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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 2/20/2020 Anaheim Ducks Blackhawks Continued 1171685 Panthers get lucky goals to power over Ducks 1171720 Crawford's band will do without second fiddle 1171686 Ducks lose to Panthers, their second straight lackluster 1171721 Lack of energy comes at wrong time for Blackhawks: defeat 'Makes you angry' 1171687 Ducks’ Erik Gudbranson, Ondrej Kase moving closer to 1171722 Former Blackhawks defenseman Jack O'Callahan talks returns to lineup "" 1171723 5 Takeaways: Blackhawks give up five third-period goals in loss to Rangers 1171688 Oleksiak breaks late tie, surging Stars beat Coyotes 1171724 Artemi Panarin and desperate Rangers set to face 1171689 Coyotes and Stars get physical in a loss for Arizona Blackhawks 1171690 Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson takes scary hit, returns to 1171725 Zack Smith feels fortunate after coming 'millimeter' away game after exiting from season-ending injury 1171691 The gamer: Christian Dvorak speaks softly and carries a 1171726 Blackhawks seal fate for season, trade deadline with crooked stick home loss 1171727 What we’re hearing about the Blackhawks as the trade deadline nears 1171692 Bruins start Western Swing on right note with David 1171728 Could the Blackhawks trade Dylan Sikura at the deadline? Pastrnak’s winning OT in He hopes not. 1171693 Observations from the Bruins’ overtime win in Edmonton 1171694 Bruins not asking too much of Karson Kuhlman Colorado Avalanche 1171695 Bruins’ trade targets are being picked off in front of them, 1171729 Nathan MacKinnon reaches milestone as Avalanche and Don Sweeney may have to get creative defeats Islanders 3-1 1171696 David Pastrnak’s OT goal sends Bruins past Oilers 1171730 WATCH: Avalanche GM Joe Sakic discusses plan, needs, 1171697 Bruins have options for trade deadline, but need to be ahead Monday’s trade deadline creative 1171731 Avalanche’s Martin Kaut on NHL debut: “Dream come true 1171698 Jake DeBrusk enjoys being at home for me” 1171699 Bruins pregame notes: B’s seek revenge on Oilers 1171732 Road less traveled: Some NHL teams, including 1171700 Bruins-Oilers Talking Points: David Pastrnak won't be Avalanche, moving AHL squads closer denied in OT 1171733 The Avs trade deadline plan? Find a deal for now that 1171701 Bruins' Jake DeBrusk has a hilarious interview with his won’t hurt the future father, Louie DeBrusk 1171734 Top line leads the Avalanche to 3-1 victory over Varlamov 1171702 Bruins needs are no secret ahead of NHL trade deadline and the Islanders 1171703 With Anders Bjork as his able sidekick, Charlie Coyle is roughing opponents up 1171704 With new ‘My Story’ series, Bruins opening up more to the 1171735 Flyers 5, Blue Jackets 1 | The 3-2-1 breakdown NESN cameras 1171736 Flyers 5, Blue Jackets 1 | Jackets endure another nightmare 1171705 Amerks can't hold lead, lose to Belleville at home Dallas Stars 1171706 Hard to imagine things could get any worse for Sabres GM 1171738 Stars notebook: Oleksiak scores first goal of 2020; Jason Botterill Radulov returns in win over Coyotes 1171739 Stars’ physical win over Coyotes sets up Western Conference showdown against St. Louis 1171707 Gilbertson: As deadline approaches, opportunity knocks 1171740 Matt’s Mail: Signing Anton Khudobin for next season, for Flames trading defensemen and more 1171708 Flames captain Mark Giordano resumes skating, intends 1171741 Stars 20/20: Jamie Oleksiak’s blast and ‘celebration’ to go on next road trip highlight win vs. Coyotes 1171709 Why the Flames’ best deadline move is to make no move 1171742 Who says no? Breaking down your Stars trade proposals at all ahead of the deadline Red Wings 1171710 Svechnikov, Niederreiter help Hurricanes beat Predators 1171743 Detroit Red Wings' Filip Zadina injury update: Here is the 4-1 latest 1171744 These Detroit Red Wings trade assets are padding value just ahead of deadline 1171711 Robin Lehner and the Blackhawks allow 5 goals in a 1171745 Red Wings' Zadina to miss another 2-3 weeks with foot disastrous third period in a 6-3 loss to the Rangers injury 1171712 Blackhawks are 8 points back in the wild-card race. But 1171746 These Red Wings are most likely to be traded before they’re confident heading into a short homestand: ‘Fin Monday’s deadline 1171713 Blackhawks’ defense, goaltending unravel late in loss to 1171747 Red Wings unveil million dollar initiative for youth in Detroit Rangers 1171748 Red Wings’ Filip Zadina to miss more time 1171714 Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith teaching Adam Boqvist how to 1171749 Respected pro Mike Green could get Red Wings draft pick physically endure NHL career at trade deadline 1171716 Chicago hosts Nashville after Kubalik's 2-goal game 1171750 Pat Caputo - Solving goalie puzzle nothing new for Steve 1171717 Former Blackhawks star Panarin: Trade to Columbus 'still Yzerman confuse(s) me' 1171718 Rangers score 5 times in third period, top Blackhawks 6-3 1171719 Blackhawks' playoff chances take another hit with 6-3 loss to Rangers Rangers 1171751 Shorthanded Edmonton Oilers push Boston Bruins to the 1171786 Rangers score 5 times in third period to top Blackhawks brink 1171787 Julien Gauthier provides glimpse of his talent in Rangers 1171752 JONES: Depleated Oilers steal a point from first-place debut Bruins, but still have own conference to focus on 1171788 Rangers roll Blackhawks with NHL trade deadline nearing 1171753 Pasta is heartiest thing on the NHL menu 1171789 Henrik Lundqvist has too much time to think after surprise 1171754 Boston Bruins' Jake DeBrusk got a first-hand look at Rangers benching Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl in junior hockey 1171790 Rangers score five goals in third period in win over 1171755 Edmonton Oilers Game Day: Bruins coming in with score Chicago to settle 1171791 Julien Gauthier a sizable presence in Rangers lineup 1171756 JONES: Oilers add another injury to the adversity pile with 1171792 Rangers coach David Quinn makes it clear that he has Klefbom out confidence in Adam Fox 1171793 Chris Kreider’s talks with Rangers ongoing as trade Florida Panthers deadline looms 1171757 Panthers top Ducks 4-1, keep showing signs of life out 1171794 Why Adam Fox has earned an expanded role on the west Rangers defense 1171758 Florida Panthers to host eighth Grateful Dead Night 1171759 The Panthers trade Denis Malgin, but where is Henrik NHL Borgstrom? 1171795 How Many Hockey Teams Does it Take to Make a 1171760 Panthers’ Mark Pysyk, Mike Matheson adjust to roles as Conference? ‘hybrid’ defensemen Ottawa Senators 1171796 Now with Winnipeg, DeMelo immediately returns to face 1171761 Kings trade Alec Martinez to Golden Knights for more draft his former Senators teammates picks 1171797 Phillips celebration an all in the family occasion for 1171762 Kings to begin 5-game homestand against high-scoring Batherson Panthers 1171798 GAMEDAY: Senators vs. Jets 1171763 Kings trade away Alec Martinez for draft picks 1171799 Salvian: Should the Ottawa Senators re-sign Tyler Ennis? 1171764 Kings trade Alec Martinez to Vegas for draft picks as rebuild continues Philadelphia Flyers 1171765 MARTINEZ TRADED TO VEGAS FOR 2020, 2021 1171800 Travis Konecny, having a career season, and Flyers will SECOND-ROUND PICKS try to sweep season series from Blue Jackets 1171801 Claude Giroux is on a run, and taking the Flyers with him Minnesota Wild 1171802 Flyers warmed up to remix of 6ABC’s iconic ‘’ 1171766 Dean Evason shares first NHL coaching win with family theme song, and fans went nuts 1171767 Wild-Vancouver game recap 1171803 Flyers trade Jean-Francois Berube to Rangers 1171768 Alex Galchenyuk comes through twice to lift Wild over 1171804 Flyers NHL trade deadline option: Jean-Gabriel Pageau Canucks 4-3 in shootout splash possible? 1171769 Short break from hockey games enables Alex Galchenyuk 1171805 What’s it like to be moved at the trade deadline? Kevin to get familiar with Wild Hayes explains 1171770 Wild back in action vs. Canucks with dads, mentors on trip 1171806 Flyers move into third place, but 'should be better next 1171771 Galchenyuk scores in shootout, Wild beat Canucks 4-3 game' 1171772 For staggering Wild, annual Dads’ Trip comes at perfect 1171807 Flyers’ in-house DJ turns up the volume on Philadelphia’s time rich music scene 1171773 Meet Dean Evason: The ‘super intense’ Kamloops legend now leading the Wild Pittsburgh Penguins 1171808 Minor league report: Nailers beaten by Royals, 6-3 Montreal Canadiens 1171809 Penguins power play has turned into weapon through 1171774 Canadiens Notebook: Marco Scandella could return to the structure, flexibility Habs 1171810 Penguins’ Mike Sullivan: Sidney Crosby has ‘been terrific’ 1171775 Canadiens could be victims of Alex Ovechkin's 700th goal since return from surgery 1171776 Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin lights kindling for potential 1171811 Evgeni Malkin did not practice Wednesday, but will travel fire sale with Penguins to Toronto 1171777 Rocket Rundown: Forget the process, the Laval Rocket 1171812 Penguins’ Brian Dumoulin has resumed skating, ‘making need results progress’ from surgery 1171813 Penguins recall Zach Trotman, place John Marino on injured reserve 1171778 With or without Ryan Ellis, the Predators need help on 1171814 First Call: Carly Zucker wins Twitter; Tom Brady and Chris defense. But how? Kreider updates; XFL ratings 1171815 Evgeni Malkin expected to travel to Toronto; Brian Dumoulin starting to skate 1171779 What Devils’ Kyle Palmieri hopes to get out of foundation’s 1171816 Penguins call up Zach Trotman, place John Marino on IR 2nd annual military ball 1171817 Gentille: Ten trades I’d propose if I was Penguins GM for a 1171780 Who says no? Breaking down your Devils trade proposals day 1171818 Think Sidney Crosby is tough to defend? Try playing with New York Islanders him 1171781 Avalanche hand Islanders fourth straight loss 1171782 Islanders dominated by Avalanche as skid continues 1171783 Islanders fall to Avalanche, end road trip 0-4 1171819 First the A’s audio broadcasts went digital-only; Now the 1171784 Acquiring Andy Greene gives Barry Trotz options on Sharks are giving it a try Islanders' defense 1171820 How Sharks can use 2020 NHL trade deadline to upgrade 1171785 Islanders' Cal Clutterbuck may be close to returning goalie position 1171821 Brenden Dillon thanks Sharks fans, San Jose after trade to Capitals St Louis Blues Vegas Golden Knights 1171822 Blues will put Scandella's savvy, experience to immediate 1171847 Time will tell if Golden Knights overpaid for Alec Martinez use 1171848 Golden Knights GM likes progress under Pete DeBoer 1171823 Preview: Blues vs. Coyotes 1171849 Golden Knights acquire Alec Martinez from Los Angeles 1171824 Blues notebook: Gunnarsson shows his rare offensive Kings side 1171850 Golden Knights’ Ryan Reaves teams with MGM on newest 1171825 Blues update: Berube plans to throw Scandella right into beer the fray 1171851 Golden Knights acquire defenseman Alec Martinez from 1171826 After losing Bouwmeester, Armstrong pays a stiff price to Kings fortify Blues defense 1171852 Granger: Why the Golden Knights should trade for 1171827 Order restored: Blues get back to winning by clamping Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson down on Devils 1171853 What Alec Martinez brings to the Golden Knights’ lineup 1171828 Who says no? A former NHL general manager evaluates your Blues’ trade-deadline proposals Washington Capitals 1171854 Capitals say newly acquired Brenden Dillon will give them a veteran, physical presence on defense 1171829 Counting down the Lightning’s top five deadline deals of 1171855 With Dillon's size, toughness, Caps can play 'heavy' all time hockey 1171830 Lightning notes: Kevin Shattenkirk says he’d like to 1171856 Brian MacLellan doesn't want Capitals to force Ovechkin's re-sign, so can it work? 700th goal 1171857 The 6 most important things Brian MacLellan said about new Caps acquisition Brenden Dillon 1171831 It’s time to ask the question – what if these Leafs just 1171858 Joel Ward to drop ceremonial puck at annual Black History aren’t good enough? Game Sunday for Caps-Penguins 1171832 Maple Leafs blueliner Tyson Barrie is pushing ahead while 1171859 The Caps aren't leading the Metro Division for the first the road shifts beneath him time since Oct. 19 1171833 The numbers suggest the Leafs are getting the best from 1171860 ‘It’s going to be a battle’ – Brenden Dillon brings presence their best, so why aren’t they winning? in front of Caps’ net 1171834 If you were Kyle Dubas (left) or Sheldon Keefe, how would you fix the Toronto Maple Leafs? Websites 1171835 Leafs goalie Freddie Andersen will get another crack at 1171872 The Athletic / Bourne: High-risk hockey can cost you but Penguins, Keefe says that doesn’t mean it should be ignored 1171836 Leafs facing another moment that will test them — and 1171873 The Athletic / Resetting the defenseman trade market: their history of succeeding isn’t great Who is still shopping and who are the best options? 1171837 Maple Leafs make two small trades amid crisis 1171874 .ca / Depleted Oilers show signs of confidence in 1171838 Leafs coach Keefe keeps faith in Freddy getting point against Bruins 1171839 Leafs vow to respond after flat stretch 1171875 Sportsnet.ca / Analyzing the best goal scorers available at 1171840 TRAIK-EOTOMY: Goalie battle could be brewing in Maple the 2020 NHL trade deadline Leafs net 1171876 Sportsnet.ca / NHL Rumour Roundup: Will Maple Leafs, 1171841 'Embarrassed' Leafs vow better effort Panthers find an impact trade? 1171842 Leafs trade Marchment for Malgin, lose Johnsson for six 1171877 Sportsnet.ca / 2020 NHL Trade Deadline Primer: Montreal months Canadiens 1171843 SIMMONS: Dubas' Maple Leaf problems extend well 1171878 Sportsnet.ca / 's Canucks debut creates plenty beyond trade deadline of buzz but not win 1171844 Bourne: High-risk hockey can cost you but that doesn’t 1171879 Sportsnet.ca / 2020 NHL Trade Deadline Primer: mean it should be ignored Edmonton Oilers 1171845 Wheeler: Why Denis Malgin is a good fit for what ails the 1171880 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs search for answers: ‘Our work Maple Leafs bottom six ethic hasn’t been there’ 1171846 Down Goes Brown: Roster of all-time Maple Leaf trade 1171881 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs banking on slumping Andersen regrets rediscovering old form 1171882 TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Wild 1171883 TSN.CA / Keefe: Leafs need Andersen ‘to be great’ in 1171865 Canucks Post Game: The Pearson pledge, the Toffoli rematch with Penguins effect, the Super Seven 1171884 TSN.CA / Trade Bait: exhausting all Dustin 1171866 Wild 4, Canucks 3 (SO): Toffoli learns in his debut to get Byfuglien trade options Miller the puck 1171885 TSN.CA / With no shortage of skill, Toronto Maple Leafs 1171867 Canucks Game Day: Toffoli laces up for first night with search for urgency and will Vancouver facing the Wild side 1171886 TSN.CA / Canucks vs Wild Gameday Preview 1171868 Canucks expect Brock Boeser to miss rest of regular 1171887 USA TODAY / Jeremy Roenick gets presidential shout-out season with fractured rib cartilage at rally in Phoenix 1171869 Dhaliwal’s Diary: The Canucks aren’t done dealing, still eyeing Wayne Simmonds Winnipeg Jets 1171870 Inside a whirlwind weekend: How Tyler Toffoli became a 1171861 DeMelo's got all-around game Vancouver Canuck 1171862 Wheeler making it happen 1171871 The Armies: Tyler Toffoli’s forgettable moment in shootout 1171863 FRIESEN ON THE JETS: Beers, bonding and Scheifele's loss to Wild hockey hot stove 1171864 TRADE DEADLINE: Four possible fits for Winnipeg, and one bold idea SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1171685 Anaheim Ducks

Panthers get lucky goals to power over Ducks

By ASSOCIATED PRESS FEB. 19, 2020 10:18 PM

The Florida Panthers showed a little rebounding prowess Wednesday, getting a pair of friendly bounces off the Honda Center end boards to deliver a key 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

Vincent Trocheck and Aleksi Saarela each scored second-period goals off fortuitous rebounds and the Panthers were able to rally from an early deficit.

Aleksander Barkov and MacKenzie Weegar also scored a goal for Florida, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves as the Panthers improved to 2-0 on a key five-game West Coast road trip.

Florida won consecutive games in California with another at Los Angeles on Thursday. The Panthers earned a 5-3 victory at San Jose on Monday.

Max Jones scored a goal, while John Gibson had 28 saves for the Ducks, who dropped the opener of a six-game homestand. The Ducks have lost three of their past four games and have lost three consecutive home games.

Jones gave the Ducks the early lead with a goal at 16:04 of the first period. His 10th of the season came unassisted when he raced across the blue line, picked up a loose puck and fired it off the left shoulder of Bobrovsky and inside the right post.

The Ducks appeared as if they would take the lead into the first intermission, but Jonathan Huberdeau fired a perfect pass to Barkov as he rushed to the front of the Ducks goal and he flipped the puck past Gibson with 2.2 seconds on the clock to tie the score 1-1. It was Barkov’s 18th of the season.

The Panthers took a 2-1 lead at 10:50 of the second period when Trocheck cashed in a break. Riley Stillman’s shot past the goal, deflected off the end boards and back over the Ducks’ goal and to Trocheck where he picked it out of the air with a waist-high swing to score his 10th.

The Panthers received another deflection off the end boards less than four minutes later when Aaron Ekblad’s wide shot rebounded around the goal and into the left circle where Saarela scored from a sharp angle. It was Saarela’s first career goal in his fourth NHL game.

Weegar’s fifth of the season was scored into an empty net with just over two minutes remaining.

LA Times: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171686 Anaheim Ducks But he couldn’t square up a loose puck and failed to convert on a close- range try from near the right goal post in the first period.

Then, just before Jones scored, Henrique freed Rakell with a looping Ducks lose to Panthers, their second straight lackluster defeat breakout pass at the Panthers’ blue line. Rakell tried to glove the puck but whiffed. Florida defenseman Keith Yandle’s poor clearing attempt landed on Jones’ stick. Rakell smartly went to the front of the net to By ELLIOTT TEAFORD |PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 9:50 p.m. | screen the goalie. UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 10:57 p.m. Florida built a 3-1 lead by the end of the second, with Vincent Trocheck and Aleksi Saarela beating John Gibson. Trocheck smacked a puck that ricocheted off the glass out of midair and into the net and Saarela took ANAHEIM — The Ducks continued their awkward dance toward the NHL advantage of a favorable carom off the end boards to score his first NHL trade deadline, taking a second step backward after taking one stride goal. forward. Their dispiriting 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday at Honda Center was their second forgettable showing in a row after one MacKenzie Weeger sealed the deal with an empty-net goal that made it strong one. 4-1 at 17:51 of the final period.

It remained to be seen how much longer the Ducks’ roster remains intact. “There’s a huge difference in playing a team like that with a lot of offense Certainly, Wednesday’s loss coupled with Monday’s 6-4 come-from- and being up 1-0 after that first period,” Eakins said. “To give up that lead ahead loss to the Calgary Flames could mean changes will be made going into intermission was deflating, to say the least. With that being before next Monday’s deadline. said, you have to pick yourself up and get going again.”

Not that Ducks general manager Bob Murray wasn’t looking to make Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.20.2020 moves well before the team’s latest defeats, mind you. Murray is believed to be seeking additional draft picks and prospects with an eye toward the future as he continues his ongoing rebuilding project.

Consecutive losses merely confirmed changes should be made.

This season is a lost one.

The approaching deadline could prove to be distracting, though defenseman Korbinian Holzer didn‘t see it that way after the Ducks fell to 24-29-7 and remained 13 points out of a wild-card spot in a Western Conference playoff race that long ago passed them by.

“I played in Toronto before, so I can deal with the trade deadline,” Holzer said of playing through the uncertainty of the days and hours before Monday’s deadline. “I’ve been (rumored to be) traded 700 times when I played there. It is what it is. It’s part of the business.

“We can’t really control what’s happening anyway.”

The Ducks opened a six-game homestand without the services of defenseman Cam Fowler, who was scratched from the lineup because of an unspecified lower-body injury. The Ducks were already thin in their defense corps with Erik Gudbranson (upper body) sidelined for a fifth game.

Fowler’s status for Friday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche was uncertain.

“It’s something that’s been nagging at him and it got to a point after the morning skate that he just didn’t feel like he could perform at a high level,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “I know he was seeing the doctors (Thursday night). I think it’s day-to-day, but I don’t want to make that official until I talk to the doctors.”

Eakins shuffled his defense pairs to make up for the absence of Fowler, one of only three Ducks to have played in all 59 games going into Wednesday. Adam Henrique and Carter Rowney are the only others to have suited up for each of their team’s games in 2019-20.

After a day off Tuesday to rest and recover from a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday and Monday’s loss to the Flames, the Ducks seemed re-energized during their morning skate. They also showed no signs of sluggishness in the opening minutes of their third game in four days.

Eakins successfully challenged that the Panthers were offside, wiping out Mike Hoffman’s goal that would have given the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 13:10 of the first period. After a video review, it was determined that Florida’s Mark Pysyk was indeed offside and the game remained scoreless.

Max Jones then gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead at 16:04, with teammate Rickard Rakell screening Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. The Panthers countered with Aleksander Barkov’s goal at 19:55, after Jonathan Huberdeau intercepted a pass by Hampus Lindholm at center ice.

Rakell had a glorious chance to end his eight-game drought without a goal, dating to the Ducks’ loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 31. 1171687 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ Erik Gudbranson, Ondrej Kase moving closer to returns to lineup

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 3:22 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 3:22 p.m.

ANAHEIM — Defenseman Erik Gudbranson and right wing Ondrej Kase didn’t skate with their Ducks teammates before Wednesday’s game against the Florida Panthers at Honda Center. They sat out for their fifth consecutive games because of ailments.

Their absences could come to an end sooner rather than later, according to Ducks coach Dallas Eakins. Gudbranson is scheduled to be re- evaluated in the next day or two and could practice next week. Kase is scheduled to rejoin his teammates for Thursday’s practice.

Gudbranson and Kase haven’t played since they were forced from the Ducks’ overtime loss Feb. 7 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gudbranson suffered an unspecified upper-body injury. Kase was cleared of a head injury, but has been out because of flu-like symptoms.

The Ducks have missed Gudbranson’s dependable play in his own end of the ice. He has been placed on injured reserve, but is eligible to come off whenever he’s sound enough to play. He has four goals and five assists in 44 games since the Ducks acquired him Oct. 25 from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

They also have missed Kase’s relentless skating on the offensive side. Kase had seven goals and 16 assists in 49 games when he exited the Feb. 7 game against Toronto after Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin elbowed him in the head in the third period of a 5-4 overtime loss.

“Gudbranson is coming along very good,” Eakins said. “He’ll get re- evaluated here in the next few days and, hopefully, we’ll see him on the ice maybe in a week or so. Ondrej is going to be back (Thursday), scheduled for a full team practice, which is good.”

EAKINS ADMITS MISTAKE

The Ducks planned to send defenseman Brendan Guhle back to their AHL team, the San Diego Gulls, after he suffered an injury earlier in the season. They intended to let Guhle regain his fitness, his form and his confidence for a few games in the minors before returning to the Ducks.

Instead, the Ducks stuck him right back in their lineup when he was ready to play again. It didn’t go as well as hoped and Guhle ended up going back to play in San Diego. He’s been a far better player since his most recent recall to the Ducks, after nearly two months with the Gulls.

“He had a really good start to the season,” Eakins said. “He got injured (in an Oct. 10 game). We had a great plan to send him to San Diego to get some games under his belt after that injury and that’s where I made a mistake. We decided to put him right back in the lineup here.

“It wasn’t the right thing to do. We should have let him get some reps. When we did send him back, he went down there with a great attitude, a great work ethic, and he’s come back and played real solid. It’s a good time for him to keep building on that.”

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Eakins gave the Ducks the day off Tuesday, after a victory Sunday over the Vancouver Canucks and a loss Monday to the Calgary Flames. However, he said he didn’t let a handful of lapses in the third period Monday go without a discussion of them when the team reconvened Wednesday.

Turnovers by defenseman Korbinian Holzer, center Adam Henrique and defenseman Hampus Lindholm led to three of the Flames’ five third- period goals, when Calgary turned a 3-1 deficit into an eventual 6-4 victory in the game’s final 15 minutes.

“We talked about it,” Eakins said. “We spoke a little (Wednesday) morning. There’s a game plan to say nothing about it, but I’m not good at that. There’s an elephant in the room. We’re going to say, ‘There’s an elephant over there.’ We’ve got to be better.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171688 Arizona Coyotes

Oleksiak breaks late tie, surging Stars beat Coyotes

The Associated Press Published 9:33 p.m. MT Feb. 19, 2020 | Updated 9:35 p.m. MT Feb. 19, 2020

DALLAS — Jamie Oleksiak broke a third-period tie with his first goal in 26 games and the Dallas Stars held on to beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Oleksiak stepped up into the top of the slot, took a pass from Alexander Radulov and sent a low snap shot past goalie Antti Raanta with 8:22 remaining.

Dallas is 5-0-1 in its last six games to pull even with Central Division leader St. Louis.

Ben Bishop made 21 of his season-high 39 saves in the first period. Corey Perry and Radek Faksa scored power-play goals for Dallas.

Taylor Hall had a power-play goal for Arizona, Christian Fischer also scored in the second period and Raanta stopped 30 shots. Arizona remained in position for the second wild card from the Western Conference.

Perry had a goal and an assist and Denis Gurianov had two assists for the Stars.

Jordan Oesterle assisted on both Arizona goals.

The Stars scored on both of their power plays and have 11 goals with a man advantage in their last nine games. They had at least one goal in eight of those games, failing only when they had no power plays in an overtime loss at Ottawa on Sunday.

Perry scored his first power-play goal this season 2:19 into the game. He was all alone at the left of the net for a snap shot after a quick-passing play from Miro Heiskanen at the left point to Denis Gurianov in the left faceoff circle to Roope Hintz in the right circle to Perry.

Jamie Benn appeared to increase that lead to 2-0 at 13:38 of the first but a video review showed that Dallas was offside.

Benn left at 10:27 of the second period when he was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Arizona captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson. During that power play, Hall sent a shot into the upper left corner of the net at 12:32 to tie it at 1.

Faksa's power-play goal came at 16:01 on a backhand after skating across from the left side.

That Dallas lead lasted just until 18:12, when Fischer hit a rebound of Ilya Lyubushkin's shot from above the right slot over Bishop.

The Coyotes complete a two-game, two-day trip Thursday night at St. Louis.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171689 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes and Stars get physical in a loss for Arizona

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS | FEBRUARY 19, 2020 AT 9:53 PM UPDATED: FEBRUARY 19, 2020 AT 9:53 PM

DALLAS — Jamie Oleksiak broke a third-period tie with his first goal in 26 games and the Dallas Stars held on to beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Oleksiak stepped up into the top of the slot, took a pass from Alexander Radulov and sent a low snapshot past goalie Antti Raanta with 8:22 remaining.

Dallas is 5-0-1 in its last six games to pull even with Central Division leader St. Louis.

Ben Bishop made 21 of his season-high 39 saves in the first period.

Corey Perry and Radek Faksa scored power-play goals for Dallas.

Taylor Hall had a power-play goal for Arizona, Christian Fischer also scored in the second period and Raanta stopped 30 shots. Arizona remained in position for the second wild card from the Western Conference.

Perry had a goal and an assist and Denis Gurianov had two assists for the Stars.

Jordan Oesterle assisted on both Arizona goals.

The Stars scored on both of their power plays and have 11 goals with a man advantage in their last nine games. They had at least one goal in eight of those games, failing only when they had no power plays in an overtime loss at Ottawa on Sunday.

Perry scored his first power-play goal this season 2:19 into the game. He was all alone at the left of the net for a snap shot after a quick-passing play from Miro Heiskanen at the left point to Denis Gurianov in the left faceoff circle to Roope Hintz in the right circle to Perry.

Jamie Benn appeared to increase that lead to 2-0 at 13:38 of the first but a video review showed that Dallas was offside.

Benn left at 10:27 of the second period when he was assessed a major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Arizona captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson. During that power play, Hall sent a shot into the upper left corner of the net at 12:32 to tie it at 1.

Faksa’s power-play goal came at 16:01 on a backhand after skating across from the left side.

That Dallas lead lasted just until 18:12, when Fischer hit a rebound of Ilya Lyubushkin’s shot from above the right slot over Bishop.

NOTES: Dallas RW Alexander Radulov (upper-body injury) returned after missing three games. … Stars LW Roope Hintz has 11 of his 12 assists on the power play. … Hall has 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 25 games against Dallas. … Fischer’s goal was his first in 23 games.

Coyotes: Complete a two-game, two-day trip Thursday night at St. Louis.

Stars: Play the second in a three-game homestand Friday night against St. Louis.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171690 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson takes scary hit, returns to game after exiting

BY KELLAN OLSON | FEBRUARY 19, 2020 AT 8:23 PM UPDATED: FEBRUARY 19, 2020 AT 9:39 PM

A meeting between the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes got chippy and physical earlier in the season, and that rolled over to Wednesday’s matchup.

In the second period, Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman Larsson went towards the boards to make a play on the puck.

Stars forward Jamie Benn saw Ekman-Larsson was beating him to the spot, and instead of easing up, Benn proceeded to make a dirty hit from behind on the Coyotes’ captain that sent Ekman-Larsson and his face into the boards.

Benn's hit on Ekman-Larsson that led to ejection pic.twitter.com/2Agw1uLiY0

— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) February 20, 2020

Ekman-Larsson stayed on the ice for a few minutes, not moving for the early part of his time down there. He was eventually helped up by a teammate and went back to the locker room. After staying out of the second period, Ekman-Larsson returned in the third.

Benn was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit.

In that aforementioned game from late December, Ekman-Larsson and Benn were having their own personal battle most of the game. Ekman- Larsson earned his own penalty for hitting Benn in that game, a two- minute minor for interference. Throughout the rest of that affair, it was clear that Dallas players were very upset with Ekman-Larsson and Benn was seeking out Ekman-Larsson when he could.

In 58 games this season, Ekman-Larsson has seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171691 Arizona Coyotes “The last time I walked out of the rink seeing him, I thought, ‘It’s too bad. By the end of the year, people will have seen him and he’s going to be a first-round pick,’” he said.

The gamer: Christian Dvorak speaks softly and carries a crooked stick Dvorak never got the chance to climb that high. With a handful of Knights headed to the World Junior Championship in Sweden, Dvorak and Marner were elevated in the lineup. In his second game in that role, a By Craig Morgan road game at Erie, Dvorak planted his skate at the blue line as he rotated. And then he crumpled to the ice.

“He never comes off the ice being hurt so when I saw him skate to the When The Athletic conducted its Coyotes player poll earlier this year, bench, I’m like, ‘What the hell?’” said Ed Dvorak, who was attending his much to his surprise, Christian Dvorak earned a couple of votes for best first Knights road game. “It didn’t take me long to figure out what that shot on the team. injury was going to be.” “Who voted for me?” he asked, incredulously. “It wasn’t because of Dvorak suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. Everyone assumed his speed.” season was over. It was a tough break because the Knights were set to No, but Dvorak’s shot has a certain je ne sais quoi. host the Memorial Cup that spring. That carrot was all Dvorak needed to defy the odds. “We always say he’s got the twisted wrister,” teammate Lawson Crouse said. “It comes off his stick where it’s tough to read and he seems to be “Until he was injured, I barely talked to him because he was such a quiet pretty accurate with it.” kid, he was very low maintenance, he looked after himself and he did all the work that was asked of him,” Knights trainer Doug Stacey said. This is not a recent development. Dvorak has carried this trait with him “When a guy is injured, I have always tried to look at the silver lining. ‘If since childhood. He developed it when his dad, Ed, had him shooting you’re out with this, well, then let’s focus on that.’ When you’re playing, “800,000 pucks” a year back in suburban Chicago. He had it when he there isn’t as big a chance to focus on strength and conditioning so I said played on a line with Nick Schmaltz and William Nylander for the Chicago to him, ‘While you’re out for the first little bit, we’re just going to start Mission, and he had it when he played with the likes of Mitch Marner, working on your upper body a lot more and then as the knee improves, Max Domi and Matthew Tkachuk for the OHL’s , where we’ll focus back down to the lower part and we’ll just go from there and he scored 92 goals over his final two seasons. push it as tolerated.’

“We’d ask the goalies after practice, ‘Why aren’t you guys fucking “If a kid hasn’t hit that point where the genetic switch is flipped, where the stopping that?’” former Knights GM Mark Hunter said. “And they’d go, body is suddenly producing more testosterone, they’re not necessarily ‘We can’t pick it up!’ So you’d start watching close and it was amazing. I going to put on muscle mass no matter what you do with them. For him, I don’t know what it is, but he has a sneaky good shot.” think it was just the perfect storm because he had just hit that point. He started to get really strong, we put on some good muscle mass and the Dvorak has never really thought about what makes his shot effective, but best part was he loved it.” Coyotes assistant GM Steve Sullivan has a theory for the success of the team’s second-leading goal scorer (18 goals). Dvorak’s greatest love was bench pressing for bulk.

“I think he uses more of a sweeping motion so there’s no real movement “I wasn’t a big kid at all back then; I was pretty skinny and I wasn’t that of the blade for the goalie to read,” Sullivan said. “It’s almost like a strong so it really helped me out,” he said. “I was a rookie and I obviously backhand and goalies have a hard time reading backhands. You’re not don’t talk that much anyway, but I talked a lot less that year. Being with pulling and shooting, you’re not turning the blade. His release is like a Doug every day, four to five hours a day, we started talking a lot and we backhand on the forehand.” developed a really good friendship. I owe him a lot. He did a lot for me and he was unbelievable in helping me work on my body and sort of Sullivan was the organization’s development coach when Arizona drafted change my game.” Dvorak in the second round (No. 58) in 2014. There were a couple of areas (not many) of Dvorak’s game that needed attention, but Sullivan Dvorak was fortunate that there wasn’t much swelling in his knee after took a hands-off approach with that shot. surgery so he was able to start working out faster than many ACL patients. Three months after surgery, he began running. Four months “You don’t want to screw around with that,” he said. “If you can ever get out, the Knights fitted him with a brace and he began skating. to that point as a player, at any point in your career, you’re set. You either have to have a shot that is so hard you can blow it by them or you “He spent hours and hours in the gym and that rehab made him so much have to have some deception to it. He’s got the deception.” bigger and stronger that it really gave him an NHL body,” Hunter said. “He was pushing so hard to come back for the Memorial Cup and we Ed Dvorak would like to take credit for that weapon, but like his kept saying, ‘No!’ His dad came to see us and said, ‘He wants to play,’ impossibly humble son, the father chalks it up to dumb, blind luck. and again, we’d say, ‘No.’ We were so hesitant but he was just so “I guess the only thing I could tell you is I must have taught him wrong,” insistent and then when he came back he was good and it was only Ed said. about five months after he got hurt.”

Under the radar The Knights played only three games in the Memorial Cup, losing them all as the Edmonton Oil Kings and Coyotes draft picks Henrik Tim Bernhardt’s first exposure to Dvorak was a matter of due diligence. Samuelsson and Dysin Mayo won the CHL’s greatest prize. Dvorak When the Knights selected Dvorak in the eighth round of the 2012 OHL rolled right into offseason workouts with the team, but his draft stock had Draft, Bernhardt, the Coyotes’ former director of scouting, pored through taken a hit because of the injury, his fourth-line minutes and the the Coyotes’ scouting files and found a report from then-scout Rob corresponding lack of data. Pulford suggesting the staff keep an eye on this skinny Chicago Mission kid. “When you’re not able to do a deep dive on a player, the scouts and the area scouts and the crossover scouts don’t get enough of a picture of Dvorak had been called up to the USHL’s Chicago Steel with the original where a player is and where the development has come so far so it intention of playing for the University of Wisconsin, but when he chose makes it difficult to pound the table or put your name on the line that you London instead, Bernhardt, whose coverage area was Ontario, went to think this player could be special,” Sullivan said. “Kudos to our scouting see him. staff for saying, ‘Yeah, there’s enough here that we think it is worth the risk at this point in time.’” “His smarts were evident, even in a limited role, playing on the fourth line,” Bernhardt said. “To me, hockey sense is the basis of any good Bernhardt led that charge. player. He had the work ethic, too, and a really good base. His skill didn’t stand out, but you’re not going to show a whole lot on the fourth line in “Sometimes, you have to have the courage of your convictions and make those minutes. There were no flaws in his game and you just knew you a choice,” said Bernhardt, who was promoted to director of scouting 17 could build off that base.” days before the 2014 NHL Draft in Philadelphia. “We thought he was going to be a first-round pick. Now we could get him with the 58th pick so So Bernhardt visited more often. we said, ‘Let’s hedge our bets and take him.’” Ten centers were selected ahead of Dvorak that season, including Ryan Taylor Hall and Arizona’s leading goal scorer, Conor Garland. Even MacInnis, whom the Coyotes selected at No. 43. The following year, the during the Coyotes’ struggles in January and early February, that line has Coyotes took Dylan Strome at No. 3. Neither of those two players is with been a consistent driver of offense. Hall had 23 points in 28 games and the organization, but in a redraft of the 2014 class, The Athletic’s Corey Dvorak has 10 goals and 16 points in the 26 games since Hall’s Coyotes Pronman had Dvorak going 12th overall to the Coyotes, who originally debut. took Brendan Perlini at that same spot. As for centers in that redraft, Pronman had only Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (the potential 2020 Hart In a 2-1 win against the New York Islanders on Monday, Dvorak set up Trophy winner), Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point and Detroit’s Dylan Larkin Garland’s game-winning goal with a simple play that combined net-front ahead of Dvorak. presence and that small-area passing that Hunter referenced.

“Every coach wants a two-way centerman that can play good defensively Arizona Coyotes and score,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “They’re hard to find and I ✔ think Devo is starting to chip away at that model where you know a guy can take a draw, he’s not going to hurt you defensively, he can make a @ArizonaCoyotes play and he’s not afraid of going to the net. Garland's 20th of the season. “I think there’s a lot more (potential) and I think he wants more. There’s another level there for sure.” Embedded video

Dvorak has already set a career high for goals this season and he has 424 tied his career high for points (37). He is on pace for 48 points, but 6:04 PM - Feb 17, 2020 Sullivan isn’t ready to put a ceiling on Dvorak’s potential. Twitter Ads info and privacy “His numbers are probably going to end up being second-line center’s kind of numbers, but did I see 50, 60 points coming out of Devo? Yeah, I 57 people are talking about this did,” Sullivan said. “He’s the type of player that skilled wingers want to play with. He has enough skill to produce plays and finish plays and he’s “I think that goal sums him up,” Garland said. “He works so hard and he so aware defensively. He takes care of his own zone and wins face-offs doesn’t ever veer off the plan. I’ve played with guys where you’re not and he’s always below pucks on the defensive side of it which means scoring and all of the sudden your center is leaving the zone early, trying we’re not going to play a lot in our end. As a top-six winger, you want to get pucks, but he’s always there for you, he’s always below you in the Devo as your centerman because he can do it at both ends and he’s zone and he wins his battles. going to allow you not to have to defend.” “Look at that play. He wins his battle again and I scored the same goal Playing the right way against L.A. where all I had to do was beat my guy to the net and he lost his guy and chucks it right to my tape. He’s underrated in his skill and Like his shot, Dvorak’s two-way play was evident early, even if it needed he’s got a great shot. He takes every draw so seriously; studies a lot of refining for the particulars of NHL play. film on it. I think you’re really seeing signs of him becoming the player he will be, and he’s going to be a hell of a player.” “He could always do it at both ends and that really translates to the NHL game,” Hunter said. “He could always take care of all of those details, One thing you will probably never hear Dvorak do is crow. Garland calls make those small-area passes that you need to make in the NHL.” him the quietest guy on a team “where a lot of guys like to talk,” and Dvorak has endeared himself to Coyotes fans for his deadpan When Sullivan started working with Dvorak, he had to retrain some of expression after he scores. Dvorak’s defensive-zone tendencies and alter an on-ice habit that is common with elite CHL players. “The squeaky wheel gets the oil right?” Stacey, the London Knights trainer, said. “A lot of guys are like, ‘Look at me,’ but he’s never been that “He was a very cerebral, 200-foot player and there was really not a lot of way. He does everything that’s asked of him, he works his butt off, he risk to his game,” Sullivan said. “Every player has to work on pace of play never takes a shift off, he’s incredibly strong, he’s quiet and he doesn’t in the NHL, but one thing that we talked about most was shift lengths. He need all the accolades to give 100 percent.” held a lot of energy throughout his shifts so in junior, he had no problem going over a minute, sometimes a lot longer. London was a juggernaut Nor does he require external motivation. and he played with two really good linemates in Marner and Tkachuk. They had so much O-zone time that they just played. “Since the moment we drafted him there was never a ‘no’ or a ‘but’ when we made a suggestion on something that could help his game,” Sullivan “They didn’t kill a lot of plays in the D-zone either. London played a said. “It was just done. There is no cutting corners with him. He’s all in to defensive system that was very much, ‘Keep them to the perimeter and be the best he can be. He doesn’t cheat the organization and he doesn’t wait for them to give it back to us and when they do we’ll go down and cheat himself.” score.’ So we had to work on face-offs and his will to go and kill plays. We had to tell him, ‘Don’t allow your team to have to play so much D- Dvorak is happy that he has made significant progress in his fourth NHL zone coverage.’ That was probably why he struggled early in his career, season, but it is not foremost on his mind. especially with (former coach Dave Tippett) because Tip wanted him “The goal for me ever since I have been in the NHL is to get better every closing plays and he was just so used to being passive.” single year,” he said. “Obviously, last year was tough with the injuries but Bernhardt believes Dvorak would have benefited from a full season in the I think I have done that; I think it’s trending in the right direction and AHL in 2016-17, his first NHL season, but the Coyotes’ laundry list of playing with Taylor Hall and Conor (Garland) obviously helps me a lot. injuries at center forced him to play 78 games in which he had 15 goals They’re very skilled players. and 33 points. “But I don’t really think about that much. It’s obviously pretty late in the “I think he got sent down twice and each time before he played a game season and we want to make the playoffs because most of us haven’t someone got hurt and he had to get called back up,” Bernhardt said. made the playoffs yet. That’s where our minds are. That’s definitely “That was pretty harmful for him, not getting to spend that first year there, where my focus is.” but it’s great to see where he is now and it’s not a surprise.” The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 Dvorak took another step in his second season with 15 goals and 37 points, but his third season was cut short by back and pectoral injuries, limiting to 20 games, all at the end of the 2018-19 season.

“It was difficult jumping right into the end of the season after not playing a game all year,” he said. “But it obviously helped, getting those games in while we were in a playoff push last season, and then to get a whole summer of working out and a training camp as well.”

Dvorak never could have envisioned centering the top line or playing alongside a Hart Trophy winner, but that is the case now as he centers 1171692 Boston Bruins After regulation, the home crowd cheered the effort from Edmonton (32- 21-7), which had won three of four without superstar Connor McDavid (quad injury), with wins over the playoff-contending Panthers and Bruins start Western Swing on right note with David Pastrnak’s winning Hurricanes. They were also missing two key defensemen (minute- OT goal in Edmonton muncher Oscar Klefbom and Kris Russell) and forwards Zack Kassian (suspended), James Neal and Joakim Nygard. Their ability and effort on the PK kept them in this one.

By Matt Porter Globe Staff, February 20, 2020 They entered the night tied with the Bruins for second in success rate (both 84.2 percent coming in). The Oilers didn’t help themselves on the

PP, taking two penalties while up a man. They couldn’t make good when EDMONTON, Alberta — Though the scrappy Oilers nipped at their heels Bergeron, arguably Boston’s top PK forward, hooked defenseman Ethan for 60 minutes, the Bruins left here with two points, and their top dog Bear in the second. They had 41 seconds left in the power play when status intact. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins washed it out by grabbing Coyle’s stick.

David Pastrnak’s breakaway finish in overtime gave them a 2-1 win, their So it’s off to Calgary to start a back-to-back Friday (Vancouver on fourth in a row and 10th in their last 11 games. The Bruins (38-11-12) Saturday). Western Canada is typically a grind. remain atop the NHL standings, pushing their edge on the Lighting to Boston Globe LOADED: 02.20.2020 three points.

Collecting a rainbow feed from David Krejci — he read Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse’s poor pinch, and sent Pasta in free — Pastrnak opened netminder Mike Smith’s pads and slipped home the winner at 1:14 of OT.

“Krech won a battle and I was gone,” said Pastrnak, who keeps adding to his career-high goal total (43). “As soon as Torey [Krug] poked it to Krech in the corner and he had a split-second, that’s all he needs.”

The Bruins emerged from this tight-checking, chippy game with a new- and-improved 5-12 record in overtime. Mercifully, their 0-7 shootout record remains in mothballs.

Pastrnak’s goal, which pulled him into a tie with Auston Matthews for the league lead, absolved the visitors from an 0-for-7 performance on the power play. In a battle of top-two special teams — both PPs and PKs entered Wednesday ranked No. 2 or better — the Oilers were the only team to strike. The Bruins killed 5 of 6 penalties, with help from a bouncing puck or a stick in the lane. Both kills were aggressive enough to snuff out 13 combined penalties.

“Glad to win a hockey game when you don’t need your power play to score,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Could have made life easier for us.”

The Bruins’ defensive game remains sound. Now with 14 goals against in a 10-1-0 run, they allowed the Oilers two shots in the first period before Edmonton cobbled together a 29-shot evening. Tuukka Rask (28 saves) improved his league-best save percentage to .932, and his record to 23- 5-6, with a 2.04 goals-against average. He is very much in the Vezina Trophy conversation.

