would Francis and the Kraken entertain trading the pick? with 10 goals and 49 points across all 58 of the National Team Development Program’s competitions. Even though he played more “I never say ‘no’ on trading it,” Francis said. “Because there may be games than most, Hughes had a bit of a shortened season after having teams that are interested and could make an offer that is interesting. But surgery in March to repair a foot tendon that was lacerated by a skate. time will tell.” Hughes was reportedly expected to resume skating in late May. Francis even acknowledged how much can change between now and Kron said Hughes’ injury prevented him from playing in the U-18s, where when the Kraken do eventually have to make a decision. Until then, quite scouts could have evaluated him playing against the best competition in a few names are expected to be linked to the Kraken. As for those the world in that age group. As one of the youngest players in the draft, potential candidates themselves? The Athletic spoke with Kraken director Hughes could need more time to develop, but Kron said whoever drafts of amateur scouting Robert Kron before the lottery to get his insight on him will receive an extremely talented skater with several strong qualities. several prospects in contention to become the first draft pick in franchise history. “Luke played really good minutes for (the NTDP). He was kind of the go- to guy the whole season when they played against USHL teams,” Kron Owen Power, D, Michigan (Big Ten) said. “He was not the first guy on the PK, but I think he can play on it. He Power has consistently been in the evolving discussion about who is the is a puck-moving defenseman. He likes the puck and likes to go with it top prospect in this year’s draft class. NHL Central Scouting ranked and uses his skating to his advantage. Young defensemen can make that Power as the No. 1 North American prospect while The Athletic’s Corey look easy now, but it becomes harder when the competition gets harder.” Pronman labeled him the third-best prospect in the draft. Kron said the Matthew Beniers, C, Michigan (Big Ten) Kraken have monitored the 6-foot-6 defenseman for the last two years in his time with the Chicago Steel in the USHL and at Michigan. The 18- Beniers is another player who was gone the NTDP-to-Michigan route and year-old is representing Canada at the IIHF World Championships and found success in his first season. The 6-2 center was rated as the sixth- entered Wednesday with three points in seven games. best North American skater by Central Scouting, while Pronman has him fourth after previously having him second. Beniers was a consistent two- Kron said the Kraken’s amateur scouting staff was able to receive “some way forward at the NTDP and he amassed 25 goals and 57 points across valuable live viewings” in a year in which every scouting staff around the 60 games in all competitions that season. As a freshman, he scored 10 league coveted those sorts of showcases. He said the Kraken were able goals while having 24 points in as many games for a Wolverines team to scout several Michigan games in person while watching several of the that saw their bid for a 10th national title end before their first tournament top prospects at the IIHF U-18 World Championships in Texas a few game due to COVID-19. months earlier. Kron raved about Bernier’s work ethic — “he never quits” — and said the What makes Power so alluring is that he could be physically ready to 18-year-old is a great skater with two-way skills. He said Beniers has play in the NHL. He can operate in a variety of roles and has the potential repeatedly had to adjust to new situations. Beniers alternated between to serve as a team’s top-pairing defenseman. Kron said one of the center and wing when he was at the NTDP before playing center challenges Power — or any collegiate player — faces is making the exclusively at Michigan. He made the transition from an NTDP standout adjustment from playing in college to playing against NHL competition. to one of the premier freshmen in college hockey, finishing third in “It’s not only the physical, but it is the mental attributes. Is he ready?” scoring on a Wolverines team that featured one of the nation’s strongest Kron said. “That remains to be seen. But looking at him now, he is rosters. playing well at the worlds and is getting quality ice time from (Canada Kron also discussed how Beniers was able to carve a place for himself at coach Gerard) Gallant. … His skating, at that size, it’s not usual. Usually, the IIHF U-20 World Championships as the youngest player on Team the bigger kids go through a process when they hit their growth and their USA. That continued into the World Championships with Beniers stride changes. With him, that’s not the case. He’s very solid. He’s the receiving an opportunity to play against older competition. So far, he has most talked-about guy and rightfully so.” two points through five games. Exactly how long could it take for Beniers to make the jump to the NHL? Kron refrained from guessing at a time Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL) frame, but he did say Beniers playing at the World Championships is a Guenther is also in the discussion for the best available talent. Central privilege not afforded to others in his situation. Scouting considers him the fifth-best North American skater, while Pronman tabbed him as the top prospect. Guenther is known for his “You have to look at the whole picture and what environment they played in and if they are lucky enough to play in tournaments,” Kron said. “It gives you another perspective and it is interesting to see how they are McTavish went to Switzerland, where he scored nine goals and 11 points going to handle that. … Kids can grow over the summer and show up in 13 games while playing for EHC Olten. The U-18s allowed teams and be ready to go at development camp. I’m very cautious about (the unfamiliar with either a chance to see them. McTavish finished the development) process. You don’t want to rush anyone.” tournament with five goals and 11 points in seven games, while Clarke, who also represented Canada, had seven points in as many games. Kent Johnson, C, Michigan (Big Ten) Francis was adamant that the Kraken have several things to consider Oh, hey. Look. Another top prospect who is either attending or will attend before creating their final list. He was asked if the Kraken would show Michigan. If not for Sharks prospect and teammate Thomas Bordeleau, preference to players who they were able to watch in person versus Johnson would have led all freshmen — and the Wolverines — in points. those they only saw on video. Central Scouting rates the 6-1 center as the No. 3 North American skater, while Pronman pegs the 18-year-old Johnson as the fifth-best “I think it’s very dangerous,” Francis said. “For instance, we had a bunch draft prospect. of our scouts at the U-18 tournament in Dallas. Some of these kids maybe hadn’t played a game all season, and this was some of the first A North Vancouver native, Johnson exploded for 41 goals and 101 points hockey they’ve played. To put too much weight on that tournament if a over 52 games in the BCHL. How would his game translate to college guy is either way, good or bad, it affects your list. We try and even that hockey? He played a crucial role for a youth-led Wolverines team that out over the course of the season with the amount of viewings we have reached the NCAA Tournament. on a guy and balance that rather than put heavy weight on one viewing Kron described Johnson as an “elusive skater” who has great hands. or a couple of viewings in different situations like that.” Johnson operated more as a playmaker at Michigan, recording 18 assists The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 and 27 points in just 26 games for the Wolverines. Kron did say that the 167-pound forward could add more strength to his frame while noting that Johnson still possesses balance while skating against older and larger competition. Given the amount of talent at Michigan, Kron said his staff looked at players like Beniers, Johnson and Power as their own talents and did not necessarily separate them when it came to how they were evaluated. “You let them come to you and try to find out their identity and their calling card and what is coming to them shift after shift and you discuss that with your colleagues,” Kron said. “The players usually show you who they are no matter what roles they play in. You try to assess their whole approach to the game. You even watch them on the bench and in warmups. Kent is a player who wants to play and wants to be out there. He wants the puck and has great energy and you can tell he is ready for another shift and he is the type of player who stands up on the bench and cannot wait to get back out there.” Chaz Lucius, C, U.S. NTDP (USHL) Lucius is a prospect who went through a trying year in that he was injured and played in a limited amount of games compared with NTDP teammates such as Hughes. But when Lucius did play, he found ways to be a visible presence in and around the net. He scored 26 goals and 38 points in 25 games across all competitions with the NTDP. The University of Minnesota signee is rated 12th by Central Scouting, while Pronman ranks him sixth after previously listing him ninth in his class. Kron said the Kraken had a short window when it came to receiving in- person evaluations on Lucius. He said that Tom O’Connor, a former Sabres scout on the Kraken’s staff, played a vital role in helping the Kraken gain a stronger feel for what Lucius provides. O’Connor watched quite a few of Lucius’ games during his first year with the NTDP, when he finished with 39 goals and 74 points in 84 games in all competitions, including six games with the U-18 team as a 17-year-old. “He has a quick release. He can score from the net front. He can score from the rush. His shot would be one of his assets,” Kron said. “He is another 6-2 guy, and that helps, and he also has a nice reach. He can be dangerous from pretty much anywhere in the offensive zone or the net front or on the rush. … I think the skating with him, I don’t think it is anything to worry about. Lower-body strength for these kids is where they are making the jump when it comes to getting stronger. He is a good skater but his shot is the asset that really stands out.” Other players to consider? Any one of those players could be taken second, or the Kraken could go in another direction. Some other players that could be on the Kraken’s radar might include defenseman Brandt Clarke, left winger William Eklund, defenseman Simon Edvinsson and center Mason McTavish. Central Scouting considers Eklund to be the top European skater, while Pronman rated him seventh. Edvinsson is the No. 2 European skater on Central Scouting’s list, while Pronman has him rated 21st after initially ranking him sixth. Prospects such as Eklund and Edvinsson were able to play at least 30 games each while European leagues were facing their own challenges related to COVID-19. The Kraken’s European scouting staff was able to watch players such as Eklund and Edvinsson in action. Having a European presence also allowed them to gain insight on Clarke and McTavish. COVID-19 prevented the OHL season from happening, so several premier OHL prospects sought alternatives elsewhere. Central Scouting considered Clarke the seventh-best North American prospect, while Pronman ranked him eighth. McTavish is the No. 2 North American skater on Central Scouting’s list and was rated 24th by Pronman. Clarke spent the season playing for Nové Zamky in Slovakia, where he finished with 15 points in 26 games as one of the team’s youngest players. St Louis Blues what its needs are there. The real dead time for the GMs is right after the 1189267 trade deadline.

Q: After Year 1 of the Brayden Schenn eight-year contract, many fans Exposing Tarasenko to the Seattle Kraken would be a foolish idea. already are grumbling about how it won't age well. Prorated over an 82- Here's why game schedule, he would have had 23 goals this season. Is that good value?

Blues Avalanche Hockey Tom Timmermann D

A: Let me tell you that almost every eight-year contract does not age We answer the Blues questions in our weekly chat with Post-Dispatch well, unless you're signing the guy to it when he's 23. When Schenn's readers. Here are some of the highlights. contract ends, he will be 36. You don't need to be an actuary to know the lifespan of a hockey player's career. But that's the tradeoff you make. Q: Vladimir Tarasenko is looking great in the world championships You give the guy a big deal for those first four or five seasons, and the already with three assists and a shootout game-winning goal. Do you added years to reduce the average annual value, and you hope those think the Blues would consider exposing him in the expansion draft? last few seasons aren't too bad. Armstrong admitted as much when the Latvia Ice Hockey Worlds deal was done, that the last few years of it might very well be another GM's problem. A: Exposing him in the draft would be foolish, since the Blues would be getting nothing for him. (I suppose you could say it would let them keep Schenn may not have had a great season, but it wasn't a terrible one. He Vince Dunn or someone else, but that doesn't seem a fair exchange.) If got a lot of those goals early. And if he's not producing points, he's one of you want to move him, trade him so at least you get something in return. the more dependably gritty players the Blues have. For a guy with I said this on the last podcast, that I had low expectations for Tarasenko measurable offensive skills, he's not hesitant to mix it up. In fact, he's this season after such a long time off and the time it would take for him to eager to do it. I think a dependable 20-goal scorer who leads is worth the get back up to full speed. He probably came in a little low on my investment. I would write this off as just a good player having an off year. expectations, but not by a whole lot. I can't imagine that my expectations Q: If the Blues let Jaden Schwartz go and sign a scoring winger, will they were that different from what the team expected. have enough (cap space) to sign a big defenseman and a quality backup Giving away a guy who did pretty much what you expected doesn't make goalie? a lot of sense, especially when the expectation is that (this season) would A: First, unless he gets taken in the expansion draft, Ville Husso is your have been a stepping stone toward getting better. This is about the time backup goalie next season. With the flat cap, the Blues aren't going to be you would expect him to start getting better, with the games played and spending more than they have to on a backup goalie, and they were time since surgery. Trading him is an entirely different matter; if the deal reasonably pleased with Husso considering it was his first NHL season. is there, you make it. But on this team, if there is anyone who I think you And there are other goalies developing and getting close, so signing an can expect to make a big jump next season and score a lot more goals, it experienced backup for multiple years probably isn't a direction they want would be Tarasenko. Letting him go for nothing is not an efficient use of to go. assets. The Blues on defense next season present an interesting situation. If Q: Will the extent of Colton Parayko's back injury be revealed? Can the Vince Dunn goes, you've got Torey Krug, Justin Faulk, Colton Parayko, fan base expect to see him return to be the dominant leader of the Marco Scandella, Robert Bortuzzo, Nikko Mikkola and Jake Walman. defensive core that we thought would happen after Alex Pietrangelo left? And Scott Perunovich is a year away. One of the things being discussed A: Rarely in the NHL are the full extent of injuries ever revealed, unless a in those end-of-season meetings is whether the team can put Mikkola player is exceptionally forthcoming. And hockey players treat injuries and Walman in its top six. If the answer is yes -- and I think both showed differently than normal humans. Limbs can be dangling and it's no big it this season -- then the only way you're bringing someone in is if one of deal. those two goes. I doubt that Krug, Faulk or Parayko are going anywhere. So it may end up being a case where the Blues make do with what they I think Parayko can be (dominant). He showed signs of it at the end of have and figure out a way to keep the net front clear other than through the season. With more rest and treatment, and if surgery isn't needed, I brute force. think he can step into that role. I thought after Pietrangelo left that it would be a medley of events needed to replace him, and the one I would Q: The Blues often appeared disinterested during the season. It looked have said was the most likely was Parayko becoming THE guy. Injuries like they tuned out Craig Berube for stretches of the season. This team kept that from happening, and that may well have been the biggest needs an injection of new blood. I would not mind if Carl Gunnarsson, problem the team had this season. If Parayko doesn't become a Vince Dunn, Zach Sanford, Tyler Bozak and Jaden Schwartz did not dominant leader of the defense, the Blues will have problems. Big return. Might we see big turnover? problems. A: You could get your wish. Gunnarsson almost certainly won't be back. Q: Will Torey Krug improve next season like Justin Faulk did this With the defensemen they have, and with his injury, I don't see any way season? he fits. Dunn could go in the expansion draft. Bozak and Schwartz are unrestricted free agents, so it takes one good offer for them to leave. And A: While past performance is no guarantee of future results, signs point Sanford is a young player who can score and do other things and would that way. It was a tough spot for Krug to step into, and world events be appealing to other teams. So it won't take much for all five to be made it worse. I think it was hard for all the newcomers to fit in. Early in somewhere else. And if so, there will have to be some new faces, the season when asked about what he would do when the pandemic was especially on offense. It's hard to see more than one new face on over, Krug said he'd have everyone on the team over for a barbecue so defense he could get to know them better. Krug's season wasn't all that bad. Lots of assists, not a lot of goals. And with Colton Parayko's absence, he got I've said this before, but I don't know about players tuning out coaches. pushed into a bit more high-pressure defensive situations than the team Seems to me the veterans who are around have for the most part bought would have liked. His first season was better than Faulk's first season. into what Berube wants, and the new guys are new. This team never got its act together this season, whether it was because of the constantly Q: Since the don’t end until the first week of July at the changing lineups or something else. Those kind of teams probably seem earliest, and generally as a rule no trades or player moves are done until disinterested. after the Stanley Cup has been awarded, what is Doug Armstrong doing now? Is it a dead period? Q: Time for the Blues to part ways with Jaden Schwartz. What say you? A: In the immediate aftermath of the season, the front office staff gets Anaheim Ducks vs St. Louis Blues together and goes over everything, player by player, throughout the Blues left winger Jaden Schwartz, front, gathers a loose puck in the first organization. Discussions are had about free agents, from Jaden period during a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Enterprise Center in Schwartz down to Mitch Reinke, about whether to keep them or let them St. Louis on Monday, May 3, 2021. (David Carson,) go, and at what price they want to keep them. As teams are eliminated, general managers will reach out to other GMs who have had similar A: All depends on what the contract looks like. If the Blues can get him at discussions with their staffs about who they may be looking to move. The the same price or less, and it's not a long-term deal, then bring him back. expansion list is scrutinized, and the team will try to figure out what other It may be tough for Schwartz to get a raise, since his production numbers team's lists look like to see if that sparks any ideas. So there's a lot going have been limited. The thing is, if you let him go, what does everyone say on. And there's an amateur draft coming up, so the team has to assess the Blues need? better defense and someone who will play Craig Berube's forechecking style that wins back pucks. So the Blues would be looking for, well, Jaden Schwartz, though presumably a version that doesn't get hurt as much. The hole created could be tough to fill. Q: Which of the following three players are most important to have moving forward? Sammy Blais, Zach Sanford, Ivan Barbashev, Oskar Sundqvist, Dakota Joshua, Mackenzie MacEachern, Kyle Clifford. Explain your reasoning. A: This sounds like an essay question. Most important? Sanford, Barbashev and Sundqvist. Then Blais. The others are essentially interchangeable parts. I don't think that having Joshua, Clifford or MacEachern in the lineup significantly changes the possibility of winning any particular game. (Though we haven't seen that much of Joshua to know for sure.) Sanford can score goals and play good defense, though he's prone to silly mistakes and turnovers. Sundqvist can play up and down the lineup, can score goals, play defense and bring energy. Barbashev can do the same, though maybe not quite as well. Blais has shown surprising levels of finesse and likes to hit. Any of those four could be on the roster next season. All will be exposed in the expansion draft, so Seattle could find one to its liking. Sanford has the best trade value. Q: After seeing Jordan Binnington's play down the stretch and against Colorado, are you confident the Blues made the right decision signing him long term? Plus won't he add great interviews and occasional fiery outburst to entertain us for the upcoming seasons? A: A six-year contract for a goalie is a big risk, the biggest ever taken at that position. I am not confident the Blues made the right decision, but their other options were ... go out and sign a free-agent goalie? That's a very risky roll of the dice, which made signing Binnington the safer play. I'm sure most fans would prefer stalwart play in goal over great interviews or the occasional fiery outburst. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189268 Tampa Bay Lightning And Cirelli would agree. “He’s rock solid for us,” Cirelli said. “He’s making huge save after huge

save for us. I think we’re just trying to help him out and try to get in lanes Consider this a two-minute drill the Lightning are prepared to win and limit some grade-A chances.” Carolina pulled its goalie late in both Round 2 games against the Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.03.2021 Lightning, who skated away to victory both times.

By Mari Faiello

Sure, pulling the goalie in the final minutes of a game may be a desperation move. But it’s no less daunting to face for the team with the one-goal lead. And it’s incredibly satisfying to still come out ahead. The Lightning would know. They have battled an extra attacker with the game on the line twice in the second-round playoff series against Carolina. “Guys take great pride in protecting that lead and laying their bodies on the line all the time, and I think it’s just the mentality that we’ll do whatever it takes to win and we’ll sacrifice our bodies over and over again,” defenseman Victor Hedman said Wednesday after the team returned home from Raleigh, N.C. “It’s fun to watch when you see guys lay out to block shots and obviously working hard to protect that lead.” Carolina pulled goalie Alex Nedeljkovic with less than two minutes remaining in Games 1 and 2. With Nedeljkovic on the bench, the Hurricanes added defenseman Dougie Hamilton for a 6-on-5 advantage. Tuesday, the Hurricanes were somewhat successful employing the move when Andrei Svechnikov notched the team’s only goal with 1:30 to play. But it wasn’t enough of a push — or early enough — for the Hurricanes, who trail 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

GOAL: #LetsGoCanes' Svechnikov scores for Carolina to cut #GoBolts lead to one. 2-1 score with 1:30 remaining in regulation... pic.twitter.com/jEOeZBARbi

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 2, 2021 The scenario is very similar to going on the penalty kill when the opposing team has a power play. There’s a lot of action in the offensive zone and the defending team is trying to block lanes and cluster the center of the ice, pushing the puck to the outside boards. There’s a simple mindset in these moments, too: Keep the puck out of your net. “We’ve seen how many guys are willing to block a shot (with) any part of their body in the last couple of minutes,” captain Steven Stamkos said. “We’ve seen it the last two games with seconds on the clock, guys are willing to do whatever it takes and that’s what you need. That’s championship pedigree right there.” The Lightning have two blocked shots (both by Hedman) when Carolina pulled Nedeljkovic. The Hurricanes shot on goal seven times, finding the open net once. “(The Hurricanes) do a good job setting up,” forward Alex Killorn said. “When they have an extra guy on the ice, we just can’t have two guys go to one.” Killorn added that keeping things compact in the center of the action helps once the Hurricanes get possession of the puck. It doesn’t allow them to set up with a clear shot and if the Lightning stay within Carolina’s shooting lanes, it’s more challenging to get a clean look at goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. There isn’t a random lineup the team throws out on the ice in such situations, either. Assistant coach Derek Lalonde said ideally the mix will be Anthony Cirelli, Barclay Goodrow, Killorn and two defensemen (like Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev). The team has plans for all goalie-pull situations from the three- to four- minute marks down to one or two. “We’ve been fortunate enough for the last couple of games to get out the five guys we wanted,” Lalonde said. “And those guys performed well, executed well ... in that last minute, our guys are comfortable.” Lalonde added that having Vasilevskiy, a four-time Vezina Trophy finalist (and 2018-19 winner), in between the posts is certainly reassuring. SAVE: #GoBolts' Vasilevskiy with a huge save with 8.4 seconds remaining vs. #LetsGoCanes pic.twitter.com/GcB1qbnr6x

— ���� ������� (@faiello_mari) June 2, 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning For a petite and pony-tailed honors student, Annis could be a ruthless 1189269 soul crusher on a given terrain. The pace-setter on the back stretch of Plant’s five consecutive state team titles (1991-95), Annis became only the second four-time individual state champion in Florida history. Ranking the most impressive win (or title) streaks in Tampa Bay history Academically, she also had many peers chasing her: Annis scored better than 1,300 on the SAT, possessed a weighted GPA well above 5.0, and Check out our list to see if the Rays’ recent surge ranks among the best earned a scholarship to Stanford. in bay area sports lore. 5. Rays, 2021

11 consecutive wins, 16 triumphs in 17 games By Joey Knight Veteran right-hander Rich Hill was a huge catalyst in the Rays' recent surge of 16 victories in a 17-game stretch. For all the mettle and moxie brandished by the Rays during their recent Just as criticism of their offense was reaching a crescendo, the Rays surge, they fell painfully shy of making history. responded by winning 11 in a row from May 13-24, averaging nearly nine But they didn’t fail to make the cut — on our list of the most impressive runs a game. Four times during the streak, they scored 10 or more runs. victory/championship streaks in bay area history. Six times, they came from behind, highlighted by a 6-4 victory against the Jays on May 23, when they scored four runs (three off bases-loaded While the Rays’ recent 11-game win streak fell one triumph shy of the walks) in the top of the ninth. Proving the surge was no fluke, Tampa Bay franchise record, the way they followed it up has been unprecedented. followed a 2-1 loss to Kansas City on May 25 with a five-game win Joining them on this list are some wrestlers, runners and quite the streak. lopsided rivalry. 4. Buccaneers, 2020-present Our criteria: length of streak, of course, along with degree of difficulty and plain ol’ improbability. Eight consecutive wins (and counting) 10. Devil Rays, 2004 Bucs running back Leonard Fournette (28) works for extra yards during Super Bowl 55 against the Chiefs. Fournette and the Bucs enter their 12 consecutive victories Sept. 9 season opener against the Cowboys riding a franchise-best eight-game winning streak. Former Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella presided over a 12-game win streak in 2004. It remains the longest in club history. The reigning Super Bowl champs, who return every single starter, enter their Sept. 9 prime-time season opener against the Cowboys seeking to Amid another dreary summer during the organization’s prepubescent extend their franchise-record win streak to nine games. Sticklers will say phase came this seismic jolt. Yep, the longest win streak in franchise the streak actually stands at 8½, considering the Bucs outplayed the history featured a 5.2-magnitude earthquake that hit San Diego before Chiefs in the second half of that 27-24 home defeat on Nov. 29. Tampa the Devil Rays’ 5-2 in on June 15. Other highlights included three walk- Bay has five victories of double-digit margins during the streak, including off wins, none more dramatic than Rey Sanchez’s inside-the-park home a 31-9 humiliation of Kansas City in that little Feb. 7 rematch at Raymond run against the Rockies on June 11. The 12 consecutive wins doubled James Stadium. the previous longest streak in club history. 3. David Craig/Eric Grajales, Brandon High wrestling 9. Lightning, 2004 Both finished their prep careers undefeated 18-game points streak Former Brandon High wrestling standout David Craig (top) went 184-0 The Lightning were playing their sixth game in nine days — not to during his prep career, and remains one of only two Eagles to finish their mention the second of a back-to-back — when they fell 5-1 to Carolina high school careers undefeated. on March 13, ending what remains the longest points streak in franchise lore. The run included an 11-game unbeaten streak (10-0-1-0) and 10- Of the dozens of individual state champs produced over the decades by game home unbeaten streak (9-0-1-0), as well as a stretch of seven the Eagles wrestling dynasty, only two have completed their careers consecutive home wins. Less than three months later, they were hoisting without a loss. Craig, a four-time state champ in the upper weights, the Stanley Cup. finished 184-0 and earned a scholarship to Lehigh. Grajales, who also won four titles, went 218-0 (mostly at 135 pounds) and became an All- 8. Tampa Prep/Berkeley Prep volleyball, 1980-1999 American at Michigan. Combined for at least one state title 20 consecutive years 2. Jesuit football vs. Tampa Catholic, 2000-present For more than a generation, few local rivalries have featured the passion 21 consecutive Tigers victories and parity of this private-school feud. From 1980-85, Tampa Prep won the Class A volleyball crown. Berkeley Prep won it four of the next five Jesuit receiver Junior Vandeross turns a short pass into a 70-yard seasons, with 1987 (when the Terrapins captured it) the lone exception. touchdown during a 35-21 victory against arch-rival Tampa Catholic last In 1991, the Buccaneers moved to 2A and won two consecutive crowns, season. with Tampa Prep winning both years in 1A. And on it went, with either the Terrapins or Bucs (or both) winning a state crown every year through The most logic-defying entry on this list. Since the millennium dawned, 1999. Jesuit never has lost a game to its nearby rival. At various points during the Tigers’ two decades of dominance, Tampa Catholic (which has 7. Armwood High football, 2003-04 reached the playoffs 15 times since 2000) clearly has possessed better teams, suggesting the Crusaders’ futility has become a mental thing. 21-game win streak Case in point, this quote from former TC coach Bob Henriquez after a 2008 loss to the Tigers: “Jesuit’s in my head.” Former Armwood High football coach Sean Callahan led the Hawks to consecutive state titles, and a 21-game win streak, in 2003 and 2004. 1. Brandon High wrestling, 1974-2008 Were it not for a midseason forfeit (for using an ineligible player), this 459 consecutive dual-match victories streak would have stretched to 28 games, spanning Armwood’s entire 2003 and 2004 state championship seasons. Behind an overwhelming Brandon High wrestling coach Russ Cozart confers with Eagles 112- triple-option attack and perpetually fresh defense (the Hawks employed pounder Sean Joyce during his state title match (which Joyce won) in precious few two-way players), Armwood became the first Hillsborough 2004. Cozart presided over a majority of the Eagles' 459 dual-match win County program to win a state title since 1969, launching a county streak, the nation's longest for any prep sport. football renaissance that continues to this day. The only feat on this list to be immortalized by an ESPN documentary. As 6. Caroline Annis, Plant High cross country sure as headlocks hurt, the Eagles’ streak — a national record for any prep sport — never will be approached. Until it ended with a loss to Four consecutive state titles, 1994-97 Homestead South Dade (in something called the “Beat the Streak” Former Plant High girls cross country standout Caroline Annis won four tournament) on Jan. 5, 2008, Brandon’s run of dominance had spanned consecutive state titles from 1994-97. Only one other Florida previously nearly six presidential administrations and almost as many evolutions in had achieved that feat. pop music, from Carole King to Coldplay. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189270 Tampa Bay Lightning Grade: A-plus Powerless

After managing just one shot on two power-play opportunities in Game 1, Lightning-Hurricanes Game 2 report card: Nothing to it the Lightning were held without a shot on their two man-advantage Carolina makes things easy for Andrei Vasilevskiy and Tampa Bay, chances Tuesday — and nearly allowed a short-handed goal. which takes a two-game lead in the series. As they did in Game 1, the Hurricanes pressured Tampa Bay all over the ice, often sending two skaters at the puckcarrier and forcing him to get rid of it quickly. The Lightning hoped that if they could get through the first By Frank Pastor wave of pressure, they could create some odd-man opportunities, but they were unable to do so.

Their best chance came on a centering feed for Killorn with Aho in the After putting 38 shots on goal in a Game 1 loss, the Hurricanes entered box for slashing Ondrej Palat in the second period. But the puck eluded Game 2 talking about the need to make things more difficult for Andrei Killorn’s stick and skittered harmlessly out of the zone. Vasilevskiy by getting bodies in front of the Lightning goaltender. Grade: D, for dumbfounded Instead, they made them easier with a wildly inaccurate display of shooting. Splash of artistry With his poise, patience and positioning, Vasilevskiy might be the With the tight checking making it difficult for either team to generate toughest goalie in the league to score against, particularly in the scoring chances, there wasn’t much artistry to the game. But Cirelli broke postseason. He gets better the busier he is, as evidenced by his 68 up the monotony with a sublime goal midway through the third period. saves on 70 shots the past two games. Receiving a stretch pass from Hedman near center ice that was a bit So Carolina tried to beat him with a high volume of shots and by getting behind him, Cirelli played the puck away from Brady Skjei, then outraced into his field of vision. But all the shots in the world don’t matter if you the Carolina defender to the net before beating Nedeljkovic stickside with don’t get them on net. Of the Hurricanes’ 65 total shots, fewer than half a nifty backhand shot. (32) merited Vasilevskiy’s attention. What seemed an insurance goal at the time turned out to be the game- And as the Lightning’s Alex Killorn showed, even a seemingly harmless winner. shot from long distance has a chance of going in if it’s accurate. That is how a Lightning team that was outshot 32-15 managed to come away Grade: A with a 2-1 win and two-game lead in the second-round series. So close To be sure, The Lightning did a nice job of closing off the middle in their Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta, who had no goals during the regular zone and forcing the Hurricanes to look for their scoring opportunities season and has never scored in the postseason, had a golden from the outside, usually off the rush. Carolina had several promising opportunity late in the second period. chances but too often missed the net. After a pass from Barclay Goodrow out of the corner, Rutta found himself Tampa Bay goes up 2-0 in the series as they return home for game 3. with the puck on his stick all alone at the top of the slot. But with no traffic Teuvo Teravainen shot wide a couple of times from low in the left circle in in front, Nedeljkovic came out of the net to challenge Rutta, and his shot the first period. Dougie Hamilton missed on a 2-on-1, and Sebastian Aho went high off the crossbar up over the net. fired high. The Hurricanes’ best chance might have come when a Vincent It would have been a nice milestone for Rutta, who played more than 19 Trocheck blast from the left circle hit Vasilevskiy in the facemask. minutes in Game 1 with the Lightning down to five defensemen, but it Martin Necas missed wide with Vasilevskiy down on the ice during a 2- was not to be. on-1 in the second. An off-balance Aho shot wide from the slot during an Grade: D, for disappointing early third-period power play, and Aho sent the puck back through the crease on a backdoor opportunity with the net empty in the closing Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.03.2021 minutes. Of course, the Lightning had something to do with Carolina’s shooting woes, with 16 blocks. Ryan McDonagh broke up a pass on a 3-on-2. Mikhail Sergachev got a stick on an Andrei Svechnikov pass for Jordan Staal, who was crashing the net, and Sergachev blocked a Cedric Paquette shot on a 3-on-2. While the Hurricanes did a good job of pressuring the Lightning and limiting their scoring chances, the only thing that mattered in the end was that Tampa found the back of the net once more than Carolina did. Grade: A Here is how we graded the rest of the Lightning’s performance in their Game 2 win. Difference-maker Lightning left wing Alex Killorn celebrates his goal with his teammates on the bench during the second period. Killorn was the most effective skater on the ice for the Lightning, with linemate Anthony Cirelli a close second. It should be no coincidence, then, that they scored the two Tampa Bay goals. With all of the firepower on Tampa Bay’s top two lines, it’s easy to overlook Killorn. But he creates havoc all over the ice, forces turnovers and generates scoring chances, both in 5-on-5 play and on the power play. His second-period goal was an example of Killorn making something out of nothing, as he whipped a seemingly harmless shot on net from just inside the blue line. Cirelli took away goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic’s eyes with a screen in front, and Killorn’s shot beat Nedeljkovic on the glove side. Fittingly, it was Killorn’s blood on the ice that caused a stoppage in play after Cirelli’s third-period goal. He was that involved. Tampa Bay Lightning their reputations over several seasons. Cirelli was just the third player as 1189271 young as 22 to have finished in the top five of voting in the past decade.

It speaks to the respect Cirelli is gaining in the league, even if he hasn’t When the Lightning have a dirty job to do, the call goes to Anthony Cirelli had the type of monster scoring season that might get his name noticed beyond Tampa Bay.

Although a few more nights like Game 2, and the rest of the hockey world By John Romano is going to catch up in a hurry. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.03.2021 Oh, there are plenty of pretty players on the ice this time of year. The ones who make you marvel at their grace, and appreciate the precision of their skills. There are the physical standouts, too. The skaters who seem to move as quickly as the puck, not to mention the oversized goaltenders who anticipate and react with uncommon quickness. But when it comes to playoff hockey, give me the grunts. The hustlers, the battlers, the guys in the corners. Give me Anthony Cirelli. Tampa Bay goes up 2-0 in the series as they return home for game 3. On a team of prime-time stars and trophy winners, Cirelli is like the cousin with a cheap haircut. He doesn’t score as much and he darn sure doesn’t talk as much, but Cirelli is the guy a teammate is likely to choose when it comes to a pickup game. “You just circle the dirty areas on the ice,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said, “and he goes to them and excels at them.” In case you didn’t know that, Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory against the Hurricanes in Game 2 should have convinced you. Cirelli was all over the ice and the game summary, too. He got off six shots and picked up two hits. He won seven of eight faceoffs and scored the eventual game- winning goal. But it was the moments that don’t show up in the postgame paperwork that define the kind of player Cirelli is for the Lightning. He’s there on the penalty kill, and he’s there in the game’s final seconds when Carolina stacks the ice with scorers. He was also there when the Lightning took a 1-0 lead, but you had to be paying attention to realize it. Following a long pass from Victor Hedman, it was Cirelli who went behind the Carolina net and battled Jaccob Slavin for position. And once the puck scooted out along the boards toward Alex Killorn, Cirelli took up residence in front of the net and blocked the view of goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic as Killorn’s shot from the blue line sailed past for the score. “Those are the type of players you need this time of year,” captain Steven Stamkos said. “And those are the types of games that you’re going to have to get used to winning.” This is nothing new, of course. While the Lightning were cruising toward the Stanley Cup title last season, Cirelli was a 22-year-old wrecking ball in every series. He led Tampa Bay in takeaways last postseason and blocked more shots than any forward on the team. Now, through the first eight games of this postseason, he leads the Lightning in hits and is tied with Blake Coleman in takeaways. The only difference is Cirelli is starting to show up more on the scoresheet. His breakaway in the third period on Tuesday night, which led to a fancy-for-him backhanded goal to put the Lightning up 2-0, was his third goal of these playoffs. “My momentum carried me (to) the backhand to get a little room there,” Cirelli said. “I was just trying to put one on net, and I was fortunate that it went in.” All this for a player who went 28 consecutive games at the end of the season without a goal. That type of scoreless drought may have emotionally crippled a different kind of player, but Cirelli never stopped grinding. “You have these guys who compete so hard and when you take them out of the game it can be frustrating, but you need to have the mental wherewithal to work your way through it,” Cooper said. “Tony has proven that from youth hockey to junior to the American League to here. That’s why he’s turned himself into what I consider a big-time player in this league and he shows up in big-time moments.” Cirelli finished fourth in the Frank Selke Trophy voting last season — given to the NHL’s best defensive forward — which was fairly remarkable considering the award is typically limited to contenders who have built Toronto Maple Leafs Among the older players, Joe Thornton, who signed for one season last 1189272 fall, said he has yet to consider whether he would like to come back to Toronto. The Toronto Maple Leafs are feeling awful, and so are the rest of us “This came so suddenly that I really haven’t had time to think about it,” the 41-year-old said. “I feel really healthy and really good, but we’ll see. I have to take the time to be a dad right now.” MARTY KLINKENBERG Jason Spezza, 37, had three goals against the Canadiens and said he would like to come back. Wayne Simmonds, another veteran who was brought in, is uncertain if he will return. The Toronto-born Zach Hyman, Mitch Marner erased the social-media apps on his cellphone before the whose contract is expiring, said he would like to remain a Maple Leaf “if it playoffs started. The Maple Leafs star said they would otherwise have makes sense.” become a distraction. Goaltender Frederik Andersen, who fought injuries for much of the He hasn’t actually seen the comments from frustrated fans who have season, is unlikely to return. His contract expires and he lost the starting lashed out at him in the past day or so, but he has heard. job to Jack Campbell as well. It is not bad enough that Toronto blew a 3-1 lead in its playoff series with “I’ve had five years here and really enjoyed my time,” said Andersen, 31. Montreal. To make matters worse, Auston Matthews and Marner, the “Over all, I will definitely look back at these five years with a lot of good team’s two biggest stars, combined for just one goal in seven games. memories.” Marner also committed several glaring errors that contributed to the The season ended with fans more angry than they have been in years. defeat. Doubts are being expressed about his relative value – he makes Part of that comes from the expectation caused by having a good regular $US10.9-million a year – to the team. season. Part of it comes from another failure at the end. “We had three cracks [at eliminating the Canadiens] and it just sucks that “It is hard for them,” Brendan Shanahan, the club president and alternate we didn’t get it done,” Marner said Wednesday on a virtual call with governor, said during a separate Zoom call. “We gave them hope, and journalists as players were made available for interviews before they they believed in us. They are heartbroken. headed out for the summer. “We had the talent, we had the will and we “Trust gets shaken at times like this for all organizations that don’t meet had the fight, but the end result is not what we wanted. No one feels their expectations.” good about this.” Head coach Sheldon Keefe and general manager Kyle Dubas said they Marner was contrite. He chose his words carefully and haltingly. were still digesting the defeat. Sure Maple Leafs fans are upset, but it’s not enough to blow the team up “We have had painful lessons here over the years,” Dubas said. “The Tavares speaks publicly for first time since frightening collision against lessons are repeated until they are learned.” Canadiens Or not. He and Matthews and other core members of the Maple Leafs have yet Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.03.2021 to win a postseason series. They remain relatively youthful, but that no longer can be used as an excuse. They have lost in the first round in four of the past five years and failed to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs in the other. The previous time Toronto advanced to the second round was 2004. “We had a chance to finish out the series,” Marner said. “It was a terrible outcome. At the end of each year, we are sitting here feeling awful.” Marner and Matthews had 61 goals between them during the regular season but only the one on 54 shots against Montreal. Marner maintains that he and Matthews got plenty of opportunities but were simply unable to cash them in. “I thought we had great looks,” Marner said. “Our line did a lot of great things.” The Maple Leafs won their first division title since 1990, but it occurred without having to play tough opponents such as Boston or Tampa Bay. The league was realigned because of COVID-19 in such a way that it was very favourable for Toronto. After losing the opening game of the series, three victories followed – and the Maple Leafs were inches from accomplishing a feat that has hung over them like a grey cloud. Then they imploded. “It all boils down to the same thing,” defenceman Morgan Rielly said. “To not achieve the ultimate goal makes it a lot worse.” Rielly said there were successes that can be built on, and lessons to be learned from losing. But that really isn’t anything new. “I have been reflecting on a spectacular season that had a disappointing ending,” Marner said. “We didn’t live up to our own expectations.” Matthews, who was selected as a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award on Wednesday, still seemed to be at a loss to explain what happened. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby were also nominated for the trophy, awarded to the player fellow players believe is the most valuable on any team. Matthews led the NHL with 41 goals during the regular season. “Everybody is still frustrated and feeling devastated,” Matthews said. “I don’t think I can offer much more than I did the other night. I don’t think much has changed. “I hold myself to a high standard. To not be able to produce when I want to is frustrating.” 1189273 Toronto Maple Leafs

Tavares speaks publicly for first time since frightening collision against Canadiens

