SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/05/17 1076358 Ducks need Rickard Rakell to take center stage as team 1076394 Smith solid, but McDavid leads Oilers past Flames in opens without Ryan Kesler opener 1076359 Ducks sign to a four-year extension 1076395 Breaking down the deal for Jaromir Jagr 1076360 5 things we learned about the Ducks in training camp 1076396 Flames make it official: Jaromir Jagr will play his 25th 1076361 Miller: Ducks’ Francois Beauchemin hopes to prove it’s season in Calgary worth three-peating 1076397 Francis: Flames hope history doesn't repeat at Rogers 1076362 Ducks ink Josh Manson to four-year extension, add two Place veterans to injured reserve 1076398 Goalie Smith to help Flames stick it to foes 1076399 Flames' Backlund turning heads as one of NHL's best two-way players 1076363 Arizona Coyotes' Rick Tocchet set to lead as the guy he's 1076400 Western Canadian Hamonic fitting in well in Calgary always been 1076401 Francis: Flames season revolves around Smith 1076364 Coyotes name Ekman-Larsson, Hjalmarsson alternate 1076402 Q & A with Flames star Sean Monahan captains 1076365 What’s new with Coyotes? Coaches, players & Dunkin’ Blackhawks Donuts 1076403 Blackhawks broadcaster Judd Sirott leaves for Bruins job; 1076366 Questions abound as new era of Coyotes hockey debuts Chris Boden takes over 1076404 I had Blackhawks questions, Stan Bowman had answers, I Bruins still have questions 1076367 Bruins counting on youngsters to play key roles 1076405 Bryan Bickell retires as a Blackhawk: 'I want to be a figure 1076368 Judd Sirott named Bruins radio play-by-play announcer for MS and tell my story' 1076369 Bruins believe Anders Bjork is ready to take the next step 1076406 Blackhawks revamps game to try 1076370 , David Backes questionable for Bruins’ to rejoin elite centers opener 1076407 Blackhawks officially place Marian Hossa on long-term IR, 1076371 Now David Pastrnak has chance to reach big time with sign Cody Franson Bruins 1076408 Blackhawks and Penguins battling on the ice, in the 1076372 Conroy: Five keys to success for the Bruins in new season history books 1076373 Conroy: High expectations are OK for Bruins’ Charlie 1076409 Blackhawks place Hossa on LTIR, sign Franson to McAvoy one-year deal 1076374 Herald staff’s Bruins predictions for new season 1076410 List of highest-paid Chicago athletes shows salaries don’t 1076375 Bruins notebook: Concern grows that Patrice Bergeron equal worth may miss opener 1076411 ' McDonough big fan of Quenneville 1076376 Judd Sirott named new Bruins radio announcer 1076412 Bickell signs one-day contract to retire with Blackhawks 1076377 Joe Haggerty's NHL predictions: It's looking like a three- 1076413 Chicago Blackhawks' McDonough: Abrupt ending last year peat got everybody's attention 1076378 Bergeron sits out practice again, questionable for 1076414 Three Things to WATCH: Blackhawks host defending Thursday's opener champion Penguins 1076379 Jacobs: 'I don't see, necessarily,' a 2020 NHL lockout 1076415 Blackhawks want to take the Penguins' place at the top again 1076416 Blackhawks make minor league trade with Canadiens 1076380 Bucky Gleason: Pegula leading way as Bills, Sabres 1076417 Cody Franson’s wait pays off as he gets his deal with change course Blackhawks 1076381 Mike Harrington: With a letter or not, new deal locks in 1076418 Emotional Bryan Bickell retires with Blackhawks: 'I didn't Eichel as the captain want it any other way' 1076382 Sabres Notebook: Sabres will not name a captain to start 1076419 Bryan Bickell signs one-day contract to retire as a the season Blackhawk 1076383 happy and humbled to be in Buffalo for the long term 1076384 Mike Harrington's Hot Read: A leader even without a letter 1076420 Avalanche rookie J.T. Compher gets a different look at 1076385 Eichel roommate Sam Reinhart: 'It's motivation to join him Madison Square Garden for the next couple of years' 1076421 5 keys for the Avalanche to have a successful 2017-18 1076386 Teammates' reward for Eichel's new deal: Massive dinner season tab will be on No. 15's plate 1076422 Chambers: Matt Duchene’s chemistry with team should 1076387 Housley still weighing options on Sabres captaincy concern Avalanche 1076388 Sabres add depth at 'D' in Rochester, deal Deslauriers to Habs for Zach Redmond 1076389 As Sabres start season, five reasons for optimism :-) ... & 1076423 Blue Jackets | Familiarity benefits defensemen five for pessimism :-( 1076390 John Vogl's Stick Taps: M-V-P, M-V-P. Five candidates for the Hart Trophy 1076391 It's all systems go as Housley emphasizes aggressiveness for Sabres 1076392 Phil Housley 'ready to go' as new head coach of the Buffalo Sabres 1076393 Sabres add another veteran defenseman for Amerks via trade Wild 1076424 10 things to know about Stars' Alexander Radulov: From 1076468 practices with Wild but opening night status how he lost some teeth to living with NHL legend remains uncertain 1076425 Why Ben Bishop's down year last season sort of makes 1076469 Wild signs veteran forward Daniel Winnik on eve of his Stars debut even more exciting season opener 1076470 Wild sign Winnik to 1-year deal after successful camp Red Wings tryout 1076426 Red Wings preview: Meet the players on the 2017-18 1076471 The Wild sought larger, more physical players in the roster offseason and found some 1076427 feels like home of Red Wings, not 1076472 Five elements for a successful 2017-18 Wild season Detroit Pistons 1076473 Selfish desires: Wild's Charlie Coyle must pass less and 1076428 NHL survey: ' Jimmy Howard among shoot more worst starting goalies 1076474 Projected Wild line combinations 1076429 Detroit Red Wings vs. : How to watch 1076475 The Wild's deal for Charlie Coyle season opener 1076476 Preview: Wild opens 2017-18 season at Detroit Red 1076430 PETA offers 'cruelty-free' toy octopuses at Wings season Wings opener 1076477 Wild, Daniel Winnik agree to one-year deal 1076431 Wings open near bottom in various power rankings 1076478 Is Wild ‘difference-maker’ starting to break 1076432 Red Wings expect ‘new energy’ in season opener at LCA down? 1076433 Little Caesars Arena shows off the high-tech suite life 1076479 Wild know it’s a marathon, not a sprint in hellacious 1076434 Red Wings will live like kings in Little Caesars Arena Central Division 1076435 Ice ‘better’ in multi-use Little Caesars Arena 1076436 Wings take a page from Olympia with intimate feel at LCA 1076437 Niyo: Wings need new stars to put sparkle in new arena 1076480 Habs' balanced, four-line attack good news for young 1076438 Young Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha must impact Red players Wings' fortunes 1076481 Pat Hickey: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin expects more 1076439 Detroit Red Wings' odds of winning are offence this season improving 1076482 Canadiens at Sabres: Five things you should know 1076440 What prospect Evgeny Svechnikov is aiming for this 1076483 Not being noticed is nothing new for Canadiens' Karl season with Griffins Alzner 1076441 2017-18 NHL predictions: Red Wings' Ken Holland, Jeff 1076484 Stu Cowan: Skating didn't come easy for Canadiens' Blashill on hot seat Jonathan Drouin 1076442 Perseverance pays off for Red Wings' Jimmy Howard as 1076485 Jack Todd: Canadiens' drive for 25 begins with renewed milestone nears optimism 1076443 Get to know 2017-18 1076486 Canadiens trade Zach Redmond to Buffalo and Andreas 1076444 Red Wings ready for 'unreal' debut of Little Caesars Arena Martinsen to Chicago 1076487 Claude Julien wants Victor Mete to stick with Canadiens for entire season 1076445 Confident Oilers ignoring Stanley Cup favourite label 1076446 Jones: Anticipating an Oilers' decade of domination 1076447 Expect Oilers' rivalries to bloom in 2017-18 1076488 Predators' new national anthem singer to be chosen by 1076448 GM has cleaned out Oilers' roster since taking over 2 fan vote years ago 1076489 Predators up for another big run? A big letdown? It's all on 1076449 Oilers Game Day: Battle of Alberta with Flames starts NHL the table season 1076450 NHL rule changes for 2017-18 season Devils 1076451 Battle of Alberta finally matters again 1076490 The Devils and the Riveters Form a Hockey Partnership 1076452 Oilers snapshots: Adam Larsson gets a letter 1076491 Projecting Devils' opening night lines, pairings 1076453 Confident Edmonton Oilers ignoring Stanley Cup favourite 1076492 What Nico Hischier expects in his Devils debut label heading into 2017-18 NHL season 1076493 John Hynes explains why Joseph Blandisi and John 1076454 Expect Edmonton Oilers' rivalries to bloom in 2017-18 Quenneville missed final Devils cut 1076455 Terry Jones: Anticipating an Edmonton Oilers' decade of 1076494 Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 4 D Andy Greene domination 1076495 Devils' Hynes breaks down the roster decisions 1076456 Connor McDavid scores hat trick in win 1076496 Islanders' Nick Leddy should be among NHL's elite 1076458 Two spiraled books could shape Panthers' and Bob defensemen, Doug Weight says Boughner's future 1076459 Panthers draw inspiration from 'Legacy' of legendary New Zealand rugby team 1076497 The heart and soul of the Rangers deserves this honor 1076498 Kevin Shattenkirk on idolizing Leetch, loving OBJ and coming home 1076460 Toffoli and Pearson aren't just kids anymore for Kings 1076499 Rangers young defenseman cracks opening-night lineup 1076461 5 things we learned about the L.A. Kings in training camp 1076500 Rangers choose as an alternate captain 1076462 L.A. Kings to honor employee Christiana Duarte, Las Vegas victims 1076463 Practice notes: Line rushes, stick usage, Stevens vs Philadelphia 1076464 Stevens on improvements, Iafallo, Muzzin, Fantenberg-Folin (+photos) 1076465 Kings to honor Christiana Duarte, victims, heroes from Las Vegas tragedy 1076466 Noticeable in preseason, usage of sticks in checking, defending clearly reinforced 1076467 Martinez to IR; LaDue getting recalled Senators 1076501 Once again, Sens, NHL's fifth-oldest team, banking on 1076543 The Sharks’ disappointing season-opener wasn’t a total experience for success loss 1076502 What else is new? Senators begin season with uncertainty 1076544 Labanc scores twice, gets burned by penalties in Sharks in the air loss to Flyers 1076503 Sens' Borowiecki anxious to get started: 'It's time to 1076545 Sharks’ Joel Ward says response to tweet as been unleash the beast' positive 1076504 Mark Stone healthy, ready to become more consistent 1076546 Sharks pregame notes: Can Labanc seize his opportunity scorer for Senators to play with the Joes? 1076505 The Big 10: Questions the Senators need to answer for 1076547 For San Jose Sharks fans, a guide to SAP Center success in 2017-18 cocktails, craft brews 1076506 'It's about today,' coach Boucher says as he enters 1076548 Sharks season preview: Two years after Cup final berth, second season with Senators no sure thing 1076507 Karlsson won't be ready for Senators' season opener 1076549 Sharks drop opener as Flyers’ has a 1076508 The numbers add up as Logan Brown makes his NHL hat trick debut 1076550 Slow start: Jones allows four goals, Sharks fall to Flyers in 1076509 'Baby Face Brass' shoulders his way into the lineup for season opener Sens' season opener 1076551 Sharks vs Flyers: For at least one night, the future is now 1076510 Game Day: Senators vs. Capitals 1076552 The 2017-18 Sharks are a team that confounds the punditocracy 1076511 Wayne Simmonds' historic hat trick carries Flyers past St Louis Blues Sharks in opener 1076553 Notebook: Reaves is all business against former team 1076512 Flames sign 45-year-old Jaromir Jagr to 1-year deal 1076554 Blues crash the Penguins' party 1076513 Paris, now Vegas: For ex-Flyer Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, 1076555 Petro gives Blues 5-4 win the worst type of deja vu 1076514 Brian Elliott to start Flyers' opener; Sam Morin, Travis Sanheim will sit against Sharks 1076556 Lightning journal: Defensive depth never a bad problem to 1076515 NHL preview: Team-by-team capsules have 1076516 Young guns: Flyers rookies ready to make an impact 1076557 Think the Lightning had an endless summer? Try these 1076517 Wayne Simmonds scores hat trick in Flyers' 5-3 win over guys Sharks 1076558 Jon Cooper's fishing event raises $150,000 for pediatric 1076518 Wayne Simmonds, power play lift Flyers to cancer (w/photos, video) season-opening win 1076519 Flyers-Sharks observations: Wayne Simmonds sparks Maple Leafs opening win 1076559 Maple Leafs pile on the goals in season-opening rout of 1076520 With 4-game trip to begin season, Flyers more suited for Jets road success in 2017-18 1076560 Leafs’ stars come out in opening rout of Jets 1076521 Flyers-Sharks thoughts: The Nolan Patrick-led youth 1076561 One game for Leafs, but what a game: Arthur movement begins tonight 1076562 Forward finally getting a Fehr with Leafs 1076522 End to End: 2017-18 Flyers, Stanley Cup predictions 1076563 Leafs’ Borgman eager for a taste of the big time 1076523 5 takeaways: Flyers fix power play quick in 1076564 William Nylander willing to wait for new contract season-opening win over Sharks 1076565 Maple Leafs' Fehr all smiles in front of family 1076524 Flyers clam up in NHL’s new non-information age 1076566 Maple Leafs crush Jets to open season 1076525 Why Flyers rookies are in for a shock despite pro 1076567 Goalie graveyard no MORE: Canadian NHL teams solid experience between the pipes 1076568 NHL preview, Canadian teams: 1076569 Maple Leafs' Eric Fehr has plenty of reasons to smile 1076526 Kevin Gorman's Take 5: Thoughts on the Penguins' 1076570 What can the incredible 2016-17 rookie class do for an season opener encore? 1076527 Penguins rally, but Blues spoil party with overtime victory 1076571 10 potential potholes and pitfalls for the Maple Leafs in opener 1076572 Goalie graveyard no MORE: Canadian teams enter 1076528 Kevin Gorman: Spotlight on Matt Murray as Penguins 2017-18 with some of hockey's finest netminders raise banner 1076573 As NBC jilts the NHL, league's decision to skip Olympics 1076529 Banner night: Penguins celebrate Stanley Cup title before looks more and more like missed opportunity season opener 1076574 Sophomore slump? Please: Why Auston Matthews and 1076530 Penguins notebook: 's longtime linemate Patrik Laine will take even bigger steps forward this among notable absences on banner-raising night season 1076531 Watch these Stanley Cup 'banner' moments in Penguins' history Canucks 1076532 A pulsating banner raising ceremony, but a flat conclusion 1076604 What is this, a Legion? Canucks to host meat draw and 1076533 Letang pleased with return after long layoff give out free beer on opening night 1076534 New Penguin McKegg demonstrates a sense of puck 1076605 Between the pipes, Markstrom's family helps him between awareness and patience the ears 1076535 Penguins work hard, not smart, in OT loss 1076606 Canucks hope giving green light to defence triggers red 1076536 Back-to-back Stanley Cup winners, Penguins shoot for light three-peat 1076607 Odds of Canucks winning Stanley Cup are an NHL-worst 1076537 Penguins raise 2017 Stanley Cup banner before season 150/1 opener vs. St. Louis 1076538 Ryan Reaves will see familiar faces in Penguins opener 1076539 Kris Letang is ready for meaningful hockey after a seven- month layoff 1076540 Penguins donating money to support Las Vegas, Puerto Rico 1076541 Regular season will deliver one thing the Penguins crave: routine 1076542 The Penguins' core trio doesn't take its longevity for granted Websites 1076575 If Golden Knights aren’t on Cox Cable, team should be 1076608 The Athletic / LeBrun: Jack Eichel's extension lays embarrassed foundation for GM Jason Botterill to build a winner in Buf 1076576 Golden Knights lineup uncertain for season opener 1076609 The Athletic / Maple Leafs, Jets teammates marvel at how 1076577 Malcolm Subban adds to Golden Knights’ goaltending Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine can shoot the puck depth 1076610 The Athletic / One final, slightly updated look at the projected 2017-18 NHL standings 1076611 The Athletic / Dellow: 15 questions about the Western 1076578 Capitals sign forward Alex Chiasson to one-year, Conference $660,000 deal 1076612 The Athletic / NHL writer roundtable: The Athletic's NHL 1076579 NHL 2017-18 Preview: Playoff projections and pivotal team makes 2017-18 projections stats for every team 1076613 The Athletic / Bourne: Tale of two Senators: A look at their 1076580 Maintaining greatness for himself, Caps will demand more best and worst-case 2017-18 scenarios than ever from Alex Ovechkin 1076614 The Athletic / Tarasenko-Reaves friendship is a common 1076581 The Caps bet big on T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov. bond shared between scorers and enforcers They need them to pay off. 1076615 .ca / Maple Leafs prefer ‘dream’ opener vs. Jets 1076582 The modern NHL is a young man’s league. And it’s getting to last season’s ‘fairytale’ younger. And better. 1076616 Sportsnet.ca / Jets’ Patrik Laine on loss to Maple Leafs: 1076583 Capitals radio broadcasts will return to 106.7 The Fan this ‘Just embarrassing’ season 1076617 Sportsnet.ca / 7 Takeaways: ‘Powerful’ Leafs overcome 1076584 Jack Eichel, young Maple Leafs top storylines in NHL Jets, fashion police 1076585 Capitals ready to move on from playoff loss to Penguins 1076618 Sportsnet.ca / Mike Smith experiences desert deja vu in 1076586 Face it. For these Nationals and Capitals, postseason is Flames debut against Oilers all that matters 1076619 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs’ Komarov called for ‘illegal equipment’ 1076587 Alex Chiasson signs 1-year deal with Capitals in season opener 1076588 Capitals’ games to air on 106.7 The Fan 1076621 Sportsnet.ca / Jaromir Jagr says ‘99.9 per cent’ this will be 1076589 Game 1: Capitals at Senators date, time, how to watch, his last NHL season game thread 1076622 Sportsnet.ca / Jacob Markstrom perseveres to reach 1076590 Following his second suspension, Tom Wilson starter status with Canucks acknowledges that he must adapt 1076623 TSN.CA / McDavid's opening-night hat trick leads Oilers 1076591 Eastern Conference predictions: Are the Caps still past Flames contenders? 1076624 TSN.CA / Marleau scores twice in Toronto debut as Leafs 1076592 After a strong camp, Alex Chiasson signs one-year deal rout Jets with the Caps 1076625 TSN.CA / Buff Boeser ready for 82-game grind of first full 1076593 Brooks Orpik hopes to adapt to an evolving NHL game NHL season 1076626 TSN.CA / Matthews ready for intense atmosphere in 1076627 TSN.CA / Oilers learning to embrace contender status 1076628 TSN.CA / Leafs carry weight of high expectations into new season 1076629 TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: NHL rookies to watch 1076630 TSN.CA / Sens players ignoring preseason predictions 1076632 USA TODAY / NHL power rankings: New hope in a new season 1076594 Mason jarred in season opener 1076595 Winkler's Fehr back for a visit -- and a game 1076596 Jets' Ehlers scores $42-M contract extension 1076597 Toronto Maple Leafs @ Winnipeg Jets 1076598 Don't panic about Jets just yet 1076599 Jets pounded by Maple Leafs in season opener 1076600 Goalie graveyard no MORE: Canadian NHL teams solid between the pipes 1076601 What can the incredible 2016-17 rookie class do for an encore? 1076602 Jets lock up Ehlers 1076603 In Year 2, the Matthews-Laine rivalry extends beyond individual success

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1076358 Anaheim Ducks LA Times: LOADED: 10.05.2017

Ducks need Rickard Rakell to take center stage as team opens season without Ryan Kesler

Mike Coppinger

Rickard Rakell was a revelation last season. Time and again his nifty hands produced highlight-reel goal after highlight-reel goal. From the top of the faceoff dot. From the slot. Behind the net. The Swede did it all on his way to scoring 33 goals, 10 more than any of his Ducks teammates. What will the 24-year-old do for an encore? Transition to center and try to create chances for and Jakob Silfverberg while also seeking to maintain the torrid pace he set last season. “Obviously, [my role] changes a little bit, but it could also give me more chances,” said Rakell, who was selected by the Ducks with the 30th pick in the 2011 . “If I end up getting put in positions where I have the puck more and creating more plays, it’s going to be more helpful for my own line. “It doesn’t have to be anything negative about it. It’s just going to give me a little bit different looks.” After Ryan Kesler, the team’s No. 2 center, underwent hip surgery in June, coach Randy Carlyle came calling. The message: prepare to change positions. “It’s a fun challenge for me,” said Rakell, who had 18 assists last season. “I see all the centers on my team getting a lot of ice time and a lot of opportunities to play all kinds of different roles. If I can play this role solidly, this can only help me no matter where I play.” He has played center previously and knows the type of player he wants to be: the kind of center that’s around the puck a lot and “makes something happen every time he’s on the ice.” Carlyle was impressed with the way Rakell competed against the Kings in the team’s preseason finale. “He was pretty dynamic in that game, he was around the puck, he created time and space, and he worked well,” Carlyle said. “He played against [Anze] Kopitar all night. It was more of a test and I thought he did very, very well. And another test is opening night. It’s not exhibition. We know that.” They also know Rakell has a different style than Kesler. “Raks needs to understand that we need to fill that void [created by Kesler’s absence], but we also have to help out with that,” Cogliano said. “We need to be patient with how we play in our end, we have to come back to the right spots, we have to break out quickly. The less time we can spend [in the defensive end], the better off we’ll be. ... “Raks is a highly skilled player, he’s a very high-end talent and he can make plays. That’s maybe going to be a difference-maker for us because he’s going to receive a lot of opportunities to score.” And in the end, that’s what Rakell does best. He produced an exceptional 18.6 shooting percentage last season, and also was responsible defensively at plus-10. “If we can just keep building off [the preseason] and get a feel for where we are at all times,” Rakell said, “we can make a lot of fun things happen this year.” NEXT UP VS. ARIZONA When: Thursday, 7 p.m. On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 830. Update: The Ducks open at home for the first time since 2009, part of their longest season-opening homestand (four games) since they entered the NHL in 1993. … They don’t meet the Coyotes again until a New Year’s Eve matinee in Anaheim. … The Ducks are one of two teams, along with the Chicago Blackhawks, to top the 100- mark in four consecutive seasons. 1076359 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks sign Josh Manson to a four-year extension

Mike Coppinger

The Ducks’ defense corps is thin right now after some key injuries, but the team is set for the foreseeable future. Josh Manson signed a four-year contract extension with the Ducks on Wednesday, the club announced, that keeps him under team control through the 2021-22 season. The average annual value of the deal is $4.1 million, according to a source who was not authorized to speak publicly. Manson joins Cam Fowler, and Sami Vatanen (the latter two on injured reserve following surgeries to repair a torn labrum) to form a formidable foursome on the Ducks’ blue line. Manson, 25, is known for his physicality as a stay-at-home defenseman. “It shows even more confidence that they have in me and the kind of player I’ll be for years to come,” Manson, whom the Ducks drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, said on a conference call. “I definitely wanted to get it done before the season started. I can focus a little bit more on the team and the season going on here.” That season begins Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes, and Manson is slotted in on the team’s top pairing along with Fowler. He’ll be heavily depended upon by coach Randy Carlyle while Lindholm and Vatanen recover, but Manson earned this contract with his steady play last season. The 6-foot-3, 213-pounder led Ducks defensemen in hits with 426 and ranked second on the squad with a plus-14 defensive rating. He also had a career-best 12 assists. “I’m not going to claim to be the best puck-mover going, but I feel like I get up and down the ice pretty well and there’s a physical part to my game,” he said. “I don’t put up the most points, but I feel like I can defend against any player in the league and also play this physical style that’s a part of my game.” He earned his first playing time in 2014, but it was only for a brief stay. Manson logged regular minutes over the next two seasons. The former Northeastern University captain consulted with his father, longtime NHL defenseman , before signing the deal. Manson hopes to contribute more on offense this season, but most of all, wants to earn his new riches “in everybody’s eyes.” “I hope I continue to progress as the years go along,” Manson said. “I still feel I haven’t reach my potential. There are areas of my game I’d like to keep improving. I hope to be a better player at the end of my contract than I was when I was when I signed it.” LA Times: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076360 Anaheim Ducks

5 things we learned about the Ducks in training camp

By ERIC STEPHENS | [email protected] | Orange County Register

With the regular season about to begin, it’s time to take stock of what we learned about the Ducks during training camp. 1. TRAINING CAMP IS TOO LONG – OR NOT LONG ENOUGH You might want to say that seven exhibition games are too many and you would be right. Most regulars only need two or three – if even that – to feel as if they’re ready for the regular season. But with the way the Ducks are proliferated with players recovering from injuries and surgeries, they might have wanted some extra time to get a few of them closer to complete health as Thursday’s season opener approaches. Five players expected to dress for them are now sitting on injured reserve. Some are due back sooner (Ryan Miller) than later (Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, Ryan Kesler) and we’re not too sure about the return of others (Patrick Eaves). In the end, the Ducks had a mess of a camp as to preparing their expected lineup. 2. RICKARD RAKELL MIGHT LIKE THIS MOVE TO CENTER Ducks coach Randy Carlyle suggested that his young star move beyond playing on the left side of and embrace the necessary move to the middle while Kesler is sidelined for the first half of the season. Rakell appears to be eager for the challenge. Bigger and stronger than the last time he regularly played center, the 24-year-old has been using his size more to create space for himself and make plays for his teammates. Carlyle has liked how he has adjusted to playing with wingers such as Andrew Cogliano, Jakob Silfverberg or . “The last game we played was up in L.A. and he was pretty dynamic in that game,” Carlyle said. If Getzlaf isn’t quite ready to return from a lower-body injury, Rakell might find himself being the top-line center Thursday against Arizona. 3. BRANDON MONTOUR WILL HAVE A BIG ROLE FROM OUTSET Montour had an impressive debut last season. Not only did he show no fear or hesitation after his promotion from the but the defenseman worked his way into being depended upon in the playoffs. Now with Lindholm and Vatanen still on the sidelines for the first month, Montour will have a top-four role that’ll see him log around 20 minutes a night while being used regularly on the power play. This is a potential growth season for him and he’ll start with the experienced Francois Beauchemin as his defense partner. It was Beauchemin who helped ease Lindholm into the NHL and allowed him to flourish until it was Lindholm who was leading the way. 4. COULD AILING POWER PLAY HAVE DIFFERENT LOOK? New assistant coach Steve Konowalchuk is taking on the assignment of improving a power play that slumped to 15th in the NHL last season and a massive disappointment in the postseason. Carlyle will have significant input but Konowalchuk has started to take a hands-on approach during recent practices when the power play has been a focus. One of the looks that the Ducks might give right away is having the right-shooting Montour at the point on the left side of the offensive zone and the left-shooting Cam Fowler on the right and in a position to operate from the half wall. It appears those two will be on the first unit with Rakell, Jakob Silfverberg and Corey Perry until Getzlaf is on the ice. With Getzlaf, the Ducks could show a four-forward look with Fowler as the only defenseman and Montour shifted to the second unit. 5. DEFENSE, GOALTENDING WILL RULE THE DAY At times, the Ducks proved they were willing to win games by 1-0 and 2-1 scores during the first year of Carlyle’s return as coach. Since their forward groupings are in scramble mode, it seems logical that they’ll put their focus on keeping pucks out of the net and try to generate enough offense at the other end. Even in an injury-wracked camp, the Ducks appear to have their defense pairings set with Fowler and Josh Manson as the lead duo followed by Beauchemin and Montour. figures to man the third pair and see plenty of duty on the kill. Jaycob Megna and Korbinian Holzer could split time as Bieksa’s partner. Those figure to change when Lindholm and Vatanen return but the best development of the preseason was John Gibson looking athletic, healthy and sharp in goal. Top-flight netminding from him will help keep the Ducks from sinking early on. Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076361 Anaheim Ducks The team will open the season thinned by significant, still-healing injuries, including to young, building-block defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen. Miller: Ducks’ Francois Beauchemin hopes to prove it’s worth three- Predictions place this team among the best in the NHL, the Ducks having peating won five consecutive Pacific Division titles, the exact streak the Dodgers are riding in the National League West. By JEFF MILLER | [email protected] | Orange County Register And you know how the current storyline goes with the Dodgers, right? The only acceptable conclusion for them is winning the . Anything less and they’ll be repeatedly reminded of their status as crushing failures. ANAHEIM — It’s opening night for the Ducks. The expectations probably aren’t quite that severe for the Ducks, in part Unless it’s more than that. because they aren’t looking at three decades since the franchise won its most recent championship. For one of them, see, it’s actually reopening night. Except if you’re thinking bigger-picture still, in which case, for Francois Beauchemin, it’s Beauchemin scored four power-play goals during that Ducks’ Cup run in really re-reopening night. ’07 and led a team that included Scott Niedermayer and in average ice time. The defenseman officially begins his third stint with the team when the Ducks face Arizona at Honda Center, Beauchemin in the unusual By agreeing to a three-peat with the organization, he passed up a position of having a third chance to make a first impression. potential opportunity to play for in the 2018 Winter Olympics, the national team contacting him before the Ducks did. Opening night is always a big deal, naturally, but even more so now since, not quite four months ago, Beauchemin thought his NHL career “It would have been fun,” Beauchemin said. “But, for me, playing a full was closed, permanently, this reopening a rebirth, as well. NHL season and having a chance to win the Stanley Cup again was ahead of that possibility.” “It was strange,” he said following the Ducks’ final tuneup practice Wednesday. “Coming back, living in the same neighborhood, driving to So he’s back, after he was back before, the Ducks’ newest defenseman the same places. It’s weird how everything happened.” an old favorite, three times over. Also weird were the looks Beauchemin received recently when he walked Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.05.2017 into his favorite coffee shop, the long-term employees and regulars recognizing him after he was away for two years. As much as or even more so than the rest of us, professional athletes are beholden to their habits, Beauchemin having no other choice but to resume stopping every morning at his local Kean Coffee. “Those two years went by and it’s like it never happened,” he said. “It’s like I was just here yesterday. Two years … it’s kind of like I never left.” Beauchemin certainly wasn’t expected back. He departed the Ducks for the second time via free agency in July of 2015, sure he had just signed his final contract. Colorado was so eager to acquire him, in fact, that the sides agreed to the three-year deal within the first hour Beauchemin was available. But in June, looking at one more season in Denver and in the NHL, only weeks after going through a positive exit interview, Beauchemin learned the Avalanche was buying him out. Sure, he still had $3 million coming, but he suddenly was a 37-year-old unemployed defenseman in a league getting faster by the shift, a father of young children unwilling to uproot his family again just for one final season. “I was really disappointed and surprised,” Beauchemin said. “I was obviously disappointed, not knowing if I had played my last game in the NHL.” Here he was, a veteran of 12 full seasons; of 836 career games, plus 97 more in the playoffs; and a 2007 Stanley Cup champion with the Ducks being told to turn in his skates. The exit strategy Beauchemin had laid out in an instant had exited instead, an accomplished hockey lifer no longer wanted by the team that ended 2016-17 as the worst in the league and by a whopping 21 points the worst. “That was the most disappointing thing,” Beauchemin said. “It was hard to think about it for probably two, three weeks. Every day just thinking, ‘OK, I guess I’m done. I’m done. That’s it.’” A few teams called, but Beauchemin wasn’t interested until it was the Ducks reaching out, his familiarity with the organization and the area making this the only place he was willing to relocate. So he and his family did relocate, moving into a house just four doors down from where they had lived before, Beauchemin’s kids rekindling friendships as he reacquainted himself with teammates – past and present and both. The Ducks again are counting on him to provide leadership, professionalism and his normal on-ice contributions, while probably seeing more playing time initially than anyone had figured. 1076362 Anaheim Ducks Lindholm, Vatanen and Kesler so it made it different right from the beginning.

“How we got to this group and the final numbers, it’s been a long, tedious Ducks ink Josh Manson to four-year extension, add two veterans to process.” injured reserve Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.05.2017

By ERIC STEPHENS | [email protected] | Orange County Register

Missing bodies largely defined the Ducks’ training camp and that theme continues into the start of the season. They’ll at least have Josh Manson in their lineup now and throughout the foreseeable future. The Ducks locked up their most physical defenseman Wednesday, signing Manson to a four-year contract extension worth $16.4 million. The deal kicks in next year and will carry a $4.1 million salary cap charge, with Manson making $3.25 million in 2018-19, $4.25 million in 2019-20 and $4.45 million in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Manson, 25, had the possibility of going into next summer with arbitration rights when it came to hammering out a new contract after his current two-year bridge deal expires. Not only has that been removed from the table but the two sides agreed on a figure that will also eat up two years of eligible unrestricted free agency. “In a way, I definitely wanted to get it done before the season started,” Manson said. “I know it was something the Ducks had mentioned they wanted to do as well. Try to kind of get it all sorted out before the season got going. “It is a little bit of a relief to have it done with and now I can focus a little bit more on the team and the season going forward here.” After Ducks general manager Bob Murray traded to make sure the Vegas Golden Knights, wouldn’t take him in the expansion draft, Manson hoped that a contract extension would come on the back side of their commitment to him. It did. “I think it shows even more confidence in me in the kind of player that I’m going to be for the years to come and that’s somebody they want to have on their roster,” Manson said. Manson used his parents, Dave and Lana, as a sounding board throughout the negotiation process. Dave Manson was a longtime NHL defenseman, playing in 1,103 games with seven teams. “They’ve been a big part of my life and obviously with my dad going through a lot of different contracts, just being around the game for so long,” Manson said. “I definitely wanted to have his opinion on it. “Once we made the final decision to go ahead and sign, they were nothing but excited and happy for me and proud of me. It was a nice phone call to have with them.” The day ended on a good note for the Ducks after they put Patrick Eaves and Ryan Miller on injured reserve, leaving them without one of their better goal scorers and their new backup goalie to support starter John Gibson. The two join Ryan Kesler, Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen, who already weren’t expected to start the season. Eaves missed the entire exhibition due to a lower-body injury. Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said Eaves saw a specialist for what he called a “re- visit” Tuesday morning. “He didn’t respond favorably but didn’t take a setback,” Carlyle said. “So that was the encouraging part.” Miller hasn’t been on the ice with the Ducks since playing a Sept. 25 at Arizona because of an upper-body injury. He did go through an individual workout before Tuesday’s practice at Honda Center, facing a of shots taken by Lindholm and Vatanen. Eaves and Miller were two notable signings by Murray during the offseason. Eaves, 33, was signed to a three-year, $9.45 million contract extension while Miller, 37, was brought in as a free agent on a two-year, $4 million deal. Ryan Getzlaf may also be a question mark for Thursday’s opener against Arizona. Getzlaf has been dogged by a lower-body injury since last week but Carlyle was hopeful that he would skate Wednesday, which he did in his top-line spot centering Nick Ritchie and Corey Perry. All the injuries had Carlyle using the word “taxing” as a description for this year’s camp. “Training camp this year has been different than I’d anticipated,” Carlyle said. “We didn’t really have a lot of people available to us at the latter half when we expected to. We were missing three players obviously with 1076363 Arizona Coyotes Nato arrived home from work, he’d eat and then cart Tocchet off to practice or a game.

“That was his life for a lot of years, and I felt a gratitude,” Tocchet said. Arizona Coyotes' Rick Tocchet set to lead as the guy he's always been “Like I better not waste the stuff he’s doing for me, so that’s why I was a really hard worker.” Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports Published 5:59 p.m. MT Oct. 4, 2017 Establishing an identity During his first season of junior hockey, Tocchet didn’t score much but he was learning. Music swirls between the wood-paneled ceiling and dark-tiled floor covering the patio at Paul Martin’s American Grill in Scottsdale as His coach, Terry Crisp, taught a pro style of hockey when he helmed the Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet arrives for lunch. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Hockey League and stressed, “If you’re good in your own end, the other parts of the game will He pulls out a wicker chair and plants his cellphone next to his glasses come.” on the table. In his second season, Tocchet buried 32 goals. By Year 3, he potted 44 “I like the menu,” he said. “It’s good. It’s a good spot.” and another 22 in the playoffs. This has become one of Tocchet’s new favorite stops for a bite to eat, but “I was a pretty consistent player,” he said. “I wasn’t always great. I wasn’t some of his previous go-to restaurants are still standing. His friends are always bad. I kind of tried to play a consistent game, and a lot of that the same, albeit older. And the swatches of green dressed up as golf stuff was trying to be hard-working because I knew if I could outwork courses continue to interrupt the desert landscape. guys I’d have a chance to make the NHL.” “Nothing’s really changed,” he said. Tocchet didn’t change his outlook when he debuted with the Flyers; it just crystalized what was possible when an entire team of players was as Except, of course, the hockey team with which he's he’s reunited for a committed as he was. third time. That caliber of focus defined Tocchet’s early years in Philadelphia where After first signing on as a player from 1997 to 2000 and then returning in the Flyers’ identity was how tough it was to share a sheet of ice with 2005 to be an assistant for parts of two seasons, Tocchet is back in the them. Valley to take over behind the bench. “We weren’t the most talented team, but we took those other teams to Each of his stints has been different from the others, unique snapshots of the brink,” he said. the organization as it matured. Former Flyers mainstays like Brad McCrimmon, Mark Howe, Dave Poulin The Coyotes were an energetic upstart, an average bunch stuck in no- and Dave Brown mentored Tocchet, and he respected the way those man’s land between good and bad and now a constellation of puzzle around him invested their attention into their craft when they were at the pieces waiting to be assembled. rink. Tocchet even made time for it when he wasn’t at the arena. That’s the reality Tocchet is inheriting, a challenge that couldn’t be more As a quinoa salad topped with avocado is set in front of him and he dissimilar from the situation he left behind as an assistant with the back- orders an iced tea, Tocchet recalls a time in Los Angeles when he to-back Stanley Cup champion Penguins. walked out on a dinner because a physical therapist called to ask if he wanted a last-minute appointment after a cancellation. But when the Coyotes open their season Thursday in Anaheim against the Ducks, the 53-year-old won’t start preaching a brand-new message “Yeah,” Tocchet told him. that’s tailored to this team. He dealt with back problems the last five-to-six years of his career but Instead, he's sticking with the philosophy that's guided his entire career was able to keep playing because of how he prepared off-ice. This brand from youth-hockey standout to a coach who helped cultivate the NHL’s of dedication helped the feisty scorer amass 440 goals, 952 points and latest dynasty. 2,972 penalty minutes in 1,144 regular-season games, and Tocchet remains one of only three players in NHL history to boast 400-plus goals “I lived the process, so I know,” Tocchet said. “I’ve seen it happen.” and 2,500 minutes in the penalty box. New Coyotes coach Rick Rocchet sits down with Sarah McLellan to “I can always eat the dinner later,” he said, “but I can only get that discuss the upcoming season and his expectations for his first year. therapy right then.” Work then play All about the blue Growing up in a Scarborough neighborhood of Toronto, Tocchet started The style of play in the NHL now isn’t the same as when Tocchet playing hockey when he was 7 or 8 years old. He joined a church league represented the Flyers or even when he moved to Pittsburgh and won a and after scoring five to seven goals in his first game or two, he started to Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 1992. canvass the ranks. But what the modern-day Penguins and the 1980s Flyers have in And he fell in love, watching Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts every common is the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. Saturday and playing in the streets with his two brothers. Pittsburgh wasn’t always this way; when Tocchet joined the staff as an “I had the blood,” Tocchet said. “It just caught me.” assistant in 2014, the coaches knew they had great players to work with When he was 14, he did circuit training while listening to the theme song but they questioned if the Penguins were a great team. from Rocky. And he guzzled raw eggs like Rocky Balboa, too, downing Eventually, they became the best team because players did what was three-to-four a couple of times a week. necessary to make the group successful rather than honing in on their Later, after he was drafted by the Flyers in 1983, Tocchet mimicked the personal accolades. iconic scene in the movie and galloped the stairs in front of the “They sacrificed a bit of their games,” Tocchet said. “I mean, I still think Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Sidney) Crosby could get 10, 20 more points if he really wanted to. He Running had been a staple of Tocchet’s workouts. He ran five miles as plays a 200-foot game. If he wanted to play a 150-foot game, maybe not fast as he could, pushing to get a mile done in under eight minutes; two come back as hard, I guarantee you he could get another 20 points.” miles in 11:29 is his best time ever. Mental toughness also became key, as losses didn’t linger and spawn an By Friday night, if he hadn’t gotten his run in, he’d stay home and sprint out-of-control epidemic. Mistakes became corrected, not repeated. Not instead of going out with friends before bonding over dinner with his once from mid-January to almost the end of May in 2016 did the mom, Norma, while his dad, Nato, was at a card club. Penguins lose two in a row. The work fueled Tocchet because he saw results, but he also was “Character, to me, is a guy who can bounce back from a bad situation,” motivated by his parents. Tocchet said. Nato was a mechanic and Norma a seamstress and then a cook at a How the Penguins played was another important factor. Crosby, Evgeni daycare before staying home. Both were Italian immigrants who didn’t Malkin and the rest of Pittsburgh’s core is exceptional and rare, but any speak much English. The family wasn’t poor but was far from rich. When team can strive for an up-ice strategy that continually funnels bodies into the offensive zone while hounding the puck. Actually, more and more teams do in an attempt to try to close the gap Goalie Antti Raanta (lower-body injury) has been cleared to play, but between them and the benchmarks in the league. Tocchet said he was going to decide his starter Wednesday evening. Raanta has his first hard practice Wednesday, Tocchet said, so the team “The rules dictate it,” Tocchet said. “You can’t hook and hold, right? So wants to make sure to put him in the right situation to make his debut. you can’t hook and hold and you can’t slow the game down, then play fast.” Defenseman Jakob Chychrun (knee injury) is getting close to getting on the ice after undergoing offseason surgery. Before he digs a fork into the mound of quinoa in front of him, Tocchet shares his plan for getting the Coyotes to exhibit the same personality as “He’s doing terrific,” Tocchet said. “He’s ahead of schedule.” the teams that shaped him. Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.05.2017 “First of all, players gotta get to know you,” he said. “They gotta believe in your system and believe who you are. I didn’t want to come in too heavy that, ‘I’m this guy, and you’re going to listen to me and I’ve won two Cups. I know everything.’ I don’t know everything.” But he does know what it takes to play the way the NHL is trending, an approach he can already sense players like. It’s also one he thinks will endear fans, who have watched the Coyotes stall in their rebuild in the midst of a five-year playoff drought. “We want the fans to be proud of how we play, like they come out to the rink, ‘Man, these young guys work hard,’” Tocchet said. “I don’t know if we’re going to win or lose, and it’s not a cop-out. But to me it’s, ‘Man, look at this guy work. He’s relentless on the puck.’ And I think if you give that kind of style to the fans, I think they’re going to go home happy. “Yeah, fans look at wins and losses. But if they can believe they’re doing the right thing with the process around here, they like the direction, the way the kids are playing, I think they can go home and be satisfied the way that game went that night.” Tocchet has also emphasized an off-ice culture that prioritizes preparation, from food to fitness. And, ultimately, he won’t accept anything less than a wholehearted buy-in from his pupils. “A player might say it’s too hard for him,” Tocchet said. “Then they gotta go somewhere else.” Most, though, want to do well, Tocchet feels. Sometimes they just need encouragement, and that opportunity to mold an unfinished product like the Coyotes into a masterpiece was what appealed most to Tocchet when he agreed to a four-year contract in July. “When they’re done their career,” he said, “I wouldn’t mind them saying, ‘Hey, listen. That coaching staff in Arizona really helped me.’” If a player progresses this season, leaving for next summer better than he when he arrived this fall, Tocchet will be proud. Already, he relishes in the improvement – feeling a wave of gratification when the team executes a breakout like he’s instructed. But Tocchet can’t be satisfied right now. The standard for that has been set from his previous stops, and it’s a Stanley Cup. “Winning it as a player and coach, to see a player on both sides when they do grab that Cup or they drink the champagne out of it, it’s almost like you flashback the whole year,” Tocchet said. “He didn’t dress. He broke his rib. I saw him at practice, and he was exhausted. All that pain and just that one moment I watch that player lift the Cup, it was all worth it. “That’s what I’m trying to make some of these kids understand. It’s going to be worth it. In the end, if you do the right things, it’s going to be worth it. I know it.” Five alternates, no captain The Coyotes announced their leadership group Wednesday, appointing defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson as alternate captains with centers Derek Stepan and Brad Richardson and defenseman Alex Goligoski sharing the third position. Tocchet will rotate the third alternate on a game-by-game basis. “I think it’s great,” Ekman-Larsson said. “I think all of them are great leaders. You don’t need a ‘C’ to be a player, and I think it’s good. We have a leader group so super excited about that.” Injury update Ekman-Larsson said he will play Thursday after suffering a left knee injury in the preseason. He’ll wear a brace on his left knee. “I’m feeling good,” Ekman-Larsson said. “Excited to be back on the ice. Got scared there for a couple days, but it wasn’t anything too serious so I can play through it. It’s going to be fun to be back and playing games again.” 1076364 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes name Ekman-Larsson, Hjalmarsson alternate captains

BY ARIZONA SPORTS | OCTOBER 4, 2017 AT 11:19 AM

The Arizona Coyotes and head coach Rick Tocchet announced Wednesday that defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson will serve as alternate captains to begin the 2017-18 season, and three players will rotate in and out of that title. Centers Derek Stepan and Brad Richardson, plus defenseman Alex Goligoski will have that leadership role on a game-to-game basis. “This is a great opportunity for Oliver, Nik, Derek, Brad and Alex to step up and demonstrate their leadership abilities,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said in a statement. “We need everyone in our room to lead but these five players are all great people and have the necessary NHL experience to collectively guide our team. I’m excited for them and the challenge ahead.” Arizona will label its leaders by tagging the alternate captains’ jerseys with an “A” as the franchise moves past a 14-year era in which captain Shane Doan donned the “C.” Ekman-Larsson was an easy choice. In 2015-16, the 2015 All-Star became the NHL record-holder for most game-winning goals (eight) in a season by a defenseman. Hjalmarrson, Richardson and Goligoski all have won Stanley Cups, while Stepan led the New York Rangers to the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. “After numerous discussions and thorough evaluation during training camp, Rick and I have decided that it’s best to go with five alternate captains to start the season,” said Coyotes GM John Chayka. “With a new head coach and several new players joining the organization, this will be a transition year as far as leadership is concerned. “Fortunately, we have a very strong leadership group in our dressing room and collectively, we’re confident that these players will do an excellent job leading our team on and off the ice.” Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076365 Arizona Coyotes “There’s different ways to play fast,” Tocchet said. “I don’t want to take the stick out of guys’ hands. We have some creative young players here so I want them to be creative. I want them not to think too much. I want What’s new with Coyotes? Coaches, players & Dunkin’ Donuts them to play. “You have to give players freedom, especially in today’s NHL, to play, but I’m not going to sell the farm. It’s not going to be 3-on-1s all night. You BY CRAIG MORGAN | OCTOBER 4, 2017 AT 8:57 AM have to be calculated.” Tocchet has said repeatedly that he wants to get off to a fast start because it will create even more buy-in and belief in the system he’s GLENDALE, Ariz. — Coyotes general manager John Chayka is looking preaching. With so many new faces, a new system and the muscle forward to taking a seat and getting a look at the massive renovation memory those players bring from years under Tippett, a fast start will be project that, for the most part, he oversaw this summer. one of Tocchet’s greatest challenges. The Coyotes didn’t just slap a new coat of paint on a weathered NEW PLAYERS structure. They tore down walls, dug out some of the foundation, replaced some of the landscaping, re-arranged the floor plan and bought Center Derek Stepan: The Coyotes acquired Stepan and goalie Antti new furniture. Now, they’re finally ready to move back in as the team Raanta hours before the June draft in Chicago, sending defenseman opens the season Thursday in Anaheim against the Ducks. Anthony DeAngelo and the seventh overall pick to the New York Rangers. Chayka said he couldn’t go into another season without “It’s been a hell of summer,” Chayka said Tuesday at the Coyotes Face- addressing the team’s glaring need at center. off Luncheon. “It’s been very busy and any time you put a lot of different pieces together you just don’t know how they will fit. I’d be lying to you if I “This organization has been looking for a No. 1 centerman for over a said I knew exactly what we’re going to get. That’s the fun part about decade and he’s a guy that can fill that hole,” said Chayka who had been following a team and going along that journey.” trying to acquire Stepan, 27, for more than a year. “Derek is a solid 200- foot centerman that can make plays, win faceoffs and can play in all Expectations for this season were addressed in a companion piece situations (against) top competition. He just checks all the boxes for a Wednesday on ArizonaSports.com, but here’s a look at all that’s new this top-line center for us. We’ve got a lot of great young wingers, but they season, the Coyotes’ 21st in the Valley. need that stability up the middle of the ice to have success.” OWNERSHIP Stepan has posted four straight seasons of 50-plus points, his possession numbers are good and he can match up defensively against Majority owner Andrew Barroway bought out the team’s other owners in top talent. His leadership qualities have been evident in interviews with June, making him the sole owner of the franchise. The buyout removed the media and the way he interacts with teammates. all members of the IceArizona ownership group that purchased the team from the NHL in August 2013, including co-owner and alternate governor Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson: Priority No. 1 for the Coyotes is putting George Gosbee, co-owner, alternate governor and president of hockey franchise defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in a position to succeed as operations, Gary Drummond, president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc, co- they look to sign him to a long-term extension next summer. Chayka owners David Duckett, Bill Dutton, Craig Stewart, Scott Saxberg, Robert signed Ekman-Larsson’s brother, Kevin, to a minor-league deal to help Gwin and others. support Oliver after the death of his mother this summer. After consulting with his top player, Chayka also acquired Hjalmarsson from Chicago at “I wouldn’t say it wasn’t working, it was just a lot of voices,” Barroway the draft for defenseman Connor Murphy and minor-league center said. “We had 10 different limited partners. Anyone who has been in Laurent Dauphin to finally give Ekman-Larsson a suitable partner. business with 10 partners, there’s going to be some different opinions sometimes, but it was always my dream to own the entire thing and that’s “If God would have made him right-handed he would’ve been the perfect why I doubled down on my investment. fit for OEL,” Chayka quipped. “I just think with Oliver, what makes him special is him playing with the puck and his offensive game, the way he “One voice, one vision, everyone heading in the same direction. makes plays. Hjalmarsson is an elite defender; one of the best. He kind Everybody is getting along famously. It’s collaborative yet the boundaries of covers up and allows Oliver to do his thing.” are clear, too. It makes it easier to make the tough decisions when it’s obvious where it’s coming from.” Hjalmarsson won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and has earned praise from Tocchet throughout camp as the pro. NEW PRESIDENT Defenseman Jason Demers: Chayka sent underachieving forward Jamie The Coyotes hired former Arizona State athletic director and experienced McGinn to Florida for Demers on Sept. 17 in what may go down as the sports executive Steve Patterson to replace LeBlanc and spearhead GM’s best deal to date. efforts to get a new arena built in the Valley. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman closed the door on the Coyotes remaining in Glendale longterm Demers should solidify the team’s second defensive pair alongside Alex in a letter to the Arizona State Legislature in March. Goligoski. He gives the Coyotes a much-needed right-handed shot on the blue line, and he brings the type of mobile, puck-moving game that “The Coyotes current location in Glendale at Gila River Arena is not should mesh well with Tocchet’s system. economically capable of supporting a successful NHL franchise,” he wrote. “For the past 15 years, a succession of ownership groups and the Goalie Antti Raanta: Raanta has never been a No. 1 goalie in the NHL, League have tried everything imaginable to make the Glendale location but one of the best goalie coaches in the business, New York Rangers financially sustainable. Our combined efforts all have yielded the same assistant and former Coyotes goalie coach Benoit Allaire, believes he is result — a consistent economic loss. The simple truth? The Arizona more than ready for the jump. Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale.” Raanta, 28, has played four seasons in the NHL, serving as a backup goalie in New York and Chicago. He has started 78 games over those The arena is not Patterson’s only duty, but it is his biggest. Until he has four years, with a goals against average of 2.32 and a save percentage something concrete to announce, however, Patterson will take a of .917. He won a Stanley Cup as Chicago’s backup in 2014-15. decidedly different approach from the previous ownership group. Raanta is on a $1 million salary for the 2017-18 season. He will be an “In all honesty, our main focus has been getting the season started,” he unrestricted free agent next summer. He’s a low risk. If he doesn’t pan said. “We’ve had a lot of changes to the organization so we’re focused on out, the Coyotes could move on. our knitting and making sure fans have a great experience. When we get to point where we have something to discuss publicly, we’ll do that. Defenseman Adam Clendening: Clendening’s underlying possession There’s really not anything to report right now, and I think it wiser to talk numbers are good, but they have come in protected situations. He’ll have when you have something to talk about than to talk when you have a chance to earn more minutes, but with the Coyotes blue line solidified, nothing to talk about.” he could just be a nice depth piece on an affordable, one-year $650,000 deal. NEW COACHING STAFF Forward Nick Cousins: The Coyotes acquired Cousins and goalie The Coyotes brought head coach Rick Tocchet on board to replace Dave prospect Merrick Madsen from the Philadelphia Flyers in June for forward Tippett, loosen the reins on the team’s skilled young core, speed up the prospect Brendan Warren and a 2018 fifth round pick. Cousins can play pace of play and shepherd those young players through the growth right wing or center, and will serve as a depth option. process with alternating hugs and hard kicks in the pants. Forward Zac Rinaldo: The Coyotes signed Rinaldo, an agitator, to a one- year, two-way $700,000 deal. Rinaldo must still serve a five-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette late in the 2015-16 season. Rinaldo played the 2016-17 season in the AHL so he has not served any games of his NHL suspension. NEW CAPTAINS Tocchet said Tuesday that the Coyotes would name three alternate captains for the season but hold off on naming a captain until that player emerges. Tocchet said there is a “good possibility” that Ekman-Larsson and Hjalmarsson will wear two of the As with the third rotating between several veterans, with Derek Stepan, Alex Goligoski and Brad Richardson in the mix. Tocchet doesn’t think the C is important because he believes players don’t have to wear a letter to be leaders. The topic is probably more important to the fans than anyone else because whoever earns that C will be replacing Shane Doan. Doan was the Coyotes’ captain for 14 years, representing the franchise, the city and the league with such grace that he became a Valley and hockey icon. “The process of the captaincy, I’m not ready for that yet,” Tocchet said. “I think it’s important that players just worry about hockey. That thing will sort itself out … Maybe it’s a month from now, maybe it’s four months. I don’t know.” DUNKIN’ DONUTS HIGHLIGHTS NEW ARENA FOOD CHOICES Coyotes fans will notice some changes at Gila River Arena this season, including upgrades in club areas to create more seating and some upgrades in the suites. Tim Hortons donuts and Smoke’s Poutinerie are both gone, but Levy Restaurants will offer 12 new food choices. The biggest news is Tim Hortons’ replacement. The Canadian chain will be replaced by American chain Dunkin’ Donuts, which will serve its pastries and coffee. Among the 12 new food items: Bratwurst Burger: A local bratwurst, served with caramelized onions and honey mustard sauce on a fresh Kaiser roll. 3 Little Pigs Nachos: Crispy pork rinds, Monterrey cheese sauce, cilantro chimichurri, green onions, and jalapenos. The Enforcer: A foot-long ½-pound bacon wrapped southwestern chicken sausage. Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076366 Arizona Coyotes Chayka will always be on the lookout for ways to improve his team, but for the time being, he is ready to settle in and evaluate the team he has constructed. Questions abound as new era of Coyotes hockey debuts “I want to see where these players start off and I think they’re going to give us lot of feedback about where we’re at as an organization,” he said. “From there, we’ll look to try to make some moves and tweak some BY CRAIG MORGAN | OCTOBER 4, 2017 AT 8:56 AM things if need be.” There are no fancy taglines this season like Coyotes 2.0, but this is unquestionably a new era of Coyotes hockey. It is evident everywhere GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Coyotes are a fashionable pick in some spaces you look in this organization, from ownership all the way down to the to surprise this season. USA Today tabbed them for 92 points, a roster and medical staff. The product of all those changes will take the whopping 22-point jump from last season, and Bleacher Report said the ice on Thursday in Anaheim. Coyotes will be the most improved team in the Western Conference with a radically remade roster. “Under Rick, they’re going to play hard, they’re going to play fast and I think we have a talented group that is going to make a lot of high-end The main architect behind that makeover has heard the chatter. He plays that will really be fun to watch,” Chayka said. “I think we do have responds with a smile that is a mixture of hope, caution and hard the talent to compete, certainly on the back end, to be an upper echelon analysis. team. “Everyone talks about expectations and that’s fine,” general manager “It needs to all come together and gel at the right time and in the right John Chayka said. “Our position is that every game is sacred, every way. That’s the fun part about following a team and going along that season is sacred and if you’re not coming to make the playoffs you’re in journey. We’re not the upper echelon right now but we hope to be.” the wrong sport, the wrong league. Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.05.2017 “Having said that, we have a lot of new faces, a lot of new coaches, a lot of new players. That’s going to be a process and there will be some things that come up — some adversity. How we deal with those things will probably determine our ultimate fate.” One of those new faces, coach Rick Tocchet, has stressed the importance of a fast start for his new team to develop confidence in itself, confidence in the system he is preaching, and to avoid falling in a deep, early hole in the NHL standings. That may be the Coyotes’ greatest challenge in a season riddled with questions. The coaching staff is new, the style of play is new, there are seven new veterans on the roster and there is youth all over the lineup. It will take time for all those parts to mesh. “The whole league wants to get off to a good start, it’s not just us. My belief is these are tough things to judge and evaluate,” Chayka said. “I think we looked good in the preseason and we got better with each game. Does it click in Game 1? I hope so, but to me, it’s more about what happens when we hit some adversity. How are our guys going to react? How are our coaches going to keep things on the rails because eventually adversity strikes no matter how good your team is.” The Coyotes may still be a year away from a playoff spot (or they may not be), but hope comes in many forms this season. Chayka has constructed a defense corps that is among the better units in the league, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Alex Goligoski and Jason Demers forming a formidable top four. Jakob Chychrun (when he returns from knee surgery), Luke Schenn, Adam Clendening and Kevin Connauton give the team good options for the third pair. Only Nashville, Calgary and perhaps Anaheim can boast better blue lines. “I don’t think they’re far behind,” TSN analyst said of the Coyotes. “Nashville has such a high end, nobody matches that. Anaheim’s strength is so young, that’s impressive. I would say Arizona is just a tiny step behind Calgary, but what was a weakness should be a real strength for them.” Offseason acquisition Derek Stepan solidifies a center position that was in bad need of a boost, Antti Raanta has earned a shot at the No. 1 goalie gig and another wave of young players made the roster on Tuesday with rookies Clayton Keller, Dylan Strome and Christian Fischer joining a young core that already featured , Brendan Perlini, Christian Dvorak, Tobias Rieder, Anthony Duclair and Lawson Crouse. All that speed and skill will be on display in Tocchet’s up-tempo style. “Obviously, I want to play a fast style of hockey,” Tocchet said. “You look at the wingers we have, they’re fast. I want to be a creative team. I want to be relentless but I do want a team to have some swagger going into L.A., Chicago, these type of places where ‘hey, the Coyotes are in town. We’re going to get this from these guys. We’ve got to be ready to play this team.’ “That’s something that we have to establish early and that’s on us to make sure we create that identity. When you play a Coyotes team, they’re on the puck, they’re fast, they’re undeterred, they don’t get bothered by the refs. They’re down by two after the first, no big deal. We can get back in the game. I think those are the characteristics of a winning team and it starts from today.” 1076367 Boston Globe LOADED: 10.05.2017

Bruins counting on youngsters to play key roles

By Kevin Paul Dupont

Confidence is a process. Brandon Carlo made a huge impact on the Boston backline last season, paired with captain Zdeno Chara as the Bruins’ towering defensive stoppers. Carlo had his hiccups, as most rookies do, but his game continued to blossom, and his self-belief kept up in lockstep. “It was great, because I kind of eased into it,” recalled Carlo, who’ll be Chara’s running mate on the shutdown unit again Thursday night when the Bruins open the 2017-18 season at the Garden against the Nashville Predators. “Playing against guys like [Sidney] Crosby. Once I played that game, after it I was like, ‘OK, I can do this . . . he is the best player in the world.’ “[Connor] McDavid, the same thing. Once I challenged myself against those guys, I started the next game with a little bit more confidence — thinking, you know, ‘These are the best guys in the league, and I can handle myself against them.’ As I moved on through each game, I knew I could do it.” With Carlo’s experience and growth spurt in mind, the Bruins will open the season with newbies galore in crucial roles, including forwards Anders Bjork and Jake DeBrusk, and blue liners Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk, the former teammates. The diminutive Grzelcyk, 23, is somewhat of a surprise starter among the four, only nailing down his roster spot over the weekend in what evolved into a three-man audition along with Paul Postma (now the designated seventh defenseman) and Rob O’Gara (shipped to AHL Providence Tuesday night). Not only will Grzelcyk see frequent shifts on the left side with third-pairing partner Adam McQuaid, he’ll be parked up high as the point man/puck distributor on the second power-play unit. McAvoy will fill the same role on PP1. They’re job-sharing the duties while Torey Krug, the club’s mainstay back there on the power play last year, heals from a fractured jaw. “If I want to play in the NHL, obviously, I want to be kind of a power-play guy,” said the 5-foot-9-inch, 174-pound Grzelcyk, a favorite son of Charlestown. “I’m just hoping to keep getting an opportunity and be ready for it.” McAvoy, a stouter point man (6 feet, 208 pounds), will be more in a shooting role when he works on PP1 with David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Ryan Spooner, and Patrice Bergeron (if healthy). Grzelcyk will have more of a pass-first mentality on his unit, which will include David Krejci, Frank Vatrano, Bjork, and DeBrusk. For Grzelcyk, the three key points will be: simplify, simplify, simplify. “You don’t want to overcomplicate the game, for sure,” said Grzelcyk. “I think if I’m going to have any impact on the game, I’ll have to move my feet and move the puck. Keep it simple, but when the opportunity presents itself, jump in and make a play. Playing with the quality of players we have, it’s a privilege. I just kind of want to move the puck to them, make plays.” Bjork’s role, as the first-line right wing, will be to scoot and shoot. Blessed with abundant speed and a nose for the net, he will have to produce to remain a fixture on the Marchand-Bergeron line. DeBrusk has speed, too, but will be counted on more for a straightline game, with an accent on forechecking and net presence. McAvoy, who made his pro debut in the playoffs last April, will be expected to log big minutes (20-plus) and stoke the power play. “I think we all have to play a simple game, and by that I mean our own game,” said Chara, addressing the varying roles and expectations of the new kids. “Simple means one thing to some players, and it’s different for someone else. That goes to separation of talent, the ability to skate and see the ice. “Charlie’s a player that can probably make plays that are simple but still pretty unique — so can Brandon, and so can everybody else. I think the idea of playing simple has a different context for each player.” Be their games simple or complex, they’ll all be out there for the new season Thursday night. The 82-game trek begins, a new season with a decidedly new look. 1076368 Boston Bruins

Judd Sirott named Bruins radio play-by-play announcer

By Chad Finn

The role of Bruins radio play-by-play announcer is a prestigious one. In the last 40 years, only icons Bob Wilson and , along with accomplished broadcasters , (for a half- season), and Dave Goucher have held the position. A new voice was added to the list Wednesday. CBS Radio Boston and 98.5 The Sports Hub announced that Judd Sirott has been chosen as the play-by-play voice for the flagship station’s broadcasts, effective immediately. Sirott will join longtime analyst Bob Beers in the booth to replace Goucher, who left in August after 17 seasons to become the television play-by-play voice of the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Sirott, 48, served as host and fill-in play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks on WGN-AM in Chicago for the past 10 years. He was twice awarded the Broadcasters Association Silver Dome Award for best play-by-play in the market. He has also called NHL games nationally for HDNet (now AXS TV) and the NHL Network. Sirott served as play-by-play voice for the in the American Hockey League for 12 seasons. He also spent six years with the broadcast team as a host and play-by- play announcer while with WGN. More than 200 candidates applied for the opening. Four auditioned during preseason broadcasts: Sports Hub hosts Ryan Johnston and Adam Kaufman, both of whom have significant play-by-play experience in the AHL, Canucks broadcaster Jon Abbott, and Sirott, who called the Bruins-Blackhawks matchup Sept. 25 with Beers. The new broadcast team will be in place when the Bruins open their season Thursday night. The game actually will be bumped to WZLX-FM (100.7) because of a conflict with the Patriots-Buccaneers on 98.5. ESPN will do what, for months, Fox Sports inexplicably would not. It’s putting Katie Nolan back on television. In what is both a poorly kept secret and welcome news, ESPN announced Wednesday morning that Nolan, a Framingham native, is joining the network. She will debut Oct. 16. ESPN was vague with the details of her role, saying in a statement that “announcements regarding her specific assignments are forthcoming,’’ but did say she will make appearances across various studio programs while also having a prominent digital presence. “I could not be more excited to have a prominent digital presence while also making appearances across ESPN studio programming,’’ said Nolan, an expert in humorous snark, in a statement. “When I was a little girl, I always dreamed that one day announcements regarding my specific assignments would be forthcoming.” Nolan, whose Fox Sports 1 program “Garbage Time with Katie Nolan” won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Social TV Experience in 2016, had been in a strange sort of television purgatory since February, when “Garbage Time’s” last season wrapped up. The weekly show, which had an enviable social media following but struggled to find viewership, was not renewed. While the network suggested it would find prominent ways to utilize Nolan, it never did. She rarely appeared on Fox Sports or FS1 in recent months before negotiating a buyout of her contract, which was set to expire at the end of the year, last week. ESPN has long coveted Nolan, who has a quick-witted, easygoing television presence. Word that the network had hired her has been anticipated since she was released from her deal. “Katie is smart, dynamic and brings to ESPN a fresh perspective and a great sense of humor,” said Connor Schell, executive vice president/content for ESPN. “She is a rare talent and will represent our brand incredibly well as we continue to expand across the digital space.” Boston Globe LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076369 Boston Bruins Two years later, Bjork exploded for 52 points in 39 games as a junior. He could have gone back to school to complete his NCAA career, earn his degree, and still be free to sign with the Bruins. But his draft team would Bruins believe Anders Bjork is ready to take the next step then have run the risk of being without Bjork this season — and perhaps for good. Had Bjork waited until Aug. 15, 2018, he could have become a free agent and signed with anybody. By Fluto Shinzawa “Last year, taking an enormous leap offensively and playing with a tremendous amount of confidence and speed, going to the World Championships and acclimating himself there, we sat down and had long discussions about what he felt,” Sweeney said. USA Hockey does not invite stiffs to the National Team Development Program. In 2013-14, some of America’s brightest teenagers dressed for “He felt he was ready to take the next step and play against the best the Under-18 team: Dylan Larkin, Sonny Milano, Alex Tuch, Jack Eichel, players. I think the results have been pretty good so far, and hopefully and Noah Hanifin, all future first-round NHL picks. Anders Bjork was right they continue. there next to the wunderkinds. “It’s hard to jump into this league, but he’s playing with two pretty good Teenagers being what they are, they cannot help but measure their place players. Hopefully we can take advantage of the skills he brings to the by comparing themselves with their peers. So in June of 2014, when a table.” parade of his friends approached the Wells Fargo Center podium in Philadelphia to shake hands with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Bjork is now teammates with Pastrnak, selected four rounds earlier in Bjork wondered why 145 names were called before he heard his own in 2014. Second-rounder Ryan Donato is a Harvard junior. Bjork beat out the fifth round. Danton Heinen, the Bruins’ fourth-round pick. “It’s tough,” Bjork said. “It’s tough seeing my friends and other guys Tuch, his ex-NTDP teammate, did not make the Golden Knights’ roster. getting picked before me and players I played against. Milano is trying to gain traction in Columbus’s system. “I was a little bummed at first. But my family and friends were very Bjork has come far from the 18-year-old who watched the 2014 draft on supportive. My dad, especially. He told me, ‘This should drive you. You TV and fretted about whether he’d be picked at all. see the guys picked earlier than you? You can be as good as them.’ ” “I’ve used that as inspiration to work hard and find whatever way I can to On Thursday at TD Garden, the son of ex-pro player Kirt Bjork will skate be a better hockey player and a better person too,” Bjork said. “Overall, it on the Bruins’ first line in the season opener against the Nashville was a positive in my life.” Predators. Boston Globe LOADED: 10.05.2017 The fate of the 2017-18 Bruins is very much in the hands of the speedy 21-year-old who turned pro instead of returning to Notre Dame. If he plays to his employers’ projections, the right wing could be part of one of the league’s best lines alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. Opponents would have to deploy their top players against that line. It would leave more room for Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci, and David Pastrnak to create offense against lesser players. If Bjork experiences rookie hiccups, coach Bruce Cassidy will have to consider alternatives — promoting Pastrnak, moving up David Backes, giving Frank Vatrano an opportunity — that could compromise the lineup. Expectations are appropriately high for a player with Bjork’s skill set. He shares attributes with Jonathan Drouin. Both skate at a furious tempo. They are clever with the puck. They do not need much time to find openings and tuck pucks home. The difference is that Drouin went third overall in 2013 after Nathan MacKinnon and Aleksander Barkov. Bjork had to wait much longer. “Back when he was drafted, he was in the development program and really playing in a third-line role,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said. “Not really playing with the upper-echelon players or penalty-killing and power-play situations. You’ve really seen him evolve over the course of time.” Not many players of Bjork’s draft pedigree proceed to make NHL impacts. Forty-one former fifth-round picks populate opening-day NHL rosters. Of this cluster, Jamie Benn is the most high-profile player. Others, like fellow Black-and-Gold prospect Sean Kuraly, exhibit more modest characteristics as depth players, grinders, and projects. Bjork didn’t play to his potential during his draft year, but found ways to reach it in the following seasons. For whatever reason, the speed and skill that have always been his companions did not make Bjork an impact player for the NTDP in 2013-14. “I had a lot to learn,” Bjork said. “I was young. I had to grow a lot strength-wise. I think I did all right. But I had a long way to go to get to the pro level.” For NHL teams, the benefit of drafting future collegians is the extra time for development. Had Bjork been playing major junior, the Bruins would have had only two years before having to sign the wing. Under coach Jeff Jackson at Notre Dame, Bjork had three years to grow into his body, learn how to play away from the puck, and touch the game in ways other than scoring. He had only 7 goals and 15 assists in 41 games as a freshman. In hindsight, it was a springboard season for Bjork to transition from the NTDP to college hockey and start figuring out how he could justify the Bruins’ selection. 1076370 Boston Bruins McAvoy and Grzelcyk moved in as roommates over the summer in the Seaport area and plan to remain in their apartment for the time being.

McAvoy claimed to be the chef among the two. Patrice Bergeron, David Backes questionable for Bruins’ opener “We both cook, but I made dinner [Tuesday] night,” said McAvoy, noting he gave the salmon a slightly crispy finish. “Salmon’s the best, my JOHN TLUMACKI/ favorite fish, I think. And king crab legs, but you don’t have that every day.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 10.05.2017 Their season set to open Thursday night, the Bruins were minus star center Patrice Bergeron and David Backes, their pricey free agent pickup from last summer, for their workout Wednesday morning at TD Garden. According to coach Bruce Cassidy, Bergeron remained out with a lower- body injury, which on Tuesday caused him to leave the ice about halfway through the club’s workout in Brighton. Backes, added Cassidy, was out because of illness. As of Wednesday night, both players were considered questionable for the season opener against the Nashville Predators. “Not much new, he’s day to day,” said Cassidy, when asked about Bergeron following the club’s first Causeway Street workout of the season. “We’d rather him take the extra day, do whatever we can to get him ready . . . if that means time off [Wednesday], that’s fine. We’ll have a better idea in the morning.” Asked if there remained a question as to whether Bergeron could suit up vs. Nashville, Cassidy added, “Well, there is, simply because he didn’t skate. I can’t predict how he’ll be [Thursday]. We hope it is just a minor setback, but yes, there is concern, simply because he didn’t skate.” Enter email address Sign Up Backes, who was “under the weather,” according to Cassidy, was told to remain home. Bergeron, 32, left practice after some 25 minutes on Tuesday, and reported that he was dealing with a lower-body injury, the seriousness of which he downplayed when taking with the media at the club’s practice facility. Backes, entering the second year of a five-year, $30 million contract, made it through the entire workout Tuesday. Without the two core forwards, these were the lines Cassidy cobbled together for Wednesday’s practice: Brad Marchand-Ryan Spooner-Anders Bjork Jake DeBrusk-David Krejci-David Pastrnak Matt Beleskey-Sean Kuraly-Frank Vatrano Tim Schaller-Riley Nash-Noel Acciari By the numbers Rookies Bjork (10), Charlie McAvoy (73), DeBrusk (74), and Matt Grzelcyk (48) all will retain their training camp sweater numbers, each eschewing the chance to try some different digits once assigned to the varsity roster. “There weren’t a ton of numbers available when I came up last year,” recalled McAvoy, who wore No. 7 at Boston University. “There was 58 and 76, and I thought, well, you kind of think of [Kris] Letang as 48 and [P.K.] Subban with 76, guys who are superstars holding those numbers. So I went with 73 . . . I wore 7 in college, so it was cool to incorporate that number. I loved wearing it in college and kind of got attached to it.” DeBrusk, saying “it doesn’t really matter what number you are,” noted he wore No. 74 in his last two rookie camps with the Bruins and decided to stay with it. He wore No. 29 last year at AHL Providence, proud to wear the same number worn in the NHL by his father, Louie DeBrusk. “It doesn’t really matter what number you are, you kind of make it your own, I guess,” DeBrusk said. “I’m just happy to be here.” Years ago, Joe Juneau, upon joining the Bruins out of the 1992 Olympics, chose No. 49, saying he did so to honor Hall of Famers (4) and John Bucyk (9). “I didn’t know that,” said DeBrusk. “That’s a pretty good reason. Number 74 was in my stall, and I’m going to roll with it.” Table for two 1076371 Boston Bruins Pastrnak has the mentality of a star to go with the skills, according to NESN and NHL Network analyst Billy Jaffe.

“He has kind of a care-free attitude, an ability to love the game always. It Now David Pastrnak has chance to reach big time with Bruins never seems like it’s pressure for him,” Jaffe said. “And I think that’s something that the best players have.” Matt Kalman Thursday, October 05, 2017 That star quality resonates beyond the rink, where he’s endearing to teammates and fans alike, usually sporting a moptop of hair and a toothy (or partial-toothy) grin. He’s already gone international, as his representatives at CAA Sports signed an endorsement deal with ORG Pretty much every day the Bruins practiced last season, David Pastrnak Packaging in China (possibly a first for a hockey player in the world’s was the first player on the ice, taking shots and getting loose before even most populous nation). Pastrnak has traveled to China twice with the the greenest rookies left the dressing room. Bruins as part of the team’s relationship with ORG. “I dress really fast. So sometimes I do it too early I guess, I don’t know,” Despite his face appearing on the side of condensed milk cans there, Pastrnak recently said, kiddingly. Pastrnak said people didn’t stop him in the street. Jokes aside, Pastrnak’s willingness to put in the extra work, even while “I’m pretty sure they will in a couple years; they drink up that milk,” he on his way to finishing second on the Bruins in goals scored (34) and said. points (70) last season, was a manifestation of what’s driven him to be one the best under-25 players in the NHL, and a player the Bruins were If the Chinese aren’t quick to recognize him, he does have a unique willing to sign for six years and $40 million despite being just 21. opportunity to emerge as the face of the Bruins and a fan favorite. The Bruins have had trouble retaining their highly regarded young “He’s a good kid and, yeah, I do think there’s a real opportunity for him to players over the past decade. Although the circumstances were different carve out an image for himself in Boston,” Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs in each case, Phil Kessel, Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton each were said. moved to other teams instead of becoming Bruins cornerstones. With That image will only become ensconced in Boston’s hierarchy of stars if Pastrnak, the Bruins’ first-round pick (No. 25 overall) in 2014, the Pastrnak’s combination of skill and attitude help lift the Bruins back into circumstances were different because both sides wanted to continue the the Stanley Cup discussion. relationship. Boston Herald LOADED: 10.05.2017 Although it took the entire offseason, the Bruins were able to get Pastrnak to re-sign last month, and in the process they not only retained a blossoming star but also sent a message that they’re committed to the team’s young core. “I certainly hope that’s a message that some of the other players have seen,” Bruins president said. “We do value David and what he brought to our club and what he’s going to bring to our club. And we feel he’s only going to get better.” How much better the 6-foot, 181-pound right winger gets will determine whether the new contract was prudent, as owner Jeremy Jacobs described it, and whether he can be a catalyst for the Bruins becoming an elite team again. Right off the hop, the team need not worry about Pastrnak shying away from his leading role in the resurgence. “I want to be a star player on this team,” he said. “I have some work to do, and I want to go for it, and every year get better every day.” Putting in the work Although he’s put on muscle and grown since he joined the Bruins in 2014 at age 18, Pastrnak doesn’t yet strike an intimidating figure. So while his ability to fly up the ice at warp speed isn’t a surprise, the velocity and violence with which his slap shot comes off his stick can be shocking. It’s not only hard, but has movement, similar to a high-90s fastball whipped toward home plate. Goaltender Tuukka Rask compares Pastrnak’s shot to some of the league’s current greats, including Washington’s Alex Ovechkin and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine. “But (Pastrnak) can shoot from a bad position too, so that helps a lot,” Rask said. Amazingly, Pastrnak doesn’t fit the mold of a guy who spent his summers shooting pucks against the garage door. He said all he did in summer was play street hockey with an orange ball, and he saw his shot steadily improve. The ability to surprise with shots from odd angles is something that’s come with practice and continues to be one of his focuses. Pastrnak has also been dedicated to making himself a better defensive player. That devotion improved his two-way game to the point where even then-coach Claude Julien was willing to put Pastrnak on the Bruins’ top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. It’s difficult to become a dominant player in the NHL playing on the wing, but Blackhawks star , a three-time Stanley Cup winner, has proven it’s not impossible. That’s the prototype for Pastrnak, and he knows it. “He doesn’t force plays, he holds the puck, he builds his confidence during the game because he’s on the puck so much,” Pastrnak said of Kane. “I want to be on the puck that much even though it’s tough as a winger. But he’s definitely a guy that I want to be like.” Star qualities 1076372 Boston Bruins

Conroy: Five keys to success for the Bruins in new season

Steve Conroy Thursday, October 05, 2017

As we embark on the 2017-18 season, no prediction for your Bruins should be considered crazy. They have a good enough core of veterans to think that, if the rookies pull their weight, they could finish in the top third of the league. On the other hand, the heavy reliance on the youngsters could just as easily spell doom for the B’s. For them to trend to the former and not the latter, here are five keys to the B’s season: 1. They kids have to be all right The B’s are not just going with youth, but youth in vital positions: Anders Bjork on the first line, Jake DeBrusk on the second line, Charlie McAvoy among the top four defensemen. McAvoy demonstrated in the playoffs last year that he’s ready for the big moments, but he has to be ready for all the little moments that come in an 82-game schedule. Bjork and DeBrusk showed a lot of potential in preseason, but will no doubt have to raise their game when they see real live NHL action for the first time. 2. Back it up, Anton Lack of a solid No. 2 goaltender helped sink the B’s in two of the last three seasons. When Tuukka Rask won the Verzina Trophy in 2014, he played 58 games, and that’s a good target to get him back to elite status. Last year, Anton Khudobin could not buy a win in the first few months of the season and, with neither Zane McIntyre nor Malcolm Subban doing any better, Rask was overworked for the third straight year. Khudobin found his game just in time to come up with a couple of huge wins that allowed the team to return to the playoffs. The B’s need that from Khudobin at the start this time around. It doesn’t hurt that he’s in a contract year. 3. Zdeno Chara needs to channel Tom Brady His workload may have to be managed even more at age 40, but the performance last year from captain Zdeno Chara was impressive. He was quite simply the B’s best defender, sometimes remaining on ice for an entire penalty kill — and the B’s had the best PK in the league. Chara also served as an excellent mentor for Brandon Carlo, whose debut NHL season surely would have had some deeper valleys had the 6-foot-9 Chara not been at his side on a nightly basis. Chara, too, is playing for a contract, and he unequivocally wants to continue after this season. 4. Winging it on the second line Things look better for a healthy David Krejci, who’s been hampered by both injuries and a revolving door at both wings the last three years. David Pastrnak, who played most of last season with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, is a proven commodity after scoring 34 goals, and he’s shown a dynamic chemistry at times when paired with his Czech countryman. Jake DeBrusk is an unknown, but he had a good preseason and seems to be the kind of self-motivated player that makes it at this level. They’ll also need to keep the puck out of their own net. Krejci finished with a career-worst, minus-12 last year. 5. More of the same from Bruce Cassidy With all the fresh faces, it’s easy to forget that Bruce Cassidy is starting a new season as an NHL head coach for the first time in 14 years. While he tried to maintain the same commitment to defending as the B’s had under Claude Julien, he threw some different wrinkles at his team. Cassidy activated the defensemen even more, he changed up his line combinations at will, and he generally encouraged his guys to play at a faster pace. In a February-to-April sprint, Cassidy worked wonders. Now he must make that translate over an 82-game schedule. Boston Herald LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076373 Boston Bruins would want to exchange that big number, perhaps for one worn by a childhood hero. Not McAvoy. He’ll be wearing it tonight, joining the likes of Patrice Bergeron (37) and Brad Marchand (63) in the Ugly Numbers Conroy: High expectations are OK for Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy Club. And if McAvoy becomes the player the B’s hope, he’ll make that number his and his alone, just as Bergeron and Marchand have done with theirs. Steve Conroy Thursday, October 05, 2017 Boston Herald LOADED: 10.05.2017

Charlie McAvoy possesses all the tools to be the next No. 1 defenseman for the Bruins. He skates well. He has a terrific set of hands. His chubby-cheeked baby face disguises the fact he’s a 6-foot, 210-pound bull who is more than happy to throw his frame around with malice. And he answered any questions about his mental makeup when he stepped off the Boston University campus into the B’s lineup during the and played against the as if they were Merrimack or Northeastern. The B’s are in the midst of a youth-infused overhaul, and McAvoy is the face of that movement. After receiving some exposure in the playoffs in April, he’s among the preseason favorites to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year. The natural inclination for those surrounding McAvoy — still 14 months away from legally being able to drink — is to put the brakes on expectations. B’s general manager Don Sweeney has outlined some of the pitfalls that face any rookie, especially with an 82-game schedule that contains its share of dog days. Still, you can sense Sweeney and the rest of the Bruins organization feel they have something special in McAvoy. When training camp opened three weeks ago, there was little pretense or lip service given to the idea of McAvoy “making” the team. Barring any disaster, he was going to be in tonight’s lineup for the opener against Nashville. McAvoy didn’t disappoint, and Sweeney believes he’ll be in even better position to succeed this season when the B’s have a full and healthy roster. While mistakes are anticipated, there’s no sense he’s being thrown to the wolves. “It was a bit of a whirlwind for Charlie last year, and this will be a lot. But he’s not expected to go out and play 26 minutes a night like he was in the playoffs,” said Sweeney, who was down four defensemen in the postseason because of injuries. “He’s going to be surrounded by a group of guys that are highly competitive and will be taking some of that off his plate. If he’s able to, that’s great. But he’s going to go through pockets. “This is a tough league and a tough position. He’s going to be playing in key situations, and he’ll be playing against top players in the in those key situations. So it’s a learning curve. But we feel comfortable that we’ll be able to surround him and insulate him with the right players. He seems right now that he’s pretty unaffected when he’s on those stages, and we want to maintain that because that’s one of the best assets Charlie has. He’s able to put mistakes behind him.” McAvoy has a certain swagger, one free of any cockiness. He just seems like he belongs here. B’s teammate Matt Grzelcyk, also his defense partner at BU, saw it right away. “It’s tough at that age, especially coming into college. You might be playing against some 22-year-olds, and I think he was only 17 when he came in,” Grzelcyk said. “When he came into the (NHL) playoffs and kind of stole the show, I wasn’t too surprised by it because that’s how he is and that’s how much confidence he plays with.” McAvoy, who has some risk-reward to his game at both ends of the ice, will proceed through trial and error. “(The Bruins) know, and I know, that there’s no such thing as a perfect game,” McAvoy said. “Naturally, I’m going to be making mistakes, but it’s fine. It’s something that I can learn from and grow from. And one of my short-term goals is to make sure my highs aren’t too high and my lows aren’t too low, just try to be consistent.” Riding shotgun with the rookie will be the steady, stay-at-home Kevan Miller, who should complement McAvoy well. But he has no rein in the young stallion. “Absolutely not,” Miller said with a wide grin. “He’s going to learn, and he’s already done a really good job. He’s toed the line really well with that. He’s a smart player, and he knows what he can get away with. And in the little sample size so far, he’s been able to adjust to most plays and figure things out really quick. It’s a testament to him.”

When he came to the Bruins last year, McAvoy was given No. 73, last worn by Michael Ryder. There was a day when a young stud of his ilk 1076374 Boston Bruins

Herald staff’s Bruins predictions for new season

Herald Staff Wednesday, October 04, 2017

The Herald’s hockey writers make their picks for how the 2017-18 season will play out: STEVE CONROY Bruins wins: 45 Playoffs: Bruins will barely get in and the kids, not knowing what they don’t know, will make a surprise run to the Conference finals. Bruins MVP: Patrice Bergeron Biggest surprise: Danton Heinen, sent down to Providence after a so-so camp, had a very good final preseason game in Chicago. He will, at some point, make an impact in the NHL this year. East champ: Toronto West champ: Edmonton Stanley Cup winner: Edmonton STEPHEN HARRIS Bruins wins: 45 Playoffs: The B’s will again make the playoffs by one or two points, improving on last year’s ghastly home record to grab one of the final East spots. They’ll pull off a bit of an upset in Round 1 but bow out in the second series, as the franchise takes another small but valuable step forward. Bruins MVP: A healthy Patrice Bergeron Biggest surprise: An all-round improved Ryan Spooner. East champ: Pittsburgh West champ: Edmonton Stanley Cup winner: Pittsburgh Boston Herald LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076375 Boston Bruins

Bruins notebook: Concern grows that Patrice Bergeron may miss opener

Matt Kalman Wednesday, October 04, 2017

For the second straight year the Bruins might open their season without center Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron, who missed the first three games of a last season because of an ankle injury, did not practice Wednesday at TD Garden after he left a workout early on Tuesday because of a lower-body injury. The 32-year- old didn’t practice at all on Monday and is considered day to day. Coach Bruce Cassidy didn’t reject the notion that Bergeron could be questionable to play in the season-opener Thursday night at the Garden against the Nashville Predators. “Well there is [a question] simply because he didn’t skate today,” Cassidy said after practice. “Tomorrow I can’t predict how he’ll be. We hope it’s just a minor setback, but yes there is concern simply because he didn’t skate today.” Last season David Backes filled in admirably for Bergeron between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. But on Wednesday Backes missed practice because he was “under the weather” so his status for the Predators game won’t be known until Thursday morning. Ryan Spooner centered Marchand and rookie Anders Bjork during drills Wednesday. Replacing Krug Defenseman Torey Krug, out since the second game of the preseason because of a fractured jaw, continued to practice with the Bruins in a red no-contact jersey. The Bruins placed him on injured reserve Tuesday so he’s unlikely to play. Charlestown native Matt Grzelcyk will most likely fill Krug’s spot, skating 5-on-5 next to Adam McQuaid and quarterbacking the second power-play unit. Orchestrating a power-play group with four forwards and no other defensemen could be challenging for a player with two games of NHL experience. But Grzelcyk has an idea of how to handle the task. “I’m going to try to move the puck as quick as I can and get it in the forwards’ hands,” Grzelcyk said. “Let them make plays down low. I think that’s where we’re going to capitalize hopefully, making some nice little plays to the net. I think my job is to facilitate as best I can.” Cassidy also lauded Grzelcyk’s agility walking the blue line, in addition to his ability to distribute the puck, as a reason the rookie was the right choice to replace Krug. “He can move well, he’s looking to pass first, draw some people out, he has some composure. Those are things we like,” Cassidy said. Slashing worries During battle drills Cassidy emphasized to his players that he believes the league’s crackdown on slashing will carry over from the preseason into the regular season. “So we’ve instructed our guys to check with your feet, your stick on the ice and body position. And we’ve got to kind of grow that mentality,” Cassidy said. “You’re always going to take a whack here or there and I think there’s room in the game for that, toward the stick and the puck area, not the hands. I think that is something they should try to get out of the game. It’s unnecessary I think.” New voice After a lengthy search and audition process, 98.5 The Sports Hub, the flagship radio station of the Bruins, named Judd Sirott as the new play- by-play voice to work with analyst Bob Beers. Sirott served as the fill-in play-by-play man for Chicago Blackhawks games on WGN-AM for the past 10 years. Sirott replaces Dave Goucher, who left last month to do television for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. “We are very excited to have someone with the exceptional reputation and experience that Judd has, join our team at The Sports Hub,” CBS Radio vice president of programming Mike Thomas said in a statement. Boston Herald LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076376 Boston Bruins

Judd Sirott named new Bruins radio announcer

Matt Kalman Wednesday, October 04, 2017

After a lengthy search and audition process, 98.5 The Sports Hub, the flagship radio station of the Bruins, named Judd Sirott as the new play- by-play voice to work with analyst Bob Beers. Sirott served as the fill-in play-by-play man for Chicago Blackhawks games on WGN-AM for the past 10 years. Sirott replaces Dave Goucher, who left last month to do television for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. “We are very excited to have someone with the exceptional reputation and experience that Judd has, join our team at The Sports Hub,” CBS Radio vice president of programming Mike Thomas said in a statement. Boston Herald LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076377 Boston Bruins 2. Pittsburgh Penguins – The Penguins are the opposite of the Capitals. They may glide through the regular season and may go through some stretches where they play some pretty rough hockey, but nobody doubts Joe Haggerty's NHL predictions: It's looking like a three-peat them in the postseason anymore. , Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Patrick Hornqvist, Kris Letang and Matt Murray are proven playoff warriors, and are surrounded by an extremely talented cast of characters. If you couple all of that with Mike Sullivan behind the bench, By Joe Haggerty October 04, 2017 5:55 PM the Penguins should be the odds-on favorites to three-peat given the rest of the competition out there.

3. New York Rangers – The Rangers aren’t the most dangerous ATLANTIC DIVISION offensive team, and they certainly don’t have the youngest goalie in 1. Tampa Bay Lightning – A ton of talent with guys like , Henrik Lundqvist. But the Blueshirts attack with speed and Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, Ryan Callahan, Nikita Kucherov and Victor aggressiveness, and they have just enough goal-scoring combined with Hedman, and a team that should have a chip on its shoulder after some decent defensive pieces behind Ryan McDonagh. They should missing the playoffs last season. It wouldn’t surprise at all if the Bolts go have another strong season in the Metro Division, and have enough to from outhouse to the penthouse. stand as the third team that’s a rung underneath Washington and Pittsburgh at the very top. 2. Toronto Maple Leafs – The second season of the Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner Era in Toronto, and they’ve already 4. Columbus Blue Jackets – If there’s one team that could crash the party got the taste of the playoffs. It will be interesting to see if there’s any kind at the top of the Metro Division, it’s the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sergei of sophomore slump, but this team should be ready for another jump this Bobrovsky is in his prime between the pipes, they have young franchise season. D-men in Zach Weresnki and , and feature a deep, varied and hard-nosed group of forwards up front. They’ve also bought into what 3. Montreal Canadiens – Some are portending doom for the Canadiens John Tortorella is selling, and that means they will be difficult to play based on their summer roster changes, and the departures of both Alex against again this season. They certainly look like a playoff team, and Radulov and Andrei Markov. Bit they'll always be competitive with the could be much more than that after getting their feet wet in the playoffs goaltending of Carey Price and the coaching of Claude Julien, and again last spring. should have enough to push into the playoffs once again this season. 5. – The Hurricanes are a trendy pick to come out of 4. Boston Bruins – The Bruins are an interesting mix of youngsters like the Metro Division as a playoff team. Make no mistake, they're much Brandon Carlo, Charlie McAvoy, Anders Bjork and Jake DeBrusk improved going into this season. But it takes quite a bit to move the combined with established core veterans like Patrice Bergeron, Brad needle at this point. Justin Williams should be a great veteran piece and Marchand, Zdeno Chara and Tuukka Rask. This should be a playoff Scott Darling looks primed to become a No. 1 goaltender, but they’re team again this season, but it will be a much more challenging road in going to need much more production and offense from their players up the Atlantic Division. front. The defensemen corps is very young and very talented, but the 'Canes might be a year away from really making some noise. 5. Ottawa Senators – It would be foolish to overlook a Senators team that ventured deeper into the playoffs than any other Atlantic Division team 6. New York Islanders – The Isles narrowly missed the playoffs last last season, but there was a hint of one-hit wonder to Ottawa’s push season after getting off to a horrendous start, so the hope is that they can through the Eastern Conference bracket. Much will hinge on the long- play under Doug Weight as they did in the second half of last season. It term health of Erik Karlsson, who underwent foot surgery in the remains to be seen just how well John Tavares and Jordan Eberle will offseason. He’s the ultimate game-changer and difference-maker for an work together, and just how equipped the Islanders are to handle a Ottawa roster that’s pretty average outside of him. Similar to Montreal, rugged Eastern Conference. As long as they’re playing in it’s Ottawa is always going to be competitive based on the defensive trap going to be an uphill battle for them, but the talent is certainly there for system employed by Guy Boucher. But the Sens will need more than that them to compete. If Tavares begins to look like he’s going to bolt for free to get into the postseason. agency, however, things could fall apart pretty quickly here. 6. Florida Panthers – The Panthers will have to be a “prove-it” team in 7. Philadelphia Flyers – The Flyers have all kinds of firepower up front the Atlantic Division coming off last season’s chaos and with Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voraceck and Claude Giroux, and to that underachievement, but there is absolutely enough talent for them to be in they’ll be adding Nolan Patrick. So scoring goals shouldn’t be a problem. the playoffs. Florida will look for healthier seasons from guys like But, as always, it will come down to goaltending and also just how much and , and further development from defensemen Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere have developed Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck. As long as their games. The Flyers will be a competitive bunch, given some of the can stay healthy coming off the hip surgery, the Panthers will have as talent on their roster, but there’s a reason they ended up with the No. 1 good a shot as anybody else out of coming out of the Atlantic Division. overall pick last June. They’re building things back up again. 7. Buffalo Sabres – There’s no doubt the Sabres will be improved this 8. – There should be some excitement in New Jersey season and they’ve done a good job of taking care of the Jack Eichel based on Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier paired together, and Cory contract situation, but how much better are they actually going to be than Schneider continuing on with the goalie work that will ensure the Devils last season? Marco Scandella will certainly help the Sabres on their back remain competitive in games. They’re also getting some great news that end, but their defensemen corps is still just okay and they have a No. 1 Brian Boyle will be able to rejoin them at some point during the season, goalie in Robin Lehner that I’ve never been sold on. They may be able to and that will help them both on and off the ice when the courageous sneak up on some teams this season and threaten for the playoffs, but it Boston College grad is again ready to play. The Devils still have a way to feels like the Sabres are still a year away from making a real impact. go, however, and they may be back in the draft lottery again next June as well. 8. Detroit Red Wings – The Red Wings missed the playoffs last spring for the first time in 25 years, and they may miss again this season in their CENTRAL DIVISION first year at the new Little Caesars Pizza Arena. Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin are a couple of pretty good, young building blocks and they 1. Chicago Blackhawks – They may have been first-round victims in the still have Henrik Zetterberg and Jimmy Howard as holdovers from a playoffs last spring, but you don’t doubt the champs until they truly hit better era of Hockeytown, but this is an older, mediocre roster that isn’t rock bottom. Certainly changes have been made with Patrick Sharp and going to put fear into anybody. The days of other teams circling the Red Brandon Saad coming back to Chicago, and they still have Jonathan Wings on their schedule are long since over. Toews and Patrick Kane along with Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and . There are a lot of winners and proud warriors among that group, and they still inspire fear in the rest of the West. 1. Washington Capitals – Say this for them: The Washington Capitals 2. Nashville Predators – The reigning Western Conference champs always dominate the regular season. Maybe they’ll take their foot off the should be primed for another strong season with a back end full of strong gas a bit during this regular season, or perhaps they’re just not even as defenseman, a franchise goalie in Pekka Rinne and plenty of scoring good as they were a year ago, but one could easily see the Caps once talent up front as well. They’ll have to deal with higher expectations this again locking down the No. 1 seed in the East. The question is, what season, and that is never easy for a team that’s broken through to a new that’s done for them in the past? Everything Washington needs to level of success. But the Preds should be another tough out in the accomplish is during the Stanley Cup playoffs, where Alex Ovechkin and playoffs. Who knows? Perhaps this is the season they win it all. Co. have become symbolic of choking dogs over the last 10 years. It’s up to them to change that perception, and nobody knows if they have what it 3. Minnesota Wild – The Wild are certainly a playoff team and no takes to actually do it. pushover with a strong goalie in Devan Dubnyk and plenty of scoring depth up front. But it feels like they are destined to be pinned behind the Blackhawks and Predators in a Central Division pecking order. Unless a easy, and that it will be a multi-year endeavor before the Coyotes are couple of rookies really bust out it may be another nice, competitive again competing for anything substantial. The hope this season is that season in Minnesota with no real shot at journeying deep into the the young players take a step forward, and that veterans like Oliver playoffs. Ekman-Larsson don’t get too discouraged waiting for the development to happen. 4. St. Louis Blues – The Blues aren’t quite the same heavy, strong contender that they might have been a couple of years ago, but they’re 7. – The Canucks really need to hit rock bottom still a dangerous team with one of the best scorers in the NHL in his before they can start building it back up again, and that might be what prime in Vladimir Tarasenko. It comes down to how well Jake Allen plays happens this season. Loui Eriksson was a dud as a free-agent signing, between the pipes, and how much secondary scoring they can get going and putting him with the Sedins gave Vancouver one of the softest lines around Tarasenko. in the entire NHL. The hope is that new coach Travis Green brings some hard-nosed enthusiasm and begins to get the best of a roster that has 5. Dallas Stars – The Stars are most definitely better with Ben Bishop really taken a big downturn since they were in the between the pipes and Alexander Radulov added to the mix of forwards back in 2011. up front. But they’re only going to improve by so much as long as Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn play when they feel like it, and shy away from 8. Vegas Golden Knights – The Golden Knights have a good goaltender the 200-foot game that’s needed for real success at the NHL level. Ken in Marc-Andre Fleury who should keep them from being truly terrible, but Hitchcock has been hired to whip the talented Stars roster into shape, but this is a team that isn’t going to have any game-changing star players it’s not going to be easy based on what we’ve seen over the last couple right off the bat. Sure Marc Methot is a solid defenseman and James of seasons. Neal is a player who can score some goals when he’s healthy, but this is an expansion team by definition and by virtue of the players on their 6. Winnipeg Jets – There is plenty of pressure on coach Paul Maurice roster. Once the novelty and adrenaline wears off in Sin City, it could be and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to get this talented group pointed toward the an uphill climb for the Golden Knights in Year One of their existence. direction of winning. They have plenty of forward talent and their defense corps is also deep and filled with quality. Goaltending has been the issue PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS: in the past, and it remains to be seen if that’s been adequately addressed. But it’s somewhat mystifying that this group isn’t better right Pittsburgh Penguins over the Tampa Bay Lighting in the Eastern now when you consider the sum of the parts. Conference Final – You can’t go wrong betting on Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in the playoffs based on the last couple of seasons, why go 7. Colorado Avalanche – The Avalanche were a mess last season. away from it? Disgruntled players, trade rumors swirling around teams and completely disinterested play on the ice led to one of the worst NHL seasons in Edmonton Oilers over the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference recent memory. That’s on for standing still and watching while Final – The Oilers complete their ascent back to hockey royalty by things fell apart around him, and that inactivity is still ongoing as Matt dashing and scoring their way through the Western Conference playoff Duchene looks completely disinterested in Avs training camp again this field, and McDavid gets his first head-to-head playoff battle with Sidney season. They simply can’t go on like this and it’s amazing that it’s been Crosby. The pupil vs. the master in Star Wars Jedi terms. allowed to go on for this long with a roster that actually has some talent Penguins over the Oilers in Stanley Cup Final – Getting to the Stanley on it. Cup Final is another step for McDavid and the Oilers, but they’re not PACIFIC DIVISION quite ready to dethrone the champs looking to make some hockey history. Crosby caps off his resume as certain Hall of Fame and one of 1. Edmonton Oilers – After last season’s strong regular season and the all-time greats with another Cup on his resume. playoff run, the Oilers are the favorite in the Pacific Division. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are both locked up and set for the long term, INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS so it should be an interesting run for the Oilers where they become Hart Trophy – Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers legitimate Stanley Cup contenders over the next couple of seasons. They’ll have to do it now before the salary-cap issues catch up to them, Norris Trophy – Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators however, which will inevitably happen based on the massive sums that they’re paying their two best forwards. Calder Trophy – Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins 2. Anaheim Ducks – The Ducks are getting a little older, a little slower Vezina Trophy – Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins and their window to win a Cup certainly looks like it’s closing, but they Selke Trophy – Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins should still be a handful for most teams this season. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry aren’t in their primes anymore, and neither is Ryan Kesler Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 despite a very strong season with the Ducks as a new addition. The real strength of the team now is on the back end where they have depth and quality players, but even then injuries are hitting them to start the season with both Sami Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm banged up to start the year. 3. Calgary Flames – The Flames are an exciting team on the rise, to be sure. But the talent up front and on the back end will only go as far as the goaltending can take them, and that will be up to newcomer Mike Smith. If he can be what he was during his best years with the Arizona Coyotes, then the Flames might really be a force out in the West along with the Edmonton Oilers. Certainly they have the young stud forwards in Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk and a back end littered with talent and excellent two-way performers. 4. San Jose Sharks – The Sharks are still dangerous and probably a playoff team at this point, but their window to win a Stanley Cup and seriously threaten has passed on by. Martin Jones will keep them in games, and players like Logan Couture, Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski are still all kinds of dynamic. But there simply isn’t enough depth or dangerous players to match firepower with teams like Edmonton or Chicago when it comes down to it. 5. Los Angeles Kings – The Kings still have Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar along with youngsters like Tyler Toffoli, and they still have the collective heart of a champion. But the salary cap and the sheer amount of games played over the last five years have taken their toll, and it becomes increasingly difficult for them to generate offense. 6. Arizona Coyotes – New GM John Chayka has brought talent and intelligence to the top of the organization, and he’s filling the roster with some very good, young hockey players. Unfortunately it feels like he’s also learned that turning things around in the desert is not going to be 1076378 Boston Bruins

Bergeron sits out practice again, questionable for Thursday's opener

By Joe Haggerty October 04, 2017 4:25 PM

BOSTON -- For the second straight year, the Bruins might be without their best player to start the regular season. Patrice Bergeron wasn’t on the ice for Wednesday’s run-through practice at TD Garden, and is questionable for Thursday night’s season opener against Nashville after staying off the ice in three of the last four days. Bergeron’s only appearance was at Tuesday morning's practice, when he had to cut things short midway through because of a lower body injury. Ryan Spooner stepped into Bergeron’s spot between Brad Marchand and Anders Bjork on Wednesday. “There is [a question mark] simply because he didn’t skate today,” coach Bruce Cassidy said Wednesday. “He’s still day-to-day. I can’t predict tomorrow how it’s going to be. We hope it’s a minor setback, but there is concern simply because he doesn’t skate today. We’re rather him do whatever he can . . . take the extra day and try to get him ready for tomorrow. Taking some more time off is fine, but we’ll have a better idea in the morning obviously.” As most Bruins fans will remember, Bergeron missed the first three games of last season with a lower body injury that eventually required sports hernia surgery following the season. Last season’s initial injury was believed to be an ankle problem that eventually led to the sports hernia, and negatively impacted Bergeron’s explosive skating ability throughout the season. Bergeron said his current injury isn’t related to his offseason surgery, and that’s good news on one level. But one has to wonder if the 32-year-old is beginning to break down a little bit physically after 14 seasons of heavy-duty usage. David Backes was also missing from Wednesday’s skate because he was feeling under the weather. The sense is there’s a better chance of seeing Backes than Bergeron on Thursday night, but there will be a better update after morning skate on Thursday. Here are the projected line combos and D-pairings based on Wednesday morning’s practice: Marchand-Spooner-Bjork DeBrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak Beleskey-Kuraly-Vatrano Schaller-Nash-Acciari Chara-Carlo Miller-McAvoy Grzelcyk-McQuaid Rask Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076379 Boston Bruins

Jacobs: 'I don't see, necessarily,' a 2020 NHL lockout

By Joe Haggerty October 04, 2017 10:41 AM

BRIGHTON -- Here's a blog post for your NHL time capsule, to be opened in 2020. Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said during Tuesday's media day at that he doesn't see a lockout coming between the NHL and the NHLPA in the near future, and those words certainly count for something since he's also the powerful Chairman of the NHL's Board of Governors. The NHLPA can opt out of the current collective-bargaining agreement ahead of the 2020-21 season, and many of the signing bonuses being paid out in current contracts indicate the players, given the current climate, may go that route. There is constant speculation that the NHL player participation in the Olympics, the high escrow payments shouldered by players, and the skyrocketing costs of second contracts for young star players might be big factors that will lead to another work stoppage. But Jacobs stated when asked that it doesn't make sense for anybody to have another work stoppage just seven years removed from missing a half-season in 2013, and that's encouraging at the very least. "I think the 2020 lockout, I don't know if that is going to happen," said Jacobs, 77, who is entering the in the "Builder" category a couple of months from now. "I think it's way too much in the future right now. I don't see, necessarily, a lockout. It will not be constructive to the game, and it won't be constructive to the players, and definitely not constructive to us here at the Bruins." All that being said, it's the NHLPA that holds the cards ahead of a possible 2020 work stoppage, and the players are as unified as they've ever been under NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr. They have clear goals in mind during the next CBA go-around. Owners shouldn't underestimate the hard feelings the players have over the decision to skip the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, and the unflinching way both sides now approach these work stoppages since they believe the NHL will eventually recover from them. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076380 Buffalo Sabres the Bills and a smooth contract negotiation with the Sabres can change the tone.

When he was told as much Wednesday, and he was reminded he had Bucky Gleason: Pegula leading way as Bills, Sabres change course been criticized often over the years, and much came from me, he refused to acknowledge his worst days were behind him. An ordinary guy at heart, he proceeded with the same cautious optimism expressed in every By Bucky Gleason | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, gin mill in town. Oct 4, 2017 "It's early in the football season," he said, "and the hockey season hasn't started, so …" Terry Pegula was characteristically elusive Wednesday when he began So don't get too excited. retreating toward the elevators after the news conference announcing Jack Eichel's eight-year contract extension worth $80 million. It was Pegula knows success, even by meager standards, can be fleeting. He's vintage Pegula, who never has been comfortable with the limelight. still finding his way as an owner but appears to have surrounded himself with competent people in both organizations. The likes of former cronies Right when he appeared content with politely declining an interview such as Ted Black and Joe Batista seem something from the distant request and continuing about his business, the owner of Buffalo's two past. major professional sports franchises made a quick and unexpected U- turn. With football people making football decisions and hockey people making hockey decisions, Pegula can do what all owners should: Provide "What do you want to ask me?" Pegula said, briefly interrupting an financial and emotional support while getting out of the way so others can attempt from a public relations man to whisk him away. "Do you want to do their jobs. Pegula seems more comfortable now than ever as an ask me about Jack Eichel?" owner. The truth was there were a few items to address in addition to getting the "With the people running both organizations, yes," he said. "We're young franchise player of his hockey team locked up through 2025-26. definitely more comfortable. We help when we can, but we've got pretty The contract will allow the Sabres to open the season Thursday against competent people." the Canadiens without worrying about the potential for a nagging distraction. Who knows? Maybe the Bills' impressive start can carry over to the Sabres, who have stumbled out of the gate for four straight seasons. At But there was more to discuss, much more, considering all the positive least they're assured Eichel — the young backbone of their franchise — energy funneling into the Bills and Sabres over the past week. In a three- will remain for the long haul. Pegula called the signing "a special day span, the Bills improved to 3-1 and were alone in first place in the moment" Wednesday. AFC East, and the Sabres made the biggest financial commitment to a player in franchise history. And it was. It was a rare opportunity for him bask in the glow of accomplishment, no Eichel is a terrific player who should get better with experience and more matter how brief. talent around him. He sounded like he welcomed more leadership responsibilities and heightened expectations. Let's not forget that he's "We're in it for the long term," Pegula said. "It is a process. We've been only one player and watches two-thirds of the game from the bench, but working hard and trying to build." keeping him should add stability. Pegula had been knocked around like a piñata at various times during In fact, nobody of consequence in either organization is going anywhere the process and justifiably so. He made several dubious management for the foreseeable future. It's another good sign and refreshing change decisions shortly after purchasing the Sabres that contributed to them that could translate to more winning. becoming an unsightly mess. The Bills' long and dreaded playoff drought continued for two more seasons under his watch. You can only hope that the once-bumbling franchises will follow the lead of their owner: Right when it looks like they're intent on marching in a For all the upgrades to their facilities, Kim and Terry Pegula should have familiar direction, they'll make a U-turn and respond. installed a gold-plated revolving door. They spent an estimated $60 million in buyouts and severance packages to cover hiring mistakes and Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 other personnel blunders, from Ville Leino with the Sabres to Rex Ryan with the Bills. Six months ago, the two franchises were in shambles. You knew it was bad earlier this year when Pegula started holding news conferences with regularity. He fired Ryan and cleaned house with the Sabres, kicking Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma to the curb, before returning to the Bills and dismissing Doug Whaley. Amid the chaos, he granted Sean McDermott unprecedented power in the football department even though McDermott had never been a head coach. For a while, Pegula had two franchises, one coach and no general managers before hiring first-time GM Brandon Beane based largely on the advice of McDermott. Added up, Pegula owned two dysfunctional teams that were going nowhere. The Bills looked so bad that many didn't entertain the possibility of them winning this season and instead directed their attention toward the 2018 draft. The Sabres made so many changes that you wondered if they would ever get their house in order. Remember the old punchline: Go Bills … and take the Sabres with you. Now? The past week has served as a shining moment in Pegula's tenure as an owner. Sure, fans celebrated when he purchased the Sabres in 2011 and the Bills three years later. The region cheered when he helped reshape the waterfront. But he was applauded mostly for what he did for Buffalo while getting ripped for his work with the Bills and Sabres. Deep in the hills of Pennsylvania, Terry Pegula's other world For the first time since he showed up with lofty aspirations and no idea how to reach them, Pegula has provided reasons for genuine optimism about his teams. It's amazing how quickly a few unexpected victories for 1076381 Buffalo Sabres "When you finally agree to a contract like that it's pretty emotional," Eichel said. "Just thinking about everything you've gone through your whole life, being able to agree to something like that, everything your Mike Harrington: With a letter or not, new deal locks in Eichel as the family has done for you, it was a pretty special moment." captain Eichel has quickly forged a relationship with Botterill, who was brought in five months ago to piece together a fractured organization. Botterill came in from Pittsburgh with a great reputation in replacing Tim Murray but had By Mike Harrington | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, to quickly earn the trust from the key players. The way he handled this Oct 4, 2017 process with Eichel right from the time it opened on July 1 had to be impressive to all involved.

"I want to commit to him the same way he's committed to me," Eichel Connor McDavid is already wearing the "C" in Edmonton. In Toronto, the said. "It means a lot to build this relationship." Leafs are going without a captain this season so they can clearly anoint Auston Matthews to the role next year. It sounds like the same thing is The season starts Thursday against Montreal. Eichel will now have no going on in Buffalo. distraction over his head. Even as he insisted the contract wouldn't be one, you had to wonder. No worries now. There are always several leaders on any hockey team and it's easy to wonder if we make too much over who the actual captain is. That guy is "It's huge for the city, for the team, for himself," Pominville said. "He can the one who can go talk to the referee when there's a quibble and is often just worry about playing. For what he means to the team and the city is left to deal with the media after an ugly loss when nobody else wants to. pretty amazing. For him and the team to commit to him in that way and (Poor Brian Gionta saw this corner a lot more after losses than wins the Terry and to is pretty amazing to see. last three years.) "He's said from the start he wanted to be here and he'll definitely be here But the captain is not the only one who speaks in the locker room when for a while. Everyone is really, really excited for him." times are tough. He's just the one who gets the most attention. Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 There was no jersey presentation to Jack Eichel Wednesday afternoon when he spoke for the first time about his eight-year, $80 million extension that was signed Tuesday night. General Manager Jason Botterill, in fact, provided the definitive answer that coach Phil Housley wouldn't give up earlier in the day: The Sabres are going to start the season without a captain. And while they may revisit the issue a few times, it says here they might go the route without one. So be it. But let's be clear: Eichel is going to be the next captain of the Blue and Gold. Whether we're talking next week, next month, next summer or next season, this contract locks it up. He's signed through 2026 — which sounds like eons from now — as the face of the franchise. Everyone else has to line up behind No. 15. "Whether you wear a letter on your sweater or not, you can always be a leader," Eichel said. "That's kind of the mindset I try to take. I don't necessarily need to have a 'C' or 'A' to be myself in the room, be a leader, speak up when needed or do the things I would do as a leader on the team." It's pretty clear this group knows who will bring their bacon — and cover the tab for a giant team dinner that's going to take place at a road locale to be announced. Andrew Galarneau: Hey, Jack Eichel, I hear you're looking for a table for 20 Early in practice Wednesday at HarborCenter, all the players dropped to their knees to open their daily stretch except for Jason Pominville. The 34-year-old, back with a franchise he first played for in 2004, skated behind Eichel and drove his stick into Eichel's back from behind to shove him into the center circle — as the leader of the stretch. There were guffaws all over but it was clear everyone knew what that moment meant, too. "He should be there," Pominville said. "I think everyone was kind of telling him to go in there so I gave him a push to go in there. Obviously he was probably a little embarrassed and shy and didn't want to go in there. I think it was the right thing to do." "He's a superstar," added Ryan O'Reilly, one of the biggest voices in the locker room. "He's handled himself very maturely and that's tough to do at a young age. He's the leader of this team and we're all really excited for him. He's the guy that's going to help us do something special here for sure. He's a massive, massive part of it." Botterill talked about how leadership will be a collaboration on this team and he's got a nice group to put the weight on, with veterans like O'Reilly and Kyle Okposo and younger players like Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen. And don't forget Housley's clear and surprising endorsement of 's role in the leadership group Monday as well. But it's all going to come back to Eichel. He's played this entire situation perfectly since the summer and made all the right statements every time he was poked and prodded about it when he returned to town in late August. Things reached a climax Tuesday night, when he took a congratulatory phone call from owner Terry Pegula to wrap up the biggest deal in franchise history. 1076382 Buffalo Sabres It will be the first regular season game for Phil Housley and the former Sabre defenseman is optimistic.

"I’m excited. I think our group is in a great place right now. I think they're Sabres Notebook: Sabres will not name a captain to start the season prepared. Now we've just got to go execute. Obviously we have to have a good start. Montreal's a very good team, "Housley said. "But personally I'm excited and can't wait for tomorrow. I'm sure I won't get a lot of sleep By Amy Moritz | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, Oct but I’m just excited about this group. I know this camp, the results weren't 4, 2017 there but I just see the work being put into it and we have continue to focus on that and on proving ourselves day in, day out."

* * * He signed the biggest contract in Buffalo Sabres history. He is, for all intents and purposes, the face of the franchise. But will Jack Eichel be Former Sabre Cody Franson signed a one-year deal with the Chicago the Sabres captain? Blackhawks. Franson went to Hawks training camp on a professional tryout contract (PTO) after ending last season with no contract. The Not yet. defenseman played the last two seasons with Buffalo, scoring seven goals with 29 assists. Actually, no one will. At least not in advance of Thursday night's season opener against the Montreal Canadiens in KeyBank Center. "Once we made the decision to come to Chicago, you had to wrap your head around no job security, nothing like that," Franson told The Athletic "I will not be naming a captain to start the season off here," Sabres during training camp. "Just that in itself puts a little extra pressure on you. General Manager Jason Botterill said Wednesday afternoon. "We'll see Going into camp, you’re always going in fighting for spots, staking your how things progress from that standpoint. … We're very comfortable with claim in the lineup, trying to make sure you’re on the power play or our leadership group we have here. Jack's a big part of it. We also don’t whatever type of player you are, if you’re a penalty killer making sure need Jack to take over the room or take over the organization. you’re in that mix. So, there’s a little extra going into it with no contract. "To be honest, I don't think that happens very much anymore. I think * * * successful teams have a collaborative model. Just like coaches, you can't have one voice. You have to empower your assistant coaches. Fans at KeyBank Center can catch their Uber ride at the Uber Zone, Within the locker room I think it's important it's a group effort and having located at the corner of Washington and Scott Streets. New Uber users young players like Jack and (Rasmus) Ristolainen be a part of that can use the promo code BUFFALOSABRES2017 for $15 off their first group, but also with veteran players like Jason Pominville and Kyle ride. Okposo leading the charge. We feel very comfortable with our leadership group." * * * Eichel said he has challenged himself in his third year as pro hockey Want to find the speediest concession spot or least-crowded restroom? player to step up and be a leader, and that comes regardless of official There's an app for that. designations. WaitTime Technology is now part of the updated My One Buffalo app. "Whether you have a letter on your sweater or not, I think you can always WaitTime uses sensors to monitor KeyBank Center's concession stands be a leader," Eichel said. "It's kind of the mindset I try to take. I don’t and the traffic outside its restrooms to provide real-time updates. necessarily need a 'C' or an 'A' to be myself in the room, be a leader, speak up when needed or do the things I would do as a leader on the Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 team. That’s obviously up to the team and the coaching staff. For me, I just try to be myself every day." There are plenty of options available for first-year head coach Phil Housley when it comes to the official leadership in the room. And Pominville, who was a captain with the Sabres in 2008 and again from 2011 to 2013, knows that the letter shouldn't change the player. "It's definitely a lot of emotion, a lot of pride for sure, but for me, I always felt that the most important thing is you don't change what you were named for so just be yourself," Pominville said. "Keep doing the things that have led to you being named and don't go out and try to be a hero because you have a letter on your jersey. Just do your thing and guys will respect that. I think the guys that have letters in the room, whether it's preseason or last year, are just being themselves and not trying to overdo things but at the same time get the respect from the guys with hard work. When they have something to say, just say it because you know guys will listen for sure." * * * The Buffalo Sabres added some depth to the blueline in Rochester on Wednesday, acquiring defenseman Zach Redmond from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for winger . Redmond will report to the Amerks, who open their season at home Friday night against Syracuse. The 6-foot-2 Redmond, who is 29 years old, had five assists in 16 games last year for the Canadiens and four goals, 14 assists in 26 games at St. John's of the AHL. A former seventh-round pick of Atlanta in 2008, Redmond has appeared in 130 NHL games over five seasons with Montreal, Colorado and Winnipeg, posting nine goals and 29 assists. He has 29 goals and 100 points in 190 career AHL games. Deslauriers had no goals and two assists for the Sabres in 42 games last season and had just cleared waivers to head to Rochester. He played 211 games for the Sabres the last four years since being acquired in a 2014 trade with Los Angeles, collecting 12 goals, 18 assists and 186 penalty minutes. * * * The show is for real Thursday night as the Buffalo Sabres open the season against the Montreal Canadiens in KeyBank Center. 1076383 Buffalo Sabres While the length and size of the contract make him a leader by default, Eichel said he was already preparing to take a bigger leadership role this season, with or without a contract and with or without an official captain Jack Eichel happy and humbled to be in Buffalo for the long term or alternate captain designation. The contract may be a motivator, but it's not much extra pressure. And as Ryan O'Reilly pointed out, even if there was extra pressure, Eichel has already shown a degree of mastery over it. By Amy Moritz | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2017 "There is," some pressure of a big contract, O'Reilly said. O'Reilly knows about big contracts. In 2015 he signed a seven-year, $7.5 million per year deal with the Sabres. "But I think that pressure is something you want with it. He's a guy that's handled all the pressure he's had so far Jack Eichel said he spent a good amount of Tuesday on the phone with and he's going to continue to handle it well. He's a superstar." his dad and his agents as the 20-year-old center came to a contract agreement with the Buffalo Sabres. His poise through the negotiations and his performance through training camp already earned him praise from first-year head coach Phil Housley. It wasn't just any extension. It was a mega extension. Eichel will be a Buffalo Sabre for the next nine years, signing an eight-year, $80 million "He handled it quite well. I’m just speaking on experience being in his extension two days before the start of the regular season. It was the position, playing under those circumstances. It’s always in the back of biggest contract in franchise history. your mind, obviously," Housley said. "Is there some weight off his shoulders? I think so. I think he can really focus on his game right now But he didn't tell his teammates right away. moving forward." In fact, they found out like the rest of us, via Twitter. Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 "I got texts from a few teammates just congratulating me and a few nice messages," Eichel said. "I was with Jake McCabe and Sam Reinhart sitting on the couch having dinner. I went outside to take a call from (Sabres owner Terry Pegula) and when I walked back in and sat down they looked at me and didn't say anything and started laughing." Eichel roommate Sam Reinhart: 'It's motivation to join him for the next couple of years' There was plenty of laughter and smiling around KeyBank Center Wednesday afternoon as Eichel and Sabres General Manager Jason Botterill met with the media to discuss the deal. Both player and management came from the same place — they wanted a long-term deal and they were hoping to get it done before the start of the season. It was as amicable as contract negotiations can seemingly get. "I thought the goal for both parties was to get a deal done," Botterill said. "I respected their side. They respected some of the concerns on our side. Leading up to the last couple of weeks, we were trying to get it done before the start of the season, which we thought that would be best for both parties. At the end of the day, there was compromise on both sides. It's a situation where we wanted to make sure four or five years from now Jack and his family are excited about being in Buffalo and comfortable with his contract." Eichel is pretty comfortable with the contract, particularly with the length. Eichel, who was the second-overall pick by the Sabres in 2015, has made it clear that he loves Buffalo, wants to stay in Buffalo, and wants to win in Buffalo. "I told my agents I wanted to be here for as long as I could and commit to this city and this organization. I think in terms of how long, it was set pretty quickly," Eichel said. "This city means so much to me. I like to think that I mean a lot to the city as well," Eichel said. "This organization has been nothing but great to me since the first day I walked through the doors. They've given me every opportunity that I've wanted. The city the same way. People are good to me, they're good to my friends and family, so I have nothing but great things to say about Buffalo. I think I really owe it to them and I owe it to myself to do something special here with the group of guys we have here in the room and in the organization. It's really exciting times. It's an organization that has believed in me and I owe a lot to it." It was an exciting time for his teammates as well, who are expecting him to play host to an elaborate, and expensive, celebratory dinner for the gang. Pricey entrees aside, his teammates understand how special a player Eichel is, how dynamic he can be, and what his success means to the success of the group. On the cusp of his 21st birthday, Eichel is already a leader by actions, even if those actions need a little boost. At Wednesday's practice in HarborCenter, veteran Jason Pominville, himself a former captain, nudged Eichel into the center of the circle to lead the team stretch. "He should be there,” Pominville said. "I think everybody was kind of telling him to go in there and just give him a push to go in there. I think it’s important. Obviously, he’s probably a little embarrassed and shy. He didn’t want to go in there. I think it was the right thing to do." 1076384 Buffalo Sabres

Mike Harrington's Hot Read: A leader even without a letter

By Mike Harrington | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2017

General Manager Jason Botterill confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the Buffalo Sabres will not have a captain at the start of the season. And like the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's possible they might go all season without one. So be it. After handing out $80 million of Terry Pegula's money, Botterill knows Jack Eichel is the captain of this team -- whether he has the letter on his sweater or not. Botterill talked about how leadership will be a collaboration on this team and he's got a nice group to put the weight on, with veterans like Kyle Okposo and Ryan O'Reilly and younger players like Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen. And don't forget Phil Housley's clear and surprising endorsement of Evander Kane's role in the leadership group Monday as well. But it's all going to come back to Eichel. Just like it's about Connor McDavid in Edmonton and about Auston Matthews in Toronto. McDavid is already the Oilers' captain. Prevailing wisdom is that Matthews will get the 'C' in Toronto next season. The same thing might happen in Buffalo, with Eichel taking the reins when his eight-year extension kicks in for the 2018-19 season. Eichel has quickly forged a relationship with Botterill, who was brought in five months ago to piece together a fractured organization. It was Tim Murray who tanked his way to a No. 2 pick and drafted Eichel, and the only NHL GM Eichel had ever known was suddenly gone. Botterill came in from Pittsburgh with a great reputation but had to quickly earn the trust from the key players. The way he handled this process with Eichel right from the time it opened on July 1 had to be impressive to all involved. "I want to commit to him the same way he's committed to me," Eichel said. "It means a lot to build this relationship." The relationship will continue to evolve. Botterill said the Sabres will likely revisit the captaincy with the coaching staff and the club's leadership group as the season goes on. But whether they make a decision tomorrow, next week, next month or next summer, the verdict is going to be the same. Jack Eichel is going to be here through 2026 and this will be his team. A letter on a sweater will only be an official symbol. It won't change how much Eichel will mean on the ice in the dressing room. Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076385 Buffalo Sabres

Eichel roommate Sam Reinhart: 'It's motivation to join him for the next couple of years'

By Mike Harrington | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2017

Sam Reinhart lives with Jack Eichel in a waterfront townhouse and is certainly happy his roommate has a new contract extension that kicks in next season. It was a lock that Eichel was going to get a new deal at some point. It's not so assured that Reinhart will be getting any big money. His entry- level deal expires after the season and General Manager Jason Botterill said over the summer he wasn't interested in negotiating an extension with Reinhart prior to this season. Reinhart is clearly in a show-me campaign if he wants to get any sort of large payday going forward, but was nonetheless happy for Eichel. "It's nice, really nice," Reinhart said. "It's motivation to join him for the next couple of years. It's going to be there at the end of the year. Honestly, I'm not really thinking about it at all. I find myself as an offensive player and will try to show that on this team, whether I'm playing as a third-line center or with Jack on the wing." Reinhart echoed others in the dressing room by pointing out Eichel has gone about his business in training camp without any talk about a potential new deal. "I'm sure it's a weight off his shoulders to get it over with," Reinhart said. "In terms of a day to day basis in here and at home, he hasn't talked about it once. He hasn't let it affect it him or anybody. I know that for a fact because I see him 12 hours of the day every day." Reinhart had 17 goals and a career-high 47 points last season but was suspended late in the season for being late to a team meeting in Columbus, and was not nearly as engaged in the offense as he was during his breakout 23-goal campaign in the 2015-16 season. He's expected to start the season back at center, in the middle of the third line with Zemgus Girgensons and Seth Griffith on his wings. "One mistake I've made in the past is viewing switching center as a demotion," Reinhart said. "That's not the way to be looking at it at all. This is an opportunity for me to get another line going, get another line on the scoresheet every night playing with some good players. I'm looking at it completely different with a fresh mentality and I'm excited about it." Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076386 Buffalo Sabres

Teammates' reward for Eichel's new deal: Massive dinner tab will be on No. 15's plate

By Mike Harrington | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2017

NHL teams are well-known for often dining together as a group on the road -- and sticking the entire bill on one player. Sometimes they'll throw everyone's credit card in a hat and draw one, with the unlucky "winner" picking up the tab. And sometimes, the lucky recipient of a big-money contract has to spend on his teammates first before he can spend on himself. It sounds like Jack Eichel has that in his future with the Buffalo Sabres. Chatter in the dressing room about the new deal today quickly turned to how good the eight-year, $80 million deal will taste. "I can't WAIT for this dinner. I cannot wait for this," a smiling Jason Pominville said in the KeyBank Center when asked for his reaction. Center Ryan O'Reilly had a very methodical approach in mind. "He's the leader of this team and we're all really excited for him," O'Reilly said of Eichel. "He's the guy that's going to help us do something special here for sure. He's a massive, massive part of it." But first, Eichel may have a massive, massive bill to deal with. "It's going to be real nice," O'Reilly said. "I'm definitely very excited for that. We're going to do some research, look at the schedule, when's a nice time, a nice city for it. We'll try to find the most expensive thing we can." "I've been on a few of these dinners. They're usually not too modest with their orders," Eichel said later in the day during his news conference to announce the deal. "I'm not really sure where they want to do it or when they want to do it but I'll gladly treat the guys. I obviously wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for them." Andrew Galarneau: Hey, Jack Eichel, I hear you're looking for a table for 20 Eichel joked that he only had one caveat and that concerned linemate Evander Kane. "I'll gladly take them to dinner and let them order up," Eichel said. "Just keep Kaner off the wine." Shortly after the news conference ended, Kane congratulated Eichel on Twitter and said, "Can't wait to set up the team dinner for ya" before closing his message with a series of emojis that included a helicopter, boat, popping champagne cork with glasses and a wad of money with wings. Congrats to the guy on my right @Jack_Eichel11 on the HUGE new deal! Can't wait to set up the team dinner for ya. pic.twitter.com/PhRPCAtY6s — Evander Kane (@evanderkane_9) October 4, 2017 Told about a establishment that sells pizzas with 24-karat gold leaves, foie gras, truffles and dollops of caviar for $2,000 a pie, O'Reilly got wide-eyed. Deadpanned O'Reilly: "I'll have to mention it to him." Ryan O'Reilly is going to make sure Jack Eichel takes the team somewhere nice. @ByBuckyGleason suggests $2,000 pizza. Hmmmmm. pic.twitter.com/Z2ndVfXiig — Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) October 4, 2017 Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076387 Buffalo Sabres

Housley still weighing options on Sabres captaincy

By Amy Moritz | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017

Jason Pominville, a former captain for the Buffalo Sabres, nudged 20- year-0ld Jack Eichel into the center of the circle as the team stretched before practice in HarborCenter Wednesday morning. The center spot is reserved for a leader, usually a captain, and after Eichel signed his eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $10 million, there was plenty of speculation that the third-year pro would be the next to wear the "C" for the Sabres. Would Jack be a consideration for the captaincy? "All the players are under consideration for the captaincy," Sabres coach Phil Housley said after Wednesday's practice. "So we're going to evaluate that later on today and talk about it." Is there a consideration to not have a captain and have three players wear an "A" instead? "I'll take that into consideration today," Housley said with a smile. "I'd like to talk to my coaching staff first before we make any decisions." There are plenty of options available for Housley when it comes to the official leadership in the room. And Pominville, who was a captain with the Sabres in 2008 and again from 2011 to 2013, knows that the letter shouldn't change the player. "It's definitely a lot of emotion, a lot of pride for sure, but for me, I always felt that the most important thing is you don't change what you were named for so just be yourself," Pominville said. "Keep doing the things that have led to you being named and don't go out and try to be a hero because you have a letter on your jersey. Just do your thing and guys will respect that. I think the guys that have letters in the room, whether it's preseason or last year, are just being themselves and not trying to overdo things but at the same time get the respect from the guys with hard work. When they have something to say, just say it because you know guys will listen for sure." Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076388 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres add depth at 'D' in Rochester, deal Deslauriers to Habs for Zach Redmond

By Mike Harrington | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2017

The Buffalo Sabres added some depth to the blueline in Rochester on Wednesday, acquiring defenseman Zach Redmond from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for winger Nicolas Deslauriers. Redmond will report to the Amerks, who open their season at home Friday night against Syracuse. The 6-foot-2 Redmond, who is 29 years old, had five assists in 16 games last year for the Canadiens and four goals, 14 assists in 26 games at St. John's of the AHL. A former seventh-round pick of Atlanta in 2008, Redmond has appeared in 130 NHL games over five seasons with Montreal, Colorado and Winnipeg, posting nine goals and 29 assists. He has 29 goals and 100 points in 190 career AHL games. Deslauriers had no goals and two assists for the Sabres in 42 games last season and had just cleared waivers to head to Rochester. He played 211 games for the Sabres the last four years since being acquired in a 2014 trade with Los Angeles, collecting 12 goals, 18 assists and 186 penalty minutes. Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076389 Buffalo Sabres When it gets to a shootout, the Sabres lack pop. They scored on 22.2 percent of their shootout attempts, which ranked 27th. The goalies' save percentage of .462 ranked last. Robin Lehner (7-15) and Chad Johnson As Sabres start season, five reasons for optimism :-) ... & five for (6-8) have losing records in the breakaway challenge throughout their pessimism :-( career. Buffalo can't throw away those points anymore. Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 By John Vogl | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017

FIVE REASONS FOR OPTIMISM 1. Jack attack Most signs point to a breakout year for Jack Eichel. He wants to be the best. Even if he's pretty darn close, he would be a point-per-game player. That means Eichel would single-handedly supply the Sabres with 25 more goals than last year (through goals or assists). Good teams have those kind of difference makers. 2. Get their Phil It was universally acknowledged that the Sabres needed a coaching change. Phil Housley has brought positive energy and an up-tempo system. He's promised to allow the players to use their creativity – something they felt was stifled before – and it should make the dressing room a more relaxed place. 3. A deep breath When the Sabres bottomed out, they really bottomed out. The organizational cupboard was bare. New General Manager Jason Botterill has built the depth to a respectable level. The Sabres have six forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender in Rochester who have proved they can come up and play regular minutes. 4. Feeling defensive The infusion of talent on the blue line was the story of the summer. It looks as promising as advertised. Nathan Beaulieu's offensive instincts should make the second power-play unit better. Victor Antipin has shown speed while adjusting to a move from Russia. If Marco Scandella, Jake McCabe and Zach Bogosian get healthy, the Sabres should have three solid pairs. 5. Money talks Players have a history of performing well in the last year of their deals. Evander Kane is in the last year of his contract. The last time that happened was 2011-12, and he set a career high with 30 goals. The left winger led Buffalo with 28 goals last season, and boosting that total would be good for the team and his future earnings. FIVE REASONS FOR PESSIMISM 1. Crowded at the top The top three teams in each division are guaranteed a playoff spot. Even if the Sabres improve significantly, are they a top-three team? Montreal, Toronto, Boston and Tampa Bay have a legitimate chance to win the Atlantic. That leaves Buffalo in the mix for a wild-card spot, and that's a crowded area where any slip-up is costly. 2. Learning curve Housley acknowledged after the preseason finale that his team has a long way to go. There will be an adjustment period as players learn their roles in the system. During the opening month, the Sabres play Montreal, Anaheim, San Jose (twice), Los Angeles, Boston and Columbus. A string of losses while Buffalo gains its footing would be tough to overcome. 3. Balance of power With the Sabres' top-end skill up front, the NHL's No. 1 power play should be good again. However, the charts are littered with one-year wonders. Since 2010-11, 19 teams have finished with a top-five power play one season and dropped out of the rankings the following year. Until Buffalo shows it can score at even strength, a deadly power play is a must. 4. Winging it There are plenty of question marks for the Sabres, and most involve the wingers. Can Benoit Pouliot regain his scoring touch and perform on the second line? Will Seth Griffith's success in the minors translate to the NHL? Can Zemgus Girgensons become a reliable point producer? Will youngsters Justin Bailey and Nick Baptiste graduate to the big leagues? 5. Shootout woes 1076390 Buffalo Sabres

John Vogl's Stick Taps: M-V-P, M-V-P. Five candidates for the Hart Trophy

By John Vogl | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton The center really is the "generational player" he was supposed to be. At just 20 years old, he claimed the MVP trophy with a 100-point season. The Oilers quickly locked him up for eight years and $100 million, and he could continually cash in at the NHL Awards. 2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh The center led the NHL with 44 goals while leading the Penguins to another Stanley Cup. The Kid is 30 years old now, but he's shown few signs of slowing down. 3. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay He scored 29 goals in 2014-15. He scored 30 the following year. The winger hit the big 40 last season. More eyes will be on him, which means more votes if he keeps climbing. 4. Jack Eichel, Buffalo Bovada, a gambling website, said this week that 38 percent of the bets for MVP have gone to McDavid. Who was in second place? Yup, it was the Sabres' star at 8 percent. 5. Auston Matthews, Toronto The rookie had the of the Hockey Universe buzzing with a 40-goal season. If he adds a few more assists (he had 29), Matthews could become the second straight 20-year-old to be MVP. Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076391 Buffalo Sabres

It's all systems go as Housley emphasizes aggressiveness for Sabres

By John Vogl | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017

Phil Housley's system has one essential tenet. No standing anytime. The new coach is transforming the Sabres into an aggressive team, one that features active defensemen and quick-thinking forwards. Some parts of the system – blue-liners leading the rush or firing away from the point – will be obvious. Other things – defenders tightening their gaps and stepping up at the blue line – will be more nuanced. Nearly everything will revolve around skating. Here are things to watch as Housley brings a new style of play to Buffalo: Offensive defensemen Aside from Rasmus Ristolainen, who was 15th among NHL defensemen in points, the Sabres' blue-liners were offensive afterthoughts. Jake McCabe ranked 79th. Cody Franson was 85th. No one else was in the top 150. That's expected to change. Housley has given everyone the green light to join the rush. It worked in Nashville, where Housley was an assistant coach. Predators defensemen scored 45 goals last season. Sabres defensemen had 17. The Nashville blue-liners took 819 shots. Sabres defensemen had 594. The Buffalo blue-liners will be required to start plays with effective passes from their own end and finish them by speeding up ice to join the offense. Defensive forwards On a preseason goal scored by defenseman Victor Antipin, he and blue- line mate Taylor Fedun were both part of the rush. That meant someone had to cover the back end in case something went wrong. Cue Ryan O'Reilly. The center pulled up at the red line, staying behind two Pittsburgh forwards. The Sabres' centers and wingers will have to be cognizant of who's in the rush and whether they should join it, too. Loafing isn't allowed on the back check. The Sabres gave up too many odd-man chances last season. This year, one forward will be near the top of the offensive zone. He'll be in position to turn quickly and help in pursuit, reducing the two-on-ones or three-on-twos. Tighter gaps The Sabres backed off opponents last season. Then they backed off some more. The result was too much time in the defensive zone. This season, the forwards are expected to be aggressive in the neutral zone. They will quickly close on their opponents, forcing them to make decisions earlier than they'd hoped. It should result in more turnovers. The Sabres also will make it tougher for teams to enter their zone. It was rare for defensemen to step up at the blue line and impede a player's progress. Now the blue-liners are expected to move forward instead of backward. They'll slow the opponents and force them to dump and chase rather than carry into the zone and set up plays. Don't rely only on X's and O's The Sabres spent too much time last year thinking about where they should stand instead of skating to where the puck could go. At its core, hockey is an instinctual game. Players need to react to funny bounces, broken sticks and referees who are unable to get out of the way. Housley wants his skaters moving at all times, which would give them more opportunities to find the puck when it hops unexpectedly. The coach will give his players a general idea of where to be, but he'll leave it up to them to react accordingly. It's how the Sabres wanted to play last year. Now they have to show they can do it. "For us, the guys playing, it's more than just the system," O'Reilly said. "It's got to be feet first and let instincts take over." Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076392 Buffalo Sabres "You really had to be thorough, and you still have to be thorough even at the NHL level. ... When I made that choice to move to the NHL, I was ready for that. I made sure I was ready. I was not in a hurry." Phil Housley 'ready to go' as new head coach of the Buffalo Sabres The Nashville Predators hired Housley as an assistant in 2013. He'd had success in side jobs for USA Hockey, including coaching the 2013 world junior team to the gold medal. By John Vogl | Published Wed, Oct 4, 2017 | Updated Wed, Oct 4, 2017 "He's a professional coach," Vairo said. "You'll see that. You're lucky you've got him there in Buffalo.