The Bruins had 11 shots on the power play, but some were forced. Charlie Coyle had a chance that hit netminder Mike Smith in the head and stayed out. Brad Marchand couldn’t finish at the side of the crease.

“We stuck with it,” Pastrnak said. “Penalty kill and Tuuks won this game.”

Cassidy made an adjustment, swapping out Jake DeBrusk (net front) for Brad Marchand, and using Krejci in Marchand’s old half-wall spot. No dice.

Boston was up, 1-0, on Patrice Bergeron’s 27th goal of the year at 8:28 of the first. He slid one past a prone Smith after taking a centering feed from Marchand and deking with a backhand-forehand move.

It was more world-class playmaking from Marchand, who recorded his 52nd assist of the year — and 75th point — by saucering a feed from the wall to his cruising linemate. He’s third in the league in helpers, many of them directly setting up a goal. At even strength, 18 of his 22 assists have been first assists.

“We’ve been playing together for so long, you just need to get open,” Bergeron said. “We know the tendencies we like to do on the ice. I kind of know what are the areas he wants me to be [in], and try to get there. He finds us right now. It’s been pretty much all year. Right now, he’s really making a lot of great plays.”

They were unable to build on it before Edmonton’s Sam Gagner tipped an Ethan Bear power-play point shot in the high slot, at 3:42 of the third.

“We were battling hard,” Rask said. “Whatever rebounds were there, the guys cleared them.” 1171693 Boston Bruins

Observations from the Bruins’ overtime win in Edmonton

By Matt Porter Globe Staff, February 19, 2020, 11:13 p.m.

EDMONTON, Alberta — No better time for David Pastrnak’s 43nd goal of the season.

The Bruins emerged from a gritty game with the Oilers Wednesday night with a 2-1 win in overtime, coming off the slippery stick of their top sniper.

In OT, Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse pinched in the neutral zone, letting Pastrnak take a long-distance outlet from David Krejci and skate in clear from the blue line. Dangling right to left, he opened netminder Mike Smith’s pads and slipped home the winner at 1:14.

The Bruins improved to 5-12 in overtime, and mercifully, their 0-7 shootout record remains untouched.

Unable to score on seven power-play opportunities, the Bruins were saved by Pastrnak, who pulled even with Auston Matthews for the league’s goal-scoring lead.

Other observations:

■ Not the most inspiring performance through 40 minutes by the Bruins, who were letting a depleted Oilers team hang around.

■ Boston was up, 1-0, on Patrice Bergeron’s 27th goal of the season. At 8:28 of the first, he slid one past Smith after taking a centering feed from Brad Marchand and deking Smith with a backhand-forehand move.

■ More world-class playmaking from Marchand, who recorded his 52nd assist of the season — and 75th point — by saucering a feed from the wall to his cruising linemate. He’s third in the league in helpers, many of them directly setting up a goal. At even strength, 18 of his 22 assists have been primary.

■ The Bruins, who had allowed 13 goals in their 9-1-0 run, were clean through two periods. But their failure to score on five power-play chances boosted the home team.

■ Edmonton had won three of four without superstar Connor McDavid (quadriceps injury), with wins over the playoff-contending Panthers and Hurricanes. They were also missing two key defensemen (minute- muncher Oscar Klefbom and Kris Russell), and forwards Zack Kassian (suspended), James Neal, and Joakim Nygard. So their ability to kill those five calls — including a double-minor high stick drawn by Charlie Coyle — loomed large entering the third.

■ The Bruins had eight shots on goal on the man advantage, but Smith held the fort. Credit the Oilers, tied with the Bruins for second in penalty- kill success (both 84.2 percent coming in), for stymying Boston.

■ Boston led in shots, 10-2, after one period. But Edmonton, with two fruitless power-play chances, evened that in the second. The Oilers outshot the Bruins, 18-9. They also blocked 16 shots, the Bruins generating 46 attempts through two.

■ The Oilers didn’t help themselves, taking two penalties while on the power play. They were 0 for 3 on the man-up through 40. They couldn’t make good when Bergeron, arguably Boston’s top PK forward, hooked defenseman Ethan Bear in the second. They had 41 seconds of power- play time left when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins washed it out by grabbing Coyle’s stick.

■ Sportsnet commentator Louie DeBrusk got to interview his son, Jake, at the bench before the game. The elder DeBrusk asked the player he addressed as “kiddo” what it was like to be home in Edmonton for a few days: “It’s nice to see the friends and family. Kind of get sick of hearing my dad’s hunting stories.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171694 Boston Bruins have scored 30 goals with Chara-McAvoy on the ice, eighth-most of that group.

Chara’s endurance remains remarkable. Among the handful of players Bruins not asking too much of Karson Kuhlman who have played in the league past age 41, only Chara and Chris Chelios (Detroit, 2003-04) averaged 21 or more minutes per game in a season. By Matt Porter Globe Staff,February 19, 2020, 7:42 p.m. Fast friends

Entering the game, it’s unclear who had bragging rights between pals Karson Kuhlman entered Wednesday night’s game in Edmonton with a Draisaitl and David Pastrnak. goal and four assists in 20 games this season. Their teams were first place in their respective divisions. Draisaitl (34- EDMONTON, Alberta — Bruce Cassidy doesn’t like to ask too much of 61—95 in 59 games) was 13 points ahead of Pastrnak (42-40—82) in the Karson Kuhlman at this stage of his career. Appearing in just his 32nd scoring race. Pastrnak was one goal behind the Maple Leafs’ Auston career NHL game on Wednesday night, the 24-year-old is a Matthews for the Rocket Richard Trophy. complementary player slotted a bit too high in the lineup. “He’s not going to have any problems getting to 50,” Draisaitl said of Which means that, five days from the trade deadline, Kuhlman’s tenure Pastrnak Tuesday. “It seems like he scores every game, and if he misses as the Bruins’ No. 2 right wing is likely near its end. a game it’s two or three the next night.”

The Bruins are likely to get a replacement for Kuhlman, who has a 1-4— Pastrnak, signed for $6.667 million a season through 2023, and Draisaitl 5 line in 21 games this season. He is an energetic forechecker with good ($8.5 million per year through 2025) inked their second NHL deals within speed, intelligence, and pluck. But he is not the kind of proven finisher three weeks of each other in late summer, 2017. They work out together needed to play alongside David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. in Prague in the summer.

Kuhlman is developing. Against the Rangers last Sunday, for example, “We became close friends,” said Pastrnak, drafted 25th overall in 2014, Cassidy noted how Kuhlman made a few plays from the wall, had a good after Draisaitl went third to the Oilers. “I’m really happy for him. He’s look in tight, and could have been a little more patient on a few other having a great season. Before we signed these contracts, we were touches. hanging out a lot.”

“We don’t want to get him away from his roots,” Cassidy said. “He’s a Thanks, Dad straight-line player, chip and chase . . . that’s why he’s up there helping them. We’re OK with that.” Sportsnet commentator Louie DeBrusk got to interview his son, Jake, on the ice before the game. The elder DeBrusk asked the player he If Cassidy needs more offense, he’ll move Charlie Coyle or Anders Bjork addressed as “kiddo” what it was like to be home in Edmonton for a few up for a few shifts. Kuhlman, to his credit, keeps his motor running when days. The response: “It’s nice to see the friends and family. Kind of get that happens, or the Bruins go on special teams (he isn’t involved there). sick of hearing my dad’s hunting stories.” It may have been the first benchside interview that ended with, “Love you, Dad.” “There’s a lot of positives there,” Cassidy said. “We’ll keep working on the parts that go into being a top-six player. We don’t want to rush him or Boston Globe LOADED: 02.20.2020 put the expectation too high. That’s not fair to the player or to us.”

Cassidy has used a similar approach with DeBrusk, 23. He is nearly at top-six trust: the point where Cassidy can send him over the boards without worrying who is on the other side of the ice. A bit behind the pace of last year’s 27-goal season, the dynamic DeBrusk (18-16—34 in 56 games) can pop off for a pair of goals here and there. If he’s not scoring, his game doesn’t suffer.

The Bruins were looking for more pop from the young wingers on their third line, currently being driven by Coyle (five goals in his last eight games) at center. Danton Heinen, 24, has one assist in five games since his three-game layoff as a healthy scratch. He hasn’t scored in 13 games. Bjork, 23, has a modest 9-9—18 line in 53 games, and no goals in his last eight.

Defense first

Zdeno Chara hasn’t registered a point in his last 26 games. It is the longest drought of his 22-year career.

His lack of offense is not a concern for the Bruins, who have Charlie McAvoy wheeling and dealing next to him. Even as Chara nears his 43rd birthday (March 18), he still gets tapped for shutdown duty. With Connor McDavid injured Wednesday, Chara’s role was to smother Edmonton’s other superstar, Leon Draisaitl.

“He loves it, relishes it, and is extremely [ticked] if he doesn’t get that matchup, trust me,” Cassidy said. “That’s his bread and butter.

“He wants to make plays with the puck and still be considered a full two- way guy, but I think he understands that his biggest value to the team is, tonight for example, can he keep Draisaitl off the board? Can he frustrate him?”

McAvoy knows his role is to transport or dish pucks out of the defensive zone. Chara concentrates on the Bruins’ half of the ice. It works.

McAvoy’s development as an all-around force is a major reason the Bruins’ No. 1 pair entered Wednesday having allowed 21 goals at five on five, ranking third-fewest of the 20 highest-usage defense pairs in the league (approximately 575 minutes or more at five on five). The Bruins 1171695 Boston Bruins Those three off the board, the Bruins could watch the Avalanche go hard after Rangers winger and Boxford, Mass., native Chris Kreider, perhaps Boston’s top target. The reason: Colorado star Mikko Rantanen could Bruins’ trade targets are being picked off in front of them, and Don miss six to eight weeks with a collarbone injury suffered Monday. St. Sweeney may have to get creative Louis, still without Vladimir Tarasenko, is also interested in Kreider. The scoring-needy Islanders make sense, too.

Rangers GM Jeff Gorton connected with Sweeney to move Rick Nash By Matt Porter Globe Staff, Updated February 19, 2020, 1:24 a.m. (February 2018 deadline) and Steven Kampfer (September 2018 preseason). He is congenial, but no dummy. Taking Kreider off his hands

will surely call for a first-rounder, a roster player, and a good prospect. EDMONTON, Alberta — The Bruins were on a Pacific Division road trip a Would the Bruins have the stomach to surrender Trent Frederic or Urho year ago Thursday when word spread on the team’s group text message Vaakanainen? chains: Charlie Coyle was coming home. If the Bruins miss out on Kreider, they would likely have to offer the same The pair of trades — Coyle from Minnesota for Ryan Donato and a first-player-prospect package to New Jersey for winger Kyle Palmieri, conditional fifth-round pick, and, five days later, Marcus Johansson from who is signed through next season ($4.65 million). Would that be New Jersey for a second and a fourth — were rewards for a group that palatable? Could they find a deal on younger wingers (Columbus’s Josh was contending for the Atlantic Division crown. The players reciprocated Anderson, albeit a medical question mark; Anaheim’s Ondrej Kase)? general manager Don Sweeney’s trust by making it to the Stanley Cup The Bruins will likely be improved by the time they return to Boston on Final. Sunday. It just may hurt a little more than they’d like. With the trade deadline approaching Monday, these Bruins arrived on the Tuukka Rask, 9-1-1 with a .946 save percentage since Dec. 23, will face frozen Alberta plains as the NHL standard-bearer and points leader (86). the Oilers. Jaroslav Halak could work the front end of the back-to-back, Thanks to elite goaltending, good health, strong leadership, roster depth, though Bruce Cassidy wanted to scout Calgary (Friday) and Vancouver and smart coaching, the dips in their play have been brief and shallow. (Saturday) before committing to a netminder . . . Montreal forward None of that suggests that the Bruins, who have won 9 of 10 entering Brendan Gallagher told reporters that Zdeno Chara called him to Wednesday’s game against the Oilers (8:30 p.m.), will be idle this week. apologize for cross-checking him in the throat last Wednesday. Chara A familiar tune rings out: They need a second-line wing. But in order to received a max fine ($5,000) from the league for his actions. make an impactful deal, Sweeney may have to get creative, since the Boston Globe LOADED: 02.20.2020 trade market has become less friendly.

In the last two days, three potential targets (Tyler Toffoli, Blake Coleman, and Brenden Dillon) found new homes, and two teams competing with the Bruins for home ice in the playoffs (Tampa and Washington) made significant moves. Not only that, but injuries have given contenders reason to pay prices the Bruins might not.

Sweeney wasn’t as interested in Toffoli as Vancouver GM Jim Benning. His Canucks in a bind, the former Bruins assistant GM plucked the UFA- to-be from the Kings for a hefty sum: the rights to Tyler Madden, the slight but skilled Northeastern center; a second-round pick; and former Bruin , who isn’t playing up to his $1.7 million cap hit.

The Canucks could afford to lose Madden, who was slated to start his NHL career behind centers Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, and another ex- Husky, Adam Gaudette. Benning also learned Monday that top-line sniper Brock Boeser could miss several more weeks with a rib issue, and Micheal Ferland is done for the season, concussion problems limiting him to 14 games after he signed a four-year, $14 million deal in July.

Ferland, remembered here as the Carolina wrecking ball who nailed Johansson last March, lasted one period of an AHL game before heading back to injured reserve. The hope here: He takes as much time as he needs.

Vancouver (69 points), a point out of first in the Pacific, had reason to be aggressive regardless of any on the wing. Its fans, as rabid as they come, haven’t seen the playoffs since 2015. Its core is young and unproven, but with baby-faced Pettersson and Quinn Hughes making magic and netminder Jacob Markstrom having a career year, why not try to win a round or two?

So the Canucks beat the Bruins to the punch for Toffoli, the 27-year-old with 18 goals and 34 points in 58 games.

Tampa Bay landed a blow of its own, lifting the hard-charging Coleman from New Jersey for a first-rounder (Vancouver’s, acquired last summer in the J.T. Miller trade) and high-end forward prospect Nolan Foote. The Bruins kicked the tires on Coleman, who is signed to a bargain deal ($1.8 million through 2021) considering his production (21 goals, 31 points in 57 games). But the Lightning struck first.

They’ve been doing that a lot of late. The Bolts, 1 point behind the Bruins in the overall standings, have gained 11 points on the Bruins since Jan. 1, despite the Bruins going 13-4-2 since then. And they just got better.

Meanwhile, the Capitals got Dillon from the Sharks. The rugged blue liner was of interest to the Bruins for his size (6 feet 4 inches, 225 pounds). He cost a second-rounder (’20) and conditional third (’21). Not a headline- grabbing move, but depth on defense is a must for the two-month playoff grind. 1171696 Boston Bruins Pastrnak was sent to the box for a trip with 2:30 remaining, giving the Oilers a golden chance to take the game before overtime, but they barely got a shot on net, and it went to the extra frame.

David Pastrnak’s OT goal sends Bruins past Oilers Pastrnak made up for that and more 1:14 into OT.

For his 43rd goal of the season, Pastrnak tucked the puck under Smith By MARISA INGEMI | PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 11:13 p.m. | off a pass from Krejci to get the win. UPDATED: February 20, 2020 at 12:03 a.m. “I give Edmonton a lot of credit,” said Cassidy. “They’ve done that lately, they’re a little light in their lineup, good for them and their American League guys to do that job… That’s kind of how it played out tonight. We EDMONTON — Not much was special about special teams on were able to convert.” Wednesday night, but it didn’t matter, The Bruins face the Flames in Calgary on Friday in the third game of the The Bruins went 0-for-7 on the power play and its penalty kill allowed the road trip. Oilers to tie the game in the third period to send it to overtime, but David Pastrnak saved the day with a breakaway in overtime to give the Bruins a Boston Herald LOADED: 02.20.2020 2-1 win at Rogers Place.

“I think we’ve had a very good power play here for a lot of years,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “I’d say this last little stretch it’s not coming as easy, they’re taking away some of our options and we have to be less stubborn and take what’s available.”

That ended up not mattering as Pastrnak played the hero role to send the Bruins to their 10th win in 11 games.

“Torey (Krug) had the one on two, made a great defensive play,” said Pastrnak. “(David Krejci) won a battle and I was gone. He sent it over. Just went on the breakaway so little, they poke check it so figured I’d go five-hole. As soon as Torey poked it to (Krejci) in the corner and he had a split-second, a good player like Krejci, that’s all he needed.”

The Bruins have only allowed three goals in a game once since Jan. 19, a loss to the Red Wings, and they held the Oilers down early and withstood their late rush to win their fourth game in a row.

Patrice Bergeron, inching toward matching his career high, took a pass from Brad Marchand that split the defense with 9:05 gone in the frame and dangled his way towards the net, potting his 27th tally and putting the Bruins ahead 1-0.

The Bruins didn’t see success on their first power power plays, including a four minute double-minor for high sticking from Kailer Yamamoto on Charlie Coyle at the end of the first period.

Edmonton finished the first frame with just two shots on goal, but redeemed themselves with a flurry on a power play midway through the second.

The Oilers struggled through another power play afterwards, their second they cut short by committing a penalty of their own, but hung around and closed the shots gap quickly.

While the Bruins couldn’t find the net again into the third, they allowed the Oilers — Connor McDavid-less and all — to hang around. They gave Edmonton its fourth power play early in the third with a Karson Kuhlman tripping call, and that time, they struck.

With 16:18 left in the frame, and 17 seconds remaining on the power play, Ethan Bear blasted a shot from the corner of the blue line tipped in by Sam Gagner over Tuukka Rask’s glove to make it a 1-1 game.

The Bruins were gifted a chance to respond 5:25 into the frame from an Oilers penalty for too many men, and they couldn’t take advantage against the Oilers second-ranked power play in the league.

Tempers boiled over 9:34 into the third after Alex Chiasson ran into the boards and a mini-brawl behind Rask’s net ensued, but Joakim Nordstrom earned the only roughing call to put the Oilers back on the man advantage. Charlie Coyle broke in toward the Oilers net, where Edmonton goalie Mike Smith batted it away, but Coyle was slashed and it became the third Oilers power play they cut short with a penalty of their own.

It was the seventh consecutive power play the Bruins came up empty.

“Penalty kills were clearly better than the power plays tonight,” said Cassidy. “Puck was bouncing a bit, that has something to do with it. At the end of the day you’re going to have those nights and both teams have good special teams on both sides, good goaltending. So listen, you’re glad to win a hockey game when you don’t need your power play to score, could have made life easier for us.” 1171697 Boston Bruins

Bruins have options for trade deadline, but need to be creative

By MARISA INGEMI | PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 6:56 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 6:57 p.m.

The old saying is you have to give something up to get something.

The Bruins want something; whether that’s Kyle Palmieri or Chris Kreider or someone else. Many options went off the board earlier in the week, but there are still plenty.

They don’t have the same leverage they may have if they pulled the trigger earlier, since targets have narrowed down, but if they want to add one of them, they might have to have a painful split-up along the way.

Their most valuable asset might be their first-round pick, something Don Sweeney and company have been reluctant to part with at past deadlines after depleting some drafts previously. Kreider might command one, and Palmieri almost certainly will.

As far as roster assets go, though, that cost might be even higher.

Their target is a winger, which would take up a roster spot anyway, likely replacing a Karson Kuhlman or Anders Bjork or even Danton Heinen. Bjork might be the most intriguing option to be dealt as he’s redeemed himself in his third NHL attempt and has become a valuable part of the bottom six with more versatility to switch wings.

He still had just nine goals in 52 games entering Wednesday night, which is far from horrible for a depth scorer, but he’s certainly not untouchable, either. Parting with him would hurt, but it’s a breakup that might be worth it if they’re bringing in someone with a more established scoring pedigree now.

Heinen may be who he is at this point, with seven goals in 55 games and becoming a healthy scratch option at times. He does a lot of little things well and when he’s clicking his details are excellent, and he has enough touch where giving up on him wouldn’t be easy. They just re-signed him as an RFA this past offseason, so moving him should require bringing in a player with term, like Palmieri, much more than a rental.

Jeremy Lauzon might be an interesting piece if they don’t want to give up one of their forwards. Connor Clifton is nearing a return and John Moore is still in the mix, but in a short time Lauzon has rocketed up the depth chart. He just signed a two-year deal as well, and his progress has been noticeable.

They trust him on the penalty kill and he’s worked well with Matt Grzelcyk, but he’s even less established than the forwards they might move. They have players who can play at the blue line well and there’s no guarantee come the playoffs if Lauzon will even be who they go with as a sixth defenseman.

Maybe it would be the time to sell high while his value is at its peak, though he’d also be a painful player to part with.

If the Bruins do bring in a piece they think can help them win now it’s going to cost. Maybe not an elite prospect like a Jack Studnicka, but a roster player who is already helping a first-place team.

That’s why just making a trade — even for the right guy — isn’t so easy.

Boston Herald LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171698 Boston Bruins

Jake DeBrusk enjoys being at home

By MARISA INGEMI | PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 4:59 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 4:59 p.m.

The Bruins got extra time in Edmonton after their game in New York on Sunday, and at least one player was happy to have that.

Jake DeBrusk, born and raised in Edmonton, may be one of the few people to get especially hyped for a road trip to Edmonton in the middle of February. They had more time than usual at the start of a long distance road trip, but that works to his benefit.

“We don’t get this amount of time in Edmonton, so it’s kind of nice to get,” DeBrusk said to reporters on Tuesday. “Saw some friends (Monday) …(Tuesday) is family time and get ready for the game. It’s obviously special but it’s one of those things that kind of just comes and goes pretty fast, it’s nice to have some days here.”

It’s well-documented DeBrusk grew up an Oilers fan. His father, Louie, played in the NHL with a stint with the Oilers and now serves as a commentator on , and was in the locker room on Wednesday morning after the Bruins skated.

“Anytime that I can get to see my dad, it’s always nice,” said DeBrusk. “It definitely brings that element to it. This is my third time doing it, but definitely feels pretty similar every time we come into Edmonton. It’s a little snowy out there at this time of year but it’s nice to be back in the mix for sure.”

The B’s winger got hot during their last extended road trip, where he scored in three straight games, including in Winnipeg and Minnesota, but has cooled down since with just one goal in his last five games, coming against Arizona 12 days ago.

Maybe a little home cooking on the road will spark the 23-year-old, who entered Wednesday’s game just nine goals away from his career-high mark set last season.

Trades on the mind, or not

While rumors continue to be posted and shared all over the place, it can be a tough time for players just trying to focus.

Some who might be in trade conversations or are at least rumored to be, like Anders Bjork, just try to filter out the noise and keep their eyes on just playing hockey.

“I hear things I guess through people,” he said. “But I don’t have time with playing, you don’t really know what’s going to happen until it happens so it’s something I don’t worry about at all.”

If the Bruins make a move it’s likely a roster player could go, and if it’s a winger like rumored, someone like Bjork might be the odd man out, though he’s played well in his third stint in the NHL.

That’s a big reason he’s unconcerned, and that’s changed from past years where there’s more doubt as a younger player. Maturing over time takes away some of that anxiety and increases the focus.

“There’s more to be worried about with everything,” said Bjork. “You’re in the lineup and more worried about that and stuff. Trades can happen at any time basically. You just gotta take it day by day and focus on playing, that’s helpful.”

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Bruins pregame notes: B’s seek revenge on Oilers

By MARISA INGEMI | February 19, 2020 at 2:07 p.m.

EDMONTON — The Bruins early January loss to the Oilers might have been one of their turning points of the season.

It was their third loss in a row and just over a week before the debacle in Columbus that can be pointed to as one of the things that turned their season around. But there were shades against the Oilers as well, when Torey Krug took an elbow up high from Leon Draisaitl and there was no response.

The Bruins are in a far different place now, and so are the Oilers.

Edmonton is banged up with no Connor McDavid, and though they are still in first in the Pacific, the gap is small and inconsistencies have plagued a team where depth has been questioned.

But that’s far from the Bruins concern; they’ve won 10 of their last 12 games and are still fending off the surging Lightning, entering tonight a single point behind in the Atlantic.

If that isn’t enough motivation anyways for the Bruins to keep up the pace, nothing will be.

They’ve played well of late, but can’t let up now.

“Our standard’s always been there, but we expect that every night now and we’re getting those results,” said Anders Bjork. “So we’re trying to keep that up and keep building is the most important thing, not being satisfied or complacent.”

Game notes

After winning their last two contests, the Bruins are going with the same lineup they had against the Red Wings on Saturday and in New York on Sunday.

Jeremy Lauzon stays in the lineup on the bottom defensive pair with Matt Grzelcyk with John Moore a healthy scratch. Par Lindholm and Anton Blidh are the scratches up front.

Tuukka Rask gets the nod in net.

About the Oilers

The Oilers (32-21-6) won the last two games of their southern road trip in Carolina and Florida before they returned home to host the Bruins tonight.

They’re without McDavid, which is the big thing, but still have players who can produce, starting with Draisaitl. He has 95 points in just 59 games, 34 of them goals. After McDavid and his 88 points, the next highest producer is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with 44 points, and next highest goal scorer is James Neal with his 19 tallies.

Edmonton is 12th in the league with 188 goals scored and 17th with 181 goals allowed. Their power play, operating at a league-best 29.4 percent, is where they get dangerous. Their penalty kill is also the second best in the league by percentage, so they operate as a special teams type of team.

Despite their scorers, the Oilers have the sixth fewest shots in the NHL this season but the fourth highest shooting percentage at 10.7 percent.

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Bruins-Oilers Talking Points: David Pastrnak won't be denied in OT

By Joe Haggerty February 20, 2020 12:28 AM

GOLD STAR: David Pastrnak has some nights when he plays well and there are other nights when he’s the single biggest reason the Bruins win a game. Wednesday night was more the latter than the former as Pastrnak set up Boston’s only goal in regulation and then scored the winner in overtime after breaking behind the Edmonton defense before scoring his 43rd goal.

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Pastrnak finished with a team-high six shots on net and a whopping 13 shot attempts in 18:17 of ice time with a plus-2 rating. Pastrnak was whistled for a tripping call in the final couple of minutes of the third period and seemed to be on a mission from the time he got out of the box prior to getting that OT breakaway chance. There was little doubt he wasn’t going to come through.

BLACK EYE: I don’t know who Patrick Russell is, but he played 3:31 in an OT loss for the Oilers when Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse pulled close to 30 minutes in the game for an injury-ravaged roster. So, perhaps it could have been a different outcome if Russell could have lightened the load for some of Edmonton’s top players.

Haggerty: Here's what Bruins need to add at the trade deadline

The truth is, though, that the Oilers are going to struggle for as long as key guys Connor McDavid and James Neal are both out. And there wasn’t much from a negative perspective to write about for the Edmonton players in a competitive game they could have easily won against Boston.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins came out strong in the first minute of the second period, didn’t score but then battened down the hatches for the rest of the middle 20 minutes.

Edmonton outshot the Bruins 18-9 and peppered Tuukka Rask on a few power-play possessions in the period, but the Bruins didn’t buckle under the pressure. Instead, Rask stopped all 18 shots he faced in the second period and wasn’t beaten for a goal until the third when a high deflection made it past the Bruins goaltender.

Part of the reason the B’s eventually picked up the full two points was how well they kept the puck out of the net in the second.

HONORABLE MENTION: Rask has been excellent coming out of the All- Star break and he was that kind of good against the Oilers on Wednesday night. Rask stopped 28 of 29 shots, including making saves on those 18 shots in the second, including a couple of Oilers power plays.

Good question, dad - Jake Debrusk's hilarious interview with his old man

Rask only allowed a deflected goal in the third that tied the score on a shot that he couldn’t have been expected to save. Otherwise, he was perfect and continues to team with Jaroslav Halak to be one of the unquestioned strengths of this team.

BY THE NUMBERS: 0-for-7 – the Bruins went 0-for-7 on the power play in one of the few things to be discouraged about from a B's perspective.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Just a little breakaway, and I saw him try to poke- check so I decided to go five-hole there. Lately, we’ve been good [in overtime] so hopefully, we’re getting some confidence back.” –David Pastrnak, on NESN talking about his overtime game-winner.

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Bruins' Jake DeBrusk has a hilarious interview with his father, Louie DeBrusk

By Jacob Camenker February 19, 2020 9:00 PM

Jake DeBrusk returned home to play in his native Edmonton for the third time in his NHL career. But this game had a bit of a different twist.

Ahead of the contest, DeBrusk was interviewed by one of the members of the SportsNet broadcast team. The catch: the interviewer was his father, Louie DeBrusk.

The elder DeBrusk began his 12-year career in Edmonton playing for the Oilers and played 401 NHL games. Now, he works for the Canadian sports network and decided to interview his son before the Bruins-Oilers game.

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And the interview provided the audience with some comical moments.

The best soundbite came when Louie asked Jake about returning to play in his hometown and the younger DeBrusk poked fun at his father.

Yeah it always is, it's nice to see the friends and family. I kinda get sick of my dad's hunting stories though, that's the only thing that's a little sketchy.

Later on, the younger DeBrusk would poke fun at his father's hair, implying that Louie had copied Jake's signature style. The elder DeBrusk wrapped it up by poking back at his son:

Listen kiddo, get the feet going. I don't want to have to say bad things about you tonight.

Jake capped it off with a touching moment, simply saying, "Thanks dad, I love you" as he skated back onto the ice.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171702 Boston Bruins provided Sweeney doesn’t get hung up waiting for Kreider to be made available to teams.

Haggerty: Class act for Chara to apologize to Habs' Gallagher Bruins needs are no secret ahead of NHL trade deadline The other need for the Bruins at this point?

With Kevan Miller out for the entire season to this point with a fractured By Joe Haggerty February 19, 2020 2:10 PM kneecap that sidelined him for last spring’s entire Stanley Cup Final run as well, the Bruins are a little light on the back end. The B’s could use a big, strong, hardnosed and physical defenseman capable of holding There are few secrets about the Bruins or the strengths and weaknesses other teams accountable and doling out physical punishment in the D- that face them heading into the stretch run and that zone. follow. The Bruins may have found an in-house solution in 22-year-old Jeremy The Bruins rely on the NHL’s best line — the Perfection Line — superior Lauzon, who most recently served a two-game suspension for drilling special teams play, and the NHL’s top goaltending duo along with a Derek Stepan with a big, high hit against the side boards in a home win strong defensemen group for their winning formula, and it’s proven plenty over the Coyotes. But that particular roster need is the reason they were good enough during the regular season in recent years. The B’s currently linked to defenseman Brenden Dillon in trade rumors before he was sit at an NHL-best 86 points on the season and have a six-point lead on eventually shipped from the San Jose Sharks to the Washington Capitals everybody else in the NHL aside from their hard-charging divisional rivals on Tuesday for a couple draft picks. in Tampa Bay. It’s also less than ideal to rely on a rookie like Lauzon as a rugged, The Bruins have won nine of their last 10 games after a ragged stretch of grizzled enforcer on the back end when it comes to playoff time. That’s play in December/January and have been rolling since the NHL All-Star something else to consider when Don Sweeney goes shopping over the break while understandably feeling good about their game right now. next five days ahead of the Feb. 24 trade deadline, a date that’s quickly becoming anticlimactic given all the trades getting consummated well LIVE stream the Celtics all season and get the latest news and analysis ahead of time. on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App. Sweeney knows the team’s greatest needs, he’s on the clock and the pressure is on the Bruins general manager to adequately address them “We’re taking a lot more value in [the defensive] part of the game, and ahead of next Monday’s deadline. some of it is getting the balance in the lines so that they’re fresh, getting everyone involved,” said Bruce Cassidy. “I think most of our minutes now Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 you’ll see, our forwards are typically at the least amount is 10 minutes sometimes for the lower guys if they’re not killing too many penalties, so I think that helps everyone stay in the game as well.”

When the Bruins are going well as they are right now, they are getting balanced play from their roster. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case and it’s something that gets exposed when they play high-quality competition.

The weaknesses on the Bruins roster are equally clear and easy to diagnose because it’s been the same old thing for the last handful of years.

Top 10 targets ahead of NHL trade deadline

The Bruins have tried multiple times to acquire top-6 wingers who can produce offense, whether it’s been band-aid deadline solutions like Marcus Johansson and Drew Stafford, or a stab at an attempted long- term fix when they traded for Rangers power forward Rick Nash. They couldn’t predict the abrupt, concussion-influenced retirement from the NHL for Nash following a few months in Black and Gold, and so a top-6 winger continues to be Don Sweeney’s "white whale" on the Bruins roster.

Once the playoffs begin and the Bruins face deeper, bigger and stronger defensive groups, the prolific Perfection Line routinely goes through stretches where they are held in check by opponents. It’s a prominent factor when the Bruins lost to the Lightning in the second round two years ago, and one of the prime reasons the B’s fell in seven games to the St. Louis Blues last June in the Stanley Cup Final.

When it happens, the Bruins become almost completely reliant on their power play to provide offensive punch while the other forward lines haven’t been able to effectively fill the scoring void.

The only way that’s going to change is for the Bruins to bring in a top-6 forward who can play the role of game-breaker and finish off the offensive chances set up by linemates David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. The Bruins need another forward line that can put a scare in opponents offensively and they simply don’t have it consistently right now, just as they haven’t had it in the last handful of seasons.

With names like Tyler Toffoli, Blake Coleman and Jason Zucker now off the trade deadline board, the Bruins are down to some of their top big- name trade choices in Chris Kreider, Kyle Palmieri and Josh Anderson.

Kreider would be the optimal choice because of his skating speed, consistency and the size and occasional mean streak that the Bruins could surely use among their top-6 group. But there are options out there 1171703 Boston Bruins teams that can survive shifts against Bergeron and Krejci, then try to handle Coyle’s Hulk-like strength on the puck and fitness in the offensive zone.

With Anders Bjork as his able sidekick, Charlie Coyle is roughing “Bjorkie can certainly keep up with him,” Cassidy said. “Likes to dart in opponents up and out. Will get to the net. I thought Danton’s complemented them well too on his off side. They’ve been a good offensive line, not giving up much at the other end. So there’s no matchup issues when they’re able By Fluto Shinzawa Feb 19, 2020 to do that. It makes our team better when you’re not fighting to find the right people to get on the ice.”

Breakaway winner EDMONTON — Bruce Cassidy always has the option of moving Charlie Coyle up to No. 2 right wing. Depending on the situation, Coyle gives The only clue Pastrnak needed to go the other way in overtime was to David Krejci a broad-shouldered right wing who can make opposing see Torey Krug first on the puck behind the Boston goal line. By now, defensemen fight for every breath with how he controls pucks down low. Pastrnak knows his teammate well enough to trust he will do the right thing with the puck. Cassidy, however, is chasing overall lineup optimization. In that way, Coyle is optimal as No. 3 center, especially given how expertly the 27- So Pastrnak flew. year-old is handling the wheel. “Torey poked it to Krech in the corner, and he had a split second,” “Charlie’s driving the line, so I’ll start there,” Cassidy said. “He’s playing Pastrnak said. “With a player like Krejci, that’s all he needs. If I get a some of the best hockey I’ve seen him play in a Bruins uniform right now. step, he’s just going to give it to me.” Probably with the exception of the playoffs last year, but the regular season. He’s commanding the puck. He’s owning the puck. It just makes Darnell Nurse, the player Pastrnak kept from getting a good down-low it easier for those younger guys to read off him, get open, get him the look on Tuukka Rask, was the closest Oiler in sight — practically a full puck in good spots.” zone behind the in-flight Pastrnak. After hauling in Krejci’s pass, Pastrnak read Mike Smith’s fake pokecheck, kept the puck in tight and slipped the Cassidy, like most coaches, likes to build chemistry between pairings. By winning goal through the goalie’s pads at 1:14 of overtime. now, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand are peanut butter and jelly. Krejci and Jake DeBrusk have made music together on the No. 2 line for “Not surprised,” Bergeron said of Krejci’s pass. “I saw him pick his head parts of the last three seasons. up and seeing Pasta absolutely flying. I knew it was going to be an aerial pass and a great pass. It was.” You could make a case that Coyle and Anders Bjork have been the best duo of them all. With his 43rd goal, Pastrnak pulled back into a tie with Auston Matthews atop the league. It was one of Pastrnak’s team-leading six shots on net. On Jan. 16, with Krejci injured, Cassidy placed Coyle between DeBrusk He rang the would-be winner off the left post in the third period. and Bjork. The Bruins won, 4-1, initiating their midseason turnaround. The line stayed together for three more games until Cassidy reunited Power-play adjustment Krejci with DeBrusk. Usually, Krejci does not join the No. 1 power-play unit unless the Bruins Meanwhile, Cassidy kept Coyle and Bjork together. He had no reason to have a two-man advantage. But after the Bruins went 0-for-5 through the pull them apart. first two periods, Cassidy pulled Edmonton-area native Jake DeBrusk off the first unit and replaced him with Krejci. Entering Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime win over Edmonton, the Bruins had outscored opponents by a 7-4 margin (63.63 goals for percentage) during In this formation, Marchand served as the net-front presence. Krejci five-on-five play with Coyle and Bjork on the ice, according to Natural worked the right-side half-boards. Bergeron remained in his bumper Stat Trick. Coyle and Bjork had a 60.19 on-ice Corsi For percentage (124 position. The Bruins went 0 for 2 with Krejci on the first group. attempts for, 82 against). These are better results than those of the two Cassidy likened this setup to the one Winnipeg uses with Patrik Laine, other aforementioned duos, albeit within a more limited timeframe and Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. against lesser competition. “There is a seam play,” Cassidy said. “If you watch Winnipeg, they do it Marchand-Bergeron this year: 63.16 GF percent, 58.01 CF percent pretty well with Wheeler, Scheifele and Laine where they can throw it into DeBrusk-Krejci this year: 62.96 GF percent, 51.43 CF percent the bumper, throw it through the seam from a righty to a righty. You have a lefty drop-off in front. We haven’t practiced it a ton. The other setup A smaller sample size, however, does not dampen the fact that Coyle wasn’t working as well as we like. Krech is a good power-play guy. Throw and Bjork play well together. Coyle is the pilot. Bjork is the wingman. him out there to see if we could generate some action. At the end of the Sometimes Bjork has to remind himself to get out of Coyle’s way instead day, I didn’t think we executed well enough overall.” of arriving as support and drawing more enemies into the pile. Father-son time “A lot of times, it’s giving him space,” Bjork said. “The likelihood for him in a 50-50 battle, he’s more than likely coming out of it. If I see the puck, I Louie and Jake DeBrusk spent some on-camera time together during want to go get it. But I hold back so I don’t bring another guy in there.” pregame warmups. The elder DeBrusk is an analyst for Sportsnet.

The way Bjork sees it, Coyle does not require a hand in the danger THIS MAY JUST BE THE BEST FATHER/SON INTERVIEW OUT areas. The center is good at slipping off defensive handcuffs by rolling off THERE. opponents. When he needs to, Coyle bullrushes defenders and shoos WELL DONE LOUIE AND JAKE DEBRUSK (@JDEBRUSK)! them away with his signature one-armed brush-off. By then, Bjork only PIC.TWITTER.COM/IONSRIDIEW needs to read which way Coyle is going — like most players, he’s at his best turning to his forehand — so he can make himself available for a — NHL (@NHL) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 pass. This was in keeping with tradition. Four seasons ago, ex-Bruin Landon Given the line’s current composition, with Danton Heinen on the right Ferraro was interviewed on the ice by father . side, Bjork is the unit’s designated shooter. At five-on-five, Bjork has buried 14.04 percent of his shots. It is the third-highest shooting Tight penalty kill percentage on the team after Marchand (18.28) and David Pastrnak Edmonton, which has the best power play in the league, went 1 for 6 on (14.38). the man advantage. But the Oilers’ goal came off a high tip by Sam Bjork’s shortcoming is volume. He was averaging 5.57 shots per 60 Gagner. Otherwise, the Bruins shut it down in front of Rask. “Clears are minutes, No. 18 on the team. By comparison, Pastrnak has ripped off getting better,” Cassidy said. “We’re doing a better job with that with 10.7 shots/60. pressure, stopping up pucks and getting clears. We didn’t have those long, extended shifts where guys were tired.” … Zdeno Chara led all Coyle, however, has been so heavy on the puck that playing with young players with 7:07 of short-handed ice time … Anders Bjork visited the X- linemates has not taken away from his effectiveness. There are few ray room after the game. He walked out of Rogers Place without any noticeable discomfort.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171704 Boston Bruins With media requests, public appearances and charity events to deal with on top of their career and family responsibilities, players’ time is at a premium. It’s rare, especially in a market like Boston, to have an athlete’s With new ‘My Story’ series, Bruins opening up more to the NESN attention for more than a few minutes per day, or even per week. But cameras NESN has leveraged its corporate power, plus the personal relationships of its broadcast team, to craft something that has gotten players to buy in.

By Joe McDonald Feb 19, 2020 “It’s something that is a result of years of trust and building relationships and players knowing we’re not in there to ask you ‘gotcha’ questions.

We’re really trying to tell their stories,” Edwards said. Try as they might, there are some things that Jack Edwards and Andy In pre- and postgame situations, goaltender Tuukka Rask is normally a Brickley can’t make resonate with Bruins fans during a game broadcast straightforward interview who can at times be insightful, and he’s known on NESN. to drop a great line every once in a while during those media scrums. But The longtime broadcast partners can only scratch the surface when they for all that, he is generally not very open, at least not about personal talk about the players themselves because the game is played so fast, details. He revealed a bit more when he sat down with Edwards for the the action continuous and unrelenting. There’s virtually no time to first episode in October. expound on a player’s background, or tell a unique story during a game. “Tuukka was just tremendous explaining how life was in Finland,” Recognizing that, the idea of creating a platform to deliver those kinds of Edwards said. “He was so open and educational about it. I found him to stories became a priority for the Bruins flagship network. be really, and I don’t want to make this sound condescending, but he felt really grown up. He’s totally left being a kid playing hockey behind and Introducing “My Story.” he’s a grown man, making a great living and has it in perspective. That centered quality about him is the difference we’ve seen emerge in the “You need to create a program that will allow you to tell stories and make last 18 months, and it’s really wonderful to see these guys go from eager these players part of the fabric, so fans feel like they’re part of it, and they young pups to guys you look up to and you admire the way they live their understand, appreciate and identify with (the players), and that’s the lives and the culture they’ve built with this team.” beauty of ‘My Story,’” Brickley said. “It just needed to be uncovered.” So far this season NESN has aired seven “My Story” episodes — Rask, NESN has been broadcasting Bruins games since 1984. Delaware North, Charlie Coyle, Grzelcyk, Torey Krug, Jake DeBrusk, Charlie McAvoy and the parent company of the Bruins, owns 20 percent of NESN. The Brandon Carlo — and the eighth, Marchand, will air Wednesday night. network and the Bruins have long collaborated on different projects Upcoming episodes include David Krejci, Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner. outside of the typical game broadcast, like the popular “Behind the B” series, now in its seventh season. But they wanted to find a new way of “As we were doing them we discovered the more people you talk to, telling more in-depth, personal tales. obviously, the better ‘My Story’ is going to be,” Jaffe said. “We started asking players for videos, or pictures of them, and can we talk to your “Everybody’s got a story about how they got to where they got to, so let’s mom and dad, or we got (sound) bites from former coaches and it all just tell their stories,” said Rick Jaffe, vice president of programming and really added a lot of depth to their stories. We’ve been very pleased how production for NESN. they turned out.” Since NESN has the resources and access, the network decided to Even though he’s been calling games in Boston since 2005, Edwards figure out a way to first make Red Sox, and then Bruins players more learned a few things about the players he interviewed in this more relatable to the fans. One reason the new format has succeeded is that intimate setting. Case in point: He didn’t know Krejci went to a school that it’s not always one person doing all the interviews. NESN paired offered hockey as part of the curriculum. broadcasters with particular Bruins players for specific reasons and so far it has worked, whether the interviewer assigned is Edwards, Brickley, “It’s different,” Marchand said. “When you’re doing media throughout the Billy Jaffe or Sophia Jurksztowicz. season typically you talk about the positives and negatives of the season and what you’re going through. With something like ‘My Story’ you’re The payoff was evident in one of the more entertaining episodes, which talking about different experiences and your career, so it’s a lot more featured Brickley interviewing fellow local kid Matt Grzelcyk. The unique intimate on some levels. It’s always kind of fun to dig back into your past connection and shared understanding of what it’s like to be a local kid and kind of re-live those experiences.” from Boston playing for the Bruins can be felt in both men. It’s not often you see Marchand get emotional off the ice. However, he “I loved it,” Brickley said. “Even though we have things in common, being was fighting back tears during the taping of his “My Story” while talking local guys that dreamed about being a Boston Bruin and then having that about winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 with his family in attendance in dream become a reality, it’s always unique in terms of how it happens Vancouver. and the feelings you have and the challenges you faced and the things that matter to you most.” Marchand was only 22 at the time, completing his rookie season in the NHL with a Stanley Cup victory — and one heck of a hangover. Since his playing days, Brickley has known Grzelcyk’s father, John, who is a longtime Bull Gang member at the Garden. The story and the “Every year that goes by you realize more and more how special that relationship between father and son has been told time and again since was,” he said. “I kind of take it for granted at times. It’s so hard to win and Matt first played for Boston University. But Brickley learned a few things go through all of that. You look back and see how truly gifted our team about the Grzelcyks when he interviewed Matt. really was and how special of a group we had and the relationships we built through that year I still have today. There are so many special things “We peeled the onion a little bit more and you see the emotions involved about it and I’m very proud of it. It’s by far the best accomplishment I’ve when dreams become a reality, and that’s pretty cool stuff,” Brickley said. had in my career.” This is obviously not the first show to attempt to get athletes, or even Marchand admits he’s grown up since his first season in the NHL, on and specifically the Bruins, to tell their stories. Most pro athletes don’t like to off the ice. It’s evident in his “My Story” sit down when he takes about his discuss their career successes or failures family. No matter how well you think you know a person, there’s always But “My Story” has managed to get them to break down those walls, if something new to learn about them. only briefly. The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 “It’s cool when you start getting into it and start talking about it. You start to feel those emotions again,” said Brad Marchand, whose episode airs Wednesday. “Rarely do you really talk about things like that and actually have the time to sit down and go through it, but once you start opening up about it you just start rambling and you catch yourself just going on and on. There are so many things to talk about and you remember different situations that you don’t always talk about.” 1171705 Buffalo Sabres

Amerks can't hold lead, lose to Belleville at home

By Staff Published Thu, Feb 20, 2020

With a chance to close the gap between them and the first-place Belleville Senators on Wednesday night, the could not hold a two-goal lead and lost to their North Division rivals, 3-2, in overtime.