MARTY KLINKENBERG

John Tavares spoke publicly on Wednesday for the first time since he was injured in the opening game of the Maple Leafs playoff series with the Canadiens two weeks ago. Tavares is still recovering from a concussion that occurred during a frightening collision with Montreal’s Corey Perry. Tavares had just been knocked down by another player when Perry tried to leap over him. Perry’s knee struck Tavares in the head and left him unconscious while he was tended to by medical staff from both teams. The Maple Leafs’ captain was taken by ambulance to a hospital and was released the following morning. He missed the rest of the series with Montreal and had just resumed practice when Toronto was eliminated on Monday in seven games. Tavares also banged up one of his knees on the play. The 30-year-old said he has seen a few pictures from the incident but has not watched a video replay of it. The collision was shown on television that night numerous times from various angles. Players from both teams watched in concerned silence as he received emergency care and was then wheeled out of on a stretcher. “I don’t remember the hit,” Tavares said. “I remember the whole day up, and my first couple of shifts of the game. I have a memory being out on the stretcher and in the ambulance but it is very vague.” Tavares said that Perry reached out to him immediately after the game. He said he has no sense that either Perry or Ben Chiarot – the other Canadiens player involved – intended to hurt him or that it was a dirty play. “I’ve never been through anything close to it,” Tavares said. “I know how traumatic it was for my family, and how many times they saw it [on a replay]. I realize it was a very significant situation. I don’t think anyone has recommended that I look at it.” Tavares said it was hard to watch as his teammates lost the first-round series after jumping out to a 3-1 lead. The Maple Leafs have not advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2004. “It was tough not to be a part of it,” Tavares said. “It is really hard to put into context the disappointment and the devastation that losing brought to our group. “We had a strong belief in wanting to accomplish something special and get over the hurdle of not only this season but years past. We feel we have let our fan base down.” Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.03.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs Lamoriello — the three-time Stanley Cup winner whom Shanahan cast 1189274 aside to give Dubas his first GM job — has already delivered five series wins with the post-John Tavares New York Islanders, while currently playing the Boston Bruins for a chance at a sixth. There’s nothing wrong with the Leafs, Brendan Shanahan suggests, that a little ‘killer instinct’ won’t cure The trust is wounded because the clock is ticking. The Leafs only have Matthews under contract for three more seasons. And the question is: Given that Dubas already veered from his vision this past season by bowing to Shanahan’s urging for more toughness, can Dubas be trusted By Dave Feschuk — heck, can he be reasonably expected — to readjust his team-building strategy under heavy cap constraints this summer? The perennial pileup of blue-and-white failure is the players’ shame and And more to the point: Can Shanahan, or perhaps voices above his pay the loyal fan base’s pain. grade, allow a neophyte with no track record to keep using this promising team’s competitive window to search for answers he may or may not But when you direct your eyes to the top or the organizational chart, ultimately find? make no mistake: These star-crossed Maple Leafs, yet again hockey’s laughingstock, are Brendan Shanahan’s project. Well past his seven-year “The best days of this journey and this program are ahead of us,” Dubas anniversary as team president, in the grim wake of a fifth-straight post- said. “We’ve had painful lessons here over the years … The lessons are season swing and miss, the man who gave Leafs Nation the once- repeated until they’re learned.” revered Shanaplan finds himself engulfed in a real moment of crisis. That’s an awfully presumptuous statement from an executive whose Not that you’d know it listening to him. Never mind that the team team just blew a chance at the easiest journey to the final four it’ll president has presided over a franchise now saddled with a high-earning probably ever get, whose tenure has only seen the painful lessons foursome of foundational stars who have repeatedly flopped in big repeated and ignored. moments, or that Toronto’s cap picture, with top defenceman Morgan Which raises the thought: Maybe there are voices above Shanahan’s pay Rielly’s contract looming, is even uglier now than it was a year ago. In a grade getting the idea that this heritage franchise could use a fresh set of head-scratching post-season video conference, Shanahan spent part of eyes. Wednesday seeming to largely insist that all was well with Toronto’s NHL team — you know, except for the losing. There’s an experienced candidate on the market. If I owned this team I’d at least want to hear what Jim Rutherford thinks of the way it’s being run. He insisted his core four players aren’t going anywhere, no matter their The former Leafs goaltender is a three-time Stanley Cup-winning general dismal big-game history. “We are going to do this in Toronto with this manager who most recently took over a top-heavy cap team in Pittsburgh group. We are going to get this done.” and won back-to-back rings before resigning earlier this year. Rutherford He offered a preposterously fawning assessment of the work of general had publicly mulled retirement, but in the past few days he’s announced manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe, whom he said did he’s eager to work again if the right offer arrives. He’s 72; the same age “an excellent job” in their remaking of the team after last year’s failure at which Lamoriello was lured by Shanahan from New Jersey to Toronto. against Columbus team. In an interview a couple of years back, Rutherford explained the If you didn’t know any better, you might have assumed he was running a quandary facing an NHL GM. To go from good to great, he made the team that was actually successful. case you effectively need two teams — a team that prospers sufficiently in the regular season, and a team capable of rising to the higher pitch of “We just didn’t get over that last hurdle,” Shanahan said. the post-season. The trick, of course, is that you can’t have two sets of players. Except that it was, um, the first hurdle. For the fifth straight season. Culminating in the most humiliating collapse in the history of a once- “You have to have guys who are able to play the tight games. Because in proud franchise at the hands of the worst club to make the playoffs. our league, it’s almost two separate games — you have the regular- season game, and then you have the playoff game,” Rutherford said. To top off the tone-deaf rambling, Shanahan slipped in the small matter “The way the game’s called in the playoffs, it takes the star player and that, in his expert assessment, the only thing missing from Toronto’s makes the star player be more like regular players … You have to have roster is “killer instinct,” which will have to be added either “internally or those role guys — glue guys, whatever you want to call them — that are externally.” able to play and succeed in that type of game.” He said it as though it was no biggie — as though he’ll get the equipment That’s not to say Rutherford would be an instant success in turning manager to order a shipment of killer instinct along with the jock-itch Toronto’s regular-season champs into playoff winners. That’s only to say: cream. He said it as though acquiring the kind of win-at-all-costs, playoff- While Toronto’s front office spins its latest buzzwords — “grit and work worthy ferocity that every team is dying to find — the kind few Leafs have ethic” last season, “killer instinct” this one — Rutherford is in possession yet to display to date — amounts to enrolling Auston Matthews in an off- of a well-honed vision. season MasterClass or two. As if those kinds of game-changing, opponent-crushing performers can be procured for the small-money Would you hire Rutherford as a senior adviser? That would assume deals the cash-strapped Leafs have to offer. Shanahan and Dubas would take advice. Does Shanahan, pressured from above to make change, embark on a more radical makeover? Since Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, with GM Kyle Dubas, right, says “the Tim Leiweke departed, radical hasn’t been MLSE’s way. difference between winning and losing is not a tremendous difference.” It’s possible, in the absence of a forceful CEO, that the status quo will be “The difference between winning and losing is not a tremendous seen as kosher. It’s possible Shanahan’s bosses have patient faith, or at difference,” Shanahan said. least another season’s worth of it, that Shanahan and Dubas, for all their failures, will ultimately find the formula. To sum up the president’s diagnosis: The surgery was a success, ma’am, except for the fact you’re dead. Maybe the trust is sufficiently shaken. Or maybe you order up that Not that Shanahan’s job is necessarily in imminent peril. He’s only a shipment of killer instinct and convince yourself the vaunted process is couple of years into a six-year contract extension that, while it remains progressing as planned — you know, except for the winning. head-shakingly generous, almost guarantees he survives this latest face Toronto Star LOADED: 06.03.2021 plant. Shanahan got six years tacked onto his original five-year deal without winning so much as a playoff series. By that rough math, Raptors president Masai Ujiri, currently negotiating his own future with the same employer, should soon own a decent chunk of MLSE and possibly a nationwide 5G network or two. Still, as much as the board of directors has put its faith in Shanahan, Shanahan knows the collective belief can’t be bottomless. “The trust gets shaken at times like this. The trust is wounded,” Shanahan said, finally making sense. “And it’s up to us to come back and earn it again.” The trust is wounded, in part, because, while the Leafs have failed to clear the lowest of bars by winning even a single playoff series, Lou Toronto Maple Leafs “I’ve had five years here now,” Andersen said. “I’ve really enjoyed my 1189275 time here. Overall, I’ll definitely look back on these five years with a lot of good memories.” The Leafs will stick to their core four with the belief the team’s best days Andersen earned $5 million last year, a number the Leafs can’t afford if are still ahead Hyman is to get a raise from $2.25 million. Hyman said he hadn’t considered contract talks until now. Dubas was serious about bringing him back. By Kevin McGran “We would be very interested in having him back,” Dubas said. “It has to work out fair for both sides. But I don’t think I need to get into what Zach Hyman brings to the club. He has been an excellent player since he Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Kyle arrived here.” Dubas addressed the anger and frustration felt by fans at another A Spezza deal sounded like a formality, with Dubas just wanting to run it disappointing season, but it doesn’t seem as if much will change next by Sheldon Keefe. Spezza, at 37, seemed to find the fountain of youth season except a few players “around the margins” of the NHL’s salary and was a big performer in the playoffs. cap. “I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business,” said Spezza, who earned Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander — an NHL-minimum $700,000. “I feel very invested in the group. I’m hopeful the four forwards taking up nearly half of the Leafs’ $81.5-million (U.S.) I get another opportunity.” cap — are expected to return next year, despite the team’s continued lack of playoff success. Galchenyuk ($1.05 million) was the goat on the Game 5 overtime giveaway, but remained a good-news story overall, finding his game “I’ll say this about our top four: I think any team in the league would love again in Toronto. “He hasn’t been here that long, but definitely there’s to have any one of them,” Shanahan said. “But we want them. We like some interested in having him return,” Dubas said. them. We want to keep them here. They’re special players. They’re all deeply committed to winning here in Toronto.” Thornton ($700,000) said he wanted time with his family to decide his future. The 41-year-old’s next stop, if he doesn’t spend a year or two in Fans who wanted heads to roll will have to make peace with the fact that the Swiss League, will be the Hall of Fame. Shanahan and Dubas will continue to run the show. Shanahan acknowledged the team has lost the trust of some fans, failing to win a Foligno ($5.5 million) is probably going to demand more money than the playoff round since 2004, that has to be earned back. He acknowledged Leafs can afford. Zach Bogosian ($1 million) would likely be welcomed the team this year lacked a killer instinct. back. Wayne Simmonds ($1.5 million) would probably fall somewhere in between, depending on the market for physical players and his own “No doubt, there will be changes this year,” Shanahan said. “If there’s a desire to play in his hometown. pattern that’s developed, it wasn’t lack of desire, it wasn’t lack of preparation. There’s a killer instinct that’s missing that we need to “We’re just trying to add as many good players as we can to the lineup,” address. Dubas said. “We’re just trying to make the club as strong as possible knowing we’ve got to dance around the margins with the salary-cap “Whether that’s externally, or just figuring out a way for our guys to get situation. over that hump, that’s something we have to address.” “That’s where we’ll be judged as we get into next season again. Can we The Leafs spend more than any other team on matters like the research take what we have, and continue to build it out and show tangible strides and development of analytics to support player acquisition and coaching next season?” decisions, player development, nutrition, training, medical support and mental health support. Their approach is not about to change. Toronto Star LOADED: 06.03.2021 “I have full belief that the best days of this journey and for this program are ahead of us, and that if we continue to invest in our people, and in our players, with player development, with their well-being and their performance, that we will win here,” Dubas said. “It’s just a matter of continuing to stick to it, especially now when the criticism is at its height, and conviction is most important.” It will be up to Dubas to make the roster changes, with 12 players up for unrestricted free agency, one player — Travis Dermott — up for restricted free agency, and the Seattle Kraken lined up to pluck one player off the roster in the expansion draft. Whether Dubas re-signs his UFAs before or after the expansion draft is a key component to what his protected list might look like, but he said he wouldn’t let the protected list guide his decisions. “I don’t think our expansion equation is overly perilous,” said Dubas. The Leafs would like to bring back forward Zach Hyman, who will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer and looking for a bump from the $2.25 million (U.S.) he earned this season. Dubas, while discussing the UFAs, gave the green light to bringing back Jason Spezza and sounded serious about pursuing Zach Hyman, who will be due a considerable raise. Goaltender Frederik Andersen, however, may have played his last game with the Leafs. The rest of the unrestricted free agents — Joe Thornton, Nick Foligno, Alex Galchenyuk and Zach Bogosian, to name a few key ones — appear to be in wait-and-see mode. The general manager was widely praised for his off-season additions, like T.J. Brodie and Bogosian, who rounded out the defence, and Thornton, who brought a new loosey-goosey attitude to the dressing room. Dubas was also praised for in-season additions like Foligno and Galchenyuk. Now he faces decisions on who should come back, and what other free agents might be pursued. As things stand, he’ll have about $13 million for a goalie, five forwards and two defencemen. Andersen sounded at peace with moving on, having lost his starter’s job to Jack Campbell. 1189276 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs captain John Tavares still hasn’t seen Game 1 hit but he knows it was ‘significant’

By Mark Zwolinski

John Tavares’s knee is fine after a devastating Game 1 collision knocked him out of the Maple Leafs’ first-round playoff series with Montreal. But there are some lingering emotional scars. “I haven’t watched it,” the Leafs captain said on a Zoom call Wednesday, referring to the collision with Montreal’s Corey Perry that left him with a knee injury and a concussion. “I know how traumatic it was for my family, especially how many times they saw it, and all the attention that was on it. “When I was talking to them at the hospital that night, and the next day talking to a bunch of my teammates and people in the organization over the following days — even the looks on their faces — (it) made me realize that it was pretty significant. Maybe I will watch it, but I’m not sure.” Tavares said the psychological healing — “going through something like that, and the challenges that it brings” — will be as important as the physical healing but he expects to work through it. He said he feels fortunate to be where he is right now. The captain skated with his teammates in practices last week, suggesting his knee recovery was ahead of schedule and that he had passed the initial stages of concussion protocol. Tavares, though, said his cognitive abilities were hampered after the collision, which led to him being taken from the ice on a stretcher. He was falling after a hit from Montreal defenceman Ben Chiarot when he was clipped by Perry’s knee as the Canadiens forward tried to leap over him. “I don’t remember the hit,” Tavares said. “I remember the whole day, my first couple of shifts. Then I remember faintly, parts of it, as I was kind of on the ice and getting put onto the stretcher, then getting into the ambulance. And then, getting into the ambulance, I started (to get) a better understanding of what was going on. But it was very vague, what was happening on the ice, even as I was going on the stretcher.” Tavares said Perry reached out to him that night. “From anyone I talked to, there was no sense or idea of intent, of trying to be dirty or trying to hurt me. In saying that, I do think it’s the opening game of the playoffs, there’s lots of energy and lots of intensity, they wanted to establish a physical game. (They were) certainly going out of their way more than in a regular-season game, but that’s part of playoff hockey. “I didn’t see it, but from talking to everyone, it was an unfortunate set of circumstances. Like I said, Corey reached out, sent a nice message, and I don’t think there was any intent.” Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin said, who suffered a groin injury in Game 6, said he is progressing well. “Its frustrating, (you) take pride in looking after yourself and preventing those kinds of injuries, and sometimes I guess they just happen,” Muzzin said. “So it’s frustrating for me, but it’s just a little groin issue that should heal up, no problem.” Toronto Star LOADED: 06.03.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs “If I’m a Leaf fan, I’m excited this guy is going to be the face of the 1189277 franchise for a long, long time.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 06.03.2021 The Leafs’ critics are pointing at Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, but stars’ teammates believe in them

By Kevin McGran

The knives are out for Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. The Maple Leafs’ two biggest stars, and two of their highest-paid players, have taken the brunt of the criticism from an angry and disappointed fan base following the team’s early departure from the Stanley Cup playoffs. “I’ve deleted all my social media apps,” Marner said. “Even before playoffs. It’s a distraction you don’t need. Social media is something that can be terrible. I got off that early. “I’ve just been reflecting with my teammates on a spectacular season — obviously a terrible ending, something we’re disappointed in. We had such faith in ourselves and confidence we could do a lot of damage and be special. It hurts we didn’t live up to our own expectations.” That “spectacular” regular season included a division title, the Leafs’s first since 2002. Marner and Matthews led the way, with both finishing in the top five in NHL scoring. Matthews had 41 goals to win the Rocket Richard Trophy and is one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award. That’s voted by the players, recognizing the “most outstanding player” in the league. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby are the other finalists. “It’s really humbling to be in the same conversation as those two players,” Matthews said. “But, at the end of the day, those individual awards are great but I don’t think it’s the same satisfaction as winning with the team, and accomplishing something as a team.” Marner didn’t score in Toronto’s first-round loss to Montreal, though he had four assists in seven games. Matthews had one goal and four assists. “You’ve got to have luck to go a long way,” Matthews said. “You’ve got to have a lot of things go your way. For us, we have no excuses. You have to create your own luck. But we failed to execute in a number of departments.” Marner was outraged by reports he refused to change positions on the Leafs’ power play and move to the goal-line or behind the net to help get the struggling extra-man unit going. There is no evidence Marner, or any Leaf, refused an assignment, only that the team kept employing the same predictable strategy, which is typically a coaching decision The behind-the-net approach was never even practised. “A complete lie,” Marner said. “I’ve deleted all social but my agent told me about it. It’s just people trying to make a name. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the world we live in. I’d play any role on the power play ... (I) just want to win. It’s a complete lie. Sucks that stuff like that’s being said.” Leafs forwards Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are feeling the heat after another opening-round loss. Matthews suggested a little luck was needed to make a deep playoff run but added, “We have no excuses. You have to create your own luck ... We failed to execute in a number of departments.” Matthews and Marner had the full backing of their teammates. “I believe in Auston and Mitch,” forward Jason Spezza said. “They improved a lot of things, things that people don’t see. The way they act around the dressing room. Their professionalism. How serious they took everything regarding the team, the games, COVID, the responsibilities they had to be leaders. “I feel hurt for us as a team that we couldn’t get through, and it hurts me for those guys knowing that they weren’t able to get us through. They’re dealing with the criticism now that comes with it. But the message is you have to keep pushing, you have to keep getting better. I think they will get better, they will learn from this, but that’s not what anybody wants to hear. Because you’re only going to get judged on your success in the playoffs.” Joe Thornton, who endured similar criticism early in his career in Boston, spoke about the pair after Matthews’ Lindsay nomination was revealed. “They’re special players,” Thornton said. “Playing with Auston, he is that good, he competes that hard. He wants to be one of the greats of all time. He realizes what it takes to be great. He’s a tremendous guy. I can’t say enough good things about Auston Matthews. Toronto Maple Leafs “We’ve had painful lessons here over the years,” Dubas said. “The 1189278 lessons are repeated until they’re learned and I think we’re getting to that point now.” Maple Leafs left searching for answers after another opening-round Meanwhile, Montreal netminder Carey Price showed how it was done. playoff exit With a steady, confident, been-there-before demeanour, he displayed the big-game focus he’s known for and his teammates fed off it.

The Canadiens got results and the Maple Leafs were left wondering what By Gregory Strong The Canadian Press happened. “I think that there’s belief in the group and I think that there’s good things that happened over the course of the season that we have to build on, Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan sounded an optimistic tone carry over and keep,” said defenceman Morgan Rielly. “And then about the team’s future Wednesday as the players searched for answers ultimately when it comes to playoffs, I think that we do have to learn after coming up painfully short in the playoffs despite a strong regular some hard lessons. I think that happens over time by losing. season. “I think it hurts and you learn and you move forward. As a group we have “As horrible and as devastated as we feel today that we’ve let people to be able to do that.” down, we are not going to stop until we accomplish this,” Shanahan said. “We are going to do this here in Toronto with this group. There will be Toronto has several players who are set to become unrestricted free changes that will be made. There will be tweaks along the way of course. agents this summer, most notably Hyman and goaltender Frederik Andersen. “The team will evolve, the people will evolve. But we are going to get this done.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2021. Toronto built a 3-1 lead on Montreal in the first-round series before Toronto Star LOADED: 06.03.2021 dropping three straight games to the Canadiens. Montreal won Games 5 and 6 in overtime and eliminated the Maple Leafs with a 3-1 win on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena. “We didn’t close,” said forward Wayne Simmonds. “I think good teams, when they smell blood, they finish (opponents) off right away.” Several players who appeared on a season-ending video call with media Wednesday morning mentioned not “starting on time” in some playoff games, a reference to a lack of urgency from puck drop. The Maple Leafs did well to force OT in both games before the decider, but had difficulty playing at a consistent pace for a full 60 minutes. It was the fifth straight year that the Maple Leafs failed to make it out of the opening round. “This one hurts the most,” said forward Zach Hyman. “It’s the most heartbreaking out of all of them. There are no excuses, there’s nothing you can point to. It’s just we didn’t get the job done.” Playoff expectations were higher this time around after Toronto finished first in the North Division standings. The Maple Leafs haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967. Toronto’s last playoff series victory came in 2004. “We were excited to play in the playoffs in an opportunity to erase history and push past it,” said head coach Sheldon Keefe. “We obviously failed to deliver on that. We own that.” Shanahan, who appeared on a late-afternoon video call with Keefe and GM Kyle Dubas, said that he believes in the team’s core, which includes the well-paid quartet of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, captain John Tavares and William Nylander. “I think any team in the league would love to have any one of them, but we want them,” Shanahan said. “We like them and we want to keep them here. They’re special players and they’re all deeply, deeply committed to winning here in Toronto and it’s important for us as a management group to continue to develop them.” Matthews and Marner excelled in the regular season but were rather muted in the playoffs. Toronto’s power play was largely ineffective and the Canadiens capitalized on the Leafs’ mistakes. “No one is feeling good about this, it’s awful,” Marner said. “We all wanted a better result. Obviously what we didn’t accomplish (created) a really (crappy) feeling.” Injuries to Tavares and defenceman Jake Muzzin didn’t help matters, but Toronto’s lack of killer instinct late in the series proved costly. The Maple Leafs simply didn’t have the necessary jump when they needed it in Game 7. “The teams that go the farthest play the hardest and they grind teams down,” said Muzzin. “We have to learn from this and take it going forward that we need to do that more. “We can’t be easy to play against or it won’t get done in the playoffs.” A team that often wowed with its firepower in the regular season seemed afraid to take chances in the post-season. Rather than put the Canadiens away, the Maple Leafs seemed almost intimidated by the moment. 1189279 Toronto Maple Leafs

‘We have no excuses.’ Dejected Maple Leafs address media in final news conference of the season

By Kevin McGran

Frederik Andersen sounded like he was saying goodbye, Joe Thornton is going to take some time to think about his future, Jason Spezza definitely wants back, Zach Hyman will worry about his future in a week or two. And Auston Matthews is up for the Ted Lindsay Award, as most outstanding player — along with Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby — as voted by the players. “It’s really humbling to be in the same conversation as those two players,” said Matthews. “But at the end of the day, those individual awards are great, but I don’t think it’s the same satisfaction as winning with the team, and accomplishing something as a team.” He added later about the disappointing playoffs: “You’ve got to have luck to go a long way . . . you’ve got to have a lot of things go your way . . . But we have no excuses . . . You have to create your own luck.” The news came fast and furious as the Maple Leafs held their season- ending media teleconference call while getting their heads around a season that ended too soon. “Teams that go far, they start on time, they start fast, they close out, and I think with the expectations being so high in Toronto, that’s good,” said Thornton. “This group has a lot of great pieces. It’s going to move forward.” The heat was laid squarely on Matthews and Mitch Marner, the team’s two stars who came up short in the post-season. “They’re special players,” said Thornton. “Playing with Auston, he is that good. He wants to be one of the greats of all time. He’s a tremendous guy. I can’t say enough good things about Auston Matthews. If I’m a Leaf fan, I’m excited this guy is going to be the face of the franchise for a long, long time.” Should the Leafs trade one of their stars? Who shoulders the blame for another weak playoff performance? Star hockey reporter Kevin McGran and digital producer Justin Smirlies discuss the playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Here are some highlights: Marner, on allegations he refused to change roles on the power play: “A complete lie. I’ve deleted all social but my agent told me about it. It’s just people trying to make name. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the world we live in. I’d play any role on the power play. I won’t play power play. Just want to win. It’s a complete like. Sucks that stuff like that’s being said. A disappointed Auston Matthews addressed the media at the Leafs end- of-season availabilities Wednesday. Andersen, who faces unrestricted free agency: “I’ve had five years here now. I’ve really enjoyed my time here. Overall, I’ll definitely look back on these five years with a lot of good memories.” Hyman, who also faces free agency: “I really haven’t looked too far ahead. I don’t think anyone saw our season ending so abruptly. Honestly, I haven’t had time to think about it. I’ve just been digesting what’s happened over the last two weeks. I haven’t thought past this week. I haven’t spoken to Kyle (GM Kyle Dubas). Thornton, on his future: “This came so suddenly, I really haven’t had time to think about it. First and foremost I have to be a dad for a little bit. I feel healthy, I feel good. We’ll see. I haven’t made any decisions yet.” Spezza, on possibly returning: “I would (like to come back). I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business. I feel very invested in the group. I’m hopeful I get another opportunity. Wayne Simmonds, on his future: “I got no clue to be honest. I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing for the Leafs. It’s a sport we love to play, but it is a business. Toronto Star LOADED: 06.03.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs Morgan Rielly is a year away from free agency. What is the 1189280 defenceman’s interest in trying to get an extension done while taking into consideration the other financial variables the Leafs are dealing with? “It has crossed my mind, but it’s not something I spent a lot of time thinking Hyman, Spezza among in-house, off-season items on Dubas' to-do list about, especially after a playoff loss,” Rielly said. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, it’s more about dealing with what happens on the ice and I have to take care of myself and just prepare for Terry Koshan next season.” … The frustration in the voice of defenceman Jake Muzzin was evident as he discussed watching from the sideline with an injury, the second year in a row he has been a spectator to see his teammates eliminated. “You take pride in looking after yourself and doing everything Forward Zach Hyman can become an unrestricted free agent in the off- you can to prevent those kinds of injuries and sometimes I guess they season. just happen,” Muzzin said. “It’s a little groin issue that should heal up no On Kyle Dubas’ to-do list in the off-season: Try to keep Zach Hyman and, problem. I felt a pop there. It’s weird.” … Joe Thornton, who turns 42 in in all likelihood, Jason Spezza. July, said he has not made a decision about his hockey future yet. “This came so sudden, I really haven’t had time to think about it,” Thornton The two are among a large group of Maple Leafs headed for unrestricted said. “First and foremost, I have to be a dad a little bit here. I feel really free agency this summer. healthy, I feel really good, but we will see.” … Dubas said there would be “some interest” in re-signing forward Alex Galchenyuk. As he goes about filling other spots from outside the organization, Dubas knows what he has in-house. Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 “I don’t think I need to get into what Zach Hyman means to the club,” the Leafs’ general manager said. “He has been an excellent player since he arrived and is equally as impressive a person, if not more. “He comes every day and puts it on the line for the team and we feel very fortunate to have him. He’s certainly someone that we will try to work to bring back. “With regard to Jason, I think it’ll be a discussion with Sheldon (Keefe). With players who are at that stage in their career, you always want to make sure that the coach is comfortable. I would expect that if Sheldon’s good, we would want to bring (Spezza) back.” If Hyman’s starting point is $5 million US a season, the odds of him re- signing in Toronto would be, at best, bad. Spezza likely could be had for not much more than the NHL minimum, which will rise to $750,000 in 2021-22. “All I have been thinking about is this year and I really haven’t looked too far ahead,” Hyman said. “I don’t think anybody foresaw our season ending so abruptly, especially in the nature that it did. “Of course (he would like to return), if something made sense.” Spezza was of the same mind. “I would (like to come back),” Spezza said. “I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business. They’re invested in the group here and I’m hopeful that I get another opportunity next year and push this team over the top.” Scarborough native Wayne Simmonds, also done his one-year contract, said he had “no clue” what comes next. “We didn’t get past that Game 7 threshold, so I honestly don’t know what management’s thought process is or how the coaching staff feels about the support pieces,” Simmonds said. “I would be open to coming back, but it’s a business and time will tell.” ON TO CAMPBELL From the way Frederik Andersen was talking on Wednesday, the goalie sounded like he figured his days with the Leafs are over. Andersen also is headed for the open market, and in Jack Campbell, the Leafs have their No. 1 goalie for 2021-22. “I have really enjoyed my time here,” Andersen said. “I will look back on these five years with a lot of good memories. With regard to the future, I don’t know what’s in store yet, we will see. “It has been a big honour to have played in front of a fan base this dedicated. Some of the best memories on the ice would have been at home.” Campbell demonstrated this season that he is capable of being a full- time starter in the NHL. For Dubas — who would not close the door on an Andersen return — it’s about ensuring everything is in place for Campbell to succeed. “Jack is the type of person that’s going to work from sunup to sundown,” Dubas said. “We have to help him manage that a bit. “He’s got probably the greatest work ethic of anyone that I’ve seen and it’s trying to temper that and have him become more efficient and really set his body up to be able to go through a full 82-game season as a primary goaltender. We need that, for him to perform at the level he has shown that he’s capable of, but also to be healthy and be ready to roll.” LOOSE LEAFS Toronto Maple Leafs Based on what Shanahan and Dubas said about the pair on Wednesday, 1189281 it’s full steam ahead with the two as the front office will go about reshaping the roster in the off-season. Maple Leafs captain on Matthews, Marner: 'No one wants it as bad as “I think any team in the league would love to have any one of them, but them' we want them, we like them, we want to keep them,” Shanahan said, referring to Matthews, Marner, Tavares and William Nylander. “They’re all deeply committed to winning in Toronto, and it’s important for us as a management group to continue to develop them.” Terry Koshan IT’S NO POWER-PLAY POWER TRIP FOR MARNER

How badly does Mitch Marner want to win? He would take himself off the One by one, the Maple Leafs got behind Auston Matthews and Mitch Maple Leafs’ power play if that would help lead to victories. Marner on Wednesday. “I’d play any role on the power play, I wouldn’t play the power play, I don’t “I can only speak from my perspective, but I believe in Auston and Mitch,” care,” Marner said. “Everyone wants to win here.” Jason Spezza said. “I think that they improved in a lot of things that people don’t see, the way they act around the dressing room, the One story making the rounds is that Marner refused to play certain roles professionalism, how serious they took everything this year.” on the Toronto power play, which struggled in the second half and into the first round against the Montreal Canadiens. This from linemate Zach Hyman: “Those two guys had an unbelievable season. You can’t say enough good things about Auston, and likewise This allegedly about a player who has eagerly killed penalties and was Mitch, who was in the top five in scoring.” second among Leafs forwards during the regular season with 41 blocked shots. And from captain John Tavares, who did his first media availability since he suffered a concussion and knee injury in Game 1 against the Montreal “It’s a complete lie,” Marner said. “I don’t know who put that story out Canadiens, the kind of thoughts that should make the summer a little there, but it’s just people trying to get their name out there and trying to more palatable for the team’s two superstars. make themselves noticeable. “No one wants it as bad as them,” Tavares said. “I see it in who they are “It’s unfortunate, but that’s the world we live in nowadays with people on as teammates, as people, as leaders of this team, not just on the ice, but social media, trying to make someone else look bad.” off it, throughout the off-season, their dedication and their work ethic, how driven they want to be and want to be at the biggest times of the Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 year. “They know everyone has their back here and we know how important they are to our hockey team.” Neither Matthews nor Marner were able to get on the right side of it against the Canadiens, coming up small in the series, combining for just one goal and nine points in the best-of-seven. Management, namely president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Kyle Dubas, firmly believes that the two will develop the killer instinct required to win in the playoffs, never mind that many observers on the outside are wondering why that has not happened yet. Shanahan went out of his way to say that he had no issue with his team’s effort, commitment or desire to win. You can bet Matthews and Marner were included in that group. If Marner didn’t care or play without passion, he wouldn’t have finished fourth in National Hockey League scoring in the regular season, on a pace that would have put him in line for 100 points in 82 games. If Matthews didn’t care or play without passion, he wouldn’t have won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 41 goals. NHL players wouldn’t have voted him as a finalist, along with Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, for the Ted Lindsay Award. But it’s been arrows, for the most part, from Leafs Nation. Both Marner, who said he has deleted his social media apps, and Matthews hear it. “We’re so disappointed because we had such high faith in ourselves and confidence that we were a team that can do a lot of damage and be special,” Marner said. “It hurts that we didn’t live up to our own expectations and we all want to be better. “We competed and we didn’t quit ever and never had any doubts in each other. That’s something that you want in a line and as a team.” How much does Matthews, viewed as the face of the franchise, take the losses on his own shoulders? “I hold myself to a high standard,” Matthews said. “I try to compete every night and do what I can. “Not being able to produce the way I wanted to was frustrating, but if you would have told me I would have had (a certain) amount of chances, our line (a certain) amount to chances and only come out of it with a couple goals, I would probably beg to differ. “We are put out there to produce and we were not able to get it done.” All that should matter to Matthews and Marner is what is being said about them from the corners of the dressing room. Marner turned 24 a month ago. Matthews will turn 24 in September. Their best days in the NHL are well ahead of them. Toronto Maple Leafs and the combination of impatient fans and a large media presence 1189282 increase the heat. He said despite the struggles, GTA-born players and outsiders will still look at the Leafs roster and be intrigued. HORNBY: Losing Leafs missed fast track to Stanley Cup final “The thing that’s attractive about playing here is who you get to play with,” Dubas said. “You are disappointed today, but the hope is when the next season comes, if you’re a free agent, you look at the roster and think you can make a difference by playing with Auston (Matthews) and Lance Hornby Mitch (Marner), John (Tavares) and William (Nylander), or Alex Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev, Jason Spezza on our fourth line or our defence. On the long and winding road to the Stanley Cup, the Maple Leafs “When a player looks at it and see that when we overcome (first-round missed a rare, wide-open short cut. woes), it’s going to be one of the most memorable wins remaining (in the NHL).” They started playoffs with home ice in an all-Canadian lodge they’d dominated, with no Boston or Tampa Bay in their way for the opening two Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 rounds. But on a fast track that might never be green-lit like this again, they somehow veered into a dead end. Now they’ll be stuck in traffic again as the NHL resumes a sixth-month, 82-game schedule in the Atlantic Divison with a larger post-season pack of conference opponents to navigate. The winner of Winnipeg – Montreal, the low seeds in the North, will be halfway to the Cup, another reason their fifth straight exit in the first round was all the more agonizing. “In terms of opportunity lost, this was unique,” alternate captain Morgan Rielly agreed during Wednesday’s farewell Zoom call with media. “We didn’t take advantage and that’s what hurts the most. “To answer bluntly, we have to learn how to close a series out. Going into (elimination) games, I truly thought we were prepared and up for the challenge. Maybe this is a good opportunity for ourselves to look in the mirror and ask if that was really the case.” One overtime goal or maybe an early strike in Game 7 meant Wednesday would’ve been geared to Game 1 of Leafs-Jets. Instead, Rielly and the rest were re-hashing another good regular season that couldn’t be sustained when the going got tough. “There are positives that we have to carry over,” Rielly said. “We have to build on them and when it comes to playoffs, learn from the hard lessons. That happens over time by losing.” Through 56 games, the Leafs were in first place, which they hadn’t managed in 21 years, earning the ideal No. 1 versus No. 4 matchup in the North with the less-skilled Canadiens. After four games the Leafs were a win away and, in their heads, sizing up the Jets — who had eliminated Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers. In the end, Winnipeg didn’t fly here, but stayed home to host the Habs. “I’ve said to the guys that this team felt real, with a very real opportunity to win,” said forward Jason Spezza, whose 92 career playoff games include everything from the Cup final with Ottawa to two deciding game losses as a Leaf. “In the end we fell short and that’s what leaves us feeling so empty. We had a chance to go on a run and didn’t, and that leaves us searching our answers. We have to lick our wounds and get back to work.” General manager Kyle Dubas said the Atlantic Division won’t get any easier when the Leafs return this autumn. “You’re back in with Boston, Tampa Bay, Montreal and Florida, which was in the top five in the league this year. And you have Ottawa on the rise, Buffalo and Detroit coming along. We have (roster) challenges ahead we need to face and go at with full speed to be at our best.” Florida, was a first-round casualty, joined by Pittsburgh and Washington. “I just think the playoff road is extremely hard every year, no matter how you shake it down,” Spezza said. “There’s lot of talk about which division is the strongest, the weakest. I don’t think (much) of any of it. It’s just banter. “The team that wins it this year will have had to make a lot of sacrifices (with COVID-19 restricting their home lives and road and arena routines). Next year will be hard to win, too. If you’re a good team, you find a way to break through.” In the end, that team wasn’t the 2021 Leafs. WILL FREE AGENTS STILL GO TO T.O.? Not that long ago, Toronto was low on the list of prime destinations for NHL free agents. General manager Kyle Dubas was asked Wednesday if there’s a concern that the city becomes a no-fly zone again as the playoff failures mount Toronto Maple Leafs This was not the quick playoff exit Wayne Simmonds envisioned for his 1189283 homecoming season.

The rugged Scarborough-born winger answered the clarion call from Leafs captain Tavares fine, but still foggy about Game 1 hit friends, relatives and fans to bring his various talents to a team that lacked playoff moxy. But they lost and the club’s post-season assertiveness is again being strongly questioned. Lance Hornby “Being from the GTA, I was hoping to be a piece of the puzzle,” he said. “This is a disappointment to go out in the first round, not push past (previous Leafs failures). It’s heartbreaking.” It was a defining moment of the Maple Leafs’ playoffs, yet John Tavares Simmonds said it took him awhile to get going, then he was rolling with still hasn’t seen it and barely remembers what happened. the skilled Leafs on the top six before breaking his wrist and missing a The Toronto captain took part in Wednesday’s final Zoom call with the third of the season. media, still trying to connect the dots with Game 1’s accidental collision “Coming out on the wrong end of a seven-game series, you always think with Corey Perry of Montreal. It left him concussed, with an injured knee, there’s more you can give. But it was definitely an honour to put on the stretchered out of Scotiabank Arena to hospital and out of a series the blue and white this year.” team lost in seven games. WAIT ’TIL NEXT YEAR Replays of a dazed and bleeding Tavares was shown several times on television and the still photo displayed elsewhere. Coach Sheldon Keefe briefly met with the entire team Wednesday morning at the practice rink, deciding emotions were too raw to speak “I haven’t seen (the video) myself, I’ve seen a few Images,” Tavares said. right after Monday’s Game 7 with the team spread around to different “I have a good sense speaking to my teammates and members of the dressing rooms as a COVID-19 precaution. He kept his comments brief organization (who attended him at the rink and in the ambulance).” then held an detailed exit meeting with each one. Tavares recovered sufficiently to begin skating by the end of the series. The word devastation came up, Keefe reminding the whole team how “I feel very fortunate considering what I went through, the traumatic quickly a great season can turn for the worst. nature of it. I’ll continue to get myself back up to 100% and ready to play “We really liked our group, incredible men who enjoyed being around as soon as possible.” each other. We had the opportunity to do a lot more, but failed,” he said. He again thanked the NHL community, Leafs fans and everyone who “I thanked them for the work they did to put our team in position to communicated their concern after his night in hospital. succeed going in playoffs. But it was not good enough and we need to take it to another level.” Those well-wishers included Perry, who came over to the stretcher as Tavares departed and later texted him. Keefe was keen to interview newer players who came from other teams to pick up anything he could apply to next year’s Leafs. “From everyone I’ve talked to, there was no sense of intent to hurt me. It was the opening game, they wanted to establish a physical game (an Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 initial aggressive hit by Ben Chiarot made Tavares vulnerable) and were going out of their way more so than regular season. But that’s playoff hockey.” A NATION IN REVOLT Via the gloating on social media from Leafs haters and their own ranks who are mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore, it clear the blue and white brand has taken a big hit. And Toronto-born club president Brendan Shanahan is very aware, starting his Wednesday comments with a direct message to fans to keep the faith, but later agreeing this fifth straight first-round failure will take a lot of fence mending. “The trust gets shaken at times like this. I know it, I understand it,” Shanahan said. “For all organizations that don’t meet expectations the trust is wounded and it’s up to us to earn it back. “We gave them hope, they believed in us. The players earned those expectations in the (first-place) regular season and fans get heartbroken throwing that belief in the team. But I’ll say again, this (dashed dream) has happened in other cities where championships followed. “We know how our fans feel and that it’s generational. Our players want to win it for themselves, but also for the decades and decades of fans who’ve been waiting for a long, long time.” CAPTAIN’S LOG Though his presence would’ve made some difference, Tavares and other Leafs didn’t play the injury card after the captain, deadline-addition Nick Foligno and defenceman Jake Muzzin were all hurt through the series. Tavares acknowledged the Leafs didn’t get it done when they had the chance up 3-1, but refused to criticize the effort he saw. “I sincerely don’t believe there’s lack of heart, desire or commitment,” Tavares said. “We obviously didn’t get off to a great start in the three games we had a chance to put Montreal away, specifically Games 5 and 6. But the way we rallied and dictated overtime (twice), guys were doing everything they can. “It’s hard to put into context what this loss brings to the group and the challenges ahead. We all take significant responsibility. We feel we’ve let our fan base down. But in saying that, I know how much each person cares. We’ll pick ourselves up in the days, weeks and months ahead.” WAYNE TRAIN DERAILED Toronto Maple Leafs shock value that comes along with it. If you listened to the 12 players the 1189284 Leafs made available for interview on this wrap-day Wednesday, there was a common theme: Sadness. SIMMONS: At his lowest point, Maple Leafs president Brendan A lot of teams have lost over the years. Few have lost harder than this Shanahan still promises the Stanley Cup group. From player after player, man after man, you could hear that in their words, see it in their eyes. This defeat was debilitating for Leafs fans who Steve Simmons always expect more. But it was just as debilitating for the players and for the coaching and for management.

There have been other defeats in the Shanahan era. There have been Brendan Shanahan came to Toronto to bring the Stanley Cup to his none with a team up 3-1 in a best-of-seven series, against a lesser team, home town. with the playoff opportunity of a lifetime, and everybody knew and lived it. That vision and that edge — through seven years, through all the And then lost it. roadblocks, all the victories, and all the playoff disappointments — hasn’t changed. “I’ve never seen them as despondent as they were the other night,” said Shanahan. “We didn’t get the job done. They (players) have deep “My singular task is getting the job done,” said a steadfast Shanahan at regrets.” his year-end Maple Leafs availability. “When I came here, I was tasked with rebuilding the organization and bringing a Stanley Cup to Toronto. Shanahan wouldn’t question the effort of his players, the commitment, the desire of his team. “I haven’t accomplished that yet.” But problems exist. The Leafs scored one goal against Montreal in Game He hasn’t won a playoff round yet, let alone the four series it takes to win 7, late after pulling their goalie. They didn’t score against Columbus in a championship. The scorecard of seven seasons is both impressive and Game 5 in August. They weren’t playing Carey Price in that series. They heartbreaking. He has built an organization of strength and depth. He scored once against Boston in Game 7 in 2019. This isn’t something has won nothing of consequence while doing so. new. Their big boys did nothing of consequence in any of those three Despite all the setbacks, he is steadfast that his group — his clinching games. management team, his coaching staff, his players — is heading in the That’s what Shanahan, Dubas and Keefe have to figure out first before right direction. He said that with a straight face. they determine anything else. They have to figure out why they keep Shanahan doesn’t believe he is about to be fired by Maple Leaf Sports doing the same things over and over again and expecting different and Entertainment Ltd. He isn’t about to fire his chosen general manager, results. Shanahan remains steadfast about his Stanley Cup promise. Kyle Dubas, who isn’t about to fire his chosen coach, Sheldon Keefe. At this stage, though, devastated Leaf fans would happily settle for No one, apparently, is going anywhere. Not the president. Not the advancing to the second round. general manager. Not the coach. And not, Shanahan asserted on Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 Wednesday, any of the $40-million Four, who dazzle the roster with all kinds of possibility and are not about to be dealt out of town. Shanahan sees a path for the Leafs to get beyond this annual playoff devastation, even if he has to spread a false narrative to make his point. He was in his 10th NHL season before he won the Cup in Detroit. He likes to point out that Steve Yzerman won in his 14th season. That won in his 13th season. Not everybody wins early in their careers. But here’s the difference: Yzerman had won numerous playoff rounds before winning the Cup. Ovechkin had won numerous playoff rounds before Washington won in 2018. The Leafs have to chart their own path now. No team has lost five consecutive first rounds as a group the way this team has and gone on to win a Stanley Cup. At any time in history. “No team with a European captain had won until a European captain won,” countered Shanahan. “No team with Russians had won until the Russians won. We can talk about all the things that stand in our way and try to find ways around them. As horrible and as devastated as we are, we’re not going to stop. “We are going to do this. We are going to get this done. We’re not going to focus on the reasons this isn’t going to happen. We’re going to focus on how it’s going to happen.” About his current roster, he said: “You just can’t quit on these guys. You can’t quit on players who work so hard. “Until we get those results, we’re going to be second-guessed. That comes with the territory of being a professional athlete. We’re in a results-based business.” This is the best team Shanahan and Dubas have had in their seven years together, the past three with Dubas as general manager. This is the best work Dubas has done completing the roster. The addition of TJ Brodie on defence was superb. The trade-deadline addition of Nick Foligno didn’t work out because he couldn’t stay healthy. Would the Leafs be talking about next year right now had John Tavares, Foligno, and Jake Muzzin stayed healthy for all seven games? Tavares played part of one game. Foligno never played a game at what you’d call full strength. Muzzin missed four playoff games the past two seasons due to injury: The Leafs have won one of them. The fact the Leafs finished first in the North Division, way ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in the standings, means nothing today, except the Toronto Maple Leafs As for why Marner should be moved, it’s a process of elimination. You 1189285 are not going to get rid of Matthews, who won a goal-scoring title this year and was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award as the league’s most outstanding player. TRAIKOS: Should the Maple Leafs trade Mitch Marner? It depends on the offer At his age, no team is going to want to take on the remaining four years of John Tavares’ $11-million cap hit.