"He knows what he's doing. He's a born leader. He's been successful at The conversation that eventually led Phil Housley back to Buffalo was everything he's ever touched, and he's a good guy. He's a good guy. brutal. Players will respect him, but they'll like playing for him." There was a veiled threat of someone getting fired. There was a not-so- The Sabres certainly respect Housley's accomplishments. He's in the veiled threat of someone getting tossed out a window. Hockey Hall of Fame for a 21-year career as a defenseman. That carries weight in the dressing room. The fiery talk inside the USA Hockey offices reflected the turmoil taking place with its under-18 team. It was late October 2003, and coach Moe "It's a little intimidating," said Sabres left wing Benoit Pouliot, who's had Mantha abruptly left to take a job in the . The 11 other coaches in the NHL. "It's good for the players, I think. You see a U.S. under-18 team had a game the next night, and it was scheduled to guy like that coming in, and obviously you're going to listen to what he's fly to Switzerland three days later for a tournament. going to say. Doug Palazzari, the executive director of USA Hockey, was in a jam. He "He's been an easy guy to talk to, to approach. He tells you how it is went to see Lou Vairo and ordered the director of special projects to straight off the bat. If it's good, it's good; if it's bad, it's bad – which is head out immediately and start coaching the Under-18 team. nice. He's honest." "I looked at Doug and said, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't know the kids. I Diverse mentors haven't coached in 10 years,' " Vairo recalled by phone. "He said, 'Lou, it's serious. There's a problem with what's gone on there. I need you to Communication between the players and coach was strained under go in and make it right. You can do that. And do it or I'll fire you.'" previous bench boss Dan Bylsma. It's why Pegula installed "discipline, structure, communication and character" as the four pillars of his The last part didn't sit well. offseason hiring search. "I said, 'I'll throw you out the window if you ever say that again,' " Vairo General Manager Jason Botterill arrived first in May. Housley came said with his Brooklyn accent. "He laughed." aboard in June after being two victories away from the Stanley Cup with Nashville. Instead of inflicting bodily harm, Vairo decided he'd accept the assignment – on one condition. "A big thing that drew me to him from what I heard was his communication skills, his ability to relate to players," Botterill said. "That's "Phil Housley just retired," Vairo told Palazzari. "He's going to be a big- certainly been evident, but what I've really been impressed with is his time coach someday, like he was a player. He's a good guy and he's got organizational skills. Our entire staff has been prepared, and it's come lots and lots of ability. He's a serious guy, smart. across to our players. "Let me bring Phil. If these kids are down in the dumps and upset about "Their own coaching staff is a work in progress because they haven't everything that's gone on, this might be a nice way to inject some pride spent a lot of time together before, and the way you see them bouncing and joy in their hockey experience and lives." ideas off each other is great. Their interactions have been impressive to me." Vairo, who'd known Housley through USA Hockey for more than two decades, gave his friend a call and told him the situation. Housley agreed For Jason Botterill, sports have always been a family affair to meet the team at the Detroit airport and join it for the flight to Switzerland. Though Housley is clearly running the show during practice, he's open to suggestions from anyone before or after the workouts. The moment Housley stepped behind the bench, he knew what life had in store. He was going to be a coach. "He's been willing to listen to the leaders," associate coach Davis Payne said. "He's been willing to listen to input from the staff. I think that makes "When I got over there and got behind the bench, being that close to the everybody better. That, to me, is Phil." action, it's the best place to be without playing the game," Housley said. "I really fell in love with it." Housley's countless experiences as a player influence his coaching. The defenseman noticed what approaches worked in the dressing room. He It's all systems go as Housley emphasizes aggressiveness for Sabres saw what philosophies were rejected. Housley's love of coaching has been obvious during his opening weeks "When you think back as a player what would you want your coach to be, with the Sabres. There are no jitters for the first-time head coach. He I'd like to see a coach be enthusiastic and pushing the group," Housley confidently steps to the white board to draw and explain plays. When he said. "That's what I'm trying to do. In years past here, I think there's been whistles (he uses his mouth, not the small shiny object around most a lot of things on guys' shoulders. We're trying to remove that and let coaches' necks), the skaters immediately stop and listen. them focus on day-to-day business. Housley is a coach who's in command. "Hopefully, it can continue to be refreshing. But yeah, I do enjoy it. I become a different person when I get on the ice. It's been in my blood "Every morning I come to work and I'm ready to go," the 53-year-old said. since I was a kid." "I get after it." Housley's four-year stay in Nashville featured one coaching change. He Back to school started under Barry Trotz and worked for Peter Laviolette the past three While Vairo knew Housley would be an NHL coach someday, it certainly seasons. While Housley was nervous about the switch and his job status, wasn't a meteoric rise to the top. the change proved to be a blessing. The Minnesota native started at home, taking over as coach of Stillwater "I had two good mentors there," Housley said. "Barry Trotz is very, very Area High School in 2004. He stayed for nine years. organized. He's very technical. There's a way that he goes about his business and getting through to the players. Peter Laviolette is a great Sabres owner Terry Pegula said during Housley's introductory news motivator, so I got the best of both worlds there. conference that the coach humbled himself by being at that level for so long. Housley looked at it as learning his craft. "I owe a lot to those guys." "Coaching high school as a head coach for nine years taught me a lot," The day-to-day interactions with successful coaches taught Housley Housley said in KeyBank Center. "It taught me a lot about patience, plenty. A brief stint with the world's best players showed him even more. about trying to implement systems, trying to tell kids what to do. It Housley was an assistant coach for the at last year's World requires patience. Cup of Hockey. The American team featured Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler and a long list of All-Stars. "It's interesting working with NHL guys," Housley said. "The biggest thing we're going to have to get ourselves through and push ourselves for me is allowing those players to have their own personality. That's how through." you create that relationship. Each player is different. Housley is clearly putting the onus on himself to teach the players. While "Having an opportunity to coach at the World Cup and coaching the top the assistants may have more on-ice say as the season gets rolling, players really gave me a really good experience at how to handle that. Housley was the voice in every training-camp practice session. Everybody's got an ego and everybody's got a personality, and I understand that. Phil Housley had the players' attention while teaching the system during training camp. (John Hickey/Buffalo News) "From that experience that I gained, I thought I was ready to be a head coach." "He was an unbelievable player to watch, and just to watch him out here and how he reacts and how interacts with the guys, it's awesome," A treasured homecoming coach Chris Taylor said. "He's in tune with the game, and he's very involved. He wants to make sure the guys know The whole hockey world knew the Sabres were interested in hiring what they're doing and there's no question marks. Housley. Well, the whole hockey world minus one. "He's the head coach, so he wants everybody to know he's watching Housley was in a Cup-chasing bubble in May and June. While people everything you do. When he talks, everybody listens." talked about him becoming a head coach, he was singularly focused on helping the Predators become champions. But, again, it's not a dictatorship. Housley is trying to incorporate everyone's thoughts. It's the biggest change he's noticed in the rise from "I never really had any thought process in that whole playoff run," assistant coach to head man. Housley said. "I really wanted to win a Stanley Cup." "It's just day-to-day decisions, addressing the team," he said. "Trying to The Preds came up short, losing to Pittsburgh in six games. The finale say the right things at the right times I think is very critical, but it's being was a Sunday night. Botterill interviewed Housley on Monday, and the open to conversations from the players. It's not just my way. We're doing new coach was in the atrium of the Sabres' arena Thursday. this together. Yeah, I've got the final say, but we've got to include "It happened so quickly that I never really had a chance to grieve, which everybody." was great," Housley said. "To have that change so quick, it was great With Eichel poised to leap to elite, finalizing deal now will pay off for because I could get back to work right away and more importantly be a Sabres part of the Buffalo Sabres' organization again." The quest for an all-inclusive organization has its roots in that first Jerry Sullivan: In Buffalo's race to the playoffs, do Sabres still have edge experience with USA Hockey. Although Housley had never coached on Bills? before, Vairo made him an equal partner. It formed the beliefs Housley Being in Buffalo means something to Housley. He played his first eight carries today. seasons for the Sabres, who made him the sixth overall pick of the 1982 Kevin Porter has noticed. The Amerks center played for the Under-18 NHL Draft. Four months later, he was on the blue line. team that Housley joined. They talked about the trip to Switzerland when Thirty-five years later, he's on the bench. Porter arrived at training camp. "I started my career here, and now I'm starting my head-coaching career Porter says Housley's presence reinvigorated the young U.S. team. He here," he said. "I'm excited to be back." sees the same thing happening with the Sabres. Housley's friends and colleagues have seen how much he's relished the "To have a guy like him come in and coach us was pretty cool," Porter opportunity. He's had a lot to do in a short period of time – fill out a staff, said. "Obviously, he's done pretty well for himself and moved up the get to know the players, teach a new system – and he's done it all with ladder here." unwavering passion. The coach knows there are more rungs to climb. "Coaching, you've got to want to do it," said retired New York Rangers "We're hopefully going to write a new chapter for the Buffalo Sabres' defenseman Brian Leetch, who played with Housley on three U.S. organization," Housley said. "We're going to try to represent the Buffalo national teams. "It's the same as a player trying to get to a certain level. If Sabres' organization the best way we know how moving forward here. you want to be a good coach, you've got to do it and you've got put time in. It's a lot of dedication." "It's a new chapter, a clean slate, so I'm excited." Make no mistake, Housley wants to be a good coach. Buffalo News LOADED: 10.05.2017 "We've got a lot to prove, not only as a coaching staff but as players in that room," he said. "Each and every day, that's how we should approach it." Patient but firm Housley wants his team to be a reflection of himself. He was a freewheeling maestro with the puck. He proved that defensemen can power the offense when they're given the freedom to make plays. The Sabres' system is built with that in mind. "We're not going to take any creativity away from our players," Housley said. "That's one of the things that I would expect from a player-coaching aspect. We're not going tie their hands down. We're going to let them make plays. Just make the right ones. "Some guys are more gifted than others, and I understand that, but everybody is held accountable and everybody is held to a standard that they've got to make the right play. Eventually, that will work itself out, but I want our guys to use their creativity." 2017-18 Sabres team preview: Hard lessons learned, Buffalo hopeful of change A lackluster preseason featuring a 1-4-1 record with only 12 goals scored showed it could take time for the players to grasp what Housley is teaching. He's doing what he can to make it sink in. "He's done a great job in being firm, being patient and being positive in recognizing what the situation requires," Payne said. "He's got his message through, and he's reinforced his message when necessary. But he's also made sure that the group understands this is a process that 1076393 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres add another veteran defenseman for Amerks via trade

Leo Roth, @leoroth Published 7:28 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 9:38 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017

The Rochester Americans allowed 240 goals last season, tied for sixth most in the American Hockey League. All-Star goaltender Linus Ullmark faced a league-high 1,678 shots in the 55 games he played. But help is on the way. Having already added four new veteran defensemen for Rochester, the parent Buffalo Sabres added a fifth on Wednesday through a trade that sent forward Nicolas Deslauriers to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Zach Redmond. Redmond was assigned to the Amerks, where he joins newcomers Nathan Paetsch, Andrew MacWilliam, Conor Allen and Barry Goers, other veterans with healthy AHL résumés. Returning defensemen include Taylor Fedun, who logged 27 games with the Sabres, Casey Nelson and prospect Brendan Guhle, a 2015 second-round draft pick who joins the team full time. “It’s a big year for him and it’s important to get off to a good start,’’ coach Chris Taylor said of Ullmark. “Last year he had a lot of shots, but with our veteran defense right now, we don’t want to give up as many shots, and he can be in control so that he can play back-to-back games. Same with (Adam) Wilcox. Two good goalies and pushing each other and that’s what we want internally so they’re both ready to play.’’ Along with organizational depth, Redmond can supply some scoring punch. In 190 regular-season AHL games for various organizations, he has recorded 100 points on 29 goals and 71 assists. He has 4-15 — 19 in 35 playoff games. He has 38 points and is a plus-11 in 130 career games with three NHL teams. The 6-2, 212-pounder split time between Montreal and the St. John’s IceCaps last season. The Traverse City, Michigan, native played for Team USA in the 2015 World Hockey Championships. Deslauriers, 26, acquired in a March 2014 trade with Los Angeles, skated the past three seasons with the Sabres and played in 211 games overall (12-18 — 30). He had no goals and two assists in 42 games last season. Deslauriers was a late training camp cut and was slated for Rochester after clearing waivers. Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076394 Calgary Flames Dropping the gloves with Oilers bruiser Zack Kassian, the 33-year-old former New York Rangers winger put up a formidable fight and made his formal introduction to the provincial classic. Smith solid, but McDavid leads Oilers past Flames in opener But to win games, you have to score goals. And . . . well. Kristen Odland, PostmediaKRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA The Flames first line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Micheal Ferland were radio silent although Monahan had four shots including a dandy chance in the second period while Ferland had three attempts. Setting the tone for his first season as a Calgary Flame, Mike Smith Meanwhile, Gaudreau was nowhere to be found. made a left pad save on Connor McDavid with 45 seconds elapsed in Wednesday’s National Hockey League season lid-lifter. As for McDavid, what did that guy have for breakfast? Halfway into the second period, the 35-year-old netminder made another His second goal showcased his next-level, out-of-this-world speed again veteran savvy save on the reigning MVP who tried to go wide and hit at 8:07 in the third period when he casually cruised by Brodie and Smith’s five-hole. steamed ahead and went top-shelf on Smith. Then, squaring to an blast that sent his new David Arrigo- With an empty net, laid out Brouwer in the corner to shake designed mask off his head and into the slot, he made another incredible the puck loose, Draisaitl sent the Oilers captain a backhand delivery and effort to stop the puck — not to mention shaking it off and returning to his McDavid netted his third goal with 59 seconds to go. skates immediately after. There’s no off-season upgrade that’s going to solve the challenge that In the end, Smith was the best player on the ice for the Flames, facing 44 McDavid presents. shots in a 3-0 loss to open the 2017-18 campaign. Or mullet, for that matter. And guess who was most noticable on the ice was for the Oilers? “We needed to win a battle,” Gulutzan said. “Both teams are playing “He’s the best player in the world for a reason,” said Flames captain Mark relatively the same style. But when you can’t sustain any sort of offence, Giordano of McDavid who had a hat-trick to kick off the new season. win battles along the wall, they’re going to make plays. We needed to “Him and Sid are neck-and-neck. He has incredible speed. It was a 1-0 make this an end zone game and we were one-and-done. game going into the third and our goalie gave us a chance. But too many “When you do that against this club — and we saw Connor gets a opportunities for him and their team. breakaway from the hashmarks because he wins a battle. I thought we “It’s a little bit disappointing. Not only did we give up too much, we didn’t were out-battled and out-executed all night.” generate nearly enough either.” The Flames are back at it Saturday for their home opener when they face The Flames now haven’t won a season opener since a 5-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m., Sportsnet One, Sportsnet 960 The Fan). the Vancouver Canucks in 2009-10, giving them an 0-7-1 record in Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 season openers. Well, at least they got that one out of the way . . . right? “No,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “No, it wasn’t good to get that one out of the way. You could, at least, see that for a period, maybe, where you have the jitters. But not the whole 60 minutes.” OK, so it wasn’t ideal. And it wasn’t the way Smith wanted to begin the season’s Battle of Alberta rivalry. But consider this: Last season at this time, the Flames had flopped out of the gates to the tune of a 7-4 loss while the Oilers christened their new arena and Calgary netminder Brian Elliott was shelled for six goals on 26 shots against. On this night, the damage was considerably easier to swallow as the best player on the planet scored a hat-trick while the hosts out-shot the Flames 45-26. “It wasn’t just about him,” Gulutzan said of McDavid. “They beat us in almost every department. They won the battles, along the wall, they were clean in their breakouts, they made plays, they put pucks to the net. “I just thought their team was all-around better than us (Wednesday).” You could have seen from a (Red) mile away that McDavid was in for a heckuva game, the punishment culminating when Calgary’s third-line found themselves hemmed in their own zone against the Oilers’ top trio. Gulp. At 11:01, McDavid deposited the rebound after the $68-million man Leon Draisaitl and Patrick Maroon created room for him to move. Suckered into the action was Troy Brouwer who chased around Maroon in front (and behind) of Calgary’s net. Shortly after McDavid gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead, the Edmonton crowd reminded Rogers Place that McDavid was, indeed, last year’s top-player and broke into a chorus of “M-V-P.” “You guys can write what you want to say about him and it’s probably true. He’s a heckuva player,” said Travis Hamonic who, like Smith, was introduced to the Battle of Alberta on Wednesday. “We just have to watch the film and have a good couple days of practice and work towards (Saturday’s home opener) against Winnipeg.” Still wondering why the Flames inked Tanner Glass a few days ago to a one-year, $650,000? (And it wasn’t to play on Jaromir Jagr’s line). 1076395 Calgary Flames The decision to ink Jagr on the eve of the season will certainly delay his debut considerably as the Czech fitness freak made it clear during his availability he’s done little to prepare on ice for the task at hand. Breaking down the deal for Jaromir Jagr It will take time. As will the development of Lazar and Foo. Eric FrancisERIC FRANCIS As far as Jankowski is concerned, you can bet No. 77 will be summoned from Stockton in no time. EDMONTON — Calgary Flames fans have Curtis Lazar and, to a lesser “Mark playing more games in the AHL isn’t going to hurt him,” said extent, Spencer Foo, to thank for the signing of Jaromir Jagr. Treliving, who is taking considerable heat from fans upset one of the team’s best preseason performers was rewarded with a plane ticket It was their inability to impress during training camp that prompted the west. call overseas to No. 68. “He’s ready to play. He’s now just got to wait for his opportunity. Usually Flames GM Brad Treliving said as much Wednesday, without naming early in the year you sometimes have more guys than you have spots for, names, of course. but ultimately the guys who are supposed to be there end up there. I think you’ll see him back fairly soon.” “We wanted to kind of see our group (during camp) and where some people were at,” said Treliving outside the Flames dressing room at He might even make it into the lineup before Jagr. Rogers Place before last night’s season-opener. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 “We have some young guys who are pushing. Mark (Jankowski) is ready now and he’ll be an NHL player very soon. The other guys still need time. Is that a month or six months? Who knows.” The only true open spot on the Flames top three lines this fall was a third-line right-wing gig alongside Sam Bennett and . The hope and plan was for Lazar to rise up and snag it. After all, they gave up a second-round pick for the former first rounder and protected him in the expansion draft with just that in mind. However, the 22-year-old did nothing in camp to earn the spot. Foo, a 23-year-old free agent signing following a Hobey Baker-type year at Union College, was a long shot at best to force management into keeping him here. He was sent down early in camp, understandably in need of some time acclimatizing to pro hockey. And so, after a summer of discussions with Jagr, the Flames turned to Plan JJ, who was then being courted by St. Louis as well. In the end, the 45-year-old’s relationship with his former coach in Dallas, Glen Gulutzan, sparked both sides to unite for a one-year, US$1-million deal (plus $1 million in potential bonuses). Without that connection the Flames might have passed on the Hall of Famer given the legendary stories that surround the larger-than-life legend. “That was really important,” said Treliving of the familiarity that also gave the GM great intel. “I always find you have to separate fact from fiction. The ol’ ‘the fish was this big, it was this big, it was this big,’ so you have to determine what the real story is. So when you have someone who has been around it, it’s first-hand knowledge. They had a good relationship. It was critical.” Otherwise, you can understand the reluctance of bringing in the last of the game’s true rock stars. “He’s got a presence, no question,” smiled Treliving, mere hours after the Jagr deal was officially announced and he was introduced to the Calgary media wearing a No. 68 jersey that is already selling by the thousands. “One of the things you dig into is, ‘how do you manage that?’ It can’t be a distraction or something that takes away from the group. I can tell you he doesn’t bring it on himself. When you’ve got his resume people are going to follow him. “We can’t be deferring to one guy or be in awe. No question, the first time he walks into the room there’s going to be a little bit of that, but it can’t carry over into when we play. “At the end of the day, he wants the players to be players. “This is a move to try to make us be better. Big body. Elite mind. We think he can make us a better team.” Even if he’s lost a step, as naysayers are quick to point out about the 6- foot-3, 230-lb. puck-possession freak. “He doesn’t make you faster — let’s call a spade a spade,” he said. “He said to me, ‘no question, my foot speed (is slower), but some guys get to the wrong places really fast. I get to the right places.’ ” Fair enough. 1076396 Calgary Flames

Flames make it official: Jaromir Jagr will play his 25th season in Calgary

Rita Mingo, For the Calgary Herald Rita Mingo, For the Calgary Herald

The Calgary Flames unveiled their newest member on Wednesday, much to the surprise of absolutely no one. Jaromir Jagr, whom for days has been expected to join the team, made his first appearance at the Scotiabank Saddledome when he met with the media. The 45-year-old embarks on his 25th NHL season and his first in a Canadian market. “I must be in Canada, there’s so much media,” smiled the Czech, a native of Kladno. “Thanks to the Calgary Flames for giving me this opportunity,” he said. “I truly say I will do the maximum I can do.” The Flames signed the right winger to a one-year, $1-million deal. Jagr is the leading point scorer among active players in the league. More to come . . . Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076397 Calgary Flames

Francis: Flames hope history doesn't repeat at Rogers Place

Eric FrancisERIC FRANCIS

EDMONTON – The Calgary Flames will open the season at Rogers Place tonight with an eye on writing a different script than last year’s lid lifter. It was a year ago Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid kicked off his first Hart and Art Ross Trophy season with a goal and two assists in a 7-4 win over the visiting Flames. Two nights later he added another three points to deal the Flames another loss en route to a 5-10-1 start that threatened to derail Calgary’s playoff hopes. Despite being swept by the Oilers last year the Flames battled back to gain a post-season berth, but are well aware another poor start could threaten a season full of high expectations. “It’s a fun way to start the year,” said Battle of Alberta newbie Travis Hamonic, the Flames’ prized acquisition this summer with an eye on shoring up a blue line built to try limiting McDavid for many years. “He’s a heck of a player and it’s a good challenge for our group to play against those guys. I know they are different players but playing against Crosby out east all those years it’s always a tough test.” The Flames, who will start 35-year-old Mike Smith in net, will host their home opener Saturday against Winnipeg. FLAMES LINES Gaudreau – Monahan – Ferland Tkachuk – Backlund – Frolik Versteeg – Bennett – Brouwer Glass – Stajan – Hathaway DEFENSE PAIRS Hamilton – Giordano Brodie – Hamonic Stone – Bartkowski/Kulak GOALIES Smith Lack OILERS LINES Maroon – McDavid – Draisaitl Lucic – Nugent-Hopkins – Yamamoto Caggiula – Strome – Jokinen Khaira – Letestu – Kassian DEFENSE PAIRS Klefbom – Larsson Russell – Benning Nurse – Gryba GOALIES Talbot Broissoit Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076398 Calgary Flames playing the puck. But it’s just how many pucks he gets to. It’s how many touches he gets in a game.

“Not only is he really good at it, he gets to dumped pucks, and that saves Goalie Smith to help Flames stick it to foes your defencemen a lot of grinding.” The only downside, perhaps, is Sigalet will need to start shopping for a Wes Gilbertson Wes Gilbertson replacement part for his laptop — the PH key couldn’t possibly last all season.

“I told him, he’s going to wear that button out,” Sigalet said. The Calgary Flames believe he’s the best puck-handling, puck-moving netminder in the National Hockey League. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 And just to set the record straight, they were saying that even before Mike Smith was on their side. “I’ll tell you this — anytime any coach in this league, and we all talk about it, went in to Phoenix, one thing on your pre-scout was: ‘We have to be very good at dumping pucks, because this guy will eliminate your forecheck if he gets the puck,’ ” said Flames bench boss Glen Gulutzan. “ ‘Keep it away from Mike Smith’ was probably the most used saying in the Coyotes’ visiting locker-room. Keep it away from Mike Smith, because he doesn’t allow you to forecheck if you don’t put the puck in the right spot. “And the reality is, it’s not easy to put the puck in the right spot under pressure. You dump it in too soft, and a whacks it out and it’s a turnover at the blue-line. You dump it in too hard, and it goes to Mike Smith.” Mike Smith, forecheck killer, is now the starting masked man at the Saddledome. Stopping pucks is the top priority for the 35-year-old Smith, who was acquired in a summer swap from the Arizona Coyotes, but the consensus is that his ability to move pucks will also save a lot of wear and tear on the Flames defence corps. “For myself personally, I’m really excited about it,” said fellow off-season addition Travis Hamonic, with a grin. “Probably save me getting run through the boards a couple times a game.” And what about wear and tear on Jordan Sigalet’s laptop? Well … that’s another story. From his eye-in-the-sky perch during games, the Flames fourth-year goaltending coach logs video clips on the fly, a quick tap to catalogue any scoring opportunity, save, goal against or other teachable moment. One of Sigalet’s shortcut keys is labeled ‘PH’ — puck-handle. When No. 41 is between the pipes, he might just want to leave a finger right there. In the first full night of pre-season action this fall for the Flames’ latest last-line-of-defence, Sigalet marked 27 occurrences of Smith firing a pass or clearing attempt with his CCM stick. He again racked up 27 touches in the second exhibition outing and then 22 in his final tuneup. “It’s usually been 10 to 15, at the most, in the past few years,” said Sigalet, comparing Smith’s puck-handling workload to what Brian Elliott or Chad Johnson, Karri Ramo or might have averaged. “So you’re doubling or even tripling that now, which is good. It means, a lot of times, we’re breaking out of our zone cleaner. We’re not spending as much time in our zone. “Our transition game is going to change a lot, where he can move it up and then we’re going the other way on the rush right away,” Sigalet added. “He always says that a lot of guys get the wrong message when he’s with a team that now they think they don’t have to come back for the puck because he’s going to move it up. But he says, it’s the opposite. He wants our guys coming back. It gives him more options. Sometimes, he can suck in the forecheck that way and open up our forwards up front.” Sort of like a quarterback who doesn’t always want to settle for a short toss to one of his backfield buddies. “He can bypass you, too,” nodded Flames defenceman Michael Stone, Smith’s teammate for six previous seasons in Arizona. “He’s got the eyes that, ‘Hey, I’m not going to pass it to the defence. I’m going to go right up (the ice with the pass).’ It makes life easier for us.” And, just as important, it makes life more complicated for the opposition. “It changes the game more for the other team, because they have to be very careful and they have to prepare for it and how they’re going to play him,” Gulutzan said. “For us, it helps us in the transition part of it. It saves wear and tear. The thing is, we talk about puck-play, and he is the best at 1076399 Calgary Flames “He had the heaviest-lifting assignments every night (last season), and I thought he had a fantastic year,” praised Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “That line, up against most top lines in the league, was better Flames' Backlund turning heads as one of NHL's best two-way players than them head-to-head. Now, I think the room for improvement for Backs is that he’s going to be even more confident he can play that type of game against the best players, night-in and night-out.” Wes Gilbertson Wes Gilbertson His near-nomination for the Selke Trophy is further proof. “It gives you that credibility,” said Conroy, who slotted third voting for that award in 1998 and was second to Mike Peca after the 2001-02 season. His longtime girlfriend was a tad annoyed. “In your own mind, you know how . You know what you can do. And now, some other people have acknowledged it, and I think that His trainer was impressed. makes you feel like, ‘Ok, watch what I’m going to do next year. I’m going Back in Sweden for the off-season, Calgary Flames centre Mikael to be even better.’ Backlund rolled out of bed that day and learned via text message that he “But you don’t want to put too much pressure on him.” had finished fourth in Selke Trophy balloting, further proof that he has blossomed into one of the NHL’s best defensive forwards. For Backlund, the campaign trail starts against reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers in Wednesday’s season- “It was, of course, a good feeling. I was pretty pumped about it,” opener at Rogers Place (8 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). Backlund said. “Frida got a little upset because I was so happy that morning. She was joking, like, ‘That’s what it takes for you to be more That’s enough pressure. happy in the morning?!?’ ” “I came close, but still I fell short,” Backlund reminded of his Selke Perhaps that’s why the 28-year-old tried to conceal his glee when he Trophy candidacy last season. “It’s something that I strive to become arrived at the gym. even better and hopefully climb into that top three.” “I had a great workout,” Backlund recalled. “I can remember my coach Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 saying afterward that I was very energized that morning, and I didn’t tell him until after.” The Frank J. Selke Trophy is the annual tip-of-the-cap to the forward who ‘best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.’ Boston Bruins ace Patrice Bergeron had his name engraved yet again after the 2016-17 campaign, joining Montreal Canadiens legend Bob Gainey as the only four-time winner. Anaheim Ducks meanie Ryan Kesler, who made life miserable for the Flames’ first-liners during the opening round of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, and Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu also scored invites to the NHL’s awards gala in Las Vegas as Selke Trophy finalists. When the final tabulation was revealed that night in late June, the hockey world learned that Backlund was next on the list. Bergeron totalled 1,147 points in a system where members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association rank their top five choices. Kesler was the runner-up with 945 points and then Koivu at 752. There was a big chunk of separation beyond the frontrunners, but Backlund was fourth with 310 points, including a hat-trick of first-place nods and a top-three pegging on 41 ballots. Pretty darn impressive. “To be in the same talk as those guys, it was a huge boost for me,” Backlund said as he arrived for training camp this fall. “I enjoy my role and just try to play my game, and it’s exciting that people appreciate you and give you some votes.” Certainly, the appreciation isn’t limited to those who vote on the NHL’s individual hardware. Backlund was the centrepiece of the Flames’ best forward unit last season, with Michael Frolik and Matthew Tkachuk on his flanks on what was coined the 3M Line. It was Tkachuk, the rabble-rousing rookie, who first revealed that some teammates had been referring to No. 11 as ‘Mikael Selke.’ While earning headlines and fanfare for his defensive handiwork, Backlund also notched a career-high 22 goals and 53 points. “Backs is one of those guys, when you watch him, he seems to bother or annoy other players. They get ticked off at him,” said Craig Conroy, a two-time Selke Trophy nominee during his playing days and now an assistant general manager at the Saddledome. “He’s strong on pucks. He battles. And with his skating, he’s able to get everywhere. So when you play against him, it’s just a hard night. He’s not going to run you over physically. He’s not going to fight you. But he’s going to battle in the faceoff circle. He’ll bump you. He finishes checks. He’ll block shots. He’ll do all those other things. ”So it’s never going to be easy.” Backlund’s matchups are never easy, but he relishes that challenge. In fact, he’s admittedly a bit fidgety on the bench whenever one of the opposing stars hops over the boards. That’s his guy. 1076400 Calgary Flames Just a few extra minutes of Paul Brandt both ways. “It’s cool to say that I lived in the biggest city in the world for eight years, but I’m ready for something different,” Hamonic said. “When I drive home Western Canadian Hamonic fitting in well in Calgary every day and I’m seeing fields and bales and open spaces … obviously, it’s much, much different than what I was accustomed to in New York. It’s nice to drive home every day. Wes Gilbertson Wes Gilbertson “It’s nice to drive to the rink in the morning and see those things.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 Paul Brandt’s ‘Alberta Bound’ turned out be an ideal anthem for Travis Hamonic that day. But it’s not as if the Calgary Flames’ prized trade acquisition — a key piece on what some are now calling the NHL’s best defence corps — had to download it. “Yeah, I knew the words beforehand. I’m a big Paul Brandt fan, for years and years now,” said Hamonic, who was playing host at his summer cabin at Falcon Lake, Man., when he received word that he had been swapped to the Flames in a draft-floor deal after seven seasons with the New York Islanders. “That was one of my favourite songs growing up. The day I got traded, I was out at the cabin — we had some family and friends that happened to be out that weekend — and it may have come on a couple of times. It was an exciting time, for me and my family and everyone who was involved in it. “And a song like that, it was just kind of fitting, I guess.” The Flames figure Hamonic — with three years still remaining on his contract at a cap-hit of US$3.857 million per winter — could be a perfect fit in the Saddledome. On the ice, where he’ll pair with smooth-skating TJ Brodie and provide some snarl to the second defence tandem … In the locker-room, where the reigning winner of the NHL Foundation Player Award arrives with a reputation as one of the good-est of the good guys … In the city, where the pride of St. Malo, Man., admits there is something comforting about seeing a Tim Hortons on every corner. “Here’s a guy who has been playing top minutes, against the league’s best players, night-in and night-out. And we’re talking Sidney Crosby and those guys out East,” said Flames bench boss Glen Gulutzan of Hamonic. “And he is over-the-moon to be back in Western Canada, and especially in our city. He came in here, bought a house right away. He has a big yard. “So now, you’re not just trading for a good defenceman who has played top minutes. The other side of it is that he has term on his deal — he desperately wants to be here — and when you look at what he’s done in the communities and winning the humanitarian award and all that, we’re getting a great person on top of all that. Those are things you look for.” You could tell June 24, as Hamonic fulfilled a long list of media requests from his hangout at Falcon Lake, that his excitement was genuine. He joked that day that “everyone from lives in Calgary at one point or another.” His Ford F-250 won’t be the only big rig on Bow Trail, and it didn’t take long for the 6-foot-1, 199-lb. rearguard to connect with his coach. “We’ve swapped a few photos of fish that we caught in the summer,” said a grinning Gulutzan, who can be found wetting a line on Fishing Lake during the off-season. “Between him and I and Ferly (Micheal Ferland), there were some fishing conversations going on.” Hamonic and fellow off-season addition Mike Smith — go-to goalie for the Arizona Coyotes for the past six seasons — were the hot topics of conversation in Calgary this summer, their arrivals only upping excitement about a squad that returned to the playoffs last spring. “The fans will see that I leave it on the ice every day,” Hamonic said. “I think I’m someone that can play with some of these bigger bodies in the Western Conference and embrace that style of play. I’m looking forward to it, truthfully, to banging some people around and bringing that out of my game even more. “I think I’m someone that hopefully the team can rely on and the fans can enjoy watching, because I’m going to give an honest effort every night.” He’s being honest when he says that he’s thrilled to be in Calgary. Hamonic and his wife, Stephanie, purchased a property just west of the city. His commute might be a wee bit longer than most of his teammates, but he’s certainly not complaining. 1076401 Calgary Flames After two years of searching for someone to replace Jiri Hudler on the top unit, the dynamic duo found chemistry with Ferland during the final third of last season. Francis: Flames season revolves around goaltender Smith Gulutzan likes their fit, as Ferland also provides some muscle on a line often targeted by the opposition. Eric FrancisERIC FRANCIS Don’t be surprised if Jagr makes cameos alongside the two big guns when goals are needed.

Whether this team sports enough grit is another question to be answered Jaromir Jagr may be all the rage in Calgary to start the season, but he’ll this year, as the departure of Deryk Engelland left a sizable hole in terms have very little to do with how the team ends it. of having a resident tough guy who can answer all challenges. The man with the biggest impact moving forward will undoubtedly be the Truculence could be an issue as early as Wednesday’s season opener, team’s previous elder statesman, goaltender Mike Smith. when the host Edmonton Oilers will likely plan to push Calgary around considerably as they did on their way to a season sweep last season. Prior to reports of Jagr’s imminent signing, it was Smith’s mullet, age and freakish athleticism that dominated conversations about how much Is this the year Sam Bennett finally makes the jump offensively the club further this Flames club could progress. expected when they took him fourth overall in 2014? Having Kris Versteeg and Jagr on his line should help. Or regress. How much of Mark Jankowski will we see with the big club? Arguably the He’s that important. most exciting player in the pre-season, he was denied an opening night roster spot while players like Matt Stajan and Freddie Hamilton remain. Such is the importance of goaltending in the NHL. Fact is, the 23-year-old could be sent down to the AHL’s Stockton Heat Oh sure, the Flames have a very solid top six up front and perhaps the without having to clear waivers and will now play huge minutes as deepest and most prolific defence in the league with the addition of opposed to a paltry fourth-line role with the big-league club. He’ll be Travis Hamonic. back. However, if Smith isn’t an upgrade on Brian Elliott, then the Flames will Is this team finally going to be able to snap the age-old winless streak in continue being nothing more than a playoff contender. Anaheim or will the Ducks continue to be the Calgary club’s kryptonite? Should his relocation to a deep, bona fide NHL squad allow Smith to Will Calgarians still be as giddy about Jagr being here four months from return to the form that carried him and his Coyotes to the conference final now? five years ago, the Flames could very well press for a similar ride. As is always the case this time of year, so many questions. Throw out the veteran’s stats the last handful of years as the 6-foot-4, 215-lb. Ontario native played on a horrific team with very little support in Wednesday night, we start getting some answers. front of him. Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 Now he’s playing with some of the big boys, tasked with backstopping a team that should be able to jump from playoff contender to a Stanley Cup contender. “I was told by a very smart guy who has won a lot of games that I can have the best penalty kill meeting, I can have the best practice the day before the game and I can have the best power-play meeting, but if my goalie is no good, you’re not going to win,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan, when asked about Smith’s importance. “You have to have goaltending in this league, and we feel we have two good ones. Smitty coming in is going to be a workhorse for us. I watched him play in big games, and he thrives in those things.” Lord help this team if backup Eddie Lack is pressed into starting duties for whatever reason. Formidable pairings of Mark Giordano and Dougie Hamilton, followed by TJ Brodie and Hamonic will be bolstered by Smith’s legendary ability to play the puck, which adds another layer of defensive help not to mention protection for oft-vulnerable blueliners. In a city that has cringed over its goaltending ever since Miikka Kiprusoff left in 2013, Smith had done little to inspire confidence through the pre- season, until Saturday’s 39-save win over the Winnipeg Jets earned him first-star accolades. Michael Stone, who played six years in the desert in front of Smith, points out the story will be different here with an all-star defensive crew in front of him. “There was one year there I was the oldest or second oldest defenceman after the trade deadline, and I was 24,” said Stone of the ragamuffin blueline Smith counted on with the Arizona Coyotes. “So you’ve got to take (his numbers) with a grain of salt. I have confidence in him. I think last year, when I was still there, I think he won seven games facing over 40 shots or something stupid like that and hadn’t lost. The game you think you should not be winning he’s keeping you in the game and he’s the reason you’re winning. It’s nice to see him back there for me because he helps out so much.” PLENTY OF OTHER QUESTIONS Another intriguing storyline will revolve around the man who rides shotgun with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan on the top line. Micheal Ferland will open the season where he left off, complimenting the team’s two biggest pillars well with a great shot, quick release and the ability to get to the front of the net. 1076402 Calgary Flames Twitter account, whoever does it, does a great job. But, yeah, I’m definitely not offended by it.

Q: When you think about your first year as a centreman in the NHL, what Q & A with Flames star Sean Monahan was the biggest learning curve for you? I think the speed of the game. As a centreman, you have to be all over Kristen Odland, PostmediaKRISTEN ODLAND, POSTMEDIA the ice. There are so many smart players. When you get the puck in your own zone with a breakout, you don’t have much time. When you come out of junior, it feels like you have all day. And the compete level in the circle. You come from junior and you go on the face-off dot, and you Sean Monahan is entering his fifth season in the National Hockey know you’re going to go about 80 per cent every time. You come into the League, and, to him, there has never been a more important campaign NHL, and that is some guy’s job — just to win face-offs — so that was a than 2017-18. huge difference. It’s an everyday league, and you have to show up every night or you’re going to get embarrassed. Why? Because the 22-year-old Calgary Flames centre believes the team is on the brink of something special. Q: When you were drafted, there wasn’t much depth in the organization at centre. What’s the most interesting aspect of being part of an After inking a seven-year, US$44.625-million contract last fall, Monahan organization that has, essentially, built their lineup around you? is signed to be with the Calgary Flames through the ’22-23 season when he’s 28-years-old (he’ll turn 29 on Oct. 12, 2023). He considers Calgary I wouldn’t say they built their lineup around me. We’ve got some young home and wants to see the franchise accomplish big things. pieces that are going to take this team far. And that’s what we want to do. If we talk about it as team and we talk about it with lots of young guys However, it didn’t start out that way. Four seasons ago, the sixth-overall that are in our plans, Johnny, Benny (Sam Bennett), Dougie (Hamilton), selection of ’13 NHL draft surprised the city and stormed on-scene. In Chucky (Matthew Tkachuk) . . . we’re getting new faces every year that ’13-14, Monahan forced his way onto the Flames roster and was the are making impacts. We’ve got a good team here. It’s a different feeling bright spot during a terrible campaign that saw the club finish 26th in the this year coming into this locker-room . . . having that depth where guys 30-team loop. can come in and play for the organization is huge. Now, as the team’s first-line centre and primed to be one of the best Q: Not sure if you remember this but, when you were drafted, Pierre middlemen in the NHL, Monahan is planning to take another step this McGuire said Joe Nieuwendyk was one of the best centres this city has season. ever seen, and, that although you’d never be him, you’d be pretty darn In a one-on-one interview, Monahan candidly chatted about his evolution good. After four seasons, you’ve cemented yourself as the team’s top- as a player, his attempt to convince Johnny Gaudreau to get a dog, line centre and have already etched yourself in Flames history when you dished on “@BoringMonahan” and talked pilates. became the youngest player in the franchise to score 100 goals. What does it mean to you to be part of this team’s future/history? Q: You’ve scored 22, 31, 27 and 27 goals in your first four years in the league. Do you have any goal-targets for the 2017-18 campaign? I definitely don’t think about it, and Nieuwendyk was a great player. But for myself, I just try to be the best I can be. I don’t compare myself to any I never have any numbers in mind for myself. I just want to improve on other players or what they’ve done. I’m trying to carve my own path, being a complete player. I think by doing that with the way I play and the here. This is a year I want to take a big step as well as our team. We’re guys I play with, production comes with it. So I obviously want to improve the real deal now. We have to find a way to push each other to be better, on my numbers and continue to help the team win by putting the puck in and I want to be a big part of it. By doing that, it’ll help me get better and, the net and doing the little things. But numbers, for me, are never I guess, (better) in the long-run. something that’s in my head. Q: What did you work on in the off-season? Q: Yeah, but you’re a 30-goal guy . . . right? Just overall strength. Every year, everyone wants to get bigger, stronger, I mean, definitely. Thirty goals is something in the books. But I think I faster … This is probably my best summer I’ve really committed myself to have a lot more to prove. I think this is a year I need to break out and doing the right way, and I think it’s paid off. I did pilates this summer. It take some more control of my game. I think with the guys I play with, was good — it helped me a lot. It’s good for your core and little there’s a lot more to prove there. This year is a big year for our team, movements and stretching. It’ll actually go a long way. I had tried yoga, myself included, and I think I need to take a huge step. and I wasn’t a big fan of it, but I tried pilates and actually ended up liking it. My girlfriend ended up coming with me a couple times. Q: You and Johnny Gaudreau have been linemates for the past three years. What do you admire about Johnny Gaudreau’s on-ice skills? How Q: Personal success is great, you’ve had a ton of that. But we all know does he make you better? what hockey players really want. So, finish this sentence: “Winning a Stanley Cup would be …” Playing with Johnny, we obviously have good chemistry. Everyone notices his skills and what he does with the puck. But for me, it’s his Everything. competitiveness. Every time we go on the ice, we want to put the puck in the net, and we want to make a play and want to make a difference. With Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.05.2017 him being like that, that goes a long way and pushes you to be better. That’s what makes us a good line. Q: It seems like you two are inseparable. Do you ever get sick of each other? We don’t get sick of each other. We give each other a hard time sometimes, but we’re good friends. It’s fun. When we come to the rink or if we’re away from the rink, we’re hanging out all the time. We’re good friends, and I think that carries over onto the ice. You want to help each other and help each other be better. We’re always pushing each other, and I think that relationship benefits the team. We give it to each other — if Johnny had an open net and hit the post, I’d be all over him for months and still talking about it. We have fun. We play cards on the plane and text almost every day. I’m trying to convince him to get a dog now too, so we can go to the dog park together. Q: What might people not know about you off-the-ice? I like to have fun, and I like to laugh. Everyone thinks I’m really serious and boring and monotone. I think my voice is monotone . . . but I like to have fun. I like to lay low. Q: There’s nothing that shows you’ve made it like a mock Twitter account. So @BoringSeanMonahan, were you offended by that? Oh no, I wasn’t offended by it. I think it’s funny. I think it goes with the way I talk. I mean, I have a monotone voice. I know that. I think that 1076403 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks broadcaster Judd Sirott leaves for Bruins job; Chris Boden takes over

Phil Rosenthal Phil Rosenthal

Comparing it to winning a Powerball drawing, Judd Sirott, WGN-AM 720's Blackhawks studio host since 2008, has been named the new play- by-play voice of the Boston Bruins on WBZ-FM. Replacing Sirott as pregame, postgame and intermission host will be Chris Boden, the Blackhawks announced. The changes are effective immediately, with Sirott set to work the Bruins season opener Thursday against the Predators. "I didn't just hit the lottery, I hit the Powerball," Sirott said in the Boston station's announcement of his hire. "An team, a spectacular hockey market, one of the world's greatest cities, a terrific partner to work with in Bob Beers and a fabulous station to be a part of. I am incredibly fortunate, privileged and humbled to be the radio voice of the Boston Bruins." Sirott takes over for Dave Gouchert, who left Boston to become TV play- by-play announcer for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Besides his studio duties with the Hawks, Sirott was WGN-AM's backup Hawks announcer and part of its Cubs broadcast team when it carried the team. A nephew of WLS-AM 890's Bob Sirott, Judd made a name for himself as the long-time play-by-play announcer for the Wolves. He also has been a backup announcer for the Fire. He has called NHL games nationally for NHL Network and HDNet (now called AXS TV). "As the saying goes, 'Success has a thousand fathers,' I've probably had double that," Sirott said, rattling off a list of people with the Bruins and CBS Radio Boston who played a role in his hire. "I'd also like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks and WGN where I spent 10 terrific years. My family and I can't wait to move to Boston." Boden is a Chicago media stalwart of more than 30 years whose contract was not renewed earlier this year by CSN Chicago (now NBC Sports Chicago). The regional cable sports network had hired Boden 10 years ago as a features reporter and studio host for Hawks telecasts, then moved him to "Bears Postgame Live" four years ago. He previously worked at CBS-2, FOX-32, WBBM-AM 780, WMVP-AM 1000, CLTV, NFL Network and what is now the Illinois News Networks. LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076404 Chicago Blackhawks I’m concerned that Brent Seabrook won’t play with Michal Kempny. They had great possession numbers together. I’m afraid Joel won’t put those two together. I had Blackhawks questions, Stan Bowman had answers, I still have “I think we’re trying to get more of that style of play,’’ Bowman said. “I questions think Michal’s got one year under his belt. I think he’s more comfortable in his game this year. Nothing is new anymore. Seabrook has played with Kempny. He played with (Gustav) Forsling. We’ll see who he ends up Steve Rosenbloom Steve Rosenbloom with. I think our combinations needed some change.’’ I have a trepidation about Joel playing young defensemen. I wonder if he’s willing to do that. Can you allay that fear? The last two springs, I approached Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman about his team’s chances to win the Stanley Cup. “Once again, I don’t want to get into Joel’s mind, but we’re all looking at this as a fresh approach,’’ Bowman said. “We have a new coach in Ulf In 2016, we discussed the Hawks’ attempt to become the first team to Samuelsson. I think Ulf’s going to bring a lot to the table with the last two repeat as champions since his father’s 1997-98 Red Wings. teams he’s been involved with and the style they play. He can maximize strengths of players. There are reasons for optimism there. Ultimately, it’s Then the Hawks lost in the first round to the evil Blues, blowing a Game 7 Joel’s call, but having another voice there and having a fresh approach like no champion ever should. helps. Sometimes you start to think this guy can’t do that or this guy can In 2017, after a conference-winning regular season, I sat down with only do that. But you bring in a different coach, and he might say ‘What Bowman to talk about the Hawks’ attempt to reclaim the Cup and again about that from this guy?’’’ assume their intimidating championship style. I have another concern: the bottom six forwards. Then the Hawks were swept by the dreaded Predators. Just pantsed. “I think the young players want to establish themselves that they belong Embarrassed. in the league, and that can build their confidence,’’ Bowman said. A guy could get a complex like that. “Tanner Kero is probably one of the guys in that role. He’s been in the league a couple years. Confidence won’t be a problem. It’s more Now I wanted to talk to Bowman before a critical regular season, one that execution. Some of the other guys that will probably play those roles are followed an offseason of dramatic change for a franchise that counts more veteran guys – Tommy Wingels, Lance Bouma – bring more of that success only by Cups. intensity and grit. John Hayden is young guy who also has the ability to disrupt things and be difficult to play against. Those guys will be in the Surprisingly, Bowman was still talking to me. mix for those types of roles this season. I think it’s important to have I told him I had a lot of worries with this version of the Hawks, starting some of that, as well. I think we want to play with the puck and make with being afraid that they’re looking like the last throes of the Red Wings plays, but when you don’t have the puck, you have to get it back.’’ when they had the great run, they had the stars, and then things The last thing I’m afraid of is the last thing I saw: The Hawks were collapsed. outskated. How do you respond when you get questions about the team “I think there’s a lot to be excited about,’’ Bowman said. “It’s just a matter speed as part of the puck-possession game or puck retrieval? of opinion, but I tend to look at things more optimistically and I think I’m “Yeah, I think that’s something we wanted to address,’’ Bowman said. very excited about next season instead of afraid of next season. “Most guys as they get older, they don’t get faster. The one guy who’s an “I look at the age of our team. I think we’re considerably younger than we anomaly to that is (Patrick) Sharp. He’s as fast today as he was five were, and in today’s game, that’s a recipe for success. You can’t have a years ago. He’s been flying out there. He skates like a young guy. Saad’s bunch of young guys just to have young guys, but if you surround young got great mobility. Schmaltz, Kane – we’ve got a fair number of guys who players with star players, you get an opportunity for the growth and have that speed. But that’s something we did want to address. improvement when the game’s getting younger and younger every “I don’t think we played like that last year at the end. We’re trying to get season. I think that was one of the things we looked at at the end of last back to that identity, which is playing a really uptempo game and year: How can we incorporate some youth in our lineup and also still be a hopefully we can get that on the back end, too, with guys like Forsling really strong team? and other guys who can move the puck. That’s an element we’re looking “(Brandon) Saad and (Connor) Murphy have played a lot already in the to have on the back end. Up front, we brought in guys who have speed league at a young age. I think that’s an important thing to be excited and the players who were here who will take bigger roles also have about. The fact that we still have these guys in the prime of their careers, speed. I think you’re right. The key to today’s game is playing at that high our go-to players, and our goaltending’s very strong. I’m excited as pace.’’ opposed to afraid.’’ I can’t say I’m any less worried. I hope I’m wrong and I hope Bowman is Next fear: Patrick Kane is losing Artemi Panarin in the Saad trade and right. It’s his job to be right. he’ll be left on his own again after finding a playmate that made them Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 arguably the most dynamic duo in the NHL. “Well, I think you should look at Nick Schmaltz,’’ Bowman said. “I’m not saying he’s replacing Artemi. He’s a little different player. I think Nick brings more pace to his game. He’s a really fast player and has incredible creativity and vision. I think it’s one thing for me to say, but if you talk to Patrick, he loves playing with Schmaltz. “He’s got a bright future ahead of him, and I think we only scratched the surface last year. He came up, he wasn’t ready. He went back to Rockford and came up in late January. From that point until the end of the year, only Panarin and Kane had more points on our team than Schmaltz. He’s under the radar. I think he’s ready for a breakout season.’’ I’m fearful of the loss of Niklas Hjalmarsson. Tell me how the reliability of arguably your best defensive defenseman gets replaced. “I think that maybe the problem is the question,’’ Bowman said. “I don’t look at this year’s team as we have to replace this guy with that guy. I think that’s a losing mentality. That’s living in the past. We’re in a different dynamic this year. We’re going to try to play a little bit differently, I think. We’re going to try to incorporate our defense into our offense more. “We didn’t have much of that last season. If you look at teams that had success, they played that uptempo game. We have the skill to do it up front. We want the defensemen to get involved in the attack more. Get up ice more. Create more offense on the back end.’’ 1076405 Chicago Blackhawks

Bryan Bickell retires as a Blackhawk: 'I want to be a figure for MS and tell my story'

Chris Hine Chris Hine

Bryan Bickell wasn’t sure if he could keep it together, but he managed. Bickell, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, became emotional Wednesday as he announced his retirement from the NHL after signing a one-day contract with the Blackhawks. Bickell, wearing a Hawks sweater at a news conference at the , said he always will be grateful to the organization that drafted him and will cherish the memories he made in Chicago, which included helping the team hoist the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. “We have so much history here and I didn’t want it any other way,” Bickell, 31, said. Bickell’s family was present Wednesday, and his daughter, Kinslee, even joined him at the podium. Bickell recently moved to Ontario to be closer to his family and said he wants to help raise awareness for MS, a disease of the central nervous system. “I want to be a figure for MS and tell my story, what I went through,” Bickell said. “Just inspire other people to get diagnosed and experience with their families and make awareness. I’m happy to be a part of it and to help in any way. “Every day, every month is getting better. There’s good days and bad days but there’s more good than bad. ... The technology and treatments they come out with every month and every year, it’s outstanding. Hopefully one day we can find a cure." After his diagnosis, Bickell worked hard to return to the ice and made it back, playing four games for the Hurricanes in April. In his final game, against the Flyers, Bickell scored in a shootout. “I tried to keep it together,” Bickell said. “It was tough. I had a lot of times where I didn’t know if I could do this (hold his daughter) or play hockey. As the months went on, I got better and we set goals, and to see that last shot go in, it was definitely special. "My shooting percentage in shootouts is 50 percent, which is nice. It was a good way to go out.” Bickell, selected in the second round (41st overall) in the 2004 draft, made his Hawks debut on April 5, 2007, scoring a goal in a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings. The left wing played 384 of his 395 career games with the Hawks, scoring all but one of his 66 goals with the team. He was traded to the Hurricanes after the 2015-16 season. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076406 Chicago Blackhawks That last part became more important than ever this offseason for Jonathan Toews, who missed time last season because of back problems and played through them at other times. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews revamps game to try to rejoin elite Toews' agent Pat Brisson said Toews has a great understanding of his centers immune system and will take a mixture of natural anti-inflammatory medications and herbs to aid his recovery. Chris Hine Chris Hine "His body is different than when he was 20 or 21 and he's constantly searching what's best," Brisson said.

Toews won't admit that his back was an issue against the Predators, but A few days after the Predators ejected the Blackhawks from the playoffs it was clear that the Toews who was able to be bossed around by Ryan with a stunning first-round sweep, Hawks captain Jonathan Toews Johansen wasn't the same Toews Hawks fans were accustomed to provided an unvarnished assessment of his disappointing season and seeing come playoff time. playoff series. "There's a lot of little injuries that can add up and you don't want them to "There are some things I have to reevaluate and think about this manifest themselves into anything serious," Toews said. "I dealt with offseason," Toews said April 22. "I didn't get to the level I needed to be to back issues last year and didn't think I'd be dealing with that at 28 years help our team survive a little bit longer in this last series, so I have to be old. I think you get to that point where you realize you have to take care responsible for that." of the little things day in and day out." Nearly six months have passed since that statement. Six months to let That performance is not where Toews wants it. A recent NHL Network the disappointment linger from that defeat and six months to correct what survey said Toews was only the 12th best center in the league. This went wrong. comes two years after it was a popular and legitimate debate whether you would rather choose Toews or Sidney Crosby if you were starting an After previous playoff exits, Toews and the Hawks could console NHL franchise. themselves that they were a bounce here or there away from moving on, but the Predators loss was different. They had to confront the fact they "He said it's time for me to prove I'm ahead of their description," Brisson just weren't good enough, and for Toews that meant a deep reflection of said. "He was pretty silent about it, but I know he wants to beat the how he needed to evolve his game after the last two seasons — seasons current standings." in which he posted the lowest points per game averages of his career. Toews may have been silent about it, but he noticed it. "I put a lot of pressure on myself, especially these last couple of years," Toews told the Tribune. "I had expectations. And I think I make things "I'd like to think if I'm on my game and playing well that I can move up harder on myself and my linemates especially when I go on the ice with that list," Toews said. "But I think it comes down to what I do on the ice. that expectation. I'll worry about that and people can say what they want. The No. 1 thing is I'm good and good for my team." "(I need to) play loose and have fun and just let things happen a little more, learn to have a looser grip on how things are going on the ice and Added David Toews: "There's always going to be people who are allow myself to make mistakes. The best players in the game, they're out doubting you or saying certain things that, if you're going to take them there, they're not afraid to make mistakes and take some risks here and seriously, they might hurt you and hurt your confidence. But I think he's there." secure enough in himself and his ability." Not 19 anymore Finding consistency The reinvention of Jonathan Toews is more than just a mindset. It It was February last season when Toews took a stand. required a significant retooling of how Toews attacked his offseason For a season and a half, since the Hawks traded Brandon Saad to the workouts, with two goals in mind: to emphasize rest and recovery after Blue Jackets in 2015, Toews had been juggling linemates. It seemed like dealing with nagging back injuries and to focus on speed and mobility every winger in the Hawks system had a chance to play on Toews' left, training. Toews didn't have to work harder in the weight room, but he had as players like Viktor Tikhonov and Spencer Abbottdid at one point. to work smarter. Finally, Toews made a small plea to coach Joel Quenneville: Give me "He's not that 19-year-old kid anymore," said David Toews, Jonathan's time to develop chemistry with two definitive linemates. younger brother. "He realized the last couple of years after those long seasons that his body has started to feel the wear and tear of long Quenneville listened, and the combination of Toews at center, Schmaltz seasons. When you're not giving yourself any type of break, going right on the left and Richard Panik on the right proved a potent one, one that into summer and training as hard as you possibly can, sometimes it's not revitalized Toews and spurred the Hawks to the top seed in the Western the right thing." Conference. Toews scored 30 points in 29 games from the start of February through the end of the regular season. Jonathan Toews, 29, said early in his career he focused on building strength, especially in his legs, but as he gets older he needs to find a And all throughout training camp, as Quenneville tinkered with different way to add speed and quickness back to his game. The sport is getting lines, he kept the top line the same with Saad, whom the Hawks faster, and players like Connor McDavid show you don't have to be all reacquired to help jump-start Toews, replacing Schmaltz at left wing. that physical to be an elite player. Toews said he also watched closely as Patrick Kane's numbers soared the last two seasons and Nick Schmaltz "I'm just going to go out there and make whoever those two guys are found success as a rookie playing the speed game. better," Toews said. "You're going to have your off nights, but ... some of those nights where it's maybe not our best game, if we can go out there "I just kind of turned into a player that seemed to play a heavy game and find ways to keep the puck and generate, I think as a whole things down in the corners," Toews said. "Not that I want to leave that in the are going to go better." past — that's obviously a big part of the way I played — but getting up and down the ice is getting harder and harder with the speed of the Saad said he can notice a difference in Toews' game, and if that game." assessment is correct then the work Toews put in during the offseason paid off. A new approach "His quickness is up," Saad said. "But the biggest thing for him is sticking That has meant altering his workout routines to include more repetitions to his strengths where he's strong on the puck, and he's going to be that focused on mobility. David Toews said Jonathan would still put in three to regardless of whether he's a few pounds heavier or lighter." four hours per day in the gym but Jonathan did not overburden himself with weight training. Healthy, nimbler and faster while still maintaining his strength — that's the kind of player Toews wants to be this season and beyond. It was a "In a game, you need that range of motion and mobility, and he put a lot change he felt he had to make, or else there would be more days like in of emphasis into that and making sure his muscles and body are April. Toews doesn't want to feel that again if he can help it. recovered before he does anything," David Toews said. "He was more focused on making sure when he was doing explosive movements and "He's transitioning into the second half of his career," David Toews said. things that are weight-bearing, he was doing them at 100 percent and not "So there's a lot of things he's working at evolving. He just has to pay just doing mindless reps. There's a bit more focus on good reps, good attention to himself, really hold up the mirror and be honest with himself." solid reps and also taking care of your body." Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076407 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks officially place Marian Hossa on long-term IR, sign Cody Franson

Chris Hine Chris Hine

The Blackhawks began finalizing their roster for the 2017-18 season, which begins Thursday night against the two-time-defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins at the United Center. The Hawks on Wednesday officially placed Marian Hossa on long-term injured reserve and signed defenseman Cody Franson to a one-year, $1 million deal. Hossa, 38, will not play this season and potentially beyond because of a skin condition that has plagued him the last few years. Franson, 30, was on a professional tryout and will add veteran depth to the blue line. He played for the Sabres the last two seasons after spending time with the Predators and Maple Leafs. He has 42 goals and 163 assists in eight NHL seasons. The team also signed Bryan Bickell to a one-day contract so he can retire as a Blackhawk. Bickell, 31, played his last NHL game with the Hurricanes in April after being diagnosed earlier in the season with multiple sclerosis, a disease of the central nervous system. The left wing scored 65 of his 66 career goals with the Hawks, who selected him in the second round of the 2004 draft. He was part of their three Stanley Cup championship teams in 2010, 2013 and 2015. The Hawks, as expected, also recalled winger Alex DeBrincat and defenseman Gustav Forsling from Rockford. They had been sent down Tuesday so the team could get under the salary cap before placing Hossa on IR. The Hawks also acquired forward from the Canadiens for forward Kyle Baun and assigned Martinsen to Rockford. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076408 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks and Penguins battling on the ice, in the history books

Mark Lazerus

Corey Crawford said it was “pretty hard to watch.” Duncan Keith barely paid any attention. But Patrick Kane was watching. He’s always watching. Perhaps no player in the NHL pays more attention to the rest of the hockey world, or to hockey history, than Kane. And as he watched last spring as the Pittsburgh Penguins did two things that the Hawks couldn’t do — beat the Nashville Predators and repeat as Stanley Cup champions — and equal the Hawks’ mark of three Cups in the salary-cap era, Kane wasn’t exactly thrilled for them. “You’re almost kind of like rooting for them to lose, so they don’t catch you, you know?” Kane said. “But now that they’re there, we’ve got a lot of respect for those guys, not only individually but as a team, what they’ve been able to accomplish. Back-to-back Stanley Cups. It’s been almost 20 years since the last team did that. Pretty impressive. Throughout the regular season, you’ve always got an eye on that team, or what other players on that team are doing. It’s kind of a good rivalry where you’re watching each other.” The Hawks and Penguins — who meet Thursday night at the United Center — aren’t rivals in the traditional sense. They play each other just twice a year, and haven’t met in the playoffs since the 1992 Stanley Cup Final. But they’re rivals in the historic sense. Since 2009, the Penguins have three Cups, and the Hawks have three Cups. The Kings have two, but have fallen out of perennial contention. The race for the most dominant team of the modern era is down to two. And while hockey players incessantly talk about taking things one game at a time, legacies matter, too. “That’s definitely a big competition,” Crawford said. “It’s something we want to do every year. We want to win and we want to be the team that has the most in this new era. It’s tied now. Maybe that gives us a little extra motivation, if we even needed that. It’s been fun winning, and just that feeling makes me want to do it again.” In the Sidney Crosby era, the Penguins have won 19 playoff series, losing in the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 before winning it all in 2009. Over the next six seasons, they reached just one conference final, with three first-round exits. In the Jonathan Toews and Kane era, the Hawks have won 16 playoff series, twice losing in the conference final, with four first- round exits. Crosby’s been in the league two more years than Toews and Kane, so call it a wash. But the Penguins have momentum. While Pittsburgh has been winning two straight Cups, the Hawks have endured two straight first-round losses. And the Hawks enter the 2017-18 season with a drastically revamped and unproven defense, while the Penguins are largely intact and a legitimate threat for the league’s first three-peat since the Islanders won four straight from 1980-83. A tantalizing prospect, of course, would be for the Hawks and Penguins to meet again in about eight months, going head-to-head for Cup No. 4. But there’s an awfully long way to go before that dream matchup can happen. That road starts Thursday. “It’s certainly impressive what they did the last two years, going back-to- back,” Patrick Sharp said. “We know what that’s like, defending the Stanley Cup. It’s difficult the second time around. So for them to win it again was pretty special, I’m sure, for them. Yeah, there’s competition [for] the guys that have three Cups in here. The organization prides itself on being the top in the league, and Pittsburgh’s the champs right now. I know it’s just the first game of 82, and hopefully a lot more in the playoffs. But whenever you see the Pens coming into town, it’s a big game. And hopefully they say the same about the Blackhawks.” Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076409 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks place Hossa on LTIR, sign Franson to one-year deal

Mark Lazerus

Cody Franson expected all along that he’d sign with the Blackhawks once Marian Hossa’s situation was squared away — after all, it’s a big reason he turned down actual contract offers from other teams to come to Chicago on a player-tryout agreement. But there was still a sense of relief when he finally signed a one-year, $1- million contract on Wednesday. “It definitely allows you to take a bit of a deeper breath,” Franson said. “Nice to have that done, out of the way, and be able to just focus on the regular season and getting off on the right foot here.” Franson said it’s been a “smooth transition” to the Hawks. It helps that he played with Jonathan Toews in the World Juniors, and knows Brent Seabrook and Jordin Tootoo from summers back home in Kelowna, British Columbia. “Right away, when I got to town, those guys showed me around a little bit, helped me start to feel a little more comfortable around here and that goes a long way,” Franson said. “It’s been an easy transition and now I’m in that place where you feel comfortable and you can start speaking up a little more, like you’re part of the team. Franson’s signing was announced Wednesday morning shortly after the Hawks officially — and finally — put Hossa on long-term injured reserve. Hossa will sit out the entire season — and likely the other three years remaining on his contract — because of a skin condition and the side effects of the medication he has been taking for it. The Hawks completed their cap maneuvering by recalling defenseman Gustav Forsling and forward Alex DeBrincat, who were assigned to Rockford on Tuesday in a paper-only transaction. According to capfriendly.com, the Hawks now have about $2.4 million to play with. Tootoo on LTIR Jordin Tootoo cleared waivers on Tuesday, but was put on LTIR instead of being sent to Rockford. Joel Quenneville said Tootoo suffered an upper-body injury during camp but didn’t get into specifics. He said it’s possible that Tootoo returns this season. Rockford shuffle The Hawks traded Kyle Baun to the Montreal Canadiens for forward Andreas Martinsen in a minor-league deal. Martinsen, who had seven goals and 11 assists in 119 games with the Avalanche and Canadiens the last two seasons, will report to Rockford. Baun, originally signed out of Colgate in March of 2015, appeared in five games with the Hawks. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076410 Chicago Blackhawks James Shields, White Sox $21,000,000 , Cubs $20,000,000 List of highest-paid Chicago athletes shows salaries don’t equal worth , Cubs $16,000,000 , Cubs $16,000,000 Dan Cahill , Cubs $15,637,500 Robin Lopez, Bulls $13,788,500 Whether you’re at a sports bar or shooting the breeze at work, it’s always Nikola Mirotic, Bulls $12,500,000 fun to talk about how much money athletes make. Jose Abreu, White Sox $10,825,000 Perhaps the most interesting aspect of sports salaries is the arbitrary value assigned to a player based on market demand, often in Wade Davis, Cubs $10,000,000 discordance with their performance (see Mike Glennon). Once a certain Jon Jay, Cubs $8,000,000 skill level is reached, timing, more than anything, often determines a player’s fortune or misfortune. Mike Glennon, Bears $8,000,000 For instance, if you asked fans to name the highest-paid Chicago athlete, Cristiano Felicio, Bulls $7,843,500 most would probably guess Cubs Jon Lester. Patrick Kane, Hawks $7,800,000 That would be wrong. Jonathan Toews, Hawks $7,800,000 With Dwyane Wade taking the buyout from the Bulls, owns Chicago’s No. 1 spot at $21.5 million in base salary. Wade was Akiem Hicks, Bears $7,000,000 slated to make $23.8 million had he stayed for the final year of his , Cubs $7,000,000 contract. Jose Quintana, Cubs $7,000,000 OK, so Lester isn’t even the top-paid Cub, but he has to be the highest- paid pitcher, right? Pernell McPhee, Bears $6,950,000 Nope. Brandon Saad, Hawks $6,250,000 That would be White Sox veteran James Shields, who makes a cool $21 Kyle Long, Bears $6,250,000 million despite his 5-7 record and 5.23 ERA this season. Corey Crawford, Hawks $6,000,000 According to base salaries compiled by Spotrac.com, 73 Chicago athletes can call themselves millionaires. That’s a far cry from three Koji Uehara, Cubs $6,000,000 decades ago, when there was one — a retiring Walter Payton, who made exactly Hector Rondon, Cubs $5,800,000 , Cubs $5,500,000 $1 million. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Fire $5,400,000 Here are some of the more interesting anomalies that jump out from the list: Duncan Keith, Hawks $5,000,000 • With his $8 million in base pay from the Cubs, Jon Jay banks more than Artem Anisimov, Hawks $5,000,000 teammates , Javy Baez, , , Ian Happ and combined. Leonys Martin, Cubs $4,850,000 • Bulls center Robin Lopez makes $13.78 million. Bulls backup center Josh Sitton, Bears $4,650,000 Christiano Felicio makes $7.84 million. Three-time Blackhawks Stanley Cup winners Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane each make $7.8 million. Justin Holiday, Bulls $4,615,385 • Cubs pitcher John Lackey has a base salary of $16 million. That’s more Connor Murphy, Hawks $4,600,000 than the entire White Sox roster makes, minus Shields, Jose Abreu ($10 Brent Seabrook, Hawks $4,500,000 million) and Avisail Garcia ($3 million). Bobby Massie, Bears $4,200,000 • Bulls guard Justin Holiday, who has started 13 games since joining the NBA in 2013, will be paid $4.6 million this season. That’s more than the Kris Dunn, Bulls $4,046,760 combined base salaries of Bears linebacker and 2016 Super Bowl champ Danny Trevathan ($2 million), National League MVP and World Series Quincy Pondexter, Bulls $3,853,931 winner Bryant ($1.05 million) and five-time NHL All-Star and three-time Laui Markkanen, Bulls $3,821,640 Stanley Cup champ Marian Hossa ($1 million). Jerrell Freeman, Bears $3,750,000 • Bastian Schweinsteiger is the seventh-highest-paid player in MLS and will make $5.4 million in his first season with the Fire. Four-time All-Star Prince Amukamara, Bears $3,500,000 and three-time Stanley Cup winner Duncan Keith of the Blackhawks is in his 13th season and will make $5 million. Zach LaVine, Bulls $3,202,218 As for Glennon, who was demoted to backup this week, his base salary Avisail Garcia, White Sox $3,000,000 is $8 million, but he’s guaranteed about $18.5 million. New starter Mitch Markus Wheaton, Bears $3,000,000 Trubisky has a base salary of $465,000, but his signing bonus as the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft puts him at almost $20 million. The player they Marcus Cooper, Bears $3,000,000 replaced, Jay Cutler, will make $5 million in base salary and $10 million guaranteed from the Dolphins. In addition, Cutler will collect $2 million Richard Panik, Hawks $2,800,000 from the Bears. Justin Wilson, Cubs $2,700,000 Follow me on Twitter @dancahill_cst. Quintin Demps, Bears $2,500,000 GO FIGURE Cameron Payne, Bulls $2,203,440 According to Spotrac.com, 79 Chicago athletes are making a base salary of $1 million or more in 2017. But players’ salaries don’t always Denzel Valentine, Bulls $2,186,400 correspond to their worth. For instance, White Sox starter James Shields, Geovany Soto, White Sox $2,000,000 who won only five games this season, is making nearly $20 million more than the Cubs’ Kris Bryant, the 2016 National League MVP. Danny Trevathan, Bears $2,000,000 Jason Heyward, Cubs $21,500,000 Dion Sims, Bears $2,000,000 Brian Duensing, Cubs $2,000,000 Alex Avila, Cubs $2,000,000 Nate Jones, White Sox $1,900,000 Justin Grimm, Cubs $1,825,000 Charles Leno, Bears $1,797,000 Rene Rivera, Cubs $1,750,000 Kyle Fuller, Bears $1,740,955 Jerian Grant, Bulls $1,713,840 Nemanja Nikolic, Fire $1,700,000 Jarell Eddie, Bulls $1,524,305 Bobby Portis, Bulls $1,516,320 Zach Miller, Bears $1,500,000 David Nwaba, Bulls $1,312,611 Diamond Stone, Bulls $1,312,611 Paul Zipser, Bulls $1,312,611 Kendall Wright, Bears $1,250,000 Zach Putnam, White Sox $1,175,000 Leonard Floyd, Bears $1,167,403 Kris Bryant, Cubs $1,050,000 Marian Hossa, Hawks $1,000,000 Lance Bouma, Hawks $1,000,000 Cody Franson, Hawks $1,000,000 Willie Young, Bears $1,000,000 Mark Sanchez, Bears $1,000,000 Tom Compton, Bears $1,000,000 Christian Jones, Bears $1,000,000 Sherrick McManis, Bears $1,000,000 Mitch Unrein, Bears $1,000,000 Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076411 Chicago Blackhawks McDonough said Quenneville has done a "brilliant job" since taking over the head duties five games into the 2008-09 season. He believes Quenneville is one of the greatest coaches in the history of the NHL, that Chicago Blackhawks' McDonough big fan of Quenneville his desire to win has never been higher and players come to -- and come back to -- Chicago because they know what kind of coach he is.

But is he untouchable? Unfireable? John Dietz McDonough wouldn't go that far.

"Well, I think all of us are accountable," McDonough said. "All of us. When anybody mentions coaches such as , , Certainly me. I'm accountable and I'm responsible. And I would never put Phil Jackson and Joe Torre, most sports fans can rattle off all kinds of myself in a position that I would say, 'Well, I'm going to be able to call my facts about these legends. own shots.' I report to a great owner -- Rocky Wirtz -- the best in our industry. Most of us think of the championships first, but not far behind is how long each man ruled over a franchise. "But this is a game that's based on achievement. We're in the results business. Scouting report "We've never had any conversation even remotely close to that. That's Blackhawks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. the best answer I can give you." TV: NBCSCH Fair enough. Radio: WGN 720-AM Obviously if the Hawks can find a way to win again in the playoffs, this subject will be moot.

And, after the way last season ended, Quenneville is as motivated as The skinny: Right off the bat the Hawks get a tough test as they go up ever to get the most out of his team. against Sidney Crosby and the two-time defending champs. Crosby led the league last season with 44 goals, and Evgeni Malkin added 33. … If he does, Hawks fans have nothing to worry about -- he likely will be The Penguins opened the season by beating/losing to St. Louis on here for as long as he wants. Wednesday. … Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook skated together the last two days of practice, and coach Joel Quenneville said they might If not, McDonough may have to address this topic sooner rather than play together against Pittsburgh. ... The Hawks won both meetings over later. the Penguins last season, 4-1 and 5-1. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 Next: Columbus Blue Jackets at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. Saturday

They did so because they almost always devised the perfect game plans. Or knew when to take a chance. Or knew when to take the pitcher out, when to go for it on fourth down, or who should take the last shot. They connected with their players and got the most out of them at all times. These brilliant leaders are often allowed to write their own ticket out of town, and one wonders if Joel Quenneville has reached that lofty status with the Blackhawks. There are many out there who don't believe that -- telling me if the Hawks don't make it past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, Quenneville is done. But really? Should the Hawks jettison the second-winningest coach of all time? The man who helped guide their franchise to three Cups in six years? How, exactly, would that be received by Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook? "We've been very fortunate to have him as a coach," Kane said. "I think he's the best in the league at managing his players and understanding where the team's at, as far as rest or whether we need a hard practice, or whatever it is. "Even (when it comes to) how to manage certain guys, he doesn't coach everyone the same way. I know personally I don't want to play for anyone else." Quenneville has two years remaining on his contract and says he's taking things "one year at a time." When last season ended, the 59-year-old coach admitted he was as much to blame as anyone for the Hawks' first-round playoff collapse against the Predators. "Our job is to get the most out of every single guy, and we've always had a certain standard of how we compete," Quenneville said. "Sometimes we assume that that's been a given, being fortunate to work with this group. It's always been there. "So I always take it personally when we're not competitive. That's just the way I am." John McDonough, the Hawks' president and CEO, is a huge fan of Quenneville. Huge. 1076412 Chicago Blackhawks

Bickell signs one-day contract to retire with Blackhawks

John Dietz

Bryan Bickell was hoping to hold it together during his news conference Wednesday to announce he'd signed a one-day contract with the Blackhawks so he could retire as a member of the organization. But the big man just couldn't do it. Asked what some of his favorite memories of being a Hawk were -- aside from scoring the tying goal during Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2013 -- Bickell took a deep breath and said: "There's so many to think of. Getting drafted, playing your first game, winning your first Cup. That was a huge honor to win it a couple times. Having a family here. It's something I'm going to have forever." Bickell, who wept during those last two sentences, then picked up his daughter Kinslee and noticed something sitting on the podium: "Oh, you guys have tissues here. That's great." Tears mixed with laughter and joy. That sums up Bickell's career so perfectly. This was a feel-good moment for Bickell, the 31-year-old winger who captured Chicago's hearts during his time here. He was an integral part of the 2013 Stanley Cup team, scoring nine goals during that epic championship run. Two years later the Hawks won it all again, but he played in just one game of the Stanley Cup Final because he didn't feel right. Those feelings continued to fester and Bickell was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November 2016. "Every day, every month's getting better," Bickell said. "There's good days, there's bad days but there's more good days than bad. The technology they come out with every month, every year is outstanding. Hopefully one day we can find a cure, and we're going to help out to try to do that." Bickell added he wants to inspire and help others with MS "any way he can." In retirement, he also hopes to help young, aspiring hockey players. Bickell opened his news conference thanking the Blackhawks, his family and the media. He was sincerely touched by the outpouring of support when news broke late Tuesday that he would be able to retire as a Hawk. "Seeing all the texts and (some from) the media; just all the respect for me and the team has built in the city. ... It's an honor to be part of it," Bickell said. "To finish here, it's awesome." Slap shots: The Hawks placed Marian Hossa on long-term injured reserve Wednesday and signed defenseman Cody Franson to a one-year deal. They also recalled Alex DeBrincat and Gustav Forsling from Rockford. ... Joel Quenneville said Jordin Tootoo has an upper-body injury that occurred at some point during training camp. Tootoo is on LTIR. ... The Hawks traded Kyle Baun to Montreal for F Andreas Martinsen. The 27- year-old Martinsen, who played in 64 games in the NHL last season for Colorado (55) and Montreal (9), was assigned to Rockford. Chris Boden is replacing Judd Sirott as the radio studio host for WGN 720-AM. Sirott is headed to Boston to do radio play-by-play for the Bruins. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076413 Chicago Blackhawks The Hawks' core players -- Patrick Sharp (35), Duncan Keith (34), Brent Seabrook (32), Corey Crawford (32), Jonathan Toews (29) and Patrick Kane (29 in November) -- won't be around forever, and it's fair to wonder Chicago Blackhawks' McDonough: Abrupt ending last year got if the championship window is closing for these icons. everybody's attention Asked if he's worried that may be the case, McDonough said absolutely not. John Dietz "We're fortunate to have so many good players on our team, and I think that they are relatively in their early prime," he said. "So you need contributions from those third … and fourth lines. You need contributions from your 5 (and) 6 D. John McDonough saw something in a Nashville Predators team last April that impressed him to another level. "When we talk about the One Goal of our franchise -- Joel and Stan have been in place for nine years -- the first commitment we have is to make There was speed, talent and amazing goaltending for sure, but what the playoffs. You've got to get in. And then put yourself in a position to stood out to the Chicago Blackhawks' president and CEO was how make a long run, and anything can happen. Health plays a role, bounces absolutely hungry and ravenous they were to finally vanquish the big, play a role. bad Hawks. "But as we learned this year, being ready in April is of paramount And he wants his team to recapture that desire. importance." "From an experience standpoint I think it's great to have won Stanley But what if things don't go as planned? The unthinkable happens and the Cups," McDonough said. "But I would like us to play with the hunger that Hawks are unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs before May, or we've never won any." worse, don't qualify? So as the Hawks get set to embark on their 11th season under Could this be Joel Quenneville's final season behind the bench? McDonough's watch, he wants all fans to know he's not satisfied -- nor is anyone in the organization satisfied -- with the three titles the franchise That's a question we'll delve into Thursday in Part 2 of our talk with has won since he came on board. McDonough, a piece you won't want to miss. It's time to wipe the slate clean and start over. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 "The message that we have sent to everyone in this organization is never take any of this for granted," said McDonough, the Blackhawks' president and CEO. "We're not entitled to a regular-season win, let alone a playoff win. The abrupt ending of this past season got everybody's attention and there was a recalibration here across the board. "We are on Phase 2 of this journey. We've had a pretty good run, but I want to close the book on that chapter." Consider it closed. The big question is, how will the next chapter look? Will there be more photos of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Seabrook waving to adoring fans at a Stanley Cup parade or two? Or are those days over? The Hawks remain one of the most talented teams in the NHL. Their top nine forwards match up with anyone, Corey Crawford is a high-end goaltender, and while their defense isn't what it used to be, the back end should be able to hold its own. There's absolutely no reason the Hawks shouldn't win 45-50 games again this season and compete for the Western Conference's top seed. What must change come April, though, is how each individual approaches playoff hockey. The young players need to learn from the humbling experience against Nashville, while the veterans -- in McDonough's mind -- must totally change their mindset. "You draw from those experiences because you've been in those situations where you're in a visiting arena and been in these pressure- packed situations and won games -- incomprehensible overtime games in the playoffs. You draw from that experience, but your approach is, 'We haven't won anything.' That hunger has to be there. … "I never want us to be that comet that came back and said, 'Hey, remember when the Blackhawks were really good?' I'm looking for consistent, sustained excellence." So first-round exits, like in 2016 and 2017, won't cut it for McDonough. He remembers all too well what it was like when Rocky Wirtz hired him in November 2007. The United Center was half full. The playoffs were a pipe dream. Legions of season ticket holders gave up their seats. had been fired. Home games weren't on television. It was so bad, ESPN The Magazine ranked the Hawks as the worst franchise in pro sports. "We're going to be on trial every single day. Every single day," McDonough said. "Because there was a period of time where we were irrelevant. We were off the map. "So we've been fortunate enough to have that success, but now we're in a different phase and we've got to do it all over again." But can they? 1076414 Chicago Blackhawks

Three Things to WATCH: Blackhawks host defending champion Penguins

By Charlie Roumeliotis October 04, 2017 11:30 PM

Here are Three Things to Watch in the Blackhawks' season opener against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins tonight on NBC Sports Chicago and streaming live on the NBC Sports app. Coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. with Blackhawks Red Carpet. 1. Three-headed showdown: Crosby-Malkin-Letang vs. Toews-Kane- Keith A big reason why many hockey fans have been waiting for a Chicago- Pittsburgh Stanley Cup Final this decade is because of the star power both teams have and the big markets they play in. It starts with these six guys, all of whom will likely go into the Hockey Hall of Fame when their careers are all said and done. Among them, they have a combination of six 's, four Hart Trophy's and three Stanley Cups each. It's an amazing collection of hardware. It makes you appreciate the matchup even more when you factor in that they only meet twice a year. And if we're lucky enough, maybe we'll get some 3-on-3 overtime so they can show off their world-class talents in the open ice. 2. Alex DeBrincat's NHL debut. He's dominated in the Ontario Hockey League, he shined at the Traverse City prospect tournament and he looked great in preseason. Now it's time to see what the 5-foot-7, 165-pound winger can do at the highest level when the games actually count. There's no question he has the ability and will to succeed in the NHL, but there will still be a learning curve along the way. What better way to get your feet wet than against the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions? 3. How will Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp fare in their official Chicago returns? A pair of fan-favorites are back in Chicago, and were ultimately brought in for the same reason: help get the Blackhawks back to the top of the mountain. Saad will look to rekindle his magic with Jonathan Toews on the top line and set the tone for the rest of the lineup, while Sharp can still play top- six minutes (if needed), contribute on the power play and be a veteran presence in the process as they look to bridge the gap with their younger players. The United Center roof might explode after Saad and Sharp are both welcomed back with video board tributes. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076415 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks want to take the Penguins' place at the top again

By Tracey Myers October 04, 2017 8:00 PM

When the Pittsburgh Penguins hoisted their second Stanley Cup last June, the Blackhawks were well ensconced in their offseason, one that was way too long for their liking. Even after a frustrating and brief postseason, some of the Blackhawks couldn’t help but notice what the Penguins did. “It was a pretty impressive run,” Corey Crawford said. “A lot of injuries, too. I feel like they had a lot of guys hurt for a long period of time. It was a good run or two runs for that team. We definitely want to be the next team.” Saying that is one thing. Pulling it off is quite another. The Blackhawks have lost a few key players from their core and are trying to rebuild their bottom six to what it used to be. There are question marks on defense. And the young guys who made their debuts last season, including Ryan Hartman and Nick Schmaltz, have to take that next step and become contributors throughout the regular season and beyond. “We’re going to need them,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “We had a number of young guys who came in and showed progression over the course of the year. Young guys coming in, [Gustav] Forsling, [Alex] DeBrincat, these guys not just contributing but also absorbing responsibility or leadership or quality ice time. They’ll all be moving up and expected to contribute in a meaningful way and be a part of the group that’ll make us a better team.” Think back at the depth the Blackhawks had, especially on their 2013 and 2015 runs. When your fourth line is playing key minutes down the stretch or, in the case of 2013, scoring the Cup-winning goal, you know you’re living right. It was also about players who could gut out long games and take on extra minutes when others were lost to injury. The Penguins’ Cup possibilities were supposed to be dashed when they lost Kris Letang in February. So much for that. The Blackhawks’ top four defensemen were supposed to wear out from overuse after Michal Rozsival’s ugly fractured ankle at the end of the 2015 second round. Again, skeptics be damned. This past offseason the Penguins felt what the Blackhawks have dealt with for several years now: cap issues that forced them to get rid of/not re-sign some key members of their Cup teams. That’s not stopping some from predicting a three-peat for Pittsburgh. Even after losses you can regroup, reload and re-emerge. Just ask the Blackhawks in 2015. When the Blackhawks see the Penguins on Thursday they’ll see themselves from a few short years ago. They want to get back there. We’ll soon find out if they have the right combination of talent and (especially) depth to do it. “The game’s so fast, you need all four lines to contribute," Patrick Sharp. "If you’re not chipping in offensively you have to be real solid in all areas, provide some energy and be effective that way. You play 82 games at that high pace, there’s going to be bumps and bruises and there are going to be peaks and valleys. You need a lot of guys to step up at different times. It’s a good thing we’ve got some depth here.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076416 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks make minor league trade with Canadiens

By Charlie Roumeliotis October 04, 2017 4:45 PM

The Blackhawks made a minor league swap with the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, trading forward Kyle Baun in exchange for forward Andreas Martinsen. Baun, 25, appeared in only five games with the Blackhawks since signing with the team in March of 2015. Martinsen, 27, will report to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League, but has experience in the NHL to contribute right away if needed. He's a big, physical forward (6-foot-3, 229 pounds) who has scored seven goals and 11 assists in 119 games across three seasons with the Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche. He also played in two playoff games last year with Montreal, logging an average of 10:13 of ice time. The move essentially gives both players a fresh start on different teams. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076417 Chicago Blackhawks

Cody Franson’s wait pays off as he gets his deal with Blackhawks

By Tracey Myers October 04, 2017 2:44 PM

Once again, Cody Franson had to wait to find out his fate with a team. Once again, it had a happy ending. Franson signed a one-year deal worth a reported $1 million on Wednesday. The 30-year-old defenseman gives the Blackhawks a steady presence and a much-needed, right-handed shot on the blue line. When the Blackhawks signed Franson to a player tryout prior to training camp, it was expected he’d sign a deal once Marian Hossa’s placement on long-term injured reserve freed up the necessary cap space. Still, Franson wasn’t assuming anything. “As far as having a good idea [of it happening], when you don’t have a contract there’s no real time to have a good idea,” Franson said with a laugh. “But I thought my exhibition games went well, practices have been going well. I thought I’ve been doing what I could to give myself this opportunity and luckily it played out.” Franson talked earlier in camp about having to be patient with potential contracts. In this case he had no choice, as the Blackhawks had to wait for the NHL to rule on Hossa. If Wednesday’s practice was any indication, Franson will pair with Jordan Oesterle in the Blackhawks’ season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. Coach Joel Quenneville said Franson has brought what the Blackhawks were looking for from the start of camp. “He showed us a lot,” Quenneville said. “I like his poise out there, got a good stick and shoots the puck extremely well. I like his size and his leadership qualities. He’s been a good fit with that experience and he’s excited about being here and it’s a great opportunity for us as well.” Franson has fit into the Blackhawks’ room well. It helps that he already knew a few of the players — he and Jonathan Toews played together at World Juniors and he lives in the same area as Brent Seabrook and Jordin Tootoo in the offseason. As far as the Blackhawks’ system, he adjusted easily to that as well. “That’s one of the things about having an experienced group and guys like this and guys that have been around for so long and have had so much success is. It’s kind of a system without even needing explaining. If you do have questions, you can ask guys because they’ve done it so much that they’re like having coaches,” he said. “It’s been a smooth transition for myself. It’s been easy to pick up and I’m excited to get going.” Franson had to wait again for a contract, and there was ultimately no guarantee it would happen. But the odds were in his favor and thanks to a strong camp, the wait is over. “It definitely allows you to take a bit of a deeper breath,” he said. “It’s nice to have that done, out of the way with, and be able to just focus on the regular season and getting off on the right foot here.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076418 Chicago Blackhawks

Emotional Bryan Bickell retires with Blackhawks: 'I didn't want it any other way'

By Tracey Myers October 04, 2017 11:40 AM

Bryan Bickell got the call from the Blackhawks not long after he played his final game against the Philadelphia Flyers, a call offering him the opportunity to retire with the team with which he won three Stanley Cups. “I didn’t want it any other way,” Bickell said. Bickell’s retirement talk on Wednesday was reminiscent of so many of the media interviews he gave: sometimes funny, sometimes emotional and completely honest. The former Blackhawks forward, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis nearly a year ago, fought back tears as he talked of his time with the team, ending everything here and his health — which is improving. “Every day, every month is getting better,” Bickell said. “There are good days and bad days but there’s more good than bad. Things are going the right way. The treatments and technology they come out with every month, every year, it’s outstanding. Hopefully one day we find a cure and I hope we find help to do that.” Bickell will keep being active in the fight against MS — “I want to tell my story, what I went through, just inspire other people to get diagnosed and the experience with their families.” As for hockey, maybe he’ll get involved with that again in the future. “I want to get back into hockey,” he said. “I have two young girls, 3 and 1, and watching them grow is the first thing I want to do and see where it goes from there. Work with kids and things like that would be a goal for me and I’m looking forward to it.” Bickell’s playing career ended way too prematurely. It ended as well as it could have, with Bickell fighting back to play in the Carolina Hurricanes’ final few regular-season games last spring and him scoring a shootout goal — “my shooting percentage is 50 percent, which is nice,” he said to laughs. When the news came down that he would retire with the Blackhawks he was inundated with messages. Bickell gave the Blackhawks his best; his retiring with them was a fitting, “thank you.” “It was nice to see the respect,” Bickell said. “I know the news came out last night [on my retiring here] and seeing all the texts, the media and just all the respect for me and the team has built in the city, it’s an honor to be part of it. To finish here, it’s awesome.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076419 Chicago Blackhawks

Bryan Bickell signs one-day contract to retire as a Blackhawk

By Vinnie Duber October 04, 2017 8:30 AM

Bryan Bickell is officially retiring as a member of the Blackhawks. Bickell signed a one-day contract with the Blackhawks on Wednesday morning to bring an official end to his decade-long NHL career. “As any professional athlete will tell you, stepping away from the game is extremely difficult especially given my circumstances,” Bickell said in the announcement. “I’m honored to be retiring a Chicago Blackhawk — a team that has given me and my family so many great memories. I appreciate Rocky Wirtz, John McDonough and Stan Bowman for allowing me this opportunity.” Bickell, a member of the Carolina Hurricanes last season, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last year, announcing the diagnosis in November. He spent much of the 2016-17 campaign on injured reserve as he began receiving treatment. Bickell played four games at the end of the season to wrap up his playing career, scoring a shootout goal in his final game. Bickell, drafted by the Blackhawks in 2004, was a member of the 2010, 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup teams and played 384 of his 395 career games with the team. He starred during the Blackhawks' 2013 Stanley Cup run, scoring nine goals and recording eight assists in 23 playoff games, most notably scoring the game-tying goal in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins just 17 seconds before 's game-winning, Cup-clinching goal. “We are thankful to Bryan for his accomplishments on the ice, and we look forward to hearing his voice in raising awareness for multiple sclerosis as he fights the disease,” Bowman said in the announcement. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076420 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche rookie J.T. Compher gets a different look at Madison Square Garden

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

Avalanche rookie J.T. Compher was a junior and team captain at the University of Michigan on Jan. 30, 2016, when the Wolverines played Penn State in the finale of a -hockey doubleheader at Madison Square Garden. Compher centered Michigan’s top line and had two points (goal) in the 6-3 win at the iconic arena. At that point, his college experience at MSG was the best he could imagine. Until recently, that is, when he learned he made the Avs’ opening-night roster and would begin his first full NHL season at MSG against the New York Rangers. “It’s going to be special,” Compher said at a recent practice. “I was lucky enough to play there during school one time. But this will be a whole new level, with the Rangers on opening night in New York. I think everyone is excited. It’s going to be a fun road trip for us, to start on the road. We have young guys who are excited to play in three good barns and have some fun.” The Avs plays afternoon games Saturday in New Jersey and Monday in Boston before returning home. Compher, 22, is among five rookies who could be in Thursday’s lineup against the Rangers. It’s unclear if rookies Chris Bigras, 22, and Andrei Mironov, 23, are among the top-six defensemen, but Compher, Alex Kerfoot, 23, and Tyson Jost, 19, are sure to be among the top-12 forwards. Compher has been centering a line with wingers Gabe Landeskog and Colin Wilson. Kerfoot is at right wing with center Matt Duchene and left wing . And Jost is between and Blake Comeau on what is considered the fourth line.

Spotlight on: Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers’ star goalie won both games against the Avalanche last season, allowing just four goals. Both were memorable wins for the Swede. He became the NHL’s all-time leader in wins by a European-born goaltender when he earned his 390th career NHL win Dec. 31 at Colorado. And then on Feb. 11 against the Avs at Madison Square Garden, Lundqvist won his 400th career game. He had a 2.00 goals-against average and .937 save percentage (57 saves on 61 shots) in the season series. NOTEBOOK Avalanche — Defenseman Patrik Nemeth, claimed off waivers from the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, practiced with the Avs on Wednesday morning before the team traveled to New York. Nemeth, 25, is scheduled to partner with Tyson Barrie. “I think I have a good opportunity here to prove myself,” Nemeth told reporters. “I feel I’m ready to prove myself, and I’m going to do everything in my power to do that and embrace the role that they give me.” … Colorado placed forward Joe Colborne on waivers Wednesday morning and the former University of Denver star did not travel to New York with the team. Colborne, who missed most of training camp with a back injury, is in the final year of his contract, at $2.5 million. … Forward Carl Soderberg, who is making $4.75 million annually this season and the following two, is expected to be a healthy scratch Thursday. Rangers — They’ve earned at least a point in seven of their last eight games (5-1-2) against Colorado, dating back to Feb. 4, 2014. … New York has three former Avalanche players in defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk, Nick Holden and forward Paul Carey. … Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey was a three-year linemate of Avalanche rookie Alex Kerfoot at Harvard. Vesey was team captain in 2015-16 and Kerfoot the following season. … The Rangers went a conference-best 21-6-1 against the Western Conference last season. … Forward Chris Kreider had a hat trick against the Avs on Dec. 31 in Colorado. … Last season, the Avs finished with less than half as few wins (22) as the Rangers (48), and New York had more than twice as many points (102 to 48). Denver Post: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076421 Colorado Avalanche

5 keys for the Avalanche to have a successful 2017-18 season

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

If the Colorado Avalanche is going to bounce back from their worst season ever, and one of the worst seasons in NHL history, here is what they will need to lean on. 1. Defensemen. Do the Avs have enough talent on the back end? Nine of 10 ardent fans would probably say no. Media around the league says no. The popular opinion is that Colorado all but ignored its primary off- season need of strengthening the blue line. The Avs have a No. 1 defenseman in Erik Johnson and a good power-play specialist in Tyson Barrie. Other than that, there is a lack of top-four talent. As it stands, rookies Chris Bigras and Andrei Mironov will make the team and , 22, will play in a top-pairing role. That’s young. Mark Barberio, whom the Avs claimed off waivers from Montreal last season, will probably be in the opening-night lineup, along with fellow waiver-wire pickup Patrik Nemeth, who until Tuesday spent his entire career with Dallas. Like last year, the Avs appear to be too young, with too many third-pairing defensemen and not enough standouts to play big minutes. To resolve the problem, it was thought the Avs would trade forward Matt Duchene for a stud defenseman. It was discussed all summer but never happened. 2. Child’s play. Center Tyson Jost, 19, should probably be beginning his sophomore season at the University of North Dakota. But the 10th selection in the 2015 draft is the top prospect for what was the NHL’s worst team, and Jost jumped on the chance to begin his professional career as a teenager. He might not be ready, but the same could be same for many of the young players on the roster. The Avs have a handful of young players who could be put in positions that they aren’t developmentally prepared to play. Bigras and center J.T. Compher might be better served with more American Hockey League experience, and Mironov looks like he needs time in the AHL after playing five years professionally in his native Russia. Bottom line: The Avs are going young, very young, but it’s a risky way to rebuild. 3. Varlamov time. No hockey team can succeed without quality goaltending. So goalie Semyon Varlamov has to be a major piece of helping move the team forward. The 29-year old has proved at times he can be one of the best goalies in the world. At other times, not so much. The Avs are banking that Varlamov will stay healthy after surgery on both hips over the winter. His save percentage has dropped annually from his Vezina Trophy-worthy .927 in 2013-14 to .921, .914, and .898 in the past three seasons. 4. Time to deliver. This team’s highest-paid players must have significant bounce-back seasons if the Avs has any chance of sniffing the playoffs. Forwards Matt Duchene, Gabe Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon are coming off awful offensive seasons; none of them scored 20 goals. And defensively, Barrie had a minus-34 rating, tied with Duchene for the team-worst, and Erik Johnson was limited to 46 games because of injuries. These players, plus Varlamov, make up the core of the team. 5. Bednar’s mulligan. Much was made of coach Jared Bednar having a mulligan based on his brief time to prepare for his first NHL season. He was hired in late August a year ago, two weeks after Patrick Roy‘s shocking resignation. Through six preseason games and 82 regular season games the Avs did not show improvement. Bednar should take part of the blame for the disaster that was the 2016-17 season. Now, in Year 2, he’s working with a younger and quicker team, and if the team can’t show significant improvement, a coaching change would not be unexpected. With 11 new opening-night faces, plus , who began last season on the injured list but went on to produce a team- high 20 goals, expect a new energy around this team. Denver Post: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076422 Colorado Avalanche

Chambers: Matt Duchene’s chemistry with team should concern Avalanche

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

The Avalanche’s relationship with disgruntled center Matt Duchene can only be repaired by winning, which, if that happened, would mean the NHL’s most questionable defense won’t be nearly as bad as most observers think. If the retooled Avs can turn things around, Duchene could enjoy himself and Colorado won’t have to trade him for a top-four defenseman. And, the Avs’ star center might someday forgive the club for making him feel like an unnecessary asset for so long. But for now, heading into Thursday’s season opener at the New York Rangers, Joe Sakic might be the only general manager in the NHL that believes the Avs have sufficient talent and depth on the blue line, though they did pick up defenseman Patrik Nemeth on waivers from Dallas on Tuesday. The Avs could bolster their defense with a waiver-wire pickup — and they have first dibs through October — but that only underlines how weak the defense appears to be. The only way Colorado can quickly improve its blue line as well as eliminate chemistry concerns is to trade Duchene. As for the chemistry problems, the Avs, by far the worst team in the league last season, have a star player and the organization’s most veteran and recognizable face who no longer believes in the club. Duchene, 26, hasn’t come out and publicly said he wants to be traded, but he indirectly screams it by what he doesn’t say. His teammates know he wants out, too, but they can’t come out and say it, either. “I can’t really say where his head’s at,” said defenseman Erik Johnson, one of the Avs’ most vocal players. “He’s coming to practice every day, working hard, showing up. Whatever he feels, he’s kept to himself so far. As long as he’s here, he’s part of our team and he has to play hard for us.” When pressed about the chemistry concerns, Johnson said: “I can just speak from what you guys have reported. There’s not much else to be said because he’s here, he’s part of our team, and until he’s not there’s nothing else to talk about.” Prediction. The Avs will improve from last season and produce more than 22 wins and 48 points. They might even get more wins than defending NCAA champion Denver, which had 33 last season. The Avs will be younger, quicker and more exciting to watch than a season ago. “The wheels came off and they never came back on. Just went into a tailspin,” Johnson said. “We have 12 to 13 different faces from last year, so that’s a big turnover. I’m more excited for the start of this year than any year I’ve had. I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people. I don’t think we’re going surprise ourselves because I think we have an internal belief in the locker room.” Denver Post: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076423 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Familiarity benefits defensemen

Preseason and early regular-season hockey is often about relationship- building. Offseason trades, injuries and other complications lead to lineup changes that take some getting used to. While the Blue Jackets’ forward lines feature a few new faces, the top defensemen enter the 2017-18 season with a sense of familiarity. Jack Johnson said he felt good in his 19 minutes, 56 seconds of ice time in the Blue Jackets’ exhibition game Saturday at Pittsburgh, mostly because of the chemistry already established between Johnson and his defensive partner last season, David Savard. “There’s a huge comfort level. Last year’s the first time in 11 years I played with a D partner for the whole season, which was really nice,” Johnson said. “I’ve been kind of waiting for that for a long time. I feel like we’re just gonna pick up where we left off.” Coach John Tortorella spoke Tuesday of a defensive unit that has been able to “grow together” based on continuity, and it’s something the Jackets’ second defensive pairing will use to its advantage this season. Johnson, 30, and Savard, 26, each averaged just under 22 minutes of ice time and set a high bar during the 2016-17 season, proving to be a consistent pairing. Savard, 6 feet 2 and 227 pounds, had six goals and 17 assists last season and tied for third in the league with a plus-33 rating. His previous high in his first five seasons with the Blue Jackets? Plus-2. The 6-1, 227- pound Johnson had five goals, 18 assists and a career-high plus-23 rating, outpacing his previous best by a difference of 28. “I think it was just a starting point since it was our first year playing together,” Johnson said. “Most D pairings play together for years, so it’d be nice to play with (Savard) for a long time. It’s an easy mesh for me, and I think we complement each other well.” Keeping the same defensive pairing for a season requires luck in avoiding major injuries and consistency in maintaining positive unit and team results. In that sense, the 2016-17 season was the perfect storm for Savard and Johnson, who were able to play quicker and avoid danger with greater ease as the season progressed, Johnson said. “You kind of just know where the other’s going to be. You don’t have to take that extra second to look,” Johnson said. “Just understanding each other’s tendencies. Those are the little things that it takes time to pick up, but we’ve been playing together for a while and it’s a nice advantage to have.” It’s an advantage shared by 23-year-old Seth Jones and his defensive partner of one season, 20-year-old Zach Werenski. Jones said he believes it’s already the longest continuous pairing he has experienced in his four-year NHL career. “When I was in Nashville, I kind of rotated,” Jones said. “We had a lot of injuries my first 2½ years, and when I got here I was with (Ryan) Murray for 40 games and then I was with Z all of last year.” More games together gave Jones a better sense of where and when Werenski preferred to receive the puck. The result: an improved ability to move the puck up the ice. Jones set a career high in goals (12) and assists (30) last season and Werenski scored 11 goals and provided 36 assists in his rookie campaign. “We had some good chemistry last year within the pairs,” Jones said. “It seemed to work out.” Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076424 Dallas Stars 6. Why the change of heart? Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday #gosantago joyeux noël et joyeuses fêtes 10 things to know about Stars' Alexander Radulov: From how he lost some teeth to living with NHL legend A post shared by Alex Radulov (@radulov22) on Dec 25, 2016 at 11:03am PST

He told the Tal Pinchevsky of The New York Times in 2016 it was By SportsDayDFW.com Contact SportsDayDFW.com on because he wanted to be a good role model for his son, Makar: Twitter:@SportsDayDFW "When you're young, sometimes you do things and you don't realize what it's going to be after," he said. "Everything is still going to be with me. I Here are 10 things you might not know about new Dallas Star Alexander have family, I have a kid. I have to lead by example. Who is he going to Radulov. look for? He's going to look for his dad." 1. How'd those teeth go missing? 7. Living with a legend One thing you might notice right off the bat about Radulov is his missing

front teeth. It's a badge of honor of sorts for hockey players. / We're not 100 percent sure that he lost his front ones in this exchange, Radulov's hockey career began with the Quebec Remparts in 2004. but an article on Yahoo Sports says he wound up losing three teeth in a While there he was coached by Colorado Avalance legend (and Dallas game in the KHL. Stars nemesis) Patrick Roy. He even lived with Roy at the time. 2. How'd he end up in the KHL anyways? Even if Stars did overpay for Alexander Radulov, he's got potential to be He began his NHL career with the Nashville Predators in 2006. He perfect fit with Dallas played two seasons before breaking his contract (he had one year left on Radulov's transition from Russia to Canada wasn't the easiest, according his deal) and heading to the KHL. One of the major reasons he left, to a story on NHL.com by Hugo Fontaine. The biggest reason why? The according to an interview he had in 2008 with Puck Daddy, was a language barrier between him and his teammates. financial reason. "It wasn't easy, but it was fun. I was 18 years old and I had a chance to Radulov told the site he'd make a minimum of $3 million per season over live in a different country. I spent two years in and I learned a three-year stretch compared to a $980,000 salary in the NHL. Other some words in French, but it wasn't easy. I was focusing most of my time reports had him making upwards of $9 million per season at one point in on English since I knew it would be good for my career," explained the KHL. Radulov, who moved out of his billet family's home in his second season Alexander Radulov signing, like rest of offseason, means one thing for to live with then-head coach Patrick Roy. "We also had a few Americans Stars: they're in win-now mode on the team who spoke English, so most of the guys on the team spoke it so everyone could understand. I was way more comfortable during my "By the way, I informed the management of the Predators that I had good second year. I knew a lot more people and I could communicate easily offers in Russia," he said in that 2008 interview. "My contract with the since my English was better." Predators is valid for another year. But I wanted some certainty now. For example, Malkin in Pittsburgh had his contract extended a year before 8. Energizer bunny the previous one was set to expire. One big challenge with Radulov early in his career was keeping him "Actually, I had been considering returning to Russia for quite some time. focused, according Pinchevsky: I just couldn't make the decision. And when the Salavat Yulayev Ufa club Brent Peterson, a former associate coach of the Predators, said, "I never offered me this contract I realized that this was it. And my parents also had trouble with Rads's work ethic; he just needed to grow up." supported my decision." He added: "He couldn't sit for more than two minutes without making 3. Lost his temper noise and disrupting our meetings. We put up with a lot." The move seemed to pay off for Radulov on the ice. He led the KHL in 9. Only fought once points two seasons in a row (2010 and 2011) with Salavat Yulayev Ufa. He led the league in points in 2014 with CSKA Moskva and won three According to hockeyfights.com, Radulov has only dropped the gloves straight KHL MVP awards (four overall). That was the good part. once in his career. That came in February 2016 while he was a member of CSK Moscow when he fought Georgy Berdyukov. The bad? The scene below where he hit a coach on the bench with a stick. 10. He isn't the only Radulov to play in the NHL 4. Heading back to the NHL The other was his brother, Igor, who played 43 games for the Chicago Blackhawks. He wound up playing the last nine regular season games for the Predators during the 2011 season, but was suspended for two games Bonus: Who says you need two hands to score? during the playoffs after being "seen at a bar at 5 a.m. with linemate Andrei Kostitsyn the night before a playoff game," according to Check out this slick move where he scored with one hand. MSN.com's Bill Beacon. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.05.2017 That not only created some drama in the NHL, but in the KHL as well where the league president said Nashville's decision to suspend Radulov was "payback" for the forward leaving the NHL in the first place. "The story with Radulov breaking team rules is (the Predators') payback to him for not signing (in Nashville) long term," Alexander Medvedev said to Yahoo Sports. Drama GIF from Drama GIFs 5. Have things changed? GM Jim Nill told SportsDay's Mike Heika he talked to several people about Radulov and believes the winger has matured. "I love where he's at in his life. It was a good fit for us," Nill said. "We did our homework on him and I never heard a bad thing about him, with all of the people I've talked to. We all make mistakes in life at times when you're young, and he admits that. But he's moved on from that and matured. We're fortunate we're getting a more mature player now and somebody that wants to win." 1076425 Dallas Stars And that's a pretty good feeling. Top stoppers Why Ben Bishop's down year last season sort of makes his Stars debut Since joining the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012, Ben Bishop has posted even more exciting numbers that are among the best in the NHL. Here are the top seven goalies ranked by wins:

Player Record GAA Save % By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika Braden Holtby 177-69-28 2.33 .921

Tuuka Rask 157-88-37 2.25 .921 Talk about your outliers. Henrik Lundqvist 153-94-22 2.40 .919 Ben Bishop last season finished 29th in wins at 18-15-5, 29th in save percentage at .910 and 20th in goals against average at 2.54. Not the Corey Crawford 150-77-29 2.31 .921 numbers you'd expect from the 30-year-old who has spent most of his career among the NHL's top 10 in those categories. Marc-Andre Fleury 149-73-27 2.43 .917 Bishop had a pretty good reason for the down season, and it sort of Carey Price 146-71-20 2.23 .925 makes his debut with the Stars even more exciting. Ben Bishop 141-72-22 2.29 .920 With his Tampa Bay Lightning under a salary cap crunch and Bishop Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.05.2017 needing a new contract at year's end, the veteran goalie was left to twist in the wind awaiting a trade. While his squad prepared young Andrei Vasilevskiy to take over the No. 1 goalie position, Bishop was in no- man's land. He was eventually traded to Los Angeles and played out what might have been the most depressing season in his career. "Last year was a little uneasy," Bishop said. "It's no fun waiting around to get traded." After the Kings missed the playoffs, the Stars acquired Bishop's rights and signed him to a six-year contract extension that averages $4.9 million. That means Bishop, 30, could be starting the final leg of his NHL career in a place where he is hoping to have ultimate success. Bishop said landing in Dallas is also pretty neat for a different reason. The Denver-born goalie grew up in St. Louis but left home his senior year to play for the Texas Tornado. The Frisco-based team won the NAHL that season that year and Bishop graduated from Frisco High School. "That was important for me," Bishop said of the 2003-04 season. "We won, we had a good year, it was a great experience. It was also where I really understood that I could play professionally." Bishop would be drafted in the third round a year later by the St. Louis Blues, and was still with the organization when was named head coach in 2011. Bishop would often work out with the Blues in the offseason after he was traded to Tampa Bay, so he would run into Hitchcock there, as well. "We got to know each other, so that helps some," said Hitchcock. "I think we definitely feel comfortable with Ben." Hitchcock's theory of team defense is to help the goalie as much as possible. He said he wants the team to create a system where the quality scoring chances are minimal. He did that in St. Louis, where his teams ranked third in goals against average at 2.43 and second in shots against at 27.9 per game. So Bishop is entering a situation where he has a six-year contract with a defense-minded coach in a town that makes him comfortable. Just slightly better than last season, right? Time to be like ? Ken Hitchcock wants to see this one thing out of Tyler Seguin first "I feel good with these circumstances, because we have a lot of expectations with this team," Bishop said. And Bishop enjoys the expectations. Since being traded to the Lightning and becoming a No. 1 goalie in 2012, Bishop ranks seventh in wins (141- 72-22), fifth in goals against average (2.29) and seventh in save percentage (.920) among goalies with 100 wins. So while he's coming off a tough season and hasn't looked great in preseason (0-2-0, 4.15, .823), there is no worry about whether he's ready. "I don't have any concerns at all," said Hitchcock. "I know him." And it seems Bishop knows the Stars, too ... at least as much as you can know a team with which you have yet to play a regular season game. "When Dallas came along, it was kind of like, 'Let's get this done and let's not mess around and play hard to get or anything like that,'" he said of the quick negotiations that landed him at a price lower than predicted. 1076426 Detroit Red Wings Contract: Signed through 2020-21 at a cap hit of $1.8 million. Over the boards: Brings speed and deft penalty killing, but needs to be harder to play against overall, like when he first came into the league. Red Wings preview: Meet the players on the 2017-18 roster Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “Taco Bell, especially their grande meal.” Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 4:30 p.m. ET Oct. 4, D Mike Green 2017 | Updated 4:36 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 Age: 31.

Contract: Signed through 2017-18 at a salary cap hit of $6 million. The Detroit Red Wings will start the 2017-18 season with 22 players on the roster. Free Press writer Helene St. James assesses what each Over the boards: The leading source of offense from the back end. Had needs to do to make the team competitive — and then gets players to good 2016-17 overall, but needs to produce more on power plays. spill their indulgences. Beyond the boards: Movie he watches every time he comes across it on F Justin Abdelkader TV? “Anchorman, because it makes me laugh every time.” Age: 30. F Darren Helm Contract: Signed through 2022-23 at a salary cap hit of $4.25 million. Age: 30. Over the boards: One of the few physical players on the team. Needs to Contract: Signed though 2020-21 at a cap hit of $3.85 million. produce after subpar 2016-17 season. Over the boards: Needs to find his groove after slow 2016-17. Good Beyond the boards: Movie he watches every time he comes across it on skater, but needs to finish when he gets chances. TV? “Elf. It’s just so funny. That’s one always enjoy watching it.” Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no F consequences? “Ice cream with chocolate chip cookies.”\ Age: 32. Get ready for the 2017-18 season! Contract: Signed through 2017-18 at a cap hit of $700,000. Red Wings preview: Questions abound, but Wings believe they can bounce back Over the boards: Adds a physical dimension, can help out on penalty kill and capable of giving the fourth line some scoring punch. Red Wings preview: Q & A with Jeff Blashill Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no Red Wings preview: Martin Frk on 'living a dream' consequences? "Cereal. Golden Grahams. Cinnamon Chex. And Oreo cookie dough blizzards from DQ." G Jimmy Howard D Trevor Daley Age: 33. Age: 33. Contract: Signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $5.3 million. Contract: Signed through 2019-20 at a cap hit of $3.2 million. Over the boards: Stay healthy and play like last season, when he put up career numbers. Over the boards: Good skater who can help in all situations and can be used against opposing top lines. Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “Pizza. Either Hawaiian or Buffalo chicken.” Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “Cheeseburgers. Really good ones, like Big Macs.” D Nick Jensen D Danny DeKeyser Age: 27. Age: 27. Contract: Signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $812,500. Contract: Signed through 2021-22 at a cap hit of $5 million. Over the boards: Good puck mover who, as he grows more comfortable, is capable of adding some offense from the back end. Over the boards: Had a down 2016-17. Should benefit from new partner in Daley and rediscover a bit of an offensive upside. Beyond the boards: TV show he’d like to guest star on? “Family Guy. It’d be fun to see if Seth MacFarlane could come up with some good lines for Beyond the boards: Movie he watches every time he comes across it on me.” TV? “Happy Gilmore. It’s an all-time favorite.” D D Jonathan Ericsson Age: 36. Age: 33. Contract: Signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $4.75 million. Contract: Signed through 2019-20 at a cap hit of $4.25 million. Over the boards: The most well-rounded defenseman on the team, but Over the boards: Can be used against big opposing centers, does little health is a huge concern as he battles hard miles on his body. things to break up plays and is a factor on the penalty kill. Beyond the boards: TV show he’d like to guest star on? “Suits. I think I’d Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no make a good lawyer and fit right in.” consequences? “Cauliflower puree with Swedish meatballs in a cream sauce with lingonberries.” F Dylan Larkin F Martin Frk Age: 21. Age: 23. Contract: Signed through 2017-18 at a cap hit of $925,000. Contract: Signed through 2017-18 at a cap hit of $650,000. Over the boards: Looks ready to take step forward and be more of an impact player. Determined, driven, dedicated. Over the boards: Hard worker with the hardest shot on the team. Will be interesting to see if he can build on promising exhibition season. Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “Confetti cupcakes.” Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “Apple strudel from my grandma.” F Anthony Mantha F Luke Glendening Age: 23. Age: 28. Contract: Signed through 2017-18 at a cap hit of $863,333. Over the boards: Realizes he has to work hard and skate every game to Contract: Signed through 2020-21 at a cap hit of $6.1 million. be an impact player. Could have breakout season for 2013 first-rounder. Over the boards: Still the best player on the team in his mid-30s. Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “Filet mignon with truffle butter.” Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “I would probably eat Swedish pancakes. They are G Petr Mrazek delicious.” Age: 25. Contract: Signed through 2017-18 at a cap hit of $4 million. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.05.2017 Over the boards: Arrived at camp with terrific attitude. Appears committed to reboot his career after down year. Beyond the boards: Movie he watches every time he comes across it on TV? “I like something with a bang. I will watch action movies all the time.” F Frans Nielsen Age: 33. Contract: Signed through 2021-22 at a cap hit of $5.25 million. Over the boards: Hard worker, steady, plays both special teams, and now that he is in his second season with team, he should show more offensively. Can be used in any situation. Beyond the boards: Food he’d eat every day if there were no consequences? “Flodeboller” (a delicious Danish treat of sugar and egg whites whipped into a foamy mixture and coated with chocolate, with a waffle-type cookie for a base). F Gustav Nyquist Age: 28. Contract: Signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $4.75 million. Over the boards: Better goal scorer than he showed last season. Good passer who needs to do his part to make power play a threat. Beyond the boards: Food he’d all day every day if there were no consequences? “Chips and pizza.” D Xavier Ouellet Age: 24. Contract: Signed through 2018-19 with a cap hit of $1.25 million. Over the boards: Lacks speed but makes makes sound decisions with the puck, makes for a third-pairing/reserve guy. Beyond the boards: Movie he’ll stop and rewatch if he comes across it on TV? “Rocky. All of them. One through six.” F Riley Sheahan Age: 25. Contract: Signed through 2017-18 at a cap hit of $2.075 million. Over the boards: No one needs a good start to 2017-18 more than Sheahan. Better producer and defender than last season’s aberration. Beyond the boards: Movie he watches every time he comes across it on TV? “Superbad. I just find it really funny.” F Tomas Tatar Age: 26. Contract: Signed through 2020-21 at a cap hit of $5.3 million. Over the boards: Willing to play down low and in the corners, finds a way to get open, needs to finish his chances more consistently. Beyond the boards: TV show he’d like to guest star on? “Family Guy. I’d like to hang out with Peter Griffin.” F/D Luke Witkowski Age: 27. Contract: Signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $750,000. Over the boards: Physical player who will stand up for teammates, can play either right wing or right forward. Beyond the boards: TV show he’d like to guest star on? “Walking Dead. I’d like to appear as one of the characters — maybe Rick Grimes. F Henrik Zetterberg Age: 36. 1076427 Detroit Red Wings When Drummond spoke about the dominant hockey theme in the main sections of the arena last month, he wasn’t speaking specifically about the region’s demographics. Little Caesars Arena feels like home of Red Wings, not Detroit Pistons He was speaking about a sense of place, and how, when he looked around, he didn’t sense one for he and his team. Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press Published 9:19 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 That should change as he gets used to playing in Little Caesars Arena, | Updated 2:32 a.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017 and the Pistons find a way to embellish their footprint in the place, so that their presence feels less like an afterthought.

As that footprint expands, and the team draws larger crowds – there Maybe it’s the statues that caught Andre Drummond’s eye last month, were only a few thousand fans Wednesday night – the design and the Detroit Red Wings’ icons that rise up in Little Caesars Arena's acoustics of Little Caesars Arena should make for noisy, throaty revelry, spacious concourse. just as it once was in Auburn HIlls. Maybe it’s all that Red Wing red, sheathing the 21,000 vinyl-clad seats, The truth is there is plenty of room for both teams and both sets of fan and the signage hawking beer and chicken, and the marquees that bases inside this new arena. A little more Pistons’ memorabilia and a few demarcate the sections. statues would help, and that should come in time. Or maybe it’s that Little Caesars Arena started out as the home for a For now, it’s about sharing -- and creating -- a new home. Physically, hockey team, from conception to the sketches to the bulldozing to the emotionally, and psychologically. foundation, all meant to highlight the Winged Wheel.

Which it does. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.05.2017 And did Wednesday night, despite the Pistons opening their exhibition season against the Charlotte Hornets. He didn't back down from that view after the Pistons lost to the Hornets,108-106. Did it feel more like a basketball arena, I asked? "I still fill the same way," said the Pistons' center. "But, I'm happy to be here, happy to play downtown, happy to have a new demographic of fans down here. I can't worry about the politics." It's not politics as much as timing. The Pistons didn't work out a deal with the Wings until last November, long after construction had started. Still, it's striking how Wings-heavy the concourses and hallways outside the locker-rooms feel. There, in the bowels, is the starkest contrast, where a wall of simple Pistons posters affixed to sterile concrete-block walls lead to their locker room. By comparison, the Wings stroll past walls lit like a museum, an homage to their history, adjacent to a glass-enclosed restaurant and bar meant to welcome VIPs. If it makes Drummond feel like his team is an afterthought well, I can't blame him. Especially from the views in the concourse, where all those statues and outsized murals and posters reside. Over time, this should change, as the teams learn how to share the building. As for the basketball, in the arena’s bowl, it felt like an NBA arena. Except for all those Red-Wing-red seats. Everywhere else, including the court, the scoreboard, and the LED strips that ring the upper bowl, suggests Pistons, and hints at the spirit of the Palace. "It's a great place," said Stan Van Gundy, the Pistons head coach. "It's exciting to be in this building." There is no denying its sparkle. Nor its location. As Drummond noted, moving to Little Caesars Arena makes the team more accessible to a large part of its fanbase. That was evident Wednesday night, when the seats and concourse were filled with as diverse a crowd as I've ever seen at a Pistons game. It's hard to overstate what this means to the city, and what it should mean to our region. Last month, when Drummond wondered why the Arena was so Red Wings-heavy, he unknowingly jumped into a debate most everyone feels but few want to openly talk about. Which is: Can fan bases from largely separate parts of our metropolitan area, who carry different world views and politics, share the same seats? Logistically, absolutely. It’s done in almost every other city that is home to an NBA and NHL franchise. Spritually? Well, we're going to have to get used to it. Despite complaints from some fans that didn't want to share an arena. 1076428 Detroit Red Wings

NHL survey: Detroit Red Wings' Jimmy Howard among worst starting goalies

Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press Published 1:45 a.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017 | Updated 1:50 a.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017

With the NHL season underway, and the Detroit Red Wings' season opener upon us Thursday night, what better to drop the proverbial puck on the 2017-18 campaign then to look at where the Wings' goaltending situation falls compared to the rest of the league. The oft-criticized Jimmy Howard is the starter, coming off an injury- plagued, yet solid 2016-17 season. He's backed-up by Petr Mrazek, whom the Wings seemingly wanted nothing to do with after exposing him in June's NHL expansion draft. But he's also still here. Jared Coreau is in Grand Rapids. So how are Howard and Mrazek valued around the NHL? The Athletic's Craig Custance (paid site) released his annual goalie tiers survey, based on a 10-person panel of five NHL head coaches, two NHL general managers, one assistant GM and two goalie coaches. Every starting goalie was ranked on a scale of 1-to-5, 1 being the best. The results were averaged and then divided into tiers, with Howard earning a 3.3, good for 28th out of 31 starting goalies and in Tier 5. Custance explains: "Howard enjoyed a bounce-back season last year in posting the highest save percentage of his career (.927) at age 32. But as they often do, injuries slowed Howard, whose durability and physique is a major issue for panelists." 'He had a hell of a year when he was healthy but he doesn’t stay healthy,' said a head coach." Will Mrazek win the job back from Howard, after going into 2016-17 as the lead man? Not so fast. More from Custance's piece: "Even with his durability issues, a goalie coach predicted he’ll still see more time than Mrazek in goal for the Red Wings: 'Howard will get the lion’s share of games. In the two games I saw this preseason, Mrazek was horrendous. There are some character issues and flaws. Howard, if he stays healthy, he’ll end up carrying the mail. He’s the best guy they have I just don’t know whether it’ll be good enough with what they have because they don’t have enough.' " Doesn't sound too promising. The three goalies below Howard? N.Y. Islanders' Thomas Greiss, Vancouver's Jacob Markstrom and Winnipeg's Steve Mason. So, is Howard underrated by NHL personnel, or is he where you think he should be? What do you expect from Mrazek this season? And do you agree with the top tiers? Let us know in the comment section. Oh, one more thing: Download our Red Wings Xtra app on Apple and Android for breaking news alerts, scores, the latest news and more!