Josh Norris, who tied the game with 4:49 left for the Senators, scored his 30th of the season at 1:12 of overtime to win it for Belleville.

The Amerks had taken a 2-0 lead on a first period goal by Jean- Sebastien Dea at 4:34 of the first period and defenseman Jacob Bryson’s score at 10:56 of the second.

Halfway through the third period, Belleville got on the board with Vitaly Abramov’s 18th goal with Norris and Rudolfs Balcers assisting. Then Jordan Murray and Balcers assisted on the tying goal by Norris.

Balcers also had the assist on the winning goal in overtime.

Dea’s goal was his team-leading 15th for the Amerks. He assisted on Bryson’s goal as well, giving him a team-best 35 points through 48 games. Zach Redmond and Taylor Leier had the assists on Dea’s goal.

Rochester outshot the Senators, 29-18, in a game in which only two minor penalties were called. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 15 saves for Rochester. Joey Daccord had 27 for Belleville.

Instead of gaining two points on the Senators (34-15-4-1, 73 points), Rochester (29-17-3-4, 65 points) dropped one point more behind the division leaders.

It was the first of five home games in a row for Rochester. The Amerks will face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday at Blue Cross Arena, and the Cleveland Monsters come in for a 7:05 p.m. game on Saturday.

Buffalo News LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171706 Buffalo Sabres San Jose sent Brenden Dillon to Washington for a second-round pick and a conditional third-rounder; Ottawa sent Dylan DeMelo to Winnipeg for a third-rounder; and Montreal sent old friend Marco Scandella to St. Hard to imagine things could get any worse for Sabres GM Jason Louis for a second-rounder and a conditional fourth. And on Wednesday, Botterill 2014 Stanley Cup hero Alec Martinez was dealt from Los Angeles to Vegas for two second-rounders.

Teams looking for blueline help are filling their needs while the Sabres By Mike Harrington Published Wed, Feb 19, 2020|Updated Wed, Feb 19, are still holding their bag. Botterill had sent Scandella to the Habs last 2020 month for a fourth-round pick, just so he could flip the pick to Calgary to get Michael Frolik. And let's not forget that Frolik cost $4.3 million to

Scandella's $4 million and he has exactly one goal, that into an empty Nearly three weeks ago, after the second of three grievous losses to the net. Ottawa Senators this season, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger tried to Repeating again: You took Frolik for $4.3 million instead of re-signing disarm a storm of questioning about his team's utter no-show coming off Jason Pominville – who can actually score goals – for around a million? the All-Star break. Botterill is getting properly roasted in hockey circles for the Habs getting These nights happen, Krueger tried to reason. The buy-in from the a second for Scandella when he only got a fourth, but in fairness, some players remains and the bounceback will happen. circumstances changed. Specifically, the Blues had a sudden and "If one game throws everything off kilter, we don't have much of a unexpected need on defense when veteran Jay Bouwmeester had his foundation," Krueger said defiantly. cardiac episode on the bench last week in Anaheim. And Montreal retained 50% of Scandella's salary, a $2 million hit on its cap. But sometimes over the course of a six-month, 82-game season, certain games and certain days have a lot more significance than others. That But that doesn't change the optics of the situation. St. Louis had a need game was one, foreshadowing the disappointment of the season's key and GM Doug Armstrong filled it in a week. Botterill has spent three homestand. years with lousy forwards, lousy defense and subpar goaltending. And let's not forget the way Armstrong fleeced him for Ryan O'Reilly. Tuesday night's abomination against the Senators in Canadian Tire Centre was another. It was a brutal day for the team and an even worse Botterill sold off Scandella – who was playing much better this season one for General Manager Jason Botterill, who might not have the than last year – far too soon and got far less for him. Riddle me this: Why breathing room to squirm through too many more of them. would you trade Scandella then when you could have waived Zach Bogosian weeks ago? TSN had a camera often pointed at Botterill watching in the press box and the strain on the GM was obvious as his team frittered away a 2-0 The Sabres were stuck with Bogosian after last season because he lead and suffered a 7-4 defeat. The "GM cam" has long been a staple of wasn't healthy following hip surgeries. But once he got back on the ice Canadian hockey television, used much more for celebration after key and showed the same kind of inconsistent play he's shown here for playoff wins. years, he should have been gone. When he actually demanded a trade because Krueger dared to healthy scratch him one time, Bogosian But what the camera found this time – mined for Western New York fans should have been sent packing the next day. on Twitter by Nashville-based record label manager and Sabres GIF maker extraordinaire Ben Mathewson – was a portrait of a GM who has Instead, Botterill & Co. sold low on Scandella, a serviceable defenseman to feel his time slipping away. who had value because two teams have traded for him in the last two months, and kept Bogosian far too long when anyone watching this team There was Botterill in his chair doing what folks in baseball call the knew that was a bad idea. "hangdog" with his head after one play. A nonblinking Botterill fidgeting with his iPhone, a pained Botterill looking at a replay monitor with hands It's not hard to find Botterill apologists out there, within the team and over mouth, a cross-armed Botterill doing a second hangdog looking in outside it. What's he supposed to do is the prevailing question. It's the other direction. simple: He's supposed to show he has some semblance of an idea how to build a roster. After three years, there's zero indication of that. The thread of the night. Botterill's best three forwards (Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Victor The thread of the season. Olofsson) were drafted by Tim Murray. Rasmus Ristolainen was drafted by Darcy Regier. Botterill got Rasmus Dahlin only because his first team The thread of several seasons. https://t.co/0mZlOaUOM4 was a 62-point disaster and the Sabres won the lottery. He overpaid Jeff — Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) February 19, 2020 Skinner to the point the contract could rank among the worst in recent NHL history, although the player bears the bulk of the responsibility for And finally, in the GIF for all recent Sabres seasons, we see a disgusted not having a goal since Dec. 2 even if Krueger's stubborn take on line Botterill standing at the back of his booth, spiking a set of papers into a assignments is a major factor. nearby garbage can and dropping back into his chair. Assistant coach Mike Bales doesn't flinch at the spike, stoically sitting next to Botterill You'd like to think Dylan Cozens and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are going while rolling up a headset wire to prepare for the trip downstairs to the to be standouts, but that's what everyone thought about Casey dressing room. Mittelstadt two years ago, too. Even if those picks work out, will Botterill be around to see them come to fruition? The displays of frustration from Botterill are magnified because we could see them, because they were not behind closed doors. Terry and Kim Pegula remain silent on Botterill and on the struggles of the 50th anniversary season on and off the ice. It was telling that when Jason Botteril slams his papers down after the Sabres loss to the Sens rookie vice president of business administration Kevyn Adams spoke to pic.twitter.com/jvfxmyKIox The News last week on ownership's behalf, he said, "I think at the appropriate time Terry and Kim will talk." — Ben Mathewson (@Ben_Mathewson) February 19, 2020 It's certainly going to be appropriate for the Pegulas to answer for this The NHL trade deadline is Monday and Botterill has to do something entire mess. At length. Why not say something to the fans right now? significant here. His golden boy status as the NHL's next great GM-in- That's because they know there will be dark music to be faced if they waiting has long since been frittered away, the glow of the 2016 and have to make yet another change at general manager after the season. 2017 Stanley Cups won with Pittsburgh rendered meaningless. Buffalo News LOADED: 02.20.2020 Botterill has spent months with an unbalanced roster featuring too many defensemen and not enough quality forwards. The whole hockey world knows he has to fix that imbalance, but what happened Tuesday? Defensemen got traded around the league and now Botterill has seemingly fewer options with which to work. 1171707 Calgary Flames consistent basis, and we’ve seen stretches, then we’re going to have as good a chance as anybody.

“Can you help that? If it makes sense at the right cost, we’re going to try Gilbertson: As deadline approaches, opportunity knocks for Flames our best. But ultimately, you can’t look for outside saviours, and I think our group understands that. We have some really good people here, really good players here. We need everybody to get to the level they’re Wes Gilbertson capable of and if we have that, we’re going to give ourselves every chance to get in.”

This current cast of Flames has undoubtedly caused plenty of sleepless In his half-dozen campaigns as general manager of the Calgary Flames, nights for Treliving, and that was even before two of their top defenders Brad Treliving has repeated countless times in the leadup to the NHL’s — Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic — landed on injured reserve. annual trade deadline that you “take your cue from your team.” (The good news is that Giordano has skated the past couple of days after In fact, he said so again Wednesday. being off his blades for nearly two weeks.)

In this case, he might be taking his cues from five. He must be worried about what he’s seen, or what he hasn’t seen, from Johnny Gaudreau, who has piled up eight assists in a six-game stretch The Pacific Division certainly won’t be confused for what soccer fans but still doesn’t look nearly as dangerous as usual. refer to as the Group of Death. He must be somewhat nervous about David Rittich’s history as a guy Thing is, though, there’s a really good chance that one of those so-so who hasn’t been quite as sharp in the second half of his two previous squads will be skating in the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs this seasons, especially since the go-to goaltender has already logged a spring — and they must all, despite their warts, feel like they have a career-high 43 starts. legitimate crack at it. He must be fretting about how the defensive depth will hold up until Why wouldn’t they? Giordano and Hamonic are ready to return.

When the sun came up on Wednesday morning, the top five outfits in the When he is lying awake, however, the Flames’ general manager likely Pacific Division standings were separated by all of two points — the isn’t thinking there’s any Pacific Division posse that his team couldn’t Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights leading the way with 70 beat in a seven-game series. (And that’s not an insult to the others — apiece, the Vancouver Canucks just one back at 69 and the Flames and they probably feel the same way about the crew from Calgary.) Arizona Coyotes sitting in the wildcard spots with 68 each. Moreover, Treliving’s trigger-finger must be itchy after some of the rivals NHL standings before Wednesday, Feb. 19’s action. Via NHL.com. have already made moves.

It doesn’t matter that 70 points would be good for seventh slot in the The Canucks jumped — and perhaps jump-started — the market with a Metropolitan Division. That’s not how the NHL’s playoff format works. Family Day swap for right-winger Tyler Toffoli, although they also revealed Brock Boeser could be shelved for the remainder of the season So opportunity knocks. If you finish among the top three in the Pacific, due to a rib cartilage injury. you could play a full month of playoff hockey without running into any sort of juggernaut. The Golden Knights bolstered their back-end Wednesday with the addition of Alec Martinez, who like Toffoli won a pair of rings with the Los Monday’s trade deadline — the fax-machine will be switched off at 1 p.m. Angeles Kings. MT — is the last chance for Treliving and his counterparts to answer with a significant acquisition or a roster shakeup. The Oilers, who have both the best player in the world in the now-injured Connor McDavid AND the current Hart Trophy frontrunner in Leon “We’ll do what we always do, which is try to be real aggressive in seeing Draisaitl, were reportedly hot n’ heavy on Blake Coleman before he was what’s available, seeing what those prices are, seeing if it makes sense,” shipped from New Jersey to Tampa Bay. Treliving said Wednesday. “If it does and we can get something done that makes sense, we’ll certainly do it. If we can’t, then we won’t. And the Coyotes? Don’t forget they made the biggest trade of the season back in December, welcoming Taylor Hall to the desert. “If we’re waiting for the cavalry to arrive by Monday, well, that’s probably not going to be the case.” Your move, Brad.

Treliving has a reputation as a guy who calls about everybody. Or not.

It’s no secret the Flames would like to add another scoring threat, “I looked at something the other day — I think since Nov. 20, we had the preferably on the right side, so you can bet he’ll inquire about New eighth-best record in the league, second in the West,” Treliving said. “So Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri, Florida’s Mike Hoffman and Vincent Trocheck and as much as there has been a lot of talk about inconsistency, and there others. If it’s true that the Columbus Blue Jackets might listen to offers on has been a lot of that, we’re still in a position where it’s right there for us. Josh Anderson or that the Montreal Canadiens won’t hang up when Max Domi’s name is mentioned, he’ll also check those price tags. “But you have to measure that with what really is available, what can make an impact, what does it do your team and what’s the cost of doing With two of the Flames’ best blue-liners currently injured, Treliving will that? You keep making calls and you keep fielding calls and you keep kick tires on depth defencemen, too. He’s probably looking in the bargain seeing if there is a fit there to help you. But emptying the clip for bin, but could perhaps try to pry local lad Matt Dumba — with three more something that may or may not have an impact on your team, certainly I seasons on his contract — out of Minnesota. don’t think that’s the plan that we want to undertake.”

“There are some very good players (available) — you hear names all the Calgary Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020 time,” Treliving said. “The teams that have them know they’re really good players, and usually they’re not giving them away.”

Which is why Treliving must count mostly on the gents already on the Saddledome payroll to be the difference-makers.

“You’re always looking. The manager’s job is to help the team,” he said. “But I don’t see a lot outside that is going to come in and dramatically change everything. You’re not going to blow up your team and rebuild it at the trade deadline. Are there support pieces or other things? Sure. But ultimately, and this doesn’t just go for us, it goes for every team — the teams that are going to get in, the core people get you in. What we need, as everybody talks about, is we need our group to play to the level that we’re capable of. If our group plays to the level that we’re capable of on a 1171708 Calgary Flames

Flames captain Mark Giordano resumes skating, intends to go on next road trip

Wes Gilbertson

Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano is back on his blades.

And soon, he could be back on the road with his teammates.

Giordano has skated solo the past two days as he recovers from a hamstring injury, and the plan is that he’ll accompany the Flames on a five-game getaway that starts Sunday in Detroit.

“You wouldn’t bring him unless there was a possibility of him playing,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving. “When they’re not going to play, then you wouldn’t bring them and you can save them the flying around the countryside. But we’ll see.”

Giordano has missed the past seven contests and won’t be back for Friday’s home date with the league-leading Boston Bruins, either.

It’s certainly good news, however, that the 36-year-old — originally listed as week-to-week — has been able to hit the ice at the Saddledome. The Flames’ workhorse defenceman has yet to practise with his pals, although that could come during their five-game roadie that also includes stops in Boston, Nashville, Tampa Bay and Sunrise, Florida.

“He’s progressing,” Treliving said of Giordano. “It’s always good to see a guy get on the ice, so that was a real positive step over the last two days. And then we’ll just play it by ear. We haven’t circled a day on the calendar yet. We’re just sort of taking it day-by-day and seeing where he’s progressing.

“I’m not trying to be cute with timelines. It’s just that we don’t know. He’s certainly moving in the right direction. The fact he’s been on the ice the last two days and pushing real hard is a real good sign.”

According to Treliving, rugged rearguard Travis Hamonic — also on injured reserve — is still considered week-to-week with an upper-body ailment.

ICE CHIPS

After missing a pair of games due to illness, centre Derek Ryan was full- go for Wednesday’s practice. With Ryan likely to return against the Bruins, forward call-up Glenn Gawdin was reassigned to the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat. The 22-year-old Gawdin was a scratch for Monday’s victory over the Anaheim Ducks and will have to wait to log his big-league debut.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171709 Calgary Flames would be first in the Pacific. The division leader is Edmonton, and while they spanked Calgary big time in the last matchup, the Flames took the three previous contests.

Why the Flames’ best deadline move is to make no move at all Calgary is in the first wild card spot but is also only two points behind the Oilers. Despite the team’s turbulent season, they are surrounded by teams that also have flaws. With both wild card spots belonging to Pacific By Darren Haynes Feb 19, 2020 teams at the moment, finish top four in the division — meaning beat out just one of Edmonton, Vegas, Vancouver and Arizona — and there’s a

good chance you will end up in the Pacific bracket come the Stanley Cup Brenden Dillon, Marco Scandella and Dylan DeMelo. playoffs. That could mean two rounds of Pacific opponents.

In a dress rehearsal for Monday’s trade deadline, three NHL defencemen Viewed through that lens, suddenly the postseason gauntlet doesn’t changed area codes on Tuesday. seem nearly as imposing, especially considering Calgary possesses a winning record against three of those four teams. The buyers were the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets. Edmonton, 3-1-0

While the sellers were the San Jose Sharks, Montreal Canadiens and 5-1 win Ottawa Senators. 4-3 win Stuck in the middle — the Calgary Flames. 4-3 win (SO) A week-and-a-half ago, we examined the question of how should Brad 3-8 loss Treliving proceed with this trade deadline. Arizona, 2-1-0 At the time, his club had just been staggered by three straight haymakers to the mush. After listless home-ice losses to Edmonton (8-3), San Jose 4-3 win (OT) (3-1) and Nashville (3-2) that had knocked the Flames to the canvas, Calgary was about to set out on a defining stretch of six games in 11 0-3 loss days. The last chance to demonstrate whether they’re contenders or 5-2 win pretenders. Vancouver, 2-1-0 A dozen days later, we’re still wondering. 3-0 win They looked like they were part of the NHL’s upper echelon in whipping division-leading Vancouver 6-2 to begin a four-game road trip. They 2-5 loss turned in another solid game two nights later in blasting San Jose by an identical 6-2 score. But just when you thought last year’s Presidents’ 6-2 win Trophy runner-up was back, Calgary stumbled badly in a 5-3 loss in Los Vegas, 0-2-0 Angeles. The next night, they bounced back with a convincing 6-0 win in Anaheim, only to blow it once again on Saturday, when upon returning 2-6 loss home, they were embarrassed 8-4 by Chicago. Then on Monday with the 0-6 loss Ducks as the visitors, things looked bleak at 3-1 in the third period, when the Flames erupted for five straight goals to post a 6-4 victory. Only the Golden Knights have been their kryptonite, but notably, both setbacks came at T-Mobile Arena. The final two matchups in the season If you only saw the games against the Canucks, Sharks and Ducks, series will take place at the Saddledome where the Flames have had you’d be of the mindset of “OK, let’s get going. Let’s add some pieces.” their way with Vegas lately, winning the last three games by a combined But stuck in one’s craw were those uninspiring missteps against the score of 20-7. Kings and Blackhawks that screamed out “Sell, sell, sell.” If you’re an owner and you’re that close to two to three home playoff This takes us back to yesterday’s silence and how it’s not surprising dates, or if you’re feeling optimistic, eight or nine if you can reach the whatsoever, given the conundrum the Flames general manager finds conference final, that’s significant revenue and you need to chase it. himself in after four and a half months of inconsistent play from his club. Time to upgrade your forward group and strengthen the defence.

The argument to be a seller The argument to do none of the above

Listless efforts at home. Still seeking their identity three-quarters into the Maybe, just maybe, the best move is to make no moves at all. Just let it season. Eking out one-goal victories while often being blown out in ride. losses. Calgary has not convinced anyone that they are on the verge of Remember the club’s desperate search not that long ago to add a right- going on a lengthy playoff run. shooting top-six forward? That need was high when Elias Lindholm was If you subscribe to the notion that you only add players if you’re a piece playing center. But circumstances have since changed. away from being a legit Stanley Cup contender, nothing this year has For one, Mikael Backlund has returned to center. Secondly and more given anyone the impression that’s what this team is. Are they a pertinently, Calgary has moved Lindholm back to right wing. Nothing contender to make the playoffs? Sure, but that’s different. Do you give up against his work at center, which may still be the best fit for him later in assets just to try and squeeze into the playoffs? That’s generally viewed his career, but the Flames as they are currently constructed are best off upon as bad business, especially when you’re an organization in need of with him manning the starboard side of that top line with Johnny re-stocking its farm system, not further depleting it. Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Meanwhile, the Flames have assets that can fetch you something. (Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire) There’s UFAs T.J. Brodie and Travis Hamonic — although the latter’s injury probably strikes his name from the list. Mark Jankowski (an RFA Meanwhile, elevating Backlund back into a top-six role and reuniting him owed a substantial qualifying offer of $1.75 million to keep his rights) and with Matthew Tkachuk has the 30-year-old Swede playing his best Sam Bennett are finally making noise offensively of late. Depending on hockey of the season with eight points (four goals, four assists) over a how the organization views their long-term fit, those are two names that six-game stretch. Rounding out the top six and entrenched on the left could be in play. Cam Talbot, also a pending UFA, would solidify the side of that second line is Andrew Mangiapane, who is coming off a huge goaltending of a contender that may not be comfortable with their current night in which he set career highs with three goals, four points, a plus- backup. four and 18:45 in ice time, all while drawing two penalties and throwing a big hit on Ryan Getzlaf that led to his hat trick goal. The argument to be a buyer Suddenly, that top-six hole that was once glaring, is not an issue. On the flip side, don’t confuse the Pacific division with the Metropolitan where as of Wednesday morning, the sixth-place Columbus Blue Jackets On defence, Alexander Yelesin has emerged, meaning the organization If you recall last year’s trade deadline, the only move Treliving made with may not be forced to look for external options to add blue line depth. his group primed for a long postseason run was adding depth on the blue After spending most of his first season in North America in Stockton line in the form of Oscar Fantenberg. For entirely different reasons, don’t (AHL), he recently made his NHL debut and in drawing back into the be surprised if the activity this year — or more so, inactivity — ends up lineup on Monday, he played a solid game. While a rookie by the NHL’s similar, only without the Fantenberg part. definition, this is no nervous, fuzzy-cheeked youngster out there. Yelesin is 24, who in his last season playing in Russia, appeared in the KHL All- Based on the rollercoaster season it’s been, it’s hard to blame him. Star Game. The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 Meanwhile, if you’re expecting injured blueliners Mark Giordano (hamstring), Hamonic (upper body) and Juuso Valimaki (knee) to eventually be options, you’ve got help coming. Until then, you try to survive by continuing to lean on the likes of Brodie, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Andersson and Michael Stone to log top-four minutes with Oliver Kylington, Yelesin and Brandon Davidson handling third-pairing duties. Treliving always talks about the need to have 10 NHL-capable defencemen if you’re going to the playoffs. Well, there are 10 names right there.

The currency most frequently spent in transactions at this time of year are draft picks, because they’re either valuable or fool’s gold, depending on whether you’re sending them out the door or adding them.

Teams shipping out a veteran in exchange for a draft pick or draft picks daydream about what those picks could become. For example, it makes sense to trade a pending free agent like Brodie if there were assurances that in exchange, the second- or third-rounder Calgary would get back would net you a Dillon Dube, Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington or Adam Fox.

But more often than not, you end up with a Tyler Wotherspoon, Max Reinhart, Patrick Sieloff or Hunter Smith.

Go back five years to the 2014 draft and just eight of 30 second-round picks are NHL regulars. From the third round that year, only four have emerged as lineup mainstays.

As Treliving weighs all the variables and decides what page to turn to next in the Choose Your Own Adventure deadline edition, it could be argued that the odds are better at winning a couple of rounds with the current team as-is, then the draft picks that could be netted actually turning into impact NHLers several years down the road.

That said, you’re also reluctant to part with your draft picks, because the farm system needs to be built back up again with so many players recently graduating to the NHL.

Additional considerations if you’re Treliving on why staying the course is the most responsible way to go.

Giordano is not getting any younger. Wave the white flag on this season and that window to win just got one year smaller — and next season, your captain will be one year older.

Another factor not to be discounted is the message that being a seller sends to your entire organization. As interim head coach Geoff Ward is imploring his team nightly to show more desperation, to show more fight, to battle harder, the front office “giving up” — while the team is in a playoff spot and two points out of the division lead — flies in the face of that philosophy, of that culture the team is trying to build.

In every shape and form, this regular season has been a complete reversal from last season when Calgary seemingly cruised to first place in the Western Conference.

Everything seemed to come easy last year, while this year’s team is going to have to fight tooth and nail. But if this theme of everything happening in the opposite way continues, maybe that’s a good thing, as reversing last season’s swift playoff result would be welcomed.

To refresh your memory, Colorado entered the postseason in the No. 8 spot in the West, but that was misleading. They had been the conference’s winningest team from Feb. 14 into the final weekend of the season with a .700 winning percentage (eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis was second at .692). They hit the playoffs with the pedal to the metal and kept on rolling, where Calgary, who hadn’t played a meaningful hockey game in weeks, was never able to shift out of park.

Like it or not, if the Flames are going to get in this season, it’s going to take them playing at a high level over the final 21 games. Maybe that’s exactly what this team needs, along with potentially getting healthy just in time with a rested Giordano the centerpiece to that. 1171710 Carolina Hurricanes and five assists in this streak. ... Aho extended his point streak to 10 straight games with 10 goals and six assists. ... Nashville now is 8-16-4 when allowing the first goal and 3-15-2 when trailing after one period.

Svechnikov, Niederreiter help Hurricanes beat Predators 4-1 UP NEXT

Hurricanes host the Rangers on Friday night.

BY TERESA M. WALKER AP SPORTS WRITER FEBRUARY 18, 2020 Predators visit Chicago on Friday night. 11:32 PM News Observer LOADED: 02.20.2020

NASHVILLE, TENN.-Andrei Svechnikov and Nino Niederreiter each scored in the second period, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 Tuesday night.

Jordan Staal scored a goal in the first, and Sebastian Aho added a goal in the third and Justin Williamshad two assists as Carolina won its fourth straight in Nashville and seven of the last eight overall in this series. The Hurricanes also moved into the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, tying Columbus with 72 points with two games in hand.

Goalie Petr Mrazek made 28 saves and improved to 9-1-0 against the Predators.

Ryan Johansen scored a goal for the Predators, who snapped a three- game winning streak. Nashville hasn’t won four straight since October.

The Hurricanes brought their mothers with them for this quick road trip, and they attacked from the start — outshooting Nashville 6-1 with Staal’s eighth of the season on their sixth shot. He scored on a wrister after a trio of saves by goalie Juuse Saros 3:23 into the game.

“You don’t want to disappoint mom,” Williams said. “Dad gets angry, but mom just gets disappointed, right? We definitely didn’t want to do that. It gives you a little extra added inspiration for the game. I thought we played one of our most complete games, certainly since I’ve been here.”

It was Staal’s first goal in 12 games since Jan. 16.

“I’ve been fighting it for a while,” Staal said. “There’s no question, there’s no secret I need to be more offensive if we want to make a push. It was nice to get one tonight and be involved with that. Hopefully that will keep coming.”

Nashville went 0 for 4 on the power play. Mrazek made a pad save on Filip Forsberg’s breakaway attempt in the first after a turnover kicked by Carolina defenseman Joel Edmundson at the blue line, and Forsberg’s backhander went over the crossbar in the second on another breakaway chance.

“When we needed him to step up, he was big,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “He made a couple of saves on the penalty kill, which those are always big, big moments in the game. That’s what we need.”

Nashville coach John Hynes said he thought the Predators were slow and didn’t battle for the puck enough.

“Particularly, I thought our offensive intensity tonight was not close to where it needed to be,” Hynes said. “I thought our decisions on zone entries, when they had numbers back, we were trying to make plays and they would knock it down and go back the other way, so you don’t set yourself up to be able to play in the offensive zone.”

The Predators tied it 48 seconds into the second when Johansen backhanded the puck into the open net with Mrazek screened by Viktor Arvidsson in the crease. Carolina lost its challenge of goalie interference. But Kyle Turris went to the box for slashing Erik Haula, and Svechnikov scored 5 seconds into the man advantage despite the Hurricanes losing the faceoff with a wrister from the right circle at 3:45.

Niederreiter made it 3-1 at 8:02, beating Saros with a backhander for his ninth of the season. Saros had won five of his previous six starts with a .935 save percentage in that span.

Aho padded the lead 4:33 of the third with his 34th.

The only issue for the Hurricanes came with 5:53 left when defenseman Haydn Fleury spun around and went down awkwardly near the boards. He skated off favoring his right leg.

NOTES: Svechnikov stretched his points streak to eight games and joined Ron Francis, who did it twice in 1982-83 with Hartford, as the second teenager in franchise history to have multiple point streaks of eight games or more in a single season. Svechnikov now has five goals 1171711 Chicago Blackhawks “We just got to battle through,” Kubalik said. “Just got to come out ready every night because we’re still in the mix for the playoffs. We just got to battle every game; every point is huge.”

Robin Lehner and the Blackhawks allow 5 goals in a disastrous third Chicago Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2020 period in a 6-3 loss to the Rangers

By PHIL THOMPSON CHICAGO TRIBUNE |FEB 19, 2020 | 10:36 PM

Dominik Kubalik scored twice, and Drake Caggiula added a goal to give the Blackhawks hope with their season teetering on the brink, but the Rangers made life miserable Wednesday for goaltender Robin Lehner — whose rough night wasn’t helped by defensive breakdowns.

The Hawks allowed five goals in a disastrous third period in a 6-3 loss at the United Center.

“That was one of the worst third periods or worst period in general that we’ve had. It’s unfortunate," Lehner said.

Coach Jeremy Colliton added: “Makes you angry because it’s a game that we looked (at) before and we need this game. We didn’t do the things right from the start to put ourselves in the best position to win. We just didn’t have enough guys ready to play.”

“I’d say there were repeated defensive breakdowns," Colliton said, "just them getting on the wrong side of us basically the whole period, whether that was off the rush or whether that was in D zone, or we had a couple of turnovers that was not a recipe to keep the puck out of your net.”

Pavel Buchnevich led off the barrage 2 minutes, 33 seconds into the period, and by the time Mika Zibanejad poked in his 26th goal of the season, the Rangers had scored five goals in the span of 11 minutes. Chris Kreider’s and and ex-Hawk Artemi Panarin’s goals came less than a minute apart.

With the Hawks trying to make the case to general manager Stan Bowman that he should keep the roster intact after Monday’s trade deadline, their unraveling Wednesday didn’t speak well for their playoff hopes.

Asked where the team’s mindset was after the loss, Lehner said, “Not forward right now. We’ve got to figure it out.”

Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said playoff teams do what they have to even on nights they’re not feeling their best.

“To me, the story of the game tonight is you’re going to have games throughout the year where you don’t have energy, where it’s hard to find," Toews said. “You gotta find the motivation to go out there and play your best game.”

The Rangers and Hawks entered the game under similar circumstances: in seventh place in their divisions and eight points out of a wild-card spot.

The Hawks’ season was likely was riding on their last three games before the deadline, starting Wednesday. They quickly found themselves in a hole when Rangers center Filip Chytil scored an unassisted goal 1:58 into the game.

The Hawks bounced back 2½ minutes into the second period, when Kubalik scored on Duncan Keith’s assist.

It was the first of two Kubalik goals on the night, putting the rookie at 25 for the season, two behind Patrick Kane for the team lead.

Kane passed to Keith as Jonathan Toews skated into crease and crossed in front of Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Keith instead looked to Kubalik, who poked the puck into the corner to Shesterkin’s left side.

Kubalik took a breakaway single-handedly through a double team for his second goal, which came about six minutes into the third.

Lehner had his worst outing since allowing six goals to the Canucks on Jan. 2 in Vancouver.

The Hawks had been intent on defending home ice in just their second of three games at the United Center this month and the first of a two-game homestand. The loss Wednesday creates even higher stakes. 1171712 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks are 8 points back in the wild-card race. But they’re confident heading into a short homestand: ‘Find a way to get 2 points.’

By PHIL THOMPSON CHICAGO TRIBUNE |FEB 19, 2020 | 8:57 AM

If the Blackhawks’ recent 1-4 trip did nothing else, it brought their season into focus.

Heading into tonight’s home game against the Rangers, the Hawks are eight points back in the Western Conference wild-card race. If they lose much more ground in the next three games before Monday’s NHL trade deadline, it crystallizes the answer for general manager Stan Bowman: sell.

Trade whatever attractive contracts you can — that don’t sacrifice youth — if you can find takers.

But the Hawks don’t believe it will come to that. Tonight’s game kicks off the final 23-game stretch, and all but four of the 15 games in March are at the United Center.

“Obviously we’re going to need to go on some type of run, win five or six in a row at some point — maybe even more — to get ourselves back in the picture,” Patrick Kane said. “I think right now just kind of focus is on this two-game homestand.”

It also helps that some games — such as against the Predators on Friday and a home-and-home against the Wild in March — come against rivals for the final wild-card spot.

“There's lot of games left and we have games in hand, but it doesn't matter if we don't (win) ... we’ve got to perform,” coach Jeremy Colliton said.

Starting against the Rangers, the Hawks have to “find a way to get two points. Just don’t be denied, don’t take no for an answer. Whatever it takes, for as long as it takes,” Colliton said.

After Friday, the Hawks hit the road again for games against the Stars, Blues, Lightning and Panthers — all playoff contenders.

“If we can get ourselves a few points back in the wild-card race, then we’ll have a home stretch where we can really do some damage,” Alex DeBrincat said.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171713 Chicago Blackhawks Despite Lehner’s struggles, defenseman Erik Gustafsson remains the most likely Hawk to be dealt before the trade deadline Monday.

At least four teams reportedly have shown interest in Gustafsson. Blackhawks’ defense, goaltending unravel late in loss to Rangers Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 Robin Lehner conceded five goals in the third period as the Hawks dropped to 1-7-0 in their last eight games.

By Ben Pope Feb 19, 2020, 9:30pm CST

Robin Lehner is officially slumping.

The Blackhawks’ defense did him no favors — it, too, showed little composure in the crease or fortitude against momentum — but Lehner nonetheless allowed five goals in the third period as the Hawks lost 6-3 to the Rangers on Wednesday.

“One of the worst third periods — or worst periods in general — we’ve had,” Lehner said. “I would say ‘collapse.’ Look at their goals: a lot of alone chances right in front. We got out-battled. I need to make an extra save, but, honestly, that period was not very good.”

It was the Hawks’ seventh loss in their last eight games, and Lehner’s fourth loss in his last five starts. The outspoken goaltender has an .888 save percentage during that span after stopping 35 of 41 shots against the Rangers.

Lehner’s first downturn since joining the Hawks comes at a fascinating time, with the trade deadline fast approaching and his status as an impending unrestricted free agent attracting more attention. He admitted after the game that the outside noise is “for sure” having an impact on his focus.

For coach Jeremy Colliton, though, the loss is part of a broader problem.

“We didn’t prepare well enough,” he said. “This time of year, it’s about 90 percent mental. Physically, you are what you are. You’ve got to prepare yourself mentally to do what you need to do, and the body will kick in.”

The Hawks were tied 1-1 and coming off a relatively strong second period when they unraveled.

They allowed 27 shots, 19 shots on goal and 11 high-danger scoring chances (vs. just six through the first two periods) in the third.

“There are mental mistakes, and there are physical mistakes,” forward Drake Caggiula said. “There are times you have to think the game and make plays and get the puck out of the zone. That’s something that we’re struggling with. We have to find a way to be better in our own zone all together.’’

Smith’s hand improving

When forward Zack Smith looked over and saw Elias Pettersson step on him last week in Vancouver, his first thoughts were panicked.

“I was like, ‘That’s not good,’ ” he said Wednesday, thinking back. “You feel a skate blade step on your hand, you know it’s not going to look good.”

He threw off his glove and hustled to the bench and down the tunnel, just beating the masses retreating to the locker room for the second intermission. Quickly, though, the Hawks’ medical staff passed along good news.

“Right away, doctors were able to tell me, ‘It’s going to be fine, just a few stitches,’ ” he said.

The cut that came “probably a millimeter away from being the end of my season” has turned out to be a minor issue.

“I thought he broke his wrist or something; we didn’t really know in the moment,” Colliton said. “But when you hear what happened and see the cut, it’s not a good situation. So obviously happy that it’s not too serious.”

Smith was given a timeline of seven to 10 days last week. He missed his third consecutive game — seven days after the injury — but skated on his own Tuesday, then participated partially in the team’s morning skate.

His hand was taped under his glove during the skate, but he said it was feeling better, and he seems likely to return soon.

Gustafsson trade buzz 1171714 Chicago Blackhawks really start that until later in their careers, and by the time they’re 30, it really catches up with them.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith teaching Adam Boqvist how to physically endure NHL career

The 36-year-old defenseman, renowned for his work ethic and durability, is teaching his 19-year-old counterpart the workout skills needed to last just as long.

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST Feb 19, 2020, 6:55am CST

Adam Boqvist had just turned 5 when Duncan Keith broke into the NHL.

Fifteen seasons later, Keith is still anchoring the Blackhawks’ first defensive pairing — with Boqvist, 19, as his partner.

Keith, 36, hopes to pass on to Boqvist — along with Kirby Dach and the Hawks’ other youngsters — the habits that have allowed him to maintain his performance over 1,253 games.

“There’s young, and there’s really young,” Keith said last week. “You can tell they’re hanging off of some of the things you’re saying to them. So I try to be a good influence.”

What has allowed Keith to maintain his excellence is not much of a secret. His obsession with wellness and self-care is something the rest of the Hawks are well aware of.

“He looks like a professional, the way he keeps his body in shape and the way he wants to take care of himself, the way he researches information just to gain that competitive edge,” Patrick Kane said. “It might be something that we’re used to. But for those guys coming in for their first year, that can help them take the next step, too.”

“I’ll put my conditioning up against anybody,” Keith said. “It is a lot of hard minutes, but I feel good. I put the work in off the ice to be able to do that.”

Boqvist has spent more than 70 percent of his ice time alongside Keith through his first 32 games, so he certainly has been exposed to the elder’s advice. And it has changed his habits.

He used to “just lie in bed all day” during his days off in junior hockey. Now he still takes regular naps — “I feel good when I wake up from them,” he said Tuesday, echoing the rest of the human population — but he also makes sure to move.

After landing in Chicago well after midnight Sunday, the Hawks took Monday off. But Boqvist went to to practice shooting, ride a bike for 30 minutes and work out with strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman.

That came after he was a healthy scratch — for only the second time — Sunday in Winnipeg, with coach Jeremy Colliton saying he hadn’t “been as good lately.” Boqvist tried to look at it positively.

“You still want to play and help the team win, but I don’t think it was bad for me to have another day off,” he said. “It’s going to help me along the way, get some more rest.”

The length of the season and the frequency of games have indeed been challenges.

Boqvist played only 54 games last season with the London Knights and even fewer previously in Sweden. Before the All-Star break, he felt the fatigue catching up to him.

But then suddenly, Keith would be in his ear, passing along guidance.

“Sometimes you get a little bit tired during games, but you’ve got to be mentally strong and think you’re not tired,” Boqvist said. “That’s the biggest thing he’s taught me.”

Even when the game ends, there’s still no time to be tired: Boqvist also has learned the importance of postgame workouts from Keith.

So far, he seems to be tackling it enthusiastically. But he might not know what awaits him, if Keith has any say in the matter, this offseason.

“It just starts with your commitment to your conditioning in the summer, to build a foundation for your body,” Keith said. “You see guys, they don’t 1171715 Chicago Blackhawks really start that until later in their careers, and by the time they’re 30, it really catches up with them.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith teaching Adam Boqvist how to physically endure NHL career

The 36-year-old defenseman, renowned for his work ethic and durability, is teaching his 19-year-old counterpart the workout skills needed to last just as long.

By Ben Pope Feb 19, 2020, 6:55am CST

Adam Boqvist had just turned 5 when Duncan Keith broke into the NHL.

Fifteen seasons later, Keith is still anchoring the Blackhawks’ first defensive pairing — with Boqvist, 19, as his partner.

Keith, 36, hopes to pass on to Boqvist — along with Kirby Dach and the Hawks’ other youngsters — the habits that have allowed him to maintain his performance over 1,253 games.

“There’s young, and there’s really young,” Keith said last week. “You can tell they’re hanging off of some of the things you’re saying to them. So I try to be a good influence.”

What has allowed Keith to maintain his excellence is not much of a secret. His obsession with wellness and self-care is something the rest of the Hawks are well aware of.

“He looks like a professional, the way he keeps his body in shape and the way he wants to take care of himself, the way he researches information just to gain that competitive edge,” Patrick Kane said. “It might be something that we’re used to. But for those guys coming in for their first year, that can help them take the next step, too.”

“I’ll put my conditioning up against anybody,” Keith said. “It is a lot of hard minutes, but I feel good. I put the work in off the ice to be able to do that.”

Boqvist has spent more than 70 percent of his ice time alongside Keith through his first 32 games, so he certainly has been exposed to the elder’s advice. And it has changed his habits.

He used to “just lie in bed all day” during his days off in junior hockey. Now he still takes regular naps — “I feel good when I wake up from them,” he said Tuesday, echoing the rest of the human population — but he also makes sure to move.

After landing in Chicago well after midnight Sunday, the Hawks took Monday off. But Boqvist went to Fifth Third Arena to practice shooting, ride a bike for 30 minutes and work out with strength and conditioning coach Paul Goodman.

That came after he was a healthy scratch — for only the second time — Sunday in Winnipeg, with coach Jeremy Colliton saying he hadn’t “been as good lately.” Boqvist tried to look at it positively.

“You still want to play and help the team win, but I don’t think it was bad for me to have another day off,” he said. “It’s going to help me along the way, get some more rest.”

The length of the season and the frequency of games have indeed been challenges.

Boqvist played only 54 games last season with the London Knights and even fewer previously in Sweden. Before the All-Star break, he felt the fatigue catching up to him.

But then suddenly, Keith would be in his ear, passing along guidance.

“Sometimes you get a little bit tired during games, but you’ve got to be mentally strong and think you’re not tired,” Boqvist said. “That’s the biggest thing he’s taught me.”

Even when the game ends, there’s still no time to be tired: Boqvist also has learned the importance of postgame workouts from Keith.

So far, he seems to be tackling it enthusiastically. But he might not know what awaits him, if Keith has any say in the matter, this offseason.

“It just starts with your commitment to your conditioning in the summer, to build a foundation for your body,” Keith said. “You see guys, they don’t 1171716 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago hosts Nashville after Kubalik's 2-goal game

By Associated Press

Nashville Predators (29-23-7, fifth in the Central Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (26-26-8, seventh in the Central Division)

Chicago; Friday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Nashville Predators visit Chicago after Dominik Kubalik scored two goals in the Blackhawks' 6-3 loss to the Rangers.

The Blackhawks are 6-9-3 against division opponents. Chicago has scored 25 power-play goals, converting on 13.8% of chances.

The Predators are 10-5-0 against opponents from the Central Division. Nashville averages 9.4 penalty minutes per game, the eighth-most in the league. Austin Watson leads the team serving 65 total minutes.

In their last meeting on Jan. 9, Nashville won 5-2.

TOP PERFORMERS: Patrick Kane leads the Blackhawks with 48 assists and has recorded 75 points this season. Jonathan Toews has totaled two goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Chicago.

Roman Josi leads the Predators with a plus-21 in 59 games played this season. Kyle Turris has totaled five assists over the last 10 games for Nashville.

LAST 10 GAMES: Predators: 6-4-0, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.5 assists, 3.9 penalties and 10.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game with a .920 save percentage.

Blackhawks: 2-6-2, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.7 assists, 3.7 penalties and 9.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game with a .905 save percentage.

INJURIES: Blackhawks: None listed.

Predators: None listed.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171717 Chicago Blackhawks

Former Blackhawks star Panarin: Trade to Columbus 'still confuse(s) me'

John Dietz

Artemi Panarin minced no words and finally admitted what we all assumed: He was really upset when the Blackhawks traded him to Columbus during the 2017 off-season.

"When I played here in Chicago I (thought) I would play here my whole life," Panarin said after scoring his 30th goal of the season during a 6-3 Rangers victory over the Hawks Wednesday at the United Center. "And then that happened. It still confuse(s) me."

Panarin was one of the greatest free-agent discoveries not only by the Hawks, but probably in the history of the NHL. He won the Calder Cup as the league's top rookie in 2015-16 by piling up 30 goals and 47 assists, then followed that up with a 31-goal, 43-assist campaign that saw the Hawks win 50 games.

It was during that second season when Panarin agreed to a modest two- year, $12 million contract. He signed it to give the cap-strapped Hawks flexibility going forward.

"Chicago's pressed against the salary cap," Panarin told former agent Dan Milstein. "I don't want to be that guy. I want to play on a winning team.

"Give them the flexibility so they can retain the guys or sign the new guys because it's not about me. I'm young. I'm going to make plenty of money in my future."

Panarin's price for that loyalty was a one-way ticket to Columbus in exchange for Brandon Saad and goalie Anton Forsberg. It was a deal that incensed Patrick Kane, who had become fast friends with the talented, affable and joking Panarin.

Said Panarin: "I was not ready for that. It was a big surprise for me. I feel bad after trade."

Panarin said nobody from the Hawks called him last off-season to see if he wanted to return, but it's highly unlikely that GM Stan Bowman could have afforded him. Panarin ended up inking a seven-year, $81.5 million deal with the Rangers.

Before Wednesday's game, Panarin and Kane took place in a ceremonial puck drop with Jack O'Callahan, a defenseman who was part of Team USA's 1980 Miracle on Ice team. O'Callahan got a big laugh out of the superstars by flinging the puck to Kane.

"Well, I saw a Russian and an American facing off and I was like, 'There's not a chance I'm even going to risk this Russian winning that draw,'" O'Callahan said with a laugh. "So I kind of looked at Kaner and I just fired it through his legs and he just kind of started to laugh.

"But I'm sure he expected it. Even though we're generations apart we're still teammates."

Which is exactly what Panarin and Kane wish they still were.

But that's all in the past.

Now all Hawks fans can do is offer warm applause upon Panarin's return once a year.

"I love Chicago," Panarin said when asked if he still misses it. "Nice every time I come here. Enjoy it. It's a great city and thanks (to) the fans for a warm welcome. I appreciate it."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171718 Chicago Blackhawks Buchnevich scored from the slot at 2:33 after taking Kreider's feed from behind the net. Strome made it 3-1 at 4:01 when he pounced on a rebound of Tony DeAngelo's shot, then turned and fired from the front of Rangers score 5 times in third period, top Blackhawks 6-3 the crease.

Kubalik scored on a backhander at 6:05 to cap a breakaway, but goals by Kreider and Panarin 53 seconds apart extended New York's lead to 5- MATT CARLSON 2.