That leaves William Nylander and Marner. Michael Traikos A year ago, most fans would have been happy to kick Nylander to the curb. But the perception of him has changed since then. Nylander was the team’s best forward in the playoffs, with seven goals in seven games. Does trading Mitch Marner make the Toronto Maple Leafs a better team? He’s also on a team-friendly — well, friendlier, compared to the rest of his That depends — what can you can get for him? teammates — $6.9-million cap hit. Can you swap out Marner for a No. 1 defenceman such as Columbus’ So … Marner? Seth Jones? How about for a No. 1 goalie such as Anaheim’s John “It’s on them to decide what they want to do,” said Marner, “but I think Gibson or another No. 1 centre like Buffalo’s Jack Eichel? Or is it simply everyone just wants to get in panic mode and obviously do stuff and enough to remove his $10.9-million cap hit, thereby allowing the team to always want to figure something out and try to get something new or go out and sign two more Zach Hyman-type wingers? change something up.” It’s a question fans have been asking ever since Marner extended his This is not about panicking. Or whether Marner played a round of golf a post-season goal-scoring drought to 18 games after coming up empty in day after the Leafs were eliminated (who cares if he did?) or even a first-round loss to the Montreal Canadiens. But it’s not a question Kyle whether he allegedly refused to play a certain role on the power play Dubas is willing to waste a second on. (which he called a “complete lie”). According to the Leafs GM, “it would be foolish” to split up even one- Rather, this is about doing the same thing year after year after year after fourth of the Big 4 on offence. year and expecting a different result. It’s about a roster experiment that “I have tremendous belief in both of them,” Dubas said of Marner and keeps blowing up in the team’s face. Auston Matthews, who combined for one goal against Montreal. “I know And, if the offer is right, it’s about filling a need that might just get Toronto as we continue to go through these playoffs that the story will be different out of the first round. for them in the future in terms of the way people speak about them.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 That doesn’t mean rival GMs won’t be calling. If the Leafs want to rebound from yet another post-season disappointment, they should pick up the phone — especially if it’s Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen on the other line. There is no doubt Marner is a special player. The 24-year-old is a top-five scorer in the NHL, who has led the Leafs in scoring in three of the past four years and who produced at a 100-point pace this season. He also kills penalties and is one of the better wingers at stripping opponents of pucks. You don’t trade players like that. If you do, you tend to spend the next decade regretting it. Yet, after five straight years of the same result in the playoffs, something has to give. Something has to change. Something that is far more significant than another off-season of rearranging the deck chairs on the bottom-two lines and adding a player with grit or experience or the ability to punch opponents in the face. As Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said, there is a “killer instinct” missing on a team that could not close out the Habs despite leading 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, and which has now lost three Game 7s — and a one-game-takes-all Game 5 — in the past five years. GM Kyle Dubas reasserted his conviction that his core four players — Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander — can return the Leafs to Stanley Cup glory. ERNEST DOROSZUK/SUN FILES It’s missing with Marner, who had four assists against Montreal. And it’s missing with Matthews, who had one goal and five points. Maybe both locate it one of these days. But with Matthews’ contract set to expire in 2024 and Marner’s due up a year later, the clock is ticking. For the Leafs, it’s a numbers game. With roughly half of the salary cap tied up in four forwards, the team is finding it more and more difficult to round out the rest of the roster with players who are earning more than the league minimum. That challenge will become even greater with Hyman expected to command $5-to-$6-million in free agency this summer, and with Morgan Rielly’s contract set to expire in 2022. If the Leafs keep the Big 4 intact, it might mean they will lose Hyman to free agency or that they will not have enough money to re-sign Rielly a year from now. If that’s the case, then next year’s team might have even less depth than the one that couldn’t get past Montreal. It’s not a coincidence that the Oilers, who have $27 million invested in Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, also failed to get out of the first round. Or that the Penguins, who have $31.45-million tied up in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang, are also out. It’s also not a coincidence that the team that beat the Leafs do not have a single forward who is earning more than $5.5-million this season. Toronto Maple Leafs This series featured two amazing comebacks, the Jackets from 3-0 to 1189286 win in OT, the Leafs down three themselves with 5:42 to play before they pulled Andersen and won Game 4 on a Matthews’ goal. But again, there were crickets from the Leafs’ vaunted offence in the deciding game, The gory details: A sad recent history of Maple Leafs Game 7s blanked 3-0, John Tavares hitting the post on an empty net that would’ve made it 1-1. Add to that Liam Foudy getting behind five Leafs to beat Andersen with a softy. Lance Hornby QUOTE: “At some point, you have to slay the dragon,” radio voice Joe Bowen during the series. Monday’s loss to Montreal adds to a litany of deciding game defeats in Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.03.2021 first-round playoff series the Leafs woulda, coulda, shoulda won: 2013 — Leafs lose best of seven to Boston 4-3. In a lockout shortened season, the Leafs squeezed out enough wins to end a record seven-year playoff slump and meet Boston for the first time since 1974. But major heartbreak was looming. After coming back to shut out the Bruins in a couple of one-goal wins to force Game 7, the Leafs were up 4-1 at one stage after Nazem Kadri scored, 4-2 when Matt Frattin missed a breakaway on ex-Leaf draft pick Tuukka Rask. Yet Boston fans were still booing and forward Chris Kelly recalled saying “I can’t believe we’re going to lose to Toronto.” But his team scored with 10 minutes to go, then the Leafs started skating in sand. Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron struck in a 31-second span with 1:22 to go and Bergeron again at 6:05 of overtime, his teammates leaping over fallen goalie James Reimer to celebrate. Quote: “You play that game 100 times and 99 times you lose.” – Kelly. 2017 — Leafs lose best of seven to Washington, 4-2 The first post-season test of the youthful Mike Babcock Leafs vs. Alex Ovechkin and the Cup-hungry Caps began well. They took D.C. to OT three times, winning two on goals by Kasperi Kapanen and Tyler Bozak. But space disappeared in the last two games. Ovie got hot, thanks in part to exchanging hard hits with Kadri, while Toronto fell in extra time to clutch scorer Justin Williams and Marcus Johansson in 2-1 results. Quote: “Everybody in this room, in this organization, in the city, is excited for the future and what this team could bring.” – Auston Matthews, with four goals in the series. 2018 — Leafs lose best of seven to Boston, 4-3 Toronto had a franchise record 105 points, but not home ice in this series. It was the beginning of Kadri’s self-destruct phase, a three-game suspension in Game 1 for hitting Tommy Wingels of the Bruins. Toronto would be out-scored 12-4 in the first two at TD Garden. Without their second line centre, Leafs played from behind the entire seres, but forced a seventh in Boston. Not only did a one-goal lead entering the third prove hard to hold, the Bruins erupted for four on Frederik Andersen, leaving defenceman Jake Gardiner a minus-5. QUOTE: “I had a good year, probably my best. But it was a bad ending.” – Gardiner. 2019 — Leafs lose best of seven to Boston, 4-3 This time the Leafs stared down their demons early on Causeway St., a big early win and two of the first three on the road, again under the shadow of a Kadri ejection. After his one goal the previous spring, Matthews had a team-high five. But few followed his lead, especially in the two elimination games where the Leafs were out-gunned 9-3. Matthews and Gardiner got gummed up behind Andersen, one of the giveaways Boston feasted on in Game 7. A series of first-round upsets around the league might have set he Leafs up for a Cup run. Babcock, who fell to 3-7 in Game 7s, was criticized for his lack of imagination on line changes. The 5-1 loss was his last playoff game and he was fired early the next season. QUOTE: “It sucks, but that (anger) has to stay with us.” – Mitch Marner. 2020 — Leafs lose best of five to Columbus 3-2 The Leafs were getting in playoff mode when COVID-19 shut the NHL down in March. Four months later, the tournament finally got underway with the Leafs in a ‘play-in round’ against lower seeded Columbus. But when will met skill, the bigger Blue Jackets prevailed, particularly once key Toronto defenceman Jake Muzzin was hurt. Toronto Maple Leafs The challenge remains how to find enough talent around them without 1189287 much coin to spare.

Unprompted, Shanahan brought up the salary cap and how it was Why Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas are sticking with their vision for expected to rise 4 to 6 percent annually before the pandemic struck and the Maple Leafs after a lost season that it would have gone up again for next season. The Leafs weren’t expecting an $81.5 million cap for years. How could they have? Despite that, the Leafs won’t be changing their plan. By Jonas Siegel Jun 3, 2021 It’s an approach that leaves little room for error.

It means nailing free agency with limited resources — more of the same Before he took questions at the Maple Leafs’ season-ending media $700,000-$1.5 million contracts the Leafs gave to Jason Spezza, Joe availability, team president Brendan Shanahan went out of his way to Thornton, and Wayne Simmonds last offseason. deliver a message to the team’s beleaguered fan base. More of those buys need to hit, as do any acquisitions at the trade “We really wanted to be a beacon of happiness for you,” he said, citing deadline. In the end, not enough of them did when it really mattered this the challenges of the past year due to the pandemic. “So starting with me season. and Kyle Dubas, our management staff, our coaching staff and all our players, we take responsibility for disappointing you and letting you down “I don’t think that our depth was an issue,” Shanahan said. “I thought that and not getting the job done.” our depth actually played really well all season long, and I thought that our depth was a benefit to us in the playoffs.” Shanahan knew that words wouldn’t mean much after the way the Leafs season unraveled against Montreal. It’s a tough case to make. It’s action that matters, he said, in the coming offseason and the season Over seven games against Montreal in the playoffs, the Leafs got a that follows. combined one goal from the group of Thornton, Simmonds, Nick Foligno, Pierre Engvall, Ilya Mikheyev, Adam Brooks and Riley Nash. Still, he added: “As horrible and as devastated as we feel today that we’ve let people down, we are not going to stop until we accomplish this. Alex Galchenyuk scored once. We are going to do this here in Toronto with this group. There will be Zach Hyman isn’t depth, but he managed just one goal and no assists in changes that will be made. There will be tweaks along the way, of his return from a sprained MCL. course. The team will evolve. The people will evolve. But we are going to get this done. And we’re not going to focus on the reasons why it can’t “The production, not just for our top players, but not just even them but all happen. through our lineup, save for a few guys, was lacking,” Sheldon Keefe said. “And that’s an area that stands out to me.” “We’re going to focus on the ways that it can happen.” Leafs forwards in the playoffs Here’s what else you need to know management said about the state of the team on Wednesday. William Nylander The Core Four are staying 7 There wasn’t much gray here. 5 While they plan to take the coming weeks to assess what exactly went so 8 wrong, Shanahan and Dubas both made it abundantly clear they intend to keep their four highly paid players together: Auston Matthews, Mitch Alex Kerfoot Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander. 7 Despite the result this season, the Leafs aren’t giving up on the idea a 1 winner can be built with four players eating up around half of the salary cap. 6 “I’ll say this about our top four,” Shanahan said, “I think any team in the Jason Spezza league would love to have any one of them. But we want them. We like them. We want to keep them here. They’re special players. They’re all 7 deeply, deeply committed to winning here in Toronto, and it’s important for us as a management group to continue to develop them.” 3 By which, he meant developing them to better perform in situations like 5 Game 7 the other night against Montreal “and surround them with other Auston Matthews players that can help them in that development as well.” 7 Dubas cited the Pittsburgh Penguins with four players — albeit not all forwards — eating up a similar percentage of the cap when they won 1 some of their championships. 5 “I just really believe in all four of them as people,” the Leafs general manager said. Mitch Marner Only Nylander, drafted in 2014, became a Leaf before Dubas, who joined 7 the organization later that summer. (Shanahan had recently taken over 0 as president.) Dubas led the signing of Tavares in free agency in 2018 and memorably signed Matthews, Marner and Nylander to their second 4 NHL contracts. Alex Galchenyuk In other words, he’s invested greatly in all of them. 6 “The reality is that three of the four are still very young in their career,” Dubas said, referring to Matthews, Marner and Nylander, who are all 25 1 and under. “I have a deep belief in them. Certainly their talent, which I 4 think everybody sees and knows, but also in them as people, in particular how much playing here means to them and (what) winning here would Joe Thornton mean to them.” 7 “Those are very unique players and hard players to get,” Shanahan added. “You just can’t quit on these guys. You just can’t quit on players 1 that care so much — and they do.” 1 Zach Hyman Of note, with the expansion draft looming in July, Dubas said: “I don’t think our expansion equation is overly perilous to where signing 7 somebody that deserves to be signed would have a major impact. So if 1 we can get those done, we will.” 1 In other words, the Leafs are prepared to sign Hyman now even if it means adding him to — and crossing someone else off — their off-limits Nick Foligno list for Seattle. 7 As for Rielly, the GM was less committal. 0 And why would he be with the real clock on a decision more than a year away? (You could argue, as James Mirtle did on the latest Leaf Report 1 podcast, that the Leafs need to sign Rielly or trade him. I disagree. With the Leafs in championship mode, there’s nothing wrong with keeping Wayne Simmonds Rielly, who played the most minutes on the team in the regular season 7 and playoffs, through next season and see where things stack up in 2022.) 0 “Morgan is a huge part of what we do here,” Dubas said. 1 Dubas noted the flat salary cap had made extensions rare across the Pierre Engvall league. Many teams had key players, including captains, head into their walk years without any certainty of a deal, he explained. 7 “You never want to do that if you don’t have to with guys that are a key 0 part of your team, but I think patience is a good thing,” Dubas said. 1 Still, the Leafs intend to discuss the matter with Rielly’s agent, J.P. Barry, Ilya Mikheyev and get a read on their side of things. 7 Unless it’s a major bargain, it’s hard to see this happening in 2021. 0 On a different front: Dubas said the Leafs are, not surprisingly, interested in having Spezza return for another season, though the Leafs GM noted 0 that a discussion with Keefe was required first to nail down Spezza’s role for the coming season. Adam Brooks (On a related note, it’s safe to say Keefe will return as head coach.) 2 In defence of Matthews and Marner 0 Both the president and GM came to the defence of their two best players, 0 Matthews and Marner. Riley Nash “I think disposing of two players of their calibre because the puck didn’t 2 go in the net for them in a seven-game series,” Dubas said before trailing off. 0 Then, he continued: “I think if after the fourth game (against Montreal), if 0 you weren’t super critical of them, to go after (them after) the seventh game and begin to turn on them and be critical from a manager’s John Tavares perspective would be foolish. 1 “These are two awfully great young players that showed it over the entire regular season what they’re capable of. Each have had success in the 0 playoffs previously.” 0 Dubas pointed, in particular, to Marner’s productive series in 2017 and The Leafs, evidently, are betting that they can do better in the future. 2018 against Washington and Boston. Marner amassed a combined 13 They’ll have to for this to work. points in 13 games in those two series when the Leafs were an overmatched young team. “Can we take what we have and continue to build it out and show tangible strides next season?” Dubas said of their challenge in sticking Since then, however, he’s produced 12 points in 19 games and has gone with the same approach. “Until we do it, it’s a fair criticism to levy towards 18 straight playoff games without a goal. me.” “I have tremendous belief in both of them,” Dubas said. “I think they’ve The other thing they’re banking on is their stars eventually delivering in shown to everybody what they’re capable of over time, and I know as we the playoffs, a not unreasonable bet given the talent but a touchy one continue to go through these seasons and through these playoffs that the after the 2021 playoffs. story will be different for them in the future in terms of the way people speak about them following the playoffs.” One not-oft mentioned downside of the top-heavy approach the Leafs are sticking with: It might end up pricing important players like Hyman and Shanahan suggested that many great players over the years had similar Morgan Rielly out of Toronto, forcing the organization to replace them experiences early in their careers before they came up large in the somehow. postseason and won championships. Maybe the best recent example of that: Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, who finally won it all in their Speaking of which … 10th postseason in Washington three years ago. What are the Leafs’ plans for Zach Hyman and Morgan Rielly? “The teams that were wise enough to hang on to (their stars), and to continue to surround them and develop them, and just keep trying and These are different situations, obviously. trying and getting better and improving, benefited eventually,” Shanahan One, Hyman, is a pending free agent. The other, Rielly, still has a year said. left ($5 million on the cap) on his deal before he gets there. “History will tell you that it can be done.” One is pressing. One less so. Shanahan noted that he didn’t win the first of his three championship With Hyman, the Leafs want to keep him, not surprisingly. rings until his 10th NHL season. “He’s certainly someone that we’ll try to bring back,” Dubas said, raving, The Leafs will look to rectify their close-out issues as per usual, about Hyman’s performance and personality. “(Free agency There was plenty of talk on this day about “killer instinct.” is) a big opportunity for Zach, and it’s a big decision for us as well.” I have to be honest: That phrasing, or maybe even the narrative itself, doesn’t sit right with me. Would the Leafs have possessed so-called killer instinct had Matthews, say, scored on his backhand in overtime of Game 6? What is fair, and what Shanahan, Dubas and Keefe all spoke to, was the need for their team to continue playing the same productive way even when the stakes rose higher — not, as Dubas said, revert to caution. The Leafs started Games 5, 6 and 7 tentatively and paid for it. Is that killer instinct? I guess so. “Unfortunately, and I know it’s not what people want to hear, but moments like this are a part of the story that prelude success most of the time,” Dubas said of the repeated early playoff failures. “That’s what I believe and am banking on here as we guide this ship ahead.” Shanahan did wonder aloud about the whole killer instinct thing, and whether the Leafs needed to address it somehow. He also thought players could develop it just by going through those experiences again and again before finally breaking through. (The Toronto Raptors come to mind here.) “Once you do it for the first time, it’s something that you don’t forget how to do,” he said. “It’s a great question that I often ponder as well,” Dubas said regarding the question of whether that mentality can be learned or whether extra winning oomph needs to be acquired alongside it. “And so I bounce back and forth in terms of: Do you need four, five or six guys that have won (the Stanley Cup)? Or do you need guys that are desperate to win that can instill that extra bit and push in bigger games?” The Leafs initially added Spezza for the wisdom — but also a desperation to win — that he would bring to the group. Same with Thornton and Simmonds last offseason. Then they added Nick Foligno, another vet without a Cup, at the trade deadline. It felt like the Leafs went too far on this front. That they overly invested in that dimension and sacrificed youth, speed and skill in the process, which hurt them at playoff time. “I’ve tried not to — maybe others would disagree — take a stubborn, one-way approach to it,” Dubas said of roster building. “You’re trying to balance the talent level of the group and the experience with competitiveness, with grit and production and all the objective and subjective things that go into building the roster. “I think trying to find and strike the perfect balance is going to be the key.” Who joins Jack Campbell in next year’s crease? Dubas wouldn’t rule out a return for Frederik Andersen, who’s a pending UFA. Although I’m not sure he would’ve gone on record stating the opposite after all that Andersen has accomplished for the franchise. (He has the fourth-most wins of any Leafs goalie.) The Leafs GM said he reminded Andersen of that in their exit meeting: How important he’d been to the franchise in solidifying a long-unsteady crease after joining the team from Anaheim. “With Fred, if there’s something that works out, I would say that there’s interest on our side as well,” Dubas said. “It’s just probably a different discussion than would’ve been had before the year.” Which means that, for a much smaller number and term than the Leafs might have considered before this year, they would be willing to look at it. There aren’t a lot of great options out there in goal in free agency. So maybe the Leafs end up circling back to Andersen if they can’t find an alternative, modestly priced solution to join Campbell? It would be a tough sell, though, to bring back Andersen, as well as the Core Four, plus Hyman and Rielly, after everything that went down against Montreal. Some change is going to be healthy. One final note, however: The Leafs do have interest in re-signing Galchenyuk, another pending UFA, so there’s that to consider as well. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs “It was incredibly tough that I wasn’t able to get together with my family 1189288 and friends and do the usual stuff that we usually do,” said Marner.

On the ice, Marner said the series loss to Montreal came down to a lack Maple Leafs players consider possible concerns, changes, extensions, of production. exits and more after latest playoff disappointment “We needed to score goals and we didn’t do that,” said Marner.

“This year we had the talent, we had the will, we had the fight, but it just By Joshua Kloke Jun 2, 2021 didn’t come through,” he added. “It seems like it’s always the same words at the end of the year, which is unfortunate, it sucks, now it’s just time to go to work again, get your body ready for next year and make sure you’re a better person than you were this year.” As 12 different Maple Leafs players took their turn meeting with the media for one last time this season, their disappointment in another early In conversations I’ve had with people around the NHL over the past two playoff exit was only matched by the understanding that blame falls on days, there was an acknowledgement of Marner’s talent, but questions their shoulders. persisted about whether he can mature in his approach in the playoffs. And so given his desire to become a better person and player, is there From their perspective, all the right pieces were in place for a deep something Marner wants to do differently to prepare for his next playoff playoff run, which led to the continued recognition of a missed run? opportunity. “No. I thought we had a lot of great looks. I thought our line did a lot of “To me, and I’ve said it to the guys, this team felt real,” said forward great things. Everyone just looks at the numbers and stats but I thought Jason Spezza. “It felt like a team with a very real opportunity to win. And our line did a lot of great things in every hockey game,” said Marner. we fell short. That’s what leaves us feeling so empty and disappointed.” Marner’s future with the Leafs has been a topic of conversation It’s been less than 48 hours since the Montreal Canadiens came back throughout Toronto over the last few days, with questions about whether from down 3-1 in their first-round series to finish off the Leafs in Game 7, the Leafs can win with a top-heavy, skill-laden lineup and whether a but there was no shortage of answers as to why the team collapsed in trade, particularly with him involved, could be coming. the playoffs yet again. “We have an unbelievably talented general manager. (Leafs president “Good teams, when they smell blood they finish them off right away,” said Brendan Shanahan) too. All those guys, they do all the numbers. They all Wayne Simmonds. “We needed to do a better job of capitalizing on the do that stuff so that’s on them to decide what they want to do. But I think Canadiens when they were down and out.” everyone just wants to get in panic mode and obviously do stuff and “The teams that go the furthest play the hardest and they grind teams always want to figure something out and try and get something new or down. We have to learn from this and take it going forward that we need change something up. But I think they have a lot of confidence in our to do that more. We can’t be easy to play against or we won’t get it done team, like all of us do in our locker room. It’s up to them to decide what in the playoffs,” said Jake Muzzin. they want to do. We all know how much talent we have, how much grit and will we play with,” said Marner. So is there more of a tactical or mental shift needed from the Leafs to (finally) make a deep playoff run with their talented core? So what if the Leafs were to split up the team’s four highly paid forwards and trade one player, such as Marner? “It’s probably the mental side. It’s just realizing when you’ve got a team in that position to obviously get the job done and close them out, that’s what Matthews, for one, didn’t buy into that idea. great teams do,” said Auston Matthews. “I don’t make much of that, to be honest. Mitch is an unbelievable player Though it didn’t always look like it during the final three games of the and unbelievable teammate. That’s something I don’t think anybody playoffs, the Leafs players believe there is enough desire to win within really thinks about or focuses on in this room. Everybody loves Mitch and the group in place. everybody loves everybody in this room. We really have a tight bond so I think all the stuff coming from the outside, you guys have fun with that,” “I certainly don’t believe there’s lack of heart or lack of desire or said Matthews. commitment,” said John Tavares. John Tavares (John E. Sokolowski / USA Today) And so begins yet another offseason likely to bring changes to the Leafs roster, and perhaps their style of play on the ice. Tavares on “traumatic” injury Here’s what the season’s final media availability with the Leafs players In his first media availability since the freak injury that forced him out of revealed about what went wrong in the playoffs and what could happen the series, Tavares shed light on his own experience. during the offseason. “I don’t remember the hits,” said Tavares. “I remember the whole day, my Marner denies wanting special power-play role first couple of shifts, and then I remember, faintly, parts of it as I was on the ice and getting put on the stretcher and getting onto the ambulance. In his availability, Mitch Marner struck a tone somewhere between sullen And when I was getting onto the ambulance is when I really started to and defiant. really start to get the grasp or get a better understanding of what was going on. But it’s very vague in terms of what was happening on the ice To start, Marner said he deleted all his social media apps before the and as I was going on the stretcher.” playoffs. He said he continues to progress from the “traumatic nature” of the injury “It’s a distraction you don’t need,” said Marner. and that he had not rewatched the play. In doing so, Marner might have immediately missed a recent report that “I’ve never been through anything remotely close to it. And I know how indicated he did not want to move from the half-wall on the power play. traumatic it was for my family, especially with how many times they saw Asked about that report, here’s what Marner had to say: it,” said Tavares. “It’s a complete lie,” said Marner. “Like I said I’ve deleted all social so I He said in conversations with family members, teammates and other haven’t seen anything said or anything, but my agent called me and told members of the organization, “the looks on their faces, even just talking me about that and I don’t know who put that story out there. It’s people about it, made me realize it was pretty significant.” trying to get their name out there and trying to make themselves, I guess, noticeable. And it’s unfortunate, but that’s the world we live in nowadays What’s promising for Tavares’ future is that he said he continues to with people on social media, trying to make someone else look bad. I’ll progress in a positive manner. play any role on the power play. I wouldn’t play power play, I don’t care. Everyone wants to win here. It’s a complete lie and it sucks that stuff like Matthews wants more that is being said but I’m not surprised either at the same time. It’s a Just before Matthews appeared for his availability, he was named as a complete lie, though, and I think everyone sees that I try and play any finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award as the most outstanding player as role I can to help this team win, and I’m just trying to do it all year long. voted on by the NHLPA. But it wasn’t exactly what Matthews wanted to You can’t really do anything about it, but let that story do whatever it focus on. wants, and who cares.” “It’s really humbling to be in the same conversation as those two players. Marner acknowledged the difficulty of this season, including going But at the end of the day, going home, it leaves a sour taste in your through daily COVID-19 testing and reduced social interactions. mouth because individual awards and stuff like that, I think they’re great and all. But I don’t think there’s quite the satisfaction that there is “That’s going to be my starting point,” said Andersen. “I don’t want to look compared to winning with the team,” said Matthews. past that conversation at all. We’ve got to see what makes sense for both parties.” Matthews, as many players did, took some responsibility for the series loss, saying “I hold myself to a high standard.” Andersen also acknowledged that prior to being placed on IR with a lower-body injury in March, he was playing with an injury “probably more The difference between Matthews and some of the other Leafs players is than I should have, looking back.” that he didn’t produce at the level he did in the regular season, when he scored 41 goals in 52 games and won the Rocket Richard Trophy. He “I wasn’t at my best playing like that,” said Andersen. “I knew that I had to scored just one goal in seven playoff games. Many have lumped in go figure it out and get healthier. I know how good I can be when I’m Marner, who led the Leafs with 67 points in 55 regular season games but healthy and playing at the level I can. It was obvious that I wasn’t had just four assists in seven playoff games, with Matthews in terms of meeting that level of play.” underperforming. Whether he does again rediscover that level of play that saw him Teammates came to their defence Wednesday. average a .918 save percentage from 2016 to 2019 remains to be seen, but if Wednesday was any indication, that won’t happen in Toronto. “I believe in Auston and Mitch. I think that they improve a lot of things that people don’t see; the way they act around the dressing room, the “I’ve had five years here now,” said Andersen. “I’ve really enjoyed my professionalism, how serious they took everything this year,” said time here.” Spezza. “It hurts me for those guys knowing that they weren’t able to get us through and they’re dealing with the criticism now that comes with Spezza could return that.” By contrast, Spezza seems far likelier to return to Toronto next season. “No one wants it as bad as them,” Tavares said of Marner and Matthews. “I feel like there’s a lot of unfinished business,” said the pending UFA “I see it in who they are as teammates, as people, as leaders of this forward. “I feel very invested in the group here and hopeful that I get team, not just on the ice, but off it; throughout the offseason, their another opportunity to do that again next year and push this team over dedication and their work ethic, how driven they want to be at the biggest the top.” times of the year.” If the Leafs can retain Spezza on another league minimum deal next “Everyone’s got their back here,” added Tavares. season, it feels like a no-brainer. Even if you account for the fact that his Thornton and Simmonds’ future uncertain five-on-five ice time was the lowest of his career, his 3.11 five-on-five points per 60 minutes was impressive. He backed it up with three goals Joe Thornton cut a relaxed, constantly upbeat figure throughout his first in the playoffs, second among Leafs players. He’ll turn 38 next month, Leafs season, saying early on that he’s “got no stress, man.” but he proved this season that he’s a benefit to the team not only on the ice but off it as well. And so it came as a surprise to see a level of despondency that we’ve rarely seen from a player known for his joviality. And so another kick at the can with Spezza in Toronto feels like a safe bet. For Spezza, knowing he’s in the twilight of his career may fuel him It manifested in his outlook for his own future as a pending UFA, which even further. wasn’t crystal clear. “I realized that my opportunities to win are becoming less and less and “This came so sudden and I really haven’t had time to think about it,” he that probably creates a high level of desperation internally for me to drive said of whether he has a future with the Leafs. “First and foremost, I have and to be my best every day,” said Spezza. “I’m not sure how much to be a dad for a little bit here. I feel really, really healthy. I feel really, longer this goes or I get an opportunity to try to win. But I really want to really good. But we’ll see. I haven’t made any decision yet. But I feel win so I think that drives me.” really good, and that’s a good sign.” Winning most important to Campbell We can lump in Wayne Simmonds, a pending UFA, as another player unsure about his future. Campbell’s .934 save percentage in seven games against Montreal spoke to his exceptional play throughout the majority of the series. But “I’ve got no clue, to be honest with you,” Simmonds said. “I thoroughly perhaps to be expected with the goaltender with a history of demanding enjoyed my time this year playing for the Leafs. Although it is a sport we more of himself, Campbell stressed he can be a better goalie next play, we love the game we play, it is a business. I’d definitely be open to season, “and I will be.” coming back, that’s for sure. But it is a business, and only time will tell.” So what would it take for Campbell to then finally be happy with his End of season availabilities are admittedly an exercise in parsing through performance? a few sentences and reading body language to reveal insight into the future. But with that being the case, Thornton’s look at this Leafs team “Winning,” said Campbell. “That’s the ultimate goal. And that’s what we didn’t necessarily include himself in it. expect in here. Winning a Stanley Cup would help me be pretty satisfied.” “I think these guys realize, the expectations are different around here With the door on Andersen’s future in Toronto seemingly closed, now, and it’s a good thing but moving forward, this group has a lot of Campbell spoke more openly about taking the reins as the starter next great pieces, a lot of great people here, and it’s going to move forward season. He shed light on his brief conversation with Matthews at the end from here, for sure,” said Thornton. of Game 7. Same for Simmonds. A MOMENT BETWEEN AUSTON MATTHEWS AND JACK CAMPBELL AFTER GAME 7. #ITSON PIC.TWITTER.COM/A1WY41ZW8X “It was definitely an honour to put the blue and white on this year,” said Simmonds. — SPORTSNET (@SPORTSNET) JUNE 1, 2021 If either does end up staying in Toronto, teammates will welcome them “He’s such a great teammate and so supportive and basically just said he back with open arms. was proud and that we’ll get it done together,” said Campbell. “We’re going to have a great summer of training and get better and improve and “With Jumbo being here and playing with Joe, it just brought our locker we’ll be ready to accomplish something great next year.” room even tighter than it already was. Not to just single out one guy but he really was a pleasure to play with and hopefully he’s back and we get Newfound disappointment for Nylander to try this again next year,” said Jack Campbell. What stuck out in William Nylander’s availability was how, for a player Andersen’s final appearance? that has never lacked visible confidence, he was far more saddened by the team’s early playoff exit than he’s appeared in past end of season In what could be his final appearance with the Leafs, it was difficult not to availabilities. hear Frederik Andersen all but close the book on his tenure in Toronto. “As a team, obviously, we had higher expectations than what we were “I’ll definitely look back on these five years with a lot of good memories,” able to achieve this year and it really hits you hard,” said Nylander in a said the pending UFA. “So with regards to the future, I don’t know what’s softer tone than usual. in store yet. We’ll have to see.” “It’s a feeling that I think everybody hates,” he said, “and doesn’t want to Andersen said his first priority is having a discussion with Dubas to better feel.” understand the team’s situation. One of the few positives from the series against Montreal was Nylander’s ability to dominate playoff games. He led all Leafs players with eight points in seven games. But even when asked about whether he proved anything to those outside the team about his abilities, he was unable to shake the frustration of another early playoff exit. “I know my playoffs before have been OK, nothing that I’ve been super happy with,” said Nylander. “I just wanted to step it up. But I don’t like this feeling.” What’s next for Hyman? There is only one question to ask Zach Hyman right now: would the pending UFA return to the Leafs next season? “Of course,” said Hyman. “If something made sense.” Hyman was clear, though: he has not given the matter a lot of thought. He has not yet spoken to Dubas about returning, nor has he had extended conversations with his agent, Todd Reynolds, about re-signing with the Leafs. “I think that there are a lot of moving pieces with this,” said Hyman. “I don’t know what the future holds.” Given how he elevated his game this season, reaching career highs in five-on-five points per 60 minutes (2.14) and ice time (19:22 average TOI), re-signing Hyman should remain a priority for the Leafs. “I really haven’t looked too far ahead,” said Hyman. “I don’t think anybody foresaw our season ending so abruptly, especially in the nature that it did. Honestly, I haven’t even had time to think about it.” Rielly not yet looking at extension Morgan Rielly will be a UFA in 2022, and whether he will remain a cornerstone of the Leafs’ blue line will undoubtedly be a question heading into next season, if his extension is not signed before then. “It’s obviously crossed my mind,” Rielly said of his interest in signing an extension with the Leafs. “But it’s not something that I spent a lot of time thinking about, especially after a playoff loss, you don’t really think about that as much. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, but right now it’s more just trying to deal with what happens on the ice. And I have to take care of myself and just prepare for next season and get going. But in terms of other stuff, it tends to take care of itself over time.” Of any Leafs player who spoke Wednesday, Rielly pointed out how well he thought the team was prepared for the playoffs but that the ability to close out the Canadiens was lacking. “Maybe it’s a good opportunity for us to look ourselves in the mirror and ask if that was really the case, and learning to go from there, because that’s where it starts,” said Rielly. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs Facepaint was involved in the debt he had to pay for Toronto’s loss. 1189289 Maslakow had to paint his face red, white and blue to honour the Canadiens on Tuesday. That was not all: He also had to wear “ a very ugly Habs sweater.” ‘We’re at a crossroads’: Trashed jerseys, busted TVs and more tales from the aftermath of the Maple Leafs collapse He watched the game with a friend on Monday night, and conceded he “went through significantly more than six darts.”

“I will never walk away from the Leafs,” he said. “I’m loyal to a fault.” By Sean Fitz-Gerald Jun 2, 2021 Patrick Brown, mayor of Brampton, Ont.

After the loss, Brown sent messages to friends that included two Carlo Colaiacovo, the former Maple Leafs defenceman now working for important questions: “Is it wrong that I’m raising my son to be a Leafs TSN Radio, only needed one sentence to distill what he witnessed the fan? Is it ethically wrong, because of the agony that I’ve gone through?” night before: “This is a choke job that is the worst collapse in team history.” Brown described himself as a lifelong Leafs fan who embraced the deep playoff runs in the early 1990s and 2000s, but has also endured the A roiling cocktail of expectation, circumstance and performance fed into drought. strong reaction from fans and observers after the Leafs dropped Game 7 of their first-round series with the Canadiens on Monday night. This was “Normally, when you lose, you want to be bloodied and bruised,” he said. the year Toronto was supposed to win … at least one playoff round. “When you saw the Gilmour and Clark Leafs lose — against Vancouver and against L.A. — they were bloodied.” Instead, Toronto crumbled after building a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967, and they have And this spring? not won a playoff round since 2004. “Where is that Wendel Clark?” he asked. “Where is that Doug Gilmour? “The way they did this,” said Colaiacovo, “they allowed fan emotions to Where is that player who’s going to give everything, and be hungry? I drag on for a full week, just to ultimately break their hearts at the end of think the Leafs have incredible talent, but where’s that beast?” it, and in the worst way possible.” Dr. Abdu Sharkawy, infectious diseases expert In the aftermath, The Athletic reached out to fans, alumni and “I am more demoralized now as a Leafs fan than I have ever been,” said broadcasters to examine the loss from 10 different perspectives. Sharkawy, who has been a fan for more than 30 years. Steve (Dangle) Glynn, co-host, The Steve Dangle Podcast There is a cultural problem, he said, and a structural one, too. He felt it It was 11 a.m. Tuesday morning and Glynn was still hoarse. He was was in full view during Game 7, when the Leafs never managed a tired, defeated and admitted he had chicken nuggets for breakfast. He sustained push after falling behind on the scoreboard. He never saw a was a married 33-year-old father, and the team he adored had not won a big hit or a signal of desperation from the home team. playoff series since he was a teenager. “I think this team needs to be completely blown up,” he said. “They’ve got “We’re at a crossroads here,” he said. “I can’t get comfortable, and I can’t to do whatever they can to retool this lineup, to make it clear that the get excited about this team ever again until they’re through to the second culture — the style of play — has to change.” round. They could go 82-0 next year. I wouldn’t give a damn.” Sharkawy has been a leading voice through the pandemic, appearing Glynn is co-host of a Leafs-themed podcast that bears his name. During regularly on television to explain new developments, and writing Game 7 on Monday night, his co-viewing event on Sportsnet’s YouTube powerfully about the toll of life on the front lines of COVID-19. (The Leafs channel drew more than 480,000 total clicks. He said any anger that he played in front of 550 frontline medical workers on Monday, but felt boiled away when the Leafs lost Game 6, and it was replaced by a Sharkawy watched from home.) gloomy sense of inevitability. “We’ve got a bunch of $10-million players who are highly skilled, but A lifetime of fandom boiled down to this: “I don’t know how you watch this lowly willed,” he said. “This team has oodles of skill, and next to no will. team and don’t come away with the conclusion they are special in their In the playoffs? You need both.” cruelty.” JUST GOING TO GET THIS OVER WITH RIGHT NOW SO THAT Toronto Maple Leafs @TORONTOIDDOC DOESN'T RUB MORE SALT ON IT. THIS WAS WORSE THAN BETTING ON JIMMY FALLON TO KEEP A STRAIGHT “I can’t get excited about this team ever again until they’re through to the FACE ON AN SNL SKIT. #HABSOLUTELYNOT second round,” says Steve “Dangle” Glynn. “They could go 82-0 next PIC.TWITTER.COM/6LUQVWRTOE year. I wouldn’t give a damn.” (Dan Hamilton / USA Today) — ABDU SHARKAWY (@SHARKAWYMD) JUNE 1, 2021 Carlo Colaiacovo, former Maple Leafs defenceman Dr. Brian Goldman, ER doctor, CBC Radio host One friend sent a photograph of a Leafs jersey that found its way into the trash. Colaiacovo chuckled as he described another message he Montreal was ahead 2-0 when Goldman did something he does not received after Toronto dropped Game 7: “I had a friend of mine break his usually do during a game. He went for a walk with his partner. It was TV and put it on the curb.” nicer outside than it was in front of the television. The 38-year-old, who co-hosts “First Up” with Michael Landsberg on TSN “For us, the whole evening was laden with expectations,” he said. “I had 1050 Radio in Toronto, said he had seen videos of other fans burning a bad feeling all day, and I was rewarded for my bad feeling with the their Leafs jerseys. Colaiacovo was not fiery as he spoke more than 12 actuality.” hours after the loss, but it was clear he was still simmering. Goldman is an emergency room physician who is also known for his work “I’m in shock, I’m in disbelief,” he said. “But I’m also disgusted.” with the CBC, where he hosts “White Coat, Black Art,” on Radio One, as well as The Dose, a weekly podcast. He said he does not think the Leafs The expectations were higher this year, he said, and the path to the could return in the fall without making changes in their lineup. Stanley Cup semifinals was never as clear as it was through the North Division. “They’re in deep doo-doo,” he said. “They’re not going to do a full tear- down. There’s no reason why they need to. But man, they are top-heavy, “New season, same core, same story,” he said. “That is what infuriates with a certain kind of talent and attitude. me.” “Defeat rests very nimbly on their shoulders, I would say.” Jason Maslakow, fan known as “Dart Guy” Scott MacArthur, co-host of “Lead Off,” Sportsnet 590 The FAN Dart Guy lost a bet. Fire president Brendan Shanahan. Fire general manager Kyle Dubas. He became a household meme four years ago, when a television camera Fire coach Sheldon Keefe. Trade Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. showed him in the stands for a first-round playoff game in Washington. Maslakow was in facepaint — a bright blue Maple Leaf in the middle of Those reactions poured into The FAN on Tuesday morning, where his mug — with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. MacArthur fielded calls for an hour from listeners. “It’s all emotional and reactionary,” said MacArthur. “It’s almost like Roberto, who also works for BarDown, was in middle school the last time there’s been a severing of the trust with this group. Guys who got paid Toronto won a series. before they won anything of consequence at the NHL level, and now they’re getting paid and not performing.” “I’m feeling broken right now,” she said. “But when the season starts again, I might make another sign. Who knows.” The most emotional reactions — the pleas for mass firings — flowed into the station’s text line, which MacArthur said was operating at much The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 higher levels than normal. “There are a lot of people — and they won’t feel this way in October, I guarantee you — who were texting in saying, ‘I can’t do this anymore, I’m sick of this team, I’m tired of being let down,’” he said. Gord Stellick, former Maple Leafs general manager In 2002, the Senators built a 3-2 lead over the Leafs in their second- round series. Toronto clawed back to force a Game 7, leading The Globe and Mail to argue: “The Ottawa Senators have 48 hours left to prove they are not a bunch of choking dogs.” The Senators fell 3-0 in Game 7. It was the third straight spring the Leafs eliminated the Senators from the playoffs. They would do it one more time, in 2004. After watching the Leafs on Monday, Stellick wondered to himself: “’Is this Leafs team the Ottawa Senators team that Pat Quinn kept beating every year?” The former Leafs general manager, who is now an analyst with NHL Network Radio and 590 The FAN, was troubled by the perceived lack of effort. “That game was unwatchable,” he said. “Seriously: Do these guys not understand this was not the exhibition season?” Toronto Maple Leafs Despite winning their division and being favored to make a playoff run, the Maple Leafs instead lost their sixth straight first-round series, counting last year’s qualifying round. (Dan Hamilton / USA Today) Richard Peddie, former chief executive of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment In 2002, the Leafs lost their captain in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Mats Sundin broke a bone in his wrist against the New York Islanders, and it was not clear when he would return. The Leafs cobbled together a new first line featuring Gary Roberts and Jonas Hoglund, with Alyn McCauley at centre. The team won that first round. And it won the second round, too. “As they’d leave the building, everyone’s yelling and cheering and high- fiving everyone,” said Peddie. “You sit there, and you smile. It just feels so good.” He was still chief executive in 2004, when the Leafs beat the Senators in seven games in a first-round meeting. They have not won since. “Man,” Peddie said with a chuckle, “that club is cursed.” Marissa Roberto, host, Digital SportsCentre It was a simple, hopeful message “Leafs Will Win The 2021 Cup.” Roberto grew up as a Leafs fan in Saskatoon and created the sign earlier this season both as a beacon of hope and a plea to the universe. She put the sign on display, and posted it on Instagram. “I am a believer in manifestation,” she said. “I don’t do it often, but do feel like when you really put things out there into the universe — and you believe them — that somehow the universe will reward you for kind of speaking these things into existence.” She downgraded the sign on Monday night. Roberto shortened the sign to: “Leafs will win.” She changed jerseys to try and help the team. She lit candles. The Leafs did not win. DID I CRY? YES. WILL I DO THIS TO MYSELF ALL OVER AGAIN NEXT SEASON? ALSO YES.#LEAFSFOREVER PIC.TWITTER.COM/DWIUUIEAMK

— MROB (@MARISSAROBERTO) JUNE 1, 2021 “It’s obviously not on us, it’s on the team to pull it together and do it for us,” she said. “I was in this for them. I really did believe, and I believed they could still do it.” 1189290 Vegas Golden Knights

Avalanche leaning on Brandon Saad for championship experience

By Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal June 2, 2021 - 11:05 PM Updated June 2, 2021 - 11:26 PM

Brandon Saad grew up as a Penguins fan and watched with glee as a teenager when Marc-Andre Fleury helped Pittsburgh raise the Stanley Cup in 2009. It had to be a similar feeling when he got one past Fleury to open the scoring for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of the West Division final Wednesday night at Ball Arena. That was followed by absolute euphoria when he watched teammate Mikko Rantanen fire a shot past Fleury on the power play 2:07 into overtime to give Colorado a 3-2 victory and 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. “It was just a great shot,” Saad said. “He beat him high glove-side. They got him the puck over there with time and space, and he made a great shot. “We knew they would come out with a better effort. Even though we didn’t play our best, that’s a great character win.” Saad has seen it all. He had 81 postseason appearances entering this season, a major reason the Avalanche acquired him from Chicago before the start of the season. Colorado has visions of winning a Stanley Cup, and the 28-year-old forward has played a key role on two Stanley Cup-winning teams with the Blackhawks. That experience already has shown up. “He’s a guy that’s performed in big moments his whole career and seems to get better as the season goes on,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. Wednesday marked the fifth straight game in which Saad has scored a goal, an individual high in the 2021 playoffs. The offense was necessary for the Avalanche, as their top line was completely neutralized in regulation after combining for eight points in a Game 1 blowout win. Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Rantanen were held off the scoreboard until overtime, as the Knights’ top line often matched up with them. When Rantanen finally scored, it marked his 16th straight playoff game with a point, dating to last season. Only five players have longer streaks in NHL history that have spanned multiple years. “We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy series,” Rantanen said. “We knew there were going to be tough periods and maybe tough games like today. We didn’t really create much offense. They’re a good team, and I don’t think we were playing our best game, either. “It wasn’t our best game, but that’s what we need to do is still find a way.” They had a chance largely because of Philipp Grubauer, who had 39 saves. “He bailed us out,” Rantanen said. “He had a really good game and kept us in it. He was basically the reason we got to overtime, and then our special teams stepped up there.” Grubauer is one of three players on the Colorado roster to win a Stanley Cup, having done so with Washington in 2018. Andre Burakovsky also was on that Capitals team that beat the Knights in the Final. Saad won his Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189291 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights-Colorado Avalanche Game 2 recap

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal June 2, 2021 - 10:49 PM

Series schedule Game 1 — Avalanche 7, Knights 1 Game 2 — Avalanche 3, Knights 2 (OT) Game 3 — 7 p.m. Friday, T-Mobile Arena, NBCSN Game 4 — 5:30 p.m. Sunday, T-Mobile Arena, NBCSN Game 5 — TBD June 8, Ball Arena, TBD* Game 6 — TBD June 10, T-Mobile Arena, TBD* Game 7 — TBD June 12, Ball Arena, TBD* *If necessary RJ’s three stars 3. Knights defenseman Shea Theodore — He got an assist on both the Knights’ goals, matching his point total for the entire first round. 2. Colorado right wing Mikko Rantanen — He scored the game-winner on his fifth shot on goal of the game. He played 25:05 in the game, second- most among Avalanche forwards. 1. Colorado goaltender Philipp Grubauer — He showed exactly why he was named a Vezina Trophy finalist. He made 39 saves, including 31 in the second and third periods. He kept his team afloat when it could have drowned. Key play Reilly Smith’s penalty in overtime. The Knights had a good first shift in overtime and forced the Avalanche to ice the puck. That gave them an offensive-zone draw against five tired skaters. Instead of taking advantage, the Knights were left short-handed for the sixth time after Smith was called for slashing Rantanen. Coach Pete DeBoer said it was a “soft” call and that Colorado was embellishing plays all game looking for penalties. Key stat 2-0 — The Knights have never been down 2-0 in a playoff series until Wednesday’s loss. Teams that win the first two games of a playoff series at home have won 89 percent of the time, according to Hockey- Reference.com. Knights quotable “I thought we played well. Took over the game as it went on. It stings no matter what. Good news is we lost two here, but we go home to 18,000 fans and take care of home ice, come back here for Game 5 tied up.” — Knights captain Mark Stone.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.03.2021 Vegas Golden Knights Meaning things will be at a decibel level, oh, 10 times more intense than 1189292 your typical regular-season game.