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Detroit Red Wings vs. Minnesota Wild: How to watch season opener

Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press Published 12:02 a.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017 | Updated 1:51 a.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017

Detroit Red Wings (0-0-0) vs. Minnesota Wild (0-0-0) When: 7:30 p.m., Thursday. Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit. TV: NBCSN. Radio: 97.1 FM (List of Red Wings' radio affiliates) Game notes: Hockey! That’s right, the 2017-18 season is here, and that means the Red Wings are hosting the Minnesota Wild in the first official game at brand-new Little Caesars Arena. You won’t see perhaps the Wings’ most exciting player, as Andreas Athanasiou and the team remain at a standstill in contract negotiations. You will see Henrik Zetterberg, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha.

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PETA offers 'cruelty-free' toy octopuses at Wings season opener

Sarah Rahal, The Detroit News Published 12:34 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 9:07 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017

As Red Wings fans arrive for the season opener at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals will be handing out free toy octopuses, hoping to end the tradition of real ones being thrown on the ice. PETA's motto is "animals are not ours to abuse in any way." The free, squeezable toy has "Respect Animals" printed on it. PETA previously requested that the National Hockey League institute a policy against allowing the animals at games and asked in a letter to Chris Ilitch about keeping octopuses off the ice but said it did not receive a response. " has not responded to the letter PETA sent to him in April, so we’re taking our plea directly to the fans at the first regular season home game on Thursday by giving away cruelty-free octopus squeezes," said Brooke Rossi, PETA spokeswoman on Tuesday. The octopuses first made their appearance on April 15, 1952, during the Red Wings' Stanley Cup playoff run. "Two Detroit brothers, Pete and Jerry Cusimano - storeowner's in Detroit's Eastern Market - threw the eight-legged cephalopod on the ice at Olympia Stadium. Each tentacle of the octopus was symbolic of a win in the playoffs," according to Red Wings history. "Back then, the NHL boasted only six teams, and eight wins (two best-of-seven series) were needed to win the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings swept the series that year, and the octopus has come to be the good luck charm ever since." The tradition carried over to on opening night in 1979, when several found their way onto the ice. PETA said it hoped the season opener with the toy octopuses at the LCA will become tradition. "Octopuses are intelligent, sensitive animals who use tools, communicate with one another, form romantic social bonds and deserve our respect," said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman in a news release. "PETA hopes the Red Wings' new stadium will usher in a new era of compassion for these remarkable animals." PETA is requesting LCA check fans entering games for concealed octopuses. They also say violators should face consequences including "immediate ejection, a lifelong ban on attending games and a fine of $5,000 for attempting to bring animals into the arena," the release said.

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Wings open near bottom in various power rankings

Staff Report The Detroit News Published 2:33 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 2:55 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017

At least they have a brand-new home. That might be the high point for the Red Wings this season. With the Red Wings on the brink of their season opener Thursday at home against the Minnesota Wild, preseason power rankings are starting to emerge from various outlets. And it doesn’t look good for the Red Wings, who are coming off a season in which their string of 25 straight playoff appearances was snapped. They might have to wait another season to start a new one. ESPN on Tuesday slotted the Red Wings at No. 27 (out of 31) in their power rankings, writing, “Little Caesars Arena is pretty much the only thing that isn’t old about the Red Wings, so it will be another challenging season in the Motor City.” It’s one spot better than they occupy in the Sporting News’ rankings. Canada’s Sportsnet paints a bleaker picture for Detroit, ranking the Red Wings at No. 30 — behind the Las Vegas Knights, but ahead of their former hated rival Colorado Avalanche. “Even (former Wings forward) has gone on record saying it’s a positive thing that the Red Wings missed the playoffs,” Luke Fox writes, “that the end of The Streak may allow them to rebuild properly. Trouble is, we’re not certain the front office sees this as a rebuild.” The Red Wings finished 33-36-13 last season.

Detroit News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076432 Detroit Red Wings “The one thing we did in preseason was try to practice with our group as much as we could,” Blashill said. “That’s a big thing I’ve learned over the time I’ve been part of these, even when I was in the American League. Red Wings expect ‘new energy’ in season opener at LCA When you practice with split groups, you just don’t get as much accomplished. That’s helped us.”

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 2:54 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 2:58 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 Detroit News LOADED: 10.05.2017

Detroit — They’ve had four games at Little Caesars Arena already, but this will be different. Thursday’s game against Minnesota begins the NHL regular season for the Red Wings — and officially opens their new, sparkling arena. For as anticipated as the preseason games were — and it’s debatable how much they were — Thursday’s game is different. “It’ll be great,” defenseman Mike Green said of the excitement level. “It’s a new energy. A new building, a lot of excitement around it. I know as players we’re excited to get going.” None of the four preseason games were sold out, with all four about half to 2/3 capacity. It was difficult to take any characteristics out of those games, though one thing was fairly certain: Little Caesars Arena likely will be a loud arena. “Man, does it get loud,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “I can only imagine what it’s like when it’s sold out. With the stands being so steep, it feels like they’re (the fans) on top of you.” For opposing teams, Kronwall feels LCA will be an “intimidating factor. It’s going to be a special place, the same way The Joe was. It’s more of the fans than anything about the building.” It’ll be up to the Red Wings, coach Jeff Blashill said, to match the excitement level surrounding the regular season opener. “I know our people have kept a lot of the pregame show stuff and the in- game … they didn’t expose it in the exhibition games, so people will get quite a show from that aspect,” Blashill said. “We have to make sure we put on quite a show from a hockey aspect. In the end, we have to win a hockey game. Every game in this league is a playoff game, but with that said, anytime you have a chance to do something like this, when you’re opening a new building, it’s a pretty special thing.” You’d have to look long and hard in the predictions of any NHL analysts to find the Red Wings making the playoffs. Most have the Red Wings finishing last, or next to last, in the Atlantic Division. Players are talking about having a collective chip on their shoulders, after last season’s disappointment, and the low expectations of outsiders this year. “The determination, the professionalism here, the leadership and commitment,” Green said of the reasons the Red Wings can surprise. “Detroit has a history of winning, period. There’s no reason why that can’t happen.” Blashill insists there isn’t a huge divide in the NHL these days. “Five of the eight (playoff) teams in the Eastern Conference were brand new (from the previous season),” Blashill said. “That’s the reality. It’s the reality of the league, it’s tight, tight, tight.” Minnesota is a difficult opener, as the Wild are considered by many people to be a dark-horse Stanley Cup contender. “I compare their lineup to that Nashville lineup that went to the finals,” Blashill said. “They’ve got a good balance of real good forwards and defense. Not flashy, elite forwards, but a real good, strong forward group.” … Kronwall (groin) participated in Wednesday’s practice and felt optimistic he’ll be in the opening lineup. Kronwall, though, isn’t going to rush into the lineup, simply to be able to play in the arena opener. “It would be pretty cool, but at the same time we have a lot more coming this year,” Kronwall said. “You don’t want to get caught too short-sighted. It’s a long season, and you don’t want this to be something that nags you for a long time.” … Blashill and his staff have been able to work with the final roster the past two days, instead of the 60 or so bodies in training camp. 1076433 Detroit Red Wings

Little Caesars Arena shows off the high-tech suite life

Maureen Feighan, The Detroit News Published 11:00 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017

Step inside one of the 60 new private suites inside Little Caesars Arena, and you may wonder if you’ve stepped into a sleek lodge instead. Faux leather seats and loveseats in what almost looks like a small living room offer a quiet place for private conversations. A gas fireplace mounted to the wall warms up the space on a crisp fall day. Nearby, a large island with quartz counters beckons guests to come sit down and have a bite to eat. The suite life is indeed sweet at the new Little Caesars Arena. The 600- square-foot suites are not only bigger and more open than the previous ones at Joe Louis Arena and The Palace of Auburn Hills, they’re also more automated, with iPads mounted on the wall just inside the door of each suite. They control everything from dimming the lights to taking menu orders. “It’s so easy, even I can do it,” laughed Tom Wilson, president and CEO of Olympia Entertainment at the Detroit Red Wings, dragging his finger across one of the iPads. Designed by the architecture firm HOK, the suites reflect months of research of other arenas across the country. Suiteholders at The Joe and Palace also were surveyed about what they did and didn’t like. Size was one of the biggest issues. They are two times larger than the ones at the other venues. “We’ve had 30 in here, and you’re not elbow to elbow with anyone,” Wilson said. “And once people start sitting down, you’ve got nothing but room.” Along with a fireplace, they also have five flat-screen TVs mounted to one wall, induction heating for catered meals and wall-mounted cabinets for coats and purses. One noticeable feature missing from the new suites is the doors that once divided the arena seating from the rest of the suite. Now it’s all one open area, flowing from front to back. “When we designed the ones at The Palace, the idea was when your kids were out here watching *NSYNC back in the day and you didn’t want to hear *NSYNC, you could close the doors,” Wilson said. “The reality is there are very, very few *NSYNCs and a lot more Billy Joels and Elton Johns. ... By taking them (the doors) off, the suite feels much, much bigger.” Wilson said they also wanted to create spaces that could also be used for a small business meeting when there isn’t a game or concert. All of the TVs are wired for PowerPoint presentations. Aside from the suites, there are also 22 Loge boxes, smaller private seating areas that seat four to six people along with a small kitchen area and coat closet. There also are several club areas, such as the Legends Clubs for which ticketholders can pay more. Inside the Legends Club, wood beams shaped in an upside down “V” stretch across the ceiling with the names of Red Wings players who were inducted into the Hall of Fame along with the year they were inducted. Also, large pictures of iconic Detroit athletes, such as Nicklas Lidstrom and Bill Laimbeer, cover walls. Businesses are responding to the suites. All 60 sold out in 40 days for Red Wings games and concerts, much faster than expected. Sales for Detroit Pistons games are ongoing. Wilson said businesses want to be a part of the burgeoning downtown and what Little Caesars Arena represents. “This is the connective tissue between Midtown and downtown,” Wilson said.

Detroit News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076434 Detroit Red Wings “So, I always have my spot.” It avoids what sometimes occurred at Joe Louis Arena: Having to load all of a team’s equipment through a doorway to the truck parked out on the Red Wings will live like kings in Little Caesars Arena sidewalk on Atwater, along the north bank of the Detroit River, in the dead of winter, closing in on midnight. Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News Published 11:56 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | “At Joe Louis, there was one door at the east gate, and if we didn’t have Updated 11:06 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 access, if they were loading out a concert, I had to pull around the back of the building on the sidewalk and load through outside,” Boyer explained. Detroit — Pampered. “And if you do that in the middle of January and there’s a snow storm going on, you’ll never want to do it again!” It is a word that has occurred to them about their new set-up in Little Caesars Arena, some of the Red Wings say. Boyer said the new building “makes the equipment manager’s job one heck of a lot easier on a day-to-day basis.” Their dressing room is 323.7 percent bigger than at Joe Louis Arena, and they do not have to work out in it. Yes, if you are one of the Red Wings these days, you can sort of lean back on your stool in front of your dressing stall, clasp your hands behind They can just dress there. your head, put your feet up on your packed traveling tote and think, “Man, they really thought of everything.” Media folks do not kick around their goalie pads or skates anymore, trying to get to the next interview in cramped quarters. “This place is tremendous,” Jimmy Howard said. “It has everything we could ever possibly need, here. It is easier to find your stool in a media scrum, even if the guy who dresses next to you scored twice. “It’s really, like — it’s almost like spoiling us.” No more trips to whichever Grosse Pointe that was for practices or In Joe Louis Arena, Howard and Petr Mrazek’s dressing stalls, in front of morning skates when the latest rocker or hip-hop guy is in concert that which their leg pads and skates often laid, were about 12 feet from where day. coaches and players stood to address the media. Banged up before or after a game, and there is a lot more therapeutic The more important the game, the bigger the scrum. The bigger the and diagnostic equipment right on site. No need to jump in the car and scrum, the greater likelihood the pads came into play, or someone’s drive yourself somewhere, or have a trainer play chauffer. backside might come right up against you. Need a restorative cold plunge? The trainers no longer have to haul ice “It’s nice, here,” Howard said of Little Caesars Arena. “It’s just a great to fill up a whirlpool. facility.” There is a big cold plunge on site. Asked about the advantages and the features, Henrik Zetterberg thought back to the preparation and planning. Need heat? Your choice of steam, sauna and a hot tub and little need to wait. “Well, I can put it like this: We had our wish list of what we wanted to have for our facilities, and we didn’t get one 'no,' ” he said, describing the And gone are the days when, after a game, in search of a long-waiting consultation between ownership, management and the players in the wife or kids or mom or dad or sis or bro or those high school buddies in construction process. from or , players left the dressing room, turned left, squeezed in between cinderblock walls and a box truck parked on “So here we have everything that we asked for and, as a player, that you the lower concourse of Joe Louis Arena, while stepping over television can have,” Zetterberg said. cables, ducking under cameras, hurdling the splayed legs of tripods, and trying to avoid the visiting team using the concourse for their postgame “As a player that’s been around for a few years, it’s pretty cool to have workouts and stationary bike rides, to walk a third of the way around the everything you need in the facility.” building to find them. A big part of the new conveniences is how many things are on site that In the early season? Bad enough. used to be a drive away, or are now part of the permanent design of the place rather than ragtag. In the playoffs? Comical. But only in the right state of mind, like after a win. “To help us get ready for games, if we are a little banged up, we have everything here to get ourselves healthy again,” Zetterberg said. No more truck battles No more running around town for some therapy. No more running to When you got to the room where your folks waited, it looked a bit like rinks around town for practices and skates. Uncle George’s rec room down in his basement, despite everyone’s best efforts to spruce up the bowels of “The Joe.” Zetterberg said the advantages of no longer partially dressing on the riverfront and then driving to practice are for both the players and the In Little Caesars Arena, the family room is nearby, in a private area, a motoring public on I-94. walk away down carpeted corridors. “That’s nice. And it’s good for the traffic here that we’re not driving And it looks like something in a luxury hotel. around in our equipment,” he said, with a big smile. The visiting team has its own workout area, in a room off where they are There have been some concerns about the ice, given that it has not been unseen. worked-in by much skating yet, and the hottest days of the year occurred during the first week the Wings played in the building. The media can set up in still other rooms, designated for postgame press conferences. But the players say the solution is more time to skate on it, for the weather to turn and the therapeutic ministrations of Al Sobotka. The trucks are where trucks should be: At loading docks, not on concourses. The boards seemed to cause a little consternation, with some uneven bounces in early practices. But so far, the problem has not reoccurred in And the docks are buried under an area near the Chevrolet Plaza, practices or games, coach Jeff Blashill and some of the players said. outdoors, deep below alternating layers of fill and liner piled several feet over enormous foam blocks that stand on the roof of the docks. Such problems are also amenable, given Sobotka’s experience. Few are more pleased about the arrangement than one of the hardest “Whether it’s the bounces on the boards or whether it’s just everything, working men around the building, Paul Boyer, the equipment manager. getting used to how everything works is going to be real important,” Blashill said near the start of preseason, of the move into Little Caesars Not only is there no need to pull the box truck into the concourse, the all- Arena. important equipment guys have their own loading dock. “For sure, I think just getting used to everything is important so that we’re “I’m not battling TV trucks. I’m not battling a concert load-in,” Boyer said. real comfortable come the regular season, so it’s not a matter of feeling “There’s four trucks on the dock, unloading rigging and staging? I don’t our way through,” he said. “We’ve got to be ready to hit the ground have to deal with that. running. “It’s an awesome, awesome building.” It all has Zetterberg a bit whimsical, as he plays later in his career. “For me, I wish it was 15 years ago,” he said. “But the young guys here are going to enjoy these facilities for their careers.”

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Ice ‘better’ in multi-use Little Caesars Arena

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 11:08 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017

For many years, building manager Al Sobotka and his staff at the Joe Louis Arena produced what was regarded as one of the highest-quality ice surfaces in the NHL. But the Red Wings are in Little Caesars Arena now, and Sobotka will face new challenges. The Pistons will be playing on many nights the Red Wings aren’t in action. And when those teams aren’t using the arena, there will be concerts, ice shows, college basketball games and other hockey events in the arena. Is Sobotka worried the ice won’t be as good as it was at Joe Louis Arena? Hardly. “Honestly, I expect it to be better,” Sobotka said. There’s one major reason for Sobotka’s optimism: The ability to keep out humidity. “It goes back to the way the new arena was designed, and built, the way it’s underground — we’re seeing the effects already,” Sobotka said. Sobotka explained that at The Joe, countless times during the week — multiple times per day, really — the doors in the end zone would need to be rolled up to let trucks in dropping off beverages, office equipment, etc. “You guys saw it all the time,” Sobotka said. “All that humidity, (warm) weather would come into the arena.” That isn’t going to be an issue at Little Caesars Arena. And if the humidity does get too high, a control system that works similar to a dehumidifier should keep the conditions and temperature ideal for good ice. “It’s just totally different,” Sobotka said. “This is top of the line. I’m hopeful this will make it better than ever.” Through several exhibition games and practices, the Red Wings are optimistic the Little Caesars Arena ice will compare favorably to The Joe’s. Six Kid Rock concerts kept the Red Wings out of the main arena initially. But the Wings have been skating regularly since, and conditions have improved. “It was a concern early, but Al Sobotka has done a great job,” said coach Jeff Blashill, noting the surfaces at both the practice and main rinks have improved markedly over the last week. “Way better than it was earlier (since the Red Wings returned from training camp). He’s made some adjustments. He’s one of the best in the business, and he’s put us in position to have good ice.” Players have noticed a significant improvement as the weather has turned cooler and the ice simply has gotten more use. “It’s like everything, it takes a little bit of time to get well,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. Little Caesars Arena will become one of 12 arenas around the league that also is home to an NBA team. (Staples Center in Los Angeles actually has two NBA teams and the NHL’s Kings.) The constant rotation of events at these building, many believe, is the reason choppy ice is becoming more prevalent. Bad ice is a factor because it neutralizes the speed and skill of the NHL’s stars and can cause injuries. Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the ice situation last season during the All-Star break, acknowledging the issue needs to be monitored. “We want to make sure ice conditions are good for a competitive game, and most importantly we want to make sure they’re safe for the players,” Bettman said.

1076436 Detroit Red Wings “It had a steep lower bowl that provides a really intimidating environment to play in, as well as a loud, exciting environment for the fans,” Gedney said. Wings take a page from Olympia with intimate feel at LCA “And that was a big priority for them.” Like Crane, HOK made significant use of sharply elevating rows of seats, Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News Published 11:09 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 stacked levels and overhangs to keep the bowl tight. “In today’s kind of modern venues, it’s more challenging to preserve those qualities when you’re tasked with infusing what has become a Detroit — The fellow who designed Olympia, where the Red Wings robust and diverse array of premium-seating product,” Gedney said. played for nearly a half-century, gained fame as an architect of movie theaters and gems like Orchestra Hall, the home of the Detroit Symphony “It’s a Swiss watch, as many have talked about, of balancing those Orchestra, renowned internationally for its acoustics. various components of sidelines, steepness, scoreboard, all of these things we need people to be able to see comfortably.” C. Howard Crane, who died four months after the Wings won their fifth Stanley Cup in 1952, made hockey an intimate experience in the Old Things like luxury suites, tables with waiters and banks of video monitors Red Barn. tends to cut into the wall-of-people concept. Adjusting for things 90 years after the Olympia opened, Crane might well “This venue does a good job, I think, of questioning that premium seating have approved of Little Caesars Arena. creatively, but also capturing a number of qualities that exemplify that steep wall of people that was really important to the family, and others,” The Wings have created an up-close, on-top-of-the-play experience for Gedney said their fans and, now, for fans of the Pistons, too. With a significant twist, Little Caesars Arena follows a trend of integrating The architect, HOK, the dominant player in the field, says about 19,600 the concourse, and an array of refreshments, conveniences and licensed of the 20,000 seats in Little Caesars Arena are closer to the action than products, with the seating area. in any other 19,600 seats in the NHL. “In Detroit, there was a little bit of that,” Gedney said. In preseason, many fans say they feel closer to the ice than they were in similar seats at Joe Louis Arena. “But there was a really strong motivation to say as a design team that once I’m in that seating bowl, I’m in that seating bowl for the hockey and But some at the early games dissent, saying they find some of the for the event. greater height disconcerting. “So there became this really kind of big motivation to seal up that The vertical design, using stacked levels, overhangs and steeply-rising environment, if you will.” rows, brings the lion’s share of seats in the upper levels closer to the ice than the Bell Centre in Montreal, a prototype for Little Caesars Arena, Opponents may find themselves in a pretty tight spot. according to officials of Olympia Entertainment. Because a basketball court is smaller than the sheet of ice, with 1,000 Upper levels hang over the ones below, in a piled array constructed additional seats mostly around the court, there is likely to be a bit more without obstructing supports. horizontal space before the steep wall of faces. But the Pistons’ opponents may feel a bit claustrophobic, too. A total of 8,944 seats are in the lower bowl, 2,378 more than Joe Louis Arena, according to HOK. Given the successive generations of families who often purchase Wings’ seasons tickets, a good number of folks who have experienced both Sharp inclines, about the same as Joe Louis Arena in the lower bowl but Olympia and Joe Louis Arena are making highly informed assessments steeper in the upper levels, keep the seats closer to the ice. of the new place. The limited number of rows at each level shortens the steep climbs for In Olympia, hockey became an intimate experience. fans. “You felt like you could reach out and shake hands with the fans,” said “I said we should have a place where it’s intimidating for other teams to , who played 14 seasons for the Red Wings in the old play,” GM Ken Holland said, when asked about his input on plans for the building. new building. “The glass was lower in those days, and you could hear them talking.” “In Montreal, the fans are right on you. There’s no breaks in the seating. You look up and it’s a wall of people, right on top of you.” The lower bowl in Little Caesars Arena rises at almost precisely the angle of the lower seats in Joe Louis Arena. The abrupt rise affords much the Joe Louis Arena provided an unbroken plane of faces. But Red Wings same sight lines. fans of a certain age celebrated Olympia for its intimacy. In the mezzanine and upper bowl, the seats rise more sharply than in The Pistons became familiar with the ambiance during their first four comparable seating in Joe Louis Arena. years in town, 1957-61, before the construction of Cobo Arena. The upper levels remain close to the rink, given the stacking and efficient The Olympia felt as though Crane managed to stick an NHL rink into one use of overhangs. of his movie houses downtown, to which Detroiters thronged in the years before television, the Madison, Adams, United Artists, Fillmore, or his Spectators in the higher seats are closer to the action on the ice than at tour de force, the Fox. Joe Louis Arena, and those to the front of each level should feel almost on top of the game. Mike and Marian Ilitch held season tickets at Olympia long before they owned the Red Wings. They moved their offices into the Fox and “This building is even tighter than Montreal,” said Tom Wilson, the financed its $12.5 million renovation in 1988. President of Olympia Entertainment, a company with roots in the Olympia Stadium Company, the management firm set up in the 1930s by the After what many Tigers fans say is a mistaken approach to seating Norris family, which owned the team. angles and sight lines at Comerica Park, this time the Ilitches appear to have made no mistake. “The sight lines are the best in the NHL.” Sort of like the box seats in the upper deck of Tiger Stadium, between Luxury seating and seats for team executives, managers, scouts and the home plate and first and third bases, Little Caesars Arena is designed to media are contained in the east and west gondolas, suspended from the put fans on top of the game. ceiling, hanging well out over the seats below. One of the designers of the new building, Ryan Gedney, said the Looking directly down from the front of the gondolas, high above the ice, architects intended “to embellish that sense of intimacy from above.” one is directly above the 11th row of from the glass. “When we started the design process, the Ilitches really had a strong It feels as though one is nearly hovering over the action. motivation to preserve a lot of the things that they remembered about The legendary Canadian broadcaster Foster Hewitt broadcast from a some of the older hockey venues in terms of seating,” said Gedney, of booth hung from the ceiling, suspended over the ice, in Maple Leaf HOK, a Missouri firm and a leader in sport venue design for 30 years. Gardens in Toronto. Accessible via a tall ladder and a catwalk with no guardrails, the somewhat perilous appendage obtained the moniker “the gondola.” “It starts to embellish further the sense of intimacy and closeness from above, with these big, physical gondolas hanging from the roof structure,” Gedney said. Fans will make their judgments, over time. But given what the Ilitches and the Red Wings set out to achieve, their goals seem accomplished.

Detroit News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076437 Detroit Red Wings “We’re kind of at the point in our careers where it’s time to take that role,” Larkin said. “We’re in our second or third year (in the NHL), our fourth or fifth year as pros. It’s something where we don’t want to be looked at as Niyo: Wings need new stars to put sparkle in new arena kids. We want to play like men and produce. So it’s time, definitely.” If only because they’ll get plenty of it, and, as Blashill points out, “When you get lots of ice time, there’s responsibility that comes with that. They’ll John Niyo, The Detroit News Published 11:05 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | have a big say in how our season goes.” Updated 4:23 a.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017 Not to mention their own futures, with both young players scheduled to be restricted free agents next summer. Detroit — The streak is gone. The old barn down on the riverfront soon Larkin’s “sophomore slump” — a drop in production coupled with an ugly will be, too. But as the Red Wings get ready to christen their new home minus-28 rating — was a function of many things, obviously. But Larkin tonight, hosting the Minnesota Wild in their regular-season opener at seems buoyed by a full-time return to his natural center position, as well Little Caesars Arena, they sound eager to turn the page. as the experience gained playing a key role for Blashill with Team USA at the World Championships last spring. “I do think with the streak ending, it’s a new chapter,” said Dylan Larkin, the Wings’ 21-year-old center. “And it’s time for us to make our mark and He’s rediscovering his talents as a shot-maker rather than a shot-taker, get the fans excited about coming not just to see the arena, but to watch and though he’s one of the NHL’s fastest skaters, Larkin spent the the Red Wings compete.” offseason trying to get stronger on the puck. Speed kills, but possession is still nine-tenths of the law in this league. Just how competitive this team will be remains to be seen, of course. The Red Wings finished with the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference “That’s your goal: You want to have players that want to play with you, last season, and there’s a general feeling around the league —around and you want to have the puck a ton,” Larkin said. “You look at all the town as well — that they haven’t yet bottomed out. elite first-line centers that make players on their line better, and I’ve got a big chance playing with those two guys. … I look at myself and, if they’re But if they are to make a mark, or even generate some excitement not producing, it’s on me.” beyond the bright lights of their new state-of-the-art venue, it’ll require something more than what they’ve had in recent years. And frankly, it’ll So is last year, he adds. And for a 21-year-old, that’s an important step: require something not many of us think they have at the moment. He knows his approach needs to be better — on and off the ice — for the “The league is separated by superstars,” coach Jeff Blashill said. team to do more. Whereas he came in last year and “thought it was “Generally, the best teams have a couple elite players that can separate going to be a little bit easy and kind of had it figured out” after that you.” impressive NHL debut, with 23 goals and 45 points at age 19, now he knows that’s not that case at all. And generally speaking, it has been a while since the Wings, who finally missed the playoffs last spring after a remarkable 25-year run, could “There were certain habits that he had to change,” said Blashill, “and claim either of those things. changing habits is not easy.” They haven’t had a 30-goal scorer since 2008-09, the last time they ‘We need to step up’ reached the Stanley Cup Finals. (Four Wings netted 30-plus goals that season.) They haven’t had a point-per-game player since Pavel Datsyuk The Red Wings spent much of last season — the last couple years, really and Henrik Zetterberg both scored at that clip in the lockout-shortened — trying to drive that point home with Mantha as well. And while some of 2012-13 season. They also haven’t had a defenseman finish in the top that criticism seemed a bit gratuitous, the 23-year-old admits, “I learned a five in Norris Trophy voting since Nicklas Lidstrom retired in 2012, or a lot here last year.” goalie in the top-five in the Vezina Trophy race since Dominik Hasek in The goal this year, he says, is “not to have a slump.” And if you ask him 2007. about individual goals, he’ll smile and tell you he prefers to keep them to None of this is news to Red Wings fans, who’ve watched the decline and himself. But certainly he’ll be expected to hit 25 goals. After all, this is a grown tired of general manager Ken Holland’s excuses for it. Or for those guy who scored 81 goals in 81 games, including the playoffs, his final who’ve been clamoring for a full-fledged rebuild — the kind that offers year of junior hockey. few guarantees but generally includes the arrival of high draft picks What about 30 goals, then? pegged as sure-fire stars. “I would love it, I’m not gonna lie,” Mantha laughed. “If you want to give But whatever the reasons, and regardless of the front office’s muddled me 50, give me 50.” future, this is still the bottom line. But whatever the number, they’ll be given an opportunity — and they “Ultimately, we need some young guys to become elite, and elite is a know it. hard thing,” said Blashill, who, like Holland, is entering the final year of his contract. “It’s a lot of different areas. It’s every single night, going “It’s an opportunity for everyone,” Larkin said. “We didn’t have the year against other teams’ best. It’s not just producing points — a lot of people we wanted to, collectively, and a lot of guys individually. But we need to produce points on bad teams —it’s playing winning hockey and step up for the team and win some games.” producing points. It’s answering you guys every night when it doesn’t go great, not just when it goes good. “Those are all the types of things that a guy like (Henrik) Zetterberg has Detroit News LOADED: 10.05.2017 had to shoulder for a long, long time. And ultimately at some point we need some young guys to become elite.” ‘It’s time’ And at this point, there’s little doubt who everyone is pointing to as the next best hope in that regard. It’s Anthony Mantha, the 6-foot-5 winger with a big-time goal-scoring pedigree, and Larkin, the lightning-quick pivot who could be a hometown hero. Larkin made a big splash two years ago as the Wings’ first rookie All-Star selection since . Mantha, meanwhile, showed plenty of promise a year ago as a rookie after an early-season call-up, finishing with 17 goals in just 60 games. Not coincidentally, they’ll find themselves paired together on a line tonight — along with Martin Frk, a power-play specialist with a booming one-timer — hoping to build off the chemistry they developed through training camp and the preseason. They may not be the Wings’ top line — that’d be the one Zetterberg centers with Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist — but it’s hard to argue it’s not the most important one. 1076438 Detroit Red Wings producing, it's on me and I've got to get them the puck and take care of our own zone and as a line, create offense on our own."

Mantha overcame adversity early in his pro career to become a building Young Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha must impact Red Wings' fortunes block for the organization. His rookie season wasn't without some bumps; he was scratched for two games (March 10-12) for lack of hustle. Mantha said he needs to keep his feet moving. Updated on October 4, 2017 at 10:53 AM Posted on October 4, 2017 at 6:02 AM "(Larkin) is going to be wheeling around," Mantha said. "Frkie is going to be there every time for that one-timer. That's not a hard guy to play with. By Ansar Khan We just need to move our feet, control the puck a little bit more and maybe be in closer support to each other, and then things should go [email protected] well." Frk, the club's top pick in 2012 (49th overall), will make his Red Wings debut Thursday after being reacquired by the club off waivers early last DETROIT - The preseason watch lists for NHL awards are void of Detroit season. He is not assured of being on the roster throughout the season. Red Wings, as are most publications' rankings of the top 40 or 50 players He's appeared in only two NHL games (with Carolina) and has much to in the league. prove. This team has some good players, but lacks superstars, one of the "Mo is a big boy, he can stay in front of the net and do the dirty work," Frk reasons it is widely projected to finish near the bottom of the Eastern said. "Larks has got really good speed and a very good shot. I've got to Conference and miss the playoffs for the second year in a row. find an open spot in the zone and try to score every time I get the "The league is separated by superstars," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill chance." said. "Generally, the best teams have a couple elite players that can When Frk was debating between the Red Wings and Europe in the off- separate you." season, assistant general manager Ryan Martin asked Blashill if he The Red Wings' best player, Henrik Zetterberg, turns 37 on Sunday. would give him a "real look." Health-permitting, he should still flourish at both ends of the ice, lead the "I said I'll give him a real look for sure," Blashill said. "A real look is going team in points and be its top defensive forward. to play with real players in training camp and try to get him matched up But this team needs a boost from its youth to return to the postseason. against some NHL lines. He did a good job. They have three young forwards with star potential. One, Andreas "What Frkie brings to that line is real forecheck pressure. He's not always Athanasiou, remains unsigned. The other two, Dylan Larkin and Anthony noted for that. It's an element that line needs. I think it can be a real good Mantha, will start the season on the same line, with Martin Frk, a young line but let's keep watching." player with a booming right-handed shot. Blashill watched Frk in Grand Rapids last season and briefly wondered if "Ultimately, we need some young guys to become elite, and elite is a the Red Wings could use his shot exclusively on the power play before hard thing," Blashill said. "It's every single night, going against other deciding that's not feasible. teams' best, it's not just producing points, it's playing winning hockey and producing points. It's answering (media) every night when it doesn't go "He's done a good job of calming his game down and putting himself in a great, not just when it goes good. Those are all the types of things a guy position where he can be an effective five-on-five player," Blashill said. like Zetterberg has had to shoulder for a long time.

"We need Larkin to have a great year, we need Mantha to have a great year, because they're going to garner lots of ice time. And when you get Michigan Live LOADED: 10.05.2017 lots of ice time there's lot of responsibility that comes with that. They'll have a big say in how our season goes." After an impressive rookie season, Larkin took a step back, like most of his teammates. He tallied six fewer goals (17) and 13 fewer points (32), took 43 fewer shots while his plus-minus rating dipped to minus-28 from plus-11. Mantha will try to avoid a similar fate in his second season after a strong rookie showing with 17 goals and 36 points in 60 games. Athanasiou, whose contract stalemate apparently will extend into the season, was second on the team with 18 goals, in 64 games, and was often electrifying with his speed with ability to finish in highlight-reel fashion. He also drew Blashill's wrath for lapses in competitiveness. "We're all kind of at a point in our careers where we're in our second or third (NHL) years, fourth or fifth years as pros, we don't want to be looked at as kids, we want to play like men and produce, so it's time," Larkin said. "We need to step up for the team and win some games." Lines change frequently, but Mantha-Larkin-Frk was an impressive, energetic combination in the preseason. The trio will take the ice together, even strength and on the power play, in Thursday's season opener against the Minnesota Wild at Little Caesars Arena (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit). "They both have such good shots that when you see them, when you get the puck, you're immediately trying to look for them instead of thinking shot yourself," Larkin said. The Red Wings hope Larkin locks down the second-line center spot. That's where he played the final 20 or so games last season and at the World Championship for Team USA. "This year I've been trying to change my mindset to find my teammates more, make my linemates better," Larkin said. "As a centerman, that's your goal. You want to have players that want to play with you and you want to have the puck a ton. "Look at all the elite first-line centers that make players on their line better. I got a big chance playing with those guys and I think both of them, with their skill-set alone, could be 20-30 goal scorers. If they're not 1076439 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' odds of winning Stanley Cup are improving

Posted on October 4, 2017 at 12:19 PM By Brendan Savage [email protected]

The Detroit Red Wings' odds of winning the Stanley Cup are improving. The Red Wings are 75-1 to win the Stanley Cup, according to Bovada.lv, which listed them at 100-1 on Sept. 11. That said, they were 66-1 on June 12. The Red Wings are among 10 teams with shorter odds since Sept. 11. Their odds are better than just four other teams - Colorado (100-1), Arizona (150-1), New Jersey (150-1) and Vancouver (150-1). Edmonton and two-time defending champion Pittsburgh are the co- favorites to win the Stanley Cup at 8-1. The Red Wings' odds of winning the Eastern Conference have also improved. They're 50-1 to win the East after being listed at 75-1 by Bovada on Sept. 22. Only New Jersey (75-1) has longer odds. Pittsburgh is the favorite at 15-4 followed by Tampa Bay (5-1) and Toronto (6-1). Edmonton is the favorite to win the West at 17-4 followed by Anaheim (6- 1) and Chicago (6-1). In the Atlantic Division, no team has longer odds than the Red Wings, who are 25-1. They were also 25-1 on Sept. 22. Tampa Bay and Toronto are co-favorites at 9-4. The Red Wings are the only Atlantic team with odds longer than 10-1 to win the division.

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076440 Detroit Red Wings

What prospect Evgeny Svechnikov is aiming for this season with Griffins

Updated on October 4, 2017 at 12:27 PM Posted on October 4, 2017 at 12:26 PM By Peter J. Wallner

GRAND RAPIDS a Evgeny Svechnikov looks at the season ahead and wants to be a lot of things for the Grand Rapids Griffins, including becoming more of a leader at age 20. Svechnikov, one of the Detroit Red Wings' top prospects, thinks he can contribute more than just on the ice as the Griffins set out to defend the Trophy. "You want to score more goals but I want to be a leader also," Svechnikov said. "I just want to make people around me better." When asked how, the Russian-born right winger apparently researched his English for a response. "It comes from experience also. I think it's working hard. Also, I got this word - mature. I want to be more mature," he said. "I think I got a little bit last year and I'm ready and excited. "The most important thing is to work hard on the ice and show the young guys coming in here and help them also." Svechnikov, who has been nursing an upper body injury and is questionable for Friday's opener at home, was limited to two preseason games with the Red Wings. He did not have a point on four shots and a minus-2 rating along with a minor penalty. He expected to be back in Grand Rapids, where he wants to improve and be prepared for whenever the Red Wings call. "I'll take my time," said Svechnikov, who appeared in two games with the Red Wings last season. "I want to be ready, that's the main thing to me. So that when I go there (to Detroit) I know I'm on the same level as those guys. I don't want to go there and not be ready." Svechnikov, the 19th overall pick in 2015, may be the future for the Red Wings but he is expected to be a scoring leader this season with the Griffins. The team lost top scoring threats such as Tomas Nosek, Martin Frk, Mitch Callahan and likely Tyler Bertuzzi. Last season, his first full one as a pro, Svechnikov scored 20 goals with 51 points in 74 games and a 0 rating. It was the careless penalties a hooking calls, especially - that dogged him. "Ultimately, to be a really good player at this level he has to make sure he plays with pace, he has to make sure he keeps his stick on the ice so he stays away from hooking penalties," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said late in camp. "And he has to slow the game down a little bit for himself. That's a hard challenge, to play with pace, meaning move your feet, but slow the game down, meaning slow your thinking down." The change has already started for Svechnikov. At least off the ice. Last season, Svechnikov lived in an apartment in Muskegon with his mother and younger brother, Andrei, a likely top pick in the 2018 NHL draft who played with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The 17-year-old Andrei is now with the of the Ontario Hockey League, and his mother joined him in Ontario. "Yeah, I'm looking for rental now," Svechnikov said, adding with a smile: "I'll be alright. I did most of my own (cooking) last year so I know how to do it."

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076441 Detroit Red Wings ESPN.com: The self-proclaimed World Wide Leader apparently doesn't see free agency helping the Red Wings anytime soon. "There was a time when unrestricted free agents wanted nothing more than to be part of 2017-18 NHL predictions: Red Wings' Ken Holland, Jeff Blashill on hot one of the NHL's most storied franchises. Those days are over. Even the seat most ardent Red Wings fans seem to understand that Detroit is no longer one of players' top destinations (even with the new Little Caesars Arena)." Updated on October 4, 2017 at 3:11 PM Posted on October 4, 2017 at : THN is predicting a last-place finish in the Atlantic for 1:49 PM the Red Wings. "It's more likely the Red Wings end up with a top-five pick than a playoff berth. For what it's worth, bringing in Trevor Daley helps By Brendan Savage the blueline, but there are far too many holes both up front and on the back end to expect much in Detroit." [email protected] Detroit News: Writer Ted Kulfan listed Jeff Blashill among his coaches on

the hot seat. He said Blashill "is presiding over a roster that many Sportsnet.ca of Canada offered several predictions on the 2017-18 NHL analysts believe is in decline." He also ranked the Red Wings among the season and the Detroit Red Wings were noticeably absent as a team. NHL's bottom feeders. "Strange to put Red Wings in this category, but this roster appears to be slipping." The Red Wings didn't even show up as one of the teams most likely to disappoint, according to Sportsnet's 16-member panel. (Nor were they mentioned as a team likely to exceed expectations.) Michigan Live LOADED: 10.05.2017 But a couple of Red Wings individuals were mentioned. Jeff Blashill was called the "coach in the hottest seat" by Sportsnet's Jeff Marek while Ken Holland was dubbed the "GM on the hottest seat" by Iain McIntyre. But the Sportsnet crew sees others on hotter seats than Blashill and Holland. Winnipeg's Paul Maurice was picked by eight members of the Sportsnet panel as the coach in the hottest seat while five said Montreal's Marc Bergevin was in the same predicament among GMs. Sportsnet's consensus pick to win the Stanley Cup is Tampa Bay. The Lightning got five votes from Sportsnet. Here are some other predictions, none of which have the Red Wings making the playoffs or even competing for a postseason berth: Yahoo.com: Writer Justin Cuthbert doesn't see the Red Wings making the playoffs but he does think one of their most famous players will win another Stanley Cup ring. Cuthbert predicts the Tampa Bay Lightning - and general manager Steve Yzerman - will not only win the Atlantic Division but will capture the franchise's second Stanley Cup over the Edmonton Oilers. CBSSports.com: Neither Cody Benjamin or Pete Blackburn see the Red Wings making the playoffs. Benjamin likes Edmonton to win the Cup while Tampa Bay is Blackburn's pick. TSN.ca: Senior hockey reporter Frank Seravalli offered "31 bold predictions" - one for each NHL team - and this is what he had to say about the Red Wings. "The Red Wings will finish last in the Eastern Conference. From 25 consecutive playoff berths to a hard thud. The NHL's youth movement waits for no one. At least Wings fans will have something to marvel at during games at the palatial new Little Caesars Arena." NHL.com: None of the 17 writers from NHL.com picked the Red Wings to make the playoffs. The favorite to win the Stanley Cup, according to NHL.com, is two-time defending champion Pittsburgh. Seven writers picked the Penguins and six like Tampa Bay. Anaheim, Nashville, Toronto and Dallas were picked by one writer apiece. The Sporting News: TSN is picking the Red Wings to finish last in the Atlantic Division, 16 points behind Florida. The three Sporting News writers also pick them to finish last in the Eastern Conference, six points behind New Jersey. But they've got the Red Wings finishing ahead of Vancouver, Colorado and Vegas in the overall standings. Anaheim, Nashville and Dallas were the picks to win the Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Like everybody else, writers Jason Mackey and Sam Werner are picking the Red Wings to miss the playoffs by finishing last in the Atlantic Division. They also did offered this thought about the Red Wings: "The best thing that could happen in Detroit is a really poor season and a final admission that it's time to rebuild." TheScore.com: Will the Red Wings play poorly enough to earn the No. 1 overall pick in next year's draft? Writer Sean O'Leary thinks it's a possibility. "Detroit is best suited to begin selling its assets and commit to a full-scale rebuild - even if general manager Ken Holland doesn't want to. The Red Wings' roster doesn't have enough talent to make any noise in the East, and Holland has dug himself into the depths of salary-cap hell by dishing out so many constricting contracts in years past. On the bright side, Detroit should have a serious chance at winning the rights to draft stud defensive prospect Rasmus Dahlin." 1076442 Detroit Red Wings "I think what Jimmy Howard did was dig in. The talent level was there. He obviously had a big-tome challenge in his career."

The Red Wings hope to see similar resolve from Mrazek, who began Perseverance pays off for Red Wings' Jimmy Howard as milestone nears 2016-17 as the No. 1 goalie and ended it by being passed over by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. Updated on October 4, 2017 at 6:00 PM Posted on October 4, 2017 at "I also think Petr Mrazek is one of those players at age 25 is learning the 4:21 PM league and he's played at a high level of stretches last year and stretches where he didn't play at the level I think he can play at," Holland said. By Ansar Khan "He's come to camp in good shape. [email protected] "There's going to be good competition between Petr and Jimmy. You need two goalies, whether it's 55-27 or 50-32 or 41-41 (split in games). The reality is for the Detroit Red Wings to make the playoffs we're going to need good goaltending out of both our goaltenders." DETROIT - Even after a stellar, albeit injury-shortened season, Jimmy Howard wasn't sure he would be in a Detroit Red Wings uniform for the debut of Little Caesars Arena. Michigan Live LOADED: 10.05.2017 Then general manager Ken Holland called him three days before the June 21 expansion draft to tell him he was being protected, he would remain with the organization that drafted him in 2003. "I got the phone call on Henry's (his son's) third birthday and I thought it was a phone call saying you're going to be exposed," Howard said. "It meant a lot. I've been with this organization for so long. Detroit is home for us, for my family. My boys were born there and have grown up there." "I think it was just a vote of confidence. I really didn't worry about it. I didn't lose any sleep over it. (But) it was great to get that phone call." Howard will begin his ninth full NHL season Thursday by playing in his 402nd game, with a chance to record his 200th win, when the Red Wings host the Minnesota Wild. Only Terry Sawchuk (734 games, 357 wins) and Chris Osgood (565 games, 317 wins) have more appearances and victories among Red Wings goalies. Howard's career 2.34 goals-against average is first among the nine Red Wings with 200 or more games. The Red Wings need to be better in all areas to compete for a playoff spot. They need several players who regressed to produce more. They need a more potent power play. They need their defense to play better. They have little margin for error and must have excellent goaltending from Howard and Petr Mrazek. A sprained knee forced Howard to miss 2 1/2 months in 2016-17. He was limited to 26 games but finished third in the league in GAA (2.10) and second in save percentage (.927). "I wish I could have played more," Howard said. "Being out with the knee injury for so long wasn't ideal. I feel healthy, I feel great out on the ice and I'm just ready to get rolling." Howard spent the off-season trying to strengthen his lower body and trying to get from point A to point B quicker because "This game only continues to get faster." "A lot more pre-workout stuff, more and more flexibility," Howard said. "With the knee injury last year, you can't really do anything about that, two guys running over me. I just try to do the little things before I get out on the ice." Howard was selected for the All-Star Game in 2015 before suffering a groin injury. He didn't play well in 2015-16, losing the starting job to Mrazek by the end of the first-round playoff series against Tampa Bay. The Red Wings, feeling Mrazek, who is eight years younger, was their goalie of the future, attempted to move Howard, but his contract, struggles and a limited goalie market kept Howard in Detroit. Howard responded by working hard and tweaking his style a bit. He worked with first-year goaltending coach Jeff Salajko to be more patient in net. "He's a great example of when you face adversity, how do you react?" coach Jeff Blashill said. "He had choices to make last summer (2016), he dug in and fought like hell. "He did change his game a little bit a summer ago, some technique things and it paid off with a great year. Guys that have been around this organization know how special it is to be a Red Wing." General manager Ken Holland said it's never been a question of talent with Howard. "Sometimes players get a longer-term contract and take their foot off the pedal," Holland said. "You need to get back and dig in, year-round, in the off-season, year-round in practice. 1076443 Detroit Red Wings

Get to know 2017-18 Grand Rapids Griffins

Posted October 04, 2017 at 07:19 PM | Updated October 04, 2017 at 07:20 PM By Peter J. Wallner | [email protected]

The Grand Rapids Griffins, fresh off winning the franchise's second Calder Cup Trophy in June, look to pick up where they left off beginning at home Friday. The team will raise the AHL championship banner, then take on Manitoba. Is there a third title in sight? The Griffins have some young prospects to mix with veterans and familiar names heading into the season. For now, they are overloaded with too many defenseman, which they will have to sort out. It's also notable that standout scorers Matt Lorito, Eric Tangradi and Evgeny Svechnikov are currently on injured reserve and it's unknown when they will take to the ice. That's 59 missing goals. Here's a look at the 2017-18 team with some stats and notes to get you ready for the season ahead. GOALIES 31 JARED COREAU Size: 6-6, 220 Born: 11/5/91 From: Perth, Ont. Notable: Fifth season as a Griffin…Fifth year pro… ranks among on the franchise’s all-time regular season leaders with 11 shutouts (3rd), 110 games played (4th), 6400:23 minutes (4th), 64 wins (4th), 2951 saves (4th), a 0.920 save percentage (T4th), 2.41 goals against average (7th) and 5 shootout wins (9th) 30 TOM McCOLLUM Size: 6-2, 215 Born: 12/7/89 From: Sanborn, N.Y. Notable: Eighth season as a Griffin…Ninth year pro … Ranks among the Griffins' all-time goaltending leaders with 226 games played (1st), 12737:53 minutes (1st), 103 wins (2nd), seven shutouts (7th), 5653 saves (1st) and six shootout wins (T6th) … Traded by Calgary to Detroit in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, 7/1/17. DEFENSEMEN: 2 JOE HICKETTS Size: 5-8, 180 Born: 5/4/96 From: Kamloops, B.C. Notable: Second season as a Griffin…Second year pro … Two-year captain for Victoria (WHL)…Assistant captain for Canada at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Finland.

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076444 Detroit Red Wings "The nice thing is, it's part of the city," Zetterberg said. "It's not one of those arenas that looks like a spaceship. This is actually part of the architecture in the city and it fits very well." Red Wings ready for 'unreal' debut of Little Caesars Arena Michigan Live LOADED: 10.05.2017 Posted on October 4, 2017 at 7:50 PM By Ansar Khan [email protected]

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings were impressed by the atmosphere in their new home when it was half-empty and the games were meaningless. Now the trial run, the four-game preseason, is over. Now the games count and the building will be packed. Now they will see this $863 million facility in all its glory. The Red Wings launch a new era with the opening of Little Caesars Arena Thursday in their regular season opener against the Minnesota Wild (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit). "I assume it's going to be unreal," coach Jeff Blashill said. "Everybody's excited about playing the opener in this building and I know our people have kept a lot of the pre-game show stuff and the in-game stuff, they didn't expose it in the exhibition games, so I think people are going to get quite a show from that aspect. "We got to make sure we put on quite a show from a hockey aspect. We got to win a hockey game. It's a big game. I think every game in this league is a playoff game. But with that said, obviously anytime you get a chance to do something like this when you're opening a new building, it's a pretty special thing." The 20,000-seat arena was about half-full in the preseason. Still, players said it was loud. It was designed with a large lower bowl and steep stands, so fans are closer to the action. "I only got a chance to play in one preseason game, it was probably 10- 12, 13,000, but man does it get loud," Niklas Kronwall said. "Can only imagine what it's going to be like when it's sold-out. With the stands so steep, it really feels like they're on top of you. It's great. "Hopefully, you have a bit of an intimidating factor. It's going to be a special place. At the same time, the Joe was the same way. I think it's more the fans than anything." Said Justin Abdelkader: "It's amazing just looking up at the sight lines, it seems like you just see seats everywhere. They said 9,000 seats in the lower bowl, which is a lot." Henrik Zetterberg said of the largest seamless centerhung scoreboard in the world: "At first, I wasn't sure, but now it looks cool. It makes it easier for everyone." The amenities for players and coaches are top-notch. "It just blows you away, the locker room complex, our theater room where we have team meetings is second-to-none, the whole complex," Blashill said. "But I've also sat in seats all around the arena, just to check them out, and it's unreal. The steepness of the bowls and the gondola really makes you feel like it's closed, and it's great." The Red Wings probably won't capitalize on favorable caroms off the back boards any more. "Joe Louis had unreal bounces and you learn how to take advantage of those bounces," Blashill said. "In this one you got to find the little nuances as well. They tried to make (the boards) a little bit lively, but they're not quite as lively." Zetterberg said everything on the players' wish list was granted. "It's pretty cool to have everything you need in one facility," Zetterberg said. "It's going to help us to get ready for games. If you're a little banged up, we have everything here to get you healthy again. For me, I wish it was 15 years ago, but the young guys are going to enjoy this facility for their careers. "The gym is really nice, state-of-the-art, our pool area with treadmills and all the stuff for rehab purposes is first class." The building also is aesthetically pleasing from the outside, blending into the neighborhood. 1076445 Edmonton Oilers “What separates the teams that really get there from the ones that don’t quite get there is how they handle it. We haven’t experienced it yet.”

Draisaitl isn’t concerned about the Oilers’ mental state, and that McLellan Confident Oilers ignoring Stanley Cup favourite label won’t need to bring them down to earth or protect them from the dangers of over-confidence. by Robert Tychkowski / 21h // keep unread // hide They’re cool. “It’s pretty easy because we feel the same way, we’re not satisfied either,” he said. “We want to take the next step and be an even better It’s not the weight of the world, just a city — and perhaps a large part of team than last year. He’s an experienced coach, he finds the right words the country — resting on the shoulders of the Edmonton Oilers this to get to us, but within the group, we know we have more to give.” season.

And what they do with that weight, either buckle beneath it, lift it over their heads in the spring or something in between, is going to make for : LOADED: 10.05.2017 some fascinating viewing. For the first time in a good 30 years, the Oilers enter a season as one of the favourites to win the Stanley Cup. According to Las Vegas and to most of the hockey pundits in North America, they are the best bet in the Western Conference and the highest-ranked team in Canada. That’s a lot to digest for a team that’s won exactly one playoff round in the last 11 years, so the Oilers say they’re not even going to chew on it. “I don’t think we listen to the outside very much,” said centre Leon Draisaitl, echoing the sentiments of the dressing room. “We know we have a good team, for us it’s just a matter of going out there and proving it, showing the hockey world that last year was not a one time thing, that we can repeat it.” Expectations this high aren’t always easy for a young team to manage, so the Oilers find themselves in a balancing act between believing they are good enough to be in the Cup final and not listening to everyone else telling them they’re good enough to be in the Cup final. “You have to have swagger going into the season,” said winger Patrick Maroon, who’s hoping to maintain a pace that saw him double his career high in goals last year (27). “We have to know what we’re capable of and how we can handle situations. But we can’t focus on playoffs or being Cup contenders, we have to focus on the day-to-day life. “We have to find ways to win hockey games. We have to stay focused, not listen to the media.” From left, Edmonton Oilers’ Oscar Klefbom, Ryan Strome, Jussi Jokinen, Adam Larsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins celebrate a goal during NHL pre-season action against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 25, 2017, at Rogers Place. But the honest question many would like answered is: to what degree are those odds and expectations true? “We don’t really talk about that,” goaltender Cam Talbot said on the eve of Edmonton’s home opener Wednesday (8 p.m., Sportsnet, 630 CHED) against the Calgary Flames. “We haven’t even played one game yet. Obviously, those odds have to be made at some point, but that’s not something we address. “But we all believe in each other, we believe in this group, if that’s what you’re asking. This is a confident group coming in here, and we know the expectations are higher. No one wants to perform better than the guys in the room. We want to go out there take it game by game and prove that we belong.” Head coach Todd McLellan has been in this boat many times before with the San Jose Sharks and knows better than anyone not to count your champagne before it’s popped. It is a message he’s been conveying since the first day they came together for camp. “If you’re one of the teams the experts have picked to have a chance, it means you’ve done a pretty good job with the organization assembling the group, creating an identity and working toward that goal, you have some pieces in place that can get the job done,” he said. “But that all happens on paper. The tough part is you have to come and play every night, and you have to remember how hard it was to win the year prior.” And you have to be able to deal with stormy weather. If the head that wears the crown is uneasy, imagine the head that’s supposed to wear the crown after missing the playoffs for 10 years straight. When this team hits a rough patch, and it will, how it copes and recovers will reveal a lot about what it is. “You have to believe it will be tougher this year because people will be expecting a bit more from you, not only the opposition but fans media, teammates, coaches,” said McLellan. “It becomes a tough thing at times. What I’ll be interested to see from our team is when we have some rough water that we need to get through. 1076446 Edmonton Oilers • , 22. • Drake Caggiula, 23. Jones: Anticipating an Oilers' decade of domination • Anton Slepychev, 23. • Jujuhar Khaira, 23. by Craig Ellingson / 21h // keep unread // hide • Adam Larsson, 24. • Oscar Klefbom, 24. There isn’t Stanley Cup Fever in Edmonton. There’s Stanley Cup Era • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 24 Excitement & Expectations. • Ryan Strome, 24. Yes, the Connor McDavid-captained Oilers are being predicted and projected to the top by The Hockey News Yearbook, the publication that • Laurent Brossoit, 24. spent a decade correctly envisioning bottom of the standings finishes. • Zack Kassian, 26. THN predicts Edmonton to end up in the Stanley Cup final against back- to-back champion Pittsburgh Penguins. • Cam Talbot, 30. And, yes, the odds-makers have them up there, too. And that’s not to mention … Westgate’s Las Vegas odds have Edmonton (9-to-1), second only to • Jesse Puljujarvi, 19. Pittsburgh (6-to-1) with Tampa Bay, Washington, Chicago and Minnesota all grouped at 12-to-1 and Nashville, Anaheim, Dallas and Toronto at 14- • Kailer Yamumoto, 18. to-1. Even the sideway arrows for a couple other guys might still be tilting up a The over/under for points in the overall standings supplied by bodog.com tad because of the guys they are playing with and the character they have Anaheim with 106, Pittsburgh with 105 and Edmonton with 104 bring to the team. topping the 31-team league. • Milan Lucic, 29. When it comes to wins, the offshore betting establishment has Anaheim • Mark Letestu, 32. at 47 ½, Pittsburgh at 47 and Edmonton at 46 ½. You get the idea. As good as this team looks like it could be for this year, After equaling the National Hockey League record of 10 straight seasons it looks like it can be better the year after that and the year after that and out of the playoffs, it’s a total flip-flop for a team to be projecting 10 years …. up around the top, but this is a town that once witnessed the last dynasty with the Oilers team of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Grant Another Edmonton era is underway. Fuhr, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson and play in six Stanley Cup Finals in eight years and win five of them. It’s doubtful if something like that will ever be achieved again in the Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.05.2017 salary-cap era. But to think a team could be in the conversation for a decade is what we’re talking about here. Calgary Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson (54) battles for the puck with Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid (97) during second period NHL preseason action in Edmonton on September 18, 2017. McDavid, after missing 37 games of his rookie season due to injury, put up a league leading 100 points last year to win the Art Ross Trophy and also collected Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award honours. Entering the third year of his NHL career, he’s already achieved status as the greatest in the game not named Sidney Crosby. And he has an eight- year, $US100-million contract extension to prove it. Then there’s Leon Draisaitl, eighth in NHL scoring with a 29-goal, 77- point season plus six more goals and 16 points in the playoffs last year. He has an eight-year, $US68-million deal to be to McDavid what Evgeni Malkin is to Crosby, what Patrick Kane is to Jonathan Toews (or is it the other way around?) or what Mark Messier was to Wayne Gretzky. There’s goaltender Cam Talbot, who won 42 games last year while helping feed twins in the middle of the night, toughness throughout the line-up, both size and speed, and a developing defensive corps that quickly could become a match for the very good group down south in Calgary. That, and about two years’ worth of playoff experience gained in two seven-game series in which Edmonton was hosed by officiating, is reason enough to make the top of the tables predictions for the season about to begin. From left, Edmonton Oilers players Matthew Benning, Patrick Maroon, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid celebrate Draisaitl’s goal against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period of a preseason NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on September 30, 2017. But the compelling reason to project this hockey team to be up there for a long while is this: Up arrows. Take an Oilers roster and put an arrow, up, sideways or down, beside each players name. The number of up arrows combined with the ages involved is amazing. • Connor McDavid, 20. • Leon Draisaitl, 21. 1076447 Edmonton Oilers over… and maybe it’s not. Flyers fans have long memories and don’t need much of a reason to jump on someone (ask Sidney Crosby).

Keep an eye on … Expect Oilers' rivalries to bloom in 2017-18 Dallas Stars — The Oilers and the Stars go way back in the playoffs, meeting six times in seven years during one memorable stretch. The by Robert Tychkowski / 21h // keep unread // hide Stars, who already had serious talent, have bolstered their lineup, shored up their goaltending and added head coach Ken Hitchcock for old times sake. If Dallas is as good as many predict this year, the hate could be back in a hurry. There is nothing like a good, old-fashioned rivalry. Pittsburgh Penguins — It’s Crosby vs. McDavid, it’s a two-time Stanley When two good teams loaded with toughness and high-end skill are Cup champion against a team that wants to push it off the pedestal. Old fighting (sometimes literally) for the same thing, hockey is at its very best. lions vs. young lions. The Oilers want to be what Pittsburgh is, and the Anger, hostility and high stakes turn a regular game into something Penguins will want to prove they’re still the best. When they meet, special, games that can bring the blood of a fan to the boiling point. players on both sides of the ice will be fired up for these monumental, must-watch showdowns. And now that the Edmonton Oilers are relevant again, the feuds are beginning to grow and intensify. Here are a few to keep an eye on as the Oilers enter the National Hockey Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.05.2017 League season with a brand-new bulls-eye on their back: Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the third period of a preseason game against the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center on September 28, 2017 in Anaheim, Calif. Anaheim Ducks Nothing breeds contempt like the playoffs, which is why the Oilers didn’t have contempt for anyone for about 10 years there. But it got angry and intense in a hurry when Edmonton and Anaheim met in a dramatic, fiercely fought seven-game series last spring. Whether it was Ryan Getzlaf using his free pass from the referees to do whatever he pleased to whomever he pleased, Ryan Kesler pulling Cam Talbot’s pads apart on a series-changing goal (in addition to just being Ryan Kesler) or the simple fact that Anaheim knocked Edmonton out of the playoffs, there is bad blood between these two. And bad blood always makes for good hockey. An Oilers team that used to be bullied by the Ducks is finally able to rise up and fight back. Toronto Maple Leafs It might seem like an odd rivalry, given that they are on opposite sides of the country, play in different conferences and will never meet in the playoffs unless it’s in the (gasp!) Stanley Cup final. But these are two teams with eerily similar backgrounds and futures, and they always seem to deliver memorable games. It’s a rivalry that is probably more intense among fans in Edmonton and Toronto as they wage social media war over who’s the better superstar, Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, and which team is further ahead in its rebuild. The two best teams in Canada will only meet twice this year (unless… you know) but it will stop traffic in this country when they do. Calgary Flames The last decade proved that this rivalry is not automatic. As much as we liked to pretend the Battle of Alberta was still a thing, there was a good 10 or 15 years there, when either one or both of these teams were garbage, when it barely registered. It was kind of tough to get excited about bottom feeders having a purse fight for 25th place, but things are much different now. Both sides are young and tough, and there’s a very real chance they’ll finally meet in the playoffs again. Home ice could be on the line every time they play. With high-end skill at the top of both lineups and characters like Matthew Tkachuk and Milan Lucic, The Battle is back on. Philadelphia Flyers’ Alex Lyon, left, and Shayne Gostisbehere celebrate after a preseason NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Flyers The Oilers and the Flyers don’t see each other often, but lately, it’s been making big news when they do. It began with McDavid’s frightening crash into the end boards that broke his clavicle and derailed his rookie season. Then it took a nasty undertone when McDavid said after a game in Philly last year that Brandon Manning hinted the wipeout was no accident. McDavid doesn’t get riled up by much, but he was clearly angry about whatever was said. Whether Manning meant it or it was just a little trash talk designed to get under McDavid’s skin, it caused a major raucous and created a firestorm the next time they played in Edmonton. Maybe it’s 1076448 Edmonton Oilers Here are the first eight defencemen the Oilers kept in October 2015 Andrej Sekera-Mark Fayne GM has cleaned out Oilers' roster since taking over 2 years ago Oscar Klefbom-Justin Schultz Eric Gryba-Andrew Ference by Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal / 21h // keep unread // hide -Brandon Davidson Here’s who’s gone from the back-end: To say Peter Chiarelli’s finger-prints are all over the Edmonton Oilers Fayne, who is in the last year of a four-year contract, played more roster is obvious. games in Bakersfield than Edmonton last season and didn’t make this year’s team. When he got his first look at the Oilers’ 23-man roster in his first year as general manager in 2015, he wasn’t in love with the opening roster, with Schultz was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in February 2016 for a winger Jordan Eberle out with a bad shoulder. third-round draft pick. He has won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins and is now making US$5.5-million a season as a second-pairing Change is always good. But from then until now, this has been almost a defenceman. The Oilers took defenceman Filip Berglund with the pick house-cleaning. they acquired for Schultz. So, gone are: Hall, Pouliot, Purcell, Korpikoski, Lander, Yakupov, Ference missed all of last season, the fourth year of his contract, Klinkhammer, Gazdic and Hendricks. Nine of the 13 forwards. Leon after hip surgery. He has retired and is working for Sportsnet. Draisaitl was sent to Bakersfield that fall for six games, if you’re wondering why he’s not there. Reinhart was picked by the Vegas Golden Knights in June’s expansion draft. The four remaining forwards from 2015: Letestu, McDavid, Nugent- Hopkins and Slepyshev. Davidson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in February for David Desharnais. Davidson is on the Habs’ roster, while Desharnais Letestu had just signed a three-year contract as a free-agent. signed with the New York Rangers, where he is the fourth-line centre. “Considering we were a lottery team getting the first pick, you’d expect Sekera is out until at least December with torn knee ligaments. wholesale changes,” he said. “Peter was the start of that and he’s brought in his people. So only Klefbom, Gryba and the injured Sekera remain. “I don’t envy Peter’s position when you take over a team that needs They got back no one on their current roster from all those defence house-cleaning. He probably wanted his type of people, a certain type of moves. character player and I’m sure it took awhile to get that done. Goal: Cam Talbot, Anders Nilsson. “The first year he probably just evaluated things … but to be one of the four forwards left, that’s awesome for me. It’s even tougher now with the Nilsson was traded to the Blues for a fifth-round draft pick, played in salary cap to make guys fit into a team.” Buffalo last year, and is now in Vancouver as backup to Jacob Markstrom. The Oilers took forward Graham McPhee with that pick. He A fan looks over the ice before a pre-season NHL game between the attends Boston College. Edmonton Oilers and the Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 25, 2017, at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl in warm-up before his team’s pre-season game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 25, 2017. Nugent-Hopkins feels the turnover is the price of doing business but it still stings. New players since October 2015: “I’m the longest-standing Oiler right now, pretty crazy how fast it goes,” Forward: Ryan Strome, Leon Draisaitl, Patrick Maroon, Ryan Strome, he said. “You see guys come and go, and to put a number on it Milan Lucic, Drake Caggiula, Jussi Jokinen, Zack Kassian, Iiro (changes) it is a little bit surprising.” Pakarinen, Kailer Yamamoto. “But we’ve taken good steps here. Tough part of the business to see Defence: Adam Larsson, Darnell Nurse, , Matt Benning, guys go, but we made some good additions, some experienced guys to Yohann Auvitu. help us out.” Goal: Laurent Brossoit. Here’s the rundown of who’s gone where: So 15 players gone, and only Larsson and Strome to show for it. Hall was traded to the New Jersey Devils for defenceman Adam Larsson. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.05.2017 Eberle was traded to New York Islanders for Ryan Strome. Pouliot was bought out this year. He subsequently signed in Buffalo and is starting the season as one of their top nine forwards.Purcell was traded to Florida in the spring of 2016 for a third-round draft pick, played last year with the Los Angeles Kings and their AHL farm team, and attended the Boston Bruins’ camp this year on a tryout. The Oilers took defenceman Matthew Cairns with the pick they acquired for Purcell. He’s playing at Cornell University. Korpikoski was bought out after the 2015-16 season, played last year in Dallas and Columbus, and is now looking for work. Lander’s contract ran out. He’s scored 11 points in 14 games for in KHL. Yakupov was traded to the St. Louis Blues for a third-round pick a year ago and is now with the Colorado Avalanche after signing with them as a free-agent. The Oilers took local goalie Stuart Skinner (WHL Lethbridge) with the pick they got back from the Blues. Klinkhammer’s contract ran out. He is playing with Lander at AK Bars Kazan. Gazdic’s contract ran out last year. He signed with the Devils last year and is now with the Calgary Flames. Hendricks’s contract ran out last season. He signed with the Winnipeg Jets this summer. 1076449 Edmonton Oilers

Oilers Game Day: Battle of Alberta with Flames starts NHL season by Robert Tychkowski / 19h // keep unread // hide

Five keys to the game 1. Stage fright? There has been a lot of talk in the off-season about how the Edmonton Oilers are suddenly one of the favourites to win the Stanley Cup. That’s a fair amount of pressure to be dealing with on opening night against a very tough rival that would like nothing more than to see those predictions crash on the rocks. It’s only Game 1 and already there is a target on Edmonton’s back. 2. The big guns If head coach Todd McLellan loads up his first line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, it’s going to present a massive challenge for whoever the Flames choose to counter with. Edmonton’s $168-million duo had a spring in their step all of training camp, and if they’re allowed to run wild, they can do some quick and serious damage. On the other hand, if the Flames can shut them down, or at least saw it off with them, and counter elsewhere, they could be on their way to an upset. 3. Defence With Andrej Sekera out for two or three months, some of Edmonton’s defencemen are going to be asked to take on more and tougher minutes than they did last season. That can backfire sometimes (ask Justin Schultz). All eyes will be on the Oilers’ blue-line, particularly the second pairing with Kris Russell and Matt Benning. 4. Special teams The Oilers poured a lot of energy into special teams in the late stages of camp, and they prepare for a potential continuation of the NHL’s hooking and slashing crackdown. Who knows how long the crackdown will last, but teams that are quick out of the gate on special teams will be able to feast on all the additional penalties. 5. Mike Smith The Flames have endured some painful and well-documented goaltending issues in recent history and hope they remedied that with the addition of Mike Smith from Arizona. We’re about to find out of they did. When you’re a goalie trying to impress his new team, you probably don’t want to be playing the guys who finished first and eighth in NHL scoring last year, but that’s what he gets. They might not be lined up against each other very often, if at all, and it’s not really fair to compare a kid in his first game to a three-year veteran, but it will be exciting to see a couple of wildly skilled 155-pounders bringing it in the Battle of Alberta.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076450 Edmonton Oilers

NHL rule changes for 2017-18 season by Edmonton Journal / 10h // keep unread // hide

There are some changes in the rules and how they’re called coming to an NHL arena near you. The National Hockey League has announced three rule changes for the upcoming season. Referees will also be calling some existing rules more strictly. Let’s start with the new ones. One: No timeout shall be granted to the defensive team following an icing. Previously, coaches would use a timeout to rest players as teams were not allowed to make line changes following an icing. They no longer have this option. Players on the ice when the icing infraction occurred must remain on the ice for the ensuing faceoff in the defensive zone and a timeout may not be used to rest them. Two: Teams on the power play who commit a high-sticking infraction on the puck will no longer have the faceoff come down to their own end of the ice if the infraction occurred in the offensive zone. The faceoff will occur at the closest dot nearest to the infraction. Three: If a team challenges a goal for offside and they lose the challenge, the team will be assessed a minor penalty for delay of game. The timeout will not come into play. A team will not lose its timeout for an offside challenge that is upheld, nor do teams still need to have their timeout in order to challenge an offside. On-ice officials review the play during the second period between the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Bridgestone Arena on June 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn. When it comes to goaltender interference, the rules for challenging remain the same. A team must have its timeout to challenge for goaltender interference and will lose their timeout if they lose the challenge. No penalty will result of a lost challenge on goaltender interference. Only one challenge is permitted per team per stoppage. So you can’t challenge for offside and goaltender interference in the same stoppage. Here are the rules the NHL will go back to enforcing more strictly. The NHL will crack down on slashing to the hands. This rule was always in place, but it was not as strictly enforced as it will be this year. Any slash on a puck carrier’s hands will result in a minor penalty. Faceoffs will also be strictly enforced this season. Players must line up with the markings in the faceoff circle. If they do not, they will be ejected from it. If there are two faceoff infractions by the same team on the same draw, they’ll get a minor penalty for delay of game. Players must also stay outside the circle before the draw. Failure to do so will be considered a faceoff violation and the player taking the draw of the team who encroached on the circle will be ejected from taking the faceoff. Uniform violations will also be enforced. Players are not allowed to tuck the back of their jerseys into their pants exposing padding outside of the jersey. Visors must be worn properly as well. Visors can not be worn up high on the helmet as to not provide proper eye protection.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076451 Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.05.2017 Battle of Alberta finally matters again by Robert Tychkowski / 5h // keep unread // hide

Hockey fans in Edmonton and Calgary can admit it now, we’d been lying about the Battle of Alberta for about 15 years. Pretending it was a rivalry. Pretending it mattered. Trying to convince ourselves and everyone else that the Oilers and Flames were anything more than an irrelevant B division sideshow that impacted little more than draft positioning. But it’s back. The Oilers and Flames are both chasing a division title, both determined to prove they are the best team in , and both have the talent to back it up — Edmonton with its serious star power up front and Calgary with one of the best blue lines in the league. The teams are for real. The stakes are high. And there is a very good chance they will be seeing each other in the post-season. Soon. And for a long time. It’s on. Finally. “The teams are better, and that helps,” said Oilers centre Mark Letestu, who grew up in Alberta watching this thing devolve into a shadow of its former self. “In the past when both teams were bad (calling it the Battle of Alberta) was a way to drum up some interest, but now I don’t think it’s as forced. Both teams are good. There are parallels between the stars and the top lines.” While Edmonton got a lot of the pre-season hype, the Flames, believe they belong in that conversation, too, after bolstering their lineup with defenceman Travis Hamonic and goaltender Mike Smith and then capping it with Jagr a few days before the season. “I think they’ve done really good things with their team over the summer,” said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. “Goaltending-wise, adding to the blue line. It’s as good a group of six as anybody has in the league and as good as Mike Smith plays the puck we might as well call it seven defencemen. “I think it’s exciting for Edmonton, for Calgary and for Alberta to have both teams competitive again and battling against each other. We have to cherish those games when we do play each other. They should be fun.” It’s not only fans and media who are excited about the prospect of the Oilers and Flames finally renewing their once-great feud, the fact that both sides are moving up to the heavyweight division resonates with the players, too. “There is a lot of firepower on both sides, but also a lot of grit and toughness on both sides,” said Milan Lucic. “And with the way the standings are set up, we know how important divisional games are now.” “You have two very good teams going at it and with that comes the rivalry,” added Leon Draisaitl, who wasn’t even born the last time this series meant anything. “Both teams are expected to make the playoffs. That will make it a lot more interesting.” And if we’re lucky, this is only the start. “For me, the real Battle of Alberta starts in the playoffs,” said Letestu. “And it almost lined up last year, we only missed it by a few points. The regular season games mean a lot because of the division, but the true battle will start when we get back into the playoffs together the rivalry will really re-ignite.” One of the biggest improvements in the Oilers last season was their goals against, which fell from 276 to 242 when McLellan took over the team from to 212 last season. But it’s not good enough. McLellan wants more, or, less actually. That won’t be easy with a defence corps that’s missing Andrej Sekera, but he says it needs to be done. “We have to defend as well as we did last year,” he said. “In fact we need to improve. I still believe for us to have success we have to find a way to saw another 15 goals off of that. It doesn’t sound like very many, but 15 is a tough number to cut off your totals for a whole year. We’re going to have to. We’re going to test the group and we’re going to see where we’re at.” 1076452 Edmonton Oilers Jackson. Brenk, 35, also worked his first NHL game with the Oilers in Arizona in November, 2015, calling his first penalty, a trip by Nail Yakupov … Oilers winger Anton Slepyshev is on their non-roster injured Oilers snapshots: Adam Larsson gets a letter list to start the season because he was hurt and didn’t play any pre- season games, so not part of the 23-man roster.

by Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal / 5h // keep unread // hide Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.05.2017

Adam Larsson is the first Swede to get a letter on his Edmonton Oilers jersey. The defenceman, in his second year with the team after coming in for winger Taylor Hall, was named an alternate captain Wednesday morning, replacing Jordan Eberle, now with New York Islanders. He joins Milan Lucic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, assisting captain Connor McDavid. The Oilers have never had a European captain since they first started handing out A’s along with the C in 1985-86 but Finns Jari Kurri, Esa Tikkanen and Janne Niinimaa have worn A’s, as did Ales Hemsky (Czech) and Russian D-man . Is Larsson practising his vocabulary with the referees now that he’s got an A? “Nah, I think Connor does an excellent job of that,” said Larsson. “I wasn’t expecting this but I take pride in this. We have a lot of leaders on this team. Whether you have a letter or not, you have to lead the way you’re comfortable.” “It was unanimous with the coaching staff,” said coachTodd McLellan. “Plays hard every night, gives of himself, takes care of his teammates.” Oiler winger Jussi Jokinen, who played two and a half years with Jaromir Jagr in Florida, knew the 45-year-old wanted to play on a Canadian team once, and so he is with Calgary Flames, his ninth team. Jagr didn’t get his visa paperwork done in time to play Wednesday after travelling from the , but Jokinen’s happy for him. “It’ll be pretty cool for him and the fans, pretty cool for me to follow him this closely. It might be his last year in the NHL as he tries for the most games (NHL history, 57 back of Gordie Howe), but 100 per cent it won’t be his last year playing (somewhere). He loves hockey like most parents love their children.” The Flames could have signed Jagr before camp so he’d be acclimated but wanted to see how Curtis Lazar looked and he had a vanilla training camp. They thought college free-agent Spencer Foo might be ready but he wasn’t. They’re unsure where another right winger Troy Brouwer fits, so they went after Jagr. Kailer Yamamoto’s mom, dad and sister were in the house for his first NHL game Wednesday, but his brother Keanu wasn’t able to make it. “He’s got a game tomorrow (McGill University). He asked his coach if he could come and he (coach) said no. That’s OK,” shrugged Yamamoto, who was in the opening lineup. When asked if he felt linemate Milan Lucic would be watching his back in the season opener, Yamamoto playfully said “I hope so.” When told nobody would mess with Lucic, he laughed. “I wouldn’t.” As of the morning skate, Yamamoto hadn’t received a text from Tampa centre Tyler Johnson, whose mom taught Kailer skating when he was two years old back in their hometown of Spokane. Calgary’s Johnny Hockey, who weighed about 150 pounds (less than Yamamoto) when he broke in full-time in 2014, is looking forward to seeing the Oilers’ kid. “I was in the same shoes as him. I know where he’s coming from. Nothing’s going to change. He’s a skilled, smart player,” said Gaudreau. Gulatzan grew up in tiny Hudson Bay, Sask. and says the town was torn between the Oilers or the Flames. “I was a Flames fan,” said Gulatzan. What else would you expect him to say? He was never a team jersey guy as a kid, though. “I also got a brief chance to play with Theo (Fleury) in Moose Jaw.”, Gulatzan is one of three NHL coaches who played for U of Saskatchewan Huskies too—Todd McLellan and Mike Babcock—and Willie Desjardins, the ex Vancouver coach. This ’n that: Milan Lucic almost got a shaved head for the opener. “Went to the barber, and asked for the No. 1. Twenty-two dollars,” said the Oiler winger … Predictably, Zack Kassian had the first fight of the season, going at it with Tanner Glass off a faceoff in the first. Kassian was bleeding as he left the ice … One-time Oilers draft pick (fifth-round 2001) Jake Brenk was one of the refs Wednesday along with veteran Dave 1076453 Edmonton Oilers “What separates the teams that really get there from the ones that don’t quite get there is how they handle it. We haven’t experienced it yet.”

Draisaitl isn’t concerned about the Oilers' mental state, and that McLellan Confident Edmonton Oilers ignoring Stanley Cup favourite label heading won’t need to bring them down to earth or protect them from the dangers into 2017-18 NHL season of over-confidence. They’re cool. By Robert Tychkowski “It’s pretty easy because we feel the same way, we’re not satisfied First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 05:59 AM MDT | Updated: either,” he said. “We want to take the next step and be an even better Tuesday, October 03, 2017 07:27 PM MDT team than last year. He’s an experienced coach, he finds the right words to get to us, but within the group, we know we have more to give.”

It’s not the weight of the world, just a city — and perhaps a large part of the country — resting on the shoulders of the Edmonton Oilers this Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2017 season. And what they do with that weight, either buckle beneath it, lift it over their heads in the spring or something in between, is going to make for some fascinating viewing. For the first time in a good 30 years, the Oilers enter a season as one of the favourites to win the Stanley Cup. According to Las Vegas and to most of the hockey pundits in North America, they are the best bet in the Western Conference and the highest-ranked team in Canada. That’s a lot to digest for a team that’s won exactly one playoff round in the last 11 years, so the Oilers say they’re not even going to chew on it. “I don’t think we listen to the outside very much,” said centre Leon Draisaitl, echoing the sentiments of the dressing room. “We know we have a good team, for us it’s just a matter of going out there and proving it, showing the hockey world that last year was not a one time thing, that we can repeat it.” Expectations this high aren’t always easy for a young team to manage, so the Oilers find themselves in a balancing act between believing they are good enough to be in the Cup final and not listening to everyone else telling them they’re good enough to be in the Cup final. “You have to have swagger going into the season,” said winger Patrick Maroon, who’s hoping to maintain a pace that saw him double his career high in goals last year (27). “We have to know what we’re capable of and how we can handle situations. But we can’t focus on playoffs or being Cup contenders, we have to focus on the day-to-day life. “We have to find ways to win hockey games. We have to stay focused, not listen to the media.” But the honest question many would like answered is: to what degree are those odds and expectations true? “We don’t really talk about that,” goaltender Cam Talbot said on the eve of Edmonton's home opener Wednesday (8 p.m., Sportsnet, 630 CHED) against the Calgary Flames. “We haven’t even played one game yet. Obviously, those odds have to be made at some point, but that’s not something we address. “But we all believe in each other, we believe in this group, if that’s what you’re asking. This is a confident group coming in here, and we know the expectations are higher. No one wants to perform better than the guys in the room. We want to go out there take it game by game and prove that we belong.” Head coach Todd McLellan has been in this boat many times before with the San Jose Sharks and knows better than anyone not to count your champagne before it’s popped. It is a message he’s been conveying since the first day they came together for camp. “If you’re one of the teams the experts have picked to have a chance, it means you’ve done a pretty good job with the organization assembling the group, creating an identity and working toward that goal, you have some pieces in place that can get the job done,” he said. “But that all happens on paper. The tough part is you have to come and play every night, and you have to remember how hard it was to win the year prior.” And you have to be able to deal with stormy weather. If the head that wears the crown is uneasy, imagine the head that’s supposed to wear the crown after missing the playoffs for 10 years straight. When this team hits a rough patch, and it will, how it copes and recovers will reveal a lot about what it is. “You have to believe it will be tougher this year because people will be expecting a bit more from you, not only the opposition but fans media, teammates, coaches,” said McLellan. “It becomes a tough thing at times. What I’ll be interested to see from our team is when we have some rough water that we need to get through. 1076454 Edmonton Oilers Dallas Stars — The Oilers and the Stars go way back in the playoffs, meeting six times in seven years during one memorable stretch. The Stars, who already had serious talent, have bolstered their lineup, shored Expect Edmonton Oilers' rivalries to bloom in 2017-18 up their goaltending and added head coach Ken Hitchcock for old times sake. If Dallas is as good as many predict this year, the hate could be back in a hurry. By Robert Tychkowski Pittsburgh Penguins — It’s Crosby vs. McDavid, it’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion against a team that wants to push it off the pedestal. Old First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 05:57 AM MDT | Updated: lions vs. young lions. The Oilers want to be what Pittsburgh is, and the Tuesday, October 03, 2017 07:44 PM MDT Penguins will want to prove they’re still the best. When they meet, players on both sides of the ice will be fired up for these monumental,

must-watch showdowns. There is nothing like a good, old-fashioned rivalry.

When two good teams loaded with toughness and high-end skill are Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2017 fighting (sometimes literally) for the same thing, hockey is at its very best. Anger, hostility and high stakes turn a regular game into something special, games that can bring the blood of a fan to the boiling point. And now that the Edmonton Oilers are relevant again, the feuds are beginning to grow and intensify. Here are a few to keep an eye on as the Oilers enter the National Hockey League season with a brand-new bulls-eye on their back: Anaheim Ducks Nothing breeds contempt like the playoffs, which is why the Oilers didn’t have contempt for anyone for about 10 years there. But it got angry and intense in a hurry when Edmonton and Anaheim met in a dramatic, fiercely fought seven-game series last spring. Whether it was Ryan Getzlaf using his free pass from the referees to do whatever he pleased to whomever he pleased, Ryan Kesler pulling Cam Talbot’s pads apart on a series-changing goal (in addition to just being Ryan Kesler) or the simple fact that Anaheim knocked Edmonton out of the playoffs, there is bad blood between these two. And bad blood always makes for good hockey. An Oilers team that used to be bullied by the Ducks is finally able to rise up and fight back. Toronto Maple Leafs It might seem like an odd rivalry, given that they are on opposite sides of the country, play in different conferences and will never meet in the playoffs unless it’s in the (gasp!) Stanley Cup final. But these are two teams with eerily similar backgrounds and futures, and they always seem to deliver memorable games. It’s a rivalry that is probably more intense among fans in Edmonton and Toronto as they wage social media war over who’s the better superstar, Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, and which team is further ahead in its rebuild. The two best teams in Canada will only meet twice this year (unless… you know) but it will stop traffic in this country when they do. Calgary Flames The last decade proved that this rivalry is not automatic. As much as we liked to pretend the Battle of Alberta was still a thing, there was a good 10 or 15 years there, when either one or both of these teams were garbage, when it barely registered. It was kind of tough to get excited about bottom feeders having a purse fight for 25th place, but things are much different now. Both sides are young and tough, and there’s a very real chance they’ll finally meet in the playoffs again. Home ice could be on the line every time they play. With high-end skill at the top of both lineups and characters like Matthew Tkachuk and Milan Lucic, The Battle is back on. Philadelphia Flyers The Oilers and the Flyers don’t see each other often, but lately, it’s been making big news when they do. It began with McDavid’s frightening crash into the end boards that broke his clavicle and derailed his rookie season. Then it took a nasty undertone when McDavid said after a game in Philly last year that Brandon Manning hinted the wipeout was no accident. McDavid doesn’t get riled up by much, but he was clearly angry about whatever was said. Whether Manning meant it or it was just a little trash talk designed to get under McDavid’s skin, it caused a major raucous and created a firestorm the next time they played in Edmonton. Maybe it’s over… and maybe it’s not. Flyers fans have long memories and don’t need much of a reason to jump on someone (ask Sidney Crosby). Keep an eye on ... 1076455 Edmonton Oilers • Adam Larsson, 24. • Oscar Klefbom, 24. Terry Jones: Anticipating an Edmonton Oilers' decade of domination • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 24 • Ryan Strome, 24. By Terry Jones, Edmonton Sun • Laurent Brossoit, 24. First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 06:02 AM MDT | Updated: • Zack Kassian, 26. Tuesday, October 03, 2017 08:00 PM MDT • Cam Talbot, 30.

And that’s not to mention … There isn’t Stanley Cup Fever in Edmonton. There’s Stanley Cup Era Excitement & Expectations. • Jesse Puljujarvi, 19. Yes, the Connor McDavid-captained Oilers are being predicted and • Kailer Yamumoto, 18. projected to the top by The Hockey News Yearbook, the publication that Even the sideway arrows for a couple other guys might still be tilting up a spent a decade correctly envisioning bottom of the standings finishes. tad because of the guys they are playing with and the character they THN predicts Edmonton to end up in the Stanley Cup final against back- bring to the team. to-back champion Pittsburgh Penguins. • Milan Lucic, 29. And, yes, the odds-makers have them up there, too. • Mark Letestu, 32. Westgate’s Las Vegas odds have Edmonton (9-to-1), second only to Pittsburgh (6-to-1) with Tampa Bay, Washington, Chicago and Minnesota You get the idea. As good as this team looks like it could be for this year, all grouped at 12-to-1 and Nashville, Anaheim, Dallas and Toronto at 14- it looks like it can be better the year after that and the year after that and to-1. …. The over/under for points in the overall standings supplied by bodog.com Another Edmonton era is underway. have Anaheim with 106, Pittsburgh with 105 and Edmonton with 104 topping the 31-team league. When it comes to wins, the offshore betting establishment has Anaheim Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2017 at 47 ½, Pittsburgh at 47 and Edmonton at 46 ½. After equaling the National Hockey League record of 10 straight seasons out of the playoffs, it’s a total flip-flop for a team to be projecting 10 years up around the top, but this is a town that once witnessed the last dynasty with the Oilers team of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey, Glenn Anderson and Kevin Lowe play in six Stanley Cup Finals in eight years and win five of them. It’s doubtful if something like that will ever be achieved again in the salary-cap era. But to think a team could be in the conversation for a decade is what we’re talking about here. McDavid, after missing 37 games of his rookie season due to injury, put up a league leading 100 points last year to win the Art Ross Trophy and also collected Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award honours. Entering the third year of his NHL career, he’s already achieved status as the greatest in the game not named Sidney Crosby. And he has an eight- year, $US100-million contract extension to prove it. Then there’s Leon Draisaitl, eighth in NHL scoring with a 29-goal, 77- point season plus six more goals and 16 points in the playoffs last year. He has an eight-year, $US68-million deal to be to McDavid what Evgeni Malkin is to Crosby, what Patrick Kane is to Jonathan Toews (or is it the other way around?) or what Mark Messier was to Wayne Gretzky. There’s goaltender Cam Talbot, who won 42 games last year while helping feed twins in the middle of the night, toughness throughout the line-up, both size and speed, and a developing defensive corps that quickly could become a match for the very good group down south in Calgary. That, and about two years' worth of playoff experience gained in two seven-game series in which Edmonton was hosed by officiating, is reason enough to make the top of the tables predictions for the season about to begin. But the compelling reason to project this hockey team to be up there for a long while is this: Up arrows. Take an Oilers roster and put an arrow, up, sideways or down, beside each players name. The number of up arrows combined with the ages involved is amazing. • Connor McDavid, 20. • Leon Draisaitl, 21. • Darnell Nurse, 22. • Drake Caggiula, 23. • Anton Slepychev, 23. • Jujuhar Khaira, 23. 1076456 Edmonton Oilers LATE HITS — Kailer Yamamoto didn’t see a lot of ice time in his NHL debut, just 6:33, but McLellan isn’t reading much into his first game.

Connor McDavid scores hat trick in win Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2017

By Robert Tychkowski First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 09:37 PM MDT | Updated: Thursday, October 05, 2017 12:47 AM MDT

After losing all four meetings last season, the reinforced Calgary Flames viewed Wednesday night as an opportunity to prove they can hang with the Edmonton Oilers. Connor McDavid saw things differently. So he went out and made sure the visitors understand the Battle of Alberta pecking order by scoring all three goals in a 3-0 season-opening victory. Basically, he went all McDavid on them. And the Flames, despite adding a new goalie and a top four defenceman in the off-season, didn’t have an answer. “I know exactly how those defencemen in Calgary feel right now,” said Edmonton blueliner Oscar Klefbom, after watching McDavid score on a one-timer and then make it 2-0 with a burst of terrifying speed. “I play against him in every single practice. It’s tough. He makes you look silly. I see their frustration. He’s so fast, and that control with the puck is really fun to see.” It wasn’t exactly a barn burner, just 1-0 midway through the third, thanks to newly acquired Flames netminder Mike Smith, but when you’ve got McDavid, things just seem to have a way of working out in the end. And they did. “The biggest thing I noticed is he raises the level of everyone else,” said Oilers forward Ryan Strome, who was kind of in awe after his first game as McDavid’s teammate. “Everyone tries to keep up with him and be as fast as him and work as hard. When you see your leader doing that you want to follow. “And exceptional performance and I’m sure there’s many more to come.” McDavid, who set the tone early with a partial breakaway on his first shift, was dangerous all night. He made it 1-0 at 11:01 of the first period, then blew past defencemen Travis Hamonic and TJ Brodie like they were statues to put the Flames away for good eight minutes into the third. Then, with a Gretzky-like flair for theatrics, completed the hat-trick with 59-seconds left to once again move into the NHL scoring lead. “It’s nice, a good way to start, I guess, but we have a ways to go here,” he said afterward. “It feels good tonight, but we have a long way.” Blowing the doors off of two elite NHL defencemen, both of whom had angles on him, brought gasps from every corner of the arena. “It’s what he does,” said head coach Todd McLellan. “He doesn’t go from first to second to third to fourth gear. He just goes from first to fourth and he’s gone. He was fresh and I think they had pieces of their fourth line out so he was able to take advantage of it. “What was impressive about that goal was that the puck rolled all the way down the ice and he was still able to knock it down when he needed to and then put it in a little hole. A hell of a night by him and a good night by everybody around him.” At the other end of the ice, Cam Talbot posted a 26-save shutout on a night when then Oilers put 45 the other way (nine of them off the stick of Klefbom). McLellan liked that aspect of the win as much as he liked the hat-trick. “The way we won, the ability to defend, was important for us,” he said. “When we started last year, I thought we were outscoring our mistakes. Tonight we didn’t make very many of them so we didn’t need to do that. So a real positive sign for us but we’ve got work to do.” So do the Flames, after getting walked over like that. “He (McDavid) had the goals, but it wasn't just about him,” said head coach Glen Gulutzan. “They beat us in almost every department. They won the battles on the wall. They were clean on their breakouts. They made plays. They threw pucks to the net. I thought their team was all- around better than us tonight. We have got to better." 1076457 Edmonton Oilers bleeding as he left the ice ... One-time Oilers draft pick (fifth-round 2001) Jake Brenk was one of the refs Wednesday along with veteran Dave Jackson. Brenk, 35, also worked his first NHL game with the Oilers in Oilers snapshots: Adam Larsson gets a letter Arizona in November, 2015, calling his first penalty, a trip by Nail Yakupov ... Oilers winger Anton Slepyshev is on their non-roster injured list to start the season because he was hurt and didn’t play any pre- season games, so not part of the 23-man roster. By Jim Matheson

First posted: Wednesday, October 04, 2017 09:53 PM MDT Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.05.2017

Adam Larsson is the first Swede to get a letter on his Edmonton Oilers jersey. The defenceman, in his second year with the team after coming in for winger Taylor Hall, was named an alternate captain Wednesday morning, replacing Jordan Eberle, now with New York Islanders. He joins Milan Lucic and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, assisting captain Connor McDavid. The Oilers have never had a European captain since they first started handing out A’s along with the C in 1985-86 but Finns Jari Kurri, Esa Tikkanen and Janne Niinimaa have worn A’s, as did Ales Hemsky (Czech) and Russian D-man Boris Mironov. Is Larsson practising his vocabulary with the referees now that he’s got an A? “Nah, I think Connor does an excellent job of that,” said Larsson. “I wasn’t expecting this but I take pride in this. We have a lot of leaders on this team. Whether you have a letter or not, you have to lead the way you’re comfortable.” “It was unanimous with the coaching staff,” said coachTodd McLellan. “Plays hard every night, gives of himself, takes care of his teammates.” Oiler winger Jussi Jokinen, who played two and a half years with Jaromir Jagr in Florida, knew the 45-year-old wanted to play on a Canadian team once, and so he is with Calgary Flames, his ninth team. Jagr didn’t get his visa paperwork done in time to play Wednesday after travelling from the Czech Republic, but Jokinen’s happy for him. “It’ll be pretty cool for him and the fans, pretty cool for me to follow him this closely. It might be his last year in the NHL as he tries for the most games (NHL history, 57 back of Gordie Howe), but 100 per cent it won’t be his last year playing (somewhere). He loves hockey like most parents love their children.” The Flames could have signed Jagr before camp so he’d be acclimated but wanted to see how Curtis Lazar looked and he had a vanilla training camp. They thought college free-agent Spencer Foo might be ready but he wasn’t. They’re unsure where another right winger Troy Brouwer fits, so they went after Jagr. Kailer Yamamoto’s mom, dad and sister were in the house for his first NHL game Wednesday, but his brother Keanu wasn’t able to make it. “He’s got a game tomorrow (McGill University). He asked his coach if he could come and he (coach) said no. That’s OK,” shrugged Yamamoto, who was in the opening lineup. When asked if he felt linemate Milan Lucic would be watching his back in the season opener, Yamamoto playfully said “I hope so.” When told nobody would mess with Lucic, he laughed. “I wouldn’t.” As of the morning skate, Yamamoto hadn’t received a text from Tampa centre Tyler Johnson, whose mom taught Kailer skating when he was two years old back in their hometown of Spokane. Calgary’s Johnny Hockey, who weighed about 150 pounds (less than Yamamoto) when he broke in full-time in 2014, is looking forward to seeing the Oilers’ kid. “I was in the same shoes as him. I know where he’s coming from. Nothing’s going to change. He’s a skilled, smart player,” said Gaudreau. Gulatzan grew up in tiny Hudson Bay, Sask. and says the town was torn between the Oilers or the Flames. “I was a Flames fan,” said Gulatzan. What else would you expect him to say? He was never a team jersey guy as a kid, though. “I also got a brief chance to play with Theo (Fleury) in Moose Jaw.", Gulatzan is one of three NHL coaches who played for U of Saskatchewan Huskies too—Todd McLellan and Mike Babcock—and Willie Desjardins, the ex Vancouver coach. This ’n that: Milan Lucic almost got a shaved head for the opener. “Went to the barber, and asked for the No. 1. Twenty-two dollars,” said the Oiler winger ... Predictably, Zack Kassian had the first fight of the season, going at it with Tanner Glass off a faceoff in the first. Kassian was 1076458 Florida Panthers Boughner’s balancing act comes in the wake of Rowe’s bumpy tenure atop the Panthers. Rowe was tabbed as Florida’s general manager in the summer of 2016, bumping Tallon from a perch he used to build a division Two spiraled books could shape Panthers' and Bob Boughner's future winner. Then Florida fired Gallant after just 22 games and installed Rowe behind the bench.

The team struggled under Rowe and only had two winning streaks longer Matthew DeFranks Contact Reporter Sun Sentinel than two games. It had six losing streaks of at least two games and even absorbed public criticism from Rowe of forward Reilly Smith.

Does Boughner feel pressure to be different based on who filled his office Bob Boughner reached to his right for two white spiral-bound books and a season prior? thumbed through them, flashes of the Florida Panthers’ future flipping into a training camp afternoon. Inside the books resided the keys to “I’ve heard the stories and I don’t really concern myself,” Boughner said. Boughner’s kingdom. “I am who I am. I’m myself. I think the players see that. … I can’t worry about anybody that’s been here before me. I got to do my own thing.” The two volumes contain the PowerPoint presentations Boughner made to Florida this summer when he was vying to become the Panthers’ next Added Tallon, back in charge this season: “I don’t live in the past. I have coach. One is the technical package — or game plan, as Boughner no grudges. I don’t hold grudges. All I’m concerned about is: Are we described it — flush with forecheck, defensive zone and neutral zone better today than we were yesterday?” systems. The other contained an organizational depth chart and line combinations, plus Boughner’s criteria for becoming an NHL head coach. Boughner also has to straddle the line between traditionalists and analytics experts. Nearly every coach in major modern sports has to To build the books, Boughner watched some of Florida’s games — both navigate this issue, but it may be magnified in Florida. The Panthers front under the fired Gerard Gallant and then interim coach Tom Rowe — to office earned both ridicule and the nickname “Computer Boys” for an diagnose the Panthers’ issues that led to an 81-point season. He approach that strayed from the status quo. presented himself as a players’ coach and a communicator, a blend of old-school hockey and new-age analytics. He explained that he wanted Boughner said he embraces analytics in the sport, but maintains that he to push the pace to match the style the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh doesn’t need to be inundated with statistics. He wants to use analytics to Penguins were playing. measure scoring changes, both for and against. “I basically backed up my presentation with the numbers that I thought “Where are we giving shots up from on the ice?” Boughner said. “What were going to reflect the style,” Boughner said. are the high percentage scoring areas we’re giving? I want to talk about entry denials, things that give me the gauge on our general five-on-five Boughner, 46, described his preparation as the most extensive he’d ever and special teams. I don’t need to get into every category, busted down done for a job interview. It impressed Florida’s officials, including general into 10 subcategories.” manager Dale Tallon, who officially hired him in June. But for Boughner and the Panthers, everything returns to the two spiraled Boughner is charged with sterilizing the stench of a sixth-place division books tucked into an office in Coral Springs. They are the guides to a finish last season, replacing four departed forwards and stabilizing a ship getting back on track and the compass to a potential return to the defensive corps that returns five of six defensemen. He’ll be asked to playoffs. So Boughner places the books back on a small table, but his lead the Panthers back to prominence after they won the Atlantic Division philosophies remain engrained. two years ago. “Every day, I’m going to hammer on the details and the structure,” Part of it will be with his coaching style. Several Panthers described Boughner said. Boughner as a players’ coach who is demanding on the ice but approachable off it. They describe an organized practice that harps on structure and simplicity. It’s different than it was before under Rowe. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.05.2017 “He’s more structured,” defenseman Alex Petrovic said. “It’s very detailed. He doesn’t move on from anything until everyone understands what they’re doing. He’s never negative.” Boughner understands what the players are going through. He’s only a decade removed from a 10-year NHL career earned by being a tough defenseman unafraid to drop the gloves. The Canadian earned the nickname “The Boogieman” for his physical style that resulted in nearly 1,400 penalty minutes and eight broken noses. Boughner laughed about his crooked nose that bends to the right, saying that “it’s one of my main features.” He first broke it during a fight as a teenager on his junior team in Sault Ste. Marie. “I thought I was doing well and I had his shirt over his head,” Boughner said. “All of sudden, a punch came up and hit me from nowhere. I remember, I think I was 17, I laid on the couch for three or four days, didn’t go to school. My eyes were both black, my nose was crooked and it’s been like that ever since.” In the time since his playing days, he’s been an assistant coach with San Jose and Columbus, and the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s for eight seasons. His temperament is even-keeled, his responses to questions generally straightforward. He speaks confidently and locks eyes. Boughner said his transparency is essential to his management of a roster anchored by 20- somethings. “I make sure that the players are held accountable but not in a fashion where I’m going to be screaming and yelling,” Boughner said. “If there’s things that need to be corrected, it’s got to be done head on, face-to- face. The players respect that.” There was a time about 10 years ago when Boughner would have yelled and gotten in players’ faces. But experience dulled his edge and forced him farther on the spectrum towards patience. “There’s times to make adjustments and times to teach and there’s also times to let guys play,” he said. “I think I found that balance.” 1076459 Florida Panthers The players quickly bought into the style of play Boughner instilled during training camp. And many of them have begun reading “Legacy,” after each received a copy during Monday’s presentation. Panthers draw inspiration from 'Legacy' of legendary New Zealand rugby Matheson said what stands out in what he’s read so far is it is about team more than maintaining a positive outlook. “Their outlook is, you don’t always want to be positive,” Matheson said of Craig Davis Contact Reporter Sun Sentinel the All Blacks. “They’re looking for guys when stuff goes wrong, how do they handle it? Do they crumble or stay calm and work through it?”

Clearly, the big winner through training camp has been Boughner getting Inspirational messages on locker room walls have been a sports staple the team to buy into his methods. But MacKenzie pointed out that since the time of Knute Rockne, if not before. thought-provoking messages are only a rallying point. Bob Boughner wanted to make sure his players understood that the “Now it’s on us to come up with a good start,” he said. “Getting a few words and slogans he had inscribed above their lockers during Florida wins under our belt early is going to go a long way for this team.” Panthers’ training camp weren’t idle platitudes. No. 1 center Aleksander Barkov was elated that former line mate Jaromir So, the rookie coach prepared and delivered an elaborate multi-media Jagr has gotten an opportunity to continue his hall-of-fame career in the presentation Monday, amplified by video and slides, to explain how the NHL with Calgary, and is looking forward to the Panthers’ two meetings messages were inspired by one of the world’s most successful teams with the Flames this season. and define a winning culture to emulate. “I’ll be following him a lot,” Barkov said. “He was my favorite player when “When we were watching the slides, you could look around and see guys I was younger, and nothing has changed. I’m very happy for him.” really into it,” veteran defenseman Keith Yandle said, adding that the slogans, “They’re up there for a reason. They mean something to us now, and it’s one of those things that we’re going to take pride in.” Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.05.2017 The words and phrases came from a book Boughner read this summer called “Legacy,” which explains the guiding principles behind the success of New Zealand’s national rugby team, known as the All Blacks, who have won more than 75 percent of their international matches over the past 100 years. In light of the ups and downs of the Panthers franchise, particularly during last year’s fractured season, Boughner said he was searching for a guiding premise to bring the team together for this season and beyond. “For me, it symbolizes culture, an identity and team vision,” Boughner said. “It’s just about doing the right things on and off the ice. “It’s not just a book about sports, it’s about the business of life.” Hence, buzz words including honesty, integrity, authenticity. Florida Panthers beat writer Matthew DeFranks breaks down the team's 2017-18 roster. (Matthew DeFranks) But the deeper connection to the culture of the New Zealand team comes through quirky, homespun phrases such as, “Sweep the shed.” Boughner explained that after each game two senior members of the All Blacks literally take brooms and clean up the locker room. “It basically symbolizes that they take care of their own business, they take care of all the little things, and they don’t need anybody else to take care of it for them,” Boughner said. “It’s about humility, really, and we talked about it.” Panthers captain Derek MacKenzie is uncertain if the team would adopt that specific practice, but said the mindset is resonating with the players. “That will be something we’ll keep between the team for now,” he said. “I think it’s important that we stick together as a family, and whatever it is we decide to do it’s going to be for the best of the team.” Another homily from the All Blacks, “Leave the jersey in a better place,” is about passing along the guiding culture to players who come along in the future. Defenseman Michael Matheson said he has been in locker rooms where motivational messages served more as decoration than inspiration. “They’re almost corny sometimes, but you can tell that there is a reason for every single word that’s up in our locker room,” he said. “When you think of the All Blacks and the success that they’ve had, you can tell that they’re building an environment where nobody really cares about how many points they get. … What they really care about is how many trophies they’ve won as a team, and that’s what we’re trying to implement here.” These Panthers have yet to win a game, as they open the regular season Friday at Tampa Bay. But after the way last season unraveled, this was a group eager for a unifying influence. MacKenzie said that began with owner Vinnie Viola arranging a charter to fly players, family members and pets to safety in Boston when Hurricane Irma was threatening South Florida. 1076460 Los Angeles Kings rivalries in the West Coast and a lot’s happened since then. It really is just another opponent [and] we’re going to try and get off to a good start again.” Toffoli and Pearson aren't just kids anymore for Kings Brooks Laich acknowledged that it’s “a little bit of foreign territory for me” to practice with the Kings without a contract, but he has maintained a professional outlook. Curtis Zupke “Be grateful for the opportunity, show up as a good pro and show up as a good teammate,” he said. “I’m going to focus on those things, and I believe that good things happen to good people, and if you do things When the Kings were on their way to their first Stanley Cup win early in right that over the long term, you’re going to win out, eventually. 2012, Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli weren’t the best of friends. “So maybe it’s not today, maybe it’s not tomorrow, but I hope at some Pearson was the leading scorer for the Barrie Colts, and Toffoli the point my opportunity will come with this organization.” leader of the Ottawa 67’s. To hear Pearson tell it, there were some one- on-one confrontations in those Ontario Hockey League days. “There was definitely a few,” Pearson said. “I, obviously, was on the LA Times: LOADED: 10.05.2017 upper hand.” Pearson can laugh about it because of how their careers have played out. They were drafted by the Kings, became teammates with the minor league Manchester Monarchs and then valuable members of the Kings’ 2014 Cup team. “It was funny when we both went to [Manchester],” Pearson said. “We were really good buddies. Our friendship just builds and grows every year. There’s not too many things we do without each other, just hanging around here or on the road. It’s actually nice because we’ve played so much with each other in [Manchester], and we build that chemistry and just carry it over here.” The linemates were each given contract extensions over the summer, Pearson for four years at $3.75 million per season and Toffoli for three years at $4.6 million annually. It was a reaffirmation that the two represent the Kings’ future, and that chapter begins Thursday night as the Kings open the season against the Philadelphia Flyers at Staples Center. “We want that and we’ve wanted it,” Toffoli said. “Definitely being extended for three-four more years is exciting for us, and we’ve got to prove that we’re the guys that can handle it.” Toffoli proved it two seasons ago with a career-high 31 goals. He’s one of their better forwards along the wall and releases the puck well off his stick. Pearson poured in a career-high 24 goals last season, using his strong skating and puck-chasing ability. Kings coach John Stevens met with both in the offseason and said that the time is here for both to assume the go-to guy roles as the Kings try to get back to the postseason. “The conversations we’ve had with both those young players is that they’re not just young players on our team anymore,” Stevens said. “They’re part of our secondary core that’s critical to the leadership of your hockey team. “We want them to perform and be leaders, not just good young players.” Pearson and Toffoli are centered by All-Star Jeff Carter, and the trio looks forward to a quicker game implemented by Stevens and his staff. One of the twists is a new four-forward power play unit in which Toffoli is one of the points, beside Drew Doughty, but the overall concept intends to create more of the transition game that suits the line so well. “It’s going to be fun playing a little fast,” Toffoli said. Toffoli will put behind him an injury-shortened season that held him to 63 games. He scored 16 goals and needed a minor knee procedure after the season. It was an unfortunate postscript to last season, but it speaks to the Carter line that they still produced and have been a fixture in recent years despite the Kings’ absences from the playoffs. That’s one aspect the former junior hockey nemeses can tackle together. “It wasn’t a good year for the team, but it’s a new season and a new start for everybody,” Toffoli said. Stevens said there’s no lingering awkwardness in facing the Flyers. He coached them for four seasons prior to joining the Kings. “It’s been a long time,” he said. Stevens still has a home in Philadelphia, and retains a fondness for the city where his sons, John and Nolan, were raised. “That always feels like home to me in terms of where I raised my family,” Stevens said. “But we’ve been through so many battles with so many 1076461 Los Angeles Kings The Kings signed two goalies in the offseason, including longtime Minnesota Wild backup Darcy Kuemper. Coupled with the emergence of last summer’s trade acquisition, Jack Campbell, the goalie competition in 5 things we learned about the L.A. Kings in training camp training camp inspired some confidence that the Kings would be in relatively good hands were Quick to suffer another injury.

Punctuated by a shutout in the preseason finale, Kuemper won the job to By Clay Fowler | [email protected] | San Gabriel Valley Tribune backup Quick. Campbell, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2010 draft, appears to be in the midst of a resurgence after a disappointing PUBLISHED: October 4, 2017 at 4:48 pm | UPDATED: October 4, 2017 beginning to his career before Dallas traded him to the Kings. at 7:21 PM The Kings were likely thrilled when Campbell cleared waivers and joined 22-year-old Cal Petersen, the Notre Dame standout who signed with the Kings in July, with the franchise’s AHL affiliate in Ontario. With the NHL regular season upon us, it’s time to take stock of what we learned about the Kings during training camp. 4. SOME THINGS WILL REMAIN THE SAME 1. FRONT OFFICE WILLING TO INJECT NEW BLOOD The Kings’ efforts to generate offense aren’t entirely based on new additions and shaking up line combinations. New General Manager Rob Blake and Coach John Stevens appear willing to take some risks on young talent in order to combat the Kings’ Two of the team’s primary lines from last season will remain the same most glaring weakness last season. this season. Accordingly, the team will open the season with seven new players on Jeff Carter, Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli, who combined to score 72 the roster, many of whom are geared toward generating much-needed of the team’s 199 goals last season, will remain a unit this season. offense for what was the sixth-lowest scoring team in the NHL a season ago. The trio is certainly being relied upon again to carry the scoring load. Given the upward trajectory of Pearson, the consistency of Carter and a Perhaps the best example of this is 23-year-old Alex Iafallo. A longshot to 2016-17 season for Toffoli marred by a knee injury, there is reason to make the roster when training camp began, he not only made the team believe this group will surpass last season’s totals. but appears on track to begin the season on a line with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. A workmanlike line frequently deployed last season consisting of Kyle Clifford, Nick Shore and Trevor Lewis is also expected to remain A senior at the -Duluth last season, Iafallo brings unchanged. The veteran trio has skated together all of training camp and the kind of energy and aggressiveness this aging Kings team is in will play a similar role grinding out minutes this year. desperate need of. 5. A DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE Speedy center Adrian Kempe, 21, appears to be a big part of the team’s plans going forward after making his NHL debut last season. Winger The feeling around the Kings is different enough this season to almost Jonny Brodzinski, 24, appears to be in the same boat after playing his feel tangible. With former head coach Darryl Sutter gone and his first six NHL games last season and could work his way into a significant longtime assistant Stevens at the helm, there is a more relaxed role. atmosphere in the locker room and on the ice. “Kempe and Brodzinski, they know what the league is all about now,” Make no mistake, Stevens seems to run a tight ship. He has no shortage Stevens said. “Now they’re worried about performing and not just of opinions and doesn’t make a habit of sugar-coating any of the team’s playing.” potential issues. Completing the new youthful crop is Oscar Fantenberg, a 25-year-old But his approachable demeanor is a significant departure from the Swedish defenseman signed out of the Kontinental Hockey League in the intimidating style often employed by Sutter. It remains to be seen how his offseason. He is expected to provide another offensive presence on the approach will translate in the win column, but the same open mind that blue line for a team with legitimate threats to score in each defensive won over Kings’ brass with a willingness to open up the offense could pairing. also create an atmosphere that puts players at ease to play loose this season. 2. JAKE MUZZIN RETURNING TO FORM

Was Jake Muzzin’s eight-point preseason a sign of good things to come? Stevens believes so. LA Daily News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 The two-time Stanley Cup champion defenseman is coming off a team- worst minus-21 showing last season. His eight points in five preseason games led all NHL defensemen and tied for the second most points in the league, regardless of position. Given that they’re exhibition games, how much stock are the Kings putting into his performance? “In his case, I put a lot of stock in it,” Stevens said. “It’s a real credit to Jake that he stayed here and had a real dedication to training and a real focus for what he had to do to get better and he was all business coming into training camp.” Muzzin experienced a significant drop-off on both ends of the ice last season. Previously, the six-year veteran’s worst performance was a minus-four over the 2014-15 season. Muzzin’s five assists and three goals, including the overtime game- winner in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Ducks, weren’t just signs of improvement in his offense. “I see some firmness back in his game,” Stevens said. “And I think his offense, to me, usually comes from being a real good sound defender and I think that’s what we’re seeing.” 3. CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR ANOTHER QUICK INJURY With goalie Jonathan Quick shelved for 59 games with a groin injury last season, the Kings’ defense didn’t suffer like one might expect. Still, the team doesn’t want to push its luck should its franchise goaltender go down again. 1076462 Los Angeles Kings

L.A. Kings to honor employee Christiana Duarte, Las Vegas victims

By Clay Fowler | [email protected] | San Gabriel Valley Tribune PUBLISHED: October 4, 2017 at 5:26 pm | UPDATED: October 4, 2017 at 9:37 PM

EL SEGUNDO — The Kings will honor team employee Christiana Duarte, a victim of the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday, before and during their season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night at Staples Center. Players will wear a sticker on their helmets with the initials “CD” on the image of a heart and all Kings employees will wear a pin in her honor. “Our organization is overwhelmed with grief over the loss of our colleague Chrissy,” Kings President said. “We want to make every effort to ensure that everyone knows how special she was and the impact she already had made on so many people.” Before the game, the Kings will hold a moment of silence followed by a video presentation to honor all 58 killed by the lone gunman who fired into a crowd during a country music concert on the Las Vegas strip. All proceeds from the Kings’ 50-50 raffle on Thursday will be donated by the Kings Care Foundation to the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund. Kings players will match with a separate . Céline Dion announced Tuesday that the proceeds from her Las Vegas show will be donated to aid the victims and families of the Las Vegas shooting. A GoFundMe page for Duarte’s memorial had received more than $80,000 in donations as of Wednesday afternoon. Duarte, 22, graduated from the University of Arizona in May and joined the Kings this summer as a fan service associate. She was a native of Redondo Beach and attended South Torrance High. “Our hearts go out to Chrissy’s family and loved ones and everyone else associated with this horrible act of terror,” Kings captain Anze Kopitar said. “As a team it was important for us to contribute in any way possible.” In his first regular-season game since being appointed the Kings head coach in April, John Stevens will face the organization with which he spent 17 years of his professional hockey career. Stevens was drafted by the Flyers in 1984 and later ascended to head coach of the franchise. He was fired by the Flyers 25 games into the 2009-10 season, his fourth as the team’s head coach. He joined the Kings’ coaching staff the next season and has been in Los Angeles ever since. Stevens has plenty of fond memories on and off the ice in Philadelphia, but said facing the Flyers on Thursday won’t be much of an emotional experience considering how long he has been in L.A. “I’ve been here for seven years,” Stevens said. “Philadelphia is where I started and I still have a home in that area. That’s where my kids grew up, so that always feels like home to me in terms of where I raised my family. But we’ve been through so many battles and rivalries on the West Coast, a lot has happened since then.”

LA Daily News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076463 Los Angeles Kings

Practice notes: Line rushes, stick usage, Stevens vs Philadelphia

Joey Zakrzewski October 4, 20170 Comments

Practice notes A good afternoon to you from El Segundo, Insiders. The Kings took the ice at 10:00 a.m. and showed no changes from yesterday’s alignment: Gray: Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown Blue: Pearson-Carter-Toffoli White: Brodzinski-Kempe-Cammalleri Yellow: Clifford-Shore-Lewis Purple: Andreoff-[Laich]-Dowd -Defensive pairings were as would be expected, given what we saw in the preseason: Forbort-Doughty, Muzzin-Martinez and Fantenberg-Folin, with Kurtis MacDermid cycling through. -There has been an added emphasis on using sticks to disrupt plays both off the rush and, as always, on the penalty kill. This is no different from the other 30 teams, or the way the Kings have operated in the past, but there’s still a concerted effort to reinforce that. Derek Forbort will strive to continue to build on the firmness in his game that took a significant step forward, but his long reach and stick work remains a significant part of his skill set. “I’ve always been big on defending with my stick and getting as many pokes as I can,” he said. “I feel like as soon as I get a poke, then he doesn’t have the puck, and then the quicker we can get going the other way.” Forbort demonstrated his poke check while defending against a rush multiple times in practice on Tuesday; I also chatted with John Stevens and Dave Lowry about this. Should be an interesting read for those who play or are keen on the fundamentals of defending. -Stevens, meanwhile, will continue his tenure as Los Angeles’ head coach – he previously served as the coach for four games during the 2011-12 season – with a season opener against Philadelphia on Thursday. Stevens coached the Flyers from 2006-10 and was a third round draft pick of the club in 1984. He played nine games with the Flyers over the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons as well as 279 games with the club’s AHL affiliate in Hershey before moving on to the Hartford organization. Stevens returned to Philadelphia to conclude his career with the AHL’s Phantoms between 1996-99, serving as a player-coach in his final pro season. He was an assistant coach with the Phantoms between 1998-2000 before opening his head coaching career with them from 2000-06, guiding a club that included R.J. Umberger, Patrick Sharp, Dennis Seidenberg and Joni Pitkanen – and in the playoffs, Jeff Carter and – to the 2005 Calder Cup championship. Context! And now the question: is Stevens removed enough from his Philadelphia days that coaching against the Flyers in the season opener means anything? “Yeah, it really is [in the past]. I’ve been here for seven years, going on my eighth year now, so it’s been a long time. Philadelphia is where I started, and I still have a home in that area, and that’s where my kids grew up, so that always feels like home to me in terms of where I raised my family. But, jeez, we’ve been through so many battles with so many rivalries in the west coast, and a lot’s happened since then, so it really is just another opponent that we’re going to try to get off to a good start against.” More Stevens quotes coming soon. -More good stuff will come later today or tomorrow from Pierre Turgeon about using the area behind the net to generate offense. -Each of the Kings’ first three opponents are on television tonight, and two of the three are playing against each other. Your homework tonight: flip between the Battle of Alberta (7:00 p.m. if you have the NHL package or live in Canada) and Philadelphia-San Jose (7:30; NBCSN).

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076464 Los Angeles Kings good pair because last year at times they struggled as a pair. They both said emphatically that yes they can, and I think they’re good friends and they talked a lot about it over the summer, and they want to have much, Stevens on improvements, Iafallo, Muzzin, Fantenberg-Folin (+photos) much better years than they had last year and be counted on. I was looking at training camp to see where his game was at, so we certainly liked what we saw in his game and we’re confident that it’ll transfer over into the regular season. Jon Rosen October 4, 20170 Comments On whether Oscar Fantenberg and Christian Folin complement each other because of their backgrounds: On whether the team has entered the “scouting phase” of the season: I don’t know if it’s as much as that as that they do complement each other, just with different skill sets. They’ve trained together in the summer Yeah, we have, for sure. We have as a staff. We haven’t really talked a quite a bit, they know each other, they speak the same language, whole lot to the group yet because we really wanted to focus on although both speak very good English. But Christian’s more of a stiff ourselves up and through today. But we’ll certainly brief the team on what first-pass and defender, and Oscar’s got a little more upside offensively to expect when we have the opportunity to see them play tonight. We to his game and mobility and an offensive mindset, so I think because of have a pretty good idea of what their roster’s going to be now that the their skill sets they complement each other well as much as it is as from rosters have been settled in for the most part. Good look at special where they’re from. teams, five-on-five play, but again, we’ll be aware of what they do but continue to focus on what we’re doing. On whether Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli are ready for wider roles: On what the team can do to improve from the previous season: Well, we sure hope so. The conversations we’ve had with both those young players is that they’re not just young players on their team We’re going to be a good team, I think. We’ve got to really be committed anymore. They’re part of our secondary core that’s critical to the to playing fast and checking fast and getting the puck back. I think we leadership of your hockey team. They’re both really good kids. They’re want to be a really good structured, defensive team to allow us to have both young kids who won championships at the National Hockey League possession of the puck. But it leads right into special teams which I think level and performed very well in key situations. Even Tanner’s [got] a is going to be important, especially early in the year. I think you’ve seen couple power play goals in his career, Ty and Tanner both have improvement there. We have a real attack mindset to get to the net, on performed well in a really intense playoff situation. We want them to the rush, in the zone. We like what we’ve been doing, some of the perform and be leaders, not just good young players. [Reporter: With progress in those areas there. We’ve still got to manage the puck and Pearson, do you see him as a potential 30-goal guy? Does he have that have a real responsibility, the puck carrier, but we would like to have that in him?] I think you see both those kids have an ability to put up good attack mindset as part of our identity. [Reporter: Seven players on the numbers. Tanner’s been in the mid-20’s, Ty has scored 30 goals, Jeff roster that weren’t here last year. Collectively, do they bring something scored 30 goals. They’re different types of scorers, I think. Tyler’s got a that was lacking last year?] I don’t know if it’s fair to compare to last year. great release that can score goal scorers’ goals, and Tanner’s got really I mean, so many things come into play. But certainly some of the guys quick hands, he’s really heavy on pucks and he’s got deceptive speed, we’ve added – I’ve said this all along – there are some young players on so because of that, they complement each other well. There’s no our team that had never played in the National Hockey League before, question that we think that they’re both top-six scorers in the league. and last year [were] exposed to it for the first time. Now they’re coming in with a reference point, and that’s huge. Kempe and Brodzinski and guys On whether he’s enough removed from his Philadelphia days that like that, they know what the league’s all about. Now they understand tomorrow’s game means much: what it takes to be successful here, and now they’re worried about performing and not just playing. We think that’s important, and if you add Yeah, it really is [in the past]. I’ve been here for seven years, going on a guy like Fantenberg and Folin on the back end with some experience my eighth year now, so it’s been a long time. Philadelphia is where I and little guys that are a little bit older, I think that certainly helps you. I started, and I still have a home in that area, and that’s where my kids think that those new guys can help you. The fact that some of these grew up, so that always feels like home to me in terms of where I raised young guys have experience, and the fact that all of those guys you were my family. But, jeez, we’ve been through so many battles with so many talking about – you can throw Iafallo in there – they’ve got really good rivalries in the west coast, and a lot’s happened since then, so it really is mobility and a skill set that can hopefully translate into the way you want just another opponent that we’re going to try to get off to a good start to play. against. [Reporter: Do you still have a home back there?] In South Jersey, which is about an hour from Philly, yeah. [Reporter: Do you stay On Alex Iafallo: there when you guys go back there?] Yeah. It’s a summer home, just a seasonal beach community on the barrier islands there. That’s home for Well, sometimes you talk about a player, and you say, ‘the puck seems the kids, that’s where they’ve spent their whole life, and it’s kind of where to follow him around.’ It’s kind of a vague term, but in his case it’s true. they regroup in the summer. [Reporter: Is that the same area where Mike So, you start to watch him and you wonder why. He moves his feet, he’s Trout grew up?] I think, Mike, yeah, is he Vineland, is that where he’s a really smart player, he’s good positionally, he’s got a good skill set but from? He’s a little bit inland, but he’s in the South Jersey area. I’m about he plays the game with pace. So, I think because of that, he’s around the 17 miles from the bottom tip, which is Cape May. I’m about 20 miles puck a lot, so you combine his skill set with his intelligence and he ends south of Atlantic City, right on the ocean. They have the whole strip of up being a pretty good player. It just seemed like the other night it didn’t barrier island towns, just about Ocean City, New Jersey. Right above matter where we put him, the line kind of flourished. He’s not a 19 or 20- Cape May. year-old rookie, he’s coming out of college and has had lots of experience, and he’s a little bit older, and I think that’s helped him. He’s been a pleasant surprise. [Reporter: Has his play been what you’d expected from the scouting reports you guys had on him?] You get to see LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.05.2017 a guy like that at a development camp in the summer with young players, and you’ve got to remember some of those players are 18 years old, and he’s older and he’s been to several development camps over the course of his time. You start to say, ‘well, you’re cautiously optimistic’ because you’re hoping he should look good in that environment, so we’re just waiting to see what he does when he gets to the next level of player and see if he can maintain what you’re seeing, and in his case, he’s been able to do that. On how much stock he puts behind Jake Muzzin’s strong preseason: In his case, I’d put a lot of stock in it. I mean, it’s areal credit to Jake that he stayed here – and obviously went home – but went away from the rink in the summer and had a real dedication to training, a real focus to what he had to do to get better. He was all business coming into training camp, and we made the decision that he was going to play all games that he had access to, and that was five games. He wanted to play those games, he wanted to get his game in order, and he wanted to be a good player, so I see a real firmness back in his game, I see a guy who’s quieted his position down a little bit, and I think his offense, to me, usually comes from being a real good, sound defender, and I think that’s what we’re seeing. We asked Marty and Muzz if they thought they could be a 1076465 Los Angeles Kings

Kings to honor Christiana Duarte, victims, heroes from Las Vegas tragedy

Jon Rosen October 4, 20170 Comments

Via the LA Kings, the team has announced details to honor the victims and heroes from Sunday night’s horrible tragedy in Las Vegas, which will include the recognition of team employee, Christiana Duarte, who was killed in the incident, prior to the Kings-Philadelphia Flyers game at STAPLES Center on Thursday night. So many individuals from Southern California were involved in the occurrence on Sunday Night, including those who perished, were injured, and those who demonstrated heroism in the face of immense terror, risking their lives in an effort to save others. Unfortunately, the Kings lost a family member and employee in Chrissy, who was in her first year as a Kings Fan Service Associate. “Our organization is overwhelmed with grief over the loss of our colleague Chrissy. We would like to thank everyone for their outreach, love and support,” said Kings President Luc Robitaille. “In just a brief period of time, Chrissy had an immeasurable impact on all of us. We want to make every effort to ensure that everyone knows how special she was and the impact she already had made on so many people. We would also ask that everyone please understand and respect her family’s wish for privacy at this difficult time.” As part of Thursday night’s game the Kings plan to: – Honor Chrissy and all of the other victims during a special Pre-Game Ceremony with both a moment of silence and a video. The Kings will also at that time salute First Responders who were on the scene. – Kings players will wear a special “CD” sticker (seen above) on the back of their helmets during the game. Kings staff members will be wearing a special pin in her honor. – All proceeds from the Kings’ 50-50 raffle sales that evening will be donated by the Kings Care Foundation to the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund. Kings players will match the funds raised. – Also, as announced by Céline Dion at her residency show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Tuesday night, she along with partners AEG Presents and Caesars Entertainment are donating proceeds from that night’s show to aid the victims and families of the tragic Las Vegas shooting. “Our hearts go out to Chrissy’s family and loved ones and everyone else associated with this horrible act of terror,” said Kings captain/forward Anze Kopitar. “As a team it was important for us to contribute in any way possible.” About Christiana “Chrissy” Duarte: Chrissy started with the Kings this summer as a Fan Service Associate. Her previous work experience included the Rams (Corporate Sponsorships Training Camp Intern); Arizona Diamondbacks (Sales Intern); Roadrunners Hockey (Operations and Promotions Intern); and the University of Arizona (Operations and Marketing Intern). She graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration this past May and was active on campus, where she played intramural soccer, softball and volleyball, and was a Member of the Sports Marketing Association in Tucson. She was a resident of Redondo Beach.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076466 Los Angeles Kings He grew up during the heyday of Nicklas Lidstrom’s career – that was about a 20-year heyday, by the way – which means he had a wonderful model that he could try to emulate. Noticeable in preseason, usage of sticks in checking, defending clearly “His stick was always on the ice, just moving it,” Forbort said. “He was reinforced probably the best I’ve ever seen doing it.’ It’s part of the team’s adherence to “detail” – a word one hears regularly Jon Rosen October 4, 20170 Comments throughout the season but is illustrated in a number of ways. Keeping the stick on the ice is a fundamental aspect of checking and defending, and someone who coached the defense and penalty kill of the team that allowed the fewest goals cumulatively over the last seven seasons – Coaching coincidentally, the time he joined the organization as an assistant coach under Terry Murray – is particularly able to push the message across. Preseason stats are worth roughly as much as a three-dollar bill, and certainly there are analytics much more worthwhile than simple goals for, “We’ve done a lot of things [in practice]. We’ve done drills with guys goals against and special teams numbers. carrying a puck on their free hand so they can’t hold two hands on their sticks, so it forces them to have a stick on the ice and just leave an But teams would much rather be starting from a reference point of imprint in their mind,” Stevens said. “But clearly it is a detail in the game success, so the Kings’ solid penalty killing rates as the preseason that can surely help you.” elapsed is better than scuffling through some special teams trials and tribulations. Dave Lowry, on reinforcing fundamental approaches with advanced, entrenched players: Los Angeles killed off 13 of 14 penalties over its last three preseason games, a stretch that was punctuated by two extended 5-on-3 kills in the It’s everyday reminders. These guys are creatures of habit. With the way 1-0 overtime win over Anaheim last Saturday. (Again! Preseason! Not all that they’re calling the stick infractions and all that, if you’ve got two games featured best-on-best competition.) hands on the stick and you’re defending with two hands, the natural tendency is to be hard on his stick or to lean on someone. Now, today, In watching the Kings on the kill, there was something incorporated into that’s supposed to be a penalty. their defense that seemed to bond the standout performances together: the usage of their sticks in checking and defending, particularly on the Lowry, on whether there’s an advantage to having large defenders with penalty kill. John Stevens had spoken about effective stick usage early in big wingspans: the preseason, and all teams will always encourage their players to keep their sticks on the ice at all times, but the reinforced adhernce seemed Absolutely. If you use your stick properly, you should be able to get to particularly evident last week. pucks first. You look at mobility, you look at the skating aspect of the game, you want defenders than can skate, and if they’re big, that’s even “It’s something we’ve really focused on,” John Stevens said. “I think when better. If they can get there first and they can get their sticks on pucks, it you get some of the new coaches coming in, especially the guys coming makes you a bigger player, it makes it harder for the offensive guys to from the junior level, they were teaching a lot of fundamentals, and we’ve get pucks, get shots through. always talked about sticks here, but there’s been maybe a renewed focus on that part of the game. The whole idea is to get the puck stopped, get a Lowry, on teaching about the first point of contact and entering a battle: stall, turn a puck over, whether it’s D-zone, neutral zone, offensive zone, special teams, puck recovery, and just better sticks can go a long way to We want to close and we want to close quick. It’s all about going in and getting those stalls, getting pucks turned over and discouraging passing creating separation. If you can be first in and get the puck, you don’t have lanes.” to make contact. But if you’re the second one into the battle, you want to make sure you stop their motion, and you want to close it and end it as The two coaches who came over from junior hockey were Don Nachbaur quickly as possible. and Dave Lowry, and Lowry is the coach who works the closest with the defense and the penalty kill. Derek Forbort, on reading the rush and knowing when to interject with his stick: Lowry’s answer to a question posited similarly to Stevens was essentially in lockstep with his coach’s response. Keeping the stick on the ice is “a I try to keep my stick on the ice as much as possible. I don’t know. You primary focus.” don’t really think about it. It just kind of happens out there when you’re in the drill, competing, and I think your instincts just take over – when to “It’s always ‘have your stick ready,’ but it’s also stick positioning on the extend, when to stay home a little bit with it, just from years and years of ice and all that,” Lowry said. “It’s funny – early on, you hear coaches talk doing it. about it, and you can respect the fact that when you’re a player, your coaches are always telling you, right? The generations change. It used to be two hands on your stick. Well, two hands always brings your stick up LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.05.2017 in the air. You put one hand on your stick, it puts it on the ice. Coaches, when they Watch video, they say, ‘the sticks make you a bigger player,’ and they close lanes. When you’re a player, a lot of times, if you’re not watching the video, you don’t really grasp the concept. But when you start coaching you can really see, if you put an emphasis on it, how much it really does affect the play.” And it will have a larger impact this year, with slashing infractions being more strictly enforced. In an effort to reduce hand injuries, slashes to the body, stick, or “on or near” the hands, as described in the linked video, will be called with a greater frequency, and the convoy of players to the penalty box early in the preseason was a reflection of the heightened approach towards such enforcement Derek Forbort has been a player who, along with Jeff Carter and Kurtis MacDermid, has the widest wingspan among Los Angeles’ skaters. It’s a significant asset in his skill set, which allows him to separate body from puck when the opportunity for a more physical encounter isn’t immediately there. There are nuances to his approach. “Especially with having the long arms, I think sometimes I’ll kind of leave the stick in a little bit, just to kind of disguise how long I can get it,” he said. “On the PK, I think it’s all about just having an active stick and letting those guys think they have the lane, but really you have a little extra and you can get the stick out there and get a poke on the puck.” 1076467 Los Angeles Kings

Martinez to IR; LaDue getting recalled

Jon Rosen October 4, 20170 Comments

Injuries I don’t have a ton to go on at this point, but Alec Martinez has suffered a lower-body injury that will require him to go on injured reserve, and it has been confirmed that Paul LaDue is on the verge of a call-up to the club. The understanding I have is that this is something that occurred during practice. Martinez skated with the club on both Tuesday and Wednesday, where he was frequently paired alongside Jake Muzzin, the defenseman he was again targeted to skate with at even strength and on the power play. Muzzin led all defensemen and tied for third in the league with eight preseason points (3-5=8), and there was significant optimism in the partnership, which was a major asset for the team in 2015-16. “We asked Marty and Muzz if they thought they could be a good pair because last year at times they struggled as a pair,” John Stevens said at practice Wednesday. “They both said emphatically that yes they can, and I think they’re good friends and they talked a lot about it over the summer, and they want to have much, much better years than they had last year and be counted on.” Prior to this injury, it had appeared that the Kings would emerge from the preseason unscathed. Martinez appeared in four preseason games, totaling four points (1-3=4) over an average 16:32 of ice time. LaDue notched one assist in three games, averaging 18:19 of ice time, and was essentially the first defenseman left off the 23-man roster. With his addition, the Kings will open the season with three rookies on the back end in LaDue, Kurtis MacDermid and Oscar Fantenberg, the latter of whom qualifies as a rookie by 22 calendar days. Martinez played in all 82 games for the first time in his career in 2016-17, totaling nine goals and 39 points. More to come from the Kings’ morning skate Thursday in advance of the 7:00 p.m season opener against Philadelphia at Staples Center (NBCSN / KABC 790 / I Heart Radio).