Kreider plowed down left wing and then cut to the net and connected at 8:48. Panarin turned and ripped in a loose puck from the slot at 9:41. CHICAGO -- The , Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider have all gotten hot, and are ready to chase a playoff spot. Caggiula scored from the slot at 11:39 to cut it to 5-3, but Zibanejad countered just under two minutes later on a tip-in for this 26th goal He Zibanejad and Kreider each had a goal and two assists as the Rangers has goals in four of his last five games and six in eight. scored five times in the third period and beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6- 3 on Wednesday night. Henrik Lundqvist dressed as the backup goaltender for the eighth straight game and hasn't started since being pulled against the Dallas Stars on

Feb. 3. New York has carried three goaltenders since recalling Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and assist, and Filip Chytil, Ryan Strome, Shesterkin from Hartford of the American Hockey League for the second and Artemi Panarin scored as New York rebounded from a 3-1 loss to time on Jan. 29. Boston on Sunday to win for the fifth time in six games. The Rangers NOTES: Chicago's F Patrick Kane had an assist to give him one point also won their sixth straight on the road. against all 30 other NHL teams this season. '» Rangers F Julien The line of Kreider, Zibanejad, and Buchnevich got rolling in the third in Gauthier, acquired on Tuesday from Carolina for D Joey Keane, made this one to break a 1-1 tie. his debut with New York. The 6-foot-4, 226-pound Gauthier was a first- round pick of the Hurricanes in 2016. '» Chicago C Zack Smith missed 'œI think it's comfortability playing with each other,' Kreider said. 'œWe his third game with a left hand injury. '» The 26-year-old Strome, faced weren't able to get a lot going through the first two. There wasn't a whole his younger brother, 22-year-old Chicago C Dylan Strome in this one. '» lot of flow. Former Blackhawks D Jack O'Callahan, a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal team, dropped the ceremonial first puck to 'œWe talked about some things we wanted to do, some adjustments we commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 'œMiracle on Ice'• squad. wanted to make. Get in the middle, get inside, instead of just being kept to the outside and playing perimeter hockey. I thought we did a better job UP NEXT of that.'• Rangers: At Carolina on Friday night Zibenejad has four goals in his last five games, and eight goals and eight assists in his last 11. Kreider has eight goals and six assists in 12 games. Blackhawks: Host Nashville on Friday night.

Even so, the Rangers, who improved to 31-24-4 with 66 points, are six Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 points out of the second wild card in the in East. New York's next game is Friday at Carolina, one of the teams it's chasing.

The Rangers know they need to win it.

'œOur guys are excited about the game Friday night because it's going to be a playoff-type game for us in a lot of ways,'• coach David Quinn said.

Igor Shesterkin made 37 saves in his return after missing three games with an ankle injury. The 24-year-old has won seven of eight NHL career appearances since making his debut on Jan. 7.

Shesterkin went to the bench briefly with 2:44 left in the second after Jonathan Toews accidentally struck him in the mask with the butt-end of his stick. Shesterkin returned after a trainer attended to him.

Dominik Kubalik scored twice, giving him 25 goals to lead NHL rookies. Drake Caggiula also connected for Chicago, which has just one win in its last eight games (1-5-2).

Duncan Keith set up Kubalik's first goal for his 500th career assist.

Robin Lehner blocked 35 shots for the fading Blackhawks, who let the Rangers power past them in the third.

'œIt was one our worst third period or worst period in general that we've had,' Lehner said. 'œI mean, look at their goals - a lot of alone chances right in front. We get out-battled and I need to make an extra save.'•

Chytil opened the scoring 1:58 in with his 13th goal. He beat Lehner between the pads with a low shot from the left circle.

Kubalik tied it 1-all at 2:29 on a one-timer from the right circle. Set up by Keith's perfect cross-ice feed, Kubalik ripped a shot just inside the right post.

The Rangers took off in the third.

'œOne of the things we talked about between the second and the third was we put ourselves in position to win the hockey game by playing 20 good minutes of hockey, because we certainly didn't play 40 good minutes of hockey when the game started,' Quinn said. 'œRarely do you get that opportunity in this league, and our guys responded.'•

Buchnevich and Strome connected 1:28 apart early in the third period to put New York ahead 3-1. 1171719 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' playoff chances take another hit with 6-3 loss to Rangers

John Dietz

Some might say it's going to take a miracle for the Blackhawks to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That being the case, it was certainly appropriate that Jack O'Callahan -- a defenseman on the 1980 USA gold-medal winning hockey team -- dropped the ceremonial first puck before the Hawks watched the Rangers explode for 5 third-period goals en route to a 6-3 victory at the United Center on Wednesday.

"One of the worst third periods -- or worst period in general -- we've had," said goalie Robin Lehner, who watched New York's lead go from 3-2 to 5-2 in under a minute on goals by Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin at 8:48 and 9:41, respectively.

Dominik Kubalik notched a pair of goals -- his 24th and 25th of the season -- Drake Caggiula also scored and Duncan Keith recorded his 500th career assist, but it wasn't nearly enough against a dangerous, highly skilled Rangers squad that has won six straight on the road.

The Hawks (26-26-8, 60 points) are 1-5-2 over their last eight games and 12-13-4 at the United Center. They remain 8 points behind Calgary and Arizona in the wild-card standings, but are also well behind Winnipeg (67 points) and Nashville (65).

Colliton chalked up the lackluster performance to poor preparation by the coaches and the players. He said turning things around begins Thursday at practice.

"(Make) sure that whatever we do, we do it with intention and like it's a game," Colliton said. "When you prepare in that way, then when it becomes game time and the intensity goes up to 100 it's not that big a shock. You've got those habits in you."

The coach believes his players understand that every team's level rises at this time of year. It's just a matter of matching it.

"I thought we played pretty hard on the road trip," Colliton said. "It wasn't perfect, but the last three games in particular we played pretty hard.

"But you've got to do it over and over and over and over again. When you face adversity you've got to stick with it. That's when you break through. And if you don't you get swept away."

Which is exactly what may happen to the Hawks if they don't flip the switch in a big, big hurry.

That'll leave a mark:

Zack Smith was on the ice for morning skate Wednesday, but remains out for 3-6 more days with a left hand injury he suffered last week against Vancouver. Smith's hand required 20 stitches after it was run over by an opponent's skate.

Smith said the cut ran horizontally across his hand, basically creating an additional line.

"I can fool the palm readers now," he quipped.

Slap shots:

Patrick Kane recorded his 48th assist during the Hawks' 6-3 loss to the Rangers. It was his 1,013th career point, which ties him with Pat Lafontaine for 86th on the all-time list. ... With his 500th assist Wednesday, Duncan Keith became the first Blackhawks defenseman to reach that number since Doug Wilson (554). Keith is also 1 point shy of 600 for his career. ... The Rangers' Artemi Panarin scored his 30th goal of the season, reaching that mark for the third time in his career. The other two came with the Hawks in 2015-16 when he scored 30 and 2016- 17 when he scored 31. ... Adam Boqvist returned to the lineup against the Rangers after sitting out one game.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171720 Chicago Blackhawks It's not inconceivable Crawford could return to the Hawks. Lehner, who seems to want to test free agency, might be asking for too much and be pricing himself out of Chicago.

Crawford's band will do without second fiddle If that's the case, Crawford -- who is about to become a father for the second time and recently purchased a house in the c ity -- may be back between the pipes for the Hawks for another season or two. John Dietz We'll have to wait and see, but it's a scenario that the veteran netminder would love to see unfold.

Corey Crawford has backstopped the Blackhawks to a pair of Stanley "I want to stay here and win another Cup here," Crawford said. "I mean, it Cup titles. would be great for this fan base, it would be great for this city if we could do that again." He's recorded 245 regular-season victories and another 48 in the postseason. Three of those wins came when he turned away 80 of 82 Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 shots in Games 4, 5 and 6 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay.

Almost five years later, it's possible we are witnessing Crawford's last hurrah in Chicago.

And this is not the way he wants to go out.

Crawford, who is in the final year of a six-year, $36 million contract, is extremely frustrated with the way the last couple of seasons have gone -- with this one quite possibly irking him the most.

Leaning back in his locker stall after Wednesday's morning skate, the 35- year-old goalie lamented how the Hawks aren't winning despite the fact that Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad and Duncan Keith are all having solid campaigns.

Yet, unless they put together an impressive run down the stretch the Hawks are going to miss the postseason for a third straight year.

This, after a remarkable nine-year playoff run that saw them reach five Western Conference finals and hoist the Stanley Cup three times.

But now reporters are theorizing that anyone and everyone could be on the trading block. And that includes Crawford, who has a modified no- trade clause that allows him to list 10 teams he'd be willing to play for.

"I never thought I'd be in that situation," Crawford said. "I guess if they ask I'll look at it."

The situation Crawford wishes the Hawks were in is to be competing for another championship. And while that seems unrealistic right now, Crawford was adamant that the players are focused on making a charge.

"Especially the older guys, we believe we can still win," he said. "We're pretty close to the playoffs. We want to get there again. I don't think we want this team blown up.

"All these guys -- Duncs, Johnny, Kaner, Saader -- they're all still at the top of their game and playing great. Duncs could be the best defenseman in the league.

"We're competitive, we think we could still win. So it's pretty frustrating."

Despite being healthy all season Crawford has been sharing the net with Robin Lehner, starting 29 of 60 games. He's 10-16-3 with a .912 save percentage and 2.89 goals-against average.

Before suffering a concussion midway through the 2017-18 season, Crawford started 55 to 58 games each year (removing the 48-game 2013 campaign, of course).

While coach Jeremy Colliton has utilized both goalies to keep them fresh, it hasn't necessarily been the best thing for Crawford, who loves to play game after game to stay in a rhythm.

"It would have been nice to play 60, 65 games," he said.

Said Colliton: "They both want to play more. They want to be in every night. If you play one guy, the other was wishing he was in. That's not a surprise."

As for next season, Crawford will not -- under any circumstance -- sign with a team that plans to make him a backup.

"Wherever it's going to be -- whether it's here or another team -- I'm not playing 30 games," he said. "I don't think I'm as effective doing that. I feel like it's a waste of time." 1171721 Chicago Blackhawks

Lack of energy comes at wrong time for Blackhawks: 'Makes you angry'

By Charlie Roumeliotis February 19, 2020 11:10 PM

Effort has not been a major concern for the Blackhawks this season. For the most part it's been there, and you could see it over the last two months when they started to string together a run.

But Wednesday, it was.

The Blackhawks didn't have a great first period. They had a decent second. Things went off the rails in the third.

The Blackhawks lost focus, and the compete level wasn't nearly where it needed to be in their first home game in exactly two weeks after giving up five third-period goals, four of which came in a span of 7:08.

"Makes you angry," head coach Jeremy Colliton said following a 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers. "Because it's a game that you're looking for like, we needed this game. We didn't do the things right from the start to put ourselves in the best position to win. We just didn't have enough guys ready to play."

The Blackhawks picked up two out of a possible 10 points on their five- game road trip in Western Canada, but that wasn't necessarily indicative of how they played. All five games were there for the taking but they squandered opportunities to do so. A power-play goal here or there could've been the difference, but instead their drought is now up to 0-for- 17 in their past six games.

It was a tough road trip for the Blackhawks, not just because they didn't get the desired results, but because it was a demanding travel schedule that started and ended in Winnipeg. But they wouldn't use that as an excuse even though it's a valid one at this time of year.

"To me, the story of the game tonight is, you're going to have games throughout the year where you don't have energy, where it's hard to find," Jonathan Toews said. "You've got to find the motivation to go out there and play your best game. It's just a mental thing that you have to do and that's just the name of the game, playing NHL hockey. That's one of the challenging things that if you want to make the playoffs and you want to be a winning team you're not going to feel at your best every night.

"There's going to be tough travel, tough schedule, a lot of adversity, things that pile up in your way and you've got to find a way to overcome it. So we didn't do that tonight."

With Wednesday's loss, the Blackhawks fell to 1-5-2 in their past eight games after going 12-5-0 in their previous 17. They remain eight points out of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference but have four teams to jump, two of which have a game in hand.

Playoffs seem like a pipedream at this point, and you have to wonder how this latest spiral could impact the Blackhawks' plans ahead of the Feb. 24 trade deadline. It's always a challenging time of year for players, especially on teams on the outside looking in, but that doesn't mean it's time to wave the white flag.

"We have to think really short-term," Colliton said. "And that's tomorrow, how are we going to prepare? Because we didn't prepare well enough. The coaches have to do a better job of preparing the team, the team needs to do a better job of preparing each other, and individually they've got to do a better job of preparing themselves to play."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171722 Chicago Blackhawks O'Callahan, selected by Chicago in round six (96th overall) of the 1977 NHl Draft, went on to play five season with the Hawks from 1982-1987.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 Former Blackhawks defenseman Jack O'Callahan talks "Miracle on Ice"

By Scott King February 19, 2020 6:47 PM

Do you believe in ceremonial puck drops!?

On Wednesday, before the Blackhawks took on the Rangers, Former Hawks defenseman and member of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team Jack O'Callahan dropped the puck to commemorate the 40th anniversary of when Team USA defeated the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, New York on Feb. 22, 1980.

Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin took the faceoff as team representatives. O'Callahan tossed the puck Kane's way and the United Center erupted in laughter.

"I saw a Russian and an American facing off and I was like, 'There's not a chance I'm even going to risk this Russian winning that draw,'" O'Callahan said of the puck drop. I kind of looked at Kaner and I just fired it through his legs and he just kind of started laughing. But I'm sure he expected it. Even though we're generations apart we're still teammates."

“Do you believe in ceremonial puck drops? YES!”

Jack O’Callahan, former #Blackhawks defenseman and member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” gold medal US team, drops the puck. pic.twitter.com/GGdVFTbpv6

— Scott King (@ScottKingMedia) February 20, 2020

USA went on to win gold over Finland after defeating the Soviets.

The victors were comprised of mostly college players and the Soviets were the heavy favorite of the '80 Olympics, which transpired in the middle of the Cold War.

"It really sort of hit us when we went down to Washington, D.C. to have lunch with the president and that's when we got around the politics, the fact that the US wasn't going to the Moscow Olympics and with the hostages and everything else going on.

"Once we get down to D.C. we came back to reality," O'Callahan said. "Being in Lake Placid was a really special place. It's always been our home, it's just a real comfortable place for us and it was great to be there, a little cocoon, but once we got down to D.C. we came back to the real world.

The former D man credits he and his teammates' efforts for the eventual surge of American players in the NHL.

"You got to go back to the late 70s and early 80s, Americans didn't play in the , we were flashes in the pan, we were in college," O'Callahan said. "We were all good players but we never got a shot to play in the NHL, it was run by Canadians and they all looked at Americans... they looked down at us.

"What we really did from a hockey perspective was we showed the world and we showed these NHL people that Americans can actually play hockey, we're pretty good at it. I think all through the 80s what we did was we blew up that glass ceiling and we created a lot of opportunities for the next generation of American hockey players."

The Charlestown native was asked if he thinks NHL players should be back in the Olympics.

"I got to tell you, the way the Olympics are it's just getting bigger and bigger," O'Callahan said. "I just think, frankly, that the NHL is such a great forum for women's sports I'd almost like to see all the men just go do something else and just have the women-only Olympics.

"Because that's when people are really paying attention and watching and it's really fun and they compete so hard. I'm not sure professional, I don't know how that's going to play out, professional women's sports, but the Olympics, you don't need NHL players in the Olympics or NBA players in the Olympics.

"We see enough of these guys. Lets watch some of these great women compete. It's some of the greatest drama and emotion you'll ever see. So the Olympics is a great place for that." 1171723 Chicago Blackhawks

5 Takeaways: Blackhawks give up five third-period goals in loss to Rangers

By Scott King February 19, 2020 8:51 PM

The Blackhawks lost 6-3 to the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Here are five takeaways:

Brutal third period

After going 1-4-0 on their recent road trip, the Hawks needed a solid game to defeat the Rangers, who were in the same desperate spot they were - eight points out of the second wild card spot.

The start and resolve were there for Chicago until the third period, when after being tied 1-1, they were outscored 5-2.

Keith 500

Duncan Keith became the seventh player in Hawks history to record 500 assists and just the second defenseman to do so. Doug Wilson had 554.

Keith had the primary assist on Dominik Kubalik's goal at 2:29 of the second period, which tied it 1-1.

Kane keeps climbing

Patrick Kane grabbed the secondary assist on Kubalik's second period goal, tying him with Pat LaFontaine for 86th on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,013.

Strome vs. Strome

Brothers Dylan Stome (Blackhawks center) and Ryan Strome (Rangers center) faced off on Wednesday night... Literally. The brothers took the opening faceoff against each other with Dylan winning the draw for Chicago.

Ryan later scored on a Rangers power play at 4:01 of the third period to make it 3-1 for the Rangers.

Man of Bread

Former Hawk Artemi Panarin scored at 9:41 of the third period, making it 5-2 in favor of New York.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171724 Chicago Blackhawks

Artemi Panarin and desperate Rangers set to face Blackhawks

By Scott King February 19, 2020 12:56 PM

When you see a highlight of Artemi Panarin making a dazzling play — usually that results in the puck finding the back of the net — you can't help but think, 'He'd really look good in a Hawks sweater... again.'

Alex DeBrincat struggling to one-time the puck from the left circle the way he used to on the man advantage is one of the factors giving the Hawks the NHL's worst power play. Artemi Panarin was the guy who used to do that for the Blackhawks, and he rarely missed.

Alas, the man of bread is locked up for six more years after this one with the Rangers at an AAV north of $11.6 million and his contract has a no movement clause.

In June 2017, the Blackhawks traded the dynamic winger to the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with forward Tyler Motte and a draft pick, to re-acquire Brandon Saad and get goalie Anton Forsberg and a pick.

Panarin, now 28, had 151 points (61 goals, 90 assists) with Chicago in two seasons after signing a free agent contract on May 1, 2015. He previously played in the Kontinental Hockey League.

The 2016 Calder Trophy winner had 169 points (55 goals, 114 assists) in two seasons with the Blue Jackets before signing with the Rangers as a free agent.

This year, his 78 points (29 goals, 49 assists) are good for fifth in the league.

Last year, Panarin returned to the United Center ahead of becoming a free agent and had a friendly competition with Patrick Kane to see who would be last of the ice following warmups. Kane isn't sure there will be time for pregame shenanigans with his pal before Wednesday's game.

"I think we got that faceoff tonight (40th anniversary of Miracle on Ice ceremonial puck drop with Jack O'Callahan), so it'll be interesting to see what comes of that," Kane said. "I always try to be the last on my team, not really worry about the other team, but he's having a great season.

"Obviously an amazing player, a player that you'd pay to watch play the game. Still try to stay pretty close with him and stay in contact and just kind of catch up here and there throughout the season."

Panarin has meant a lot to a Rangers team desperate to claw back into the playoff picture while sitting eight points out, just like the Hawks.

"Unbelievable," New York center Ryan Strome (brother of Chicago center Dylan Strome) said of Panarin. "The way he controls the puck, the way he controls the play, you guys were lucky enough to see it for a few years here.

"I think he's better now than he was then. His game's growing, he competes on pucks really hard and he's been a silent leader for us. I think everyone sees how hard he plays and how hard he works and we follow. He's been our catalyst and he's done everything we could ask of him, so he's been great."

Strome thinks the Bread Man should be in the MVP conversation as well.

"Yeah, especially if we get in the playoffs here," he said. "It would be hard not to consider him. His numbers are ridiculous. I've seen some stats about Jaromir Jagr and some ex-Rangers that have put up similar numbers to him. To be in that category is pretty special.

"You guys have seen it firsthand, the way he acts and how much fun he has doing it I think just rubs off on everyone, too. In such a serious season and such a serious business we're in, I think to have a guy like him, he's doing his leg kick and he's lightening the mood a little bit, that stuff is contagious. That's part of his personality and part of what makes him a great player."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171725 Chicago Blackhawks

Zack Smith feels fortunate after coming 'millimeter' away from season- ending injury

By Charlie Roumeliotis February 19, 2020 12:40 PM

Zack Smith knew immediately something was wrong. Not because of the pain but because of what happened.

In the final minute of the second period against Vancouver on Feb. 12, Smith had his left hand stepped on by a Canucks player. The television broadcast didn't pick it up, but Smith quickly threw his glove off and went straight to the locker room fearing the worst.

"It wasn't a very painful thing when it happened, it just happened and I was like, 'That's not good,'" Smith said. "You feel a skate blade step on your hand, you know it's not going to look good. The trainers said they couldn't believe there wasn't blood on the glove because I just threw it off right away and went to the bench. I was pretty worried there for a bit, and then right away doctors were able to tell me, 'It's going to be fine. Just a few stitches.' Just a short time of panic."

Smith did not return to the game, but that was the least of his worries. And the Blackhawks, who weren't exactly sure what happened.

"Yeah, scary thing," head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "I didn’t see it so when he came off I thought he broke his wrist or something, we didn’t really know in the moment. But when you hear what happened and see the cut, it’s not a good situation. So, obviously happy that it’s not too serious."

It could've been much worse for Smith, who practiced with the team at morning skate on Wednesday and is inching closer to a return. He was close to a potential long-term injury but is now back on the ice less than a week after the injury occurred.

"It was probably a millimeter away from being the end of my season," Smith said. "I got very lucky. A couple of stitches and a few days off is all it's taken."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171726 Chicago Blackhawks put ourselves in the best position to win. We just didn’t have enough guys ready to play.”

But none of it matters now. The points weren’t what mattered, and the Blackhawks seal fate for season, trade deadline with home loss Blackhawks didn’t get them.

Ultimately, the Blackhawks are what they are. A season is played over 82 By Scott Powers Feb 19, 2020 games to determine what teams are over a large sample. Through 60 games, the Blackhawks are 26-26-8. They’ve been above and below that .500 mark this season, but they haven’t moved too far in one direction or the other from that middle point. The Blackhawks could have swayed general manager Stan Bowman. That is what they are, and they’ve been that way for the two seasons. It’s The players controlled the organization’s trade-deadline fate. just not good enough. We can argue whether acquiring players, especially rentals, would have Now it’s up to Bowman to figure out how to change that. He will begin been best for the Blackhawks’ long-term plans, but there was a window that process by trading off players in the coming days and start looking to in which the players could have dictated Bowman’s next move. next season. They were knocking on the playoff door. If they just played .500 hockey The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 over this last stretch, they would have remained in the hunt, and Bowman would have had to consider doing right by his veterans and getting aggressive at the trade deadline again. He would have owed them that.

Nothing is owed now.

Now we just wait for Bowman to officially pull the plug on the Blackhawks’ season. It’s inevitable in the coming days that Bowman will trade away whatever pieces he can and deplete the roster in hopes of adding to future ones.

No one will blame Bowman when he does it, either. Sure, he’ll be blamed by many for the organization missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season, but he’ll be correct to be a seller at the deadline. It’s what’s best for the organization.

And that is where this team has pushed his hand. It could have persuaded him to be a buyer and has instead directed him to be a seller. This team will possess only regrets about what could have been.

Just 18 days ago, the Blackhawks were nudging Bowman in a different direction. They had beaten the Arizona Coyotes in a shootout and were within three points of the final wild-card spot and had two games in hand. They had won six of seven games and had improved to 25-21-6. It was the second time all season they had been four games over .500. Their arrow was pointing up.

The Blackhawks followed that win up with two overtime losses. Not perfect, but those results kept them moving ahead. That set up a crucial five-game trip, and they squandered that by picking up just two points in those games. Their playoff chances had dropped.

Which brings us to Wednesday. The Blackhawks were back home. The playoffs seemed much less realistic than when they last played at the United Center, but they might have sparked some optimism and been able to campaign for one last-ditch effort if they came out Wednesday and defeated the New York Rangers.

That, of course, didn’t happen. Whatever believers might have been clinging on surely fell away in the last 20 minutes of Wednesday’s game. With the outcome up for anyone’s taking, the score tied 1-1 after two periods, the Blackhawks fell apart. They were outscored 5-2 over the final 20 minutes and were left shaking their heads when it was all said and done.

From Jeremy Colliton to Jonathan Toews to everyone else who spoke for the Blackhawks after the game, they said what fans probably want to be said after such a game. There was anger. There was frustration. There was accountability. The Blackhawks weren’t good enough, and everyone recognized that.

“I mean, to me, the story of the game tonight is you’re going to have games throughout the year where you don’t have energy where it’s hard to find, you gotta find the motivation to go out there and play your best game,” Toews said. “It’s just a mental thing that you have to do, and that’s just the name of the game, playing NHL hockey, that’s one of the challenging things that if you want to make the playoffs and you want to be a winning team you’re not going to feel at your best every night. There’s going to be tough travel, tough schedule, a lot of adversity, things that pile up in your way, and you’ve got to find a way to overcome it, so we didn’t do that tonight.”

Colliton said, “Makes you angry, because it’s a game that we looked for like we needed this game. We didn’t do the things right from the start to 1171727 Chicago Blackhawks while it seems like a long shot given the Blackhawks’ cap situation and the pending deals for a goalie, Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome, Gustafsson badly wants to sign that deal with the Blackhawks. Even if it What we’re hearing about the Blackhawks as the trade deadline nears means leaving something on the table.

“I’ve got two kids, I’ve got a family, so I have to think about them, too,” he said. “At the same time, my wife and kids love to be in Chicago. And if By Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus Feb 19, 2020 that’s something that adds up, taking something minimal here or whatever, I’ve got to think about the family in that way, too. It’s not just

about money. It’s not just me out there. Of course, it’s going to be All may be quiet with the Blackhawks from a transactional standpoint so something bigger than what I am on right now, but at the same time, I far leading up to the trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot have to play good. So that’s what I’m trying to do.” happening behind the scenes. Even though his freewheeling high-risk, high-reward style can cause Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman’s phone is ringing and he’s plenty of trouble in his own end, he has no shortage of suitors now, and calling plenty of people, too. The Blackhawks are more active in some will have no shortage of suitors in the summer. One source said a ways leading up to the deadline than in years past, according to multiple handful of teams, including Vegas and Carolina, have shown interest. league sources. Our Craig Custance reported at least four teams are in on him.

With the Blackhawks seemingly having more of a big-picture perspective Another player staring at an uncertain future is Dylan Strome. After — wanting to be elite again and compete for the Stanley Cup rather than posting 51 points in 58 games with the Blackhawks last season, Strome just aiming for the playoffs and hoping for the best — that approach has appeared to be the long-term answer at second-line center, especially apparently carried over into Bowman’s discussions with other teams. If a given his undeniable chemistry with Alex DeBrincat. But Kirby Dach’s team wants to talk about a player within the organization, Bowman is emergence has pushed Strome to the third line, and he’s been playing willing to have a conversation. wing instead of center. That doesn’t bode well for his long-term value, and at least one league source wondered if he could be had at the As always, Bowman has his untouchables — or at least a list of players deadline. Losing Strome would certainly hurt, but it would help alleviate who would be very, very difficult to obtain — but that list is shorter than the Blackhawks’ looming cap crunch. usual. The Blackhawks are open to discussions about nearly all of their players as long as it makes sense to move the franchise toward its goal Like Gustafsson, Strome admitted it’s hard not to think about the future of winning more Stanley Cups. If a team is calling about Dominik Kubalik, when you’re a pending free agent. Talking to him last week, he was glad Alex Nylander, Ian Mitchell or a number of other young players, the price to be in the thick of a playoff race, because it gave him something far would probably be too overwhelming for a lot of teams. But if someone better to focus all his energy on. came up with the demands, Bowman would be all ears. “Just let my agent handle it,” he said. “I mean, obviously, I feel like if The Blackhawks have also put some large price tags — think first-round there’s something to be done, it’ll be done.” draft picks and prospects — on a number of their potential rentals like Strome wants to stay in Chicago, which gave him the opportunity that he Robin Lehner and Erik Gustafsson, sources said. As of now, no one is never got in Arizona. He was trying not to read the tea leaves and biting. League sources do believe Bowman’s asking price will come down wonder what it means that DeBrincat got his extension at the start of the as the deadline draws nearer. season, and Strome is still twisting in the wind. Before the season, One source also said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Blackhawks stood Strome was potentially looking at a long-term deal worth $4-5 million a pat either if nothing to their liking materialized. season. Now, a shorter-term bridge deal worth $3-3.5 million might be more realistic. “The trade has to really make sense for them to do,” the source said. “It’s my first time going through this process,” he said. “When I got Stay tuned. drafted, it was just a pretty standard (entry-level) contract and we didn’t have to do too much. I’m excited for the whole process. I guess we’re Late February is a stressful time to be a hockey fan, wondering what your going to see what happens, but I have no idea. I wish I could give you an team will do at the deadline and which of your favorite players might be answer. It’s good to go both ways (in-season or after the season), on the way out. Imagine being one of those players. depending on how you’re playing. If you’re producing well and playing “Of course, it’s creeping in my head a little bit,” Gustafsson said. “But I’m great, you probably want to wait until the end of the year. And if you’re trying not to think about it. I’m just trying to play as good as I can and struggling, or you’re in a slump or whatever, maybe that weighs more on help this team win. If I can help this team win, I have better odds to stay you.” on this team.” Even in a slightly diminished role (he’s down about a minute of ice time That’s probably not really the case. The better Gustafsson is playing, the per game), Strome has produced, with 10 goals and 21 assists in 47 more attractive he becomes to potential suitors looking to make a playoff games. Among Blackhawks forwards, only Dominik Kubalik, Jonathan push. Look at the haul Tyler Toffoli brought in after scoring four goals in Toews and Patrick Kane have a higher goals-for per 60 minutes than two games. Gustafsson, meanwhile, closed January strong with six Strome (2.93), and only Kane has a higher goals-for percentage than points in three games, but has just two assists in eight games since. The Strome’s 58 percent (the Blackhawks have outscored opponents 29-21 weight of the uncertainty could be creeping back into his game. with Strome on the ice at 5-on-5).

He freely admitted that it was in his head at the beginning of the season, “Yeah, it’s been a pretty good year,” he said. “Getting hurt wasn’t fun, but especially after seeing Alex DeBrincat get a three-year, $19.2 million I feel like I’ve been pretty consistent without getting injured for a long extension back in October. There was a little voice in Gustafsson’s head time. We’re in a playoff race and I don’t think too much about it. You’ve saying “What about me?” got to just go out and play. From what I hear and what I’ve been told, I think they want me here and they like me a lot. It’s a great organization “I was thinking about it too much,” he said. “I don’t know if it was when and I’m happy to be here.” Cat signed at the beginning of the season, or if I was nervous or stressed because I had to have the same (kind of) season I had last year. But The Blackhawks haven’t had any discussions yet, but expect them to talk around Christmas, I realized I can’t handle that right now, so I’m just with Victor Ejdsell again after his season in Sweden. going to go out and play. I’ve been playing better after Christmas.” The Blackhawks still hold Ejdsell’s NHL rights after placing a qualifying Still, Gustafsson has been on CapFriendly — not as obsessively as some offer on him after last season. Ejdsell decided to return to Sweden and of us, but a little — to do some of the math in his head, to see which signed a two-year SHL deal, but he is able to opt out of it to return to the teams might be in the market for a defenseman, and to see where he NHL. might end up next season. Because while the question among Ejdsell has been tearing up the SHL again. He was among the league’s Blackhawks fans and the front office is where Gustafsson will be in top goal scorers when he last played it in during the 2017-18 season and March, he’s just as interested in where he’ll be in October. he’s up there again this season. He’s tied for third in the SHL with 16 At 27 years old, and now fully established in the NHL with a 60-point goals. He has 16 goals and 12 assists in 39 games. season under his belt, Gustafsson’s next contract will be his big one. And Ejdsell had streaks of production with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL last season, but he wasn’t able to maintain it consistently enough to get called up. He had 12 goals and 17 assists in 61 games for the IceHogs last season.

Ejdsell explained his decision to return to Sweden in May, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of returning to the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks were expected to hold meetings with their development staff in Chicago on Wednesday.

In those meetings, the staff is expected to discuss prospect development and which players to potentially sign in the coming months. Evan Barratt and Ian Mitchell are two college prospects the Blackhawks are expected to offer entry-level contracts to once their seasons end.

Ryan Shea, a Northeastern senior defenseman, will certainly be a topic of conversation, too. He recently said he was hopeful for a contract, but he wasn’t sure exactly where he stood with the organization.

The Blackhawks had multiple development staff members at the IceHogs’ practice on Monday. Mark Eaton, Yanic Perreault and Brian Campbell were all in attendance and worked with players on the ice.

“How good is that?” IceHogs coach Derek King after the practice. “I don’t have to do anything. I don’t have to yap at them. I like to get involved and watched. I think it’s great for those guys to see these players up close and not just be watching them up top and coming down to talk to them. They get to be on the ice with them and get to know their personalities, see what they need to work on. I think it’s great. Yanick, Eats and Soupy, they’re guys who have been in the league. It doesn’t get much better than that for these kids.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171728 Chicago Blackhawks when he comes up here, he hasn’t — he finally got the one goal but he hasn’t been able to break through.

“We’re not giving up on Dylan and there hasn’t been any pushback on Could the Blackhawks trade Dylan Sikura at the deadline? He hopes not. that. I know he wants to be here, but I’ve got to give him credit, he’s just put his head down and worked at it and he wants to do the best he can until he’s called up.” By Scott Powers Feb 19, 2020 Dylan Sikura was reassigned to the IceHogs in mid-January. (Dan Hamilton / USA Today)

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Dylan Sikura may be playing the best hockey of his Sikura just hopes that history repeats itself in his development. It’s taken life. him some time at nearly every level he’s been at to figure it out and become productive. It’s why he was a sixth-round NHL draft pick. It’s why It’s certainly the most consistent he’s ever been. He put up some big he didn’t flourish at Northeastern until his last few years. numbers and did it pretty often over his last two years at Northeastern University, but he never had a 11-game point streak, as he currently “It’s not like I was a first-rounder and you expected me (to ascend to the does. NHL),” Sikura said. “I was always a late bloomer. The same thing first year in college, second year got a little better, by my third year, fourth “I think whenever you can get on a little roll like that you get some year, kind of took off. Maybe if it takes a while. I try to look into those confidence,” Sikura said on Monday. “Especially when the team’s things, not get frustrated. You see a guy like Gus who was down here a winning now, it makes you feel a little better about your game. Still kind of couple years and then one year he’s up, 60 points. You always try to look puts it in perspective when you see a guy like Kaner (Patrick Kane) get for little silver linings I guess around the situations you’re in.” 24 in a row. You don’t really understand how he can do that. It’s fun. I think it’s the longest one so far. Just try to ride it. As long as the team’s Sikura’s just trying to figure out how to translate his play from Rockford to winning, that’s all that matters.” Chicago. Opportunity is part of that. In Rockford, Sikura is on the top power-play unit, plays tons of minutes and gets a lot of offensive-zone The catch for Sikura is he’s doing it in the AHL for the Rockford IceHogs chances. In Chicago, those opportunities can be limited. and not in the NHL for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was reassigned to Rockford in January after his latest stint with the Blackhawks. Since he’s One league scout thought some of Sikura’s inability to adapt can be been back, he’s produced in 12 of 14 games and had four goals and 11 traced to how he’s been used with the Blackhawks. assists. “I don’t think they’ve given him the opportunity to show what he can do,” Over the past two seasons, Sikura has proven he can produce at the the scout said. “He’s not a fourth-line guy. If a guy’s an offensive guy, you AHL level. He has 66 points in 82 AHL career games. It just hasn’t got to play him with offensive guys. I think he’s got upside. I do like him. I translated to the NHL, where he’s had 14 points in 47 games. wouldn’t give up on him yet. He can certainly play at the AHL level, and I think he can play at the NHL level. But I think he’s got to play in the right With the trade deadline approaching, it’s easy to wonder whether Sikura situation.” might be better off somewhere else. He’s had some NHL looks with the Blackhawks, but a change of scenery can sometimes be exactly what a There’s also a psychological hurdle for Sikura and many prospects going player needs. from the AHL to the NHL. Most players are so scared about making a mistake they forget about what got them there. Sikura has thought about it. He’s human. But he’s not sure that’s the answer. “You go through spurts of games where you’re there, but there’s always in the back of the mind if you make a mistake or if you do this or you do “I don’t know to be honest,” Sikura said. “I think Chicago was the place I that,” Sikura said. “It’s tough. A guy like me when I go up there, it’s kind wanted to be when I signed out of college. I still think there’s a lot of of the last thing I’m thinking about is creating offense when you don’t opportunity. I still think there’s a lot of spots. I think it’s important I have a want to mess up in the D zone, you want to be backchecking, little things good relationship with Stan (Bowman) and Jeremy (Colliton) and the like that. But I think as long as I keep working on that part of my game, coaching staff and the guys. I think little things like that go a long way. To when I come down here, still being an offensive guy and a guy who can where if you got a fresh start, you never really know where you’re going be relied on to score, be on the power play, little things like that, then I to end up, how you fit in their system, what kind of guys they have or think hopefully one day they’ll both mesh together and then hopefully it’ll what team you go to, so there’s a lot of different aspects towards that. pan out.” “I think I like the spot that I am right now. I know it’s taking me a little bit IceHogs coach Derek King and the Blackhawks give Sikura the same to get there, but hopefully if not the end of this year, next year I can stick messages. They want him to move inside more, work to create more up there for good, put this kind of in the past.” chances around the net and be willing to battle for pucks. Essentially, control what you can control. Sikura knows there’s a chance “He’s got to get to those areas and battle for pucks, but I think he’s doing could be traded. The Blackhawks don’t appear as if they’ve given up on a much better job,” King said. “He’s getting a little bit stronger, grittier on him yet, but he’s definitely not untouchable. If the right deal came along, pucks. At this level, he’s such an offensive guy. I don’t want to say it’s an the Blackhawks probably would give him up. Sikura gets that, too. easy game for him because he’s got to work hard at it, but his skill level “I’ll see (trade mentions) on Twitter, I’ll read your guys’ stuff, but yeah, it is just that much better than a lot of the guys in the league. But if he is what it is,” Sikura said. “If it happens, it happens. I remember reading works at it and works to get pucks back, it’s going to be even easier. about Murph (Connor Murphy) last year. He goes, ‘It’s like my third, “He’s got to a find way (to translate his game to the NHL). I’ve talked to fourth one. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Nothing to him about it. They’ve talked to him up there. That might take him another lose sleep over.’ Stuff with Gus (Erik Gustafsson) is the same thing. It’s year. Who knows? He’s got the skill level. He’s got the hockey sense. It’s out of your control. There’s nothing you can really do. If it happens, it finding that drive to go to those dirty areas and fight for pucks and battle happens. Just kind of focusing right now on this team. If you get the for pucks. Nobody likes to get hit. It’s not like he’s 200 pounds. He’s a chance to go back up, then great. If not, you want to be the best player buck-50 soaking wet. He’s got to find a way to be able to kind of strip you can be down here and help this team.” pucks back and get them back.” Some players in Sikura’s situation would ask for a trade. He’s just 24 Sikura has been mindful of that. In the end, he hopes it works out with years old, but he’s not really young for a prospect either. The clock is the Blackhawks. It’s where he wants to be. somewhat ticking. “I think I’m in a good spot,” Sikura said. “Still pretty young and into my Sikura is remaining patient, though. Bowman has respected that. He career, a lot of optimism, a lot of hope. Hopefully I’ll be a Blackhawk for a hasn’t heard from Sikura or his representative about being moved. long time.” “It has not come up with Dylan, no,” Bowman said on Saturday. “He’s The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 playing great, he’s on a big point streak in Rockford, he got another goal today, I think. I mean, he’s doing what he can do, which is be a productive player. He’s very productive in the American League, and 1171729 Colorado Avalanche Colorado Eagles, are also playing road games in California this weekend, the Avs will stick with a minimum 12 forwards and only use a call-up if a forward on the big club goes down with injury Friday.

Nathan MacKinnon reaches milestone as Avalanche defeats Islanders 3- Denver Post: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 10:41 p.m. | UPDATED: February 20, 2020 at 12:55 a.m.

In winning fashion Wednesday night, Nathan MacKinnon reached a Hall of Fame-backed milestone with his 50th point of the season, becoming just the third Avalanche player to produce 50 points in three consecutive seasons.

Only club legends Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg had done that before, with Sakic (1998-2002) and Forsberg (1995-99) — both enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame — doing it in four straight campaigns.

MacKinnon had a second assist in the third period to close the door on the New York Islanders in a 3-1 victory at the Pepsi Center.

“In an ideal world, that’s what you do, right? You come out and start the third and keep after them and get a goal to put the game somewhat out of reach,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “I thought we did a nice job all night long in the offensive zone, possessing the puck, making good decisions with it, not making it easy on them (and) force them to defend.”

MacKinnon now has 84 points, tied with Boston’s David Pastrnak for second in the NHL. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl has a league-high 95 points. MacKinnon walked out of the locker room when reporters entered it Wednesday and didn’t appear to want to comment about his 26th multiple-point game of the season.

Against old friend Semyon Varlamov, the Russian goalie who played the previous eight seasons in Colorado, the Avs got goals from Joonas Donskoi midway through the first period and Andre Burakovsky early in the second and took a 2-0 lead into the third.

Then the Avs shut the door on the defensive-minded, low-scoring Islanders at 7:43 of the final frame when Gabe Landeskog redirected a shot by MacKinnon past Varlamov. New York’s Brock Nelson scored a late goal as the Islanders avoided the shutout.

“I’m definitely happy with the way we finished and really played the whole game the right way,” Landeskog said. “It’s a big difference going 2-1 if they score than 3-1, so we wanted to make sure we were hunting that (third) goal. It was good to get it.”

The Avs climbed within a point of St. Louis and Dallas, both with 76, atop the Central Division and Western Conference standings. Colorado has played one fewer game than the Blues and Stars in a tight race for division and conference supremacy.

“You love competition. Nobody is in the game if you don’t like it,” said Avs defenseman Cale Makar, who had assists on Donskoi and Burakovsky’s goals to climb to 45 points. “Obviously, we’re all really close at the top there. It just depends on who seperates themselves in this next little bit.”

The Avs, who got a terrific 27-save effort from goalie Pavel Francouz, also snapped a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) and finished 2-2-1 on a five-game homestand.

The injury-depleted Avs played their second game without injured goalie Philipp Grubauer, who is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. They were also without injured key forwards Mikko Rantanen, and Matt Calvert, who are are out through this month and probably longer.

Rantanen suffered what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury Monday. Calvert has missed two games with a lower-body injury and Kadri, who is on crutches, missed his fifth with a leg ailment.

Footnotes. Forward Martin Kaut, 20, made his NHL debut for the Avs, who selected the Czech Republic native with the 16th pick of the 2018 draft. Kaut played right wing on a line with center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and left wing Matt Nieto. Colorado’s only healthy scratch was defenseman Mark Barberio. … The Avs will travel to Anaheim on Thursday and prepare for a consecutive-night stretch in Southern California against the Ducks on Friday and Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Because the Avs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the 1171730 Colorado Avalanche

WATCH: Avalanche GM Joe Sakic discusses plan, needs, ahead Monday’s trade deadline

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 8:49 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 9:17 p.m.

Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic met with reporters to discuss Monday’s NHL trade deadline before Wednesday’s game against the visiting New York Islanders.

The Avs are definitely in the buying market, and their biggest need is a goalie to replace injured Philipp Grubauer (out indefinitely), but they might also be proactive in advance of the return of three key injured forwards in Nazem Kadri (leg), Mikko Rantanen (shoulder or collarbone) and Matt Calvert (lower body) — who each are out until next month or longer.

Heading into Wednesday’s game, Colorado (33-18-7, 73 points) had 24 games and a little more than six weeks remaining in the regular season.

Denver Post: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171731 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche’s Martin Kaut on NHL debut: “Dream come true for me”

Kaut, 20, will be a third-line right winger Wednesday against the New York Islanders

By MIKE CHAMBERS | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 8:41 p.m.

Martin Kaut was among the last two Avalanche players to step off the ice Wednesday to conclude a morning skate at the Pepsi Center. He wanted to soak in every second to prepare for his NHL debut that will take place Wednesday night against the New York Islanders.

Kaut, 20, is Colorado’s 2018 first-round draft pick, going 16th overall. The Czech Republic native became the 13th player among the top-16 picks in his draft class to appear in an NHL game.

“For sure, I’m so excited. What can I say?” Kaut said before the game. “Dream come true for me and I just want to enjoy this time.”

Kaut slotted in with third-line center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Matt Nieto. Kaut is getting his first NHL opportunity because of the injuries to forwards Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri and Matt Calvert, who each will miss the rest of this month and probably more.

Kaut has been the youngest player for the Colorado Eagles in each of his two seasons with the Avs’ American Hockey League affiliate. His statistics represent his youth: He has just five goals and 16 points in 31 games this season, ranking 13th in team scoring. But he has missed 17 games because of injury and Bednar said he has played his best hockey of late.

“He’s excited to play. I talked to him a little bit yesterday and talked to him this morning,” Bednar said of Kaut. “He’s been working for a year and a half or more to get this opportunity. I hope he brings good energy and plays his game.”

Martin Kaut: Making his NHL debut tonight, #Avs host NYI pic.twitter.com/8JWVqIxm18

— Mike Chambers (@MikeChambers) February 19, 2020

Footnotes. Goalie Philipp Gruabuer missed his second game since suffering a lower-body injury Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. Grubauer is out indefinitely. Wednesday’s goalies are starter Pavel Francouz and backup Hunter Miska. … Former Avs goalie Semyon Varlamov got the start for the Islanders, who beat the Avs with Varlamov on net 1-0 on Jan. 6 in Uniondale, N.Y. … The Avs are completing a five- game homestand Wednesday, and looking for their second win. They were on a three-game losing streak, including Monday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Denver Post: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171732 Colorado Avalanche Take goaltender Calvin Pickard, for instance: He played in weekend games for the Grand Rapids Griffins last month, before getting a quick call to join the Detroit Red Wings to make a start.

Road less traveled: Some NHL teams, including Avalanche, moving AHL “Just a quick drive,” Pickard said of the 157-mile (252.7 kilometer) squads closer commute. “Just had to go grab my gear.”