Meaning it will be even crazier than usual when there isn’t a seat to be Graney: Golden Knights make amends for Game 1 debacle but still lose had. “You can’t stress too much until you lose at home,” Knights captain Mark Stone said. “Take care of business in Vegas.” By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal Play as they did Wednesday, and that’s more than possible. June 2, 2021 - 10:28 PM

Updated June 2, 2021 - 11:43 PM LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.03.2021

DENVER — One pregame theory went like this: That the Golden Knights on Wednesday, coming off an embarrassing 7-1 loss to Colorado in Game 1 of the best-of-seven West Division final, could actually respond with a terrific effort and still not be rewarded at game’s end. Amazing. It actually happened. Colorado beat the Knights 3-2 when Mikko Rantanen scored at 2:07 of overtime, capping an evening at Ball Arena where those visiting were the better team in every phase except the one that counts most. The Avalanche, who lead the series 2-0, were outshot 41-25. “We all knew that wasn’t us in Game 1,” Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. “I thought we battled back real hard in this one. I’m sure guys have been there, down 2-0, but it doesn’t matter. We all have confidence that we can come back in this series.” Opener a mirage This is the sort of game hockey fans expected when the matchup was made official, the two best teams during the regular season playing to see which could reach four wins first and advance to the semifinals. The opener was a mirage. Colorado is the NHL’s best team, but in no manner is the margin between it and the Knights to the degree we witnessed Sunday. Not close. Folks watched Game 1 and thought Alabama football against your local high school. Couldn’t be further from the truth. It was proven in Game 2. It was always going to be about the beginning for the Golden Knights, about how they would respond after that blowout loss once the puck dropped. What happened? CBS hasn’t shown a better episode of “Survivor” than what the Knights offered over that first period. They couldn’t stay out of the box, but killed off three of four Colorado power plays in those first 20 minutes. And then they responded with as fine a second period as coach Pete DeBoer could have hoped. Yes. It got hectic. But you’re going to win a lot of playoff games forechecking as the Knights did, keeping things in the offensive zone and wearing down an opposing defense while at the same time slowing a ridiculously potent attack through the neutral zone. There’s your scouting report on how to handle and compete with Colorado. Impossible as it is to accomplish at times. It would pay off with a Reilly Smith goal to tie things 2-2 with 9:32 remaining in the second. Problem: The Knights would never again find net. Kept hitting post after post. It was then Smith — he must have hit three himself — who took an offensive zone penalty early in overtime that led to Rantanen’s game winner. It was the sixth penalty called on the Knights, who killed off all but two. Back to Vegas “It’s never easy when you lose in the playoffs,” DeBoer said. “But we feel good about our game. We were out to prove after Game 1 that we can play with this team, and we did that. We’re planning on making this a long series.” Next up: Game 3 on Friday night at T-Mobile Arena, where the venue will return to full capacity for the remainder of these playoffs. It holds 18,000 for hockey, and no masks will be required for those vaccinated attendees. Vegas Golden Knights Brandon Saad put the Avalanche ahead 3:39 in when he got a step on 1189293 Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo at the blue line and beat Fleury with a changeup through the legs. Golden Knights fall into 2-0 hole against Avalanche Alec Martinez answered for the Knights on the power play at 9:32 with a one-timer from the right circle off Pacioretty’s cross-ice feed, snapping an 0-for-9 skid on the power play on the road. By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal The Knights responded in the second with their best period of the series, putting pucks below the goal line and pressuring Colorado on the June 2, 2021 - 10:22 PM forecheck. Updated June 2, 2021 - 11:50 PM The reward came with 9:32 remaining in the second after Shea Theodore created a turnover in the neutral zone. Jonathan Marchessault found Smith with room on the left wing, and he made a move to his backhand DENVER — Two chances early in the third period went off the post. Two before finishing up high for his second goal of the postseason. shots from point-blank range were turned away. Marchessault nearly put the Knights ahead late in the second, but And don’t forget the late power play the Golden Knights had in the third Grubauer got a piece of the shot and sent it off the post with 3:40 left in period that also was squandered. the period. The Knights found their legs Wednesday night and had more than their “We slowed them down obviously,” Stone said. “They got some guys that share of opportunities late to even the West Division final, but couldn’t bring heavy speed, and we forced a lot of dumps. That’s what we have to finish and lost 3-2 in overtime to Colorado in Game 2 at Ball Arena. do against these guys.” Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen converted on a power play 2:07 into the overtime to put the Knights in a 2-0 hole for the first time in franchise history. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Friday at T-Mobile Arena. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.03.2021 “It’s not easy to take when you lose in the playoffs,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “I thought we deserved better. Really liked a lot of the things that we did and our effort. Got to find a way to bury one of those chances and win a game.” The Knights had an extra day off after getting blown out in Game 1 and executed their game plan to near perfection, getting pucks in deep and pressuring the Avalanche on the forecheck. Reilly Smith and Alex Tuch each hit the post in the first two minutes of the third period, and Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer turned away Max Pacioretty and Tuch from point-blank range later in the period. Grubauer, named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy on Tuesday, also made three saves on a late power play after Smith clanked the post for the second time in the period. “We got a lot of good looks,” right wing Mark Stone said. “We’ve got to capitalize when we have the opportunities.” In overtime, Smith was penalized for slashing Rantanen on an offensive- zone faceoff 44 seconds in to give the Avalanche’s top-ranked power play its sixth opportunity of the game. Afterward, DeBoer called it a “soft call,” and Stone said it was a stick battle between players fighting for the puck. “I can’t even blame the referee on it,” DeBoer said. “They fooled them on it.” With time winding down in the man advantage, Nathan MacKinnon found Rantanen in the right circle, and his wrist shot beat Marc-Andre Fleury high to the glove side for his third goal of the playoffs. Colorado’s top line, which combined for five goals in the series opener, had been held without a point until then. Fleury, back in net after resting in Game 1, finished with 22 saves. “That last one there it’s on me,” Fleury said. “I should make that save and keep our team in the game.” The Avalanche improved to 6-0 in the postseason and won their 13th straight home game dating to the regular season. They are 20-0-1 at home since March 27, and the Knights will need to win at least one game on the road to advance. “Our guys battled back real hard,” Fleury said. “If we keep playing the way we did tonight, then we all have confidence in our team that we can come back in the series.” The Knights spent almost half the first period on special teams and were fortunate not to be down more than one goal at the end of the first period after giving Colorado’s power play four chances. Colorado cashed in on one of those opportunities to regain the lead. Tyson Jost maneuvered to the slot and one-timed a pass from Samuel Girard for a power-play goal with 2:52 remaining in the period. The Avalanche went 2-for-6 on the power play and are 10-for-23 in the postseason. 1189294 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights select goaltender for Game 2 against Avalanche

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal June 2, 2021 - 6:42 PM Updated June 2, 2021 - 6:46 PM

DENVER — The Golden Knights’ Vezina Trophy finalist is going back in the net. Marc-Andre Fleury will start Game 2 of the Knights’ second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday at Ball Arena. Robin Lehner started Game 1 and lost 7-1. Lehner did not practice Tuesday or participate in the team’s optional morning skate Wednesday. Fleury is coming off a brilliant first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, in which he had a 1.71 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in seven games. The 36-year-old has 85 playoff wins and is three away from tying for the third-most all time. His 16 postseason shutouts are tied for the third-most all time. Fleury was named a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time Tuesday after an impressive regular season. He finished 26-10 and set career bests in save percentage (.928) and goals-against average (1.98). Both marks ranked fourth in the NHL among goaltenders with at least 10 starts. He was third in wins and shutouts (six). Fleury also climbed to third on the all-time wins list with 492. Only Martin Brodeur (691) and Patrick Roy (551) are ahead of him. The other Vezina finalists are Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy and Colorado’s Philipp Grubauer. “He’s a class act,” Knights coach Pete DeBoer said of Fleury. “He shows up every day with a smile on his face, the most energy in the room despite the fact that he’s the oldest guy in the room. He stays on late at practice. Has a lot of fun and enjoys coming to the rink. Enjoys the dressing room banter with guys. More importantly, just how he treats people and not just his teammates. The trainers, the fans he comes across. It’s genuine because you never see him any different.” Fleury will need to be good against the Avalanche, who were the NHL’s highest-scoring team in the regular season and lead the playoffs in goals per game. Fleury had success against Colorado in the regular season. He was 4-3 with a 2.14 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. He was the only goaltender to shut them out, and he did it twice. He’s hoping watching Colorado from the bench in Game 1 will help him the rest of the series. “I think we know who the big guys are, how quick of a team they are, the way they like to make plays in the offensive zone,” Fleury said. “When you play, you’re always looking for the puck, right? So when you’re on the bench, you can maybe look at the game as a whole and see where guys are at. It’s good to have both perspectives.”

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Robin Lehner, Mattias Janmark scratched by Golden Knights

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal June 2, 2021 - 5:17 PM Updated June 2, 2021 - 7:01 PM

DENVER — Robin Lehner wasn’t scheduled to start Game 2 for the Golden Knights. But the goalie did not even dress Wednesday. Lehner didn’t participate in the optional morning skate at Ball Arena and was scratched after being termed a game-time decision by coach Pete DeBoer. Logan Thompson, the American Hockey League goaltender of the year, was recalled and served as the backup to Marc-Andre Fleury. Lehner started in Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche to provide Fleury with a rest and was shelled in a 7-1 defeat Sunday. It was the most goals Lehner has allowed during his NHL career. DeBoer said Lehner had a maintenance day Tuesday and did not participate in practice. He missed more than a month with a concussion during the regular season and also underwent offseason shoulder surgery. Forward Mattias Janmark also was not in uniform after he was knocked out of Game 1 from a hard hit by Colorado defenseman Ryan Graves, who was penalized for interference. Janmark, who leads the team with six points in the postseason, was not on the ice Wednesday morning and did not skate at practice Tuesday. He is considered day to day, according to DeBoer. Dylan Sikura made his NHL postseason debut and skated on the third line. “He plays a real responsible game for a skilled, smaller player,” DeBoer said. “A lot of times those guys are prone to turnovers or defensive lapses. I’ve liked his ability to earn the coach’s trust in the games that he’s played for us.” Mask policy Fans who are vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be required to wear a mask or face covering to enter T-Mobile Arena starting with Game 3 on Friday, the Golden Knights announced. Also, there is no longer a health questionnaire that must be completed through CLEAR upon entry. No bags are permitted inside the arena, including small purses and clutches. The Knights host Colorado at 7 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday at T- Mobile Arena. Black Aces The Knights recalled seven players from the Silver Knights to the taxi squad before Game 2, including center Cody Glass and Thompson. Forwards Jack Dugan and Jonas Rondbjerg were added, along with defensemen Carl Dahlstrom, Kaedan Korczak and Jimmy Schuldt. Murphy wins award Silver Knights captain Ryan Murphy won the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s best defenseman. The first-round pick in 2011 led all AHL defensemen with 22 assists and 27 points in 37 regular-season games. Murphy, 28, was named to the Pacific Division All-Star team last week.

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Golden Knights announce mask policy at T-Mobile Arena

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal June 2, 2021 - 9:18 am

Fans who are vaccinated against COVID-19 will not be required to wear a mask or face covering to enter T-Mobile Arena starting with Game 3 on Friday, the Golden Knights announced. In addition, there is no longer a health questionnaire that must be completed through CLEAR upon entry. No bags are permitted inside the arena, including small purses & clutches. The Knights host Colorado starting at 7 p.m. Friday, and Game 4 is at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.03.2021 Vegas Golden Knights morphed back into the possession monster it was against the Wild, and 1189297 matched its first-period shot total in the first 10 minutes of the second.

It paid off at the 10:28 mark of the second. The pressure created a Golden Knights fall in OT of Game 2 to Avalanche turnover in the neutral zone, and Jonathan Marchessault zipped the pass across the ice. Smith was there to collect and walked in alone on Philipp Grubauer, reached down and pulled out a slick move and beat him with a backhand to even the score 2-2. By Justin Emerson (contact) The rest of the period played out the way everyone who wanted this Published Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | 3 p.m. series to happen all year hoped it would. Each inch of ice was contested, Updated Wednesday, June 2, 2021 | 11:33 p.m. and team's traded chances for the final minutes or so of the frame. Grubauer and his counterpart on the other side of the ice, fellow Vezina Trophy finalist Marc-Andre Fleury each had to make a couple of key saves to keep the game today. DENVER — The puck was on the Golden Knights' sticks for much of the period Golden Knights Lose Game 2 to Avalanche in OT though, and finished with a 16-6 edge in shots on goal as a result, putting The most intense game of the Golden Knights' playoff run so far ended in them up 25-17 for the game. the most heartbreaking of ways. Golden Knights take four penalties in first period, trail Avalanche Vegas was the better team for much of Wednesday's Game 2, but took a It wasn't a bad first period for the Golden Knights, if only they could have penalty 44 seconds into overtime. The Avalanche made them pay, and stayed out of the box. Mikko Rantanen fired a laser into the net at the 2:07 mark of the extra period, and sent the Golden Knights to a 3-2 defeat at Ball Arena. The Golden Knights took four penalties in the first period, and gave up a goal on one of them, falling behind the Avalanche 2-1 after a period at Vegas trails the series 2-0. Game 3 is set for Friday at T-Mobile Arena. Ball Arena on Wednesday. The Avalanche scored the first goal of the game early on, courtesy of a Game 2 started off almost identically to Game 1. Colorado held Vegas off Brandon Saad shot that slipped off his stick and fooled Marc-Andre the shot sheet in the early-goings, then scored a few minutes in. It was a Fleury. Vegas battled back with a power-play goal from Alec Martinez, bit of a goofy goal, with Brandon Saad whiffing on the shot and it sliding but Colorado scored a power-play goal of its own from Tyson Jost. through the crease, but it caught Marc-Andre Fleury by surprise and ended up in the net at 3:39. From there it was all Vegas. The Golden Knights controlled play in the second and third periods, but only Reilly Smith's partial breakaway beat The defensive breakdown in the neutral zone is where the Avalanche Philipp Grubauer, who made 39 saves in the victory. capitalized, as Samuel Girard's seam pass allowed Saad to enter the The Golden Knights finished with a 41-25 edge in shots on goal. zone untouched on a breakaway. Golden Knights, Avalanche heading to overtime in Game 2 The Golden Knights even took a penalty not long after. They killed it off, but it was a mess of a start, but they did find their footing. Many thought the Golden Knights and Avalanche were the best teams in hockey this season. They played the kind of 60 minutes worthy of the Special teams can get a team going. Immediately after killing the hype, and treated the fans in attendance with at least a little more than Avalanche power play the Golden Knights got one of their own, and used that. it to tie the game. Alec Martinez posted up in the right circle and when Max Pacioretty's cross-ice pass found him, Martinez blasted it into the The Avalanche scored twice in the first, Vegas had a goal in the first and net at 9:32 to make it 1-1. the second and the third came and went without a goal, sending Game 2 of the second-round series to overtime in a 2-2 draw at Ball Arena on Vegas killed off Max Pacioretty's holding minor later in the period, but you can only afford to give Colorado so many chances. The Avalanche made Wednesday. them pay for Jonathan Marchessault's slash, as Tyson Jost ripped a one- The Golden Knights brought their momentum from the second period into timer from the slot that beat Fleury at 17:08 to restore Colorado's lead. the start of the third, firing five shots on goal and hitting two posts in the Shea Theodore took one more penalty, a puck-over-glass delay of game, opening two minutes, then had a breakaway in the next minute. in the final minutes of the period. The Avalanche settled things down a bit after that, but not by much. The Golden Knights either had the puck, or were forcing the Avalanche to Colorado led 11-9 in shots on goal in the first period. dump and chase for much of the third. The Golden Knights will take on the Avalanche in Game 2 at 7 p.m. with Vegas took a penalty eight seconds past the midpoint of the period to put two different forwards and a different goalie than Game 1. the Avalanche on the power play, and they almost had it. They whipped It's not all by choice. While the Golden Knights used Game 1 as an the puck from point to point with ease, and Gabriel Landeskog very opportunity to rest Vezina Trophy finalist goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who nearly finished a tap-in that would have out Colorado on top. is expected to start tonight, the forwards were not optional. Mattias But the Golden Knights had the best chance of the power play on a Janmark is doubtful with an injury sustained during Game 1, while Ryan short-handed break by William Karlsson. He drove to the net to create a Reaves will serve the first part of his two-game suspension he was rebound and Reilly Smith clanged iron for the second time in the period. issued after the first game. Alex Tuch had a breakaway coming out of the box, but Philipp Grubauer The Golden Knights all postseason have praised their depth, and with made a spectacular glove save to keep the game tied. two bottom-six forwards expected to miss the game at Ball Arena, it will be tested against Colorado. The Golden Knights had one last chance to end the game in regulation when Alex Pietrangelo drew a trip with 3:21 remaining. Vegas managed "I think that's going to be a huge part of it. We need everybody," forward four shots on the man advantage, but Grubauer continued to stand tall. William Karlsson said. "If we can have four lines going it's going to help the team in a massive way. I have no doubt, I think they're excited to be Vegas led 40-23 in shots on goal through regulation. in the lineup and I think they're going to do well." Golden Knights score in second period, head to third period with Avalanche tied In Reaves' spot, the Golden Knights are expected to return to rookie Keegan Kolesar, who played the first six games of the first round but was But the GIt took some time, but the Golden Knights arrived to this series the lineup casualty when Max Pacioretty returned. He has two points this in the second period. postseason, both of them assists in a Game 4 win last round. For the first time Vegas was the aggressor, controlling the puck and Replacing Janmark is a little trickier. Based on practice lines it appears pushing play, and was rewarded with the equalizer. Reilly Smith scored the Golden Knights will turn to Dylan Sikura, who played six games in the the only goal of a ferocious second period, and Vegas and the Avalanche regular season but has never appeared in the postseason. Sikura scored went to the second intermission in a 2-2 tie at Ball Arena on Wednesday. two goals in the regular season finale in San Jose, his only points of the season. The Golden Knights came out flying in the second period, spending the first three minutes or so almost entirely in the offensive zone. The team "He's got a good shot, he's making plays, he's confident with the puck, that was chasing the Avalanche for the first four periods of this series he's a really good player and he's going to be a good addition for us," said forward Nicolas Roy, who is projected to center the third line with Sikura. "We're three guys that can make plays, be on their forecheck, be on their 'D.' So I guess be tough to play against, be in the offensive zone as much as possible and create some chances there." The Golden Knights hope to shake off that Game 1 loss, a 7-1 defeat that was the most lopsided in the team's postseason history. The Avalanche, on paper, are the best team the Golden Knights have ever met in the postseason, and Colorado's best players ran wild on Vegas — a combined 12 points from forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and defenseman Cale Makar. Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer laughed when asked how to slow down the Avalanche stars. "Well maybe because there's seven of them, that might have something to do with it," DeBoer said. "You're not shutting down one guy or two guys. They're literally that deep in elite offensive players." Vegas will look to counter with its own elite offensive players, who were held mostly silent in Game 1. Karlsson had a goal once the game was already 5-0 in Colorado's favor, but Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone, who combined for 14 points in the regular season against the Avalanche, had just one assist. Vegas was good at Ball Center in the regular season with a 2-1 record including a 3-0 shutout in the first meeting, but the Avalanche are on another level at home — a 25-4-2 record, including the postseason. The Golden Knights have never lost a Game 2 after losing Game 1 of the series. They are 4-0 all-time, including last round against the Wild. They are 2-2 in a series where they lose Game 1.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.03.2021 Vegas Golden Knights strength-versus-strength matchup with the league’s eighth-ranked power 1189298 play against the Golden Knights’ top-ranked penalty kill.

In the regular-season series, Vegas’ penalty kill actually got the better of Five things we learned about the Golden Knights in a tough overtime loss the matchup, killing 20 of Colorado’s 21 power-play chances. But in the in Game 2 playoffs, the Avalanche have taken their power play to another level, and it single-handedly won them Game 2.

The Golden Knights gave Colorado four power plays in the first period By Jesse Granger alone – tied for a season high in a single period – and the Avalanche eventually capitalized when Samuel Girard found Tyson Jost in the slot Jun 3, 2021 for a one-timer to give Colorado a 2-1 lead. “But we have to kill the penalty when they call it,” Stone said. “It’s tough DENVER – Reilly Smith knocked Mikko Rantanen’s stick out of his hands with six kills a night, and a power play like that, they’re going to burn off the face-off, sending the Colorado Avalanche to their sixth power play you.” of the night. Minutes later, Rantanen used that stick to whip a wrist shot Then less than a minute into overtime, Smith was called for slashing, and over Marc-Andre Fleury’s shoulder, sending Ball Arena into a frenzy. Rantanen made Vegas pay with the game winner. Despite how well the The Golden Knights lost a heartbreaker Wednesday night in Denver, Golden Knights killed penalties all season, this is not a team they can get falling 3-2 in overtime despite outplaying the Avalanche for the majority of away with committing penalties against. the final two periods and squandering several grade-A chances. The Golden Knights aren’t happy with the officiating Vegas has to feel better about its effort in this one, but it doesn’t take the Peter DeBoer wasn’t happy with the slashing call on Smith in overtime, or sting out of flying back to Las Vegas trailing a playoff series 2-0 for the with the Avalanche. first time in franchise history. “It was a soft call,” he said. “But I can’t even blame the refs because What did we learn in Game 2 of the second-round best-of-seven series? they’re fighting through the embellishment of grabbing your face, or Through four periods of this series, it looked like the Golden Knights had falling down, or dropping your stick, every period. So, I can’t even blame no answer for the Avalanche’s incredible speed and skill in transition. In the referee on it. They fooled him on it.” Sunday night’s Game 1, they sliced through the Vegas defense at will. Avalanche players and coaches thought it was the right call, and it’s easy Wednesday night’s first period felt similar, with the Golden Knights to see the argument from both sides. Smith certainly slashed Rantanen’s clinging to a 2-1 deficit thanks to Fleury’s heroics in net. stick out of his hands, and that’s something that is regularly called, but at But Vegas finally settled into the series in the second period, found its the same time, it did happen directly off a face-off where stick battles legs and started slowing down the Avalanche in the neutral zone. Over normally don’t draw penalties, especially in overtime of a playoff game. the last two periods of regulation, the Golden Knights held Colorado off “It’s a tough call,” Stone said. “It’s a stick battle off a face-off. I go into the scoreboard and outshot the Avalanche 31-12 and out-chanced them probably 30 of those a game, and get my stick slashed in almost every 23-15. one, and I don’t drop my stick. It’s a tough call, especially in overtime. “I thought we played really well,” Mark Stone said. “We didn’t have a There has to be a little bit of onus on the guy holding his stick. It’s a stick great start to the game, but really kind of took over the game as it went battle. Both trying to fight for the puck and clear space.” on. I thought we worried about our game more than we worried about It was a close call. It’s just unfortunate that played a major part in them, and just came out and played really solid.” deciding what was a spectacularly played game by both sides. The Golden Knights ran quite a few neutral-zone drills in Tuesday’s It should come as no surprise that the bigger, more physical team isn’t practice, and they paid off on Wednesday. They closed gaps much more satisfied with the calls while the faster team is happy for a quick whistle. quickly than in Game 1, got bodies in the lanes of Colorado’s fastest It’s a line the Golden Knights will have to carefully toe if they’re to come skaters to redirect their course and forced them to dump pucks deep into back in this series. DeBoer is a savvy coach, and is likely hoping to the zone rather than carrying it across the blue line with possession. influence the officiating with these comments as the series shifts to From there, Vegas’ defensemen won races to the pucks and broke the Vegas. puck out of its zone cleanly for the most part. Unlike their first performance of the series, Vegas’ offense came to life on “We slowed them down,” Stone said. “They have some guys that bring Wednesday. The Golden Knights generated chance after chance, most heavy speed. We forced a lot of dumps. That’s kind of what we have to of which were either stopped by Philipp Grubauer – who played do against these guys. You can’t let them build speed in the neutral zone exceptionally – or the goal post. or they’re going to burn you.” “We all knew that that wasn’t us in Game 1,” Fleury said. “I thought the All of those things will be keys to success moving forward. guys battled back real hard tonight. We (hit) four posts and the puck Entering this series, the Avalanche appeared to have a clear advantage stayed out for us. They had a post and in to make it 2-1, so it was a little in forward depth. That could still be the case, but the Golden Knights’ bit of a tough bounce there.” fourth line of Patrick Brown, William Carrier and Keegan Kolesar played Fleury is right, the bounces didn’t go the Golden Knights’ way. But this very well in Game 2. trend of not finishing a high enough percentage of chances to win has In 6:10 of even-strength ice time together, that trio held edges in shot been going on far too long to simply chalk it up to puck luck. Against attempts (7-3), shots on goal (4-1) and high-danger chances (1-0). The inferior teams, Vegas can get away with converting a lower percentage of line looked completely different with Kolesar filling in for Reaves. The unit chances because it generates so many, but that won’t be the case obviously doesn’t have the same physicality, but Kolesar played well on against Colorado. the puck, regularly winning battles in the corner and getting the puck out “We got to capitalize on them,” Stone said. “We had a lot of good looks. to the point for shots by defensemen. You can’t stress too much until you lose at home. We have to take care Meanwhile, Colorado’s fourth line of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Sampo of business in Vegas here on Friday night.” Ranta and Alex Newhook struggled. In their 4:49 of even-strength ice The players know T-Mobile Arena will be at full capacity for the first time time, they were outshot 3-0, out-chanced 3-1 and created zero expected in more than a year, and seem to be a confident bunch flying home goals, according to Natural Stat Trick. It’s an interesting line combination despite the 2-0 series deficit. by Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, playing the team’s oldest player (Bellemare) with two 20-year-olds with six combined playoff games “The good news is we lost two in a row here,” Stone said, “and now we entering Thursday. go home to 18,000 fans and take care of home ice, and come back here for Game 5 tied up.” Vegas’ fourth line outmuscled its younger Avalanche counterpart. Bednar could opt to switch up that line before Game 3, but if he doesn’t, it’s something DeBoer could look to exploit with the last change at T-Mobile Arena. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Avalanche power play is too good to give that many chances This might sound obvious, but if there’s a team in the NHL that can compete with Colorado’s deadly power play, it’s Vegas. This is a Vegas Golden Knights an implied odds of 83.33 percent that Colorado wins the series, and the 1189299 analytics community is right there with the oddsmakers. The statistical model developed by Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic gives the Golden Knights only an 18 percent chance of advancing despite being down only ‘We embrace the situation’ — Jonathan Marchessault and Golden 1-0 in the series. Knights re-adopt ‘misfit’ mentality That’s tall odds, and that’s exactly how this group likes them.

The last time things felt this way for the group was on May 12, 2018. The By Jesse Granger Jets had just clobbered Vegas 4-2 in Winnipeg in Game 1 of the conference finals, a game that felt far more one-sided than the score Jun 2, 2021 indicated. The overwhelming narrative following that game was that it was a nice run for the expansion team in Las Vegas, but that they had met their match. DENVER – Golden Knights players utilized the two days after their Game 1 loss to recover, both physically and mentally. COVID-19 protocols still In the locker room inside Bell MTS Place that night, a fired-up limit their activities, but the recent relaxations have allowed them to Marchessault stepped in front of the cameras and called Game 2 a must- gather at the team hotel in Denver to eat meals together and watch win, adding, “We are going to show the world what kind of team we are.” playoff hockey. “It reminds me exactly of year one against Winnipeg,” Marchessault said “It’s been great,” forward Jonathan Marchessault told The Athletic over on Tuesday. “We were showing up in the final four teams in the NHL, and the phone from his hotel room. “Especially this time of year it’s kind of were playing in my opinion the best team by far in the NHL. It’s similar to rare to have that time off. We’ve done a few team-bonding activities the situation we’re in right now, so it does remind us of that. We can’t go together. We have been able to hang out together and just watch hockey back home to Vegas down 2-0, so it’s all about the next game for our games together. It’s been a real treat.” group. It was a much-needed reset for the team after Sunday’s debacle against “We have had a lot of roster changes but for the guys that were there, it’s the Avalanche to open this second-round series. Vegas was fresh off its a situation that we’ve been in before.” seven-game fistfight with the Minnesota Wild, which took everything the The Golden Knights went on to win the next four games against Golden Knights had in order to emerge on top. Following their emotional Winnipeg to reach the Stanley Cup Final. Every team searches for Game 7 victory on Friday, the players had less than 48 hours to fly to outside doubt as motivation, hoping to use that underdog mentality to its Colorado, where a rested Avalanche team awaited. advantage. But there’s something about this team that latches onto that Coach Pete DeBoer and the players refused to make excuses after the persona more than most. Even in a season in which they’ve been game, but the circumstances were obvious. A team never expects to favored in nearly every game, and won more games than any team in the lose, but the odds were stacked against Vegas in Game 1. Even under league, they still found ways to put themselves into that role. those difficult circumstances, no one predicted the 7-1 shellacking On March 27, the Golden Knights topped the Avalanche 3-2 in overtime handed out by the Avalanche. for a big bounce-back win following a 5-1 defeat the game prior. After the “We were a little disappointed in our game,” Marchessault said. “It was a game, DeBoer said, “For the believers out there, thanks for sticking with mental and physical grind with Minnesota. So it was a disappointing first us. I know there were some doubters out there after the last game.” game, but it is just one game. It doesn’t matter if you lose 7-1 or 2-1, so “These guys read it and see it way more than I do,” DeBoer said. “I don’t we’re just looking to win one of the two games on the road, because look at a lot of that stuff, but the players do and you hear them talking. that’s what you have to do in the playoffs.” There was a lot of motivation in that room.” Entering this second-round series, the Golden Knights were underdogs Over the last two days – while Golden Knights players recuperated and for the first time since the 2017-18 Western Conference finals against the enjoyed playoff hockey on TV – they’ve heard plenty. Winnipeg Jets. During Vegas’ magical inaugural season, they were often counted out. The players adopted the “Golden Misfits” moniker after each “We do hear it,” Marchessault said. “Everything is all about Colorado and of their previous teams left them unprotected in the expansion draft. how good they are. We have to use that as motivation to surprise the hockey world.” In that season, every game was a revenge game. Whoever the next opponent was, the player who came from that team would lead the It won’t be easy. Colorado’s lopsided win in Game 1 wasn’t solely due to team’s warm-up circle, and when the team hit the ice that night they were Vegas being exhausted from a grueling first round. It was a product of playing for that specific player, to show his former team what they lost. the fastest, most skilled team in the NHL. James Neal came up with the name. He coined the term in the players’ “Obviously, you always want to go head-to-head with the best,” group text, titling the chat “Golden Misfits,” and it stuck. Neal is now in Marchessault said. “That line (of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen Edmonton, and many of the original Golden Misfits have moved on to and Gabriel Landeskog) is by far the best in the NHL. You just have to other teams, but one of the players who embraced that title the most slow down their production. I’m not going to say we’re turning it off remains, and he’s helping the current squad channel those vibes. completely, because they’re unreal players and they find a way. But you have to slow down the production while we are producing as well.” “This is the first time in four years that it feels like the first year,” Marchessault said. “Right now we’re in an underdog situation and we The Avalanche are one of the most dominant teams of the last several kind of have nothing to lose, really. The best team in the league is seasons according to the underlying analytics. They are the only team in Colorado. So for us, we’re just trying to get there, try to surprise them, the last 15 years to have an expected-goals share north of 60 percent, and take it one game at a time.” and they outscored the opposition 197-133 in the regular season. They’ve been even better in the playoffs, winning all five games by a Motivation is a powerful tool in professional sports, and nothing rallies the combined score of 27-8. The Avalanche are spearheaded by that elite troops like a good underdog story. Coaches use it to galvanize the top line, and backed by three Norris Trophy-level defenders and a Vezina players with an us-against-the-world mentality. But to cultivate those Trophy finalist in net. feelings requires doubt from the outside, and that’s something the Golden Knights haven’t experienced much of for a while. The Golden Knights must find a way to win four of the next six games against that team. It’s a tall order, which means the Golden Knights are Since that 2018 run ended three wins shy of hoisting the Stanley Cup, exactly where they want to be. They’ll never be the “Golden Misfits” Vegas has added star players at nearly every turn. They traded for Max again, but the mentality remains. Pacioretty and Mark Stone, and signed Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights have been perennial favorites and, as mentioned above, had not “We embrace the situation,” Marchessault said. “I think everybody thinks been underdogs in a series in three years. the same here. We’re in it together. We’re on a mission and nothing less than a Stanley Cup win will satisfy our group.” “Obviously, we’ve had a lot of changes to the team,” Marchessault said. “It’s not necessarily the same because for most of the year people expect us to win a lot more. So the mentality is a little different. But for me personally, the misfit mentality was always that I have no quit in my The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 game, and I still have that mentality personally.” But that changed with this West Division final series with Colorado. The Avalanche opened as minus-175 betting favorites, and after a dominant Game 1 they’ve skyrocketed to overwhelming minus-500 favorites. That’s 1189300 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Lose Painful 3-2 Overtime Decision To Colorado Wednesday, Return To 100 Percent Capacity Crowds For Games 3 And 4 At T-Mobile Arena In Vegas

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

It was a nice bounce-back performance by Vegas in Game 2 Wednesday after the Golden Knights were demolished by the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 Sunday. The Golden Knights radically improved their play, especially in periods two and three against Colorado. But the Avalanche cashed in on a controversial slashing penalty called on the VGK’s Reilly Smith in overtime to win, 3-2, in OT and seize a 2-0 series lead in the NHL second round matchup between the two NHL teams with the most points during the amended 56-game regular season . Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen scored on that power play a mere 2:07 into the extra session and the Knights headed back to Las Vegas looking to climb back in this second round series in games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday at T-Mobile Arena. The VGK ugly 7-1 loss Sunday came only two days after a Knights’ Game 7 win over Minnesota in Las Vegas. But on Wednesday, the Golden Knights outshot Colorado, 41-25, and hit five posts. VGK defenseman Alec Martinez scored a power play goal in the first period to knot the score at one, while Knights forward Reilly Smith scored a pretty backhand goal to make it, 2-2. Colorado goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who is a Vezina Trophy finalist for best NHL goalie just like VGK netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, played outstanding tonight. “It stings no matter,” VGK forward Mark Stone said after the game. “Take care of home ice and come back here for Game 5 tied up.” Colorado’s Brandon Saad and Tyson Jost scored in period one, which ended with the Avs leading, 2-1. In their four-year history, the Knights were 4-6 in OTs in the playoffs. Now, the VGK are 4-7 in the postseason and 0-2 in OT games this season. The Golden Knights will have more than 17,000 fans in their building Friday and Sunday as the team has approval for 100 percent capacity at T-Mobile Arena. In fact, fans attending the games do not even have to wear masks if they are vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 Vegas Golden Knights saves later, the Avalanche killed the power play, and 60 minutes wasn’t 1189301 enough.

Smith then took a slashing penalty just 45 seconds into OT. Colorado WHAT?! Golden Knights Waste Effort, Lose in OT; Trail 2-0 again had a properly served opportunity, but Nathan MacKinnon ripped a shot off the near-side post behind Marc-Andre Fleury.

No matter, Rantanen finished the job a few moments later. Heartbreaker. Published 4 hours ago on June 2, 2021

By Dan Kingerski Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021

DENVER — The Vegas Golden Knights needed a period to find their legs. Then, for 40 minutes, they bombarded the Colorado Avalanche with shots, hits and Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer made saves and coughed up rebounds. It seemed like Golden Knights’ game. Until Reilly Smith took a penalty just 45 seconds into OT and Mikko Rantanen (3) ripped a top-shelf wrister over Golden Knights goalie Marc- Andre Fleury for the OT game-winner Wednesday night at Ball Arena. The win delivered a commanding 2-0 series lead for the Avs as the series shifts to Las Vegas for Games 3 and 4, beginning Friday. The Avalanche picked up where they left off in Game 1, though it took a little bit of luck on top of their effort. Brandon Saad split the Golden Knights defense at the blue line for a breakaway. As Saad bore down on Fleury, he fanned on the wrist shot. Saad (5) absolutely whiffed, but the sliding puck…slowly…sliding…puck fooled Fleury. 1-0. However, VGK weathered the early push and evened the game with a power-play goal. Midway through the first period, Alex Newhook got the gate for holding, and good guys got the tying goal. After good puck work around the perimeter, then a sharp pass through the Avalanche box, Alec Martinez pounded a one-timer past a lunging Vezina trophy nominee Philipp Grubauer. Unlike Sunday, when the Avalanche snowed Golden Knights, the shots were even through the first period, and with a little bit of rest, VGK looked like a different team. A little bit, anyway. The Golden Knights clearly had trouble dealing with the Avalanche speed, at least in the first period. On the corners and to loose pucks, the Colorado Avalanche created time and space. Winger Jonathan Marchessault took the third of four Golden Knights penalties in the first period, and Colorado punched their ticket for another lead. After a handful of tape-to-tape passes, Sam Girard appeared to go wide on the left-wing, but instead feathered a saucy pass into the slot and onto Tyson Jost’s stick. Jost (2) snapped it past Fleury. 2-1. Colorado had several more golden chances on their fourth power play of the period. In the waning seconds, it appeared Fleury was down-and-out but somehow kept a pair of shots from lighting the lamp. Overall, Colorado’s shot advantage was only 11-9, but the quality disparity was in Colorado’s favor. With 7:30 of power play time, the Avs had seven of their 11 shots at 5v4. The second period was a bit different. OK, a lot different. The Avalanche didn’t get a shot on goal for over seven minutes in the second period. Those tape-to-tape passes began finding VGK tape. The Golden Knights got to their skill game in the second period. The Avs helped along with turnovers by the case. The Grade A chances were suddenly on the stick of the players in white. Midway through the second period, Marchessault sprung Reilly Smith (2) behind the Avs defense. Smith used a sweeping deke for a top-shelf backhander. 2-2. VGK outshot the Avalanche 15-6 in the second period. And the Golden Knights kept charging in the third period. The 2-2 game that felt disappointing to Avs fans began to feel lucky as Vegas ripped shots off three posts and outshot the Colorado Avalanche 24-7 over 30 minutes beginning with the start of the second period. That includes one lonely shot in the first 10 minutes of the third period. Through the second and third periods, VGK outshot the Avs 31-12. Smith missed his golden shorthanded chance midway through the third period to give the Golden Knights a lead. After Grubauer misplayed a loose puck in the crease, Smith quickly shot it back to the open net but amazingly hit the post. Iron shot #4. In the final three minutes, Marchessault cut across Devon Toews, who tripped Marchessault. Golden Knights power play. Several Grubauer Vegas Golden Knights “I think my mom was always the funnier one, a bit, but one thing my dad 1189302 always told me was to go to the rink and try hard. Do your best and have fun. Those things he would tell me, and that’s what I’ve tried to do in my life,” beamed Fleury. “Coming to the NHL at a young age to a great group Fleury Can’t Hide Smile, Enjoys First Vezina Nomination of veterans that still brought that and emphasis on that–that we have to stay loose–to keep smiling and having fun. For me to play well, I think I need to be relaxed and smiling, and having fun. And that’s what I’ve done Published 16 hours ago on June 2, 2021 my best games…” By Dan Kingerski It certainly is fun to watch Fleury have success. It’s also fun to see him recognized.

One quick story: With no cameras rolling, with his Pittsburgh Penguins DENVER — It was a good day for Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc- future already concluded after the 2017 Stanley Cup win and his Vegas Andre Fleury. On Tuesday, he basked in recognition of his first-ever future assured, Fleury did an autograph signing at a sporting goods store Vezina trophy nomination, and he was named the starter for Game 2 of near the Penguins practice rink. The demand was so great, the store had Vgeas’ Round Two series against the Colorado Avalanche. to issue a limited number of tickets but invited several media outlets to cover it. The former Pittsburgh Penguins’ first overall pick and franchise cornerstone is on top of the world right now. Fleury is finally a Vezina finalist. But he’d probably trade it for a series win. If Fleury, 36, had to pick the Vezina nomination or the Game 2 start, he would probably select the Game 2 start. It was a grueling seven-game series against the Minnesota Wild in Round One, in which Fleury helped beat back a stiff and surprising challenge. Vegas won in seven. Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.03.2021 Fleury was nearly unbeatable in the series, despite losing three games. He posted a 1.71 GAA, and a .931 save percentage. However, Vegas coach Pete DeBoer chose to give Fleury rest for Game 1, and Robin Lehner was blitzed for seven goals as Colorado boat raced Vegas 7-1. In classic Fleury fashion, he expressed regret for his teammate’s rough night. “It was a hard series, no doubt about it. (We were) traveling, the time change, playing every other day. You get a big win like that, and the next day I fly to Colorado. So I think it was tiring for our whole team,” Fleury said. “I think it showed a bit in game one. But I knew from the beginning that Robin would play some games, and I feel bad Robin was thrown into that one–to the lions where we didn’t have our best game, and they had their best one. Right?” Marc-Andre Fleury Journey For the first time in Fleury’s NHL career, which began in the 2003-04 season behind a pretty bad Penguins team, he cracked the magical 2.00 goals-against-average. This season he rocked a 1.98 GAA while posting a .928 save percentage. It was truly a Vezina-worthy season. In addition to Fleury, Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy, 26, and Fleury’s Game 2 opponent, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer, 29, are the other Vezina finalists. While the other two are comparatively youngsters, this has been a long time coming for Fleury, who has three Stanley Cup rings but had to cede the net to Matt Murray in the Penguins 2016 Stanley Cup run and share it in 2017. Through the ups and downs of his Pittsburgh Penguins career, there were far more ups and some brilliant seasons, but he never got the Vezina nomination until now. “It’s pretty cool. I never go into this season thinking I want to be a nominee or finalist for Vezina. My thoughts are always about winning games and on winning in the playoffs,” Fleury said. “That’s always my mindset. And yeah, I’m not looking for individual awards. But this is definitely very flattering, and I’m honored to among these guys.” Fleury, who is sporting a mustache and some chin growth, talked about his childhood heroes, who were goalies, of course. They also happen to be the two men Fleury is chasing as hockey’s all-time winningest goalies. “Marty Brodeur and Patrick Roy were the guys that I really tried to model my game after. Roy with the butterfly style he brought in, Brodeur still did it, but sometimes he would go to one knee down, a poke check, two-pad stack–you know, a little bit more unpredictable,” Fleury said. “…but I’m a hockey big fan. I love hockey. I love goalies especially. And always, I watch games. I watch highlights still nowadays and see what guys do…” Marc-Andre Fleury is now in their company. The goalie who once hid in a hockey bag to scare a teammate, bundled up a new teammate’s clothes and hung them from the rafters before practice, and has brought laughs, smiles, and success to his teams has finally been recognized as one of the best. What took so long? 1189303 Washington Capitals

Willie O'Ree statue headlines Black hockey exhibit in NMAAHC

BY KEVIN BROWN

CAPITALS The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture announced on Wednesday a new exhibition dedicated to the Black athletes who have paved the way for today's growing diversity in the sport. On display in the "Sports: Leveling the Playing Field" gallery, a statue of what media called "the Jackie Robinson of hockey" in Willie O'Ree headlines the new exhibition case. O'Ree was the first Black player to play in the NHL when the Boston Bruins called him up from the minors to replace an injured player on Jan. 18, 1958. Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis was among those to push for O'Ree's inclusion in the museum's growing rotation of displays and has since joined Caps part-owner Earl Stafford on the museum's 30-member council. "What I'm most happy about is that the millions and millions of tourists and students and young people who come to visit the Smithsonian Museum will now see the NHL represented in the sports gallery and the first exemplar of that would be Willie O'Ree," Leonsis said in a release. O'Ree started his hockey career at age 15 for his hometown team in New Brunswick, Canada, before joining the Ontario Hockey Association as a junior scorer, losing 95% of the vision in his right eye in the process after a puck hit him in the eye. His perseverance through racial and physical obstacles to become the first Black athlete to make it in the NHL has inspired today's generation to play the sport they love. While his playing career lasted only 45 games, O'Ree's lasting impact is unwavering and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame 2018. "When I visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2018, I never imagined that I would one day be part of the sports exhibit," O'Ree said. "This is a very special honor for me and my family." Before O'Ree made his imprint on the NHL, though, the exhibit highlights the history of Black athletes founding the Colored Hockey League in 1895 and the exodus of about 30,000 formerly enslaved African Americans whose descendants found a passion for the sport of hockey. The museum's exhibit does an excellent job of exploring yet another avenue of not only how slaves escaped a cruel life in the United States, but contributed to adding new ways to how the game is played today. Vegas Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves, New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban, New York Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds and Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield -- who became the highest-drafted Black player in NHL history in 2020 -- are among those who've followed in his footsteps. “The skill, creativity and athletic abilities of these players were unmatched and defied the belief that Black athletes were incapable of playing such a sport,” Damion Thomas, NMAAHC’s curator of sports, said in a release. “Their story is one of resilience and determination, mirroring that of their ancestors who migrated north to escape slavery. These athletes invested in a pastime that brought a sense of camaraderie and community to Black Canadians and immigrants in Canada.” Along with O'Ree's statue, the exhibit also showcases an autographed stick from Ward, hockey cards from Marson, Riley, and the first Black player to score 40 goals in the NHL in Tony McKegney, as well as an autographed jersey from Columbus defenseman Seth Jones.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 Washington Capitals 2 forced Lars Eller from the game, thus ruining the matchup Laviolette 1189304 had managed.