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.05.2017

1076468 Minnesota Wild

Daniel Winnik practices with Wild but opening night status remains uncertain

By Joe Christensen October 4, 2017 — 12:05PM

Daniel Winnik practiced on the Wild's fourth line Wednesday, on the eve of the team's season opener at Detroit, but it remained uncertain whether he'll sign a contract and join the roster. The Wild is scheduled to fly to Detroit at 1 p.m. Asked if Winnik would be traveling with the team, coach Bruce Boudreau said, "I don’t even know. Haven’t talked to Chuck [Fletcher, the GM] and I havent’ talked to Dan. I’m afraid to talk to either. So whoever’s there tomorrow will play." Winnik made $2.25 million last year with the Washington Capitals, but would likely have to take a significant pay cut to join the Wild, who are pressed up against the salary cap. For now, Winnik remains on a professional try out. Winnik played left wing on the fourth line with center Matt Cullen and right wing Tyler Ennis again in Wednesday's practice. Winnik and Cullen were paired together on the penalty kill.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076469 Minnesota Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017

Wild signs veteran forward Daniel Winnik on eve of season opener

By Joe Christensen October 4, 2017 — 1:24PM

With a back issue keeping Zach Parise out for at least the Wild’s first two games, the team officially added veteran winger Daniel Winnik to the fold Wednesday. Winnik, 32, signed a one-year, $660,000 contract, taking a significant pay cut after making $2.25 million last season with the Washington Capitals. The lower amount helped the Wild squeeze under the $75 million salary cap. Winnik skated on the Wild’s fourth line Wednesday with center Matt Cullen and right wing Tyler Ennis. Coach Bruce Boudreau paired Winnik with Cullen on the penalty kill. After missing all seven preseason games, Parise hoped to practice Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday so he could be ready for Thursday’s opener at Detroit. But the Wild scrapped that plan earlier this week, announcing Parise would miss the Detroit game and Saturday’s game at Carolina before returning to practice next Monday. This opened a spot for Winnik, a 6-2, 210-pound Toronto native, who was on a professional tryout with the Wild. He notched one point (an assist) and 15 shots on goal during five preseason games. Last season, Winnik scored a career-high 12 goals for the Capitals, including three game winners. Winnik played for Boudreau for two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks earlier in his career. When the Wild invited Winnik to training camp, Boudreau said, “I firmly believe we got the best free-agent tryout guy out there.” Boudreau added: “I think we were in the top five in Anaheim [killing penalties] when he was there, and I think he was a mainstay with it. He’s a smart hockey player. He’s not going to score you 30 [goals], but he does all the other stuff real well.” After 25 consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Red Wings missed the cut last season, going 33-36-13 for 79 points. That was their final season at Joe Louis Arena, and Thursday, they will christen Little Caesars Arena. “Well, they’re tremendously quick, and it’s been a trait of Detroit’s for a lot of years,” Boudreau said. “Secondly, anytime you open a new building with a history that they have, I mean, the team is going to be jacked up pretty high. So we need to be ready right off the get-go.” The Red Wings went 3-4-1 in the preseason. “Anytime you’re playing a team that didn’t make the playoffs, they always — the beginning of the year — they think they have something to prove,” Boudreau said. “So they’ll be ready to play, and we just better be ready as well.” The Wild will play five of six games on the road to start the season, with their only home game in that stretch coming Oct. 14 against Columbus. “We can’t worry about that,” captain Mikko Koivu said. “Every team plays 41 games at home and on the road. We know it’s going to be a tough challenge going into these buildings, getting home openers and opening new arenas as well. But it’s all about the preparation and making sure we’re ready to go as a team.” Joel Eriksson Ek was on track to make the Wild’s opening night roster last season, but a work visa issue forced him to start with the team’s AHL affiliate in Iowa. Eriksson Ek wound up joining the Wild for the fifth game, scoring the team’s only goal that night, and finished with three goals and four assists in 15 NHL games. This time, Eriksson Ek gets to start the season in the NHL, holding down third-line center duties in between Marcus Foligno and Chris Stewart. “Opening that new building [in Detroit] is going to be a crazy moment of my hockey career,” Eriksson Ek said. “I think it’s going to be a fast-paced game. I think they’re going to come out hard, so we need to push the pace in the game and make sure to be ready.”

1076470 Minnesota Wild

Wild sign Winnik to 1-year deal after successful camp tryout

Staff Report Associated Press October 4, 2017 — 2:47PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild have signed left wing Daniel Winnik to a one-year, $660,000 contract. Winnik was in training camp on a tryout basis. He was a free agent after a career-high 12 goals in 72 games last season for Washington. The 32-year-old Winnik became more valuable to the Wild with a back injury limiting left wing Zach Parise, and Winnik was rewarded Wednesday with a contract. He's been on the fourth line with center Matt Cullen and right wing Tyler Ennis. The Wild will be his eighth NHL team. He played two seasons for Wild coach Bruce Boudreau when they were both with Anaheim. Winnik has 76 goals and 152 assists in 717 games, plus 58 games in the playoffs. The Wild open the season Thursday at Detroit.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076471 Minnesota Wild team’s new 6-2, 210-pound defenseman, clobbered anyone who touched goalie Devan Dubnyk. And when Dallas’ Antoine Roussel tried mixing it up with Suter, Stewart rushed right over to Suter’s defense. The Wild sought larger, more physical players in the offseason and found “I loved that,” Boudreau said. “It’s nice to know you’re going to have some support if people try to push you around.”

By Joe Christensen Star Tribune Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 October 5, 2017 — 12:48am

St. Louis didn’t just outscore the Wild in last April’s playoffs. The Blues were more physical, too. Their big, strong defensemen dominated corner battles and controlled chaos in front of the net, making things easier for red-hot goaltender Jake Allen. After that first-round exit, Wild General Manager turned an eye toward adding size and toughness when he made roster changes. Enter Marcus Foligno, a 6-3, 226-pound winger whose friends call him “Moose.” With that big fella in the fold, seven of the Wild’s 12 forwards are 6-2 or bigger and weigh more than 209 pounds. For comparison, Thursday’s season-opening opponent, Detroit, has three forwards with that much size, and Saturday’s opponent, Carolina, has one. “We have a big team now,” defenseman Ryan Suter said. “It’s funny, I remember a couple years ago the big joke was we don’t have enough small jerseys for the team. But now we’ve got some big boys and some boys that play hard.” Foligno scored 13 goals and delivered 279 hits for Buffalo last season, ranking fifth in the NHL in that latter category. In his very first preseason game for the Wild, he dropped the gloves and fought Winnipeg’s Brendan Lemieux. Last season, 6-3, 236-pound Chris Stewart had the most fights of any Wild player (10). Foligno had nine for Buffalo. “I think [Foligno’s] presence will make everybody tougher,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Stewie was always looking for a guy [to be a second enforcer]. He would have done it by himself, and he did do it by himself, but it’s always nice to have a little bit of a cavalry with you.” The trade that brought Foligno to the Wild included players big and small. Fletcher sent 6-foot, 180-pound forward Jason Pominville and 6-3 defenseman Marco Scandella to Buffalo for Foligno and Tyler Ennis, a 5- 9, 165-pound veteran whose stature is similar to that of former Wild forward Jordan Schroeder. Ennis has “a little edge to his game,” Wild assistant coach John Anderson said. “You know, he’s not afraid to go bumping, and what does he weigh, a little bit more than a Kleenex or something? But I love that he’s gritty.” Another forward gone from last season is 6-foot, 193-pound Erik Haula, who went to Las Vegas in the expansion draft. The Wild re-signed similar-sized Matt Cullen and have lanky Joel Eriksson Ek centering the third line. The 6-1 Eriksson Ek added about 10 pounds of muscle over the offseason, bringing him to 206. One of the Wild’s two go-to lines could be nicknamed The Tall Trees, with (6-4, 209 pounds) centering Nino Niederreiter (6-2, 216) and Charlie Coyle (6-3, 221). Those three combined for eight points in Saturday’s final preseason game against Dallas. “If you’ve got big guys who are slow, it’s noneffective,” said Staal, who led the Wild with 28 goals last season. “But we’ve got guys who are big and can move, which makes it difficult to defend over the course of a full year.” The Wild’s other top line has 6-3, 215-pound Mikko Koivu centering two of the team’s smaller forwards — Mikael Granlund (5-10, 185) and Jason Zucker (5-11, 187). The gelling of that line helped turn Minnesota into the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed heading into the playoffs. “There’s two ways to be aggressive: either through speed and puck pressure, or physical play,” Fletcher said. “A guy like Foligno is a beast on the forecheck. He can skate, he can arrive, and when he arrives he hits hard. “And yet, you also have guys like a Zucker who can pressure with the speed and hunt down pucks and really pressure defensemen that way. You need both speed and size. I think we’ve got maybe a little bit better balance this year than last year, but time will tell.” Boudreau saw plenty he liked, just in that final exhibition game against Dallas. Foligno delivered a crushing first-period hit. Kyle Quincey, the 1076472 Minnesota Wild offseason, and Boudreau said both he and Reilly have “improved greatly.’’ With standouts Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon reunited as the top pair, the Wild also will look for more consistent performances from Five elements for a successful 2017-18 Wild season second duo and Jonas Brodin.

By Rachel Blount Star Tribune Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 October 5, 2017 — 12:50am

Last year, when the Wild was adapting to the leadership of new coach Bruce Boudreau, the team finished with the best regular season in its history. Despite a franchise-record 106 points and 49 victories, a first- round playoff loss to St. Louis made for an abrupt and unsatisfying end to the season — and a long wait for the chance to try for a better conclusion. Most of the key players are back, and they have the benefit of familiarity with Boudreau’s systems and style. The cutthroat Central Division, though, leaves little room for error. Here are five elements that will be critical for the Wild to replicate — or surpass — last season’s performance. 1. Getting reliable production from its backup goaltenders. Last season, Devan Dubnyk was among the top goalies in the NHL until the staggering workload wore him down. Boudreau lost faith in backup Darcy Kuemper and used him sparingly, including only three starts in March and April. Though Dubnyk insisted he wasn’t weary from his 63 starts, Boudreau believed the stress took a toll. The coach hopes that South St. Paul native Alex Stalock — who spent most of last season in Iowa after being signed as a free agent — can play 20 to 25 games to help keep Dubnyk fresh. He thought Stalock’s “energy and life’’ fit well with the Wild in limited duty last season, and the goalie compiled a goals- against average of 1.51 and a save percentage of .947 in two preseason games. Niklas Svedberg, assigned to the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa, also had an impressive preseason and should provide depth. 2. Continued improvement from the guys born in 1992. General Manager Chuck Fletcher has noted that NHL players often have breakthrough seasons when they reach the age of 24. That led him to predict big things last season for Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, Nino Niederreiter and Jason Zucker. They didn’t disappoint. All were among the Wild’s top six scorers; Granlund led the Wild with a career-high 69 points, Niederreiter finished with a career-best 25 goals, and Coyle logged a career-high 56 points. Coyle said each of them has more to give, and all are determined to prove they can be consistently excellent. Niederreiter might project into the team’s top goal scorer. Granlund and Zucker thrived playing wings on Mikko Koivu’s line, with his success in the faceoff circle a crucial component. 3. The guys on the older end of the roster deliver again, too. A trio of thirtysomethings — Eric Staal, Mikko Koivu and Ryan Suter — also helped drive last season’s success. A revitalized Staal, 32, led the Wild with 65 points in his most productive season since 2011-12. Koivu, 34, was a Selke Trophy finalist and finished with 58 points, his best output since 2010-11; Suter, 32, remained among the NHL leaders in ice time with nearly 27 minutes per game. But will they be able to maintain that pace? The Wild remains a team without a sharpshooter, so getting scoring throughout the lineup will be important. Boudreau said the Wild’s improved depth at forward — including the addition of 40-year-old center Matt Cullen — will allow him to hold players’ ice time to a reasonable level, which should benefit the veterans. 4. Keeping Zach Parise healthy and at his goal-scoring best. The alternate captain’s back already has left a hole in the roster, as Parise will miss at least the first two games of the season because of the lingering injury. He spent most of training camp skating on his own and never took contact in practice. Though Parise’s point production declined during an illness- and injury-pocked season in 2016-17, he remains an emotional leader and the Wild’s standard for tough, tireless and poised play. Boudreau has said if Parise is healthy, the 33-year-old is capable of producing 25 to 30 goals. If he isn’t, that leaves a significant void in the locker room and on the stat sheet. 5. Maintaining a stout defensive corps youngsters stepping up. The Wild gave up a top-four defenseman when it traded Marco Scandella to Buffalo last summer for forwards Marcus Foligno and Tyler Ennis, and depth defenseman Nate Prosser left via free agency. That creates opportunity for two highly regarded youngsters, Mike Reilly and Gustav Olofsson. Reilly is likely to start the season on the third defensive pair with free-agent signee Kyle Quincey, matching a veteran known for steady, physical defense with an offensively skilled player who has 46 games of NHL experience. Olofsson added bulk and muscle during the 1076473 Minnesota Wild (five) and shots (159) while breaking the franchise record for consecutive regular-season games played (313).

Yet he also has been frustratingly inconsistent, often going dormant for Selfish desires: Wild's Charlie Coyle must pass less and shoot more long periods after showing how brilliant he can be. Last season, his first under Boudreau, Coyle started out on the top line with Staal and Zach Parise; he scored a team-high 12 goals through the first 33 games, By Rachel Blount Star Tribune culminating in a four-point performance against the New York Rangers on Dec. 23. But after Jan. 1, his scoring and shooting fell off sharply. October 5, 2017 — 12:27am Over one 10-game stretch in January, Coyle took a total of seven shots. That was part of a 37-game span in which he scored three goals, including 10 games in a row without a point. The coach could not contain For the most part, Bruce Boudreau appreciates the many virtues of Wild his ire, demoting Coyle to the fourth line and growling, “He’s not looking forward Charlie Coyle. Hard worker? Great. Good teammate? Absolutely. to shoot, ever.” Unselfish? Coyle rebounded with strong play late in the regular season and during a Yes, but … first-round playoff loss to St. Louis. He’s well aware of his reputation for “One thing he never did last year was shoot the puck,” the Wild coach uneven performances, something he would like to remedy. said, his exaggeration hinting at his exasperation. “That’s got to change.” “I’m usually pretty hard on myself,” he said. “I expect more from myself. I Coyle’s generosity and good nature have made him plenty of friends as want to be more consistent. Things come up, but you have to find a way he begins his sixth NHL season. While Boudreau has no problem with to stay focused and play through them. him offering someone else the last piece of pie in the buffet line, he “Everyone goes through lapses. But there are ways to diminish those, to wants to see Coyle get a little more greedy on the ice, beginning with find ways to play your game night in and night out. I can definitely do Thursday’s season opener in Detroit. that. I’m looking forward to proving that this year.” Whether he’s playing wing or center, Coyle’s default setting has been to Boudreau has an idea of how to start. His primary aim for Coyle is to get pass rather than shoot. That instinct generated a career-high 38 assists him to shoot more, using his size, speed and dexterity to create last season, part of a 56-point effort that continued his steady statistical opportunities — and then actually taking them, rather than looking for a improvement. teammate. Yet it also vexed Boudreau, who wanted to see the 6-3, 221-pound “He needs to have that power-forward mentality, like he had during the forward use his full capabilities on a more consistent basis. preseason,” Boudreau said. “He’s in such tremendous shape. When he’s Coyle is expected to start the season at right wing on a line with Eric driving his legs and playing with a little bit of edge, he’s a really good Staal and Nino Niederreiter, where Coyle’s unique blend of muscle, size player.” and finesse could propel him from a solid player into a star. During the Coyle launched 159 shots last season, a career high but still fewer than preseason, he heard Boudreau’s plea, firing a team-high 20 shots — and his coach wants. Several teammates said they understand the tendency scoring on three of those, while collecting three assists as well. His to pass — including Niederreiter, who fights the same inclination — but mission now is to maintain that frame of mind through an entire season, Staal hopes a strong start will get Coyle in the habit of shooting more even if it goes against his instincts. often. “I know I have to be more selfish,” said Coyle, 25, who had two game- “A lot of times, shooting is a natural instinct,” Staal said. “Some guys winning goals in five preseason games. “It doesn’t come naturally, but it’s don’t have it as much. But when Charlie is on his game, he’s making the right thing to do. simple plays and shooting pucks. He’s going to be important to our team, “You don’t get that many opportunities to shoot the puck in this league. and I think he can have a big year.” When you do, you have to take advantage. Being selfish here is a good All the coaches can do, Boudreau said, is to keep reminding Coyle not to thing most of the time. I just have to get it into my head to put it on net, pass up a good shot. Even if he doesn’t score, he can create a chance and not always look for other guys and try to make the pretty play.” for someone else off a rebound, and he can keep opposing defenses Coyle spent his summer as he always does: in his hometown of honest by preventing them from focusing exclusively on his linemates. Weymouth, Mass., just up the shore from the lobster shacks and beach Coyle admitted it would be a waste not to shoot more this season, given houses of Cape Cod. While others enjoyed the sun and sand, he all the work he put in over the summer to hone his technique. He also sequestered himself in the gym and on the ice with specialists who work said the Wild’s core of players in their mid-20s — including himself, with him throughout each offseason. Niederreiter, Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker — must advance Strength and conditioning coach Brian McDonough has incorporated beyond the “baby steps” they’ve taken over the past few seasons. yoga and Pilates into Coyle’s workout routine. Adam Nicholas, his Besides shooting, his personal to-do list includes winning one-on-one skating and skills coach, has taught him how to be more elusive and battles, being a reliable physical presence, improving his leadership and create more space for himself. elevating his play whenever the situation demands it. Shooting savant Glen Tucker — whose NHL clientele includes John If he can achieve all that for his team, Coyle won’t have to feel guilty Tavares and — has tutored Coyle for two years, helping about being a little more selfish with the puck. him develop a quicker release and take an accurate shot even in a tight “We have the pieces in place to have a great team and make a run,” he space or odd angle. said. “I know I need to be much better, to take that responsibility, to rise That team has expanded Coyle’s skill set and fitness every summer. Last to the occasion. I feel like I’m ready.” month, he aced Boudreau’s feared skating test on the first day of training

camp, then carried his improvement through an outstanding five-game preseason. Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 “I’m really impressed with the player he’s turned into,” said Wild center Matt Cullen, in his second stint as Coyle’s teammate after playing with him during Coyle’s NHL debut season in 2012-13. “Not many guys have that combination of size and skill. He’s such a dangerous player, because when he gets the puck, he can beat you in so many ways.” That’s what the Wild expected when it acquired Coyle in a draft-day trade in 2011. General Manager Chuck Fletcher was intrigued by the big- bodied player with the refined hands and nimble feet of a smaller man. Once Coyle was in the system, he enhanced his reputation by being a conscientious and friendly teammate who always was trying to improve. Judging strictly by his statistics, Coyle has progressed every year. His point total has risen each season, reaching a career high of 56 in 2016- 17. Last season, he established career bests in game-winning goals 1076474 Minnesota Wild

Projected Wild line combinations

Staff Report October 4, 2017 — 5:52PM

PROJECTED WILD LINEUP Goalies 40 Devan Dubnyk 32 Alex Stalock Defensive pairs 20 Ryan Suter 46 Jared Spurgeon 24 Matt Dumba 25 Jonas Brodin 27 Kyle Quincey 4 Mike Reilly Line combinations 22 Nino Niederreiter 12 Eric Staal 3 Charlie Coyle 16 Jason Zucker 9 Mikko Koivu 64 Mikael Granlund 17 Marcus Foligno 14 Joel Eriksson Ek 10 Chris Stewart 26 Daniel Winnik 7 Matt Cullen 63 Tyler Ennis Injured: 11 LW Zach Parise (back) Spare: 23 D Gustav Olofsson

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076475 Minnesota Wild

The Wild's deal for Charlie Coyle

Staff Report October 4, 2017 — 11:06PM

A really big deal Charlie Coyle was at the center of one of the major trades in Wild history. On draft night 2011 — at Xcel Energy Center — he was obtained from San Jose. Here’s a breakdown of the trade six years later. San Jose got ... Defenseman Brent Burns. A pending free agent at the time, Burns was moved partly because the Wild would have faced salary cap issues. He turned out to be a franchise player, won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman last season and sparked his team to a Stanley Cup Final in 2016. The 6-5, 230-pounder also has been marketing gold for the league with his unique lifestyle and Sasquatch-like grooming habits. The second pick (37th overall) in the 2012 draft. Eventually the pick, traded three times, landed with Nashville, and the Predators took Swedish winger Pontus Aberg. He was a hero in the Predators’ Stanley Cup playoff semifinal series against Anaheim last season. Now 24, he has been in more NHL playoff games (18) than regular season games (15). The Wild got ... Forward Charlie Coyle. Coyle was San Jose’s first-round pick (28th overall) in 2010 out of Boston University. He had a career-high 56 points last season. Winger Devin Setoguchi. Setoguchi scored 31 goals for the Sharks in 2008-09 but struggled with the Wild. He was traded to Winnipeg in 2011 for a second-round draft pick that the Wild used in the Jason Pominville deal. He has acknowledged heavy alcohol use during his career and entered rehab in 2015. A first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2011 draft. The pick, center Zack Phillips, never played in the NHL. Phillips played with Coyle for Saint John in the QMJHL when he was drafted. His best minor league season was 33 points in 76 games for Iowa. He’s now in England, playing for the Nottingham Panthers.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076476 Minnesota Wild

Preview: Wild opens 2017-18 season at Detroit Red Wings

Staff Report October 4, 2017 — 11:06PM

Wild to christen Red Wings’ new arena in season opener Preview: The Wild begins its 17th season at the Red Wings’ new arena, marking the first time it has been the opponent for an arena’s first NHL regular-season game. In its past 10 games against the Red Wings, the Wild is 5-2-3, with seven of those games decided by one goal. It has earned at least one point in four of its past five games in Detroit. Players to WATCH: Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk is one victory away from reaching his 100th with the Wild. He is 99-54-13 since joining the team on Jan. 15, 2015, with a 2.17 goals-against average and save percentage of .924. Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard is 13-3-3 against the Wild, with a GAA of 2.16 and save percentage of .908. Numbers: The Wild is 9-5-2 in season openers, with a 1-4-1 mark in season openers on the road. Injuries: Wild F Zach Parise (back) is out indefinitely. Red Wings F Eric Tangradi (knee) is out, and D Niklas Kronwall (groin) is doubtful.

Rachel Blount Star Tribune LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076477 Minnesota Wild

Wild, Daniel Winnik agree to one-year deal

By Dane Mizutani | [email protected] | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: October 4, 2017 at 1:31 pm | UPDATED: October 4, 2017 at 2:03 PM

After a few weeks of flirting, the Wild and Daniel Winnik agreed to terms on a one-year $660,000 contract on Wednesday afternoon. Winnik, 32, is slated to make his club debut in the season opener against the Red Wings on Thursday night in Detroit. He has been practicing on the fourth line this week alongside Matt Cullen and opposite Tyler Ennis. Winnik played in five preseason games for the Wild. It also helped matters that coach Bruce Boudreau was one of his biggest fans. In fact, Boudreau called Winnik the best tryout guy on the market before training camp started. Winnik helped solidify the fourth line as a member of the Washington Capitals last season. He also scored career-high 12 goals in 72 games, while logging tons of minutes on the penalty kill, too.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076478 Minnesota Wild Parise, however, continues to struggle with back issues that have sidelined him in the past.

“Nobody knows how that plays out,” Fletcher said. “It’s hard to predict Is Wild ‘difference-maker’ Zach Parise starting to break down? these things. It’s hard to know what sets things off here. … There’s no reason to believe he can’t get back to 100 percent.” By Dane Mizutani | [email protected] | Pioneer Press Parise has acknowledged that he “probably” will have to monitor his current of injury for the rest of his career. He has met with reporters only PUBLISHED: October 4, 2017 at 4:52 pm | UPDATED: October 4, 2017 once this season and stressed his desire to be healthy before playing in at 9:14 PM a regular-season game. “You want to go in without nursing something,” he said. “I want to go in and not have that stuff be at the top of my mind — just go in and relax Zach Parise shows off his shiner as he hits the ice for the Wild's morning and play — and that’s what I’m shooting towards.” skate on Thursday, March 30, two days after taking a debilitating high stick to the face in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals at Xcel Parise’s style doesn’t lend itself to staying healthy; he’s most effective as Energy Center. (Courtesy of MN Wild) a gritty player unafraid to go to the dirty areas. Zach Parise shows off his shiner as he hits the ice for the Wild’s morning “He’s a hard-edged player,” NBC analyst Pierre McGuire said. “If a guy skate on Thursday, March 30, two days after taking a debilitating high plays that way, and he has played that way throughout his whole career, stick to the face in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals at Xcel though, at some point things break.” Energy Center. (Courtesy of MN Wild) It raises the question: Does he need to change the way he plays? Since aggravating his back before the start of training camp, Zach Parise has been more or less a recluse. A perfect example of that came “He can’t change the way he plays,” Nanne said. “That is what makes Wednesday morning as the Wild finalized preparations before the season him who he is, and I don’t see him ever playing differently because I don’t opener against the Red Wings on Thursday night in Detroit. think that’s in his makeup.” Parise skated alone in an empty Xcel Energy Center about an hour It’s not simple as former NBA superstar Kobe Bryant adding a post game before the rest of his teammates hit the ice. He retreated to the locker late in his career. Parise has made a living playing a certain way and room shortly after he was finished, presumably to get more treatment, wouldn’t be nearly as effective player if he completely altered the way he before heading home for the day. played. A few hours later, his teammates boarded a charter plane destined for “Here’s the thing about this sport: goal scorers have to be goal scorers, Detroit. playmakers have to be playmakers, two-way players have to be two-way players, gritty, grimy, hard-edged guys have to be gritty, grimy, hard- It’s not exactly the scenario general manager Chuck Fletcher envisioned edged guys,” McGuire said. “You know, everybody has a different skill when he inked Parise and Ryan Suter to matching 13-year, $98 million set, and they have to stick to that.” contracts a little more than five years ago. McGuire said he views the Wild as a legitimate contender this season, Parise, 33, and Suter, 32, have combined for 155 goals and 300 assists but a lot of that hinges on Parise’s health. since signing in July 2012 and have helped lead the Wild to the playoffs in each of the past five seasons. That said, the Wild haven’t sniffed a “I would expect that if they’re going to have any kid of serious ability to Stanley Cup, never making it past the second round of the playoffs since compete, he’s going to have to be an important part of that group,” they signed. McGuire said. “They have to find a way to get him healthy.” That’s not what Wild owner Craig Leipold had in mind when he In the meantime, the only thing the Wild can do is wait. committed to the mammoth deals, especially as it appears Parise — who “You know, certainly he’s a guy that we need on our team,” Leipold said. has spent a career in the corners and in front of the crease — might be “We need a healthy Zach Parise because he adds a dimension that we starting to break down with eight years left on his deal. don’t have, and he’s a difference-maker, so we want him on our team.” “I would’ve done the same thing over again; there’s no question about that,” Leipold said last month. “We wanted those two players. We needed them. It was an opportunity that was presented to us at the time, and we Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.05.2017 had to go for it.” In a vacuum, it was the right move. Aside from going down as one of the marquee moments in franchise history, it gave the Wild instant credibility as one of the better teams in the Western Conference. “You make a deal thinking about the positives, and it has been positive for the Wild,” said Lou Nanne, former longtime general manager with the North Stars. “What (general manager) Chuck (Fletcher) did to get Parise and Suter here was tremendous. Would I make that deal if I was him? In a heartbeat. “That day changed the landscape of the franchise. Even having a hurt Parise right now, I think it was still worth every penny.” It won’t be if he can’t finish out his contract. Parise has struggled to take his game to the next level since coming to town as a tenacious winger on the brink of superstardom following a Stanley Cup Finals run with the New Jersey Devils. Injuries have undoubtedly been the biggest road block. He has missed 63 games since signing, including the entire 2016 postseason with back issues. Suter, by comparison, has only missed five games in five seasons. He’s essentially the same player he was when he signed, an elite blue liner that made a name for himself with the Nashville Predators early in his career. While he’s danced around questions about Parise, Fletcher said he won’t be surprised if Suter signs another contract eight years from now. “This guy could play to 45 if he wants,” Fletcher said. “That’s exciting to me that he continues to evolve and find ways to keep quickness and keep his game at a high level. You know, a lot of players have already fallen off by their early 30s … and these guys continue to evolve and get better.” 1076479 Minnesota Wild

Wild know it’s a marathon, not a sprint in hellacious Central Division

By Dane Mizutani | [email protected] | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: October 4, 2017 at 6:49 pm | UPDATED: October 4, 2017 at 7:13 PM

While the Wild are prepping for what they hope is another special season, something standing in their way might be the hellacious competition within the Central Division. “They are playing in the most difficult division in the entire league,” said NBC analyst Pierre McGuire, who considers the Wild a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. “So even though people have great expectations for this bunch, as do I, anything can happen because of the division in which they play.” No doubt the Wild, who open the season on Thursday night against the Red Wings in Detroit, are one of the best teams in the Central Division once again. They return most of the core from last season’s team that set a franchise record for points (106) and wins (49) and added even more depth up front in the offseason. Still, with the Nashville Predators making it to the Stanley Cup last season, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Dallas Stars reloading in the offseason, and the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets posing a threat every night, there likely won’t be many easy intradivision games this season. “There’s really only one soft touch and that’s the Colorado Avalanche and they’re always going to play hard and when teams go out there they have to worry about the altitude so even that makes it difficult,” McGuire added. “It’s a murder’s row of teams in the Central Division.” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau relishes the challenge. “Well, it means we have to be consistently good or we’re going to fall by the wayside,” Boudreau said. “It’s not like a few years ago — not necessarily in the Central Division — where in some of the divisions a team could lose a few games in a row and know they were going to make up some games. It’s going to be marathon and every game from Game 1 to Game 82 is going to have special meaning.” Wild owner Craig Leipold, who said last month that anything short of a Stanley Cup would be a disappointment, joked that it might be more fun if his team played in a weaker division. “It’d probably be better for us,” Leipold said with a laugh. “You know, by Game 30 or something there will be a bit of a falling out. You’ll figure out who are the real deals and who are the wannabes. I’ve got a lot of confidence in this team and … I think we’re going to be one of those teams that shows people that we’re for real.” “If everybody plays up to their capabilities, they could go all the way,” added Lou Nanne, former longtime general manager with the North Stars. “In fact, I’ve talked to some people in Pittsburgh, and they thought the Penguins would be facing the Wild in the Stanley Cup Finals last season. If they play like they’ve shown they can play, they could go all the way. At the same time, because of the division they’re in, they could also miss the playoffs. That is really how tight this NHL is.” In the meantime, with the Wild starting the season with five of six on the road, general manager Chuck Fletcher is simply focused on starting on the right foot. “If we can get through those games OK then we’re in good shape because we’re knocking a lot of road games out right away,” Fletcher said. “You just don’t want to fall behind.” As a member of the Central Division, if the Wild do fall behind, it might be hard to make up ground.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076480 Montreal Canadiens The defence is likely to be a puzzle all season after the departures of Markov, Nathan Beaulieu and Alexei Emelin, but they signed free agent Karl Alzner from Washington to pair with Jeff Petry and 39-year-old Mark Habs' balanced, four-line attack good news for young players Streit, who should start with Jordie Benn. by Dave Peters, / 15h // keep unread // hide Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017

Coach Claude Julien likes to use four balanced lines, and that is good news for the Montreal Canadiens’ young players. Nineteen-year-old defenceman Victor Mete, 22-year-old centre Jacob De La Rose and 23-year-old left winger Charles Hudon were on the team’s 23-man roster at the deadline on Tuesday and will at least start the season in the Canadiens lineup. Mete spent nearly all of training camp paired with top defenceman Shea Weber and was a standout, even if he may still be sent back to the junior London Knights before reaching the 10-game limit when it would count as a year served toward eligibility for free agency. There is also the fear that, while the 19-year-old looked good in the pre- season, he may not be ready for live-fire NHL action and may be better served spending an extra season in junior and almost certainly playing for Canada at the world junior championship. But with the departure of veteran Andrei Markov, there is a need for a quick, puck-moving defenceman and, at least until newcomer David Schlemko returns from a bruised hand, Mete may fill that hole. “We put Victor with a guy with whom he’ll feel confident, and it’s really paid off for him,” Julien said. “And if he’s going to stay here, you want to continue to do those things.” Hudon paid his dues for three years in the American Hockey League and was another camp standout. He has also put up four assists in the six NHL games he has played. The five-foot-10, 188-pound winger, a 2012 fifth round pick, is expected to start the season on a line with another youngster, second-year winger Arturri Lehkonen and veteran centre Tomas Plekanec. Youthful linemates with skill may be just what is needed to put a spark back in Plekanec’s offensive game after skating mainly in a defensive role with grinders in recent seasons. “They’re young guys and I’ve been in their shoes, so I know how they feel and I’ll try to help them out,” said 34-year-old Plekanec, who also spent three seasons in the AHL before making the Canadiens for good in 2006-07. “And they’ll help me out with their energy.” Lehkonen, 22, had an impressive 18-goal campaign as a rookie last season. The Finn, a second-round pick in 2013, hopes having experienced the rigours of an 82-game NHL regular season will harden him for an even better sophomore campaign. De La Rose, another 2013 second rounder, has played 64 NHL games over three seasons. While his defensive game looked solid, the 22-year- old Swede scored only four times. The Canadiens want him to shoot more and have him on a line with 22-goal scorer Paul Byron and veteran Ales Hemsky, although veteran may also take De La Rose’s spot. “He didn’t play that well in games at the start of camp and we felt he was trying to find himself a bit, but in the last games he was a lot better,” Julien said of six-foot-three De La Rose. “It wasn’t just the two goals he scored (in the final pre-season game), but those goals showed people who think he’s strictly a defensive player that he has offensive qualities as well.” The 2013 draft pick getting most of the attention is Jonathan Drouin, who went third overall that year to the Tampa Bay Lightning because of his evident mix of speed, skill and vision. The Canadiens sent top defence prospect Mikhail Sergachev to the Bolts for Drouin and signed him to a long-term contract. Now they hope he can become the high-scoring first-line centre they have been seeking for years. He will start the season between captain Max Pacioretty and digger Brendan Gallagher. Another line that can score has Phillip Danault between gifted left winger and the gritty Andrew Shaw. “If you look at our team, every line is able to score goals and has an offensive guy who can make plays and score,” Plekanec said. “It doesn’t matter who you play with on this team.” 1076481 Montreal Canadiens “The game adapted to his style,” said Bergevin. “Ten years ago, maybe five years ago, it would have been tougher for him to play. That game goes to those type of players. He’s a really good skater, he moves the Pat Hickey: Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin expects more offence this puck well, he closes the gap. He doesn’t defend with his size, because season he’s not that big, but he’s very smart and he’s got a good stick. “In all the time he’s played, he was used to being the smallest so he’s learned to play that way,” noted Bergevin. “From what I’ve seen, he by Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette / 14h // keep unread // hide doesn’t look out of place defending. Even some big guys get beat, but I saw him a couple of times on the ice against (Auston) Matthews in Toronto and he didn’t look out of place.” With another NHL season underway, general manager Marc Bergevin Bergevin is expecting big things from Drouin, he has a consistent 30-goal said there’s little margin for error as the Canadiens pursue a playoff scorer in Max Pacioretty and then there’s Alex Galchenyuk. berth. “He has to play better than last year and he knows that. If I recall, up to “When I started scouting, I’d pull out the schedule and say there’s a the point when he got hurt in L.A., he was pretty good and then he stretch where we should be able to get some points,” said Bergevin. missed seven weeks and was never the same. I’ll give him the benefit of “Those days are long gone. There are no easy games anymore. the doubt, I’m not saying he came back too soon, but he lost that magic.” “Obviously (goaltender Carey Price) is a big part of our team, but we So how does he look this year? need 20 guys pulling together every night,” said Bergevin. “We can’t have any passengers, the league is too good. It’s a one-goal league. It took 92 “I thought he started a little slow, but the got better and, especially the points to make the playoffs so if you play .500, you have 82 points. But if last game, we saw the Chucky we want to see on a regular basis,” said you could add 10 points in shootouts or overtimes, you get those points Bergevin. you need.” The Canadiens have shelved the idea of Galchenyuk as a centre, but That was the case last year when 39 of the Canadiens’ 82 games were Bergevin noted that things can change quickly. decided by one goal. The Canadiens had a 14-9 record in overtime and shootouts. “Lines get stale and it’s a coach’s job to make changes,” said Bergevin. “In Montreal, you change and everyone goes ‘oh, my God,’ but every As Bergevin watched the team in one of its final practices before team makes changes.” Thursday’s season opener in Buffalo, he discussed a busy off-season that resulted in a large turnover in personnel. Ten of the 24 players on Offence was a problem last season and Bergevin hopes the addition of the current roster were not on the team at the end of last season. Drouin and Charles Hudon and an improved power play will boost production. “There are guys we wanted to keep but, for many reasons, we couldn’t keep them,” said Bergevin. “It’s part of today’s NHL when you’re dealing “What we don’t want is to play run-and-gun,” said Bergevin. ”I’m not with the cap. Players have value but, at some point, there’s the saying I want to play a defensive game, but we have to be responsible.” expression you have to cut bait. Bergevin still has the money he budgeted for Markov or Radulov. He “If you had unlimited cap space, you could give everyone what they didn’t see anything worth buying in the off-season, but he could have want,” said Bergevin “There’s a market value for players and you have to north of $8 million available at the trading deadline. However, Bergevin respect that. I set market value for players and you go with it. This year said there are no guarantees he’ll go shopping in the spring. was different because we had an expansion draft and everyone lost one “It depends on where we are and who is available,” said Bergevin. “It player Some teams were more affected by that than others. We lost might be like last year, when everyone was in and there was nobody (Alexei) Emelin, but we replaced him with a guy like Karl Alzner, so we available.” didn’t go backwards.” Prediction for Habs’ 2017-18 season: Any team with a healthy Price is Where the Canadiens might have gone backward is the loss of veteran guaranteed a trip to the playoffs. But success in the spring will depend on defenceman Andrei Markov and forward Alex Radulov. Markov went whether Pacioretty, Drouin and Galchenyuk can end the scoring drought back to Russia, while Radulov jumped to the Dallas Stars. and how Bergevin uses his slush fund. “I like Marky but he’s 39 years old, I’m not losing a 21-year-old defenceman,” said Bergevin. “I tried to keep him. I made him a fair offer that was good enough to keep him, but he decided otherwise. It’s part of Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 the business.” Markov averaged 22 minutes a game last season, with bursts to 25 minutes, but Bergevin saw signs that the Russian was slowing down. “I don’t think that 25 minutes was realistic,” he said. “His hockey IQ was never in doubt. He’s a smart player. But we all saw where we had those stretches where we had (three games in four nights) and five in eight, and it caught up with him. Maybe he was more an 18-minute defenceman than a 25.” As for Radulov, Bergevin said he was disappointed the player turned his back on the Canadiens after Bergevin gave him a chance to return to the NHL. The GM insisted he matched Dallas’ five-year, US$31.25-million deal before Radulov signed with the Stars. Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien left, speaks with reporters as general manager, Marc Bergevin right, looks on at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard on Monday, April 24, 2017. One training camp surprise was 19-year-old defenceman Victor Mete. He’s a fourth-round draft pick from 2016 and he’s hoping to stick longer than 2016 first-rounder Mikhail Sergachev, who was returned to junior after only three games last season. “As we speak today, he’s on the ice,” said Bergevin. “I can remember clearly that, if I compare last year’s camp of Sergachev with this year’s camp of Mete, I think Mete had a better camp. So far, Mete deserves to be here. Will he stay? That remains to be seen. We have some time to decide.” Sergachev, who was traded to Tampa Bay to acquire Jonathan Drouin, is an imposing physical specimen at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, while Mete is 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds. 1076482 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens at Sabres: Five things you should know by Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette / 12h // keep unread // hide

The Canadiens open their 2017-18 season Thursday when they play the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Arena (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). Road warriors: The Canadiens are starting on the road for the fourth consecutive season and for the 14th time in the past 16 years. This is the third time in that span that the Canadiens have opened the season in Buffalo and those earlier games could have turned out better. Montreal lost a 5-4 shootout in 2007 and was on the short end of a 2-1 shootout in 2009. This is the start of a three-game road trip for the Canadiens who play the Washington Capitals Saturday and the New York Rangers on Sunday. The first game at the Bell Centre will be Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Starting him young: Victor Mete, the 19-year-old defenceman from the OHL’s London Knights will make his NHL debut in this game. Mete overcame long odds to make the roster. A fourth-round pick (No. 100 overall) in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Mete was the 32nd defenceman selected in the draft. Mete is hoping to avoid the fate of Mikhail Sergachev, who was picked ninth overall in the same draft. He started last season with the Canadiens, but was returned to the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL after appearing in only three games. Mete should receive a baptism of fire because he’s scheduled to play alongside Shea Weber on the Canadiens’ No. 1 defence pairing. Striking it rich: Jack Eichel joined the ranks of the NHL’s super-rich Tuesday when he signed an eight-year extension worth US$80 million. Eichel was the consolation prize when the Sabres lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Connor McDavid lottery in the 2015 draft. When the contract kicks in next season, Eichel will join McDavid, Carey Price, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Anze Kopitar in the group of players with salary-cap hits of at least $10 million. Agent Peter Fish said the Eichel left some money on the table so that the Sabres would have some extra cap room. Gio will be missed: It’s going to feel strange to watch a Canadiens- Sabres game without Brian Gionta in the lineup. Gionta, who has served as the captain in Montreal and Buffalo, wasn’t offered a contract by the Sabres at the end of last season. He’s an unrestricted free agent and will probably join the U.S. team for the coming Winter Olympics in South Korea. But there are three other former Canadiens in the Buffalo lineup — defencemen Nathan Beaulieu and Josh Gorges and forward Benoit Pouliot. The Edmonton Oilers bought out Pouliot’s contract in the off- season and Buffalo became the seventh NHL stop for the 31-year-old winger. Trading partners: The Canadiens and the Sabres swapped a couple of high-priced minor leaguers Wednesday. The Canadiens sent defenceman Zach Redmond to the Sabres for left-winger Nicolas Deslauriers. Redmond, 29, who had five assists in 16 games for the Canadiens last season before they buried him in St. John’s, has a year remaining on a one-way deal that pays him $675,000. Deslauriers, a 26- year-old LaSalle native, played 211 games for the Sabres during the past four seasons but he became expendable when Buffalo acquired Jordan Nolan. A 6-foot-1, 215-pounder, Deslauriers will add some toughness and Québécois content to the Laval Rocket while being paid $775,000.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076483 Montreal Canadiens

Not being noticed is nothing new for Canadiens' Karl Alzner by Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette / 11h // keep unread // hide

With so much of the focus on 19-year-old defenceman Victor Mete during the Canadiens’ training camp, Karl Alzner became somewhat of a forgotten man. “It’s perfect,” Alzner said with a smile after the Canadiens practised Wednesday morning in Brossard before heading to Buffalo for the season opener Thursday against the Sabres (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio 690). Alzner was GM Marc Bergevin’s biggest off-season signing, agreeing to a five-year, US$23.125-million contract as a free agent after spending the last nine seasons with the Washington Capitals, who selected him in the first round (fifth overall) at the 2007 NHL Draft. Not being noticed is nothing new for Alzner — which can be a very good thing as an NHL defenceman. When you don’t notice Alzner, that means he’s doing his job. Last season with the Capitals, the 29-year-old posted 3-10-13 totals and was plus-23, while averaging 19:47 of ice time. When asked to describe his game, the 6-foot-3, 217-pounder said: “Well it’s pretty simple really. That’s it, simple. I try and keep the game as easy as possible, everything in front of me. Over the last few years, I’ve been trying to add a little bit more offensively. But my game is safe. My game is try to be reliable, try to be consistent. I love to block shots, which some guys don’t really like that, and help out the goalie as much as I can. Going into more detail, getting the puck out of the zone clean by making a pass is I think important and something I try to do. There’s a few things behind the scenes, in the room and just away from the rink, that I think I bring to the team.” What kind of guy is Alzner away from the rink? “I like to think I’m welcoming,” he said. “I don’t wake up too many days and I’m upset. I like to always come with a smile on my face. I try to talk with everybody and make everyone feel comfortable and at home. I think that was my role in the last few years, at least in D.C. When people came to the team, it was me that would kind of go out and reach out and be that guy. I like to think that I’m just kind of an open book. You got a question, you come to me. You want to know how I’m feeling, you’re going to see it on my face and it’s usually pretty positive.” Here’s a question: What does Alzner think about Mete, who will play his first NHL game Thursday night. “He’s a popular guy amongst the guys,” Alzner said. “He’s got a great nickname … we call him ‘Meat’. “We were trying to figure out how to pronounce his name at first, so we all just said Meat,” Alzner added. “When you have a nickname like that, everybody talks to you a little bit more and he seems like a really, really great guy. So that makes it even better. We’re really excited to have him and he’s a heckuva player, too. So we’re pretty fortunate.” Mete will start the season on the top defence pair with Shea Weber, while Alzner will be with Jeff Petry. Alzner’s simple, steady game should help the smooth-skating Petry. “I want to give him some freedom if possible because everyone knows he can skate like the wind … it’s pretty crazy,” Alzner said. “So I want to be able to let him use that as much as possible and know that he can take a chance when he needs to take a chance or stay up a little bit longer if he wants to because I’ll be back there for him. I want to be able to be reliable for him … let him know that I’m always going to be in this one spot, I’m always going to be right here in this position so he can find me and we can get out of the zone quick. With my style of game, that’s the No. 1 thing is getting out of the zone.” Simple — but effective.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076484 Montreal Canadiens The Lightning selected him with the No. 3 overall pick at the 2013 NHL Draft.

Drouin was asked if the fact his father didn’t push him into organized Stu Cowan: Skating didn't come easy for Canadiens' Jonathan Drouin hockey when he was young might have helped him in the end. “Maybe it did,” Drouin said. “He was always: ‘Whatever you want to do.’ I by Stu Cowan, Montreal Gazette / 10h // keep unread // hide played tennis, I played golf. So for me, when I decided it was hockey it was hockey for him as well and he pushed me in a good way. He saw that I was having fun as a kid playing hockey and he saw I didn’t really like the skating part, so he pushed me a bit that way.” made cross- mandatory last March for all players under age 7 starting this season, meaning they will play on a rink It turned out to be a very good move. divided in half, skating across the ice rather than the full length.

The thinking is that young players will have more fun and develop better skills on the smaller surface, which makes sense. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 Ken Campbell of The Hockey News wrote an excellent article about the change and the uproar it has caused mainly in the Toronto area from parents who think the decision to play cross-ice hockey will hurt their Little Johnny’s chances of playing for “select” 6-year-old teams, not to mention the ultimate goal of making the NHL. Someone should tell those parents that the Canadiens’ Jonathan Drouin never played organized hockey until he was 8. OK, I’ll tell the story. Drouin, who was born in Ste-Agathe, loved hockey from a young age — but there was one problem. “I didn’t like skating,” Drouin recalled after a recent practice in Brossard. “I hated the skating part … I wasn’t good at it. When I got on the ice, I used to get off really quick. I guess when you’re a kid you cry and you want to get off.” That doesn’t mean Drouin stopped playing hockey. He would play road hockey “10 hours a day” and also go on the outdoor rink wearing his boots. “I would just stand in front of the net and wait for passes or play goalie,” Drouin recalled. “At one point, my dad said if you want to play you’re going to have to take your boots off and put some skates on and go out there. Eventually, he just threw me out there on skates and said: ‘You’re not coming off no matter what.’ “I got used to it and kept going.” Drouin played his first season of organized hockey at the Novice B level and recalled it was “a little rough.” But by the end of that season his skating had caught up to the other kids as he continued to go to the outdoor rink and also play road hockey. “My hands were first developed off the ice, but I realized if I wanted to be a hockey player I needed to start skating,” Drouin said. “When you spend time at the outdoor rink, you spend time doing different stuff. I still like to do that when I’m here (at the practice rink in Brossard). I do a lot of stuff … I always want to get better.” A common sight during the Canadiens’ training camp was Drouin still on the ice after practice ended, stickhandling around the ice and shooting pucks into the net. Just like a kid on an outdoor rink, although now Drouin is skating in a much brighter spotlight. Drouin will make his Canadiens debut Thursday night when the season opens in Buffalo (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio 690) after being acquired this summer from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for top defence prospect Mikhail Sergachev. In a city starving for a French- Canadian superstar, the 22-year-old Drouin certainly looks ready to fill the role. His hockey skills speak for themselves, but he is also confident and a little cocky, which is a good combination to succeed in Montreal’s hockey fishbowl. “There’s obviously the pressure of playing in Montreal … everybody knows that,” Drouin said after the trade was made. “But for me as a player I think I’d rather have that pressure on myself than some other places. I’m a French-Canadian and I like pressure … I like that stuff. I’ve played at the Bell Centre many times as an away guy and just to be on the home side is going to be even better.” The Canadiens will play their first three games on the road with stops in Washington Saturday and New York against the Rangers Sunday, before their home opener next Tuesday against Chicago. Drouin said he first realized how good he had become at hockey in his first year with the midget Lac St. Louis Lions, when he posted 22-36-58 totals in 38 games and thought he might have a chance to play in junior “and do something with that.” He certainly did, posting 41-64-105 totals in 49 games with the QMJHL’s in the 2012-13 season. 1076485 Montreal Canadiens Ottawa Senators and (yes) the Toronto Maple Leafs. It says here that Boston will slip into a group with the second tier including Detroit, Buffalo and Florida. Jack Todd: Canadiens' drive for 25 begins with renewed optimism A wave of injuries to key personnel and all bets are off — but that’s true of any team in the league. If the Canadiens are healthy, the key will be how well Julien can sort out the blue line, with regulars Nathan Beaulieu, by Dave Peters, Montreal Gazette / 15min // keep unread // hide Alexei Emelin and the redoubtable Andrei Markov all gone along with Sergachev, who figured to be in the mix this season.

Even on the back end, there is reason for optimism. Jordie Benn is here With apologies to the analytics crowd, a hockey season (any hockey for the duration, Victor Mete could be spectacular if he sticks and no season) is about stories. team with Weber in the lineup is entirely weak on the blue line. There are intertwined stories that must be untangled, one strand at a But the story? That will be young Jonathan Drouin of Ste-Agathe. time. There are little stories you find in a corner of the dressing room, write in 30 minutes and forget. There are stories writers tell each other Bonne chance, Jonathan. while waiting at airports, stories teams make up for nosy reporters, stories that dominate an entire news cycle and vanish. Then there’s the over-arching narrative, the story that dominates a Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 season more than any other. Parsed and pondered and spun, it will come to define the histories that are written long after the ink has dried on yesterday’s newspaper and the digital columns have vanished into the cloud. Last season was all about the trade that shipped You-Know-Who to Nashville for Tower of Power Shea Weber. Weber was a season-long force on the blue line and during the playoffs he locked up Rangers’ forward Chris Kreider and threw away the key — but You-Know-Who almost won a Stanley Cup for the Predators while playing every game entirely by himself. (Or at least that was the narrative.) The year before that was the Season Carey Price Got Hurt. No need to add a thing to that one. There was the lockout season, the season Chris Kreider barrelled into Carey Price and might have kept the Canadiens from a Stanley Cup final. Going farther back, there was the year Saku Koivu beat cancer, the year Mario Tremblay drove Patrick Roy all the way to Colorado, the Miracle Cup years of 1971, 1986 and 1993. This season, for better or worse, will belong to Jonathan Drouin. No, he won’t be the team’s most important player — that will be Carey Price as long as he is here. But Drouin will be the story. A major francophone talent with considerable charisma and the ability to fill that top-line centreman role that has been a question mark since Koivu’s skills began to erode? Of course he’s the story. The Hate Fans have already decided that Mikhail Sergachev, the top prospect who was sent to Tampa for Drouin, will win multiple Norris Trophies while Drouin will choke. Mercifully, they’re wrong. From what we have seen so far, Drouin is a perfect fit as the Canadiens embark on their quest for a 25th Stanley Cup: personable, outgoing, articulate in both official languages and a brilliant talent on the ice who appears comfortable with the spotlight that will be on him in perpetually hysterical Montreal. Jonathan Drouin heads up ice during the Montreal Canadiens’ annual Red vs. White intrasquad scrimmage at the Bell Centre in Montreal, on Sunday, September 17, 2017. Even if Drouin fails, he’s still the story. But he won’t. Having him at centre ice transforms this team up front: At a stroke, the Canadiens have gone from being a hole-in-the-doughnut organization to one that is knee-deep in young centremen. If you’re looking for reasons for optimism as the Canadiens begin the season, Drouin is near the top of the list, but there are more if you keep an open mind: 1. The Kindly Old Coach. I’ve dealt in some way with every Canadiens coach since Pat Burns and Claude Julien tops my list, slightly ahead of . He’s the salt of the earth, a genuinely good man and a superb coach. He has the Stanley Cup ring to prove it. There’s a reason he’s tapped to work the bench with Mike Babcock on the world’s biggest stage. And this time, he’s here for an entire season. 2. Balanced scoring. It will take some tinkering but with Andrew Shaw coming alive, Drouin in the middle, Paul Byron and Charles Hudon burning up the ice, Brendan Gallagher healthy, Alex Galchenyuk capable of an explosion at any time and steady Max Pacioretty kicking in his 35 and Weber on the point on the power play, this team can score. 3. The Wall. You don’t write off any team with Carey Price, period. Incredibly, general manager Marc Bergevin was ripped for signing the Hall of Famer long-term. There are always surprises, but I see the Canadiens in a tight four-way fight at the top of the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the 1076486 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens trade Zach Redmond to Buffalo and Andreas Martinsen to Chicago

Posted by Stu Cowan

Defenceman Zach Redmond was the best player on the ice for the Laval Rocket during their 7-5 AHL pre-season win over the last Sunday afternoon at the new Place Bell and someone from the Buffalo Sabres must have been watching. Later in the day, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin dealt forward Andreas Martinsen to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forward Kyle Baun. Deslauriers, 26, and Baun, 25, will both report to the AHL’s Laval Rocket. In Deslauriers, the Canadiens are getting a 6-foot-1, 215-pound forward who was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round (84th overall) at the 2009 NHL Draft. In 211 career NHL games with the Sabres, the LaSalle, Que., native has 12-18-30 totals with 186 penalty minutes. In 42 games last season with the Sabres, Deslaurier had no goals, two assists, 38 penalty minutes and was minus-6. Baun, a 6-foot-2, 209-pounder, was never selected at the NHL Draft and has played in only five career NHL games with no points. In 74 games last season with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, Baun posted 14-20-34 totals and was minus-14. Redmond played 16 games with the Canadiens last season with no goals and five assists. He played 26 games with the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps, posting 4-14-18 totals. Redmond will join two other former Canadiens defencemen with the Sabres: Josh Gorges and Nathan Beaulieu. The Canadiens acquired Martinsen at the NHL trade deadline last season in exchange for Sven Andrighetto. Martinsen was pointless in nine games with Montreal and was minus-4, while Andrighetto had 5-11- 16 totals in 19 games with the Avalanche.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076487 Montreal Canadiens “Everybody’s going to make mistakes,” Julien said. “When we talk about mistakes, it is a game of mistakes. But the type of mistakes you make is really what you look at. If it’s a real costly mistake and the puck keeps Claude Julien wants Victor Mete to stick with Canadiens for entire ending up in your net because the same guy makes those big mistakes. season … There’s a difference between a guy who makes a little mistake … it’s just minimal and you just say listen, learn from it and let’s move on. No harm done … there was another layer behind you. So those are things that happen throughout the game on both sides. Posted by Stu Cowan “It is a game of mistakes, but at the end of the day you just got to make sure that those mistakes are not huge and costly,” Julien added. “So that’s why you tell a player go out there, play your game. I want them to Victor Mete will be in the Canadiens’ lineup when they open the NHL be comfortable. I want them to feel like I’ve got the confidence in him. I season Thursday night against the Sabres in Buffalo (7 p.m., TSN2, don’t want him worrying about me watching him waiting to make a RDS, TSN Radio 690). mistake. I want him to know that I’m pushing him out there and I want to And coach Claude Julien hopes the 19-year-old defenceman, who was see good things. It really is the approach that you have with the player the biggest surprise at training camp, will remain with the Canadiens for and how comfortable you make him feel and that’s something that I like the entire 2017-18 season. to do with guys that get called up or guys that are starting their first real game in the NHL.” “Right now, we’re starting with Victor thinking that he’ll be here all year,” Julien said after practice Wednesday morning in Brossard before the A guy like Mete, in other words. Canadiens headed for Buffalo. “We’re certainly not thinking like: Oh, we “I didn’t really see a big mistake from Victor (in the pre-season),” Julien might send him back after nine (games to the junior London Knights). I’d said. “I saw little things, maybe just getting drawn out a little too far out of rather think positively and I think what he showed in pre-season was very position. Those are minor things and those are things that you can easily good and if that changes we’ll deal with it then. But right now, I’m correct through video and stuff like that. But you look at those things and planning on having him here for the year and that’s the way we’re all then you look at what he brought — supporting the attack and not being feeling, actually, as a group. So now it’s up to him to continue to show afraid to go in there in the offensive zone and be part of the scoring those things that he showed us in pre-season.” opportunity … what he did on the power play. He seems to have lots of Mete, who is only 5-foot-9 and 184 pounds, was selected by the confidence. He’s a cold-blooded kid as far as nothing seems to bother Canadiens in the fourth round (100th overall) at the 2016 NHL Draft and him. Nerves of steel, call it what you want, but he doesn’t seem to be started training camp on the left side with Shea Weber on the No. 1 rattled about anything.” defence pairing. That’s where the teenager will be when the season Karl Alzner is also a newcomer to the Canadiens’ blue line after signing a opens in Buffalo. five-year, $23.125-million contract a free agent this summer, but he has When asked if he would try to shelter Mete when it comes to matchups nine years of NHL experience with the Washington Capitals. and faceoffs in the defensive zone, Julien told reporters: “You guys are The 29-year-old Alzner was asked if he had any advice for Mete. more worried about him than I am. You keep talking about sheltering the kid, and he’s been good. I like to think that I can coach well enough to “There’s a lot of challenges … living on your own and in a city like this, figure out if he needs sheltering or not at the time. Right now, I’m starting too,” said Alzner, who was the No. 5 overall pick by Washington in the without feeling like I have to shelter him too much unless he shows me first round of the 2007 NHL Draft. “It’s tough to just manage your time, that he need it, then I’ll adjust. manage your energy, all that kind of stuff. But playing defence is tough in this league … it doesn’t matter if you’re 19 or if you’re 35. It’s a difficult “Honestly, if you have a player on your team that’s that young and you position. feel you have to shelter him, maybe the decision would have been to send him back,” the coach added. “You don’t want to do too much … that’s always key as a defenceman,” Alzner added. “You keep things simple and you don’t always have to be When asked if Mete might live with one of his veteran teammates this noticed every single game. So that’s going to be important. But he’s season in Montreal rather than find his own place, Julien said: “We going to play exactly the way he’s been playing in training camp and he’ll haven’t really gotten there. We just made the decision yesterday to keep be fine.” him. After that, I think those discussions when he’s told to get a place will happen.” As for Mete being a fourth-round draft pick, Alzner said: “A lot of times at the draft so much goes into what you are at that point. Your size, your Three youngsters made the Canadiens’ final 23-man roster with forwards skill, your strength. And when you look past that, there’s so many guys Charles Hudon and Jacob De La Rose joining Mete. that slip by and still end up making it because they have it. They maybe “The one thing that I feel with the NHL today, in order to keep your club just haven’t matured into that person yet. He’s not the biggest competitive you got to keep bringing some guys in,” Julien said. “I think defenceman, but he’s got maturity, he’s got smarts on the ice and he’s it’s important that you bring some young guys along, especially when got skill. Once you get a little bit of experience, then everyone forgets they’re good young prospects that deserve to be there. Especially when about the size, which is sometimes hard to look over at that point.” they’re young, you can live with a few mistakes, but you see the bigger Julien held a huddle with his players at centre ice after Wednesday’s picture at the end of the road. Some guys are ready and they will have to practice. learn a few things along the way. Did he have a special message ahead of the season opener? “I’m happy that we’ve got some young players on our team that are going to kind of rejuvenate a lot of people, like (Charles) Hudon with Pleky “I have a huddle every day,” the coach said. “It was more about don’t (Tomas Plekanec). Those I think are good things for us.” stay too long on the ice because we got a bus leaving in about an hour (for the airport) … so that was the message. I don’t have to say much Hudon posted 27-22-49 totals last season with the AHL’s St. John’s about tomorrow. I think everybody’s excited about it. We’ll talk about IceCaps. tomorrow tomorrow. But today, I thought we had a good practice again. “He needed to prove himself, absolutely” Julien said about the 5-foot-10, Guys seemed to have some good jump, guys seem excited. That’s all a 188-pound Hudon at training camp. “I saw him in the (AHL) playoffs in coach can ask at this time of year.” Syracuse. It was just a matter of him coming in and showing that he was

ready to make that jump and he did that in pre-season. I know he slowed down at the end, but he still did a lot of good things. So it’s not just about Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 scoring goals, it’s about how good you are in the game and I think he’s very deserving of being here right now.” The Canadiens haven’t had a lot of success in recent years developing and keeping young players with Michel Therrien as head coach. Young players often seemed to be playing as though they were afraid to make mistakes for fear of being sat on the bench, sent to the press box as a healthy scratch or demoted to the AHL. Things could be different this season under Julien. 1076488 Nashville Predators

Predators' new national anthem singer to be chosen by fan vote

Adam Vingan, USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee Published 7:31 a.m. CT Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 8:37 a.m. CT Oct. 4, 2017

Every morning during the Predators' season, "Morning Skate" will highlight the odds and ends surrounding the team. Consider this a one- stop shop for Predators-related information. You may have heard that the Predators are in search of a new anthem singer. You see, their previous performer publicly aired his grievances during the playoffs and won't be returning, so the team has an opening. The Predators held auditions during the preseason, with the four finalists each performing at a home game. A vote will decide which singer will earn the position. The second- and third-place vote-getters will act as fill- ins throughout the season. You can vote on the Predators' website until 5 p.m. Thursday.

Tennessean LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076489 Nashville Predators “look terrific” and that the team’s overall health other than Ellis is “promising.”

That’s not all that’s promising. Johansen, Ekholm, , Viktor Predators up for another big run? A big letdown? It's all on the table Arvidsson, P.K. Subban, Calle Jarnkrok, Colton Sissons – there’s a ton of young talent on hand. If Fiala helps fill some of that Neal void and Austin Watson takes another step and Craig Smith bounces back, the idea of Joe Rexrode, USA TODAY NETWORK -- Tennessee Published 12:54 this team missing the playoffs seems far-fetched. p.m. CT Oct. 4, 2017 Laviolette has seen it before, though. He won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and missed the playoffs the next season. A series of significant injuries contributed to that. The Nashville Predators are going to win it all. The Nashville Predators are going to miss the playoffs. But these Predators and those Hurricanes are similar in the fact that other teams are going to be more juiced to play them on a nightly basis Professionals who cover the National Hockey League and are required to during this 82-game grind. And if these Predators want to be like last make preseason predictions have put their names on both of those season’s Predators at the end, they’d make it easier by not emulating last statements. To give specific examples, USA Today’s Jimmy Hascup and October’s 2-5-1 start. Mike Brehm have the Preds following up their first-ever Stanley Cup Final with their first ever Stanley Cup. Frank Seravalli from TSN and Greg “I know we felt good going into last year,” Laviolette said. “It wasn’t like Wyshynski from Yahoo! Sports have them failing to make the postseason we sat there going, ‘Oh boy’ before the puck even dropped. You know – Wyshynski calling for a sixth-place finish in the Central Division, ahead what I’m saying. Like, when your power play goes bad in the month of of only basement fixture Colorado. January, you don’t plan for that. You can only work to fix it and correct it. And you don’t know when it’s going to happen. But as things come up This means nothing, of course, to the Predators, who start their Western like they did in October last year, we did our best to address it internally, Conference championship defense Thursday at Boston. we had a lot of meetings, we talked about a lot of different things, and I think we eventually got to the point where we worked through that. So I’d “If we looked at predictions from the playoffs, we would have been gone like to say we’ve learned from that, and that possibly we’re in a better in the first round,” defenseman Mattias Ekholm said of a sweep of spot with regard to that. But we’ve got to go out and have a better Chicago that got it all rolling. “And the second. And the third.” October.” Very true. But these assessments do speak to the difficulty of knowing

what to expect from this team. You won’t find any others out there with a range of outside expectations that wide. This sport is the most difficult to Tennessean LOADED: 10.05.2017 peg, from season to season and from regular season to postseason. And even with that in mind, the Predators are a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, cradled in the of a Pekka. It all starts with goaltender Pekka Rinne, four weeks from his 35th birthday and four months removed from the run of a lifetime. He and the NHL’s best defensive quartet were spectacular all the way until a heartbreaking Stanley Cup Final Game 6 home loss to the Penguins on a fluky goal to break a scoreless tie with 1:35 left in regulation. Now he’s going to try to ramp it up again after a happily abbreviated offseason. The cross training and kale shakes have him feeling good, he says. And he also understands rising backup Juuse Saros will have a big role again – maybe a bigger one – to lighten Rinne’s load and help him be fresh again for the postseason. “He’s at that point of his career where he’s ready to take that next step,” Rinne said of Saros, and the closeness of their relationship is a good thing for the Predators. Saros, 22, and Miikka Salomaki, 24, the other two Finnish players on the team, stayed at Rinne’s house during the preseason. He did not set a curfew for them, though he quipped: “I should have.” He did make his famous salmon for them. And this is an example of the chemistry on this team that helped it recover from last season’s rough start, scrape into the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the West and turn it on from there. It should be strong again this season, though it’s the second straight season of captain transition – from traded Shea Weber to Mike Fisher a year ago, and now from retired Fisher to Roman Josi. “All three are great leaders, easy to love and respect,” said Rinne, and with Josi the Predators will have a consistently positive and easy-going presence who can mix it up when needed on the ice. They won’t have Josi’s defense partner, associate captain Ryan Ellis (knee surgery), until January. That’s a huge absence and a reason to question this team. They also won’t have consistent scorer James Neal, the Vegas Golden Knights’ expansion pick, and they will miss Fisher’s presence. They won’t have Frederick Gaudreau, at least not to start. The surprise hero after No. 1 center Ryan Johansen was lost to a thigh injury in the Western Conference final, Gaudreau did not make the roster. Pontus Aberg likely will not be on one of the Predators’ four lines to start the season. That suggests they played above their heads in the spring, that they aren’t ready to be consistently what they were during the postseason. Or maybe it suggests this team just has too much depth, bolstered by the additions of and Scott Hartnell. Take your pick. Salomaki has been a revelation in the preseason, and he might have been a bigger factor last season if not for multiple long-term injuries. Coach Peter Laviolette said Johansen and Kevin Fiala (broken femur) 1076490 New Jersey Devils stage for these women to really have a spotlight put on them in non- Olympic years.”

Despite the salary cuts, the absence of national team stars this season The Devils and the Riveters Form a Hockey Partnership and litigation against the league by previous investors, Skillen said the Devils reached out to Rylan before the end of last season to begin discussions for a more formal partnership. By SETH BERKMANOCT. 4, 2017 Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who also own the N.B.A.’s , bought the Devils in August 2013. Last month, they formed Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment for their holdings. The Devils will become the first N.H.L. team to hold an ownership stake in a women’s professional hockey franchise, agreeing to a three-year “We will continue to champion and provide a venue for youth hockey in partnership with the Riveters of the National Women’s Hockey League. New Jersey, while giving this dynamic team of professional players the The deal is expected to be announced Thursday morning. best facilities available, in which they may train, play and inspire the next generation of women’s hockey athletes,” said Hugh Weber, president of The Devils’ investment includes providing rent-free facilities for Riveters Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, the Devils and Prudential games and practices in Newark, and assisting in sponsorships, ticket Center. sales and marketing. The teams declined to discuss the financial terms of the partnership. In part because of a $50,000 infusion from Dunkin’ Donuts, the N.W.H.L.’s major sponsor, the league stayed afloat last season and “To have an N.H.L. franchise putting their stamp of approval on us, it’s hosted its first All-Star Game, in Pittsburgh, with support from the game-changing,” said Dani Rylan, the founder and commissioner of the N.H.L.’s Penguins. N.W.H.L., which was created in 2015 with four teams, in New York, Connecticut, Boston and Buffalo. Rylan said the ability to plug into an N.H.L. franchise’s marketing engine over one weekend grew her league’s fan base by 15 percent last The Riveters, known as the New York Riveters in their first two seasons, February. will be rebranded the Metropolitan Riveters. Their uniforms will change from a red, white and blue color scheme to the Devils’ red, black and For the past two seasons, Ashley Johnston, the Riveters’ captain and an white. All-Star last season, has commuted to practices and games from Albany, where she has a full-time job. When learning of the Devils deal, she The Riveters’ season opener, on Oct. 28, will be a doubleheader with the hoped that other N.H.L. teams would follow in a similar fashion. Devils at the in Newark. The Riveters will host the at 1:30 p.m., while the Devils will play the Arizona Coyotes “My hope is this acts as a catalyst for other N.H.L. teams to support and at 7 p.m. Rylan said more doubleheaders were possible. work alongside N.W.H.L. teams in their markets across the U.S.,” she said. As a part of the deal, the Devils will promote Riveters events on television broadcasts, arena displays and online media platforms, Rylan said. The two teams will also collaborate to develop girls’ and women’s hockey programs throughout the area. New York Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 In previous years, some Canadian N.H.L. teams have offered some financial and promotional support to members of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, and occasional C.W.H.L. events have been held in N.H.L. arenas. But over all, the N.H.L. has been tepid in its support of women’s professional hockey. The league provided ice time for an exhibition at the 2015 Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., but in statements since the N.W.H.L’s birth, N.H.L. officials have questioned the viability of having two women’s professional hockey leagues in North America. On Sept. 6, the N.H.L., along with other hockey governing bodies, released a “declaration of principles” to foster more inclusiveness in hockey. “We expect this deal to be a large domino, not only in our current markets but in future expansion markets as well,” said Rylan, who would like to add two teams in the near future. “We think this is ultimately going to change our trajectory significantly, and having an N.H.L. club back our brand and the women’s game, it is going to be exciting to see the ripple effects of this deal.” The Riveters will continue playing their home games and practices at the Barnabas Health Hockey House in Newark, which is next door to the Prudential Center and serves as the Devils’ practice rink. During their inaugural season, in 2015, the Riveters played at Aviator Sports and Events Center at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. The partnership comes at an important time for the N.W.H.L. It was the first women’s professional league in North America to offer salaries, but was stymied last November when unexpected pay cuts created an uncertain future. Meanwhile, the rival C.W.H.L. will begin paying players and expand to China this season. Many of the N.W.H.L.’s biggest draws and merchandise sellers are members of the United States women’s national team, who will not play in the N.W.H.L. this season as they prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. In June, the N.W.H.L. reached a deal with Twitter to live-stream games. Nine of the 19 scheduled matchups to be broadcast on Twitter will be played in Newark. And Steve Skillen, the N.W.H.L.’s chief financial officer, said the Devils partnership should accelerate player visibility. Rylan said: “It’s incredibly important for us to continue to grow the brand of women’s hockey regardless of what year it is, whether it’s an Olympic year or otherwise. I think the larger the microphone, the better our opportunity is to do that. That’s what we have here with the Devils, a 1076491 New Jersey Devils

Projecting Devils' opening night lines, pairings

Posted October 04, 2017 at 07:30 AM | Updated October 04, 2017 at 07:41 AM By Chris Ryan

The Devils trimmed their NHL roster to 23 players on Tuesday, giving a good indication of who will play when they hit the ice on Saturday for their season opener against the Colorado Avalanche. Here's a look at how the Devils could line up their forwards and defensemen to start the season. NHL: Preseason-New Jersey Devils at Washington Capitals FORWARDS 1st Line Taylor Hall - Pavel Zacha - Kyle Palmieri Hall and Palmieri have their spots locked down, and Zacha has practiced between the two for a good portion of time since the final preseason game. Devils coach John Hynes called it a "strong possibility" that Zacha starts between them. 2nd Line Marcus Johansson - Nico Hischier - Drew Stafford Nico Hischier played his way into a top-six role in the preseason, and with him and Zacha in the middle, Marcus Johansson can play in his most natural position n the left side. Stafford also had a strong preseason and showed he can give the Devils a strong scoring presence in the top six. 3rd Line Jesper Bratt - Adam Henrique - Stefan Noesen The Devils want Henrique at center with Travis Zajac and Brian Boyle out, even if it means putting him on the third line. What that does do is give the Devils a third line capable of creating scoring chances with Henrique's skill, Bratt's speed and Noesen's nose for the net. 4th Line Miles Wood - Blake Coleman - Jimmy Hayes Wood's speed and Hayes' size would combine to make the Devils' fourth line tough to play against, and Coleman is strong on the defensive end as well. This is also a line that can create its fair share of scoring chances.

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What Nico Hischier expects in his Devils debut

Updated on October 4, 2017 at 2:41 PM Posted on October 4, 2017 at 2:27 PM By Chris Ryan [email protected],

NEWARK -- Nico Hischier wants just one thing when he makes his NHL debut for the Devils on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche. "I except the win," Hischier said. "A good team effort and get those two points, and that's all we want." Even though his spot on the roster was already solidified, Hischier had his NHL dream fulfilled on Tuesday. Hischier was one of the 23 players to make the Devils' final roster, and throughout training camp, Hischier said he wasn't looking too far ahead to the start of the season. Now with the first game just days away, it's starting to come into focus. "It's kind of a dream come true," Hischier said. "As a young player you dream about this moment to play your first game, and it finally comes up, and I'm really excited and happy that I made the team." Devils coach John Hynes already said Hischier carved out a role in the team's top six, and in recent practices, the center has lined up with left wing Marcus Johansson and right wing Drew Stafford. Assuming those are Hischier's line mates on opening night, he'll be playing with two forwards where there is already an established comfort level. "They help me a lot. Obviously they're great players, and already in this league for a while," Hischier said. "I can look up to them, hear what they say to me and try to do that the next shift. It's easy to play with them. I like to play with them, and I think we have good chemistry." Hischier led the Devils with seven points in four preseason games, where he quickly showed what impact he could make on the Devils' lineup. Stats aside, Hischier just tried to put his best foot forward in training camp, and it helped set him up for a big role in his NHL debut. "I didn't have too much or too high of expectations," Hischier said. "I just tried to come in here and show what I can do and play as a team player and help my team. That's what I tried to do, and I think I showed that well, so now I'm really proud and happy to be part of the roster."

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John Hynes explains why Joseph Blandisi and John Quenneville missed final Devils cut

Updated on October 4, 2017 at 4:41 PM Posted on October 4, 2017 at 4:12 PM By Chris Ryan [email protected],

NEWARK -- The Devils' decision to cut forwards Joseph Blandisi and John Quenneville on Tuesday came down to roster construction. Coach John Hynes said the two players had strong camps and remain vital part of the organization, but when the Devils looked at the players they could use to start the season, Blandisi and Quenneville would have started farther down on the list potential power-play options. Instead of just limiting Quenneville and Blandisi's time to 5-on-5, the Devils opted for forwards such as Blake Coleman and Brian Gibbons -- two strong penalty killers -- to round out the team. Blandisi and Quenneville will likely return to the NHL at some point, and Hynes didn't rule out the chance of the roster changing again before opening night. Here is how Hynes fully explained the decision to send Blandisi and Quenneville to Binghamton on Tuesday. "It's a credit to John and Joe. Both guys have played well. As we said all along, it's been very competitive up front," Hynes said. "Both guys came in in better shape than they had a year ago, so that was a step in the right direction for them. But when you look at the lineup, those guys that are pretty strong 5-on-5. Their element on special teams is on the power play. "We feel right now with the group we have, they wouldn't get much time on the power play or beyond the power play. They're two younger guys in our organization who, one of the reasons we kept them all the way through, till basically 1:00 p.m. on (Tuesday), they did make strong cases for themselves. We value them as players. They're a big part of our team. But it's important for guys to be able to play. "If they're playing the fourth-line role, no special teams, if they're rotating in and out as a 13th or 14th forward, that's not good for their development. We feel like they're going to be guys who will help impact our team and be important players, but we haven't even played a game yet in the year. "It's important for them in Binghamton to play in roles where' they're key contributors to their team, they're driving the team in Binghamton, they're playing in the special situations and having themselves sharp. If we need to make a decision early next week or before game one, we want those guys to be ready to come in and contribute. "They're still young players in our organization. We feel like we have lots of young players in our lineup right now. We had to make a couple decisions, and those are the ones we made, and we feel like it's what's best for our team, our organization and the players."

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Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 4 D Andy Greene

Andrew Gross, Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 8:37 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 8:37 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017

Beat reporter Andrew Gross explains why captain Andy Greene ranks where he does on the Devils Top 10 Countdown. Andrew Gross/NorthJersey.com No. 4 Name: Andy Greene Position: Defenseman Age/Height, Weight: 34/5-11, 190 2016-17 Statistics: Four goals and nine assists in 66 games New Jersey Devils' Andy Greene, left, checks New York Why he’s important to Devils: The Devils captain since 2015, Greene plays a majority of the important minutes at even strength and on the penalty kill and is also used occasionally on the power play. Not necessarily the fastest skater or biggest player on the ice, Greene uses a high hockey IQ to consistently be in the right positions and often outthinks the opponents. Coach John Hynes and general manager Ray Shero have both said they would like to use Greene in more offensive situations, particularly the power play, and consider Greene one of the Devils’ better offensive-minded defensemen but often the need to use him on the penalty kill or against the opponent’s top line limits Greene’s usage in more offensive situations. As befitting a captain, Greene has also proved to be a very good off-the-ice mentor to many of the Devils’ younger talent. Quotable: “He’s the backbone of the D corps,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “A veteran presence, a very smart player. A very consistent player. He understands the game very well and we count on him to be the leader of that group back there as we have some young guys we feel are some good players and can use some leadership.”

Bergen Record LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076495 New Jersey Devils need to make a decision early next week, or before Game 1, whenever it may be, we want those guys to be ready to come in and contribute.

“They’re still young players in our organization,” Hynes added. “We feel Devils' Hynes breaks down the roster decisions like we have lots of young players in our lineup right now and we had to make a couple of decisions and those are the ones we made and we feel it’s best for our team, the organization and the players.” Andrew Gross, Staff Writer, @AGrossRecord Published 3:38 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 3:39 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 Bergen Record LOADED: 10.05.2017 Devils coach John Hynes explains why the team chose to keep 13 forwards and eight defensemen on its initial roster. Andrew Gross/NorthJersey.com The Devils practiced on Wednesday for the first time since trimming their roster down to the regular-season 23-man maximum. So it was the first opportunity to get an explanation from coach John Hynes on why some of the decisions were made as they were. To review, here is the complete Devils’ roster after Tuesday’s cuts: Goalies – Keith Kinkaid, . Defensemen – Butcher, Andy Greene, Ben Lovejoy, John Moore, Mirco Mueller, Dalton Prout, Steven Santini, Damon Severson. Forwards – Bratt, Coleman, Gibbons, Taylor Hall, Hayes, Adam Henrique, Hischier, Marcus Johansson, Stefan Noesen, Kyle Palmieri, Drew Stafford, Miles Wood, Pavel Zacha. So the Devils opted to go with eight defensemen and 13 forwards, rather than 14 forwards and seven defensemen. Devils coach John Hynes “We feel like 13 and eight is a more natural group to work with right now and some of the decisions we made we feel like our forward group wound up with some pretty strong chemistry and on the back end we feel like we may have even been able to keep nine D,” Hynes said. “We had to make some difficult decisions on D. We just felt going rest of the week of practice and a pretty heavy group of games (next week), we didn’t want to carry 14 forwards and have guys rotate in and out. Let some guys get some chemistry and some hard days of practice and same thing with the D.” Hynes said how to deploy the eight defensemen, knowing just six can dress, is a good question at this point. “Really a second phase of tough decisions with eight defensemen here, only six can play,” Hynes said. “We still have to make a decision by Friday which six of those eight are going to play and which 12 of the 13 forwards are going to play. It’s a good problem to have. Basically you have to go through it and look at who you have in your lineup with Travis (Zajac) and Brian Boyle out, what are some skill sets that we need, whether that might be special teams special situations as well as five on five play. We’ll discuss that further and come up with group we feel on Saturday gives us the best chance to win five on five and give our special teams the best chance to be successful.” One of the biggest questions raised since Tuesday’s announcement of the 23-man roster is how were forwards Joseph Blandisi and John Quenneville not included after very strong training camps. Quenneville had two goals and an assist in five games and Blandisi had a goal and three assists in four preseason games. The short answer: Hynes said it is better for both of the young players to get more playing time at Binghamton (AHL) right now than they would have gotten with the Devils. “It’s a credit to John and Joe both guys have played well,” Hynes said. “It’s been very competitive up front. Both guys came in in better shape than they had been a year ago, so that was a step in the right direction for them. But when you look at the lineup, those guys are guys that are pretty strong players five on five. Their element on special teams is on the power play. We feel right now with the group we have, they wouldn’t get as much time on the power play or be on the power play. They’re two younger guys in our organization, who, one of the reasons we kept them all the way through until basically 1 p.m. on the day we had, they did make strong cases for themselves. We value them as players, they’re a big part of our team. But it’s important for guys to be able to play. If they’re playing a fourth-line role with no special teams, if they’re rotating in and out as a 13th forward, that’s not good for their development. We think they’re going to be guys that are going to help impact our team and be important players. But we haven’t even played a game yet in the year. It’s important in Binghamton for them to play in roles where they’re key contributors to the team. They’re driving the team in Binghamton. They’re playing in the special situations and having themselves sharp and if we 1076496 New York Islanders

Islanders' Nick Leddy should be among NHL's elite defensemen, Doug Weight says

Updated October 4, 2017 7:33 PM By Arthur Staple [email protected]

When Doug Weight took over from Jack Capuano midway through last season, one of the first Islanders that Weight challenged to be better was Nick Leddy. Not that Leddy had been poor during the first half of the season — he did have seven goals and 14 assists in the first 41 games — but Weight saw in Leddy, and still sees, a defenseman with the sort of skill set to be “He should be in the conversation for those (All-Star) teams and Norris Trophies,” Weight said. “He can skate, he can shoot, he’s a savvy player as well. Maybe he doesn’t have the deception of a (Brent) Burns or a (Erik) Karlsson, but there’s probably three people in the world that do so I wouldn’t hold that against him. He’s right there in that upper echelon of D and he’s going to be big for us this year for sure.” Leddy has led Islanders defensemen in scoring each of his three seasons here and sometimes it’s easy to forget that he’s still only 26. Now as he enters his eighth year in the NHL, Weight may lean on Leddy even more — the defenseman averaged 22:43 a game last year and Weight could see him going over 24 minutes a night on a regular basis. For the soft-spoken Minnesotan, there’s lots of room to improve off last season’s career bests in goals (11) and points (46). “Obviously in the D zone, always keep getting better is my main objective,” said Leddy, who is already 15th on the franchise scoring list for defensemen with 123 points. “But also jumping in the play more, shooting the puck more, getting more pucks to the net and getting myself into those shooting areas to create opportunities.” Leddy heads into the season as the lone defenseman on the first power- play unit, one that now has Mathew Barzal distributing from the side wall. Barzal’s playmaking ability will likely free up Leddy to be in shooting position, something he’s needed reminders from Weight over the past couple seasons of power-play work. And Leddy is paired with Johnny Boychuk, a duo that was dominant at even strength when the two were acquired within an hour of one another on the eve of the 2014-15 season. Capuano paired Leddy with Travis Hamonic the first half of last season and both struggled; Weight reunited Leddy and Boychuk and the two were again solid possession-wise the second half of last year. “He’s an engine,” Weight said. “When he’s on his game we generally win and we generally look like we have the puck. Everybody comes off the ice, coaching staff says, ‘Geez, he can skate the puck, he can get out of trouble, he can create.’ I want to be saying that after a lot of games. It’s not easy to defend, some games are obviously tougher than others in that regard, but for the most part he’s getting more consistent.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076497 New York Rangers That, of course, was the brain contusion and hairline fracture of the skull he suffered when hit on the side of the head by a shot off McDonagh’s stick late in the first period of Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs The heart and soul of the Rangers deserves this honor against Pittsburgh. The 30-year-old Zuccarello said that while he is fine physically, there are times he still experiences some after-effects while speaking. By Larry Brooks “Sometimes I miss words,” he said. “If I’m excited or under stress and October 4, 2017 | 7:20PM talk quickly, I might miss a whole sentence. The doctors told me to expect. My language is around 85-percent, and I have to live with that. The doctors say it should get to 100-percent, but we’ll see.” Mats Zuccarello was a natural-born leader even before anointed as one By the way, there is no player on the Rangers with greater celebrity in his with an “A” on his sweater to symbolize his status as an alternate captain particular homeland than Zuccarello. The Norwegian publication for the 2017-18 season that commences Thursday at the Garden against Nettavisen has a correspondent here for the sole purpose of covering the Avalanche. He remembers the way it was for him when he first Zuccarello. arrived as a 23-year-old from Norway for training camp in 2010. He is to Norway as McDavid or Crosby is to Canada. When asked about And he is part of a group that is making certain it is not that way for the it, Zuccarello shrugged. young guys making their way into the NHL these days. “I wouldn’t be able to answer. You should ask him,” the winger said, “We’re not as tough on the younger guys as the veterans were seven or pointing to correspondent Roy Kvatningen, who was a few feet away. eight years ago,” Zuccarello told The Post when asked who looked out for him the way he and his teammates are looking out for 18-year-old “He is absolutely one of the biggest sports stars. Nobody in Norway is Cezch prodigy Filip Chytil. “It was a lot different then. That’s just the way bigger,” said the journalist, who speaks for up to 10 or 15 minutes with it was. Zuccarello following every home game. “If we don’t have ‘Zuccarello in our headline every day, nobody reads it. “I know that it must be a little scary for Chytil, coming to a new place, a new country, learning a new language and trying to fit into the best “It’s a little frustrating for both of us, and for him especially, because he league in the world. I’m doing what I can to make it more comfortable for doesn’t want the publicity. He is as down to earth as anyone. Very him. And with me and Rick [Nash] on his line, we talk to him a lot and are modest.” going to do what we can to make sure he has fun playing his game. The Zuccarello you’ve seen on the ice and his teammates have seen in “There are things he has to learn about playing in our end, he has to stay the room is the Zuccarello you and they are going to continue to get as tight and get the puck out, but he just has to play his game, be creative he enters his fourth full NHL season. The letterman isn’t going to be a and let his skill take over at the other end. We’ll read off him and try to changed man. make it as easy as we can for him. He just has to let his talent take over when we have the puck.” “My goals are team goals. If we succeed, I succeed,” he said. “I lead by example and by working hard on the ice. Off the ice, I try to keep it loose. The Rangers first signed Zuccarello as a free agent in May of 2010 after We’re in such a competitive environment and in such a serious business he dazzled for Norway in the 2010 Olympics playing under the name of that it’s important to have fun when we can. Zuccarello-Aasen. He also tore up the Swedish Elite League for MODO Hockey while winning the league’s 2009-10 MVP award. “That’s how I am.” He was a find. And during No. 36’s first training camp, the And seven years after running though the weeds, this Norwegian is an then-GM recited the first lines of a poem entitled either “The Wild Swans” alternate captain of the Rangers. by Erik S. Hansen or “The Battle of Copenhagen” by E.C. Stangland when asked about Zuccarello’s prospects for making coach John Tortorella’s team. New York Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 “Ten thousand Swedes ran through the weeds, chased by one Norwegian,” Sather replied, chuckling in front of a baffled audience. “We’ll see. He’s in the same boat as everyone else.” The boat soon set sail for Hartford and the AHL. Zuccarello made his NHL debut on Dec. 23, 2010 against Tampa Bay, getting 17:52 of ice time skating on the right with Brandon Dubinsky on the left and Derek Stepan in the middle. Ryan McDonagh would make his Rangers debut two weeks later. Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal are the only current Blueshirts to predate Zuccarello. But it took time for Zuccarello to establish himself. He played 42 games that year, but only 10 the following season, buried most of the year in the AHL. And then while the NHL was locked out in 2012-13, an unsigned Zuccarello, whose rights still belonged to the Rangers, took his talents to the KHL and Magnitogorsk. “I didn’t know what would happen but I thought going there, playing important games at a high level would help me become an elite player and give me my best chance of playing for the Rangers,” Zuccarello said. “I owe so much to [Winnipeg coach] Paul Maurice, because he told me that his goal was to do everything he could to get me back to the NHL. “To tell you the truth, I didn’t even play that well, but I worked hard and got into the best hockey shape of my life. And then I signed and came back at the end of that year. And beginning the next year, with AV here, I had a coach who believed in me.” Zuccarello, of course, was referring to Alain Vigneault, under whom the winger has blossomed. No Rangers skater wears his heart on his sleeve more than No. 36 and no Ranger plays with a harder physical edge or more passion than the new alternate captain. “I expect him to continue to influence and lead,” Vigneault said in announcing the selection. “I think he’s earned the respect of everyone in the NHL in nor just how he plays but the way he came back from a real serious injury.” 1076498 New York Rangers have their head down. They’re walking with their headphones in anyway (smile). It’s cool, more than anything, just kind of interacting with New York fans. Those are the people that I grew up knowing and the people I Kevin Shattenkirk on idolizing Leetch, loving OBJ and coming home was around my entire life, and for them to kinda stop me and want to talk or say hello or get an autograph, it’s something that I don’t take for granted as a professional athlete. I always tell some of the young guys, if they don’t like it or whatever, I’d say, “One day, no one’s gonna By Steve Serby recognize you, so just enjoy it while you’re kind of part of it.” October 4, 2017 | 8:02PM Q: But it can be a burden or a distraction, right? A: I know it’s definitely more pressure. I don’t think it’s a burden. I think I’m ready for it. I think at this point in my career, I’ve been through it a New Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk faced off with The Post’s little bit, so I know how to handle it. As a player, you have to challenge Steve Serby for some Q&A ahead of the Blueshirts’ season opener yourself to deal with new obstacles and push yourself to new extremes. Thursday night. Playing in New York as a player, the pressure is probably higher than Q: What message would you want to give to Rangers fans about you and anywhere else — a couple of teams in Canada have it. It’s time for me to about your new team? experience that and push myself into that situation because you can come out of it a much better player and a much better person if you can A: The thing that I’ve known or kind of learned is that even though not learn how to deal with that pressure and handle it and perform under it. It everyone on this team is from New York, they kind of think like New kinda forces you to always be on top of your game. It’s that constant Yorkers. They’ve kind of become New Yorkers by association (smile). push from the fans, from the media, that you have to use to kind of make sure that you’re not being complacent and taking any nights off. They just care about winning a Stanley Cup as much as the fans do. I guess we kind of share their pain, in a way. It’s something that we want Q: How many tickets did you have to get for the opener? more than them, and I think it’s important that they know that. We grew up our entire lives and envision winning the Stanley Cup. And I think we A: My cousin, James, and my oldest brother, Eric, organized a group of put everything we have into it, and I think when it fails for you as a player, about 120 people, and they all bought tickets on the Chase Bridge. it hurts more than you think. I think it’s good for them to know that even Q: What will your emotions be when you step on the ice Thursday night? though we may not show it on the outside, every year your window shrinks, and I think it means that much more to you. A: Without a doubt, I’ll be nervous. Warm-ups, you’re kinda trying to do your thing, but you’re peeking in your peripheral vision, looking to see if Q: Why can this team win a Cup? you know anyone in the stands, if they’re waving at you … but once the A: I think we have every single piece of the puzzle in play. We have game gets started — like, I look forward to getting through my first two goaltending. We have a great defensive corps that can move pucks and shifts, and then usually at that point is when things usually click in and it be as tight in the defensive zone as we can be creative in the offensive becomes another hockey game and you’re able to settle into the game zone. Our forwards are extremely skilled. We have a tremendous amount itself. of speed up-front. Once we get the chemistry with a few new faces in Q: Rangers fans? here and things start clicking, we’re a team that’s deep, and I think that we can just keep rolling four lines and really just overwhelm teams with A: I think they’re passionate, that’s for sure. They’re always hungry for the speed and the creativity and the skill that we have. championships. I think that’s the most important thing as a player that you have to realize is that New Yorkers expect the best or nothing. That’s Q: What drives you? the way that they view every season — it’s win or bust. They’re extremely A: I think throughout my career, I’ve kind of always been put in the supportive. I think for as critical as they can be, if we are to win a Stanley second tier of — I think everyone thinks I’m a good player but not quite Cup here, it’ll be that much sweeter to do it in New York, not only for me good enough to be one of the top guys. And I think that’s what drives me. but for all of these guys because I think New Yorkers will take care of I kinda play with a little chip on my shoulder with something to prove. you, appreciate you, until the day you leave the earth. They’re that loyal. When you look at the best defensemen in the game, they’re obviously all Q: You were 5 when the Rangers won the Cup in 1994. exceptional players, but I think I can be considered in that class, and that’s why I’m here, to kind of try to be that guy. A: I remember Game 7 against the Devils. I remember the parade and how big that was. Q: Your on-ice mentality? Q: Do you visualize holding the Cup? A: I like to be aggressive. I like to take risks at the right time. I like to push for offense and try to bury teams when you can. I’ve learned in a lot of A: One of my good friends (Nick Bonino) the last two years has played playoff games and big games that when you sit back like that, it feeds for the Penguins. The image of him holding the Stanley Cup has made it other teams’ momentum and allows them to build their game and get more real to me. When you see someone you know who’s won it, it really back into games when you should be trying to keep making plays and fuels you to want to win it. It makes me want to get it even more because frustrating them with puck possession and just not sitting back and I know how sweet it was for him. … I envision myself holding a Cup one making it easy on them. My old coach used to say I play my best when day, and I think that’s what you have to do as a player. we’re down by a goal because I just play and don’t think and just try to be aggressive, make plays offensively, and that’s kind of the mentality that I Q: Henrik Lundqvist. try to play with is play with desperation, play urgent. A: He’s always kind of on. He’s always focused in practice. He holds Q: A scouting report on Kevin Shattenkirk. himself to a pretty high standard, you always hear him yelling during practice if he lets in a goal. At first, I wasn’t sure if he’s yelling at me or A: Offensively, that’s where I definitely shine — in the offensive zone, what (smile). kinda from the red line in. … I think defensively, I’m more of a stick- position guy, being in the right position between the puck and the net and Q: Ryan McDonagh. not as physical. You can tell I’m not overly big in stature (smile), I’m not a bruiser by any means, but I think defensively I try to outsmart opponents A: He does everything the right way, and that’s in every aspect of his life. and poke the puck off their stick and try to separate them from the puck Q: What can he do for your game? that way. A: He can do a lot for me. I think the way that he plays the game, Q: Why do you enjoy the power play? especially defensively, I think I’m gonna be able to learn a lot from him A: I think as a player, in general, I’m very poised with the puck. I try to there. Offensively, he’s got a lot of skill in his game and a lot of offensive make calm plays and just settle things down a lot, and obviously with the mindedness in his game. … I might have a little more than him, but for power play, having one less opponent out there allows you to kind of me, it’s always nice to play with someone who can think the game similar have that time and be comfortable with it. I like to think the game and find to me because that’s when we start to flow better and play well off of ways to expose teams. Being at the top and seeing everything in front of each other, and we’ll start to have some good chemistry that way. you, it kinda helps you to quarterback it that way. Q: The first time you played in the Garden? Q: How will you deal with being recognized around town? A: The first time I played at the Garden was in college. We did a thing A: (Laugh) I always kind of figured that coming back to New York, it’s called Red Hot Hockey. (Boston University) played Cornell. And that was New York City, no one’s really gonna recognize you. … Most people a lot of fun. It’s kind of a college atmosphere in the Garden, which was a blast, but it didn’t feel like you were playing in the Garden yet because you weren’t playing the Rangers. I actually didn’t play my first game in New York Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 the Garden until my third year in the NHL. I had probably 100 people there. It was nerve-wracking. … I felt like I needed to have a hat trick and the third one had to be the game-winner. … You just put all that pressure on yourself. I think we won with about five minutes to go, and I think I had the game-winning goal, so that was pretty special. Q: Team USA ? A: Probably one of the top hockey moments in my life. My family got to go over with me and experience it with me as well. I think to say you were able to play in the Olympics is something that I still kind of have to catch my breath a little bit. It really hits home that I’m an Olympian. Q: Biggest obstacle overcome? A: Probably my freshman year of college was one of those down times. I had been drafted that summer, first round, and came into BU and was touted to have a great year, and things did not go well at all, especially for the first three months. I got cut from the World Junior team that year. That was something that I had to pick myself up from. You just kind of question your abilities and who you are as a player and wonder if maybe you were good but you can’t make it at this level, and this is kind of your ceiling. Q: When did Brian Leetch become your boyhood idol? A: Probably when I was about 7 years old. I played for the New Rochelle Lightning growing up, and we played out at Rye Playland. I always practiced there before or after the Rangers were practicing there a few times a month. I actually became a defenseman. Around that time was when I started to watch Brian Leetch and really gain an appreciation for him. Q: Athletes in other sports you admire. A: Michael Jordan. Odell Beckham Jr. Charles Woodson. Mike Piazza. Q: Why Beckham? A: I think that he’s athletically just insane. I’m definitely partial being a Giants fan. I kinda always like guys who have a lot of swagger and then can put up the points to back it up. He’s had a few hiccups in his career for sure (smile), but in my mind, he performs and he’s a star. Q: Where were you on 9/11? A: I remember my mom — she teaches at the school I went to as a kid (Iona Grammar School in New Rochelle) — she just pulled me out of class. It was probably 10:30. They hadn’t announced it to the school. I don’t think they wanted to freak anyone out. She just told me what had happened and let me know my dad was OK ’cause my dad worked at the Deutsche Bank building, which was right next to both of the Towers. Came home, and he was home on the couch watching the news. He actually saw the second plane hit. Q: Have you set a date for your wedding? A: July 20th. Q: Favorite NYC things. A: It’s funny, we’ve been to probably 10 different restaurants, and we haven’t had one bad. Q: Hobbies. A: Golf. Q: Three dinner guests. A: Frank Sinatra. Arnold Palmer. Hugh Hefner. Q: Favorite movie. A: The Goonies. Q: Favorite actor. A: Denzel (Washington). Q: Favorite actress. A: Emma Watson. Q: Favorite singer/entertainer. A: Jay-Z. Coldplay. Q: Favorite meal. A: Veal chop Dario (Rockville Centre).

1076499 New York Rangers

Rangers young defenseman cracks opening-night lineup

By Brett Cyrgalis October 4, 2017 | 10:56PM

The Rangers are set to start their new 21-year-old defenseman on the right side of the third defensive pair with Marc Staal when they play their season opener Thursday night against the Avalanche at the Garden. DeAngelo is with his third NHL team in three years and came to the Rangers in an offseason trade with the Coyotes that sent Derek Stepan to the desert. DeAngelo beat out Neal Pionk for the spot on the roster then beat out veterans Steven Kampfer and Nick Holden for spots in the first lineup of the season. The top two pairs will be Ryan McDonagh-Kevin Shattenkirk and Brady Skjei-Brendan Smith. The opening forward lines are set to be Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad- Pavel Buchnevich, -Filip Chytil-Mats Zuccarello, Michael Grabner--J.T. Miller and Jimmy Vesey-David Desharnais- Paul Carey. Winger Jesper Fast took part in his second straight full practice, losing the non-contact jersey he had been wearing after offseason hip surgery. Fast remains on track to return in late October, and now the focus is just getting his conditioning and timing back. “So far, so good,” Fast said, having first fully joined the team Monday for practice in Lake Placid. Coach Alain Vigneault always has been an adamant Fast supporter and is looking forward to getting him back. “So is it two [weeks], three?” Vigneault said. “The doctors will let us know.” Veteran center Andrew Desjardins remained with the team on his professional tryout and can do so until he either decides to leave or the team decides he’s no longer wanted. “As long as he wants to be around and we say he can be around, he can be,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “For us, it’s sort of an insurance policy right now. If he gets a better offer, obviously we’re going to let him go. At this time, we seem to be his best option right now.” The team has nine games to evaluate 18-year-old center Chytil before the first year of his entry-level deal kicks in, so that is one big reason Desjardins is sticking around. Always a vocal New York sports fan since coming here in 2013, Vigneault opened and closed his press conference Wednesday with the same line. “Let’s go Yankees, eh?” he said. “Good luck to them.”

New York Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076500 New York Rangers

Rangers choose Mats Zuccarello as an alternate captain

By Steve Zipay [email protected] stevezipay Updated October 4, 2017 6:27 PM

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — The back of the dark blue t-shirts that the Rangers wear at practice read: “New Team, New Talent, New Time,” a catchphrase for the upcoming season. There also will be something else new, something very visible: Mats Zuccarello, the Norwegian dynamo, with an ‘A’ on his jersey. The gritty forward whose passion, competitiveness and intensity — which even a brain injury after being struck by a shot in April 2015 didn’t diminish — belies his stature. The 5-8 playmaker led the Rangers in points in three of the last four seasons. That, as well as his infectious attitude off the ice, are what persuaded captain Ryan McDonagh and coach Alain Vigneault to choose Zuccarello to join Marc Staal and Rick Nash as alternate captains. Zuccarello, 30, began with the Blueshirts when he signed as a free agent in 2010, and then played a season in Russia. He rejoined the team late in the 2012-13 season. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to wear a letter, he said. But those who have watched the Olympian and three-time recipient of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award, know the honor is well deserved. Zuccarello, also a shootout specialist, has totaled 86 goals and 176 assists in 383 games as a Ranger. Thursday’s opener against the Colorado Avalanche also should be memorable for Kevin Shattenkirk, the offensively-gifted defenseman who grew up in New Rochelle. He acknowledged that he would initially be jittery in front of the Garden faithful and more than 120 family members and friends. “It’s my last chance to play my first game as a Ranger,” said Shattenkirk, 28. “I’m trying to figure out how nervous I’ll be. The first couple shifts will be tough emotionally. I’m not going to try anything spectacular. Post- game is when I’ll be able to look at the whole thing and see how cool it was.” Henrik Lundqvist happily recalled his last two games against the Avalanche, during which he reached impressive heights. Last Dec. 31, he passed Dominik Hasek for the most wins (390) by a European goaltender in the NHL in a 6-2 victory in Denver. Then in February, he made 32 saves in a 4-2 win at the Garden for his 400th win. Only 11 other netminders have done that. Notes & quotes: Rookie center Filip Chytil was not deployed on the power play Wednesday, and Vigneault suggested that he might skate in shorthanded situations. “I might use Filip as a penalty-killer,” he said. “He’s a good skater, he’s got quickness and we’re trying to be a little more aggressive in certain situations.” . . . Andrew Desjardins remains on a tryout as a spare center/winger. “If he gets a better offer, we’re going to let him go,” Vigneault said. “For now, he’s a good insurance policy.” . . . Jesper Fast, who practiced in a regular jersey, appears closer to joining the lineup than originally estimated. The right wing, who underwent hip surgery in June, said it is now a matter of conditioning and timing. Vigneault mentioned that “it could be a week . . . or two.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.05.2017

1076501 Ottawa Senators Down the road, there will be changes. There is legitimate hope about a new wave of prospects.

Depending on their success in the AHL, or because of trades or injuries, Once again, Sens, NHL's fifth-oldest team, banking on experience for Senators fans should see defenceman Thomas Chabot and forwards success Colin White and Filip Chlapik at some point this season. White is rehabilitating after suffering a broken wrist in the Senators’ first exhibition game. Ken Warren, Ottawa CitizenKEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN “After training camp, I’m pretty excited about our youth, too,” Stone said. “We’ve got Brown and White, and Formenton has played well, too. We have tons of guys in the minors, too. Chlapik and some of these guys are It’s an age-old discussion in professional sports. high-end players. There just isn’t enough room right now. The organization is in pretty good shape in terms of youth.” When does the wisdom of experience outweigh the energy and enthusiasm of youth? [email protected] We know from a year ago that Senators coach Guy Boucher leans Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren toward the tried and true. After the success of the 2016-17 season, we shouldn’t expect the attitude to change all that much this time around. Average Age of NHL Teams Even with teenagers Logan Brown and Alex Formenton on the opening (nhlnumbers.com) game roster, the Ottawa Senators will begin the season with an average age of 28.325 — the fifth-oldest club in the NHL, behind only Detroit, Oldest Chicago, Anaheim and Minnesota, according to nhlnumbers.com. Chicago: 28.715 The Columbus Blue Jackets, with an average age of 24.834, are the Detroit: 28.515 league’s youngest. Anaheim: 28.442 Right-winger Mark Stone says the ability to maintain composure and consistency is a hallmark of an older squad. Minnesota: 28.360 “Sometimes when you’re a young group, you can have a good game and Ottawa: 28.325 then a bad game,” said Stone, who will inherit the “A” left behind by the departed Chris Neil. San Jose: 28.200 “We did a good job last year of weathering storms. If you look through the Calgary: 28.038 season, the teams that are higher up in the standings, they don’t go Montreal: 27.812 through these long losing streaks.” Las Vegas: 27.809 Ultimately, Stone says, success isn’t about the highlight plays. It’s about not losing focus, about sticking to the plan. Los Angeles: 27.627 “For us, it’s about getting points, finding ways to get points even when Youngest you’re not playing your best,” he said. Columbus: 24.834 “We did a good job of that last year. This year is a new season, but we want to build on that. It’s so important when you’re not playing your best. Arizona: 25.059 Are you able to grind it out, get it to overtime, get that big point that can Colorado: 25.115 help you clinch a playoff spot?” Carolina: 25.431 It sounds boring, for sure. Yet Boucher has reminded his players over and over again that they can’t afford to get caught up in track meets with Edmonton: 26.207 higher-scoring, and often younger, teams. Winnipeg: 26.285 The Senators limped out of the preseason with some well-timed reminders of the dangers of trying to play a run-and-gun game, when New Jersey: 26.349 New Jersey, Winnipeg and Montreal took turns spanking the Senators by filling the net. Philadelphia: 26.375 The Senators made the playoffs last season largely because of their Florida: 26.437 ability to stay in tight games, going 21-9-10 in one-goal decisions, picking Nashville: 26.767 up 52 points in those 40 games. They were also 6-2 in overtime during the playoffs. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 “We learned valuable experience about how tough it is to make the playoffs and how tough it is to perform in the playoffs,” said Stone. “Learning not only as individuals, but as a group, can help us.” While Boucher will be careful with how he uses Brown and Formenton, not wanting to expose them to too much too quickly — “You don’t give steak to a baby, you give them baby food,” he said earlier this week — he won’t hesitate to use Nate Thompson in tense situations. Thompson earned the trust of Boucher when the two were together in Tampa. “If you can guard against three or four losses in a row during the season, you’re usually in pretty good shape,” said Thompson, a 32-year-old with 550 regular-season and 58 playoff games behind him. “You’re going to have your times when it’s not going your way. It happens with every team, even really good ones. That’s just one of those things that having a veteran group with a mix of younger guys that also have experience can help in those situations. “If you look at elite teams in the league, there’s usually a pretty good blend. You have guys that have been around and young guys that are pretty fresh, but young guys now on this team have experienced a lot. They’ve had some playoff games, gone through the ups and downs, and that’s pretty valuable.” 1076502 Ottawa Senators Indeed, Thomas Chabot might very well be the future on the blue line, but the Senators have signalled that he’s not quite ready yet, shipping him to Belleville of the American Hockey League to start his professional What else is new? Senators begin season with uncertainty in the air career. Christian Jaros also shows promise as a two-way defender. Considering that Karlsson and Dion Phaneuf are the only two defencemen with NHL contracts that extend beyond the current season, GM Pierre Dorion could be in position to dangle an existing defenceman Ken Warren, Ottawa CitizenKEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN in trade talks. After Clarke MacArthur failed his training camp physical, leaving his concussion-filled career hanging in the balance, Dorion will likely have to A younger, less worldly Craig Anderson would have been rattled, go shopping for a veteran forward. (If MacArthur retires, the three years unsettled about the uncertainty surrounding the Ottawa Senators’ season and $14.5 million remaining on his contract effectively comes off the when he arrived for the start of training camp. books, and 80 per cent of that contract is covered by insurance). There are intriguing questions outside the crease for the Senators’ all- The Colin White hope will have to wait. After breaking his wrist in training time goaltending leader in games played and wins, beginning with the top camp, his season will likely begin with Belleville in the AHL in late pairing on defence. How will captain Erik Karlsson, the straw that stirs the October or early November. For now, Logan Brown and Alex Formenton rink for the Senators, respond to the offseason left foot injury that caused are on the roster, learning all about the NHL lifestyle, but in the long run him to miss the entire preseason schedule? Will anyone suitably fill the they’re probably best served by returning to the Ontario Hockey League. role of Marc Methot, who served as the ideal stay-at-home complement for Karlsson before being lost in the expansion draft? Perhaps it’s the uncertainty surrounding all of the above that has led to the lack of confidence in the Senators around the NHL. They’re generally In the bigger picture, can the Senators avoid the potential distractions of perceived to be outsiders to the NHL elite. Despite the impressive playoff the contract unknowns, including the fact centre Kyle Turris is set to success last spring, they don’t get much love. In June, with the memories become an unrestricted free agent following the 2017-18 season, that still fresh from coming within a double-overtime goal of advancing to the Mark Stone is a restricted free agent next summer and that Karlsson’s Stanley Cup final, the betting site bodog.com gave them 33/1 odds to win unrestricted free agent status following the 2018-19 could have a the 2018 Cup. When training camp opened, they had slipped back to significant impact on all of the above? 40/1, tied with Florida for the 19th-best chance to win it all. Edmonton “Anything can happen,” says a philosophical Anderson, who ended his checked in at 9/1, Toronto at 14/1, Montreal at 20/1 and Calgary at 25/1. own future uncertainty last week by agreeing to a two-year, $9.5-million Accordingly, there’s an undertone of the underdog in the Senators’ room. extension that keeps him under contract through the end of the 2019-20 From the outset of training camp, the message has been clear. The season. “It’s all about having a clear mindset, putting aside all the extra- Senators believe their 19-game playoff run in April and May will help curricular, off-ice issues that are lingering. them deal with any internal struggles, but they also recognize they are in “When you are on the ice, it’s 100 per cent focus on the job. If your mind the same spot as the NHL’s other 30 squads. is somewhere else, you’re not doing yourself a favour, or your friends “That’s probably one of the best things you can have in any professional and teammates a favour. It doesn’t matter if it’s me or another guy. Every sports, experience,” says Karlsson, whose recovery from offseason foot year, there is going to be a guy that is going to have to have off-ice surgery has gone quicker and better than anyone could have reasonably distractions that they are going to have to put aside and move forward. expected. “Now, it’s just a matter of us relating that to move forward. The less you have or (are) better able to manage, the better you are Maybe we’ll be a little more patient in understanding situations, knowing going to be.” what we have to do to be successful. After the year that was, nobody knows that better than Anderson, of “Our expectations since I’ve joined this organization have never shifted, course. To recap the wild ride that was the 2016-17 season, he was out they’ve never been anything different. It has always been about making of the lineup for extended stretches to be by the side of his wife, Nicholle, the playoffs. That’s as far as I look. Once you make the playoffs, in her fight against a rare throat cancer. everybody has a chance. Whether you sweep in as the last wild card or Ultimately, she prevailed in her battle. So did the Senators, with at the top of the standings, it’s not going to matter much.” Anderson emerging as the backbone behind the surprising squad that Still, the Senators will have to deal with change, learning how to cope came within an overtime goal of the Stanley Cup final, a pivotal part of a without Methot. The voices in the dressing room will change, too, crazy set of circumstances nobody could have foreseen when the season considering that Chris Neil and Chris Kelly are gone. began last October. “That’s the nature of the beast,” says left-winger Zack Smith, who, much Now, we’re back where all that started. If the Senators have one to his surprise, has suddenly become the longest-serving Senator. advantage in an NHL that seems to build around youth more than ever — “We’re happy with how we grew as a team, and to lose guys is the Stanley Cup hopes in Toronto rest on the shoulders of 20-year-old unfortunate, but that’s because of expansion and contract stuff. We lost Auston Matthews and the dream in Edmonton revolves around the 20- some important guys, especially Methot.” year-old Connor McDavid — it’s that they have the experience of successfully skating around so much uncertainty last season. While the futures of Turris, Stone and Karlsson will naturally be talked about, Smith says the negotiations don’t usually take up much space We learned last year that, in times of trouble, coach Guy Boucher will inside the dressing room. He went through it himself last season, before lean on age over youth. Anderson is 36. The de facto replacement for signing a four-year, $13-million extension. Methot is Oduya, who also turned 36 on Oct. 1. “If guys end up signing somewhere else, some people might think we “As a younger player, you have more stress because you don’t know take it personally, but at the end of the day, you want what’s best for what your career is and you’re still trying to build that reputation,” everybody,” he says. “It’s an unfortunate part, contracts. There are a lot Anderson says. “It takes a couple of older guys to maybe pull a younger of rules and whatnot — within the club and within the league — to abide guy aside and say, ‘Just play and everything will take care of itself.’ ” by. If guys are dealing with extension stuff throughout the year, it’s not Anderson acknowledges that when he was with Colorado in 2010 he was really anyone else’s business.” inside his own head too much, anxious and overthinking everything, Mike Hoffman says you can’t lose sleep wondering about what might including the fact the Avalanche had lost a pair of defencemen he liked. happen with teammates tomorrow. “There was a lot of stress as far as not knowing what was going on off “It’s a business in here and contracts are part of it,” he says. “You can’t the ice, kind of the same situation as here now,” he says. “(Former always fit everyone in and all of that is part of playing this sport, not Avalanche defenceman) Adam Foote gave me good advice, telling me letting that stuff bother you too much.” that everything will take of itself.” Which brings us back to Anderson and the outlook of trying to block out Later that season, Anderson was traded to the Senators for Brian Elliott. everything but what’s directly in front of him. Anderson will turn 37 in He smiles when he thinks about how his life and career have changed May. Is it possible that, with a new-look defence in front of him, he can since. come close to matching the .926 save percentage that ranked him third “I’m seven years older and I’ve been through it,” he says of the current in the NHL last season? upheaval on defence. “You adapt. It allows someone else to come in … “It’s one of the questions as you get older: ‘When does your bell curve Freddie (Claesson), (Ben) Harpur, (Thomas) Chabot, (Chris) Wideman start to go the other way?’ ” he says. “I would like to think if I’m doing has come in bigger and stronger. We have the guys, maybe even a little enough maintenance-wise and work off ice, I will be able to contribute. more speed on the back end.” After missing quite a bit of ice time last year and getting back in, and playing at the level I was able to … it’s just four to five months later, it’s not like it’s two years later. But you always have to have the same mentality. You are only as good as you are today.” That works as a summary for the team, too. If the Senators get caught looking back at how successful they were in dealing with their assorted crises of a year ago, they’ll watch other teams fly by them and they’ll end up missing the postseason fun next spring. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076503 Ottawa Senators conceded it “might be a good reality check” for his team. “Nobody was happy, but I think we had a really good week of practices. I think our team is ready for the season.” …. All the fuss that’s being made over Sens' Borowiecki anxious to get started: 'It's time to unleash the beast' Jean-Gabriel Pageau being turned into a left-winger is amusing. Did we forget that with Guy Boucher there is no such thing as a left-winger, centre or right-winger? They are F1, F2 and F3. “It’s about the closest man doing the job,” said Boucher. “That’s how you create your Don BrennanDON BRENNAN versatility.” … Expect to see a lot of the Pageau-Nate Thompson-Tom Pyatt line against the Capitals, for Boucher says they are his three most

reliable defensive forwards. “They’re our best bet to play against the At long last, Mark Borowiecki gets to hit someone again. better line,” surmised Boucher. “Having said that, you tell me which one is their first line?” After injuries forced him to watch the last 17 games of Ottawa’s 19-game playoff run from the sidelines — and common sense kept him from really NEWS AND VIEWS: I know what the team and the man himself is racking up anybody in training camp or during the preseason schedule — saying, but I would not be one bit surprised to see Erik Karlsson in the the Senators’ most punishing defenceman can finally get back to being lineup on Thursday. Not one bit. … Boucher said he’s going to spend a himself. “ton” of time working on special teams this season. Good thing. It’s amazing the Senators made the playoffs with how bad their power play “It’s time to unleash the beast a little bit,” Borowiecki said, flashing his was in 2016-17. … About Logan Brown, Boucher said the kid “definitely toothless grin after Wednesday’s practice. needs a lot of work on his faceoffs.” Apparently, Thompson has been working on that aspect of the game with Brown. When most players hone their skills for the season, they do a lot of skating and shooting and passing and stickhandling. So does Borowiecki, Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 of course, but his great value to the Senators is of a more physical nature. Last year, he lead the league in hits (with 364) and his team in fights (with 13), and in both cases he can be expected to do so again. That’s not something you practise. “For a guy that plays the game with an edge, you’ve got to walk that fine line in camp,” Borowiecki said. “There’s always a risk of hurting a teammate, which you just feel absolutely awful about, and there’s a risk of hurting yourself, too. Training camp is about getting your timing down. For guys like me, you’ve got to kind of stay out of the mix a little bit. “It’ll be nice to get back into a real game and try to get that intensity ramped back up. I’m ready to rock here.” Borowiecki had a quiet preseason, with four penalty minutes in four games. The choirboy act was unbecoming, but also understandable. “You want to play hard, you want to play intense, but there’s a lot of guys who worked hard for four or five months to get this opportunity,” he said. “The last thing you want to do is drill someone in the head and end their season before it starts. I think there’s a bit of a respect factor there.” Borowiecki acknowledged the game is “evolving” and that there aren’t very many “true heavies” in the league anymore, but with Chris Neil gone, he’s still going to have to drop the gloves more than his fair share. Until Max McCormick returns, the Senators don’t really have anyone else who fights. And if the role of enforcer is no longer important, why did the Stanley Cup champs trade a first-round pick for Ryan Reaves? “I think I’ve always been a hitter first and a fighter second,” Borowiecki said. “I’m not going to be out there patrolling, looking for a fight every shift. As soon as something happens, I’m not going to be out there running around like an idiot. But I’m going to play the game hard. And if the opportunity arises, drop the gloves. That’s something I’m more than willing to do. I’ve proved that, I think, in multiple years. It’s just a part of my game.” Borowiecki’s game should be appreciated with a contract extension before it gets anywhere near July 1, when the Ottawa native is set to become an unrestricted free agent. If he finds it uncomfortable playing out the final year of his contract as a player who sacrifices his body for the team more than any other, Borowiecki is not letting on. “I think 20 goals and 20 assists should be good to seal the deal for the next contract … if I can string that together, maybe I’ll be cashing in,” joked Borowiecki, who has four goals and 13 assists in 217 career games. “Hey, it’s pro sports, man. You’re going to be playing on expiring contracts. That’s just the nature of it. Obviously this is the place I’d like to be. I’ve enjoyed my time here. This is my home. I don’t know if anyone could say that and it would be more true than myself. “My wife and I want to start a family here, we want to raise a family here,” added the Senators’ heart and soul. “I love being a part of this organization. I think the guys respect what I do and how I play. I have a good relationship with my teammates, and management and the coaching staff. So I’m always happy to be here.” Get it done, Pierre. NEWS AND VIEWS: Gotta like the honesty of Derick Brassard, who was asked about the poundings the Senators took in their last three preseason games. “What’s the motivation?,” said Brassard, who 1076504 Ottawa Senators

Mark Stone healthy, ready to become more consistent scorer for Senators

Don BrennanDON BRENNAN

While finishing up with a similar goals-per-game output as he had in his first two years, Mark Stone struggled at the start of the 2016-17 regular season and had what he called a “terrible end” to it. His goal now is to get rid of the hiccups. “I’m not putting any more pressure on myself,” Stone said Wednesday of his already important role on a Senators team that is offensively challenged, especially with Erik Karlsson out of the lineup. “I put enough pressure on myself the last number of years. I’m just coming in expecting to do the same thing. I want to be a little more consistent than last year. At the same time, I’m feeling healthy, I’m feeling ready and I’m excited to go.” Stone was a Calder Trophy candidate with 26 goals and 64 points in 80 games as a rookie, then came back the next season to score 23 goals and 61 points in 75 games. Last year, after missing most of camp with a concussion, he had one goal after a dozen games but finished with 22 (and 54 points) in 71. Stone, who scored five times and added two assists in the playoffs, was unable to light the lamp in the last 15 games of the regular season. But while he would like to end that particular slump Thursday against the Capitals, Stone says there will be no handwringing as he waits for his first. Twice he’s had to wait until only Game 2 for his first goal, and last season it came in Game 4. “I think everybody wants to contribute to team success,” Stone said. “For a lot of guys, it’s contributing points, contributing goals to help this team win. Obviously we weren’t the most high-powered offensive team last year, so we want to improve it a bit. At the same time keep the defensive structure the way it is. “It’s a little bit of a balance, but you have to score goals to win games. You can’t win every game 1-0 in a shootout. You have to take the odd chance.” Stone says he has no certain target he’s aiming to reach in this, the final year of a contract before he reaches restricted free agent status. “I don’t think anybody really has numbers in their head,” Stone said. “Everybody wants to contribute on a game-to-game basis. For me it’s the same way. I want to get more consistent. I say it every year. But it’s just the way it is when you’re relied upon to score. You want to be more consistent at it.” So we’ll put you down for 35 then? “I appreciate that,” joked Stone. “I was thinking 40.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076505 Ottawa Senators and Christian Jaros in Belleville will be intriguing to watch. They could make one of the existing veteran defencemen expendable.