Speaking of gear, that can be quite an ordeal for players who must take a By PAT GRAHAM | The Associated Press February 19, 2020 at 8:28 flight to join their teams. a.m. “The hockey bag is always the last one off the plane. Every time,” Dickinson said. “You’re always the last one out.”

DENVER — Jason Dickinson encountered quite a few bumps in the road That’s why Dickinson preferred to make the drive from Cedar Park, on his route to the NHL. Good thing for his trusty truck. Texas, to Dallas in his truck.

Dickinson was up and down between the Dallas Stars and their American As an added bonus to driving, he had his own transportation while in Hockey League affiliate, the Texas Stars, a total of 17 times during the town. 2017-18 season. “It sucks when you’re stuck in your city and you have to beg guys to pick Sometimes, the forward would join the team from the road. And you up at the hotel,” said Dickinson, who has eight goals and 10 assists sometimes, he would make that 183.5-mile trek along the interstate in his in 55 games for Dallas this season. “It makes it easy to feel a part of the truck. area. You don’t feel like you’re coming into a whole new city and trying to figure things out.” That’s a rather easy call-up commute by league standards: From rink to rink, the average distance between NHL teams and their AHL partners is GAME OF THE WEEK roughly 460 miles (740.3 kilometers). Alex Ovechkin continues his quest to reach the 700-goal mark on Currently, there are a half-dozen NHL teams that have affiliates located Thursday when the Washington Capitals host Montreal. Ovechkin has more than 1,200 miles (1,931.2 kilometers) away. been held without a goal over his last five games. He remains on 698 goals as he tries to become the eighth NHL player to score 700 goals. The longest jaunt? From the Utica Comets in New York to the Vancouver Canucks, which is a 2,918-mile (4,696 kilometers) coast-to-coast LEADERS (through Monday) expedition. Goals: David Pastrnak (Boston) 42

The shortest? A tie between the San Jose Sharks/San Jose Barracudas Assists: Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton), 61 and the Winnipeg Jets/. That’s simply a short walk down the hallway thanks to shared arenas. Points: Draisaitl, 95

Over the past few seasons, a few teams have moved their minor league Ice time: Thomas Chabot (Ottawa), 26:04 affiliates closer to base camp. The Colorado Avalanche relocated their farm team from San Antonio, Texas, to Loveland, Colorado, in 2018 and Wins: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay), 32 Ottawa a year earlier moved its from Binghamton, New York, to Goals-against average: Tuukka Rask (Boston), 2.08 Belleville, Ontario. Save percentage: Rask, .931. The Vegas Golden Knights recently announced their purchase of an AHL franchise from Spurs Sports & Entertainment, operators of the San Denver Post: LOADED: 02.20.2020 Antonio Rampage. The plan is to relocate the team from Texas to Henderson, Nevada, and begin play at the Orleans Arena next season.

It makes sense having players nearby for practical (emergency call-up) and logistical (easier for executives to catch games) purposes.

Avalanche assistant general manager Craig Billington lives in Denver but spends about 80% of his time working with the Colorado Eagles in Loveland, which is about 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) away.

“When you take into account the viewing and the communication that goes on, it really benefits from a geographical proximity,” Billington explained. “Information travels quite quickly and enables us to feel connected — the coaching staff, all the players, the trainers, the benefit of doctors and the medical support.”

Eagles forward Jayson Megna is no stranger to making various NHL/AHL treks. He has taken that long flight from Utica to Vancouver while with the Canucks. He’s gone from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to the Pittsburgh Penguins (264 miles, 424.9 kilometers). He knows the trip from the to the New York Rangers (115 miles, 185 kilometers).

The current commute, from Loveland to Denver, is more than manageable for a player who’s been added, recalled or returned on loan five times this season. Theoretically, he could be back at home in Fort Collins that night after a game.

“Super easy,” said the 30-year-old Megna, who has played in 121 NHL games. “There’s not any issues with travel plans. You still feel good and prepared for a game.”

Not that players mind the travel — any sort of travel.

“I mean, when you get called up to the NHL you have a certain amount of adrenaline,” Megna said. “Guys just make it happen.” 1171733 Colorado Avalanche the most notable, is just one aspect of their organizational depth at that position. Sakic and his front office staff recently signed Hunter Miska to an NHL contract after injuries to Antoine Bibeau and Adam Werner, who The Avs trade deadline plan? Find a deal for now that won’t hurt the were playing with the Colorado Eagles, led to him being promoted from future the ECHL.

Miska is now with the Avalanche while Grubauer is out. Werner returned from an upper-body injury he suffered in late January. Bibeau remains on By Ryan S. Clark Feb 19, 2020 injured reserve with a long-term lower-body injury. The Eagles’ current goalie tandem is Werner and Mason McDonald, a former 2013 second-

round pick by the Calgary Flames. Everyone huddled in the fourth-floor foyer of the Kroenke Sports & But the team’s overall injury situation, however, will not alter what the Entertainment offices immediately became quiet once Joe Sakic, dressed Avalanche will do leading up to the deadline, Sakic said. in a dark-blue suit, came through the double doors ready to answer the questions many have asked as it relates to his team. “If it works out, great,” Sakic said. “But there’s obviously things we’re not willing to move, but if there’s a deal that makes sense, we’ll look to do it. Sakic and the Colorado Avalanche are down a two-way winger having With the injuries, all the guys are going to be back by the end of the year the season of his life in Matt Calvert, a starting goaltender in Phillipp and we’ve weathered the storm earlier in the year when we had a lot of Grubauer, a second-line center in Nazem Kadri along with an All-Star injuries, and I have all the confidence in the world we’ll do it again.” right winger in Mikko Rantanen. Piling up that many injuries in an eight- day period has generated more interest in what the Avs will do as the What was Sakic referring to when he said, “things we’re not willing to NHL trade deadline, which is Monday, draws closer. move”?

There were some items Sakic was willing to share. But there were others Does that mean top prospects such as Vancouver Giants defenseman he opted to keep to himself, such as when he was asked about Montreal Bowen Byram, Boston College forward Alex Newhook and Eagles Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin being at the Pepsi Center for defenseman Conor Timmins will not be on the move? a second consecutive game. Bergevin, along with assistant general manager Scott Mellanby, arrived Monday and watched the Avs fall in a 4- “That’s a pretty good guess,” Sakic said with a smile. 3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. So what about draft picks? More specifically, first-round draft picks?

Bergevin and Mellanby were present Wednesday for the Avalanche’s What makes the Avalanche’s landscape different than most is they are a contest against the Islanders. The connection between the Avs and franchise that is trying to win now while attempting not to mortgage their Canadiens has only intensified over the past few days, and with good future. Look no further than their current roster. Tyson Jost, Gabriel reason. The Canadiens are expected to be sellers and possess a forward Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Rantanen are all former or two who could help Sakic and fourth-year coach Jared Bednar during first-round picks made by the club. That figure rose to six with winger the team’s current injury crisis. Martin Kaut, the team’s 2018 selection, making his NHL debut against “What you don’t know is that his daughter goes to CU,” Sakic said with a the Islanders. grin. “You might want to ask Berge about that. He’s a hockey fan. He “I rather not but I won’t rule anything out,” Sakic said. “It all depends upon loves hockey. He loves watching games.” what packages are out there and to be honest with you, I’d prefer a Of course, a quip like that from the man known as “Quoteless Joe” during hockey trade rather than going into the rental market. But we’ll be open his playing days, naturally drew laughter. to the rental market as well. It’s just going to come down to what’s the cost going to be. Then we’ll decide if it’s worth it for us. We’re not here A reporter then asked Bergevin during the first intermission if his just looking short term. I’m here to look after the big picture.” daughter does attend the University of Colorado. That led to the Canadiens general manager flashing a bit of a grin. How does that work to be in a position where there is a roster that is trying to win now but there is also a need to preserve what is considered Having Bergevin and Mellanby present for consecutive games this close to be one of the best prospect bases in the NHL? to the deadline has led some to wonder which Canadiens forward might be the best fit, assuming there is a potential deal worth discussing. The “We feel like we’re in a pretty good position,” Sakic said. “But our window name that continually comes up from fans and pundits is Tomas Tatar. is now and we’re hoping to keep it for a long time. That’s where we’re at The 29-year-old winger is a proven 20-goal scorer who could and that’s how we’re trying to run this team.” immediately strengthen the Avalanche’s — or any team’s — top-six The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 forward group.

Everything Tatar has done this season — he’s on pace to finish with a career-high 71 points — should entice potential buyers and place Bergevin in a position to get a strong return. Another detail that should favor the Canadiens in a potential deal is that Tatar has one year remaining after the 2019-20 campaign carrying a $4.8 million cap hit.

Trading for Tatar would supplement a forward corps that is seeing nearly every Avalanche skater produce career seasons across the board.

But, as is the case with any deal, at what cost? So far, this year’s trade market has shown buyers must be willing to be aggressive. The Lightning picked up a 20-goal scorer in Blake Coleman with the cost being left wing prospect Nolan Foote and a first-round pick they got from the Vancouver Canucks. But that becomes a 2021 first-round pick should the Canucks miss the playoffs. As for the Canucks? They gave up Tim Schaller, forward prospect Tyler Madden and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Kings for winger Tyler Toffoli. The Kings also stand to receive a 2022 fourth-round pick if Toffoli re-signs with the Canucks.

“It’s like this every year. Ultimately, you would like to get your deals done before the deadline because it is a hectic day,” Sakic said. “It’s all open right now. We’ll do what we feel is best for our group and if we don’t feel it’s best for our group, we won’t do anything.”

Sakic said there has been a plan in place for about a month in regard to how the Avalanche will approach the deadline. He said they would like to get a deal done to acquire a depth goaltender. Grubauer’s injury, while 1171734 Colorado Avalanche 1. Cale Makar: Played a large role in all three goals, recording two assists.

2. Nathan MacKinnon: Also had two assists to reach 84 points, which ties Top line leads the Avalanche to 3-1 victory over Varlamov and the him with Boston’s David Pastrnak for second in the NHL scoring race. Islanders 3. Andre Burakovsky: The game-winning goal early in the second period gave Colorado an important two-goal lead against a team that has By Aarif Deen - February 20, 2020 struggled to score in recent games.

Next up

As injuries continue to test the Avalanche’s depth, it was the top line that Colorado travels to California for a consecutive-night stretch starting was relied on heavily in a 3-1 win against the New York Islanders on Friday in Anaheim. The Avs play the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Wednesday at Pepsi Center. milehighsports.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 Colorado (34-18-7) was led by its top unit of Nathan MacKinnon, Andre Burakovsky and Gabe Landeskog, who each played over 20 minutes for the second consecutive game since Mikko Rantanen’s injury.

Burakovsky and Landeskog scored goals and MacKinnon assisted on both, becoming just the third Avalanche player to record 50 assists in three consecutive seasons (Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg each did it four times).

MacKinnon has played 49:15 over the past two games. His linemates, Landeskog (45:31) and Burakovsky (44:38) have also seen a meteoric rise in their ice-time.

“Right now we’re just trusting our top forwards,” defenseman Cale Makar said. “But also trusting our depth. Moving forward everyone needs to continue to play their roles and we’ll see where that takes us.”

The Avalanche had 41 seconds remaining on the man-advantage to start the second period. Just as the penalty to Anders Lee expired, Burakovsky fired a shot glove side past former Avalanche netminder Semyon Varlamov to make it 2-0. The eventual game-winner was Burakovsky’s 20th of the season, the second Av to reach the mark this season after MacKinnon.

Colorado added to its lead in the third period. After Makar circled the offensive zone, drawing a penalty in the process, he fed the puck to partner Ryan Graves, who quickly gave it to Mackinnon at the blueline. The Avalanche’s leading scorer fired the puck towards the crease, where Landeskog was standing for the tip-in to make it 3-0.

It proved to be an important goal for a team that has struggled to close out games late in the third period.

“In an ideal world that’s what you do,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You come out, you start the third and keep after it and you get a goal to put the game somewhat out of reach. You know they were going to make a push in the third period.”

New York started to press offensively, eventually scoring a goal to end goaltender Pavel Francouz’s shutout bid with 2:14 remaining. Francouz finished with 27 saves in the victory, which was more important to him than recording his first career shutout.

“Unfortunately we got scored on with two minutes left,” Francouz said. “But it doesn’t mean anything. I’m really happy we won and that’s the most important thing.”

Colorado’s NHL-best 38th first goal of the game came from Joonas Donskoi at 9:07 of the first period. Donskoi, playing on Colorado’s second unit with J.T. Compher and Valeri Nichushkin, had not scored since January 2 before redirecting a point shot from Makar to make it 1-0.

“The Compher, Nichushkin and Donskoi line, they were outstanding,” Bednar said. “Especially to start the game. Some other guys stood out to me too but that line to me was really good.”

Footnotes

Varlamov received a tribute and an ovation in the first period. The former Avalanche netminder waved his stick in appreciation to the sold-out crowd. … Makar’s two assists give him 45 points on the season, two behind Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes in rookie scoring. Makar has played eight less games than Hughes. … MacKinnon, Landeskog, Burakovsky, and Makar each finished with a plus-2 rating. … Francouz recorded his first victory in three decisions to improve to 14-5-3. … The Avalanche’s 2018 first-round draft pick Martin Kaut played 7:47 in his NHL debut.

Three Stars 1171735 Columbus Blue Jackets 3) Weird game

The odd bounces off Peeke’s skates weren’t the only strange things.

Flyers 5, Blue Jackets 1 | The 3-2-1 breakdown There was also a stroke of luck involved on Couturier’s goal, which went into the net by accident after the puck slid off his stick while attempting a backhand move. Merzlikins, who started his third straight game, slid to Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch Feb 19, 2020 at 5:31 AM his left to stop the backhand and probably would’ve gotten it.

Instead, a path for the puck to slide underneath him.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – You could tell it was going to be a strange night "It was a hard start of the game," said Merzlikins, who was pulled after the second the puck hit Elvis Merzlikins in the back of the head. allowing the Flyers’ fourth goal, by Travis Konecny, at 3:40 of the third period. "The first one bounced in from Peeker’s skate and then my head It led to a fluky goal for the Philadelphia Flyers, who took a 1-0 lead just and got in. The second one, he came out in (the) breakaway and he 3:28 into a 5-1 victory against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at Wells (lost) the puck. It was weird goals, but I’m (mad) at myself on the last one Fargo Center. (by Konecny). I get it that there was a tip, but I should get that one."

Just 1:02 later, Hayes’ goal was followed by another strange one by Another oddity was the lopsided shot total (29-15), which favored the Sean Couturier and the Jackets never recovered. Blue Jackets for the eighth straight game. Their record in those games dropped to 2-3-3 despite outshooting the Flyers by 14, including 12-5 in They lost, again, in their sixth straight winless game (0-3-3) and fifth loss the second period and 14-4 in the third. Part of it was the Flyers building in a row without Seth Jones (ankle surgery). They’ve got a rematch a lead and sitting back more than attacking, but it’s just odd to see this against the Flyers on Thursday in Columbus, but also have a growing list many games in a row with a team losing while winning the shot totals of issues to address. decidedly. Among the problems is a continued lack of goals. They’ve now been held The Jackets have outshot their past six opponents by a combined margin to just one goal in six of their past 10 games since returning from a of 222-148, an average of 37-25 per game, and they’ve lost all six mandated nine-day break last month. games. Four of those losses were by one goal, one was a 3-1 loss to the "There were a lot of good things, but obviously they got the (early goals), New York Rangers and Tuesday it resulted in a head-scratching four- so we had to chase the game a little bit," said Oliver Bjorkstrand, who goal defeat for Columbus. scored his 20th goal of the season. "We’ve got to score more goals than Coach John Tortorella summed it up aptly. one. We’ve got to get a few more goals." "It was a different game, that’s for sure," he said. Here’s a 3-2-1 breakdown from Philly … three takeaways, two questions and one more thing: Two Questions

Three Takeaways 1) Is it time to start worrying?

1) Philly blues Tortorella and the players are expressing the utmost confidence, saying they will turn this skid around. They have no other choice. Call this season a Flyers uprising, as Philadelphia won its third straight game against Columbus to take the first three games of the season "I didn’t go in the locker room after the game, so I can’t tell you how they series. feel," Tortorella said. "But I’m not worried about (the confidence level). I’m not worried about that at all. I think we have the proper mindset of Last year, the Blue Jackets swept the annual four-game tilt and hadn’t how we’re trying to approach this and we’ll get ready to play the next lost to Philly in regulation at since 2005 – going 13-0-1 game." in Columbus before a 3-2 loss to the Flyers Nov. 27. Players were equally confident, but it’s no longer unreasonable for those Brian Elliott made some huge saves in the third period of that game to who follow this team from the outside to have concerns. keep the Blue Jackets from tying it, so at least it was close. The two games at Wells Fargo Center weren’t, as the Flyers won both by a 12-5 The Jackets have now lost three games in regulation during this six- combined score. game slide, which is one more than they lost in a 19-2-5 run during the previous 26 games. They are also missing eight players still out with Philadelphia won 7-4 at home Oct. 26, scoring six straight goals after injuries, including All-Star defenseman Seth Jones, and fell to 0-2-3 since falling behind 4-1 early in the third period, then handed the Jackets Jones went down with a fractured ankle Feb. 8 against the Colorado another nightmarish game Tuesday night. Avalanche. The Flyers won by four goals, despite being outshot 29-15, and moved a Jones is sorely missed in all facets, but especially 3-on-3 overtimes. point ahead of the Blue Jackets into third place in Metropolitan Division. They’ve struggled mightily in those since Jones left the lineup, missing Columbus will try to avoid being swept in the season series Thursday at his ability to bring the puck up the ice consistently. Nationwide Arena. So, yes, there is cause for concern, but the caution lights are only 2) Peeke’s rough night flashing yellow. For now. It was like the puck had a tracking device set to find Andrew Peeke’s 2) What does the playoff race look like? right skate, which was responsible for two of the Flyers’ first three goals. The Jackets are back on the outside looking in again, after overcoming Kevin Hayes scored off it early in the first, while trying to send a pass to an 11-point hole in early December to climb back into a playoff spot. the low slot from below the goal line, and Philippe Myers made it 3-0 in the second with a centering feed that also bounced off that skate into the Losing in regulation dropped them a point behind the Flyers in the net. division and the Carolina Hurricanes also blew past them in the standings. Peeke also had the puck skitter past him at the Flyers’ blue line in the first, which led to Couturier’s breakaway and 2-0 deficit. Peeke The Hurricanes, New York Islanders and Blue Jackets are all knotted at shouldered the blame for all three of the goals, but there’s not much he 72 points, but New York and Carolina have the wild-card spots based on could’ve done about two of them. games played. Both have played less games than the Jackets, who’ve logged three more than the Islanders and two more than the Hurricanes. "I’m obviously a younger player," said Peeke, who played just the 13th game of his NHL career. "This is my first year and everything, but we’re Columbus has 21 games left to land a fourth straight playoff appearance. in a playoff hunt right now and there’s not really time to go on those learning experiences. You’ve just got to be ready to go every night. For One More Thing me, I’m preparing the same way I always do. Couple tough bounces, but This was the Blue Jackets’ first loss by more than three goals since Oct. I’ve got to be better tonight and that wasn’t my best performance out 5, when Merzlikins allowed seven goals in a 7-2 loss to the Pittsburgh there." Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. That was the Latvian rookie’s NHL debut, 59 games ago. He talked with reddened eyes after that game, helpless to stop the Penguins’ onslaught. Merzlikins, 25, spoke with more perspective Tuesday night.

"I am big boy now," he said. "I mean, this is hockey. The good nights are there and the bad nights, as well. So, I think this was just a bad night for all of us. You have to move on as soon as you can, because the next game is close."

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171736 Columbus Blue Jackets

Flyers 5, Blue Jackets 1 | Jackets endure another Philadelphia nightmare

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch

PHILADELPHIA — If there’s any good news for the Blue Jackets out of what happened Tuesday night, it’s the fact they don’t have to return.

Barring a playoff rematch, the Jackets are done with Wells Fargo Center this season, which is probably for the best after a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers that included three bad-bounce goals and more rotten memories. The Jackets also lost 7-4 here Oct. 26, when a 4-1 third-period lead vanished after six straight Flyers goals.

The Jackets fell to 0-3-0 against the Flyers this season and 0-3-3 in their past six games, falling one point back of Philadelphia in the Metropolitan Division.

"The most important thing is maybe defensively right now, not that we’re not trying or working hard, but bounces just seem like they’re going in right now," said Oliver Bjorkstrand, who scored the Blue Jackets’ goal on a power play late in the second period. "We’ve got to find a way to be a little more crisp defensively."

Getting better luck would also help.

Two of the Flyers’ first three goals went into the net after deflecting off rookie defenseman Andrew Peeke’s right skate, eluding goalie Elvis Merzlikins and putting the Blue Jackets into an early hole.

Kevin Hayes scored the first one with an attempted pass from below the goal, which hit Peeke’s skate and then Merzlikins’ helmet before landing in the net. Sean Couturier made it 2-0 after a puck skipped past Peeke and turned into a breakaway. Philippe Myers was credited for the third goal, when he made it 3-0 in the second with a centering pass that deflected off Peeke’s skate.

"A couple tough bounces, but I hold myself to high standards and I needed to be better tonight," Peeke said. "I’m obviously a younger player. This is my first year and everything, but we’re in a playoff hunt right now. There’s not really time to go on those learning experiences. Couple tough bounces, but I’ve got to be better."

Bjorkstrand’s goal cut it to 3-1 late in the second, but the Flyers reclaimed a three-goal lead quickly. Travis Konecny redirected a shot by Robert Hagg in the third that trickled through Merzlikins, which made it 4- 1 and prompted a goalie change to backup Matiss Kivlenieks.

Jakub Voracek added a power-play goal in the third.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171737 Columbus Blue Jackets 3) Weird game

The odd bounces off Peeke’s skates weren’t the only strange things.

Flyers 5, Blue Jackets 1 | The 3-2-1 breakdown There was also a stroke of luck involved on Couturier’s goal, which went into the net by accident after the puck slid off his stick while attempting a backhand move. Merzlikins, who started his third straight game, slid to Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch Feb 19, 2020 at 5:31 AM his left to stop the backhand and probably would’ve gotten it.

Instead, a path for the puck to slide underneath him.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – You could tell it was going to be a strange night "It was a hard start of the game," said Merzlikins, who was pulled after the second the puck hit Elvis Merzlikins in the back of the head. allowing the Flyers’ fourth goal, by Travis Konecny, at 3:40 of the third period. "The first one bounced in from Peeker’s skate and then my head It led to a fluky goal for the Philadelphia Flyers, who took a 1-0 lead just and got in. The second one, he came out in (the) breakaway and he 3:28 into a 5-1 victory against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at Wells (lost) the puck. It was weird goals, but I’m (mad) at myself on the last one Fargo Center. (by Konecny). I get it that there was a tip, but I should get that one."

Just 1:02 later, Hayes’ goal was followed by another strange one by Another oddity was the lopsided shot total (29-15), which favored the Sean Couturier and the Jackets never recovered. Blue Jackets for the eighth straight game. Their record in those games dropped to 2-3-3 despite outshooting the Flyers by 14, including 12-5 in They lost, again, in their sixth straight winless game (0-3-3) and fifth loss the second period and 14-4 in the third. Part of it was the Flyers building in a row without Seth Jones (ankle surgery). They’ve got a rematch a lead and sitting back more than attacking, but it’s just odd to see this against the Flyers on Thursday in Columbus, but also have a growing list many games in a row with a team losing while winning the shot totals of issues to address. decidedly. Among the problems is a continued lack of goals. They’ve now been held The Jackets have outshot their past six opponents by a combined margin to just one goal in six of their past 10 games since returning from a of 222-148, an average of 37-25 per game, and they’ve lost all six mandated nine-day break last month. games. Four of those losses were by one goal, one was a 3-1 loss to the "There were a lot of good things, but obviously they got the (early goals), New York Rangers and Tuesday it resulted in a head-scratching four- so we had to chase the game a little bit," said Oliver Bjorkstrand, who goal defeat for Columbus. scored his 20th goal of the season. "We’ve got to score more goals than Coach John Tortorella summed it up aptly. one. We’ve got to get a few more goals." "It was a different game, that’s for sure," he said. Here’s a 3-2-1 breakdown from Philly … three takeaways, two questions and one more thing: Two Questions

Three Takeaways 1) Is it time to start worrying?

1) Philly blues Tortorella and the players are expressing the utmost confidence, saying they will turn this skid around. They have no other choice. Call this season a Flyers uprising, as Philadelphia won its third straight game against Columbus to take the first three games of the season "I didn’t go in the locker room after the game, so I can’t tell you how they series. feel," Tortorella said. "But I’m not worried about (the confidence level). I’m not worried about that at all. I think we have the proper mindset of Last year, the Blue Jackets swept the annual four-game tilt and hadn’t how we’re trying to approach this and we’ll get ready to play the next lost to Philly in regulation at Nationwide Arena since 2005 – going 13-0-1 game." in Columbus before a 3-2 loss to the Flyers Nov. 27. Players were equally confident, but it’s no longer unreasonable for those Brian Elliott made some huge saves in the third period of that game to who follow this team from the outside to have concerns. keep the Blue Jackets from tying it, so at least it was close. The two games at Wells Fargo Center weren’t, as the Flyers won both by a 12-5 The Jackets have now lost three games in regulation during this six- combined score. game slide, which is one more than they lost in a 19-2-5 run during the previous 26 games. They are also missing eight players still out with Philadelphia won 7-4 at home Oct. 26, scoring six straight goals after injuries, including All-Star defenseman Seth Jones, and fell to 0-2-3 since falling behind 4-1 early in the third period, then handed the Jackets Jones went down with a fractured ankle Feb. 8 against the Colorado another nightmarish game Tuesday night. Avalanche. The Flyers won by four goals, despite being outshot 29-15, and moved a Jones is sorely missed in all facets, but especially 3-on-3 overtimes. point ahead of the Blue Jackets into third place in Metropolitan Division. They’ve struggled mightily in those since Jones left the lineup, missing Columbus will try to avoid being swept in the season series Thursday at his ability to bring the puck up the ice consistently. Nationwide Arena. So, yes, there is cause for concern, but the caution lights are only 2) Peeke’s rough night flashing yellow. For now. It was like the puck had a tracking device set to find Andrew Peeke’s 2) What does the playoff race look like? right skate, which was responsible for two of the Flyers’ first three goals. The Jackets are back on the outside looking in again, after overcoming Kevin Hayes scored off it early in the first, while trying to send a pass to an 11-point hole in early December to climb back into a playoff spot. the low slot from below the goal line, and Philippe Myers made it 3-0 in the second with a centering feed that also bounced off that skate into the Losing in regulation dropped them a point behind the Flyers in the net. division and the Carolina Hurricanes also blew past them in the standings. Peeke also had the puck skitter past him at the Flyers’ blue line in the first, which led to Couturier’s breakaway and 2-0 deficit. Peeke The Hurricanes, New York Islanders and Blue Jackets are all knotted at shouldered the blame for all three of the goals, but there’s not much he 72 points, but New York and Carolina have the wild-card spots based on could’ve done about two of them. games played. Both have played less games than the Jackets, who’ve logged three more than the Islanders and two more than the Hurricanes. "I’m obviously a younger player," said Peeke, who played just the 13th game of his NHL career. "This is my first year and everything, but we’re Columbus has 21 games left to land a fourth straight playoff appearance. in a playoff hunt right now and there’s not really time to go on those learning experiences. You’ve just got to be ready to go every night. For One More Thing me, I’m preparing the same way I always do. Couple tough bounces, but This was the Blue Jackets’ first loss by more than three goals since Oct. I’ve got to be better tonight and that wasn’t my best performance out 5, when Merzlikins allowed seven goals in a 7-2 loss to the Pittsburgh there." Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. That was the Latvian rookie’s NHL debut, 59 games ago. He talked with reddened eyes after that game, helpless to stop the Penguins’ onslaught. Merzlikins, 25, spoke with more perspective Tuesday night.

"I am big boy now," he said. "I mean, this is hockey. The good nights are there and the bad nights, as well. So, I think this was just a bad night for all of us. You have to move on as soon as you can, because the next game is close."

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171738 Dallas Stars

Stars notebook: Oleksiak scores first goal of 2020; Radulov returns in win over Coyotes

Oleksiak’s tally was just his 17th goal in 304 career NHL games.

By Matthew DeFranks 12:52 AM on Feb 20, 2020

Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak’s game-winning goal in a 3-2 win over Arizona on Wednesday was just his second of the season and his first since he scored at Nashville on Dec. 14.

Oleksiak carried the puck to the middle of the ice before using screens from Joe Pavelski and Mattias Janmark to beat Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill.

“I saw we had some traffic in front and I was kind of waiting for it to develop,” Oleksiak said. “I saw we had two guys. I just figured get it to the net and hopefully get a bounce or a tip or something. Like I said, it kind of had eyes of its own and went in there. It’s a good feeling.”

Despite scoring just his 17th career goal in his 304th career game, Oleksiak’s celebration was muted, with a single fist bump and nary a smile.

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BIG RIG COMING THROUGH

Oleksiak slaps one home from the slot for his second of the season and the @DallasStars take a 3-2 lead! #GoStars | : FSSW

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10:55 PM - Feb 19, 2020

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“I’m a big ‘act like you’ve been there before’ kind of guy,” Oleksiak said. “I don’t score enough to have a cool celebration like Gurianov or anything like that. So I keep it simple. That’s my game. Keep it simple.”

Returning Radulov: Stars forward Alexander Radulov returned to play Wednesday against Arizona after missing three games with an upper- body injury. Radulov played on a line with Mattias Janmark and Joe Pavelski.

Radulov’s return meant the end of Jason Robertson’s first NHL stint. He played all three games in Canada before he was sent back to AHL affiliate Texas on Monday. He had one assist Thursday in Toronto, and didn’t play the last half of the third period in Ottawa after he was on the ice for a goal against.

“It’s good for him to come up so when coaches are telling him ‘You’ve got to learn how to play without the puck,’ now he gets it,” Bowness said. “Now he understands, it’s a little clearer picture for him. The brief stint up here will help him for that.”

On the blue line: Defenseman Andrej Sekera re-entered the lineup for Roman Polak on defense, continuing the rotation the veteran defensemen have recently been part of. Polak hasn’t played consecutive games since Feb. 7 and 8; Sekera, since Feb. 3 and 4. Bowness said it was a strict rotation and not based on matchups against the opponent.

Briefly: For the first time this season, the Stars allowed 40-plus shots on goal in back to back games. Dallas allowed 41 to Arizona on Wednesday after giving up 46 to Ottawa on Sunday.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171739 Dallas Stars player in this league to be physical and on top of that every night. It’s humanly impossible.

“Sometimes, you get in those games, you may not feel like it. Stars’ physical win over Coyotes sets up Western Conference showdown Sometimes, the other team helps you get into it with hits. That’s the type against St. Louis of player Jamie is and if they came out physical, you know Jamie Benn’s The Stars once again pulled into a first-place tie with St. Louis atop the going to respond. Usually, when he responds, the rest of our team is right West with Wednesday’s win. behind him.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 02.20.2020

By Matthew DeFranks

The stage is set.

After dispatching the Coyotes, 3-2, on Wednesday night, the Stars once again pulled into a first-place tie with St. Louis atop the Western Conference, setting up a Friday night showdown with the Blues.

“You obviously want to climb to the top, but you want to push yourself away from the bottom there,” Stars goaltender Ben Bishop said. “It’s a good opportunity to do both. It should be a fun atmosphere. It always is a good atmosphere down here when we play the Blues. … It’ll be a fun one to play with the magnitude of it, but it’s just two points at the end of the day.”

Jamie Oleksiak scored the game-winning goal with 8:22 left in the third period to extend the Stars’ point streak to six games. Corey Perry and Radek Faksa also scored power-play goals as Bishop made 39 saves. Dallas has points in 10 of the 12 games since the All-Star break.

Big Rig. Bingo.#ARIvsDAL | #GoStars pic.twitter.com/y279AM9tpI

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) February 20, 2020

Before Oleksiak ripped a slap shot to win the game, Stars captain Jamie Benn was ejected from the game for boarding Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the second period. Benn was assessed a five- minute major for boarding and a game misconduct after he crushed Ekman-Larsson.

To even be entering Friday with a shot at first in the West is an accomplishment for Dallas after the 1-7-1 start and the mid-December firing of Jim Montgomery. But Stars interim head coach Rick Bowness maintains the Stars haven’t accomplished anything.

“Until we get an ‘x,’ we expect our intensity to be the same as everyone else’s,” Bowness said. “You can’t look at a team and ‘They’re fighting for a spot.’ Well, so are we. … We haven’t done anything yet. We haven’t done anything yet. We haven’t.”

The temperature of the game got ratcheted up in the second period, culminating with Benn’s ejection. Roope Hintz rode Nick Schmaltz into the boards, causing a stoppage of play. Alex Goligoski upended Hintz on the next shift. Corey Perry cross-checked Goligoski. Then Benn nailed Ekman-Larsson.

“That’s a tough call,” Bowness said. “Two guys are going for the puck, and one guy turns into the boards. They’re going to bang, it probably looks a lot worse than it hopefully is.”

After a contentious and confrontational meeting in December in Arizona, the Stars knew the rematch at the American Airlines Center could also feature fireworks.

Things got a little testy in the second period between Arizona and Dallas. pic.twitter.com/BNX7rEeH3p

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) February 20, 2020

“They took some runs at us and that’s part of the game, the game within the game,” Bowness said. “We responded, we retaliated. They kind of woke us up with their hits and then we started to play really well after that, so we expect that kind of game tonight.”

The main feud in December was Benn vs. Ekman-Larsson. In that game, Ekman-Larsson hit Benn with a blindside open-ice hit, and Benn finished the game by going after Ekman-Larsson. Benn’s physicality surged through the Stars, but now his most recent hit on Ekman-Larsson could potentially cost him games due to a suspension.

“That’s his type of game,” Bowness said of Benn. “He’s a very physical player and with the scheduling and everything today, it’s hard for any 1171740 Dallas Stars Philipp Grubauer signed with Colorado, three years, $3.33M cap hit, 35 games, .923 save percentage in 2017-18 for Washington.

Carter Hutton signed with Buffalo, three years, $2.75M cap hit, 32 Matt’s Mail: Signing Anton Khudobin for next season, trading games, .931 save percentage in 2017-18 for St. Louis. defensemen and more Anders Nilsson signed with Vancouver, two years, $2.5M cap hit, 23 games, .923 save percentage in 2016-17 for Buffalo.

By Matthew DeFranks James Reimer signed with Florida, five years, $3.4M cap hit, 40 games, .922 save percentage in 2015-16 for Toronto and San Jose.

The Stars have come out of the All-Star break firing, with points in nine of Grubauer and Hutton both signed with their new teams to be the starting the 11 games. Overall, Dallas is 34-19-6 on pace for 103 points. goaltender while Reimer’s contract was so bad that the Panthers traded him for Scott Darling, and then bought out the rest of Darling’s contract. Entering Wednesday’s game against Arizona, the Stars were two points behind St. Louis for first place in the Western Conference, and seven That being said, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Stars were able to sign points up on Winnipeg for the final playoff spot. Khudobin to a two-year contract with a $3 million cap hit, especially given how many other quality backup goalies are on the market this summer. Let’s get to some questions. Khudobin, Corey Crawford and Robin Lehner (I guess one is technically the backup, right?), Jaroslav Halak, Thomas Greiss and Pavel Francouz What chance of? or what can the Stars do that can keep Dobby here are all UFAs this summer. beyond this year?? If the Stars don’t want to give Khudobin (or any other backup goalie) that — Al (@AlanBak02846214) February 13, 2020 second year, perhaps they try to give him a Lehner-like deal. Twice in his What chance of? or what can the Stars do that can keep Dobby here career, Lehner has signed expensive one-year contracts, most recently beyond this year?? with Chicago last summer worth $5 million over one year. Might a $4 million, one-year contract entice Khudobin to stay in Dallas instead of Anton Khudobin has been a vital part of the Stars’ success the last two searching elsewhere? years, both in spelling Ben Bishop when needed and stealing points on the road often. But he is an unrestricted free agent this summer when his Does our excess of d-men help us at the trade deadline or is there not two-year contract with a $2.5 million cap hit runs out. much value for anyone we would be willing to trade?

There are a lot of factors that will go into whether the Stars will be able to — Dad/P1/UNT/Stars/Tennis (@JLinkTX) February 13, 2020 re-sign Khudobin — and we’ll go through them all here — but the most Does our excess of d-men help us at the trade deadline or is there not prominent one is the development of Jake Oettinger. much value for anyone we would be willing to trade? Oettinger, a 2018 first-round draft pick, is in his first season of Let’s think about the eight defensemen on the roster in tiers. professional hockey with AHL affiliate Texas and has enjoyed a solid rookie campaign. He ranks 15th (out of 49 qualified AHL goalies) with a Tier 1: John Klingberg, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell aren’t going .912 save percentage and his three shutouts are tied for the most among anywhere. They are important pieces for this season and the future. AHL rookies. They’ll be staying put.

But he’s only 21 years old. That matters in two different ways. One, Tier 2: Then you have Jamie Oleksiak and Taylor Fedun, both Oettinger still needs to play to develop, meaning sitting behind Bishop as serviceable players under contract for next season, but neither plays his backup may not be best for his long-term development. Two, maybe power play nor penalty kill. Could have some value on the open market, Oettinger isn’t ready yet to handle playing in the NHL full-time. but Fedun was traded for a seventh-round pick last year, and Oleksiak was twice traded for a fourth-round pick. Perhaps their value has For the Stars, a one-year contract for Khudobin seems like it would be increased in the last year, but not sure dealing them for a late-round draft the most beneficial for the team since it would give Oettinger another pick is worth dinging the Stars defensive depth both this season and next year to develop in the AHL without blocking his path to the NHL in 2021- season. 22. A two-year contract could be feasible, but three-plus for a backup goalie with a prospect waiting would be far too much. Tier 3: Roman Polak and Andrej Sekera are both 33-year-old pending unrestricted free agents that have been rotating through healthy Okay, so we’ve gone over term a bit, now let’s look at the Stars’ cap scratches in the past month. I can’t imagine a trade market for either of situation for next season. According to Cap Friendly, the Stars have them: Are there any buyers at the deadline saying they are a Polak or $18.5 million in available cap space for next season. That sounds like a Sekera away from contending? Probably not. But the Stars did trade a lot, but here’s what the Stars have to account for. third-round pick and Connor Carrick for Ben Lovejoy last season, so who — Performance bonus overages of $3 million to $5 million. (When a team knows. is using long-term injured reserve, like the Stars are this season, any Tier 4: Stephen Johns. Before Johns returned from 22 months, a league performance bonuses paid out count against the next year’s cap. Miro executive told me Johns didn’t have much trade value because of the Heiskanen, Denis Gurianov, Corey Perry and Andrej Sekera are all uncertainty with his health. Now that Johns has looked much like himself, eligible for performance bonuses). he is a top-four defenseman the Stars would not want to trade away. — New contracts to restricted free agents Radek Faksa, Roope Hintz Which prospects would the Stars deem untouchable for the trade and Gurianov. Comparable contracts likely place each one of the three deadline? players around a $3 million cap hit, so let’s say the Stars are able to re- sign all three for $10 million total. — Sean O'Connor (@oconnor9sean) February 13, 2020

That leaves Dallas with $3.5 million to $5.5 million to spend on free Which prospects would the Stars deem untouchable for the trade agency. deadline?

If the Stars feel like Jason Robertson and/or Thomas Harley are not To me, the Stars have just one truly untouchable player and that’s Miro ready to jump to the NHL next season, they may have to look for a Heiskanen. If the deal is good enough, the return good enough, every forward and/or defensemen in free agency. Otherwise, the Stars’ roster other player (other than the ones with no-move clauses) can be dealt. should stay relatively intact with only four other UFAs: Mattias Janmark, Corey Perry, Roman Polak and Andrej Sekera. But as far as prospects go, there’s a clear line from the top four prospects the Stars have and all the rest. Those four are Thomas Harley, So now back to Khudobin. He’ll likely earn a raise on his $2.5 million Jason Robertson, Ty Dellandrea and Jake Oettinger. I admittedly don’t salary after being arguably the league’s best backup goaltender in the know a ton about the Swedish prospects Albin Eriksson (2018 second- last two seasons. Here are some recent contracts signed by backup rounder) and Oskar Back (2018 third-rounder), but they would likely fall goalies after a season in which they had a save percentage above .920. between that top group and the rest of the prospect pool. Khudobin is currently at .927. Any chance Klingberg ends up as a healthy scratch anytime soon? — Patrick Overturf (@poverturf) February 16, 2020

Any chance Klingberg ends up as a healthy scratch anytime soon?

Zero.

I could see Jamie Oleksiak jumping into the scratch rotation at some point, but to think John Klingberg will be a healthy scratch is absurd.

Do you think if we can at least make it to a second round or, God forbid, win the whole thing this year , Bowness makes a good case of being the head coach next season despite the abdunace of free-agent coaches available?

— Terry (@CousinTerryo) February 16, 2020

Do you think if we can at least make it to a second round or, God forbid, win the whole thing this year , Bowness makes a good case of being the head coach next season despite the abdunace of free-agent coaches available?

I love this sport. Somehow hypothetically winning the Stanley Cup is a bad thing.

How long did you cover the Florida/Miami Marlins?

— Dan Pettit (@danpettit) February 14, 2020

How long did you cover the Florida/Miami Marlins?

Not a long time. It was just a few months between when the Panthers’ season ended in April 2018 and when I took the job with the Morning News later that summer. I covered the Angels (2014) and Royals (2015) for full seasons, though.

What is your favorite natural disaster?

— Michael Minor (@MinorMike) February 16, 2020

What is your favorite natural disaster?

I struggle to say that I have a favorite natural disaster since they all cause so much damage. Coming from Miami, I am the most familiar with hurricanes. Hurricanes are still very scary, though, putting up shutters, getting batteries, living without power, dealing with floods. It sucks.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171741 Dallas Stars 5. Corey Perry played a crucial role in the Stars’ power play that cashed in twice.

In the first period, Miro Heiskanen, Denis Gurinov, Roope Hintz and Stars 20/20: Jamie Oleksiak’s blast and ‘celebration’ highlight win vs. Perry pinged the puck around and through the slot before he easily Coyotes finished the play for his fifth goal of the season.

The puck movement, and Gurianov and Hintz flipping sides, caught the By Sean Shapiro Feb 19, 2020 penalty killers out of sorts and left Coyotes goalie Adin Hill swimming without much of a chance for a save on Perry.

DON'T PASS ON THIS PASSING PERFECTION FROM THE DALLAS — The Dallas Stars returned home and defeated the Arizona @DALLASSTARS. PIC.TWITTER.COM/PNBIUXESV1 Coyotes 3-2 on Wednesday. — NHL (@NHL) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 1. Jamie Oleksiak’s facial expression didn’t change. In the second period, Perry helped set up Radek Faksa with a pass from It doesn’t matter that he just scored his first home goal for the Stars since the corner, finding the forward cutting through the slot to set up a Dec. 5, 2017, and it didn’t matter that it turned out to be a game-winning backhand for his 11th goal of the season. blast at a big moment in the season. Perry is playing at a level that he and the Stars expected when they He remained stoic, gave a simple point and just skated to the bench. signed him before the season. There is a sense of relief for the former Judging from the celebration, you would have guessed Alexander league MVP, who, when asked after the game, was able to chuckle Radulov or Joe Pavelski had scored the goal. about his past struggles this season.

“I don’t know, I just kind of condition myself to not expect that to happen 6. Perry’s goal was a reminder of the healthy respect that teams have too much,” Oleksiak said. “It’s always a good feeling, but I’m a big ‘act started to show to Gurianov’s one-timer. like you’ve been there before’ kind of guy. You know what I mean? I don’t score enough to have a cool celebration like (Denis) Gurianov or The threat of him uncorking a blast has opened up more room in the slot anything like that. So I just keep it simple, you know? That’s my game, and in front of the net for Perry on the second power-play unit. Gurianov keep it simple.” is also reading it better and making the second pass more often, across what some call the royal road, and those are the situations where goalies This was the first time Oleksiak has spoken after a game this season due get extremely uncomfortable. to how the Stars run their postgame interviews. He kept his answers simple because that’s his game. 7. The Faksa goal was sandwiched between a pair of Arizona goals.

2. Oleksiak’s overall impact this season can’t be understated, and his First, the Coyotes tied the score at 1-1 on a slap shot by Taylor Hall from value to the coaching staff has been on display in the past month. the slot.

When Stephen Johns returned from injury, Oleksiak could have been a With 1:48 remaining in the second period, Arizona tied the score again candidate to be a healthy scratch. Instead, he’s played every game with when a rebound deflected off Christian Fischer and past Ben Bishop. a rotating partner of either Andrej Sekera or Roman Polak. The goal was reviewed and it appeared that the puck went in off He doesn’t play a lot — he had 15:30 of ice time on Wednesday — but Fischer’s glove, but it was ruled a goal for Arizona. he’s provided simple, effective hockey at even strength and he’s carved 8. The Fischer goal was the second review to go Arizona’s way. out that niche he was never able to find in his first stint with the franchise. In the first period, Benn scored what would have been his 300th career Of the Stars defensemen, Oleksiak and Esa Lindell are the only ones to NHL goal on a feed from Gurianov, but the Stars were blatantly offside play in all 60 games this season. on the zone entry and the call was quickly reversed after a challenge by 3. The Stars lost their captain 10:27 into the second period when Jamie Arizona. Benn knocked out Oliver Ekman-Larsson with a hit in the numbers along Benn had another chance to get his 300th in the second period before the boards. the ejection but was denied by Hill’s left pad on a break.