From an individual level, when MacLellan spoke in 2020 about holding Did Laviolette provide what MacLellan hoped in his first season? players accountable, it was widely believed he was alluding to Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov again had his issues in 2021, but the coronavirus primarily BY J.J. REGAN kept him out of the lineup rather than any discipline meted out by Laviolette. Still, Kuznetsov was benched for a game after being late for a team function and his 16:34 of ice time per game was the lowest average CAPITALS ice time he has had since his first full season in the NHL in 2014-15. In the wake of the Capitals' 2020 postseason exit, general manager Brian So it does appear a message was sent to Kuznetsov by the head coach. MacLellan elected to relieve head coach Todd Reirden of his duties and According to Kuznetsov, he heard that message loud and clear. replace him with Peter Laviolette. Now, one year into Laviolette's tenure, has he delivered? “[I] ask for how I can be better and what should I do to get more ice time and all that stuff," Kuznetsov said. "And I think during the year we know It is easy to look at the postseason result, a third straight first-round exit, each other more and more and find a way how to communicate and I and say simply no. You don't hire a coach of Laviolette's caliber just to think we have a great relationship between us and there is nothing to bridge the gap to a rebuild. He was brought in to compete for a Cup, a worry about.” goal the team full short of. Another inconsistent year for Kuznetsov has fueled trade speculation, but But a coach does lead a team to a championship just by getting hired if he does return it appears there is enough of a foundation there for and telling them to score more than the other team. It's more nuanced player and coach to continue to work on their relationship in the future than that. and that's really what it's about: The future. When Laviolette was hired, MacLellan was very clear that he felt the No, not the "future" in terms of a rebuild, but future in terms of building up culture of the team was slipping and he felt Laviolette was the man to the culture so this team can continue to compete for a Cup for as long as build it back up. the championship window remains open. "Peter has a track record of establishing a culture, and it's one of his A team cannot win a Cup without a strong locker room culture. That had priorities," MacLellan said in September when introducing Laviolette. eroded in recent years under Reirden but seems to be back on solid "And part of that culture is getting guys to play the right way and holding footing under Laviolette. them accountable to play the right way. I think it's a big priority when you talk to him, so I have confidence because he's done it in the past and it's "It's tough for a new guy to come in, establish a new system given the a priority the way he speaks about it, the way he communicates about it. circumstances we had at training camp and all the protocol stuff that was We both, me and I assume the players, [know] that's a big strength of his going on," MacLellan said. "I think [Laviolette's] a person that is a natural moving forward and it's a big reason why we hired him." communicator that likes to be in front of people, and he was limited in his ability to do that. I think what he's established this year will benefit for us The results on the ice may not have been there in the first round against next year. I think people understand how we're playing, how he operates Boston, but in terms of establishing a culture and holding players and I think we'll have a good jump on the season next year." accountable, that was mission accomplished, according to MacLellan. "I believe that this team can still win," Laviolette said. "Those are just "I think he does a real good job of addressing issues as they come up words, we’ll need action next year and we’ll need results to back that up. during the year, as they come up every year," MacLellan said. "He's a But I’m excited about the group that’s here and I’m excited about next good communicator. I think he defines expectations, he shows people season." what he wants from them and he addresses it if it's not being attended to. We're very happy with the way he's come in and provided leadership to our team, to our organization." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.03.2021 Laviolette's first year was made more difficult by the pandemic as it prevented a lot of the one-on-one interaction he would have liked to have had as head coach. "It was a challenging year, I think the interaction you’re talking about with the players, it was not the same by any stretch that it has been in years past," Laviolette said. "Meetings going out on HUDL calls, so many meetings, just not in-person meetings that you weren’t able to meet with a group. You’re not able to take the players and put them in a locker room and say, ‘Hey, let’s have a chat for 10 minutes.’ Those things didn’t happen this year. So it just made it a little bit more difficult." But while the Caps may have lost in a similar fashion in the playoffs, you could already see the impact the change of culture was having on the team. Like in the 2020 postseason, the Caps were eliminated in the first round in just five games. That is pretty much where the comparables stop as they were two entirely different series. In 2020, Washington was walloped by a New York Islanders team that stuck to its system. The Caps could not stay out of the penalty box, could not gain control of the front of the net on either side of the ice, showed no discipline over the course of the series and ultimately fell in what looked like a non-competitive series apart from the first two periods of Game 1 and the Game 4 win. In 2021, the Caps were three minutes away from taking a 2-0 series lead over the Boston Bruins. A Washington team with health issues bothering almost every top player on the team and who had three different goalies start forced the Bruins into overtime in each of the first three games of the series. Clearly, they ran out of gas after those first three games, but no one who watched the series from beginning to end could conclude they showed the same lack of competitiveness from the prior year. While the 2020 team looked disinterested, the 2021 team played its system to a Game 1 win and had effectively shut down the Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak line until an injury in Game Winnipeg Jets "You know, it was awesome. I hope more and more are allowed to come 1189305 in and wave those white flags. This is playoffs; you only get this vibe once a year, and you don’t know how many games you’re going to get out of it. I would definitely be more excited to see more fans," Jets goalie Fans in stands hint at return to normal in trying times Connor Hellebuyck told us in his post-game Zoom conference, In a perfect world, the entire building would have been packed, and thousands would have been enjoying a street party outdoors under the Mike McIntyre sizzling sun. But that’s not our current reality. 6/3/2021 Our world remains broken and flawed and unfair, and even opening the doors for 500 fully vaccinated front-line workers was the source of some controversy. Terms such as "public relations stunt" and "mixed I first met Kevin Martin back in 2008, just days after the Winnipeg messaging" were being tossed around, and I know some in the health paramedic attended the scene of a mass shooting that left three people care field who declined to enter their names in the ticket draw for that dead and three others critically injured. You wouldn’t wish the things he very reason. saw that night on your worst enemy. Heck, even the innocent escapism of a night out at a hockey game took We’ve kept in touch ever since. I profiled Martin in these pages in 2016, an ugly late turn for those in attendance. No doubt people like Martin and when he took a leave to deal with ongoing post-traumatic stress disorder. Farkas who’ve witnessed far too much pain and suffering were left A "bad call" — that’s how he referred to it — just months earlier was the reeling at the site of a badly injured Jake Evans being stretchered off the breaking point. He was haunted by the sight of a body that had been ice after taking a massive, high hit from a frustrated Mark Scheifele just charred in a house fire after being brutally beaten. as the game was put out of reach. Martin eventually returned to work, and recent duties have included There’s no place in the sport for such a play, and Scheifele faces a travelling to remote northern communities to assist with health services potential suspension. As bad as that was, it was refreshing to see being strained by the pandemic. I’ve always admired his courage and teammate Nikolaj Ehlers using his own body to shield a seemingly bravery, including sharing his experiences and helping others. unconscious Evans as he lay prone on the ice while Canadiens players went after Scheifele, and justifiably so. True to form, he was at it again Wednesday night. Progress doesn’t always happen in a straight line, and that goes for Martin was one of approximately 6,000 front-line workers who entered a everything from hockey games to all-too-harsh realities of life. We were draw for tickets to Game 1 of the North Division final between the reminded of that in many different ways on a Wednesday night we won’t Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens. And he was one of the 500 lucky soon forget around here. ones who had their name drawn, which brought a smile to my face. Knowing all he’s been through, I can’t think of anyone more deserving than one of the biggest hockey fans I know. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.03.2021 "We get here through following public health guidance and vaccination. Do your part and help society get back," Martin wrote on his social media platforms, which included a shot of his masked self at Bell MTS Place. In addition to that very important public message, he shared a more personal one with me: "Been a long time. Damn I love this place." I know Martin didn’t love the end result, a 5-3 loss to the Canadiens that put his beloved Jets down 1-0 in the best-of-seven series. But this night was about so much more than a game. It was about honouring the efforts of people such as Martin and 499 other everyday heroes in attendance, who have endured more than we’ll ever know over these last 15 months. One of them, Trish Farkas, burst into happy tears when she found out three hours before puck drop she was going to the game. She’s a palliative care nurse and mother of two young children who has been putting in long, difficult hours. It was about acknowledging our country’s horrific history when it comes to residential schools, back in the headlines once again after the unmarked graves of 215 children were found last week in Kamloops by Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation. In a pre-game ceremony, the Jets used their platform to pledge action when it comes to truth and reconciliation, held a moment of silence for the lost souls and had local singer-songwriter Don Amero perform an emotionally stirring, sombre rendition of O Canada. And it was about a very small but important step in our eventual return to normal, or something at least resembling what that used to be. Tuesday marked the 31st time I’ve been inside Bell MTS Place this year. That includes 28 regular-season games, and a pair of first-round games against Edmonton. It was the first time the downtown building didn’t feel completely sad and lonely. There was a buzz in the air that’s been sorely missed, a sense of excitement and optimism and hope. And it had nothing to do with the hockey team itself. People decked out in white lined up on Donald Street waiting for the doors to open. Heavier traffic than normal on a game night, where usually tumbleweeds could be blowing trough the deserted streets. The hustle and bustle of bodies in the concourse, passing by as I made my way to the press box elevator. Folks filtering into their seats, waving to friends and colleagues. Surreal sights and sounds. The first of their kind around here since way back on March 9, 2020, a regular-season win over the Arizona Coyotes that none of the 15,000-plus in the building had any idea would mark the end of sports fandom as we knew it. I’ll never take that for granted again. Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg hadn’t played a game in 12 days, since eliminating the Oilers 1189306 on May 24, while the Canadiens had a much quicker turnover. They got just one day off after going the full seven games against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which included loading up their luggage and travelling to Habs outplay hosts in series opener marred by nasty hit Winnipeg. It should also be noted there was a significant mental cost to Montreal’s first-series triumph, the strain that goes with rallying back down three Jeff Hamilton games to one. While there is a benefit to rolling with a consistent game, 6/3/2021 there’s no doubt the added miles put on Montreal were rough. If the Canadiens were drained — physically or mentally — they certainly didn’t show it come puck drop. Montreal dictated much of the opening 20 It began as an evening unlike any other in Winnipeg Jets history, and minutes, taking a 3-1 lead into intermission. ended as a night they’ll soon want to forget. "We just lacked a little sharpness early," Jets forward Adam Lowry said. In what was the first playoff series between the Jets and Montreal "A couple of mental mistakes. Dug ourselves a hole but didn’t quit." Canadiens, it was the Canadiens who would ultimately rise to the occasion, outplaying and outclassing Winnipeg en route to a 5-3 Game 1 Montreal opened the scoring 3:30 into the game with Jesperi win Wednesday night. Kotkaniemi’s team-leading fourth goal of the playoffs and 110 seconds later Eric Staal deposited a cross-crease pass from Corey Perry to put If not for a memorable opening, which included the admittance of 500 the visitors up 2-0. Hellebuyck had no chance on either, with front-line workers in the stands — the first fans allowed in Bell MTS Place Kotkaniemi’s marker coming from a redirection off a nifty slap pass from in 450 days — followed by a touching tribute for the 215 children whose Jeff Petry. remains were found at the former Kamloops residential school in B.C., it would have been mostly forgettable. Lowry would create some life for the home side, while also giving the small but energetic crowd something to cheer for, in the most unlikely of What will be hard to erase, though, and what will inevitably linger for as scenarios: shorthanded. Lowry wrestled the puck away from Montreal long as the series is played, are the events that unfolded near the end. defenceman Erik Gustafsson near his own blue line before racing down With seconds on the clock, the Jets down 4-3 and their net empty, the ice and beating Price five-hole with a nice backhand deke. Montreal’s Jake Evans retrieved the puck from behind the net and just as he wrapped it into the open cage he was delivered a crushing blow to the Whatever momentum the goal created was extinguished minutes later, head by Mark Scheifele. Scheifele was assessed a five-minute major for as Nick Suzuki turned a two-on-one into an individual effort that will be charging and a game-misconduct. There’s been no word from the NHL’s seen all over the highlight reels for the next couple days. Suzuki drove up department of player safety, so it’s unclear if Scheifele will face any the left side and instead of passing, pulled back the puck enough to supplementary discipline. make Derek Forbort commit to the other shooter and Hellebuyck to freeze momentarily, providing just enough room to shove the puck into "Just hope he’s OK. That’s the concern," Jets captain Blake Wheeler an open net. said. "It’s never good to see a guy on the ice for that amount of time and the stretcher out is scary." The Jets understood their long layoff might create a few hurdles. Although it was a short series against Edmonton, they, too, went on an A predictable rage-filled melee ensued, with punches thrown in all emotional ride through four games. Three of those wins were in overtime, directions while Evans’ lay motionless on the ice. Jets forward Nikolaj including a marathon Game 3 that required three additional periods, Ehlers became a human wall to prevent any further damage and after a lasting 106 minutes and 52 seconds. number of minutes, Evans, who turned 25 on Wednesday, was stretchered off the ice as the two teams continued to exchange verbal "We were itching around 10 (days) and you just kind of lose that bite a jousts. little bit of what a playoff series is like. But, you know, in some ways it’s a great reminder," Wheeler said. "We can take a lot of positives from "When something like that happens there tends to be a scrum," Ehlers tonight, no question." said. "So I was just trying to keep everyone away from him. In a situation like that, you don’t want anyone falling on top of him." Because of the lengthy layoff between series, the Jets were peppered with questions about what was key to succeeding in Round 2. The focus The Canadiens were less diplomatic in their response. Earlier in the day, was on getting back to an intensity level needed to perform in the post- players had praised the Jets. The tone afterwards, though, was far less season, and the difficulties manufacturing those feelings. complimentary. When it was finally determined the Canadiens would be their opponent, "Yeah, it was a dirty hit but the league’s going to take care of it," players preached the need to be patient. With Winnipeg playing a similar Canadiens defenceman Joel Edmundson said. "If (Scheifele) gets back game to Montreal — hard forecheck, sustained pressure, quick transition in the series, we’re going to make his life miserable, but I think the game — they understood their key to victory was to wait out their league’s going to do a good job with that." opponent, create occasional chaos and then make good on their chances. Scheifele was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. There was no update by the NHL's department of player By the second period, though, it was clear the Canadiens were playing safety by press time, so it's unclear if Scheifele will face any chess, and Winnipeg checkers. supplementary discipline. It didn’t help Dylan DeMelo was injured just 29 seconds into his first shift, After dominating the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, the Jets are likely forcing the Jets to juggle their defensive pairings right from the beginning. to have a much more challenging time toppling the Canadiens. The two But that hardly excuses the number of odd-man rushes the Canadiens clubs play a similar game, but it was Montreal that did it much better on were able to generate. Nor does it provide an explanation for how much this night. better Montreal was at puck control. There were times Montreal was more than happy to work the puck around in their own end, almost daring The Canadiens led for much of the evening, often controlled long the Jets to come get it. stretches of play and were able to goad the Jets into physical affairs after the whistle that Winnipeg just isn’t built for. "It was challenging in tonight’s game," Jets coach Paul Maurice said of DeMelo’s absence. "But in some ways I’m thinking it can be a positive Few would have predicted a combined eight goals on the night, not with because you’ve almost got to run those guys hard to get them back into the likes of Connor Hellebuyck and Carey Price between the pipes. Each that game pace. So all those guys got lots of minutes and they’ll be quite goalie played a pivotal role in the first round, and while they each allowed a bit sharper I think in the next game." a few goals, they both put forth strong efforts. The Jets showed some life in the third period, but it proved all for naught. Hellebuyck finished with 28 saves, while Price had one fewer, at 27. Derek Forbort cut the lead to 3-2, sniping a shot over Price’s glove after a "I’m gonna refrain from answering those questions," Hellebuyck said pass to the slot from Pierre-Luc Dubois. when asked about Price’s night. "This is going to be a hard series and I don’t really care about what’s going on down there. I care about my Fewer than two minutes later, Brendan Gallagher put the Canadiens game and how we’re playing." back up by two, slamming home a rebound off a Shea Weber, of all players, breakaway. While it’s a fool’s game to put too much stock in a series-opener, it’s hard not to look at this defeat as a missed opportunity for the Jets — and, perhaps, a defining game for the Canadiens. Kyle Connor would score to make it 4-3 with 1:42 remaining, making up for a glorious missed opportunity earlier in the frame that Price just got a piece of. It was that kind of night. The Jets will get a chance to even the series at home in Game 2 Friday night. Puck drop is 6:30 p.m.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.03.2021 Winnipeg Jets “It’s disgusting,” Montreal’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi said. “No respect for the 1189307 other players out there. I’m not saying anything more than that.”

Habs coach Dominique Ducharme: “It was vicious and the league will Habs accuse Scheifele of 'dirty' and 'disgusting' hit, skate away with address it. I’m confident about that.” Game 1 win Ducharmes also compared the feeling to the Tavares incident. With one very notable exception. Paul Friesen “You never want to see that, a player down on the ice like that,” he said. “He’s not a player in our uniform, but it’s an accident and both sides want Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 him to feel better. I didn’t feel that from the other side when it happened.” Maybe not immediately, but later for sure. The Habs draw first blood, the Jets leave a player out cold and an Kotkaniemi bumped fists with Evans while he was being taken off the ice. unlikely villain has emerged in this second-round series between Winnipeg and Montreal. “Just seeing him moving after a thing like that, it’s huge,” he said. “Even getting the fist bump, you know, it’s great to see that. I’m feeling much Mark Scheifele’s charging, high hit on the Canadiens’ Jake Evans as easier now just knowing he’s OK.” Evans was scoring an empty-net goal to cap a 5-3 win will leave a mark on this series no matter now long it goes. What it does for Game 2, and beyond, remains to be seen. The No. 1 concern: Evans’ health. Scheifele is obviously not known as a dirty player, so any suspension he’d receive would likely be minimal. “Just hope he’s OK,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “That’s it, really. That’s all. That’s the concern. It’s never good to see a guy on the ice for The incident capped a rough night for the Jets. that amount of time, the stretcher out — it’s scary.” An injury before the game even started (Paul Stastny). A goal on the first At least a dozen doctors and trainers huddled around Evans, motionless Montreal shot. An injury to a top defenceman on his first shift (Dylan on the ice, with less than a minute to play. DeMelo). Another goal on the fifth Montreal shot. It was the Toronto product’s 25th birthday. To say the start of the series didn’t go as planned for the Jets would be like saying we’re all getting a little tired of the pandemic. “First and foremost, just think about him and hopefully it’s precautionary,” Adam Lowry said. The big question heading into Game 1 was how much rust they’d show after an eight-day layoff. The arena went dead-silent until Evans was loaded onto the stretcher and wheeled off. What was left of the 500 healthcare workers in The ’52 Chevy parked in the bush at my inlaws’ farm looks cleaner than attendance applauded and players from both teams tapped their sticks in the Jets did. support, as Evans gave a thumbs-up on his way off the ice. Winnipeg left the first period down, 3-1, and it could have been worse. Now, to the other ramifications. The question at that point was whether or not the Jets were leaking too Scheifele faces a possible suspension for a hit that was predatory — it much oil to overcome the holes the Habs had already shot in their post- caught Evans in a vulnerable position — and capped a night that saw the season veneer. Jets’ top centre get involved in several scrums and eventually lose his That laser focus on being on the right side of the opposition they’d shown cool with a third-period roughing penalty. in Round 1? Gone. Skating the length of the ice after Evans, who was racing for a loose Winnipeg’s power play could have been the great equalizer, but it was puck, Scheifele launched himself into Evans just as he scored on an clogged with gunk, too. empty-net wrap-around. The Jets’ other potential equalizer, Hellebuyck, didn’t out-play Carey “It’s such a highly unusual play because you’re backchecking back to kill Price, either, which he has to do if the Jets want to win this series. an empty-net play, you’re coming full speed,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “When Mark stopped skating he kept his arms in. It’s a heavy, One thing is certain: The temperature has changed. heavy hit. There’s no doubt about that. I’m sure the league will have its opinion.” It took less than five minutes for the first scrum, and the game basically ended with the biggest scrum. The Habs, understandably, went after No. 55 immediately. Let’s hope Evans is OK, and they can stick to hockey. One player who wasn’t involved in the scrum, the Jets’ Nik Ehlers, protected Evans, who looked unconscious as the mayhem ensued around him. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.03.2021 “I came back and saw that he wasn’t looking good,” Ehlers said. “When something like that happens there tends to be a scrum. So I was just trying to keep everyone away from him. In a situation like that, you don’t want anyone falling on top of him. I was just trying to keep everyone away.” It was Scheifele the Habs were after, a theme that continued well into the post-game media Zoom room. “It was a dirty hit but the league’s going to take care of it,” Montreal defenceman Joel Edmundson said. “If he gets back in the series, we’re going to make his life miserable, but I think the league’s going to do a good job with that.” Over in the Jets’ Zoom room, Maurice was asked about Edmundson’s comment. “The players will sort things out on the ice,” the coach said. “Nobody would be stupid enough to say anything premeditated going into the next game.” Edmundson says the injury was eerily reminiscent of the hit that knocked John Tavares out of the Montreal-Toronto first-round series. “Just to see him laying there, obviously you never want to see that,” the Brandon native said. “Obviously there was something like that that happened last series and it just kills the vibe and we just hope he’s OK.” Winnipeg Jets While Jets players clearly expressed concern for the well-being of Evans, 1189308 they also had to face the fact that they got outplayed by a Montreal team that finished 18th in the NHL’s regular-season standings. Canadiens jump all over Jets in Game 1 of North Division final “I think we can get way more shots to the net and create some more traffic in front of their goalie,” Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers said. “We did have some chances tonight. So we are going to keep working on it and do that better next game.” Ted Wyman So much for the Jets being the rested and healthy team. Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 Instead they looked rusty and, by the end of the game, they looked injured. The news went from bad to worse to potentially much worse for the And Scheifele, who was more feisty than usual all night long, will be Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of the North Division final Wednesday night. Public Enemy No. 1 with the Canadiens even if he gets back in the Before the game even started, it became apparent that veteran centre series. Paul Stasnty would not play because an undisclosed injury, and a few Stastny is day-to-day and DeMelo will be re-evaluated on Thursday. minutes into the first period, veteran defenceman Dylan DeMelo was Game 2 of the series is Friday night at Bell MTS Place. forced out of the game with an injury. “I think we knew they were gonna come out, they were gonna have their Then the Jets discovered that fears of a rusty start against a red-hot legs right away with them coming off that emotional game in Toronto and, opponent were well-founded, as they opened the second round of the you know, being sharp,” Lowry said. “I think we just lacked a little Stanley Cup playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell MTS Place. sharpness early. A couple of mental mistakes. Dug ourselves a hole but, The Canadiens scored two early goals, led 3-1 after the first period and you know, didn’t quit. skated to a 5-3 victory in a game that ended with a terribly ugly play by “I think as the game got on we got we got better. We started to really Jets centre Mark Scheifele and a scary looking injury to Canadiens generate some chances in the third. That’s one of those things where, forward Jake Evans. they get out to the lead and you dig yourself a hole, it’s tough to come Scheifele was given a major penalty for charging and a game back but I liked the way we fought back in the game.” misconduct, and is sure to hear from the Department of Player Safety Price finished with 27 saves, the best coming off Connor on a third-period about his high hit on Evans, who was taken off the ice on a stretcher after rebound and off Mathieu Perreault on a second-period two-on-one. lying prone on the ice for several minutes. The Canadiens were simply the better team on this night. They dictated To recap, two key players injured, a loss in Game 1 of the series, and the play and imposed their will on the Jets. now a distinct possibility that the Jets will be without Scheifele for an indefinite period with a suspension looming. Jets coach Paul Maurice said before the game that whichever team was “truer to itself” would win. “You just kind of lose that bite a little bit,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said, when asked if a nine-day span between playoff games played a In Game 1, that was the Canadiens, and they are going to have a lot role. more motivation to do it again on Friday after how the game ended. “It’s tough to match what those guys have been through. They just won Stastny has played over 1,000 games in the NHL and more than 100 in an emotional Game 7 and they are riding high and we’ve been sitting on the playoffs. our hands. They certainly got off to a good start tonight and it was tough to try to claw our way back.” There’s no question the Jets missed his presence in Game 1. After sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the first round nine days ago, the “We miss him big time,” Wheeler said. “Just his presence, voice in the Jets found themselves matched up against a Canadiens team that was room, voice on the bench. Just such a steady two-way player. He kind of coming off an exhilarating Game 7 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs just puts out a lot of fires for us on the ice. So, yeah, we certainly missed him two days earlier. tonight. Hopefully we get him back as soon as possible.” And even with some fans in Bell MTS Place for the first time since the Stastny participated in practice earlier in the week but was not on the ice beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic — the province allowed the Jets to Tuesday. let fully vaccinated front-line health care workers into the building — the Maurice played that off as a maintenance day, but clearly there was worst-case scenario presented itself in the first period of Game 1. something more. The Canadiens jumped all over the Jets and then used their aggressive, “Paul just came up… there wasn’t a mechanism for injury,” Maurice said. hard-checking style — and some great goaltending from Carey Price — “There wasn’t an event that happened in practice. It ended up being a to earn the win. game-day decision on that one. So we don’t think that’s too significant so It was the Jets’ first loss of the 2021 post-season and the fourth straight we’ll list him as a day-to-day.” win for the Canadiens, who overcame a 3-1 deficit to knock the favoured The Jets were not as good as they were in any of their four wins over the Leafs out of the playoffs. Oilers. “I thought they had a good flow going,” said Jets goalie Connor That’s the easy assessment. But the truth is, the Canadiens were very Hellebuyck, who made 28 saves in the loss. good and that’s the primary reason why the Jets lost. “They came out with a lot of energy, while we were just trying to establish “We had a hard time in two areas,” Maurice said. “Probably just that our game. I think moving forward here, we are going to keep fine tuning sharpness with the puck, how we moved it. And then some of our our game more and more and we’re going to continue to get better.” decisions to try and do things we don’t need to do. But again, you can The Canadiens scored on their first shot on goal, with Jesperi Kotkaniemi look slow when the other team plays a real fast game. And they closed tipping home a Jeff Petry slap pass from the point, while Eric Staal and out a lot of those places that they’re really good at. Before I give you a Nick Suzuki also scored in the first period. long speech about how much better we can play, I think you have to look at Montreal. They played a hell of a game.” Adam Lowry scored for the Jets on a shorthanded breakaway in the first period and defenceman Derek Forbort scored in the third to make it 3-2. A FEW POSITIVES Brendan Gallagher scored to restore Montreal’s two-goal lead, but Kyle Wheeler said there were positives in the Jets game, despite the fact that Connor of the Jets tallied with Hellebuyck on the bench for an extra they were chasing all night long. attacker to make it 4-3. I” think our game plan, coming into the series, was spot on,” Wheeler After that is when things went haywire. said. “Just didn’t execute. And on top of that, they played a really great game. I mean, you’ve got to give them a lot of credit. They played a heck With Hellebuyck on the bench again, Evans raced down the ice to negate of a game. Certainly a great start for them. It kind of put us behind. But, an icing call, picked up the puck and scored on wraparound. Scheifele, yeah, you know, I think we can get back to some of the things we talked who was back-checking, hammered Evans high and hard and left him about coming into the series and it’s not gonna guarantee us success, prone — and potentially unconscious — on the ice. but I think it’ll give us an opportunity to have a little bit more success than we did tonight.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.03.2021 Winnipeg Jets “Yeah. Obviously, me and Dubie (Pierre-Luc Dubois) are the only two 1189309 that can speak French, so I’m glad I can do it … it’s never really a problem for me,” Perreault said. JETS SNAPSHOTS: Jets thrilled to have fans in the stands TWO FOUR-LINE TEAMS Maurice was expecting to use all of his forwards more regularly in this series and anticipating the same from the Canadiens. Ted Wyman When the Jets swept the Edmonton Oilers in four games in the first Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 round, Maurice had to run the bench in accordance with what the opposition was doing. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were playing close to 30 minutes a game and defending against them was priority No. For the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there 1. were fans in the building for a Winnipeg Jets game Wednesday night. It was a similar situation for Montreal, facing Toronto stars Auston It was not a lot of fans — 500 vaccinated front-line health workers — but Matthews and Mitch Marner. it was a start and you can be sure the Jets appreciated their presence as In the North Division final, there will be a more balanced approach from they opened the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the both sides and both teams have the horses to make that work. Montreal Canadiens. “Both teams run their whole bench and you’re exactly right, you may “Just any fans in general is awesome,” Jets centre Mark Scheifele said have as equal a chance to get a goal from each line, but that sounds after the morning skate Wednesday at Bell MTS Place. “So to get some crazy because you’ve got some really good offensive players in the top health care workers that have been battling so hard through this two (lines). But you know how that works, they cancel each other out. pandemic, to get them into the first game of Round 2 is pretty awesome. Everybody has a chance to score here. Our fourth line, their fourth line, So we’re very, very excited to have them in the building.” everybody has got a chance at being a hero.” The last time there were fans in Bell MTS Place before Wednesday night PRAISE FOR JETS D was March of 2020. The Jets finished the 2020 season in a playoff bubble in Edmonton and then played their 28 home games and two While there has been a lot of talk about the challenge the Montreal home playoff games in an empty building during the 2021 season. defence will present for the Jets — and rightfully so — Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki said the Winnipeg back end is “underrated.” Montreal became the first Canadian city to host fans last Saturday, when 2,500 were on hand for Game 6 of their series against the Toronto Maple “They’ve got a lot of guys that play good roles, play well defensively,” Leafs. Suzuki said. “They are a well-made team and we saw a lot of them during the regular season so we feel like we know what to expect.” Toronto allowed 500-plus vaccinated health care workers into Scotiabank Arena on Monday night for Game 7 of that series. PRAISE FOR HABS D The Jets followed suit and there’s obviously hope that the number will The Jets likely feel like they know what to expect from the Habs defence increase as the series moves along. as well, and it’s not something they’re looking forward to. “It’ll be just so great,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday morning. The Canadiens have a bunch of big, powerful blue-liners who can play at “It’s been so long. There’s definitely an anticipation for what it’s going to both ends of the ice and their goal will no doubt be to punish the Jets feel like, really. Just the sense of it, chance of a change, of a return to forwards as often as possible. some kind of normal, we’ll take it. It’s going to be great.” You can hear the respect for players like Shea Weber, Ben Chiarot, Jeff Some American arenas are at or near capacity already, and all of the Petry and Joel Edmundson when any member of the Jets’ organization U.S.-based teams have had some number of fans at their playoff games. addresses the topic. Canada, and particularly Manitoba, was hit hard by the third wave of the “Yeah, they’ve got a great mixture there,” Maurice said. “When you pandemic and, while it may have crested, it’s not over yet. Some combine it with Carey Price, they’re very difficult to get to the net on. Manitobans find it hard to justify there being fans in the stands when provincial health orders currently prevent people from gathering, even “They’ve got some good puck-movers back there, but they’re all of good outside, in any manner. size and strength. So getting the puck off the wall is a challenge, getting possession off the wall, and then moving with it when you’ve got a back For the Jets, it’s all about starting to recreate the passion and end that, I mean they can close, too, right, they can get to you, they can atmosphere that has been present in past playoff games at Bell MTS get it stopped on the wall. That’s why they’re as stingy as they are.” Place. So the strategy from Winnipeg’s standpoint is to try to wear those big D- “We haven’t had a chance to do that in so long,” Jets winger Mathieu men down throughout the series. Picture the line of Adam Lowry, Andrew Perreault said. “So it’s great to see that we’ll have some fans in the Copp and Mason Appleton cycling the puck for full shifts, winning puck building.” battles, keeping Montreal hemmed in and you’ll see an example of Winnipeg’s desired solution. ‘ALMOST A DREAM’ “You just have to hope that you can play in their end long enough that Jets winger Mathieu Perreault grew up about an hour and 15 minutes over a period of time that you can put some miles on those guys,” away from Montreal and knows first-hand just how hockey crazy his Maurice said. “But that’s no different than any other team. They’re home province is. structured very well as a group of five, and then they’ve got the two men As such, the 33-year-old veteran from Drummondville is particularly with good size and good strength in their pairings that can kill plays.” excited about playing his first playoff series against the Canadiens. Another way in which the Jets and Canadiens are similar is their use of a “As a kid growing up in Quebec, this is kind of almost a dream to have a hard forechecking style to try to create turnovers. chance to play against the Canadiens in the playoffs,” he said. “I’m super In the first round of the playoffs, it was the Maple Leafs and Oilers who excited. I know all my family and friends are gonna be watching. Maybe committed the most costly turnovers and it’s no coincidence that it was some will be cheering against me for this one specific series. So, it’s the Jets and Canadiens advancing. gonna be fun.” The Jets certainly have to adjust their game to deal when facing the Perreault said many of those family and friends will be left out of the loop Canadiens, who are much more aggressive than the Oilers. for a while. “Their forecheck and our forecheck are trying to do the exact same “For this series, I’ll just gonna stay away from my phone and maybe after thing,” Maurice said. “It’s about creating that chaos and creating those the series we’ll go at it,” he said. zone times. The forecheck part of it is about speed for us. We want to As one of only two French-speaking players on the Jets — the other is match that speed, get it moving and be sharp with that. The turnover is a centre Pierre-Luc Dubois — Perreault is likely to be one of the Jets’ mindset and you’ve got to accept the fact that Montreal, they don’t let you busiest players in terms of media appearances in this series. get the puck from your end, to possession in their end. They do a really good job of changing possession by their blue line. If you aren’t In case you hadn’t heard, the Habs are big news in Montreal and there comfortable with that, if you think you can pick your way through that, are a lot of media members assigned to this series. you’re gonna turn pucks over.” The solution for the Jets is to try to carry the puck into the Montreal zone and maintain possession, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. “No team wants to dump the puck,” Maurice said. “The team that usually carries the puck across the other team’s blue line more has a better chance of creating things, clearly. “But, you have to play the game that’s in front of you. We know the Montreal Canadiens excel in that area and we have to be really smart with what we do. The turnovers are a mentality. The breakouts and handling their forecheck is a physicality. You’ve got to be ready for that physical contest in your own end.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.03.2021 Winnipeg Jets He couldn’t have known Jake Evans — a player with a history of brain 1189310 injuries — would land on his head.

Scheifele stopped taking fresh strides and glided. Mark Scheifele’s dangerous hit ruins the emotional night that Jets fans Despite making contact with Evans’ head, he didn’t particularly swing his deserved arms or elbows to do so.

None of these change the fact that Scheifele backtracked hard for 200 By Murat Ates feet and then, in a play that couldn’t possibly have stopped Evans from scoring, ignored the puck to take the body. His extension is upward, if not Jun 3, 2021 necessarily an outright jump. His contact point is Evans’ head. It is the kind of hit made to hurt a player — not to play the puck, stop a goal, or win a game. Fans in cars and trucks circled Bell MTS Place, chanting “Go Jets Go” while honking their horns, holding Winnipeg Jets banners. Perhaps this is why Jets head coach Paul Maurice’s defence of Scheifele felt half-hearted. Inside the arena, 500 health care workers and Jets family members became the first group of fans to watch a Jets game in person all season. “Well, hopefully the young man is going to be all right,” Maurice said. “It’s such a highly unusual play because you’re backchecking back to kill and They were greeted with an emotional tribute to the 215 children whose empty-net play, you’re coming full speed. When Mark stopped skating he remains were found at Kamloops Indian Residential School by Tk’emlúps kept his arms in. It’s a heavy, heavy hit. There’s no doubt about that. I’m te Secwépemc First Nation. That tribute was followed by a moment of sure the league will have its opinion.” silence and then a haunting rendition of “Oh Canada” by Don Amero, supported by two Indigenous knowledge keepers. True North made a Evans lay motionless on the ice for several minutes as a series of fights commitment to the 94 calls to action outlined by the Truth and broke out around him. Scheifele, Wheeler, Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois Reconciliation Commission while Jets players held helmets with decals of and Neal Pionk were roped into the fray. their Indigenized logo, as designed by Leticia Spence. As the shouting and swearing boiled over, I could only make out one line. Those Jets players had not played since completing a historic four-game sweep of the Edmonton Oilers just over a week ago. Across the ice? A “Get the fuck away from him!” yelled one Canadiens player, in an attempt tired Canadiens team that completed its seven-game series against to protect his fallen teammate. Toronto on Monday before flying to Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Nik Ehlers took matters into his own hands, turning his back “Let’s go boys!” called a voice from the crowd. to the scrum at his own risk. “Fuck yeah!” called another. In this clip, you can see Ehlers bracing backward against the horde of scrambling bodies to protect Evans from further harm. “True North!” they yelled when Amero reached “true north, strong and free” in the national anthem. For a moment, everything was exactly as it “I hope he’s OK,” Ehlers said after the game, looking visibly concerned. should be. “When something like that happens there tends to be a scrum. So I was just trying to keep everyone away from him. In a situation like that, you Then the puck was dropped between Adam Lowry and Phillip Danault don’t want anyone falling on top of him. I was just trying to keep everyone and the part of the night Winnipeg got right was over. away.” Dylan DeMelo was hurt less than a minute into the Jets’ 5-3 loss, twisting Evans was eventually placed on a stretcher and taken to receive medical his leg after catching the skate of Brendan Gallagher. On Josh care. He gave a thumbs-up as he was wheeled off the ice by attendant Morrissey’s first shift without DeMelo, Jesperi Kotkaniemi deflected Jeff medical staff and, according to John Shannon, is doing all right back at Petry’s slapshot past Connor Hellebuyck while Morrissey looked on the Canadiens hotel as of Wednesday night. behind him. One minute and forty seconds later, Eric Staal made it 2-0 Canadiens, burying a rebound created by a Corey Perry net drive. Winnipeg’s loss could be picked apart in a number of ways. Had Logan Stanley’s elbow on Perry’s net drive been the last brutal Suzuki could have been a Jet had Winnipeg not swapped first-round decision of the night, we might spend more time on it than this clip: picks with Vegas in 2017. Edmundson, whose two assists tied him with Staal and Jeff Petry as the night’s top scorers, took the Stanley Cup with Instead, it gets worse. him to Brandon’s Keystone Centre when he won it with St. Louis in 2019. Lowry’s short-handed goal was erased by a beautiful goal by Nick The sad truth is Scheifele’s awful decision turned the hockey portion of Suzuki, leading a long two-on-one created when Morrissey pinched to Montreal’s 1-0 series lead into an afterthought. the Canadiens’ goal line without support. Suzuki took a pass from Joel Edmundson, of Brandon, MB, that beat Morrissey, along with all three Evans’ injury will overshadow the series. DeMelo’s injury, plus that of Jets forwards in the neutral zone and then waited out Derek Forbort and Paul Stastny, who didn’t play in Game 1 despite closing out Round 1 Hellebuyck, and finished into an essentially empty net. Montreal finished against Edmonton, will impact Winnipeg’s ability to come back. Maurice the first period ahead 3-1 and controlled the ice in all three zones from called Stastny “day to day” after the game, while saying DeMelo would puck drop forward. need further evaluation on Thursday. The Canadiens outshot Winnipeg 25-21 at five-on-five, scoring three Meanwhile, if Scheifele is suspended for a meaningful number of games, times, and killed all three Jets power plays while adding a power-play it could mark the second straight season he’s absent from Winnipeg’s goal of their own. playoff elimination. Process wise, it was just as bad: reduced to five defencemen, Winnipeg Scheifele’s injury against Calgary last summer was the result of Matthew struggled to protect the front of its net, make crisp breakout plays, or Tkachuk’s stupid decision. If he misses time this postseason, it will be prevent Montreal from odd-man rush after odd-man rush in transition. entirely because of a play he could have chosen not to make. It was the exact opposite of the careful, considered play that made the Evans deserved better. Jets fans deserved better. And Scheifele’s Jets successful in Round 1 — and no, Hellebuyck looking average teammates deserved better, too, considering the consequences that are instead of unbeatable during the first period didn’t help. likely coming his way. Nor did it help that Carey Price played like this: Now, as Scheifele prepares for what will almost certainly become a suspension, the world watches and hopes Evans is OK. It was a brutal Despite all of this, a perfect cross-ice pass from Nik Ehlers — while start to the series for Winnipeg in every sense of the word. freezing Price with his eyes — led to an equally perfect Kyle Connor one- timer with 1:42 left in the third period. Somehow, against the flow of play, Winnipeg had 102 seconds to find the game’s tying goal. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Instead, Mark Scheifele laid the most violent and brutal hit of his NHL career. There are plenty of ways to defend Scheifele’s hit. Winnipeg Jets The league will indeed have its opinion, but Maurice correctly identified 1189311 the factors that will go into it, and the need to respect the other players on the ice was not one of them. Basu: Mark Scheifele’s hit on Jake Evans is part of the game, and that is What makes that lack of respect so jarring is that moments later, one of the problem Scheifele’s own teammates showed what respect is supposed to look like. While the Canadiens went after Scheifele and a scrum ensued, Jets forward Nikloaj Ehlers went to Evans and saw he was in bad shape. Ehlers immediately tried to shield the scrum away from Evans laying By Arpon Basu prone on the ice. He called for additional medical attention. He was Jun 3, 2021 concerned about the health and safety of an opponent in a way his teammate had so glaringly not been just moments earlier.