9: Have the Senators stayed ahead of the division and conference? The Big 10: Questions the Senators need to answer for success in 2017- Remember, in 2016-17 the Senators didn’t qualify for the playoffs until 18 the final week of the season. Tampa Bay and Florida were severely hampered by injuries to star players last season and promise to be more competitive. If they get in, or if Carolina and/or New Jersey squeak into Ken Warren, Ottawa CitizenKEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN the postseason on the backs of young stars, somebody has to drop out. 10: Who plays with Karlsson? We’ll finish where we started, because the Senators’ season could rest with how comfortable their best player is. His For all the preseason predictions about where the Ottawa Senators could former partner, Methot, was the ideal stay-at-home type, giving Karlsson finish in 2017-18, it’s often the unknowns and the twists and turns that the freedom to roam. The Senators have talked about a revolving door dictate whether a team succeeds or sinks. beside him, possibly including Dion Phaneuf, Freddy Claesson, Mark Borowiecki or Oduya, but eventually something has to stick. At the We only need to look back at last season and how the Senators rallied outset, Boucher appears set on a shutdown pairing of Cody Ceci and impressively around Craig Anderson, Mike Condon and Clarke Oduya. MacArthur. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 The challenges will change as the season develops, but as the puck drops on the season Thursday against Washington, there are numerous questions. Below, Postmedia considers a top 10: 1: Can Erik Karlsson recover? Caution is king here. The Senators captain won’t be in the lineup Thursday, but the good news for the organization is the recovery from offseason left foot surgery has been quicker than expected. Last season, the 71 regular season and 18 playoff points were impressive, but it was his defensive commitment that made it the best season of his career. He bought into Guy Boucher’s defensive-minded message and sold it to his teammates, thriving in the pivotal moments. 2: Will we see the playoff Bobby Ryan and Derick Brassard? Both struggled with outside distractions during the regular season — Ryan had family issues, Brassard couldn’t find where he belonged on his new team — but took off when the puck dropped in the playoffs. Ryan scored six goals and nine assists in the postseason, and the Senators, who could be starved for offence, will need more of the same. Brassard needs to find his timing after offseason shoulder surgery. 3: What will spark the power play? Senators coach Guy Boucher arrived in Ottawa with a resumé that showed off superb numbers with the man advantage. Then came the woeful 17.0-per-cent production last season, 23rd in the NHL. Too often, the Senators were too stagnant and too predictable, too easy to defend. In golf, the tap-in putts from in close are the easiest. The Senators need more tap-in power-play goals, staying in and around the crease to cash in on rebounds. 4: How do you improve the penalty killing? Somehow, the Senators survived their weak penalty killing — especially in the latter stages of the season — that finished 22nd in the league, at 79.7 per cent last season. Nate Thompson takes on the shorthanded role Chris Kelly owned in 2016-17 and Johnny Oduya will be tasked with filling the void left by Marc Methot’s departure. Zack Smith has a league-high nine shorthanded goals over the past two seasons. J-G Pageau had seven in 2015-16. 5: Can Craig Anderson and Mike Condon hold the fort? Between them, they posted 10 shutouts last season. While Anderson owned the NHL’s third-best save percentage (.926), Condon saved the season by taking over the net for 28 consecutive games when Anderson left to be his wife, Nicholle, in her cancer fight. The Senators need to be careful with over- taxing the 36-year-old Anderson, who has a history of late-season injuries. There are also 19 sets of back-to-back games on the schedule. 6: Can the Senators take advantage of the schedule? A year ago, the Senators proved they could win at home (22-11-8) and away (22-17-2) but the way it sets up this year — 13 of the opening 18 games are home games — a fast start will aid them with the hardship that comes late. A dozen of those opening 18 games are against teams that didn’t make the playoffs a year ago. The real grind begins with a two-week, seven-game road trip in late November and early December that goes east, west and east again. 7: Is there enough forward depth? A glance at Boucher’s likely opening night line combinations provides an indication that he’s striving for balance. For now, the Senators will need to scratch and claw to find goal scorers beyond Ryan, Brassard, Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone and Kyle Turris — Smith, Pageau, Ryan Dzingel, , anyone? — but sooner or later GM Pierre Dorion will likely need to bring in a proven goal scorer from the outside. The loss of Clarke MacArthur hurts. 8: How quickly can the kids arrive? If forwards Logan Brown and/or Alex Formenton can deliver early, they could help provide an answer to the previous question. If not, they’ll be sent back to junior, awaiting their chance next season. If Filip Chlapik starts hot in Belleville, he could get a shot and if Colin White recovers well from his broken wrist, he’ll be in line for big league action. On defence, the development of Thomas Chabot 1076506 Ottawa Senators “The beams are up and we’ve got to put up the walls again, plus we’ve got to put in the windows before we decide, ‘Where are we going to put this couch or where are we going to put the TV?’ That’s the mistake we 'It's about today,' coach Boucher says as he enters second season with don’t want to make and think we’re at the TV now. No, we’ve got to put Senators the walls back up,” said Boucher. “We know what the structure is supposed to be and we’re being reminded of it right now. The guys have been really quick in the Bruce GarriochBRUCE GARRIOCH reminder. We’ve just got to make sure we’ve got the roof on when we start the season before we start talking about adding stuff, and then we’ll continue to evolve and tweak.” So, what does Guy Boucher do for an encore? Boucher’s message to the players is simple. In his first season behind the bench, the Ottawa Senators’ head coach “Without focusing on the season, we want to beat Washington on helped lead the club to the East final for the first time in a decade, and Thursday because that’s the hardest thing to do,” said Boucher. “We’re his team was poised to advance to the Stanley Cup final against going to build from where we are and we’re going to build it from the first Nashville before giving up a heartbreaking Game 7 double-OT goal to minute on.” Pittsburgh. LIFE WITHOUT ERIK Now, as the Senators prepare to open the season against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre, The Senators need to prove they can win without captain Erik Karlsson. you’d think Boucher, 46, would be worried that with that success will come expectations, but he doesn’t think there are any on his team as the They won’t have their top player for the season opener, and Boucher is chase for a playoff spot begins. well aware this is a big blow. “The first thing I’ll ask you is what expectations are you talking about Does this team have to learn to win without Karlsson? because it seems like nobody is expecting us to make the playoffs “Yes, it has to, but that would be like, ‘Can Pittsburgh win the Stanley again,” Boucher told Postmedia in a one-on-one interview on the eve of Cup without Sidney Crosby? Can the Edmonton Oilers win without the season. “People tell us we have high expectations but you look at all (Connor) McDavid? Would the Toronto Maple Leafs be as a good without the predictions and we’re not in the playoffs.” (Auston) Matthews?’ ” Boucher asked. Does he think that’s odd? “Let’s not kid ourselves, that’s just unrealistic, but you have to, in a short “No, I go into every season wanting to win everything. It doesn’t matter span of time, you have to be able to hold on until your bazooka is back. what kind of team I have, whether I have a young one or an old one or You might be in the trenches but you’ve got to hold on and be a team. To that we’re not going to make the playoffs,” Boucher said. “I think you get me, it’s always about being the best team.” lost in those, you really do. Boucher said Karlsson is going to have various defensive partners when “The power of being able to be in the moment is for people that are he does return. strong mentally, and we’re asking that of our players. If I’m not strong “We’ve looked at different possibilities,” said Boucher. “First of all, Erik enough mentally to be in the moment, then I’m not leading well. The past didn’t always play with (Marc) Methot, he played with other guys. It’s not and the future is where you get lost. It’s about today, and I know today like, ‘I’ve heard many times, what’s Erik going to do without Meth?’ Are our players are working extremely hard to get ready. you kidding me here? I love Meth, great guy, a real complement, but are “You don’t want to reproduce last year. That’s the big mistake. Last year you telling me the best defenceman in the world can’t play with other is last year. It went a certain way and we have different players on our players? team in different circumstances, and we’re going to play different teams. “Right now, we’re looking at different options, but until he’s back and There’s so many things that come into play that make it totally different we’ve actually looked at those options, it would be a lie and pretentious than last year. on my part to tell you I know exactly what the best pair is. Could it be “The good thing is it’s a white sheet. You want to do well, but you don’t (Johnny) Oduya, (Fred) Claesson, Dion (Phaneuf) or another guy? want to reproduce because last year is last year. We’ve got to start back Absolutely. There’s different things we can do.” at zero. Our challenge is knowing that the last four teams (in the playoffs Boucher said the Senators learned about being a team last year and that usually) have trouble starting. Nobody is where they were at the end of will help them as long as Karlsson is out and beyond. the year. The expectations should come from us wanting to do as good as we can, period, not (because of success) last year.” “People looked at our team and they saw flaws, but I think what they didn’t take into consideration (is) it’s the best team that wins,” said The Senators haven’t made many changes and they’re still battling for Boucher. “If you’ve got great players, and it’s the best team on top of respect around the league. Yes, they opened a lot of people’s eyes with that, which Pittsburgh showed again last year, of course you’re a captain Erik Karlsson’s leadership and goaltender Craig Anderson’s powerhouse. brilliant play, but there are few who feel the club can get back there again. “We know we’re not a powerhouse but I think that’s our strength. We know that, we accept it and we’re a team, though. That’s what we were “People look at the players and they look on paper, and they compare us last year and I already know that, we accept it, and that’s what we want to Washington and Pittsburgh and they say, ‘Hey, on paper, other teams to have this year. I already know that’s what we are and I can see it. have power that we don’t have,’ and people look at centres compared to There’s caring, relationships, leadership and chemistry.” (Sidney) Crosby and (Evgeni) Malkin,” said Boucher. KEEPING CRAIG FRESH “I’m not going to ask (Kyle) Turris and (Derick) Brassard to become those guys. They have good strengths and that’s good for us, and we’re going Less could mean more for goalie Craig Anderson this season. to have strengths that other teams don’t have. You look on paper, people look at Erik Karlsson, and then maybe downplay some other guys that The Senators’ top goalie, signed to a two-year extension last month, are really good players that don’t get the same respect that other guys won’t be playing 60 games this year because coach Guy Boucher wants will get. to make sure he’s fresh for the playoffs and the club has plenty of confidence in backup Mike Condon. “There are so many ways we’re going to be evaluated, but all I know is we have a lot of guys who evolved last year and became so much “If he can play the right number of games so he has the right energy all stronger mentally, emotionally and defensively, and that’s why we were the time, and we can get into playoffs and he’s fresh and ready to go like able to do what we did. The only way to prove people wrong is over time. he was last year, we have a much better chance to win,” Boucher said. This year, we have to prove what we did wasn’t a fluke, it was something “Is it (50-50), it would never be half-and-half. We don’t want to give him we built, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.” 60-some games. When you don’t have a backup and you want to make General manager Pierre Dorion and Boucher built the house and now playoffs, that’s different but we have a really good backup that has they’re doing renovations. Centre Nate Thompson and blue-liner Johnny proven he can play a lot of games and we have 19 back-to-backs this Oduya were added while Marc Methot was lost in the expansion draft, year. Unless the guy is lights out and wants to be in the net the next day, and Tommy Wingels and Viktor Stalberg left as UFAs. Veteran forwards we’re going to be able to flip them.” Chris Neil and Chris Kelly weren’t brought back. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076507 Ottawa Senators

Karlsson won't be ready for Senators' season opener

Bruce GarriochBRUCE GARRIOCH

The Senators won’t have captain Erik Karlsson for the Thursday night opener against Washington. He’s still recovering from the foot surgery he had in June and needs more time before he gets medical clearance to play. That’s a lot of minutes out of the lineup but the players aren’t going to let it be an excuse. “You’re not going to replace the style of player that Erik Karlsson is,” said alternate captain Dion Phaneuf on Wednesday. “Our goal as a group is you’ve got to share that. Some guys are going to be playing in different positions than they would be if he was in the lineup. “It’s about us as a group collectively doing it together and it’s not about one guy replacing him. He’s an incredible player and one of the top players in the world. It’s about everyone sharing that. He’s a big hole in our lineup, and we’ve to to come together and we’ve got to try to fill it.” Judging by the pairings at practice, veteran Johnny Oduya, signed in the offseason as a UFA, will start with Cody Ceci while Phaneuf will be with Fred Claesson in the top four. The belief is Karlsson, who has been participating in pretty much every drill, won’t be out long. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076508 Ottawa Senators

The numbers add up as Logan Brown makes his NHL debut

Bruce GarriochBRUCE GARRIOCH

Logan Brown had a new look Wednesday at the Canadian Tire Centre with the No. 21 on the back of his helmet. The rookie centre can’t wait until he pulls on the Ottawa Senators’ jersey to make his NHL debut in the club’s season opener against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at the CTC. The 19-year-old centre, who wore No. 51 through camp, went to equipment manager John Forget on Tuesday after the skate to see if he could make the change to the No. 21 his dad Jeff wore throughout most of his career. It didn’t take long for general manager Pierre Dorion to sign off on the change. “I noticed all along there was no No. 21, and I wasn’t going to ask in the middle of training camp,” Brown said Wednesday. “My dad wore No. 21 when he played in the NHL and I’ve worn it my whole life. To get a game in that (number) is pretty cool.” As Brown was wrapping up practice just before noon, Jeff, who is from Ottawa, along with his mother, Laina, were making their way to Ottawa from St. Louis while his sister, Jenna-Rose, and brother Caden will also be on hand for the game. Brown’s grandfather lives close to the rink and will also be in the stands. Brown was born in St. Louis, but he spent his summers in the Ottawa area at the family cottage on Mississippi Lake, so getting drafted by the Senators meant a lot to him in the first place. Stepping onto the ice for his debut is something that Brown has been chasing his whole life. “It’s definitely a dream come true,” said Brown. “I’ll get a good sleep tonight. I won’t be too nervous. Probably before the game and stuff I will be but a couple of shifts in it will be just another game because I’ll get feeling good out there.” Brown never got to see his dad play in the NHL but Jeff coached his son for a lot of his career so he’s helped shape what the 6-6 centre has become. They used to watch hockey at home, and dad would rewind the PVR to speak to Brown about positioning. The advice from Jeff has been pretty simple about making the switch to this level. “Just keep working hard,” Brown said. “You can’t control everything and you can only worry about the things you can control. That’s being the first to the rink, being one of the hardest workers. That’s just something I’ve been trying to do. That’s something I can control and you can’t worry about the things you can’t.” Veteran Senators defenceman Dion Phaneuf said Brown shouldn’t be nervous. “Just enjoy it. What a great, great accomplishment,” Phaneuf said. “I look back even now, and you talk about that first game and you kind of get that chill. “As a young player getting that opportunity to play your first NHL game, it’s such a great accomplishment, you’ve worked so hard and you’ve waited so long, so good for him. The one thing I always say is just enjoy it. It’s the same game, it’s just a little bit faster.” Brown still has a lot to prove. He will be used in a fourth-line role and a decision will have to be made whether he stays after suiting up for nine games but you have to give him and rookie winger Alex Formenton, 18, credit simply for making the opening night roster. Brown is proud to continue a tradition of having an NHL player in the family. “It’s really cool. Growing up, my dad and I were at the rink every day together,” said Brown. “In St. Louis, we had to travel every weekend for games so we had to travel every weekend on the road, and we watched hockey every night. “We’re really close because of it. It’s a dream come true for me and I’m sure he’ll be pretty happy sitting up in the stands watching me play.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076509 Ottawa Senators

'Baby Face Brass' shoulders his way into the lineup for Sens' season opener

Don BrennanDON BRENNAN

You might not immediately recognize him, but that will indeed be Derick Brassard wearing No. 19 for the Senators on Thursday night. Just a younger looking version, that’s all. A week-and-a-half after his 30th birthday, Brassard was minus the beard he has worn for “a long time” for the last practice prior to the season opener against the Capitals. Not because he was worried about it suddenly having flecks of grey, either, or that he’s determined to get a fresh start to the season. No, the beard kind of disappeared by accident. “Yesterday we had a wine event for the team, and I just shaved it a little too far, so I had to go all the way,” said the veteran centre. “And now I look like a 19-year-old, 20-year-old. Like Alex Formenton’s best friend.” “Big Game Brass” will not be “Baby Face Brass” for much longer. “I hope not,” he said when asked if his razor could expect regular work. “Because I had a hard time watching myself in the mirror this morning.” Moments before coach Guy Boucher told the media Brassard’s surgically repaired shoulder checked out fine and he’d “100 per cent” be in the lineup Thursday, Brassard was revealing nothing new about his status. If he knew he had been cleared to play by his surgeon at that point, he did his poker face best to hide the information. “I’m going to know tomorrow morning when I get to the rink … we just have to get everyone on a phone call, and we’ll go from there,” Brassard said. “I’d say there’s a really good chance.” And then, maybe not. Originally, he was told an official decision couldn’t be made until the four-month anniversary of the operation. That just happens to coincide with the opener. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he tells me to wait a week or so,” Brassard said, before sounding too much like he was going to centre a line with Bobby Ryan and Mark Stone the next night. “I feel great, I have no pain, no restrictions,” he said. “The fact I had similar surgery before really helped me be comfortable (returning to) the ice (in practice). “I’m going to have to keep it simple. I’m going to play with two really good players, and it’s just going to be my job to give them the puck and try to open space for them. Try to get my legs, my cardio into the game. It’s going to be hard but I’m ready for the challenge.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076510 Ottawa Senators Brett Connolly-Lars Eller-Alex Chiasson Tyler Graovac-Jay Beagle-Devante Smith-Pelly Game Day: Senators vs. Capitals Defence Dmitri Orlov-Matt Niskanen Don BrennanDON BRENNAN Brooks Orpik-John Carlson Christian Djoos-Madison Bowey COMMENT Goalies WASHINGTON CAPITALS at OTTAWA SENATORS Braden Holtby Thursday, 7:30 p.m., Canadian Tire Centre Philipp Grubauer TV: TSN5, RDS2 SPECIAL TEAMS RADIO: TSN1200, 94,5 uniqueFM (Last season) FIVE KEYS Senators: PP 23rd (17%) PK: 22nd (79.7% ) 1. STICK TO IT: In front of an opening-night crowd they want to bring Capitals: PP 4th (23.1%) PK: 7th (83.8%) back, Senators can’t get tricked into going toe-to-toe with a team that last season was third in goals scored. Their own 22nd-ranked offence would SICK BAY almost certainly get smothered. To have a chance, they must adhere to Senators: Erik Karlsson, Colin White Guy Boucher’s system. Caps: None 2. STAY OUT OF THE BOX: While the Senators were closer to the bottom in both special-teams rankings last season, the Caps were near Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.05.2017 the top. Senators had the fourth-most penalty minutes per game average (10:20) while Washington was 17th (9:08) 3. SHOOT OFTEN: Senators face a tough task scoring right off the hop, as last season Braden Holtby was tied for the league lead in most wins (42) and had the second-best GAA (2.07) among all starters. Holtby has a career record of 6-3-1 vs. Senators, along with a 1.90 GAA and .938 save percentage. 4. ATTACK THE WEAK LINK: According to the last Caps depth chart, their 5-6 blue-line pairing consists of a seventh- and second-round draft pick, two guys who have toiled in the the minors the last few years and have a combined total of zero NHL games played. With last-line change, Senators need to take advantage of the rookies. 5. HOPE HISTORY REPEATS: The Senators are 12-6-6 in season openers, and Boucher is a perfect 4-0-0 as bench boss in his first game of the season. It’s a trend the Senators hope continues. BIG MATCHUP Craig Anderson versus Alex Ovechkin Last season was the first time in five years Ovechkin didn’t lead the league in shots, and he was second. Count on him coming out firing in this one. He has 23 goals and 40 points in 40 career games against Senators. Anderson’s career numbers vs. Caps: 11-7-1, 2.32 GAA, .925 save %. LINES SENATORS Forwards Zack Smith-Kyle Turris-Mike Hoffman Bobby Ryan-Derick Brassard-Mark Stone Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Nate Thompson-Tom Pyatt Ryan Dzingel-Logan Brown-Alex Burrows Defence Johnny Oduya-Cody Ceci Dion Phaneuf-Fredrik Claesson Mark Borowiecki-Chris Wideman Goalies Craig Anderson Mike Condon CAPITALS Forwards Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Jakub Vrana Andre Burakovsky-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J. Oshie 1076511 Philadelphia Flyers Jones went behind the net and cleared the puck to Voracek on the right side. Voracek sent a quick pass to Giroux, who one-timed a slot shot into an open net with 11:32 to go in the first. Giroux, who had just four goals Wayne Simmonds' historic hat trick carries Flyers past Sharks in opener in his last 47 games last season, scored the Flyers’ first goal of the year for the third time in his career. The converted center also did it in 2011-12 and 2012-13. by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER @BroadStBull | A little less than three minutes later, Weal took a slick pass from Konecny [email protected] and beat a shaky Jones with a quick right-circle to the far side, putting the Flyers ahead, 2-0. It was a continuation from a strong preseason by the Flyers’ second power-play unit. Jones allowed two goals on the Flyers’ first six shots. SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Flyers’ power play inefficiency cost assistant coach his job last season, and the top unit struggled mightily “We got off to a great start,” said Weal, who scored eight goals in his final in the recently completed preseason. 19 games last season. “We were putting lots of pressure on them, but then we started sitting back a little bit.” But in the opener Wednesday at the SAP Center, the power play was lethal as it scored on its first three chances. They regained their legs, took control of the game in the third period, and won in San Jose for just the second time this century. In the process, Getting three goals from Wayne Simmonds — he became the first player they snapped the Sharks’ seven-game winning streak in season openers. in franchise history to register a hat trick in a season opener — and going 3-for-5 with a man advantage, the Flyers outlasted San Jose, 5-3. Breakaways Simmonds, who scored on a pair of deflections, completed the second The Flyers play in Los Angeles on Thursday, and it is the third time in the hat trick of his career by scoring into an empty net with 35.7 seconds last four years that they begin the season with back-to-back remaining. games….Ivan Provorov played 25:35 and blocked five shots…Nolan Patrick, in his NHL debut, played 13:30, took three shots, and won five of “We came out on fire,” said Simmonds, whose team built an early 2-0 nine faceoffs…..Couturier, who centered the top line, had a game-high lead. “…We go two goals, and unfortunately we gave two back, but we six shots, an assist, four hits, and a plus-2 rating…Elliott stopped 32 of stayed on an even keel and stuck with our program and did what we 35 shots. “When you’re scoring like that on the power play and right wanted to do.” away, it makes your job a little easier,” he said….Coach Dave Hakstol: I The Flyers are now 23-19-8 in season openers, and they are 22-16-12 in though a couple of good penalty kills pushed us in the right direction in their road openers, many of which did not start the season. the second period and kind of righted the ship for us.” Simmonds, who had a team-high 31 goals last season, tipped in Jake Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.05.2017 Voracek’s point drive with 10 minutes, 33 seconds to play, snapping a 3- 3 tie. Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere had three assists apiece. “We got a lot of passes through, and we moved the puck well,” Voracek said of the power play, which is directed by , a former coach of Erie in the Ontario Hockey League. “…Simmy was outstanding in front of the net.” The Flyers had taken a 3-2 lead when Gostisbehere’s power-play blast nicked Simmonds, and rattled off the right post and into the net with 2:24 left in the second. Simmonds said he wasn’t worried that the first power-play unit had problems in the preseason. “We didn’t start working on the power play until the end of camp,” he said. “I think our focus was to get our legs and make sure we had our five-on-five structure down. With both units this year, I think it was only a matter of time. We kept working on it and today was a pretty good showing.” San Jose had a huge territorial edge in the second period, but the Flyers scored the only goal in the stanza despite being outshot, 13-6. Voracek set up Gostisbehere, notching his second assist of the night on a goal that went to Simmonds. “I got the puck over to Jakey and spread it out a little bit, and he made a great pass back,” Gostisbehere said. “G [Claude Giroux] told me to shoot it to open things up.” The lead was short-lived. With in the penalty box for hooking, Logan Couture whipped a backhander that deflected off the skate of defenseman Andrew MacDonald and past Brian Elliott, knotting the score at 3-all with 16:48 remaining in the third. Earlier in the second, was denied on two quality chances. Couturier had his wraparound knocked away by defenseman Paul Martin, and later in the period he went in alone after a Brent Burns giveaway — the Flyers were shorthanded at the time — and he was stopped by goalie Martin Jones with 11:20 left in the session. Kevin Labanc, a second-year left winger who had eight goals as a rookie, scored two goals in the final 2:43 of the first period to erase the Flyers’ 2- 0 lead. But Labanc was also in the penalty box for all three Flyers power- play goals. The Flyers, looking faster than last season, had built a 2-0 lead on goals by new left winger Giroux and (power play). “That’s the good thing about the young guys. They have a ton of energy and a ton of legs,” Simmonds said. 1076512 Philadelphia Flyers

Flames sign 45-year-old Jaromir Jagr to 1-year deal

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) - Jaromir Jagr has signed with the Calgary Flames. The 45-year-old Jagr agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal Wednesday for his 24th NHL season - and first with a Canadian team. "I already said in a Czech newspaper it's 99.9 percent that his will be my last season, so I want to get the experience to one day say I played for a Canadian team," Jagr said. The five-time NHL scoring champion is second behind Wayne Gretzky in NHL history with 1,914 points (765 goals, 1,149 assists). Jagr has played 1,711 NHL games with Pittsburgh, Washington, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, New Jersey and Florida and is 57 games from passing Gordie Howe for the most NHL games played (1,767). "If I can reach it, especially with a Calgary Flames jersey on, it's going to be special," Jagr said. "I don't want to look that far." Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy said "everyone was on board" with the signing. "How do we make us competitive? We felt the best way to do this is to get the best player available, and Jaromir Jagr happened to be available," Conroy said. Calgary opened the season at Edmonton on Wednesday night and will face Winnipeg at home on Saturday night. It will take Jagr some time to get ready to play. "I'm just probably going to need a little more time than usual," Jagr said. "I don't know how my body is going to react. I didn't play any games for five months. I didn't have any team practices for five months. I was practicing on my own most of the time. I just want to get some practices and see how I feel. I still need some confidence. If it's not good for the team to play right away, I'm not." Jagr started his career with Pittsburgh in the 1990-91 season and helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. The Czech star won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1999. Last season, he had 16 goals and 30 assists in 82 games with Florida. Ten Flames were not even born in 1991 when Jagr won the first of his Stanley Cup. "Everyone compared to my age is a young guy," Jagr said. "Last 20 years I've played with young guys. But the last two years in Florida I played with (Jonathan) Huberdeau and (Aleksander) Barkov and combined their age is still younger than me. It was great for me and hopefully they can say the same thing." Jagr also has played parts of eight seasons in Europe, including a three- year run with Omsk Avangard in Russia in the Kontinental Hockey League from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076513 Philadelphia Flyers “It’s crazy how one person can affect so many lives. But the easiest part of our job is how we can affect people. This is not something you hope to do, but this is the most humbling part of our job. Just to help people just Paris, now Vegas: For ex-Flyer Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, the worst type by being there, to forget if for just a few moments, what happened to of deja vu them. It’s so humbling. I wish it would never happen again and we would never have to. But it’s the world we live in.’’

The Knights, who open their inaugural season in Dallas Friday night, had by Sam Donnellon, STAFF WRITER @samdonnellon | already created a goodwill vibe as Las Vegas’s first-ever major [email protected] professional league franchise. Before this week’s tragedy, anticipation for next Tuesday’s home opener was building for months among the more than 2 million who now call Vegas their permanent home. The text came in just as it had gone out almost two years before. Bellemare, who had trouble focusing on hockey that November night in Raleigh almost two years ago, expects it will be extremely tough to do so “Es-tu en sécurité?’’ Rose-Eliandre Bellemare asked her big brother again on Tuesday. Pierre-Edouard as news of Sunday night’s massacre in Las Vegas reached her in Paris. “We just have to give it our all,’’ he said. “So that the people — we just give the love back to them right from the beginning. They’re already Same emotion. Same fear. Siblings living on separate continents, trusting us, they’re already there for us, they already want to support us. bonded by the unthinkable but no longer the unimaginable. We have to make ourselves a team they can be proud of.’’ “Are you safe?’’ Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.05.2017 Just less than two years before, on a Friday the 13th, ISIS terrorists and suicide bombers had targeted a stadium, concert venue and various public spaces in Paris, killing 130 and wounding hundreds. Rose- Eliandre, a gymnast on France’s national team, was living in Paris at the time. It is where Pierre-Edouard was born. Their mother lives about 90 minutes from the city. Bellemare was traveling with the Flyers to Raleigh-Durham for a Saturday game against the Carolina Hurricanes when the Paris attacks occurred. “My sister was the first person I texted when I heard,’’ Bellemare was saying over the phone. Her response was immediate: “Je vais bien (I am fine).’’ His response was not, delayed because he was asleep as news hit of a gunman opening fire from a hotel room overlooking a country music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, killing 58 people at the concert and wounding more than 500. Hours earlier, at the nearby T-Mobile Arena, Bellemare’s Vegas Golden Knights had lost 5-3 to the San Jose Sharks in the preseason finale for the first-year squad. The early game had prompted dinner plans among the new teammates, and a few even contemplated making the one-mile trek to the concert. Backup goaltender Calvin Pickard had attended the Friday night show. Instead, a third of the team including Pickard, some with girlfriends, headed to Zuma at The Cosmopolitan nearby for dinner. The attack occurred as they were finishing dinner. It wasn’t until after 1 a.m. that the lockdown was lifted and they were allowed to leave. Bellemare, 32, chose to return to his hotel in nearby Summerlin, where he and his wife Hannah ate dinner and had an early night. “We were about to go to bed when I see this happening,’’ he said. “But then it was just a report on the news of like two people dead. I was like, OK, this is crazy … “When I woke up in the morning my phone was just jammed with texts, people asking me if we were OK …” And in a heartbeat, he understood what it must have been like for his sister that night in Paris. Immediately, he texted to her what she had texted to him almost two years before. “Je vais bien,” he wrote, and an hour later the two were on the phone together. “It’s hard to even absorb it — crazy,’’ he said. “Let’s be honest. Neither of those situations was a fun situation.’’ The Knights players have been all over their adopted community since the attacks, doing what they can. A blood drive first. Visiting first responders Tuesday to thank them for their bravery. Wednesday, a visit to area hospitals to do anything they can to relieve, even for seconds, the anguish caused by injury and the loss of loved ones. “In Paris, you had the athletes there trying to do what they could to support the people,’’ Bellemare said. “We’re trying to do the same thing here.” Bellemare played professionally in Sweden before trying the NHL, and also had friends in Stockholm when a terrorist hijacked a bus and drove it into a crowd last April, killing five and seriously injuring 14. “It’s the same feeling every time,’’ he said. “Is this really happening? And you go from that to praying for people.’’ 1076514 Philadelphia Flyers are 1-1-1 in the previous three games. In road opening games, the Flyers are 21-16-12.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.05.2017 Brian Elliott to start Flyers' opener; Sam Morin, Travis Sanheim will sit against Sharks by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER @BroadStBull | [email protected]

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Goalie Brian Elliott will make his debut for the Flyers, but rookie defensemen and Travis Sanheim will not be in the lineup when they start their season Wednesday night in San Jose. At least that’s based on the team’s morning skate here. Morin and Sanheim stayed on the ice after the six starting defensemen left. In the past, coach Dave Hakstol has announced and commented on his starting lineup after the morning skate. He said he won’t do that this season because he doesn’t want to give his opponent any information. But Hakstol did say: “As long as we have eight defensemen here, we’re going to have two pretty good defensemen out of the lineup.” Added Hakstol: “Whoever is out of the lineup, it’s their job to do the extra work and make sure they’re ready to play if called upon tomorrow — whether it’s a veteran or a guy looking to play their first game.” Here is the lineup the Flyers will use Wednesday: Sean Couturier centering Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek. Nolan Patrick centering Jordan Weal and Wayne Simmonds. Val Filppula centering Dale Weise and Travis Konecny. Scott Laughton entering and . Defense: Ivan Provorov and Andrew MacDonald, Radko Gudas and Brandon Manning, Shayne Gostisbehere and Robert Hagg. Goalie: Elliott. In addition to Morin and Sanheim, Jori Lehtera will be a healthy scratch for the Flyers, who will play in Los Angeles on Thursday. Goalie Michal Neuvirth is expected to get the start in that game, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Morin or Sanheim also played against the Kings. Hakstol was asked if there was a concern of being too young on the blue line, and if perhaps that was why it looked as if Sanheim and Morin would sit out the opener. “Everybody that’s here, they wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think they could help us in an NHL game; yet it goes without saying that experience does matter,” Hakstol said. “We’re going to have at least three guys under the age of 24 years old in the lineup (on defense), and putting that mix together is all a part of it. No question. The heat gets turned up a couple of notches tonight from where it’s been in preseason. The young guys, when they’re in, will handle it well. The veteran players have to do a good job of leading and doing their part when they’re in because there will be nights when they’re out as well.” MacDonald, Filppula honored MacDonald and Filppula both said they were honored to be share the alternate captain spot that was vacated when Pierre-Edouard Bellemare went to Vegas in the expansion draft. MacDonald will wear the “A” on the road, and Filppula will wear it on the road. Mac: https://t.co/UVbKiPYVEQ — Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 4, 2017 https://t.co/GFqagT87SX — Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 4, 2017 Giroux is the captain and Simmonds is the other alternate. Breakaways Because of pre-game ceremonies, the opener will start at 10:50 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. … Dean Lombardi, recently hired by Flyers GM Ron Hextall to assist him on projects, will be at tonight’s game with the team’s brass. … The Flyers are 22-19-8 in openers in franchise history. This is the fourth straight season they have opened on the road, and they 1076515 Philadelphia Flyers Ice chips: The Devils scored the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference and tied for most allowed. … All eyes are on No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier. … Acquired Marcus Johansson (61 goals over last three NHL preview: Team-by-team capsules seasons) from Washington. … Reliable fourth-line center Brian Boyle was diagnosed with early-stage chronic myeloid leukemia. Doctors think oral medication will be sufficient to treat Boyle. by Ed Barkowitz, STAFF WRITER @edbarkowitz | Carolina Hurricanes [email protected] Last season: 87 points, 7th in division, no playoffs

Ice chips: Haven’t been to the postseason in eight years, the longest Eastern Conference current drought in the league. Not surprisingly, the Hurricanes were last in attendance last season at an average of 11,776 per game. … In fact, In predicted order of finish three of the four teams with the lowest attendances are in this division: Carolina (30th), the Islanders (28th), and the Devils (27th). Arizona was Metropolitan Division 29th. Pittsburgh Penguins Atlantic Division Last season: 111 points, 2nd in division, won second consecutive Toronto Maple Leafs Stanley Cup and third in nine years. Last season: 95 points, 4th in division, lost in first round to Washington. Ice chips: Will try to become the first team to win three consecutive Stanley Cups since the Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83. Wayne Ice chips: The Leafs are one of the most fun young teams in the league. Gretzky never won three in a row. Neither did Mario Lemieux. … It’ll be interesting to see if last year’s taste of the postseason means Assistant coach Rick Tocchet left to take the Coyotes’ head coaching anything for this season. … Three of their top five scorers were under 21 position. He was replaced by Mark Recchi. … Lost longtime goalie Marc- years old, including Auston Matthews, who just turned 20 on Sept. 17. He Andre Fleury in the expansion draft. was tied for second in the NHL with 40 goals and ran away with the rookie of the year award. New York Rangers Tampa Bay Lightning Last season: 102 points, 4th in division, lost to Ottawa in second round. Last season: 94 points, 5th in division, missed playoffs by one point. Ice chips: Added Washington’s Kevin Shattenkirk, which will help the power-play and the defense, but traded forward Derek Stepan, who was Ice chips: Will host the All-Star Game on Jan. 28. … Defenseman Mikhail third on the team in scoring last season. … The key piece in the Stepan Sergachev, 19, is ready to start contributing. He was the key piece in the deal with Arizona is Anthony DeAngelo, another defenseman with strong deal that sent Jonathan Drouin to Montreal. … Steven Stamkos (knee) offensive skills. DeAngelo, from Sewell, N.J., is 21 and already with his and Ryan Callahan (hip) both look healthy after missing extensive time third organization. Tampa Bay drafted him in the first round in 2014. with injuries. Columbus Blue Jackets Florida Panthers Last season: 108 points, third in division, lost to Pittsburgh in first round. Last season: 81 points, sixth in division, no playoffs. Ice chips: Swapped Brandon Saad for Artemi Panarin from Chicago. Ice chips: Underachieved big-time last season, which led to Bob Panarin has scored at least 30 goals in his two NHL seasons, is a two- Boughner taking over as coach and Dale Tallon returning as general time all-star and was rookie of the year in 2015-16 (when Flyers manager. … Chose not to re-sign Jaromir Jagr. … Top winger Jonathan defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere finished second). … The Blue Jackets Huberdeau, who missed the first 51 games because of injury during an have never made the playoffs in consecutive seasons. exhibition game last year, had an excellent preseason. Washington Capitals Ottawa Senators Last season: 118 points, most in NHL, didn’t win the Stanley Cup, this is Last season: 98 points, 2nd in division, lost to Pittsburgh in conference not a recording. finals. Ice chips: Nobody was stung more by the NHL’s decision to forbid Ice chips: The Senators were one of the best stories from last season. players from participating in the 2018 Olympics than Capitals star Alex They pushed the Penguins to double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Ovechkin. He had a three-year run of 50 goals snapped last season finals after not making the playoffs in 2015-16. … Star defenseman Erik when he scored 33. … The Caps lost a ton of veterans — including Karlsson, who valiantly played through torn tendons in his ankle during Justin Williams and Marcus Johansson — in a salary-cap crunch. … the playoff run, is expected to be in the lineup for Thursday’s opener or They did decide to keep young star Evgeny Kuznetsov, 25, with a $62.4 shortly thereafter. million contract. Kuznetsov is seven years younger than Ovechkin and the future face of the franchise. Boston Bruins Flyers Last season: 95 points, third in division, lost to Ottawa in first round. Last season: 88 points, 6th in division, no playoffs. Ice chips: Possibly using two rookies among their top-six forwards with Anders Bjork on the first line and Jake DeBrusk on the second. … 40- Ice chips: A bunch of nameplates have changed in the locker room, but year-old Zdeno Chara still anchors the defense, something coach Bruce the core group — especially some of the maligned forwards — Cassidy said isn’t an issue. “Until he proves he can’t play, he’s our guy,” remains intact. … Claude Giroux will start the season playing left wing Cassidy told the Boston Herald. “I don’t see that happening anytime with Jake Voracek on the right side and Sean Couturier centering. soon. He’s our shutdown guy.” Giroux, the team captain, has centered the first line for most of his career. … Brian Elliott replaced Steve Mason as one of the goalies Buffalo Sabres alongside Michal Neuvirth. Last season: 78 points, last in division, no playoffs. Camera icon YONG KIM / STAFF Ice chips: Took a slight step back from 81 points in 2015-16, which cost New York Islanders head coach Dan Bylsma his job. Phil Housley, a Hall of Fame defenseman who played for the Sabres from 1982-90, is an NHL head Last season: 94 points, 5th in division, missed playoffs by one point. coach for the first time. … Young star Jack Eichel has 113 points in 142 games over his first two years, which he characterized as disappointing. Ice chips: The Islanders will play their third season in Brooklyn, a location “Two mediocre seasons on a losing team,” he grumbled. many of their core fans still hate, but a site where the Isles have played pretty well (47-23-12). … The more pertinent issue is the status of Montreal Canadiens franchise star John Tavares, who can become a free agent next summer. Tavares, 27, is in his prime and has all the leverage. Last season: 103 points, 1st in division, upset by Rangers in first round. New Jersey Devils Ice chips: Forward Jonathan Drouin finally got out of Tampa Bay and landed in what could be hockey heaven (for him). French-Canadian stars Last season: 70 points, 8th in division, worst team in the conference. in Montreal — Drouin was born in Quebec — are part rock stars/part hockey players. … The Canadiens have posted 100 points in three of the Matt Duchene: “It’s got to be a wake-up call now. This can’t keep last four years, but are dealing with a Stanley Cup drought that will reach happening.” https://t.co/QACpPOGlRI by @MikeChambers #avs 25 years this spring. — Denver Post Sports (@DPostSports) October 3, 2017 Detroit Red Wings Pacific Division Last season: 79 points, 7th in division, snapped a 25-year run of postseason appearances. Edmonton Oilers Ice chips: Will play at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit after 37 Last season: 103 points, 2nd in division, lost to Anaheim in second years at Joe Louis Arena, which had been the second-oldest NHL venue round. after Madison Square Garden. … Goaltender Jimmy Howard noted that Ice chips: Connor McDavid became the first Oiler to win the NHL scoring the boards aren’t nearly as lively as they were at the Joe. … The Flyers’ title since you-know-who 30 years ago. McDavid, who turns 21 on Jan. two games at the Pizza Joint are Jan. 23 and March 20 — both 13, was signed to an eight-year, $100 million extension in July. His only Tuesdays. visit to Philadelphia is Oct. 21. Western Conference Anaheim Ducks In predicted order of finish Last season: 105 points, first in division, lost to Nashville in conference Central Division finals. Chicago Blackhawks Ice chips: The Ducks have won five consecutive division titles and notched at least 100 points in each of the last four years, but they have Last season: 109 points, 1st in division and conference, swept by not reached the Cup Finals since winning it all in 2007. … Corey Perry Nashville in first round. had just 19 goals last season and is due for a rebound. Ice chips: Chicago reacted to its first-round flop by dealing Artemi Calgary Flames Panarin to Columbus for Brandon Saad, who was on two of their recent Cup-winning teams … Also back with the band is Patrick Sharp, who Last season: 94 points, 4th in division, lost to Anaheim in first round. played on three Cup teams. He had a miserable year last season in Ice chips: Goaltender Mike Smith, 35, will take the place of Brian Elliott, Dallas and was signed as a free agent. who’s now a Flyer. … Johnny Gaudreau had (for him) only 18 goals in 72 Dallas Stars games last season after posting 30 in 79 games the previous season. … TSN reported Monday that the Flames signed 45-year-old winger Jaromir Last season: 79 points, 6th in division, no playoffs. Jagr to a one-year deal for $1 million. … Calgary started 5-10-1 last season, finished it 40-23-3. Ice chips: The Stars were among the most active teams in the offseason, led by the signings of goalie Ben Bishop (from Tampa Bay) and winger San Jose Sharks Alexander Radulov (from Montreal). … They brought back Ken Hitchcock as head coach. Hitchcock was the Stars coach from 1996-2002, winning Last season: 99 points, 3rd in division, lost to Edmonton in first round. the Cup in 1999. He was 45 when he first coached Dallas. He’ll be 66 in Ice chips: This will be the first season in the 21st century that the Sharks December. will be without Patrick Marleau (signed by Toronto). … The early exit Minnesota Wild from the postseason allowed captain Joe Thornton to have knee surgery in April, which sped up recovery time. Last season: 106 points, 2nd in division, lost to St. Louis in first round. Los Angeles Kings Ice chips: Set a franchise record with 49 wins last year, but again couldn’t do any postseason damage. … Top-six forward Zach Parise continues to Last season: 86 points, 5th in division, no playoffs. deal with a back injury that has contributed to his last two seasons being Ice chips: Former Flyers coach John Stevens is the new head man in Los largely a disappointment. He has 30-goal capability if he can get himself Angeles. He takes over a team that has missed the playoffs twice in the healthy, but he’ll miss at least the first two games. last three years and was knocked out in the first round the other time. St. Louis Blues Arizona Coyotes Last season: 99 points, 3rd in division, lost to Nashville in second round. Last season: 70 points, 6th in division, no playoffs. Ice chips: Vladimir Tarasenko scored 39 goals last season often playing Ice chips: Former Penguins assistant (and Flyers legend) Rick Tocchet is alongside Jori Lehtera, who was traded to the Flyers for Brayden the new head coach. … Rookie Clayton Keller has been impressive Schenn. Tarasenko has scored 116 goals over the last three seasons, enough to see some time on the top line (with Derek Stepan and Max second only to Alex Ovechkin (136). … Schenn fans take note: The Domi) during the preseason. Keller, 19, was the seventh overall pick in Flyers are at St. Louis on Nov. 2 and host the Blues on Jan. 6. 2016. … Shane Doan, who played 21 years for the franchise and was Nashville Predators Coyotes captain since 2003-04, retired. Tocchet has not decided on a replacement. The Arizona Republic says he may just use a bunch of Last season: 94 points, 4th in division, last team from West to get into alternates. postseason, made it all the way to the Cup Finals. Vancouver Canucks Ice chips: Entering their 19th season and coming off the greatest run in team history. … Defenseman Roman Josi is the new team captain now Last season: 69 points, last in division, ended with an eight-game losing that Mike Fisher has retired. He’s the second Swiss player to captain an streak. NHL team. Former Islander Mark Streit was the first in 2011. Nashville Ice chips: The Sedin twins turned 37 last week. Daniel was a minus-16 GM calls Josi, “our Roger Federer.” last season. Henrik was minus-27. … was the Canucks’ only Winnipeg Jets 20-goal scorer last season. As tough as the Pacific is, the arrow is certainly pointing down in Vancouver. … Good luck to rookie head coach Last season: 87 points, 5th in division, no playoffs. Travis Green. Ice chips: Have made the playoffs just once since moving from Atlanta Vegas Golden Knights before the 2011-12 season. … Steve Mason is the Jets’ primary goaltender. Last season: Did not compete. The Golden Knights are the first team in the four major pro sports to be located in Las Vegas. Colorado Avalanche Ice chips: The team’s T-Mobile Center home is about two miles north of Last season: 48 points, easily the fewest in all of hockey. the Mandalay Bay casino complex. … The Golden Knights are owned by Bill Foley, a 72-year-old Texan who lived for a time in Canada while his Ice chips: Center Matt Duchene wants to be traded and the team wants father served in the Air Force. … George McPhee is the general to deal him. Yeah, it’s awkward. … Colorado will play two games against manager. Kelly McCrimmon (Brad’s brother) and Murray Craven also Ottawa in Stockholm, Sweden, on Nov. 10-11. … Winger Nail Yakupov, hold top management positions. … Former Florida coach Gerard Gallant the No. 1 overall pick in 2012, is with his third team in three years. is the head coach and Pierre Eduoard-Bellemare, who was plucked from the Flyers in the expansion draft, already is establishing himself as one of the team’s leaders. … The Knights host the Flyers on Sunday, Feb. 11. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076516 Philadelphia Flyers As for Patrick, he will center the second line and have Jordan Weal, a talented young player who just missed qualifying as a rookie, and the steady Simmonds as his wingers. Young guns: Flyers rookies ready to make an impact “He’s got a great mind for the game,” Simmonds said of Patrick. “He makes a lot of little plays that open up the ice for players around him.” by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER @BroadStBull | The Flyers moved from No. 13 to No. 2 in the draft lottery — they had [email protected] just a 2.4 percent chance to climb that high — and were thus able to draft Patrick in June. That stroke of luck helped immensely, but the pipeline was already loaded with highly ranked prospects. That’s why many publications rated the Flyers as the NHL franchise with the best farm SAN JOSE, Calif. — One of the Flyers’ rookies, Nolan Patrick, turned 19 system, a tribute to Hextall, Chris Pryor, who is an assistant general last month, but he is so advanced, he is making the leap from juniors to manager and director of player personnel, and the team’s scouting staff. the NHL. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.05.2017 Two other rookies, Samuel Morin and Robert Hagg, are sturdy defensemen who aren’t flashy, but are efficient in their own end and won’t be pushed around. Morin is 6-foot-7, 225 pounds, and he has a funny, contagious personality that makes people congregate toward him. On the ice, however, he can turn into Mr. Nasty, and his long reach frustrated puck- carriers in the preseason. Morin and the 6-2, 210-pound Hagg will do a better job of clearing the crease than some of last season’s defenders. Hagg also has the ability to carry the puck and create offense. Like Morin and Hagg, left winger Taylor Leier paid his dues with the AHL’s . He, too, has earned a regular spot at the start of the Flyers’ season and also figures to see time on the penalty kill. Travis Sanheim, perhaps the Flyers’ most promising young defenseman, is another rookie who will start the season with the team. He shared the Flyers’ lead with three preseason goals. Put them all together and you have what looks like one of the Flyers’ best rookie classes in recent memory. It’s the first time since 1992-93 that the Flyers start a season with five rookies, though one of them, probably Sanheim, figures to soon be sent to the Phantoms to alleviate a numbers crunch. Coach Dave Hakstol said the rookies have brought a “different feeling” to this season’s team. “It struck me yesterday,” Hakstol said after Tuesday’s practice in San Jose, where the Flyers open the season Wednesday. “We got off the plane just before we boarded the team bus, and instead of one or two (young) guys hanging together, there’s a small group of six or seven guys. That brings a little bit of a different outlook and a different energy to the team, and I think it’s been very good for our team, veterans included.” Wayne Simmonds agreed. “The young guys are pushing the pace at all times,” the high-scoring right winger said, “… and you don’t want to go out there looking lethargic. You want to make sure you’re in top shape, too.” Hagg played three years for the Phantoms, while Morin spent the last two years with the team. Hagg has made steady improvement, and Morin has become a much better player than when he was an undisciplined Lehigh Valley rookie. “He’s making better decisions,” general manager Ron Hextall said of Morin, the 11th overall pick in 2013. “Part of it is experience and getting to the American League, playing a different game than he did in junior. In junior, he played more. He was on the power play and he was in situations you don’t necessarily see him being in at the pro level, so he had to change his game a little.” Morin made adjustments. “I simplified my game,” he said. “Simplistic guys are very valuable to a hockey club. That’s Big Sam,” Hextall said. “I mean, his strengths are his size, he’s a good defender, and he’s hard to play against. I don’t think any of us would want to go in a corner with him. He’s keeping his game simple, and he got better month to month in Lehigh.” Because most games are so tight, Hextall said, Morin must stay disciplined and stay out of the penalty box. All players “have to be careful of the unnecessary penalties at bad moments,” Hextall said. “And for a guy who plays like Sam, he has to be particularly careful because he’s a big guy; he’s a strong guy and he can just touch a guy and the guy goes down. He has to pick and choose his moments for sure.” 1076517 Philadelphia Flyers

Wayne Simmonds scores hat trick in Flyers' 5-3 win over Sharks

By JOSH DUBOW, Associated Press Oct 5, 2017 Updated 4 hrs ago 0

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Wayne Simmonds scored his second power- play goal to break a tie with 10:33 remaining and completed an opening- night hat trick with an empty-netter as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Wednesday. Claude Giroux and Jordan Weal also scored to get the Flyers off to a good start after missing the playoffs last season. Jakub Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere each had three assists for Philadelphia. Brian Elliott made 32 saves in his first game with the Flyers after signing a $5.5 million, two-year contract this summer. Kevin Labanc became the first San Jose player to score two goals in the opening period of the season but also was called for three minor penalties that all led to goals for the Flyers. Logan Couture also scored for the Sharks, who had won seven straight openers. Martin Jones made 26 saves in San Jose's first game without Patrick Marleau since April 7, 2009. Marleau, the franchise's career leading scorer, left as a free agent to sign with Toronto in July. The Sharks were searching for ways to replace Marleau's 27 goals and Labanc delivered with his two. But his penalties hurt the cause, including a tripping call in the offensive zone that set up the game-winner. Just 6 seconds after Labanc went into the box, Simmonds tipped Voracek's point shot past Jones to make it 4-3. Simmonds then sealed it with his empty-net goal in the final minute. Simmonds also scored on the power play in the second period after another Labanc penalty to give the Flyers the lead, but San Jose tied it early in the third when Couture's pass deflected off Andrew MacDonald's skate and past Elliott for the equalizer. Jones got off to a rough start for the Sharks, giving the puck away to Voracek on a clearing attempt. That led to Giroux's goal to open the scoring. Jones also got caught too deep in net when Weal scored on a rush on the power play to make it 2-0. Labanc showed why coach Peter DeBoer put him on the top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski by scoring twice in the final three minutes of the period. He batted a rebound in midair past Elliott for his first goal and then scored on a wrister from the top of the circle on the power play to tie it in the final minute of the first. NOTES: Brent Burns assisted on Couture's goal for his 500th career point. ... The last Sharks player to score twice in an opener was Tommy Wingels in 2014 against Los Angeles. UP NEXT Flyers: Visit the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Sharks: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Burlington County Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076518 Philadelphia Flyers Taylor Leier, playing right winger on the Flyers’ fourth line, saw significant ice time with 12:30 of action (4:35 shorthanded). Leier was not on the ice when the Sharks scored their two power-play goals. Wayne Simmonds, power play lift Flyers to season-opening win For the stat junkies • Hakstol is now 2-0-1 in season openers. By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia October 05, 2017 3:25 AM • Claude Giroux’s first-period goal marked the fourth time he’s scored a goal in a season opener. His first assist of the season will pass Mark Recchi for fourth place on the Flyers’ all-time list. SAN JOSE, Calif. — Not only do the Flyers finally know the way to San Jose, but now they know the best mode of transportation to get here and • With his three goals, Simmonds surpassed the 400-point mark for his to get the job done. career (401). By train. • Wednesday’s game was the third time in franchise history the Flyers started their season in California. Last season, the Flyers began in Los The "Wayne Train" delivered the cargo as he became the first Flyer in Angeles with a 4-2 win over the Kings. Their first season opener in the franchise history to score a hat trick on opening night. Two of those were Golden State came in their inaugural season of 1966-67 when they lost vintage Simmonds parking the caboose in front of the goaltender and to the California Seals, 5-1, at Oracle Arena, home to the NBA world redirecting shots from the point. He capped his second career hat trick champion Golden State Warriors. with an empty-netter that secured a 5-3 opening night victory Wednesday over the Sharks, just the Flyers’ second win in San Jose since the turn of Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 the century (see observations). It was Simmonds’ hand-eye coordination, coupled with an ability to screen a goaltender, that placed him in a very elite category. “That’s pretty good,” Simmonds said. “I thought we started really well. I think we’ve got a lot more speed. I think if you watched the game, we just kept skating, skating and skating. I think it was because of our legs that we came away with the two points. The good thing about the young guys is they have a ton of energy and a ton of legs, so that’s good.” “He’s the best in the business at that (working down low),” Shayne Gostisbehere said. “They always tell me if I get the puck through on net, don’t get it blocked. You’re going to get a point because it’s either going to go in or Simmer is going to tip it. It’s a good presence to have. It’s a weapon that we obviously have, and he showed it tonight.” The Flyers utilized Simmonds and their power-play units to full potential. Not only did the Flyers’ power play complete a hat trick of its own, but collectively the team’s two units needed just 1:09 to accomplish the feat. First, Jordan Weal got the Flyers on the board on the PP before Simmonds followed suit with his pair. “Jokingly, we said we were saving them for the season,” Gostisbehere, who tied a career high with three assists, said. “It was huge for us.” The Flyers didn’t start working on their power play until a week into the preseason. They were never too distracted with their September struggles, especially in the game at Boston in which they finished 0 for 9. “The last three games of the preseason, things were clicking pretty well,” head coach Dave Hakstol said. “Tonight, the puck went into the net. We had a real good shooting mentality. We scored a couple early by having great net-front presence. One or two passes and putting it to the net, and it was effective for us tonight.” Brian Elliott earned the season-opening assignment in net and despite surrendering a 2-0 lead in the first period and a 3-2 lead earlier in the third period, he shut the door over the final 16:48 to earn his first win in orange and black. “The first game of the season, you’re always figuring things out,” Elliott said. “But that was a good one for us to spoil a home opener.” Rookie report Making his NHL debut, Nolan Patrick played 13:30 and had three shots on goal. Patrick also won 56 percent of his faceoffs. While he wasn’t noticeable on the offensive end, he played a responsible defensive game. “I though he played really well,” Simmonds said. “I asked him if he was nervous before the game, and he said no. I think it was [Jakub Voracek] who said, ‘Ah, you better be nervous.’” Robert Hagg, paired with Gostisbehere, was on the ice for 16:13 with two shots on goal. He saw time in all situations, including nearly two minutes on the penalty kill. “You’d think he’d be nervous, but he was so calm,” Gostisbehere said. “He’s a cool, calm and collected guy. He just sees the game so well. He’s a good calming presence back there. I think he played really well out there tonight.” 1076519 Philadelphia Flyers Jordan Weal-Nolan Patrick-Wayne Simmonds Dale Weise-Valtteri Filppula-Travis Konecny Flyers-Sharks observations: Wayne Simmonds sparks opening win Taylor Leier-Scott Laughton-Michael Raffl Defensemen By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia October 05, 2017 1:20 AM Ivan Provorov-Andrew MacDonald Shayne Gostisbehere-Robert Hagg SAN JOSE, Calif. — The "Wayne Train" was a freight train of goals on Brandon Manning-Radko Gudas opening night Wednesday as Wayne Simmonds notched his second career hat trick in the Flyers' 5-3 season-opening win over the San Jose Goalies Sharks. Brian Elliott The Flyers blew a 2-0 lead and a 3-2 lead, but their power play bailed Michal Neuvirth them out as they were able to pull out a win at the Shark Tank for just the third time in their last 22 matchups in San Jose dating back to 2002. Scratches: Jori Lehtera, Sam Morin, Travis Sanheim. Simmonds scored the Flyers' final three goals of the game, the last of Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 which was an empty-netter with 36 seconds remaining in regulation. The hat trick marked the Flyers' first on opening night in franchise history, according to NHL public relations. • Brian Elliott got the start in net and appeared to struggle tracking the puck throughout the first period. However, he settled down and closed the door over the final half of the third period to collect his first win with the Flyers. Elliott stopped 32 of 35 shots. • One of my preseason keys was how the Flyers had to develop a potent second power-play unit. On its first rush following a change, it worked a perfect give-and-go as Travis Konecny flipped a pass to Jordan Weal, who beat Martin Jones with a cross-ice shot. Weal’s shot was perfectly placed, but it’s still a shot Jones should stop from that angle. “It was a good breakout and we executed what we wanted to do,” Weal said. “I just put it in a spot where I thought I could either put it in, or if it didn’t go in, it would create a rebound for a guy going to the net. But it found a way in.” • All of that preseason concern and panic over the Flyers’ power play was a worthless exercise. The Flyers’ two PP units needed just 1:09 to convert its first three power-play opportunities. • Sharks goaltender Jones essentially put the Flyers on the board first when he hesitated behind his net and then sent a perfect tape-to-tape pass right to Jakub Voracek, who quickly tapped it over to Claude Giroux for a one-time goal in the opening period. Interestingly, Elliott nearly handed the Sharks a goal in the first few minutes of the game when he misjudged a puck, which resulted in an awkward lunge. However, San Jose couldn’t convert on Elliott’s turnover. • Who in the world is Kevin Labanc and what was he doing on the Sharks’ top line? Well, Labanc proved just what type of player he is with a pair of first-period goals. San Jose’s sixth-round selection (171st overall) in 2014 brought some speed and energy alongside veterans Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. That’s what the Flyers were hoping for from their 2014 fifth-round pick Oskar Lindblom. One knock on Labanc: he committed the Sharks’ first three minors, two of which resulted in goals for the Flyers. • On Labanc’s first goal, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere was caught deep in the offensive zone and the Sharks broke out with what was shaping up to be a 3-on-1. However, the Flyers recovered nicely in their end, and if Elliott would have controlled the rebound, the team would have avoided that early goal. • If the Flyers’ top line is to have any sustained success, Sean Couturier has to develop some sort a finishing touch working with Voracek and Giroux. Couturier had a breakaway and after putting a nice move on Jones, the Sharks’ netminder got a piece of the shot with his right pad. Couturier would have scored a goal had he elevated the puck. Still, one benefit with Couturier on that line is the players will have more possession time in the offensive zone. Overall, he was very assertive and he makes that top line tougher to defend. • In his NHL debut, Nolan Patrick, the Flyers’ second overall pick, played 13:30 with three shots on net. He also won 5 of 9 faceoffs. Patrick played a responsible game and rarely seemed out of place. For Patrick, I’m sure it’s good to get that first one out of the way. • The Flyers are 23-19-8 all-time in season openers, and they’ve now won back-to-back season openers on the West Coast. Lines, pairings and scratches Forwards Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek 1076520 Philadelphia Flyers Bring their 'A' game On Tuesday night, the Flyers voted in a pair of new alternate captains who will replace Pierre Edouard-Bellemare and Mark Streit, who both With 4-game trip to begin season, Flyers more suited for road success in served as alternates depending on where the Flyers were playing. 2017-18 Beginning tonight and for the next three games, Andrew MacDonald will wear the 'A' along with Wayne Simmonds, who will be an alternate all By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia October 04, 2017 1:10 PM season, on the road. Filppula will take over MacDonald's duties for the Flyers' 41 home games, beginning with the home opener Oct. 14 against the Capitals. SAN JOSE, Calif. — Dave Hakstol displayed a rare moment of humor MacDonald, who will wear it Wednesday and for the next week, also Tuesday when he jokingly said, “I haven’t sent the thank-you card yet to served as an alternate with the Islanders. NHL scheduling.” "Obviously, it's a big honor and a big responsibility to have your peers More like thanks, but no thanks. and teammates choose you for that situation," MacDonald said Wednesday. "It's pretty special. I'm familiar with leadership roles and Whoever’s responsible for the unenviable task of compiling the 82-game what it's all about. Being an older guy now, I've picked up a lot of things schedule for each of the 31 teams has the Flyers as the home opening along the way." opponent for three different clubs: the Sharks, Kings and Predators. Essentially, the Flyers will have to endure an extended pregame Filppula wore the 'A' during the preseason in his time with the Red ceremony in each of the three cities, which will also include a banner- Wings, but never during the regular season. raising night for the Western Conference champions in Nashville on Oct. 10. “It means a lot and hopefully I can do a good job,” Filppula said. “It’s always an honor to be part of the captain’s group, especially coming from “It can be a little frustrating,” defenseman Brandon Manning said. “You the other teammates. It’s a big thing personally.” have to be professional about it. There’s no other way to deal with it. Find a way to get yourself ready and it’s no different than guys playing in their Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 first NHL game. It’s just part of the game. I don’t think that will be a real issue for us. Once you play in one (home opener), you’ll be ready for the next one.” But how prepared will the Flyers be for the entire 41-game road slate? Last season, the Flyers were 22 points better at the Wells Fargo Center, and following their 10-game winning streak, they proceeded to win just six of their final 27 games on the road. General manager Ron Hextall suggested perhaps the Flyers just didn’t have the mental fortitude required of a playoff team. “I think there’s a certain mentality of playing on the road. It’s hard,” Hextall said. “It’s not cushy like home. You don’t have all your fans there. You don’t go to your house for a pregame meal, you don’t go to the rink for a pregame skate. You’re traveling. You’re not playing the day before typically. It’s something we have to get better at. We’ve talked about and we have to have a better road record. Our home record we have to maintain and we have to be better on the road. No question about it.” It will ultimately become the difference between the Flyers qualifying for the postseason or staying at home for the fourth time in a six-year span. Of the 16 teams that qualified for the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, 15 had a winning record or a point differential above .500 on the road. Had the Flyers finished with just four more road victories and a record of 18-18-5, that would have been enough to overtake the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second wild-card spot last season. “I think the last few years, we haven’t been as good on the road as we were at home, and that’s just a fact, for any team in the league,” Claude Giroux said. “You need to find a way to get those wins, get those extra points on the road. It’s not easy to go into another building, but we need to find a way, whatever that is, to find a way to get those points.” Hextall believes he’s done his part by constructing a team that will allow the Flyers to be a tougher matchup for their opponents, who have the last change on faceoffs. With Sean Couturier, Nolan Patrick, Valtteri Filppula and Scott Laughton comprising your four centers to start the season, the Flyers appear to be better defensively to play the type of game required in a visitor’s arena. “I think our depth right now is better than what we’ve had in the past,” Hextall said. “So in terms of matchups, I definitely think we’re better off. You don’t dictate many of the matchups on the road as you do at home. We’re certainly better off with the depth we have. I think we’re strong in the middle. I feel good about our team right now, but in the end, we have to make it happen.” First-round knockouts For an organization that has subscribed to a win-now mentality in the past, and has often mortgaged its future to make that happen, you may be genuinely surprised to see that the Flyers' opening night roster has more first-round picks drafted by the organization than any other team in the league. Within the Flyers' 23-man roster, the organization can claim eight first- round picks (Giroux, Couturier, Patrick, Travis Konecny, Laughton, Ivan Provorov, Sam Morin and Travis Sanheim). The Islanders, Capitals and Kings currently have seven of their own first-rounders on their rosters. 1076521 Philadelphia Flyers • Brian Elliott will make his Flyers debut tonight. Elliott was 26-18-3 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 49 games last season with the Flames. Flyers-Sharks thoughts: The Nolan Patrick-led youth movement begins Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 tonight

By Jordan Hall | NBC Sports Philadelphia October 04, 2017 9:50 AM

Flyers at Sharks 10:30 p.m. on NBCSN, NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports App; Pregame Live at 10 Ready for the real thing? The Flyers' 2017-18 regular season gets underway tonight with a visit to the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center, opening up a four-game road trip to commence the new campaign. Thanks to a Nolan Patrick-led youth movement and a current core starting to fight the proverbial clock, this Flyers' season brings a fascinating dynamic to the table (see Fearless Forecast). How it all unfolds begins now (see predictions). So, without further ado, here are some thoughts for the season opener: • Let's enjoy Patrick's NHL debut, regardless of how he fares tonight. The fact he's here is still sort of hard to comprehend. Remember when the No. 2 overall pick in the June entry draft just fell into the Flyers' lap courtesy of immense lottery luck? A little over five months ago, the chances of Patrick wearing orange and black were slim to none. Now it's actually here. It sure will be a treat to watch the 19-year-old center night in and night out. He's expected to center the second line between Jordan Weal and Wayne Simmonds. One quote that encapsulates Patrick comes from his uncle, James, in June. "If he's playing with some skilled guys, he will get them the puck, he will make plays," James said. "Put the best players on the ice with him and they will get chances, and chances all night. I think that's what his offensive upside is." • Claude Giroux to the left wing will always be worth watching, and especially now when the games start to matter. It looks like the Flyers' captain will start the season in the new spot, next to Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek. Giroux put up four assists but no goals in four preseason games of playing left winger. Still, there were tons of positives and it will be interesting to see how long this change sticks. A quick start certainly won't hurt. “It's different with ‘G’ on the left plank. I think he can risk a little bit more than when he was at center,” Voracek said last week. “For his advantage, I think it’s real important that he can use the boards because he’s a very smart player. If you know how to use the boards, it’s a big advantage. I think we’ve been very good and we’ve just got to keep going." • The Flyers are carrying eight defensemen, including three rookies. Two very well may be healthy scratches in the opener, before one of them could be sent back to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley soon. Robert Hagg is the only rookie defenseman playing tonight, while Sam Morin and Travis Sanheim will serve as extras provided Shayne Gostisbehere (upper-body injury) is able to go. Hagg will be paired with Gostisbehere. Nonetheless, the defense will be key in both ends. The Flyers are hoping a lot of their offense can come from the blueliners joining the rush and making plays. • Last season, the Sharks surrendered the fourth-fewest goals at 2.44 per game, which helped outweigh them scoring just 2.67 per game, only two spots ahead of the Flyers. Goalie Martin Jones was strong at 35-23-6 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. San Jose, which was just in the Stanley Cup Final two years ago, is top heavy with formidable names in Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Joe Thornton. • The Sharks went 26-11-4 at home last season, while the Flyers went 14-22-5 on the road. The Flyers have lost four of their last five season openers and 17 of their last 21 matchups to San Jose. • Keep an eye on the power play, which never found great rhythm or consistency during the preseason and is under new instruction from first- year assistant coach Kris Knoblauch. The man advantage wasn't of great emphasis early in training camp, so some patience may be required. 1076522 Philadelphia Flyers Injuries have made this harder for me. Banged up and bruised, I cannot (wrongly) predict, for a fifth straight season, a Stanley Cup appearance for the St. Louis Blues. End to End: 2017-18 Flyers, Stanley Cup predictions I can’t bet against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Two Stanley Cups in less than 365 days. Sidney Crosby is the best player in the world. For now. Phil Kessel, hot dogs and all. Pittsburgh returns for a third straight Cup By NBC Sports Philadelphia Staff October 04, 2017 9:00 AM appearance, proving kings of the East again. It’ll be a tougher road to the Final, but the Penguins get there. Again. Sorry, Philly.

The Penguins become the first team since the Islanders, from 1980 to In 2017-18, the Flyers will look to avoid back-to-back seasons without the 1983, when New York won four straight, to win three consecutive Stanley playoffs for the first time since 1989-94, when the club suffered five Cups. Pittsburgh beats ... straight postseason absences. Edmonton in six games and a Stanley Cup Final the NHL would With that, among many other compelling components, this season absolutely hit pay dirt with. It’ll be Crosby against McDavid, the best in certainly isn't lacking for storylines (see Fearless Forecast). the world against the next one. I like this Edmonton team. Think its defense is finally respectable, and with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, its 1- Will an infusion of youth and new roles bring playoff hockey back to 2 punch at center is ridiculous. Cam Talbot provides steady goaltending Philadelphia? again and Edmonton gets into the Final for the first time since 2006. We have answers with a special prediction-themed End to End from Hall reporters John Boruk, Tom Dougherty, Jordan Hall and Greg Paone, before the Flyers' season opener Wednesday night against the Sharks. Flyers prediction/outlook Boruk Think about how different this team is compared to last season's opening lineup. Flyers prediction/outlook In 2016-17, the Flyers kicked things off with a third line of Nick Cousins, You want the good news or the bad news first? Bellemare and Weise. The fourth unit: VandeVelde, Boyd Gordon and Let’s begin with the good: The Flyers have one thing clearly working in — all three not currently in the NHL. Michael Raffl, who could their favor this season — history. They have not missed the postseason be in a fight for playing time this season, was on the first line. in back-to-back years since 1992-94 when Eric Lindros broke into the The defense featured Mark Streit and Nick Schultz, 38 and 34 years old, league. respectively, at the time. Since then, the Flyers have missed the playoffs on four different Sure, Brayden Schenn and Radko Gudas were missing because of occasions. On the previous three occasions, they were able to bounce suspensions, but these 2017-18 Flyers should be better after some back and reach the playoffs the next season. Will they make it 4 for 4 in significant maintenance. 2017-18? I think they will. For starters, they’re a deeper team both at the forward position and on defense, and I think the goaltending duo of Brian Now, you get Jordan Weal for a full season, as well as Valtteri Filppula. Elliott and Michal Neuvirth will provide stability. Weal is primed for a prominent role, while Filppula legitimizes the bottom six with his experience and ability. However, this is a Flyers team that has not finished higher than fifth in the titanium tough Metropolitan Division in each of the past three The 2017 No. 2 overall pick Patrick is here at 19 years old, set to start seasons. It may be able to sneak its way into fourth place, but that may what Flyers fans hope is a prosperous career in orange and black. be its ceiling. Konecny is a third-line option because of the overhaul and depth. Raffl So, here’s what I see for the Flyers: 42-28-12, 96 points, fifth place in the has become a probable fourth-liner, alongside players like Scott Metropolitan Division and a spot in the playoffs, where they’ll face the Laughton (2012 first-round pick), Taylor Leier (23-year-old AHL All-Star) Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round. and Jori Lehtera (33 career playoff games in three seasons with the Blues). Stanley Cup Final prediction And we haven't even mentioned the possibility of anticipated prospect This will be the season Steven Stamkos stays healthy, Nikita Kucherov is Oskar Lindblom as a call-up from the AHL at some point. a finalist for the Hart Trophy and the Lightning win the Atlantic Division. While on defense, Provorov is a year better, Gostisbehere is healthy with Connor McDavid will win the Art Ross Trophy for the second consecutive rediscovered confidence, and one or two rookies — maybe even three — season, and the Oilers and Lightning will meet in the Stanley Cup Final, will push the youth movement forward on the back end. with the Oilers winning it all. The biggest concern is the goaltending (in Philadelphia, you don't say!) Dougherty because the tandem of Neuvirth and Elliott could be pleasantly Flyers prediction/outlook formidable or really bad. Welp, last year didn’t end well for me. Overall, though, it's hard to deny the Flyers' improved makeup. With younger players making the NHL jump, expectations need to be Anyways, I do see the Flyers getting back into the playoffs this season. tempered, but this is an important season in the rebuild and for the future They’re deeper at forward with a legitimate top six and a potential 20- of the team's core. goal scorer (Travis Konecny) on the third line. Dale Weise will be the fan’s punching bag this season, which is, well, much better than Chris I do see the playoffs coming back to Philadelphia but a hard-fought, first- VandeVelde or Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. round series loss being the final result of the Flyers' 2017-18 campaign. The defense, led by Ivan Provorov, will be better. Robert Hagg and Sam Stanley Cup Final prediction Morin (or Travis Sanheim, or all three?) will have solid rookie years and Shield your eyes, Flyers fans (but don't actually, please keep reading). we’ll see more consistency from Shayne Gostisbehere in Year 3. The goaltending is the big question. The Penguins just have a special feel to them. Can Neuvirth stay healthy? What will Elliott give the Flyers? How many The mainstay pieces are still very much in their primes, creating a perfect games will Alex Lyon see in 2017-18? I think they’ll get solid enough blend with the team's surrounding youth. I see Crosby and company goaltending to make the playoffs — perhaps even win a round, too. No hoisting a third straight Stanley Cup because the Penguins don't appear Cup for the Flyers this season. to be slowing down yet. But playoffs? Sure, I think they can get there. And with Nolan Patrick As for their foe in the final, I'm still high on the Blackhawks. The Brandon centering the second line, and a top-heavy first line, yeah, I could see Saad reunion will pay off largely, youngsters Alex DeBrincat and John this team winning a series. Hayden will help, and Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and the rest should be ticked off after being flattened by the Predators buzz saw in last year's As long as it avoids Pittsburgh in the first round. first round. Stanley Cup Final prediction Let's go Penguins in seven games. Paone Flyers prediction/outlook Preseason is just preseason, but there are times when you can get at least some type of feel from a team after a preseason. That's not the case with this Flyers team. I feel like they are just stuck in this state of limbo right now. Could a bounce back fueled by hell-bent veterans and supplemented by eye-popping younger players be in store? Sure it could. Could a total flop happen that sees underperforming pieces, no matter the experience, slog through another season marred by inconsistency and disappointment? Sure it could. This Flyers team could easily trend in either direction. At season's end, we could be saying to ourselves that was tangible progress or we could have even more questions than from before the season began. And, to me, when you struggle to get a feel or your finger on the pulse of a team, that's not the sign of a great team. That's not a sign of a team I have confidence in to make a push to the playoffs, especially in a stacked Metropolitan Division that features some of the league's heavyweights in Pittsburgh and Washington, constant thorns in the Flyers' side in the New York Rangers and Columbus, and a spunky, up- and-coming Carolina team that could be a problem this season. The Flyers' outlook this season, for me, is too murky. Too many variables. Too many unanswered questions. Too many things have to fall into place. I see the Flyers hanging around the playoff mix, but ultimately coming up short, much like last season. I see them finishing behind Pittsburgh, Columbus, Washington, the Rangers, Carolina and the Islanders in the Metro. But, I do see more rookie and youthful contributions coming. And while those players will take their lumps, watching them develop will be an exciting storyline throughout the season. Stanley Cup Final prediction As for my Stanley Cup Final prediction, well, there's an old saying popularized by Nature Boy Ric Flair that goes a little something like this … "To be the man, you gotta beat the man." And right now, the Penguins are "the man" until proven otherwise. They are just so deep with talent, youth, speed and skill at every turn. From the West, I'm still a big fan of what the Sharks have put together. Patrick Marleau is in Toronto now, but they are still dynamic with the likes of Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Brent Burns. And Joe Thornton? That guy's a legend. Martin Jones is a rock in net, too. In the end, likely much to your chagrin, gimmie the Penguins in six games again. The crown is theirs until someone takes it. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076523 Philadelphia Flyers “You’d think he’d be nervous, but he’s so calm,” Gostisbehere said of his partner. “He’s a cool, calm and collected guy. He just sees the game so well and is a good, calming presence back there. I think he played well 5 takeaways: Flyers fix power play quick in season-opening win over tonight. Obviously we could get a little better, use each other a little Sharks better, but we played well.” The third rookie in the game had the most experience. Taylor Leier’s last NHL game prior to the season opener came in San Jose last December. Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 2:41 a.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017 He was a minus-1, but was terrific on the penalty kill and had two shots on goal, both of them dangerous.

Elliott finding his way SAN JOSE, Calif. — Considering they didn’t work on it until the last week of training camp, the Flyers were OK with their power play even though it Just like skaters, goalies have to make the adjustment from preseason’s went a measly 6-for-46 in the preseason. sometimes sloppy hockey to the much sharper play in the regular season. Not only was it effective in the season opener, a 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks, it was efficient. The Flyers started out 3-for-3 and scored 56 Early on, goalie Brian Elliott looked a little uneasy. He tried to poke check seconds, eight seconds and six seconds into those man advantages. the puck away from Kevin Labanc, who had a pair of goals for the Sharks, but it found its way to the front of the net and Radko Gudas had “Jokingly we said we were saving them for the season,” said Shayne to clear it out of harm’s way. Gostisbehere, who had assists on all three power-play goals. “As a team too I thought we played pretty well, too, battled through some adversity, He also seemed to have difficulty tracking the puck through traffic in ups and downs in that game. It’s good to see and good to get two points front, but made some big stops on the penalty kill and covered up to start the year.” another adventure out of his goal crease by diving back in and forcing the Shark to shoot at the side of the net. Largely it was thanks to Wayne Simmonds, who had his second career hat trick and the first in Flyers history on opening night. “The first games of the season you’re always figuring things out,” said Elliott, who made 32 saves in his Flyers debut. “Everybody’s going to that He tipped shots from Gostisbehere and Jake Voracek on the power play, next level. It’s not preseason anymore. I think every shift is figuring things then added the nail in the coffin, an empty-net goal with 36 seconds left. out and make sure you’re playing it like it’s the third period and you’re up a goal. You’ve got to get pucks in, get pucks out and we saw a couple “He’s the best in the biz at that,” Gostisbehere said. “They always tell me plays in the first period where we kind of beat ourselves by not getting if I get the puck through on net, don’t get it blocked, you’re gonna get a pucks out of the line. That’s stuff we’ll clean up.” point. It’s either gonna go in or Simmer’s gonna tip it. It’s obviously a weapon we have and obviously he showed it tonight.” Fourth-line depth Part of what worked was just plays off the rush. The latter two goals What a difference a year makes between what the Flyers had on the came almost right off faceoffs, but Jordan Weal’s tally was a give-and-go fourth line and what they now roll with. with Travis Konecny. Scoring off the rush at even strength was a weakness of the team last season, let alone the power play. Young legs of Leier and Scott Laughton, both 23, provide an element of speed and Michael Raffl can carry the puck and be a grinder that moves They’re also creating from behind the net. Rookie Nolan Patrick had opponents out of the way. So far it looks like a good trio. They combined been doing that late in the preseason and Wednesday night was for four of the Flyers’ 31 shots. stationed along the left wing boards with Sean Couturier behind the net. “Leiersy and Laughts are a big part of our PK and they did a very good Whatever the process that works, the Flyers want to keep it going. They job tonight,” Hakstol said. “That line of three, even though with all the didn’t score on their last two power plays, but three in one night is a good specialty teams we didn’t get them out there as much as we’d like, I start. They only did that twice last season. thought that line did a really good job in terms of grinding and momentum and created a little bit. “We didn’t start working on power play until the end of camp,” Simmonds said. “I think our focus was to get our legs going and make sure we had “We have to roll four (lines). I think that depth has to be something that our 5-on-5 structure down and everything like that and with our power turns into a strength for us. (Wednesday) it was a real positive. Now play, both units this year, it was only a matter of time. We kept working we’re going into a back-to-back right away in the first two games of the on it and we’re going to continue working on it, but (Wednesday) was a season so it’s going to come into play (Thursday).” pretty good showing.” Big finish “The last three games of the preseason things were clicking pretty well. Tonight the puck went in the net,” coach Dave Hakstol added. “Real good Last season the Flyers routinely came up limp in the third period. It’s only shooting mentality. Scored a couple early by having real great net-front the first game, but if it’s a sign that they’re better at finishing stronger, presence, one or two passes and putting it to the net. It was effective for that can go a long way. us tonight.” They entered the third period nursing a one-goal lead and proceeded to The storyline of a dormant power play seemed to get under the Flyers’ outshoot the Sharks 17-11 in the final stanza. skin a little bit in the preseason. Courier-Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 Perhaps because it cost Joey Mullen his job, but also because they just hadn’t put much time into it yet. “Power play was good,” Jake Voracek said with a smile. “I know it’s a story for you guys, so I’m happy for that.” Here are four more takeaways from the Flyers’ season-opening win… Kids are calm It was the debut for Patrick and second NHL game for Robert Hagg. The No. 2 overall pick didn’t get a point, but did help create some plays that looked dangerous. “I asked him if he was nervous before the game and he’s like, ‘Nope,’” Simmonds recalled. “Jakey said, ‘Ah, you probably should be a little bit nervous.’ He’s a really smart player. He played really well. He made the little plays and I think he’s just gonna continue to get better.” Hagg, on a pair with Gostisbehere, put in 16:13 of work and got time on both sides of special teams. Part of why Gostisbehere likes that pair is that Hagg will play the right side despite being a left-handed shot, which opens Gostisbehere up to play his natural left side. 1076524 Philadelphia Flyers Expect Michal Neuvirth to get the start Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, considering the Flyers start with a back-to-back scenario. … Andrew MacDonald donned the “A” on his jersey as an alternate captain Flyers clam up in NHL’s new non-information age Wednesday. The team voted him and Valtteri Filppula as alternate captains with MacDonald wearing the “A” on the road and Filppula at home. Both were already part of the Flyers’ leadership group in the locker room. “It’s nice to get that from your teammates,” Filppula said. “It Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 6:09 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | means a lot. Hopefully I can do a good job.” … Jori Lehtera was the lone Updated 6:18 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 offensive scratch for the Flyers. Courier-Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 SAN JOSE, Calif. — Back when he was playing for the Flyers, Danny Briere had a few extra bruises he didn’t expect. He was said to have an “upper-body injury,” a vague term that joined the NHL’s lexicon thanks to former Flyers coach and Hall of Famer Pat Quinn. Whatever it was, it wasn’t what had been reported: a cracked rib. “I guess I should thank you guys,” Briere told the media after practice one day. “That’s not where I’m hurt, but everyone’s been hitting me there for the last week.” That’s part of why information is so hard to come by in the NHL these days and the Flyers are taking it to a new level. Injury information has always been qualified as above or below the belt, but Coach Dave Hakstol said Tuesday that he would not address whether a specific player is in or out of the lineup at the morning skate. That led to some unanswered questions Wednesday before the Flyers’ opener when Travis Sanheim and Samuel Morin appeared to be healthy scratches based on the practice. “I’m not gonna talk about our lineup,” Hakstol said when asked. “The eight guys that are eligible back there, six guys are gonna play. I’m not gonna talk about the six that are in or the two that are out. If those guys are out, as we go through here if we have eight defensemen we’ll always have two pretty good players out of the lineup.” Even with no formal acknowledgement from the coach, there are ways to tell who’s in and out of the lineup based on line rushes or drills in practice. In the hope of protecting players, there are no answers coming until a postgame setting. Whether it’s an injury like Briere’s or a matter of who’s in or out of the lineup, the Flyers are staying tight-lipped. Not revealing information has become a game within the game. “I think teams kind of wait until the last second possible to put any information out, if any,” Wayne Simmonds said. “I’m sure you guys (in the media) don’t like it very much because it makes your job tougher. For us I guess it’s just a part of the game. The game is evolving and things are changing. They may have been more transparent in the past, but I agree with it kind of. If a guy is injured, say he’s got a wrist injury, if you let that be known and the guy happens to play the game, what do you think the other team’s gonna do? They’re gonna target that guy’s wrist.” Unlike the NFL, where fantasy sports and gambling have such a high relevance that teams begrudgingly must release injury information, the NHL being a niche sport that doesn’t generate that kind of betting means they don’t. And it goes for the lineup too. “It’s so competitive,” Hakstol said about the league. “There’s very little that goes undetected or hidden, but in that regard it’s not my job to give our lineup to our opponents on any given night so why would we do that?” The third-year coach believes it’s an advantage for opponents to know as little about his team as possible. On the flipside, he’s using as much information as he can find about who his team is playing. “We have a meeting about how they play 5-on-5, what’s their forecheck, how they play defense, what the key plays are for them out there,” Jake Voracek said. “When you get to the game, you’ve just got to go with the flow. There’s so many situations in hockey that you can’t really prepare for. You have to go on your instincts. “It’s too much information. Too much information these days. It’s a stats game so obviously you need that, but I’m the kind of guy that just goes and plays and works as hard as I can. It’ll work out.” Whether a player is in or out of the lineup, however, makes a difference. “You know the big names, if people are in or out,” Voracek said. “It changes how they’re gonna play or what they’re gonna do.” Loose Pucks 1076525 Philadelphia Flyers “I’m just thinking day-to-day,” Morin said. “We’ve got eight D here. I’m really excited to start the season here. I battled hard in training camp to be part of that team and I’m excited.” Why Flyers rookies are in for a shock despite pro experience “Nobody said it was going to be easy to get right in and play big minutes,” Sanheim added. “You’ve got to earn those minutes and that’s what I’m looking to do right now.” Dave Isaac, @davegisaac Published 4:22 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 10:48 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 Neither one has been told to move their stuff into their shared apartment in Allentown, Pennsylvania…but nor have they been told they should plan on being in the NHL all season either. SAN JOSE, Calif. — Taylor Leier’s last game in the NHL last season just They didn’t get to make the emotional call to their parents that Leier did. so happened to be in the very same building where he’ll start as a full- It was documented on a video the Flyers posted in a behind-the-scenes timer. look at training camp with his mom Cindy screaming for joy in the background. Leier, 23, is still a rookie despite playing 16 games across the last two seasons. He had a couple hits last December in his game against the “That was pretty cool,” Leier said. “They asked me to do that and I San Jose Sharks. He hopes he’ll make a bigger impact this season. thought it was gonna be a good video because I knew what my parents’ reaction was going to be. That excitement that they had just shows how So far, it doesn’t feel much different. much it affects everyone’s families, not just themselves. It’s exciting for everyone in their lives. It’s a special job that we get to do and not “Honestly, I don’t know if it hasn’t clicked in yet,” Leier said. “I’m everyone gets to do it.” definitely grateful and thankful, but I feel like it was just yesterday that I was playing here last year. I feel comfortable and I’m ready to go.” Courier-Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 Well, so he thinks. The Flyers’ opening night roster had five rookies on it, although after Wednesday’s morning skate it appeared only three were slated to play in the season opener. Nolan Patrick and Travis Sanheim are the only ones who have not dressed for at least one NHL game. Leier has more experience than most. Robert Hagg, who was set to play, and Samuel Morin, set to be a healthy scratch, got a game apiece late last season. “I think this is going to be a different animal,” Wayne Simmonds said. “Obviously a lot of these guys haven’t played a lot of games in the NHL. They’ve only played one game. You come and play in this arena and I think they’ll be shocked right at the start. It’s probably one of the loudest rinks in the league and it’s a treat to play here. We’ll definitely have to talk with them a little bit.” Part of why the Flyers took on so many rookies, according to general manager Ron Hextall, is the maturity level they have in both their game and life. The fact that most have a taste of the NHL, and Hagg, Sanheim, Morin and Leier were all in the American Hockey League last year, doesn’t make them any less rookies. “There’s a reason there’s a term, ‘rookie,’” coach Dave Hakstol said. “There’s some jitters and I think on opening night there’s a little bit of that excitement or jitters for everybody, but for a guy playing in his first game or being in this situation, absolutely there’s some jitters you have to work through on night No. 1.” Jake Voracek remembers that feeling. He had a goal and an assist in his first NHL game. “I thought I was gonna hit 160 points that year,” he joked. The goal came late in the first period, after he had already calmed down a bit. He also figures the rookies will have to be told to calm down, even if it falls upon deaf ears. “No matter what you say, it’s the first game. It’s exciting. It’s nerve- wracking. It’s all of those things,” Voracek said. “You shake it off in about two or three shifts and just play your own game. At least I was like that. I remember I was backchecking my first shift in Dallas and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m playing in the show.’ It was a good feeling.” Perhaps too many of those nerves at once is why the Flyers decided to sit two rookies on the back-end Wednesday. Hakstol is the one responsible for making the lineups and on the first game he opted for a veteran-heavy defense. “Putting that mix together, that’s all part of it,” Hakstol said. “The heat gets turned up a couple of notches from where it’s been in preseason. The young guys will handle it well. The veteran players have to do a good job of leading and doing their part when they’re in because there are going to be nights when they’re out as well.” Meantime, Morin and Sanheim continue in a world of uncertainty. They waited to see which one would make the final roster after the last preseason game, and when Shayne Gostisbehere got hurt, both of them found their way onto the roster. They were assigned new jersey numbers, a symbol that they graduated from training camp, but have either one of them truly made it? 1076526 Pittsburgh Penguins Suddenly, the Penguins had a two-man advantage and a renewed energy.

Evgeni Malkin hit one off the crossbar. Phil Kessel just missed an open Kevin Gorman's Take 5: Thoughts on the Penguins' season opener net. But the Blues caved to the pressure when Crosby was credited with rebounding Malkin's shot from the right circle at 13:46 to cut it to 4-3. Less than a minute later, Greg McKegg slid a pass through the slot to Kevin Gorman Conor Sheary, who did a Crosby imitation by dropping to one knee from the right circle and dribbling a shot past Allen for the tying goal at 14:40.

McKegg had a strong debut as the Penguins' third-line center — their 1. It was appropriate that the loudest cheers in the Penguins' Stanley biggest storyline of the off-season, after losing Nick Bonino to Nashville Cup championship banner raising, as Trib beat writer Jonathan Bombulie in free agency — with the assist and by winning 76 percent (13 of 17) of observed , were reserved for the franchise cornerstones. his faceoffs. But the most poignant moment might have belonged to the man behind 5. My column for Thursday's editions of the Tribune-Review focused on the bench. the spotlight shining on Penguins goaltender Matt Murray , who has the unique distinction of being in net for a pair of Cup-clinching victories in The ceremony had a poetic pause when the spotlight shined on Mike his rookie year before ever starting his first NHL opener. Sullivan, allowing the Penguins coach to smile and enjoy the standing ovation he received as fans at PPG Paints Arena sprung to their feet. Murray stopped 29 shots, including 12 in the second period, but gave up the winning goal to Alex Pietrangelo at 1:15 of overtime in the 5-4 loss to Sullivan was unflappable during the back-to-back Cup runs, sticking to the St. Louis Blues. Pietrangelo used Penguins defenseman Justin his messages to “Just Play” and “Play the Right Way,” the latter of which Schultz as a screen, and Murray took blame for finding the puck too late, was inscribed inside the Penguins' championship rings. Perhaps more only after it glanced off his arm. than any of his players, Sullivan seemed enthused about the culmination of one Cup run and the start of another. “I thought he made some big saves for us at key times,” Sullivan said, “but he obviously would like to have some (goals) back.” “My hope is that these different experiences that we're able to enjoy here over the last week or so will fuel our passion to want to do it again,” Murray, however, was adamant that the Penguins “deserved to win that Sullivan said Tuesday morning at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. “I one.” think it should inspire us to watch ourselves, with some of the highlight reels that they watched last night and the banner raising. For me, it's a Who are we to argue? real remembrance that it's all worth it. All the sacrifice and the commitment that you make in order to try to reach the ultimate goal is Tribune Review LOADED: 10.05.2017 worth it.” 2. Perhaps that's an appropriate reminder for all of us who have followed the Penguins in winning three Cup championships in a nine-year span, becoming not only the first NHL club in 19 years to win back-to-back titles but the first in the league's salary-cap era and have a chance for the first three-peat since the New York Islanders won four from 1980-83. We're being spoiled by great hockey, so Sullivan's message is instructive. Enjoy every hockey night in Pittsburgh. And have an appreciation for the sacrifice and commitment it takes to reach the ultimate goal. The Penguins certainly have had their share of banner moments . 3. What remains the most amazing thing about the Penguins' Cup run is that they did it without Kris Letang, as one of the game's best defensemen saw his 2017 season end with neck surgery in April. So it was something to see Letang back on the ice, as if he never missed a beat. Letang played a team-high 26 minutes, 5 seconds of ice time and finished a minus-2, with five giveaways. But he played better than his statistics showed. For as much credit as Letang gets for starting the rush out of the defensive end, he doesn't get enough for his offensive chemistry with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. It's akin to having an extra forward, an elite one at that. “It's a special night. The opening's always special,” Letang said. “To be able to come back from the injury and that much time without playing, it's going to be special.” Letang anticipated a boost of adrenaline from the excitement of the Cup banner ceremony. “Obviously, a lot of emotion is going to be in play,” Letang said. “I'm just glad to be playing. I'm glad to be out there with my teammates and share this moment with them.” Speaking of poetic pauses, you had to hold your breath when Letang fired a shot from the high slot on his first shift. It went off the shoulder of St. Louis Blues goalie Jake Allen. If Letang had scored, the crowd have blown the roof off the barn. 4. The final seven minutes, 30 seconds of regulation had the feel of playoff hockey. The Penguins trailed St. Louis, 4-2, when Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo took a tripping penalty that was followed by center Brayden Schenn getting called for closing his hand on the puck. 1076527 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins rally, but Blues spoil party with overtime victory in opener

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, 11:12 p.m.

In the big picture, the Penguins know exactly where the major threats are to their reign as Stanley Cup champions. Externally, in the Eastern Conference, there are up-and-coming teams in Toronto and Columbus as well as their established rivals in Washington and Tampa Bay. Internally, there's the challenge of maintaining a level of energy and focus after two long postseason runs in a row. In the small picture, though, failure to identify threats on the ice cost them a victory on the night they raised the franchise's fifth championship banner to the rafters of the PPG Paints Arena. Alex Pietrangelo scored his second goal of the game 1 minute, 15 seconds into overtime to lead the Blues to a 5-4 season-opening victory Wednesday night. Pietrangelo pulled up at the right circle during the three-on-three session, used defenseman Justin Schultz as a screen and fired a shot that deflected in off goalie Matt Murray's left arm. “Nice play,” Murray said. “I just need to do a better job of finding it through the screen. I was just a little bit late picking it up.” With the score tied 2-2 after an Olli Maatta goal in the middle of the second period, the Blues scored twice on goals off the rush. On the first, late in the second, Pietrangelo took a drop pass from Vladimir Sobotka near the right point, cut to the middle and scored. After dropping the puck, Sobotka took out defenseman Brian Dumoulin to make sure his teammate had all the time he needed. On the second, early in the third period, Sobotka steered a pass to an open Paul Stastny in the slot for a goal. “It wasn't that we were outmanned,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “It was just we didn't recognize where the threats were, and so, as a result, we were in the wrong position. We've got to do a better job at those details, of making sure that we shoulder check and we have an awareness away from the puck and we recognize where those threats are.” The Penguins earned the banner they raised Wednesday night with a resilient flair for the dramatic in last season's playoffs. During a furious third-period rally that forced overtime, they showed those traits didn't abandon them over the summer. With 7:34, Brayden Schenn took a critical minor penalty for closing his hand on the puck while shorthanded. About a minute later, the Penguins pulled within one when Sidney Crosby cashed in the rebound of an Evgeni Malkin one-timer from the right circle. Less than a minute later, training camp standout Greg McKegg made a cross-crease pass from the left side to Conor Sheary, who dropped to a knee and pushed a one-timer past diving goalie Jake Allen to tie the score 4-4. “We just stayed confident late in the game,” said McKegg, who went 13-4 in the faceoff circle in his Penguins debut as third-line center. “We had chances throughout the game. We were pressuring them. Finally, a couple kind of popped in for us. We found our mojo there late.” The Penguins also had some mojo early, fresh off the banner-raising ceremony. They dominated the first seven minutes of the game and took a 1-0 lead on a Schultz goal. “We had a good start,” Crosby said. “I think the first 10 minutes, we had a good pace.” Aside from the pregame ceremony, the most significant development for the Penguins might have been the healthy return of Kris Letang, who hadn't played since Feb. 21 and had neck surgery in April. He played more than 26 minutes, leading all skaters in the game. “I felt pretty good,” Letang said. “My intensity was there. I had good jump. I was pretty happy with that.” Tribune Review LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076528 Pittsburgh Penguins “Two Cups, those are results. Results are the by-product or the end goal, but you don't win the Cup every day you're on the ice. So it's about getting better every day,” Murray said. “My goal isn't to win the Cup. It's Kevin Gorman: Spotlight on Matt Murray as Penguins raise banner to get better today, better tomorrow and better every day after that. I feel lucky just being on such a good team so early in my career.”

Now that he's no longer a rookie (and no longer looking over his Kevin Gorman shoulder), Murray hopes to take on a leadership role on a veteran-laden Penguins team attempting a Stanley Cup three-peat.

“Part of that for me is trying to be that backbone and trying to be that The Penguins' 2017 Stanley Cup banner hung from above as the confident presence back there where guys know if they make a mistake spotlight shined on Matt Murray in front of their net during the national it's not going to end up in our net,” Murray said. anthem. “My focus is to stop the puck, keep the puck out of the net and to do so at The moment illustrated Murray's paradox with the Penguins: The 23- the right times. That's a big part of leadership, is stepping up — in the year-old goaltender twice won Stanley Cup-clinching Game 6s before the important times of a game and in the important times of a season.” end of his rookie season in the NHL. Being on the ice for the Penguins' banner raising and beginning the When the Penguins raised the banner to the rafters Wednesday night at season as their goalie is a good start. PPG Paints Arena to commemorate their 2017 Cup championship, Murray had yet to start his first NHL opener. Then Murray can worry about winning another one. “It will be pretty special to see that, to watch the banner go up and to play Tribune Review LOADED: 10.05.2017 in the game afterwards,” Murray said Tuesday morning. “It's a really cool moment and I think a really good moment also to put things to rest and look forward and start worrying about getting another one.” Marc-Andre Fleury had started every Penguins opener since 2006, helping them clinch the third Cup in franchise history in 2009 and win back-to-back titles. With Fleury now in Las Vegas via the NHL expansion draft, there will be no more No. 1 and 1A designations. Murray is the Penguins' unquestioned starting goalie, for now and the future. And he's already one of the game's best, tied with Montreal's Carey Price for the NHL's best save percentage (.925) since his call-up. In fact, Murray, Price and Washington's Braden Holtby are 5-to-1 preseason favorites to win the Vezina Trophy, according to Bovada.lv. “It's tough to hypothesize how his play will grow because his play has been unbelievable,” Penguins defenseman Ian Cole said of Murray. “I don't know if you can critique his play at all. “But, that said, I don't think ‘Flower' was a detriment to him. I think they really fed off each other, pushed each other, relied on each other and leaned on each other to get through some tough times that both of them had.” Murray will be the first to say so, treating any other talk as just noise. And all he wants to hear is the cheers of another Cup celebration. “I've said this a couple of times now, but the term ‘No.1 goalie' or ‘starting goalie' is just a term, I think,” Murray said. “That doesn't make you valuable. Doing the right things and helping the team and coming to compete every day is what makes you valuable, not your title.” Murray's value and title are both tangible, as he set a Penguins rookie record with 32 regular-season wins in 49 games, missing the start of the season last year after breaking his hand in the . Where Murray was impressive in the regular season, with a 2.41 goals- against average and .923 save percentage, he was even better in the NHL playoffs. Murray tore his hamstring in warmups before Game 1 of the first round against Columbus but returned to replace Fleury as the starter in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal. Not only did Murray finish the postseason with a .937 save percentage and 1.70 GAA in 11 games, he won three by shutout — including Games 5 and 6 of the Cup Final against Nashville. “He's accomplished a lot as a young goaltender, and that's a credit to him and a credit to his teammates,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “But he also understands that he's a young goalie, and he's got a lot of room to grow. He's got lots of areas where he can improve and bring his game to another level. ... He's one of those guys that just has an appetite to be the best.” And that's a 6-foot-4 goalie with what Sullivan called a “laser focus” to stop the puck, a style more sound to Fleury's spectacular — but just as athletic in its own way. Murray still is surprised to see fans wearing his No. 30 — a selection inspired by Martin Brodeur — while adjusting to the life of NHL stardom but isn't satisfied with winning two Stanley Cup championships. 1076529 Pittsburgh Penguins

Banner night: Penguins celebrate Stanley Cup title before season opener

Jonathan Bombulie

The first standing ovation came when coach Mike Sullivan was announced to the PPG Paints Arena crowd. The warmest reception was reserved for owner Mario Lemieux, who was playing a part in a ceremony like this for the fifth time. The most ear-splitting roars were saved for franchise cornerstones Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. On Wednesday night, before the season opener against the St. Louis Blues, the Penguins celebrated their 2017 Stanley Cup championship one last time by raising a commemorative banner to the rafters. For Crosby, the banner raising was different than the year before. Last season, he dressed in his gear and skated onto the ice with the Stanley Cup for the ceremony, but he couldn't play because he was recovering from a concussion suffered in training camp. "I was still able to be part of it, which was huge," Crosby said. "That whole night and everything that comes along with it, seeing the banner go up, it puts a close to everything. … It's pretty quick to realize we're starting fresh and we've got to do it all over again." Among the rest of the roster, defenseman Justin Schultz got a loud cheer, too, which makes sense. No player saw his public profile rise more after the team's second straight championship last June. Thanks to a Miller Lite-fueled walk down the Boulevard of the Allies during the championship parade, a moment that was immortalized on T- shirts by merchandising entrepreneurs, Schultz has become a cult hero. "I feel like I get recognized more being out. And you see some of those shirts people wear all the time downtown," Schultz said. "It's cool." The banner raising was an unusual moment for heavyweight Ryan Reaves, center Greg McKegg, goalie and defenseman Matt Hunwick, offseason additions who weren't part of last year's championship run. They were announced first and lined up at the far end of the blue line before their new teammates filtered onto the ice. It was a particularly awkward situation for Reaves, who played for the Blues for the previous seven seasons. "I think it's a little weirder raising a banner with a new team looking across at my old team," he said. "That's the weird part." The ceremony was notable for the players who weren't in attendance, too. Chris Kunitz, Trevor Daley, Ron Hainsey, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen moved on in free agency over the summer. Longtime fan favorite Marc-Andre Fleury was chosen by Vegas in the NHL expansion draft. No one in the Penguins locker room denied the feel was different without Fleury around. "It's a little bit hard, but it's life. It's business," Malkin said. "Every year, we see different faces, a different team. We understand it's hard for us, but we've got to look forward. Flower's a good player, a good goalie. I hope he plays very well in Vegas." A banner raising can probably never become a ho-hum experience, but for Brian Dumoulin, it's become a rite of fall. He won national championships in two of his three seasons at Boston College before both of his full seasons in the NHL ended with a title celebration. "It's cool. Everyone's just staring up at the ceiling, watching that thing go up," Dumoulin said. "It's cool standing there with your teammates, both from last year and the new ones this year. It's a special moment. It's good that it's only five or 10 minutes and then you kind of park it and that's kind of the end of that season. It's nice." Tribune Review LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076530 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins notebook: Carl Hagelin's longtime linemate among notable absences on banner-raising night

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017, 12:27 p.m.

For many in the stands Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, it may have been a shock to the system to look to the ice and not see Marc- Andre Fleury or Chris Kunitz in black and gold. For winger Carl Hagelin, however, the bigger adjustment was not having Nick Bonino by his side. Since he joined the team in a January 2016 trade with Anaheim, Hagelin has spent more than half his time on the ice in a Penguins sweater playing alongside Bonino, who signed with Nashville in July. “We became close,” Hagelin said. “We sat next to each other here in the locker room. We ate dinners on the road. It's definitely something you have to adjust to. But it's one of those things. There's always going to be people leaving teams.” With Bonino gone, Hagelin finds himself as the senior member of a line with center Greg McKegg and Tom Kuhnhackl to start the season. “I think it's important that they play their game, but in certain situations, there might be some insight that you learned from some older players throughout the years,” Hagelin said. “It's always important to have good communication with your linemates, even more so on the PK.” Last season, Hagelin was third on the team in short-handed ice time, averaging a little more than two minutes per game. With the two players ahead of him on that list, Bonino and Matt Cullen, gone via free agency, he figures to play an even more featured role on the penalty kill this year. “I know I'm going to get my time on the PK,” Hagelin said. “It's a big part of my game. I know I have to be rock solid there.” LETANG'S RETURN Kris Letang, who had neck surgery in April, played his first game that counted since Feb. 21. Coach Mike Sullivan offered a two-pronged assessment of his star defenseman's return. First, he effusively praised Letang's abilities. “I don't think there's any question we get out of our zone much more efficiently when Tanger's in our lineup,” Sullivan said. “He can be a one- man breakout by himself. He has that ability. He's one of those elite players who can shake a forecheck by himself when the time presents it.” Second, Sullivan cautioned not to expect too much too soon. “He's also a guy that's missed a lot of hockey,” Sullivan said. “It's going to take a little bit of time, I think, for Tanger to get to his true form. One of the messages we've been preaching to him is to keep the game simple, take what the game gives him and not try to do too much.” ADMIRING GENO It's common for young players on the visiting team at PPG Paints Arena to admit to excitement about facing Sidney Crosby, a player they often idolized growing up. St. Louis rookie Tage Thompson, a 19-year-old first- round draft pick out of UConn, said he was more psyched up to face one of Crosby's teammates: Evgeni Malkin. “I tried to imitate him a lot,” the 6-foot-5 Thompson said. “That's someone I watched all the time growing up and have been a fan of my whole life.” CHARITY ENDEAVORS The Penguins announced they would donate $25,000 to support the victims and first responders of Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas and $25,000 to the Pirates' efforts to raise money for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076531 Pittsburgh Penguins

Watch these Stanley Cup 'banner' moments in Penguins' history

Renatta Signorini

The rafters at PPG Paints Arena could use some new decor. A new championship banner? It'll fit right in with the four others. The Pittsburgh Penguins will raise their fifth banner at the team's season opener tonight to kick off the 2017-18 season. If the team's four previous ceremonies — in which the Stanley Cup has made a center ice appearance to start the new season — are any indicator, tonight's ceremony is sure to spark some emotions in players and black-and-gold clad fans. Oh, and the St. Louis Blues will be there , too. If you need a reason to get pumped up for the game — or just like listening to classic goal calls — here are highlights from the team's four pregame ceremonies after winning the Cup. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076532 Pittsburgh Penguins repetition. We’ll watch some film in the morning and go back at it tomorrow night.”

All of it made me appreciate the Penguins’ opening game last season, A pulsating banner raising ceremony, but a flat conclusion coming off their Cup win in 2016 and another emotional championship ceremony. They didn’t just win a 3-2 shootout at PPG Paints Arena, they beat Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. RON COOK I remember the note I made myself that night:

That’s the closest Ovechkin will come to seeing a Cup banner raised. I watched the pregame ceremony from start to finish Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena and was glad I was in the throbbing building. I couldn’t Now, that was the perfect way to start a season. take my eyes off it, which isn’t surprising because the Penguins are the Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 best at that sort of thing. The bells. The whistles. The music. The laser lights. There was a recap of the 2017 march to the franchise’s second consecutive Stanley Cup with two players no longer with the team — Marc Andre-Fleury and Chris Kunitz — getting the biggest ovations. There was the introduction of the staff with the sights of Mike Sullivan, Jim Rutherford and, of course, Mario Lemieux nearly blowing the roof off the arena. There was the introduction of the players with captain Sidney Crosby skating out last, carrying the Cup to center ice. Finally, there was the raising of the championship banner to the roof where it joined the ones from 2016, 2009, 1992 and 1991. I made myself a note as the pageantry ended: How do you play a game after that? It turned out the Penguins couldn’t quite do it against the St. Louis Blues. Penguins goaltender Matt Murray can't stop a shot by Blues Alex Pietrangelo in overtime Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. Lethargic most of the night after taking an early 1-0 lead on a Justin Schultz goal, the Penguins trailed by two goals with fewer than 6½ minutes left, yet got a 5-on-3 goal from Crosby and another goal from Conor Sheary 54 seconds later to pull into an unlikely tie. It wasn’t enough. The Blues’ Alex Pietrangelo sent them home as 5-4 losers with a goal in overtime. I can’t be too hard on the fellows, though. If I was drained before the game started, I can only imagine how they felt. They still managed to get a point on a night they probably didn’t deserve one. I suspect they will play much better in Chicago Thursday night in Game 2. Beyond that, it was fun to just watch a little hockey again. It’s been a stressful late-summer and early-fall around here. But there was no complaining Wednesday night about the owner being cheap. There was no talk of the star player being traded soon. There was no bickering among teammates. There was no national anthem controversy. Refreshing. I was happy for a couple of Penguins defensemen. Kris Letang, playing for the first time since Feb. 21 after a neck injury that required surgery, led the team with 26:05 of ice time. It was terrific to see him back. I still can’t believe the team won the Cup last season without him. Olli Maatta scored the Penguins’ second goal with a wicked shot from the left point. That, too, was wonderful to see. Maatta, who was widely and often unfairly criticized for being too slow late in last season’s playoff push, is off to a fast start. He finished as a plus-2. It was far from a perfect performance. The Penguins failed to get a shot on their first three power plays before taking advantage of the 5 on 3. There also were too many defensive breakdowns. The Blues’ Brayden Schenn, Colton Parayko and Paul Stastny were left alone in front for easy goals. Matt Murray wasn’t especially sharp and took the loss in net, but he didn’t have much help. Mike Sullivan’s recap? Blues Robert Bortuzzo trips up Pittsburgh Penguins Greg McKegg Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. “I think we played hard. I didn’t think we always played smart. “I think we gave up three goals off the rush where we had numbers back. Those are just details that we’re going to have to get better at if we’re going to win games consistently. “I do think the effort was there. I thought our guys had energy. I thought we had a great start. We had good momentum. There was tons of energy in the building. It was an exciting atmosphere. I just thought we have to get a lot better on the details of the game. “I know these guys understand how to win. They know what the details are. We’re going to try and remind them. A lot of it is just habits and 1076533 Pittsburgh Penguins Now it appears they're trying to do it on the penalty kill, too. They rotated six guys there and did so by taking an aggressive approach. Letang pleased with return after long layoff "For the most part I thought the guys that were killing did a really good job," Sullivan said. "Some of our guys are good skaters. We want to try and have as much of a pressure kill as we can. We want to kill time down JASON MACKEY the ice. I thought we did a good job disrupting their breakouts with timing, just by being busy up the ice. We try to keep six guys involved, at least at the forward position so that we had the energy to be able to play that pressure-type kill." It didn’t take long for Kris Letang to feel and look like himself. The six involved were Carl Hagelin, Rowney, Greg McKegg, Rust, Scott A couple shifts, tops. Wilson and Tom Kuhnhackl. While the Penguins suffered a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 Wednesday, one hidden gem was the comfortability that Letang felt while playing in an NHL game for the first time in seven months. Surgery for a herniated disc in his neck and the rehab that followed proved to be no match for Letang, who played 26:05, attempted four shots, put two on goal and contributed a hit, two takeaways and a blocked shot. The bad on Letang’s line included five giveaways and a minus-2, but we’re going to go with feel here. Essentially, Letang didn’t feel out of sorts, and that’s important. He was the difference-maker the Penguins expect him to be. “Felt pretty good,” Letang said. “I had a lot of jump early on. I was able to maintain that intensity throughout the game.” Letang's jump was evident from the drop of the puck, and he enjoyed a scoring chance from the high slot early on. When the Penguins went to the penalty kill for the first time, Letang’s space play led to a Grade A opportunity for Carter Rowney, whose shot hit the near post. Letang wound up playing 4:47 on the power play and 2:11 on the penalty kill, an average night for him. While Letang said he looks forward to gaining more confidence throughout the season, he was plenty happy with how Wednesday went. So, too, was his coach. “I thought he had a good game,” Sullivan said. “He’s such a good player. He made some great defensive plays for us. He’s one of the few defensemen who get involved in the rush. If the puck turns over, he’s a good enough skater that he can catch the rush going back the other way. I thought for the most part he took what the game gave him. He wasn’t trying to do too much out there. “That’s what we’ve talked to him about: simplifying his game, making the simple play when there’s nothing better to be made. Sometimes ‘Tanger’ is always looking for that better play. I think when he just makes the right play, that’s when he’s at his very best. I thought for the most part tonight he did a good job.” Strong start Another part of the Penguins’ night that probably went better than anticipated was their start. They were focused early despite a banner- raising ceremony that lasted around 30 minutes. Sidney Crosby's line put together a terrific shift, and Justin Schultz put them on the board with a goal from the left point at 6:37. “First half of the first period, we were playing well," Bryan Rust said. "We were getting in the O zone. We got that first goal, I think after that we had a little bit of a lull. We have to try and find a way to keep that momentum going.” Power-play bounce-back The first four power plays for the Penguins didn’t net a single shot. The fifth was much improved. What changed? “We just had to put pucks on net and see what could happen,” Jake Guentzel said. “Sid banged one home. It was good to get a comeback there.” Guentzel picked up the primary assist on Crosby's goal and the secondary helper when Schultz scored. Killing with speed The Penguins have won back-to-back Stanley Cups by relying on their speed. 1076534 Pittsburgh Penguins “We just stayed confident late in the game,” he said. “We had chances throughout the game, we were pressuring them and finally a couple kind of popped in for us and we found our mojo there late.” New Penguin McKegg demonstrates a sense of puck awareness and There’s still a long way to go before the Penguins’ third-line center patience situation will be considered any sort of settled, to say nothing of the entire 82-game schedule. Rutherford could swing a trade for a new guy to fill that role tomorrow. SAM WERNER But even if that happens, McKegg would probably warrant strong consideration for the fourth-line center spot, with Carter Rowney shifting back out to wing. At the beginning of the night, Greg McKegg didn’t seem quite sure if he fit in or not. He’s not concerned with what his long-term future in Pittsburgh looks like, though. He’s just focused on fitting in. He was among the group of new Penguins that were hesitant as to whether or not they were supposed to join their teammates for the “I think you just don’t want to be forcing things out there,” McKegg said. “I banner-raising ceremony before the season-opener against St. Louis think you have to definitely find that fine line. Trying to get your legs Wednesday night. under you and making plays after that is something we’re just trying to look at right now.” McKegg and the others eventually skated over to watch the 2017 Stanley Cup banner go up. Over the course of the night, he went on to show he Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 might fit in quite nicely with this group after all. McKegg had one assist — on the game-tying goal — in his Penguins debut, a 5-4 overtime loss to the Blues. He also showed off his speed and offensive instincts as one of the bright spots in the season-opening loss. Sidney Crosby carries Lord Stanley to center ice one final time before the start of the 2017-18 NHL season Wednesday at PPG Paints Arena. It’s certainly premature to call the Penguins’ hunt for a third-line center done with, but McKegg seems intent on doing his best to make general manager Jim Rutherford wonder if he has to make a trade after all. “I thought he had a strong game, played real well,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He did a good job killing penalties, he was strong in the faceoff circle, he sets up the tying goal with a terrific pass. I thought he had a really strong game. He can skate, he’s got some offensive instincts, he’s got a pretty solid two-way game. We were real pleased with how he played tonight.” Those roles that Sullivan listed are key, because they’re essentially everything the Penguins ask of their third- and fourth-line centers. McKegg filled them more than capably Wednesday night. Special teams? McKegg played 1:56 of shorthanded time, second-most of any Penguins forward. He also chipped in 40 seconds of power-play time. “Felt pretty good, for the most part,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to experience that throughout the preseason and got some good opportunities in all three units during the exhibition games. I think that’s sort of helped a lot.” What about in the faceoff circle? McKegg won 13 of the 17 draws he took, the best percentage on the team of any player that took more than one. “I had kind of struggled the last few games on that and then tonight it kind of fell together for me,” McKegg said. Penguins goaltender Matt Murray can't stop a shot by Blues Alex Pietrangelo in overtime Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. “I think early on in the season, it’s just trying to get your timing back, especially with a couple different faceoff rules we’re just trying to get used to. Timing’s a huge part of that.” And how about that pass to set up Conor Sheary’s game-tying goal? Bryan Rust found McKegg towards the bottom of the left circle, and McKegg fed a picture-perfect cross-ice pass to Sheary, who just had to put it on net to level the score, 4-4. “Rusty made a good pass down to me, I kind of had some time and space,” McKegg said. “[Sheary] found a spot there and I was lucky enough to get it over to him.” McKegg’s speed was evident all night, playing on a line with Carl Haglein and Tom Kuhnhackl, but he also demonstrated a sense of puck awareness and patience — evident on the assist to Sheary — that not every player has. The Penguins have made a living off capitalizing on frenetic bursts of offense over the course of the past two seasons. They did so again Wednesday night, with McKegg right in the middle of things. 1076535 Pittsburgh Penguins Some of that lack of detail came on Pietrangelo’s first goal of the game, when he cut into the slot, around Brian Dumoulin and took advantage of the Penguins’ poor pursuit. Penguins work hard, not smart, in OT loss “We have to tighten up a little bit defensively, with a few plays through the neutral zone and at the blue lines,” Bryan Rust said. JASON MACKEY The best example of what ailed the Penguins might’ve been evident on Paul Stastny’s goal at 3:38 of the third period, giving the Blues a 4-2 lead. It’s probably not time to push the panic button yet. Stastny was the late man, the thing that killed the Penguins the most. The hope for a three-peat is still very much alive. Vladimir Sobotka showed an incredible amount of patience before finding Stastny. The Penguins never properly accounted for Stastny in their What the Penguins did wrong during a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis coverage. Blues in their home-opener at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday was not attribute in any way to a poor effort. Are they capable of doing that? Absolutely. It involved a lack of execution and attention to detail, the kind of stuff Will they? Probably. that’s easily correctable and tends to show up at this time of the year – yes, even for teams as deep and talented as the Penguins. But they didn’t Wednesday. Blues Robert Bortuzzo trips up Pittsburgh Penguins Greg McKegg “Yeah, they were finding that late man all night,” Matt Murray said. “It Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. gave us a lot of trouble, so that’s something we have to look at.” This one involved a Penguins comeback from a 4-2 deficit in the third The Penguins will look at the video and find plenty to correct. Not getting period, but the rally was killed when St. Louis defenseman Alex a shot on the first four power plays would be one. Also allowing Pietrangelo scored his second goal of the game at 1:15 of overtime. Pietrangelo to shoot through yet another screen on the game-winner. “I think we played hard,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I didn’t But this is Game 1, and mistakes are going to happen. Nothing to get too think we always played smart.” worked up over. That sort of stuff manifested itself in the Penguins over-backchecking and “I do think the effort was there,” Sullivan said. “I thought our guys had not properly accounting for players joining the rush; three of the Blues’ energy. We had a great start. We had good momentum. There was tons goals came that way. of energy in the building. It was an exciting atmosphere. I just thought we have to get a lot better at the details of the game.” Such mistakes, again, are fairly easy to fix with a smart coach and some want-to, neither of which is a problem here. Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 In fact, Sullivan and his players were already looking forward to Thursday morning’s video session to dissect each and every one of those foul-ups. “We didn’t recognize where the threats were,” Sullivan said. “As a result, we were in the wrong position. We have to do a better job at those details and making sure that we shoulder check, we have an awareness away from the puck, and we recognize where those threats are.” Brayden Schenn got the Blues first goal. Went off his skate. Held up to review. Ho-hum. It happens. Blues Kyle Brodziak knocks the puck away from his net in front of Penguins Bryan Rust in the first period Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette) The next belonged to Colton Parayko, and Sullivan described it as a “grave breakdown.” Rugby scrum in the corner. Tage Thompson tapped the puck to Parayko. All alone, boom, goal. “We gave up a glorious scoring chance,” Sullivan said. But for much of the night, the Penguins’ penalty killers – a new group – actually looked pretty decent, using their speed and employing a six- deep rotation. Another positive to come out of this one was the return of Kris Letang from a seventh-month absence. Put simply, he looked incredible, his skating all the way back; it looked like he missed seven days max. Two defensemen scored for the Penguins – Justin Schultz and Olli Maatta – which was another nice luxury to have, and the power play jumped to life when the Penguins needed it the most: chasing a 4-2 deficit. Sidney Crosby got that goal, and Conor Sheary added one less than a minute later, the rally in full force. The last positive to pluck was the play of Greg McKegg, the surprise opening-night third-line center. McKegg hardly looked intimidated by the big stage. He recorded an assist and nearly had another on a neat dish to Phil Kessel. Take all of those things, figure the Penguins got a point out of this, and there’s really not a huge reason to get upset. As long as these mistakes get corrected. “It wasn’t perfect, for sure,” Letang said. “It was the first one of the year. I think the effort was there. I thought we showed if we can play the right way we can come back in games. We had a good start, a good third. I think the attention to detail could be better, but that’s it.” 1076536 Pittsburgh Penguins Reaves, acquired in June after seven seasons with the St. Louis Blues, admitted Wednesday was bound to be “weird.” He was playing his former team, and watching his new team raise a banner. Surrounded by St. Back-to-back Stanley Cup winners, Penguins shoot for three-peat Louis media after the morning skate, Reaves predicted, “It’s going to be one of those, ‘That’s what I want,’ moments. I’m sure the building is going to be buzzing. The fans are going to be loud. It’s something all the new guys can look forward to.” STEPHEN J. NESBITT Justin Schultz, who opened the scoring in the season opener, said participating in the post-championship celebrations was “cool,” and watching them inevitably die out was “a little sad.” Hockey sticks clacked against ice, and a sellout crowd erupted Wednesday night as the Penguins’ championship banner reached its “Our championship summer is over,” Schultz said. “We have to put the resting place in the crowded rafters at PPG Paints Arena. The players work in and try to get another one.” stood at the blue line, with the Stanley Cup placed on a pedestal before them, and craned their necks to see the addition to the banners Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 accumulating overhead. It was a sight and sound not witnessed there in 357 days. A year ago, the Penguins began a quest to become the first team since the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. They were not denied. On Wednesday, the bar raised with the banner. The Penguins concluded their celebration and embarked on a larger challenge. No team has won three consecutive Cups since the 1980-83 New York Islanders. Once the banner-raising Wednesday was complete, Sidney Crosby, captain of the defending champions, wheeled toward the Penguins bench, and warm-ups resumed. The Stanley Cup was carried across the ice and disappeared into the darkness of an arena tunnel. Excitement dissipated into anticipation. Crosby skated to center ice. The puck dropped. A new season began. “As [the banner] goes up, you obviously think about what we accomplished last year,” Carl Hagelin said after the morning skate Wednesday. “After that, it’s time to focus on a new season. It’s kind of the end of a chapter, and it’s time to create new memories.” For Hagelin, the ceremony closed a series of celebrations. On July 15, a month after delivering an empty-netter in Game 6 to secure the Penguins’ fifth Stanley Cup, Hagelin and then-fiancee Erica Uebel married in Nykvarn, Sweden, near his hometown. They honeymooned in Italy, then returned home and on Aug. 1 treated the Stanley Cup to a traditional Swedish crayfish party. The celebrations continued Monday when the Penguins presented players their championship rings. Evgeni Malkin called it “the last party before the new season.” By Wednesday, players were eager to cease celebrating and begin another season-long climb. The next chapter always invites new characters, Hagelin said, and that makes each season different, special. “Right now, you can’t think about the ending,” Hagelin said. “You want to create as good of a first few pages as possible. There’s new personnel in here, but we still have the same core group, and that’s what it comes down to.” The core stood at the blue line. There were Crosby and Malkin. There were Kris Letang and Phil Kessel. And there were Matt Murray and Patric Hornqvist. Head coach Mike Sullivan drew one of the loudest and longest ovations of the night, though cheers for Sullivan and general manger Jim Rutherford barely registered compared to those for co-owner Mario Lemieux. “Seeing the banner go up,” Crosby said Tuesday, “it kind of puts a closing on everything. It’s great to see all the things that come with it, but then, it’s pretty quick to realize that we have to turn the page here. We’re starting fresh, and we have to try and do it all over again.” “It’s a brand new season. It’s a whole new challenge,” Sullivan echoed. “We’ve got to go out and earn our way, just like we did in prior years.” The ceremony also served as a final farewell for players who departed this summer. Fans roared when Marc-Andre Fleury appeared on the Jumbotron, shown pushing aside shots early in the 2017 playoff run. Gone are Nick Bonino, Matt Cullen, Trevor Daley and Ron Hainsey. Sullivan insisted Wednesday the Penguins don’t need to redevelop their identity — that part is set, he said — but they are a work in progress, as every team is at this point in the season. For the new Penguins who weren’t part of the team’s recent Stanley Cup chases, the banner-raising brought mixed emotions. Matt Hunwick, Antti Niemi, Greg McKegg and Ryan Reaves were the first players introduced Wednesday. When the team later relocated near the banner, those four initially stayed back. Reaves looked over, then nodded. They joined their team. 1076537 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins raise 2017 Stanley Cup banner before season opener vs. St. Louis

SAM WERNER

For the second consecutive year, the Penguins opened their season by raising a Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters. Prior to dropping a puck in the 2017-18 season opener against St. Louis, the Penguins took one last second to celebrate their championship from last spring. Following a pre-ceremony laser show on the ice, the video board showed highlights from the Penguins’ Stanley Cup run last spring, culminating with the locker room celebration in Nashville following the Penguins’ series-clinching 2-0 win in Game 6 of the final. Public address announcer Ryan Mill then introduced the Penguins’ staff, coaches and players. Sidney Crosby came last, carrying the Stanley Cup over his head. The players gathered on the blue line to watch as the 2017 championship banner was lifted to hang beside the one they earned a year earlier in 2016. The Penguins now have five Stanley Cup championship banners hanging from the roof at PPG Paints Arena — 1991, 1992, 2009, 2016 and 2017 — and their quest to add a sixth started Wednesday night against the Blues. Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076538 Pittsburgh Penguins

Ryan Reaves will see familiar faces in Penguins opener

SAM WERNER

Ryan Reaves talked to some of his former St. Louis teammates in advance of the Penguins’ season opener against the Blues Wednesday night. And he had a message for them. “Told every one of them to keep their head up,” Reaves said with a grin Wednesday morning. Just starting the year with a new team after seven years in one organization would be strange, but Reaves has the added factor of going up against the team that drafted him in 2005. Kris Letang played in three preseason games over the exhibition schedule. “It's going to be fun, it's going to weird, it's going to be different,” Reaves said before the game. “But, yeah, I’m looking forward to it.” Reaves played 419 games over seven seasons with the Blues from 2010-17 and became a fan favorite during his time in St. Louis. The Penguins acquired Reaves via a trade in June. “Seven years, you build a fan base and you start to love the city and love the fans there,” Reaves said. “It’s just part of the business.” Reaves did note the strange feelings will be tempered somewhat by the fact that the Penguins faced St. Louis in the preseason, and he was in the lineup for that game. He already has experience going up against the jersey he wore for seven seasons. “I don’t think it’s going to be as weird as everybody thinks,” Reaves said. “I think that first exhibition game kind of got a little bit of the emotion out of the way. Obviously it’s going to be a little bit weird, but I don’t think it's going to affect anything in the game.” PK production One of the Penguins’ big tasks this season will be replacing the penalty- killing production of Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen, both of whom left via free agency this offseason. Penguins donating money to support Las Vegas, Puerto Rico Sam Werner Penguins donating money to support Las Vegas, Puerto Rico Carter Rowney and Scott Wilson figure to pick up a good deal of the slack, and Reaves could be in the mix eventually, too. He saw some time on the penalty kill this preseason but didn’t expect to play there too much Wednesday night. “Still working on it a bit,” Reaves said. “I don’t know how much I’ll see today. Definitely still working on it, been trying to get used to the new systems here first then work into the PK.” McKegg earns his shot Greg McKegg started training camp as a bit of a long-shot to make the Penguins’ opening night roster, but he’ll be the third-line center when the puck drops against St. Louis. Part of that is because general manager Jim Rutherford hasn’t found a suitable trade to fill that role, but McKegg has also done his part to earn the job for now. “We’re excited about watching his game grow and develop, how he can fit into this group,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’ve certainly cast him in a certain role that we think can play to his strengths and we’ll wait and see. He’s certainly had a really, really strong training camp to this point.” Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076539 Pittsburgh Penguins

Kris Letang is ready for meaningful hockey after a seven-month layoff

SAM WERNER

Kris Letang remembers his last shift in a meaningful NHL game. It came at the tail end of the Penguins’ 3-1 win at Carolina Feb. 21; Letang was on the ice as his team finished off its 37th win of the season. “It feels like it was two years ago,” Letang said Wednesday. In reality, it was just a shade more than seven months. But you can forgive Letang for the hyperbole. In the interim, the Penguins went on a spirited playoff run and won their second consecutive Stanley Cup with Letang watching from the press box. Ryan Reaves played 419 games over seven seasons with the Blues from 2010-17. Wednesday night, though, in the Penguins’ season opener against St. Louis, Letang will return to the ice with his teammates for the first time since that night in Carolina last February. “Pretty anxious, obviously,” Letang said. “The preseason was a good test to see how I felt. I got timing back as the training camp went on. Tonight, it’s going to be fun. It’s a special night. The opening is always special. But to be able to come back from that injury and that much time without playing, it’s going to be special.” Letang played in three preseason games over the past few weeks and used those contests as a chance to get back up to game speed. He didn’t record any points in his exhibition action but saw action in all of his usual spots 5-on-5, as well as on the Penguins’ power-play and penalty- killing units. “I think Tanger has gotten better with each game that he’s played, I think he’s in a much better place today than he was day one of training camp,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “But he’s also a guy that’s missed a lot of hockey. It’s going to take a little bit of time, I think, for Tanger to get to his true form.” Letang will have no shortage of energy or excitement Wednesday night, but Sullivan said the coaching staff has tried to impress the importance of patience on him as the team prepares for the long haul of another NHL season. Letang isn’t going to make up for those seven-plus months missed in one night. “One of the messages that we’ve been preaching to him is just keeping the game simple and taking what the game gives him,” Sullivan said. “Don’t try to do too much. I think when Tanger does that, he plays an efficient game.” Specifically, Letang should help the Penguins transition from defense to offense more effectively than they did without him last season. Even during the Stanley Cup run, they would be greatly outshot and holding on for dear life in their own end zone frequently. As they did in 2016, the Penguins will raise a Stanley Cup championship banner Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena. “I don’t think there’s any question we get out of our end zone much more efficiently when Tanger’s in our lineup,” Sullivan said. “He can be a one-man breakout by himself. He has that ability, he’s one of those elite players that can shake a forecheck by himself when the time presents it.” Teammate Olli Maatta called Letang the type of player who can “do something out of nothing.” But after more than half a year of doing nothing — at least as it relates to playing in competitive hockey games — Letang is just looking forward to doing something. “Excitement, it always gives you a little boost of adrenaline,” he said. “Obviously a lot of emotion’s going to be in play, but I’m just glad to be playing, glad to be out there with my teammates and share those moments with them.” Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076540 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins donating money to support Las Vegas, Puerto Rico

SAM WERNER

The Penguins announced Wednesday they are donating $25,000 to support victims and first responders of Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas as well as $25,000 to support relief efforts in Puerto Rico. The team has also set up a website to donate to victims and first responders through the Penguins Foundation in the aftermath of Sunday’s shooting, during which 59 people were killed and hundreds more injured at a country music festival. A moment of silence will be held before the Penguins’ season opener Wednesday night against the Blues. The Pirates announced Wednesday that they would be sending 460,000 pounds of hurricane-relief supplies to Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Maria last month. “The Penguins support this very important effort by the Pirates to assist the people of Puerto Rico,” Penguins president and CEO said in a statement. “We ask our fans, and sports fans everywhere, to join in this major humanitarian cause.” Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076541 Pittsburgh Penguins “That’s a tough three in four,” Ian Cole said of the Penguins’ start to the season. “Unfortunately there’s not much we can do about the schedule. We just have to work our way through it. We have to manage that fatigue Regular season will deliver one thing the Penguins crave: routine as best we can and when we do have days off, really take advantage of it, rest up and try to get ready for the next three in four that we have the week after that. We get treated great here. Travel’s very, very easy. We’ll figure out times when we can get our rest and hopefully be ready to play JASON MACKEY in those games.” Opening night nuggets Shout or raise your hand if you’ve heard this one before: Hockey players A few nuggets on the historical context of tonight: crave routine. The Penguins are 23-20-6 all-time in season openers and 26-14-9 in No, it’s true. home openers, including a 7-3-1 mark in their past 11. Taking a specific route to the rink. How you get ready. What you do at Matt Murray will start tonight, of course. It will be his first such start. morning skate. Eating lunch. How you nap (and for how long you do it). Marc-Andre Fleury had started the last 11 of those dating back to 2005- Various things throughout pregame warm-ups. On and on. The list isn’t 06. short. This is the fourth time the Penguins have opened against the Blues and Preseason generally disrupts those routines, from morning practices, to the first since Oct. 4, 1983, a 5-3 St. Louis victory. traveling the day of a game, to the inability to channel the intensity of an NHL game. Milestone watch Kris Letang played in three preseason games over the exhibition Tom Kuhnhackl is expected to play his 100th NHL game tonight, on a schedule. line to the right of Carl Hagelin and Greg McKegg. Not a moment too soon for any of these Penguins, the wonky drill that is Kris Letang has 299 assists. If he gets one tonight, he’ll join Paul Coffey the preseason will morph into the normality of the regular season. A (332) as the only defensemen in franchise history with 300 or more. collective exhale could be hear around PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday morning ahead of the home-opener against the Blues. The new guys “I think our whole team [is ready], our players in particular,” Penguins The lineup the Penguins will dress Wednesday features four new coach Mike Sullivan said. “It’s very difficult to simulate meaningful play. players: Reaves, McKegg, Matt Hunwick and Antti Niemi, who will back When games mean something, I think they take on a whole different up Murray. tone. I think there’s a whole different level of intensity. I think our players Wednesday will allow them to experience PPG Paints Arena for the first are excited for the regular season. It’s an opportunity to start to pursue time. our ultimate goal.” “I think they’re pretty comfortable,” Crosby said. “... We have a good That goal is obviously a third consecutive Stanley Cup, a feat that has group here. I don’t think anyone has to do anything out of the ordinary. I not been accomplished in 35 years. think you just try to be a good teammate and help guys with whatever But even back then, hockey players enjoyed the same thing these they need, but I think we have a good group. It’s an easy group to join Penguins do: a routine. and be a part of.” “I think we all have our habits and like them,” Olli Maatta said. Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 From a practical standpoint, playing seven preseason games affords plenty of time for evaluation — but it’s really tough to worry about getting better, as Sullivan said. Think about it. Ryan Reaves isn’t delivering hits with early-April intensity. Why would he? Ian Cole isn’t tossing his body in front of a slap shot the same way, and line combinations are only occasionally the ones you can see during the regular season. Ryan Reaves played 419 games over seven seasons with the Blues from 2010-17. That, though, is understood. Nobody should be surprised to learn that the preseason differs from the regular season. But in a sport and league that craves routine perhaps more than any other — you’ve followed Sidney Crosby’s career, right? — getting back to quirky/normal travel habits or having the odd practice to potentially sack after a statement-making win are nice luxuries to have. There’s a flow to playing Saturday night and taking Sunday to watch football, to playing three games in four nights and knowing how to budget your energy. None of that has happened so far. “It’s a lot more exciting to get up for a game,” Conor Sheary said. “I think once the regular season starts, you get into a groove and a routine. That’s where we’re comfortable. We’re all excited to get the season going.” The final part of getting the season going now — and why that’s important — is because the Penguins really don’t have another choice. Thursday, they’re in Chicago. Nashville comes to Pittsburgh two days later. Next week features a Washington-Tampa Bay back-to-back set, a pair of heavyweights in the Eastern Conference, and a Saturday game with a Florida team that should be much improved. That’s three-in-a-four with travel in successive weeks. With travel in both. It’s the rhythm of an NHL season, and it’s difficult. It’s also what these guys are used to. 1076542 Pittsburgh Penguins “It’s remarkable, and it’s a credit to those two guys because they’ve both figured out a way to continue to be successful, with all the talent they had, and coexist,” Rutherford said. “As you know, sometimes you get to a The Penguins' core trio doesn't take its longevity for granted certain point after the superstar players have played together, and maybe they want a little more time, a little more attention or whatever it is.