Benn was given a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding. 9. Bishop made 39 saves on 41 shots and was dynamic in net for Dallas. Ekman-Larsson missed the remainder of the second period and returned for the start of the third. The Stars also felt the quantity wasn’t indicative of the overall quality allowed. “Yeah, his neck was pretty bad,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. “He was out for a while. It was just more of his neck being pretty sore.” For example in the third period, Bowness said the Stars looked at the scoring chances as 5-0 in favor of the Stars, and he said that was the BENN'S HIT ON EKMAN-LARSSON THAT LED TO EJECTION most important stat of the night. PIC.TWITTER.COM/2AGW1ULIY0 10. Bishop’s first period is worth looking back it. — SEAN SHAPIRO (@SEANSHAPIRO) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 The goalie stopped 21 shots, sometimes a full game’s worth in this It doesn’t excuse the hit, but Benn and the Coyotes have a bit of a history system, and his calm demeanor was critical. dating back to December when both teams exchanged shots, some questionable in nature, in Arizona. When Bishop is on, like he was Wednesday, there is no panic in his game and he’s able to use his size to his advantage and limit any holes Benn doesn’t have much history with NHL Player Safety — he’s never even when an opponent gets to high-danger areas. been suspended during his 10-year career — so it’ll be interesting to see if he has a hearing for further discipline. The only time he’s been 11. Coyotes goalie Adin Hill was sharp in the loss and if not for Bishop’s disciplined by NHL Player Safety was when he received a $10,000 fine play he likely would have been the first star of the game. for cross-checking Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Jones in the back. “He battled. He played good in Toronto and he played well tonight. He 4. Benn didn’t meet with media members after the game, but Stars played well. I thought Bishop was excellent tonight, too. Both goaltenders interim coach Rick Bowness gave his assessment of the play. and teams played really well,” Tocchet said.

“That’s a tough call,” Bowness said. “Two guys are going for the puck Hill made his finest stop on Faksa in the second period, sprawling and and one guy turns into the boards and they are going to bang. It probably somehow snuffing out a chance. looks a lot worse than it is. I hope the guy is OK, and he finished the game so he must be OK. It’s one of those, sometimes you put a referee 12. The Stars could have had a 2-0 or 3-0 lead at the end of the first in a tough position. I think that’s one of those.” period; they were buzzing early. 13. Alexander Radulov returned after missing the past three games and four of the past five with an upper-body injury. Radulov didn’t go on the Canada road trip and started practicing with the The other plot of land, off All Star Way, is going to be used to expand the team again on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he had a pair of shots and the American Airlines Center in some fashion. There are several plans being assist on Oleksiak’s game-winning goal. considered in that regard, but none have been finalized.

14. The Stars rolled out this lineup: For the Stars, according to team CEO Jim Lites, this is a long-term commitment to the downtown venue. Roope Hintz – Tyler Seguin – Corey Perry 19. There was a class of journalism students from North Texas sitting in Mattias Janmark – Joe Pavelski – Alexander Radulov on the postgame news conference on Wednesday.

Jamie Benn – Jason Dickinson – Denis Gurianov Bowness welcomed the group and said, “Welcome, you are gonna see a Andrew Cogliano- Radek Faksa – Blake Comeau guy talk and say absolutely nothing.”

Esa Lindell – John Klingberg That’s actually a pretty accurate statement of how Bowness tries to handle postgame conferences. Miro Heiskanen – Stephen Johns 20. The win set up the Stars for a mammoth head-to-head matchup with Jamie Oleksiak – Andrej Sekera the St. Louis Blues on Friday. The two teams are tied for first place in the Central Division and the Western Conference. Arizona countered like this: That should be an accomplishment, right? Taylor Hall – Christian Dvorak – Conor Garland “We haven’t done anything yet,” Bowness said. Lawson Crouse – Derek Stepan – Vinnie Hinostroza The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 Clayton Keller – Nick Schmaltz – Phil Kessel

Carl Soderberg – Brad Richardson – Christian Fischer

Jakob Chychrun – Alex Goligoski

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Niklas Hjalmarsson

Jordan Oesterle – Ilya Lyubushkin

15. Jason Robertson was sent down to the AHL Texas Stars to make room for Radulov.

Robertson played well during his three-game introduction to the NHL but looked gassed Sunday against the Ottawa Senators when playing his fourth game in five days (including an AHL game).

Bowness said he sees a bright future for Robertson, but that the forward needs to learn how to play without the puck and in the defensive zone. When Robertson was up with Dallas, he wasn’t trusted in the defensive zone and during the three games, he wasn’t on the ice for a single defensive zone faceoff.

16. Joel Kiviranta was a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game.

Kiviranta’s time in the NHL is likely limited since Justin Dowling has resumed skating and was taking part in the optional morning skate on Wednesday.

It’s a move that’ll make sense. Kiviranta is a younger waiver-exempt player who should be playing for the AHL team if he’s going to be a healthy scratch in the NHL. Dowling is the ideal 13th forward — he can play when injury requires — but he’s also not wasting any development by watching from the press box as a 29-year-old.

After the game, Kiviranta was packing his gear with the equipment staff like he was getting ready to return to the AHL.

17. The Stars hosted their Hockey is for Everyone night on Wednesday.

During warmups, a majority of the players used rainbow pride tape and those sticks will be auctioned for charity on Thursday.

It’s a nice gesture in theory, but the Stars as an organization also did the bare minimum when it came to acknowledging the LGBTQIA+ community — especially when you consider what other teams have done this season with Hockey is for Everyone.

Hockey has an inclusion problem, that’s something we can’t ignore. And as much as the Stars have done great things for other minority groups, the LGBTQIA+ community is one that is greatly underserved and represented in the hockey world.

18. It was announced Wednesday morning that Northland Properties Corporation, the parent company for the Dallas Stars, had purchased to plots of land around the American Airlines Center.

The purchase is part of a larger business move for Stars owner Tom Gaglardi, who has been rapidly growing his investments in Texas since buying the NHL franchise. Gaglardi has plans for a flagship hotel, a Sutton Place, that is going to be close to a 40-story building and will overlook the arena on the plot of land off Valor Place and Nowitzki Way. 1171742 Dallas Stars TO VANCOUVER: CONDITIONAL 5TH

— SUPERSTAR9114 (@SUPERSTAR9114) FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Who says no? Breaking down your Stars trade proposals ahead of the The Stars decline this offer. No matter what you think about Eriksson the deadline player, Dallas simply can’t afford to bring in a 34-year-old player making $6 million against the cap for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 season.

2 FOR YOU. By Sean Shapiro Feb 19, 2020 1. HONKA FOR PULJUJARVI

2. POLAK OR SEKERA FOR A 3RD ROUND PICK The Dallas Stars likely aren’t going to be very active before Monday’s NHL Trade Deadline. — CHRIS DOW (@CHRISDDOW) FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Based on their spot in the standings, the Stars are certainly a buyer, but Neither can play in the NHL this season, but Julius Honka for Jesse they’re also an asset-poor buyer without a second- or third-round pick in Puljujärvi makes sense. Both players need a fresh start and both teams the 2020 draft. Additionally, their prospect pool is top-heavy and slim on could use that respective player in their system as they address areas of other intriguing assets after their top four prospects. long-term need. It’s a deal that doesn’t work, however, because Puljujärvi has shown more value this season playing in Finland than Honka, and Stars general manager Jim Nill has said the Stars will look at all options the Oilers would be doing themselves a disservice in this trade. and monitor the prices. True window shopping isn’t exciting for fans, especially on Twitter. The second trade is one I would do because I’m confident the Stars have a reliable No. 7 defenseman already in Taylor Fedun. Adding a third- Today, we’ll have some fun with your ideas. Over the last week, I round pick for a player who would be scratched in the postseason seems solicited some trade suggestions from Twitter users and tried to discern like a smart idea. It’s a trade that Dallas likely says no to, however, their validity. because of the fear that they’ll need both Polak and Sekera down the If I didn’t tackle your trade proposal, drop it in the comments, and we can stretch and in the playoffs when an injury happens. continue the discussion there. TO DAL: ATHANASIOU, 2020 6TH

MIKKEL BOEDKER FOR A 5TH. CHUCK HIM ON A LINE WITH HINTZ TO DET: HONKA, 2021 2ND, BACK & DOWLING AND GURIANOV AND WATCH THEM FLY. TO DAL: KASE & DEREK GRANT — JORDAN DIX (@JORDAN_DIX) FEBRUARY 18, 2020 TO ANA: 2021 2ND, JANMARK, ERIKSSON & BAYREUTHER Boedker can fly, like you mentioned, but this is a risky trade from an injury perspective. Boedker missed the majority of the season with — NCSARTWORK (@NCSARTWORK) FEBRUARY 18, 2020 various ailments and has only played in 11 games. When healthy, he’s been struggling to gain ice time and hasn’t played more than 10 minutes In your first trade you can remove a 2020 sixth-round pick and Justin in a game this season. Dowling. It’s useless to include those pieces and Detroit has no use for a player like Justin Dowling. The rest of the trade is worth discussing as it I don’t think Dallas would be willing to sacrifice the lineup spot of boils down to a second-round pick, the rights to Honka and prospect someone who spent the entire season in Dallas for a what-if type trade Oscar Back. like this. Boedker’s cap hit at $4 million is also high, so I don’t think any team is going to be willing to bite without Ottawa retaining salary in the Based off recent trades for scoring wingers, this probably wouldn’t be deal. Plus, do you really want to put Hintz and Gurianov on a line with a enough to get Detroit to agree to said deal. Andreas Athanasiou isn’t a guy playing less than 10 minutes per game on one of the worst teams in rental; he’s an RFA in the summer. He’s more valuable to Detroit after re- the league? signing than the sum of the parts getting offered in this deal.

TO DALLAS: JOE THORNTON On your second trade proposal, it’s likely a no from Anaheim. Ondrej Kase is already signed for next season, and he’s an RFA when the deal TO SHARKS: A 2ND AND 3RD expires, so offering a second-round pick, an expiring contract and some B-level (and below) prospects isn’t going to be enough. This would be — TYLER (@SENPAI_IS_LEWD) FEBRUARY 18, 2020 robbery for Dallas.

This is a situation where the Stars flat-out say no. Not because of the 2038 SIXTH- AND SEVENTH-ROUND PICKS FOR CONNOR MCDAVID player, because I think Thornton actually has some value and could be a AND AUSTON MATTHEWS. nice piece on a power play instead of Mattias Janmark, but the cost is way too high. Thornton isn’t worth the package Dallas sent the Rangers ALSO, THE EARTH IS FLAT. for Mats Zuccarello last season, and you don’t need to sacrifice another year of the draft for a 40-year-old. — JEFF ODOM (@JEFFODOM) FEBRUARY 11, 2020

If the Stars were able to make such a deal for fifth-round pick, that’s Stars say no. Even thought the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple something they would consider. Leafs are granting incredible gifts, the Stars aren’t able to make the money work to clear more than $23 million in cap space. 1ST ROUND PICK + JANMARK + HONKA FOR VINCENT TROCHECK JASON DICKINSON, TYE FELHABER, AND NICK CAMAANO TO — CHRIS HOWARD (@CHOWARD014) FEBRUARY 18, 2020 MONTREAL FOR MAX DOMI.

This isn’t a rental; Trocheck is signed for two more seasons at $4.75 — JAMES VACCA (@JAMESV_JR) FEBRUARY 11, 2020 million against the cap, and he’s 26. I actually really like the idea of this deal for the remainder of the 2019-20 season, but I have to pause and This isn’t a bad trade, in theory. While Jason Dickinson has been a viable think about the implications on the salary cap that Trocheck would asset for the Stars and has been a top-six player in spurts, Max Domi represent this summer when Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz are ready would be an offensive upgrade and bring a bit more creativity into the to sign extensions. Stars lineup. He’s also a pending restricted free agent, so he’s a controllable asset going forward. Mattias Janmark being included in this trade is more of a throwaway to save some cap space, which I’m fine with, but I think a first-round pick He’s also going to be an expensive asset, which adds a wrinkle to this and the rights to Julius Honka should be enough if the Panthers really prospective deal. Dickinson brings value two-fold in potential deals; he are looking to get rid of their alternate captain. Instead of including can play in a handful of roles well, and his $1.5 million cap hit for the Janmark in a trade like this, I would try to flip him to another buyer to 2019-20 season is rather affordable for a middle-six forward that can be recoup a draft pick. elevated from time-to-time.

TO DALLAS: LOUI ERIKSSON Dickinson for Domi is a strong opening argument for a trade, but the complementary pieces aren’t enough for Montreal in this prospective deal. Nick Caamano and Tye Felhaber are both low-ceiling prospects who don’t track as much more than bottom-six players in the NHL. Because of the lack of a better sweetener, Montreal says no.

TO DALLAS: KYLE PALMIERI

TO NJD: MATTIAS JANMARK AND 2021 2ND

— LJ (@CHOMICZEE) FEBRUARY 12, 2020

Kyle Palmieri has 21 goals this season, and his cannon of a shot could be an asset to the Stars. He would also fit under the cap this season because of Martin Hanzal’s LTIR usage, and he’s not a rental, with a year remaining at $4.65 million against the cap.

The problem with this prospective deal is the Stars really aren’t offering anything other than a second-round pick, and that’s not going to be enough. Mattias Janmark is a tradable asset but not to sellers like the Devils. Janmark could be moved to a team that’s a buyer, but an unrestricted free agent who could easily walk on July 1 has no value to New Jersey. For that reason, the Devils say no.

2021 4TH ROUNDER TO THE OTTAWA SENATORS FOR TYLER ENNIS

— DEREK NEUMEIER (@DEREK_N_NHL) FEBRUARY 11, 2020

Tyler Ennis was bought out by Minnesota in the summer. He is playing on a cheap $800,000 contract for Ottawa — and playing quite well, with 30 points. He’s had a nice resurgence and, frankly, those are the type of point totals the Stars were dreaming of with Corey Perry.

If Dallas made this move, there might be another one to move someone else out, but in theory, this one works and seems fair.

JASON ROBERTSON AND THE 2021 2ND TO THE RANGERS FOR RYAN STROME

— ZACH (@ZWAL93) FEBRUARY 11, 2020

Ryan Strome is an intriguing name out of New York because he’ll be a restricted free agent this summer and he’s already logged 47 points this season for the Rangers. He’d be more than a rental, with the real cost coming in the summer when he would eat further into the Stars’ cap with a new contract as Roope Hintz and Denis Gurianov are also getting raises.

Jason Robertson is part of the long-term plan for Dallas and already has 20 goals in the AHL this season. He’s coming along well and is looking like the goal scorer Dallas needs in the future. The second-round pick is also valuable to Nill since he doesn’t have a second or third in 2020. So for those reasons, Dallas says no.

2020 1ST ROUND PICK, 2021 CONDITIONAL 3RD ROUND PICK, JULIUS HONKA, ALBIN ERIKSSON, AND RILEY DAMIANI FOR CHRIS KREIDER AND A 3RD ROUND PICK IN 2020. IF KREIDER RE-SIGNS, THAT 2021 3RD BECOMES A 2ND.

HIGHLY DOUBT NILL GIVES UP A 1ST WITHOUT TERM COMING BACK, BUT WHO KNOWS.

— NHL NEWS (@NHLALLNEWS) FEBRUARY 11, 2020

Chris Kreider would be a great fit in Dallas. Because of his speed, I could easily see him making an easier transition with the Stars. With more speed, Dallas becomes more dangerous offensively.

In this proposed deal, the Stars are giving up a lot of “maybes” in the future for a more certain asset right now. That’s the type of deal New York should be making and the type of deal that Dallas should be looking into as a buyer.

It’s also a deal the Stars also likely say no to because of the number of prospects in involved. It’s also a lot to pay for a rental. I believe offering just the first-rounder and the conditional second would be enough with Honka, and they wouldn’t have to include any prospects. But the price could be rising with the recent acquisitions around the league.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020

1171743 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Filip Zadina injury update: Here is the latest

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:08 p.m. ET Feb. 19, 2020 | Updated 6:22 p.m. ET Feb. 19, 2020

The hope is Filip Zadina will have a strong finish to the season for the Detroit Red Wings, but time is running low for the rookie forward.

Coach Jeff Blashill said Wednesday that Zadina is still two to three weeks from possibly reappearing in the lineup. He hasn’t played since Feb. 1, the day after he suffered a lower-body injury vs. the New York Rangers.

“He’d need a week, probably, once he gets skating again,” Blashill said. “But I would say he’s at least a week, if not two weeks away from being able to skate.”

Trending: These Red Wings trade assets are padding value just ahead of deadline

The Wings have 20 games left in the season, starting Friday at the New York Islanders. Defenseman Filip Hronek is out for Friday and Sunday’s home against the Calgary Flames after taking a puck to the side of his head Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Zadina, 20, is a key part of the Wings’ rebuild. Selected sixth overall in the 2018 NHL draft, he had an unimpressive exhibition season in September, but he used his time with the Grand Rapids Griffins to build confidence and looked much better when he was called up Nov. 24 to offset Anthony Mantha's injury.

Zadina had eight goals and seven assists in 28 games in Detroit, playing top-six forward minutes and on the power play.

Analysis: Red Wings at trade deadline: Here are GM Steve Yzerman's options

“I think he had a pretty good run going here where he was starting to build some confidence,” Blashill said. “Whenever he gets back healthy, if he can continue to build that confidence, it’s an important thing in the development of players.

“That’s one of the reasons why, at times, we have to act as protectors. You don’t want to put them in position where they get their confidence crushed, or their confidence isn’t growing, because that is a huge part of the development process.”

The timing of the injury is lousy because it means Zadina won’t be eligible to join the Griffins should they make the AHL playoffs. The basic rule is anyone not on loan to an AHL team at the trade deadline, which is Monday, is not eligible for the playoffs, and an injured player cannot be loaned.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171744 Detroit Red Wings

These Detroit Red Wings trade assets are padding value just ahead of deadline

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:00 a.m. ET Feb. 19, 2020 | Updated 8:56 a.m. ET Feb. 19, 2020

Two assets who may be in play leading up to the trade deadline are padding their value just in time.

Veteran defenseman Mike Green had one of his best games of the season Tuesday and Andreas Athanasiou scored twice as the Detroit Red Wings swept the season series with the Montreal Canadiens with a 4-3 victory at Little Caesars Arena.

The Wings are sellers for a fourth straight trade deadline, and general manager Steve Yzerman has said he plans to be active in trying to acquire draft picks or prospects or young players that can help the rebuild.

That’s where Green and Athanasiou may be able to help before Monday’s deadline, with varying impact.

Green, 34, is a pending unrestricted free agent. He has battled to stay healthy the past two seasons, but he has a history of producing offense on good teams, especially on the power play, and there’s no such thing as too much depth on defense for a team looking to go on a playoff run.

The return isn’t likely to be much more than a middle-round draft pick, but Green did just record his 500th career point when he beat Carey Price. At his best, Green is active with the puck and making tape-to-tape passes.

“It’s not just the points and the goals, it’s the ability to move the puck,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “When he really plays well, he jumps in that weak-side ice and creates outnumbered situations. He’s an important guy in our lineup, for sure. We are a better team when he is in the lineup.

“He’s got 500 points in the league and has done some great, great things, and he comes and works like he’s a rookie. That’s what he does every day, he works that hard.”

Green has three goals and seven assists in 46 games this season. Various injuries have sidelined him on three occasions.

“When he’s in, he has the puck on his stick and it calms everything down on the ice,” Dylan Larkin said. “You need a guy like that, who moves the puck. He thinks a step ahead of the game. He’s just a calm presence down there. It’s a tape-to-tape pass and usually he’s hitting a guy in stride.”

Athanasiou, 25, likewise has missed time because of injuries, and has 10 goals and 14 assists after 45 games (along with an NHL-worst minus- 43). He did score 30 goals last season, and is an explosive skater with soft hands. He has five goals his last six games.

Yzerman has to de whether it makes more sense to hold on to Athanasiou and see if he can improve his value. Ideally, he brings in a high-round pick and prospect.

Both Athanasiou and Green have said in recent days they try to block out trade chatter, a message reinforced by their coach.

“We’ve been in this spot a number of times, too many, obviously,” Blashill said. “Guys understand they just have to play and you control what you can control.”

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Red Wings' Zadina to miss another 2-3 weeks with foot injury

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 6:35 p.m. ET Feb. 19, 2020

Detroit — The Red Wings will be without forward Filip Zadina for another 2-to-3 weeks.

Coach Jeff Blashill said Wednesday Zadina, who has a foot injury, has yet to skate and will need another few weeks before he’s ready to play.

“He would need a week, probably, once he gets skating again, so we’ll have a way better feel once you see him back on the ice,” Blashill said. “But I would say he’s at least a week, if not two weeks away, from being able to skate.”

In 28 games Filip Zadina had eight goals and seven assists, and was seeing time on the Wings’ top line.

The timing of the injury was frustrating for Zadina, and the Wings, because of the development Zadina was making.

In 28 games Zadina had eight goals and seven assists, and was seeing time on the Wings’ top line.

The Wings hope Zadina will return in time to finish strong.

“He had a pretty good run here where he was starting to build some confidence,” Blashill said. “Whenever he gets back healthy, if he can continue to build that confidence, it’s an important thing in the development of players. That’s one of the reasons we at times have to act as protectors, meaning, myself and (general manager) Steve (Yzerman), with young players.

“You don’t want to put them in position where they get their confidence crushed or their confidence isn’t growing because that’s a huge part of the development process.”

Zadina has been around the team, Blashill said, and is going through his rehabilitation with a return in a few weeks in mind.

“It’s just part of life, got to grind through it, and when he’s able to get back at it, he has to come back and be as ready as he can be,” Blashill said.

Hronek out

Blashill also said defenseman Filip Hronek will be out of the lineup for the next two games, Friday at the New York Islanders and Sunday at home against Calgary.

Hronek missed Tuesday’s game after getting hit in the side of the head, or helmet, with a slapshot Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Detroit News LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171746 Detroit Red Wings he’ll be a more tradeable asset next year. The way Helm is playing, he’d be a difficult player for the Wings to replace, as he can fill so many roles.

►F Evgeny Svechnikov (pending restricted free agent, not waiver- These Red Wings are most likely to be traded before Monday’s deadline exempt anymore next season): His future with the Wings looks hazy. Svechnikov has yet to show he’s an NHL regular, and last year’s severe knee injury may have set him back. Maybe he’s part of a package, or possibly traded for another young player looking for a new start. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 12:52 p.m. ET Feb. 19, 2020 ►G Jimmy Howard (pending unrestricted free agent, $4 million cap hit):

Nobody could have imagined Howard going through such a miserable Detroit – The NHL trade deadline in Detroit just isn’t what it used to be. season (2-22-2, 4.08 GAA, .886 SVS). Teams have plenty of other better options. When the Red Wings were consistent contenders for the Stanley Cup, fans were eager with anticipation about which veteran would be brought Detroit News LOADED: 02.20.2020 in to boost Detroit’s championship chances.

Now the Wings are the worst team in the NHL, and the trade deadline around here is all about subtracting veterans, not adding them, as the Wings will miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

General manager Steve Yzerman had a reputation of being an aggressive executive when he was in Tampa, making bold acquisitions at the trade deadline to strengthen the Lightning.

Tampa never did win a Stanley Cup, but the roster remains among the strongest in the NHL – and will likely be for another several years.

With the Wings, Yzerman has few marketable pieces to deal before Monday’s deadline.

Because of sub-par, injury-plagued seasons, the few potential unrestricted free agents the Wings have to deal as rentals – defensemen Mike Green and Trevor Daley, and goaltender Jimmy Howard – aren’t likely to be desirable.

Instead, Yzerman might decide to deal players under team control who could bring back valuable draft picks for the Red Wings in their rebuild.

Here are some Red Wings players who could be moved before Monday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline:

►F Andreas Athanasiou (pending restricted free agent, $3 million salary cap hit): Athanasiou has five goals in his last six games, including two in Tuesday’s rally victory over Montreal. He scored 30 goals last season, and only has 10 so far, and the Wings don’t appear to be interested in a long-term contract. If Athanasiou is going to go on one of his patented hot streaks, a playoff team such as Colorado or Edmonton would be smart to acquire him. There’s still untapped potential.

►D Mike Green (pending unrestricted free agent, $5.35 million cap hit): Green earned his 500th career point in Tuesday’s victory, a testament to his offensive ability. Green is one of many Wings’ who has had a disappointing season. But given his experience, power-play skills on a good team, offensive ability, it wouldn’t be shocking to see a contender give Yzerman a draft pick in the range of the third to sixth round.

►D Trevor Daley (pending unrestricted free agent, $3.17 million cap hit): Staying healthy has been a difficult task for this proud veteran, who won two Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh. Injuries have derailed his last two seasons, but maybe some team in need of depth would be interested in giving Daley one more crack at a Stanley Cup for a conditional draft pick.

Jonathan Bernier

►G Jonathan Bernier (signed through 2020-21, $3 million cap hit): It’s unlikely the Wings would deal Bernier, given they’re not likely to bring back Jimmy Howard, so that would force the need to get two goalies in the offseason. And Bernier has arguably been the Wings’ best player over the last month or two. But Colorado, in particular (where Bernier last played before signing with Detroit), has been hit with injuries in its goaltending, and Bernier could fetch the Wings’ a high-round draft pick. The Wings would have to consider it.

►F (signed through 2020-21, $1.8 million cap hit): Nearly every playoff contender would love to add Glendening, given his defensive ability, penalty killing, and leadership and character. And that cap hit is extremely manageable. Glendening has grown into a valuable asset on and off the ice for the Wings, so it would take a huge offer for the organization to be swayed.

►F Darren Helm (signed through 2020-21, $3.875 million cap hit): Helm is having one of the better all-around seasons on the Wings, but it’s likely 1171747 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings unveil million dollar initiative for youth in Detroit

By Lauren Williams

DETRIOT -- The Detroit Red Wings have gotten so much support from the city they represent. Now the organization has found another way to support Hockeytown.

On Tuesday evening, the Red Wings, in partnership with the NHL and the NHLPA, announced that they would launch a $1 million initiative that would benefit the youth of the city. “Learn, Play, Score” is a pilot program that will invest that $1 million over the course of two years to expand the sport of hockey in Detroit.

They will use a variety of partnerships within the community, as well as events and engagements, to bring hockey to 30,000 children. While Red Wings players will be involved in some aspects of the initiative, the team wants to make an impact on a bigger level.

Kevin Brown, Director of Community Relations & Detroit Red Wings Foundation, said that the goal of the initiative is to include everyone in the Red Wings organization. The program’s participants will be exposed to the actual game of hockey and the professions that help make the sport possible.

“I think it’s vital for us as an organization to ensure that we’re not the only ones that are out there, but that our entire organization is involved, so I’d say players but I would also say our colleagues," Brown said. "So, the individuals that are inside our organization who run the Detroit Red Wings are making sure that kids receive opportunities to see those people and understand that there are roles and opportunities in sports franchises to build a career.”

The program includes three parts. The first is Street Hockey in the D, where the team will partner with Detroit Public Schools and Detroit Parks and Recreation department to provide hockey equipment to 12 fun centers and 79 Kindergarten through eighth-grade schools in Detroit.

The second, Hockey in the Classroom, will focus on STEM-related tools and use the sport to make physics, geometry and other subjects more accessible to students.

The final component is Hockey and E-Sports, where the Red Wings will partner with the Boys and Girls Club. They’ll provide competitions through the EA Sports NHL 20 video game. In addition to the contests, they’ll have access to a variety of jobs in electronic gaming, sports and media.

Over the next two years, the Red Wings, the NHL and NHLPA will measure how much of an impact the program is making on the children who have participated. As they test things and learn from each opportunity, they’ll work to improve the initiative and potentially roll it out in other NHL cities. The impact of the program will be measured by students at the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University, and Oakland University.

Red Wings’ governor, president and CEO, Christopher Ilitch, reminisced on his time playing street hockey as a child at Tuesday’s press conference. He said that this initiative will bring the joy he felt playing hockey to the next generation.

“That’s what’s so exciting because through this access, they’re going to develop life skills that can make a difference for them, for the long term," Ilitch said. "That’s exactly what we’re looking to accomplish. I’ve lived a part of this program, with the street hockey as a kid and there’s nothing like it and I’m very excited to see how this unfolds and to see the impact.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171748 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings’ Filip Zadina to miss more time

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings rookie Filip Zadina will be out at least two- to-three more weeks, coach Jeff Blashill said Wednesday.

Zadina suffered a foot injury Feb. 1 against the Rangers and hasn’t skated since. He has missed nine games so far.

“He’d need a week probably once he gets skating again, so we’ll have a way better feel once you see him back on the ice but I would say he’s at least a week, it not two weeks away from being able to skate,” Blashill said.

Zadina had been progressing steadily since being recalled from the Grand Rapids Griffins in late November. He has eight goals and seven assists in 28 games.

“It’s just part of life, got to grind through it and when he’s able to get back at it, he’s got to come and be as ready as he can be,” Blashill said.

“I think he had a pretty good run here where he was starting to build some confidence. Whenever he gets back healthy if he can continue to build that confidence, it’s an important thing in the development of players. That’s one of the reasons we at times have to act as protectors, meaning, myself and Steve (general manager Yzerman) with young players. You don’t want to put them in position where they get their confidence crushed or their confidence isn’t growing because that’s a huge part of the development process.”

Hronek out two more games

Blashill said defenseman Filip Hronek will not play in the next two games, Friday at the New York Islanders and Sunday at home vs. Calgary.

Hronek was hit in the head by a shot Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Michigan Live LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171749 Detroit Red Wings

Respected pro Mike Green could get Red Wings draft pick at trade deadline

By Ansar Khan

DETROIT – After Mike Green tied the game Tuesday, the Detroit Red Wings congratulated him on the Jumbotron for recording his 150th career goal and 500th point.

“That’s a lot of points for a defenseman,” Dylan Larkin said after his team’s 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.

Green, during his heyday with the Washington Capitals, was the most prolific offensive defenseman in the NHL. Injuries and age have caught up to him, contributing to a rough season.

But he might still attract some interest by Monday’s trade deadline as general manager Steve Yzerman looks to accumulate as many draft picks as possible. The Green, in the final year of his contract, might get the Red Wings a mid-round pick.

Jeff Blashill became Red Wings head coach the same season (2015-16) the team acquired Green in free agency and praised the 34-year-old professionalism on and off the ice.

“I just really have enjoyed coaching Mike,” Blashill said. “He’s a great person, has done some great, great things and he comes and works like he’s a rookie. I just have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a person, a player, a competitor. He wants to get better, he wants to learn, very coachable.”

Blashill called Green a “great model for our young players.”

“If there’s one thing I could say that stood out for Mike Green for me, for those that don’t get a chance to see, is how hard he comes and works at his craft, how hard he comes and competes every day in practice,” Blashill said. “I think it’s awesome. He’s had enough accomplishments in his career that potentially he could feel like he doesn’t have to (work hard), and he hasn’t done that one time.”

Green scored on a rare breakaway at 10:41 of the third period to tie it 3- 3. He joked about whiffing on the shot. The puck fluttered past goaltender Carey Price.

“I guess I’m lucky I fanned on it,” Green said. “I think with Carey, he probably knew exactly where I was going and luckily, I didn’t get a good shot off. But I’ll take it.”

Green has only three goals and seven assists, along with a career-worst minus-30 rating, on a team that has many high minus players due to its minus-105 goals differential.

Regardless, Larkin called Green a great leader and veteran presence in the room.

“Last year, our record with him in the lineup and with him out was quite a difference,” Larkin said. “When he’s in, he’s got the puck on his stick and it calms everything down on the ice. As a defenseman, you need a guy like that who moves the puck, who thinks a step ahead of the game. When he gets it, a tape-to-tape pass and usually we’re out of the zone. Usually, he’s hitting the guy in stride.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171750 Detroit Red Wings The Red Wings should completely avoid signing unrestricted free agents to big-money contracts at this point, except for maybe a goalie.

It can’t be too long in term, but the financial worth could be of value. Pat Caputo - Solving goalie puzzle nothing new for Steve Yzerman The last thing they should do is leave a young, developing core with a leaky last line of defense in goal. There are a number of quality goalies scheduled become unrestricted free agents this summer - Holtby, Robin By Pat Caputo Lehner, Thomas Greiss and Jarsolav Halak.

If Yzerman does make a trade deadline deal for a goalie, it would be revisiting a page of his playbook from Tampa . Goalie is perhaps the most enigmatic position in sports. He acquired Bishop at the deadline in 2013 from Ottawa for journeyman It is definitely the most important in hockey. forward Cory Conacher and a fourth-round pick. It was one of his many Yet, it has been greatly undervalued in the NHL Draft. astute moves with the Lightning. Within two years, Bishop backstopped Tampa Bay into the finals. Despite the Red Wings’ struggles this season, the franchise does have seeds planted at forward and defense. And when it was time to move on from Bishop, Vasilevskiy was more than ready. Goaltending? Not so much. Yzerman has many puzzles to piece together. None more important than The precarious nature of the position provides even more uncertainty. goalie.

The good news for Red Wings’ fans: Evaluating and acquiring top-end But his track record suggests reason for hope. goalies has been a strength for general manager Steve Yzerman. Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.20.2020 His trade deadline acquisition of Ben Bishop in 2013 was a key in the turnaround of the Lightning. His first-round selection of Andrei Vasilevskiy (19th overall) speaks for itself. He is on track to win his second straight Vezina Trophy.

Starting in '13, there have been just three goalies taken in the first round. That trio (Spencer Knight 13th overall in 2019 by Florida), Jake Oettinger (26th overall in 2017 by Dallas) and Ilya Samsonov (22nd overall in 2014 by Washington) have combined to play just 23 NHL games - all by Samsonov this season.

Jordan Binnington, who backstopped the Blues to the Stanley Cup championship last spring, was a third-round draft pick in 2011. Veteran Braden Holtby, who finally pushed the Capitals over the top in ’18, was a fourth-rounder.

The most recent Stanley Cup championship teams with a first-rounders in goal were the Hurricanes (Cam Ward 2006) and Penguins (Marc- Andre Fleury 2009).

Binnington played only one NHL game before last season when he suddenly emerged at 25. The Blues’ Achilles heel had long been goaltending.

It’s not that unusual of a story. Think locally. Tim Thomas played at Davison High School and was a journeyman goalie many years, including a stint with the Vipers at The Palace. At 36, he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy after leading the Bruins to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship. The Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hallebuyck, second in the NHL in wins only to Vasilevskiy, played at Walled Lake Northern High School, and managed to get into junior hockey against the odds. By 22, he was in the NHL. At 26, he is in the second season of a six-year, $37 million contract. Hallebucyk wasn’t drafted. Thomas was taken in the ninth round. There are only seven rounds currently.

The Red Wings, guaranteed a Top 4 overall pick in the 2020 draft (18.5 percent first overall), seem unlikely to select a goalie, although Russian Yaroslav Askarov is considered to be the highest-end goalie prospect in many years.

The Red Wings’ best goalie prospects are a long way from impact at the NHL level.

Jimmy Howard is likely in the midst of his last season with the Red Wings, but Jonathan Bernier has another season remaining on his contract and has played relatively well. His $3 million cap hit for ’20-21 is reasonable. Unless it’s an offer almost too good to be true, the Red Wings should not move Bernier as Monday's NHL trade deadline looms.

But they should considering acquiring a goalie. It would seem more likely the Rangers will trade Alexandar Georgiev to a contender, but he would fit the Red Wings. Squeezed out in New York, he could be the top goalie for the Red Wings. As a restricted free agent, he might be worth considering signing for a longer term.

Georgiev, a smaller goalie by today’s standards, but athletic. 1171751 Edmonton Oilers With Klefbom, who leads the Oilers in ice time, out of the lineup, you knew a lot of his minutes would be put on the back of Darnell Nurse. The newly re-signed defenceman was all over this game, logging 28:44, including 8:56 on the power play and 6:00 shorthanded. Shorthanded Edmonton Oilers push Boston Bruins to the brink SPECIAL REPORT

With McDavid and Klefbom out, there was the expected sag on Robert Tychkowski Edmonton’s power play. It didn’t generate much in three power plays (two of which were snuffed out by Oilers penalties) through the first 40

minutes, but came to life when they needed it with Gagner’s goal in the Everyone knew going in that it was probably too much to ask. third.

Probably? It was 100 per cent absolutely too much to ask. The penalty kill was great all game, killing seven Boston power plays (11:50 worth of man advantage time) to keep the Oilers in the fight. But fate and the NHL schedule asked it of the Edmonton Oilers anyway: Skate into Wednesday’s game with six regulars out of the lineup — some “The PK continues to be good,” said Tippett. “(Assistant coach) Jim $30 million worth of talent in the press box — and find a way to take Playfair continues to do an excellent job. That’s a really dangerous power down the the first-place team in the NHL. play they have.”

They couldn’t. But in a display of depth and resolve that probably has the LEAVE IT TO KEN rest of the Pacific Division shaking its head in disbelief, the Oilers still The trade deadline is fast approaching and the Oilers are one of the managed to wrestle a point out of what seemed like a suicide mission. teams that should be adding, but Tippett says he won’t be getting too They hung around all night with the kind of scrappy, structured style that involved on that side of things. can take you a long way in the playoffs, pushing Boston to the brink “I think Ken (Holland, general manager) has a pretty good handle in before David Pastrnak finally put them away for good by breaking a 1-1 things,” said Tippett. “We’ve really concentrated on trying to do what we tie in overtime. have to do as a team. If there’s something there (trade-wise) that he “Valuable point for us, but what we want to learn from that game is we thinks can help us, he’ll look at it. But right now, I’m focused on trying to need some swagger early on,” said forward Sam Gagner. “Making plays make sure our team is ready to every night.” under pressure and having confidence with the puck in the first period Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020 would have set us up better. But we clawed our way to a point. Lots to like against a really good team.”

It is a huge point and kind of a surprise considering what they had and who they were playing, but the Oilers were in no mood to celebrate moral victories.

“We know we’re capable of winning, so that was the only real goal,” defenceman Darnell Nurse said in an empty Oilers dressing room. “We’re over the moral victories. We feel like we can win on nights like this. We just need a full 60. That has to be our approach next game.”

It was a long shot from the start, but after going 3-1 without Connor McDavid and winning their last two games without McDavid, Zack Kassian, James Neal, Kris Russell and Joakim Nygard, the Oilers stuck to the ‘next man up’ mantra when Oscar Klefbom joined the list of missing persons.

“We just won two games in a row, why can’t we keep winning?” said head coach Dave Tippett. “It is a mindset, you have to go out and play. Some guys have been looking for more opportunities and you get that opportunity and jump in and play.

“As a group, we started poor, but we battled hard and got better as the game went on and got a hard-fought point.”

It definitely started the way most people thought it might, with Edmonton on its heels and in its own end for most of the first period, but despite being outshot 10-2, they were only down 1-0.

“I didn’t like our first period, it was like we were coming out and watching them play,” said Tippett. “I said, ‘Let’s play, we’re a good team, too.’”

From there, the Oilers came to life in a big way, outshooting Boston 17-9 in the second period and tying it 1-1 on Gagner’s power-play goal early in the third.

“We didn’t play with much confidence in the first period, then we started to make a few more plays and created more offence,” said Nurse. “We know we can play with those teams, we just have to believe it.”

After that, it was anyone’s game, with Pastrnak ending it with the last shot of the night, lifting Boston to 10-1 in its last 11 games.

Tough loss, but the Oilers still made a statement with the way they fought through the adversity.

“We had a slow start, but we battled back,” said defence man Ethan Bear. “That’s a good team over there and I thought we did pretty well. If you want to be a good team and make the playoffs, you have to have that depth. Guys are stepping up and that’s good to see.”

EATING TIME 1171752 Edmonton Oilers have played 18 games where Draisaitl now has 11 goals and 33 points, the Nuge seven goals and 21 points and Yamamoto with eight goals and 17 points.

JONES: Depleated Oilers steal a point from first-place Bruins, but still But the Boston line won the evening with the Bergeron and Pastrnak have own conference to focus on goals.

With Klefbom out for two to three weeks, there was a lot of focus in terms of how the minutes might be distributed on defence. Darnell Nurse Terry Jones seemed to get most of it. He played 28:44. Adam Larsson was out there for 25:41.

That will be an on-going study. As a strategy, Hang Around, Hang Around, Hang Around is not that far removed from Rope A Dope. But, win, lose or loser point, the Oilers still have to park it.

And I suspect it wasn’t a strategy at all by Edmonton Oilers head coach While a game against Boston has more sizzle than the upcoming game Dave Tippett and his staff. against Minnesota on Friday, the fact is the next one is more important than the one they just played, because it’s a conference game. But whatever it was, it worked Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020 It added another wonderful chapter in this Whatever It Takes tale of their own as they came back from a two-shot first period to take the No. 1 team in the NHL, a Boston Bruins team that’s trending for first place overall, a President’s Trophy and home-ice advantage through the Stanley Cup playoffs, to overtime.

And, no, the Oilers didn’t win it.

David Pastrnak scored in three-on-three overtime to give the Bruins the victory. But that loser point looked a lot like a winner point to the injury depleted Oilers.

Edmonton is now 3-1-1 without Connor McDavid in the lineup, but the loss and the overtime loss have been to the two teams battling for first overall.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were 9-1 going into Edmonton’s visit last week and Boston was 9-1 coming into this one.

And you should know the Oilers registered one of only two losses by the Bruins at home so far this season and that Tippett’s team has defeated every team in the Eastern Conference except Tampa this year, and they still have to play their home game against them in March.

Normally in a home loss, even in overtime in the situation the Oilers are in right now, the coaching strategy would be to park it and move on to the next one.

The problem Wednesday evening against the Bruins, with the Oilers playing with six starters out of the lineup, including McDavid, Oscar Klefbom and Zack Kassian, was that Edmonton appeared to park it before the game began.

The Oilers produced that grand total of two shots on goal in the first period and their strategy appeared to be to hang around, hang around, hang around …

And damned if they didn’t.

A 1-0 Boston lead eight minutes into the game on a goal by Patrice Bergeron, was still a 1-0 game well in to the third period when the next goal went in the visitors’ net.

Edmonton’s No. 2 ranked penalty kill refused to give up a goal to Boston’s No. 2 ranked power play, despite giving up five opportunities and 5:08 minutes of man-advantage time in the first two periods.

When Edmonton’s No. 1 power play had an opportunity midway in the second period, it produced seven shots on goal, more than the entire team had to that point.

To that point, the penalty kills defused the power plays both ways.

But then came one more power play and Sam Gagner, with Ethan Bear and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins assisting, finally putting the Oilers on the board.

It wasn’t just a game featuring the top two special teams in the league but arguably the NHL’s best line in Boston’s Bergeron, Pastrnak and Brad Marchand versus the hottest line in the league in Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto.

Nugent-Hopkins picked up the assist.

So if you’re scoring, since Yamamoto’s call-up on New Year’s Eve and the creation of the DRY line with Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins, the three 1171753 Edmonton Oilers Getting stronger has been the secret, according to Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy.

“I’ve seen his shot improve because of his body composition. He’s Pasta is heartiest thing on the NHL menu worked really hard to get to be a man. Difference between when he started in Providence with me (on the Bruins farm team) and now is he’s stronger and shoots it so much harder,” said Cassidy.

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal “And he has the puck more because he’s stronger. He used to get knocked off it more. That’s a natural progression, and having confidence

and comfort with where you are in the league.” If you don’t think the NHL draft is all about projection, consider when the Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020 Boston Bruins took David Pastrnak 25th overall in the 2014 draft, a strong wind would have blown him over.

The Czech winger had eight goals in 36 games for his Swedish team, Sodertalje, which plays a rung below the top dogs in that country.

Anybody who thought he’d be close to 50 goals is lying, and current Edmonton Oilers assistant general manager Keith Gretzky, then working for the Bruins, was one of the pushes to draft NHL leading scorer Leon Draisaitl’s buddy.

Of course, in 2014, Pastrnak was closer in body type to Kailer Yamamoto than Draisaitl.

“How much did I weigh in my draft year? I was 167 pounds,” said the winger, whom everybody knows as Pasta.

Pastrnak, 23, has come a long way in a short time. He had 25 goals in 97 games his first two NHL seasons and had 149 in 283 games over three- plus seasons coming into Rogers Place on Wednesday, now weighing 193 pounds. He’s got 42 goals, second only to Auston Matthews’ 43, as both chase the Rocket Richard trophy along with Alex Ovechkin, who has 40. Nobody gets more done on the power play with Pastrnak pumping in 18 goals.

“I don’t think Pasta will have any troubles getting to 50,” said Draisaitl.

The Oilers forward got to 50 goals last year for the first time to earn bragging rights over his summer skating partner back in the Czech Republic.

“ It’s very impressive what he’s doing, seems like he scores every game,” Draisaitl said. “If he misses one game, it’s two or three the next night.”

Pastrnak appreciates the booster club shout-out from Draisaitl.

“We’ve become close friends in the summer, always fun times with him. I’m really happy for him, he’s having a great season. Before he signed his contract, we were hanging out a lot. He works really hard and it’s well-deserved what he’s doing. He’s probably already at 100 points, no?” Pastrnak estimated.

Close, 95 coming in against the Bruins.

“Hopefully, we can keep him from that (century mark) for one more game,” said Pastrnak, who wasn’t thinking of one-upping Draisaitl’s 50 goals from a season ago. “I remember when he did it, I texted him right away. It’s not easy to score 50. I’ve always liked his play-making ability, and when you put the scoring together, he’s a hell of a player.”

Connor McDavid gets most of the hype back east because he’s won two scoring titles and a Hart trophy, plus he’s the most exciting player in the world. But Pastrnak, drafted in 2014, the same year Draisaitl went third overall, has long known how good the Oilers forward is. “When you see his backhand passing, it’s almost better than his forehand. You put Leon and Connor together and they’re a great duo.”

As are Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, who flank Patrice Bergeron in Boston. Marchand, third in the NHL with 51 assists, has become the set- up man. And Pastrnak keeps putting them away with 42 goals in 236 shots. Ovechkin and Pastrnak are the most dangerous one-shot scorers in the league, finding the open areas.

“Comes with the age a little bit, comes with working hard. In hockey, there’s a million things you can get better at. That’s the best thing about this sport. You have your summer to regroup and look back at what you’re missing or what you need to improve on,” said Pastrnak. “Growing up, I was always trying to make the extra play.