Ehlers had just played the same game as Scheifele. He is just as We all know the routine. We go through it far too frequently. competitive, he was just as frustrated, but none of that took precedence over what was truly important. Anyone who loves hockey, as we all do, loves the physical nature of it, loves how the players on the ice have to pay a price for success, how “I came back and saw that he wasn’t looking good,” Ehlers said. they have to go to the “dirty areas” of the ice to be rewarded and how “Obviously when something like that happens there’s a scrum, but I was they all — every last one of them — accept that risk to their own health to just trying to keep everyone away from him. In a situation like that you play this game and entertain us all. don’t want anyone falling on top of him, so I was just trying to keep everyone away.” But when a game is so inherently violent, when that physical price is woven into the very fabric of the game, especially at this time of year, The Canadiens were angry after the game, as one would expect, but to a that routine is there. It’s always there, and it’s getting tiresome. man, they expressed confidence that the league would take care of it, that Scheifele would be suspended and that would be that. Considering One player takes the violent nature of the game too far, we all debate just the Canadiens just won Game 1 in the series, the Jets losing Scheifele how far that player went, we slow down the video to determine what was for at least Game 2 would give the Canadiens a huge advantage and an the point of contact, how much of the head was contacted, whether that opportunity to head back home up 2-0 in the series. makes it the main point of contact, we wait to find out how badly the player was injured — because for some reason that is a major factor But that’s when another side of what is ugly about the inherently violent here — and then we wait to see what the NHL’s department of player nature of hockey shone through, because one Canadiens player wouldn’t safety thinks. leave it at that, that a suspension would be enough and it would give them that advantage. We argue, we dig in on our positions, and we wait. “It was a dirty hit, but the league’s going to take care of it,” defenceman When Mark Scheifele skated full speed the length of the ice in an attempt Joel Edmundson said. “If he gets back in the series, we’re going to make to stop Jake Evans from scoring an empty-net goal late in Game 1 of the his life miserable. But I think the league’s going to do a good job with Winnipeg Jets second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens, at that.” one point he ceased trying to prevent a goal. He had speed, he saw Evans circling the net, he knew Evans’ head would be down because This was the second straight series the Canadiens played where Game 1 he’s focusing on the puck on a tricky wraparound play and, despite still was marred by an ugly injury. In the last round it was John Tavares being having a chance to get his stick on the puck and prevent it from going in, checked in the neutral zone by Ben Chiarot and then falling right into the Scheifele’s priority changed. path of Corey Perry, whose knee hit Tavares directly in the face. It was horrifying. Tavares, like Evans, left the ice on a stretcher. Tavares, Inflicting as much damage as possible on Evans became the priority. hopefully like Evans, escaped without a serious injury aside from a concussion, which is clearly serious. And that’s where the inherent violence of the game becomes tricky. If you watch the hit Scheifele delivered to Evans, he does not appear to contact But as play resumed and the players needed to get their mind back on a the head — at least not as the main point of contact — he tucks his arm game, Perry had to fight Nick Foligno, even though there was no intent into his body and drives his shoulder through Evans’ chest with full force. on Perry’s part to do anything to Tavares, and no one felt worse about Evans was eligible to be hit on the play, and probably knew he would be. what had happened than he did. But no one can expect to be hit like that. In this case, there was intent, and if Scheifele plays in the series again — It was a clear case of charging, and that’s what Scheifele was penalized it would be stunning to see him suspended for the remainder of it — he for. will need to “answer the bell” for what he did. And we will continue going The rule on charging reads, in part: “A minor or major penalty shall be around in circles forever. imposed on a player who skates, jumps into or charges an opponent in Hockey is a violent game, and that is part of what makes it so compelling. any manner. Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result We love to see big hits — until the hit is so big, the circumstances around of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner.” it are so unsavory, the intent to injure as opposed to hurt seems so clear, It was an illegal hit, but how illegal was it? Does it rise to the level of that the hit becomes gut-wrenching. It ceases to be compelling and supplementary discipline, as the DOPS so often says? That is the instead becomes revolting. determination that will need to be made here, and it will be based on The players policing the game themselves was always meant to serve as factors that should be irrelevant. If Evans somehow escaped injury on the a deterrent to hits like the one Scheifele decided to lay on Evans, and play, despite leaving the ice on a stretcher, that will be a factor. The fact apparently — as we have seen so often — that code still exists. And yet that we are in the playoffs will be a factor. The fact Scheifele is not a dirty these hits keep happening. The DOPS levying suspensions is supposed player and has no history of behaving like this will be a factor. The fact he to serve as a deterrent, but these hits keep happening, and the intent on is a star player — though no one would ever admit this — will be a factor. those hits continues to run through the minds of the players that play this What will surely not be a factor is that the level of respect players have game and dictate their actions in malicious ways. for each other continues to plummet, and that is what this play comes None of the deterrents are working. down to. It is about Scheifele having some form of respect for the health and safety of a vulnerable opponent, a colleague, in many ways, and how the emotions of a game that was clearly frustrating for him took precedence over that respect. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 And having that respect is what allows these players to play such a violent game without it devolving into something that is not a game at all. “Well, hopefully the young man’s going to be all right,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “It’s such a highly unusual play because you’re backchecking back to kill an empty-net play, you’re coming full speed. Mark stopped skating, he kept his arms in — it’s a heavy, heavy hit, there’s no doubt about that. I’m sure the league will have its opinion.” Winnipeg Jets of his Round 1 minutes against Auston Matthews than any Winnipeg Jet 1189312 played against Connor McDavid. How does Ducharme accomplish that — and what does Danault do that makes him so well suited for the job? Scouting the Winnipeg Jets’ enemy: Breaking down the Montreal First off, winning faceoffs is a big part of what he does. It sounds Canadiens with Arpon Basu simplistic, but so much of his effectiveness is based on getting the puck first, getting the puck to the offensive zone and — with the help of Brendan Gallagher — keeping it there for a long time. By Murat Ates and Arpon Basu Over the first four games of the series against the Leafs, Danault won 43.8 percent of his faceoffs, 39.1 percent in the defensive zone, and the Jun 2, 2021 Canadiens were down 3-1 in the series while the Leafs had lots of fun playing with the puck in the offensive zone. In Games 5-7, Danault took 86 faceoffs and won 57 percent of them, 51 percent in the defensive Winnipeg versus Montreal is being billed as a historic meeting of elite zone. It made a massive difference. goaltenders. That’s not all Danault does, of course. He is highly intelligent in his own No matter how it plays out, it will be a historic meeting, period. end and particularly in the neutral zone, where he is adept at cutting off routes and forcing opposing players to change direction when they really The Jets and Canadiens have never met in the Stanley Cup playoffs, would rather not do that. He identifies and cuts off passing lanes very making Round 2 a battle for bragging rights that have never been won. well in the defensive end, forcing turnovers and preventing high-danger Traditionally, the teams don’t play a whole lot during the regular season chances coming from Royal Road passes. either, meaning there are a whole lot of Montreal storylines a Manitoban He is just very difficult to play against because he is always there. He like myself aren’t particularly well versed in. never goes away. You are never free of him. Nathan MacKinnon called For example: Why did Montreal fire Claude Julien? What has Dominique him his least favourite opponent in the NHL, and after the Leafs series, Danault and Matthews shared a little moment during the handshake line. Ducharme brought that has transformed the Canadiens? What style of There was a lot of respect coming from Matthews because of how offence pays off best for Montreal, and how do the Canadiens get the difficult Danault made his life in the series. most out of their Selke-candidate centre Phillip Danault? One thing Ducharme was very good at in the games in Toronto was To answer these questions and more, we’ve brought in Arpon Basu, The anticipating when Matthews would be coming on the ice and already Athletic’s lead Canadiens reporter and Editor-in-Chief of The Athletic having Danault there waiting for him on changes on the fly. I’m not sure Montréal. Arpon is one of the true elites in our game — and someone I look up to personally as well as professionally — but, for the moment, who will draw the Danault matchup, but I would imagine it will be Mark we’re just grateful he took a minute away from his post in the centre of Scheifele, and I think Paul Maurice will have trouble getting away from it the bilingual hockey universe to speak to us humble prairie folk about a because of how well Ducharme manages to get the matchup he wants team he knows better than anyone. on the road. Here’s everything a Jets fan could want to know about the Montreal Quite simply: Who scores Montreal’s goals … and how? I don’t mean Canadiens. that as a pejorative question, but the McDavid highlight reel is well known to hockey fans. What do we expect from Gallagher? How about Tyler Arpon, I know this is supposed to be the Carey Price show but I want to Toffoli and the kids (including Nick Suzuki, who Vegas took with start well before Price took over Round 1 against Toronto. Montreal fired Winnipeg’s 2017 first-round pick as a result of expansion draft its coach this season. What in the world? How have the Canadiens considerations)? changed — on the ice, identity-wise, whatever strikes hardest — since Hmmm, good question. During the regular season, it was Toffoli and, Dominique Ducharme took over? when he was healthy, Gallagher who were getting the lion’s share of the They honestly haven’t changed a whole lot. When Ducharme was first goals. Josh Anderson was as well, but he had a poor second half. This is brought in as an assistant coach in 2018, his arrival coincided with a what is encouraging about the Canadiens getting past the Maple Leafs, serious stylistic adjustment by Claude Julien that emphasized playing because they did so with none of those guys filling the net. Anderson had fast as a five-man group all over the ice, fierce forechecking, just a whole a goal in Game 1 and nothing the rest of the way. Gallagher scored his lot of skating and quick decision-making to keep opponents on their first goal in Game 7 and Toffoli had one goal on a five-on-three in Game heels. The fact that happened when Ducharme got here is not a 6 and another into an empty net in Game 7. Jeff Petry was a big coincidence, and he’s been trying to get the Canadiens back playing that contributor offensively in the regular season, but he was so focused on style. his defensive responsibilities against Toronto that he didn’t do a whole lot, either. It took forever for them to get there. I guess the Canadiens’ offensive players are due? The way the Canadiens want to play is difficult to maintain over a full schedule because it is exhausting. Having five guys in the screen at all As to how they score goals, it is one of two ways. First, creating neutral- times means forwards need to drop lower into their own zone, zone turnovers, counterattacking and scoring off the rush. They generate defencemen need to keep up with the rush, and basically, everyone a lot of their offence this way, so if their forechecking game is not on, it needs to skate a lot more. Considering the Canadiens are coming off a hurts them a great deal. They are not a very creative team in the seven-game series and the first four games of this series will be played in offensive zone, often relying on point shots and traffic, but that’s not a six days with travel thrown in there, this could become a factor for them. terrible formula in the playoffs because it seems that’s how many goals are scored. They’ve been doing that all season, to varying degrees of But I don’t want to paint this like nothing has changed under Ducharme. success. One thing that jumps out is his players are empowered to identify certain situations in a game that trigger different options. Like, if the opposing Basically, if you want to keep Montreal off the scoreboard, take care of team is set up in the offensive zone a certain way, or is overly aggressive the puck in the neutral zone and box out in front of your own net. on the forecheck, there are situations where the Canadiens will stretch the zone for breakaway passes. They caught the Maple Leafs a few On paper, the Canadiens’ defence is big, tough and honestly a little scary times with this. Also, Ducharme is far more willing to switch things up, (although say hi to Ben Chiarot for me; he was a great interview in his take guys in or out of the lineup, shuffle up the lines or switch matchups Winnipeg days). Is it fair to say their strength is strength? How will they in-game than Julien was. He is a coach who thinks on his feet and is not go about trying to slow down Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Blake Wheeler, Nik afraid to try things in order to get a spark. Ehlers and company? Quite frankly, Sheldon Keefe never recognized his team needed a As I mentioned earlier, the Montreal defence is focused on the physical change because he seemed to be overly confident in what got them to investment of the playoffs. They saw it pay off as the series went along that point. You will not see that with Ducharme. He recognizes the against Toronto, and they will continue to play that way. As Chiarot (who is not nearly as good of an interview on Zoom as he is in person) said, immediacy of the playoffs — that it is not always about process at this this is how their defence is built, to be tough and mean and physical. time of year — and he acts on it. I can guarantee you at some point in this series he will make a decision that will have Canadiens fans So that’s the defensive strategy. They make no bones about it or effort to outraged. hide it. They will make every trip to the front of their net unpleasant, and they will finish every check. One of the things I’m most interested in from a coaching and matchups perspective is how Montreal uses Danault. Here’s a guy who was sixth By the end of the series, no matter how it goes, I think Jets fans will grow on the Selke ballot last season and who played a much higher proportion to admire (or despise) the play of Joel Edmundson. Just a very efficient, smart, physical defender who rarely has a bad shift, let alone a bad game. But you need to see it game after game after game to fully appreciate it. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 There’s talk in Winnipeg that, with the underdog role unavailable to either team, the “us against the world” mentality Winnipeg thrived on in Round 1 might disintegrate. How does Montreal protect itself from the same fate? And I read your latest: Why is everyone’s treating it as if Toronto fell apart — as opposed to Montreal catching fire? I don’t think Winnipeg will have any trouble creating an “us against the world” mentality. The Canadiens are not the favourites, but they are still the Canadiens, with all the arrogance and faux gravitas and the massive fanbase that comes with them. Montreal doesn’t really need to protect itself from losing that because of the second part of your question. No one really thinks the Canadiens are any good, and they know it. They kind of love it. The fact everyone is pinning that series on the Maple Leafs choking as opposed to anything they might have done plays right into their hands. Similarly, the narrative here is that a healthy Ehlers and Pierre-Luc Dubois, two players with wildly different seasons who each missed part of Round 1, could be an X-factor for Winnipeg. What’s the infirmary situation like — how’s Shea Weber’s hand, for example? And our old friend Chiarot — I believe he left part of Game 7? Weber’s hand seems fine. He had no trouble shooting the puck. He just had trouble finding room to let it go. Chiarot is also fine. The main issue with both of them is they averaged more than 30 minutes a night over the last three games of the first round, got one day off and have to go right back at it. Fatigue will become a factor for the Canadiens’ top four very soon, and I’m interested to see how the defence gets deployed in this series to compensate. We saw in Game 7 that the third pair of Brett Kulak and Erik Gustafsson took a semi-regular shift through the first two periods, allowing the Canadiens to basically roll their top four in the third. Also, after sitting out the entire first round, Alexander Romanov might get a look against the Jets. If he can be effective as he was early in the regular season, that would allow the Canadiens to lessen the minutes for the top four as well. The only injuries right now are to Jon Merrill, who is expected to be ready sometime next week, and Jonathan Drouin. It doesn’t sound like there is any way we will see Drouin in the playoffs after he was given a leave of absence to deal with some personal issues. Which greybeard should Winnipeg fear most: Corey Perry or Eric Staal? Short answer: Perry. But both Perry and Staal were effective in limited roles in the first round. The difference is Perry’s job as net front on the Canadiens’ power play, something he still does very effectively at his age. He will be trying to get in Connor Hellebuyck’s kitchen and just being an all-around pain around the net. Staal’s game at this point is effective but not for the reasons it used to be. He is not much of an offensive threat and is more of a fourth-line grinder, but he’s good at being a fourth-line grinder. Just don’t expect much else from him based on what we’ve seen since he arrived. Corey Perry gets in Maple Leafs goalie Jack Campbell’s grill. (Dan Hamilton / USA Today) OK, here goes. I’ll be honest: I hate the “it’s Hellebuyck vs. Price” narrative — not because those aren’t two supremely important players but because isn’t it Price vs. Winnipeg’s sharpshooters and Hellebuyck vs. Montreal’s offence? Anyway. Put that rant aside. What magic did Price channel in Round 1, where do I get some, how is he still doing this, and can he do it again? Price’s playoff numbers have been consistently good for a decade, the problem being he hasn’t played in the playoffs that often, and a big reason for that is his inconsistency in the regular season. But he’s been outstanding in the playoffs for a long time and he looks to be doing it again. Since 2013-14, Price’s playoff save percentage is .927 in 47 games, and over his last three playoffs, he’s been at .933 in 2017, .936 last year and .932 this year. Finally, the biggest, simplest question: Montreal will win if … … they can get their offensive guys going. Toffoli, Gallagher and Anderson will need to put some pucks in the net, and it would help if Cole Caufield broke out in this series as well. He’s played well and he’s a very dynamic offensive player — far more than just a shooter — but the goals haven’t been there yet. Of those four guys, the Canadiens need two of them to catch fire a bit here, but that’s going to be tough against Hellebuyck. Still, if Price keeps playing the way he has, “catching fire” is a very relative term. In this case, it means getting him three goals a game as a team, and the Canadiens will need those guys to contribute to that effort in a big way. Vancouver Canucks “Hockey sense, puck skills and he’s slippery and smart,” said Malloy. 1189313 “The only thing missing is that he’s a skinny kid (6-foot-1,165 pounds) and he’s a couple of years away. Kyle Turris had the same kind of body at the draft (third overall to Phoenix in 2007). Kyle turned into a big kid, Draft lottery: Status quo for luckless Canucks, select ninth in 2021 draft but that takes time and you can’t rush these kids.” As for picking ninth overall, history hasn’t always been kind to the Canucks. Ben Kuzma In 1973, they drafted durable defenceman Bob Dailey. He had 48- and Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 39-point seasons and was dealt to Philadelphia midway through the 1976-77 season for Jack McIlhargey and Larry Goodenough. Dailey played five seasons with the Flyers and had a 57-point campaign and There had been enough pain and suffering. two of 39 points. Those television Images of Vancouver Canucks’ hockey operations In 1983, the Canucks selected winger Cam Neely. After 16-, 21- and 14- personnel frozen in stunned disbelief at falling down the NHL draft lottery goal seasons, he was dealt to Boston along with a third-overall pick for board aren’t easily forgotten. Perhaps in a season where so much went centre Barry Pederson. Neely played a defensive role behind Stan Smyl wrong, something would actually go right Wednesday. and Tony Tanti, and exploded with the Bruins, hitting the 50-goal plateau on three occasions. Maybe the hockey gods would smile instead of smirk and finally award the Canucks the first overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft on July 23- In 2013, Horvat became part of a draft-day blockbuster when goalie Cory 24. Maybe the team would rocket to the top despite a 5.4 per cent Schneider was traded to New Jersey. With the Devils’ ninth-overall pick, chance of landing a budding star or beat a 5.7 per cent shot at picking the Canucks landed their future captain, inspirational leader and four- second overall. time 20 goal scorer. Maybe we needed something stronger than an iced coffee in the It was a challenging season for the Canucks’ scouting staff with COVID- summer-like heat to watch it all unfold as expected. 19 safety protocols, the international border issue and quarantining to ensure they saw enough of the players they’re targeting. And there’s The Canucks had a 58.5 per cent chance of selecting ninth and that’s nothing like seeing them live. what played out. The Buffalo Sabres, who owned the best odds at 16.6 per cent to capture the first pick, did just that. The expansion Seattle “Some leagues, like the OHL, didn’t even play and a lot of players in the Kraken were slotted No. 3, but leapfrogged the Anaheim Ducks, who had west, when it looked like they might not play, USHL teams had their the second-best odds of drafting first at 12.1 per cent. rights, said Benning. “It was challenging with travel and the two-week quarantine for crossing the border. The Canucks were left to wonder who they could target with the ninth pick. And should they keep it, especially if they can land a player to help “The Under-18 Worlds let us get a look at the top European players for a playoff push next season? the most part, but it wasn’t easy for sure because we had to do more video. It became really important but it’s hard, unless you’ve done it for a “We’re going to look at everything,” said Canucks general manger Jim while. Benning. “We’re going to call other teams and I know we’re going to get a real good player at No. 9. We’re going to have to get a young player who “You don’t see all 10 players on the ice and it’s sometimes hard to judge we feel is worth trading the pick. We’re going to keep all our options hockey sense without seeing everyone. You can get a sense if a player open. can skate and shoot, handle the puck and is physically involved. It’s not the same as seeing players, but we did get out enough to see the top “I’m just happy we didn’t lose any spots. There are nine guys we really end of the draft.” like and I’m happy about that. And we’ll take the best player regardless of position.” With needs at left wing, centre and defence, a shuffling of the consensus Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.03.2021 deck could see a player fall to the Canucks. If an expected run on defencemen in the top six — Owen Powers, Simon Edvinsson, Luke Hughes and Brandt Clarke — is interrupted by reaching for a forward outside the top 10, then the trickle-down effect could bode well for the Canucks. While two coveted wingers in high-scoring Dylan Guenther of the Edmonton Oil Kings and playmaking Swedish speedster William Eklund will be off the board, versatile Port Moody forward Kent Johnson of the University of Michigan and OHL centre Mason McTavish may still be there. “It sounds like every other draft,” said NHL prospects scout Shane Malloy. “Once you get past a certain spot, the lists can vary and maybe not dramatically, but significantly. Each team has its own value in terms of attributes they value the most. “And they have a bias to a certain type of player and style and certain leagues, so that comes into play. It’s unfortunate and it shouldn’t matter but it does. Take away the top two (Power, Matthew Beniers) and No. 3 to No. 8 could be interchangeable. “Somebody is going to be there at No. 9.” McTavish is coming off a strong performance at the Under-18 world championship tournament with 11 points (5-6) in seven games for gold- medal-winning Canada. After 42 points in (29-13) in 57 games with the Peterborough Petes in 2018-19, followed by the COVID-19 suspension of OHL games, he was loaned to Olten EHC of the second-division Swiss league. The 6-foot, 198 pound centre responded with 11 points (9-2) in 13 games. “Think of Bo Horvat,” Malloy said in a player comparison. Johnson is best suited to playing left wing and his 27 rookie points (9-18) in 26 NCAA games this season — including a record five-point outing Jan. 8 — showcased the skills he brought to the Wolverines after amassing 101 points (41-60) in 52 games with the BCHL Trail Smoke Eaters in 2019-20. Vancouver Canucks NHL teams will traditionally compile draft lists of 85 to 100 players. And 1189314 of those prospects, 75 per cent played some games in North America or Europe this shortened season. It’s far from a normal year, but most have played enough games to see their draft stock either rise or fall. NHL draft: Unprecedented season supreme test for scouting prospects And how they handled this unfathomable year shouldn’t be lost on any NHL club making a draft pick. Ben Kuzma “This year is of great value if you understand how players handled duress,” said Malloy. “They had to adapt and overcome. Mentally and Publishing date: Jun 02, 2021 emotionally, which players were able to raise their game through all these circumstances tells me about poise and the ability to produce. You need to focus on players and outputs, but also look at what they did In a difficult to contemplate year on and off the ice, the NHL managed to when there was more duress. complete some semblance of a regular-season schedule with a 56-game slate impacted by the physically draining and mind-numbing coronavirus “As the talent pool compresses, it doesn’t matter how skilled you are. If pandemic. you can’t handle and compartmentalize and recover, it won’t translate to the next level. You’ll get to the AHL and will die on the vine. The When the COVID-19 virus was strengthened by the P.1 variant first separation from guys making it to the NHL from the AHL is all mental and identified in Brazil, 25 members of the Vancouver Canucks’ organization emotional.” were afflicted by an outbreak that shut the club down March 31. Nine games were postponed, one was rescheduled, and the hockey world went on high alert. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.03.2021 For the scouting community, the trickle-down effect of assessing talent for the 2021 draft on July 23-24 was to do more with a lot less. As junior hockey leagues scrambled for provincial health authority approvals to play shortened seasons in bubble concepts, the challenge to get complete and accurate reads on prospects became more complex. Shane Malloy has scouted NHL prospects for more than a dozen years. He’s also the author of The Art of Scouting and was co-host of Hockey Prospects Radio on Sirius XM and NHL Network Radio. He has a masters of business administration in hockey management degree and continues to build his skill set. However, this year was about scouting via video and staying safe. It’s no different than a beat reporter trying to cover a game off TV. You see the guy with the puck, but you miss a lot. “It’s a transition for a lot of scouts because live viewing doesn’t transition to video,” Malloy said Wednesday from his home in Oromocto, N.B., near Fredericton. “It requires time to learn that skill set in what you’re learning and what you’re missing, and how to weigh and metric it properly. “Otherwise, you get into a situation where you overvalue and undervalue certain attributes because it’s something you don’t do on a regular basis. If you don’t Watch video on a regular basis, that’s problematic. Watching a full game on video is terribly inefficient and not worth your time when you’ve got to watch four or five guys. You can’t do it effectively. “I don’t watch a whole lot of games unless it’s an NHL game on TV. I watch different aspects than others — shift to shift or breaking it all down — because I use InStat for nuance parts of the game for 25 different categories. With two small kids, I could have gone and watched the Q (QMJHL), but why risk coming home with COVID and then with what could happen to the family? It wasn’t worth it.” Another risk is making too much of a live, one-week look at draft prospects. The Under-18 world championship tournament in Frisco, Texas, from April 26 to May 6 drew scores of scouts. They saw highly touted OHL centre Mason McTavish of the Peterborough Petes, who was on loan to Olten EHC of the second-division Swiss league, live up to 2021 draft hype with 11 points (5-6) in seven games for tourney champion Canada. They saw WHL winger Dylan Guenther of the Edmonton Oil Kings also excel — seven points (4-3) in seven games for Canada — despite his junior club being limited to just a dozen games because of raging COVID-19 concerns in Alberta. OHL blue-liner Brandt Clarke of the Barrie Colts was loaned to Nove Zamky Mikron HC in Slovakia to keep honing his game. He responded at the Under-18 event with seven points (2-5) in seven games for Canada. “It’s a dangerous game to overvalue in a short tournament with a small sample size,” cautioned Malloy. “All those tournaments do, and what they’re best for, is to reaffirm what you’ve already seen and what your data already tells you. At that point, it’s just a confirmation process.” Not that it makes the job easier. “It’s an extremely difficult craft to learn in terms of evaluation and difficult to rank properly,” stressed Malloy. I agonize over my list. Doing my master’s degree was easier than doing scouting reports and putting my list together, because of so many unknowns that you know are there but you can’t account for.” Vancouver Canucks Still, there’s pressure on Canucks management to improve their NHL 1189315 roster quickly after a dismal 2020-21. Vancouver’s GM sounded very much like he would prefer to make a top-10 selection as opposed to trading the pick. Canucks win by staying put at NHL Draft lottery: ‘We know we’re going to get one of those nine guys’ “We’ll keep all of our options open as we’re talking to teams, trying to make the team better,” Benning said when asked directly by The Athletic on Wednesday about the potential for trading the ninth pick. “I can’t answer that now. It would have to be a really good player to move the By Thomas Drance pick.” Jun 3, 2021 Whether the Canucks in fact make the selection at No. 9 or send it elsewhere in a trade, it’s later on in the draft order that the rubber will really meet the road anyway for Benning and his staff. Because while Whether it’s a spin of the wheel or a bounce of the lottery balls, fortune there are incredible challenges to overcome in making selections late into has never smiled on the Vancouver Canucks at the NHL Draft lottery. the draft, there’s also incredible opportunity. Vancouver had the ninth best odds in the 2021 draft lottery and with the A “total shit show” is how one experienced talent evaluator described order confirmed Wednesday night, the Canucks stayed put and own the what they expected from the later rounds of the 2021 draft. ninth selection at the 2021 NHL Draft. “It’s been an anomaly year,” said another veteran scout. “I didn’t get a For a team that moved down the draft order by two spots in 2016, two chance to watch as many games in person as I usually would. spots in 2017, one spot in 2018 and one spot in 2019, staying put is a marked improvement. “This draft isn’t just scary from the lack of coverage or at least the unusual type of coverage,” continued the veteran scout, “but it’s also We’ve reached the point where the club certainly doesn’t count on scary because I’m not really sold on the depth pool of it. I think you could benefitting from good fortune at the draft lottery, although general see some significant surprises.” manager Jim Benning dressed up for the occasion Wednesday in part to “change it up.” That’s where the Canucks’ focus is on too, with an understanding that a different approach than usual is necessary in grappling with the hand that Like most Canucks fans, the Canucks themselves will take staying put in COVID-19 has dealt NHL teams in evaluating 17-year-olds, some of the lottery as a win. whom haven’t played organized hockey in 15 months. “The good news is we didn’t drop any spots,” Benning laughed when “I feel like between Todd Harvey and our crossover guys, we’ve seen asked by The Athletic if he was relieved by Wednesday’s result. “I’m most of the guys we have rated in the top 30 live a number of times,” happy about that.” Benning said in addressing the subject. “I went to Dallas (for the U18 tournament) and got to see a majority of those players. Staying put really is a win, though. “In dealing with COVID it’s not going to be a perfect year, you’re going to The industry consensus views the 2021 draft class — by far the most have to — especially as you get further into the draft — rely on regional uncertain draft class in the history of the league due to the necessary scouts, their opinion on guys they know and have seen, and guys they inconveniences and lack of viewing opportunities that resulted from the saw last year too. pandemic — as having a relatively well defined tier of nine elite players. “We’ve done a good job with video, and I think we’re going to be It’s a group that’s stratified somewhat, with Michigan Wolverines prepared and I’m confident we’re going to be prepared.” defender Owen Power the clear headliner followed closely by his college teammate Matthew Beniers, the one no doubt centre at the top of the With the lottery in the rearview mirror now, the Canucks’ draft process class. will move forward with a greater degree of certainty. The ninth pick is solidified and that helps a bit, but the real work is what comes after the Beyond that, though, the precise order that the players at the top of the first round. 2021 class are selected, well it’s wide open. Any of the other top prospects could slip to the Canucks with the ninth pick: scoring forward It’s work that will be accomplished by Benning and an amateur scouting William Eklund; intelligent right-handed puck-moving defender Brandt department that has been significantly rejigged over the past 12 months Clarke; flashy 6-foot-5 defensive defender Simon Edvinsson; dynamic from the staff Benning collaborated so successfully with through some of local product Kent Johnson; gritty wingers Mason McTavish and Dylan the most fruitful draft classes in franchise history. Guenther; and Quinn Hughes’ larger younger brother Luke Hughes. And it’s work of the highest possible leverage for an organization that has Quietly that actually is a spot of good fortune for Vancouver. Now that the drafted some exceptionally talented players over the past eight years but Canucks are confirmed to at least remain in place, there’s a good chance still needs more. the player the Canucks end up selecting at ninth overall is the player they would’ve taken with a pick higher in the order anyway. “I would say there’s nine guys we really liked in this year’s draft, and The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 we’re excited to draft any of them,” Benning told The Athletic on Wednesday. “Maybe after that it’s not quite so clear, but there’s nine guys we really like and we know we’re going to get one of those nine guys.” There is, of course, some downside to not being able to call your shot and select the player the organization believes best fits their program. Benning, however, came up through the industry on the amateur scouting side and is a “best player available” absolutist. It’s another bit of indirect luck that the Canucks slot into the draft order in the official read- and-react spot. For the class of 2021, the ninth pick is the precise draft slot that rewards a best player available approach. Don’t overthink it, take the player that falls to ninth, and move on to mining value from the later rounds in the toughest-to-gauge draft class in the history of the league. Not to mention that the Canucks need to restock the system significantly, having traded several significant futures recently and graduated a ton of prospects over the past few seasons. Owning the ninth pick will add a high-end prospect to the organization and Benning is higher than some executives in the industry on the 2021 draft class as a whole. Vancouver Canucks When you mine a Hall of Famer with the pick after Andrew McBain, that’s 1189316 an all-timer.

It’s just unfortunate that then-Canucks head coach Tom Watt thought that Every Canucks first-round pick, ranked: From the Sedins to Dan Woodley Neely was a one-dimensional fighter, stifled his development, then gave Neely up in a historically lopsided trade only to watch him immediately blossom into the league’s most dynamic power forward when he was finally given an opportunity to play with skilled players. By Thomas Drance Superstar Tier Jun 2, 2021 4.