“These guys have figured out a way to continue to play together and JASON MACKEY respect each other.” These past two Cup runs have showcased the Penguins’ depth, with young wingers such as Jake Guentzel, Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust Before the Penguins open the 2017-18 season Wednesday against the stepping up. They have a budding star in goal in Matt Murray. And the St. Louis Blues, a variety of things will have happened, none of them back end last year was the definition of resilience, rallying after the loss involving a fifth Stanley Cup banner hanging from the PPG Paints Arena of Letang to injury. rafters. But the key ingredient may well have been Crosby and Malkin both Sidney Crosby will have stickhandled around the McDonald’s “M” that’s healthy for the majority of time, both productive. The credit for that starts painted on the ice. Evgeni Malkin will have ended warm-up by jokingly with the players, of course, but some should also go to Sullivan for juicing shooting a puck at head athletic trainer Chris Stewart. And Kris Letang the best out of them. will have done a couple torrid, Tasmanian Devil-style sprints around the Penguins’ zone in anticipation of the opening faceoff. “Over the last couple of years, you’re seeing more and more periods of time and big games where these guys are both at the top of their game,” Those seemingly simple acts have become gameday staples for these Rutherford said. “That’s a big reason why it’s been hard to beat us.” three, the types of things you notice over time. It’s hard to beat the Penguins with Letang, too, a luxury they’re confident Love our Pens coverage? Consider subscribing. they’re finally going to be able to enjoy for an extended stretch. Support journalism. Subscribe today. It’s easy to omit Letang from the Crosby-Malkin discussion, but with an “A” now stitched to his sweater, it’s an important time to point out that it Hours away from a home opener that won’t include Marc-Andre Fleury would be wrong. for the first time since 2005, perhaps it’s appropriate to remember that the Penguins still employ three players who aren’t going anywhere soon. Letang’s right there. It wasn’t long ago that Rutherford and others were talking about Letang being the team’s most irreplaceable player. Ryan Reaves played 419 games over seven seasons with the Blues from 2010-17. “I think they have more of a chance [of not getting traded] than me,” Letang said, half-laughing and playing down the premise by shifting the Sam Werner focus back to Crosby and Malkin. “They’re guys who are unique in the Ryan Reaves will see familiar faces in Penguins opener league that cannot be replaced. It’s not something I’m thinking about or was thinking about before. I’ve seen it with a guy like Marc-Andre, who It’s a shred of simplicity that’s attributable to talent but also hard work and had been here forever, and now he’s not. It’s always fun to play your the ability to get along and produce. It’s taken for granted by none of entire career with the same guys, the same team.” them. Kris Letang “It would mean a lot,” Crosby said of the prospect of finishing his career as a Penguin, a certainty if ever there were such a thing. “It’s pretty rare ‘Amazing players’ these days to see that. Malkin called it “cool” being Crosby’s co-pilot all these years. “I think it was much more common before. With the salary cap, there’s a “If we don’t play together, maybe we never win,” Malkin said. “I hope the little bit more movement. That would be great. I don’t know if you would three of us play 10 more years together. Special two guys for me. say it’s an accomplishment, but I think it’s something you look back on Amazing players.” and you’re pretty proud of.” Crosby and Malkin are closer than you might realize. Spend a large Those who haven’t done anything of the sort know better than anyone chunk of your life in the Penguins dressing room, witnessing these how special starting and finishing in the same city can be, and that group interactions, and they’re hilarious. includes Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. Few people can fire a dig Crosby’s way and get away with it. Malkin’s As a player, Sullivan collected NHL paychecks in San Jose, Calgary, one of them. And it lands, oh, about 100 percent of the time. Boston and Phoenix. He’s coached in Boston, Tampa Bay, New York and Vancouver, in addition to a year with Chicago on the player Meanwhile, Crosby can often be accused of being ultra-serious; some development side. levity from Malkin can do him some good. Being in one place is nice. You never uproot your family. You learn On the ice, when one of the two franchise centers struggles, more often shortcuts to work. You visit and re-visit favorite restaurants and get to than not the other is there to pick up the slack. know the names of security guards. Ask Ben Roethlisberger or Tom Brady. “It’s really nice to have someone for when you’re not having such a great night, it’s not all falling on your shoulders,” Crosby said. “With one play, But it’s not so much a right as it is a privilege. That much is understood. he can change the game pretty quick. Everyone has to do their part, but I think there’s always pressure that comes along with different roles and As they did in 2016, the Penguins will raise a Stanley Cup championship things like that. Hopefully we can help each other out that way.” banner Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena. By working together as well as they have over the years, Crosby, Malkin Jason Mackey and Letang have set an example for longevity, consistency and stability. Regular season will deliver one thing the Penguins crave: routine Fleury, too, really. It’s hardly anything he did or didn’t do that led him to Vegas. “If a player is afforded that opportunity to be part of one organization, I think there’s a certain pride in that,” Sullivan said. “Usually that is an Just listen to the young guy who was the beneficiary of that — Murray — earned privilege over a long period of time, where there’s a respectable and how much he loves quietly observing what those guys have brought body of work that’s been accomplished.” to the Penguins dressing room, hoping to follow the same path. Together we stand “They’re the best in the game right now, some of the best all-time,” Murray said. “It’s no accident that they’ve been so successful for so long. It’s hard to argue with what this group has accomplished — winning three We’re lucky to get to watch that day in and day out.” Stanley Cups while Crosby and Malkin delivered on that “generational” label that was slapped on them when they were drafted and then a whole Penguins fans are lucky to learn about these players’ families, to watch bunch more. them get married and have kids and mature as people. Such things aren’t afforded everywhere. Numbers aside, living up to that billing and doing it together for a prolonged stretch has been what is most impressive for general manager But in Pittsburgh, even with Fleury gone, it’s very much a rite of passage Jim Rutherford. for the franchise’s top players. “It doesn’t happen very often,” Sullivan said. “So just the fact that it’s unique in today’s game, suggests that they have a body of work with a certain organization that is deserving of so much respect that they stay in one organization for that period of time. “They’re a mature group, and they’re good people. They’re just good guys. They understand that they need each other to have success, and I really do think they genuinely like each other.” Post Gazette LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076543 San Jose Sharks throughout the game while playing on a line with Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton is a reason to be optimistic.

(We’ll see what other youngsters want to join him in making an impact.) The Sharks’ disappointing season-opener wasn’t a total loss 0:00

/ 0:48

Via NHL.com SAN JOSE — It’s always disappointing to start 0-1. It was a good sign that Thornton looked rock-solid beside Labanc — No team wants to begin a season on a losing note. even after offseason knee surgery, you still can’t take Jumbo Joe off the Sharks Joel Ward will likely play Thursday night. But will he stand? puck. There wasn’t much flash — that’s not surprising — but there was plenty of quality from the veteran. Did early playoff exit, Marleau’s departure affect Sharks’ ticket sales? It was a good sign that Jones bounced back from his terrible start to play But the Sharks can take some solace in their performance in Wednesday a really solid game. Had he not played as well as he did, the Flyers night’s 5-3 season-opening loss to the Flyers. would have scored a few more than five Wednesday — that’s for sure. He looked — at times — like the game-stealing goalie the Sharks need No, seriously, they can. him to be this year. It’d be easy to see Wednesday’s game as a reason to sound the alarms 0:00 — the Sharks are a team that’s likely going to have to fight all year to land a playoff spot, and a loss like Wednesday’s hardly inspires / 0:15 confidence at first glance. Via NHL.com But look a little closer and you’ll see a team that controlled most of the game at even-strength and gifted their opponents some — if not all — of It was a good sign that the Sharks had a bit of verve in their passing and their goals. movement on the power play Wednesday. That’s something they lacked last year — and while the Sharks didn’t make the most of the man- You’d see areas of a game that it’s obvious the Sharks would like to advantage comparatively to their opponents, they’ll take 2-of-6 every forget — but other areas that they’ll want to carry through the season, night this season. too. And it was a good sign that, frankly, the Sharks skated better than I You’ll see a Rorschach test of a hockey game — it was as positive or as thought they would on Wednesday. This is not a fast team, and it’s negative as you want. obvious speed is the name of the game in the NHL these days, but the Sharks had some zip against the Flyers. While Philadelphia is not a And this won’t happen often, but I’m on the side of optimism. speedy team, either — perhaps that skewed my perception — I thought the Sharks were the faster team on the ice Wednesday. We’ll see if that There will be plenty of time to panic this season, Sharks fans: This is jump is still in the team’s step come January, but it was a positive for one going to be a trying year, no matter the outcome — there’s no justification night in October, nonetheless. for getting a head start. It was a bad for the Sharks loss, no doubt, but it was also one game. And if you need a mantra to hold you over until Saturday’s second game Perhaps it’s a harbinger of things to come, but what things did it foretell? of the season, remember: Perhaps the good the Sharks displayed Wednesday carries into the next Wednesday’s game would have been a lot different had goalie Martin 81 contests. Jones not let in two howlers in the first period. Perhaps the bad wins out and this season is going to be painful to watch It would have been a lot different had the Sharks not let the Flyers score unfold. on their first three power-play opportunities. There’s probably going to be a mix of both the good and the bad over the It would have been a lot different if there was consistent refereeing. next few months — novel concept, huh? And while the Sharks were beaten, they weren’t outclassed. But over the course of this long, challenging season that got underway That’s an important distinction. Wednesday, my bet is that the good outweighs the bad. That’s not to say that the Sharks deserved a better fate or that they aren’t San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 culpable for Wednesday’s loss — it is to say that I doubt you’ll see too many games where the Sharks give their opponent so many opportunities to win. (Or games where the opponent is so efficient in taking them.) That’s not the way Pete DeBoer’s teams operate. It’ll take a few weeks (and probably a lot longer) to figure out if the Sharks are a team to be reckoned with in the tough-as-nails Western Conference this year, but Wednesday’s game, in many ways, seemed like an outlier of a contest. The penalty kill won’t look that bad all year — it can’t look that bad all year. Jones won’t give up howlers that like every night – much less two of them. And eventually, the referees will figure out what is and isn’t slashing.(The new emphasis on calling that penalty is going to make every slashing call a crapshoot for the first few weeks — the Sharks went bust on it Wednesday.) Amid a game where plenty went wrong for San Jose, a lot of things did go right, too. I saw good signs that this season could be a good one for the Sharks: It was a good sign that Kevin Labanc was noticeable on every shift Wednesday. Now, it wasn’t always for the right reasons — he committed the Sharks’ first three penalties, and all of three resulted in Flyer goals — but the fact that the former sixth-round pick earned top-six minutes and made is presence known with two first-period goals and quality shifts 1076544 San Jose Sharks Couture got a bit fortunate as he took a pass from Brent Burns and fired a backhand pass to the front of the net that went off Flyers defenseman Andrew McDonald’s skate and past Elliott. Burns’ assist gave him 500 Labanc scores twice, gets burned by penalties in Sharks loss to Flyers points for his NHL career. DeBoer dressed all his veterans for Wednesday’s game, putting Joel Ward and Melker Karlsson on the wings of the fourth line with center By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Chris Tierney. Ryan Carpenter and Barclay Goodrow, who made the Area News Group team out of training camp and spent the bulk of last season in the AHL, were scratched.

The team’s two youngest players were in significant roles. SAN JOSE — It’s tough to say how Kevin Labanc will remember his night Wednesday. Labanc played with Thornton and Pavelski on the Sharks’ top line and Timo Meier, 20, was on the third line with center Tomas Hertl and fellow The 21-year-old Labanc, starting his second season of professional winger . hockey, became the first Sharks player to score twice in the first period of a season-opening game. Labanc and Meier knew coming in there were no guarantees it would last more than one game. Now it’s just a matter of producing on a consistent But Labanc took three penalties that all resulted in Philadelphia goals, basis. including Wayne Simmonds’ go-ahead goal with 10:33 left in the third period. Simmonds added an empty-netter with 35.7 seconds left to give Labanc had seven goals and 12 points in his first 25 regular season the Flyers a 5-3 win, ending the Sharks’ streak of seven straight wins on games as a rookie, but just one goal in his last 31 games. opening night. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 Get Sharks news in your inbox. Sign up for the free Sharks Report newsletter coming soon. “From my end, I’ve got to be a lot more disciplined,” Labanc said. “Those penalties shouldn’t have happened and they scored on them, so I just have to be a little more disciplined and watch where I put my stick.” Labanc was called for tripping Flyers rookie Nolan Patrick at the 9:21 mark of the third. Just 12 seconds later, Simmonds redirected a shot from Jakub Voracek to give the Flyers the lead for good. Earlier, Labanc was called for goalie interference in the first period and slashing in the second period. Both times, the Flyers made the Sharks pay. Labanc on the penalties that were called tonight #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/2oOKuBeXiF — Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) October 5, 2017 “They’re definitely cracking down on the players,” Labanc said. “The refs are looking for anything on the hands and hips. … You have to be wary of where your stick is when you’re on the ice. Two of the penalties were soft-calls. Those are the new rules.” “Penalties come sometimes, but he’s there, he in the play,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. “He’s battling hard. A couple of them it’s just stick strength at times, whether it’s a little slash or something and guys are going down. We just want him competing and that’s what he did.” Still, Labanc was the main offensive figure, as he began his sophomore year with a pair of highlight-reel goals. With Philadelphia up 2-0, Labanc cut the Flyers’ lead to one with 2:43 left in the first. Brenden Dillon let a shot go from inside the blue line that was saved by Philadelphia goalie Brian Elliott, but Labanc was parked right in front of the net and batted the puck in after it bounced high off Elliott’s pad. With just 19 seconds left in the first, Labanc pounced on a clearing attempt by Flyers winger Dale Weise, took a few strides toward the net and fired a wrist shot in the upper left side to tie the game 2-2. DeBoer on trying to overcome slow start pic.twitter.com/YuLf86gZoI — Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) October 5, 2017 “One thing about him is that you can’t teach what he does give you,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said. “Tonight, a lot of the night he was our best player with (Joe Thornton) probably.” Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation. The Flyers took a 3-2 lead with 2:24 left in the second period as Simmonds scored his first of the year, again on a redirection of a shot from the point, this time from Shayne Gostisbehere. In the first period, Claude Giroux scored with the man advantage after a Martin Jones giveaway. “We played from behind all night and could never get the lead. That’s a bad recipe,” DeBoer said. “When a team goes (3-for-8) on the power play you have to look at everyone. Everybody that’s out there.” Logan Couture scored a power play goal with 16:48 left in the third period to tie the game 3-3. 1076545 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ Joel Ward says response to tweet as been positive

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

SAN JOSE — The Sharks’ Joel Ward said Wednesday he received a positive response from the message he sent out on social media that said while he would not kneel for the national anthem, he hoped the conversation would continue about police brutality and racial injustice toward African Americans. Ward tweeted on Sept. 28 that he respected other professional athletes for their peaceful protest during the national anthem, but that he would stand for the anthem because he felt the “original message that was trying to be communicated has been lost.” “For sure, getting a lot of positive feedback, but obviously there are still a lot of things to do,” Ward said before the Sharks faced the Flyers at SAP Center on Wednesday night. “But for the initial response, there was just a lot of positive feedback from a lot of people.” Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds has joined Ward in hoping the original reason for the protests would stop being distorted. The action of taking a knee during the anthem has been labeled by some, including President Donald Trump, as being disrespectful toward the American flag or the military. Ward and Simmonds are among the approximately 30 black players on NHL rosters. Get Sharks news in your inbox. Sign up for the free Sharks Report newsletter coming soon. “I think we’ve already tried to deal with this and the whole thing about it is trying to get the focus off the kneeling and the focus on what actually is going on in this world, in the United States, which is the police brutality and the unfair treatment of African Americans,” Simmonds said Wednesday. “So, I think that’s all there is to it. The whole kneeling aspect I think is more of the global media just trying to find something else to write about.” Simmonds was asked if he felt progress was being made on keeping the focus on the original message and not the kneeling. “We’re trying to get a conversation going,” he said. “I think there’s been a little bit of the conversation started, but I honestly feel you guys are so focused on whose going to kneel and who’s not going to kneel that it hasn’t gotten as far as it should.” Ward has appreciated the support that Simmonds has offered. Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation. “(He) reiterated what I was saying as well. He had the same thoughts as staying focused as to what it was actually all about,” Ward said. “It’s him and I going out there and believing what we think is right and getting back to playing again.” Ward is in the Sharks’ lineup Wednesday night, skating on he fourth line with center Chris Tierney and fellow winger Melker Karlsson. Ward, who had shoulder surgery in the offseason, played in two preseason games. Some thoughts…excuse the length! pic.twitter.com/YUNMgjaAgn — Joel Ward (@JRandalWard42) September 28, 2017 “It’s good to get back out there, back to playing hockey again,” Ward said. “I felt better as it went along, just getting more and more comfortable.” San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076546 San Jose Sharks

Sharks pregame notes: Can Labanc seize his opportunity to play with the Joes?

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

SAN JOSE — Kevin Labanc will get another shot to play with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski on the Sharks’ top line Wednesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers in the season opener for both teams. There are no guarantees it’ll last more than one game. Or one period. “Nothing’s ever set in stone,” Labanc said. “My spot could easily be taken by anybody. I just have to work hard, take the momentum I got from the preseason and apply it into the regular season.” Labanc, starting his second year as a professional, earned an NHL job out of training camp. But as Pete DeBoer said Tuesday and reiterated again Wednesday morning, young players like Labanc will need to prove they belong on a daily basis. Get Sharks news in your inbox. Sign up for the free Sharks Report newsletter coming soon. Can Labanc take what he learned last year when he was on the top line and apply it to right now? “We’ll see. He’s going to get a chance. I don’t have the answer to that,” DeBoer said. “It’s a great opportunity. I think he’s done the work to take advantage of the opportunity. He came in great shape, spent the summer here and has had a really good training camp. But you’ve got put that into real-time once the season starts.” “Work hard. That’s basically this line’s foundation,” Labanc said. “Without hard work, you’re not going to make it on the line very long. You’ve got to really do what you can to get them the puck.” The Sharks auditioned eight players on the top line last season, with Tomas Hertl in that role for most of the first half. Hertl would ideally stay as the Sharks’ third line center, but there remains other candidates to play there at some point this year, including blue- collar wingers Jannik Hansen and Melker Karlsson. Still, Labanc has offensive upside. It’s just a matter of producing on a consistent basis. He had seven goals and 12 points in his first 25 regular season games as a rookie, but just one goal in his last 31 games. Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation. “During the course of 82 games, I think you’re going to see lots of wingers. But we played with him well last year,” Thornton said. “Every time I touch the puck, he wants the puck, which is nice for a young player. And he wants to shoot the puck.” • For the first time in what seems like forever, the Sharks won’t have Patrick Marleau on their first power play unit. Mikkel Boedker takes over that spot, at least for now, joining stalwarts Thornton, Pavelski, Brent Burns and Logan Couture. Like Labanc’s presence on the top line, Boedker’s time on the first power play unit could be short-lived if things don’t click. “We’ve got a hole with Patty Marleau gone, so we’re going to audition guys for that role,” DeBoer said. “Boeds is a guy who has had a good career in the NHL on the power play, he’s proven to be a good power play guy, so he’ll get an opportunity there.” “Again, like lines, that’s something that’s going to be fluid. We’re going to move guys around.” It’ll be interesting to see what kind of different looks Boedker can provide when the Sharks have the man advantage. Right now, it appears he’ll join Burns on the point, with Pavelski more down low. Boedker had a combined 30 power play points over his last two seasons in Arizona. Playing mainly on the second power play unit last season, he had no goals and only one assist. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076547 San Jose Sharks The bar prices are about what they’re paying upstairs — $12 for a Maker’s Mark and club soda — but you should remember to tip. These guys are worth it. For San Jose Sharks fans, a guide to SAP Center cocktails, craft brews BMW Lounge: SAP Center’s newest luxury level was created in the spot that used to house The Grill at SAP Center restaurant, and it’s reserved for about 400 ticketholders who are paying from $300 to $500 a game for By SAL PIZARRO | [email protected] | Bay Area News the privilege (not to mention high-action seats in the first three rows). It’s Group a comfortable spot to spend an hour before the game, with couches, club chairs and tables.

One side of the club is taken up by a buffet station, where you can get In 23 years of visits to the Shark Tank — aka SAP Center at San Jose — gourmet bites like a fried chicken slider or carved Niman Ranch strip loin I’d never once had a Sharkarita, the NHL team’s teal-hued signature with wild mushroom sauce. There’s also a sushi station, a corner devoted cocktail. That is, until Jessica Lopez, a bartender at the Ice Bar on the to California cheese and even a tray of mini hot dogs. It’s all arena’s concourse level, made one for me at the Sharks’ preseason complimentary with the ticket, as are glasses of Miner wine, the Sharks’ opener. newest culinary partner. It’s your basic margarita — tequila, triple sec and lime juice — with a There’s a bar with two stations for the lounge crowd and table service for garnish of shark-fin lime wedges and cherries (that’s the blood!) and the those seated in the dining area. Beer and wine come with the ticket, as important splash of blue curacao liqueur. That last ingredient provides do well drinks. It’s impressive when your well includes Tanqueray gin and the color, but it also brings the sweetness up a notch. It’s not a cheap Dewar’s Scotch. If you want to take it up a notch, though, you can drink — mine was made with Patron Silver tequila and cost $12 — but it’s upgrade to more premium varieties like Ketel One ($12.50), Basil in the implied contract that all Sharks fans must have one at some point. Hayden’s ($14) or Courvoisier XO cognac ($40). The Scotch selection is So, mission accomplished. worth noting, too, with Oban 14-year ($19), Lagavulin 16-year ($18) and Johnnie Walker Blue Label ($34) available. Fortunately, there’s a lot more to enjoy at SAP Center than the Sharkarita. But before we go on, let’s be clear about a couple of things: Now, most people won’t be getting the BMW Club treatment at a Sharks Even drinking good booze doesn’t give you a license to be a jerk at a game, but this guide shows that you don’t have to tone down your taste sporting event or concert. And drink responsibly. The Sharks, like every and settle for an overpriced cup of light beer. And, besides, there’s NHL team, have a program where designated drivers can sign up at the always the Sharkarita. game and be entered in a sweepstakes for prizes at the end of the season. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 With that in mind, here are your best bets at each seating level as the 2017-18 Sharks season gets under way: The Concourse: This is where most fans will be before the game and during intermissions, scrambling to grab a hot dog, Ike’s sandwich or Rita’s Italian Ice (which is worth the wait). There will also be hordes of jersey-wearing guys and gals waiting in the same lines to pay more than $10 for a draft domestic beer. You can do much better than that. On either end of the arena — sections 109 and 123 are good landmarks — you’ll find a set of stairs leading to Craft Beer Central, which serves Northern California brews on draft — Ballast Point Sculpin ($13), Sierra Nevada ($11), Lost Coast’s Great White ($11) and Lagunitas IPA ($11). There are also more California bottles and cans — or “packaged” as they’re listed — including Gordon Biersch’s Marzen ($11.50), 21st Amendment’s Brew Free or Die IPA ($10.50), Firestone’s 805 ($11.50) and, of course, the team’s signature beer, Gordon Biersch’s Chum ($10.50). Yes, it’s a lot for a beer. But that’s the going rate in the building, and at least you’re drinking better beer. And Craft Beer Central has a secret: There’s a full cocktail bar up there, too, and you can order a mixed drink for $12 or get a glass of wine for $9 to $11. The selection is good, with Ketel One vodka, Johnnie Walker Black Label scotch, Maker’s Mark bourbon, Hendrick’s gin and Jack Daniel’s among the labels. Another good concourse choice is the Ice Bar, near section 115, where I had my Sharkarita. You can get a margarita or mai tai on tap for $14, or a mixed drink for $10 to $12, depending on the quality of liquor. There’s also Kendall Jackson wine available for $11 a glass. (Smaller kiosks along the concourse also serve mixed drinks and wine for the same prices and usually have shorter lines than the Ice Bar.) Alaska Airlines Club Level: If you have club seats, you’ll do yourself a disservice if you don’t visit the North Bar, which is near section 115 and right next to a carving station that serves the best roast beef and turkey sandwiches you’ll find in the building. It’s also as close to an old-school cocktail lounge as you’re going to find at SAP Center. And that’s all because of the quartet of bartenders who are dishing out drinks to regulars. Between the four of them, John Martinson, Paul O’Connor, Rich Upright and Nona Ramos-Martin have been at the arena for a combined 71 years. Martinson — he’s been there since the joint opened in 1993 — has a gap-toothed smile and the look of a bartender who’s seen it all. The North Bar has its regulars like any good dive, and the bartenders often set up their drinks at their regular tables just before the game breaks for the first intermission. Boston-born O’Connor — who started in 2005 — has an easy smile and a good retort for anyone who calls him “sir.” “Sir? I work for a living!” I heard him say it four times during one intermission and it got a laugh from every single customer. 1076548 San Jose Sharks Edmonton goaltender Cam Talbot (33) shakes hands with Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) after the Oilers defeated San Jose in the first round of the playoffs in April. Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group Sharks season preview: Two years after Cup final berth, playoffs no sure Thornton, and Couture, to a lesser degree, needed the time to thing recuperate, as did thirtysomethings Pavelski and Joel Ward, who saw their combined goal total go from 59 in 2015-16 to 39 last season. Defenseman Paul Martin is coming off ankle surgery. By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group Now fully healthy, the Sharks believe they can regain the form that had them in first place for about six weeks after the all-star break.

‘There are no easy nights, there’s no easy games,” DeBoer said. “I do SAN JOSE — All that surrounds the Sharks right now is hope. know with our group that we have the capability of doing some great things this year.” There’s hope their aging core can benefit from a long summer. There’s hope several forwards at the midway point of their careers can improve There’s no question the Sharks will need contributions from everywhere over last season. There’s hope their young players in their second or in the lineup to stay in the top eight in the Western Conference. third year as professionals can make a positive impact. That means not only will Mikkel Boedker, Tomas Hertl, Joonas Donskoi What the Sharks lack is a guarantee any of it will happen. and Chris Tierney have to be better, but that less NHL-seasoned forwards such as Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, Ryan Carpenter and Sharks pregame notes: Can Labanc seize his opportunity to play with the Barclay Goodrow have to demonstrate that they deserve to stay in the Joes? NHL. As they get set to start the 2017-18 season Wednesday at home against Meier, Labanc, Carpenter and Goodrow all survived the final round of the Philadelphia Flyers, five-plus months after a first-round playoff exit, cuts. For Wednesday’s opener, it appears Labanc, 21, will be on the top the Sharks have as much to prove right now as they did more than two line with Pavelski and Thornton and Meier, 20, will be on the third line years ago when they missed the playoffs and Pete DeBoer took over as with Hertl and Jannik Hansen. head coach. Now is the time when hope has to turn into reality. Not only does the Pacific Division look more formidable with Edmonton, Calgary and Anaheim all projected to be playoff teams, but the Central “Every year you come back and you want to prove that you still have a Division might be as deep as any in the NHL. Patrick Marleau and his good team, especially this group,” Couture said. “Some people have 508 career goals are now in Toronto. written us off in the past and I’m sure that’s happening now. But we believe in the guys we have here, we believe that some of our young Making the postseason is no sure thing. guys are going to step up and have big games and play big roles for us.” Of course, the Sharks have been told the same thing before. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.05.2017 Get Sharks news in your inbox. Sign up for the free Sharks Report newsletter coming soon. “People have been predicting a downslide here for five, six, seven years. I don’t think that’s anything new for this group,” DeBoer said Tuesday. “Their demise has been written about for a long time. I don’t see it anywhere on the horizon, but it’s up to us to prove that we still are competitive like we know we are and use that as motivation.” The Sharks’ greatest strengths this season will be their goaltending and their depth on defense. Brent Burns is the defending Norris Trophy winner and Marc-Edouard Vlasic remains one of the top shutdown defenseman in the NHL. The only change to the blue line from last season to this season is Dylan DeMelo replacing David Schlemko on the third pair beside Brenden Dillon. Tim Heed steps in as the Sharks’ seventh defenseman. Martin Jones resumes his spot as the Sharks’ No. 1 goalie, and Aaron Dell proved last season that he can be a capable backup. “Doesn’t matter how skilled you are, you have to show up and work,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. “I think if we can do that on a consistent basis, with the way we’re structurally built with defense and goaltending and some offense, it gives us a chance to win a lot of games.” Perhaps it’s easy to forget that as of mid-March of last season, the Sharks were firmly in control of the Pacific Division. Then things went off the rails. Fatigue set in the and goals dried up as the Sharks lost eight of nine games to finish the month. Logan Couture suffered serious facial fractures in a March 25 game in Nashville after he was hit in the month with a deflected puck. Eight days later, Joe Thornton suffered tears to both his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee in a game in Vancouver. Like our Sharks Facebook page for more San Jose Sharks news, commentary and conversation. The Sharks finished third in the Pacific, and without their top two centers anywhere near full strength, hobbled into the postseason and lost in six mostly close games to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. Edmonton Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot (33) shakes hands with San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton (19) after winning 3-1 in the third period of Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference quarterfinals at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday, April 22, 2017. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group) 1076549 San Jose Sharks

Sharks drop opener as Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds has a hat trick

By Ross McKeon Updated 11:26 pm, Wednesday, October 4, 2017

It’s only one game. That’s what the Sharks are telling themselves after a 5-3 loss to the Flyers at SAP Center on Wednesday night. It’s just one game in which they surrendered power-play goals the first three times San Jose skated shorthanded. It’s just one game Kevn Labanc started with a bang on offense with two goals, but was guilty of three minor penalties that all turned into goals against. It’s just one game in which Martin Jones didn’t have a good opening period, and maybe should have let the defensemen play a few pucks instead of getting involved himself. It’s just one night the Sharks had to watch Patrick Marleau score two goals in a different uniform for the first time in 20 years. Oh, never mind. The sellout crowd in San Jose didn’t want to hear about its beloved player having success in his first game with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Back in San Jose, it was forward Wayne Simmonds scoring the second of his three goals to break a tie midway through the third period to power the Flyers past the Sharks. Simmonds redirected a Jakob Voracek drive past Jones as Philadelphia converted three of five opportunities on the power play. The Flyers needed only six seconds following Labanc’s trip of rookie Nolan Patrick 200 feet from the San Jose goal to convert. “That shouldn’t have happened,” Labanc said, “and they scored off them, so I’ve got to be a little bit more disciplined and watch where I put my stick. “They’re definitely cracking down on the players. Anything on the hands, on the hips, and they’re going to call it. It’s going to get better as time goes on. Just got to be wary where your stick is when you’re on the ice.” Simmonds scored his third goal of the game into an empty net with 35.7 seconds remaining. “Right from the start, every time we got in their end, it felt like we had a chance to score,” Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. “We got a lot of pucks back, and we had a lot of energy. I don’t know, you’ve got to figure it out sometimes and tonight we came up a little short on the special teams.” Logan Couture tied the game 3-3 early in the third when the Sharks converted their second of five power plays. With Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny off for hooking Dylan DeMelo, San Jose worked the puck deep, where Couture spun a backhand shot from behind the goal line with his back to Brian Elliott that somehow found its way behind the Flyers’ new goalie at 3:12. The Sharks continued their last first-period territorial advantage through most of the middle period, but Labanc’s second minor penalty of the game proved costly. The Flyers needed only eight seconds to convert for the second time in two tries as Simmonds redirected a slap shot from defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere past Jones at 17:36. “On the PK, it was one of those nights, it didn’t even get going,” Pavelski said. “Three, four seconds and it’s in the back of the net. ... At times, you believe you can do something about it, whether your position is off by a little bit or not, it finds the back of the net. We have to be better.” Labanc went to work to tie the game 2-2 by the end of the first 20 minutes. San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076550 San Jose Sharks

Slow start: Jones allows four goals, Sharks fall to Flyers in season opener

By Associated Press October 04, 2017 9:45 PM

SAN JOSE -- Wayne Simmonds scored his second power-play goal to break a tie with 10:33 remaining and completed an opening-night hat trick with an empty-netter as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Wednesday. Claude Giroux and Jordan Weal also scored to get the Flyers off to a good start after missing the playoffs last season. Jakub Voracek and Shayne Gostisbehere each had three assists for Philadelphia. Brian Elliott made 32 saves in his first game with the Flyers after signing a $5.5 million, two-year contract this summer. Kevin Labanc became the first San Jose player to score two goals in the opening period of the season but also was called for three minor penalties that all led to goals for the Flyers. Logan Couture also scored for the Sharks, who had won seven straight openers. Martin Jones made 26 saves in San Jose's first game without Patrick Marleau since April 7, 2009. Marleau, the franchise's career leading scorer, left as a free agent to sign with Toronto in July. The Sharks were searching for ways to replace Marleau's 27 goals and Labanc delivered with his two. But his penalties hurt the cause, including a tripping call in the offensive zone that set up the game-winner. Just 6 seconds after Labanc went into the box, Simmonds tipped Voracek's point shot past Jones to make it 4-3. Simmonds then sealed it with his empty-net goal in the final minute. Simmonds also scored on the power play in the second period after another Labanc penalty to give the Flyers the lead, but San Jose tied it early in the third when Couture's pass deflected off Andrew MacDonald's skate and past Elliott for the equalizer. Jones got off to a rough start for the Sharks, giving the puck away to Voracek on a clearing attempt. That led to Giroux's goal to open the scoring. Jones also got caught too deep in net when Weal scored on a rush on the power play to make it 2-0. Labanc showed why coach Peter DeBoer put him on the top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski by scoring twice in the final three minutes of the period. He batted a rebound in midair past Elliott for his first goal and then scored on a wrister from the top of the circle on the power play to tie it in the final minute of the first. NOTES: Brent Burns assisted on Couture's goal for his 500th career point. ... The last Sharks player to score twice in an opener was Tommy Wingels in 2014 against Los Angeles. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076551 San Jose Sharks No surprises on the blueline, which remains intact from last season. I’m curious to see how, if at all, Deboer changes Vlasic and Braun’s usage. The two struggled against exceptionally tough competition last year, and Sharks vs Flyers: For at least one night, the future is now the Sharks attempted 46.64% of the shots with Braun and Vlasic on the ice, according to Corsica. That freed up Burns offensively en route to the first Norris Trophy win of his career, and also allowed Brenden Dillon and then-partner David Schlemko to mop up minutes against softer By Marcus White October 04, 2017 12:29 PM competition (52.66% Corsi-For, per Corsica). Dylan DeMelo, who fills in for Schlemko after he was selected in the expansion draft by Vegas and

eventually traded to Montreal, was not as effective with Dillon, but is The last time the San Jose Sharks opened a season without Patrick probably ready for full-time duty after spending most of the last two Marleau on the roster, ties were still a thing. A day shy of 21 years ago, seasons in the press box. the Sharks last began a season without Marleau and tied the New York Martin Jones Islanders 2-2 on October 5, 1996. Aaron Dell The Sharks will begin their season tonight against an Eastern Conference foe for the first time since that night, hosting the Philadelphia No surprise in net, either, as San Jose’s $34.5 million man begins the Flyers (7:30 PM, NBCSN). Marleau, meanwhile, begins his a conference season between the pipes. Jones signed a big extension this summer, and a country away: Suiting up for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the but will need to be better than he was last season. His save percentage Winnipeg Jets three-and-a-half hours prior. in all situations dropped to .912 from .918 in 2015-16, and his even strength save percentage fell to .915 from .925. His postseason resume San Jose is wasting no time without Marleau, at least if tonight’s lines are speaks for itself, but he hasn’t performed at that level in the regular any indication. Top prospects Kevin Labanc and Timo Meier made the season consistently. team out of training camp, and will begin the season on the first and third lines, centered by Joe Thornton and Tomas Hertl, respectively. This FLYERS LINES summer, Sharks management expressed confidence in their young players’ ability to fill Marleau’s void, given the remaining veteran talent on Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek the roster. Jordan Weal-Nolan Patrick-Wayne Simmonds “We talked to them about it. They know there aren’t many guys in this league of their age who get to play with centers like Logan Couture, Joe Dale Weise-Valtteri Filppula-Travis Konecny Thornton, Tomas Hertl and Chris Tierney,” director of hockey operations Taylor Leier-Scott Laughton-Michael Raffl Doug Wilson Jr. told the San Jose Mercury News in July. “It’s really on them. They know the opportunity is there, and if it’s not them, it’s going to 2017 second overall pick Nolan Patrick is set to make his NHL debut, be someone else.” and Claude Giroux will debut at left wing. Giroux’s produced on the wing before, but previously played on the right side and has largely played On opening night, Labanc and Meier get an opportunity to do just that. center over the last few seasons. The Flyers are hoping the move sparks And for one night, at least, the future is now in San Jose. Giroux, who is coming off of his worst offensive year since 2010, as well SHARKS LINES as his center, Sean Couturier. Joe Pavelski-Joe Thornton-Kevin Labanc Ivan Provorov-Andrew MacDonald Surprisingly, Thornton and Pavelski were Labanc’s most common Brandon Manning-Radko Gudas linemates last season. The trio played a hair over 143 minutes together, Shayne Gostisbehere-Robert Hagg and attempted 54.48% of the shots at even strength, according to Corsica Hockey. That was the fifth-best of any San Jose line that played Philadelphia boasts one of the youngest, most promising bluelines in the at least 50 minutes together last season. It’s a comfortable place for league, but some of that promise will have to wait at least one night: 21- Labanc to begin the season, and the Sharks are hoping the scoring year-old Travis Sanheim will not make his NHL debut tonight, nor will 22- follows, as Pavelski and Thornton are both coming off of down years. year-old Samuel Morin play in his second NHL game. There’s still plenty of youth in the lineup tonight, as Gostisbehere, Hagg, and Provorov are Mikkel Boedker-Logan Couture-Joonas Donskoi 24, 22, and 20, respectively. This is a combination that Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer envisioned Brian Elliott when Boedker signed last summer, reportedly going as far as writing the trio on a cocktail napkin. They only played limited minutes together last Michal Neuvirth season, in part because of Donskoi and Couture’s injuries, but they were effective. They controlled 53.38% of the shot attempts in just over 78 The Flyers opted not to bring back Steve Mason, who will begin his minutes together last year, according to Corsica. All three players will season against Marleau with Winnipeg, and instead signed Brian Elliott need to bounce back this season. Boedker scored 25 fewer points last to a two-year, $5.5 million deal this summer. Elliott’s coming off of his year than in 2015-16, while Donskoi’s dropped by 19 points, albeit in 15 worst season since 2013. He may never again reach the heights of the fewer games. Couture’s 52 points in 73 games were also down from his .935 even strength save percentage he posted with St. Louis two last “full” season, when he scored 67 in 82 in 2014-15. seasons ago, but some better luck shorthanded (.873 shorthanded save percentage last season, his worst since 2011) could allow Elliott to re- Jannik Hansen-Tomas Hertl-Timo Meier emerge as one of the league’s better goalies. Hansen, Hertl, and Meier played together in a very limited four minute Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 sample last season, but Hertl played some substantial minutes with Hansen, as well as Meier, in 2016-17. On paper, this seems to be natural combination for a third line with offensive upside. Hertl and Meier, in particular, are strong possession numbers, but need to begin converting their chances. Hertl hasn’t shown he can be a reliable scorer centering his own line, while Meier scored just three goals last season. Melker Karlsson-Chris Tierney-Joel Ward In just under 32 minutes together last year, Tierney, Karlsson, and Ward attempted 50.85% of the shots at even strength, according to Corsica. A fourth line breaking even in puck possession is just about all you can ask for, but this is another line that will need to convert on their chances, as limited as they may be. The line didn’t combine for a goal at even strength last year, and with Barclay Goodrow and Ryan Carpenter waiting in the wings, the leash may not be long. Paul Martin-Brent Burns Marc-Edouard Vlasic-Justin Braun Brenden Dillon-Dylan DeMelo 1076552 San Jose Sharks

The 2017-18 Sharks are a team that confounds the punditocracy

By Ray Ratto October 04, 2017 9:17 AM

The National Hockey League has stealthily crept up upon us and has finally landed, beginning its new season with four games, including a historically monumental matchup between the Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks. And yes, that is sarcasm. But it is also an apt opener because San Jose is a difficult team to figure under any circumstances. They are 15 months removed from their only Stanley Cup Final appearance but three months removed from a tepid first round chase-out by the Edmonton Oilers. They went from being a difficult counterpuncher to a good example of old-school hockey, skated into puddles by a younger, faster team just learning how good it can be. Put another way, Edmonton hosts Calgary Wednesday in a game most hockey fans will find far more compelling. The difference is that Edmonton has Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and an army of other younger and more intrepid players, while the Sharks are making a more concerted but still difficult transition from a largely veteran team to a younger faster one. And that is trying to be created despite the fact that their most important players are north of 30. Toward that end, the Sharks need bounce-back years from most of their forwards, given that they finished a dull 19th in offense and a disastrous 25th on the power play. Their defense has never been deeper or better based on its 2017 performance, but things have a way of bouncing up and down year to year in all hockey areas, so the Sharks need as much from Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl and Kevin Labanc as from Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton and Logan Couture. They also need a better season from goalie Martin Jones. Better, as in centerpiece – if San Jose’s offense does not improve, his reputation as a solid goalie will have to inch closer to Carey Price/Sergei Bobrovsky/Braden Holtby levels. Jones was fine enough last year, and clearly was the best player the Sharks had in their Edmonton series, but his save percentages (.918 and .912 as a Shark) need to improve above .920 if he is to become a more bonafide game-stealer. Finally, the Sharks need to rekindle a fan base that has found more ways to skip games than attend them. The home-ice advantage they have always boasted improved last year after a few years of aggressive meh- itude (though they were 26th the year they got to the Final), and they got the typical Cup-Final bump, but the year before they dipped below 17,000 in attendance and the impression is that the fan base needs more stimulation than just opening the doors. San Jose is a team that confounds the punditocracy – some think they have too much pride to fade from relevance, while others see the game changing without them. But after years of being the team everyone loved to pump up and then be disappointed by, they are now a blank slate for all involved, capable of much and yet little depending on how you choose to examine them. Maybe they confuse even themselves. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076553 St Louis Blues Thompson was minus-1 in 11:26 of ice time. BLUENOTES Notebook: Reaves is all business against former team After clearing waivers, goalie Jordan Binnington was assigned to Chicago of the AHL. But with the Wolves’ roster loaded with goalies from the Vegas Golden Knights, the Blues are searching for a more suitable By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 6 hrs ago (…) landing spot. • Yeo decided not to have the team on the ice for pregame ceremonies, which included raising the Penguins’ Stanley Cup championship banner PITTSBURGH • The Blues face Kevin Shattenkirk and the New York from last season. Rangers in Game 4. It’s Doug Weight coaching the New York Islanders in Game 3. And of course Ken Hitchcock and the Dallas Stars come • Ivan Barbashev, Wade Megan, and Nate Prosser were healthy calling in Game 2, Saturday night’s home opener. scratches for the Blues. But in Game 1, Wednesday night in the Steel City, the Blues’ reunion St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.05.2017 tour began with forward Ryan Reaves and his new team — the Pittsburgh Penguins. Reaves spent a decade in the Blues’ organization, including seven seasons and 419 regular-season games in St. Louis. His feisty, colorful style made him a fan favorite. “Seven years, you build a fan base and you start to love the city and love the fans there,” Reaves said. “But it’s part of the business.” The business of hockey sent Reaves to Pittsburgh in a draft trade in which the Penguins got the Blues’ 51st overall pick. In exchange, St. Louis got — who centered the third line Wednesday — as well as the Penguins’ 31st overall pick (which they used on Klim Kostin). “It’s been good. It’s been an easy transition,” Reaves said of life in Pittsburgh. “Everybody’s been good to me. Made it really easy on me and the family. So far it’s been smooth sailing.” Well, everything except the puck Reaves took to the face in the Penguins’ exhibition finale. That wasn’t so smooth. He still has a big scratch on his nose from that one. “Bleeding everywhere,” Reaves said. “Yeah, it didn’t feel good. But (the nose) is still there. It’s a big target. Tough to miss.” As for Wednesday’s contest, Reaves’ approach was business as usual — former teammates and all. “I told every one of them to keep their head up, that’s about it,” Reaves said after Pittsburgh’s morning skate. “I talked to a few of them (Tuesday). I already told ’em, ‘I’m not letting up on anybody.’ We’re gonna take 2½ hours off the friendship, play some hockey, then we’ll go back to talking after that.” Even so, Reaves said playing the Blues in the preseason (Sept. 24) helped in terms of Wednesday’s reunion. He didn’t figure in the scoring Wednesday, as the Blues won 5-4 in overtime. He had was on the ice for 6:21. “I think that first exhibition game kinda got a little bit of the emotion out of the way,” he said. WEARING THE “A” Forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen will be assistant captains this season for the Blues. With Steen sidelined because of a broken hand, Jaden Schwartz will wear the “A” in his absence. “We’ve got obviously a number of quality veterans and quality character people, and guys that we’re gonna count on in leadership roles that might not be wearing a letter,” coach said. “But they’ll be involved in various things, whether it’s decisions or just opinions.” Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo again is serving as the team’s captain. FOR OPENERS Rookies Vince Dunn and Tage Thompson made their NHL debuts Wednesday with their parents in the stands at PPG Paints Arena. And that was no mean feat considering Thompson’s father, Brent, coaches the American Hockey League team in Bridgeport, Conn. “I think he talked to their staff and they’re like, ‘Hey, you’ve got to go watch your son play his first game,’” Thompson said. “I’m very fortunate for that.” Dunn’s parents and one set of grandparents came in from the Toronto area for the game. Dunn was plus-1 in 15:28 of ice time. “It’s the first game they’ve seen in a while now,” Dunn said. “They did (come to Chicago last season) a couple times, but both my parents work, so it’s hard with the weekday games.” 1076554 St Louis Blues “He had a great night,” Yeo said. “Obviously, I think he’d like to have that (penalty) back. … He’s trying to get a puck out, trying to kill a penalty, it’s a mistake that happens. He played a heck of a game all over the ice.” Blues crash the Penguins' party The penalty gave the Penguins a five-on-three advantage for 1:44, which is low on the list of things you want to do. With 24 seconds to go in the two-man advantage, Sidney Crosby put in a rebound and then, 14 By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch 6 hrs ago (…) seconds after the teams were back at even strength, Conor Sheary scored to tie it.

Yeo called timeout and the Blues made it the last 5:20 to get to overtime. PITTSBURGH • The Penguins raised their championship banner Wednesday night, and the Blues responded by planting a flag. “You could sense they had a lot of momentum,” Yeo said. “Even after that I thought they had a real good push. Overtime couldn’t come quickly The Blues spoiled the Penguins’ celebration of their second consecutive enough, but that gave our group a chance to settle in and regroup. It’s a Stanley Cup with a 5-4 overtime win before a standing-room-only crowd group that really cares. There’s more pressure in certain situations and at PPG Paints Arena and had to overcome some adversity in the they respond. They found a way. It’s a big win to start the season.” process. Up two with seven minutes to play, the Blues saw the Penguins tie the game by scoring twice in a minute, but the Blues were able to Another good sign for the Blues was Parayko’s goal on the power play. A push the game to overtime, where Alex Pietrangelo scored the game- year ago, Parayko didn’t get his first goal of the season until Jan. 10, in winner, his second goal of the game. the 41st game of the season, so he’s well ahead of last year’s goal- scoring pace. “It’s obviously a tough night to come in here,” Pietrangelo said. “We knew what happened before the game, you could feel the buzz in the building, St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.05.2017 you knew they would have a couple of pushes. They did. We were scrambling there for a while. … I said it last year, I’ve said it this year: It’s a resilient group. We’ll stick together. It might not always be the way we planned it out before the game, but we’ll find a way.” “I thought we did a lot of good things,” said center Paul Stastny, who scored a goal for the third time in four opening nights with the Blues. “It’s early in the season. There are a lot of good plays from a lot of our lines and then a lot of sloppy plays from a lot of our guys, and that’s just the way it is. ... But finding a way to get two points and get that one under our belt is huge.” The other goals were pretty much made-to-order for what the Blues need this season: Brayden Schenn scored at even strength (he had just eight of those last season), Colton Parayko got a goal three months earlier than he did last year, and Stastny finished off a nice chance for the team’s top line thanks to some patience from Vladimir Sobotka. Add in some nice saves by Jake Allen in goal and it was a good way for the Blues to begin the season. The start of the season figures to be interesting for the Blues, as they have to struggle through a string of injuries that have forced them to play some youngsters with five of their first six games away from home. But the Blues’ kids — defenseman Vince Dunn and forward Tage Thompson were making their NHL debuts — did all right, with Dunn taking a stick to his mouth in the second period. The Blues almost made a mess of it when they gave Pittsburgh a two- man advantage for almost two minutes after Schenn threw the puck down the ice — “It was a good toss,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said — which led to the Penguins scoring twice in 54 seconds. “I’m going to focus a lot more on the positives,” Yeo said. “Coming into this building and scoring five tonight, obviously this is just the beginning of the process. I think it was a little bit of a poise issue and that for me is normal. Things get a little hectic and you don’t react as well, you’re not as familiar as later in the year, when you’ll be in a situation where you react better. They’ve got a talented group. It’s not like we completely backed off. They’ve got guys who made plays at a big time. I like the way we regrouped.” Pietrangelo scored a career-high 14 goals last season and got two Wednesday. He got the winner 75 seconds into overtime, skating into the Penguins’ zone, cutting to his left and then shooting back to the short side on Penguins goalie Matt Murray. It looked a lot like his first goal of the night, which had put the Blues up 3-2. “Pretty much the same thing,” said Pietrangelo, who had eight shots on goal in the game. “A guy (Jaden Schwartz) driving the net, and on the first one Paul. I’m looking for a shot lane and those guys driving the net draws attention. I think I got the goalie sliding both times. He was leaning on both of them, I guess when you’re a pass-first guy they don’t expect you to shoot.” Schenn, in his Blues’ debut after being acquired in a trade for Jori Lehtera, got the Blues’ first goal when it caromed in off his skate, and he assisted on the game-winner. He was very effective centering the second line, which for long stretches was the Blues’ best line. He also caused one of the game’s pivotal moments. With Robert Bortuzzo in the box for tripping, Schenn was on the ice killing the penalty. He raised his hand to block a puck, held on to it and threw it down the ice, earning himself a penalty for closing his hand on the puck. 1076555 St Louis Blues "The day I got traded, somebody told me I was playing St. Louis the first day, so I figured it was definitely going to be a weird first one with a new team playing against my old team," Reaves said. "But I think it was good Petro goal gives Blues 5-4 overtime win to get that first exhibition game out of the way, and kinda get a little of those emotions out."

The Penguins played the Blues on Sept. 24 during the preseason. By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 7 hrs ago (…) After spending a decade in the Blues' organization, including seven seasons and 419 regular-season games in St. Louis, Reaves was sent to Pittsburgh in a draft trade that also sent the Blues' No. 51 overall pick to PITTSBURGH • Pittsburgh raised a banner Wednesday. But the Blues Pittsburgh in exchange for Oskar Sundqvist and the Penguins' No. 31 raised cain. Alex Pietrangelo scored the go-ahead goal late in the second overall pick (which the Blues used to select Klim Kostin). period, and then scored again in overtime after the Penguins rallied to tied the game at 4-4. Reaves promises to treat his old teammates as if they were any other opponent. The result was a 5-4 Blues win that spoiled the party at PPG Paints Arena, where the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins "I told every one of them to keep their head up, that's about it," Reaves opened their quest for a 3-peat in 2017-18. said. "I talked to a few of them (Tuesday). ... I'm not letting up on anybody. We're gonna take 2 1/2 hours off the friendship, play some The Penguins comeback started when Sidney Crosby scored on a hockey, then we'll go back to talking after that." rebound during a 5-on-3 power play. Pittsburgh got the two-man advantage when Brayden Schenn inexplicably grab the puck out of the WEARING THE "A" air and threw it down the ice for a penalty at the 13:46 mark of the third period. Yeo said that forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen will be assistant captains this season for the Blues. Conor Sheary then tied it at 4-all with a goal that beat an out-of-position Jake Allen just 64 seconds later. "And with Steener out tonight, Jaden Schwartz will be wearing an 'A' as well," Yeo said. "We've got obviously a number of quality veterans and SECOND PERIOD SUMMARY quality character people, and guys that we're gonna count on in leadership roles that might not be wearing a letter. But they'll be involved In what was an evenly played second period, Pittsburgh drew even with in various things, whether it's decisions or just opinions." another goal by a defenseman from the point. This time it was Olli Maatta who beat Jake Allen, tying the game 2-2 at the 12:38 mark of the second Once again, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is serving as team captain. period. Last year under coach Ken Hitchcock, Steen and Kevin Shattenkirk wore Just 14 seconds later, the Blues were called for their first penalty of the the "A" at home; Paul Stastny and Tarasenko did so on the road. When season, a holding penalty against defenseman Robert Bortuzzo. Shattenkirk was traded, Tarasenko wore the "A" home and away for the rest of the season. During a period of 4-on-4 play with each team in the penalty box, another Blues defenseman struck. This time it was captain Alex Pietrangelo with FOR OPENERS a goal on a wrist shot from the slot at 15:37 of the second. Vladimir Sobotka and Paul Stastny assisted giving the Blues a 3-2 lead heading Two Blues, forward Tage Thompson and defenseman Vince Dunn, will into the third. make their NHL debuts tonight. For the big event, family members have arrived in Pittsburgh. Thompson's father, Brent, who coaches the AHL FIRST PERIOD SUMMARY team in Bridgeport, Conn., is taking a brief leave from the team to see his son's debut. After falling behind 1-0 on a goal by Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz, the Blues drew even at the 8:31 mark of the period when “I didn't think they'd be able to make it with my dad coaching but my mom newcomer Brayden Schenn scored his first goal as a member of the and dad are coming in today. It will be fun,” Thompson said. “I think he Blues. The puck actually went into the net off Schenn's right skate. That talked to their staff and they're like, 'Hey, you've got to go watch your son prompted a review to see if Schenn intentionally kicked the puck towards play his first game.' I'm very fortunate for that. It will be a really cool the net, but the goal stood with assists going to Carl Gunnnarsson and feeling to have them here.” Jaden Schwartz. Thompson said he thought having his parents on hand would make it The Blues then quieted the boisterous crowd at PPG Paints Arena with seem like a more normal game for him. His father gave him some advice an unassisted Colton Parayko goal with just 2:15 left in the period giving about the day. the Blues a 2-1 lead. The puck was stuck in a scrum of players near the halfboards for several seconds, but eventually was knocked out with a “You only get one first game, so enjoy it,” he said, “This is the only time backhand by Penguins defenseman Matt Hunwick. The puck went to the this will happen for me, don't let the nerves get to you. Channel it, turn it high slot where Parayko swooped in and banged it past Pittsburgh goalie into some good energy, play the right way. Matthew Murray. It was a power play goal, with Pittsburgh's Olli Maatta "It's just another game, you belong there, go out and have fun. You off for tripping Magnus Paajarvi. deserve it. I'm really excited for this one. I probably didn't get the greatest ------sleep last night, thinking about it night and day. Once the puck drops, the nerves will go away, and it's just another game, just on a bigger scale.” (From Earlier) Dunn's parents and one set of grandparents are coming in from the No offense Pittsburgh, but the Blues will not be on the ice Wednesday Toronto area for the game. “It's the first game they've seen in a while night to witness pregame ceremonies in which the Penguins raise their now,” Dunn said. “They did (come to Chicago last season) a couple Stanley Cup championship banner from last season. times, but both my parents work, so it's hard with the weekday games. It will be nice to know they're out there watching me.” "We talked about it, and as a coach I thought long and hard about it," Mike Yeo said. "Obviously that's something we want to do, something we Dunn said he had a good night of sleep. “No worries,” he said. “I tried not want to be a part of. The fact is that it's gonna be a long wait (during the to think too much about it. It's the game I've always played, just at ceremony). And this game is too important to us. another level. I have to be focused.” "We've discussed having it on in the dressing room but not being out WEDNESDAY'S LINES there for it. So congratulations to them. We don't want to show any disrespect, but we just have to make sure that we're ready to play the Blues game." Forwards As fate would have it, the Blues actually skated out just as the banner Sobotka-Stastny-Tarasenko was being raised. They came out as scheduled at exactly 7:13 p.m. Central; however, the ceremony was running a couple of minutes behind. Schwartz-Schenn-Jaskin REAVES REUNION Paajarvi-Sundqvist-Thompson Ryan Reaves, longtime Blues enforcer and fan favorite in St. Louis, faces Upshall-Brodziak-Thorburn his old team tonight as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Defensemen Edmundon-Pietrangelo Gunnarsson-Parayko Dunn-Bortuzzo Goalie Allen Carter Hutton was the backup goalie. Ivan Barbashev, Wade Megan, and Nate Prosser were healthy scratches. Pittsburgh Forwards Sheary-Crosby-Guenztel Rust-Malkin-Kessel Hagelin-McKegg-Kuhnhackl Wilson-Rowney-Reaves Defensemen Dumoulin-Letang Maatta-Schultz Hunwick-Cole Goalie Matt Murray BINNINGTON TO CHICAGO After clearing waivers, goalie Jordan Binnington has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. But with the Wolves' roster loaded with goalies from the Vegas Golden Knights, the Blues are searching for a more suitable landing spot. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076556 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning journal: Defensive depth never a bad problem to have

Joe SmithJoe Smith, Times Staff Writer

TAMPA — Lightning GM Steve Yzerman feels comfortable carrying eight defensemen on the roster, pointing out how teams covet depth at the position. But starting with Friday's season opener, coach Jon Cooper will have to start figuring out how to manage a situation where as many as two defensemen sit each game. "The way I look at it, three-quarters of them get to play, so it's good for those guys," Cooper said. "The big thing here is we're a team, so you look at it one way, you could have six (defensemen) on a team but send the other two to the minors, or you keep eight and I think at the end, if you ask all eight players what they'd rather do, I'm pretty sure I know the answer." Having eight defensemen is great when there's an injury or two. And the Lightning doesn't have much of a choice. It can't send anyone to AHL Syracuse without each player having to clear waivers first. (There's always the possibility of a trade.) It helps that Cooper does like to sometimes go with a seven-defensemen lineup. But with Mikhail Sergachev making the team — and it appearing like he'll get a chance to play (paired with Anton Stralman) — that leaves Slater Koekkoek and Andrej Sustr as the fourth pair, and potential scratches. "It's a tough competition, obviously," Koekkoek said. Victor Hedman and Jake Dotchin are paired, as they were in the second half of last season, with Sergachev-Stralman as the No. 2 pair and then the veteran duo of and Dan Girardi, who wasn't signed to a two-year, $6 million deal July 1 to sit. Just how much Sergachev plays — and for how long — remains to be seen. The Lightning has until his 10th NHL game to either send him back to juniors or have his entry-level contract kick in. For now, there will be a big battle on the blue line. "Players have pride; they want to play," Cooper said. "First and foremost, they want to make the team, and a lot of guys have right now. The key is to stay here and do everything you can to help our team win. "It's part of the organization. As a coaching staff, we have to identify roles for these players, and they have to dig their heels in and accept them and work their tails off. That's what's going to happen." Quote of the day "I'd rather be looked at than looked over." Coach Jon Cooper, on the high outside expectations for Lightning, which online gambling site Bodog gives 11-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup, behind only the Penguins and Oilers at 8-1 Slap shots •It looks like that after spending time at wing in the preseason, Brayden Point will start the year at his natural center position. That would give the Lightning a pretty strong 1-2-3 punch up the middle with Steven Stamkos, Tyler Johnson and Point. •Forwards Michael Bournival and Erik Condra practiced Wednesday in non-contact jerseys. •It will be a battle for who sits up front, with J.T. Brown and Gabriel Dumont rotating on the fourth line recently. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076557 Tampa Bay Lightning collective bargaining agreement. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, the wall behind the Cup, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.

"The new CBA tore things apart," Feaster said. "Contracts were torn up. Think the Lightning had an endless summer? Try these guys We had had a $6.5 million option on Khabby which we had exercised, but now he was an unrestricted free agent." Martin FennellyMartin Fennelly, Times Sports Columnist And Khabibulin was out of here. "When Khabby left, that was the beginning," Andreychuk said. You want endless? On Oct. 5, 2005, the Lightning opened the season at home against Carolina. The Stanley Cup banner was finally raised. The Lightning made "We had the real endless summer," former Lightning captain Dave the playoffs that season, but lost in the first round. Andreychuk said. "It went from there," Andreychuk said. "We eventually traded Brad It began on June 7, 2004, when Andreychuk lifted the Stanley Cup in Richards. We lost ." Tampa after the Lightning won Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final against the Calgary Flames. A glorious evening. Something had been lost. Summer ended after 485 days between Lightning games. The NHL "In the back of my office, I still have a jersey," Andreychuk said. "It's a lockout wiped out the 2004-05 season, and with it a true title defense for No. 1 jersey that says 'Bush.' It was for the president at the White House. the Lightning. The team changed coming out of the lockout. Everything That team didn't have its chance. We still think about that." changed. It took the Lightning 10 years to get back to the Cup final. Endlessly. "It wasn't the same after the lockout," former Lightning star Vinny Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 Lecavalier said. "We would have liked to have kept that team together," said Brad Richards, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP during the Cup run. "We were young, enthusiastic and fun." "We talk about it when we get together," Andreychuk said. "That team was signed and ready to go. The band was back together. We absolutely had a shot to repeat." The 2004-05 season marked the first time a major professional sports league in North America canceled an entire season because of a labor dispute. No one saw it coming, at least not wiping out an entire season. Besides, the Lightning was too busy enjoying the actual summer as Cup champions. Each player, coach and staff member had a day or days with the Cup, celebrations in their hometowns, at their boyhood rinks, at restaurants and bars, parties across the world. Ruslan Fedotenko, who scored both Lightning goals in Game 7 of the Cup final, took the Cup to his native Ukraine, where the Cup had never been. The parade in the capital of Kiev was attended by thousands and televised nationally. "It was a great time, memories forever," Fedotenko said. "We didn't think the lockout would last." NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, searching for cost certainty for owners, threw down with the NHL Players Association, which resisted player salaries being tied to league revenues — a salary cap. The lockout lasted 10 months and six days. There was repeated talk of a season, a shortened one, again and again, until Bettman cancelled the 2004-05 season on Feb. 15, 2005. Restless, Lecavalier and Richards joined fellow NHL players on a team called Ak Bars Kazan in Kazan, Russia, 500 east of Moscow. They just wanted to play. "You just didn't believe the lockout would last that long," Richards said. "And then you're in Russia. It was as strange as you could imagine." Lecavalier played 30 games in Russia. Richards played only six games before returning home for surgery to repair a lingering sports hernia. He was the lucky one. "Some days, we would go outside and practice on a frozen (soccer) field with a plastic ball," Lecavalier said. "It was like minus-40." Teams and players were prohibited from contact during the lockout. There was no White House visit for the Lightning. There was no ring ceremony with a big, splashy party in a banquet room. "We weren't allowed to fly people in," Andreychuk said. "We didn't get the rings at once. Basically, it was for the local guys, ones who stayed. Just in a room in the arena, come get your ring, nothing much to it." "Anything we did was clandestine," former Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said. Something was lost. Owners and players finally reached a deal in late July, 2005. The lockout had lasted 310 days. But something else was lost under the new 1076558 Tampa Bay Lightning

Jon Cooper's fishing event raises $150,000 for pediatric cancer (w/photos, video)

Joe SmithJoe Smith, Times Staff Writer

It was a birthday he'll never forget. With Lightning coach Jon Cooper hosting his second annual "Coop's Catch for the Kids," charity fishing event, he invited Hermann and his family to their Monday night kickoff event. After all, it is kids like Hermann who inspired Cooper to raise money for pediatric cancer. Hermann, from Sarasota, was diagnosed with brain cancer in January 2014 and underwent 16 rounds of chemo. It hasn't stopped him from playing hockey, the center idolizing captain Steven Stamkos. "I watched all his hockey highlights," Cooper said Monday on stage. "We had a little trouble scoring in the preseason, so watching Weston's highlights, we may have to sign him up for Friday (season opener)." Hermann joined Cooper on his boat for Tuesday's event in Maximo Park in St. Pete, after fishing with Nikita Kucherov and Mikhail Sergachev. The event raised $150,000 for pediatric cancer research and programming, more than doubling last year's total ($60,000). A huge chunk of that came in Monday's paddle raising. Owner Jeff Vinik opened the bidding with a $10,000 donation. "I'm good for it," he quipped from the back of the room. GM Steve Yzerman matched it. So did Cooper. Then Stamkos stepped up, saying the players that were in attendance would donate $10,000. $69,000 in just a few minutes. "I'm humbled," Cooper said. ESPN's Dick Vitale, who has raised $21 million for pediatric cancer through the V Foundation, was the headline speaker Monday and Tuesday. He pointed out that only four cents of every dollar given to cancer research goes to pediatric cancer. "That's a crime, a total crime," Vitale said. "What Jon is doing is bringing an awareness. He's making a big impact. The impact he's making is going to stay." The event will certainly stay with Hermann. "This is the gift we couldn't give him for a birthday celebration," said Hermann's mom, Amy. "It doesn't get any better for him." "And unfortunately," said Hermann's dad, Jared, "It will be hard to top." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076559 Toronto Maple Leafs "It doesn't take much for [the Leafs]. They finish the opportunities they have," he said. "First goal, [Mason] got bowled over by our own guy, the next one was a quick little deflection and he's not going to do anything on Maple Leafs pile on the goals in season-opening rout of Jets the third one. "I think we did it to ourselves. The third goal was a reasonably easy read to make if you're thinking about defending at that point but we were DAVID SHOALTS thinking it was 2-0, let's get it back." One thing the Leafs, or at least Leo Komarov, need to work on are the equipment violations. Komarov was warned about wearing his visor too It can be said the Toronto Maple Leafs would not have won their NHL high in the pre-season and was assessed a penalty for it then but drew season-opener without goaltender Frederik Andersen. But it can also be yet one more in the first period. It's part of the league's mandate to said they showed the merciless streak they need to become a consistent enforce a stricter standard on some violations, especially where it contender. concerns player safety. The Winnipeg Jets, on the other hand, need to go back to the video Komarov joked he was "not going to win the Lady Byng" this year but machine for another look at that defensive game they thought they had said he thought his visor was low enough on his face to meet the patched up in training camp. Their new goaltender, Steve Mason, was standard. After an adjustment following the penalty it was approved by a not great in his debut in front of the home crowd but neither were his referee. teammates, caught staring off into the distance too many times, as the Leafs rolled to a 7-2 win in the NHL season-opener for both teams. Leafs head coach Mike Babcock didn't want to discuss the matter, saying with a laugh, "You're not supposed to ask me those. What's next?" The Jets did come out strafing the Leafs goal but Andersen was outstanding. His teammates did their best to sabotage Andersen as they Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.05.2017 still have not got a handle on the tougher officiating standards, particularly when it comes to equipment violations. The Leafs took four minor penalties in the first period, including one to Leo Komarov for wearing his visor too high, something he was warned about during the pre-season. But Andersen kicked away 15 shots in the first 13 minutes and 37 on the night, as the Leafs slowly found their legs. "It was pretty tough starting like that. We had a lot of penalties," said Leafs winger Mitch Marner, who finished with a goal and an assist. "It's kind of tough to get your feet under you. The first [game] is always pretty nice to get, especially playing a home opener against another team. Fred was unbelievable in the first period and we did what we needed on the next two." It was also a nice night for winger Patrick Marleau, who scored two goals in his first game as a Maple Leaf. He had lots of company in the nice- night category, as his centre, , had a goal and an assist. Both Auston Matthews and had a goal and two assists. William Nylander scored the other goal. The first period was one of the strangest 20 minutes of hockey anyone will see. The Leafs managed to take four minor penalties, get outshot 17- 10, run afoul of the new emphasis on equipment violations and still take a 3-0 lead to the second period. That took care of the normally intimidating crowd of 15,321, which was even bothering to drown out the Go Leafs Go chants from the usual gaggle of visitors by the third period. The Leafs penalty killers were just as sharp as Andersen. They were perfect in fact, going eight-for-eight on the Winnipeg power-play. "It was kind of a weird game, so many penalties, not so much flow," Matthews said. "Our penalty kill came up huge for us. We scored when it counted." Andersen was the most obvious reason for the good fortune. He was mesmerizing in the Leafs goal, frustrating the Jets on at least a dozen good scoring chances before the halfway point of the game. Mark Scheifle spoiled Andersen's shutout bid in the third period and Matthieu Perrault also scored. "It was nice to get a good start," Andersen said. "Of course you want to try give them a chance to bounce back, especially in this building. It's tough to come in here. Once we got that out of the way we did a good job." Down at the other end of the ice it was a different story. And not a good one for goaltender Steve Mason, who was making his debut as a Jet in front of the home fans. Getting pulled at home in your first game is not one for the scrapbook but Jets head coach Paul Maurice had to use the hook less than two minutes into the third period when Marleau scored his second goal to put the visitors up 5-0. Before that, Mason let in three on 10 shots in the first period, although his teammates could share some of the blame. Kadri was allowed at least two whacks at a rebound for his goal. But the worst came late in the first period when all the Jets stood still at once and ignored Nylander, who was by himself at the side of the net. When Mason was slow to get over, Nylander had all the time he needed to scoop the puck in the open net. Maurice laid the blame on his defence and forwards for the first-period collapse, not Mason. 1076560 Toronto Maple Leafs BIG DEALS: The signings of Jack Eichel (eight years, $10 million a year) by the Buffalo Sabres and Nicolaj Ehlers (seven years at $6 million a year) offer a window in what it will take for the Leafs to re-sign Matthews, Leafs’ stars come out in opening rout of Jets Marner and William Nylander. Nylander could be signed to an extension at any point, but has said he doesn’t want to negotiate in season. He has scored at a higher rate (.71 By KEVIN MCGRANSports Reporter points per game) than Ehlers (.66 points per game). Nylander was chosen eighth overall in the 2014 draft, one spot ahead of Ehlers.

HOW SWEDE IT IS: Andreas Borgman won the final spot open on WINNIPEG—The Maple Leafs have developed a tradition of getting a big defence, making his NHL debut Wednesday night. night out of the new guy in season openers. “It feels absolutely perfect,” said Borgman, who got an assist in his debut. This year, it was Patrick Marleau. “I just want to keep my spot and keep working hard. Hopefully I will be in this league a long time.” Of course, he got the job beating out Calle The big-money, free-agent winger scored twice in his debut with the Rosen, his fellow rookie Swede. They signed as free agents in the Maple Leafs en route to a 7-2 downing of the Winnipeg Jets as Toronto spring. opened its 101st NHL season. Rosen was loaned to the Marlies, along with defenceman Timothy Marleau’s first goal was assisted by Auston Matthews. It was a beauty, Liljegren. “Just play good,” was Babcock’s message to the final cuts. Marleau taking a pass from Matthews off his skate, moving it to his stick “That’s the bottom line. He’s a good player, he’ll be here sooner than and deking a flustered Steve Mason for a debut that went about as well later. Play well.” as could be imagined. Toronto Star LOADED: 10.05.2017 “This is the way you want to see it go,” Marleau said. “The guys played great . . . A great play by (Matthews) getting it over to me.” Matthews and Mitch Marner, who started the play coming out of the penalty box, were both babies when Marleau played his first NHL game. “That was awesome, an unbelievable pick up by him and his move was even better,” Matthews said. “Pretty special play. I’m sure it feels good for him to get the ball rolling. We’re all happy for him.” Matthews scored four goals in his debut last year and followed that up with a three-point night (one goal, two assists). The goal came after a Leaf penalty kill when coach Mike Babcock likes to play offensive players who don’t kill penalties. “You can see how hungry they are out there,” Marleau said of his young teammates. “Not only in games but in practice. They’re striving to get better and you can feed off that.” Marner, James van Riemsdyk, William Nylander and Nazem Kadri also scored for the Leafs while Frederik Andersen put on a clinic in net and silenced Bell MTS Place, one of the loudest buildings in the NHL. Mark Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault scored third-period goals for Winnipeg. Despite outshooting the Leafs 37-31 and having eight powerplays, the Jets couldn't solve Fredrik Andersen. They would pot two goals in the third, but by then, the damage was already too great. Despite outshooting the Leafs 37-31 and having eight powerplays, the Jets couldn't solve Fredrik Andersen. They would pot two goals in the third, but by then, the damage was already too great. (JOHN WOODS/THE CANADIAN PRESS) “It’s nice to get a good start,” Andersen said. “I thought we settled in after the first 10 (minutes) and after that we really started to make the best of our opportunities. It’s a tough crowd to play into here, and I think we did well.” The best news perhaps is that the Leafs’ big guns were their big guns, offensively, putting a lie to the theory — at least for one game — that Toronto wasn’t going to surprise anybody. And for a team that’s built on offence, coach Mike Babcock was happy to see his scorers score right away. “We scored timely goals,” Babcock said. “It was a good night for our guys. A lot of our guys got off (to good starts). You don’t have to worry about scoring goals when you score goals right away.” The game wasn’t always pretty, as far as the Leafs were concerned. Penalties were a problem. The Leafs took eight minors, including the first three in a row. That required Andersen to keep the game scoreless as he made a number of key saves. “Freddie came up huge and that’s what we need,” Matthews said. “We know they’re calling it tight, so we have to be better in that area.” Leo Komarov was one of those caught in the dragnet of strict enforcement, called for equipment violation for wearing his visor too high. “My visor was totally fine,” Komarov said. “I can’t go for Lady Byng any more. “I put it down like they wanted me to. I don’t know what the problem was. I think they were looking at me as an example.” The Leafs home opener is Saturday against the New York Rangers. 1076561 Toronto Maple Leafs “Oh yeah, you could tell he was a special player,” Scheifele said of Matthews. “And I think the biggest thing that I took away from it was how hard he worked on his game. We’d be out shooting pucks for hours on One game for Leafs, but what a game: Arthur end, and he was always out there, he was always working on things. That’s the biggest testament to him . . . how hard he wants to be the best. That’s what makes him the player that he is. I like to stay out there for hours on end, and he was always there with me. A pretty special thing By BRUCE ARTHURSports Columnist to do with his clout and his skill level. “It’s the same for Connor, it’s the same for (Sidney) Crosby . . . and that’s what makes them the players that they are. That’s what all the best do. WINNIPEG—Look, it’s just one game. Yes, the Leafs went up 6-0 before That’s what LeBron James does in his sport, that’s what Tom Brady does the poor Winnipeg Jets got on the board. Yes, Winnipeg came into the in his sport, that’s how you become the best in the world. And obviously NHL season opener with so much hope: they had just re-signed 21-year- Auston is someone who wants to be the best. old star forward Nikolaj Ehlers to a seven-year, $42-million (U.S.) contract on Wednesday morning, and they talked about how they were “I’ve never had so much fun playing hockey in my life. It was some fun on the rise. There were banners outside that said that and everything. hockey to play, to be a part of. It was awesome. It was the battle level of a playoff game, but the skill level of an all-star game.” And then the Leafs hung a touchdown on them, to start. Maybe the real trick to not blowing leads is to pile those leads a mile high. It was a weird, The Leafs didn’t quite look like Team North America, but boy, they were disjointed, 7-2 evisceration. fun. Still, everyone needs to be cool, to stay cool. They won’t score seven every night. It’s not going to be this easy, and there’s work left to “The first period was not great,” Leafs defenceman Ron Hainsey said. do. “We were kind of surviving with a little bit of luck and our goaltender. We got better, though.” As Matthews said, “Can’t get too far ahead of yourself, but can’t live in the past, either.” One game, one team with bad goaltending. One game. True, and true. They took four first-period penalties, and eight on the night. One of them was for Leo Komarov’s errant visor, and he joked, Which just means it could be a hell of a thing to watch this team play the there goes his shot at the Lady Byng. Leafs goaltender Frederik other 81, and more. Andersen had to be spectacular. And then . . . uh . . . Toronto Star LOADED: 10.05.2017 “After the first period we really got to where we wanted to be,” forward Mitch Marner said. Yes, you could say that. At times, they were cycling like . In the first period the tide was turned by Nazem Kadri’s power-play goal, then James van Riemsdyk’s off-the-faceoff goal. Oh, and Auston Matthews. “Opportunistic, I think,” Andersen said. “We have a lot of skill. No one’s doubting that.” Matthews opened with four goals in his rookie year, and this time all he did was push the game, pull it, move it where he wanted. Late in the first he circled out of the corner, dragging Dustin Byfuglien in his wake, and the referee had raised his arm for a penalty, and it was like the Jets just watched Matthews so intently that they forgot about William Nylander, all alone. 3-0. The fourth goal was a circus goal: Connor Carrick had zipped a 70-foot pass to Marner at the Jets blue line, and he slipped it to a flying Matthews, and as two Jets converged on Matthews — again, he pulls the game towards him — he flipped the puck to an open Patrick Marleau for a Zorro-style goal. Marleau scored the fifth one, too. Marner got the sixth, on a power play. After Winnipeg got a power-play goal, Matthews tipped in Toronto’s seventh. The Leafs won’t get to face Steve Mason every night. (It’s sure something that the Jets could conceivably have a goaltender controversy on day two.) It’s one game. One 7-2, blow-their-doors-off game. Lord, this is a dangerous team. “These guys can certainly score, our group of forwards,” Hainsey said. Asked if it was similar to Pittsburgh, where he played last year, Hainsey said, “a lot of good players who can score, yep. It’s very similar, where you have three lines on both teams where there’s no break for the other team’s players, as far as scoring chances, and speed, and creativity. So very similar in that regard.” Asked what it was like to face a team like that, he said, “it’s terrible. It’s awful.” These are the innocent days, before the big contract negotiations, before envy takes root, before things get too complicated. Right now, the Leafs’ stars are cheap, and if you want a prediction, Matthews will chase Connor McDavid all season, and in the contract realm. That he and McDavid were on a line with Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele at last year’s World Cup of Hockey remains an absurd, glimmering piece of hockey history. Auston Matthews, right, celebrates after scoring his first goal of the season. Right now, the Leafs’ stars are cheap, and if you want a prediction, Matthews will chase Connor McDavid all season, and in the contract realm, writes Bruce Arthur. Auston Matthews, right, celebrates after scoring his first goal of the season. Right now, the Leafs’ stars are cheap, and if you want a prediction, Matthews will chase Connor McDavid all season, and in the contract realm, writes Bruce Arthur. (JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS) 1076562 Toronto Maple Leafs

Forward finally getting a Fehr shot with Leafs

By KEVIN MCGRANSports Reporter

WINNIPEG—The Maple Leafs have suddenly become a club of roster stability. Only a handful of players who weren’t with the team last year opened the season on Wednesday night against the Jets. Patrick Marleau played his first game in blue and white, while defenceman Andreas Borgman made his NHL debut. Otherwise it was mostly the same Leafs, led by Auston Matthews, on the opening night roster. “We saw last year that the league is always adjusting to you and you have to make adjustments back,” Matthews said. “We have a full year under our belts and teams are going to know our strengths and our weaknesses and play a more structured game against us.” The happiest player in the group might have been Eric Fehr, a Manitoba native who got to play in front of his friends and family while also being able to hail his own comeback from a hand injury suffered when he blocked a shot. Fehr, acquired from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, played only one game for the Leafs last season. “That was extremely frustrating. I worked really hard to prepare myself for the system and getting to know the guys and I wanted to come in and make a difference and got in to the first game and that was it for the year,” Fehr said. “That was tough to swallow. I was feeling great, I was feeling strong and felt like I could contribute.” When the Leafs signed Dominic Moore over the summer, it seemed Fehr’s fate was sealed. But he outperformed Moore in pre-season, as well as Finnish free agent Miro Aaltonen, and won the opening job as the fourth-line centre between Matt Martin and Connor Brown. “It was a very tough camp, some really tough battles for the fourth-line centre spot,” Fehr said. “I couldn’t be happier with the fact I’m in. I understand that my work is just starting. But I’m happy to be in this spot.” It might have helped his cause that Fehr is from Manitoba. Coach Mike Babcock sometimes has a soft spot for playing players in their hometown. There was a sizable Fehr crowd at the Bell MTS Place. “Parents, family, friends,” Fehr said. “I bought about 30 tickets. A lot of my buddies have season tickets to the Jets. They better not be wearing their Jets jerseys unless it’s a Fehr Jets jersey.” Fehr is old enough that he remembers the original Winnipeg Jets, who are now the Arizona Coyotes. “I watched (Teemu) Selanne the last year there before they left. My fondest memory is watching those guys come out to the song “Jump.” Every time I hear that song, it reminds me of the Jets back in the old building.” Toronto Star LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076563 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs’ Borgman eager for a taste of the big time

By KEVIN MCGRANSports Reporter

WINNIPEG—Maple Leafs defenceman Andreas Borgman will dress in his first NHL regular season game, while Eric Fehr will centre the fourth line when Toronto takes on the Winnipeg Jets to kick start the 2017-18 season. “It feels pretty good, now I just want to keep my spot and keep working hard,” said Borgman, who was signed as a free agent from Sweden in the spring. “Hopefully I will be in this league a long time.” Borgman, 22, won the final spot on defence ahead of countryman Calle Rosen, who was dispatched to the Toronto Marlies when opening day rosters were submitted to the league on Tuesday. He’s the only rookie to start the season with the Leafs, who had seven on their opening night roster last season. Fehr, a veteran acquired near the trade deadline last year, will get the fourth-line nod over Dominic Moore, who was signed as a free agent over the summer. Fehr is from Manitoba, and has bought 30 tickets for family and friends for the game. Fehr was injured in the only game he played for the Leafs. Leafs coach Mike Babcock said he’s excited to get going finally. “It’s an anxious time of year for the players, for the coaches, for the fans,” said Babcock. “You think you’re set up to have a good year, but you don’t know until you put in the work.” Leafs Opening Night Roster FORWARDS Zach Hyman-Auston Matthews-William Nylander James van Riemsdyk-Tyler Bozak-Mitch Marner Patrick Marleau-Nazem Kadri-Leo Komarov Matt Martin-Eric Fehr-Connor Brown DEFENCE Ron Hainsey-Morgan Rielly Nikita Zaitsev-Jake Gardiner Andreas Borgman-Connor Carrick GOAL Frederik Andersen Curtis McIlhenney. Toronto Star LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076564 Toronto Maple Leafs The coach acknowledged the Leafs have a target on their backs after coming so far last season.

“People know who they are. It’s not like they didn’t know who Matthews William Nylander willing to wait for new contract was last year, but now they really know. The best players find ways to get better, they work that much harder, they’re committed that much more and they train harder and they keep taking steps. There are a lot of BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN good players in the league that don’t take steps.” LOOSE LEAFS WINNIPEG - While Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets made news The Leafs are having a Legends Row unveiling of four new statues before the game Wednesday for signing a seven-year $42 million US Thursday, honouring Red Kelly, Charlie Conacher, Wendel Clark and extension, it apparently won’t move the needle for the man down the hall, Frank Mahovlich. The ceremony is at 5:30 p.m., with club president picked one spot in front of him in the 2014 draft. in attendance. The foursome are expected to be the last additions to the team monument in the immediate future ... Babcock William Nylander told Sportsnet he was not comfortable negotiating his on what would define a successful NHL debut for Swedish defenceman next contract for 2018 and beyond now that the Leafs are engaged in Andreas Borgman before Wednesday’s game: “Don’t be in any video what many think will be an assault on the Eastern Conference title. clips (Thursday).” And on what he told Calle Rosen when sending the Swedish rookie to the Marlies: “To play good. Bottom line, he’s a good Nylander is the first of the ‘big three’ in Toronto’s boy band, with Auston player and he will be here sooner than later.” Matthews and Mitch Marner, to soon be due the megabucks that are flying around the NHL to wrap up young stars and buy back some free Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 agency years. Nylander indicated last month that talks were in a very preliminary stage. Ehlers, the Danish winger chosen ninth to Nylander’s eighth, wrapped up his deal before Game 1, which has its pros and cons in the eyes of his coach Paul Maurice. “It’s more (pressure) on younger players than on older players unless they’ve been through it a couple of times,” Maurice said. “You know that a deal like that is going to be completed, then you’re just hopeful they don’t feel they have to earn it all on the first shift, that they just go out and play. The sooner we get Nicky into that mindset (the better).” BENCH BUDDIES Maurice and Mike Babcock went into the game last night tied in the Leafs record book with 164 games behind the bench, a mark also shared with Mike Murphy, now an NHL executive. Maurice said he and Babcock used to kibitz before games when the Jets, or before that, the Carolina Hurricanes, visited Detroit. Maurice agreed their shared Toronto history would be a career highlight and that he’s glad to have the rare opportunity with a second Canadian team in Winnipeg. “The best place in the world to coach is in Canada,” Maurice declared. “Especially as you get older. It’s good to do it twice, so you can learn from your first tour. Toronto is not an easy first tour.” Maurice, like Murphy, didn’t make the playoffs in his two-year hitch, a period marked by heavy criticism of the front office under John Ferguson Jr., interference from ownership and an awkward end to the era. Maurice’s well-known good humour was often tested by angry patrons and vocal media, but he knew that going in. “There is pressure that comes with it, there is scrutiny that comes with it and there’s certainly (outside) opinions that come with it,” he said of working in these parts. “That’s a good thing, that’s what pro hockey and pro sports should be about — the more people who have an opinion on your team, the better it is for everybody.” Maurice also loved his time in Carolina, where his team ironically beat the Leafs in Toronto’s last trip to a conference final. But that non- traditional market didn’t have the passionate following of the Leafs and Jets. “I don’t save lives for a living, I coach a hockey team. But it’s nice to be in a place where you don’t have to explain your job. It doesn’t matter that people think you’re special, because the Jets are special, NHL hockey is special and they appreciate it as much as you do. You’re getting to the rink jacked up, you love your job and the people in town and across Canada love hockey. So it’s a great place to work.” BUY AMERICAN In praising the Jets — “they have size, skills, speed” — and talking about Canadian teams as a whole on the rise, Babcock didn’t forget about clubs south of the border to be wary of. “There are a whole lot of teams in the U.S. who think they have the same thing going on,” he said. “(Media) are just focused on these markets, because there was a couple of dead years. Now, these teams look like they’re back. “But Pittsburgh set the standard in the NHL and before that, Los Angeles and Chicago. We can talk about these (Canadian) teams’ potential, but you have to deliver and in the end that’s all we’re trying to do.” 1076565 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs' Fehr all smiles in front of family

lance-hornby BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN

WINNIPEG — The young guns on the Maple Leafs were getting all the media attention Wednesday morning, but off to the side, Eric Fehr was wearing the biggest smile. Healthy, in the starting lineup and playing before family and friends from nearby Winkler, Man., a game against the Jets was the perfect start to a new season for the 32-year-old. Last year was disrupted by a late-season trade from eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh to Toronto for defenceman Frank Corrado (since placed on waivers). Fehr’s only Leaf appearance was a game in Columbus where he broke his left hand. After long rehab and getting used to playing through camp with a heavily bandaged finger that made stick grip tricky, he had a strong pre-season and made the starting lineup aggainst the Jets ahead of fourth line free-agent acquisition Dominic Moore. “It’s a bit of a home game for me, especially with family and friends around town,” Fehr said. “It’s nice for them to see a game (he has played his entire career in the Eastern Conference) and I know they were very excited we were coming. “I’m very happy. We weren’t very sure what would happen (Moore, Josh Leivo and Kasperi Kapanen were in the running to be in the mix at forward on the fourth line), but I went to camp prepared to make the team and it went well.” Winkler is about an hour southwest from Winnipeg, a chance to see his extended family each summer. Fehr also has a weekend cabin further north. “I really enjoy it here. I keep telling the guys we have some of the best weather in all of Canada this summer. Not winter, I said summer.” Fehr needed one assist before Wednesday to reach 100 in the NHL. The nip in the air at the corner of Portage and Main meant hockey is returning and both the Leafs and Jets were anxious to get going after three weeks of mostly meaningless exhibition games. “It’s an anxious time of year for players, coaches and fans,” said Toronto coach Mike Babcock. “You think you are set up for a good year, but you don’t know until you put in the work. We’re excited to get started against a really good team. “In the end, the better players you have, the better coach you become, so we’re hoping this is the best year of my first three. We had a good year last year, but it’s going to be hard to be better.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076566 Toronto Maple Leafs When newcomers Marleau, Ron Hainsey and Andreas Borgman stepped on the ice, they made it 966 players to have appeared for the Leafs, St. Patricks and Arenas, spanning 100 years. Maple Leafs crush Jets to open season Coach Paul Maurice thought his Jets were ready for their close-up. “They’re looking forward to this,” Maurice said before the game. “They’ve lance-hornby BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN practised a lot, it’s been five weeks of camp. There’s still plenty to do. They won’t get those kinds of (long and detailed) practices, very often but they’re ready to go.” WINNIPEG — OK Mike Babcock, good luck keeping the lid on fan The Leafs need some work, too, defensively and with discipline, but for expectations for the next few days at least. this night, they could laugh off their mistakes. With the coach preaching cautious optimism through the summer when LEO BURNED BY VISOR RULE the Maple Leafs acquired Patrick Marleau, made moves on defence and had no significant health or contract issues, Toronto stormed out of the Leo Komarov will have to be more wiser about his visor. gate and beat the Jets 7-2 in front of a shocked crowd at Bell MTS Place. Never comfortable with the facial protection the whole NHL has They did it despite eight penalties, some whistled under stricter league gravitated towards, the veteran winger found himself in the penalty box in guidelines, all killed off, led by Frederik Anderson. By the time Winnipeg the first period for illegal equipment — his visor sitting too high on his scored on its 34th shot, Toronto was up by six on its way to its best head. season-opening goal total in almost 30 years. “I could feel it right away when I stepped on the ice, that (the referee) Four Toronto penalties were called before the end off the first period. was watching me,” Komarov said. “The referee told me it was up, but I put it down. They changed the rules ... maybe it’s my helmet that was up “It was a good night for ourselves, a lot of guys got off (with goals). You (and not the visor). Those are the (rule changes) we have to go through.” score early, you don’t have to worry (about pressure building).” An angry coach Mike Babcock grabbed Komarov’s helmet before he Auston Matthews didn’t get four goals as he did a year earlier in his went to the box to try and show the officials it was within regulations, but debut, but had a three-point night, with Marleau getting a pair. Nazem lost the argument and decided best not to share his thoughts about the Kadri had the thrill of scoring the first goal of the entire National Hockey incident with the media. League season, which also started James van Riemsdyk’s three-point night. Rookie Andreas Borgman recorded an assist. “Maybe we should glue it on him,” joked centre Tyler Bozak. But back to Andersen and the overworked Leafs penalty kill. “Thank God we killed it off,” Komarov said. “You know how hockey is,” Babcock said. “They score on one of those Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 early power plays, they get confidence, we lose some and the game could be different.” Andersen’s body language spoke volumes about his confidence, “We settled in after the first 10 minutes, in a tough building to play in,” Andersen said. “You know there will be a lot of small things called, like Leo Komarov’s visor (violation), but hopefully we figure that out soon.” Until Mark Scheifele beat him with eight minutes to play, Andersen looked ready to become the first Leafs goalie to open the season with a road shutout since Ed Belfour in Pittsburgh in 2002. Coincidentally that’s the last Leafs goalie to win 30 in consecutive years, a good possibility for the Dane this season. Among those Andersen blanked, Leafs nemesis Patrik Laine who had five goals in their two previous meetings, and countryman Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed a seven-year $42-million US deal earlier in the day. “I think we did a good job of not letting (Laine and the dangerous Dustin Byfuglien) get too many opportunities,” Andersen said. “Now we’re getting to know Laine’s shot more and try and take it away.” The Leafs, getting a rough reception from fans ready for the Jets to experience their own growth spurt, gave up 16 shots late in the first period. That was largely on Morgan Rielly and Connor Brown getting called for high sticking, with a minor also called on Komarov for equipment violation. But with the Jets short-handed for the first time, Kadri banged in a rebound from van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, who then added another at even strength, Bozak’s second effort on a faceoff against the tough Scheifele, getting it to van Riemsdyk for a one-timer. Before anyone thought the kid snipers were going to take the night off, Matthews dropped to Jake Gardiner on a delayed penalty and William Nylander finished off into an open net. After Winnipeg flubbed their fourth and fifth power play to start the middle period, the second call a ridiculous six Leafs below the hashmarks before it was detected — Marleau swooped in to beat Steve Mason. That was his first as a Leaf after 508 in San Jose, covering nearly 20 years. “That was pretty darn close to how you’d want to see it (the first game) go,” Marleau said. “The guys played great tonight, Freddy held us in and we got some goals.” Matthews and Mitch Marner assisted on his first goal. “You could see they were hungry out there, not only in games but in practice,” Marleau said. “You can feed off that for sure.” Marleau’s second of the night to start the third saw Mason lifted after five goals on 20 shots for Connor Hellebuyck. 1076567 Toronto Maple Leafs league with 42 wins and finishing just outside the top-10 in goals-against average and save percentage.

Ottawa’s Anderson, who was second in save percentage last year Goalie graveyard no MORE: Canadian NHL teams solid between the despite missing a chunk of time to be with his wife as she battled cancer, pipes also has a chance. As should Toronto’s Andersen, who would have put up better overall numbers if not for a early-season stumble while adjusting to a new team. Michael Traikos BY MICHAEL TRAIKOS, POSTMEDIA NETWORK “He’s way up there, in my opinion,” Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said of Andersen. “Just the way that he can control the game and play the back, and he’s so calm back there that it’s infectious to his teammates. How does that saying go again? "He’s one of the best goalies in the league, for sure.” Sitting in his dressing room stall, the bottom half of his equipment still on, Frederik Andersen stared up at the ceiling and tried to find the words. That sense of calm is sort of new. And it should not be overlooked. “Goaltending is 80 per cent important when you have it,” he began, pausing to remember the rest, “and 100 per cent when you don’t?” In Ken Dryden’s celebrated book The Game, he wrote that the primary job of a goalie is, obviously, to stop the puck, but that the position is far Yeah, that’s about right. The actual quote, attributed to former Toronto more complex than that. “You’re trying to deliver a message to your team Maple Leafs broadcaster Harry Neale, is slightly different. But Andersen, that things are OK back here,” wrote Dryden. “This end of the ice is pretty speaking a day before the start of the regular season, got the gist of it. well cared for. You take it now and go. Go! Feel the freedom you need in order to be that dynamic, creative, offensive player and go out and score. Goaltending is pretty darn important. It’s maybe more important to a That was my job. And it was to try to deliver a feeling.” team’s success than the effectiveness of Patrik Laine’s one-timer or whether Auston Matthews scores 40 goals again. Two years ago, all For most Canadian-based teams, the feeling used to be one of seven Canadian teams missed the playoffs because they didn’t have nervousness. Today, there is a reason to be confident. anywhere near competent goaltending. A year later, five of the seven qualified, including Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Toronto, whose Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 starting goalies had save percentages ranked in the top-13. This year, it could get even better. After missing the playoffs with a goaltending duo that ranked in the bottom-three in save percentage last season, Winnipeg acquired veteran Steve Mason (“a bona fide No. 1 goalie,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler told the ) to help along 24-year-old Connor Hellebuyck. The Flames also upgraded a position of instability by bringing in Mike Smith and Eddie Lack to replace Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson, who had a combined save percentage in the bottom-10. Even Vancouver made a change, although replacing Ryan Miller with Anders Nilsson could be a change for the worse. "You have to have goaltending in this league, and we feel we have two good ones,” Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters earlier this week. Even if they were incremental improvements, what used to be a goalie graveyard has been given new life. It still might be a stretch to suggest that the best goalies in the NHL are now playing in Canada. But from Montreal’s Carey Price and Edmonton’s Cam Talbot to the two “Andys” in Ontario (Ottawa’s Craig Anderson and Toronto’s Frederik Andersen), there is legitimate top-end talent north of the border. So much so that Andersen believes he could be in the mix — along with Price, Talbot and the usual candidates — for the Vezina Trophy at the end of the year. “That's my goal. I want to be the best goalie and be up in that conversation,” said the Leafs goalie, who two years ago in Anaheim combined with John Gibson for the league-lowest goals-against average. “Of course I’d love to win it. It’s been my motivation all summer. Knowing I’m going to get to play a lot and we’ve got a good team here, I think I’m trending upwards. I know how good I can be. “I don’t think any goalie in the league doesn’t want to win that.” While every goalie might want to win the Vezina, usually only a handful of them actually believe they have a chance at it. You not only need to be good, but as Andersen said, using the chicken and the egg as a reference point, the team also needs to be good. Perhaps that is why there is reason for optimism in Canada. The goalies are good. But with the exception of Price in Montreal, the players in front of them are even better. It’s easier to play net when you have a team that includes Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl or Matthews and Mitch Marner or Laine and Mark Scheifele. “They’re both byproducts of one another,” said Andersen. “If you have a really good (team) in front of you, you look really good.” The pre-season favourites for the Vezina Trophy likely include three last year’s finalists — Sergei Bobrovsky, Braden Holtby and Price, who are also the last three goalies to win the award — as well as two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray, Nashville’s Pekka Rinne and Dallas’ Ben Bishop. You can certainly add Talbot’s name to that group. The Oilers goalie was the one to play in 70-plus games last season, tying Holtby for first in the 1076568 Toronto Maple Leafs SLEEPER: Connor Brown DECLINING: Ron Hainsey NHL preview, Canadian teams: Toronto Maple Leafs ROOKIE TO WATCH: Andreas Borgman Past three seasons: lance-hornby BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN 2016-17: 40-27-15, lost in Round 1 2015-16: 29-42-11, missed playoffs A mere 18 months ago, the Maple Leafs were contemplating seriously 2014-15: 30-44-8, missed playoffs the rebuild after finishing last overall in the National Hockey League. Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 Now, in a turnaround that has come quicker than anyone — outside or inside the organization — thought it would, the cliche rings true: The sky is the limit for this club. Led by Auston Matthews, for whom annual superstardom is just a skate stride or two away, the Leafs won’t be happy with getting back to the playoffs next spring. After losing in the first round to the Washington Capitals this past April, the Leafs are that much hungrier to get into the post-season and stay there. “Expectations are high for us as a group and we believe in ourselves,” winger Matt Martin said. “We feel like have a good hockey team.” Martin gets no argument on that point. Observers who wonder whether the Leafs’ second-year trio of Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner might be bitten by a sophomore jinx haven't been paying close attention. Each is driven, and each wants to be the best forward on the team. The internal competition will only bode well for Toronto. The Leafs avoided largely the injury bug last year, but depth through to the Toronto Marlies should help if injuries become an issue in 2017-18. General manager had a good idea the team’s future was dazzling with the steps the Leafs took last season. When Lamoriello lured Patrick Marleau with a three-year contract, the message was obvious: We think we can win. Are the Leafs ready to make a legitimately strong run at the Stanley Cup? Not quite yet. A year from now, that question should have a different answer. FORWARDS Depth, depth and more depth. There’s no other way to put it. Consider that Connor Brown, a 20-goal-scorer as a rookie, was about to start on the fourth line. Matthews is beyond scary good, while the Leafs would be in fine shape if it was only Nylander and Marner leading the way. Chemistry between Nazem Kadri and Patrick Marleau will be key. Let’s not forget James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak. DEFENCE While there’s not a true stud in the bunch, the Leafs will be led by a fine triad of Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev, none of whom has reached his full potential. Ron Hainsey, at 36, adds experience and a Cup ring after signing on July 1. Where it could get interesting is the extent to which youngsters Andreas Borgman and Calle Rosen play. Both were good in camp. GOALTENDING Frederik Andersen rebounded well last season from a difficult start and will be carrying the bulk. While 60 games would be about right, the Leafs could find the 28-year-old is capable of something closer to 65. All the while, Andersen will be looking to bump his save percentage up from .918. Curtis McElhinney was re-signed to be the backup and is comfortable in that role. COACHING Mike Babcock has two settings: Intense and very intense. Heading into the third year of his eight-year contract, Babcock has re-modelled the Leafs into a fast, puck-possession club that doesn’t leave much to chance. He’s an open book with the players, a crucial trait in today’s NHL. Each player knows where he stands and what he can do to be better. There’s respect throughout the dressing room. BOTTOM LINE There’s no reason why the Leafs won’t make the playoffs again, and you can bet there will be disappointment in the organization if they don’t advance past the first round. [email protected] UNSUNG HERO: Zach Hyman 1076569 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs' Eric Fehr has plenty of reasons to smile

BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN

WINNIPEG - The young guns on the Maple Leafs were getting all the media attention Wednesday morning, but off to the side, Eric Fehr was wearing the biggest smile. Healthy, in the starting lineup, and playing before family and friends from nearby Winkler, Man., a game against the Jets seemed the perfect start to a new season for Fehr. Last year was disrupted by a trade from eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh to Toronto for defenceman Frank Corrado (since waived by the Pens). Fehr’s only appearance was in Columbus, where he broke his left hand. After long rehab and getting used to playing with a bandaged finger that made stick grip tricky, he had a strong pre-season and was plugged into Wednesday’s starting group ahead of fourth-line free-agent acquisition Dominic Moore. “It’s a bit of a home game for me, especially with family and friends around town. It’s nice for them to see a game (the 32-year-old has played his entire career in the Eastern Conference) and I know they were very excited we were coming. “I’m very happy. We weren’t very sure what would happen (Moore, Josh Leivo, Miro Aaltonen and Kasperi Kapanen) were in the running to be in the mix at forward on the fourth line) but I went to camp prepared to make the team and it went well.” Winkler is about an hour southwest from Winnipeg and Fehr goes home to see his extended family each summer. He also has a weekend cabin further north. “I really enjoy it here. I keep telling the guys we have some of the best weather in all of Canada this summer. Not winter. Summer.” But the nip in the air at the corner of Portage and Main on Wednesday meant hockey has returned and both the Leafs and Jets were anxious to get going after three weeks of mostly meaningless exhibition games. “It’s an anxious time of year for players, coaches and fans,” said Toronto coach Mike Babcock. “You think you are set up for a good year, but you don’t know until you put in the work. We’re excited to get started against a really good team. “In the end, the better players you have, the better coach you become, so we’re hoping this is the best year of my first three. We had a good year last year, but it’s going to be hard to be better.” Babcock had the Calder Trophy winner in Auston Matthews, while Jets coach Paul Maurice counted on close second Patrik Laine, and his team beefed up its goaltending with Steve Mason. “I like the way both played in exhibition (Mason and the younger Connor Hellebuyck),” Maurice said. “Connor’s physically stronger than last year and we’ve learned about Steve, he’s played well in the exhibitions.” Veterans Ron Hainsey and Patrick Marleau play their first games as free agents for the Leafs, while rookie defenceman Andreas Borgman will have family and friends in Stockholm staying up despite the seven-hour time difference to watch his first Toronto game. Before the match, the Jets announced they had signed Danish left winger Nikolaj Ehlers to a seven-year, US$42 million extension. Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076570 Toronto Maple Leafs Even Alex Ovechkin, whose numbers slightly dropped from his 52-goal and 106-point rookie year, still put up a ridiculous 46 goals and 92 points in his second season. What can the incredible 2016-17 rookie class do for an encore? “I don’t think the great players ever fall off the cliff,” said Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau, who coached Ovechkin for his second year in Washington. “It’s the unknowns who have a great year, the rookies Michael Traikos BY MICHAEL TRAIKOS, POSTMEDIA NETWORK who have a great year but then come back to where they where they should be. You’re not going to see McDavid take a step back or Matthews take a step back. Mitch Marner is not going backwards. Paul Maurice typically isn’t one to get carried away. Back when he was “These guys are great players. They’re going to continue to be great. the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he once had a media That’s what quite frankly makes the Leafs so scary. They have so many relations member distribute packets of camomile tea to reporters in an young guys who are going to get better.” attempt to calm everyone down following a blowout loss in a pre-season game. And yet, sophomore slumps do happen even to the best of them. When Maurice was coaching in Carolina, he watched as Jeff Skinner went from Still, even Maurice couldn’t help but get excited about what had scoring 31 goals as a Calder Trophy winner to just 20 goals in his second happened the other night — in an exhibition game, no less. season. Injuries were a part of the decline, with Skinner missing 18 games because of a concussion. But another factor was the adjustment In Winnipeg, Patrik Laine scored twice and picked up three assists in a 5- that comes from being a top-line forward. 2 win against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 25. Not to be outdone, Toronto’s Auston Matthews scored three times in a 5-1 win against the “What’s interesting is watch when these kids come off the bench,” said Montreal Canadiens. Maurice. “Jeff basically played on the third line with (Jussi) Jokinen and (Tuomo) Ruutu as a rookie. And what happens in the second year is that “Calgary didn’t have much in their line-up, but our guy still bangs in five they’re better players and they get moved up in the rotation, so now points. That’s not so bad. And the other guy gets a hat-trick,” said they’re playing against the No. 1 defensive unit.” Maurice. “I know it’s exhibition hockey, but that’s what those guys do. That’s why they’re so great.” The only difference is that Matthews and Laine were already in top-line roles as rookies. The bullseye on their backs might be bigger, but the As Matthews and Laine enter their second year in the league, the hope pressure to perform on a nightly basis is not new to them. If anything, — and the expectation — is that there will be plenty more of those kinds they welcome it. of nights. And it’s not exactly an unreasonable request. Matthews, who had a lion wearing a crown tattooed on his shoulder in A year ago, the two teenagers took the hockey world by storm, with the summer, said he’s “hungry” to “take a step forward from last year” Matthews scoring four goals in his NHL debut and Laine picking up his and be the best he can be. Laine, who packed on about 10 more pounds first of three hat tricks in just his fourth game of the season against the of muscle, said he just wants to make the playoffs and “to help my team Leafs. By the end of the year, Matthews had won the Calder Trophy with win more games.” 40 goals and 69 points in 82 games, while Laine was not far behind him with 36 goals and 64 points in 73 games. Now, it’s about sitting back and watching it happen. It capped off a rookie season for the ages, during which Toronto’s Mitch Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 Marner and William Nylander each had 61 points, Columbus’ Zach Werenski led rookie defencemen with 11 goals and 47 points and Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray won his second Stanley Cup in as many years. After they had seemingly delivered all of their hits in Year One, what can the kids possibly do now for an encore? According to Maurice, whatever they want. Fifty goals are not out of the question. Neither is the notion that Matthews or Laine — whom TSN ranked among its top-50 players in the league, with Matthews at No. 10 and Laine No. 26 — could end up winning the Art Ross, Rocket Richard or even the Hart Trophy. The only thing they won’t do is disappoint. “I don’t see the guys taking a step back,” said Maurice. “Just look at Auston’s first game. It pretty much established that this wasn’t going to be a quiet year (for) him. And then early in the season, Toronto’s in town and our guy gets three (goals). So I think they are different. “And I’m careful in how I say this — and I don’t get to see the other guy because he’s in another conference — but with Patty, there’s still a lot of room to get better. Some of it is just physical. He’s going to get a little bit faster, a little bit stronger each year. Those things aren’t going away. I think these guys will just keep getting better. And because we have a young team — and so does Auston — the guys around him are also going to get better.” In other words, the idea that either Matthews or Laine could succumb to a sophomore slump is laughable. Barring an injury, it simply won’t happen. These are not one-hit rookies in the same way that Andrew Raycroft and Jim Carey were. This is just the beginning — not the end. “I don’t think Patty was necessarily lucky,” said Maurice. “He’ll tell you that he missed a bunch.” “It’s real simple: if you put in the work in the summer, you usually have a good year the following year,” said Leafs head coach Mike Babcock. “If you don’t put in the work, it usually catches up to you. I think we’ve got some good guys in this club and they put the work in, so I can’t imagine they’ll take a step back.” Few top-end rookies actually do. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby each led the NHL in scoring and were named Hart Trophy winners in their second season, while Calder Trophy winners Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin built upon their rookie-season numbers in Year Two. 1076571 Toronto Maple Leafs season opener circled for months and Buffalo and Ottawa can’t wait for their chance.

6. Net flicks 10 potential potholes and pitfalls for the Maple Leafs No one is suggesting Andersen won 33 games last season through smoke and mirrors. But that no Toronto netminder has reached 30 in lance-hornby BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN consecutive seasons since Ed Belfour speaks to the difficulty of such feats. Hopefully he has a good plane pillow because from Halloween to New Year’s Eve, the Leafs are home just nine times, with 11 games out of their time zone. Backup Curtis McElhinney likely faces his most difficult In the olden days, Maple Leaf fans — and beat writers — could book stretch before New Year’s Day when the Leafs have eight back-to-backs June for weddings, vacations and virtually anything on the late spring on the schedule. calendar without fear of conflict with the hockey team in a playoff run. 7. High jinx Now, with all the giddy optimism this season, don’t be surprised if Mayor Tory cancels any major roadwork on Bay St. in 2018 so it’s clear for a We don’t believe in sophomore jinxes and, besides, it would be one hell Cup celebration. of a hex to take out all of Toronto’s strong rookie class from ‘16-17. But see Nos. 3 and 5 on this list as challenges that Matthews, Nylander, After so many post-season misses and going on 51 without making the Mitch Marner, Connor Brown, Zach Hyman and Zaitsev will have in Year final, can the Leafs really raise the Titanic in just two or three years? 2. A related concern is that Toronto’s young talent on the farm, such as Although Brendan Shanahan, Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock have Kasperi Kapanen, not get discouraged if they keep producing and there’s been trying to keep the lid on expectations, they also invested more no opening with the parent team. money in a lineup built to go further than the first round. 8. Deal or no deal There are plenty of cautionary tales in the NHL of “can’t-miss” teams who didn’t get to June — or even May. Thus, here are 10 potential potholes While too many people are fixated on James van Riemsdyk’s trade future and pitfalls for the Leafs’ parade: before the Leafs have even played a game, it’s part of the trade banter sure to be a hot topic in town as the Feb. 26 deadline approaches. 1. Conference conflagration Nylander’s next contract will likely be a close second as off-ice talk show fodder. Hard not to ignore it in this town. Despite a darn good showing last year, the Leafs only made the playoffs in Game 81, barely ahead of the Islanders and the Lightning, the latter 9. Old story minus Steve Stamkos. Toronto is not the only team committed to a culture change the past few years. Add Jack Eichel’s Buffalo Sabres and Lamoriello brought in 38-year-old Patrick Marleau because he was the Philadelphia to the Bolts and Panthers as non-playoff teams capable of “right” 38-year-old for this club at this time, still blessed with wheels and a keeping pace. scoring touch. Still, it’s an expensive gamble that the former Shark can produce with a new team in a different conference and more demanding As for teams ahead of Toronto, while many people are ready to dance on market. The Leafs also went for grey power in Dominic Moore, 37, and the graves of the offensively challenged Canadiens or think Henrik defenceman Ron Hainsey, 36. With age comes wisdom — and risk. Lundqvist can no longer sustain the Rangers, they do so at their peril. 10. Down the stretch they come 2. Back door ajar March and April will be a hard time for distractions, whether the Leafs are Eric Fehr said it best on the weekend, the sky’s the limit when the Leafs in good playoff position and the city is frenzied or it’s a close race and the marry offensive creativity to commitment on defence, using their speed pressure mounts. Last spring they were a feel-good story, but thanks to and skill to get the puck back and launch an attack. There is a dark side, such contender-type moves such as signing Marleau, they’ll be subject to however. higher expectations as April approaches. Will they be ready? “You can see when we’re not working and we have breakdowns and Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.05.2017 things can spiral pretty quickly,” Fehr said. “It’s important to stay focused and make sure we are not getting ahead of ourselves, realizing that it’s the will that’s going to win it, not the skill.” Babcock, who rarely let up on the champion Detroit Red Wings in their time, is bound to put someone’s nose out of joint, getting in their face every day to reinforce that message. 3. Pain, pain go away The Leafs must have sore knuckles from knocking on all that wood this summer, every time they spoke of how lucky they were health-wise last season. The magic number was 88 regular-season and playoff games, which a remarkable eight of them reached last year, while William Nylander (87) and Nikita Zaitsev (86) were close. Injuries to Frederik Andersen, the team’s worst nightmare, were limited to an upper-body summer mishap. If they earn a gold star for attendance again, Babcock will have to stop ribbing “the science project,” his term for the Leafs’ army of sports medicine and high-performance staffers. 4. Blue-line blues The Leafs came this far without the “stud” defenceman everyone has been clamouring for, thanks in part to the ongoing development of Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly and Zaitsev’s great rookie year. But no team goes far into the spring without one or at least more depth than the Leafs currently show on paper. Connor Carrick, Martin Marincin and the untried Andreas Borgman and Calle Rosen will have to do beyond the top four, unless a trade is made or Travis Dermott excels with the Marlies. The jury is out on whether Roman Polak has a role. 5. Wanted posters By the end of last season, there weren’t any foes who hadn’t heard of Auston Matthews and not heard the drum beat that Toronto was a better team. Warnings from the Leafs themselves that they “won’t sneak up on anyone” this season are very true. Patrick Laine has probably had the 1076572 Toronto Maple Leafs league with 42 wins and finishing just outside the top-10 in goals-against average and save percentage.

Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot makes a save against the Carolina Goalie graveyard no MORE: Canadian teams enter 2017-18 with some Hurricanes on Sept. 25. Jason Franson / CP of hockey's finest netminders Ottawa’s Anderson, who was second in save percentage last year despite missing a chunk of time to be with his wife as she battled cancer, Michael Traikos also has a chance. As should Toronto’s Andersen, who would have put up better overall numbers if not for a early-season stumble while adjusting to a new team. How does that saying go again? “He’s way up there, in my opinion,” Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said of Andersen. “Just the way that he can control the game and play the Sitting in his dressing room stall, the bottom half of his equipment still on, back, and he’s so calm back there that it’s infectious to his teammates. Frederik Andersen stared up at the ceiling and tried to find the words. “Goaltending is 80 per cent important when you have it,” he began, “He’s one of the best goalies in the league, for sure.” pausing to remember the rest, “and 100 per cent when you don’t?” That sense of calm is sort of new. And it should not be overlooked. Yeah, that’s about right. The actual quote, attributed to former Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster Harry Neale, is slightly different. But Andersen, In Ken Dryden’s celebrated book The Game, he wrote that the primary speaking a day before the start of the regular season, got the gist of it. job of a goalie is, obviously, to stop the puck, but that the position is far more complex than that. “You’re trying to deliver a message to your team Goaltending is pretty darn important. It’s maybe more important to a that things are OK back here,” wrote Dryden. “This end of the ice is pretty team’s success than the effectiveness of Patrik Laine’s one-timer or well cared for. You take it now and go. Go! Feel the freedom you need in whether Auston Matthews scores 40 goals again. Two years ago, all order to be that dynamic, creative, offensive player and go out and score. seven Canadian teams missed the playoffs because they didn’t have That was my job. And it was to try to deliver a feeling.” anywhere near competent goaltending. A year later, five of the seven qualified, including Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Toronto, whose For most Canadian-based teams, the feeling used to be one of starting goalies had save percentages ranked in the top-13. nervousness. Today, there is a reason to be confident. This year, it could get even better. LOADED: 10.05.2017 After missing the playoffs with a goaltending duo that ranked in the bottom-three in save percentage last season, Winnipeg acquired veteran Steve Mason (“a bona fide No. 1 goalie,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler told the Winnipeg Sun) to help along 24-year-old Connor Hellebuyck. The Flames also upgraded a position of instability by bringing in Mike Smith and Eddie Lack to replace Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson, who had a combined save percentage in the bottom-10. Even Vancouver made a change, although replacing Ryan Miller with Anders Nilsson could be a change for the worse. “You have to have goaltending in this league, and we feel we have two good ones,” Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters earlier this week. Even if they were incremental improvements, what used to be a goalie graveyard has been given new life. It still might be a stretch to suggest that the best goalies in the NHL are now playing in Canada. But from Montreal’s Carey Price and Edmonton’s Cam Talbot to the two “Andys” in Ontario (Ottawa’s Craig Anderson and Toronto’s Frederik Andersen), there is legitimate top-end talent north of the border. So much so that Andersen believes he could be in the mix — along with Price, Talbot and the usual candidates — for the Vezina Trophy at the end of the year. “That’s my goal. I want to be the best goalie and be up in that conversation,” said the Leafs goalie, who two years ago in Anaheim combined with John Gibson for the league-lowest goals-against average. “Of course I’d love to win it. It’s been my motivation all summer. Knowing I’m going to get to play a lot and we’ve got a good team here, I think I’m trending upwards. I know how good I can be. “I don’t think any goalie in the league doesn’t want to win that.” While every goalie might want to win the Vezina, usually only a handful of them actually believe they have a chance at it. You not only need to be good, but as Andersen said, using the chicken and the egg as a reference point, the team also needs to be good. Perhaps that is why there is reason for optimism in Canada. The goalies are good. But with the exception of Price in Montreal, the players in front of them are even better. It’s easier to play net when you have a team that includes Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl or Matthews and Mitch Marner or Laine and Mark Scheifele. “They’re both byproducts of one another,” said Andersen. “If you have a really good (team) in front of you, you look really good.” The pre-season favourites for the Vezina Trophy likely include three last year’s finalists — Sergei Bobrovsky, Braden Holtby and Price, who are also the last three goalies to win the award — as well as two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray, Nashville’s Pekka Rinne and Dallas’ Ben Bishop. You can certainly add Talbot’s name to that group. The Oilers goalie was the one to play in 70-plus games last season, tying Holtby for first in the 1076573 Toronto Maple Leafs did Sochi), and the league owners can take stock of the last several Olympics and conclude that they haven’t necessarily improved their own bottom lines. As NBC jilts the NHL, league's decision to skip Olympics looks more and But the league clearly wants to grow the sport globally, having just sent more like missed opportunity missionaries to China to play exhibition games there. It has an older fan base, significantly, than basketball and soccer, and outside of the playoffs the most memorable NHL moments in recent years were the Scott Stinson original outdoor games many seasons ago and that time a very large and slow enforcer was voted into the All-Star game on a lark. Plus a couple of draft lotteries. One of the oft-stated reasons behind the National Hockey League’s The 2018 Olympics would have been some kind of hockey showcase. decision to skip the 2018 Olympics was that the international break blew Instead, the men’s competition will be a curiosity. It’s not a surprise, up the momentum of the domestic season. really, that in the end the NHL owners decided to put league business ahead of the best thing to promote the sport. But hockey fans can be It was hard to keep fans drawn in, the explanation went, when the NHL forgiven for wishing they had not. season paused just as things were getting interesting. Yes, well, about that. The NHL’s broadcast partner in the United States released its National Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 schedule in the middle of the summer, when no one was thinking much about who would be playing in its Wednesday Night Rivalry matchup in mid-November. And it turns out that NBC is taking a big, ol’ pause on the NHL. NBC, which happens to be the Olympic broadcasting rights holder in the United States, is otherwise occupied for the 16-day event. For the whole of the Pyeongchang Games, Feb. 9 to Feb. 25, NBC will not televise an NHL game. Neither will NBCSN or CNBC or any of the other channels with an NBC in there somewhere. In terms of national exposure in the market that contains 24 of its 31 teams, the NHL won’t get boo those weeks. As for the idea of continuing its momentum, NBC and NBCSN will broadcast 22 NHL games combined in January, and 25 in March. They will televise eight of them in the whole of February, evenly divided between before and after the Olympics. That sounds a lot like … a significant loss of momentum. That the NHL’s broadcast partner is also an Olympic partner is, presumably, not news to Gary Bettman and friends. Had the league at some point gone back to ESPN, this wouldn’t have been a problem. But having stuck with NBC, to the continued puzzlement of those who follow sports broadcasting, the NHL will this year add an effective U.S. national blackout during the Olympics to the problems of partnering with Not the Worldwide Leader, next to the fact that hockey fans still struggle to find playoff games on the dial in the States. Being bumped off NBC for a few weeks isn’t a crisis for the NHL. But it is another example of why the league’s decision was short-sighted. There are a lot of reasons for hockey fans to be excited about the coming season, but this is also shaping up to be the Year of Missed Opportunity. The playoffs will deliver their usual mix of heart-stopping finishes, confusing upsets and probably the bizarre deep run of a bottom seed that wins twice in double OT and has a couple of clutch goals scored by someone who isn’t presently on its roster. The NHL, in other words, will still be the NHL. But with the season about to get underway, it’s worth taking a moment to consider what will be missing. If the NHL was going to South Korea, we would be looking toward a mid- winter break in which the hockey world would be treated to the following: Alex Ovechkin trying to drag Russia over the hump to win something that, let’s be honest, would mean more to him than a Stanley Cup. The Swedes with a Sedins swan song and the dazzling blue-line combo of Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman. The Finns with Patrik Laine leading a boatload of young stars and Tuukka Rask as the backstop. An American team with a terrifying amount of young skill from players like Johnny Gaudreau, Dylan Larkin, Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel. Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (right) pursues Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby on March 10. Codie McLachlan / Getty Images And, of most importance to fans in this country, the dizzying prospect of taking the core of the Canadian team from Sochi, which played the greatest hockey in memory, and adding only the most remarkable young player in a generation. Sidney Crosby playing alongside Connor McDavid for Team Canada in 2018 would have felt a lot like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux at the 1987 : the game’s biggest star taking the ice with the guy soon to take his place. But, no. Hockey Canada will instead be choosing from among the likes of Derek Roy, , Cam Barker and Max Talbot. (Waves tiny Canadian flag.) Yay! Look, I get it. The International Olympic Committee has long taken the NHL for granted, and South Korea creates specific time zone issues (as 1076574 Toronto Maple Leafs you don’t put in the work, it usually catches up to you. I think we’ve got some good guys in this club and they put the work in, so I can’t imagine they’ll take a step back.” Sophomore slump? Please: Why Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine will Few top-end rookies actually do. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby take even bigger steps forward this season each led the NHL in scoring and were named Hart Trophy winners in their second season, while Calder Trophy winners Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin built upon their rookie-season numbers in Year Michael Traikos Two. Even Alex Ovechkin, whose numbers slightly dropped from his 52-goal and 106-point rookie year, still put up a ridiculous 46 goals and 92 points Paul Maurice typically isn’t one to get carried away. Back when he was in his second season. the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he once had a media relations member distribute packets of camomile tea to reporters in an “I don’t think the great players ever fall off the cliff,” said Minnesota Wild attempt to calm everyone down following a blowout loss in a pre-season head coach Bruce Boudreau, who coached Ovechkin for his second year game. in Washington. “It’s the unknowns who have a great year, the rookies who have a great year but then come back to where they where they Still, even Maurice couldn’t help but get excited about what had should be. You’re not going to see McDavid take a step back or happened on Sept. 25 — in an exhibition game, no less. Matthews take a step back. Mitch Marner is not going backwards. In Winnipeg, Patrik Laine had scored twice and picked up three assists in “These guys are great players. They’re going to continue to be great. a 5-2 win against the Calgary Flames. Not to be outdone, Toronto’s That’s what quite frankly makes the Leafs so scary. They have so many Auston Matthews scored three times in a 5-1 win against the Montreal young guys who are going to get better.” Canadiens. And yet, sophomore slumps do happen even to the best of them. When “Calgary didn’t have much in their line-up, but our guy still bangs in five Maurice was coaching in Carolina, he watched as Jeff Skinner went from points. That’s not so bad. And the other guy gets a hat-trick,” said scoring 31 goals as a Calder Trophy winner to just 20 goals in his second Maurice. “I know it’s exhibition hockey, but that’s what those guys do. season. Injuries were a part of the decline, with Skinner missing 18 That’s why they’re so great.” games because of a concussion. But another factor was the adjustment that comes from being a top-line forward. As Matthews and Laine enter their second year in the league, the hope is that they will have plenty more of those kinds of nights. Based on their “What’s interesting is watch when these kids come off the bench,” said impressive pre-season numbers — Matthews had five goals and seven Maurice. “Jeff basically played on the third line with (Jussi) Jokinen and points in four games and Laine had five goals and eight points in four (Tuomo) Ruutu as a rookie. And what happens in the second year is that games — we expect it. And it’s not exactly an unreasonable request. they’re better players and they get moved up in the rotation, so now they’re playing against the No. 1 defensive unit.” A year ago, the two teenagers took the hockey world by storm, with Matthews scoring four goals in his NHL debut and Laine picking up his The only difference is that Matthews and Laine were already in top-line first of three hat tricks in just his fourth game of the season against the roles as rookies. The bullseye on their backs might be bigger, but the Leafs. By the end of the year, Matthews had won the Calder Trophy with pressure to perform on a nightly basis is not new to them. If anything, 40 goals and 69 points in 82 games, while Laine was not far behind him they welcome it. with 36 goals and 64 points in 73 games. Matthews, who had a lion wearing a crown tattooed on his shoulder in It capped off a rookie season for the ages, during which Toronto’s Mitch the summer, said he’s “hungry” to “take a step forward from last year” Marner and William Nylander each had 61 points, Columbus’ Zach and wants to be “elite of the elites.” Laine, who packed on about 10 more Werenski led rookie defencemen with 11 goals and 47 points and pounds of muscle, said he just wants to make the playoffs and “to help Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray won his second Stanley Cup in as many my team win more games.” years. Now, it’s about sitting back and watching it happen. After they had seemingly delivered all of their hits in Year One, what can the kids possibly do now for an encore? According to Maurice, whatever National Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 they want. Fifty goals are not out of the question. Neither is the notion that Matthews or Laine — whom TSN ranked among its top-50 players in the league, with Matthews at No. 10 and Laine No. 26 — could end up winning the Art Ross, Rocket Richard or even the Hart Trophy. The only thing they won’t do is disappoint. “I don’t see the guys taking a step back,” said Maurice. “Just look at Auston’s first game. It pretty much established that this wasn’t going to be a quiet year (for) him. And then early in the season, Toronto’s in town and our guy gets three (goals). So I think they are different. “And I’m careful in how I say this — and I don’t get to see the other guy because he’s in another conference — but with Patty, there’s still a lot of room to get better. Some of it is just physical. He’s going to get a little bit faster, a little bit stronger each year. Those things aren’t going away. I think these guys will just keep getting better. And because we have a young team — and so does Auston — the guys around him are also going to get better.” In this April 23 file photo, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (centre) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals. Peter J. Thompson / National Post Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine skates in warmup before facing the Calgary Flames on Sept. 25. Kevin King / Postmedia Network In other words, the idea that either Matthews or Laine could succumb to a sophomore slump is laughable. Barring an injury, it simply won’t happen. These are not one-hit rookies in the same way that Andrew Raycroft and Jim Carey were. This is just the beginning — not the end. “I don’t think Patty was necessarily lucky,” said Maurice. “He’ll tell you that he missed a bunch.” “It’s real simple: if you put in the work in the summer, you usually have a good year the following year,” said Leafs head coach Mike Babcock. “If 1076575 Vegas Golden Knights might be incredibly angry over not being able to watch them on TV — I should know, I’m one — but it’s not going to cause a majority of them to root for another baseball team. If Golden Knights aren’t on Cox Cable, team should be embarrassed The Knights haven’t played a real game yet, for goodness sake, and they’re about to potentially alienate this large a percentage of people being asked to follow and cheer and financially support them? By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal Nobody cares if you’re a third party. Fans don’t think like that. October 4, 2017 - 6:27 PM And who in the world thought negotiations between direct cable competitors would go smoothly? First, a disclaimer: It might work out. When was the last time Pepsi went out of its way to help Coke? There might be an 11th-hour deal. Cox Communications updated a statement this week that said it is continuing discussions with AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain about the Every word from this sentence on might prove meaningless. possibility of adding the network in Las Vegas, that “as we continually adjust our channel line-up, we must consider the needs of all our Joe from Henderson and Mary from Summerlin and Marty from customers, not just sports/Golden Knights fans.” Centennial Hills might sit down on their respective couches Friday night, turn on their televisions with Cox Cable as the provider and switch to a “We hope that we can come to an agreement that allows our customers channel showing the Vegas Golden Knights. to watch the Golden Knights, but at a reasonable cost,” said Juergen Barbusca, Manager of Communications and Public and Government Which would be a fitting and terrific conclusion. Affairs for Cox Communications. But if it doesn’t, one word describes the current TV deal for the Knights: Maybe that happens before the puck is dropped in Dallas. Embarrassing. Maybe there is an 11th-hour deal. OK, another: Inexcusable. If so, great. It would be a victory for everyone. OK, a third: Absurd. Maybe this is all proven meaningless. We are 48 hours from the Knights playing at Dallas and officially bringing Las Vegas its first major league professional sports franchise, and as But from the beginning, the Knights should have let the Good of People things stood Wednesday afternoon, the valley’s largest cable provider of Whitefish worry about not having a provider that showed the team. still doesn’t offer a channel that will show the team. Instead, it might be the Good People of Henderson and Summerlin. And that blame lies directly at the skates of the Knights, because that’s Embarrassing. where fans will rightly place it. Inexcusable. They’re all that matters when you’re an NHL team needing support as you navigate expansion waters of guaranteed losing for the immediate Absurd. future. Third party excuses are not acceptable in this case. Passing the buck, or This thing was backwards from the outset. puck, or whatever, is laughable. When the Knights chose to partner with AT&T SportsNet Rocky This thing was backwards from the outset. Mountain, they knew Cox didn’t offer the channel. In their bizarre and somewhat tiring fascination with becoming the Team of the Rocky Mountains, the Knights forgot first and foremost about being the Team of LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.05.2017 Las Vegas. Bill Foley is a team owner with a deep love of all things Montana, but his team should have done anything possible to ensure this initial TV deal included a provider that has a channel on both Cox and DirectTV, the latter of which offers AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. CenturyLink will also show the games. It’s not Cox. It’s not close. “We really didn’t have much serious interest from people like Cox or Fox Sports West,” Foley said. “We had one other option, but it wasn’t close financially when compared to AT&T SportsNet. “Sure, I’m concerned. I have some angst. We need to get this done. I know (AT&T SportsNet and Cox) continue to talk. Those at AT&T are intelligent people and I would urge them to please get something done with Cox. I’m still hopeful. “But it’s really out of our hands. We’re sort of the third party.” So the AT&T SportsNet deal was worth more money. But at what cost, really? Fans don’t want to hear about negotiations between cable companies or if Cox really has turned down countless offers from AT&T. None of that means squat to them. All anyone who has Cox cable and wants to follow the team knows is that they’re being asked to purchase tickets and merchandise, and all the while they can’t watch games on TV. So they’re going to blame the team, and that’s more than fair. Do you know why this isn’t anything like the continuing mess that is the Dodgers cable fiasco? Because that franchise has a global fan base that stretches six decades, and that’s just from when they arrived in Los Angeles. Dodgers fans 1076576 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights lineup uncertain for season opener

By Steve Carp Las Vegas Review-Journal October 4, 2017 - 6:26 PM Updated October 4, 2017 - 7:10 PM

Who’s playing with whom? That’s the biggest question facing the Golden Knights. With Friday’s franchise opener at the Dallas Stars looming, there remains a considerable amount of uncertainty throughout coach Gerard Gallant’s roster. Much of it is because Gallant still doesn’t know who will be available when he fills out his lineup card at American Airlines Center. In the wake of Tuesday’s moves that saw Vadim Shipachyov, Alex Tuch and Shea Theodore assigned to the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago, the roster remains a work in progress. Especially since Shipachyov is expected to be in the lineup Friday. Maybe Tuch and/or Theodore as well. Or perhaps James Neal is taken off injured reserve and plays. “There’s nothing settled right now,” Gallant said after Wednesday’s practice at City National Arena. “As you know, management is trying to do some things with the roster, so we’ll see how it goes and we’ll adjust.” General manager George McPhee explained his moves, which included bringing in Malcolm Subban as the team’s third goaltender and signing center Brandon Pirri and assigning him to the Wolves. “We assigned Shipachyov, Tuch and Theodore to Chicago because we could,” said McPhee, citing their waiver-exempt status. “We’re still two days away from our first game, so we have a little more time to assess things and make adjustments to our roster.” At Wednesday’s practice, Oscar Lindberg was on the ice working with Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault, and Neal was skating with Cody Eakin and . William Karlsson, who has been playing with Eakin and Perron, was with Erik Haula and Brendan Leipsic. “We’ll probably be jumping around a little bit at the start,” Lindberg said. “I’m not worried about it. I just try to play my game and bring my skill to whatever line I’m playing with.” McPhee said there was a possibility Neal could be in the lineup Friday. Neal, recovering from offseason surgery on his broken right hand, was optimistic. “When I had surgery (in late July) and went through the process of getting better, my goal was always to play the first game, so I’m still working to that,” Neal said. “It’s been nice to be able to practice the last few days with the team and get reps in and get your game legs back a little bit, feel the puck. I hadn’t really done much, so I feel good and continue to get better each day.” The defensive pairings are more muddled than the forward pairings. has played with just about everyone in training camp, and the veteran defenseman said there will be an adjustment period. “Finding tendencies and little things that a guy does has been a challenge,” Sbisa said. “We’ve only been together, what, three weeks? As we go on, there’ll be a little more structure, I’m sure. But right now, you probably want to keep it simple and just communicate with the guy next to you.” McPhee said things probably will change in the next 24 hours. Returning Shipachyov to the lineup won’t be the only move. “We’ll see how things go,” McPhee said. “We could make one trade. We could make three.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076577 Vegas Golden Knights

Malcolm Subban adds to Golden Knights’ goaltending depth

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal October 4, 2017 - 6:03 PM

The one position the Golden Knights appeared set at was goaltender. But general manager George McPhee couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add Malcolm Subban. “We see something in the player,” McPhee said Wednesday during the Knights’ media day at City National Arena. Subban, claimed on waivers from Boston on Tuesday, joins a goaltending rotation that includes starter Marc-Andre Fleury and backup Calvin Pickard. Subban, 23, was a first-round pick by the Bruins in 2012 (No. 24 overall). He appeared in four preseason games with Boston and went 1-0 with a 2.71 goals-against average. In 32 games last season with Providence of the American Hockey League, he posted a 2.41 GAA and a .917 save percentage. Subban’s older brother P.K. is a defenseman for the Nashville Predators, and his younger brother Jordan is in the Vancouver Canucks organization. “If we can get him to adjust to the way we think he should play and if he’s coachable,” McPhee said, “we think we could have a good one, which is why we made the move.” Subban was asked about that adjustment and said he will work with goaltending coach David Prior at “calming down my game.” “I think that I underestimate my size a little bit,” said the 6-foot-2-inch Subban. “I can use it more to my advantage to move around less and be more stationary, a little more quiet.” McPhee said Subban will remain on the Knights’ 23-man roster, meaning the team could carry three goaltenders to start the season. Pickard went 0-1-1 with a 4.00 GAA and .869 save percentage in two preseason games. “There’s always people that are nipping at your heels,” Pickard said. “They always want your job, and you need good goalie depth all the way through an organization. I think it’s a good move, and it’s a great challenge for us as well.” No ‘C’ The Knights named six players as alternate captains for their inaugural season rather than giving out the captain’s ‘C.’ The leadership group consists of Deryk Engelland, Jason Garrison, James Neal, David Perron, Luca Sbisa and Reilly Smith, with three players wearing the ‘A’ on their sweater for home games and three on the road. “That’s definitely an honor,” Neal said. “We have a great group of guys here, and all the other guys that were named will put a great leadership group together and help the young guys and guide this team.” Engelland’s beard never reached Brent Burns levels of scruffiness, but it was pretty formidable nonetheless. The defenseman arrived at practice Wednesday with his facial hair neatly trimmed. “Team policy,” Engelland said. “Not quite to the Yankees, but somewhere along those lines. Just so we look good as a team.” The Knights signed forward Brandon Pirri, a former 20-goal scorer, and assigned him to Chicago (American Hockey League) to start the season. Pirri had been on a professional tryout with Florida. … Forward Reid Duke will miss four to six months after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076578 Washington Capitals

Capitals sign forward Alex Chiasson to one-year, $660,000 deal

By Isabelle Khurshudyan October 4 at 5:16 PM

Forward Alex Chiasson took his seat at his stall in the Washington Capitals’ dressing room and announced that he officially belonged. Chiasson has been with the Capitals since the start of training camp on a professional tryout agreement, but on Wednesday morning, he signed a one-year, one-way $660,000 contract with the team. He is expected to make his Washington debut in the season-opener at Ottawa on Thursday. The deal is a satisfying ending to a long summer for Chiasson. The 27- year-old didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the Calgary Flames after he scored 12 goals last season. As an unrestricted free agent, the contract offers didn’t come. When the Capitals contacted him about auditioning for a contract at training camp, he thought there might be enough openings in their lineup. This is Chiasson’s sixth year in the NHL, and he’s on his fourth team. [The modern NHL is a young man’s league. And it’s getting younger. And better.] “I’ll be the first one to say that it was a little bit of a long summer regarding that stuff, but I like my opportunity here,” Chiasson said. “For me this summer, obviously with what was going on, I still would train and prepare for the season. Maybe more of a chip on my shoulder, if I want to say that. I came into camp in good shape, and it’s been a great camp. I got to know the guys a little bit, and I’m really excited to earn a spot on the team here.” The Capitals reassigned defenseman Madison Bowey on Tuesday and then waived forward Chandler Stephenson on Wednesday to clear the roster and salary cap room for Chiasson. With forward Tom Wilson suspended for the first four games of the season, Chiasson will start the year on the right wing of the third line with center Lars Eller. Coach Barry Trotz said Chiasson could play “throughout” the lineup once Wilson returns from his suspension. Chiasson joked that he played with every forward on the team during the preseason, and the Capitals also had him killing penalties in exhibitions. “He had a pretty decent year last year,” Trotz said. “His goal is to have another good year so he can stand up and say, ‘Listen, I put up back-to- back years.’ It’ll be on his former team that, ‘Maybe you should have kept me.’ ” Said Chiasson: “In my situation that I’ve been in the last couple of years, changing teams and all that, it gets to a point where as a player, you want to prove that you belong. But I’ve learned from the past and I understand the league now and I know what it takes to be successful and it’s the same for me. I think the biggest thing is I need a little more consistency in my game throughout the season. Some of that stuff is in my control, so I’ve got to prove that I can play and produce.”