“I don’t know if coaches liked it, but I liked making passes to set up the goals. Now it’s a little bit turned. Marchie is the one getting the pucks to me.” 1171754 Edmonton Oilers Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who turns 43 on March 18, is showing no signs today’s game is either too fast for him or passing him by. He was out against Draisaitl Wednesday (game 1,544 overall) and would have been on the ice against McDavid, if the Oilers captain wasn’t hurt. Boston Bruins' Jake DeBrusk got a first-hand look at Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl in junior hockey “He loves it, relishes it and is extremely mad if he doesn’t get that match- up,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “He wants it, that’s his bread and butter. He still wants to make plays with the puck and be a full two-way guy, but he understands his greatest value to the team. Like against the Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Oilers, can he take on Draisaitl? He takes a lot of pride in those challenges.”

Jake DeBrusk knew how good Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl This ’n’ that: The Oilers sent Markus Granlund back to Bakersfield, likely was back when they were still teenagers. for salary cap concerns, because they only have 12 healthy forwards…Russell was on the ice before the optional skate but isn’t close “I saw him in junior. My first game with Swift Current, I was on the second to playing. He’s missed 10 straight games…Zack Kassian will be going line and all fired up when we played P.A. (Prince Albert),” said the Boston on the three-game trip to Los Angeles, Anaheim and Vegas Saturday to Bruins winger. “We were matched up against Leon’s line and the first two skate but just can’t play. He’s eligible to return from his seven-game periods, it was going fine. I had an assist and was plus-1 and I was suspension Feb. 29 here when Winnipeg Jets drop by…Bruins’ goalie thinking, ‘This guy’s supposed to go first round?’ At the end of the game, Tuukka Rask is co-owner of The Long Drink (lonkero in Finnish), the he had five points and a hat-trick in the third and I was on the ice for all popular gin and citrus quasi cocktail, that is in all the bars back home. five of the goals. He’s bringing it to the U.S. now…The Oilers aren’t too concerned about the Coronavirus and the CCM and Bauer factories (sticks and skates) in “Before I was with the Bruins, I was telling my dad (Sportsnet colour China that has suspended manufacturing for a few weeks. The Oilers commentator Louie DeBrusk) that I hope they (the Oilers) take Leon. have seven players who use Warrior sticks, including Draisaitl, and they He’s doing now what he did in junior. He’s earning the recognition he have enough stock for now. No problem with skates. deserves,” said DeBrusk, who saw Draisaitl’s passing ability up close as a teenager. “I’ve seen him do some pretty cool things out there. He’s got Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020 a bit of a different frame, obviously, but that stick of his, it’s a paddle. That’s how I got dashed up (in plus-minus) my first junior game against him. He made these passes back-door, back-door.”

NO UPDATE ON CAPTAIN

Connor McDavid was in the building Wednesday morning but he wasn’t talking about his quad injury after leaving the club last week to get treatment with his training staff back in the Toronto area. Coach Dave Tippett spoke to the Oilers captain and said, “He’s in good spirits.”

But no timeline was offered on when he’ll get back on the ice. Wednesday marked his fifth game missed with the injury.

FIRST BOUCHARD SIGHTING

Interesting call-up with Evan Bouchard giving them seven defenceman with Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) and Kris Russell (concussion) on injured reserve.

Bouchard has been Bakersfield’s best blueliner, but the plan was for him to spend all year there. His recall gives the Oilers four right-shot defencemen: Ethan Bear, Adam Larsson, Matt Benning and Bouchard; and three lefts: Darnell Nurse, Caleb Jones and William Lagesson.

Bouchard was flying Wednesday and unavailable for the game.

If Bouchard, who had 33 points in 50 AHL games, were to play during his call-up, it would complicate things. Neither Bear, Larsson nor Benning has played left side this season but, if it comes, Tippett will cross that bridge of having to move a righty over to left in a pairing.

Bouchard, who played seven Oilers games last season,was sharing a house in Bakersfield with Kailer Yamamoto, Tyler Benson and first-year pro Ryan McLeod, so as Condors’ radio voice Ryan Holt tweeted, “Ryan will have the master bed now.” All the food in the fridge, too,” if there is such a thing with young kids.

As long as Bouchard doesn’t play more than nine regular-season or playoff games this season, his entry-level contract slides. It’s because Bouchard turned 20 after the Sept. 15 cut-off. If he were to play 10 NHL games, he would only have two entry-level years after this one.

HOMETOWN BOYS

DeBrusk and Benson are training partners in the summer here, both grads of the South Side Athletic Club.

“We do some sprint work. He’s been a good player since he was with South Side Lions and I’ve watched him a lot. There’s lots of potential there,” said DeBrusk. “I told him to take in as much in as you can, moving up the ranks, just try to be the best pro you can be.”

Benson is 22 on March 15; DeBrusk is 23.

CHARA LOVES A CHALLENGE 1171755 Edmonton Oilers Bruins: Kevan Miller, Connor Clifton GAME DAY LINES

OILERS (PROJECTED) Edmonton Oilers Game Day: Bruins coming in with score to settle Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Leon Draisaitl • Kailer Yamamoto

Markus Granlund • Gaetan Haas • Alex Chiasson Robert Tychkowski Tyler Benson • Riley Sheahan • Josh Archibald

Jujhar Khaira • • Patrick Russell Edmonton Oilers (32-21-6) vs. Boston Bruins (37-11-12) Caleb Jones • Adam Larsson WEDNESDAY, 6:30 P.M., ROGERS PLACE Darnell Nurse • Ethan Bear TV: SPORTSNET; RADIO 630 CHED William Lagesson • Matt Benning Five Keys to the Game Mike Smith 1. MEASURING STICK Mikko Koskinen The Oilers are cruising along pretty well without Connor McDavid, going 3-1-0 in the four games he’s been out, with the only loss coming against BRUINS (PROJECTED) a Tampa Bay Lightning team that was 9-0-1 in its previous 10. Brad Marchand • Patrice Bergeron • David Pastrnak Boston represents another stern test of Edmonton’s depth. The Bruins are 9-1-0 in their last 10 games and have a score to settle. Jake DeBrusk • David Krejci • Karson Kuhlman

2. LAST TIME THEY MET Anders Bjork • Charlie Coyle • Danton Heinen

The Bruins have lost two home games in regulation all season (21-2-9), Joakim Nordstrom • Sean Kuraly • Chris Wagner and the Oilers were one of them. Zdeno Chara • Charlie McAvoy

Edmonton posted a 4-1 decision in Boston last month on the strength of Torey Krug • Brandon Carlo goals from Leon Draisaitl, McDavid, Darnell Nurse and Gaetan Haas, and a 35 save-performance from goaltender Mike Smith. Matt Grzelcyk • Jeremy Lauzon

3. SPECIAL POWERS Tuukka Rask

This will be a showcase of the two best special teams in the NHL, with Jaroslav Halak the Oilers first in the league on the power play and tied for second on the penalty kill. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020

The Bruins are just as good, sitting second in the league on the power play and tied for second on the penalty kill.

4. LEON’S WEEK

Draisaitl was named the NHL’s first star of the week for the second time this month after putting up 10 points in the four games Edmonton’s been without McDavid. Draisaitl leads the NHL with 95 points in 59 games, making him the fastest player to hit that number since Sidney Crosby in 2006-07.

5. STEPPING UP

With the absence of Oscar Klefbom, rookie defenceman Caleb Jones is being promoted to his spot with Adam Larsson. That means more and tougher minutes for the 22-year-old. In a season where fellow rookies Ethan Bear and Kailer Yamamoto have both made massive contributions, the Oilers are hoping Jones can do the same.

Big Matchup

LEON DRAISAITL VS. PATRICE BERGERON

This is a classic matchup featuring one of the top offensive players in the NHL versus one of the best two-way centres in the league.

Draisaitl is on a torrid pace, 12 points in his last five games, as the line of he, Kailer Yamamoto and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins prove to be the difference in more games than not.

The Bruins counter with a powerhouse line of their own, Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. It’s a trio that can also take control and dominate. Seeing these two players, and these two lines, going head to head could be epic.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Oilers: PP 1st (29.5%), PK 3rd (84.2%)

Bruins: PP 2nd (25.9%) PK 2nd (84.2%)

SICK BAY

Oilers: Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom, James Neal, Joakim Nygard, Kris Russell, Zack Kassan (suspended) 1171756 Edmonton Oilers “We’ve talked about it as a team. I give our guys a ton of credit. They’ve hunkered down,” he began. “We want to play a good, hard, structured style and make sure work ethic is at a premium.

JONES: Oilers add another injury to the adversity pile with Klefbom out “I give Leon Draisaitl a ton of credit for that because of how well he’s played, the minutes he’s carried and the effect he’s had on the game. When your top player in the lineup is playing that hard, the rest of your players have to play as hard as that guy is playing, themselves. Terry Jones “Our guys are working hard and understand what they have to do to be

successful and that goes from the top guys to the guys who are getting What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. more opportunity and the guys coming up from the minors.”

If that’s the case, perhaps we should start calling the local professional I asked Tippett to revisit a statement he made about welcoming the pucksters the Mighty Oil. incredibly tight standings in the playoff race in terms of what he would learn about the team, and to quantify that with the added challenges On the day Connor McDavid was winging his way back to Edmonton involving injuries. from his mini version of Whatever It Takes, the Edmonton Oilers added another name to the injured list Tuesday in No. 1 defenceman Oscar “I should probably rephrase that. It’s not what I learned about the team, Klefbom. it’s what the team learns about the team. You hear guys comment like they did after our game the other day (in Carolina) about having to play a Out two to three weeks. Shoulder injury. certain way to be successful. That’s not me. That’s them.

Whatever It Takes, indeed. “That’s the players themselves recognizing how hard they have to work to play to win. These guys are learning a lot about each other as “They’re starting to pile up a little bit,” is how head coach Dave Tippett teammates and a lot about how they have to play to be successful and understated it after practice Tuesday. it’s great to see them get results because that pushes that message “It’s certainly a big hole,” he added of the 25-plus minutes Klefbom along much quicker.” munches every night. One thing about the Klefbom injury, he’s been so important to what’s So much attention has been focused on what Leon Draisaitl, Ryan been happening here with the Oilers’ 12-4-2 run dating back to New Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto have been giving this group, Year’s Eve, maybe he takes one fear away. Klefbom hasn’t really been given his due for the part he’s played on the One former pro coach warned me the other day: “Mark my words, the back end. He’s been outstanding and made those around him better too. day McDavid comeback back this entire team will take a giant breath of When it comes to the Oilers, the late Howard Cosell should have been at relief and immediately go and lose three or four games.” the mic. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2020 “Down goes McDavid.”

“Down goes Klefbom.”

“Out goes Zack Kassian.”

“Down goes James Neal.”

“Down goes Kris Russell!”

“Down goes Joakim Nygard!”

How you compute the current extent of the Oilers injury/suspension situation depends on how you want to score it.

If you add Sam Gagner and Kyle Brodziak to McDavid, Klefbom, Kassian, Neal, Russell and Nygard, that’s eight.

Perhaps more meaningful might be their annual salaries — McDavid’s $12.5 million, Klefbom’s $4.16 million, Neal’s $5.17 million, Russell’s $4 million, Gagner’s $3.15 million, Kassian’s $1.95 million, Brodziak’s $1.15 million and Nygard’s $925,000.

Or you could use average minutes played per game — Klefbom’s 25.36, McDavid’s 22.04, Russell’s 17.01, Neal’s 16.39, Kassian’s 15.54, Gagner’s 13.03 and Nygard’s 10.41.

No matter how you score it, with seven players in Edmonton who have worn the uniform of the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors this season, and with another on the way, the butcher bill is getting staggering.

With the Oilers having just won three of four without McDavid to, at least temporarily, breathe the rare air of first place in the Pacific Division, whether you look at it in terms of man games they’re losing each night, dollars they are paying out to players out of the line-up or minutes of ice time not being munched, it’s staggering.

And Wednesday night, the team that certainly appears to have discovered a resolve it didn’t necessarily know it possessed, for the always dreaded first-game-back-from-a-road-trip, the Oilers will welcome the first-place-overall Boston Bruins to Rogers Place.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?

“I think adversity does make you stronger,” Tippett said when I threw that out there for him to bat around instead of the flip side cliche: ‘Are you concerned that this could be the straw that broke the camel’s back?’ 1171757 Florida Panthers

Panthers top Ducks 4-1, keep showing signs of life out west

By DOUG PADILLA ASSOCIATED PRESS |FEB 20, 2020 | 1:24 AM

The Florida Panthers showed a little rebounding prowess Wednesday, getting a pair of friendly bounces off the Honda Center end boards to deliver a key 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks.

Vincent Trocheck and Aleksi Saarela each scored second-period goals off fortuitous rebounds and the Panthers were able to rally from an early deficit.

Aleksander Barkov and MacKenzie Weegar also scored a goal for Florida, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves as the Panthers improved to 2-0 on a key five-game West Coast road trip.

Florida won consecutive games in California with another at Los Angeles on Thursday. The Panthers earned a 5-3 victory at San Jose on Monday.

Max Jones scored a goal, while John Gibson had 28 saves for the Ducks, who dropped the opener of a six-game homestand. The Ducks have lost three of their past four games and have lost three consecutive home games.

Jones gave the Ducks the early lead with a goal at 16:04 of the first period. His 10th of the season came unassisted when he raced across the blue line, picked up a loose puck and fired it off the left shoulder of Bobrovsky and inside the right post.

The Ducks appeared as if they would take the lead into the first intermission, but Jonathan Huberdeau fired a perfect pass to Barkov as he rushed to the front of the Ducks goal and he flipped the puck past Gibson with 2.2 seconds on the clock to tie the score 1-1. It was Barkov’s 18th of the season.

The Panthers took a 2-1 lead at 10:50 of the second period when Trocheck cashed in a break. Riley Stillman’s shot past the goal, deflected off the end boards and back over the Ducks’ goal and to Trocheck where he picked it out of the air with a waist-high swing to score his 10th.

The Panthers received another deflection off the end boards less than four minutes later when Aaron Ekblad’s wide shot rebounded around the goal and into the left circle where Saarela scored from a sharp angle. It was Saarela’s first career goal in his fourth NHL game.

Weegar’s fifth of the season was scored into an empty net with just over two minutes remaining.

NOTES:

Barkov now has eight points (four goals) over his past 11 games for the Panthers. ... Mike Hoffman had a goal taken away at 13:10 of the first period for the Panthers when Mark Pysyk was ruled offsides after a successful replay challenge from the Ducks. ... The Panthers improved to 7-1-1 on the road against Western Conference teams.

UP NEXT

Panthers: At Los Angeles on Thursday to face the Kings.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171758 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers to host eighth Grateful Dead Night

By BRETT SHWEKY SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL |FEB 19, 2020 | 3:06 PM

Florida Panthers fans and Deadheads will have the chance to enjoy another special evening at the BB&T Center as the Panthers’ eighth Grateful Dead Night is set for March 19 against the Buffalo Sabres.

Fans who purchase tickets for the event will receive an limited-edition tie- dye Grateful Dead jersey as a part of the ticket package, while supplies last. Along with the jersey, fans will also be allowed early entry for a pre- game concert with rock group Unlimited Devotion in the Coors Light Cold Zone.

The Grateful Dead, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, were considered a revolutionary group that drew passionate fans for decades, beginning in the 1960s, called Deadheads.

Upper level end zone tickets begin are $41.95, while club level end zone are $63.70 and lower level sideline seats are $77.50. Fans will also have the opportunity to buy an-inclusive food and beverage seating option in Lord Stanley’s Loft for $86.70.

Territory members can add on the evening’s Grateful Dead Night immensities by purchasing an add-on for $25.

For further ticket information, visit FloridaPanthers.com/TicketCentral or call 954-835-PUCK.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171759 Florida Panthers The Panthers have been short on centermen for a few weeks now, with Noel Acciari back on the wing (he is currently on the top line with Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau) and Brian Boyle injured with an unknown return date. The Panthers trade Denis Malgin, but where is Henrik Borgstrom? It would appear to be a good time to bring back Henrik Borgstrom, especially since he started the season centering Florida’s third line before the Panthers made Boyle a late free agent signing and sent By George Richards Feb 20, 2020 Borgstrom to the AHL.

Yet Borgstrom remains in Springfield, toiling in the minors. ANAHEIM — Aleksi Saarela had already slid into Denis Malgin’s spot a His return may be close. day before he was traded away. Borgstrom got off to a rough start upon being sent down to the minors, a At the Panthers’ practice Tuesday afternoon, Saarela — just called up place he thought he was done with. He started last season in Springfield from Florida’s AHL team in Springfield, Mass. — was centering the fourth and was called up in December, playing 50 games for the Panthers with line where Malgin had been the day before. eight goals and 18 points. Wednesday morning, hours before Florida played the Ducks at Honda He was penciled in as the third-line center during the summer, held onto Center, Malgin got his wish for a fresh start with another organization as the position during training camp but struggled once the season started. the oft-scratched forward was sent to Toronto in exchange for 24-year- Borgstrom played in the first four games before being scratched, then old Mason Marchment. The Panthers assigned Marchment to Springfield. was sent down when Boyle signed a very affordable one-year deal. Saarela may or may not be the answer in what has been a revolving door Borgstrom admits he did not react well to the demotion. of forwards (which has included two defensemen) but he is off to a terrific start in his bid for a fulltime job with the Panthers. “It has been a very trying season and I have just tried to play through the bad games. I have had some slumps and it has been frustrating,” he said In Wednesday’s 4-1 victory over Anaheim, he scored his first NHL goal in a few weeks ago from the Thunderbirds’ arena in Springfield. his fourth regular-season game by teeing off on a big bounce from the back wall to give Florida a two-goal lead in the second period. “There have been some times where I have lost it. I haven’t been at my best and that affects everything. Overall, I think I have played pretty well, “I hope there is an opportunity here, but it is up to me to keep playing I just haven’t gotten the results.” good and to hold onto it,” said Saarela, who played three games for the Panthers in December after making his NHL debut in the playoffs with Borgstrom was not performing and was not impressing. Springfield coach Carolina last spring. Geordie Kinnear and general manager Eric Joyce both stressed that Borgstrom needed to start to enjoy playing hockey again, but it took a “I have to earn the trust of the coaches to stay in the lineup. I know I can’t little time for him to find any joy in the game. take days off. I have to work hard every day, show them that I belong here.” “Last year when he started with us, the game came easy to him and he just lit it up,” Kinnear said. “The thing that impressed me then was his The Panthers have won two consecutive games for the first time since 200-foot game, the power and pace he played with. The NHL is a January as they are 2-0 in California with a game against the Kings at different beast and I think along the way, he lost some confidence and Staples Center on Thursday night. some swagger. With the Panthers struggling after the All-Star break by losing seven of “Sometimes the game stops being fun. He gets sent back here, thinks it nine, the front office decided to make some changes — and they started is going to be easy because it was before and you forget the work it took. from the bottom of their group of forwards. Sometimes sophomore years are the toughest. He is working his way Jayce Hawryluk was waived Sunday and claimed by Ottawa the following through that. He is trending in the right direction. I am a fan of Borgy. It is day. going to click for him again.”

Wednesday, Malgin was sent to a divisional rival after The Athletic’s Said Borgstrom: “I lost the fun aspect of hockey and I have been trying to Pierre LeBrun reported his agent had requested a trade. find it again. Playing well, getting some points leads to that. We’re playing well as a team and that helps. But I want to help the team. PANTHERS GM DALE TALLON TELLS ME THE AGENT FOR DENIS Confidence gets built from the little things and I am trying to do that.” MALGIN HAD ASKED HIM SEVERAL TIMES FOR A TRADE OUT OF FLORIDA. HE GOT HIS WISH. Lately, Borgstrom has been much, much better and has been producing as well. He has nine goals now and could find a spot in the NHL pretty — PIERRE LEBRUN (@PIERREVLEBRUN) FEBRUARY 19, 2020 soon.

Malgin was not playing a whole lot for the Panthers (36 games with 23 “He looks like the old Borgy,” Joyce said. “And that is great to see.” more as a healthy scratch) but by trading him, the cap-strapped Panthers opened up a spot. With Saarela already with Florida, Borgstrom appears to be the next forward up for the Panthers. As the NHL trade deadline hits Monday Saarela has been one of the best forwards in Springfield for the afternoon, he could return if the team made any moves involving their Panthers, centering the Thunderbirds’ top line and was, according to current group up front. coach Joel Quenneville, deserving of the promotion. Or, Borgstrom could find himself with another organization as part of a “He has been playing very well down there and his production has been bigger trade. good,” Quenneville said. Borgstrom, who scored 55 goals in two very successful seasons at the “He has a lot of offensive skill, has a tremendous shot and makes plays. University of Denver, has been brought up by other teams in talks with Up here, we need more of the details and that will help him get the puck the Panthers’ front office. and be aware of his position. He’s going to get an opportunity here and see if he can help us out here.” Regardless, it looks like Borgstrom is not far from a return to the NHL.

1ST #NHL GOAL ALERT: ALEKSI SAARELA BEATS JOHN GIBSON! “It would be nice if I didn’t think about that but it is always in the back of your head,” said Borgstrom, Florida’s first-round pick (23rd overall) in SCOREBOARD: #FLAPANTHERS 3 AT #LETSGODUCKS 2016. 1@FLAPANTHERS IS LIVE ON FOX SPORTS FLORIDA & FOX “You are here in the AHL to try and make it — or get back — to the big SPORTS GO. HTTPS://T.CO/BJCXOLKLXQ leagues. It may not be in your mind every day, but it is the goal, at least PIC.TWITTER.COM/OX6HMMQEFE for me. And that is how it should be. I want to play well and get that — FOX SPORTS FLORIDA & SUN (@FOXSPORTSFL) FEBRUARY 20, opportunity again.” 2020 Matheson sick, flies back to Florida Defenseman Mike Matheson was sent back to Florida following Monday’s game in San Jose with an undisclosed virus.

Matheson played 12:35 on Monday, but afterward, was pulled out of the postgame locker room by head trainer Dave DiNapoli after test results presumably taken before the game had come back.

Not long later, the entire team and support staff filed into the locker room with Vincent Trocheck requesting media leave for a moment. The team was then told of Matheson’s condition.

While the Panthers’ gear was packed up and trucked to the San Jose airport for the short flight to Anaheim, Matheson’s equipment bag was left alone near the locker room. As players showered and dressed to leave the arena, Matheson was spotted chatting with a friend in the hallway still in his postgame workout gear.

Matheson’s condition is said not to be serious nor contagious; Matheson went back to South Florida on a commercial flight and one source said he should be fine in a couple of days. Numerous players said there was no concern about catching anything.

Quenneville said it was unknown whether Matheson would rejoin the team later on this trip. After Los Angeles, the Panthers travel to Las Vegas for a game Saturday night and end Tuesday night in Arizona.

“When a guy is sick, you always have to be aware of how it could spread through the room with flus and different things. It can run your team down,” Quenneville said.

“But in this situation here, we’re just making sure everything is cleared up and he is ready to go at the right time.”

Driedger close to return

The Panthers again had three goalies on the ice Tuesday as Chris Driedger joined Sergei Bobrovsky and Sam Montembeault for practice.

Driedger has been out since leaving Florida’s game against the Kings on Jan. 16 with a groin injury. He has been skating or practicing for the past few weeks.

Quenneville said the Panthers would know a lot more about Driedger’s availability by the end of this trip. When Driedger is medically cleared, it is assumed he would be activated and Montembeault would be sent back to Springfield.

Driedger started his season at Springfield but was called up to replace Montembeault as Florida’s backup in November. He is 5-2-0 with the Panthers and, if Florida decided to send him back to the AHL, it would have to place him on waivers — and likely lose him — to do so.

Montembeault does not have to go through waivers.

The Panthers have not announced a starter for Thursday’s game in Los Angeles but it could be Bobrovsky again after he earned first-star honors with 35 saves against the Ducks.

“We think he’s going to be real close to being activated,” Quenneville said of Driedger. “By the end of the trip, it may be one week.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171760 Florida Panthers were hard on the pucks. The offense they generated was the way you want to generate offense.”

In the three games the line has played together, it has led the Panthers in Panthers’ Mark Pysyk, Mike Matheson adjust to roles as ‘hybrid’ unblocked shot attempts percentage and high-danger scoring chances. defensemen So while the trio is not necessarily scoring on every shift, they have helped tilt the ice in Florida’s favor.

“I think we did well that one game,” Matheson said. “I think it’s really just By Erin Brown Feb 19, 2020 the fact we kept it simple and didn’t try to do too much. It ended up that we got a few chances and that was great. But we weren’t trying to

manufacture too much.” SUNRISE, Fla. — Mike Matheson hopped onto the ice for his first shift. Said winger Colton Sceviour: “Having not spent much time back there Riley Stillman and MacKenzie Weegar quickly followed, before Aaron and knowing when the puck gets turned over and how hard it is on the D, Ekblad, Mark Pysyk and Noel Acciari piled onto the ice, too. maybe as forwards we don’t necessarily realize that sometimes. They’ve Coach Joel Quenneville was not trying a new defensive system to get the been back there in those situations, so they know what it’s like to avoid offensively minded Florida Panthers to play better in their own end. His that and chip in on a time (offensively) when they have nothing. I’m sure squad simply got caught up in a bad line change during a weekday we can all learn from that, take some stress off our D by getting pucks in contest with the New Jersey Devils. and not letting three-on-twos or two-on-ones come back in the other direction. I think that’s definitely something as a team we can get a little “We had five defensemen on the ice all at once,” Quenneville said. “That better at.” was something. I don’t know if we’ve ever seen that before.” Still, using a defenseman up front isn’t a new strategy. Quenneville, however, has gone against traditional convention of late, putting as many as four defensemen on the ice at once, lining up two — Winnipeg’s Dustin Byfuglien and San Jose’s Brent Burns are among the Pysyk and Matheson — as wings on Florida’s fourth line. active defensemen who have lined up at forward during their NHL careers. Former defensemen Ed Jovanovski and Paul Laus also saw “They keep it simple,” Quenneville said of his new forwards. “They keep shifts at forward during their Panthers tenure. themselves in the play. They’ve got good sticks. They keep the puck. They protect the puck. They put it in areas where they’ve got a chance to Quenneville, a defensive defenseman during his pro career, only skated retrieve it. They put it to the areas at the net. They get to the net and they as a forward in his early playing days. win loose puck battles and they get it back. “I played wing a lot of times because they couldn’t watch me too much on “Basically, they check well and they keep the puck. When we’re playing the back end,” Quenneville said. “Not too much in the NHL, but in junior I well, we have the puck way more than the other team, which is did, and before that, I was a forward sometimes.” important.” Riley Stillman made the shift last season with Springfield, Florida’s AHL Amidst a four-game losing streak in which the Panthers had been affiliate. Aside from the experience being “a lot of fun,” Stillman said the outscored 15-5, Quenneville sought a spark for both his offense and move can be a confidence-builder. defense. On Feb. 11 against the Devils, Florida suited up eight “It gave you more confidence with the puck,” Stillman said. “You’re defenseman, with Acciari centering Matheson and Pysyk. getting a lot of touches in tight areas around the opposition and making The Panthers’ experiment of using a defenseman at forward began much plays for people — when to make a play, when not to. It sort of gives you earlier, though, with Pysyk joining a line with Denis Malgin and Frank confidence to hang onto the puck and be able to make plays off the Vatrano against Colorado on Oct. 18. rush.”

“I didn’t think I’d play that much,” Pysyk said. “First game, I didn’t get out Pysyk has seen those touches appear on the scoresheet. In his 29 there that much. I thought maybe one or two shifts a period. I got some games at wing, he has registered eight goals and six assists. He ice time and just went from there. It’s been a fun transition. It’s been recorded his first career hat trick on Feb. 3 against Toronto. In his 18 different, but it’s been fun for sure.” games on defense, he has just two assists.

Over the next nine games, Pysyk shuttled back and forth between “It was a good feeling to help chip in and be a part of the offense,” Pysyk positions. He exclusively played along the blue line for 11 games while said. “Usually it’s (thinking about) keeping it out (of the net). To have that Weegar was out with an upper-body injury. little shift in the mindset and see some go in — they’ve all been from right inside the crease — it’s been good.” Since Dec. 14, though, Pysyk has been part of Florida’s forward corps. When the Panthers lost Ekblad to injury on Dec. 23 in Tampa Bay, Pysyk During most of his early stints at forward, Pysyk relied on Brian Boyle found himself back taking shifts at both positions. and Sceviour to help him with positioning and matchups. Pysyk noted his role on faceoffs is often the most challenging since situations change The frequent movement led teammate Keith Yandle to nickname Pysyk frequently. “Prius” because of his hybrid nature. “It switches team to team,” Pysyk said. “Some centermen want it different “I don’t think it’s sticking that well yet,” Pysyk said of his new handle. or want to drop a play in the O-zone. So every faceoff I’m just making sure I’m doing the right thing. Matheson, like Pysyk, had not played forward since he was young. Though he was back on the blue line in Monday’s win over the Sharks “There’s definitely times where I’m erring on the side of defense, on that (before getting sent home Tuesday with an undisclosed illness), he felt side of the puck. It’s good in some situations, but there are definitely suited for the change. times I come back to the bench and they tell me, ‘Get in there! Be a little more aggressive!’ It goes both ways. Sometimes it good, sometimes it’s “As a defenseman, you kind of need to know everybody’s job and be able bad.” to read off each other,” Matheson said. “It’s not like you’re going to a new team and learning a new system. It’s all the same system. That was a Sceviour said Pysyk “doesn’t give himself enough credit.” little bit easier…. But when you’re actually out there, it’s definitely more difficult. You kind of catch yourself standing there: ‘What am I supposed “He’s pretty aware of what he’s doing, if a guy comes into his area, who to be doing right now?’ I think the more you play, the less it happens.” to take,” Sceviour said. “I’ll mention it to him at times on draws, but for the most part, he’s got it. He’s aware of who it is already.” Against New Jersey, Florida’s new wingers looked more than comfortable. In approximately 12 minutes of ice time, the pair matched While shifting positions has benefitted the Panthers in small doses, don’t career highs with three points — a goal and two assists apiece — in the expect to see any forward hybrids in the near future. Panthers’ 5-3 win. Although a center might be suited for the transition because of the “They didn’t look like defensemen out there to me,” Devils right wing Kyle position’s defensive responsibilities, the ability to skate backward is key. Palmieri said. “Obviously, that’s their position, but they played well. They “That discussion has come up in the room,” Sceviour said. “I think the transition of a forward trying to skate backwards and pivot in a one-on- one situation, things like that, would be hard to transition into. There are guys who could do it, for sure, but I think it’s easier to go from defense to forward than the other way around.”

Jonathan Huberdeau thinks blueliners are more suited for the transition than anyone else.

“I think when defensemen go forward, they kind of just go with it, play with no expectations,” he said. “They just free themselves and play the way they’re going to with their talent.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171761 Los Angeles Kings

Kings trade Alec Martinez to Golden Knights for more draft picks

2014 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Five

By JACK HARRISSTAFF WRITER FEB. 19, 2020 2:18 PM

Not even six years have passed since Alec Martinez sped down the left side of the ice, glided toward the back post, and tapped in the championship-clinching goal for the Kings in Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

Yet, with Martinez’s trade to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for second-round draft picks in 2020 and 2021 being made official Wednesday afternoon, only six members of the franchise’s most-recent title-winning squad remain with the team.

“Alec has been an important part of the organization for a number of years and was a key member of our Stanley Cup teams,” Kings general manager Rob Blake said in a release, parroting the same sentiment he offered about Kyle Clifford, Jack Campbell and Tyler Toffoli — all of whom were traded this month.

“We thank Marty for everything he’s done for our organization, our fans, and our community.”

Frustrated Kings fans keep perspective: ‘We saw some really cool stuff happen’

Two weeks ago, Blake said he wanted to add both picks and prospects ahead of the NHL’s Monday trade deadline. With four days remaining, the third-year GM has already acquired plenty of both.

After acquiring Vegas’ 2020 second-round pick and St. Louis’ 2021 second-round pick (which Vegas had previously traded for), the Kings have 20 draft selections over the next two years, including three second- round picks this summer. Their prospect pipeline, considered one of the NHL’s best at the beginning of the season, has also been bolstered by the addition of 20-year-old Tyler Madden through the trade Monday of Toffoli to Vancouver.

The Kings’ NHL roster is already trending younger, with six players age 25 or younger having played in at least 40 games this season. Their minor-league affiliate in Ontario is competing for an American Hockey League playoff spot with a team partially built around players under 21, including highly anticipated center prospects Gabe Vilardi and Jaret Anderson-Dolan.

To make room for the next wave, the Kings could make more deals in the coming days.

Jeff Carter, 35, is the most prominent player involved in trade rumors.

The alternate captain’s contract, which doesn’t expire for three more seasons, is worth a hefty $5.27 million in annual average value. For that reason, some have classified Carter as difficult to move.

But on Tuesday, Sportsnet (Canada) reporter Elliotte Friedman speculated that Philadelphia could be considering Carter, who was drafted by the Flyers and played there from 2005-11.

Kings Jets Hockey

HOCKEY

Blake Wheeler leads Jets past Kings 6-3

Carter has had a bounce-back year this season, tied for the team lead in goals (17) and tied for fourth in points (27). But he has a minus-21 rating and is far from the 30-plus goal scorer he once was.

Forward Trevor Lewis, 33, has served as a solid role player this season despite two stints on injured reserve. Defenseman Derek Forbort, 27, has appeared in only 10 games since recovering from a serious offseason back injury but has played top-pairing minutes at times in his career. Along with fellow defensemen Joakim Ryan and Ben Hutton, Lewis and Forbort will be unrestricted free agents on July 1.

LA Times: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171762 Los Angeles Kings Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.20.2020

Kings to begin 5-game homestand against high-scoring Panthers

By ANDREW KNOLL |PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 7:55 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 8:42 p.m.

As their offense awakened and a modicum of momentum mounted, the Kings found a way to take a step back against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Coming off two wins, they allowed six goals in the final two periods of a 6-3 loss, and the following day they traded defenseman Alec Martinez to a division rival, the Vegas Golden Knights.

On Thursday, the Kings welcome the Florida Panthers to open a five- game homestand that is loaded with star power on opposing teams. The Panthers are the league’s fourth highest-scoring offense, meaning the Kings must play a much tighter game than they did Tuesday in Winnipeg.

“(We played) way too loose. It reminded me of the beginning of the year when we gave up a lot of long opportunities, stood in at the blue line without coverage, poorly played two-on-ones, and they made us pay for every mistake,” Kings coach Todd McLellan told reporters.

The Kings will also face Colorado, Edmonton and Pittsburgh during the homestand, all of whom have elite talent in their lineups. They will conclude against the New Jersey Devils who, like the Kings, have been selling off veteran pieces in trades and looking toward the future.

In a market with more playoff contenders than sellers and limited options on defense, Martinez received interest from multiple teams. His contract runs through one more season. That might have limited intrigue from salary cap-strapped suitors but also increased his value to teams who can accommodate his salary beyond this season since he will not be a rental acquisition. The Golden Knights sent two draft picks, a 2020 second-round selection of their own and St. Louis’ 2021 second-rounder, to the Kings in exchange for Martinez.

Martinez was held out of the game against the Jets, a common practice to avoid injury to players who are about to be traded at this point in the season. McLellan intimated as much, without going so far as to confirm Martinez was definitely on the way out of town.

“Just where we are at the deadline, and as we go forward we want to keep certain people healthy,” McLellan told reporters in response to a question about Martinez’s absence from the lineup.

The move portended a deal indeed, as Martinez was traded to Vegas on Wednesday morning.

The Kings had already traded left wing Kyle Clifford, goalie Jack Campbell and wing Tyler Toffoli heading into the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Clifford and Campbell were sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this month, and then Toffoili was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. Both Clifford and Toffoli were headed toward free agency this coming summer.

For the Kings who remain, the task at hand is a clash with the Panthers. Through Tuesday’s games, left wing Jonathan Huberdeau led the team with 71 points and 30 power-play points, while linemate Evgenii Dadonov paced Florida in goals with 24. Aleksander Barkov centers that top line and remains one of the most complete players in the NHL.

Despite signing the winningest active coach, three-time Stanley Cup winner Joel Quenneville, and a two-time Vezina Trophy winner in goal, former Columbus Blue Jackets star Sergei Bobrovsky, the defensive side of the game has proven complicated for the Panthers.

Bobrovsky got his first win in his last six starts on Monday against San Jose and has posted some uncharacteristically bloated numbers: a 3.31 goals-against average, an .897 save percentage and an underwhelming 21-17-5 record.

—– FLORIDA AT KINGS —–

When: Thursday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Staples Center

TV/Radio: Fox Sports West/iHeartRadio 1171763 Los Angeles Kings

Kings trade away Alec Martinez for draft picks

By ANDREW KNOLL |PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 1:13 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 1:20 p.m.

In their third trade in the past two weeks, the Kings sent yet another link to their glory years to a more competitive situation Wednesday, dealing defenseman Alec Martinez to the Vegas Golden Knights.

In exchange for the veteran rearguard, the Kings received two second- round selections in the upcoming entry drafts. They now own Vegas’s second-round selection in 2020 and also acquired the St. Louis Blues’ 2021 second-rounder in the deal.

Martinez hoisted the Cup in 2012 and again in 2014 with the Kings.

“Alec has been an important part of the organization for a number of years and was a key member of our Stanley Cup teams,” Kings General Manager Rob Blake said in a statement. “We thank Marty for everything he’s done for our organization, our fans and our community.”

It was an unceremonious sendoff for Martinez, whose contribution to the odds-defying 2014 run was immeasurable. He scored a pair of iconic goals in both Kings lore and Stanley Cup Playoffs history.

He netted the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 7 against Chicago in the Western Conference Finals, capping a series for the ages and a historic run as the Kings became the first team to reach the Stanley Cup Final after having all three of their prior playoff series go to seven games.

They had also completed a rare rally from an 0-3 series deficit against the San Jose Sharks in the first round, becoming the fourth team in NHL history to do so. In that series, Martinez contributed three assists to their four consecutive victories.

Martinez’s defining moment came in Game 5 of the Final against the New York Rangers, when he scored the championship-winning goal in double overtime. The triumph was immortalized by photos of Martinez jubilantly raising his arms as Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist laid face down in emotional agony.

This season, Martinez had contributed eight points and stable defensive play to a young Kings team. He also surmounted a serious wrist injury, which occurred when he was cut by a skate.

Martinez scored 198 points in 597 career games, all as a King. He now joins a Vegas team that went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018 and has been pining for active, skilled players on its back end.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171764 Los Angeles Kings Jonathan Quick and Drew Doughty. Out of those players only Lewis is on an expiring contract and could be moved before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Los Angeles now has 20 picks in the next two drafts.

Kings trade Alec Martinez to Vegas for draft picks as rebuild continues JAZZ HANDS FOREVER

@AMARTINEZ_27 PIC.TWITTER.COM/ELBS6J1AZJ

By Lisa Dillman Feb 19, 2020 — LA KINGS (@LAKINGS) FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Martinez, 32, is under contract until the end of the 2020-21 season, at an annual average contract value of $4 million. He is a left-handed shooting He knew it was coming — and yet when the moment finally occurred, it defenseman who has demonstrated an ability to switch to his off side as didn’t change the sober reality that defenseman Alec Martinez is no needed. longer a member of the Kings. Martinez, who scored the winning goal in the Kings’ 2014 Stanley Cup championship victory over the New York “We’re all human beings. That said, I’m a professional and I knew what I Rangers, is the latest piece of the team’s championship puzzle to move signed up for,” he said Tuesday, again at morning skate. “It’s a business along in this discouraging, lost season. and I’m going to continue to play hard, no matter where it’s at.”

The Kings agreed to send Martinez to the Vegas Golden Knights for two The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 second-round picks (Vegas’ 2020 pick and St. Louis’ 2021 pick, which the Golden Knights previously acquired). Martinez was held out of the Kings’ game Tuesday in Winnipeg for what the team called “precautionary reasons,” telegraphing that a trade was in the works.

This was Los Angeles’ third major deal of the month. Previously, the Kings sent pending unrestricted free agent Kyle Clifford and backup goalie Jack Campbell to the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Trevor Moore and two draft choices.

On Monday, the Kings traded Tyler Toffoli to the Vancouver Canucks for forward Tim Schaller, the rights to forward prospect Tyler Madden and a 2020 second-round draft pick. The Kings also will receive a fourth-round draft pick in 2022 if Toffoli re-signs with the Canucks.

“We were having dinner together and (Toffoli) was sitting right next to me (when he was traded). Obviously, we know the situation at hand. But anytime you have one of your best friends traded, that’s disappointing,” Martinez said Tuesday at the Kings’ morning skate in Winnipeg. “At the same time, he’s got a good opportunity in Vancouver. They have a good team and they gave up a lot to get him. It’s always good to go somewhere you’re really wanted, in that regard. Disappointment, but I’m happy that he’s going somewhere where someone wants him and he’s in a good situation.”

Pedigree, versatility and a high compete level are the three most prominent qualities that Martinez will bring to Vegas, a team that ousted the Kings in the postseason two years ago and quickly has turned into a divisional rival.

Originally chosen by the Kings in the fourth round (No. 95) in the 2007 NHL Draft, Martinez played three seasons at Miami University (Ohio) in the CCHA before turning pro in the 2008-09 season with the Kings’ AHL affiliate in Manchester, N.H. He was a full-time NHLer by 2010-11 and played a key role on their 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup-winning teams. The heights of his career came in their second championship season, when he scored a double-overtime goal in Game 5 against the Rangers and also scored in overtime to eliminate the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference final.

As recently as the 2017-18 season, Martinez finished second on the team behind Drew Doughty in average ice time (22:51), which also coincided with the last time the Kings made the playoffs. That year, they fell in four consecutive games to the Golden Knights, however, and it’s been a precipitous decline ever since.

Last season, injuries limited Martinez to 60 games and this season, he missed 18 recovering from a skate cut to his right wrist, which required surgery. Martinez has been back in the lineup since Jan. 4 and has been trying to find his rhythm and stride. This season, he has one goal and eight points in 41 games and is a minus-nine.

Just last Sunday, Martinez acknowledged the reality of his situation, saying: “I’m no dummy. We all know what we signed up for. Everyone knows what is going on and what happens when you don’t perform on the ice. We’re all human beings. We think about it. At the end of the day, it’s our job to go out there and play as hard as I can. You’ve to be professional about things.”

The good news is, the move to Vegas will give Martinez a chance to chase another Stanley Cup, which wasn’t going to happen if he’d stayed with the Kings. Los Angeles is at the bottom of the Western Conference with 47 points. The only players remaining on the Kings who have won a Cup with them are Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Trevor Lewis, 1171765 Los Angeles Kings

MARTINEZ TRADED TO VEGAS FOR 2020, 2021 SECOND-ROUND PICKS

ZACH DOOLEY FEBRUARY 19, 2020 0

The LA Kings have officially acquired two second-round draft picks from Vegas, in exchange for Alec Martinez. As the release below states, the draft picks will be Vegas’ selection in 2020 and St. Louis’ selection in 2021.

LOS ANGELES – The LA Kings have acquired two second-round draft picks from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for defenseman Alec Martinez, according to Vice President and General Manager Rob Blake.

The two second-round picks include Vegas’ in the 2020 NHL Draft and St. Louis’s selection in the 2021 NHL Draft that was previously acquired by the Golden Knights.

“Alec has been an important part of the organization for a number of years and was a key member of our Stanley Cup teams,” said Blake. “We thank Marty for everything he’s done for our organization, our fans and our community.”

Martinez was a fourth-round pick (95th overall) by the Kings in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and has played his entire career with LA. The Rochester Hills, Mich. native has appeared in 597 NHL games posting 198 points (62-136=198) and a plus-23 rating. He was a member of both the 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup Championship teams, highlighted by his overtime Stanley Cup clinching goal in Game 5 against the New York Rangers in 2014.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171766 Minnesota Wild

Dean Evason shares first NHL coaching win with family

By Sarah McLellan

FEBRUARY 20, 2020 — 1:43AM

VANCOUVER – As winger Alex Galchenyuk made his way toward the Canucks net in the fifth round of the shootout, Wild interim coach Dean Evason’s gaze was pointed at the crowd.

He knew where the suite was that was holding the dads, family members and other guests of the team during its road trip this week, and he kept his eyes trained on his three children.

And once he saw them leap into the air in celebration, he knew the Wild had won 4-3 Wednesday night and he had his first career victory in the NHL as a head coach.

“It’s amazing,” Evason said. “You hear things happen for a reason and all of those things. To have my three children here was awesome.”

The Wild was unsuccessful in Evason’s first crack last Saturday; it didn’t even score a goal – getting blanked 2-0 by the Sharks at home.

But the vibe was different Wednesday, even though the Canucks controlled parts of the play for stretches at a time. Still, the Wild didn’t go away and that helped it gain ground in the Western Conference playoff race – moving five points out of the second wildcard spot.

The team also made history in the process.

“I’m very happy for him,” winger Kevin Fiala said of Evason. “I saw him pumped up every goal we scored, so I’m very happy for him.”

Before Fiala dazzled with his stick, scoring his 15th goal of the season on the Wild’s first shot just 1 minute, 3 seconds into the game, he had to part with a stick.

During warmups, he spotted a kid holding up a sign challenging him to a game of rock, paper, scissors for one of his sticks. Fiala obliged and after a few games, he skated off to the bench to grab one of his twigs and handed it off.

“I kept winning,” Fiala said. “I always did the same. In the end, he won. I was always the rock, and then he figured it out. Always got to do paper.”

The Wild could have avoided the extra-time theatrics had it held onto a third-period lead, but it was forced to rally after giving up a pair of goals to the Canucks less than five minutes into the third.

Despite the momentum shift, the Wild didn’t retreat and that gave it an opportunity to prevail in the shootout.

“These are the kind of games you can really build off,” goalie Devan Dubnyk said. “Obviously being up a goal going into the third, we’d like to finish it that way. But it doesn’t matter one way or another. When you battle to tie it up and win it like that, it can be a boost for us. So, it was definitely a good feeling.”

This was easily Galchenyuk’s best game since he was added in a trade with the Penguins.