2nd, 1988 The Vancouver Canucks are overwhelmingly likely to make the ninth or 10th selection at the 2021 NHL Draft following Wednesday’s draft lottery. Career statistics: 1,382 GP, 375 G – 492 A – 867 points Landing a top pick of some magnitude is the consolation prize for a 5. Ryan Kesler disappointing, pandemic-abbreviated 2021 campaign for the Canucks. 23rd, 2003 And while the Canucks have about an 11 percent of shot of rocketing up the draft order and into the first or second spot on Wednesday, we don’t Career statistics: 1,001 GP, 258 G – 315 A – 573 points have to realistically consider that possibility. I agonized over whether to rank the Trevor Linden pick in the four spot on This is the Canucks, after all. Losing in the draft lottery for the Canucks is this list or whether perhaps Ryan Kesler belonged there instead. like losing in the first round for the Maple Leafs. An inevitability. It should be close even though Linden significantly outscored Kesler and When Vancouver uses their first-round selection in 2021, it will represent played almost 500 additional games for the Canucks. the 50th time in 52 years that the club has made a selection in the first On the one hand, Linden is the sentimental pick. An iconic player, round. Not all first-round picks are created equal, of course, so how do longtime captain and the franchise’s all-time greatest playoff performer the other 49 first-round draft picks in Canucks history stack up? and leader. A note on the informal methodology of compiling these rankings, they’re On the other, I’m rarely motivated by sentiment and Kesler won a major determined mostly by the performance of the Canucks pick throughout NHL award with the Canucks and was picked much later in the first their career, although in comparing a pick from 2017 to one from 1983, round. we’ll also have to lean on some realistic projections of future value for the former. There’s also the opportunity cost to factor in here. Linden was selected at the very top of the draft order and was the consensus second pick behind We’ve also factored in where the pick was made — all things being Mike Modano at the 1988 draft. Ultimately, three other forwards selected equal, getting a star with the 23rd pick is preferable to landing one in the in the top 10 in the 1988 draft class (Rod Brind’Amour, Jeremy Roenick top five — and the opportunity cost of a significant draft floor miss. and Teemu Selanne) became 1,000 point players while Linden topped Finally, we have weighted to some extent the fact that while a pick is a out just short of 900. quality pick if the player goes onto a meaningful NHL career, precedence is given to those quality picks that produced for the Canucks or at least In Kesler’s case, one player drafted in the same range of the historically returned an asset of significant value in a trade. deep 2003 draft class outproduced him over the course of their respective careers (Corey Perry). Let’s get to it. It has to be Linden, though. The No. 16 hangs from the rafters and Future Hall of Famer Tier franchise legend status has to matter, as does ultimate asset value. 1. Henrik Sedin That was really the deal breaker here. When the Canucks traded Linden 3rd, 1999 10 years after drafting him, he netted them Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan McCabe and a third-round pick (Jarkko Ruutu). It was a deal that ultimately Career statistics: 1,330 GP, 240 G – 830 A – 1,070 points furnished a luxurious, franchise defining trade tree that spanned 20 years of franchise history. 2. Daniel Sedin Linden had enough cache around the league that even a decade on, 2nd, 1999 after he fell out of favour with head coach Mike Keenan, the return for Career statistics: 1,306 GP, 393 G – 648 A – 1,041 points him in a trade was absolutely mammoth. Although the logic of the hard cap system, Kesler’s no-trade clause and Canucks ownerships dithering Not a lot of suspense here, surely. Henrik and Daniel Sedin are without at the 2014 trade deadline are all extenuating factors here, Linden’s trade question the greatest Canucks players of all time. value at a similar stage of their respective careers has to outweigh what Kesler delivered in return when he was dealt (Luca Sbisa, Nick Bonino, a Obviously we’re splitting hairs ranking Henrik ahead of Daniel, but we late first-round pick and a third-round pick swap). couldn’t go with a cowardly 1A and 1B approach in a definitive ranking. Tough decisions have to be made. 6. Quinn Hughes Henrik gets the nod ahead of Daniel here because he was picked one 7th, 2018 pick later, even if that was more about the stagecraft of permitting general manager Brian Burke, who engineered the draft floor trades, to Career statistics: 129 GP, 11 G – 86 A – 97 points make both selections at the same time. He also played in modestly more It’s early still in Quinn Hughes’ NHL career, but he’s shaping up to be the games, had a few more total points and won the Hart Trophy, where his best player in his draft class. brother Daniel was robbed by the voters in 2011 and only won the Ted Lindsay. Realistically, three years out, the only player from the class of 2018 that’s really in the conversation is Andrei Svechnikov. Perhaps Brady Tkachuk Whatever, don’t get caught up in quibbling about the precise order. What or Rasmus Dahlin level up in the years to come or Nils Lundqvist blows matters is that Henrik and Daniel are at the top of this list together, as the doors off when he debuts in the NHL next season, but the gap they should be. between Hughes, Svechnikov and the rest of the class is wide at the 3. Cam Neely moment. 9th, 1983 Consider this, among the players drafted in Dallas in 2018 that have played a meaningful sample of NHL games, Hughes leads all skaters in Career statistics: 726 GP, 395 G – 299 A – 694 points points per game. As a defenceman. This is a tough one because Neely’s greatness only came to the fore When you factor in that Hughes was taken seventh and that the after the Canucks dealt him. That the organization completely failed to defenders taken immediately after him — Evan Bouchard and Adam recognize his potential, however, shouldn’t diminish the quality of the pick Boqvist in particular — remain question marks as impact players, Hughes itself. is an almost unprecedented home run for the Canucks, with a chance to move further up this list in the years to come. 7. Elias Pettersson There were some difference-makers taken in and around Schneider’s range, including Mike Green and Dave Bolland, but Schneider still stands 5th, 2017 out as tremendous value for the Canucks late in the first round. Career statistics: 165 GP, 65 G – 88 A – 153 points Honestly, one can pretty easily argue that Schneider has never really got Like Hughes, Elias Pettersson has a chance to be the best player in his his due for being the elite goaltender that he was. He should’ve been a draft class. regular contender for the Vezina with the Devils during a three year run as one of the NHL’s best puck stoppers, but typically was submarined by Pettersson was taken a few picks earlier than Hughes and faces stiffer his club’s poor win/loss record. It’s a travesty that he wasn’t at least a competition for the “best player in the class” crown. He’s clearly the best finalist for his work during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. forward in his draft class by a decent margin, but Cale Makar and Miro Heiskanen are both serious contenders for best overall player. By means of illustration, between the 2012-13 and 2015-16 seasons, Schneider owned the second best save percentage among the 26 NHL For now, we’ll rank Pettersson one spot behind his dynamic teammate, goaltenders that started 150 games during that span. The only but Vancouver’s star centre could well end up significantly higher on this goaltender better? Carey Price. list as time goes on. Schneider is on the back nine of his career now and is the New York Make no mistake: mining two players that have a chance to be the best Islanders’ third-string goaltender. He currently holds the ninth best save players in their draft class in back-to-back years while picking fifth and percentage among all NHL goaltenders in history to appear in at least seventh is a potentially franchise defining series of events. It’s the sort of 300 games. thing that should set a team up to be a contender in the years to come, all of which raises the stakes for what comes next for the Canucks. 11. Don Lever Great Pick Tier 3rd, 1972 8. Mattias Ohlund Career statistics: 1,020 GP, 313 G – 367 A – 680 points 14th, 1994 Checking in at No. 11 is Don Lever, the heartbeat of the Canucks’ offence in the mid-1970s. Career statistics: 919 GP, 93 G – 250 A – 343 points Selected third, Lever played the most NHL games of anyone in his draft Mattias Ohlund was the fifth defender off the board in his own draft class class and outproduced everyone selected in that first round with the and ended up playing the most games of any first-round blueliner exception of Steve Shutt and Bill Barber, both of whom played for selected in 1994 with the exception of his longtime teammate Ed powerhouse teams in an era with zero parity. Jovanovski, who was selected first by the Florida Panthers. 12. Brock Boeser It should be noted too that while Jovanovski was a dynamic force, when he and Ohlund were teammates, there wasn’t much question about 23rd, 2015 which of the two lefty defenders Marc Crawford would use as his primary Career statistics: 253 GP, 98 G – 112 A – 210 points matchup defender. The 2015 draft is looking stacked, and there were talented, star-level One of the greatest Canucks defenders of all time, Ohlund was players taken after Brock Boeser — including Travis Konecny and exceptional value in the middle of the first round and was the best Sebastian Aho — but Boeser at 23 is still an absolute steal. defensive defender in his entire draft class. As it stands at the moment, Boeser ranks sixth among 2015 first-round 9. Bo Horvat picks in points per game rate, behind only the likes of superstars Connor 9th, 2013 McDavid, Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mathew Barzal and Mikko Rantanen. Career statistics: 502 GP, 139 G – 175 A – 314 points My goodness, if a team ever had a chance to make three consecutive Selected with a first-round pick the Canucks acquired for Cory Schneider, draft picks in the middle of that round they really would’ve cleaned up. in a widely panned trade that has aged very well in the years since, Bo Horvat was the last big time difference-making forward selected in the 13. Bob Dailey first round of a loaded 2013 draft. 9th, 1973 Apologies to some really good players like Max Domi, Anthony Mantha Career statistics: 562 GP, 94 G – 231 A – 325 points and Andre Burakovsky, but you probably have to go to the third round to find the next bona fide top-line calibre forward in the class (Jake Before injuries prematurely ended Bob Dailey’s career, he was a really Guentzel), a span of almost 70 picks. solid, productive two-way NHL defenceman for both the Canucks and the Philadelphia Flyers. Horvat was a big swing, a character player who worked to build out his body, find some additional pop and explosiveness in his stride and make Unfortunately for Vancouver, they prematurely traded Dailey before he himself into the Canucks’ captain and emotional leader. played the best hockey of his career. He was sent to Philadelphia in exchange for a defender named Larry Goodenough. As the legendary 10. Cory Schneider Vancouver Province scribe Tony Gallagher used to note of Goodenough, 26th, 2004 he wasn’t. Career statistics: 409 GP, 170-159-58, .918 SV% What If Tier Cory Schneider and Horvat, together again thanks to our first-round pick 14. Luc Bourdon rankings. 10th, 2005 Amazingly, Schneider is the only goaltender the Canucks have ever Career statistics: 36 GP, 2 G – 0 A – 2 points selected in the first round. And he was an absolute stud, the best goaltender in a draft class that also included Devan Dubnyk, although his Luc Bourdon was on his way to establishing himself as a strong two-way prime burned brightly and quickly as a result of recurrent injuries. defenceman in the NHL. Tragically he died in a motorcycle accident at the age of 21. Drafted in 2004 by the Dave Nonis regime as part of a transformative prospect class that also included Alex Edler and Jannik Hansen, Bourdon’s loss that’s still felt poignantly in this hockey community. Schneider’s took a long path to the NHL. By 2010-11, he was the backup Bourdon would’ve been a key piece solidifying the right side of some of in a William Jennings Award-winning tandem with Roberto Luongo. the best teams in Canucks history. Then he took Luongo’s starting job and got caught up in a multi-season We’ll rank him here at No. 14 in tribute to the number worn by his friend drama — a drama that mostly existed outside the dressing room, as and longtime Canucks forward Alex Burrows. Burrows’ trademark arrow- Schneider and Luongo maintained a close relationship — that ultimately to-the-sky goal celebration was a lasting tribute to his friend. saw Schneider dealt to the New Jersey Devils for Horvat. Luongo was also dealt half a season thereafter. 15. Bill Derlago 5th, 1978 Career statistics: 555 GP, 189 G – 227 A – 416 points however, that the Penguins simply agreed to pay the required dispensation. Bill Derlago could’ve been great. Whatever the truth of the matter — and one would’ve understood The shifty forward was drafted out of Brandon, where he had over 150 Vancouver’s reluctance to deal with an Eastern European hockey points in the WHL in his first draft eligible season. He did that in just 52 federation again, considering the way they got battered in international games. arbitration in the matter of Vladimir Krutov’s contract — the club missed Arriving at his first NHL training camp, Derlago was out of shape. His on Jagr, and also passed on Mike Ricci and Keith Primeau, a pair of fitness just was not up to a reasonable NHL standard. So the Canucks rugged centres selected third and fourth that year. assigned him to the minor leagues where he was better than a point per With the second pick at the 1990 NHL Draft, hosted rather oddly at BC game while playing his way into game shape. After he dominated in Place, the club selected Nedved, who succeeded in the NHL, but Dallas, where the Canucks’ top affiliate was in the late ’70s, for about 13 ultimately departed the organization after just three seasons in the midst games, he was recalled. of a contract dispute. The “l’affaire Nedved” at least permitted the club to And it took him a couple of games to get going. This is based on news load up their blue line for the 1994 run to the Stanley Cup Final. accounts at the time since hockey-reference doesn’t have game log data Still, it’s hard not to imagine the long-term value squandered in not selling that goes back this far, but the story goes that Derlago didn’t do much in out for Jagr or even in passing on a pair of effective two-way centres in his first few NHL games as he figured out the pace of the NHL game and Ricci and Primeau. kept playing his way into shape. 18. Rick Vaive And then, it clicked. The result was pure, hockey electricity. 5th, 1979 Derlago started dictating. Started dancing through everybody. The points flowed in bunches and the Canucks started winning. Despite a dry run in Career statistics: 876 GP, 441 G – 347 A – 788 points his first few games, Derlago managed eight points in his first nine NHL contests. Rick Vaive was probably the best offensive Maple Leafs player of the 1980s, but he was selected fifth by the Canucks in 1979. The Canucks’ emerging super rookie’s lightning-in-a-bottle run reached its climax against a New York Islanders team on the verge of becoming a Immature in his one Canucks season, Vaive contributed just 21 points in dynasty, when he completely took over the game. 47 games and was traded after his rookie campaign, along with Derlago, in the trade that returned Tiger Williams to Vancouver. It was a deal that That’s when Islanders defenceman Denis Potvin took exception to was regarded as lopsided at the time and rather apparently hurt the Derlago’s high-flying antics. He waited until after the whistle had blown, club’s talent base over the course of the 1980s, but it was a key deal in when Derlago had relaxed. The hit buckled his knee, required season- setting up the 1982 Stanley Cup Final run. ending surgery, and while Derlago went on to play a starring offensive role on some middling mid-80s Toronto Maple Leafs teams, he never Vaive went on to a strong NHL career, but it’s impossible to overlook that realized the full dynamic offensive potential he flashed in about five he was selected out of the same league — the QMJHL — just three picks dominant Canucks contests before the questionable Potvin hit left him ahead of one of the best two-way defencemen of all time in Ray forever diminished as a player. Bourque. It’s the song of Bill Derlago, and it remains an all-time — if little- 19. Dennis Ververgaert remembered — Canucks what if. 3rd, 1973 16. Vasili Podkolzin Career statistics: 583 GP, 176 G – 216 A – 392 points 10th, 2019 A bruising power forward selected from the London Knights, Dennis Career statistics: n/a Ververgaert had a strong NHL career. Freshly signed 2019 first-round pick Vasili Podkolzin will begin his North A genuine physical specimen, perhaps Ververgaert’s most notable American professional career next season and you can pencil him into an Canucks moment came at his debut news conference. Local Vancouver everyday role with the Canucks right off the hop. sports legend and entrepreneur Coleman “Coley” Hall — who functioned as a sort of team president at the time and remained on the Canucks’ Podkolzin is part of a 2019 draft class that’s shaping up to be really, board of directors for a decade well into the era of the Griffiths family’s really good. High profile prospects selected after him like Spencer Knight, ownership of the club — urged Ververgaert to remove his shirt at the Cole Caulfield and Alex Newhook are already contributing right now in news conference. Hall himself was then goaded by the local press in the Stanley Cup playoffs. attendance to doing the same. Hall sucked in his stomach for the photograph, only to have his pants fall to his knees like Abraham There’s plenty of reason to believe that Podkolzin may well deliver on his Simpson in the graveyard. significant promise, especially as a physical force with solid two-way upside. That process will begin next season, but for now Canucks fans While Ververgaert was an effective, physically assertive Canucks player can only wishcast on Podkolzin’s potential, entertaining thoughts like, into the Phil Maloney era, the fact remains he was selected one pick “What if he’s the perfect winger to complement Horvat?” ahead of Lanny McDonald. Good Player, Painful Miss Tier Became a Player Tier 17. Petr Nedved 20. Garth Butcher 2nd, 1990 10th, 1981 Career statistics: 982 GP, 310 G – 407 A – 717 points Career statistics: 897 GP, 48 G – 158 A – 206 points Petr Nedved had a strong career in the NHL. Trained in the offensive Selected 10th in 1981, Garth Butcher was a heavy, physical stay-at- Czech hockey cauldron of Litvinov, Nedved was a dynamic scoring home defenceman who ranks second on the Canucks’ all-time franchise forward. By 21, he was a 70-point player in the NHL, scoring nearly 40 leaderboard in penalty minutes — behind only Gino Odjick. goals for the Canucks in just his third NHL season. While he didn’t contribute a ton of offense, Butcher held enough value The problem is, Nedved wasn’t Jaromir Jagr, one of the NHL’s all-time that he was part of one of the most impactful trades in franchise history greats who was drafted fifth that year. when he was sent to the St. Louis Blues with Dan Quinn for a package that included Cliff Ronning and Geoff Courtnall. That trade really The Canucks knew that Jagr was the best player in the draft, or at least launched the glory years of the Pat Quinn era. most of the people involved with the Pat Quinn regime have claimed that in the years since. The story goes, however, that the Czech Hockey 21. Jared McCann Federation insisted that they were owed dispensation for Jagr’s services from any team that selected him in order to release him from military 24th, 2014 obligations. Career statistics: 353 GP, 66 G – 189 A – 255 points It’s since emerged that Jagr had made it plain to the four teams ahead of Acquired as part of the Ryan Kesler trade package and jettisoned after the Pittsburgh Penguins in the draft order that he wouldn’t report to their being rushed into the NHL too early as part of the deal to bring in Erik clubs, he was dead set on playing for the Penguins. Stories persist, Gudbranson, Jared McCann has developed into a two-way player since Petit, who had a lengthy career as a two-way defender, ultimately landing with the Penguins. becoming a true NHL nomad and journeyman who extended his career well into the late 1990s. In fact, he’s one of the most impactful five-on-five players on a per minute basis in the game at the moment. Petit had a strong career, although the Canucks didn’t really manage to monetize him, dealing him to the New York Rangers for a package Being selected one pick ahead of genuine superstar David Pastrnak centred around Willie Huber, who contributed very little. Only one dings McCann’s ranking here a little bit, but he’s on track to have a defender selected after Petit in the 1982 first round played more NHL lengthy NHL career as a useful, high-energy depth centre with enough games, New Jersey Devils selection Ken Daneyko. offensive pop to punish mistakes and enough athleticism to be an unholy disruptive force at even strength. A strong pick in retrospect, if the 27. J.J. Daigneault Canucks had only better managed his development. 10th, 1984 22. Dale Tallon Career statistics: 899 GP, 53 G – 197 A – 250 points 2nd, 1970 A member of the Canadian national team during his draft year, J.J. Career statistics: 642 GP, 98 G – 238 A – 336 points Daigneault was a classic Tom Watt era Canucks pick. The consolation prize on the heels of “Black Tuesday” for the Canucks The fleet of foot defender only played two seasons for the Canucks, and was Dale Tallon. The flashy converted forward was a talented offensive honestly, had a game that was probably a little bit ahead of its time. 25 player and an exceptional golfer with a chance to go pro in either sport, years later, Daigneault would be the prototypical transitional shutdown which was used to his advantage in securing a market altering contract guy. from the Vancouver expansion club. Daigneault ultimately carved out a 15-year career playing games for 10 Tallon played at both forward and defence in his time in Vancouver, and different NHL franchises. an upstart organization didn’t do much to aid in his development. He did, however, set a rookie scoring record for defencemen in the club’s 28. Jocelyn Guevremont inaugural season; a record that stands to this day although Quinn 3rd, 1971 Hughes would’ve beaten it if not for the intervention of a pandemic in the spring of 2020. Career statistics: 571 GP, 84 G – 223A – 307 points Tallon was ultimately packaged to the Chicago Blackhawks for Gary Jocelyn Guevremont was an effective player for the Canucks and, at the “Suitcase” Smith early on in his NHL career and played his best hockey very least, he was the best defender taken in the first round of his draft there, before his career was cut short by injuries. year, although Larry Robinson was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the middle of the second round. 23. Rick Lanz Guevremont was a talented offensive defender, but he played his best 7th, 1980 hockey for the Buffalo Sabres following a trade for Garry Meehan in the 569 games played, 65 G – 221 A – 286 points mid-1970s. The real missed opportunity with this pick is that the Canucks finished one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in their inaugural Selected with the seventh pick in 1980, exactly one pick after the season, missing out on the right to draft Marcel Dionne as a result. Edmonton Oilers selected Paul Coffey, Rick Lanz was a solid offensive Classic. defender capable of driving some offence from the back end in his prime. At his peak in the mid-1980s, Lanz twice managed to record over 50 29. Bryan Allen points in a season. 4th, 1998 Of note, Lanz was traded to the Maple Leafs in 1987 in a deal that Career statistics: 721 GP, 29 G – 107 A – 136 points returned defenceman and Vancouver’s current general manager Jim Benning. Bryan Allen was a relatively unremarkable but hardscrabble shutdown defender drafted fourth by the Canucks in one of the weirdest draft years 24. in contemporary NHL history. 4th, 1985 Even though Allen was just a reliable depth player in his NHL career, Career statistics: 549 GP, 110 G – 119 A – 229 points there weren’t a ton of star players to come after him. In fact, he was probably the third or fourth best defender in the first round in 1998 behind Jim Sandlak wasn’t a superstar, but he was a decent pick from a 1985 Brad Stuart (selected third), Martin Skoula (17th) and Robyn Regehr draft class that didn’t produce a ton of superstars in the first round. The (19th). best player from the entire class was a second-rounder (Joe Nieuwendyk), and Vancouver mined a fair bit of talent out of the later Of course, it should be noted that Rob Scuderi — a two-time Stanley Cup rounds, selecting Robert Kron and Igor Larionov’s NHL rights. champion — was drafted in the fifth round that year. A useful reminder that picking shutdown defenders at the top of the draft is bad practice. Sandlak spent the majority of his career in Vancouver, and put together a really strong playoff run in the 1992 Stanley Cup playoffs, recording 10 30. R.J. Umberger points in 13 games as Vancouver advanced to the second round. He 16th, 2001 returned to the Canucks after a brief stint with Hartford for a second tour of duty in 1995-96. Career statistics: 779 GP, 180 G – 212 A – 392 points Michael Grabner (Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today) R.J. Umberger was the right pick at 16th in 2001, but he never signed in Vancouver. So his rights were dealt to the New York Rangers at the 25. Michael Grabner deadline in a trade that returned Martin Rucinsky. That trade didn’t really 14th, 2006 work out, but at least Umberger also spurned the Rangers. Career statistics: 640 GP, 175 G – 101 A – 276 points Umberger was never a star, but he was a quality two-way winger who played with a ton of grit and had several really productive seasons over Michael Grabner never really found his game with the Canucks, but he the course of his career. You probably have to go 35 picks beyond carried enough value to be bundled with Steve Bernier and a first-round Umberger’s slot to identify forward from the 2001 draft class that put pick in the ill-fated trade for Keith Ballard in 2010. He finally became a together a more productive career (Mike Cammalleri). stud NHL penalty killer and middle-six forward after being plucked off waivers from Florida by the New York Islanders, and carved out a lengthy Some minor points awarded for getting the pick right, but obviously we’ve career as a depth scorer and shorthanded goal specialist. docked Umberger’s value in this ranking because of his refusal to sign with the Canucks. 26. Michel Petit Became a Low-End Player Tier 11th, 1982 31. Rick Blight Career statistics: 827 GP, 90 G – 238 A – 328 points 10th, 1975 The 1982 draft class was loaded with top defencemen. Scott Stevens went fifth, Phil Housley went sixth. At 11th, the Canucks selected Michel Career statistics: 326 GP, 96 G – 125 A – 221 points Selected 10th in a 1975 draft class that wasn’t exactly loaded, Rick Blight him into stunt work for films, with credits ranging from “Pacific Rim” to spent the vast majority of his career with the Canucks and had some “The Notebook” to “The Day After Tomorrow.” productive seasons for some of the franchises early playoff teams. Organizational Depth Tier 32. Cody Hodgson 37. Jordan Schroeder 10th, 2008 22nd, 2009 Career statistics: 328 GP, 64 G – 78 A – 142 points Career statistics: 165 GP, 18 G – 24 A – 42 points Cody Hodgson was the first pick of the Mike Gillis era and there was a moment when Hodgson was lighting up the OHL and starring on a line Jordan Schroeder was billed as a top offensive producer in his draft year with John Tavares at the world juniors that it looked like a home run pick. and was one of the most talked about forwards in the 2009 class before he slipped precipitously on draft day. And then Hodgson’s back issues began to emerge, and a rift developed with Alain Vigneault and then extended to the entire organization as The Canucks halted his slide with the 22nd pick, selecting him ahead of Hodgson swapped out player agents on multiple occasions. He became the likes of Kyle Palmieri and Marcus Johansson who went shortly a malcontent, widely disliked in the room, even as Canucks fans — thereafter. While Schroeder played an everyday role as the club’s third- desperate to see the team bring in some young, exciting talent — raged line centre in a lockout-shortened 2013 campaign in which the club about his lack of ice time. qualified for the postseason, he was exceedingly sheltered and the club tried to identify an upgrade for that spot in their lineup at the deadline by The Canucks showcased Hodgson with extreme discipline and traded acquiring Derek Roy. him at the 2012 NHL trade deadline for Zack Kassian, who ended up having a more impactful NHL career, although Kassian played his best Schroeder would go unqualified once Vancouver changed over from the hockey after getting his life in order following his departure from Gillis to the Benning era and is now playing in the KHL. Vancouver. 38. Brendan Gaunce We’ll always have Game 8. And at least the Canucks didn’t select Kyle 26th, 2012 Beach. Career statistics: 118 GP, 6 G – 10 A – 16 points 33. Mike Wilson Brendan Gaunce was a bright two-way player with a big NHL-ready 20th, 1993 frame and soft hands, but his feet never caught up to his other attributes. Career statistics: 336 GP, 16 G – 41 A – 57 points He was picked four spots ahead of current Canucks forward Tanner Pearson and is currently playing in the Swedish Hockey League. Drafted by the Canucks with the 20th pick at the 1993 draft, Mike Wilson would never play a game for the franchise. Although he carved out a 39. Olli Juolevi meaningful NHL career that spanned nine years and four NHL teams, 5th, 2016 that all happened after Wilson was dealt with Mike Peca as part of the package that brought Alexander Mogilny to Vancouver. Career statistics: 23 GP, 2 G – 1 A – 3 points Wilson at least became a player, but it’s worth noting that the next three Olli Juolevi may yet move up this list, but for now, he projects as a depth names off the board after Wilson’s in 1993 were Saku Koivu, Ander defender. In the meantime, we’ll rate him below the likes of Schroeder Eriksson (out of MODO) and Bertuzzi. Ouch. and Gaunce because of the leverage of picking fifth as opposed to picking in the 20s. 34. Brad Ference Selected following a season in which he absolutely lit up the U20 10th, 1997 tournament on Finland’s dynamic first power-play unit alongside Patrik Career statistics: 250 GP, 4 G – 30 A – 34 points Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi, Juolevi was picked by the Canucks ahead of defenders like Mikhail Sergachev, Charlie McAvoy and Jakob Chychrun, A Canucks special, in the context of the franchise’s drafting history from who have already established themselves as star level contributors for 1980 to 2000 in particular: using a 10th pick on a stay-at-home defender their respective teams. who had 26 points in 67 WHL games in his draft year, only to see a true great (Marian Hossa) selected two picks later. Bust Tier Traded along with Pavel Bure to the Panthers, Ference, to his credit, 40. Shawn Antoski managed to carve out a 250-game NHL career as a pugilist playing the 18th, 1990 bulk of his NHL games with Sun Belt teams in Florida and Arizona. Career statistics: 183 GP, 3 G – 5 A – 8 points 35. Jake Virtanen On the draft floor at BC Place in 1990, Canucks brass held a vigorous 6th, 2014 debate about whether or not to select Shawn Antoski out of the OHL or Career statistics: 317 GP, 55 G – 45 A – 100 points Keith Tkachuk, a bruising prep player who had been injured throughout his draft year. Quinn himself made the decision and the club went with Selected sixth in a loaded 2014 draft class, Jake Virtanen has topped out Antoski. as a depth scorer in his NHL career. Of the 20 forwards selected after Virtanen in the first round of the 2014 draft, 14 have scored more points While Antoski was nearly a point per game player in his draft year, he in their NHL careers to this point. was the fourth-leading scorer on his own team. With the advantage of modern analytical advancements, we’d now have a sharper Virtanen is currently on leave from the team pending an investigation into understanding of that as a red flag. allegations of sexual misconduct. While Antoski played a regular role for the 1994 Canucks on their run to 36. Jere Gillis Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, the next three picks off the board were Tkachuk, Martin Brodeur and Bryan Smolinski — all of them played over 4th, 1978 1,000 NHL games, one of them was a similar player type to Antoski but Career statistics: 386 GP, 78 G – 95 A – 173 points also a star offensive piece and one is a Hockey Hall of Famer. Selected fourth in a relatively strong 1978 draft class, two picks ahead of 41. Nicklas Jensen Doug Wilson, Jere Gillis was a depth player who spent the majority of his 29th, 2011 career with the Canucks. Career statistics: 31 GP, 3 G – 3 A – 6 points Gillis was a linemate of Vaive’s in the QMJHL and one imagines the club mistook which player was driving the bus on that line in 1978 when they The 2011 draft class was relatively deep toward the end of the first selected Gillis. One wonders if they then focused on uniting the two round, but the Canucks selected Nicklas Jensen, who never carved out linemates in 1979, thus overlooking Bourque. an everyday spot in the NHL. On the one hand, Jensen was selected one pick behind Zack Philips who never made it to The Show at all. On the While Gillis had a meaningful NHL career, his IMDB page is much more other he was picked one pick ahead of Rickard Rakell, four picks ahead impressive than his HockeyDB page. Gillis’ post-playing career has led of Rocco Grimaldi and eight picks ahead of Boone Jenner. 42. Josh Holden selection by the Canucks in 2015. Boeser noted in that interview that one memory he had of the Canucks from growing up is that he remembered 12th, 1996 they drafted White, who he watched play high school hockey as a kid. Career statistics: 60 GP, 5 G – 9 A – 14 points It seemed like a really bad omen at the time, though it hasn’t stopped The 1996 draft class wasn’t particularly good, but after the Canucks used Boeser from becoming a bona fide first-line talent. the 12th pick on Josh Holden the next three players off the board were 49. Dan Woodley Derek Morris, Marty Reasoner and Dainius Zubrus. Zubrus and Morris both appeared in over 1,000 NHL games while Reasoner was a 7th, 1986 defensive ace that hung around the NHL and held asset value in several notable trades over the course of his NHL career. Career statistics: 5 GP, 2 G – 0 A – 2 points Holden was ultimately sent to Toronto for Jeff Farkas, who the club later The problem isn’t so much that Woodley himself busted as an NHL bundled to Atlanta for Chris Herperger and Chris Nielsen. contributor, it’s that the Canucks owed a pick in either the 1986 or the 1987 NHL Draft to the Bruins as part of the Cam Neely trade. They opted 43. Hunter Shinkaruk to keep the pick in 1986 to select Woodley, only to lose their 1987 pick, which ended up being the third pick. The Bruins selected Glen Wesley 24th, 2013 with that pick and Wesley played almost 1,500 NHL games! Career statistics: 15 GP, 2 G – 2 A – 4 points Woodley lives in Denver and coaches high school hockey. Hunter Shinkaruk was an offensive dynamo in junior with a ton of projectable tools, deceptive skating ability and a plus shot. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 But it never translated to the NHL level. Shinkaruk had a strong second season as a professional but was subsequently dealt by the Canucks for Markus Granlund and never really retrieved the effectiveness he showed with the at any other stop in the AHL. To make matters additionally painful, he was selected two picks ahead of local product Shea Theodore. Shinkaruk is currently playing in the KHL. 44. 8th, 1989 Career statistics: 1 GP, 0 G – 1 A – 1 point Drafted out of the University of North Dakota, Jason Herter was beset by groin issues during the early part of his Canucks career. He ultimately played in one NHL game several years down the road for the New York Islanders and has gone on to a career as a scout and assistant coach in the USHL and collegiate hockey. 45. Libor Polasek 21st, 1992 Career statistics: n/a 46. Alek Stojanov 7th, 1991 Career statistics: 107 GP, 2 G – 5 A – 7 points How bad was the Canucks’ selection of Alek Stojanov and Libor Polasek? Consider this passage from the usually restrained Iain MacIntyre: “In successive first rounds, they plucked Alek Stojanov seventh over-all in 1991 and then detonated the H-bomb on themselves in 1992 in the form of Libor Polasek, who soon vanished. Not so the Canucks’ reputation for picking more duds than CBS programmers.” Classic negative Vancouver media. 47. Nathan Smith 23rd, 2000 Career statistics: 26 GP, 0 G – 0 A – 0 points Nathan Smith is more famous for being arrested when he paid off a bet during an evening of drinking by going streaking than he is for his hockey exploits. Among the 10 picks that followed Vancouver’s selection of Smith, other NHL teams drafted the following players: Brad Boyes, Nick Schultz, Niklas Kronwall, Steve Ott, Brian Sutherby and Mr. Game 7 himself, Justin Williams. 48. Patrick White 25th, 2007 Career statistics: n/a Selected one pick ahead of David Perron, Patrick White never played in an NHL game. A Minnesota high school hockey legend, I’ll never forget the interview Boeser gave in the pod at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., following his Websites In search of a solution, Frölunda reached out to Västerås IK (where 1189317 they’d already placed Red Wings draft pick Gustav Berglund) in the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan at the end of January. The Athletic / What is the allure of prospect Simon Edvinsson in the NHL In Västerås, Edvinsson found a bit of a groove, playing an average of Draft: ‘Just imagine how good he can be’ 13:48 per game and picking up five assists and 16 shots in 14 games, as well as another three points and five shots on goal in 13:08 average ice time across six playoff games. By Scott Wheeler Västerås staff noticed the same things Sjöström and his group with Frölunda had before them. Jun 3, 2021 “I understand the hype about him,” Västerås general manager Patrik Zetterberg said. “He’s really good. He’s a big guy and still he has to get He’s the 2021 NHL Draft’s unicorn. He knows it. Those who’ve worked some muscle on that body, but he’s just so smooth with his hands and he with him know it. There’s just something about Simon Edvinsson that’s moves like a quick, smaller player. He handles the puck incredibly well different. and sees the ice really well. His hockey sense is very high, and he’s so young. When he starts to realize what it all means and how to handle all He’s a rangy, haywire 6-foot-4 198-pound defenseman with hands like a of that talent, watch out.” player 10 inches shorter and lateral agility like one 40 pounds lighter. As did the NHL scouts that spilled into their rink to watch him. But as those who know him will tell you, there’s also a method to his madness. And as he’ll tell you, there’s more to those unique attributes At ABB Arena Nord, where 10-scout capacity limits had been placed, than genetics. there was never an empty seat once Edvinsson arrived. He has crafted himself through hard work and promises to get the most “Everyone is coming through, everyone is calling me, and all of the out of his one-of-a-kind package. scouts are all over me about him. And I understand it because I’ve followed a lot of young players and I understand why this kid is Fredrik Sjöström knows a thing or two about developing NHL prospects. something special. I would be really surprised if he wasn’t picked really Twenty years ago, he was drafted 11th in the 2001 NHL Draft by the early,” Zetterberg said. Phoenix Coyotes. In the decade that followed, he played in the WHL (where he called Ryan Getzlaf and Johnny Boychuk teammates) and Zetterberg fielded the same questions over and over as regional NHL NHL (where he played with rookies Keith Yandle, Kyle Turris and Nazem scouts tried to make sense of Edvinsson. Kadri). In recent years, it has been Sjöström’s job to develop prospects They’d ask if they were crazy to think he had the highest potential in the as the general manager of Frölunda HC, where he has worked with draft. And they wondered about his potential if he put it all together. Winnipeg’s Kristian Vesalainen, Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin, Los Angeles’ Samuel Fagemo and Detroit’s Lucas Raymond. “Just imagine how good he can be,” Zetterberg would answer, “and that’s how good he can be.” Somehow, though, he’s not sure he’s ever seen a prospect quite like Edvinsson. When they’d poke and prod on what he was like off of the ice, and if he had the disposition to figure it out and reach his true potential, Zetterberg “He’s got some unique qualities, that’s for sure,” Sjöstrom said, would answer quickly. chuckling. “A big guy like that who is really effortless on the ice, a smooth skater who is very mobile, and he’s got a great reach with his long limbs “He’s not a kid that doesn’t know what he’s doing. He came here by and his long stick. He can really close the gap and has great gap control. himself and it has been no problem. He was only 17 when he arrived and Even on the big ice, he trusts his skating and he can close opponents then he turned 18 here. And he took care of himself. We didn’t have to out. That’s a special talent that he has. And then for being that big, he’s help him around or get him on schedules. Like all young players, he had got a lot of skill in his hands and good vision. He’s a very special player.” to get into it on and off the ice, but he worked hard,” Zetterberg said. Edvinsson hasn’t traveled the same linear path as Dahlin or Raymond. When they called Sjöstrom with the same questions, his answers rang His hockey journey started much like theirs did, with a trip to the rink with out to the same tune. Sjöstrom describes his pupil as easygoing, the kind Tobbe (dad) at 4 years old and hockey schools soon after when he fell in of person who always has a smile on his face and took the highs and love with the game. He signed on with agent Peter Werner of CAA, a lows of his draft year in stride. But there’s also a quiet determination to giant of the industry. But he wasn’t always viewed as the “next big thing.” him beneath the surface. There was always something about Edvinsson’s development that left “All of the teams have been calling the whole season asking not only just people equal parts intrigued and unsure about what he could become. about Simon’s unique set of skills but there have been quite a many phone calls about his play, his work ethic, and what kind of personality he That was true at 16, even as he began to impress with the national team is. The NHL teams are really doing their due diligence on him, that’s for and made his way into game action with Frölunda’s under-18 team. It sure,” Sjöström said. “But he always comes to to the rink very interested was true last year when he finished second on Team Sweden in scoring in getting better. He wants to know what he can do better every day. He’s at the under-17 worlds with five points in as many games and finished the kind of guy who has big eyes and big ears and he wants to improve the year with six points in his first eight games at Sweden’s top junior every day, which is a lot of fun for our coaches.” level, establishing himself as a likely top-10 pick in the 2021 class and, in some circles, a contender for No. 1. Edvinsson admits that the height thing comes from his mom and dad. Both of his parents, Tobbe and Åsa, are tall. As is his only brother, And it’s still true today, with his draft year in the books. He’s a weird Hannes, who is already 6-foot-2 at 16 years old. prospect and this was a weird year. Tobbe is a police officer and Åsa is a personal trainer, so some of the After starting the 2020-21 season with Frölunda’s junior club, where he athleticism, he confesses, comes from them too. posted six points in 13 games in September and October, the pandemic disrupted the schedule, necessitating time spent with the SHL team, “We’re a moving family,” Simon Edvinsson said on a recent phone call. where staff were captivated by his long frame and erratic style but “And we’re a tall family. I grow a little all the time it seems. But I’ve thought he needed more time before taking on regular minutes at the top always been tall.” level. But when he’s asked about his uncharacteristically soft hands or the way Without anywhere else for him to play, Edvinsson then skated in 10 he dodges pressure through his wide skating stance, he insists that those games in the SHL between mid-November and mid-January, bouncing in tools are his own doing. The hands, he says, have been his biggest focus and out of the lineup while averaging 5:48 per game (a difficult way to be for each of his last four offseasons as he’s set out to build a game that scouted as a top prospect for the upcoming draft). doesn’t look or play anything like people would expect out of a defenseman as big as he is. “He did well with us in our big club but when it came down to it, we wanted to give him some good ice time,” Sjöstrom said. “When the junior “I haven’t always had my hands. Whenever I’ve gone through my game team wasn’t allowed to play, we didn’t want him to play limited minutes to see what I can do to get more ice time since a young age, I’ve known with us for his development, we really wanted him to play and keep that I’ve needed to be a good puck handler and then I’ve literally worked developing.” on it every day to get comfortable with the puck and be strong at it,” Edvinsson said. His movement and his fearlessness (which he says some confuse as erratic) come from time spent on a mat learning to wrestle and training as a mixed martial artist. “MMA builds my core and smooths my motions. It builds strength right up to the neck and helps me keep an aggressive mentality on the ice,” Edvinsson said. “I try to use my length with my body to get smooth and still have good mobility. I’ve worked a lot with the trainers in Frölunda on that, but also with my mother and in MMA classes.” When he got settled with Västerås, Edvinsson felt like his hard work all on fronts, including time spent training by himself while he was a scratch in the SHL, began to pay off in the HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs, crescendoing nicely into under-18 worlds in Texas at the end of April and beginning of May. After reviewing Edvinsson’s game with Västerås, Sjöström got excited about the player Frölunda expects to play in the SHL next season. Zetterberg saw him grow firsthand in that experience, arguing that Edvinsson got a better “hockey education” in HockeyAllsvenskan than he would have had he continued on his in-and-out trend with Frölunda. In particular, Zetterberg also pointed to Edvinsson’s poised play without the puck as better than he’s given credit for. “He’s good defensively. He’s good in all ends. He’s not only an offensive defenseman. He’s more of a two-way defenseman who has incredible offensive skills,” Zetterberg said. If anything, Zetterberg said Västerås felt like he needed to develop his shot more than his defensive-zone game. “He can really carry the puck up and he’s good at the blue line but he just always wants to pass the puck instead of playing the shot. He’s so good at taking himself to really good positions for the shot but he tries to find teammates to pass so that they can score instead,” Zetterberg said. Edvinsson plans to make his shot his focus this summer so that he can take his unique blend of size, skating and skill as far as everyone hopes he can go. He’s happy with the rest of his game, so much so that when he’s asked to consider areas other than his shot to improve, he has to pause. “I think I have an eye for the game. When I carry out the puck, my passing play is really good. But most of all my skating and how I handle the puck is my best. And my weaknesses … oh, this is hard,” he said, as if confident to a fault. “Of course I have a lot of things that I can improve. I think I get too offensive sometimes and that’s maybe my weakness.” Zetterberg expects that attitude will combine with Edvinsson’s tools to propel him into the bright lights of the NHL. “(Edvinsson) wants to make a big difference every shift on the ice, especially when he knows that all of the scouts in the stands are just looking at him. But I think he’s a pretty special situation. He’s not stressed about it. He’s pretty cool about it. He just says ‘ah, I don’t care, it’ll be what it’ll be’ and that’s better than the other way,” Zetterberg said. “I think he’s pretty aware that he lives on talent.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Websites “It’s as if he could see where he was headed as a young kid and knew 1189318 the work he had to put in to get there. He was never confused about where he wanted to go as a young player. A lot of players in Minnesota, they want to play Division I hockey, that’s their ultimate goal. For Chaz, it The Athletic / NHL draft-eligible Chaz Lucius is more than his goal has always been the NHL.” scoring At the end of every year, Hengen would ask himself and the other coaches the same question as they traveled North America for tournaments: “Have you seen anyone you’d take over Chaz?” By Scott Wheeler The answer was always no. Jun 3, 2021 “In our mind, he’s the top guy. Chaz was the best goal scorer in the age group and he still is. Some things don’t change. He’s the alpha when he Chaz Lucius was at home in Grant, Minn., recovering from knee surgery steps onto the ice,” Hengen said. “And he’s a 24/7 guy. You don’t come that derailed the most important year of his life. Whenever he got on a across those hardly ever. He’s on a level that we don’t see.” phone call with his coach in Michigan, or showed up to the Training Chaz Lucius had 18 points in 12 games for the U.S. NTDP. HAUS or the rink in Minnesota to see another coach, he had something new to relay about what he learned during his time off. Hockey was the last sport Chaz picked up. Tammy played college basketball at Minnesota State University-Mankato, so he started with He spoke of the books he’d been reading and the journalling he was basketball at 6. Then came soccer and golf. He didn’t play hockey until 8, doing. The first book he read was “Greenlights,” a memoir by actor a year before Hengen saw him. Matthew McConaughey. The second was “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy The Odds,” a self-help memoir by David Goggins. Chaz and Cruz fell in love with it because they could play together, with Chaz playing center and his little brother slotting in on his right wing. The coach from Minnesota, Billy Hengen, has worked with Lucius since he was 10 years old. The coach from Michigan, Dan Muse, had just Until Chaz left for the national program in the fall of 2019, with Cruz taken over USA Hockey’s national development program’s 2003 age following a year later, they’d never played apart. group and was getting to know the team’s leading scorer from a year earlier through those frequent calls. “He’s my favorite person,” Cruz said. “He’s just so fun to be around, he’s always positive and he’s always been the leader on our team. That’s one Hengen wasn’t surprised by Lucius’ attitude. thing that more people should know about him. Off of the ice, I try to be a really positive guy and a good leader, just like Chaz.” “I think he’s like God’s gift to the Earth. No bullshit, no coach speak, his mindset is on another planet. He’s not human. I’ve never seen it. He’s the On the ice or the basketball court or the soccer pitch, their Tom Brady of 17-year-olds,” Hengen said. “As a coach you’re like ‘whoa, competitiveness came from each other, and there was always a score. maybe I should be doing what he’s doing.’” But they never fought, learning instead to feed off one another. Muse caught on quickly during their frequent chats. “We always knew where each other were on the ice and built a really good relationship with each other out there that way,” Cruz said. “He’s “There was no feeling bad for himself. It was just ‘all right, this is what I always had such a good shot and ability to score goals and playing with can control, I’m going to make the best out of this time, and I’m going to him I developed a really good mindset for passing. We had really good make sure that I come back even stronger than when I went out,’” Muse chemistry. I piled up the assists.” said. “And the way he approached it is going to really benefit him long term as well.” In their first season apart, Chaz became a star with USA Hockey, scoring a team-high 31 goals and 50 points in 46 games, and adding seven goals Lucius is a top prospect for the 2021 NHL Draft whose goal-scoring and 10 points in six games to lead the under-17 worlds in both categories exploits could earn him a top-10 selection. He didn’t make his return to en route to a silver medal. the U.S. NTDP’s lineup until Feb. 19, 2021, more than 30 games into his team’s season. But in advance of Chaz’s draft year, and Cruz’s first year with the program, both couldn’t wait to reunite in Michigan, where Tammy and But according to those who know him best, it’s not just his ability to put Chuck rotate in and out of a place they have there to keep an eye on the puck in the net that separates him. Clearly, as Muse and Hengen their sons. But when Cruz left to start his new chapter, Chaz stayed attest, there’s more that drives Lucius. behind to nurse his knee, which had left him in pain the previous season The first time Hengen saw Lucius play hockey was from the opposing due to a bone lesion (a tear or fracture in the cartilage covering the joint). bench. “When I first heard the news, it wasn’t great, but you learn that there’s not Hengen was coaching a stacked 9-year-old AAA team called the much you can do about it, so each day I just progressed and tried to get Minnesota Blades and midway through the game he called a timeout and back as soon as I could to the team,” Chaz said. “I promised myself from thought to himself, “we’re going to lose to one guy.” Day 1 that I wasn’t going to get down and get sad.” Late in the game, that one guy scored the game-winning goal, punching For the first few months of his recovery, that required rehabbing his knee the ice as he celebrated. After the game, Hengen got the kid’s name off seven days a week at the Training HAUS, two hours in a hyperbaric the scoresheet, skipped his postgame chat and rushed into the arena’s chamber five days a week, and no hockey. lobby. He didn’t get back on the ice in Minnesota for skates until December. “Can someone direct me to Chaz Lucius’ mom or dad?” he asked. “The process was definitely long, and hard, and grueling, but I feel like I In the lobby, he met Lucius’ mom, Tammy, and asked for her number. A learned a lot from it. … I really honed in on the gym because I could do year later, Chaz and his younger brother Cruz both joined Hengen’s 10- that right when I got back. And then when I could start skating again, I year-old team and went to the famed Brick Tournament in Edmonton was just working on getting the motion back in my knees,” Chaz said. together, where both Lucius boys made the all-tournament team. When Through it all and in the middle of a pandemic, he was fielding interviews Tammy and Chuck Lucius — Chaz’s father — launched Gentry from NHL clubs who wanted updates on his status. Academy, a school for grades 5-12 in St. Paul, in 2017, Hengen coached Chaz there, too, as well as with the Blades in the summers through the Early on in that process, Hengen showed him a video on how Connor 5S Hockey Training program he runs. McDavid overcame his knee surgery. Lucius, Hengen says, took it to heart. Hengen remembers thinking that Chaz Lucius, at 10 years old, was more consistent than any of the players on the high school team. By 11, Lucius When it was finally time for him to return to Michigan, the proof was in the was the only player on the ice who could one-time a puck. progress he’d made. Hengen always felt like his pupil was out of place, but only in the best “He was excited to tackle the challenge,” Hengen said. “Young players ways. don’t know how to approach their first injury but he did and he did it above and beyond. Before he left, he told me that his mindset had never “It was incredible to see his demeanor and work ethic and how he been stronger and I said to him ‘I think your shot’s better than it has ever approached the game as a young kid. He has always seemed to be five been too.'” to 10 years ahead of his time in terms of his mindset and his maturity. He acted like a pro even though he wasn’t a pro. That’s who he is. That’s Chaz Lucius is expected to join the University of Minnesota next season. who he has always been,” Hengen said. In Lucius’ first game back with Team USA, he scored two goals on his first two shots against the Chicago Steel. By the time he’d played a month’s worth of games, he had 11 goals and 16 points in nine games after a 12-month layoff. “The expectations for him coming back were to go do your best and not put too much pressure on yourself right away and then he turns around and scores three goals in his first two games,” he said. “And it’s emotional to see him succeed that quick, but that defines who he is.” Muse’s first impression of Lucius was how his teammates were “thrilled” when he returned to the dressing room. Then he got him on the ice. “When he came back, his ability to create offense both with his shot and his playmaking ability, it really stood out to me from Day 1. He’s got a great sense of where to go and there are a lot of little things he does once he has entered the zone, whether it’s entering the zone or once the team has established possession, just to get himself open,” Muse said. “Then you combine that offensive sense with really great hands, the shot from distance, the shot in tight, and it’s just a really threatening combination. He’s a really fun player to work with.” The adversity of his draft year didn’t end with his knee injury, though. After finishing with 13 goals and 18 points in 12 games leading into the under-18 world championships, tournament protocols prevented him from participating when he fell ill with a high temperature and his quarantine overlapped with an April 18 deadline for arrival in Dallas. The news left him “beyond upset,” according to one source, because his knee had nothing to do with not being able to participate and he wanted badly to win a gold medal. In the games he did play, though, the hockey world got to see Chaz’s skill, including his teammates. Forward Ryan St. Louis called Chaz’s shot second-to-none and points to his 200-foot game as underrated. Defenseman Aidan Hreschuk said they missed his scoring and he looked like his old self from his very first practice back. And even after a difficult year, Chaz remains confident about who he is and where he’s going. “My goal scoring is definitely the top of the line in this draft and I know it’s that,” he said. “And then I’ve also got puck protection skills. I’m 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, and I use that to get down low and get into tight areas to not only score from the top of the circles with my shot but also to score down low. And then with my passing abilities and with my transition game, I can find the open guy.” He’s also relieved to be pain-free. “I feel like what I went through, not many kids my age can say that they went through that. Just the mental toughness and the stick-to-itiveness to be out there and give it all I’ve got has really helped me become a better player after this injury,” he said. “I feel like myself. I think I’m better from it.” Skills coach Nick Quinn of Power Edge Pro, who has also worked with top 2021 NHL Draft prospects Owen Power and Cole Sillinger, thinks Lucius’ skill makes him a top 5-10 pick in 2021 “all day long.” “Nothing surprises me with him because his work ethic is incredible. You just watch him play this electrifying, offensive, upbeat style and he has grown into his body over the years and he’s a force,” Quinn said. But there’s something else that does too. “When you talk to him, you get the impression very quickly that he’s not your average teenager by any stretch,” Quinn said. “Chaz is all business.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Websites same age. He was a rather rare freshman defenseman,” said one NHL 1189319 executive.

As an underage in Chicago of the USHL, where Power was named The Athletic / NHL Draft scouting report: What to expect from likely No. 1 defenseman of the year, his production was rather off the charts for pick Owen Power someone who wasn’t in their draft year. With few comparisons, the closest would be Jordan Schmaltz, who was a late first-round pick, but the two players’ size and skating profiles are vastly different when it comes to pro projections. By Corey Pronman What the hockey world is saying Jun 2, 2021 Mel Pearson, Michigan coach: “His size and mobility stand out quickly but he’s so smooth on the ice and smart. He’s a play ahead of Owen Power enters the 2021 NHL Draft as the presumed favorite to be everything. He has great body position, he’s competitive. He’s not Cale the No. 1 pick, with most — albeit not all NHL scouts — saying he would Makar or Quinn Hughes but he has offensive creativity. He can jump into be their top ranked prospect. the play, he can shoot it. He has so much about his game that impresses.” The draft lottery will be held on Wednesday, providing a better idea of where Power is likely to play. The Ducks, Sabres, Kraken and Devils NHL scout: “He’s the safe pick. There’s no miss factor with him. He’s have the best odds of winning the lottery. huge, intelligent and a graceful skater. He’s going to help an NHL team in all phases, he’s solid defensively, good in transition and has offense. Now we dive into what Power is as a player and what teams can expect He’s also a really mature, grounded kid.” from the defenseman. NHL scout: “He’s first overall. He’s a really good skater for his size, he Skating is the foundation of Power’s game. has good skill for his size. He can make plays. He’s a good defender, you wish he had a little more hardness in him, but he will be more than a You don’t see many big men with the kind of speed he has. Look at the good enough defender in the NHL.” way he can hook the net and get up the ice, and you can easily envision him creating a lot of controlled exits and entries. NHL executive: “I don’t see how he isn’t a top-pair defenseman in the NHL. Could he play a little more physical? Sure. But everything else is His edgework is very good, as well. He can evade pressure at a high there. You don’t see a whole lot of first-year, draft-eligible defensemen be level, and walk the offensive blue line to make his checks miss and as good as he was in college, playing heavy minutes and doing so create offense. effectively.” One of the most important aspects of defending other than breaking up NHL scout: “He’s going to play, he’s going to be top-four, no question in plays is puck retrievals. In that aspect, Power is excellent due to his my mind. I would be surprised if in 10 years you told me he ended up the mobility. Pucks shot into his zone that for most are a contested battle are best player from this draft.” an easy zone exit for him. NHL scout: “I think there’s untapped offense in his game. You look at big Defensively, his skating allows him to get away with some mistakes and guys like Hedman, the offense came later. I think the same could happen recover from trying to create in the offensive zone. with Power. What he did in Chicago was pretty special for his age.” He’s not an overly physical defender but his reach and skating allow him Ryan Hardy, general manager of the Chicago Steel: “He’s very to break up a lot of plays, create turnovers and maintain offensive zone intelligent, very competitive, very big and mobile for his size. He has an possession because of how quickly he can close on opponents and get inner drive to get better and add layers to his game. He has poise, tight to pucks. area skills and a desire to join the rush.” The common comparable used to Power is Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman. Kent Johnson, teammate at Michigan: “He’s a special defenseman, you When I asked Power about what he takes away from watching Hedman, don’t see guys with his playstyle too much where you’re that big, and you Power said: “He can put up points, but he kills a lot of plays before they have the speed and skill of a top forward.” even start. Coming out of the other team’s end he’s always right on top of the other team’s forwards, his gaps and stick are excellent.” Projection You can see that type of defending in Power’s game in how he closes Owen Power may not have the offensive stat line, the long highlight reel gaps in the offensive and neutral zone. nor the years of over-the-top hype as some other No. 1 picks, but he is still a fantastic prospect who will be a big part of an NHL team. “He takes up so much space, you can’t get by him,” said one NHL scout on Power’s defending. He projects as a top-pair defenseman in the NHL who plays hard minutes, can kill penalties, and can be on an NHL power play but Power isn’t doesn’t make dazzling highlight reel offensive plays like probably in a PP2 role. Given the lack of true elite offensive skill and recent No. 1 picks Jack Hughes, Rasmus Dahlin and Alexis Lafrenière. A production, I am skeptical of tagging him as a projected NHL star, but I lot of the time his game will be skating pucks out of trouble and making a do think he has the potential to be that. If you told me in seven or eight strong first pass up the ice. years that Power became as valuable as Dougie Hamilton or Hedman, I But I do think though that there is offense in his game. Inside the could completely buy that outcome. Given how good Power looked offensive zone, he shows the ability to make plays, to find seams and to playing with and against NHL players at the world championships, I could easily envision him in the NHL next season and more than holding his show good patience to create scoring chances. own. NHL scouts always point to his hockey sense as his primary way of creating offense, and you see it in how he makes plays inside the offensive blue line. The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 I don’t expect him to be an elite offensive player in the NHL, but I do expect the offense to be significant, and for him to help an NHL team in transition and on the power play. Production Power’s stat line may not jump off the page to you this season for a projected first pick, but comparing him to other first-year, draft-eligible defensemen who were picked in the first round out of college, it is right in line. All but one of the five mentioned in the table were late birth dates, with Zach Werenski being much younger than the rest of that peer group at the time of his draft. Power’s production excites scouts when you line it up to that peer group. “He provides a lot of offense, in line with current highly skilled NHL defensemen while also being better defensively than a lot of them at the Websites Seriously, why are they in the drawing at all? Just take them out and 1189320 adjust everyone else’s odds. The only explanation I can come up with is that the league wants there to be some small chance of the team knowing it cost itself the first pick, which is super mean and more than a The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: The 2021 draft lottery power rankings little petty. I’m kind of here for it. according to maximum chaos factor, who actually deserves it, and more The “Who Actually Deserves It?” Rankings

This one’s always tricky, because what does it really mean to “deserve” a By Sean McIndoe lottery win? For some fans, it just means you were the worst team. For others, being a terribly run organization shouldn’t earn you anything, and Jun 2, 2021 a team that made an earnest effort to actually win is more deserving of a reward than one that tanked. I’ve been doing my annual draft lottery power rankings for years now, Not ranked: New York Rangers and it’s usually one of my favorite columns to write. But I’ll admit that I Luckily they’re a long shot, but after two straight years of winning a top- toyed with the idea of skipping it this year. After all, what weird scenario two pick, it had better not happen again. could I possibly come up with that would even come close to last year’s real results? We had a lottery, then a team that was still playing won the 5. Seattle Kraken top pick, but we didn’t know which team, and so we had a second lottery weeks later. It was awful, and also brilliant, the new gold standard by They didn’t even win a single game last year. which all other lottery chaos will be measured. 4. Ottawa Senators This year is back to normal … kind of. There’s no risk of a playoff team They’re rebuilding but improving, and they haven’t had much lottery luck winning or a sequel in a few weeks. But the league did decide to switch lately. Plus, they’re the whole reason we have a lottery in the first place, up the rules on us, so let’s do a quick refresher on how this works now. so they might as well reap some of the rewards. The big change for this year is that we’re only drawing two teams now 3. New Jersey Devils instead of the usual three. Two more changes — reducing how many spots a winning team can move up, and preventing teams from winning Oof. On the one hand, they’ve already won two lotteries for the top pick. twice in a five-year period — don’t kick in until next season. As an added On the other hand, they did play well down the stretch to win the Gold twist, don’t forget that Seattle has joined the fray. Oh, and for the first Plan race in an alternate universe where the NHL used that vastly better time since 2017, there’s some genuine intrigue around who’ll end up and more entertaining way to determine the draft order. Let’s split the going number one. difference and put them halfway down the list. You know what? We can work with this. If you want actual useful 2. Detroit Red Wings information, you can find the odds for each team here. If you want to get weird, keep reading. Last year’s Wings were one of the worst teams in modern history, but they made some genuine strides forward this year. More importantly, The “Maximum Chaos” Ranking they’ve had awful luck in recent lotteries. If we’re going to leave the top picks to random chance, we should at least hope that the luck evens out Let’s lead off with one of my favorite categories. Team Chaos fans, unite. over time for the worst teams. Not ranked: Anaheim Ducks 1. Vancouver Canucks They have the second-best odds, they’re legitimately bad, they’re pretty That season-ending schedule crunch was brutal and probably never much committed to a rebuild … honestly, your friend would ask you who should have been allowed to happen, but the Canucks fought through won a day later and you wouldn’t remember. and even won a few games when everyone would have understood if 5. Buffalo Sabres they’d just mailed it in and banked better odds. It would be kind of cool in hindsight to see a few of those wins be the points that pushed them into Most years, the team with the best lottery odds lands in the “not ranked” a winning draft slot. space. After all, what’s chaotic about the most likely outcome? But this year, after everything the Sabres have been through, you can’t help but The “Which Team Needs It Most?” Ranking wonder what might happen if they get the top pick. Would they forget to Top picks are super valuable in today’s NHL, so every team needs one to use it? Go back to what worked in the past and take Gilbert Perreault? some extent. But if a team already has a strong prospect pipeline or a Give it to the Bills, since they might actually get some use out of it? The young core in place or some basic hope for the future, we can skip them mind boggles. on this ranking. In other words, if your team isn’t here, take it as a 4. Vancouver Canucks, or one of the teams right around them compliment. Longtime readers know I love to point out single games that changed the Not ranked: Seattle Kraken lottery results, and that last week of Canucks games that were played They’re an expansion team, which means the league’s rules basically despite the playoffs already starting would be fertile ground for an “if guarantee that they’ll be an instant Cup contender. At least, that’s how only” scenario one way or another. it’s been explained to me by bitter fans who never said that in 2017 but 3. Any of the bottom five teams changed their mind after the Golden Knights kicked their team in the teeth. Any of Chicago, Calgary, Philadelphia, Dallas or New York winning the draw for the top pick would be fun, because everyone will go “Ah, they 5. Calgary Flames can’t move up all the way to number one because of the new rules,” then The Flames feel like a classic team that should probably rebuild but is realize that part doesn’t kick in until next year. going to hold out on the inevitable for way too long, which is frustrating 2. New Jersey Devils for their fans because they did the same thing at the end of the Iginla era. A lottery win might nudge them down the right path. Similar to the last entry, imagine having a team that’s already won two No. 1 picks in recent years win again, only to have everyone realize that 4. Vancouver Canucks the “you can’t win too often” rule also doesn’t start this year. When you insist on using all your cap space on veteran depth guys, you (By the way, shout out to the NHL for convincing itself it had specific really need a few good players on ELCs to have any chance. problems, coming up with solutions to address those problems, and then 3. San Jose Sharks intentionally delaying those fixes for a year. You can’t say this league isn’t on brand.) One bad year can be a fluke, but two in a row is a pattern. They’ve never tanked because a roster full of untradeable contracts means they can’t, 1. Arizona Coyotes but man do they have a long way to go. They don’t have a first-round pick, as part of their punishment for 2. Columbus Blue Jackets breaking combine testing rules. But they’re still in the lottery, for reasons nobody seems quite clear on, which means that if they win, there’s a I’ll always respect the Blue Jackets’ decision to go for it in 2019, even if it redraw. didn’t work out in the long term. Now the bill has come due, the most successful coach in franchise history has left, their top center was traded, They’re a good team in a great city, and when it comes to the pressure of a franchise defenseman is probably next, and there’s lots of work to be top draft picks producing right out of the gate, let’s just say the bar has done. been set nice and low. 1. Buffalo Sabres 1. Seattle Kraken Last year, I ranked the Sabres number one in this category and wrote: Maybe the Knights made it look too easy, but starting your career with an “The team needs it. The new front office needs it. More than anything, expansion team seems like it would be awesome, right? You get in on the fans need it. This is a team that desperately needs some good news.” the ground floor as an early face of the franchise, expectations shouldn’t Since then, they fired their coach, signed the top UFA forward and be crazy in a market that’s still learning, and there should be a spot watched him score two goals, healthy scratched their second most available on the roster if you can earn it. Plus teenagers love mythical expensive player, had their franchise player get injured and then monsters. basically ask for a trade, had a record 18-game losing streak and finished dead last. The “Which team might trade down?” Ranking My only hesitation on this ranking is that I’m trying to come up with a spot Every year, I like to pretend there’s a chance that a team will win the higher than “one.” lottery and then throw the pick onto the open market and reap a windfall. Every year I’m disappointed, but I’m a Leafs fan, so you know I don’t The “Conspiracy Theories Are Fun” Ranking learn from that. Would Gary Bettman pick up the phone in the middle of the night and Not ranked: Buffalo Sabres insist on a certain team winning the lottery? No, because it’s the playoffs and the NHL doesn’t want anyone to make a late call. Thank you, tip your Jack Eichel and the No. 1 pick for Connor McDavid, WHO SAYS NO? Oh waitress, let’s make up some conspiracies. right, everyone. Not ranked: Arizona Coyotes 5. San Jose Sharks This might be the first time I haven’t had the Coyotes in this section, but Are they one big trade away from being back in contention? No. But does the whole “we will instantly re-pick if you win” thing seems like a Doug Wilson know that? I’m pretty sure he does, but we can always dealbreaker. hope. 5. Buffalo Sabres 4. Anaheim Ducks Mainly because at this point, I think that something good happening to Are you getting an impatient vibe out of Anaheim? I kind of am. The this team and its fans would immediately fall into the category of things pipeline is already in good shape, the division is weak, and Bob Murray’s that could only be explained nefariously. seat might be getting warm. 4. Seattle Kraken 3. Philadelphia Flyers Thanks for the $650 million guys, anything else we can get for you? The last time they randomly had a terrible season out of nowhere, the lottery gods smote them. Maybe this time, they decide to get some short- 3. Detroit Red Wings term help instead. The league kind of sort of changed the lottery rules in response to how 2. Los Angeles Kings often the Red Wings were losing, and having them just happen to come up with the top pick in a year where a Michigan kid was near the top of Seriously, if the Kings win the lottery their ping pong ball should just fall the draft board would at least give the tin-foil hat types something to out of the raffle contraption, bounce down a Plinko board, and then drop chew on. directly onto a Rube Goldberg machine where it keeps rolling and rolling all the way to Kevyn Adams to complete the Eichel trade. 2. Dallas Stars 1. New York Rangers Their odds are minuscule, plus the Stars are coming off a nightmare year of injuries, COVID and schedule disruptions. A win would be a nice feel- They already have two recent lottery picks, there’s a new GM on the job, good story for a team that could use it. And whenever something nice and the crazy owner just remembered he’s a crazy owner and wants to happens, somebody somewhere will complain about it. win now. The Rangers might be the only team in recent history that would be more likely than not to trade the first overall pick for immediate 1. New York, Chicago or Philadelphia (tie) help. We don’t have to overthink this one. Any big, traditional market with tiny The “Unintentional Comedy ” Ranking odds would get people up in arms. New York has already won twice, the league would desperately love the Hawks to be good again as quickly as Finally, the big one. When in doubt, go with the result that would be possible, and you can’t convince me that the ghost of Ed Snider isn’t still funniest for the rest of us. telling Bettman what to do and when to do it. Not ranked: Columbus Blue Jackets The “What’s Best for the Top Prospects?” Ranking I’m pretty sure a Blue Jackets win is the one and only scenario where Won’t somebody please think of the children… every hockey fan would just go “Sure, sounds right” and move on with their day. Not ranked: Buffalo Sabres 5. New York Rangers I love you, Buffalo fans, but don’t act like you weren’t thinking it. The league changed the rules so that you can’t win the lottery multiple 5. Los Angeles Kings/Anaheim Ducks (tie) times in consecutive years, then chickened out on having that rule go into effect for this year. The Rangers winning for a third straight year would Both teams have a few solid veterans to learn from and plenty of kids be almost too perfect. already in place to make sure they’re good at some point soon. In the meantime, guess you’ll just have to spend a few years hanging out on a 4. Any of those teams from 12 down beach. We already covered this, but I really feel like most fans know that the 4. Detroit Red Wings league changed the lottery rules so that teams can only move up ten spaces but don’t realize that change doesn’t kick in this year, meaning They’re not there yet and don’t seem to be in any great hurry, but when we could have a scenario where (for example) the Flyers win, Sabres they’re winning there aren’t many better hockey cities to play in. fans think that’s good news, and then everyone watches in horror as the 3. Vancouver Canucks Flyers move all the way to the top of the list. If you’re a potential franchise defenseman like Owen Power, one of the 3. Detroit Red Wings worst parts about being a high pick is the instant comparisons to all of Their fans have complained constantly (and not undeservedly) about that team’s legendary defensemen from franchise history, and in their lottery results over the years, watching their team always drop down Vancouver that won’t be an issue. to fourth or sixth and just miss the spots where the true stars can be 2. New York Rangers found. Of course, they’d finally win the top pick in a year where there’s no true consensus number one, and some experts think that any of the top half-dozen or so prospects are all in the same tier. 2. Arizona Coyotes Just for the sight of the league officials having to sigh deeply and say “Nope, take two, do it all over again, this one’s no good” as they’re reloading the ping pong balls, all while Connor McDavid sits at home and mumbles “Oh so now you’ve learned how to do that.” 1. Buffalo, only when the ping pong ball comes out it’s a Bruins logo Shouldn’t have traded Mr. Draft Lottery!