Washington Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076579 Washington Capitals scored more goals for Washington in the Ovechkin era. For the current crop of top-six forwards to add 123 goals to Ovechkin’s total in 2017-18, Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, Andre Burakovsky and Evgeny NHL 2017-18 Preview: Playoff projections and pivotal stats for every Kuznetsov all have to equal their highest scoring output over the past five team seasons plus one other player needs to produce a 30-goal campaign. Season Alex Ovechkin Rest of the team’s top-six forwards By Neil Greenberg October 4 at 4:21 PM 2005-06 52 93 2006-07 46 111 The NHL regular season begins tonight. Here’s how it’s projected to end 2007-08 65 84 — with a look at some key stats that could make all the difference. 2008-09 56 111 The projections start with the season point totals released by the 2009-10 50 139 Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook in September. Those point totals were then used to determine a team’s average goals for and against per 2010-11 32 96 game, which were in turn used to simulate the entire season 1,000 times. 2011-12 38 89 * Denotes projected playoff team 2012-13 (prorated) 55 87

2013-14 51 90 1. Pittsburgh Penguins*, 104 points 2014-15 53 97 The defending Stanley Cup champions said goodbye to three scoring forwards (Chris Kunitz, Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen), three respectable 2015-16 50 105 defensemen (Trevor Daley, Ron Hainsey and Mark Streit) and a three- 2016-17 33 123 time Stanley Cup-winning goalie (Marc-Andre Fleury) and are still the odds-on favorite to become the first team to hoist the Cup three times in Still, this team has a bona fide star in net in Braden Holtby (.925 save a row since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980 to 1983. percentage last season with a league-leading nine shutouts) which could Why? Because they still have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the help ease the burden on the offense. roster. [Maintaining greatness for himself, Caps will demand more than ever Crosby led the league in goals last season (44) and finished second in from Alex Ovechkin] points scored (89). With him on the ice, the Penguins outscored the opposition 62 to 45 at even strength. With Malkin on the ice, Pittsburgh 6. Montreal Canadiens*, 99 points outscored opponents 52 to 32, the 10th best differential among forwards Good luck trying to score against goaltender Carey Price. The 30-year- playing at least 800 minutes last season. old stopped a league high 88 percent of even-strength high-danger shots 2. Anaheim Ducks*, 102 points last season with an above-average save percentage against high-danger shots on the penalty kill (.806, 13 out of 29 qualified netminders). The Ducks’ goaltending was the catalyst to winning the Pacific Division last season, allowing the third-fewest goals against thanks to John Offensively, look for Jonathan Drouin to mesh well on the top line with Gibson’s .924 save percentage. It took high-danger shots to get pucks Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty. Drouin helped Tampa Bay past him and even then he was still above-average at stopping shots outscore opponents 79 to 55 in 2016-17 overall and was also on the ice from the slot and close to the goalmouth (.797 high-danger save for a plus-77 shot attempt differential at even strength. percentage compared to .789 for the rest of the league). 7. Chicago Blackhawks*, 98 points 3. Edmonton Oilers*, 102 points Chicago is going to need Patrick Kane to score despite the team trading The Connor McDavid era has begun. The 20-year-old wunderkind led the away linemate Artemi Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets. When NHL in scoring (100 points) last season and was named the league’s those two shared the ice, the Blackhawks scored 57 percent of the goals most valuable player, the youngest player to win the Hart Trophy since and took 55 percent of the shot attempts at even strength. When Kane Crosby in 2007. skated away from Panarin those numbers dropped to 33 and 44 percent, respectively. And only Crosby scored more primary points (goals and first assists) per 60 minutes at even strength than McDavid, with no other forward WOWY Percentage of goals scored by CHI at even strength (minimum 1,000 minutes played) producing more than 2.0 primary points Percentage of shot attempts by CHI at even strength per 60 minutes last season. Patrick Kane with Artemi Panarin 57% 55% [The modern NHL is a young man’s league. And it’s getting younger. And Patrick Kane without Artemi Panarin 33% 44% better.] 8. Nashville Predators*, 97 points 4. Tampa Bay Lightning*, 101 points Fresh off an appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Predators have Steven Stamkos and Ryan Callahan played 17 and 18 games, three star defensemen — Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm or P.K. Subban respectively, last season and the Lightning still almost made the playoffs, — that make them a threat to do it again. finishing the season one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the East’s second wild-card spot. With at least one of those three blue liners on the ice, the Predators outscored opponents 110 to 95 at even strength and saw a bit of bad Stamkos, when healthy, is one of the best scorers in the NHL. He has a luck on the penalty kill — the team’s 46 goals against in these situations 60-goal campaign on his resume (2011-12) and helped Tampa Bay were two more than expected based on the location and type of shot outscore its opponents 117 to 96 at even strength with 53 percent of all attempted. That may not sound like much but it would have been enough shot attempts in the team’s favor over the past three seasons. Callahan to move Nashville from No. 15 to No. 10 in penalty kill efficiency. has been on the ice for a plus-11 scoring differential with 52 percent of shot attempts in the Lightning’s favor over that same span. 9. Dallas Stars*, 97 points Now that Stamkos and Callahan appear to be fully recovered, both will Since the league returned from the lockout in 2005-06, the Stars have help Coach Jon Cooper get his team back into the playoffs. never seen above-average goaltending. The closest they came was in 2006-07, a season of average performance. Ben Bishop, who signed a 5. Washington Capitals*, 100 points six-year, $29.5 million contract with Dallas during the offseason, could The Capitals scored 263 goals last season, but will look a lot different change all that. once they take the ice for the 2017-18 season. Forward Justin Williams Bishop has a career .921 save percentage and has been a Vezina finalist signed with the Carolina Hurricanes and Marcus Johansson was traded twice, once in 2013-14 (he finished third) and again in 2015-16 (second- to the New Jersey Devils for a pair of draft picks, leaving the team place finish). without two players who combined for 48 goals last season and, more importantly, helped make the top-six one of the best Alex Ovechkin has 10. Columbus Blue Jackets*, 95 points played — only the top-six forwards playing with Ovechkin in 2010-11 The acquisition of Artemi Panarin should pay immediate dividends on the 17. Carolina Hurricanes*, 93 points power play. His 32 primary power-play points over the past two seasons ranks 16th overall among forwards, with the Blackhawks scoring 8.4 The good news is the Hurricanes have improved for two straight goals per 60 minutes with him on the ice during the man advantage, seasons, but will need left winger Jeff Skinner to have another big year if three more than when he was on the bench. they are to challenge for a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division. Look for him to set up shop on the left side of the ice, pairing well with Skinner scored a career-high 37 goals last season while taking an center Alexander Wennberg, who recorded a career-high 46 assists last encouraging 3.6 shots per game. With him on the ice, Carolina outscored season. opponents 61 to 56 at even strength, putting 52 percent of the goals scored in their favor. With Skinner on the bench that rate dropped to 43 11. Minnesota Wild*, 95 points percent. Ryan Suter played almost 27 minutes a night, the third most among blue 18. Boston Bruins, 92 points liners last season, with time on the power play (2 minutes and 45 seconds per game) and the penalty kill (2 minutes and 19 seconds). The Bruins made the playoffs last season, but did little to keep up with When paired with his most frequent partner at even strength, Jared the other contenders in the Atlantic Division, leaving them with an aging Spurgeon, the two were on the ice for a plus-26 goal differential, the roster. highest among defensive pairs skating at least 500 minutes together at A big question will be how much defenseman Zdeno Chara has left in the even strength last season. tank. The 2008-09 Norris winner turns 41 in March and could become the 12. St. Louis Blues*, 95 points sixth blueliner to play at least 1,000 minutes after his 40th birthday. But those are minutes Boston is better off giving someone else. Among the Vladimir Tarasenko could be one of the best players no one talks about. Bruins’ defenders last season, only Brandon Carlo (53.3) was on the ice The 25-year-old winger scored 39 goals last season, producing the ninth- for more shot attempts against per 60 minutes at even strength than highest overall game score per 60 minutes (3.34). Chara (53). Game score is a metric adapted from baseball which aims to give credit 19. Ottawa Senators, 92 points for goals, primary assists, secondary assists, shots on goal, blocked shots, penalty differential, faceoffs, 5-on-5 shot differential and 5-on-5 Ottawa showed a commitment to team defense under first-year coach goal differential. Higher numbers equal superior performance, making Guy Boucher, choosing to frustrate teams with their 1-3-1 neutral-zone Tarasenko one of the most valuable players in hockey last year. system, but they still allowed 58 shot attempts per 60 minutes at even strength, the fourth highest in the league. That’s a problem, especially 13. Calgary Flames*, 95 points with star defenseman Erik Karlsson questionable for the season opener. With him on the ice, Ottawa outscored its opponents 112 to 86 (57 A year after the Flames got below-average goaltending from Brian Elliott percent) last season; that dropped to 44 percent when he was on the and Chad Johnson, the team went out and acquired Mike Smith from the bench. Arizona Coyotes. Unfortunately, he may not be the solution to their problem. Karlsson isn’t the team’s only injury concern: center Derick Brassard is nursing a shoulder injury, Clarke MacArthur missed nearly two full There was virtually no difference between the performance of the three seasons with concussions and Ryan Dzingel, could miss the start of the last season, with Smith faring only slightly better against high-danger season with a wrist injury. shots than Elliott (one to two goals per 100 shot attempts). 20. Winnipeg Jets, 92 points Goaltender Actual Sv% (2016-17) Expected Sv% (2016-17) High-danger Sv% (2016-17) The Jets, like the Maple Leafs, are loaded with young talent. Patrik Laine scored 36 goals in 73 games as a rookie last season, 24-year-old center Brian Elliott .909 .909 .764 Mark Scheifele produced a career-high 82 points and 21-year-old Nikolaj Chad Johnson .910 .911 .781 Ehlers tallied 64 points. They also have veteran Blake Wheeler who has topped 74 points in each of the past two seasons. However, that might Mike Smith .914 .912 .779 not be enough to compensate for Steve Mason in net. 14. San Jose Sharks, 95 points Mason has been a below-average goaltender since winning the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie in 2008-09. More troubling is he has The Sharks have been consistently good: since 2005-06, no franchise provided his teams with a lower percentage of quality starts for two has won more regular-season games. But their established core of Joe straight seasons, with 11 games in 2016-17 producing an in-game save Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard percentage of .850 or lower. Only and Tuukka Rask had Vlasic made them one of the oldest rosters in the league (average age of more. 29.6 last season). 21. Philadelphia Flyers, 91 points Pushing the average age upward is forward Joel Ward, who turns 37 in December. He saw his goal production drop from 21 goals to 10 in just The Flyers did the right thing moving on from Mason, but bringing in one season with a corresponding decline in his overall shots per game Elliott won’t improve the team’s goaltending situation by much. Elliott (1.75 to 1.35), putting his time on ice in jeopardy during the final year of stopped a higher percentage of high-danger chances than Mason last his contract. season yet produced a lower expected save percentage after adjusting attempts for location, shot type and whether the team was on the penalty 15. New York Rangers*, 94 points kill. Once considered the Blueshirts’ greatest strength, goaltending might be Goaltender Actual Sv% (2016-17) Expected Sv% a legitimate concern for the Rangers this season. Franchise player (2016-17) High-danger Sv% (2016-17) Henrik Lundqvist set a career low for overall save percentage (.910) in 2016-17 and provided New York with the most “really bad starts” (a game Brian Elliott .909 .909 .764 with a save percentage below .850) since 2013-14. Normally a bad season is excusable but for a goaltender past the age of 35 years old it is Steve Mason .908 .915 .743 worrisome. 22. Los Angeles Kings, 89 points 16. Toronto Maple Leafs*, 93 points The Kings missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons and The Maple Leafs made the playoffs for the first time in four years, and decided to shake up the front office. Rob Blake, a Hall of Fame player almost advanced to the second round at the expense of the Washington who spent 14 years with the franchise, takes over as general manager Capitals. Judging by the talent on the roster, this is a team that could be and assistant coach John Stevens will now assume duties behind the a perennial contender. So why such a low projection? Youth and bench. experience can be unreliable. Promoting Stevens, however, could indicate the team’s playing style Austin Matthews, a 40-goal scorer at 19 years old, 20-year-old Mitch won’t see the dramatic change it needs after scoring just 201 goals — Marner (19 goals, 61 points) and 21-year-old William Nylander (22 goals, the sixth fewest — last season. Not only was there a lack of offense, 61 points) are exciting to watch, but the three as a group also scored six when goals were scored they were typically from Jeff Carter, Tanner more goals than expected based on shot location, shot type and whether Pearson and Tyler Toffoli — those three combined for more than a third the goal came during a power play, enough to drop the team’s goal of the team’s 127 goals scored last season. The Kings need more differential below the Tampa Bay Lightning, who lost out on a playoff spot weapons. by one standings point last season. 23. New York Islanders, 88 points Will he stay or will he go? That’s the question on everyone’s mind when it place them 101st and 141st, respectively, in the league. In other words, if comes to John Tavares, who becomes an unrestricted free agent at the the Sedins don’t score, Vancouver probably doesn’t score, either. end of the season. 30. Colorado Avalanche, 71 points The easiest way to convince the star center to stay is to be competitive, but that doesn’t appear likely this season. The Islanders allowed the fifth- There are a lot of reasons the Avalanche continue to be a non-factor, most shots against (31.9 per game) in 2016-17, which in and of itself isn’t chief among them putting only 45.3 percent of even-strength shot insurmountable, but when coupled with below-average goaltending (.911 attempts in their favor over the past three seasons. Only the Buffalo last season) it quickly becomes a problem. Sabres (44.1 percent) were worse. Installing goaltender Semyon Varlamov as the team’s starter is also a disastrous mistake. 24. Buffalo Sabres, 87 points Varlamov has seen his save percentage decline for four straight The Sabres might not win enough games to make their first playoff seasons, reaching a career low in 2016-17 (.898). You could dismiss that appearance since 2011, but it won’t be because of a lack scoring depth. in light of him playing just 24 games, but the former first-round pick has had just one solid year over nine seasons in the NHL, the 2013-14 Jack Eichel led the Sabres in scoring last season (57 points) despite campaign that got him a second-place finish in the Vezina voting. Other missing 21 games due to an ankle sprain. He will find chemistry with than that, he has been mediocre, at best. Evander Kane (team-high 28 goals) and Kyle Okposo on the top line under new coach Phil Housley. 31. Vegas Golden Knights, 70 points Buffalo also has Ryan O’Reilly (20 goals in 2016-17), 21-year-old Sam General manager George McPhee assembled a roster with speed and Reinhart (17 goals and 47 points in his second season), talent, but expansion teams struggle to keep pace with the rest of the and Jason Pominville — more than enough depth to keep opposing league in their first season. The 1974-75 Washington Capitals won eight defenses on their toes. games in their debut. The 1991-92 San Jose Sharks won 17 games. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators won 23 and 10 games, 25. Florida Panthers, 86 points respectively, during the 1992-93 season. Florida mustered 205 goals last season, the eighth-fewest in the NHL, On paper the Golden Knights’ goaltending situation looks good — Marc- and lost a major part of its offense after: Andre Fleury teams up with 2016 IIHF world champion Calvin Pickard in Jonathan Marchessault (30 goals) was selected by the Vegas Golden net — but Fleury wasn’t at his best last season: his .909 save percentage Knights in the expansion draft was his lowest since 2009-10, and he stopped just 80 percent of high- danger chances at even strength, the ninth-worst rate among the Reilly Smith (15 goals) was traded to Vegas league’s starting netminders. Jaromir Jagr (16 goals) signed with Calgary Jussi Jokinen (11 goals) left for Edmonton Washington Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 That leaves the team with a top line of Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov and Evgeni Dadonov, three players who combined for 31 goals last season, with 28-year-old Dadonov last playing in the NHL during the 2011-12 season. 26. Detroit Red Wings, 79 points Detroit failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 25 years and is clearly no longer one of the league’s top destinations for free agents. The team’s biggest problem is the blue line. The top pair of Mike Green and Danny DeKeyser were outshot 632 to 719 at even strength, the seventh-worst differential among the league’s top pairings, and were one of eight top pairs to be outscored at evens as well (minus-3 goal differential). 27. New Jersey Devils, 76 points The Devils went 28-40-14 (70 points) last season, making them the worst team in the East. As a consolation prize, they got to draft Nico Hischier with the No. 1 overall pick. It’s unlikely Hischier will take the league by storm the way McDavid and Matthews did, but if he can show some chemistry with Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri, the team could improve. Marcus Johansson adds depth to the team’s forwards and shouldn’t regress too much after a career-high 18.6 percent shooting percentage — his net-front presence creates more high-danger shots, which convert at a higher rate. Plus, Johansson’s ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone to set up the offense with the man advantage will go a long way in helping one of the league’s worst power play units from last season. 28. Arizona Coyotes, 76 points A playoff berth is a long shot, but the defensive duo of Oliver Ekman- Larsson and Alex Goligoski is among the best in the league. They don’t share the ice at even strength often (236 minutes in 2016-17), but when they did the Coyotes outscored opponents 21 to 15. What separates Ekman-Larsson from other defensemen is his snap shot, which was successful 4 out of 13 attempts — only defensemen John Moore, Brent Burns and Justin Faulk scored more off a snap shot. Ekman-Larsson and Goligoski are also playmakers, combining for 57 assists last season. 29. Vancouver Canucks, 74 points Luckily for the Canucks, the wonder-twin powers of Henrik and continue to activate. The twins ranked second and third on the team in points scored last season but that was only good enough to 1076580 Washington Capitals the Stanley Cup when he was 40, playing in the final game of a 22- season career.

They’re all Hall of Famers, with Selanne the most recent inductee, and Maintaining greatness for himself, Caps will demand more than ever from they all experienced that burden of athletic mortality, wondering whether Alex Ovechkin their careers could last long enough to add a championship to their legacy. By Isabelle Khurshudyan October 4 at 3:29 PM “It was stressful,” Selanne said. “If I can choose that if I win the Stanley Cup in the first couple years or later in my career, there’s nothing like when you have to wait for that. So for the guys who haven’t won, don’t lose your faith. Your satisfaction is going to be so much bigger when you Alex Ovechkin spent his August mornings skating with teammates at the win.” Washington Capitals’ practice facility with the same signature toothless grin and yellow laces on his skates. There, everyone was watching. Fans When Selanne was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the and media fixed on him as he rumbled up and down the 200-foot-long 1988 draft, he knew that team wasn’t going to be good enough to ice, and everything from Ovechkin’s early return to town two weeks contend for a championship. When he was traded to Anaheim in 1996, before training camp to his potential weight loss was scrutinized after the he thought the Ducks were a playoff team but not a Stanley Cup-caliber captain went into another Stanley Cup-less offseason with a charge to one. “It’s kind of a frustrating thought because before every season, you get slimmer and speedier. In the afternoons, after the crowds and know you’re not going to win,” he said. questions receded, his actions went largely unnoticed. That was when he quietly would slip over to a nearby high school and circle its track. Selanne then tried to force the issue. He and longtime teammate Paul Kariya joined the Colorado Avalanche before the 2003-04 season The greatest NHL goal scorer of this generation is coming off a down because they thought that team would give them the best chance to win. year with the second-lowest goal total (33) in an 82-game season of his But Colorado didn’t make it out of the second round that postseason, and career. And as the Capitals try to rebound from yet another devastating the lockout washed out the following year, marking another lost playoff ouster at the hands of the reigning Stanley Cup champion opportunity for Selanne. Pittsburgh Penguins, there’s concern the decline in production could be the start of a new normal for the 32-year-old as he enters his 13th He was 34 at the time and coming off one of his worst seasons with 16 season. So in conversations over the summer, the Capitals encouraged goals and 16 assists in 78 games. He realized he had reached the age Ovechkin to be dedicated to his conditioning, to make some changes and where he had to be more diligent with his diet, his rest and how often he adapt to a changing league. went for massage therapy. When he won with the Ducks in 2007, two years after that lockout, he scored 48 goals with 46 assists, his most Ovechkin downplayed it all to the media, saying little about his weight, productive season in nearly a decade. training routine or diet or whether they differed from years past. But Ovechkin brought his Russian trainer to Washington with him, quietly “I changed everything,” Selanne said. “Even in the summertime, I tried to engaging in two-a-day workouts in the weeks before training camp. be more disciplined about the training and doing the right things. . . . Teammates Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov joined him, but while Sometimes when you’re young, you don’t really understand that because those two could enjoy actual obscurity, Ovechkin was still being watched you think that you’re going to have many chances.” running at Arlington’s Washington & Lee High. Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan was on the Calgary Flames “There was a couple times when people kind of recognized Ovi,” Orlov team that won the Stanley Cup in 1989. Lanny McDonald was 35 at the said. “Everybody knows him.” time and one of the team’s two captains. The right wing who had once scored 66 goals in a season was often out of the lineup during the 1988- The attention will amplify with the start of the 2017-18 NHL season this 89 campaign with 11 goals and seven assists in 51 games. What stayed week. Ovechkin and the Capitals hope to continue their pursuit of a first with MacLellan most was how a star player such as McDonald was Stanley Cup with an altered supporting cast. The salary cap and willing to take a diminished role to win his first championship. expansion draft scourged Washington this offseason, and with the roster seemingly weakened as a result, the team’s postseason hopes could “I mean, he was sitting out, he was in the lineup, he played fourth line, he hinge on whether Ovechkin can continue his elite performance level and played third line, just looking for ways to contribute to the team,” defy the age curve for professional hockey players. MacLellan said. “So you have to put your ego aside at some point and say, ‘Yeah, if the team is going to win, I just want to be part of it.’ He did To do so likely will require more drive and more discipline to carry a team that.” that lost 66 goals because of those summer departures and will feature a less-experienced defensive corps, all while keeping his body in peak Ovechkin has heard those stories of winning late in a career, the ones condition. It will require a recognition that both he and the NHL have where the star plays a pivotal role and the ones where he fills a lesser changed since the first dominant seasons of his glorious goal-scoring one. His takeaway: “If you’re going to look at history, you can’t wait.” career, when the game seemed to come so easily. It also will require a As Ovechkin turned 28, 29 and then 30 years old, he put up three hunger for a title that Washington’s players, coaches and executives straight seasons with at least 50 goals, roughly twice what the typical insist exists but Ovechkin’s critics always are quick to question whenever NHL aging curve predicts for a player of his caliber. Scoring in the league he’s slow on the backcheck or seen floating in the offensive zone. has declined, but for years, Ovechkin seemed to be frozen in time with For the Capitals to challenge for a championship, this season likely will goal-scoring numbers unattainable for pretty much everyone else in the demand a version of Ovechkin that again outpaces the expectations of a modern NHL. star his age. Is that a realistic prospect in a league that emphasizes With 33 goals last season — a career low of 16 at even strength — youth and speed more than ever? Ovechkin inched closer to expectations for his age. Staving off Father “He’s going to be good,” Orlov assured, his answer highlighting the fact Time has become even harder as young players entering the league are that, at some point, that became a question. faster than ever, making Ovechkin look slower when he has tried to create separation and unfurl his potent shot. Ovechkin averaged 3.82 ‘You don’t really understand’ shots per game in 2016-17, another career low. Teemu Selanne started crying when he was on the bench, looking up at “It’s an important year for him,” MacLellan said. “It’s kind of like a hump. the clock winding down as his first championship was about to become Where is he going here? Is he the 33-goal scorer, or does he still have a official. He started screaming when he hoisted the Stanley Cup. And then higher level of production? I think he’s aware of it.” he started thinking, “Now I can die in peace one day.” Some of Ovechkin’s decreased production can be attributed to less ice “I was thinking many times, ‘You know what, I don’t know if I’m ever time. The Capitals had the luxury of playing him 18:22 a night rather than going to have a chance to win,’ ” Selanne said. “But when I won that and 20-plus minutes because the lineup around him was so skilled and deep. had to wait that so long time — 15 years — I think it tasted better, you But players such as T.J. Oshie, Kuznetsov and Orlov got big pay raises know?” this summer, which caused Washington to part with two top-six forwards in Justin Williams and Marcus Johansson, who combined for 48 goals Selanne, one of the NHL’s all-time great goal scorers, won his first last season. Stanley Cup at 36 years old. Steve Yzerman was 31 when the Detroit Red Wings won. After 11 seasons in St. Louis, became a A team that had the league’s best regular season record for two straight Stanley Cup champion with the Dallas Stars at 34 years old. Luc years now has significant holes in the forward corps and on defense. Robitaille was 34 when he joined a star-studded Red Wings team in 2001 With Ovechkin still the highest-paid player on the team at a $9.5 million and won the championship at the end of that season. Ray Bourque lifted cap hit, much of the burden to replace the lost production of the offseason departures falls on him. His minutes likely will tick back up this season, which is Ovechkin’s preference anyway. “Those guys have drive,” MacLellan said. “You know, you watch [Penguins center Sidney] Crosby and you watch these elite guys, they survive and they evolve as they get older. He still has a passion to score, so I mean, maybe he has to learn a couple different ways to score. Go to the net more, get more tips, rebounds — ugly goals versus his spot.” Those types of goals require a grind. There’s more punishment around the net, and there’s more effort required than lurking near the left faceoff dot and rifling a slap shot into the net. The process will be taxing. And it’s fair to wonder as well about the psychological toll Washington’s latest playoff ouster has taken on this team. The preseason was filled with low- energy performances from many Capitals. While the results do nothing to hinder Washington’s pursuit of the playoffs, they likewise do little to dispel concerns the team has been fatigued from repeatedly falling short of its championship aspirations in heartbreaking fashion. The Capitals don’t doubt Ovechkin will remain productive on the power play, where he has scored anywhere from 16 to 25 goals since 2012. But if he is to reach 50 goals, which Coach Barry Trotz has referred to as “the bar,” he has to find a way for his power forward style to be effective in this new, speedier league. The NHL Network recently ranked the current top players, and Ovechkin had slipped to 18th place, behind teammates Braden Holtby and Nicklas Backstrom. “I think 18 is pretty good,” MacLellan said with a laugh. “I think with his talent, he’s capable of being in the top group,” Trotz said. “Now he’s got to produce. You can say he’s top five, but if you don’t produce in the top five, then they’ll push you down.” Officially, Ovechkin came to training camp weighing 235 pounds, down four pounds from the start of last season. “When you get older, you have to work a little bit longer and harder,” he said of the summer. His training involved less weightlifting and more running, such as all of those afternoons at the Washington & Lee track. While players in other leagues are molding strict diets to extend their playing careers, such as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s electrolyte-heavy “TB 12 Method,” Ovechkin’s changes were more subtle. He hardly wanted to advertise them, even as his conditioning was thrust into the spotlight. Why? “I’m still young,” Ovechkin said with a smile.

Washington Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076581 Washington Capitals “Somehow you got to try to put that aside and be the guy you normally are,” Backstrom said. “You know you can be a good player, and that’s why they signed you for that number.” The Caps bet big on T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov. They need them Simple enough. But also, this: “It’s a lot mentally, too.” to pay off. So MacLellan’s bet is that Kuznetsov’s talent, which has produced 97 assists the past two seasons combined, will continue to develop to the By Barry Svrluga Columnist October 4 at 11:57 AM point that he is a perennial all-star candidate. His bet is that the production from Oshie’s career year — 33 goals playing alongside Backstrom and Ovechkin — won’t drop off significantly and more importantly that his leadership, experience, work ethic and competitive The hangover is obvious. You can still smell the whiskey on the spirit will infiltrate the locker room even if he never scores 30 times again. Washington Capitals’ breath, feel the throbbing in their heads. The new season is here. The Caps can’t shake the last. They’re lamenting the He is betting on the human beings wearing the skates. opportunity past, the guys who are gone. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Game 7, and the pucks that didn’t go in during that first period and the air “You try and do your homework,” MacLellan said. sucked out of the building and . . . it’s all still here in October. Shouldn’t His homework showed that Mr. $46 Million and Mr. $62 Million — uh, be. But it is. Oshie and Kuznetsov — could handle all that comes with all those zeros. And yet they still have a team that opens the 13th season of Alex Each now knows what’s ahead not just for himself but also for his family. Ovechkin’s career Thursday night in Ottawa, and that team has a future. Oshie’s children are 3 and 1, and he and his wife love the fact that there Not just over the next six months and not just with Ovechkin. are so many little ones “on the team,” as Oshie said. There’s a comfort level knowing his daughter is in the same preschool as Backstrom’s little For all the kvetching about the departures of Marcus Johansson and Karl girl. Kuznetsov has one daughter and said he and his wife likely will have Alzner and Justin Williams and Nate Schmidt, the Capitals’ most more children, so he can plan his life accordingly. significant moves of the summer revolved not around whom they let go but around whom they kept. The contracts bring comfort, security and pressure, maybe in equal parts. Ovechkin’s contract runs through 2020-21. But T.J. Oshie and Evgeny “Before I signed that deal, I knew it was going to be some pressure on Kuznetsov? They’re now on the Caps’ books — and, presumably, their me,” Kuznetsov said. “But sometimes players need it. I think it’s going to roster — through 2024-25. be even better for me.” “Obviously,” General Manager Brian MacLellan said this week, “we bet Shake off last season, Caps fans. Shoot, shake off last season, Caps on a couple guys here.” players and coaches and execs. There’s a present here that matters. More than that, there’s a future — a future that’s tied to two players on With the bet comes a burden, one that can be spread around. Start with whom the organization has placed a $108 million wager. Odds are, given MacLellan, the man who built back-to-back Presidents’ Trophy winners the people to whom those numbers are attached, they will be fine. the past two years and now brings a lesser version of that roster into this season. The bet was on Oshie’s intangibles and Kuznetsov’s skill. And it was MacLellan’s to own: eight years and $46 million for Oshie, eight Washington Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 years and $62.4 million for Kuznetsov. The stakes are simple, and MacLellan knows it. In explaining the deal for Kuznetsov, he said: “If he’s good, I’m good. If he’s not, it was nice meeting you guys.” The contracts, though, have an impact on the players, too. They are no longer identified by the numbers 77 and 92, the digits on their jerseys. No, they now are linked inextricably to their salaries: Oshie and $46 million, Kuznetsov and $62 million. And they will be judged by those numbers above all else. “There’s a responsibility,” Oshie said. “It’s about how a player is going to handle it, right?” Kuznetsov said. As the Caps barreled through last season, with a Stanley Cup the only goal that mattered, Oshie, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, and Kuznetsov, who would be restricted, knew what awaited them. The goal of the Cup is unifying and dominating, but there’s a lot of idle time on the road to sit and think, too. “It never got in the way of my decision-making on the ice or my preparation,” Oshie said. “But it creeps in. I thought about it. You have to. It’s your future. I have a family.” As does Kuznetsov. Now those families are taken care of — and then some. How does a player respond to such security? “I think it’s tough because the player plays for the contract, and then he has a big year, and then there’s a natural letdown,” MacLellan said. “And then it becomes the pressure of the contract.” This phenomenon isn’t unique to hockey. (Paging Albert Haynesworth.) Jayson Werth will finish his seven-year deal with the Nationals at some point in the coming weeks — he hopes, very late this month or very early next month — and is being warmly embraced by the fan base as he reminisces about helping turn a loser into a winner. But his first season in Washington was a dud, one in which he hit .232. He knew the fans were thinking, “We paid $126 million for this?” It bothered him, so he pressed. It was counterproductive. Oshie and Kuznetsov need look only across their own locker room to find an example of how to handle their newfound riches, lifelong security — and the weight that comes with them. Nicklas Backstrom is entering the eighth year of a 10-year, $67 million deal. Find someone who thinks Backstrom has taken a shift or a practice off because of his contract, and I would like to meet him. 1076582 Washington Capitals Said Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan: “It’s not a blue-collar sport anymore. When I was growing up, parents were working in factories, and you were getting hand-me-down stuff. These kids have The modern NHL is a young man’s league. And it’s getting younger. And personal trainers, skill development coaches. And they’re going to better. tournaments on weekends. Are you kidding me? It’s shifted to that. It used to be all blue-collar kids. It’s different now.”

By Jesse Dougherty October 4 at 11:14 AM Washington Post LOADED: 10.05.2017

Just six months ago, when there was still unbridled hope in Washington, the Capitals got a close look at how fast the NHL is changing. The Toronto Maple Leafs, an upstart team led by then-19-year-old Auston Matthews, leaped ahead of the top-seeded Capitals with a two- games-to-one lead in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Most of his teammates had never been to the postseason, and some of the other top contributors, such as William Nylander and Mitch Marner, also were younger than 21. They buzzed around the rink, turning the games into track meets on ice, bad bounces into scoring opportunities. In the end, the Leafs lost in six games despite pushing the Capitals to overtime in five of the contests. But it likely was only a tease of how much Matthews and the league’s other young stars will influence the NHL moving forward. “They have an unbelievable skill level coming in that’s really unparalleled in the last 100 years probably of the game,” Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said of the NHL’s newest crop of young players. “You always say, ‘Who’s the best player that ever played?’ The best player that ever played hasn’t been born yet. There’s someone better. We’re sort of seeing the next better. It’s in the areas of speed and skill, the nutrition, the training. It’s just evolving.” Since 2009, championship success has been concentrated among a few teams: the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011, the Los Angeles Kings won it in 2012 and 2014, the Chicago Blackhawks won it in 2010, 2013 and 2015 and the Pittsburgh Penguins did so in 2009, 2016 and 2017. That’s only four different champions across nine seasons, but now seems to be the time for other teams to ascend. The speed and skill of the NHL’s young stars — a group headlined by the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Matthews but includes many more — not only is changing the league’s style of play. It is also squeezing out slower skaters and, as another season begins, could have a major bearing on where the power shifts next. “If you ask 25 experts who they think are going to compete in the playoffs and ultimately win the Cup, you are probably going to get 25 different answers,” said Doug MacLean, a former NHL coach and general manager who is now a Sportsnet analyst. “That’s just how the league is right now — completely wide open. But I do think that if you don’t have one of these really good young players, you’re behind.” MacLean sifts the young stars into two categories: franchise players and impact players. The franchise players, according to MacLean, are McDavid, Matthews and Jack Eichel, who signed an eight-year, $80 million deal with the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. They are generational talents who are ripping through the starts of their respective careers. McDavid finished with an NHL-high 100 points and led the league with 70 assists last season. Matthews was a rookie last season and notched 40 goals (a league-high 32 at even strength) and 29 assists. Eichel has 113 points across his first two seasons, 56 as a rookie and 57 last year. The impact players, according to MacLean, include Winnipeg Jets 19- year-old winger Patrik Laine, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau. The 24-year- old Gaudreau is a 5-foot-9 speedster and one of the skating embodiments of the NHL’s tactical changes, with speed now favored over size. But the NHL’s youth movement doesn’t stop there. The league’s latest collective bargaining agreement forces teams to commit a large portion of their salary caps to top players, leaving a lot of holes to fill with a little bit of cash. Teams are inclined to fill those holes with young players on inexpensive entry-level contracts. And those young players, more often than not, come into the league as fast skaters with years of skill training. “The game getting faster, it really is a shift from the ground up,” said Craig Button, the former general manager of the Flames and now an NHL Network analyst. “I don’t think the intended consequences of rule changes and CBA changes was to change the entire game and make it a speed game, but that’s pretty much what has happened.” 1076583 Washington Capitals

Capitals radio broadcasts will return to 106.7 The Fan this season

By Dan Steinberg October 4 at 7:35 AM

Capitals game broadcasts will return to 106.7 The Fan this season, making the team’s play-by-play more accessible on FM radio and deepening the sports station’s relationship with the team. After several years on 106.7 The Fan, Caps games moved to WFED 1500 AM last season. When they conflicted with other programming there, games were available exclusively on Caps Radio 24/7, the team’s online streaming service. After fans complained about the lack of an FM option, the team struck a midseason deal with iHeartRadio’s 104.7, a low-power FM station that was hard for listeners to access outside the Beltway. But Monumental Sports & Entertainment and 106.7 The Fan officials continued to talk during the offseason, culminating in a deal that returns the team to Washington’s FM sports talker. Caps games will exclusively air on Caps Radio 24/7 when there are conflicts with 106.7 The Fan, including for Saturday’s home opener, which runs simultaneous to Game 2 of the Nationals-Cubs playoff series. In addition to the Nats, the station also has play-by-play deals with Virginia Tech and Georgetown. The Caps will take priority over Hokies and Hoyas basketball games; it’s not yet certain how conflicts with the Nats next spring will be resolved. But the vast majority of Caps games will now be more readily available on the FM dial. “As we all know, 106.7 is the top-rated sports station; it’s the one you want to be on around here,” said Hunter Lochmann, Monumental’s senior vice president of marketing brand and strategy. “We knew we wanted to get back there, so we were happy to work out an agreement.” John Carlson will continue to make weekly appearances on Chad Dukes’s afternoon drive show, and Jay Beagle will replace Karl Alzner, who replaced Brooks Laich, as a weekly guest of the Junkies. Capitals Coach Barry Trotz and Wizards Coach Scott Brooks will also alternate weekly appearances with the Junkies, based on travel schedules. The station’s hockey program, “Crashing the Net” — co-hosted by Washington Post staff writer Neil Greenberg — will move to weekday evenings, typically on Tuesdays. Add game broadcasts, and the station will have a significant hockey presence. “We’re obviously very happy to have them back,” 106.7 program director Chris Kinard said. “Obviously there’s a huge fan base out there for the Caps. They want to be able to hear the game, and we want them to be able to hear the games, and I think we provide a great platform for that. Last year, both the Wizards and Caps appeared on WFED 1500 AM, which will remain the flagship station for the Wizards’ radio network for a second season. But Caps broadcasts — with John Walton in his seventh season of play-by-play — will return to 106.7, their home for four years before last season’s change. “This is the station that’s really going to amplify the caps,” Lochmann said, referring to the team’s “All Caps” marketing campaign. “Everything we do is in all caps. We want our radio station partner to kind of echo that same sentiment, and this is the right partner.”

Washington Post LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076584 Washington Capitals

Jack Eichel, young Maple Leafs top storylines in NHL

Staff Report By - Associated Press - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. Adding Patrick Marleau gives a much- needed veteran presence to a youth-laden team that has designs on not simply making the playoffs, but winning several rounds. JACK EICHEL. Having put contract talks behind him after agreeing to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension on Tuesday, it’s now on the Buffalo Sabres’ franchise player to begin performing to expectations — the team’s and his own. Eichel acknowledged his first two NHL seasons were “mediocre.” MONTREAL CANADIENS. While much of the NHL is trending toward youth and speed, can the Habs continue winning with an aging, plodding lineup that relies on size and the performance of goalie Carey Price? CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS. After hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2015 for the third time in a six-year stretch of success, was last year’s first-round exit an aberration? How will Jonathan Toews respond after an off year? CONNOR McDAVID. Will the 20-year-old reigning MVP put together a second straight 100-point season and help the Edmonton Oilers qualify for the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1997-2001? Or will he cool off? HOT SEATS. Florida was the first of many NHL teams to fire coaches during last season, letting Gerard Gallant go after just 21 games. Will Detroit stick with Jeff Blashill behind the bench all season if the team’s new arena loses its luster with too many losses? WASHINGTON CAPITALS. Will Alex Ovechkin and the big guns score enough and Braden Holtby stop enough to keep them a solid playoff team and a Stanley Cup contender? STEVEN STAMKOS. The Tampa Bay Lightning captain was a point-a- game player before his horrific knee injury last season. If he returns to form they’ll be scary. NEW GOALIES. Carolina has Scott Darling, Dallas has Ben Bishop, Calgary has Mike Smith and all should be better for it, while it remains to be seen with Antti Raanta in Arizona. GOLDEN ERA. The expansion Vegas Golden Knights open their inaugural season and it will be interesting to see how Las Vegas embraces its first major professional sports franchise. BY THE BOOK. No timeouts after icing and no line changes for teams that commit the infraction. Closer attention from the officials on slashing. But the biggest rule change might be the crackdown on face-off violations, which has already led to some preseason grumbling. MIGHTY PENGUINS. The elephant in the room, of course: Can Pittsburgh become the first team to win three championships in a row since the Islanders dynasty of the early 1980s? Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are back for a try.

Washington Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076585 Washington Capitals It’s unrealistic to expect athletes to admit they don’t have a shot at winning; they aren’t going to say, “We have no shot this year, so don’t watch us.” Capitals ready to move on from playoff loss to Penguins Niskanen was more reserved — though confident. “We have the horses to go further than we have,” he said. By Matthew Paras - The Washington Times - Wednesday, October 4, But Oshie’s point circles back to the Capitals still having Backstrom and 2017 star Alex Ovechkin. The Capitals lost Justin Williams in free agency and traded away Marcus Johansson, but there’s elite level talent on this roster. Matt Niskanen paused. Just moments earlier, the Captials defenseman had admitted portions of training camp felt bland — something coach The Capitals are counting on added contributions from Kuznetsov, who Barry Trotz had also acknowledged days before. signed an eight-year, $62.4 million extension in July, and Andre Burakovsky to take additional steps forward. Was it a hangover from the Eastern Conference Second Round Game 7 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in May? Was it because the team’s Kuznetsov and Oshie also face new expectations that they can produce veterans had been through so many camps before? at even higher levels. Oshie is coming off a career year and Kuznetsov is only 25. “It seemed like we were dragging a bit,” Niskanen said. “We didn’t have the same jump, the same enthusiasm.” “I wouldn’t say pressure, [but] I think there’s responsibility to live up to the number, for sure,” Oshie said. Jump or no jump, the Capitals’ season starts Thursday in Ottawa, and for once, they enter the season without outsize expectations of a Stanley There’s also hope that Ovechkin will have a rebound season. MacLellan Cup. called last year “the minimum” from the Russian, who averaged a career- low 18:22 minutes per game and had 33 goals — his lowest pace in five Washington underwent major changes in the offseason — losing key seasons. contributors in free agency and the expansion draft. They tied the franchise’s future, for good or bad, to Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie MacLellan said Ovechkin will see more ice time this season. with a couple of eight-year deals. The Capitals also are trying to make it easier for Ovechkin to score. Trotz In May, general manager Brian MacLellan aired his frustrations over the has Ovechkin and Backstrom on separate lines, breaking with the team’s Game 7 loss. But in the end, he elected to keep most of Washington’s tradition. Ovechkin is now paired with Kuznetsov and prospect Jakub core in place. Vrana. Backstrom will be with Oshie and Burakovsky. Perennial Stanley Cup favorites in recent years, the Capitals in 2017 Who knows if 50 goals — a mark Ovechkin has hit seven times in 12 must balance contending for a title with building for the future. seasons — is still possible, but the Capitals are determined to maximize their star’s production. “On paper, it might not look as good to some,” Niskanen said. “But the game’s not played on paper.” “Splitting up Nick and Alex makes other teams make a decision on who they want to play their top defensemen against,” MacLellan said. “One of Trotz was more direct in his assessment of the Capitals’ preseason. those lines gets the second D-pair and will benefit whoever that is.” “Let’s quit with the self pity,” Trotz said after a 3-1 loss to the Carolina For much of the offseason, Trotz and MacLellan maintained the team Hurricanes on Sept. 29. The Capitals finished the preseason, 2-5. was getting younger. Even on Wednesday, Trotz called the Capitals’ prospects “the foundation of our future.” Last season’s playoff loss to Pittsburgh was crushing for the Capitals. Niskanen was seen shaking in anger in his exit interview in May with the But for the team’s roster to start the season, the Capitals have audibled media. He later described feeling sick to the stomach for days. on some of those plans. On Thursday night, Washington’s second Afterwards, he largely ignored the NHL playoffs, only checking the scores defensive pair will be John Carlson and Brooks Orpik. of the finals. The initial idea was to pair Carlson and Orpik with a young defenseman Among the Capitals, there was a sense they missed an opportunity and help them along the way. That didn’t come to fruition as the defense against the eventual Stanley Cup champions. They climbed out of a 3-1 struggled in the preseason with too many mistakes. Defenseman hole, but fell short. Again. Christian Djoos was the only player without NHL experience to make the roster. “It’s got to be mental, right?” Niskanen said. “You don’t physically deteriorate that badly in the matter of two days.” Washington has a brutal stretch to start the year with eight of the first 12 games on the road. Trotz said it made more sense, for now, to rely on “It’s tough to get beaten by the same team two years in a row,” Capitals veterans. star Nicklas Backstrom said. “Obviously that’s something that’s in the back of our head. Same time, you have to look forward. It’s a new Once the season settles in, he said, there will be opportunities for season.” younger players to get called up — particularly defenseman Madison Bowey, whose $703,333 salary got in the way of making the cash- For this year’s training camp, Trotz said he tailored the schedule to allow strapped Capitals’ initial roster. his veterans ease into the long season. Offensively, prospects like Vrana and Nathan Walker solidified spots. The Capitals needed to figure out the bottom of their roster and Trotz Washington is counting on Vrana to produce next to Ovechkin and acknowledged the stakes of a September preseason game were Kuznetsov. For the bottom six, three new additions — Devante Smith- meaningless for a lot of players. He let them work through the Penguins Pelly, Tyler Graovac and Alex Chiasson — all exceeded expectations defeat. and won spots over some of the Capitals’ prospects from Hershey. The hope — and more importantly, the expectation — is that they’ll be There’s a lot at stake, especially for Trotz, who is in the last year of his ready for the season. contract and hasn’t had any discussion of an extension. “You have to understand which place you’re in,” Trotz said. “That’s part But he’s comfortable with the high expectations that come with the dawn of coaching and managing groups. … If they’re not in a good place, just of a new Capitals season — even with the changes. sort of let them work through it and then get going. This is a pretty good group.” “It doesn’t mean that we can’t get to where we want to be,” Trotz said. “It just means we have to take a little different path.” When Oshie signed an eight-year, $46 million contract extension in June, he told reporters the Capitals were capable of winning “multiple” championships. Washington Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 On Tuesday, Oshie doubled down. “We have a very good core leadership group,” Oshie said. “We’ve got some very good players surrounded by those guys. That just gives me the feeling this team is destined to do great things and that we’ll able to.” Title or bust? 1076586 Washington Capitals The Caps have reached the postseason nine times in the last 10 seasons and figure to qualify again. They have a half-year to contemplate what will unfold. Face it. For these Nationals and Capitals, postseason is all that matters The Nats have a couple of days. God forbid they lose Game 1 behind Strasburg and face a “must-win” situation in Game 2 with possibly gimpy Max Scherzer or possibly shaky Gio Gonzalez on the mound. By Deron Snyder - - Wednesday, October 4, 2017 “Suffice it to say (Scherzer) is going to pitch in the playoffs here against the Cubs,” general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters Wednesday. Rizzo has never lacked self-assuredness, but Scherzer is a hamstring-twinge ANALYSIS/OPINION: away from being relegated to Game 3 or leaving Game 2 early. Thursday and Friday bring a tale of two seasons to the DMV, one getting Neither outcome would boost team morale. And based on their resumes, underway and one possibly ending next week. the Nats need all the mental fortitude they can muster. The Washington Capitals, coming off back-to-back division titles, open The same will be true down the road for the Caps, but the baseball squad the regular season 900 miles away in Ottawa. In Southeast D.C., the needs it much sooner. Washington Nationals begin the postseason after winning their second consecutive division crown. Starting Friday. The two franchises share more than a city and jittery fan base. Each has a recent history of being uncommonly good … except when it matters the most. Washington Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 For the Nats, winning the NL East four times in six years is overshadowed by the Division Series-eliminations in each instance. Their failure to advance hangs over Nationals Park and will fly with them to , where the banner waves. Considering how the Cubs went 108 years between championships, Chicago knows a little about quests for postseason success. “I definitely think there’s probably a little bit more pressure on them,” Chicago utilityman Ben Zobrist told reporters Tuesday. “They haven’t been out of this first series yet. Obviously, they’re very motivated to try to do that. But they know it’s a very, very big moment for them and their organization.” For the Caps, beginning their fourth season under coach Barry Trotz, Thursday feels like the exact opposite. Their anxiety and tension is six months away, when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin. Washington’s performance between now and then is figuratively meaningless, just like the seven first-place finishes in the last 10 years. None of those seasons reached even the conference finals. Trotz tried to dismiss the team’s history when he arrived in Washington — similar to Cubs manager ’s rejection of curses. The Caps responded last season with their second-consecutive league-best record … followed by their second-consecutive second-round loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. A hangover or ghosts lingered throughout the preseason. “If you talk to players, it’s been a little bit harder to get the energy this year based on how it ended and the summer,” Trotz told reporters Saturday. “So in some ways, another way to say it, we got stuck in last year’s energy or lack of at the end. “It took a piece of us and now we’ve got to dust ourselves off here and go, ‘Hey you know what? It’s for real. Let’s get going. We’re professional. Let’s quit with the self-pity and all that. Whatever’s holding us back, let’s go play because we can play.’” Both squads have proven the question isn’t whether you can play, it’s when you do so. Those who have been around and experienced the depressing pattern of premature postseason departures can’t openly question what will happen next. Bryce Harper and must simply believe that these Nats are good enough to win it all, capable of prevailing with pitching or hitting as the leading factor. Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom must lace up with total disregard for the Caps’ well-chronicled shortcomings, confident in Trotz (who has never survived the second round in 19 seasons as a head coach) and their increasingly younger teammates. But outside their locker room, former Caps like Karl Azner wonder about the institutional toll of constant flameouts. “You can only get to the second round so many times before you have to think that something needs to be changed,” Azner told the RMNB blog. Other observers have been conditioned to pay no mind until spring. “To be honest, I personally couldn’t care less about the Washington Capitals and the regular season,” former NHL goalie and current TV analyst Jamie McLennan told ESPN. “What are they going to follow it up with? Another Presidents’ Trophy? Great. Show me what you can do in the playoffs.” 1076587 Washington Capitals

Alex Chiasson signs 1-year deal with Capitals

By Matthew Paras - The Washington Times - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

In the preseason, Alex Chiasson said he was surprised when the Calgary Flames did not extend a qualifying offer to him. The decision made the 27-year-old an unrestricted free agent despite scoring 12 goals last season. Without a new deal, Chiasson settled on a professional tryout with the Capitals just six days before Washington opened training camp. Chiasson’s gamble on himself paid off Wednesday when the forward signed a one-year, $660,000 deal with the Capitals. Washington opens the season Thursday against the Ottawa Senators and Chiasson will be in the lineup. “I’ll be the first one to say that it was a little bit of a long summer regarding that stuff, but I like my opportunity here,” Chiasson said. “For me this summer, obviously with what was going on, I still would train and prepare for the season. … I came into camp in good shape, and it’s been a great camp. I got to know the guys a little bit, and I’m really excited to earn a spot on the team here.” With Tom Wilson’s suspension for four games, Chiasson will start the season on the Capitals’ third line on the right wing, next to Lars Eller and Brett Connolly. The 27-year-old had a productive preseason, chalking up a goal and an assist. Coach Barry Trotz said Chiasson took advantage of his opportunities in preseason games and scrimmages. “He had a pretty decent year last year,” Trotz said. “His goal is to have another good year so he can stand up and say, ‘Listen, I put up back-to- back years.’” The Capitals have to make room for Chiasson since he wasn’t on the mandatory 23-man roster submitted to the league on Tuesday. Washington will likely designate Chandler Stephenson to Hershey, where the team’s American Hockey League affiliate is located, if he clears waivers. Stephenson did not practice Wednesday. When Wilson returns, Chiasson will initially move down to the fourth line. Trotz, however, has put Chiasson in different lineups throughout the preseason, including the team’s power play and penalty kill units. He’s likely to experiment during the season, too, considering the Capitals’ roster turnover from last year. The Capitals are Chiasson’s fourth team in six seasons after being drafted by the Dallas Stars in 2009. He made his NHL debut in 2013. He said his experience from the summer put a chip on his shoulder. “In my situation that I’ve been in the last couple of years, changing teams and all that, it gets to a point where as a player, you want to prove that you belong” he said. “But I’ve learned from the past and I understand the league now. I know what it takes to be successful and it’s the same for me.”

Washington Times LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076588 Washington Capitals

Capitals’ games to air on 106.7 The Fan

By Matthew Paras - The Washington Times - Wednesday, October 4, 2017

The Washington Capitals will broadcast their games this season on 106.7 The Fan, the team and station announced Wednesday. The Capitals return to the radio station a year after moving to WFED 1500 AM, and later 104.1 FM, last season. Play by play man John Walton will carry the call for his seventh season. Joining him will be longtime color commentator and former Capital Ken Sabourin, who is entering his 15th season. “We’re thrilled to bring Capitals hockey back to D.C.’s top-rated sports station,” said Chris Kinard, 106.7 The Fan’s program director, in a statement. “Caps fans don’t want to miss a second of action, and now they’ll hear games and complementary programming throughout Washington via our full-market FM signal.” Broadcasts will include a 15-minute pregame show and a 30-minute postgame show, hosted by Ben Raby.

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Game 1: Capitals at Senators date, time, how to watch, game thread

By J.J. Regan

Live Stream: You can watch the Capitals at Senators game on NBC Sports Washington's live stream page. WHEN IS THE CAPITALS-SENATORS GAME? The Capitals (0-0-0) take on the Senators (0-0-0) Thursday, October 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Canadian Tire Centre. WHAT CHANNEL IS THE CAPITALS-SENATORS GAME ON? The Capitals-Senators game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington. Capitals FaceOff gets things started at 6:30 p.m. ET followed by Caps GameTime at 7 p.m. Stay with NBC Sports Washington following the game for Caps Extra followed by Caps Overtime for all your postgame coverage. (NBC Sports Washington channel Finder) WHERE CAN I STREAM THE CAPITALS-SENATORS GAME? The Capitals-Senators game, as well as the pre and postgame shows, is available to stream live here through NBC Sports Washington's live stream page and is available to authenticated NBC Sports Washington subscribers on desktops, tablets, mobile devices and connected TVs anywhere in the United States. WHAT ARE THE LINES FOR THE CAPITALS-SENATORS GAME? Here are the projected lines based on Monday's practice: Forwards Andre Burakovsky - Nicklas Backstrom - T.J. Oshie Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Jakub Vrana Brett Connolly - Lars Eller - Alex Chiasson Tyler Graovac - Jay Beagle - Devante Smith-Pelly Defense Dmitry Orlov - Matt Niskanen Brooks Orpik - John Carlson Aaron Ness - Taylor Chorney Goalies Braden Holtby starts with Philipp Grubauer as backup Scratches Nathan Walker, Christian Djoos, Tom Wilson (suspended)

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Following his second suspension, Tom Wilson acknowledges that he must adapt

By Tarik El-Bashir October 04, 2017 4:21 PM

After Tom Wilson was suspended two preseason games late last month, the rugged Capitals winger vowed to not change his hard-hitting game. After he was suspended four regular season games less than two weeks later, Wilson has changed his tune a bit. “It’s pretty disappointing,” he said Wednesday at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. “But I respect their decision. Four games and a week-plus seems like a lot but it’s their ruling. That’s the standard that’s going to be [enforced] throughout the whole year.” “I think they are trying to send me a message here,” he added, “and I’ve got to listen to it and adapt.” In his telephone hearing with the department of player safety on Tuesday afternoon, Wilson said that he told the new director of player safety George Parros that he attempted to mitigate the blow at the last second. He also said that Blues forward Sammy Blais, who was checked for a concussion but later returned to the game, should have been more aware of his surroundings. “They were saying he was not eligible to be hit—his numbers are showing the whole way,” Wilson said. “I watched the replay hundreds of times. He looks right at me. He knows I’m coming and he puts himself in a vulnerable spot. At that last second, I’m trying to do everything I can to get out of the way. You can see me change my body position at the last tenth of a second to try and avoid the contact.” But he didn’t avoid the contact. And with the hit-from-behind on Blais coming so soon after he was suspended two preseason games for a late hit, Parros apparently decided it was time to come down hard on Wilson. “I think that was a big factor in it,” Wilson said. “If you look at it, I’ve played four seasons at this level, at this speed, and I've made tons of hard hits, big hits, clean hits. That’s a lot of decision making where I made really good decisions in a tenth of a second to make sure it’s a safe, clean body check. Since there was that discipline a week before, maybe he’s questioning my decision making. …If he’s questioning my decision making that doesn’t sit well. I’ve played four seasons, making a lot of good decisions at a very high [speed]. I can get around the ice quick. I get on top of guys very quick. That’s part of my game, I’m a good skater and I’m a strong guy that can finish hard checks. You know what? The game is moving away from those big, big hits. You got to be really careful. I accept that and I’ll adapt with the game, like anyone would.” So, yeah, Wilson doesn’t agree with the league’s decision. But he accepts it. And, most important, he recognizes the need to make changes to his mindset and approach. “I have to be better at making the decision on when to hit and when not to, maybe pass up on hits,” he said. “My intent is never to hurt a guy. Anyone that knows me off the ice knows I’m an honest player and I care for the game, I care for players and I’m trying to play the game the honest, hard way that I know. I've got to adapt with the game and adapt with the message they're sending me. I’ve got to be a little more careful because obviously they’re being a little more severe with the games and discipline that they are handing out.” Coach Barry Trotz said he’s discussed the suspensions with Wilson and anticipates that he’ll adjust. “He studies his craft,” Trotz said. “He looks at almost all his hits. He’s not out there to try to hurt; he’s trying to play his style of game without going over the line. He’s played a certain way all his life, and the last four or five years he hasn’t really had any suspensions. And now he’s had two. Maybe the line’s moved, just like the faceoffs. The line has moved a little bit and he’ll adjust.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076591 Washington Capitals 2. Toronto 3. Montreal Eastern Conference predictions: Are the Caps still contenders? Wild card 1. Washington Staff Report 2. Carolina By NBC Sports Washington Staff October 04, 2017 1:44 PM The skinny: The best team in the Metropolitan Division is the Penguins, but they now have to deal with the grind of two consecutive Stanley Cup runs. At some point, Pittsburgh will hit the wall. Considering they did not A new NHL season begins on Wednesday. Now it's time to put our win the division in either of the last two seasons, I also do not believe experts to the test. they will see much incentive in pushing themselves through it to win the division crown. In steps Columbus. The Blue Jackets had the fourth best Tarik El-Bashir and J.J. Regan will cover the Capitals all season long for record in the NHL last season and also added a significant piece in NBC Sports Washington. What do they think the NHL season will hold? Artemi Panarin. The Rangers’ lack of center depth is a concern, but I It's time to get their season predictions for the Eastern Conference and have enough faith in Alain Vigneault and Henrik Lundqvist to at least see their picks to win the Stanley Cup. them into the postseason. Carolina is an up and coming team that will make a playoff push now that they finally have a netminder in Scott El-Bashir Darling who can provide consistent goaltending. As for Washington, the Caps will take a step back, but they will not collapse. What will hurt them Metropolitan is their health. Washington has unsustainably healthy the past two 1. Pittsburgh seasons. Injuries will come and the team will struggle because the roster is not as deep as it has been in recent years. 2. Washington The Atlantic appears very top heavy with Tampa and Toronto. Toronto is 3. Columbus certainly on the rise, but let’s pump the brakes on the contender talk considering their defense is still a question. I certainly would not favor Atlantic them to beat out the Lightning. If Tampa ever plays up to their potential in 1. Tampa Bay the regular season and Steven Stamkos is healthy, they can be one of the most dominant teams in the NHL. If I believed Erik Karlsson was 2. Toronto going to return healthy and stay healthy this season, I would have Ottawa in the top three over a Montreal team that is going nowhere fast. But I 3. Montreal don’t. Instead, I will go with Carey Price to get the Canadiens in, but not Wild card very far. 1. Rangers Conference winner: Tampa Bay has all the pieces. If they stay healthy, there’s no reason why they can’t win. 2. Boston Stanley Cup winner: Edmonton may have the best player, but Tampa has The skinny: The Penguins and Caps remain the class of the Metro and the better team. Stamkos wins out over Connor McDavid as Tampa wins should duke it out for the top spot. I do, however, have some its second Cup in franchise history. reservations about both teams. Sidney Crosby and the back-to-back champs have played a record 49 playoff games the past two years. That’s some serious wear and tear, and it’s bound to catch up to them at Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 some point. The Caps, meanwhile, have been gutted by Pittsburgh two years in a row and, well, they just didn’t look right while slogging through a 2-5 preseason. Even Coach Barry Trotz has acknowledged that some players seem “stuck” in last spring’s disappointment. The Jackets added 30-goal scorer Artemi Panarin and are backstopped by Vezina-winner Sergei Bobrovsky. But they’re not catching anyone by surprise this year. Kevin Shattenkirk and the Rangers round out my playoff teams in the Metro (assuming 35-year-old Henrik Lundqvist rebounds) but I also wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘Canes raise some hell and make a late run. I don’t have Tampa Bay winning the whole thing like somebody I know, but I do think Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman plus some shrewd offseason additions will make them the team to beat in the Atlantic. Youngsters Auston Matthews, Michael Nylander, Mitch Marner have the speedy Leafs on the upswing and it wouldn’t surprise me if they challenge the Bolts. The Habs, to me, are just a notch below the Lightning and Leafs, but are always a threat to go deep in the playoffs because of Carey Price. With Brad Marchand, David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak anchoring the B’s top six, I like their chances of squeaking into the tournament. The Senators and Sabres could make things interesting, but I think they ultimately fall short. Conference winner: For me, it’s the Penguins until someone knocks them off their perch. Stanley Cup winner: Quack, quack. I’ve got the Ducks winning it all. Despite some early injury woes, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and the rest of the veteran-laden group checks all of the boxes for me. Regan Metropolitan 1. Columbus 2. Pittsburgh 3. N.Y. Rangers Atlantic 1. Tampa Bay 1076592 Washington Capitals

After a strong camp, Alex Chiasson signs one-year deal with the Caps

By J.J. Regan October 04, 2017 1:21 PM

On Tuesday, the Capitals’ 23-man roster did not include forward Alex Chiasson. On Thursday it will. The Capitals signed the 27-year-old forward to a one-year, $660,000 one-way contract on Wednesday after a strong performance in training camp. After scoring 12 goals and 24 points in 81 games for the Calgary Flames last season, Chiasson remained unsigned through the summer as an unrestricted free agent. He was brought in to Washington on a professional try out and certainly made the most of it. “He took advantage of a situation, worked diligently every day and was noticed in every game that he played and every scrimmage,” Barry Trotz said following practice on Tuesday. Chiasson will step in at Tom Wilson’s spot as right wing on the third line to start the season while Wilson serves a four-game suspension. After that, it is unclear what exactly his role will be. Trotz indicated that he would move Chiasson throughout the lineup as he did during training camp. While most players would prefer consistency, Chiasson likely owes his new contract in large part to the versatility he was able to show by performing well on various lines. “I think I’ve played with every guy in the locker room that's here, the forwards,” Chiasson said. “I had the chance to prove what I could do with some good players, with some power play, some penalty kill. They put me in a different situation where I was able to showcase what I was capable of doing depending on who I was playing with. I thought that was great for me.” In order to keep the roster at the 23-player maximum, the Capitals placed forward Chandler Stephenson on waivers.

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Brooks Orpik hopes to adapt to an evolving NHL game

By J.J. Regan October 04, 2017 10:55 AM

You don’t have to be a hockey expert to realize that Brooks Orpik does not fit the mold of today’s NHL. The league is becoming younger and faster and those are two words that certainly do not describe the 37-year old defenseman. But this is not news to Orpik. “I think the most important thing is you have to realize that you have to make adjustments to your game,” Orpik told NBC Sports Washington on Tuesday. “If you don't, then you're probably not going to be playing much longer.” Orpik has always been a physical, stay at home defenseman. Puck handling and speed are not his strength and for most of his career, that was fine. But now the league is moving in a new direction and it threatens to leave him behind. There were several points in the playoffs in which it looked like he was exposed by the speed of the Pittsburgh Penguins. There were also moments throughout he season in which Orpik would get caught pinching in the neutral zone and did not have the wheels to recover. In his time in Washington, Orpik has gone from one of the team’s top defensemen to a projected third-pairing player heading into this season. Part of that has to do with his age, but the perceived decline was accelerated by his style of play. That was something Orpik had to change. Orpik joined Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara to work with a power skating trainer in the summer. The towering Bruins defenseman is 40 and appears less and less mobile with every passing year making his situation similar to that of Orpik’s. For Orpik, the training proved to be very different from what he is used to. “It’s something that I think that was probably crucial to kind of adjusting to the way the game is evolving and changing and doing some stuff that probably felt a little uncomfortable,” Orpik said. “But it was stuff that was probably necessary to work on and improve on just in terms of how the game's evolving. Even if the game wasn't evolving, I think just as you get older you've got to make adjustments to how you train skating wise and off the ice.” Specifically, the training emphasized speed and skating over strength. “Strength you don't really lose," Orpik said. "Obviously maintaining or trying to improve speed is more crucial than trying to get a little bit stronger in the gym.” That training will be put to the test as Orpik looks poised to start the season in the top four playing alongside John Carlson. Orpik was projected to be on the third pairing, but with none of the team's prospects excelling in training camp to a large degree, finding a dependable partner for Carlson has proven difficult. The two began practicing together on Saturday and Barry Trotz made it known it was not just a temporary move. When asked Saturday if he’s considering that pair to start the season, Trotz said, “Yes, we are. We are considering that, especially with the number of road games that we have. It could help restart [Carlson]. They were a terrific complement together a couple of years ago, so we’re just rewinding the clock a little bit, if you will.” Whether Orpik’s summer training will allow him to personally “rewind the clock” remains to be seen.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076594 Winnipeg Jets Defencemen Jacob Trouba and Dustin Byfuglien spent the night chasing down Leafs instead of sticking to whatever plan Jets head coach Paul Maurice has been drawing up on the white board since mid-September. Mason jarred in season opener Trouba finished a minus-4, while Byfuglien was minus-2, looking particularly bad on the Nylander goal.

Ineffective special teams? Double-check. By: Jason Bell After blazing to a 29.5 per cent efficiency rating (13-for-44) in the pre- Posted: 10/4/2017 9:08 PM | Last Modified: 10/4/2017 11:26 PM season, the Jets’ power-play unit lost its lustre, getting blanked on eight | Updates | Comments: 43 opportunities. Early on, it totally defused the upbeat mood at sold-out Bell MTS Place, coming away empty on three straight chances before the game was 12 THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Toronto Maple Leafs' minutes old. Patrick Marleau scores on Winnipeg Jets goaltender Steve Mason as Joel Armia and Dustin Byfuglien defend during second period NHL action Winnipeg set up shop in Toronto territory for extended stretches and fired in Winnipeg on Wednesday, October 4, 2017.

plenty of pucks at Frederik Andersen but couldn’t get one past the Danish-born goalie. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods The momentum shifted like a tectonic plate below the downtown rink. Toronto Maple Leafs' Patrick Marleau scores on Winnipeg Jets The Leafs didn’t need three power-play chances, just 45 seconds’ worth goaltender Steve Mason as Joel Armia and Dustin Byfuglien defend of one as Kadri stuffed his own rebound past Mason to open the scoring during second period NHL action in Winnipeg on Wednesday, October 4, with just under five minutes left in the first, setting off the three-goal spurt. 2017. "We had a number of power plays and it was doing everything but Put this baby back up on the hoist and give it a bumper-to-bumper scoring. And then we took a penalty and kind of let a greasy one in," said inspection — it looks like the defective parts of the Winnipeg Jets’ game Jets captain Blake Wheeler. "From there, you blink and it’s 3-0. We weren’t effectively repaired or replaced over the summer. weren’t able to dig our way out of it." Things went dreadfully sideways for the Jets in their 2017-18 NHL Toronto finished 2-for-4 on the power play. season opener Wednesday night at Bell MTS Place. More than just a harmless case of surface rust after six months of NHL inactivity, Matthews, van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak each had a pair of assists as Wednesday’s 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs was a complete Toronto led 3-0 and 4-0 at the period breaks. clunker, with 15,321 rubberneckers watching the breakdown. Maurice said nearly all the fine-tuning done in the pre-season didn’t Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck replaces Steve Mason translate with two NHL points on the line. during third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Winnipeg on Wednesday. "Yeah, just all of them," he said, dryly. "The power play wasn’t as bad as the number will tell. Their goalie was good. I’m not saying that’s the Jets sophomore right-winger Patrik Laine was spot on, calling the defeat game. So, that part was good. The rest of it wasn’t. "embarrassing." "We did it to ourselves on some of them. The third goal (Nylander) is a "It wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season. But it’s done. That’s reasonably easy read to make if you’re thinking about defending at that good news that we have still 81 games left. We just have to be lots point. But we’re thinking about let’s get it back as fast as we can, and that better," said Laine. is a bit of a holdover concept. And that’s how you get in trouble. Relax, patience. But we blew the zone on that and got in real trouble with it." "We were just not defending very well. If the opponent scores seven goals, there’s something we did wrong with our defence. But it’s hard to Hellebuyck stopped nine of 11 shots. He surrendered Marner’s power- say right now. It’s obviously frustrating because we were practising play goal midway through the final frame and couldn’t handle a great tip- defence so much. The first regular-season game the opponent scores in by Matthews, named the NHL’s rookie of the year over Laine of the seven goals, that’s not the ideal start." Jets and Columbus blue-liner Zach Werenski last season. Patrick Marleau, playing his first game as a Leaf after 19 seasons with In contrast, Andersen was exceptional, particularly in the opening period the San Jose Sharks, had a brilliant debut, firing a pair of goals, while when the Jets tested him 15 times, including a couple of open looks and Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and deflections through traffic. Auston Matthews supplied singles. The Leafs netminder finished with 35 saves. Kadri, van Riemsdyk and Nylander all scored within two minutes, 38 seconds late in the opening period. Maurice elected to give centre Nic Petan and defencemen Ben Chiarot and rookie Tucker Poolman an evening off to watch from the press box. Jets forwards Mark Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault scored late, with the game well out of reach. The Jets practise at home Thursday and Friday, and then depart on a three-game Western Canada road trip. Subpar goaltending? Yes. New guy Steve Mason had a night to forget in his Winnipeg debut. Winnipeg takes on Calgary’s newest foward, the venerable Jaromir Jagr, and the rest of the Flames on Saturday night, hooks up with the Connor Mason allowed a couple of softies and, overall, gave up five goals on just McDavid-led Edmonton Oilers on Thanksgiving Monday and rounds out 20 shots. He was swapped out for back-up goalie Connor Hellebuyck the swing west with a battle Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. after Marleau notched his second goal of the game just 36 seconds into the third period. "It wasn’t what we were looking for. Especially from my standpoint, it just Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.05.2017 wasn’t good enough," said Mason, who signed a two-year, $US 8.2- million deal with the Jets on July 1 after four-plus seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. "It wasn’t good. We’ll just come back, put it behind me and get ready for the next one." Mason, beginning his 10th NHL campaign, was asked if he’d ever been pulled early in a season opener? "Not that I can remember," he said. "It’s a bad game, it happens. It sucks when it happens but you put it behind you and get out of it." For the record, he really got no help from his teammates. Shoddy defensive play by the hosts, even after a two-week training camp designed specifically to try and fix what has habitually ailed them? Check. 1076595 Winnipeg Jets

Winkler's Fehr back for a visit -- and a game

By: Mike Sawatzky Posted: 10/4/2017 10:08 PM | Comments: 0

Eric Fehr came home again Wednesday night. The 32-year-old centre from Winkler, who had a large contingent of supporters on hand for his only Bell MTS Place visit of the season, produced a minor surprise when he earned a spot on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ fourth line out of training camp, edging Dominic Moore for the job. Toronto Maple Leafs' Eric Fehr smiles during second period NHL hockey action on the opening night, Wednesday. "I’m happy with the fact I’m in tonight and I understand my work’s just starting but I’m happy to be in this spot," Fehr said following the club’s morning skate Wednesday. "You have to bring it every day and that’s what (head coach Mike Babcock) expects from everybody and the team, especially for a guy on the outside. You have to make sure you’re bringing your best work ethic every day and doing all the little things right." Fehr, dealt to Toronto from Pittsburgh on March 1 in a salary-cap move, played one game with the Leafs before injuring a hand and missing the rest of the season. Getting shipped out of Pittsburgh — where he played a vital role on the Penguins’ 2015-16 Stanley Cup winners — wasn’t easy to accept. He is in the final season of a three-year contract worth US$6 million. "It was a little bit frustrating," Fehr said. "I thought I had a really good role the year we won (in Pittsburgh) and we had a lot of the same players coming back and I was hoping to fill that same role. I didn’t think a lot had changed but with the salary-cap crunch they knew was coming the next summer, I think that affected their decison a lot." Fehr has been a winger for most of his career but has experienced success more recently in the middle. In Toronto, the 6-4, 208-pounder will centre wingers Matt Martin and Connor Brown while also pulling some minutes on the penalty-killing unit. "It took a little bit of time to transition but I definitely feel more comfortable there," Fehr said. "I get a little bit more involved and I like to help out down low in the zone and help free the pucks and move them up ice. I think that’s one of my stronger aspects." Traded to the Jets by the Washington Capitals in 2011-12, Fehr struggled to regain his form in Winnipeg. "I got traded in a sling," Fehr said, recalling his rehab from a second surgery on his right shoulder. "I got traded to Winnipeg and I probably shouldn’t have come back when I did. I don’t wanna say I regret it, because I’m very proud to say I played for the Jets, but it was a tough year to say the least." MR. UNDERRATED? Young Leafs phenom Auston Matthews was asked for his take on Jets centre Mark Scheifele, his linemate on the high-flying Team North America at last fall’s World Cup. "He’s super-competitive and focused," Matthews said. "He loves hockey. He really loves to study it... I think he’s a pretty underrated player. When we played him, you watch him and look at the numbers he put up last year, he’s a heck of a player. He’s fun to watch, so is definitely one of the guys we’re looking out for tonight."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.05.2017 1076596 Winnipeg Jets something big this year and in the future. That’s the biggest sales pitch we can ever put on anyone."

Laine already has an idea about where Ehlers can spend his new-found Jets' Ehlers scores $42-M contract extension wealth. "Yeah, I told him already that I’m not going to pay any room service bills By: Mike Sawatzky anymore, that’s for sure," said Laine. "That’s on him." Posted: 10/4/2017 9:58 AM | Last Modified: 10/4/2017 1:23 PM | Updates | Comments: 20 Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.05.2017

Nikolaj Ehlers skates during speed trials on the second day of the Jets’ training camp on Sept. 15. From the beginning, left-winger Nikolaj Ehlers hoped for a no-fuss, speedy resolution to contract talks. In the end, the 21-year Dane got just what he wanted when he agreed to terms on a seven-year, US$42-million extension that should keep him in Winnipeg until the end of the 2024-25 NHL season. Ehlers is beginning the third and final season of an entry-level deal worth US$894,167 per season. "We didn’t start too long ago," Ehlers said following the Jets pre-game skate Wednesday morning at Bell MTS Place. "We all wanted to get something done before the season started. There wasn’t a lot of going back and forth. I think we were both pretty set on what it was going to be. I’m happy that they feel that they want me here and from the beginning I wanted to stay, so I’m really happy." Negotiations between the club and his Swiss-based agent Andre Rufener proceeded quickly, beginning after the start of training camp last month and wrapping up on the eve of Winnipeg's regular-season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Above all, Ehlers, who gave up three years of unrestricted free agency under the length of the deal, wanted to avoid the distraction of prolonged negotiations. "I didn’t want to worry about it during the season," he said. "If it was going to (drag) out, I didn’t want that. Not for me, not for the team, not for the organization. And they wanted that as well so we got it done before the season started." Head coach Paul Maurice was pleased to have Ehlers' contract status settled, which can be an anxious process for younger players. "Once they’ve been through it a couple times, they know it’s going to get done clearly," said Maurice. "And then you’re just hopeful they don’t feel like they got to try earn it all on the first shift, that they can just go out and play. The sooner we get Nik into that mindset, it will be worth every penny." Ehlers is coming off a productive sophomore season, showing some definite star qualities when he scored 25 goals and 64 points in 82 games. He has played a total of 154 NHL games, with 40 goals and 102 points over that span. The 21-year-old was chosen in the first round (ninth overall) in the 2014 NHL draft and is entering his third season with the club. Ehlers also skated for the Danish national team at the 2017 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Cologne and Paris where he registered four assists and 18 PIMs in seven games. Ehlers was asked what prompted him to sign a long-term deal. "This team, this organization, the city, everything," said Ehlers. "From Day 1, I was happy here. Everybody helped me getting settled from the start. It’s amazing playing in front of all these fans. Winnipeg as a city is amazing, they love their hockey. So, I could not see any reason to not want to stay here for long term." Sophomore right-winger Patrik Laine, Ehlers’ closest friend on the squad and another high-profile player expected to be in the midst of negotiations for a long-term extension following the 2017-18 season, was thrilled with the development. "As Nik’s linemate and good buddy, it’s awesome to see a nice guy like that get rewarded like that," said Laine. "It’s awesome for me. I’m super happy for him. It’s just nice to see that this organization thinks that and believes that he will be a franchise player for this team." Alternate captain Mark Scheifele joined the chorus hailing the move. "I think he likes it here," said Scheifele. "He’s got his good buddy (Laine) here. Guys that play here love it here. We have a great organization, a great group of guys, a good group of young guys that are excited to do 1076597 Winnipeg Jets

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Winnipeg Jets

Staff Report Posted: 10/4/2017 7:36 AM | Comments: 12

Auston Matthews gets a shot off against the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo, N.Y., last year. About the Leafs Expectations are high for a Toronto squad that finished 40-27-15 to grab the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference a year ago. The Leafs faced Washington in the first round, but lost the best-of-seven series 4-2. C Auston Matthews, the 2016 first-overall draft pick who went right before Jets’ RW Patrik Laine, had a monster rookie season, scoring 40 goals and adding 29 assists. He was named the Calder Trophy winner as the league’s top first-year player. He’ll centre a line with another hotshot sophomore, William Nylander and Zach Hyman. Former Jets D Ron Hainsey and F Eric Fehr will be in the lineup for Toronto. Hainsey, 36, won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season and signed a two-year deal with the Leafs during the off- season. Fehr, who hails from Winkler, played most of the season with Pittsburgh before being dealt to Toronto in March. G Frederik Andersen was 33-16-4 last season and will get the lion’s share of the work guarding the Leafs cage in ‘17-18. He posted a stellar 2.67 goals-against average and .918 save percentage.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.05.2017 1076598 Winnipeg Jets You’ll be thrilled to know those cards are the same ones employed by the coaches for the power play and penalty kill! Actual, game-used equipment! It’s the little things we do for you here at Jets-Air. Don't panic about Jets just yet Above all, remember our new slogan: Rise Together! Even if that sinking feeling in your stomach tells you something else. BY PAUL FRIESEN, WINNIPEG SUN Patrick Laine summed up the Jets’ season debut with the one word no team wants to hear. FIRST POSTED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 10:55 PM CDT | UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 11:00 PM CDT “Just embarrassing,” Laine said after Wednesday’s 7-2 humbling. “Seven-two, home opener — it wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season. We were just not defending very well. If the opponent scores WINNIPEG - Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain asking you to seven goals, there’s something we did wrong with our defence. It’s remain calm and keep your seat belts fastened. obviously frustrating because we were practising defence so much.” Yes, that was one ugly takeoff, but Jets-Air Flight 2017 is now up and off It seems everything the Jets worked on through training camp and the the ground. Maybe not as safely as we’d expected, but off the ground, pre-season — team defence, the power play (0-for-8) the penalty kill (just nonetheless. 2-for-4) — was a disaster. The seat belt sign will remain on until further notice, as your crew tries to “Yeah, just all of them,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “The power play figure out what went wrong. wasn’t as bad as the number will tell. Their goaler was good. I’m not saying that’s the game. We did it to ourselves on some of them.” We want to assure you the wheels have not fallen off the aircraft, even if you did see what looked like a blown tire or two out your window. Maurice singled out Jacob Trouba’s “dumb penalty” which led to Toronto’s first goal and how Dustin Byfuglien blew “a relatively easy read Yes, we realize this is the same aircraft that caused so much trouble last to make if you’re thinking about defending at that point” on Toronto’s year, and while many of the problems appear to be unchanged, we third. assure you this was simply an opening-day blip. The coach was also unhappy with his team’s passive play. That lack of power on takeoff, I can assure you I felt it, too. Nearly filled my drawers, thinking we were going to run out of runway, ha-ha! “The hardest hit we threw all night was on Mason (the Jets goalie) on the PK,” he said, referring to Andrew Copp bowling into the Jets net on the Yes, that substance on your windows is oil from a pretty significant leak. opening goal. We could have sworn we took care of that in the off-season, but you know how these things go. Some problems are just more stubborn than others. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.05.2017 Rest assured the maintenance crew is working on that as we speak, so we can all enjoy a trouble-free trip to Western Canada. We don’t plan on limping through Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, although we do have some special snacks for you to keep your minds off any more turbulence we do encounter. In the seat pouch in front of you, you’ll find our special Jets-Air M&M’s, with the picture of Steve Mason on the wrapper. Each contains five bite- size surprises inside. If for some reason those don’t agree with you, the air sickness bag — the one with the picture of Connor Hellebuyck on it — is right next to them. In the unlikely event we lose pressure in the cabin, Ondrej Pavelec’s mask will drop from the overhead bin — just to give you a REAL scare! Ha-ha, just kidding on that one. What will actually drop out is an oxygen mask and a pair of rose-coloured glasses. Simply pull on the mask, breathe deeply and focus on the mantra flashing in the lenses. If we all repeat it — draft and develop — over and over, you’d be amazed how relaxed you’ll soon be. Your flight crew will soon begin serving beverages. Yes, stiff drinks are available, ha-ha. You can’t say we’re not responsive to our customer’s needs! If liquid medication isn’t your thing, turn your attention to the small screen in the seat-back in front of you, where you can watch our pre-takeoff video on a repeating loop. Wasn’t that a wonderful production? If you somehow tire of that video — and we can’t imagine anybody could — just use the channel selector on your armrest to find videos of Kevin Cheveldayoff announcing his incredible draft picks over the years. For some companion reading, we’ve included a copy of the Hockey News, the edition that predicted the Jets would win the Stanley Cup in 2019. If all that doesn’t help erase the memory of that stomach-turning takeoff, refer to our future tracker, which shows how long young stars like Mark Scheifele and Nik Ehlers are locked up. On the flip side of that card, you’ll see Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice are also in it for the long ha—on second thought, maybe leave the back of the card for a smoother flight. Those seeking to use emergency exits should consult the card in the seat-pouch in front of you, where you’ll find a nifty little connect-the-dots game to keep your mind occupied. 1076599 Winnipeg Jets back into the crease on Saturday against the Calgary Flames as the Jets open a three-game road trip against Pacific Division opponents.

“Five was enough,” said Maurice. “He’s going to have a couple he’d like Jets pounded by Maple Leafs in season opener to have back, but there wasn’t anything you’re looking at, saying, ‘My god, how did he miss that?’” BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault scored goals in garbage time for the Jets, though a timely marker earlier in the contest might have kept things FIRST POSTED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 10:44 PM CDT | a bit more interesting. UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 10:49 PM CDT Auston Matthews rounded out the scoring for the Maple Leafs and now has one goal and seven points in three career meetings against the Jets. WINNIPEG - It turns out some old habits are hard to break. It’s only one game out of 82, but for all the talk about committing to being better in their own zone, it’s clear the Jets have plenty of work to do in As the curtain rose on the 2017-18 season, the Winnipeg Jets renewed order to be stingier. commitment to team defence was lacking, an undisciplined penalty opened up the floodgates for the opposition and the result was a 7-2 And while one doesn’t expect the power play to be clicking at a 30% clip shellacking at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night in the first game of the regular season, the Jets couldn’t afford to throw at Bell MTS Place. up a zero-for-eight performance in the season opener either. The Jets actually came out with plenty of zip in their collective step and “That’s a tough stat, especially with the way we were going in the pre- were bombarding the Maple Leafs net with quality scoring chances, only season. It was a real source of confidence for our team,” said Wheeler. to be thwarted by goalie Frederik Andersen. “We did a lot of really good things early and we couldn’t get one to go in. From there, you start gripping (the stick) a little bit, you start over-passing After clicking on the power play during the pre-season to the tune of a and now you’re out of your structure a little bit and that’s how you throw a 29.5% clip, the Jets found some decent movement early on but were goose-egg up.” unable to convert.

The Jets had the first three power-play opportunities of the contest and it was only a matter of time before they found themselves shorthanded. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.05.2017 With Jacob Trouba in the box serving an unnecessary minor for hooking, the Maple Leafs needed only 45 seconds to cash in with a power-play marker, as Nazem Kadri banged home a rebound at 15:45. “It just kind of snowballed,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “We had a number of power plays and it was doing everything but scoring. And then we took a penalty and kind of let a greasy one in. From there, you blink and it’s 3-0. “Probably, if you’re into the season a little bit, you throw this one into the trash and move on. The fact that it was the first game, it’s not obviously the way you want to start, especially at home. So hopefully, it’s a good shock to the system.” Tyler Bozak beat Mark Scheifele cleanly with a good second effort on an offensive-zone draw and James van Riemsdyk scored from the slot at 17:40. Then during a delayed penalty call to Dustin Byfuglien, Jake Gardiner found William Nylander all alone on the backdoor for a tap-in at 18:23 — giving the Maple Leafs three goals in fewer than three minutes. Talk about the roof caving in. The Maple Leafs offensive outburst seemed to suck the life out of the Jets and Andersen took care of the rest, finishing with 35 saves. “Yeah, it doesn’t feel good when the opponent scores three quick goals, but I think we’re pros and we just need to move on and try to be better in the next period,” said Jets forward Patrik Laine. “We didn’t do that and that was the result.” Patrick Marleau scored on a breakaway at 8:32 of the second period and added another just 36 seconds into the third. That prompted Jets head coach Paul Maurice to get out the hook, sending in Connor Hellebuyck to mop up. It was not the debut Mason, who signed a two-year deal worth $8.2 million on July 1 to take over the top job, had envisioned — turning aside only 15 of the 20 shots on goal he faced. You certainly wouldn’t place much of the blame for the loss on Mason, as the Jets were incredibly loose defensively and allowed far too many quality chances against — which was a common theme during the past several non-playoff seasons. But the Maple Leafs got more saves when they needed to than the Jets, that point cannot be disputed. “Not that I can remember,” said Mason, when asked if he could remember being pulled before in a season opener. “It just wasn’t good enough. It’s a bad game, it happens. It sucks when it happens, but you put it behind you and get out of it.” Hellebuyck, meanwhile, gave up two goals on 11 shots, so it will be interesting to see if Maurice gives Mason a quick opportunity to jump 1076600 Winnipeg Jets league with 42 wins and finishing just outside the top-10 in goals-against average and save percentage.

Ottawa’s Anderson, who was second in save percentage last year Goalie graveyard no MORE: Canadian NHL teams solid between the despite missing a chunk of time to be with his wife as she battled cancer, pipes also has a chance. As should Toronto’s Andersen, who would have put up better overall numbers if not for a early-season stumble while adjusting to a new team. BY MICHAEL TRAIKOS, POSTMEDIA NETWORK “He’s way up there, in my opinion,” Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said FIRST POSTED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 05:07 PM CDT | of Andersen. “Just the way that he can control the game and play the UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 05:19 PM CDT back, and he’s so calm back there that it’s infectious to his teammates. "He’s one of the best goalies in the league, for sure.” Sitting in his dressing room stall, the bottom half of his equipment still on, That sense of calm is sort of new. And it should not be overlooked. Frederik Andersen stared up at the ceiling and tried to find the words. “Goaltending is 80 per cent important when you have it,” he began, In Ken Dryden’s celebrated book The Game, he wrote that the primary pausing to remember the rest, “and 100 per cent when you don’t?” job of a goalie is, obviously, to stop the puck, but that the position is far more complex than that. “You’re trying to deliver a message to your team Yeah, that’s about right. The actual quote, attributed to former Toronto that things are OK back here,” wrote Dryden. “This end of the ice is pretty Maple Leafs broadcaster Harry Neale, is slightly different. But Andersen, well cared for. You take it now and go. Go! Feel the freedom you need in speaking a day before the start of the regular season, got the gist of it. order to be that dynamic, creative, offensive player and go out and score. That was my job. And it was to try to deliver a feeling.” Goaltending is pretty darn important. It’s maybe more important to a team’s success than the effectiveness of Patrik Laine’s one-timer or For most Canadian-based teams, the feeling used to be one of whether Auston Matthews scores 40 goals again. Two years ago, all nervousness. Today, there is a reason to be confident. seven Canadian teams missed the playoffs because they didn’t have anywhere near competent goaltending. A year later, five of the seven qualified, including Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Toronto, whose Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.05.2017 starting goalies had save percentages ranked in the top-13. This year, it could get even better. After missing the playoffs with a goaltending duo that ranked in the bottom-three in save percentage last season, Winnipeg acquired veteran Steve Mason (“a bona fide No. 1 goalie,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler told the Winnipeg Sun) to help along 24-year-old Connor Hellebuyck. The Flames also upgraded a position of instability by bringing in Mike Smith and Eddie Lack to replace Brian Elliott and Chad Johnson, who had a combined save percentage in the bottom-10. Even Vancouver made a change, although replacing Ryan Miller with Anders Nilsson could be a change for the worse. "You have to have goaltending in this league, and we feel we have two good ones,” Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan told reporters earlier this week. Even if they were incremental improvements, what used to be a goalie graveyard has been given new life. It still might be a stretch to suggest that the best goalies in the NHL are now playing in Canada. But from Montreal’s Carey Price and Edmonton’s Cam Talbot to the two “Andys” in Ontario (Ottawa’s Craig Anderson and Toronto’s Frederik Andersen), there is legitimate top-end talent north of the border. So much so that Andersen believes he could be in the mix — along with Price, Talbot and the usual candidates — for the Vezina Trophy at the end of the year. “That's my goal. I want to be the best goalie and be up in that conversation,” said the Leafs goalie, who two years ago in Anaheim combined with John Gibson for the league-lowest goals-against average. “Of course I’d love to win it. It’s been my motivation all summer. Knowing I’m going to get to play a lot and we’ve got a good team here, I think I’m trending upwards. I know how good I can be. “I don’t think any goalie in the league doesn’t want to win that.” While every goalie might want to win the Vezina, usually only a handful of them actually believe they have a chance at it. You not only need to be good, but as Andersen said, using the chicken and the egg as a reference point, the team also needs to be good. Perhaps that is why there is reason for optimism in Canada. The goalies are good. But with the exception of Price in Montreal, the players in front of them are even better. It’s easier to play net when you have a team that includes Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl or Matthews and Mitch Marner or Laine and Mark Scheifele. “They’re both byproducts of one another,” said Andersen. “If you have a really good (team) in front of you, you look really good.” The pre-season favourites for the Vezina Trophy likely include three last year’s finalists — Sergei Bobrovsky, Braden Holtby and Price, who are also the last three goalies to win the award — as well as two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray, Nashville’s Pekka Rinne and Dallas’ Ben Bishop. You can certainly add Talbot’s name to that group. The Oilers goalie was the one to play in 70-plus games last season, tying Holtby for first in the 1076601 Winnipeg Jets Kane and Artemi Panarin built upon their rookie-season numbers in Year Two.

Even Alex Ovechkin, whose numbers slightly dropped from his 52-goal What can the incredible 2016-17 rookie class do for an encore? and 106-point rookie year, still put up a ridiculous 46 goals and 92 points in his second season. BY MICHAEL TRAIKOS, POSTMEDIA NETWORK “I don’t think the great players ever fall off the cliff,” said Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau, who coached Ovechkin for his second year FIRST POSTED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 11:00 AM CDT in Washington. “It’s the unknowns who have a great year, the rookies who have a great year but then come back to where they where they should be. You’re not going to see McDavid take a step back or Matthews take a step back. Mitch Marner is not going backwards. Paul Maurice typically isn’t one to get carried away. Back when he was the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, he once had a media “These guys are great players. They’re going to continue to be great. relations member distribute packets of camomile tea to reporters in an That’s what quite frankly makes the Leafs so scary. They have so many attempt to calm everyone down following a blowout loss in a pre-season young guys who are going to get better.” game. And yet, sophomore slumps do happen even to the best of them. When Still, even Maurice couldn’t help but get excited about what had Maurice was coaching in Carolina, he watched as Jeff Skinner went from happened the other night — in an exhibition game, no less. scoring 31 goals as a Calder Trophy winner to just 20 goals in his second season. Injuries were a part of the decline, with Skinner missing 18 In Winnipeg, Patrik Laine scored twice and picked up three assists in a 5- games because of a concussion. But another factor was the adjustment 2 win against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 25. Not to be outdone, that comes from being a top-line forward. Toronto’s Auston Matthews scored three times in a 5-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens. “What’s interesting is watch when these kids come off the bench,” said Maurice. “Jeff basically played on the third line with (Jussi) Jokinen and “Calgary didn’t have much in their line-up, but our guy still bangs in five (Tuomo) Ruutu as a rookie. And what happens in the second year is that points. That’s not so bad. And the other guy gets a hat-trick,” said they’re better players and they get moved up in the rotation, so now Maurice. “I know it’s exhibition hockey, but that’s what those guys do. they’re playing against the No. 1 defensive unit.” That’s why they’re so great.” The only difference is that Matthews and Laine were already in top-line As Matthews and Laine enter their second year in the league, the hope roles as rookies. The bullseye on their backs might be bigger, but the — and the expectation — is that there will be plenty more of those kinds pressure to perform on a nightly basis is not new to them. If anything, of nights. And it’s not exactly an unreasonable request. they welcome it. A year ago, the two teenagers took the hockey world by storm, with Matthews, who had a lion wearing a crown tattooed on his shoulder in Matthews scoring four goals in his NHL debut and Laine picking up his the summer, said he’s “hungry” to “take a step forward from last year” first of three hat tricks in just his fourth game of the season against the and be the best he can be. Laine, who packed on about 10 more pounds Leafs. By the end of the year, Matthews had won the Calder Trophy with of muscle, said he just wants to make the playoffs and “to help my team 40 goals and 69 points in 82 games, while Laine was not far behind him win more games.” with 36 goals and 64 points in 73 games. Now, it’s about sitting back and watching it happen. It capped off a rookie season for the ages, during which Toronto’s Mitch Marner and William Nylander each had 61 points, Columbus’ Zach Werenski led rookie defencemen with 11 goals and 47 points and Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray won his second Stanley Cup in as many Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.05.2017 years. After they had seemingly delivered all of their hits in Year One, what can the kids possibly do now for an encore? According to Maurice, whatever they want. Fifty goals are not out of the question. Neither is the notion that Matthews or Laine — whom TSN ranked among its top-50 players in the league, with Matthews at No. 10 and Laine No. 26 — could end up winning the Art Ross, Rocket Richard or even the Hart Trophy. The only thing they won’t do is disappoint. “I don’t see the guys taking a step back,” said Maurice. “Just look at Auston’s first game. It pretty much established that this wasn’t going to be a quiet year (for) him. And then early in the season, Toronto’s in town and our guy gets three (goals). So I think they are different. “And I’m careful in how I say this — and I don’t get to see the other guy because he’s in another conference — but with Patty, there’s still a lot of room to get better. Some of it is just physical. He’s going to get a little bit faster, a little bit stronger each year. Those things aren’t going away. I think these guys will just keep getting better. And because we have a young team — and so does Auston — the guys around him are also going to get better.” In other words, the idea that either Matthews or Laine could succumb to a sophomore slump is laughable. Barring an injury, it simply won’t happen. These are not one-hit rookies in the same way that Andrew Raycroft and Jim Carey were. This is just the beginning — not the end. “I don’t think Patty was necessarily lucky,” said Maurice. “He’ll tell you that he missed a bunch.” “It’s real simple: if you put in the work in the summer, you usually have a good year the following year,” said Leafs head coach Mike Babcock. “If you don’t put in the work, it usually catches up to you. I think we’ve got some good guys in this club and they put the work in, so I can’t imagine they’ll take a step back.” Few top-end rookies actually do. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby each led the NHL in scoring and were named Hart Trophy winners in their second season, while Calder Trophy winners Evgeni Malkin, Patrick 1076602 Winnipeg Jets “It's huge for him and it's huge for the team,” said Scheifele. “(Ehlers) is a very important part of our team and every guy is excited to have him long term. We've got some key pieces signed long-term and now we've got to Jets lock up Ehlers prove to everyone what we've got. “It’s time to put our money where our mouths are.” BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN Several prominent Jets – including defencemen Jacob Trouba and Josh Morrissey – will be restricted free agents next summer and will be in line FIRST POSTED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 08:47 AM CDT | for a raise. UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 05:59 PM CDT It’s possible Laine could sign an extension going into the final year of his entry-level contract that could carry an average annual value north of $10 million, but Cheveldayoff isn’t concerned about that right now. The Winnipeg Jets have locked up another core piece to a long-term deal. “We’ve got a lot of work that’s coming up – whether it’s done throughout the season or done traditionally in the summer time,” said Cheveldayoff. On Wednesday morning, a source confirmed that dynamic winger Nikolaj “That’s all part of it. The good thing for us now is we can focus on playing Ehlers had agreed to terms on a seven-year extension worth $42 million hockey. Everyone’s under contract. Everyone’s here.” that carries an average annual value of $6 million.

As part of the contract, Ehlers receives a modified no-trade clause for the final three years. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.05.2017 Ehlers, 21, is entering his third NHL season and has 40 goals and 102 points in 154 games – including 25 goals and 64 points in 82 games in 2016-17. Chosen ninth overall in the 2014 NHL Draft, Ehlers said the negotiations began up during the past two weeks and came together quickly. “We all wanted to get something done before the season started, there wasn't a lot of going back and forth,” said Ehlers. “We were both pretty set on what it was going to be. I'm happy that they feel they want me here and from the beginning, I wanted to stay. It was nice that it came together so quick. “This team, this organization, this city. From Day 1, I was happy here. No matter what, I knew that I wanted to stay, so why not sign now? This is where I want to play.” The Jets are set to open the 2017-18 campaign tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ehlers is set to start the season on a line with veteran centre Bryan Little and Finnish sniper Patrik Laine and had two goals and six points in five pre-season games this fall. “An incredibly dynamic young player and the strides he made from his rookie year to last year were extraordinary and he’s kind of trending in that direction again this year,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “He had an outstanding camp, he’s all over the puck right now, playing hard. Some of the areas of his game that could maybe use some improvement, he’s making those improvements and it’s going to make him an incredibly valuable asset to our team for a long time.” On the first day of training camp, the Jets announced a six-year extension with Little and Mark Scheifele is entering the second year of an eight-year deal worth $49 million. “(Ehlers) has been an exciting player for us. Right from the opportunity when we drafted him, we felt we had a special player,” said Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. “For us to lock him up long term is a big step for us and it's something that we're very excited it did come together. “This is the first time we've had an extension off an entry-level (contract). There are different nuances that come into play, but when it falls into place as quickly as it did, it's exciting.” Why did seven years make the most sense for the Jets? “I don't know if there was any magic there. But when you get into negotiations, like we've talked about before with term and money and money and term, you just find a sweet spot that both sides feel comfortable with,” said Cheveldayoff. “In this game here, from a cap standpoint, you're trying to project and you try to find where that right balance might fit. “We've got spreadsheets that got out three or five years and they're all in invisible ink because it all changes on a daily basis. This worked for both sides and it feels great. I guess it does send a message that we're committed to building around our core. We've been judicious in how we've spent our money to make sure we have the right space available at the right time to do some things. This is part of the next step and part of the steps that have to be taken.” Even if there wasn't a message intended, one was received by Jets players. 1076603 Winnipeg Jets “You see that any team can go on that run,” centre Mark Scheifele told Postmedia’s Michael Traikos. “(Toronto) can go from last to the playoffs and that’s something that we have to strive for. We can’t look at In Year 2, the Matthews-Laine rivalry extends beyond individual success ourselves as young or inexperienced. Toronto did that and they’re just as young as we are. We have to believe in ourselves.”

Matthews has played just one game in Winnipeg, already recognizing it BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN as a challenging environment for visitors. FIRST POSTED: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 03, 2017 02:57 PM CDT | “They have a pretty good atmosphere in that building,” a smiling UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2017 06:31 AM CDT Matthews said Tuesday. “Yeah, that’s hockey, that’s rivalries, that’s something you have fun with. I’m looking forward to playing there tomorrow.” Auston Matthews beat Patrik Laine to the draft stage, then to the first- year NHL points title and finally to the Calder Trophy. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.05.2017 But what seems to eat away at Laine most about his runner-up status last year is that the Maple Leafs made the playoffs and the Jets did not. The duo’s rookie rankings are a moot point now, but long-term success for the Jets is something Laine can change, starting Wednesday and provided he plays a full 82 games and hits the 40-plus goal mark many are projecting. His quest starts in a delicious scheduling move that has the Jets opening at home against Matthews and the Leafs. It has been less than a year since Laine’s dramatic hat-trick overtime winner there against Toronto, a feat which set in motion their on-ice duel. Jets fans were loudly clap- chanting “Laine’s better!” that night. He also scored two in an overtime loss in Toronto, though Matthews assisted on the winner. Meanwhile, getting either player to talk about their internal competition is like pulling teeth. “There might be (a rivalry), I don’t really know,” Laine told Winnipeg reporters on Monday. “I’ve only played two games against Toronto. Yeah, they were exciting games and they were tight games. Who knows? It’s two good teams, two young groups. “I’m just thinking about who we are playing against as a team. The media and all the people around hockey has made a bigger deal out of than it really is. I just want to focus on playing against Toronto and focus on this team. It’s going to be a lot of attention between the two of us and between our teams. It’s going to be a fun night, for sure.” Matthews spent some time with the Finnish-born Laine and other top prospects in the days before the 2016 draft on the league’s public relations junket. Those trips and their shared experience on draft day in Buffalo takes a little edge off, maybe leading to a smile or nod when they pass at the centre dot during warm-ups at Bell MTS Place. “I spent a bit of time with him,” Matthews said. “Obviously there was a language barrier a bit, but he’s a nice guy, a very good player. “That (rivalry angle) is part of what you guys make things out to be. He’s a good guy.” As with Matthews, people are expecting more from Laine, with his booming shot and a year in the NHL under his belt. At the all-star skills competition, Laine’s shot registered 101.7 mph, second to Shea Weber. “He shoots the puck like Ovi,” Washington goalie Braden Holtby said of Laine and Ovechkin. “He’s going to be dangerous for a long time and causing us nightmares.” Fans may want more highlight goals, while Laine wants a higher place in the standings. "Just try to be a better player, all-around,” he said of what’s ahead for 2017-18. “If I can score more points, then I’m happy. And if not, if we’re making the playoffs, I’m still going to be happy. Just try to help my team to win more. That’s my biggest job of the year.” Until a mid-season concussion cost him eight games, Laine was right in the Calder conversation with Matthews. He did get another three-goal game later to become the youngest player (just under 19) to record a hat trick of hat tricks. But Matthews hit 40 and the Leafs went on to valuable post-season experience. “It’s been a long summer and a lot of days after the last regular season game that I played,” Laine said. “So it’s exciting, so happy to get the season finally started.” Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice will play him on his natural wing with Bryan Little at centre and Nikolaj Ehlers on the left. “We had some good chemistry,” noted Laine. “I don’t really mind (the left side), but it’s a little easier on the right, because it’s your natural side.” Watching Matthews and the Leafs take on Washington — and drag out the series against the Presidents' Trophy winners to six games — whetted the Jets' own appetite. 1076604 Vancouver Canucks “The game of hockey between whistles, we don’t want to mess with that, that’s off limits,” he said. “We really try to respect the game, first and foremost.” What is this, a Legion? Canucks to host meat draw and give out free On Saturday, there are more than 100 new things that fans might notice, beer on opening night he said. Fans should be in their seats by 6:45 p.m. for “an all-new video open and Patrick Johnston special player introductions.” Published: October 4, 2017 Updated: October 4, 2017 7:08 PM PDT Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.05.2017

“Bacon, beer and a meat draw” the email from the Canucks about Saturday’s season opener against the Oilers at Rogers Arena begins … Wait, what? Then you get to the details: a food stand selling just bacon; a new family zone, featuring Fin, games, 25-cent lemonade and kid-sized food; free beer; and yes, a meat draw. The winner will get $500 worth of “delicious cuts,” a team spokesman said. Funds raised from the meat draw will go to the Canucks for Kids Fund. Tickets, which will go on sale during the pre-game festivities and then at team store locations during the game, will be singles for $5, five for $10 and 10 for $20. Credit to the Canucks for thinking outside the box. There are also the usual features, like a pre-game party on the plazas outside the arena and, as with past first games of the season, a huge 50/50 jackpot. The team is also encouraging fans to show up in their best Canadian tuxedos. Oh, and there will be a free drink (yes, beer is an option) for fans who arrive early. There are other specials between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. as well. Canucks alumni Kirk McLean, and Harold Snepsts will be on hand to meet fans pre-game, too. During the game, the team will run what they’re calling “the Great Canadian Puck Hunt” around the arena; fans who find hidden pucks will be able to claim a prize at the team store. Canucks chief operating officer Jeff Stipec said he gave his staff “licence to look at things differently” when the team’s offseason began in April. Stipec started with the Canucks in May of 2016; he said watching how team president and general manager had to work to reshape the team over his first summer was instructive. “I watched how much the team changes in just those four months, and I realized on the business side we needed to work just as hard,” he recalled. He wanted any and all ideas on the table about how they might do things differently in 2017-18. “Hence 25-cent lemonade and the meat draw,” he said. The meat draw is supposed to evoke memories of what is a staple of Royal Canadian Legion branches across Canada and in pubs in between. He loved the idea when it was presented to him. “I’ve got a cabin up in the Cariboo. They’ve got a meat draw at the 70 Mile Pub,” he said. But not everything has been turned upside down — and the fans’ voice has been very important in guiding his staff. “The nice thing about Vancouver fans is they have strong opinions,” he said. “So they tell us with regularity.” The challenge on the business side is to balance the group of fans who have been with the team forever and the new waves of fans drawn in in recent years. “We have a lot of folks who were in the Pacific Coliseum in the early ’70s and they’re still with us,” he said. “And there’s a new group of emerging fans … When they come they want to be entertained.” It’s a balancing act, he said, but there are some consistencies. “One of the internal lines is ‘less talk, more rock,’” he said, where rock is just showing off the game. So fewer interviews on the big screen, more replays, and definitely more music. 1076605 Vancouver Canucks kicks in this season — this is not Willie’s World. Former Canucks coach Desjardins leaned on Miller to face 40 or more shots on nine occasions just to keep the club in games. Between the pipes, Markstrom's family helps him between the ears Jacob Markstrom has had his fill of being the backup and playing limited games. Ben Kuzma Markstrom logged just 26 games last season. A freak knee injury in the SuperSkills competition on Feb. 26 required surgery and curtailed the Published: October 4, 2017 start of his off-season regimen to build on what did go right last season. Updated: October 4, 2017 9:15 PM PDT His goals-against average (2.63) was actually better than Miller’s (2.80) and his .910 saves percentage was near Miller’s .914. Markstrom had his moments — three straight wins to start the season and just five goals allowed on 73 shots and a season-high 42 saves in a 3-2 shootout win at The pressure of moving from backup to starting goaltender in a hockey- Edmonton on Dec. 31 — and a bad moment Nov. 15 when he allowed mad market is intense, but Jacob Markstrom believes he's grown seven goals on 25 shots here. physically and mentally to handle life in the Vancouver Canucks' fishbowl. “The last two or three years, I’ve been deeper in the crease and always trying to give yourself a chance,” said Markstrom. “I’ve changed up some You don’t have to be a goaltender to feel like you’re on a competitive things and if you move a lot, those holes are going to get bigger. But I’m island. just feeling more comfortable at this level.” Everyone will feel pressure when the Vancouver Canucks open their Nobody makes goalies feel more uncomfortable than McDavid. regular-season schedule on Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena. Performance anxiety and scrutiny are professional With a jaw-dropping combination of speed, passing wizardry and a quick pitfalls and have led many to seek guidance to maintain focus and and accurate release, he’s a multi-dimensional demon in the slot. Goalies balance. are trained to track the shooter, but McDavid can look one way and put the puck right on the tape in the other direction with a flick of the wrist. He Some have found solace in Canucks sports psychologist Dr. David Cox. did that last Saturday here with a deft touch to set up a Draisaitl one- Jacob Markstrom found it in late-night calls to his athletic family in Gavle, timer goal. Sweden. The timing couldn’t be better with what awaits the towering stopper. “You have McDavid coming down the slot and you’ve got to respect him,” said Markstrom. “Skilled players are going to make skilled plays and He knows what needs to play out between the pipes is as crucial as sometimes you just have to tip your hat, move forward and don’t let it bug wondering where the offence is coming from and if anybody can spark you too much.” the power play.

He knows there must be calm and competitive performances on the ice and reasonable post-game responses to sub-par outings. No outbursts. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.05.2017 No scrum bolting. Markstrom is better prepared for all of that. Witnessing the Zen-like approach Ryan Miller took with meticulous examination of his equipment and his pre-practice and game routines rubbed off. So did the manner is which he methodically answered repetitive questions about loss after loss. That’s hard. Was Miller peeved? Absolutely. Did he show it in his three years here? Seldom. “He really helped me with the mental part,” said Markstrom. “He has his routines and they never changed. I was playing one game a week and it’s not what I prefer because once you’re in games and you keep playing, you keep that rhythm going. “When you don’t play a lot and have a choppy game, you keep that feeling for four or five days. And that’s a challenge.” So is being The Guy. An open competition for the cage is going to mean open season on both stoppers. Every soft goal and loss will be dissected and could determine who gets the next start. Is Markstrom equipped to handle that as much as facing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on Saturday? The obvious answer is yes, and it’s more than just a conditioned response. Markstrom has a vital support group that’s readily available during post- game FaceTime calls home. After all, midnight here is 9 a.m. in Sweden, so that connection works on all fronts. Markstrom comes from a competitive family — his mother was a handball goalie and his father and brother soccer keepers — so looking for perspective after a rough night is easier from those who know your personality and your plight as a professional athlete living a fishbowl existence. “I’ve been in a lot of different situations in my career and I talk to family a lot — and it doesn’t even have to be about the game,” stressed Markstrom. “It’s more about getting the comfort back after a tough game and feeling good about yourself again. “I love being here. It’s a Canadian team and the interest is huge. You want to be where people care and where hockey is like a religion.” The faithful may want to light a few candles. If the Canucks are going to amass more than 75 projected points, they’ll need steady play and occasional spectacular play from Markstrom and Anders Nilsson. And while the 27-year-old Markstrom is the rightful designated starter — his three-year, US$11 million contract extension 1076606 Vancouver Canucks 2. Will Vancouver GM Jim Benning’s vision of an NHL defence work? The NHL can be a copycat league but teams are facing a substantial obstacle in attempts to duplicate the Nashville Predators’ success. Canucks hope giving green light to defence triggers red light The Preds won with small, superb-skating puck movers who could push play from the back. Jason Botchford The problem with the “hey, let’s do that, too!” crowd? October 4, 2017 4:16 PM PDT Their defenders are better than yours. And when it comes to comparing them to the Canucks, it’s not even close. So if the Canucks are to become a mobile group on the blue-line, it’s going to take time. There are many questions about the Vancouver Canucks' defence as the curtain raises on a new NHL regular season. Will they be good enough? Yes, in the past couple of years they have added Hutton, Pouliot, Del Can they score? What will the pairings look like? Will the power play Zotto and Stecher. But none of them can be counted on to fill improve? Stay tuned. Vancouver’s need for a puck-moving defenceman who can produce consistently on a power play. Derrik Pouliot is not the answer. Not long after the trade was finalized for Pouliot, Benning suggested he’s At least not yet. Head coach Travis Green preached patience to anyone re-imagining how a successful NHL defence is put together. anxious to see Pouliot play. Earlier in his tenure, there was a focus on targeting big defenders, Until then, the coach said he really likes his defence. Green said any of including Nikita Tryamkin, Luca Sbisa and Andrey Pedan, three who his pairings can be a No. 1 pairing on any given night. have vacated the organization in the past six months. That’s not what we saw last year. Opponents averaged 31.8 shots a “You watch the Stanley Cup playoffs and you see how mobile the game against the Canucks. Only five teams gave up more. And that was Anaheim Ducks were in their playoff series with Calgary and you see a Vancouver team essentially trying to trap-it-up all year. Nashville and how mobile their D was, that’s the way the game is going,” Benning said. Green wants his defenders to go. How will that translate? “It’s about speed. It’s about handling the puck, carrying the puck and Well, here are the five biggest questions facing the Canucks’ defence: moving the puck fast. Over time, the game is going to keep getting faster and faster. I feel like with getting Derrick, he fits into that new style of Chris Tanev: “We want to be up in the attack.” what defencemen are going to look like going forward.” 1. Can the Canucks’ defence produce offence? The Canucks’ blue-line has some skaters now, but this isn’t a fast group. Twenty-two goals. That’s how many the Canucks’ defence scored last It’s certainly not a physical one either. Gudbranson can play that role, but season. If it doesn’t sound good, it’s because it’s not. there’s really no one else. And if he gets hurt and misses significant time, the Canucks are at risk of having their defenders pushed around quite Just check around their division. The San Jose Sharks’ blue-line chalked easily. up 49. The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks each pulled 37 goals from their defence. Edmonton and Calgary got 35 apiece. Remember the division they’re in. They still have to contend with Milan Lucic, Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Ryan Getzlaf to name a few. Your defence doesn’t score? You don’t win in the NHL. Can this D handle those forwards? It’s a huge question this season. Travis Green should help. All pre-season his players have been marvelling at the change in systems he’s made. There’s even been Erik Gudbranson: Healthier and happy, he says, to be a Canuck. plenty of subtle — and some not-so subtle — shots at how last season 3. What happens to Erik Gudbrandson? went down. The Canucks’ rationale for signing Gudbranson to one-year deal is a little The most damning rebuke came from , who pointed out off-putting. The Canucks essentially have said they want to “see what former head coach Willie Desjardins looked for his forwards to produce they have” in him after he lost most of last year to injury. the offence while his blue-liners focused on defence. But this is after surrendering significant assets to get him here in the first “If you don’t have that fourth guy coming, there’s just no way to get place. offence. There’s nothing there,” said Henrik. Rebuilding teams don’t generally trade a top prospect and a high second- Currently, the fourth and fifth guys will be expected to join that rush. Even round draft pick for a defenceman who is around for a couple of years. Chris Tanev. That’s what could happen if Gudbranson leaves as an unrestricted free “He wants to play fast, and he wants an uptempo game,” Tanev said of agent in the off-season. Green. “We want to be up in the attack. It will definitely be a change from If that becomes a possibility in the second half of the season, the last year.” Canucks will have to consider trading him. They can’t lose him for Erik Gudbranson came even stronger when asked about Green’s plan. nothing. “It’s aggressive. It’s really aggressive,” Gudbranson said. “Last year, we Gudbranson is healthy now. He said he finally knew his surgically kind of set back and let the system take over. Now, if you see the play, repaired wrist was fully recovered the first time in training camp he tried you make the play and you win your battle. to push a forward out of the way. The wrist he hurt is the one he uses for all his physical leverage in games. “It’s much more black and white than it was last year.” That suggests everyone is going to see an improved Gudbranson this Does that mean we’ll see Gudbranson jump into the play? season. But how good does he have to be in the first few months for the Canucks to be willing to pay up and sign him long-term? “We have to. I have to, absolutely,” he said. “We’re expected to be up there. We’re expected to create from the back end and be involved. There are going to be questions about his future and those are questions he’s not going to enjoy answering. “Look at how we’re practising every day. It’s so we can skate for 60 minutes and out-skate other teams.” In the summer, it’s believed the Canucks had negotiated a deal with Florida that would have sent Gudbranson back to the Panthers for Jason There’s an interesting exercise to be had predicting what really good Demers. seasons for these defenders would l0ok like. Of course, Demers killed that deal. Gudbranson said he never thought Maybe Ben Hutton gets nine goals, Alex Edler eight and Troy Stecher about it when the proposed trade was reported. He said he’s a doubles his output from three to six. That’s 23 rose-coloured goals right Vancouver Canuck. Sure, but for how long? there. If the Canucks can get a foundation like that, and then a significant offensive contribution comes from Michael Del Zotto, maybe they can hit Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers tries to get around defenceman 30. Troy Stecher of the Vancouver Canucks. Defenceman Ben Hutton of the Vancouver Canucks battles with Milan 4. Can Troy Stecher avoid the sophomore slump? Lucic of the Edmonton Oilers. If this really is the dawn of a new era for NHL defencemen, Stecher couldn’t have arrived at a better time. He’s a wonderful skater, agile and smart. He’s not big, but these days no one seems to care. Well, actually, Stecher does care some. His off-season project was to get stronger and he went about accomplishing this in waves. The first was putting on muscle, and he went from 186 pounds to 196 doing just that, without cardio. The next goal was to cut weight going heavy on cardio without losing any of the gains he made in strength. He did that a few pounds at a time, setting out to make sure he didn’t lose any of his speed. “It is tough,” Stecher said. “It’s a fine balance. But I just think it’s going to help when we play all the big bodies in our division.” Stecher had a great, though understated, rookie season. No regular defenceman had a bigger impact on possession numbers than Stecher. Things will be tougher this season, especially if he’s not spending as much time playing with Edler. Hutton struggled to start his second professional season. Can Stecher avoid that? The Canucks think so and they’re expecting big things from him. Green suggested he had no concerns about a Hutton-Stecher pairing, a combo the former coach just wouldn’t have given much of a chance. “I don’t look at Eddy and Tanny and say ‘they have to be our best defencemen every night,’” Green said. “Hutton and Stecher could be a great (pairing).” Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green has a lot of fresh ideas for his defencemen this season. 5. Is Ben Hutton a good second-pairing D-man? Here’s the good news: Hutton’s season wasn’t nearly as bad as the perception. If anything, he was hurt by expectations. Praise was piled on him in the pre-season a year ago when people were going nuts over his pairing with Gudbranson. The assumption was his offensive instincts and skating would be unleashed because he could depend on Gudbranson to be the stay-at- home blue-liner who would sit in his rocking chair and protect the porch. This idea blew up pretty quickly. Green seems to see things differently and the concept of pairing Hutton with a skater like Stecher is fun. Both have been told they have the green light. Look out. Can Hutton ride this coaching change on his way to becoming one of the better second-pairing defencemen in the league? He’s got a ways to go to make it happen but that’s what it’s going to take for this defence to be average or better.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076607 Vancouver Canucks

Odds of Canucks winning Stanley Cup are an NHL-worst 150/1

Scott Brown Published: October 4, 2017 Updated: October 4, 2017 1:27 PM PDT

Kuzma: Between the pipes, Markstrom's family helps him between the ears Odds are this is not the Canucks’ year to end their Stanley Cup drought — but you probably already knew that. According to online gambling website Bodog, the odds of the Vancouver Canucks winning their first Stanley Cup are 150 to 1. A $100 bet pays $15,100 if the Canucks defy the odds and win the Cup. Vancouver is tied for last with the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes with the worst odds among the NHL’s 31 teams. The expansion Vegas Golden Knights at 66/1 are even seen as a better bet than the Canucks. Botchford: To move forward, Canucks need forwards to jell and excel Ed Willes: Help is coming for the Canucks, but not soon enough Kuzma: Canucks peddle Pedan to Penguins for potential-packed Pouliot The Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup in their 47 years in existence — although they have made the finals three times, losing in 1982, 1994 and 2011. The Edmonton Oilers, who made the NHL playoffs last year for the first time in 10 seasons, and the two-time defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins, both at 8/1, are Bodog’s co-favourites to win the Cup, followed by Tampa Bay Lightning (11/1), Chicago Blackhawks (12/1) and Anaheim Ducks (14/1).

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076608 Websites Botterill has prioritized having an open line of communication with his players. He wants them to know what the plan is, his vision shared open and clearly. The Athletic / LeBrun: Jack Eichel's extension lays foundation for GM “He’s very detailed,” Sabres winger Kyle Okposo said Wednesday. “He’s Jason Botterill to build a winner in Buffalo extremely well prepared. He has a very clear plan of what he’s going to do and what he wants to accomplish.’’ Pierre LeBrun Added winger Evander Kane: “He called me in the summertime after he the got the job. He’s really well-spoken. He’s clear and concise. He’s a 10 hours ago pretty honest guy. He gives you his thoughts and he also wants your feedback as well.’’