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Websites In October, team president Tommi Virkkunen, Kärpät coaching staff, Aho, 1189321 Backman, Räty’s parents — Tuomo (a former professional hockey player and now a coach himself) and Päivi (a psychologist) — convened a meeting with Räty to try to course-correct. The Athletic / The fall from No. 1: Aatu Räty is no longer the 2021 NHL Draft’s top prospect, but that isn’t the end of his story “I think from us, everything seemed to get to him,” Virkkunen said. “He had a little bit of a tough start early in the season and that was pretty tough for him but also for us because we were hoping for him to be By Scott Wheeler playing every game, that was the plan early on in the season. And then the COVID situation was really tough for the kids because the juniors Jun 2, 2021 usually play a few games for us and then they go back to junior and play a lot and them come back to the main team but we couldn’t do that this year, so that was affecting him quite a bit.” Aatu Räty is laughing as he explains how he’s better at cooking, basketball, tennis, squash, chess and maybe now golf than his big In the meeting, they came to the conclusion that he needed to re-focus brother, Aku. on his development, spend some time with the junior team and make sure he was properly resting. He also needed to begin working Golf and chess are newer hobbies brought on through some of the little exclusively with one of the program’s strength coaches and skating spare time the pandemic has given him between games and training coaches (rather than bouncing around on ice sheets with both in his sessions. Last year, he confesses, Aku had him beat on the course, but yoyoing from pro to junior). his girlfriend plays and she has been coaching him for their pending rematches in Finland’s short two-month summer playing season. After the meeting, Backman also had his partner, Juha Ylönen (the father of Canadiens second-rounder Jesse) sit down with Räty to tell him to These days, Räty is relaxed. He has also developed an avid interest in lessen his training before games so that his legs were fresh when it reading as a way to reset in his time away from the rink. mattered, stop over conditioning and focus on skating. It has taken him some time to get here, though. This time a year ago, After returning to the pro team in December, the staff immediately he’d begun to lose his love for hockey. thought he looked and played more like himself, but the challenging start kept him off of the world juniors squad, even though he was a returnee. This season, after a pivotal fall meeting with those close to him, he has slowly begun to let go of the expectations that have followed him — and “I wasn’t happy about not making it,” Räty said. “I know that I didn’t play the pressure he put on himself. as well as I should have at the start of the season but I also didn’t get the chance to play almost at all. I played like 10 minutes a game and only Räty was the early front-runner for the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. every other game. So I basically knew that I wasn’t going to be selected, Now, as that status has slipped away, he’s at peace with who he is. And not because of the skill level but because I just hadn’t had enough those who know him are starting to see the player and person they all games.” love again. Despite the world juniors snub, Räty’s season began to turn for the better People began to really talk about Räty in Finland in 2018 when the then- into 2021, and he remained with the pro team the rest of the way in a 15-year-old was laying waste to the country’s under-18 level with his regular role as one of the league’s youngest everyday players. He also hometown Kärpät team, producing a combined 27 points in 12 games began to feel the progress of the individual skating work he’d spent so across the end of one season and the beginning of the next. many hours on in-season. A year before that, he’d become a client of agent Mika Backman, signing Virkkunen and the rest of the team’s staff saw it, too. in December 2017 when Räty turned 15 and rules restricting an agent’s ability to approach prospective clients lifted with his birthday. Backman “The thing he needs to practice is the top speed. If he wants to be a also worked with Räty’s his older brother Aku (a fifth-round pick of the player in the NHL, I think that’s the main thing to practice going forward. Coyotes in 2019). But I think he can do that. He’s still a young kid. And he has worked at it,” Virkkunen said. By winter 2018, as the calendar changed and he had his 16th birthday, Räty’s star began to garner more attention in the sport at large. He was “He’s definitely headed in the right direction now and I mean, he’s a promoted to Finland’s top under-20 junior league, making waves with 43 good-sized center and that’s tough to find in Finland. He can battle with points in 51 games, and appeared as the youngest player on Team his size and in tight positions he’s good, and he can shoot fairly good. I Finland for the 2019 under-18 world championships. wouldn’t say it’s the best but it’s still good.” It was then that, two full seasons before Räty was even set to hear his Though Aho doesn’t call Räty’s skating a weakness, he believes it’s name called in the NHL Draft, Backman says things began to get away clearly better today than it was when this season started. from his client. That’s a big deal because the rest of his tools are already there, “Aatu was not facing any pressure about his draft number. I think the according to Aho. media were doing that, saying he was supposed to be first overall. I think it was too early for media to start this talk about how he should go first “His hockey IQ is good and he can create plays by himself and for other overall,” Backman said. players. That’s probably his best strength. The basic skills are good, so that’s not going to be an issue,” Aho said. “And he works really hard on The following season, Räty’s momentum pushed him into contention for and off of the ice. Sometimes he needs to take more rest than work. It’s playing time with Kärpät ahead of his 17th birthday on Nov. 14. But after not about his work ethic. That’s super. He’s a guy who wants to learn all a season of bouncing between junior and pro, and appearing for Finland the time more and more, and he’s interested about the game and how to at the under-20 world juniors, the discussion began to slowly shift, the develop himself. From that point of view, he’s a really good prospect and pressure began to mount and his play at both levels suffered. a good kid. He really can be someday in a good role in the NHL but it will take some time.” In time, as the 2019-20 season neared its unanticipated shutdown due to the pandemic, Räty had begun to feel like he was losing himself. That time will include at least one more year in Liiga, where he is signed to play in 2021-22. “Last spring, it wasn’t easy for him,” Backman said. “He was the youngest player in the whole world juniors and then after the tournament Patience might even be needed beyond that year. Avalanche forward Kärpät put him to play with the juniors and he tried to work harder and Joonas Donskoi benefited from spending five seasons in Liiga after his harder, and I think he even practiced too hard. I think he pushed too draft year. Sebastian Aho broke out in his post-draft season with Kärpät. hard. The joy, he lost it.” While the Oilers’ Jesse Puljujarvi could be a cautionary tale as one who made the jump too early. Miro Heiskanen emerged in the league That blend of disappointment and frustration then spilled through the semifinals in the year after he was drafted third by the Stars. summer before his draft year and into the start of a second season vying for ice time with Kärpät, one of Liiga’s dynastic top teams. “We can see which players decided to take an extra year. Some kids are more ready and some are not. … So I try to push to Aatu not to leave When he returned, team staff began to worry about his progression. early because then you go to the minors and you don’t know how you’ll be treated and there are no other Finnish guys around and not too many “His start was tough,” said Kärpät general manager Harri Aho, the father make it out of that,'” Virkkunen said. of Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho. “His performance was not enough at the beginning of the season. He struggled. And it can be mental as well Patience should have been the message with Räty earlier than it maybe as physical. He didn’t play his game at the level that he can play.” was, Harri Aho admits. “They can develop in one year a lot if they have good surroundings and mentally they’re ready to work hard and do everything it takes. It can go very fast. But at the same time, if they have too much pressure that they need to do something, they can lose that joy for the game, which is really important to enjoy what you’re doing,” Aho said. “Can Aatu be a superstar? I don’t know. Can he be a star in some organizations? Probably but it’s hard to say.” Two Finnish NHL scouts said they now expect Räty to be picked in the 10-20 range of the 2021 NHL Draft. They credited his raw tools, especially his hands but also his shot, as his biggest assets. But they worry about his game-to-game and even shift-to- shift inconsistency. “His skating has definitely changed this season but not necessarily for the better, at least not yet,” one scout said. “It might limit his potential but I don’t see it as a major issue. The constant changes probably haven’t helped.” Räty insists he has learned not to care about what others think of him. “I don’t think that there’s any difference if I get selected in the first round, or the second round, or any round. I know many players from Finland who’ve made it from the seventh round to the NHL,” Räty said. “I just know that you have to work hard and when you’re an NHL-level player, you’re going to get there. It doesn’t matter how I get there, just that I do. And I will.” He credits his brother for instilling that confidence in him, and for lessons relayed from his camp in Arizona. “Aku is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Having someone to help me and train with me every single day, it has made me who I am today. … He’s my best friend,” Aatu Räty said. He’s happy with where his game’s at as well, and talks with bravado about his size-skill combination, believing he’ll be an impact player in the NHL once he continues to improve his skating and two-way game. Backman sees Räty through his brother, and says having a role model like Aku has helped him persist. “They both are very competitive people. They want to beat each other. It starts there. And then they’re both really good athletes too and hockey is just in their blood. They are determined to play hockey in the NHL. That’s their dream,” Backman said. “I think Aku is more calm and peaceful than Aatu. Aatu is more passionate and intense. And as players, Aku is more defense-orientated whereas Aatu takes more risks in his game. But Aatu has been developing his sense and his defensive-zone skills and vice-versa. ” Through it all, Backman’s belief that Aatu Räty will get to the same place he was always meant to go remains bullish. “I think he has handled everything really good and he understands what he needs to improve. In Kärpät, they don’t give anything for free so you really have to fight for your place on the roster,” Backman said. “I would tell NHL clubs that Aatu is a determined athlete who wants to make it to the NHL and I think he’ll be a top two-line NHL center. I’d put my name on it. Mark my words.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.03.2021 Websites “It’s frustrating,” said Edmundson. “I was following him up the ice and I 1189322 saw how dirty of a hit it was right away. And to see him laying there — obviously, you never want to see that. And something like that happened last series (when Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was Sportsnet.ca / Scheifele’s predatory hit on Evans takes shine off stretchered off the ice after an accidental collision with Montreal’s Corey Canadiens’ Game 1 win Perry in Game 1). It just kills the vibe and you just hope he’s OK.” Perry said Evans clearly wasn’t, and he wasn’t communicating from the stretcher. Perry added he was relieved to see Evans moving his hands at Eric Engels @EricEngels least. June 3, 2021, 1:09 AM Both players had a considerable part in what was a banner night for the Canadiens. Coming off their comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against the Maple Leafs, which was completed Monday, their win over the Jets This was no way for Jake Evans to be celebrating his 25th birthday — on Wednesday gave them their first four-game winning streak of 2021. stretchered off the ice after scoring the insurance marker in this opening win of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for his Montreal Kotkaniemi opened the scoring to extend his team-lead with his fourth Canadiens. goal of the playoffs. It was just 1:40 later, at the 5:10 mark of the first period, that Perry cut to the middle, took an elbow to the face from Logan With just under a minute to go in the third period of Game 1 between the Stanley — which he said should also be reviewed by the league — and Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets, Evans chased down a puck in the set up Eric Staal’s first goal of the playoffs. offensive zone, caught up to it behind the net, curled in front and scored his first-ever playoff goal to make it 5-3. It was right after the puck went in Nick Suzuki made it 3-1 Montreal after Adam Lowry scored short-handed that Evans took the full brunt of a charge from Mark Scheifele. He was for the Jets, and the Canadiens got goals from Brendan Gallagher and knocked unconscious before his body even hit the ice. Evans to seal the result. Scheifele, who led the Jets with 63 points in the regular season and co- Their defencemen had combined for just two assists in seven games leads them with five in these playoffs, was assessed a five-minute against Toronto, but they put up six in this one against the Jets. The charging penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct. How much more he team’s power play remained hot, collecting it’s fourth goal in its last nine receives for the hit Canadiens centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi called attempts. And this win extended Montreal’s streak to 5-0 in these playoffs “disgusting” will be determined by the NHL’s department of player safety. when scoring at least two goals. Scheifele has no suspension history. It was as complete a game as the Canadiens have played all year — a “We haven’t talked to the league,” said Canadiens coach Dominique sharp contrast to what the Jets offered after a four-game sweep over the Ducharme. “I think it’s pretty obvious they’re going to look at the incident. Edmonton Oilers in Round 1. Like I said, we haven’t talked to them, but yeah, we’re confident they’re The night started badly for Winnipeg when Paul Stastny didn’t come out going to take the decision and make the right decision.” for warmup. Then top-pairing defenceman Dylan DeMelo left after an Joel Edmundson, who had two assists, five shots on net and led all awkward collision with Gallagher 29 seconds into his first shift. Canadiens with eight attempts in the game called Scheifele’s hit “dirty.” Lowry was out for an extended period after taking an errant puck to the “If he gets back in this series, we’re going make his life miserable,” head, but he returned to finish the game. Scheifele could be out much Edmundson added. longer after being sent to the locker room with 57 seconds remaining. He was clearly disturbed, as were the Canadiens as Evans lay That will be one topic closely monitored Thursday. The other, of course, motionless on the ice. will be Evans’s health. A scrum ensued, and that’s when Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers made a The Toronto native suffered a head injury in last year’s playoffs, too. He classy gesture to shield Evans from any collateral damage. suffered another one at Canadiens rookie camp in 2018, just months after completing his fourth season at the University of Notre Dame and “I hope he’s OK,” said Ehlers. “I came back and saw that he wasn’t signing his entry-level contract with the team. looking good. When something like that happens there tends to be a scrum, so I was just trying to keep everyone away from him. In a situation The road to this point of his career was a remarkable climb — from being like that, you don’t want anyone falling on top of him. I was just trying to a seventh-round draft pick in 2014 to becoming a strong AHL player for keep everyone away.” parts of two seasons to evolving into a player Ducharme was willing to slot onto his top line in the playoffs. Remaining Time -2:34 Evans started on the fourth and was hurt in Game 1 of the series with the Why Scheifele should be punished for hit against Evans Maple Leafs. He returned for Game 5 on May 29 and spent the rest of the games in an integral role — helping the Canadiens shut down After Evans came to, he was placed on a backboard and taken off the ice superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. He was once again at his by medical personnel. best Wednesday before Scheifele knocked him out. “He’s still here,” Ducharme responded when he was asked if Evans had Kotkaniemi summed up his importance to the team saying, “Jake is — I been transported to a local hospital. “He’s being evaluated. He’s doing think you guys don’t even know — he’s a great guy in the room.” better, but before I got here he was still in evaluation.” “He’s super funny guy, he keeps the energy up in the room,” Kotkaniemi No further update on Evans’s condition is expected before Thursday. continued. “I think he’s one of those guys that when you want to win the games you put him out there. Even when you want to get a goal or make Ducharme called the play “vicious” and “useless.” Kotkaniemi said it was sure the other team’s not scoring, he’s just one of those playoff guys.” a gesture that showed “no respect” to the opponent. The Canadiens will hope Evans returns to being one of the guys in short Who would argue against any of that? order. They’re unquestionably — and justifiably — outraged that his Jets coach Paul Maurice noted, “It’s such a highly unusual play because presence in this series was put in doubt by such a reckless and you’re backchecking to kill an empty-net play, you’re coming full speed. dangerous play. When Mark stopped skating, he kept his arms in.” “It’s tough,” said Perry. “It was a huge win for us, but it was definitely But Maurice also said, “It’s a heavy, heavy hit, there’s no doubt about emotional out there at the end. We’re going to think about him, we’re that. I’m sure the league will have its opinion.” going to talk to him and see how he’s doing and all that for the rest of the night. Scheifele took a run from his own side of centre in an attempt to get back to the net to prevent the goal. He was late to arrive and had no chance of But it’s tough when you see that.” doing it.

When he realized that, you could clearly see him target Evans before delivering the predatory hit. It was a charge from over 100 feet away, with Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.03.2021 a devastating affect that sucked the life out of Bell MTS Centre and rendered the result of the game secondary. 1189323 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / NHL facing unique situation with potential Scheifele charging suspension

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC June 3, 2021, 1:50 AM

This is a unique situation for the Department of Player Safety. Normally, you try and find comparable plays to any potentially suspendable situation. However, if you go back and look at charging suspensions the last six years — Carson Soucy (one game); Kevin Shattenkirk (two); Paul Byron, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Brayden Schenn (three); Cody Eakin (four) — there is nothing remotely comparable to Mark Scheifele’s hit on Jake Evans. Scheifele has a clean sheet, no suspension history. But, he clearly lost control of his emotions and delivered a bad hit. If he tries to play the puck, maybe we’re talking a different outcome and/or perception. As Cassie Campbell-Pascall showed, you could tell when Scheifele left the ice that he’d come to the realization of what had happened. Rule 42.1 reads as follows: “Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance travelled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A charge may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice. That describes the play, and gives the Department of Player Safety wide latitude. Earlier this season, Tom Wilson was suspended seven games for boarding even though he didn’t hit Boston Bruins defenceman Brandon Carlo from behind. It was the first time a player was suspended for boarding under those circumstances. That rule is written in such a way that the Department of Player Safety felt it allowed for this interpretation, and Wilson did not appeal. Scheifele does not have Wilson’s history. But, when that happened, a few people around the league wondered if it would mean more different interpretations and new precedents. We could be seeing that here. The charging rule certainly allows for it.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.03.2021 1189324 Websites Game 3 goes Friday night in Vegas.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.03.2021 Sportsnet.ca / Avalanche rob Golden Knights of Game 2 win after contentious call in OT

Mark Spector @sportsnetspec June 3, 2021, 2:28 AM

It’s a crazy league, full of calls and non-calls that keep us all shaking our heads. One on hand, Connor McDavid can play eight playoff games without drawing a single penalty. He wears the opposition like a cloak, but nada. Then you get a game like the one played in Denver on Wednesday night, where a playoff game is decided on a player slashing the stick out of another player’s hands. That was the contentious moment in a fabulous hockey game played at break-neck speed as the Vegas Golden Knights thoroughly outplayed the Colorado Avalanche, but lost 3-2 in overtime on a power-play goal with Reilly Smith in the box for slashing the stick out of Mikko Rantanen’s hands off a faceoff. Rantanen scored the game-winning goal, likely with the same twig, as Smith didn’t break it. He just caused Rantanen to drop it, and the power play awarded was the power play that ended Game 2. “Just a soft call,” observed a sour Peter DeBoer, the Vegas head coach whose club is now behind the favoured Avalanche by a 2-0 count. “I can’t even blame the refs. They’re fighting through the embellishment of grabbing your face, falling down, dropping your stick every period. “I can’t even blame the referee. They fooled him on it.” But wait. You’ll never guess the take that the Avalanche had on the call. “It’s just all over the league. That’s the call. If you slash the other guys stick out of his hands, or break the stick, it’s always a penalty,” reasoned Rantanen. “I’m a pretty strong guy. I can hang on to my stick, but that was a strong slash. “I’m trying to get out to the point,” he said. “I don’t think I would purposely drop my stick in the D-zone. Who does that?” Truly, the slashed-stick drop has become almost as automatic as the puck-over-the-glass call. When the stick is broken, the call is even easier. When it is simply dropped, however, it leaves room for interpretation. “It’s a stick battle off a faceoff,” said Vegas captain Mark Stone. “There are probably 30 of those a game, and I get my stick slashed almost in every one. It’s a tough call, especially in overtime. There has to be a little bit of onus on the guy to hold on to his stick.” “It’s an easy one to call, for me,” countered Colorado coach Jared Bednar. “He didn’t have to do it. If Mikko is going out to cover the point, and he knocks the stick out of his hands, it could end up in our net. (Makar) is a skilled D-man, and it would create a chance going the other way. “I don’t know, if we’re going out to that point without a stick, we’re in trouble.” Colorado should have been in trouble in a game the Golden Knights took over after the first intermission. After losing the opener by a 7-1 score, it was highway robbery that the Avalanche even stretched the game to OT, outshot 41-25 by a Vegas team that also hit four posts on the night. What was the difference in the Golden Knights’ game? “The difference was, we didn’t play a Game 7 48 hours earlier, and travel,” deadpanned DeBoer, whose team had one day off between their series-clinching win vs. the Minnesota Wild in Round 1 and the Round 2 opener. “We feel good about our game. After Game 1 we were out to prove that we can play with this team. We did that tonight. This series is a long ways from over.” “We’re planning on making it a long series.” Colorado’s top line was dynamite again in Game 2, especially with the man advantage. If Vegas is going to climb back into this series they’ll need more from their producers. Alex Pietrangelo, Alex Tuch and Stone each went pointless in Denver. Websites On Matthews and Marner failing to produce in the Montreal series (one 1189325 goal, nine assists combined; three assists combined in three elimination games) TSN.CA / Shanahan: ‘Killer instinct’ missing in Habs series; Leafs want to Dubas: “Disposing of two players of their calibre because the puck didn't keep core go in the net for them in a seven-game series [is not right]. These are two awfully great young players that showed it over the entire regular season what they're capable of. I have tremendous belief in both of them, and I think they've shown to everybody what they're capable of over time, and I By Kristen Shilton know as we continue to go through these seasons and through these TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter playoffs, that the story will be different for them in the future in terms of the way people speak about them.”

On what it will take for Toronto to win in the future TORONTO — Brendan Shanahan isn’t backing down. Shanahan: “Those elements I thought that we addressed over the off- The Maple Leafs’ president and alternate governor was defiant during an season will continue to be important pillars for our team: Defensive play, end-of-season media availability on Wednesday, doubling-down on sticking up for each other, being able to play physically in games where Toronto’s enduring championship aspirations amid another shocking we're tested that way. But I think that those pillars are important for them playoff disappointment. to get over that hump. And then again it's just a mindset to charge at that door and trying to finally bust it down. It's something that we have to “We are not going to stop until we accomplish this. We are going to do accomplish.” this here in Toronto with this group,” said Shanahan of chasing a Stanley Cup. “There’ll be changes that are made, there’ll be tweaks along the On whether the Leafs need to target different kinds of players this off- way, the team will evolve, the people will evolve. But we are going to get season this done.” Dubas: “We’re trying to add as many good players as possible. The onus That level of success feels a long way off right now. Toronto just blew a is on us to continue adapting and adding different elements to the group, 3-1 first-round series lead over the Canadiens in Monday’s Game 7 loss, and to continue having a deep look here at where we went wrong in the marking the third time in four seasons the Leafs have been ousted in the last three games of the series and how we can address it to rectify it as opening round. It was Toronto’s most staggering defeat to date, laying we move forward.” waste to a stellar regular season where Toronto won the North Division and was 18 points ahead of Montreal in the standings. Keefe: “We really believed in the group that we had this season, the personalities that we had, the experience that we had, the leadership Despite all that, general manager Kyle Dubas echoed Shanahan's qualities of the individuals and the talents, ultimately. But as you say, it sentiment that the future is still bright in Toronto. didn't deliver. I think we do believe that it was a big reason for why the expectations were so high because of what we were building through the “I have full belief that the best days of this journey and for this program regular season and the improvements we were making in so many areas are ahead of us,” Dubas said. “If we continue to invest in our people and of our game that needed to improve if we were going to be a team that in our players with player development, with their well-being and their would be taken seriously going into the postseason. But it was still not performance, that we will win here, and it's just a matter of continuing to enough.” stick to it.” Dubas: “I thought over the stretch of the five years [that he played here], Those words may continue to ring hollow until Toronto can follow Fred did so much for us and took on so many minutes for us and it was through. The latest defeat raised plenty of questions about what’s next one of the reasons why I went out and got Jack [Campbell]. Jack has got for the franchise, from the sustainability of its expensive core to re- probably the greatest work ethic of anyone that I've seen and we’re trying imagining the roster to patching holes that repeatedly capsize the team. to temper that and have him become more efficient. I think the lesson learned for me is that we have to go out and continually find somebody Through extensive interviews with each, Shanahan, Dubas and head that can be a good partner, whether that's Fred returning [on a new deal] coach Sheldon Keefe tried to provide answers on Wednesday about or somebody else. It’s making sure that we're bolstered on that end to set where the Leafs go from here. the goalies up for success.” On what was lacking for the Leafs in the final three losses to Montreal

Shanahan: “There's a killer instinct that is missing that we need to address. Whether that's externally or just figuring out a way for our guys TSN.CA LOADED: 06.03.2021 to get over that hump, that's something that we have to address certainly as a team. And we have to really be honest with ourselves, and we have to figure out a way that we can support our players, and help them get over that hump.” Keefe: “There's an identity piece that goes with [killer instinct] and that's something that can be cultivated throughout the season. I thought we had done that, and done a good job of that, in taking control of moments, taking control of games, and clearly it didn't hold up when it counted the most so it's a big area of attention for us going forward.” On what regrets management feels in the aftermath of another season lost Dubas: "What I would say to that with this season's team, when we had ruts, they were able to fully stabilize and then go on a run back the other way and build off of it. And I thought it was the best sign, and that led me to believe that when we got into these moments like we just went through in [Games 5, 6 and 7] that we would be able to capitalize. I regret that we weren't able to deliver on the promise and the hope that our regular season instilled in our fan base. And it's up to us to rectify that so that we don't sit here again and deal with that." On whether it’s time to dismantle Toronto’s core of Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner Shanahan: “I think any team in the league would love to have any one of them. But we want them, we like them, we want to keep them here. They're special players. They're all deeply committed to winning here in Toronto, and it's important for us to continue developing them to play in those situations, those ones that they were just in and that they've found themselves in over the last couple of years and come up short.” Websites questions to answer about whether the Leafs can win with so much cash 1189326 tied up in so few pieces.

General manager Kyle Dubas won't speak with the media on that topic TSN.CA / Marner, Matthews at a loss to explain Leafs latest playoff flop until Wednesday afternoon, but Matthews made it clear any thought that Toronto would be better off without Marner is misguided.

“Mitch is an unbelievable player, he's an unbelievable teammate,” By Kristen Shilton Matthews said. “I don't think anybody really thinks about [a trade] or focuses on it. Everybody loves Mitch and everybody loves everybody in TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter this room and we really have a tight bond, so I think all the stuff coming from the outside, you guys have fun with that.” TORONTO — The Maple Leafs have run out of excuses for their Marner didn’t seem surprised by the latest round of rumours, postseason shortcomings. understanding the freshness of Toronto’s loss puts all scenarios into play. Perhaps it’s because losing has become all too familiar. When Toronto fell to Montreal in Game 7 of its first-round playoff series on Monday, it “Everyone just wants to get in panic mode and do stuff and always want was the fourth time in five years that the Leafs had been jettisoned from to figure something out and try something new,” he said. “But I think [the the opening round, and third time it happened in a decisive Game 7. front office] has a lot of confidence in our team, like all of us do in our locker room. We all know how much talent we have, how much grit and The Leafs were coming off an impressive regular season where they won will we want to play with and we all want to win. And that's why it's so the North Division, and were facing a Montreal team they finished 18 disappointing right now, because we didn't meet our own expectations.” points ahead of in the standings. Toronto had a 3-1 series lead over the Canadiens too, and then blew it in stunning fashion. Something does have to change though for Toronto to end its cycle of early playoff failures. Whether they do that with or without the core intact “The end result is terrible, it's not what we wanted,” said Mitch Marner on remains to be seen. Wednesday during the Leafs' locker clean-out. “This year we had the talent, we had the will, we had the fight. It just didn't come through, and “I think it's more probably the mental side,” Matthews said of the Leafs’ it’s always the same words at the end of the year. We had three cracks at failings. “It’s realizing when you've got a team in that position to get the it, and we’re all very disappointed because we had such high confidence job done and close them out. That's what great teams do and we failed to that we were a team that was meant to do a lot more.” execute in that department. There's really no excuses; you've got to make your own luck.” No one has taken more heat in the wake of Toronto’s latest loss than Marner and Auston Matthews. Playing together on the Leafs’ top line, the duo produced only one goal and nine points through seven games, and TSN.CA LOADED: 06.03.2021 they were a non-factor offensively in Toronto’s final three losses with a paltry three assists combined. It was baffling to see the two rendered so ineffective, given how strong their regular-season performances were. Matthews scored 41 goals in 52 games this year to earn the NHL’s Rocket Richard Trophy and was fifth overall in league scoring with 66 points. On Wednesday, Matthews was also announced as a finalist with Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby for the Ted Lindsay Award, handed out to the NHL’s most outstanding player as voted on by fellow members of the National Hockey League Players’ Association. That was of little solace to Matthews though, given how badly the playoffs unravelled. “Individual awards are great, but I don’t think there’s quite the satisfaction compared to winning with the team,” he said. “I hold myself to a high standard. To not produce the way I wanted to is obviously frustrating. If you had told me our line [with Marner and Zach Hyman] would have had X-amount of chances and produced only a couple goals, I'd probably have begged to differ. But that’s not the way it went, and we were put out there to produce and we weren't able to get it done.” Marner was step for step with Matthews in regular-season output, finishing fourth overall in NHL scoring with 20 goals and 67 points. But he’s also been a perennial under-performer in the postseason, going 18 consecutive playoff games without a goal. The 24-year-old winger said he wouldn’t change anything about his preparation for the Montreal series though, claiming there were more positives there than he and Matthews have gotten credit for. “I thought we had a lot of great looks,” Marner said. “I know everyone just looks at the numbers and stats, but I thought our line did a lot of great things and we had a lot of great chances to produce goals and they didn't go in the net and that sucks. But we competed and we didn't quit ever and never had any doubts in each other and that's something that you want in a line and as a team.” Marner’s social media channels have been flooded over the past 48 hours with negative comments, something he's avoided seeing since deleting apps from his phone prior to the playoffs. There’s also been conversation swirling about whether this recent postseason embarrassment indicates it’s time for Toronto to move on from its young core, primarily comprised of Matthews, Marner and William Nylander. Together, those three take up nearly $30 million of Toronto’s salary cap. Given the cap will remain a flat $81.5 million going forward – and that John Tavares is also on the books at another $11 million – there are Websites any of those three games really put us in a position that built their 1189327 confidence to [establish] their game more so than us dictating the way we want the games to be played. TSN.CA / Tavares says he’s recovering well from concussion, knee injury “Guys battled back in Games 5 and 6 and we gave ourselves a great chance being one shot away from finishing the series off [and we didn't]. We’ll continue trying to figure out what we’ve got to do to break through and get over the hump.” By Kristen Shilton For all the frustration Tavares is feeling, there is an immense gratitude for TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter that fact that his injury situation could have been much worse. “I feel very fortunate, considering what I went through and the traumatic TORONTO — John Tavares is recovering well from his physical injuries. nature of the injury,” said Tavares. “I’m really happy and thankful to be It’s the emotional wounds that will take longer to heal. where I'm at today and make the progress that I have to this point. I'll continue to get back to 100 per cent health and get myself ready to play The Maple Leafs’ captain spoke to media on Wednesday for the first time and compete as soon as possible.” since suffering a concussion and knee injury during Game 1 of Toronto’s first-round playoff series against Montreal on May 20. Wednesday was also locker clean-out day for the Leafs after getting TSN.CA LOADED: 06.03.2021 bounced by the Canadiens in Monday’s Game 7. Tavares was happy to report he's made good progress health-wise lately. What remains most painful is the fact Toronto’s season came to another disastrous halt in a third first-round exit in four seasons, something Tavares wasn’t able to help his team avoid. “It's really hard to put into context the disappointment, just the devastation of what this loss brings to the group and the challenges we have ahead of us,” Tavares said. “It's been a tough go. We all take significant responsibility for not meeting expectations. We had strong belief and wanted to accomplish something special and get over the hurdles and challenges that we have faced, not just this season but over previous seasons. We feel like we've let our fan base down.” That wasn’t the story Tavares thought the Leafs were writing this year. But so much changed midway through that first period in Game 1, when a pair of violent collisions sent Tavares to hospital and out of the series. The 30-year-old said he doesn’t remember the initial hit he took from Ben Chiarot, or the knee to the head from Corey Perry that knocked him nearly unconscious to the ice. It wasn’t until Tavares was being stretchered off and placed into a waiting ambulance that he began to grasp what was happening. Despite the scary scene, Tavares was back skating just one week later. Even now though, Tavares can’t bring himself to watch the hit to his head. The reaction others had to it was telling enough. “I know how traumatic it was for my family, especially how many times they saw it and the attention that was on it,” he said. “When I was talking to them at the hospital that night, and even talking to people in the organization, just the looks on their faces made me realize it was pretty significant. “And maybe I will watch it…but there’s not too many people that have recommended I take a look at it yet. It will be continued part of my recovery process, not just my physical health but from a psychological standpoint.” Tavares acknowledged that Perry contacted him after Game 1, expressing his concern and offering apologies. While Tavares appreciated the sentiment, he also believes the intensity of playoffs impacted how Perry played that night. “From everyone I've talked to, there's no sense of any intent or trying to be dirty or hurt me,” Tavares said. “In saying that, I do think when it's the opening game of the playoffs and there's a lot of energy and they wanted to establish a physical game, you certainly go more so out of your way than maybe in the regular season [to do that]. But Corey did reach out to me with a nice message and I'd like to think that there was no intent.” Tavares hoped that if the Leafs advanced he would have been healthy enough to join them at some point. When Toronto took a 3-1 series lead over Montreal, all signs pointed to the Leafs reaching the second round for the first time since 2004. Then came Toronto’s overtime loss in Game 5, followed by another overtime defeat in Game 6. In both outings, the Leafs had to overcome multi-goal deficits just to reach extra time. The final nail in Toronto’s coffin was a lacklustre performance in Game 7, where a third consecutive poor start set the Leafs up for more failure. “We wanted to get the job done and guys are competing and doing everything they can,” said Tavares. “Not getting off on the right foot in 1189328 Websites

USA TODAY / Montreal Canadiens' Jake Evans taken off on stretcher after hit by Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele

Jace Evans USA TODAY

The Montreal Canadiens' 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 1 of their second-round series was overshadowed by a scary scene in the final minute. Canadiens forward Jake Evans was taken off the ice at Winnipeg's Bell MTS Place on a stretcher after he sustained a brutal hit from Jets forward Mark Scheifele while scoring into an empty net with 57 seconds to go. Evans remained motionless for a significant amount of time as a scrum formed near him following the hit. A linesman and Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers made sure the scrum did not spill onto Evans. Eventually, cooler heads prevailed and trainers and medical personnel attended to Evans, placing him on a backboard and taking him out on a stretcher. Evans was moving his arms as he was taken off the ice. Scheifele, the Jets' leading scorer in the regular season with 63 points in 56 games, received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for the hit. The NHL's Department of Player Safety will almost certainly be taking a look at the play. The Canadiens had strong thoughts about the hit postgame. "It was a dirty hit, but the league is going to take care of it," Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson said. "If (Scheifele) gets back in the series, we’re going to make his life miserable." Said the Habs' Brendan Gallagher in an interview with Sportsnet: "We've all played this game long enough. (Scheifele) knows better than that. I know him. I don't want to comment too much. We were just told to let the league handle it. We trust that they will, but, I don't know. "It's brutal. Didn't need to happen. Wrong play. He knows better." Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi called the hit "disgusting." "Players should have a little respect for the other players out there," he added. Jets coach Paul Maurice offered his well-wishes to Evans in his postgame media availability and offered up his own interpretation of the play. "Hopefully the young man is going to be all right," Maurice said, continuing: "It's such a highly unusual play because you're backchecking back to kill an empty-net play, you're coming full speed. When Mark stopped skating he kept his arms in. It's a heavy, heavy hit. There's no doubt about that. I'm sure the league will have its opinion." Evans – who had not been taken to a hospital at the time of Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme's media availability – skated 17:55 on Wednesday, which marked his 25th birthday. The second-year player got in three games in Montreal's first-round comeback against the Toronto Maple Leafs – including Games 6 and 7. According to hockey insider John Shannon, Evans was back at the Canadiens' team hotel late Wednesday night and was "alert" and "doing fine."

USA TODAY LOADED: 06.03.2021 Websites "When I came over and played in the Canadian Hockey League, I always 1189329 watched Flower," he said. "It’s kind of fun to look down at the other end and see him there." USA TODAY / Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy leads Lightning The last-place Buffalo Sabres will find out if there is silver lining to their past Hurricanes in Game 2 of NHL playoffs rough season during Wednesday's draft lottery (7 p.m. ET, NHL Network and NBCSN).

The Sabres have the best chance of winning at 16.6%, followed by the Mike Brehm Anaheim Ducks (12.1%), the expansion Seattle Kraken and the New Jersey Devils (10.3% each) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (8.5%). USA TODAY University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power is the top-ranked North American skater and is expected to go No. 1 overall. Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour called Tampa Bay's Andrei Under a new rule, the Sabres can draft no worse than third. That was Vasilevskiy the best goalie in the world after Game 1 of their second- changed after the last-place Detroit Red Wings picked fourth last year. round series.

NHL general managers confirmed that when they voted the Lightning goalie a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the fourth year in a row. USA TODAY LOADED: 06.03.2021 Tuesday night, Vasilevskiy showed why when he helped hold the Carolina Hurricanes off the scoreboard for more than 58 minutes and finished with 31 saves in a 2-1 victory that put the Central Division winners in a 2-0 hole. Counting Games 1 and 2 and the Game 6 clincher against the Florida Panthers, Vasilevskiy has stopped 97 of the last 99 shots he has faced. "He’s clearly dominant," Brind'Amour said. "You got to keep shooting pucks. … There’s a lot of pucks we fired at him that we were in front of him and they were in front of him and traffic everywhere and still he’s able to get them." The Lightning got goals from Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli and Tampa Bay kept Carolina off the scoreboard until Andrei Svechnikov beat Vasilevskiy after a quick Jordan Staal pass from behind the net with 1:30 left. But Vasilevskiy made a big save on Staal in close with 8.4 seconds left, and the defending champions held on for the win. The Lightning head back home for the next two games, and the Hurricanes are in injury trouble. Already missing 20-goal scorer Nino Niederreiter, they lost No. 2 scorer Vincent Trocheck when he collided with a teammate. "He doesn’t look good," Brind'Amour said. "I don’t know exactly the extent of it at this point. But he obviously couldn’t finish, which is never good. You know he would play if he could." Vasilevskiy, who had 31 wins and a .925 save percentage this season, won the Vezina Trophy in 2018-19. He said he was honored to be nominated again, but considers it "a team effort." Lightning coach Jon Cooper was more effusive, saying when Vasilevskiy is in a zone, there's no better goalie. "It does make you sit an inch taller on the bench when you got him back there," Cooper said. The other two Vezina finalists, first-timers Marc-Andre Fleury and Philipp Grubauer, are expected to square off in Game 2 of the Vegas Golden Knights-Colorado Avalanche series. That last happened when Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck bested Nashville's Pekka Rinne in the 2018 playoffs. The 2011 (Tim Thomas, Roberto Luongo) and 2012 (Henrik Lundqvist, Jonathan Quick) Stanley Cup Finals also featured Vezina finalists. Vegas coach Peter DeBoer didn't say Fleury would start – he never announces his goalie – but Robin Lehner took a maintenance day Tuesday and gave up seven Avalanche goals Sunday in his lone playoff appearance. "He had an incredible year," DeBoer said of Fleury. "We wouldn’t be here without the year he had. You have to take our hat off to him. He faced some adversity (last year). Instead of laying down, he showed up in camp and fought and battled." Lehner took the No. 1 job from Fleury last year after arriving in a trade. This season, Fleury carried the team when Lehner was out with a concussion and finished with 26 wins, a 1.98 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. "I’m not looking for individual awards, but this is definitely very flattering," Fleury said. Grubauer (30 wins, 1.95, .922) helped the Avalanche win the Presidents' Trophy in his third season in Colorado. He's looking forward to going up against Fleury.