That style was passed down from his mentors early on during his time in BUFFALO — Jason Botterill smiled, nodded in agreement, and his Pittsburgh. cheeks reddened all the while. “That was such a big thing that I took away from Ray Shero and Chuck While he had a front-row seat for the contract negotiations involving Fletcher when I first got to Pittsburgh,” said Botterill. “They had that franchise players such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin during his relationship with players, and with staff. That’s something I’ve tried to decade in the Penguins front office, valuable experience to be sure, the carry over here. Hey, we’re going to have to make some difficult difference now is that it’s his name on the dotted line as GM of the decisions, players aren’t always going to agree, but there’s at least a Buffalo Sabres after inking Jack Eichel to an $80-million, eight-year respect level if you respect them back.’’ extension. The Eichel contract is a monumental decision so early in Botterilll’s “Yup,’’ smiled Botterill. tenure. He made no bones about reaching out to his mentors for advice. As in, no kidding buddy. “Oh, without a doubt. I know my three mentors in Pittsburgh, Jim Rutherford, Ray Shero, Chuck Fletcher, I can call them on anything,” said It is, for all intents and purposes, the 41-year-old’s early calling card after Botterill. “They’re there to pass on advice. Now, obviously, we are in taking over the reigns of the Sabres franchise, the ink barely dry on his competition, but it’s great to see I can lean on them in different own GM contract back in May when he already knew how much of a situations.’’ priority it would have to be get Eichel signed long term. Fletcher in particular was an important resource as Botterill arrived in “First of all, it’s one of the reasons I wanted the job is because Jack was Buffalo with so much to do while still having one foot in Pittsburgh. It’s here, you have a superstar like that,” Botterill told The Athletic during an exactly what Fletcher himself lived while leaving Pittsburgh for Minnesota interview Wednesday in the team’s offices. “But yes, as soon as you get years ago. the job, you realize that’s a situation you have to deal with in the summer.’’ “I still remember seeing Chuck when he went from Pittsburgh to Minnesota, we were at the draft, and he was certainly worn out,’’ It’s a gigantic decision, and one that may help define Botterill’s reign chuckled Botterill. “You don’t know about that process until you go here, but one that also had to be tackled as soon as possible. through it. Just bouncing some ideas off of Chuck was really helpful.’’ There was nothing to be gained from waiting until next summer when he What kind of GM will Botterill be? We’re in the age where we want to slot was a restricted free agent. If you think $10 million a year is high, tack on GMs as either old-school, scouting guys or new-age, analytical guys. at least another million if Eichel would have gone out and put up a monster season this year, which many in these parts believe he will in “He’s got the whole tool box,’’ said Sabres assistant GM Randy Sexton, fact do. the veteran hand who followed Botterill to Buffalo from Pittsburgh. So no, the rookie GM didn’t see any value in waiting. “Jason has done it all the right way. He’s a blend of everything,’’ Shero, the GM of the New Jersey Devils, told The Athletic on Wednesday. “No, because I didn’t think I would see a lot that would change in the market place for Jack,” said Botterill. “There wasn’t going to be a contract It was Shero, of course, who hired Botterill in Pittsburgh after the young for Player X that we thought could come in November or December. I man had done some scouting for in Dallas and spent really didn’t see anything until next summer that way.’’ some time at NHL Central Registry while working on his MBA at Michigan. So in my mind, it was a brilliant decision to get Eichel done now, not just for the long-term security it brings the franchise, but also for being able to “I read all the time about how Jason learned from us,’’ Shero said. avoid the season-long distraction it might have become for the young star “Listen, we took a lot from Jason. He was a leader when he played and had he not signed. then in the front office, he galvanized his people, whether it’s scouts or coaches or players. A big part of this business is managing people and The pair of signatures in Edmonton this summer, $12.5 million a year for Jason is really, really good at it.’’ Connor McDavid and $8.5 million for Leon Draisaitl, helped set the parameters. Botterill, it would seem, checks all the boxes. He’s a former player. So he understands the so-called “eye test’’ in evaluating players. But he’s also Would the Sabres have preferred something in the $9-million salary got an economics degree and MBA from Michigan, the bookish side of range? Sure. Would Eichel’s camp have liked something around $11 him just as prevalent, including the understanding and value of analytics. million a year? Of course. “He’s very, very bright, no doubt, but he’s very collegial,’’ said Sexton. But they found a compromise. Before the compromise, however, must “He probably got that a bit from Ray who is a collegial guy. Jason is a come trust. great communicator, he works like a trojan. You get texts and emails Eichel was asked during his news conference Wednesday how much of from him all hours of the night.’’ a factor it was that Botterill had been named GM in deciding whether or Added Penguins assistant GM Bill Guerin: “He’s the type of guy that not to sign off on eight more years in Buffalo. won’t leave any stone unturned. Very thorough. There won’t be any It was pretty clear from his answer that it was no small factor. knee-jerk reactions or decisions made. He’s very, very thorough.’’ “We sat down this summer and had a great conversation,’’ Eichel said. “I Botterill said part of what he tried to convey to Sabres owners Kim and think after that, I knew the type of person who would be running our Terry Pegula in the interview process was that he wasn’t an expert in one organization. I think it said a lot about him, the type of commitment he specific area but was well-rounded overall and would lean on his staff. makes to us as players not only on the ice but off the ice, caring about So he’s not interested in anyone trying to peg him in either the scouting our families and caring about us as people, learning about us. That’s the or analytics camp. He sees value in both. type of person that you want. I want to commit to him the same way he’s committed to me here.’’ “In my experiences, the sides aren’t always going to agree, the scouting staff versus the analytics side,’’ Botterill said. “But some of the best Said Botterill of that early chat with Eichel: “In that first discussion, I didn’t trades we ever made in Pittsburgh is when they both came together.’’ want it to be like: ‘Jack, what does the team have to do? What do we have to do to turn things around here.’ There’s no need for that in that My final question to him during our half-hour chat Wednesday was what first conversation. It was more just getting to know him.’’ he took most from his time in the Penguins organization that he would bring to Buffalo. Without hesitation, Botterill said his biggest takeaway was learning to build an organization that wasn’t about trying to win in a specific window but rather try to stay competitive year in and year out. “Sometimes you don’t know what year you’re going to be successful, but if you’re there year in and year out, you have an organization that has an influx of talent coming through, one of the years you’ll break through,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing we’re trying to accomplish here. I’m excited about our higher-end players here, but we have to build more depth, we have to build more talent around our star players.’’ The Eichel contract is the foundational piece. Now Botterill is determined to build around it in a way which will put the Sabres among the elite franchises in the sport. Oh I know, you’ve heard that story before. Except I’m telling you now, I think the Sabres have hired the GM that will actually deliver a Stanley Cup in these parts one day.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076609 Websites What was your reaction the first time you saw him shoot? “There was obviously quite a bit of hype when he…got back from World Cup (of Hockey). I remember being on the ice in practice with him, and The Athletic / Maple Leafs, Jets teammates marvel at how Auston watching him do the first shooting drill, and all of a sudden he comes in, Matthews, Patrik Laine can shoot the puck and I think it was probably four out of five goals where the goalie didn’t even move. And it’s like, ‘OK! I guess the hype is real on that shot.’ It’s pretty impressive. You hope you can be the guy passing to him because Jonas Siegel your odds are pretty good.” 15 hours ago Defenceman Jacob Trouba: “Just get out of the way of it. I think it’s just quick and how consistent it is. Like a lot of guys take one-timers, and you don’t really catch every one WINNIPEG – Only eight other teenage rookies in NHL history scored at great. And he catches every one pretty much perfect, so I think that’s the pace that Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine did last season for the probably the biggest thing I notice.” Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets, respectively. The Leafs on Matthews: The first- and second-overall picks in the 2016 entry draft combined for 76 goals and almost 500 shots, obliterating opponents with a shocking Forward Connor Brown: degree of instant NHL success. “His release is unique in the sense that I think it’s a combination of just Perhaps only their teammates, who experienced the action up close, can how he can get it off and then the shot itself. I mean, the shot itself is put into words how both players can shoot the puck so well. Players on really good. But just his hands. There can be a stick in the way and he Winnipeg marvelled at Laine’s brilliance in gleeful terms — “It's the best can be able to curl it just that much to be able to release it. You saw that shot I've ever seen” — while Toronto teammates highlighted the finer goal against Montreal this pre-season and (Al) Montoya doesn’t see it. details of Matthews’ special scoring touch. He just maybe pulls it and disguises it. Each player was initially asked what stuck them most about the way each “He’s always doing something before he shoots. It’s never just [Brown player can shoot the puck. Here are some responses: uses his hands to motion a simple shot]. The Jets on Laine: “I think a lot of it is how good his hands are. That’s my scouting report.” Forward Bryan Little: Forward James van Riemsdyk: “It goes in the net a lot (laughs) … I’ve never seen a shot like it, and I’m “It’s quick. He’s got a lot of different types of shots in his arsenal – like sure a lot of guys in the room and guys around the league would say the different ways of changing the angle and stuff. I’d say those are the two same thing. I mean, the closest I’ve played with (as far as) a guy that biggest things that I would notice right off the bat. shot like that is [Ilya] Kovalchuk, and I think Laine might be on a bit of a different level than that. Is there one thing you would steal from his shot to have for your own shot? It’s pretty special. Just the smoothness, how quick it’s off his stick and the accuracy. I mean, everything about it. It’s got power. It’s got “I would say just when to utilize them. He seems to have the right accuracy, quickness.” knowledge of what shots to shoot in different situations to score goals, to catch goalies off-guard. You see the way he poked the one in in our Any similarities with Kovalchuk’s shot? exhibition game against the Canadiens, like he basically timed it right. Most guys probably would’ve waited for that to bounce and then tried to “I think Kovalchuk, he was good at shooting off the rush and shooting hit it, but he went to go hit it right away. So I think that’s having trust in through guys. (Laine) can do that too … But he’s so good at if you get your skillset and the different things that you’re comfortable with. him the puck in the certain spot you just know it’s going to go in. It’s pretty special to watch.” “And obviously it goes back to the quickness of it. If you can get it to the net quicker it gives the goalie less time to react and adjust and set up Forward Shawn Matthias: and probably gives you a better chance to score.” “It’s just that release. It’s the best shot I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to Defenceman (and a man of few words) Nikita Zaitsev: describe. It doesn’t make sense when you see him rip a shot like that. His stick, the flex of his stick – he’s got this big, long whippy stick with “One of the best in the league.” this crazy curve on it and you look at it and you’re like, how does somebody use this? For him to have the hands and the skill and Why? obviously the shot he has with that stick it shows you how talented he is. “Because he do it every day. He practice it every day. He’s a big guy. “His release, it’s so fast. He knows where his shooting areas are. He Everything.” knows when to release the puck. Even in practice, he beats our goalies Forward Zach Hyman: like it’s nothing, so it’s very impressive.” “Obviously he’s got an elite shot power-wise, and able to rip the puck Any teammate you’ve had who was comparable? pretty hard. I think that’s half of it. But I think that what’s even harder is “It’s the best shot I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ve ever played with how he gets it off and where he’s able to get it off from. A lot of guys can anyone who compares to that, no.” only get it off from the sweet spot, in your shooting position, whereas he can get it out from out here [motions with hands away from body] from Defenceman Dmitry Kulikov: pulling the puck away from him and getting it out. (And then) to his feet, he can get it out and still put up a pretty hard shot. Those are the things “It goes in. That’s all you want from your shot. It doesn’t seem like he that I think impress me the most. misses a lot of his shots in practice. Just doing penalty kill against him, you just let him shoot because you don’t want his shot to hit you in “And why I think that he’s so effective is because it doesn’t take him practice. It’s hard and it goes in.” much to shoot it from pretty much anywhere – anywhere around his body. Defenceman Josh Morrissey: “And that throws the goalie off. Goalies aren’t preparing for shots like “Obviously how many times it goes in. When you see him shoot – anyone that. And when you do that it changes the angle of the shot … Goalies that has gotten to this level has played with a lot of players, and seen a are all about angles right, so they see the puck here, but Auston is so ton of shots, and played against a lot of really good players with good good at changing his angle and moving the puck away so that you might shots. I can honestly say I’ve never seen anyone with the puck, the way it not see the space, but the puck is able to find it because he creates it.” comes off his stick. I don’t know exactly how he does it, but he just gets it right out on the toe of his blade and it just seems to come off really quick, What was your first impression of his shot? but also heavy, too. It’s hard to have that combination. “He shoots it really hard so you see that he shoots it hard. I throw a lot of “He can score from long ways out because it’s quick and heavy, but he pucks out to him in front of the net, and just his ability to pick them up can score from in tight because he can get it off in a blink of an eye. So and get them off his stick even when there’s defenders all around, it’s it’s definitely something you marvel at in practice and in the games when pretty impressive.” you see him score from 30 feet.” Goalie Curtis McElhinney: “It’s the release and the ability to hit multiple shots. Some guys have one spot, it’s their sweet spot, but I think he’s got a couple shots that seem to work for him pretty well. I’d say, a good three of them where he can really get it off. And his hands are just incredibly fast too.” Does his shot remind you of anyone else? “I would put his hands up there with the speed of what I would remember (Marian) Gaborik’s being in tight spaces – just the ability to be very quick. It’s a combination of things. But as far as his release and shot, it’s tough to say if there’s anybody he resembles.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076610 Websites 8. Detroit Red Wings – 81.0 points The team hasn’t signed Andreas Athanasiou yet for some reason, but that gets mostly washed out by the fact that Niklas Kronwall is injured The Athletic / One final, slightly updated look at the projected 2017-18 and Nick Jensen will start in his place. NHL standings Metropolitan

1. Pittsburgh Penguins – 103.5 points (+0.5) Dom Luszczyszyn The big jump here is simply a matter of other teams getting weaker after 15 hours ago making their starting lineup choices. That and adding a couple more games for Matt Murray. Patric Hornqvist is doubtful to start the season, though, and that’s not great news, but the team has the winger depth to The puck drops on the NHL season on Wednesday, meaning it’s time for make up for it. a final update on our season preview series. A few things have changed over the last month that make it necessary to go through every team 2. Washington Capitals – 100.2 points (-0.3) once more. Florida traded Jason Demers to Arizona for Jamie McGinn, The team signed Alex Chiasson, who is similar in quality to the players Robby Fabbri is out for the season for St. Louis, Jaromir Jagr finally they already have at the bottom of their lineup: poor. This projection is signed with Calgary and, of course, there were all kinds of training camp still in flux because it’s still uncertain which bottom defence pair the team battles that were won and lost over the past couple weeks. uses: the good one (Christian Djoos and Madison Bowey) or the bad one That means the 31 previews are already slightly out of date. Eight teams (Aaron Ness and Taylor Chorney). The bad one would drop them by have had their projections changed by more than one point, but the other more than two points. 23 are still within one point of where we had them throughout September. 3. Columbus Blue Jackets – 96.0 points (+0.7) Here’s one final look at the projected league standings, according to my The biggest change for Columbus was Gabriel Carlsson making it into model. Keep in mind the rank doesn’t matter as much when all the point the starting lineup. He should be an improvement over Markus Nutivaara. totals are so close together, and the margin for error is large. We will be He also seems like a good fit next to Ryan Murray, who really struggled updating this chart daily along with probabilities for each game here. last year. I also added more minutes to the team’s top line because it Atlantic feels as if they’ll be relied upon more heavily than the others. 1. Montreal Canadiens – 98.3 points (-0.1) 4. Carolina Hurricanes – 94.9 points No change from their pre-season projection. Montreal still looks like the No changes here. I haven't factored in the injury to Lee Stempniak yet, team to beat here, even if many of you disagree. They’re likely starting but I doubt it’s lengthy, meaning it’s unlikely this projection changes the season without underrated defender David Schlemko, which is far much. from ideal for a team whose defensive corps is already sketchy. 5. New York Islanders – 94.3 points (+0.9) 2. Tampa Bay Lightning – 96.8 points (+0.9) Nikolay Kulemin comes in for Jason Chimera, the team’s lone The Lightning slide up to second thanks to some time-on-ice shifting, replacement-level forward, which gives the Islanders a small boost. Matt specifically on defence where Mikhail Sergachev looks to be in the top Barzal made the most of his camp and the team’s second-line centre job four, while Dan Girardi limits his damage to bottom-pair minutes. It also is his for now, meaning more ice-time and more value for the blue looks like Brayden Point won’t be losing as much ice-time as I initially chipper, which explains the rest. thought, which bumps his projection up. 6. New York Rangers – 91.0 points (+0.2) 3. Boston Bruins – 96.2 points (-0.6) Filip Chytil, the Rangers first rounder from last year’s draft, made the The Torey Krug injury was already factored into the previous projection, team against all odds and is skating on the second line for now, though but not the injury to Patrice Bergeron, who will be out for about two his pre-draft numbers don’t look very promising. The teams top three weeks to start the season. This team is very top heavy so to lose one of forwards all received an ice-time adjustment as there’s not as much those top guys for any amount of time is a huge blow. Frank Vatrano is depth on this team as before. That bump was especially necessary for also on the outside looking in for a spot on the main roster (with Bergeron Mika Zibanejad, who is now the de facto first-line centre. healthy), which doesn't make much sense considering the dearth of 7. Philadelphia Flyers – 89.7 points (-0.8) talent the team is trotting out on their bottom line. The Flyers were a team with more training camp battles than most, and 4. Toronto Maple Leafs – 95.2 points (+0.2) that had some big effects here. With all three rookie defenders making Had Miro Aaltonen made the team, the Leafs would’ve been pushing 96 the team, I’m still not sure who starts the season. I do know Robert Hagg points. It’ll be Eric Fehr instead to start as the fourth line centre and he is the worst projected option, given his earlier numbers. Key word there is grades out slightly better than Dominic Moore. Andreas Borgman looks to projected, since it’s much tougher to calculate for players without NHL be the guy on the third pair and that’s probably a slight downgrade from games under their belt, especially as a mostly defensive defenceman. Up Martin Marincin. front it would have been nice to see Oskar Lindblom over Taylor Leier, who likely isn't an upgrade on Matt Read. Lots of choices had to be made 5. Florida Panthers – 90.2 points (-2.9) and it doesn't feel like the Flyers made the best ones. Most of my preview for the Panthers was spent asking “what are they 8. New Jersey Devils – 78.8 points (+0.6) doing?” I guess they wanted to put a final cherry on top of their bad off- season sundae by trading a second-pair defenceman for a fourth liner. Still the worst team in the division, but slightly less so. The addition of Florida sees the second biggest drop as a result and are now much Will Butcher was pretty big for the league’s worst defence group, though closer to the bottom feeders in this division than the playoff teams. it was mitigated slightly by signing Jimmy Hayes off his PTO. 6. Ottawa Senators – 87.5 points (-1.6) Central Erik Karlsson doesn’t look like he’ll be ready to start the season, which is 1. Chicago Blackhawks – 96.8 points (+1.2) very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, This might be controversial with some of the other hockey analytics very bad news for Ottawa. It’s OK though because they’ve sent down nerds, but Chicago shoots to the top of the Central and top five in the their best defensive prospect and have found a spot in their lineup for league mainly off the decision to keep the underrated John Hayden in the Mark Borowiecki to make up for it. starting lineup over a guy like Tommy Wingels, who looks largely 7. Buffalo Sabres – 86.1 points (+0.6) replaceable. And this projection doesn't account for Cody Franson over Jan Rutta on the third pair, which would push them up even further. Early injuries to Zach Bogosian and Jake McCabe aren’t ideal, especially when the replacement is Matt Tennyson, but finally punting Josh Gorges 2. Winnipeg Jets – 96.7 points (+1.7) into the sun is. It looks as if he won’t be in the starting lineup for the This might also be controversial, too. More minutes for Josh Morrissey Sabres, and that’s great news for a team that relied far too much on his and fewer minutes for Dmitry Kulikov made a pretty big difference, as did services in recent seasons. Viktor Antipin looks like he could be a savvy swapping out Matt Hendricks for Brandon Tanev, though I’m shocked under-the-radar addition to their back-end too. he’s there instead of Kyle Connor. Another small move that adds up in their projection is having Andrew Copp in the lineup over Nicolas Petan. This is obviously a very optimistic projection for the team. They now sit Brodzinski is or what an Alex Iafallo does or where Oscar Fantenberg next to the Hawks atop the division and reside comfortably in the came from, but they’re all in the Kings starting lineup. Christian Folin over league's top 10. Only time will tell if it holds true. Paul LaDue drops them even further as does an early, but predictable injury to Marian Gaborik. 3. Dallas Stars – 96.0 points (+0.6) 6. Arizona Coyotes – 87.1 points (+2.2) Good move: Putting Gemel Smith or Adam Cracknell into the starting lineup, both of whom are effective players who grade out better than As if the team didn’t make enough big moves already this summer they Curtis McKenzie. The forwards on this squad look absolutely stacked. had to make one more, robbing the Panthers blind. Arizona traded fourth liner Jamie McGinn for top-four defenceman Jason Demers. They’re now Bad move: Keeping Julius Honka on the outside of the starting six for dangerously close to the playoff picture. If the kids step up, they have a now and playing Jamie Oleksiak instead. I have a feeling that doesn’t last real shot to be this year’s surprise team. very long, though. 7. Vegas Golden Knights – 83.1 points (-0.2) 4. Minnesota Wild – 95.9 points (+0.2) No big changes here, but James Neal, one of their only offensive No big changes here, but it does look like the team is going to sign weapons, probably won’t be in the lineup to start the season, which is not Daniel Winnik, which could be a good move depending on who he a great start to this franchise’s existence. They also sent down arguably replaces in the lineup. Getting Chris Stewart in the press box would vault their best forward and defenceman to start the season, but I figure that's them over Chicago as the favourites in the Central. mostly a paper transaction as they sort out their defensive logjam. 5. Nashville Predators – 95.7 points (-0.1) 8. Vancouver Canucks – 81.5 points (+0.7) All the other Central teams passed them by as the team drops to fifth, Jake Virtanen has made the team, and while he hasn’t shown much yet, despite being the best ones here when healthy. What is troubling though this model, for reasons I don’t understand, doesn’t hate him that much. (and not factored here) is the team’s insistence on playing Cody McLeod Maybe it’s because he’s young, but he had a pretty decent pre-season so regularly. that’s a start. 6. St. Louis Blues – 89.5 points (-3.8) Woof. The Blues take the biggest hit and now look like the obvious The Athletic LOADED: 10.05.2017 choice to miss the playoffs from this division. The Robby Fabbri injury was a huge blow to the team’s forward depth, but so is the team’s insistence on icing inferior players. They just rid themselves of Ryan Reaves, and now they’re willingly playing Chris Thorburn. It’s hard to find a downgrade on Reaves, but the Blues somehow managed. Signing Scottie Upshall doesn’t look like a particularly great move either as he looked like he really lost a step last season. The Blues can still make the playoffs, it’s just much harder now than it was two weeks ago. 7. Colorado Avalanche – 83.4 points (-0.9) Chris Bigras makes the team and he doesn’t really seem all that impressive. Colorado is trying Nail Yakupov on a line with Matt Duchene and that’ll be really interesting to watch early on to see if both guys can find their game. Pacific 1. Calgary Flames – 95.6 points (+2.6) As I alluded to on Twitter, the Jaromir Jagr signing looks to be enough to push Calgary ahead of the rest of the packed Pacific. Their top nine forwards look formidable, and Sam Bennett finally has some good wingers to work with. Their top-four defencemen are obviously great, too, and while goaltending is still sketchy, they got the talent to make some noise. Now, the Tanner Glass signing (not factored) on the other hand… 2. Edmonton Oilers – 93.2 points (+0.2) I love that Kailer Yamamoto made the team, but I’m not sure why it had to be at the expense of Jesse Puljujarvi. Why choose between two top- six calibre wingers when you can have both? When a team's newly drafted 22nd overall pick leaps over a one year removed fourth-overall pick on the depth chart that’s a bad sign for the latter guy, but I’m still not buying Puljujarvi deserves a spot less than guys like Drake Caggiula, Zack Kassian or Jujhar Khaira. Edmonton dropped because of that move, but some other ice-time changes brought them back up. 3. San Jose Sharks – 93.2 points (-0.5) Nothing really new out of San Jose and I'm actually not sure why they dropped by half a point. Sometimes the model has a mind of its own. ¯\_(?)_/¯ 4. Anaheim Ducks – 93.1 points (-0.6) This team’s injury problems look to be worse than initially thought, and I don’t think many are accounting for it. They’re without Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen until November and Ryan Kesler until Christmas. It’s not going to be pretty for Anaheim. The Kesler injury is especially worrisome because they now have Antoine Vermette as the team’s second-line centre. Word on the street is that Ryan Getzlaf isn’t fully healthy either, and if he misses any time the team could really stumble early on. 5. Los Angeles Kings – 91.0 points (-1.8) I had the Kings with the rest of the division around 93 points, but it looks like they’ll be dropping thanks to some peculiar lineup choices with guys only devout Kings fans have ever heard of. Not sure what a Jonny 1076611 Websites same time, the top six really did put up killer results last year, one of the best groups in the NHL.

You can tell from this that the possession was fine but there was The Athletic / Dellow: 15 questions about the Western Conference something in the percentages that was driving the GF%. In fact, it was shooting percentage, as the Blues shot 8.8 percent with their top six on the ice. That's high, but not outrageously so if a team has real finishers Tyler Dellow — top sixes averaged an 8.2 percent shooting percentage at 5-on-5. (Bottom sixes shot just 6.8 percent collectively). St. Louis has some 17 hours ago finishers. Most of the Blues who piled up minutes are back this year. Part of what we're encouraged to do here at The Athletic is disrupt. With David Perron has moved to Vegas. Jori Lehtera was traded for Brayden that in mind, I'm running my Western Conference preview piece before Schenn. Outside of that, you're talking about guys who had smaller roles my Eastern Conference preview, contrary to the fusty traditions and within St. Louis' top six. It's awful for Fabbri and the Blues that he was eastern bias of Big Media. Also, it's not so much a preview, as it is a injured but he wasn't driving the top six last year. question about each Western Conference team that I'm interested in learning the answer to this year, along with my own speculation as to the It's pretty easy to see St. Louis taking a step back this year because the answer. depth looks rough and some players are injured to start the year. That said, they do still have the engine of a really good team in place, even if 1. Will depth fix Vancouver's problems? I mentioned this the other day they're burning daylight around it. but there was a quote from Henrik Sedin a few weeks ago that was so thoroughly depressing that it needs further examination. Henrik was 4. Shouldn't Shea Theodore be in the NHL? Shea Theodore stands out talking about how the improved depth will help the Canucks this year. He to me as the potential steal of the expansion draft. He was in a funny said: position in Anaheim, with the Ducks having a lot of good defencemen, experiencing a ton of success and needing someone who was waiver “That’s not the way it should be. Overall, on 5-on-5, knowing if you make eligible to move back and forth. As a result, Theodore spent most of the a mistake you may not play the next shift is key. season on the highway between Anaheim and San Diego. “It may not seem like a big thing to fans, but if you make mistakes and His NHL numbers were impressive when he wasn't paired with Kevin you know it’s going to cost you and the team, that can make a huge Bieksa. While we don't have possession numbers for the AHL, his GF difference. numbers were crazy — in the 26 games in which he played, the Gulls outscored the opposition 27-11 with him on the ice at even strength and “Last year, we weren’t deep enough. You can say things but couldn’t sawed it off 32-32 with him on the bench. Not too shabby. For what it's follow it up by saying, ‘You’re not playing.’” worth, he passed the eye test, too. Well, about that…guess which NHL team had one of the least productive Unfortunately for Theodore, he's in yet another situation where he first lines in the NHL last year at 5-on-5? doesn't need waivers while other players do. As a result: It wasn't a great year shooting percentage-wise for the Sedins. Still, At some point, he'll get his shot in the NHL. Vancouver was also the worst team in the NHL in terms of generating shots from their first line. 5. Shouldn't Julius Honka be in the AHL? One of the things I learned over the course of the summer is that Julius Honka has a rabid fanbase. The Low shooting percentage combined with shooting infrequently results in problem with Honka is simple: he's getting kind of old for a prospect. If not a lot of shots. Basically, the only way you could let the Sedins off the you go back and look at defencemen who made the NHL and were hook here is if Vancouver's defence was so bad that they couldn't difference makers, they tended to be in the NHL on a full-time basis by generate anything. That does happen sometimes. Unfortunately, the the time they were 21. Honka wasn't. His AHL data isn't particularly Canucks are bringing back the same group as last year, with Michael Del impressive, although AHL data is limited. It's fair to say that the numbers Zotto, the poster boy for points without possession, and the perennially when he was on the ice don't show domination of the type that occurred disappointing Derrick Pouliot added to the mix. when Theodore was on the ice. The Sedins are Hall of Fame players who have had incredible careers We'll see how this all plays out but he looks very much like a player and will deservedly occupy a unique place in Vancouver hockey history. whose (limited) data says he wasn't getting enough done in the AHL and It's hard to imagine a scenario in which this year is a glorious capstone to whose coach thinks he doesn't belong in the NHL. For some reason, he's their careers. getting a shot at spending time in the NHL while one of the coaches tries 2. Will Drew Doughty score 60 points? I've always liked Doughty a little to fix him. more than some analytics people seem to, while at the same time 6. How much is Andrej Sekera's reputation going to increase if the Kris believing that there was very much a “It's his turn” thing when he won the Russell pair struggles? Andrej Sekera is out for the start of the season as Norris Trophy. I don't care about points for defencemen as much as he recovers from knee surgery, which means that Kris Russell will need a some people do but I'm very interested to see if Los Angeles follows new partner for a while. Looking over the Oilers' data from last year, through on their much publicized intention to take the shackles off and other defencemen paired with Russell put up possession numbers in the play more offensive hockey. I'm curious as to what it means for Doughty. same ballpark. It seems utterly plausible that the Oilers will be able to get If they do, it wouldn't surprise me to see Doughty have a big year in similar possession numbers from Russell and whoever he's paired with. terms of points. He had his best scoring year before Darryl Sutter took They didn't have the .954 save percentage that Sekera and Russell had over the Kings. Sutter's brand of hockey doesn't exactly lend itself to when paired together though. That's the part that seems difficult to stylish, risk-taking defencemen doing some freelancing. L.A. hasn't replicate. Truthfully, it would be if Sekera was healthy too but the hockey exactly been the most interesting team to watch over the past few years, world is big on “after this, therefore resulting from it” type thinking. If the despite having some wonderfully talented guys. As a neutral, hopefully Russell pair doesn't put up a save percentage like Carey Price playing that changes this year. beer league, Sekera's reputation will grow. 3. Is St. Louis really in that much trouble? One of the things that stuck out 7. Can Nathan MacKinnon score? I was lucky enough to be in the to me when I wrote about the salary cap and whether stars make enough building for the best game of the World Cup of Hockey: the Young Stars money recently was how well St. Louis' top six performed last season. vs. Sweden. Nathan MacKinnon ended the game with an obscene goal in The Blues kind of fly under the radar in Canada. They're kind of a overtime. perfectly generic team, never too good and never too bad, located in a time zone that means that their games always start after the eastern He sure looked like a goal scorer. Maybe it was the 3-on-3 that did it. In games, leaving you with a choice of coming in late after an eastern game the last three years, MacKinnon has just 30 5-0n-5 goals and has shot wraps up or moving on to a game in the Pacific time zone. All I really below six percent at 5-on-5. The best goal scorers in the NHL are north knew about them last year was the goaltending was bad, Hitchcock got of 10 percent at 5-on-5. It's a strange problem for a player who looks fired and then it seemed less terrible. incredibly gifted and one that's somewhat near the top of the list of things Colorado has to resolve. Colleague Jeremy Rutherford is skeptical of their opening night roster and it's hard not to look at those bottom six forwards and think that it 8. Can Steve Mason save the Winnipeg Jets? I was once talking with a looks bleak, particularly with Robby Fabbri out for the season — he put Real Hockey Guy™ about goalies and whether they should have made a up 29 points in just 51 games last year and looked like a player. At the save. He said something that's always stuck with me: “If you're arguing about whether he should have made the save, he probably should have made the save.” Steve Mason's always been an intriguing character to league average of 6.8 percent. There's a perception that Bruce Boudreau me because a lot of hockey people seem to love him, even though he drives this sort of thing which doesn't hold up as well as you'd think when has struggled at times with making saves. Looking through his data, I you look closely at it. noticed something interesting. With that said, when you look at shot maps and video from the Wild last Pretty good on long shots the past couple years, even last year when he year, it does seem like they were particularly good at scoring off the rush struggled. after getting through the neutral zone with speed. History tells us that they won't be able to get the same shooting percentage from their team Outstanding on flank shots — he hasn't let one in since January 11, 2014 and their bottom six forwards this year but I don't think last year's against Tampa. success was entirely due to luck. Of course, the more you do it, the more Last year was a bit of a down year on near flank shots after two good likely the opposition is to cotton on to it. I think we'll see the Wild get years following his departure from Columbus. fewer goals from their bottom six but it wouldn't surprise me if they continued to be an above average shooting percentage team. Historically, he's been excellent on high slot shots, although last year was a rough one for him. 13. Is this the year Chicago caves in? Chicago was on the cusp being a pretty bad 5-on-5 possession team with their top four defencemen on the Here's the thing: he hasn't historically been very good at stopping shots ice last year. from the slot relative to league average. His two respectable seasons in Philadelphia, he got it up to about league average but last year he fell They got away with it though, as they did in some other areas, on their back to where he's been in the past. way to winning the division. It makes me think back to that Real Hockey Guy™ because a lot of the Quite honestly, this was just part of a long list of stuff that kind of made it goals that go in on Mason would seem to be goals scored from the part look like the Blackhawks were doing it with smoke and mirrors. If you of the ice where we're conditioned to see pucks go in. It wouldn't looked at the Blackhawks' goal difference during the season in some necessarily look like his fault but historically, it seems to happen to him a detail, they won a lot of bonus points by winning in overtime, scored a lot lot more than other guys. If you're going to have an area of weakness, of goals with the goalie out and didn't give up many empty netters. After have an area of weakness that looks like other people's failings. their loss to the Predators, Patrick Kane basically acknowledged that they probably weren't as good as their record. 9. Will Anaheim start letting in 4-on-5 goals other than on defensive zone loss shifts? For two years, the Ducks have been an average to bad team It's strange contrasting all of the doom and gloom surrounding the Blues in terms of shot volume at 4-on-5. They've gotten away with it due to with the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks lost a more critical player than St. save percentages of .912 (first in the NHL in 2015-16, league average of Louis did in the form of Niklas Hjalmarsson. The replacement, Connor .876) and .908 (first in the NHL in 2016-17, league average of .874). Murphy, is a question mark. Brent Seabrook is getting older and has had Analytics guys hate betting on save percentage but Anaheim beat the shaky numbers for a few years. St. Louis was actually a better odds two years in a row, with a coaching change no less. possession team than the Blackhawks last year. With the Central Division looking pretty good and the uncertainty with Chicago's defence, There's a curious thing about this. When the Ducks lose a defensive it wouldn't stun if the Blackhawks were in tough to even make the zone faceoff, they're actually pretty average until they get a defence playoffs. change. In 2015-16, they went .881 in this situation (league average of .874) and .929 otherwise (league average of .878). Weird things happen 14. Can you trade your way to success? John Chayka made a number of in hockey but the exact same thing happened last year. They were .885 trades that were well received by the analytics community over the after a DZL until the change (league average: .867) and .918 otherwise summer and is seemingly entering the season with an honest-to- (league average: .877). There's no obvious reason in shot charts for this, goodness good group of top four defencemen, along with a much more although shot charts don't reveal everything. It's very strange. If it stops, inexpensive goalie who can plausibly be expected to provide the same Anaheim will have a pretty average penalty kill, although Anaheim have level of goaltending that they got from Mike Smith, or better. been avoiding analytically based predictions of doom for years now. The Coyotes have assembled a pile of prospects over the past few 10. Does Nashville's power play improve without Ryan Ellis? Long-time years, although they don't have a cluster like the Toronto Maple Leafs or readers or Twitter followers will know that I wasn't very impressed with Edmonton Oilers. They made an awful lot of trades that seemed very Nashville's tedious power play, as the Predators kind of failed to answer smart this summer though and if their defence group comes together and the “What do you when you have a bunch of people who are very good at Antti Raanta has another good season in goal, they could be on the edge doing something very inefficiently?” question correctly. With a plethora of of the playoff hunt, which would be a pretty amazing step forward to have talented defencemen, the Predators ran their power play through the taken by way of trades. point and it was bad. Nashville had one of the longer average shot 15. Will Mike Smith save Calgary's defencemen from wear-and-tear? distances in the NHL. Flames general manager Brad Treliving talked to The Athletic a few The top five teams there all had units that were excellent. On the teams weeks ago and explained his theory that Mike Smith might save the with long average distances that managed to put up good power play Flames' defencemen from getting hit as much as they have in the past. numbers, the unit doing the damage was generally at about 30 feet — “We had Jordan (Sigalet, the team’s goalie coach) go through and look at Buffalo's Ristolainen/Eichel/Okposo/O'Reilly/Reinhart unit averaged 31.4 every touch Smitty had last year. He went through every clip. You forget, feet. Boston's lethal Marchand/Pastrnak/Bergeron/Spooner/Krug unit until you’re around it every day, what a huge impact someone like him averaged 31.6 feet. Nashville's most common unit with Ryan Ellis can have on how you defend in your end own end – and also how much averaged 37 feet. the wear-and-tear your defencemen have to put up with. Ellis' absence removes the pressure to play him on the power play. It's a “So if you think about Mark Giordano as he gets older. He plays a lot. But chance for Nashville to find a way to not spend the game shooting from what if you take two or three hits per game away from him, that’s 160 nowhere. fewer hits per season he has to take. That’s a lot of wear-and-tear that 11. Will San Jose figure out how to give their power play a jolt? I wrote Smitty can prevent.” extensively about the Sharks over the summer. The most critical issue, That is quite the claim as to the amount of hits that Giordano receives. from my perspective, was the power play and the frequency with which The NHL's hit data has, uh, some issues, but at 5-on-5 about ten Brent Burns shot the puck. San Jose isn't alone in dealing with this — it's defencemen per season get hit 160 times; special teams won't add something that any team with a guy on the point who's a gifted shooter significantly to that. That said, you can't really rely on the data for has to grapple with. Point shots aren't efficient, even if the shooter is absolute counts and perhaps Treliving was thinking about bumps that a great. player like Giordano takes that add up to mileage on the frame without With Patrick Marleau having left town this summer, San Jose would need attracting the scorer's attention. to re-imagine their power play anyway. With the Pacific Division looking The point about the goalies saving the defencemen hits is an interesting reasonably good this year, San Jose needs every edge it can find. one though. It's something that's much easier to check and in order to do Finding a way to balance the volume of Brent Burns shots from the so, I pulled how often Arizona's defencemen were hit in the defensive blueline with the overall success of the power play is critical to the Sharks zone at 5-on-5 over the past two years with and without Mike Smith in having some success and a challenge that a couple of teams are finding net. In order to avoid any home scorer influence, I used the road data similar ways to resolve. only. Whatever the standard being applied, if a goalie is reducing hits 12. Can the Wild sustain the shooting percentage? Minnesota and the with his playmaking, it should be easy to spot. Rangers stood out to me last year for a couple of reasons, one of which It's hard to see an argument that Smith was bailing guys out. Some guys was the shooting percentage they got from their bottom six forwards. got hit more with Smith. Some guys got hit more with the other Arizona Minnesota's bottom six forwards shot 8.4 percent at 5-on-5 against a goalies. A look at the data for New Jersey Devils' defencemen playing with Martin Brodeur (another smooth puck moving goalie) from 2010-11 through 2013-14 shows something similar. As with Smith, I used the road data only. Some guys got hit more with Brodeur. Some got hit more when he was on the bench. If players like Brodeur and Smith are significantly limiting the number of times that their defencemen get hit, it's not showing up in the data. Moreover, I'm not necessarily sure we should expect that these types of goalies would be making plays that take the defenceman out of danger. If the goalie's out playing the puck, it generally means that there's no pressure on him. You don't have to be Smith to make a play in that situation. It doesn't mean that a defenceman coming back would end up taking the same hit. Smith's special puckhandling ability, as I see it, is his ability to make harder plays than the typical goalie. He can make passes that they can't. That isn't necessarily the same thing as being able to save defencemen from taking hits with his playmaking ability. The data suggests that it isn't that at all. Of course, this doesn't really matter — if Smith stops the puck, nobody will care if he can prevent the defencemen from taking hits, just like if he can't stop the puck, nobody will care how many hits he prevents the defencemen from taking.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076612 Websites Darkhorse Stanley Cup champion LeBrun: Edmonton Oilers – I’m picking a Tampa-Anaheim Cup final but give me Edmonton as a darkhorse Cup champion. I mean, they’re not The Athletic / NHL writer roundtable: The Athletic's NHL team makes considered favorites yet, are they? No need to explain this one too much. 2017-18 projections Connor McDavid will continue to push his superstar game to new levels. The Oilers learned a ton from playing San Jose and Anaheim last spring. They may very well be ready for the ultimate step just like Sidney Staff Report Crosby’s Penguins were in 2009 and Jonathan Toews’ Blackhawks in 2010. 13 hours ago Dellow: Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have a phenomenal group of top four defencemen, led by one of the best pairs in the NHL in Jacob Slavin and Brett Pesce. If Scott Darling is real, it’s not hard to see the Okay, here's the real reason we're doing this. Hurricanes being something akin to last year’s Nashville Predators. On podcasts and radio shows and on television, our Pierre LeBrun is Luszczyszyn: Dallas Stars – I’m not sure how dark this is (and I really going to make random references to his preseason Stanley Cup pick and considered putting the Jets here), but they’re a team that was nearly in we want to make sure it's recorded somewhere in print for posterity. And the bottom five last season so I think it counts. Big off-season while we were at it, we asked a few of The Athletic's other NHL writers to improvements, full health and a new defensive-minded coach makes me chime in with their Stanley Cup pick along with other interesting feel like the Stars could really put something good together this season. questions facing the NHL this season. Duhatschek: Stars – Not many teams can miss the playoffs one year and The panel: Pierre LeBrun, Tyler Dellow, Dom Luszczyszyn, Eric then go all the way the next, but the Stars were uniquely abysmal last Duhatschek, Justin Bourne, Craig Custance and our fearless leader season, after winning the Central with 109 points the year before with James Mirtle. virtually the same roster. That performance gave the Stars false hope The projections: that their goaltending would hold up in 2016-17, when everyone else advised changes. Happily, general manager Jim Nill went down that path Stanley Cup champion this past summer, and made a number of aggressive, win-now moves. It started when they landed a proven starting goaltender in Ben Bishop, LeBrun: Tampa Bay Lightning – I’m a stubborn person, ok? I picked who played in the Stanley Cup final as recently as 2015 and in the 2015- Tampa Bay a year ago to win the Cup and saw the injury-riddled club 16 season, followed up by posting eye-popping numbers for Tampa – miss the post-season. So you know what they say about the definition of second in save percentage (.926); tied for second in shutouts (six); and insanity, I’m picking them yet again. A healthy Steven Stamkos – he was tied for fourth in wins (35). Adding Alexander Radulov and Martin Hanzal on fire last year before getting hurt, playing his best hockey in 3-4 years to an already deep collection of forwards suggests the Stars could lead in my mind – plus a beefed-up blueline, I just think this is a juggernaut the league in scoring again (as they did two years ago) and Marc that’s going to win the Atlantic Division and then have a long, fruitful Methot’s steadiness should stabilize the blue line. The Stars are a team spring. I’m also a big believer in goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. He really on the brink of a massive surge up the standings. came into his own once Ben Bishop was traded last year, opening up the crease and putting the Russian netminder’s mind to ease. If they can Bourne: Three seasons ago the Lightning lost in the Cup Final. Two stay healthy, Tampa will roll. seasons ago they lost in the Conference Final. Last year they lost their captain Steven Stamkos in November, stumbled, then pulled together a Dellow: Nashville Predators – Peter Laviolette is a great coach. They still blazing post-season push that came up a breath short of playoffs. have a great defence. It’s plausible that they fix the power play. They were unfortunate to lose Ryan Johansen during the playoffs last year or Now Stamkos is back. The triplets are all in their prime, with Nikita they might be wearing rings already. Kucherov emerging as one of the league’s most dangerous forwards. They have a Norris contending No. 1 D-man and an uber-talented Luszczyszyn: Pittsburgh Penguins – A lot of great teams from last year goaltender who’s just been handed the reins. As horses go, I’m not sure look to take a step back going into this season, but not Pittsburgh. The this one’s all that dark. big x-factor is Kris Letang and his health is crucial to how far ahead this team is from everyone else, but as we saw last season they can win Custance: Columbus Blue Jackets – This is a team that is looking at a without him anyways. There hasn’t been a three-peat in a long time, but sneaky small window in which to be great. There are some big contracts the Pens have a really good chance to get it done. coming for GM Jarmo Kekalainen in a couple years with Artemi Panarin and Zach Werenski lining up for huge paydays which means good Duhatschek: Penguins – It took two decades before an NHL team finally players might have to go. There needs to be a sense of urgency in won back-to-back championships and you have to go all the way back to Columbus and if Sergei Bobrovsky can ever figure it out in the the New York Islanders’ dynasty years – of 1980 to 1983 – to find a team postseason, this team is going to be a tough out. that managed a threepeat. But Pittsburgh is uniquely positioned to turn the trick, given that the team that will take the ice at the start of the year, Mirtle: Calgary Flames. If we’re going to get crazy, let’s get crazy. Great because it includes a healthy Kris Letang, is actually stronger than the blueline. Up-and-comers up front. A wide-open Western Conference. And one that carted off the Stanley Cup back in June. With a nucleus of the world needs Jaromir Jagr and the mullet in a deep playoff run again, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Letang, Justin Schultz and folks. Everyone’s picking Edmonton, but I like what Calgary is doing. goaltender Matt Murray in place, along with a speedy collection of young Their window is likely soon, too, with Giordano now 34 years old. forwards, the Penguins have both the skill and the experience to create a 21st century dynasty. And with Crosby as captain, there is zero chance Hart Trophy Winner of complacency setting in. LeBrun: Connor McDavid, Edmonton – I love being different and going Bourne: Penguins – Not gonna overthink this one. The Penguins still against the grain but I can’t honestly believe at this point that this dude have the names you know on board, and they’ll be adding Letang who won’t grab hold of this trophy for many years to come. I mean, if he wins was injured during their latest Cup run. Young contributors like Jake the scoring title by 15 points this season – which I think is possible – how Guentzel, Connor Sheary and Murray are moving into their primes. All can you not vote him the MVP? told, the Cup champs are better than last year. Whether they win the Cup Dellow: McDavid – Barring injury or the learned membership of the or not, calling them the favorites seems the only logical starting point on PHWA overthinking things, McDavid will win the Hart Trophy for the next the season. decade. Custance: Lightning – Like Pierre, I picked the Lightning to win it all last Luszczyszyn: McDavid – This one is probably self-explanatory. He’s in October and am doubling down. I'm happy to keep doing this until I get it his own league right now. right. This is a team that is loaded with playoff experience and has stars in all the right positions. It's asking too much for the Penguins to go on Duhatschek: Too easy? McDavid won the Hart going away last year, as another long run and the Maple Leafs aren't quite ready. It's the perfect the driving force behind a 33-point year-over-year improvement – and year in the East for the Lightning to take advantage. two years into his career, we’ve really only got a glimpse of how good McDavid can be. He won the scoring race by 11 points last year and has Mirtle: Columbus Blue Jackets. You know why? Because no one knows the ability to create Wayne Gretzky-like separation from the rest of the who’s going to win in this crazy league right now. All you need is a good NHL pack, if he stays healthy. Edmonton has put together a reasonably goaltender, a solid blueline and some strength up the middle, and you’ve solid supporting cast, but everything revolves around McDavid – his got a chance. With Bob, Zach Werenski, Jones and their forward depth, speed, his playmaking and his ability to finish. Columbus qualifies. Fire up the cannon. Bourne: I once wrote an article called “The mortal’s guide to shutting tough sledding in the early going. And with divisional foes Tampa, down Connor McDavid.” In sum: cheat or you’re screwed. Toronto and Buffalo all likely to be better this season, I think they’re a solid bet to miss the post-season. Custance: Sidney Crosby, Penguins – So we're just handing the Hart to McDavid for the next decade now? I mean, he's great and is going to win Custance: Senators – If Erik Karlsson isn't 100 percent this season, it's a bundle but I'm not sure Crosby is ready yet to concede this trophy on really hard to imagine Ottawa repeating last season's success. Also, you an annual basis. can't help but wonder it they'll end up moving Kyle Turris if they can't get him signed at some point. Mirtle: Victor Hedman, Lightning – Big man deserves at least some love for the Norris this time around. If the Lightning push up the standings – Mirtle: Senators – Karlsson’s situation is really concerning given how which they should – he will be a big reason why. much he means to that team. Calder Trophy Winner 2017 non-playoff team most likely to qualify in 2018 LeBrun: Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins – He should get plenty of LeBrun: Dallas Stars – I love the Ken Hitchcock hire. They’ll be a better opportunity to shine. The voters love young, offensive defensemen and defensive team. The blue-line is deeper and the kids on it have matured he should have quite a year. I just love watching him play. more. The offense is never in question. Book it, the Stars are back in. Dellow: Julius H…kidding, kidding. Charlie McAvoy. He looked like the Dellow: Tampa Bay Lightning – The Lightning had a lot of things go real deal in the playoffs and in a bit of a down year for rookie forwards, a wrong last year and still almost made the playoffs. They’re an easy pick defenceman playing well in top four minutes seems like a good bet. for this year. Luszczyszyn: Alex DeBrincat, Blackhawks – I’m going out one a limb Luszczyszyn: Stars – *Computer Noises* Dallas’s chances to make it are here because he’s playing with Patrick Kane in Artemi Panarin’s old spot, 70 per cent. but if that continues look out. The kid torched the OHL and his talent is through the roof. Size is a concern, but I feel like he’s got a bit of Johnny Duhatschek: Lightning – Tampa is the Eastern Conference equivalent of Gaudreau’s “if you can’t catch me it doesn’t matter” in him. the Dallas Stars, a team that made the playoffs two years ago and then saw everything fall apart last year, after Steven Stamkos was lost for the Duhatschek: Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes – Keller, the No. 7 overall season 20 games in. Tampa felt it could move Jonathan Drouin in the pick in 2016, looks like the second coming of Johnny Gaudreau – quick Mikhail Sergachev trade, in part because of how well Brayden Point and skilled, with the ability find seams in the defence. Once upon a time, played after arriving full-time in the NHL. Nikita Kucherov remains one of a player of Keller’s stature (he is listed at 5-10, 161) had no chance to the most underrated stars in the game. So long as Tampa made the right succeed unless he played with a Theo Fleury-like chip on his shoulder. choice in handing the goaltending reins to promising Andrei Vasilevskiy, But in a kinder, gentler era, where talent is prized more than ever, Keller they could easily win their division for the first time since 2004. has it oozing from his pores. On a Arizona Coyotes team that’s deeper than it has been in years, Keller could easily lead the team in scoring, he Bourne: Lightning – They were my darkhorse Stanley Cup winner pick, is that dynamic. so yes … I’m bullish on the Lightning. Bourne: Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks – Here’s what I know about Custance: The correct answer is the Lightning. Brock Boeser: he scored 60 points in 42 games as a college freshman, Mirtle: Tampa is the easy choice, but I think the Kings are going to which was third in the entire nation. He scored four goals in nine NHL surprise, too. Things went about as poorly as they could for them last games last season as a Canuck. He scored four goals in three pre- season, and a new coach could work wonders. Carolina, Dallas, season games this year, and in doing so, looked awfully dynamic. And Philadelphia and Winnipeg could all push out incumbents, too. It’s going finally, the Canucks badly needs an injection of skill and offense. to be an interesting year on that front, as it’s not easy to pick out teams There’s no guarantee he even makes the team. But from what I’ve seen, that will slide out. he should, and he should play a top-six role with power play time. If that happens, I like my pick here. The Athletic LOADED: 10.05.2017 Custance: McAvoy – Another great American rookie defenseman breaking in the league, following Werenski's big season last year. Only McAvoy doesn't have to face off against a generational center in Auston Matthews in a wide open rookie field. Mirtle: Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils – I don’t care that this kid doesn’t have anyone to play with – it might not matter. Points are typically what win Calder trophies, and he will pile some up this year. His individual efforts in preseason were pretty eye-opening. 2017 playoff team most likely to miss in 2018 LeBrun: St. Louis Blues – I wouldn’t have felt this way if it wasn’t for all the key injuries they already have. But it reminds me so much of what Dallas went through a year ago at camp and how the Stars never recovered from it. Dellow: Ottawa Senators – The Sens might be a better team than last year. The problem they have is that they’re in a division with Tampa, Montreal, Toronto and Boston and the Eastern Conference is stronger than the Western Conference. Luszczyszyn: Senators – *Computer Noises* Ottawa’s chances to miss are 70 per cent. Duhatschek: Boston Bruins – For three years running now, the Bruins have been a remarkably consistent middle-of-the-pack team – 95, 93 and 96 points. Only last year was that good enough to get in the playoffs and they made it by the slimmest of margins, finishing only a single point ahead of Tampa. And while the presence of McAvoy bolsters their blue line, it also means Zdeno Chara is another year older (he turned 40 last March) and isn’t the same defensive beast he once was. Boston has some fun high-end talent to watch but the depth after their top four forwards really falls off. They are a bubble team again, but could easily get passed by Tampa. Bourne: Senators – Despite going as far as Game 7 of the Conference Final last season, I’m not sold this is a very good hockey team. One of their best players is Craig Anderson, and he’s not getting any younger. Their actual best player is Erik Karlsson, who I just saw on Twitter “had a piece of his ankle bone removed in surgery.” That could make for some 1076613 Websites those successes are just a series of unconnected events that has no bearing on this year, so they hold no water here. If anything you'd think a team that's consistently overachieved is destined to go the other way at The Athletic / Bourne: Tale of two Senators: A look at their best and some point. worst-case 2017-18 scenarios But moving away from the Debbie Downer view, some of the responses I received did make some good points, and I was listening. So let’s go through what has to happen for the Sens to not just make playoffs, but Justin Bourne set the league aflame. 14 hours ago The obvious place to start is by addressing my concerns above. What if Craig Anderson plays like Craig Anderson, and the Sens do, in fact, get some of the best goaltending in the league? That makes any team more likely to make playoffs than miss. I always knew it would happen, but I certainly never imagined it would be a tweet about the Ottawa Senators that did it: I almost got Twitter Ratio’d. There’s also a legit chance Karlsson could miss just a few games, then come back and be his usual dynamic self. The same day he made the If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, it’s the general idea that if the comments about his lower leg being borked, TSN showed video of him replies to a tweet greatly exceed the retweets and likes, you’ve probably skating better than most guys in the league can at 100 percent. messed up pretty bad. (When United Airlines violently dragged a doctor off a plane they followed it up by tweeting that he was “re- So if Karlsson does in fact turn out to be just fine, and he rolls out accommodated.” That post saw 20,000 retweets — mostly for have you another Norris Trophy caliber year, well hell, the Sens are suddenly a lot seen this dumb PR work? purposes — and 60,000 comments. Re- more solid on the back end. accommodated. Come on now.) Let’s say, too, that Oduya had himself a great summer, and he finds Of course, likes from Maple Leafs and Canadiens fans saved me from a away to get back to his better days. That would go miles for this club. truly nightmarish ratio, but the replies from Ottawa sent a clear message: There’s also Dion Phaneuf, who lives a pretty clean lifestyle by all I said something dumb. accounts. It’s possible he could stave off the aging curve longer than others and excel in a secondary role. And to some extent, that's true. It was a haphazard way of phrasing my thoughts, and of course, I can conceive of a way the Sens get back to the A handful of things could make the team even better than last year up playoffs. front: So with it being the most uncertain and hopeful time of the year, I wanted By all logic Bobby Ryan should have a much better season. Both Ryan to take a look at two potential versions of the 2017-18 Ottawa Senators. and head coach Guy Boucher have made recent comments that last year One is my honest, more pessimistic view, and the other is what has to Ryan was going through some personal issues. By playoffs, he had them happen for me to eat my words in a Sens sweater and a dunce hat. sorted out, and he was fantastic. Boucher expects that to be the Ryan the Sens see all season. No team relies more on a single player more than the Senators rely on Erik Karlsson. He’s the Senators' LeBron James, the main cog that keeps The bottom of their forward core could be better, too. Last year it was a the machine in forward motion … and here’s a sampling of things he bit of a black hole there, but they’ve opted to go with skill where you recently said about his surgically repaired ankle: usually find slower, heavier players. If Alexandre Burrows can hold off the inevitable age decline for another year, and Ryan Dzingel can really find “It feels like I have a leather piece in my one ankle. You can’t really move his stride in the NHL, they could find a few more goals from their bottom it. It’s going to take some getting used to.” six than they’ve had in the past. “They took half of my ankle bone out and the part that is still there should They could even see increased production from a guy like JP Pageau. be as normal as possible.” Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone could have career years. These things are “…It’s a strange feeling and it feels a lot different.” not out of the question. “I wouldn’t call it pain. I can’t say that it feels normal.” And last but not least, there’s always luck. Hockey games are closer than ever, and bounces happen at random. Every year some teams out- Insert gritted-teeth grimace-face emoji guy, Sens fans. perform their true talent thanks to a little old-fashioned luck. He’s not going to be ready for the season opener – we’re not exactly sure If all those things come together, you're looking at a team with a skilled when he’s going to be back at all – and when he does return, it’s going to group of forwards with a true No. 1 D-man and an all-star caliber take him awhile to get up to his usual exceptional level. Given that he’s a goaltender. That's the makings of a pretty good team — again, if it all guy who relies heavily on his skating to be great, this seems like a major comes together. concern. So, by no means do I think the Senators are going to be a pushover of a Looking at that D-corps without him isn't exactly an inspirational sight, club this year. For me, though, the biggest point is to remember what I either. Mark Borowiecki, Chris Wideman, Freddy Claesson, Cody Ceci, mentioned earlier: other teams have good players, too. You have to be Johnny Oduya … not exactly a group of world-beaters there, is it? better than good. I’ve long been a believer that you need difference makers to win, and that top-end talent is crucial in having NHL success. One of the Sens next-most important pieces is Craig Anderson, and I’ll You rarely see teams that win the Cup “scoring by committee” these admit it – when it comes to hockey, I’m a raging age-ist. That's my big days. concern with him. As the saying goes, Father Time is undefeated. Because of that belief I find myself skeptical Ottawa has one of the three That’s not to say I think he goes from being one of the best goaltenders best rosters in their division. And with the way the Metropolitan Division in the league to a street hockey goalie, but I definitely expect a little looks stacked, it’s very possible being the fourth best team in the Atlantic decline. isn’t going to cut it. So if you believe that Karlsson is going to miss some time and may not Everything hinges on Karlsson and Anderson. If they're not in the lineup be himself for awhile, and that the team won’t see a .926 save and at their best, the Sens will have to hand the keys over to their simply percentage, and you know the team finished just three points inside “good” players. And sometimes good isn’t good enough. playoffs the previous season … you can see where the doubts creep in.

Then there’s the Atlantic Division. Remember, it’s not just about your team being “good.” It’s about it being “better.” And if you look around: The Athletic LOADED: 10.05.2017 Montreal won the division last year and added Jonathan Drouin. The Leafs were one of the best teams in the league in the second half last season, and their young core is a year older. That Bruins core hasn’t yet aged beyond effectiveness. Tampa Bay may be the best team in the division. Even Buffalo is improved. There just seems to be fewer free points to mop up this year. The general point of pushback I received was that the Sens often exceed expectations (last year the pundits had their doubts too, and the Sens ended up a goal away from the Cup final). And that’s fine enough. But 1076614 Websites “How we met, when he came to camp, between him and (Tony Twist), it was bedlam out there,” Hull said this week. “It was different back then. There was fighting in the exhibition games, but there were more fights The Athletic / Tarasenko-Reaves friendship is a common bond shared among teammates. You could see what kind of impact Chaser could between scorers and enforcers have, especially on a guy like me, and that’s when it really hits you.” “Brett respected my role and I knew that in order for him to have success, he had to be in his comfort zone,” Chase said. “He certainly didn’t enjoy Jeremy Rutherford being abused, and if you could help him feel healthier for the stretch run and the playoffs by what you did in October, November and December, it 14 hours ago made a difference. And he was a guy that understood it as well as any finesse player in the league. That’s why we got along.”

But while Blues fans watched as Chase protected Hull on the ice, like You likely remember that the start of the 2012-13 NHL season was Tarasenko and Reaves it was a togetherness they forged off the ice that delayed four months because of a league lockout. Blues fans were brought them closer. doubly disappointed because that also postponed the arrival of Russian prospect Vladimir Tarasenko. But on Jan. 19, he finally made his debut, “He would always be signing autographs for the people who were waiting and in a preview of the production to come, scored twice in a 6-0 victory at the hotel,” Chase said. “I would head up to the room and put a ‘Do not over Detroit on opening night at Scottrade Center. disturb’ on the phone, change the name of who was staying in the room to some made-up name off of Caddyshack, and then just cranked the air- Today, Tarasenko is one of the NHL’s most recognizable faces, but back conditioning down to 60 degrees. So when he got in the room, he just then he was a 21 year old who spoke extremely little English and was threw his bags down and out to dinner we went.” just trying to fit in. Two days after the win over the Red Wings, the Blues’ charter plane was boarding for Nashville and seats were filling up fast. Hull and Chase wound up being roommates for nine years, but it almost The scene that ensued next became the root of a relationship with ended in the early 1990s, shortly after the Blues traded Adam Oates to enforcer Ryan Reaves that created more comfort for Tarasenko over the Boston. Chase had had a run-in with head coach Bob Berry that led next five years and a bond that remains tight even though Reaves will be general manager Ron Caron to initiate a trade with Montreal, and it might on the other side Wednesday night when the Blues open the regular have went through if not for a phone call from Hull. season in Pittsburgh. “You’ve got to take care of the guys who take care of you,” Hull said. “It “The first flight, he was kind of looking around for a seat and I had an was one of those things, I said, ‘If he goes, send me with him because open one next to me,” recalled Reaves, who was dealt to the Penguins in he’s my guy.” the off-season. “He kind of looked, but walked past me and then came back. I said, ‘Hey, you looking for a spot?’ He was like, ‘Yeah.’ I told him Chase stayed in St. Louis, but playfully got an earful from his teammates. to sit down, so he did, and we played video games together all the way to Nashville. He later told me that he was scared to sit next to me. He said, “They were like, ‘Oh OK, so now we have two guys on the team that are ‘You had tattoos and you’re a big guy and I don’t see very many black untradeable,'” he said. people in Russia.’ I guess I was intimidating. But I’m not a very In 1995, however, Chase was sent packing to Hartford after being placed intimidating guy when I’m talking to you one on one, so I think that kind of on waivers by . helped.” “It sucked,” Hull said. “You become part of a family and you don’t want to Reaves, who was known for landing punches in 57 fights over seven see anyone go, but especially when you’re good friends. It hits close to seasons with the Blues, didn’t stop mentoring Tarasenko after the plane home.” landed back in St. Louis. They weren’t seated side by side in the locker room like on the flight, but their stalls weren’t far apart, allowing them to Fortunately, Chase was able to return home to St. Louis in 1997 when work on one English word per day for the next few months. Caron re-acquired him from Toronto. “(Blues coach Ken Hitchcock) would say something and Vladi would “Poor Scott Pellerin,” Chase said. “He just moved into my house. I told have no idea what was going on, or there would be a word that he heard him, ‘Don’t move into the house because if I get traded back there, you’ll in a conversation and he would just look at me and say, ‘What is this?’” have to move out.’ He thought there was no way, but I got traded back, I Reaves said. “We’d go over it, and I’d tell him what it meant, how to use moved back into my house, I took his stall next to Brett and took No. 39 it. We tried to do one of those a day and then he started teaching me back from him. All in a day he lost a house, a stall and a jersey.” some Russian words. Every time he would shoot, I say, ‘alle.’ It means ‘hello’ in Russian. I said it every time he shot, hoping he’s going to score. Tarasenko and Reaves went through the same emotions that Hull and I've got to make sure I don't do that (Wednesday), by the way.” Chase did when Reaves was dealt to Pittsburgh for center Oskar Sundqvist and a first-round pick in June. That led to a several scheduled handshakes between Tarasenko and Reaves and a patented pre-game “bump” that a few fans at Scottrade “It was pretty hard to miss him here, but it’s hockey, so you know players Center anticipated as much as the puck drop. Reaves would be on his get traded and we’ve just got to play through,” Tarasenko said. knees stretching at the blueline, and then Tarasenko would slide about The Blues were concerned enough, though, after trading both Reaves five feet on his knees, curling into Reaves so that the two could bump and Jori Lehtera, two of Tarasenko’s closest friends on the team, that shoulders. general manager Doug Armstrong and head coach Mike Yeo both called “We started to incorporate both of our routines into each other’s,” Reaves him. said. “We had a handshake in soccer, we had another handshake before “I think that’s normal,” Yeo said. “I think that’s our job. You’re coaching we went out (for the pre-game skate), we had another handshake on the more than just X’s and O’s, and you have to deal with emotions. It’s no ice and then we had a little thing right before line rushes. Every couple of different than if something bad happens at home for somebody, you want weeks, we were doing a new thing and it just kind of went from there. to make sure that you’re there and talk to them, try to get their heads “The bump started one night when he came buzzing around me and he wrapped around things and this was no different.” just kind of came up and I bumped shoulders. A couple of months later, I Reaves and Tarasenko won’t see each other on a day-to-day basis any started spinning away from him and then pushing back into him for the longer, but they still have many memorable days to fall back on, like bump. I could always see people behind us waiting for it. I definitely other relationships we've seen between those two roles in the past. Why always waited for it.” do they think that it's so common? Now plenty comfortable to carry on his own conversation, Tarasenko “I don’t know,” Reaves said. “I think it starts with you have superstar on says “Reavo is a positive guy. He’s pretty honest. In Russia, we know the your team that you feel that you need to protect. I think a big part of price is really high for people who are honest to you. He’s always been a protecting a player is making sure he feels comfortable. Not just great teammate and we start to be friends since Day One here. Our job is protecting a guy on the ice, but making sure he’s comfortable in his hard, not the hardest one in the world obviously, but those are the things surroundings. You don’t want a guy like that sitting in a dressing room, that make him more positive and bring you more positive emotions, not talking to anybody and not enjoying himself because that can affect especially before games.” people in so many different ways. I think it just kind of happens like that, Tarasenko and Reaves certainly aren’t the first scorer-enforcer duo in where you just try to take somebody under your wing and then a NHL history to hit it off, and in fact, the Blues might have had one of the friendship just kind of blossoms from there.” closest such friendships blossom in the late 1980s with Brett Hull and Kelly Chase. “You know, whoever is most nicest to you, you just start being with him, Tarasenko added. “I start sitting on the plane with him, and go for dinner the first road trip in Nashville and that’s how it starts.” Hull agrees. “You’d like to think that it’s because of how they take care of the skilled guy out there on the ice, but it’s really because they’re great guys,” he said. “There is that element of if you’re out (in public) and someone starts getting smart in a bar, at least you know that they’re there with you. But mostly it’s because they’re great people, they’re fun to be around, they’re good-hearted and they do a lot of charity work.” Speaking of bars, Chase said that he and Hull never had any pre-game rituals, like Reaves and Tarasenko with their handshakes and bumps. “Nope,” he said. “We bumped our beer bottles together after the game.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076615 Websites With Laine and Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler, the Jets should do their fare share of scoring as well this season. There’s a good reason for all of the optimism coursing across the country. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs prefer ‘dream’ opener vs. Jets to last However, in the long run, it will arguably be the play at the other end of season’s ‘fairytale’ the ice that defines the season in both Toronto and Winnipeg. “Their offensive numbers are really, really good,” said Jets coach Paul Chris Johnston Maurice. “Our offensive zone time and numbers are really good. So both teams want to play in the other team’s end because we’re really good at @reporterchris it. Getting the puck there and controlling the puck to get it there is going to be all based on how well you play defensively and how well you battle. October 5, 2017, 12:56 AM “Neither one of our defensive metrics are great, but they’re both going to get better this year.” WINNIPEG – Auston Matthews had earlier described his four-goal debut It’s still early. Now the work gets done. as a “fairytale” and yet still found a little more to like about the way his second season started with the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the season finally underway, there need not be so much talk about expectations and sophomore jinxes – as if such a thing truly exists. “This feels a lot better,” Matthews said after Wednesday’s 7-2 dismantling of the Winnipeg Jets. “I just think when you do your work in the off-season, and you get prepared, you don’t tend to have any sophomore jinx,” said Babcock. “If It was a night that immediately washed away a training camp’s worth of you feel good about yourself and you don’t work, you come back and it optimism in one city while prolonging the blissful excitement in the other. doesn’t go as good. You know, I’m not as concerned about that as some That, too, will be chipped away over the grind of 82 games in 186 days, might be. but the Leafs bought everyone a little more time to dream. “I just think the guys are good players and they worked hard this summer They also produced some compelling evidence that at least one and so it’ll show this winter.” prevailing theory about their makeup may last through the winter. This group seems capable of outscoring its problems. Averaging north of three goals a night in today’s NHL puts you in elite company and Toronto should be there again for a second straight year. I mean they took the first three penalties of the game and surrendered 15 shots over 13 minutes. Frederik Andersen possesses a heart surgeon’s They put seven in on opening night. Might as well try to keep up that composure, but even he reported dealing with a quickened pulse after 1980s-esque pace as long as possible. turning back a Patrik Laine one-timer and out-waiting a Jacob Trouba surge across the crease. “We hope to,” said Andersen. “You can only dream, right?” And, yet, when the horn sounded on the intermission Toronto was ahead At this point, it’s only natural. 3-0. Calm was quickly restored after some early chaos on the visitor’s bench. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 The Leafs were aided by a shaky debut for Jets goalie Steve Mason, but they also made their own luck. There was a nifty Mitch Marner-Tyler Bozak-James van Riemsdyk passing sequence before Nazem Kadri opened the scoring on a power play. William Nylander had all day and an open net after Matthews swooped across the top of the zone with Dustin Byfuglien shadowing him and crossed up the defenders by sliding the puck to Jake Gardiner, who promptly threaded it through. There was a gravitational pull towards Matthews early in the second period when both Byfuglien and Trouba shaded to his side of the ice. His response? A backhand flip pass to send Patrick Marleau in alone for the first of his two goals in blue and white after scoring 508 for San Jose. A.M. to P.M. “That was awesome,” said Matthews. “Unbelievable pick up by him and the move was even better. Pretty special play.” Between the disjointed rhythm created by penalties, between all of the fashion crimes – Leo Komarov’s rare “illegal equipment” penalty for wearing his visor too high; warnings to Eric Fehr and Connor Brown for having their sweaters tucked in; Andersen being ordered to cover the knob of his stick in white tape – the Leafs looked like a group that can globe trot. Three lines that can skate and score and carry stretches of play at 5-on- 5. In the words of new defenceman Ron Hainsey, a team that is “awful” to play against and bears some resemblance to the Pittsburgh Penguins crew he won a Stanley Cup with in June. “A lot of good players who can score, yup,” said Hainsey. “It’s very similar (to Pittsburgh) where you have three lines on both teams that you’re like – there’s no break for the other teams’ players as far as scoring chances and speed and creativity. Very similar in that regard.” “You can see how hungry they are out there,” Marleau said of his young teammates. “Not only in games but in practice. They’re striving to get better each and every day and you want to be part of that.” Matthews, Nylander and Mitch Marner all scored in the same game for the third time in their young careers – well, fourth, if you’re willing to include pre-season action. In this opener, the Leafs managed to silence the Winnipeg crowd – no small feat. The locals didn’t even find a chance to dust off the “Laine’s better!” chant from a year ago. 1076616 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Jets’ Patrik Laine on loss to Maple Leafs: ‘Just embarrassing’

Sportsnet Staff @Sportsnet October 4, 2017, 11:08 PM

The Winnipeg Jets placed an increased focus on defence during training camp, having finished last season allowing the fourth-most goals in the NHL. That’s why the outcome of their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday was so jarring. “Just embarrassing,” said Jets winger Patrik Laine following the 7-2 drubbing. “It wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season, but now it’s done.” Despite outshooting Toronto 17-11 in the first period, Winnipeg finished the frame trailing 3-0. The Leafs added another goal in the second and three more in the third, before the Jets finally made it on the scoresheet with late tallies from Mark Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault. “We were just not defending well,” said Laine, who earned an assist on Scheifele’s marker. “If the opponent scores seven goals, there’s something we did wrong with our defence. “It’s obviously frustrating because we were practising defence so much and the first regular season game the opponent scores seven goals,” he added. “That’s not the ideal start.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076617 Websites Cheveldayoff has been busy wrapping up important player negotiations this fall. First it was impending UFA centre Bryan Little, then Ehlers. So, who’s on deck for a raise? A bunch of RFAs. Sportsnet.ca / 7 Takeaways: ‘Powerful’ Leafs overcome Jets, fashion “There’s [Jacob] Trouba, there’s [Adam] Lowry, there’s [Joshua] police Morrisey, lots of guys up for extensions,” Cheveldayoff said. “Of course, in the summer you’ve got a player like Laine to deal with as well.” Luke Fox The Leafs’ off-kilter Leo Komarov was penalized in the first period for not wearing his visor properly, an infraction discussed at the GM meetings @lukefoxjukebox and one which the winger was warned about in the pre-season. October 4, 2017, 11:05 PM “I don’t see through it. That’s the reason I’m wearing it up there,” Komarov explained after officials told him to remove his high visor altogether in a pre-season, uh, tilt. The giddy Stanley Cup chatter, the stories on the embarrassment of “So it’s not like I’m being cocky or anything. It’s how I play forever. So I forward riches, the feeling that Toronto has landed a real goalie… none took it off, but I don’t feel safe without it, so we’ll see what’s going to of it will disappear soon. happen.” The Toronto Maple Leafs’ cocktail of veterans and kids blended into a Two minutes in the box and a livid Babcock, apparently, is what happens. mixture too stiff for their hosts to handle in a season-opening party that crashed in Winnipeg. Komarov’s helmet, which spawned its own vanity Twitter account, wasn’t the only party guilty of a wardrobe malfunction. The Leafs’ 7-2 defeat of the Jets Wednesday was highlighted by illegal attire, tic-tac-toe goals, and two vastly different goaltending Frederik Andersen arrived with blue tape wrapped on the end of his goal performances. Here are seven things we learned. stick and was forced to cover it with white tape. At this rate, those 38-year-old hands will be worth every penny. Eric Fehr (who won the 4C start over Dominic Moore) and Connor Brown each received warnings for tucked sweaters, the result of accidental For a guy whose first 1,493 games were played with just one club, slippage as opposed to a style choice. Patrick Marleau’s transition to a new conference, a new country, and a new team feels seamless. Fehr attributed the tuck to the NHL’s new slim-fit Adidas sweaters. The veteran scored in his first pre-season game, and again — twice — in “I’ve been in the league for a few years and I’ve never had an issue,” his first regular-season game as a Maple Leaf. (For the record, Zach Fehr said on-air. “I guess they’re trying to crack down on a lot of stuff, Hyman did not score, if you wish to keep that debate alive.) and that seems to be one of them.” During a bump-up shift immediately following a penalty kill, coach Mike Jets super sophomore Patrik Laine did not score, but he did create Babcock deployed a power line of Marleau-Matthews-Marner. Mitch chances and set up Mark Scheifele for Winnipeg’s first marker of the Marner fed Auston Matthews, who dished to Marleau, who took the pass season. off his blade and deked Steve Mason something dirty. Before he flew to the game, we asked Leafs shutdown centre Nazem MMMBop. Kadri for his Laine scouting report: “We played the right way for the majority of the game, and we were “He’s a heads-up player,’ Kadri said. “He’s got that lethal shot. He can rewarded for it,” Marleau said after his two-goal, five-shot night. shoot it from anywhere in the zone and have an opportunity to score. He’s got deceiving speed for a big man. He’s not slow. He’s strong on the Sounds like a Leaf already. puck. He’s got a long reach. He’s good at picking up pucks and stripping guys. Those are all things you have to be aware of.” Three first lines in Toronto? The great, big knock on the modern Jets has been the club’s lack of “It’ll be the defensive part of the game that defines the wins and losses,” goaltending. Would this summer’s free-agent acquisition of Steve Mason Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters ahead of the game. Ominously. be the one to stop some pucks and take the heat off a still-developing Toronto’s forwards rushed and crashed the net in talented waves. Connor Hellebuyck? Matthews had just one goal and two assists, a step down from his four- Judging by a sample size of two periods and 36 seconds — at which goal season debut of 2016. point Mason was pulled in favour of the younger netminder — the answer But that’s fine when you consider a total of six Leafs enjoyed multi-point is no. debuts (Marleau, Marner, James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Nazem Mason allowed five goals on 20 shots to the dynamic Leafs forwards. To Kadri) and six others got on the board. be fair, he had received zero run support. After withstanding a post-anthem onslaught from Winnipeg, the Leafs Hellebuyck let in two more in less than period’s worth of work. Eek. exploded late in the first frame and never looked back. Two hundred feet away, Toronto’s No. 1, Andersen, began the season “We certainly didn’t want to give up three goals in the last five minutes,” leaner and healthier and looked razor sharp in this one, stopping 35 said Tyler Myers after 20 minutes of play. shots en route to the win. Renowned for their discipline issues, the Jets welcomed former NHL

referee Paul Devorski to their training camp to help instruct the players on how to mute whistles. The club set a goal of taking fewer PIMs than Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 their opponent each night. Indeed, Winnipeg ended up with twice as many power-plays as the visitors, but went 0-for-8 with the man-advantage. Toronto went 2-for-4 and notched another one on a delayed call. “You can’t give those blatant opportunities to a powerful team like Toronto. It’s going to end up in the back of our net,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said in a first-intermission TV interview. “If we want to take penalties of the nature that some were taken today, it’s going to be a long year.” Toronto’s rejigged main PK unit, featuring Ron Hainsey, Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown and Eric Fehr, did yeoman’s work. Nikolaj Ehlers inked a juicy seven-year, $42-million contract extension mere hours before puck drop and celebrated with this nifty pre-game handshake with Patrik Laine: 1076618 Websites While McDavid was the most dangerous player on the ice all night, Oscar Klefbom spearheaded the shooting gallery with nine shots, including two blasts Smith saved with his blocker, one with his glove, several into the Sportsnet.ca / Mike Smith experiences desert deja vu in Flames debut pillows and one off the mask that surely had concussion spotters against Oilers debating a phone call. McDavid tested him seven times. Eric Francis So involved in the action was Smith that in the midst of a 13-shot second period he took exception to a knee in the head by Patrick Maroon, @EricFrancis immediately engaging the six-foot-three winger in an angry bear hug. October 5, 2017, 1:50 AM It didn’t seem to faze him though as he calmly turned aside consecutive Kris Russell shots during a particularly prolonged Oilers push.

The pressure was relentless, the pushback was minimal as Cam Talbot EDMONTON — One minute into his Flames debut Mike Smith watched easily steered aside all 26 shots tossed his way by a Flames team that Connor McDavid use his speed to split the defence and walk in alone. was kept in the game only by their heroic goaltending. Must’ve felt like he was still in the desert. It’s worth noting McDavid’s first goal was a rebound off a Leon Draisaitl shot the goaltender had no chance on. The 35-year-old netminder managed to stick out his pad to rob the reigning Hart Trophy winner, ensuring his new team wasn’t reeling early. Yes, it’s early and yes, he’s McDavid, but the number of times he blew past a mobile defence that included two particularly humbling sequences However, 44 shots later – including one point-blank slapper that ripped was disturbing for a Flames team that will long be measured against the off his mask – Smith had to have felt right at home, dealing with the type Oil. of onslaught he’d grown accustomed to as a Coyote. Even their prized new defender, Travis Hamonic, was victimized by “Not the feeler I wanted to start with but that’s the type of player he is,” McDavid’s speed several times. said Smith of his opening test. “When he has space and time he can wind it up and create some pretty unique scoring chances.” If not for Smith an embarrassing night would have been downright humiliating — a scenario Smith liked to think he left behind in Arizona. Unique indeed.

Back to Smith. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 Last year, the veteran faced more than 40 shots 11 times, walking away with an astonishing 6-2-3 record that included a 57-save overtime loss. The first nine such outings he didn’t lose in regulation. Traded to Calgary this summer where the Flames bolstered blue line was touted as one of the league’s very best, things were supposed to be different. Much different. Not Wednesday in Edmonton where he was Calgary’s lone star in a stunningly one-sided affair. Yet, thanks to Smith, the Flames were only behind 1-0 until 12 minutes left in the game when McDavid broke in alone for the third time and buried his second of the night. TJ Brodie, who was tasked with trying to contain McDavid’s line all night alongside Hamonic, could only wave his stick in vain as the Oilers captain cut in and lifted the puck over Smith’s catching glove. His hat-trick goal in a 3-0 win came with an empty net. “That was our bright spot tonight – our goaltender,” said a somewhat chapped Glen Gulutzan, whose club was pedestrian at best, outshot 45- 26. “That was a lot different if he’s not playing like that for us. We needed to win a battle.” Few in Calgary could have been surprised by the result as the Flames hadn’t won a season opener since 2009 and have been sub-.500 in four of their last five years, including a 5-10-1 start last season. The good news for Flames fans is that they don’t face the Oilers two nights later as they did last year en route to a season sweep by the northern rivals. What wasn’t foreseen was Smith having to contort his six-foot-four frame in an effort to stand on his head. A good sign for the netminder. Bad sign for the blue line. “He was unbelievable. He kept us in the game and made some huge saves all night,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano. “If we get that kind of goaltending all year, we’re going to be in a good spot.” If they allow the Oilers to dominate the wall and use their formidable size as effectively as Wednesday’s opener, the Flames will be swept by the Oilers again. Yet, it’s early. 1076619 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Leafs’ Komarov called for ‘illegal equipment’ in season opener

Andrew Bottomley October 4, 2017, 8:05 PM

It took less than 10 minutes for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov to get caught for violating a rule the NHL has started to crack down on, and has already warned him about in the pre-season. At the 6:26 mark of the opening period of the very first game of the new NHL season, Komarov was given a two-minute penalty for ‘illegal equipment’ because the referees deemed that his visor was too high up on his helmet. Komarov was warned on Sept. 19 during a pre-season game that his notorious style of how he wears his visor would no longer be tolerated, but the veteran told Sportsnet that it’s how he has played forever and that he doesn’t feel safe without it. “The ref told me they changed some rules and to keep it down,” Komarov explained. “I don’t see through it. That’s the reason I’m wearing it up there. “So it’s not like I’m being cocky or anything. It’s how I play forever. So I took it off, but I don’t feel safe without it, so we’ll see what’s going to happen.” The video of the infraction can be seen at the top of this page, where both Komarov and head coach Mike Babcock disagree with the call. “Some people don’t really like it, like the referees in Europe, so I had to keep it down and try [playing that way before coming to the NHL in 2012],” Komarov said in an interview with the Toronto Sun in 2016. “There’s always stuff you can do to get around it.” Apparently not this time, Leo.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076620 Websites Cheveldayoff has been busy wrapping up important player negotiations this fall. First it was impending UFA centre Bryan Little, then Ehlers. So, who’s on deck for a raise? A bunch of RFAs. Sportsnet.ca / 7 Takeaways: ‘Powerful’ Leafs overcome Jets, fashion “There’s [Jacob] Trouba, there’s [Adam] Lowry, there’s [Joshua] police Morrisey, lots of guys up for extensions,” Cheveldayoff said. “Of course, in the summer you’ve got a player like Laine to deal with as well.” Luke Fox The Leafs’ off-kilter Leo Komarov was penalized in the first period for not wearing his visor properly, an infraction discussed at the GM meetings @lukefoxjukebox and one which the winger was warned about in the pre-season. October 4, 2017, 11:05 PM “I don’t see through it. That’s the reason I’m wearing it up there,” Komarov explained after officials told him to remove his high visor altogether in a pre-season, uh, tilt. The giddy Stanley Cup chatter, the stories on the embarrassment of “So it’s not like I’m being cocky or anything. It’s how I play forever. So I forward riches, the feeling that Toronto has landed a real goalie… none took it off, but I don’t feel safe without it, so we’ll see what’s going to of it will disappear soon. happen.” The Toronto Maple Leafs’ cocktail of veterans and kids blended into a Two minutes in the box and a livid Babcock, apparently, is what happens. mixture too stiff for their hosts to handle in a season-opening party that crashed in Winnipeg. Komarov’s helmet, which spawned its own vanity Twitter account, wasn’t the only party guilty of a wardrobe malfunction. The Leafs’ 7-2 defeat of the Jets Wednesday was highlighted by illegal attire, tic-tac-toe goals, and two vastly different goaltending Frederik Andersen arrived with blue tape wrapped on the end of his goal performances. Here are seven things we learned. stick and was forced to cover it with white tape. At this rate, those 38-year-old hands will be worth every penny. Eric Fehr (who won the 4C start over Dominic Moore) and Connor Brown each received warnings for tucked sweaters, the result of accidental For a guy whose first 1,493 games were played with just one club, slippage as opposed to a style choice. Patrick Marleau’s transition to a new conference, a new country, and a new team feels seamless. Fehr attributed the tuck to the NHL’s new slim-fit Adidas sweaters. The veteran scored in his first pre-season game, and again — twice — in “I’ve been in the league for a few years and I’ve never had an issue,” his first regular-season game as a Maple Leaf. (For the record, Zach Fehr said on-air. “I guess they’re trying to crack down on a lot of stuff, Hyman did not score, if you wish to keep that debate alive.) and that seems to be one of them.” During a bump-up shift immediately following a penalty kill, coach Mike Jets super sophomore Patrik Laine did not score, but he did create Babcock deployed a power line of Marleau-Matthews-Marner. Mitch chances and set up Mark Scheifele for Winnipeg’s first marker of the Marner fed Auston Matthews, who dished to Marleau, who took the pass season. off his blade and deked Steve Mason something dirty. Before he flew to the game, we asked Leafs shutdown centre Nazem MMMBop. Kadri for his Laine scouting report: “We played the right way for the majority of the game, and we were “He’s a heads-up player,’ Kadri said. “He’s got that lethal shot. He can rewarded for it,” Marleau said after his two-goal, five-shot night. shoot it from anywhere in the zone and have an opportunity to score. He’s got deceiving speed for a big man. He’s not slow. He’s strong on the Sounds like a Leaf already. puck. He’s got a long reach. He’s good at picking up pucks and stripping guys. Those are all things you have to be aware of.” Three first lines in Toronto? The great, big knock on the modern Jets has been the club’s lack of “It’ll be the defensive part of the game that defines the wins and losses,” goaltending. Would this summer’s free-agent acquisition of Steve Mason Jets coach Paul Maurice told reporters ahead of the game. Ominously. be the one to stop some pucks and take the heat off a still-developing Toronto’s forwards rushed and crashed the net in talented waves. Connor Hellebuyck? Matthews had just one goal and two assists, a step down from his four- Judging by a sample size of two periods and 36 seconds — at which goal season debut of 2016. point Mason was pulled in favour of the younger netminder — the answer But that’s fine when you consider a total of six Leafs enjoyed multi-point is no. debuts (Marleau, Marner, James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Nazem Mason allowed five goals on 20 shots to the dynamic Leafs forwards. To Kadri) and six others got on the board. be fair, he had received zero run support. After withstanding a post-anthem onslaught from Winnipeg, the Leafs Hellebuyck let in two more in less than period’s worth of work. Eek. exploded late in the first frame and never looked back. Two hundred feet away, Toronto’s No. 1, Andersen, began the season “We certainly didn’t want to give up three goals in the last five minutes,” leaner and healthier and looked razor sharp in this one, stopping 35 said Tyler Myers after 20 minutes of play. shots en route to the win. Renowned for their discipline issues, the Jets welcomed former NHL

referee Paul Devorski to their training camp to help instruct the players on how to mute whistles. The club set a goal of taking fewer PIMs than Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 their opponent each night. Indeed, Winnipeg ended up with twice as many power-plays as the visitors, but went 0-for-8 with the man-advantage. Toronto went 2-for-4 and notched another one on a delayed call. “You can’t give those blatant opportunities to a powerful team like Toronto. It’s going to end up in the back of our net,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said in a first-intermission TV interview. “If we want to take penalties of the nature that some were taken today, it’s going to be a long year.” Toronto’s rejigged main PK unit, featuring Ron Hainsey, Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown and Eric Fehr, did yeoman’s work. Nikolaj Ehlers inked a juicy seven-year, $42-million contract extension mere hours before puck drop and celebrated with this nifty pre-game handshake with Patrik Laine: 1076621 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Jaromir Jagr says ‘99.9 per cent’ this will be his last NHL season

Rory Boylen @RoryBoylen October 4, 2017, 6:39 PM

Jaromir Jagr is officially back for his 24th NHL season — and it appears as though this time it could be his last. The NHL’s second-highest scorer of all-time behind only Wayne Gretzky, Jagr will be 45 at the start of this season and 46 by the end of it. He’s 57 games away from breaking Gordie Howe’s all-time games played record of 1,767 and with 21 assists he’ll pass Ray Bourque for fourth in league history. Jagr has previously stated he wanted to play in the NHL until he was 50 years old, but on Wednesday as the Flames made his one-year contract official, the future Hall of Famer came to the realization that this season very likely will be it. “The new trend with the NHL is, I understand it, the managers and presidents and teams they want to give opportunity to young guys and I understand that,” Jagr said. “And that’s why it’s so tough for older guys to find a job. I’m glad I did. “I was pretty lucky.” In Calgary, Jagr is joining a team that has Stanley Cup on the mind. The Flames upgraded in net with Mike Smith, added to an already stacked blue line with Travis Hamonic, and now Jagr brings depth and a few options for the forward unit. He could play with Sam Bennett on the third line (where the 21-year-old is expected to start on Wednesday) or on the top unit with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Jagr won’t play in the Flames’ season opener so we’ll have to wait to see just where he fits in at first. Either way, Jagr had been playing with much younger players in Florida alongside Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau the past two years. He enjoys playing with the kids, not that it’s any recent development for him. “Of course I (like playing with young players),” Jagr said. “Anybody compared to my age is young guy, so last 20 years I’ve played with young guys. “Last two years in Florida I played with Huberdeau and Barkov, combine their age and they’re still younger than me.” He stressed that because this off-season was “different” than any other, it may take some time for him to get up to game speed. Jagr missed training camp, so hasn’t had the benefit of pre-season games, nor has he skated with a team in five months. But he pointed to his dedication to practice and said not to worry. Calgary represents the ninth NHL team and first Canadian team Jagr has played on in his NHL career. He says playing in the Canadian spotlight was something he wanted to do before walking off into the sunset. “99.9 per cent this might be my last season, so I want to get the experience so I can one day say I played for a Canadian team. So I’m here.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076622 Websites “He embraced it right away,” Green recalled Wednesday of Markstrom’s last AHL tour. “He’s a real competitive guy. He came in (and) didn’t have a chip on his shoulder or anything. He came in determined to play well Sportsnet.ca / Jacob Markstrom perseveres to reach starter status with and lead our team the best way he could in goal. Canucks “We told him, ‘There’s a plan for you. We’ve got to get you up and running and be the goalie you can be.’” Iain MacIntyre Markstrom played so well that general manager Jim Benning made room for him back in the NHL by trading fan favourite and social-media star @imacSportsnet Eddie Lack to Carolina at the 2015 draft. October 4, 2017, 7:44 PM Markstrom backed up Miller the last two seasons and would have played more than 26 games last year had he not torn the meniscus in his knee in February during an absurd skills competition in which Vancouver teammates wheeled goalies around the ice on their knees. Seven years after leaving Sweden to conquer North America, Jacob Markstrom is finally an opening-night starter in the National Hockey In two years since his return from AHL, Markstrom has a .913 save League. percentage and 2.68 goals-against average for the Canucks, a stark improvement on his Florida numbers of .898 and 3.20. Vancouver Canucks coach Travis Green won’t confirm it — and he isn’t answering any more questions about who starts, thank you — but “I’ve just been in tough situations,” Markstrom said. “Letting in a goal (in Markstrom, 27, should be in net Saturday when the team opens its the NHL) isn’t as bad as getting sent down to the minors or getting traded regular season against the Edmonton Oilers. or sitting on the bench for 20 games. For sure it has made me a stronger person. And the goaltending job is a lot mental. You don’t be too high, It has been a long wait for Markstrom, upon whose head the label of don’t be too low, but just stay in a good place. For sure it helped me with “best goaltending prospect in the world” cut like a crown of thorns. The my mental peace.” Canucks merely need him to be the best goaltender in their game on Saturday. That, at least, is possible. And if Markstrom is outplayed by Cam Talbot and the Canucks lose, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.05.2017 there’s a good chance Vancouver’s goalie on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators will be Anders Nilsson. But this kind of precariousness actually represents progress in hockey for Markstrom, who this time three years ago had just sailed through NHL waivers on his way back to the American Hockey League on what most people in Vancouver believed was a one-way ticket. Saturday, he starts a three-year, US$11-million contract extension and will be given the first audition to replace departed starter Ryan Miller, whose signing in 2014 to replace Roberto Luongo effectively banished Markstrom to the Utica Comets. Yes, the NHL has been some journey for Markstrom. “I’m not in a position right now where I sit back and look at my career,” Markstrom said Wednesday. “I look at tomorrow, and the next day and the next day after that. I only have my eyes forward. It’s been seven years in North America for me and 2½ years in Sweden as a professional. But I don’t look back. I haven’t thought, ‘How long has this taken? What did I have to do to get to this point?’ I’m just excited about what tomorrow is going to bring.” While that response was slightly disappointing to the writer, it is a prudent one for a goalie who wouldn’t have time to prepare mentally for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl if he allowed his mind to wander back through all the things that have gone wrong for him in the NHL. Selected by the Florida Panthers with the first pick of the second round in the 2008 draft, Markstrom was a disaster in Sunrise although, to be fair, so were the Panthers. After just 43 NHL appearances and 11 wins over four seasons, Markstrom was sent to the Canucks in the Luongo trade on March 4, 2014. Outgoing Canucks coach John Tortorella refused to play Markstrom, who was sent back to the AHL by Torts’ successor, Willie Desjardins, at the start of the next season. There was Markstrom, 24 years old and unwanted in the NHL, back in the minors in upstate New York. “I’m not going to lie about it; when you first get to Utica, it’s not a big town,” Markstrom said. “It’s not a new city. It’s an older town. Not a glamorous place to live. Obviously, I wasn’t happy getting sent down. But at the end of the year, that was the most fun I ever had playing hockey in my career. “The fans were unbelievable and we had a great team. We didn’t play super fun hockey, but everybody played hard. That’s what I loved. That whole experience had a big impact on me. “Ever since the Utica time, it has kind of felt like I took another step. Every summer from that point, I’ve kind of figured out in my head what it takes (for the next step).” Instead of checking out on the Canucks and the NHL, Markstrom re- launched his career by going 32-22-7 for the Comets, posting a save rate of .934 and leading Utica to the Calder Cup final. His head coach then, as he is now, was Travis Green. 1076623 Websites simple rebound putback off a Leon Draisaitl shot, which wasn’t nearly as pretty.

Why? McDavid spent his summer searching for ways to add to his goal TSN.CA / McDavid's opening-night hat trick leads Oilers past Flames total. He finished tied for 25th in the NHL with 30 goals last season, 14 behind league-leader Sidney Crosby. By Frank Seravalli “I have no problem scoring on the rush,” McDavid said. “I was happy to find one in around the blue paint, which is where I need to go if I want to score more. You want to find ways to score different ways.” EDMONTON — It wasn’t even fair. McDavid said he pored over video of Crosby and Auston Matthews, trying to find the link that makes them score. He studied Joe Pavelski and Connor McDavid scooped up the loose puck near the hashmarks in the Crosby tipping pucks. What he learned was that he’s actually “too fast.” Oilers’ zone and took the Battle of Alberta from zero to 100. Real quick. Imagine any other player saying that. Calgary Flames defenceman T.J. Brodie was crossing the blue line in pursuit, already skating forward, when McDavid took his first strides. What he plans to implement now is counterintuitive to the rest of the NHL. “Connor doesn’t go from first to second to third to fourth,” coach Todd McLellan said, thinking of Edmonton’s orange Ferrari. “He goes from first “My game is all about speed, [but] I need to find a way to slow my feet to fourth and he’s gone.” down,” McDavid said. “You look at ways Crosby scores and Matthews scores, these great scorers in the game, they’re kind of in the right spot Before McDavid even hit the blue line, Brodie was toast. at the right time. Brodie did not take a poor angle. He wasn’t slow to react, he did not “For me, I almost find that I zip through those [opportunities] and don’t hesitate. He was just flat out beaten by McDavid. He could barely get a give myself much of a chance. I haven’t scored on one tip other than my one-handed stick on as No. 97 cruised by - like a player in a first career goal. It’s about slowing down a little bit and trying to find the using the turbo boost cheat code. right time, arriving on-time.” It was the almost indefensible rush. So, McDavid devoted his summer to becoming a better scorer. He netted a hat trick in Game 1. So much trying to quell the Stanley Cup “I mean, you can write whatever you want about him and it’s all probably expectations in Edmonton. true,” said Travis Hamonic, shrugging. Hamonic was on the far side of the ice with Brodie and didn’t have a prayer to catch him. And this was Brodie that McDavid blew by, one of the best skaters on the TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 Calgary Flames. Not Deryk Engelland. “I know exactly how that defenceman felt,” Oscar Klefbom said. “You see it, you know it’s coming. You’re like ‘come on, come on, get moving’ and then you’re [bleeped].” Practically untouched, the reigning Hart Trophy winner lifted the puck over Mike Smith’s shoulder on the short side, making the $100 million deal he signed this summer somehow seem like a bargain. Yes, Year 3 of the Connor McDavid Experience began much in the same way Year 2 ended: with a blur the likes of which the NHL has never seen before. Thirty-five seconds into the season, he already had his first breakaway. Chants of “M-V-P, M-V-P” reverberated among the standing- room only crowd. Before the final horn sounded, the ice was littered with hats. McDavid - who else? - netted his second career hat trick, scoring all three goals to carry the Oilers to a rousing 3-0 Opening Night shutout and their fifth consecutive win in the Battle of Alberta. Calgary’s last win over Edmonton came on April 2, 2016 - two seasons ago. Much of that is due to McDavid. He now has nine goals and five assists in just eight career games against Edmonton’s archrival. “Hell of a night by him,” McLellan said. “You guys keep asking me these questions and I don’t know how to answer them. It’s just what he does.” McDavid, 20, became the first player in Edmonton Oilers history to post a multi-goal game in back-to-back season openers. On this night, Mike Smith’s debut in a Flames sweater was overshadowed by McDavid’s third period heroics. Smith was the story before McDavid took off like a rocket. He had 37 saves when McDavid streaked down the left wall, giving Calgary exactly the steady goaltending they’ve craved for so long. The absurdity of these McDavid moments is that they occur with such regularity now that you sometimes fail to grasp that just about no other player on the planet can duplicate them. “What was impressive about that goal was that the puck rolled all the way down the ice,” McLellan said. “He knocked it down and scored when he needed to.” “He has so much speed and so much control in that speed,” Klefbom explained. “That makes him so unique.” He could’ve easily had four or five goals but was thwarted by Smith on two other clear breaks, including his season-opening rush. Fans will ooh and ahh over McDavid’s early goal-of-the-year candidate, but McDavid was actually more pleased with his first goal of the night - a 1076624 Websites his own bad start to the season a year ago to rest for good with a stellar 35-save performance.

The Jets had outshot the Leafs 15-5 by midway through the first period, TSN.CA / Marleau scores twice in Toronto debut as Leafs rout Jets and if even one shot had gone in, Toronto’s confidence could have been lost along with the game. Andersen held the Jets at bay until midway through the third frame when his teammates got sloppy in the defensive By Kristen Shilton zone and Mark Scheifele finally found a way through. But letting in two goals with the win essentially secured was hardly enough to diminish Andersen’s night, even if it did rob him of being the first Leafs goalie to open the season with a road shutout since Ed Belfour in 2002. WINNIPEG – In Patrick Marleau’s first game as a Toronto Maple Leaf, the very first goal he scored was assisted by two players (Auston If there’s one thing Wednesday’s game lacked it was any extended flow Matthews and Mitch Marner) who were born the same year (1997) he for either team. There were 12 penalties called between the sides before made his league debut. the halfway point of the third period, eight against the Leafs and four against the Jets. In the end, Toronto capitalized on two of their four Prior to Wednesday night, Marleau’s name had appeared on the opportunities, while Winnipeg went 0-for-8, which was one of the primary scoresheet for just one NHL team – the San Jose Sharks – over nearly differences in how the game unfolded. The Jets fired 18 shots at two decades in the league. Andersen with the extra man and none found the back of the net, It may not have been as empathic an entrance as Matthews’ four-goal compared to two of Toronto’s 11 shots getting past Steve Mason. Even NHL debut a year ago, but at age 38, Marleau’s two-goal night was as though they ultimately won the special teams battle, the early test of their near to a fairytale beginning as he could have hoped. penalty kill wasn’t ideal for the Leafs. “Pretty darn close [to perfect],” Marleau said following the Leafs’ 7-2 win “It was pretty slow [to start],” said Matthews. “You have a shift, get out over the Winnipeg Jets. “That’s the way you want to see it go.” there again, get things going, control the puck and then you’re sitting on the bench again for two minutes. We can take care of that as a team, just The Leafs had already overcome a rocky opening 15 minutes, in which being more disciplined.” they took three penalties and established no rhythm or flow, by the time Marleau lit the lamp for the first time. Toronto was ahead 3-0 in the In his first game with the Leafs, Ron Hainsey played in excess of 12 second period when the stars aligned on a post-penalty kill shift to bring minutes on the penalty kill. the best of the Leafs’ relentless youth and veteran guard together. Wednesday’s game was just the seventh time in the Leafs’ 101-year Marner was headed to the bench for a change when he saw an opening history they’ve scored seven goals in their season opener, and the first to catch the Jets in a change of their own. He put on the brakes on and time since 1987-88. The Leafs responded to the early penalty adversity got the puck to Matthews who was driving into a 2-on-1 with Marleau to by scoring three goals in just 2:22, starting with Kadri on the power play his left. Matthews flipped the disc to Marleau and let him do the rest. and followed up by James van Riemsdyk and William Nylander in rapid succession. Asked whether Toronto can maintain that output every “That was awesome,” Matthews said of watching Marleau in action. “An game, Andersen could only smile and say, “we hope to. You can only unbelievable pick up by him [with the puck in his skates] and the move dream, right?” [on the goalie] was even better, a pretty special play by him. I’m sure it feels good for him to get the ball rolling and we’re all happy for him.” With Toronto up 4-0, Marleau needed just 36 seconds in the third period TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 to score again, this time with his regular linemates Nazem Kadri and Leo Komarov. It was just one week ago that Leafs head coach Mike Babcock was calling out that line for not gelling as quickly as he’d expected, telling reporters, “that group has got to better…way better, way quicker, a lot more diligent. They’ve got to upgrade. That group has to find some chemistry and get going.” With a little more time, that trio is showing signs of finding their way. “I think instead of talking about it for three weeks…suddenly your linemates aren’t good, and this isn’t good,” Babcock said after Wednesday’s win. “Let’s just play hockey now. So I thought it was a positive night that way.” It was Babcock who mentioned the Leafs’ “fountain of youth” that Marleau could use to his advantage when he signed as a free agent in July. So far, channeling the kids’ seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm is exactly what Marleau’s tried to do. And he wasn’t alone in racking up the points Wednesday, either. Matthews finished with one goal (off an incredible deflection out of the air and between Connor Hellebuyck’s legs) and two assists, while Marner tallied a goal and an assist. “You can see how hungry they are out there, not just in games but in practice,” Marleau said. “They’re striving to get better each and every day and you want to be part of that and you can feed off that for sure.” There’s a mutual admiration from the youngsters as well, who haven’t shied away from picking Marleau’s brain and using his experience to their advantage. Marner’s been trying to shake his pass-first tendencies and work more on his shot to “keep defences honest.” Marleau has been offering his services to help the 20-year-old grow in that area. “He’s been great with me here, really good guy to talk to,” Marner said. “He’s been a great leader for me and all the young guys, been a big role model to me. On the ice I’ve been talking to him about where I want to shoot the puck from more often and as soon as I told him that, the last couple practices we’ve been on together working on that. That’s a thing I’m going to learn off of and hopefully something I’ll do [for someone else] when I’m that age.” As good as Wednesday’s win looked for the Leafs on paper, the game could have rapidly devolved against them in the first 15 minutes. Toronto took three penalties in 11:21, two for high-sticking and one because of Leo Komarov’s “illegal equipment,” keeping their best players on the bench instead of the ice. Enter Frederik Andersen, who put the ghosts of 1076625 Websites a sprint late last season. Now it’s time to see how he fares in the marathon.

TSN.CA / Buff Boeser ready for 82-game grind of first full NHL season TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017

By Jeff Paterson

VANCOUVER – Brock Boeser belongs in the National Hockey League. He demonstrated that in a successful nine-game audition at the tail end of last season and reinforced that notion with a solid preseason showing over the past month. On Tuesday, Boeser was rewarded with a spot on the Vancouver Canucks’ 23-man opening night roster. Now the real work begins. As impressive as the 20-year-old right winger has been in limited engagements in Canuck colours, he is well aware that things will only get tougher from here. It’s no longer about trying to impress in five exhibition outings or in nine games when the season is out of reach. No, now it’s about Boeser trying to hit the ground running in Saturday’s season opener and finding a way to maintain a level of excellence for the 81 games that follow. That’s the challenge all rookies face. So Boeser’s not alone in that regard. And like so many who have left the college ranks behind to embark on their paths as professionals, the Burnsville, Minn., native has never seen anything that resembles an NHL schedule. Last season, a wrist injury limited Boeser to just 32 games at the University of North Dakota. The year before, he played 42 and another seven for Team USA at the world junior championship. In his draft year (2015), Boeser appeared in 57 games for Waterloo of the United States Hockey League. If all goes well, he’ll be expected to tack 25 games onto that number – and against the best players in the world. “It’s obviously a challenge,” he told TSN 1040 after practice at Rogers Arena. “Compared to college, obviously you need to take care of your body better because you’re playing almost every other night. I think that’s a huge thing. I need to make sure I’m fresh and ready to play every single night.” To help in those battles, Boeser bulked up over the summer, adding eight pounds to his 6-foot-1 frame. He weighed in at 202 pounds at camp and feels the additional pounds have served him well through a preseason that saw him score four times and add three assists in five outings. The need to bulk up was one of the key takeaways for Boeser after turning pro and testing himself against NHL opponents last March and April. While the individual numbers were impressive – four goals, an assist and 25 shots on goal while averaging 16:13 of ice time per game – it was the things that don’t show up on the stats sheet that told Boeser he had plenty of work to do. “In small, little battles in the corner, guys were stronger,” he explained. “I knew that was something I needed to work on in the summer. I definitely got stronger over the summer and feel better in those battles and feel now that I can come out of the corner with the puck or beat a guy to the front of the net.” While his physical stature was something Boeser worked on during the off-season, more importantly, he thinks he’s better mentally prepared for his first full NHL season. While he made goal scoring look easy last spring and again this fall, he knows the road in front of him is a long and winding one surely to include a few potholes along the way. He’s done a fine job of maintaining an even keel through the preseason and is now anxious to get going, so he can take the many lessons he learned in his short time on the roster and put them to the test. Boeser’s banking on the fact that by getting his feet wet in the NHL last spring, his eyes are now wide open to just how difficult it’s going to be for him to become an impact player. But he’s excited about the opportunity to prove he can be a key contributor for the Canucks. “Just learning how hard everybody works,” Boeser said of the biggest thing he gleaned from getting a sneak peak at the NHL last season. “Even in the weight room at the end of the year, just how hard Henrik and Daniel (Sedin) worked to get better. Everybody works so hard not just on the ice, but off the ice to pay attention to small details. Going home in the summer, it taught me how hard I have to work and talking to (head coach) Travis (Green), I learned what I needed to do to come to camp to make this team.” With that mission accomplished, Boeser is now itching to start his full season in the NHL. With his goal-scoring pedigree, he gives every indication he’s ready for what lies ahead. However, there’s only one way to find out and he starts down that path on Saturday night. He excelled in 1076626 Websites

TSN.CA / Matthews ready for intense atmosphere in Winnipeg

By Mark Masters

TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The Maple Leafs skated at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday morning. - The last time Auston Matthews played in Winnipeg it didn't end well. Patrik Laine had a hat trick, including the overtime winner, as the Leafs blew a 4-0 lead in a 5-4 loss on Oct. 19, 2016. During the game, Jets fans serenaded the Arizona native with chants of, "Laine’s better!" Is Matthews expecting a similar welcome tonight? "Yeah, it’s fun," he said. "This is one of the best atmospheres I think that we play in during the year, so that kind of stuff you definitely embrace that. I’m sure it will be the same kind of atmosphere tonight.” - Laine was asked about his excitement level ahead of the season opener. What was he thinking about on the way to the rink today? "I'm pretty tired. I didn’t sleep well so that was mostly on my mind. But, just excited.” The Finn was asked to expand on that. “I don’t know what was the reason. I think my room is just too cold so I think that’s why I wasn’t sleeping so just have to deal with it.” - William Nylander, who is due to become a restricted free agent next summer, was asked if he'd be open to negotiating with the Leafs during the season. "Either we do it before the season or after the season," he said. "I just want to focus on the team and the way I’m playing during the year." So, he'll wait? “Unless I’ll just tell my agent to talk to them and not talk to me," Nylander said with a smile. - Eric Fehr may have been the most excited player in either dressing room Wednesday morning. The 32-year-old from Manitoba edged out Dominic Moore and Miro Aaltonen for the fourth-line centre job. "It's a huge game for myself, coming home with a lot of friends and family in the building tonight," the native of Winkler, MB said. Fehr played with Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh and in Washington so he knows what these type of showcase games can be like. "That was a huge rivalry," Fehr said. "The fans got more into and when the fans get more into it, it's loud in the building and the players get more into it. The fans kind of help fuel that rivalry and I kind of expect that will happen here a little bit." Earlier in camp, Fehr noted that he sees some similarities between Crosby and Matthews. On Wednesday, he was asked to expand on that. "Just the way they are on the ice, the way they carry themselves, the way they handle the puck and it seems like every play on the ice goes through them," Fehr said. "Auston has that knack to find the puck and sometimes it feels like he has it on a string a little bit. Those are some of the things I see between him and Sid."

TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076627 Websites that separates the teams from the ones who get there and the ones who don’t quite get there are how they handle that.”

So far, these Oilers seem to be handling the lofty expectations well. They TSN.CA / Oilers learning to embrace contender status aren’t running from them. “Expectations? Whatever,” McDavid said Wednesday. “We have our own By Frank Seravalli expectations in the room.” “Every team starts off fresh. Every season starts off new,” Milan Lucic said. “With the expectations on our side, we’re looking forward to EDMONTON — One year ago, I made my way here for the Oilers’ home embracing that and having a good year.” opener. Every team’s goal is to win the Stanley Cup. But there is a feeling that I wanted to see the Oilers christen their palatial new home, to see this group of Oilers do see a championship as a realistic possibility for Connor McDavid take flight in Year 2, and, of course, to witness the long- the first time. All the hype, second to only the Penguins as Stanley Cup awaited renewal of the Battle of Alberta. betting favourites, may not be 100 per cent deserved so soon, but no one will say it is far-fetched. On the eve of opening night, I ran into an opinionated crew of former pro players at a local establishment. The tavern’s owner is a dead-ringer for “We know we have a good team,” Leon Draisaitl said. “I think we have Patrick Swayze from Road House, mullet and all, who just happened to the right pieces in this group. We know what it’s like. Last year was a star for Mike Babcock at Red Deer College. great experience for us. We’re not satisfied, either. For us, it’s just a matter of going out there and proving it, showing the hockey world that Naturally, the conversation turned to the Oilers, and the boys pointed out last year wasn’t a one-time thing.” that I did not have Edmonton as one of my playoff picks. Can the Oilers improve on last season? So, a friendly proposition was made. The wager: [an undisclosed sum] that the Oilers would break their 11-year playoff drought. They seemed Last year the Oilers were one win away from a trip to the conference so confident - and they weren’t even necessarily Oiler fanboys, just dyed- final, can the Oilers improve on that impressive showing? Frank Seravalli in-the-wool hockey guys. joins That's Hockey to discuss. I wasn’t sold. I thought I was ahead of the curve with the Oilers in 2015, What will partially drive the Oilers this year, centre Mark Letestu said, is a picking them to end the postseason skid in McDavid’s rookie season. real “fear of regression.” That didn’t pan out. The Oilers needed to prove it, I thought, before I would pick them again. I couldn’t envision such a severe drop-off for the “We have a chance, but we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Letestu said. “The Kings last October. I believed Calgary was ahead of Edmonton at that old ‘snicker at the Calgary-Edmonton road trip’ is gone. That part is going moment, and with such a strong Central Division, my guess was that only to feel different. We’ve got the Hart Trophy winner. We’re still going to do three spots would be up for grabs in the Pacific. our business the same way, but I think other teams are going to approach us differently. We have to be ready for that level of NHL Season Preview: Can Oilers handle pressure of being a contender? competition.” After an impressive 2016-17 campaign, many are saying the Oilers are The way to do that, McLellan said, is to consider the expectations a Cup contenders this season. Is this a legit prediction? Can Edmonton compliment to a well-built team, but to more importantly remember “how handle playing with the weight of high expectations? The TSN Hockey hard it was the year prior.” panel has more. “My palms are still sweaty. The classroom is prepared. The first exam is “You’re on,” I said. I doubled down on my public prediction. We shook tonight,” McLellan said. “The class may be further ahead now, but that hands. doesn’t guarantee you success.” The next night, the Oilers torched Brian Elliott and the Flames for six But it does make for an interesting wager. Game on goals. Minutes after Auston Matthews began the night with four goals; McDavid did his best to match him with two of his own, including a memorable penalty-shot strike. They were off and running. TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 Flash forward one year. When I returned to the same Jasper Ave. establishment on Tuesday night, the cheque I mailed last March was hanging at the bar, a conspicuous public reminder that hockey “experts” do not, in fact, know everything. This time, I was offered a double-or-nothing ante: I would be given the field, or all 30 other teams, against the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup. Except, I learned my lesson: Don’t bet against Patrick Swayze. That guy may know a thing or two. I’m also not betting against the Oilers. There’s a different feel in Edmonton this fall. The Oilers are wearing the contender label for the first time in nearly three decades, a fact GM Peter Chiarelli acknowledged Tuesday. “It’s a whole new ballgame when you’re picked to contend,” Chiarelli said. “That will be interesting to see. There are increased expectations. I see where everyone is picking us. These guys see it. It’s a whole new dynamic. I feel it as a manager. Todd [McLellan] feels it as a coach.” NHL Season Preview: The difference between 87 and 97 While many are eager to see what kind of numbers Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid will put up this year, Dave Poulin and Mike Johnson take a look at how they differ in finding the back of the net. The weight of that contender label can be a heavy burden. Just ask McLellan, whose team wore it in San Jose for the bulk of his tenure, but never converted. “It becomes a tough thing at times,” McLellan admitted. “But I’ll be interested to see with our team. We’re not going to sail through the year by any means. It could start early, it might be later on, but there’s going to be some rough water that we need to get through. The thing for me 1076628 Websites

TSN.CA / Leafs carry weight of high expectations into new season

By Kristen Shilton

WINNIPEG – When the Toronto Maple Leafs opened their season a year ago, they had the luxury of surprise on their side. No one knew exactly what they were going to become. One six-game playoff run and a Calder Trophy-winning rookie later, Toronto is no longer an underdog. These Leafs open their season Wednesday in Winnipeg laden with expectations. It's a departure from last October, but one season of growing together has left the Leafs little doubt they can skate with anyone. “It’s just a sense that we can play in this league. We can compete with anyone and it’s just that hunger for wins,” said Connor Brown after morning skate at Bell MTS Place. “A lot of fixtures in the room, Auston [Matthews] and Mitch [Marner] and Willy [Nylander], they’re elite players in this league and now we know what they can do and what they are, so it’s just exciting to be on a team where we feel we have a chance to win a lot of games this year.” It took until the penultimate game of the season last year for Toronto to earn the playoff bid that effectively ended all conversation about the franchise still being in a rebuild. Then pushing the President’s Trophy- winning Washington Capitals to six games, all decided by one goal, was more than anyone predicted of the upstart Leafs with seven rookies on their roster. “There’s still a bit of a chip on your shoulder. It’s not like we’re one or two Cups deep,” said defenceman Connor Carrick. “We had one failed playoff run. [There’s] a hunger now, but some of its momentum too. We were confident last year and then we built on that throughout the season. This season, I think confidence is high to start and we’re excited.” It has been a mantra of the Leafs’ young stars throughout the preseason to harp on taking their “next step” as players, and avoid the complacency a good year can bring. “We’ve proven what we’re capable of last year and obviously the second year’s going to be harder,” Matthews said. “Teams aren’t going to take us too lightly. We know our strengths and weaknesses and have to play a more structured game and limit their chances.” “People know who they are,” coach added Mike Babcock. “You’re trying to get better every year and the best players find ways to get better. They work that much harder and are committed that much more. The stars have unbelievable passion for the game, and keep getting better.” Whether the Leafs have actually shown they are better than when the season ended in April isn’t something Babcock is prepared to say just yet. Despite a 5-2-1 record in preseason coupled with weeks of players pledging to be in the best shape of their lives and more dialed in than ever on account of last season’s playoff push, Babcock isn’t buying it. At least not until it’s reflected on the scoreboard, when the games actually matter. “I haven’t seen that [hunger] yet. We’ll see if it happens,” Babcock said. “It was exhibition, and I think our guys have worked, in the second half in particular, but there’s going to be a whole new level here tonight, of excitement, of enthusiasm, of physicality, of speed. That’s what you get measured on.” For Andreas Borgman, the only rookie making his debut with the Leafs on Wednesday, the learning curve of this season will be especially steep on opening night. The entire team will be right there with him trying to take the identity they’ve cultivated – of being hard to play against, of controlling the puck, of playing with speed – over the last 12 months and apply it well. After a long off-season of talking about what these Leafs could be, on Wednesday they’ll finally start to see for themselves. “A couple years ago they were rebuilding, and now we’re building towards something,” said Matt Martin. “I think we have the opportunity to do something very special in this room. It starts opening night.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 1076629 Websites Julius Honka, D, Dallas – There has been some concern that Honka has spent three seasons in the AHL since he was drafted 14th overall in 2014, but the Finn is still just 21 and while he’s not physically imposing, TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: NHL rookies to watch his skating and puck skills make him an intriguing prospect if the Stars are prepared to turn him loose. Honka has produced 106 points in 191 AHL games, and had five points with stellar possession stats (55.2 CF%, +6.0 CFRel%) in 16 games with Dallas last season. By Scott Cullen Mathew Barzal, C, N.Y. Islanders – The 16th pick in the 2015 Draft, Barzal is a smooth skater who got a brief look with the Islanders last year, before going back to junior and racking up 79 points in 41 games When it comes to forecasting rookie scoring, I tend to be conservative. In for Seattle in the WHL. Barzal’s a playmaker who, along with Ho-Sang, recent seasons, that’s been tested as the league has been fortunate should add some youthful talent to the Isles lineup. enough to have Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine burst onto the scene, but it needs to be remembered that Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Minnesota – The 2015 first-rounder had seven those players are rare talents, even relative to other talented rookies. points in 15 games for the Wild last season before returning to Sweden, where he had 22 points in 33 (regular season plus playoff games) for Note that last season there were 18 rookies to score at least 30 points, Farjestad; a centre with good size who can play both ends of the rink. the most of any of the years in the char, but this season is not expected to have the same kind of rookie class, with immediate impact players Mikhail Sergachev, D, Tampa Bay – Acquired from Montreal in this scattered around the league. summer’s trade for Jonathan Drouin, Sergachev was the ninth pick in the 2016 Draft and he’s put up 108 points in 129 (regular season plus There are some good ones, players that have potential to make a playoff) games in the OHL. The Lightning need more skill on the blueline difference, but it’s not likely that they burst into the league like the top and, long-term, that will certainly include Sergachev. The question is if rookies of the past couple of seasons. he’s ready to be an impact player now. There will be other rookies that step in and play regular roles, and I’ll Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Columbus – The third pick in the 2016 Draft, have a more complete breakdown of the freshmen as rosters are Dubois is a 6-foot-3 forward who can can play wing or centre and has finalized, but these are some of the more compelling rookies. offensive upside, though he was much more effective in 2015-2016 than Here are some top rookies to watch going into the 2017-2018 season: he was early last season before getting traded and finishing the year with 59 points in 47 (regular season plus playoff) games for Blainville- Clayton Keller, LW, Arizona – The smallish playmaker was the seventh Boisbriand in the QMJHL. overall pick in the 2016 Draft, and tallied 45 points in 31 games as a freshman at Boston University last season then added two points in three Tyson Jost, C, Colorado – The 10th pick in the 2016 Draft, Jost produced late-season games with the Coyotes and seven points in eight games for 35 points in 33 games as a freshman at North Dakota then added a goal Team USA at the World Championships. All indications are that Keller in six late-season games with the Avalanche. He’s been battling injuries has the necessary high-end skill to put up points, but he may not have in camp, but should open the season as Colorado’s No. 3 centre. the most accomplished supporting cast in Arizona, so maybe it could Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Edmonton – With five preseason goals, the 22nd take some time for point production to take off. pick in the 2017 Draft is threatening to force his way into the Oilers Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston – Taken with the 14th pick in the 2016 Draft, lineup. With question marks on the right side, there may just be enough McAvoy produced 51 points in 75 games in two seasons at Boston room for Yamamoto, who had 99 points in 65 games for Spokane last University, then joined the for four games at the end of season, to hang around at the start of the season. Beyond that, if he can the season. As injuries hit the NHL lineup, McAvoy joined the Bruins for keep putting the puck in the net, who knows? the playoffs, averaging more than 26 minutes of ice time per game while Vadim Shipachyov, C, Vegas – The 30-year-old centre crushed the KHL contributing three points in six playoff games. He will be one of the last season, putting up 76 points in 50 games and added 13 points in 10 Calder frontrunners this season. games for Russia at the World Championships. There is no guarantee Brock Boeser, RW, Vancouver – Expectations are high for the 23rd pick that his playmaking acumen will translate to the NHL, but he’s going to in the 2015 Draft, who joined the Canucks at the end of last season and be the number one centre in Vegas, with first-unit power play time. sniped four goals, while generating 25 shots on goal, in nine games. He

produced 94 points in 74 games in two years at the University of North Dakota, so he has a scoring pedigree, and if he ends up with the right TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 offensive role in Vancouver (maybe alongside twin brothers?), he could easily be one of the top rookie scorers. Jakub Vrana, RW, Washington – The 13th pick in the 2014 Draft may be in position to produce from the first drop of the puck. Really, as long as he’s on one of Washington’s top two lines, which isn’t guaranteed, that would mean playing with Nicklas Backstrom or Evgeny Kuznetsov, and that’s a good spot for anyone. Vrana had six points in 21 games for the Capitals last season, and has put up 75 points in 88 AHL games over the past two-plus seasons. Joshua Ho-Sang should be a shot in the arm for the Isles attack. Joshua Ho-Sang, RW, N.Y. Islanders – A first-round pick in 2014, Ho- Sang has drawn criticism, not least of all because he overslept in training camp a couple of years ago, earning a quick ticket back to junior. He’s more outspoken than most hockey players too, but there’s no denying his talent and, after he contributed 36 points in 50 AHL games last season, he was called up to the Islanders and flashed his skills, putting up 10 points in 21 games. Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey – The first overall pick in the 2017 Draft, Hischier scored 86 points in 57 games for Halifax in the QMJHL last season, and joins a Devils team that needs all the skill it can find up front. Just how productive Hischier is as a rookie could depend on where he ends up slotting into the New Jersey lineup, but if he gets a chance to play with Taylor Hall, maybe Hischier will be a scorer right from the jump. Nolan Patrick, C, Philadelphia – Selected second in the 2017 Draft, Patrick had an injury-plagued season in 2016-2017, tallying 46 points in 33 games for Brandon in the WHL, but he’s healthy now and, with Claude Giroux shifting to the wing, it looks like Patrick is going to get a shot at a regular spot down the middle with the Flyers. 1076630 Websites inside the locker room aren’t listening to the preseason predictions that have Ottawa as a draft lottery team next summer.

“We really don’t pay attention to what’s going on the outside, besides TSN.CA / Sens players ignoring preseason predictions when you guys tell us that stuff. We obviously have goals inside of our room,” says Dion Phaneuf. “Whether we’re ranked at the bottom, the middle or the top, it doesn’t matter because every team starts with By Ian Mendes zeroes.” “Outside that room, not too many people think we’re a playoff team again. So I don’t think we have to deal with anything,” added Boucher. In last year’s playoffs, Guy Boucher raised more than a few eyebrows “To me, those are floating things out there. They are like rumours and when he painted his club as an underdog against the New York Rangers they have no effect on what we do.” – even though the Ottawa Senators had home-ice advantage in the series. The Ottawa coach’s ‘us-against-the-world’ approach seemed to work, as TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 the Senators ousted the Rangers in six games en route to the Eastern Conference Final. But on the eve of the 2017-18 regular campaign, Boucher says he’s not planning on playing a similar underdog card to start this season – even though many pundits and experts are predicting a tough year ahead for his team. “In that room, we’re not using any cards. We know what we’ve got,” said Boucher. “We know we’re not a powerhouse team, but we know that every night if we’re the best team – I didn’t say the best players, I said the best team – then we have a chance to win.” The Senators will once again be relying on Boucher’s system to help bridge the talent gap between themselves and some of the other top teams in the NHL. That tactic worked quite well last season, as the Senators punched above their weight class, proving they could hang with elite teams on a nightly basis. They pushed the eventual two-time Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins to double-overtime in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference final before they were finally eliminated. And while many in the hockey world groaned at the Senators success because of their conservative, team-first approach, the players are ready to embrace another season of Boucher’s scheming if it means another long playoff run. “The way that we play and our system – or whatever you want to call it – can be boring at times and it doesn’t garner a lot of respect,” Bobby Ryan said. “People call it fluky, but it worked for us last year and we played that underdog role great. I don’t have any issue playing that again.” Most preseason prognostications seem to peg the Senators on the outside looking in at the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. The club is a 33-to-1 longshot to win the Stanley Cup – by far the worst odds given to any of the four clubs that reached the conference final last spring. The Senators are being treated in a similar fashion to the New Jersey Devils after their unlikely run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. The majority of hockey experts felt that run was an aberration and not a predictive sign of future success. As it turns out, the Devils have not qualified for the playoffs since that improbable run five years ago. At best, some publications have predicted the Senators could scrape into one of the final two wild-card spots. The consensus from the TSN Hockey panel, for example, had Ottawa grabbing the last wild-card spot in the conference. Externally, the Senators aren’t being given the respect of a team that reached the league’s final four last spring. “We don’t try and listen too much to what’s going on outside the locker room. Everyone can have their own opinions on the standings,” said Mike Hoffman. “But we were in the same boat last year. I don’t think too many people thought we were going to do what we did. So coming in this year is no different to us.” The Senators surprised a lot of people with their extended playoff run because a lot of their regular-season metrics weren’t in line with other elite teams. The analytics community had no faith in them, as they finished 25th in the league in Corsi For percentage – a statistic that measures how often a team possesses the puck. Even the most basic stats painted Ottawa in a poor light, as the club finished the regular season with a negative goal differential – the only playoff team with that distinction. Ottawa also finished in the bottom 10 in special teams, as both their power play and penalty kill struggled for long stretches. Those factors all contributed to the feeling that Ottawa was a house of cards ready to topple at a moment’s notice. And yet, the Senators defied conventional and analytical hockey wisdom by advancing deep into the postseason. For that reason, the players 1076631 Websites Julius Honka, D, Dallas – There has been some concern that Honka has spent three seasons in the AHL since he was drafted 14th overall in 2014, but the Finn is still just 21 and while he’s not physically imposing, TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: NHL rookies to watch his skating and puck skills make him an intriguing prospect if the Stars are prepared to turn him loose. Honka has produced 106 points in 191 AHL games, and had five points with stellar possession stats (55.2 CF%, +6.0 CFRel%) in 16 games with Dallas last season. By Scott Cullen Mathew Barzal, C, N.Y. Islanders – The 16th pick in the 2015 Draft, Barzal is a smooth skater who got a brief look with the Islanders last year, before going back to junior and racking up 79 points in 41 games When it comes to forecasting rookie scoring, I tend to be conservative. In for Seattle in the WHL. Barzal’s a playmaker who, along with Ho-Sang, recent seasons, that’s been tested as the league has been fortunate should add some youthful talent to the Isles lineup. enough to have Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine burst onto the scene, but it needs to be remembered that Joel Eriksson Ek, C, Minnesota – The 2015 first-rounder had seven those players are rare talents, even relative to other talented rookies. points in 15 games for the Wild last season before returning to Sweden, where he had 22 points in 33 (regular season plus playoff games) for Note that last season there were 18 rookies to score at least 30 points, Farjestad; a centre with good size who can play both ends of the rink. the most of any of the years in the char, but this season is not expected to have the same kind of rookie class, with immediate impact players Mikhail Sergachev, D, Tampa Bay – Acquired from Montreal in this scattered around the league. summer’s trade for Jonathan Drouin, Sergachev was the ninth pick in the 2016 Draft and he’s put up 108 points in 129 (regular season plus There are some good ones, players that have potential to make a playoff) games in the OHL. The Lightning need more skill on the blueline difference, but it’s not likely that they burst into the league like the top and, long-term, that will certainly include Sergachev. The question is if rookies of the past couple of seasons. he’s ready to be an impact player now. There will be other rookies that step in and play regular roles, and I’ll Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Columbus – The third pick in the 2016 Draft, have a more complete breakdown of the freshmen as rosters are Dubois is a 6-foot-3 forward who can can play wing or centre and has finalized, but these are some of the more compelling rookies. offensive upside, though he was much more effective in 2015-2016 than Here are some top rookies to watch going into the 2017-2018 season: he was early last season before getting traded and finishing the year with 59 points in 47 (regular season plus playoff) games for Blainville- Clayton Keller, LW, Arizona – The smallish playmaker was the seventh Boisbriand in the QMJHL. overall pick in the 2016 Draft, and tallied 45 points in 31 games as a freshman at Boston University last season then added two points in three Tyson Jost, C, Colorado – The 10th pick in the 2016 Draft, Jost produced late-season games with the Coyotes and seven points in eight games for 35 points in 33 games as a freshman at North Dakota then added a goal Team USA at the World Championships. All indications are that Keller in six late-season games with the Avalanche. He’s been battling injuries has the necessary high-end skill to put up points, but he may not have in camp, but should open the season as Colorado’s No. 3 centre. the most accomplished supporting cast in Arizona, so maybe it could Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Edmonton – With five preseason goals, the 22nd take some time for point production to take off. pick in the 2017 Draft is threatening to force his way into the Oilers Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston – Taken with the 14th pick in the 2016 Draft, lineup. With question marks on the right side, there may just be enough McAvoy produced 51 points in 75 games in two seasons at Boston room for Yamamoto, who had 99 points in 65 games for Spokane last University, then joined the Providence Bruins for four games at the end of season, to hang around at the start of the season. Beyond that, if he can the season. As injuries hit the NHL lineup, McAvoy joined the Bruins for keep putting the puck in the net, who knows? the playoffs, averaging more than 26 minutes of ice time per game while The Too-Old-For-The-Calder Rookie contributing three points in six playoff games. He will be one of the Calder frontrunners this season. Vadim Shipachyov, C, Vegas – The 30-year-old centre crushed the KHL last season, putting up 76 points in 50 games and added 13 points in 10 Brock Boeser, RW, Vancouver – Expectations are high for the 23rd pick games for Russia at the World Championships. There is no guarantee in the 2015 Draft, who joined the Canucks at the end of last season and that his playmaking acumen will translate to the NHL, but he’s going to sniped four goals, while generating 25 shots on goal, in nine games. He be the number one centre in Vegas, with first-unit power play time. produced 94 points in 74 games in two years at the University of North Dakota, so he has a scoring pedigree, and if he ends up with the right offensive role in Vancouver (maybe alongside twin brothers?), he could easily be one of the top rookie scorers. TSN.CA LOADED: 10.05.2017 Jakub Vrana, RW, Washington – The 13th pick in the 2014 Draft may be in position to produce from the first drop of the puck. Really, as long as he’s on one of Washington’s top two lines, which isn’t guaranteed, that would mean playing with Nicklas Backstrom or Evgeny Kuznetsov, and that’s a good spot for anyone. Vrana had six points in 21 games for the Capitals last season, and has put up 75 points in 88 AHL games over the past two-plus seasons. Embedded Image Joshua Ho-Sang should be a shot in the arm for the Isles attack. Joshua Ho-Sang, RW, N.Y. Islanders – A first-round pick in 2014, Ho- Sang has drawn criticism, not least of all because he overslept in training camp a couple of years ago, earning a quick ticket back to junior. He’s more outspoken than most hockey players too, but there’s no denying his talent and, after he contributed 36 points in 50 AHL games last season, he was called up to the Islanders and flashed his skills, putting up 10 points in 21 games. Nico Hischier, C, New Jersey – The first overall pick in the 2017 Draft, Hischier scored 86 points in 57 games for Halifax in the QMJHL last season, and joins a Devils team that needs all the skill it can find up front. Just how productive Hischier is as a rookie could depend on where he ends up slotting into the New Jersey lineup, but if he gets a chance to play with Taylor Hall, maybe Hischier will be a scorer right from the jump. Nolan Patrick, C, Philadelphia – Selected second in the 2017 Draft, Patrick had an injury-plagued season in 2016-2017, tallying 46 points in 33 games for Brandon in the WHL, but he’s healthy now and, with Claude Giroux shifting to the wing, it looks like Patrick is going to get a shot at a regular spot down the middle with the Flyers. 1076632 Websites 18. Los Angeles Kings Healthy Jonathan Quick could help them have the strong start they need. USA TODAY / NHL power rankings: New hope in a new season 19. Winnipeg Jets Their collection of skilled forwards could get them in the playoffs if their goaltending is adequate. Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports Published 11:15 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 | Updated 11:22 a.m. ET Oct. 4, 2017 20. San Jose Sharks Are the Sharks growing a bit stale? Teams around them are improving. Here are USA TODAY Sports NHL columnist Kevin Allen's power 21. Arizona Coyotes rankings as the season gets ready to start Wednesday night. Defensive group is now formidable, especially when Jakob Chychrun 1. Pittsburgh Penguins returns to the lineup. Quest for a third consecutive Stanley Cup championship starts with a 22. Philadelphia Flyers healthy Kris Letang and a commitment to a new challenge. The hope is talented young defensemen will power the Flyers into the 2. Nashville Predators playoffs. Excited fan base anxious to see if last season’s strong playoff run carries 23. Buffalo Sabres over to the 2017-18 season. If Jack Eichel stays healthy, he will be up among the NHL’s scoring 3. Edmonton Oilers leaders. This Oilers team is the best the fan base has seen since 1990 or so. 24. New Jersey Devils 4. Columbus Blue Jackets Rookie Nico Hischier’s brand of offensive magic could create more excitement in Newark. Artemi Panarin adds an element of spice to an already talented group. 25. Vegas Golden Knights 5. Tampa Bay Lightning Bump them up a few spots in the opening week because they are the Additions of Mikhail Sergachev, Chris Kunitz and Dan Girardi add depth. most talked about expansion team in NHL history. Can be competitive. 6. Ottawa Senators 26. Florida Panthers Last season wasn’t a fluke. Senators are a team designed to be Better than last season, but not quite as strong as they were two seasons successful in the postseason. ago. 7. Calgary Flames 27. New York Islanders Don’t you love the idea of 45-year-old workaholic Jaromir Jagr being in They may compete for a playoff spot before it’s over, but it can’t help to the dressing room with the Flames’ collection of young forwards? start this season with the John Tavares contract situation hanging above 8. Anaheim Ducks their heads. Injuries, particularly to Ryan Kesler, Sami Vatanen and Hampus 28. Detroit Red Wings Lindholm, could mean the Ducksare slow out of the gate. Momentum gained by a spectacular new arena undermined by eight of 9. Chicago Blackhawks the first 12 on the road. Don’t write off the Blackhawks. GM Stan Bowman has rebooted, but 29. St. Louis Blues Chicago can still be a postseason factor. Decent team starting off with the bad luck of too many injuries. Robby 10. Minnesota Wild Fabbri, Alexander Steen, Jay Bouwmeester and Patrik Bergland are out. On paper, the Wild would seem destined to make a lengthy playoff run. 30. Vancouver Canucks But they haven’t yet proven it on the ice. Canucks will be modestly improved this season and they continue to 11. Dallas Stars retool. GM Jim Nill’s offseason work, including adding Marc Methot, Ben Bishop, 31. Colorado Avalanche Martin Hanzal and Alexander Radulov, makes the Stars a force in the Avalanche aren’t nearly as weak as they appeared last season, although West. immediate help needed on defense. 12. Montreal Canadiens Jonathan Drouin’s arrival has created a buzz among Montreal’s fan base. USA TODAY LOADED: 10.05.2017 13. Toronto Maple Leafs What you saw last season is what you will get this season. Coach Mike Babcock’s team can compete with top teams. 14. Carolina Hurricanes Thanks to offseason acquisitions such as Justin Williams and Scott Darling, the ‘Canes are viewed as the most improved team in the East. 15. New York Rangers Offensive defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is the x-factor that will decide the Rangers’ fate. 16. Boston Bruins If everything went right, the Bruins could be a 100-point team. Young defensemen, Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo, are the key. 17. Washington Capitals This is still a quality team, but no one, including Barry Trotz, likes how they look right now. But they will figure it out soon.