His game-tying goal was just his sixth this season, but he definitely showed flashes of the player who’s scored 30 in the NHL in the past – especially on his slick backhand shot in the shootout.

“System’s are systems,” Evason said. “It’s not necessarily anything that he hasn’t done before, but I actually liked the way that he’s played the game structurally. And then to get rewarded is extra special.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171767 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Vancouver game recap

FEBRUARY 20, 2020 — 12:56AM

GAME RECAP

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS

1. Alex Galchenyuk, Wild: The winger buried the decisive goal in the shootout after tying the game in the third period.

2. J.T. Miller, Canucks: The center scored twice.

3. Mats Zuccarello, Wild: The winger tallied two assists and also converted his shootout attempt.

BY THE NUMBERS

11 Points for winger Kevin Fiala in his past eight games.

200 Career games for center Joel Eriksson Ek.

SARAH MCLELLAN

Star Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171768 Minnesota Wild At 1:31, and just after killing off an abbreviated Wild power play, Vancouver scored the equalizer when Jay Beagle redirected in a feed from Quinn Hughes.

Alex Galchenyuk comes through twice to lift Wild over Canucks 4-3 in Both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play. shootout The Canucks continued to test the Wild, but it was the Wild that scored next.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune With 6:57 to go in the second, defenseman Brad Hunt sent a behind-the- net pass to center Luke Kunin and his one-timer squeaked by Markstrom FEBRUARY 20, 2020 — 1:49AM and over the goal line to reinstate the Wild’s lead.

But the Wild had trouble growing that cushion the rest of the period and especially in the third after the Canucks came out with a heavy push that VANCOUVER – When he saw winger Alex Galchenuk was next up for culminated in a pair of goals by Miller before the period hit the five-minute the Wild in the shootout, goalie Devan Dubnyk felt encouraged about the mark. team’s chances. At 1:28, Miller redirected in a slap pass from Tyler Toffoli — who was In practice on Sunday, Galchenyuk scored on Dubnyk in a shootout drill making his Canucks debut after being acquired in a trade from the Kings near the end of the session not once but twice. on Monday. Only 3:15 later, Miller gave Vancouver its first lead of the “Lightning fast backhand and up,” Dubnyk recalled. “So I was happy to game on a shot that handcuffed Dubnyk. see him over the boards when we had a chance to win it.” “I’ve been on the bench all year,” Evason said. “There’s been sag. Dubnyk’s instincts were spot on. Tonight there wasn’t. Tonight there was just calm.”

After pushing the game to extra time with his first goal as a member of The Wild continued to work for opportunities, and it finally persevered on the Wild, Galchenyuk capped off his best performance since his trade Galchenyuk’s marker with 4:45 to go — a wrap-around that caromed in from the Penguins by scoring the decisive goal in the fifth round of the off Vancouver defenseman Troy Stetcher. The goal was Galchenyuk’s shootout — giving the Wild a 4-3 comeback victory Wednesday night in first since Jan. 14, which came against the Wild while he was with the front of 18,871 at that pulled the team within five points of Penguins. Zuccarello recorded his second assist of the night on the tally. the second wild-card seed in the Western Conference. And only minutes later, Galchenyuk would one-up his own highlight with VideoVideo (00:37): Interim coach Dean Evason recaps the 4-3 shootout the game-deciding play. win over the Canucks on Wednesday. “The second I got traded here I knew I was going to have a great The victory was also the first for interim coach Dean Evason since he opportunity,” Galchenyuk said. “I gotta stick with it, work hard and do the took over last Friday after the team fired Bruce Boudreau. best I can to help the team win. I’m happy I contributed.”

“I just looked up at my three kids sitting in the front and watched their reaction, and all three of them jumped up in the air so I knew we scored,” Star Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2020 Evason said. “Pretty cool.”

Evason’s children and many of the players’ dads were in the crowd, with the team bringing the fathers and other special guests on this two-game trip through Western Canada. And the Wild’s entourage situated in a corner suite high above the ice watched quite a show.

“To win the way we did is [an] extra special feeling, especially with the dads in the crowd,” Galchenyuk said.

Before Galchenyuk’s attempt, wingers Ryan Donato and Mats Zuccarello converted for the Wild — using speed and quick hands to fool Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom.

“I saw those guys, they put in a lot of moves and the guys scored a good goal,” Galchenyuk said. “So I knew I wasn’t going to just go up there and shoot.”

After flying up ice and deking the puck, Galchenyuk flung it over Markstrom with his backhand.

For the Canucks, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller scored on the team’s first two attempts before Dubnyk was airtight the rest of the way. Overall, he made 31 saves. Markstrom ended up with 25.

“It’s huge for him,” Evason said of Galchenyuk, who was playing only his fourth game with the Wild since he was traded from Pittsburgh on Feb. 10 for winger Jason Zucker. “Anytime you get traded, you come over and you have some success for the team, I think it is absolutely huge for him. We hope that obviously continues and jumpstarts him to continue to do it.”

Just like its last shot, the Wild’s first of the game was also successful.

A throw up ice by defenseman Matt Dumba rolled into Vancouver’s end and once winger Kevin Fiala caught up to it, he flung the puck off the crossbar and behind Markstrom for his 15th goal of the season 1 minute, 3 seconds into the first period.

Over the last eight games, Fiala has 11 points. Since Feb. 4, his six goals are tied for third in the NHL.

That lead held for the rest of the first, but the Canucks upped their pressure. And early in the second, they were rewarded. 1171769 Minnesota Wild Not everyone, however, brought his dad. Ryan Donato invited his brother Nolan, and Kevin Fiala had his

grandfather Jan tag along. Short break from hockey games enables Alex Galchenyuk to get familiar Jordan Greenway’s plus-one was his billet host, Virgil Mingas, from the with Wild time he played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Michigan.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune “He just had a huge impact on my life,” Greenway said. “He didn’t really know [anything] about hockey but just living with him, just seeing how he FEBRUARY 20, 2020 — 12:45AM goes about his days, you can get a lot of wisdom from that guy.”

Game by game

VANCOUVER – Last week was hectic for the Wild, with the team trading Devan Dubnyk was back between the pipes Wednesday, his first start Jason Zucker on the Monday and then firing coach Bruce Boudreau on since Feb. 9, and made 31 saves in the Wild’s shootout victory. Friday. Goaltender is a position Evason said will continue to be evaluated on a But the upheaval takes on a completely new meaning when looking at it game-by-game basis. from Alex Galchenyuk’s perspective. That’s also how Evason is looking at the sixth spot on defense. “A lot of things have been happening,” Galchenyuk said. “But I guess it’s just part of what we do and part of life.” The Wild rotated between Greg Pateryn and Brad Hunt for four straight games, but against the Canucks, Hunt made a second consecutive Acquired from the Penguins in the Zucker swap on Feb. 10, Galchenyuk appearance. made his team debut the next day — arriving in the Twin Cities that afternoon before reporting for duty at Xcel Energy Center. “We feel extremely comfortable with both of them, and they’ve been back and forth,” Evason said. “They obviously bring two different dimensions Since the following day, a Wednesday, was a scheduled day off for the to our hockey club. team, the winger also didn’t get a chance to practice with his new squad before suiting up for his second game Thursday. “One night we might feel that we need a physical presence and more of a defensive guy. Some nights maybe we feel we need an offensive guy in.” By the time he did get in a session, a new coach was in charge. Packing up So the three-day buffer leading into a two-game road trip that started Wednesday wasn’t just an opportunity for interim coach Dean Evason to While the Wild is on the road this week, Boudreau will go to Xcel Energy use a pair of practices to continue to help the team acclimate to the Center to pack up his belongings. change in leadership. Saturday, when the Wild was playing the Sharks, Boudreau returned to The lull between games was also key for Galchenyuk to settle in after a Tria Rink to grab what he left behind after he was fired there a day chaotic start to his Wild tenure. earlier.

“You get familiar with the linemates, teammates, work on chemistry and And although he’s hoping to land an NHL coaching job elsewhere, just learn the system,” he said. “Everything new in life, it takes time to Boudreau said he and his wife, Crystal, may end up staying in the Twin adjust. I think I’m there now, so it’s just go out there and be myself.” Cities once he retires.

What has stayed the same since Galchenyuk joined the team is his spot “The people were so good,” Boudreau said. in the lineup. He remains on the left side of the second line next to center

Luke Kunin and right winger Mats Zuccarello, the position vacated by Zucker when the Wild traded him to Pittsburgh for Galchenyuk, prospect Star Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2020 Calen Addison and a first-round pick.

The linemates were pointless in Galchenyuk’s first three games, but that changed Wednesday. Galchenyuk scored his first Wild goal and added the game-winner in the shootout as the Wild beat the Canucks 4-3. Kunin also scored, and Zuccarello had two assists.

Galneychuk recognized the urgency for the line.

“We gotta find a way to obviously contribute to the team better,” Galchenyuk said before the game. “We have good opportunities, and we have been off the sheet for a couple games.

“... We gotta go out there and change that.”

Family affair

The Wild’s traveling party for its road trip this week is about twice as large as it is normally.

That’s because many of the players brought their dads, an experience the Wild has hosted through the years to share life on the road with the fathers.

Before leaving for Vancouver, the Wild’s guests had a tour of Tria Rink and even sat in on team meetings.

“It was really cool, really cool,” Evason said. “A little nerve-racking at the start. Mike Foligno’s sitting there, too.

“We used to beat up on each other. Sorry, he used to beat up on me.”

General Manager Bill Guerin spoke at a welcome reception in Vancouver, and dinner was at a steakhouse. For the games, the Wild’s entourage is set up in a suite and after practice Thursday in Edmonton, the group will get a tour of the arena. 1171770 Minnesota Wild

Wild back in action vs. Canucks with dads, mentors on trip

By Sarah McLellan

FEBRUARY 19, 2020 — 3:30PM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – After a couple practices and a day away from the rink on the heels of a hectic week, the Wild is finally back in action Wednesday in Vancouver where it’ll start a two-game road trip against the Canucks.

And the team’s traveling party for this trek is larger than usual, since the players have brought their dads or mentors with them.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” interim coach Dean Evason said. “I have my son here, actually my daughters are here as well because they’re in the area. But I wish I had this opportunity when my dad was alive. It would have been an absolutely amazing experience. Just seeing the dads last night, they were involved in all our meetings. They were at practice. Wonderful dinner last night. It must be wonderful as a player to have them sitting there and watching and be involved.”

This is the Wild’s first game since the team was blanked 2-0 by the Sharks on Saturday in Evason’s debut. He replaced Bruce Boudreau after Boudreau was fired last Friday.

The Wild’s forward lines are poised to be the same, but the team will make a change in net – starting Devan Dubnyk after backup Alex Stalock made the last three starts.

On defense, Brad Hunt will remain on the third pairing for a second straight game. Before then, the Wild had been rotating Hunt and Greg Pateryn.

“One night we might feel that we need a physical presence and more of a defensive guy,” Evason said. “Some nights maybe we feel we need an offensive guy in.”

Key numbers:

200: Career games for center Joel Eriksson Ek.

9-7-2: Record for the Wild during its last 18 road contests.

10: Points for winger Kevin Fiala in his past seven games.

7: Power play points for defenseman Jared Spurgeon over the last 12 games.

13-8-1: Showing for the Wild in its previous 22 games vs. Vancouver.

About the Canucks:

With 32 wins and 69 points, the Canucks are battling for the top spot in the Pacific Division. Currently, they’re sitting third – just one point behind No.1 Edmonton. Winger Tyler Toffoli, who was acquired in a trade with the Kings on Monday, is expected to make his Canucks debut against the Wild. In 58 games this season with Los Angeles, Toffoli had 18 goals and 34 points. Vancouver will be without Burnsville’s Brock Boeser for at least eight weeks as he deals with a rib injury.

Star Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171771 Minnesota Wild

Galchenyuk scores in shootout, Wild beat Canucks 4-3

Staff Report

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUBLISHED: February 20, 2020 at 12:39 a.m. | UPDATED: February 20, 2020 at 12:44 a.m.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Alex Galchenyuk scored the tying goal and the shootout winner as the Minnesota Wild beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Kevin Fiala and Luke Kunin also scored in regulation for Minnesota, and Mats Zuccarello had two assists. Devan Dubnyk stopped 31 shots.

J.T. Miller scored twice in the third period and Jay Beagle added a goal for Vancouver. Quinn Hughes recorded two assists. Jacob Markstrom made 25 saves.

The single point moved the Canucks into a tie with the Calgary Flames for second place in the Pacific Division.

The Wild moved to 1-1-0 since Dean Evason took over the head coaching duties from Bruce Boudreau last Friday. Minnesota is five points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

The Wild opened the scoring 63 seconds into the game, when Fiala collected his 15th goal of the year on Minnesota’s only shot in the first 11 minutes.

Dubnyk was busy at the other end of the ice in his first start in four games. He squeezed a Miller shot from a breakaway between his pads and denied Antoine Roussel on a close-in attempt from the slot as the Canucks outshot the Wild 10-5 in the first.

Vancouver evened the score early in the second when Hughes threaded a goalmouth pass through to Beagle for his second goal of the year and first in 42 games.

The Wild regained the lead with 6:57 left to go in the second when a Kunin redirection trickled between Markstrom’s pads and into the net.

The Canucks came out strong to start the third. After Miller hit the post on an early 2-on-1, he was rewarded with his career-high 23rd goal of the season when he deflected a point shot from Tyler Toffoli past Dubnyk. Toffoli’s assist was his first point as a Canuck after being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in a trade on Monday.

Miller put the Canucks ahead just over three minutes later with his second of the night, a blast from the left circle after a sharp pass from Troy Stecher.

Galchenyuk tied the game with under five minutes left, with his first point since being traded to the Wild on Feb. 10. He scooped a wraparound off Vancouver defenseman Troy Stecher and past Markstrom.

Galchenyuk beat Markstrom for the winner after Bo Horvat was denied on the other end in the fifth round of the shootout.

NOTES: Speed-skating gold medallist Christine Nesbitt was part of a group of Canadian athletes from the 2010 Winter Olympics on hand at Rogers Arena to help commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Vancouver games. … Actor Emilio Estevez was also in the house. He’s in Vancouver filming the new ‘Mighty Ducks’ TV series. … Tanner Pearson’s dog Emma was named the winner of the Canucks inaugural Top Dog race in the second intermission, beating out five other teammates’ canine companions.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171772 Minnesota Wild

For staggering Wild, annual Dads’ Trip comes at perfect time

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 12:30 p.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 12:33 p.m.

For as long as winger Marcus Foligno can remember, he has always played better when his father Mike has been watching.

“You’re scared a little bit,” Foligno joked. “It was always good to have them in the crowd. You just see to play a little bit better and work a little bit harder. It’s some extra motivation.”

That much was evident by watching the Wild practice Tuesday at TRIA Rink,

With dozens of dads (and mentors) watching from along the boards, players seemed to have an extra boost of energy for the duration of the 45-minute workout session.

No doubt interim coach Dean Evason is hoping that carries over this week as the Wild embark on their annual Dads’ Trip, playing at Vancouver on Wednesday and at Edmonton on Friday.

“I think whenever we have the dads and the mentors here, it’s an exciting time for us,” Evason said. “It’s incredibly awesome that this can even happen. It’s one of the really good things we do in our game. I thought the guys had a lot of energy because of that.”

With the Wild’s 2019-20 season hanging the balance after a tumultuous week that featured Jason Zucker being traded and former coach Bruce Boudreau being fired, it’s safe to say the Dads’ Trip is coming at a perfect time.

It should provide a more lighthearted environment, at least for a few days, as the Wild try to get back on track and battle for a playoff spot in the gridlocked Western Conference.

“I think things like this can bring a team closer together,” Foligno said. “You’re just really getting to know each other even a little bit more. You get to meet the dads and the mentors of the guys and hear some stories. We still have to go out there and perform. We know it’s a business trip, and it’s definitely going to be a lot more fun if we win these games.”

This trip is something captain Mikko Koivu looks forward to every season. His father Jukka has been going on the annual trip for more than a decade and has countless memories because of it.

“It’s always a good time to have them around and have them experience this,” Koivu said. “It’s something everyone that does it will remember. I was just taking to my dad, and we still remember the first time in the 2006-07 season. Those memories are always going to be there.”

As far as veterans go, 35-year-old center Eric Staal proudly speaks about his father Henry having more experience than anyone when it comes to these types of trips. He has three sons in the NHL — Eric, Marc and Jordan — so he’s been on his fair share of trips like this. He’s closing in on around 30 of these.

“His record is pretty good. He’s well above .500, so we should have a good week. We can put all the heat on him if it doesn’t go well.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171773 Minnesota Wild Twenty-six years later, what are the chances, but Evason, who was first hired as Glen Hanlon’s assistant in Washington, became Hunter’s assistant when he took over the Capitals bench for Boudreau in 2011?

Meet Dean Evason: The ‘super intense’ Kamloops legend now leading By that time, the rivalry between Evason and Hunter had evaporated. the Wild Evason said it wasn’t awkward because as junior coaches, they actually sat down at a bar during the Memorial Cup one year, “had a beverage and chatted about it.”

Michael Russo Dean Evason

Feb 19, 2020 Evason was also a true character, albeit a bit naïve as a youngster.

Ferraro was a member of the Whalers, Evason the Capitals, and the franchises shared an AHL affiliate in Binghamton, N.Y., in 1984-85. VANCOUVER — Unless you’re also from Manitoba or were a fan of Kamloops junior hockey in the early ‘80s or the Hartford Whalers in the Ferraro and Evason lived together coincidentally before Evason would be mid-to-late-80s, probably the only thing you know about Dean Evason if traded to Hartford. you’re a Wild fan is he’s the guy Paul Fenton brought to Minnesota two summers ago after Evason served as Fenton’s AHL coach in “I mean, we’re kids. We don’t know anything, right?” Ferraro said. “We’ve for six years. been living with billet families our whole lives once we left home. So, we rent an apartment furnished in Binghamton for 460 bucks a month. We Other than the fact that he also bears an uncanny resemblance to Creed bought a car, an AMC Matador for 600 bucks. from the television show, “The Office,” who exactly is the Wild’s sixth coach in franchise history who took over for Bruce Boudreau last Friday “So, you can imagine what a piece of crap this thing was.” on an interim basis for at least the rest of the season? Ferraro and Evason called the car, “The Bull.” — “I’ll tell you what, he’s a friggin’ bloody hero in Kamloops,” said Ken The “piece of crap” was turned into an even bigger “piece of crap” Hitchcock, the longtime coach who has won the third-most games (849) because Binghamton teammates Mike Hoffman and Dan Bourbonnais in NHL history and got his major junior coaching start in Kamloops the owned a big Cadillac and the four guys would get their kicks by always year after Evason left as a player. slamming their cars into each other. — “He’s a big golf nut,” said Hall of Famer Mike Modano, who played “At the end of the year, I was called up to Hartford and Deano had to look with Evason on the Dallas Stars — the fourth of Evason’s five-team after the apartment and the car,” Ferraro said. “But then the season NHLcareer that spanned 13 seasons and 803 games. ended, and he didn’t know what to do with the car. The cabbie pulled up “Like obsessed, and I mean obsessed, with golf,” added Daryl Reaugh, to the apartment to take him to the airport, and Dean tried to give him the Evason’s former Kamloops and Hartford teammate and a longtime Stars car. The cabbie is like, ‘No way. I don’t want it. Look at that piece of announcer. crap.’ Deano was giving the guy a free car and the guy didn’t want it!

Evason is a 2-to-3 handicap whose favorite courses include Winged “So, Dean just left the car, I believe, with the windows open hoping Foot, Pebble Beach and Olympic Club outside the Twin Cities and Troy somebody would take it.” Burne, Prestwick and The Royal Club in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A few months later, Evason was back home in Brandon, Manitoba, when “When we were in Hartford together, his closet was about 60/40 VHS he gets a call from the Binghamton Police. tapes of golf on television because there was no Golf Channel and no “The cop goes, ‘Are you going to move your car?’” Ferraro said, laughing. internet or anything,” Reaugh said. “I mean, it was stacks and stacks and “The car was such a piece of crap, nobody took it.” stacks of tapes, and he would go back and watch and re-watch it and basically coached himself to become a better player. And, he’d get so “What’s funny,” Evason said, “I put all our pots and pans in there, too, pissed if something got accidentally taped over.” and just left it outside our apartment. I didn’t know what to do with the car, so I took the license plates off. Me being naïve, I just threw the — “One of the ultimate team players,” Edmonton Oilers coach Dave license plates away and I thought, ‘OK, if I’m back in Binghamton next Tippett said of his former Hartford teammate. “Great checker. Good season and the car’s still there, I’ll go get it and re-license it and that’ll be faceoff guy. Great penalty killer. Just a great teammate, somebody you my car.’” could always, always, always rely upon.” “Well,” Evason said, “the cop screams, ‘No, you can’t leave your fucking — “Super intense. Like, super, super intense,” said Wild goalie Devan car.’ I mean, I’m 19 years old. We had no idea about what we’re doing Dubnyk, who played three games for Evason, then Kamloops’ coach, as and life. And the cop says, ‘You gotta get it off the street.’ I said, ‘I can’t. a 15-year-old in 2001-02. I’m in Manitoba.’ The cop goes, ‘Well, what the hell do you want me to do — “And tough as nails,” said Ray Ferraro, the TSN analyst who was with it?’ I said, ‘Do you want it?’ And he goes, ‘Well, I do have a 16-year- Evason’s teammate on the Binghamton and Hartford Whalers. “Did he old son.’ I said, ‘It’s yours,’ and I mailed him the keys.’” ever tell you how he fought Dale Hunter four or five times in one Evason was some kind of player in junior. season?” His last two years in Kamloops, he scored 71 goals and 164 points in 70 Actually, as Evason, now 55, said, it was “three times … in one period.” games in 1982-83 and 49 goals and 137 points in 57 games in 1983-84 It was New Year’s Eve 1985, Hartford faced the Quebec Nordiques, and for the team then known as the Junior Oilers. The league leader that year Evason’s first three NHL fights came against the built-like-a-fire-hydrant was Ferraro, who scored … 108 goals and 192 points for the Brandon Hunter at the 6:27, 11:51 and 17:37 marks of the second period. That Wheat Kings. means they squared off 24 seconds after coming out of the penalty box But Evason became a local hero in Kamloops when in Game 6 of the the first time and once more 46 seconds after they emerged from their WHL championship against Regina, he scored to force overtime. respective boxes the second time before both, by rule, were booted from the game. “We were 12 seconds from being done,” said Reaugh, the goalie on that team. “It was a crazy series. We played in this tiny little venue, Kamloops “I literally couldn’t move for a week,” Evason said. “My neck was so sore. Memorial Arena. I mean, it was like The Aud (Buffalo Memorial He’s such a big, strong man. We were trying to survive. You’re trying to Auditorium) or small, maybe smaller. It was tiny and find something that sets you apart. One of them was to get in the odd intimidating. So, we had a severe home advantage and we played for Bill scuffle with a guy. Him and I played a similar game. I’m not even close to LaForge then, so it was just brawls and intimidation. his stature, but it was, I don’t want to say it was fun fighting three times in a period, but it was something that we both felt that we had to do to play “But along with that it was skill and talent. We had tons of it. So we won and to stick around.” our home games. And then we went out and we got smoked in Regina, and then came back and we were in Game 6, and we were 12 seconds It’s safe to say the 80’s were a bit different than it is today. from being done, and Deano scored that colossal goal. We won it in overtime, then won Game 7 and won the WHL to go to the Memorial “We were just in Florida and I was talking to (Joel) Quenneville about it,” Cup. Tippett said of his Oilers. “But it’s not just me and Q, it’s now Deano and Kevin Dineen and GMs like Ron Francis and a ton of assistant coaches, “But, I mean, it is so fitting that he was the guy that scored that goal and guys like Ray Ferraro in the business, and an agent in Mike Liut. because he was our unquestioned leader on a really good team with a ton of really good players. But Deano was our guy. And I don’t even “We had a good group of guys. Everybody liked the game. It was a real know if he was our most talented player at the time. But he led us. He character group led by Emile Francis, our GM. I don’t know, it was a real was our captain. We followed him everywhere. He cared about his comradery. I’ll get a real kick out of coaching (Friday night in Edmonton) teammates, and he’d kill to win.” against Deano.”

Dubnyk was a teenage callup to the now-called Kamloops Blazers when Modano said, “I don’t know what Kool-Aid they were drinking in Hartford Evason was coaching there and even he immediately recognized what back then, but there’s about eight head coaches that came out of that type of legend his coach was in the city because of that goal and his team.” production throughout his junior career. Modano, the Wild’s executive advisor to owner Craig Leipold and “It was cool to have a guy coaching there that had done what he had,” president Matt Majka and somebody who also advises general manager Dubnyk said. “I wasn’t up to date on his entire career, but I knew at the Bill Guerin, had a lot of fun with Evason toward the tail end of Evason’s time that he was a big deal there.” career in the mid-90s in Dallas.

Those Evason-led Junior Oilers teams played for a real disciplinarian in “But boy, when he was at the rink, it’s all business,” Modano said. “He LaForge. was serious. He wanted to play well. He wanted to be committed. He was a hard-working guy, so he was really diligent in that aspect of it. “And Deano was the only guy that had the balls to stand up to him,” Responsible in his own zone, good faceoff guy, good at shot-blocking, Reaugh said. “We’d be out having a team party and curfew would be like killing penalties. But he was creative and could make plays. He just 11 o’clock and it would be 10 (minutes) to 11, and somebody had to understands all aspects of the game, and I think that’s what he’ll bring to phone Coach and ask, ‘Hey, can we go to 11:30?’ our guys as a coach.

“And I mean that’s an intimidating call with Bill LaForge. And it was “I’ll tell you what. He’ll be direct. He’s not going to sugarcoat things. He’s always Deano, and he’d always come back and say, ‘OK, I got us until old school, so he’s probably not going to be afraid to call out anybody 11:30.’ And sure enough, 25 after 11, ‘Deano, can you go call and see if and get in their face. This day and age, athletes are, they’re a little we can get ‘til midnight?’ He’d always make that call again, and sensitive. They don’t like to be singled out anymore. But still, you don’t sometimes it was like, ‘Got us another half-hour,’ or, ‘He ain’t shitting perform, you’re not playing well, you’re not going to play. I think that’s the around. We’ve got to go.’ And away we’d go because Deano told us to way he views it, which is come ready to play. You commit to yourself and go. Deano was our conduit between a very, very demanding, intimidating you get in there and you’re going to get rewarded with some minutes.” man and the rest of the group. And I think he’s stayed that way all the way through his life. He’s honest, emotional, tough, cares about the team That’s precisely the way Ferraro feels. and his teammates first. “If somebody goes in and asks him a question, they will know the Despite being a junior star, when Evason turned pro and especially after answer,” Ferraro said. “They might not like it, but they will know the he got to Hartford, he recognized right away that he better evolve the answer.” type of style he played if he had any prayer of forging an NHL career. Laughed Reaugh, “I just hope he doesn’t swear too much.” “This is one of the reasons I think he’s been a successful coach and a good coach wherever he’s been,” Ferraro said. “Remember, this is a guy, Well, he probably will. who had (164) points in junior and what we looked at was we had Ron “You’ve got to be who you are,” Evason said. “I don’t like talking about Francis, who was clearly the best player by a mile. And then there was me … but my message right away was two words: communication and me and Dean. I think the Whalers probably looked at it and thought I was accountability. That’s what we’re asking of our group right away. As an going to score more and Dean was going to be a way better checker. ex-player and then as a coach, players want that, they want to be “And so we fell into the two and three (center) roles. He changed his communicated to, even if it’s negative. They want straight up, and they game from an offensive game into a defense-minded game first. I think want to be accountable.” that helps him as a coach because he can relate to the offensive guy. He Dubnyk finds it fascinating how things come full circle sometimes and understands it because that’s who he was. But he relates to the checking now he finds himself playing for Evason 18 years later. guy because that’s also who he was. “That was his first gig,” Dubnyk said. “I knew him a little bit from training “This was one hard-nosed guy, too. He did not play on the end of his camp before that because I was there as a 14-year-old, and then getting stick. He was in the middle of it all the time. He became a character called up, he was super intense. He still has that in him. You can just see player wherever he went. He’s seen the game from a whole bunch of how passionate he was then, you see the same thing now. A little more different sides of it. And I think that makes him really relatable.” mellowed out. I’m sure it’s easier to be a little more mellow dealing with Reaugh, Tippett and Modano all said separately that Evason’s transition us than a bunch of teenagers in junior high. was not unlike the one Hall of Famer Guy Carbonneau made when he “But it was definitely a different step going from playing Bantam with got to the NHL. Carbonneau was a junior scoring sensation in the volunteer coaches to jumping in with Deano.” Quebec League, then became one of the NHL’s best defensive forwards of his generation. Dubnyk was an emergency callup. As a 15-year-old, he was not allowed to play more than five games. Kamloops’ goalie had a high ankle sprain, “Maybe not to the same level as Guy, but Deano reinvented himself,” so Dubnyk spent the final two or three months in Kamloops mostly Reaugh said. “For Deano to stick in the NHL, he had to turn himself from practicing. a really good two-way forward in junior who slanted toward offense to slanting toward defense as a pro. “I played two games right away. I started in one,” Dubnyk said. “I flew from Calgary to Vancouver, was late for the game, started that game, got “He has always been the type of guy that if you throw a challenge in front torched. And then the next night, I’m feeling like the puck looks about the of him, he’s going to meet it. He’s smart. He knew that and became that size of a pea. There’s a line brawl halfway through the second period. It and worked at it in order to stay there for a long, long time.” was 0-0 at the time. I’ll never forget this. I’m sitting on the bench, and Said Evason, “You have to find something that sets you apart in order to every guy on the ice is fighting, including the goalies. I’m 15 years old stay. I knew I could not score however many goals I scored in junior. watching this go down. This is a movie to me. It was that surreal. There’s no way. So I had to find a way to play in the NHL, and that was “Everybody’s getting kicked out. The fact that the goalies are getting to be a checker, to play a gritty game, to obviously be a good teammate.” kicked out of the game didn’t even register in my brain. Like, there was Dean Evason not one part of me that realized that this meant I was going to play. I’m just sitting there watching them clean up the ice, everybody’s picking up Tippett pointed out how amazing it is that so many people from those gloves and shit, and I’m like, ‘Wow, that was crazy.’ Hartford teams are either coaching or are still in the game. “I’ll never forget, Deano comes down the bench and screams on top of very least, you’re getting your opportunity and at least now will have a his lungs, ‘Duby, what the fuck are you doing? Get the fuck out on the track record at this level of how your team played under your guidance.” ice!’ That’s the other elephant in the room here. “And then all the color goes from my face. The puck looked like a BB. Things were moving quick out there. But we won like 5-2 or 5-1, and that In a lot of ways, even though Evason has term left on his contract past was my first junior win.” this season, Boudreau’s firing could ultimately spell the end of Evason in Minnesota. While Guerin says Evason will be one of the men he Dubnyk would only play one more game because Evason wanted to save interviews for the full-time job after the season, if Evason doesn’t get the his final two eligible games in case of an absolute emergency. job, it’s uncertain if the new coach would want the interim back in an assistant’s role. “So, after every practice, I played 3-on-3 with Deano after practice,” Dubnyk said. “In junior, you got your young guys and guys that don’t play “This will sound made up, but (Evason) won’t think of that,” Ferraro said. much. Every day after practice, it was three coaches against three “He won’t let that get into his brain. He’ll plow straight ahead.” scratches and me. And, it was a really intense game of 3-on-3. I mean, Dean was just coming off of playing, so he put a few past me, to say the least, as a 15-year-old.” The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 Obviously, any time you become an interim coach, it’s an awkward situation.

Evason worked for Boudreau for parts of five seasons in Washington and Minnesota. In Minnesota, it got uncomfortable at times because Evason replaced Boudreau’s best friend, John Anderson and the common public sentiment was Evason was hired so Fenton could eventually replace Boudreau with the coach he trusted and respected.

Boudreau and Evason did have a heart to heart before this season. Boudreau asked him point-blank if he knew that Fenton tried to replace Boudreau a couple times last season with Evason.

Evason denied knowing and remained in his role.

“The hardest part for (Evason) is he’s been with Bruce a long time,” Ferraro said. “I don’t think there’s anybody that thinks poorly of Bruce. Like how could you? So that would be the toughest transition for Deano to make when all of a sudden your longtime friend and coaching associate is now gone, and you’re there to improve upon what he’s done.”

Dean Evason

As awkward as this is for Evason, this is a dream come true. Since 1998- 99, Evason has been in the No. 1 or 2 coaching hole with six teams and his ultimate goal was becoming an NHL head coach. In Milwaukee, his teams were always successful, and the mark of a good AHL coach isn’t so much wins and losses but how many players you help develop and elevate to the NHL.

In Nashville, many Predators over the years have had Evason’s fingerprints on their careers, including the Wild’s Kevin Fiala.

“Honestly, it just so feels so good,” Evason said of being an NHL head coach. “When you’ve done something, and then you get back at it again, especially in practice, it’s so much fun. Running the drills, pace, watching the guys work, it’s exciting for me as a coach.”

This is an uncertain time for the Wild. The team visits the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and Friday nights for the father-son trip, then hosts the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues on Sunday. The Wild, 1-2-1 in their past four and having dropped Evason’s debut to the San Jose Sharks by a 2-0 score, are seven points out of a playoff spot with the trade deadline approaching next Monday.

If the Wild keep fizzling, Evason could be coaching a very different- looking team next week.

“Can it be a playoff team?” Ferraro said. “Look, I’m a longtime friend to Dean and biased, but the deficiencies are so critical and so obvious (goaltending and center depth). I think it’s going to be difficult. I don’t know how many tweaks you can make to the system at this time of the year. Because you could change 10 things and you still got the same actors, right?

“Until the personnel changes or maybe some of the guys get back on the beam, it’ll be hard. I would think his first order of business is to get into some of the older guys, and because he’s a new voice, is to try and prop them up and build them up. Because they’re not going anywhere unless those veteran guys get untangled.

“But I think he will do a very good job. Like, Dean’s a very good coach.”

Reaugh agreed, saying, “Hey, look, you clamor your whole life to get a shot as a head guy, so I hope the guys respond to him. I hope he does well. I don’t know what you can get done in a month or two, but at the 1171774 Montreal Canadiens Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said Dillon will bring a lot of things to the Capitals, including size and toughness.

“He’s got playoff experience,” Dillon said Wednesday morning at the Canadiens Notebook: Marco Scandella could return to the Habs Capitals’ practice rink in Arlington, Va. “Veteran player. Physicality. The ability to play with top-end guys. Good character guy. I think he’ll add a lot of energy in our room and on the ice. Physical presence. Checked a lot of boxes for everything we thought we needed. STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE “I think we’re all attracted to size as long as it can play,” the GM added. Updated: February 19, 2020 “We like having the bigger bodies playing a heavier game. He’s a good skater for his size, too. He has that physical presence and we’re excited to see how it fits for us.” WASHINGTON — Marco Scandella loved his brief 20-game stint with the Canadiens and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of re-signing with the team Dillon was scheduled to arrive in Washington Wednesday afternoon and this summer. is expected to be in the lineup Thursday night against the Canadiens (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). After Scandella was traded to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday afternoon in exchange for a second-round pick at this year’s NHL Draft and a The Canadiens had the day off Wednesday in Washington and didn’t conditional fourth-round pick in 2021, Sean Campbell of TSN 690 Radio practise. caught up with the defenceman as he waited at Detroit’s Little Caesars Capitals like to hit Arena for an Uber ride to the airport before the Canadiens played the Red Wings Tuesday night, losing 4-3. The addition of Dillon means the Capitals now have five players who ranked in the top 20 in hits in the NHL through Tuesday’s games. “It was an absolute honour and privilege to play for my childhood team,” Scandella, who grew up in Montreal and is the nephew of former Tom Wilson ranked fourth (214 hits), Dillon was ninth (178) Garnet Canadien Sergio Momesso, told Campbell. “It was only 20 games, it was Hathaway was 16th (160) and Alex Ovechkin was 20th (155). The short-lived, but being able to play in front of my friends and family — my Capitals only have two players on their roster who are under 6 feet tall — mom being at every home game — it was just special. I can’t express Brendan Leipsic and Dmitry Orlov are both 5-foot-11 — and nine players how much I enjoyed it.” who are under 200 pounds.

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin acquired Scandella from the Buffalo “The game has obviously trended toward speed and skill, but towards the Sabres on Jan. 2 in exchange for a fourth-round pick at this year’s draft. end of the year and into the playoffs the good old hockey game always The 29-year-old defenceman is in the final season of a five-year, US$20- seems to kind of come back out and the playoffs get extremely tough, million contract and can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. they get hard-checking,” Wilson said after practice Wednesday. “You Bergevin looked into signing Scandella to a contract extension, but the want to be confident in the group that you have going into the playoffs defenceman wanted to wait until after the season to test the free-agent that you’re going to be able to play a physical game if need be. We’ve market. In his 20 games with the Canadiens, Scandella posted 1-2-3 always kind of prided ourselves on having a well-balanced lineup. If it totals and was plus-1 while averaging 17:38 of ice time. needs to be a skill game, we can play that, but also having a relentless forecheck and a physical game. “Absolutely,” Scandella told Campbell when asked if there was a possibility of him re-signing with the Canadiens this summer. “I’m not “He’s hard to play against,” Wilson added about Dillon. “I don’t think I’ve ruling anything out. I’ll be an unrestricted free agent and we’ll see what ever actually fought with him, but there’s other ways to be tough. You happens, what transpires over time. But right now I’m just focusing on know when you’re going into his corner it’s going to be a battle. You going to St. Louis, bringing my best brand of hockey, what I do there and know when you’re standing in front of the net with him it’s going to be a being part of that team. battle. That’s one of the biggest compliments that you can pay to a player is you know it’s going to be a tough game or a hard game when you’re “The organization’s first class, everyone treated me great,” Scandella battling with him. I think that’s something that we’ve tried to have on our added about the Canadiens. “It’s tough leaving your hometown team. team. When teams come into D.C. you want them to be like: Oh, here we Really excited about going to St. Louis, having the opportunity to play go. It’s going to be a tough game. He’s just another piece that can really there. Defending (Stanley) Cup champs. It’s going to be an awesome add to that, I think.” opportunity for me and the journey continues. I feel like I was on the last year of a contract, I knew that this year could be a little bit everywhere. Praise for Eller Just excited that I feel good, I’m really excited about the opportunity. Can’t say enough good things about Montreal. Original Six, childhood Wilson also had high praise for former Canadien Lars Eller, who is now in team, great group of guys in that locker room. Everyone in the his fourth season with the Capitals and has 14-21-35 totals in 59 games organization treated me amazing. It’s tough to leave but, at the same along with a plus-2 while winning 52 per cent of his faceoffs. time, it’s another opportunity, a new door opens and that’s the hockey “He’s a two-way forward that knows what it takes,” Wilson said. “He’s got world.” a lot of experience, plays really hard. He’s one of the hardest guys on the Scandella will make his Blues debut Thursday night when the Arizona puck. We’re lucky to have him in that third line. I think that’s a pretty good Coyotes visit St. Louis. third-line centreman to have. We’re lucky to have him.”

Bonne chance à Saint-Louis, Marco! When Bergevin traded Eller to the Capitals on June 24, 2016, the Canadiens received a second-round pick at the 2017 draft (Joni Ikonen) Good luck in St. Louis, Marco! and a second-round pick in 2018 that was later dealt to the Edmonton Oilers. With a 37-17-5 record it’s a pretty good bet the Washington Capitals are going to make the playoffs for the sixth straight season and the 11th time The Caps make a quick stop at home on Thursday night to host the in 12 years. Montreal Canadiens in the finale of the three-game season's series between the two teams. So while the Canadiens (27-27-8) are making trades like the one involving Scandella looking to the future while almost certain to miss the Canadiens call up Folin playoffs for the third straight season and the fourth time in five years, the Capitals are making deals hoping to win their second Stanley Cup. The Canadiens announced Wednesday that they have called up defenceman Christian Folin from the AHL’s Laval Rocket after Victor The Capitals, who won the Stanley Cup in 2018 but were eliminated in a Mete was forced to leave Tuesday’s game in Detroit with a lower-body seven-game, first-round playoff series last year by the Carolina injury. Hurricanes, acquired defenceman Brenden Dillon from the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday in exchange for a second-round pick at this year’s NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick next year. The 6-foot-4, 225- Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.20.2020 pound Dillon had 1-13-14 totals and 83 penalty minutes in 59 games with the Sharks and was even in plus/minus. 1171775 Montreal Canadiens finish in the top 10. It’s kind of fun to watch an older guy keep it going like he has.”

It was also fun to watch Ovechkin celebrate after the Capitals won their Canadiens could be victims of Alex Ovechkin's 700th goal first Stanley Cup in 2018. After beating the Golden Knights 4-3 in Game 5 in Las Vegas to clinch the championship, Ovechkin paraded the Cup through the lobby of the MGM Grand hotel before filling it with champagne and drinking from it. STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE The Ovy Party continued for days as he brought the Cup to a Updated: February 19, 2020 Washington Nationals baseball game, throwing a wild ceremonial first pitch. There was also the unforgettable scene of Ovechkin drinking from the Cup face-first while being held up horizontally and then stripping WASHINGTON — It wouldn’t be a surprise if Alex Ovechkin scores his down to his shorts and jumping into the water of the Georgetown 700th career NHL goal Thursday night against the Canadiens (7 p.m., Fountain with teammates. TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). When he eventually crashed, Ovechkin had photos taken of himself The Washington Capitals superstar has been stuck at 698 goals for the hugging the Cup while in bed. last five games — his longest slump of the season — so he’s definitely due to score a couple. Before going into his slump, Ovechkin had scored “He probably felt like he had a lot on his shoulders and when we won I 14 goals in seven games and you can add in the fact that in 49 career feel like he just let go and relaxed after that,” Backstrom said. “He’s a games against the Canadiens the Great 8 has scored 32 goals. great guy. Very relaxed. When it’s game time, it’s game time, and then when we don’t have any games he’s very relaxed, laughing a lot. Ovechkin was asked after practice Wednesday if he has fun playing against the Canadiens. “He’s a happy guy.”

“I’m always having fun playing hockey,” he said with a smile.

“If it happens, it happens,” he added. “It’s just a matter of time. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.20.2020 Tomorrow, if not tomorrow, whenever.”

Ovechkin has 40 goals in 58 games this season and is a good bet to hit 50 for the ninth time in his career after scoring 51 last season. At age 34, he shows no signs of slowing down and if he can stay healthy for another four or five years, Ovechkin has a shot at eclipsing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 career goals.

Gretzky is one of only seven NHL players to reach the 700-goal mark, including Gordie Howe (801), Jaromir Jagr (766), Brett Hull (741), Marcel Dionne (731), Phil Esposito (717) and Mike Gartner (708). Ovechkin has led the NHL in goals in six of the last seven seasons and nine times during his first 14 years in the NHL. He has a chance to do it again this season, trailing only Toronto’s Auston Matthews (43) and Boston’s David Pastrnak (42) in goals through Tuesday’s games.

Ovechkin is 12 years older than Matthews and 11 years older than Pastrnak, which is remarkable.

“I think it’s impressive that he keeps going,” Ovechkin’s linemate, Nicklas Backstrom, said after practice Wednesday. “It doesn’t matter if it’s practice or a game, he’s got that ability with that great shot he has, he just finds the back of the net. It doesn’t matter if it’s practice or a game, he just always scores. I think that just translates into the games the way he plays and the way he shoots.”

Ovechkin’s one-timer is a thing of beauty to watch. He has scored 259 of his career goals on the power play despite the fact everyone knows where he’s going to set up at the top of the faceoff circle on the left wing with his right-hand shot. Teams — and goalies — simply can’t stop him.

“I think he’s done a good job of just making sure he’s open all the time,” Backstrom said. “He knows there’s guys on him all the time, but at the same time, it’s all about adjustment and he’s really good at that, making sure he creates his own space.

“Honestly, everyone talks about his power and everything, but I think his timing is probably the best I’ve seen and the way he’s able to score from everywhere and take one-timers from all angles,” Backstrom added. “That’s really hard to teach.”

Is it even possible to teach someone to shoot and score like Ovechkin?

“Maybe he can teach someone … his son, maybe?” Backstrom said with a grin.

Capitals GM Brian MacLellan was asked the same question.

“No, I think it’s natural,” MacLellan said. “I think guys have it. You can teach some of the habits of scoring, but I think the guys that are at his level, he has that ability and was born with it.

“He has a passion for it,” the GM added. “I think that’s the big thing. Loves to score and he continues to bring that to the rink every day. I think that’s the bottom line. I think he’s energized by seeing where he can 1171776 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin lights kindling for potential fire sale

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: February 19, 2020

The Canadiens went down in flames in Detroit on Tuesday, but not before general manager Marc Bergevin began the fire sale.

For the past month, the Canadiens have clung to the belief that they could grab a playoff spot, but that hope died when they blew a two-goal lead and lost 4-3 to the Red Wings.

It was the fifth consecutive loss for Montreal and it came on a night when the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team holding the third spot in the Atlantic Division, left a crack in the door for the Canadiens.

Montreal was clinging to a 3-2 led when the Penguins put the finishing touches on a 5-2 win over the Leafs in Pittsburgh. Montreal had a chance to move six points behind Toronto, but instead they remained eight back and their rivals hold two games in hand.

Bergevin seemed to have a firmer grip on reality when he pulled the trigger on a trade that sent Marco Scandella to St. Louis. The N.D.G. native was acquired from Buffalo on Jan. 2 to shore up the left side of the defence. Scandella didn’t put the Canadiens over the top, but Bergevin was able to maximize his investment in the rental. He gave up a fourth- round draft pick to get Scandella and the Blues gave him a second-round pick and a conditional fourth-rounder next year. The Canadiens get the pick if the Blues reach the Western Conference final or Scandella re- signs with St. Louis.

While Scandella was thrilled to play in his hometown, he was philosophical as he waited for a ride to the Detroit airport Tuesday.

“It was great playing in Montreal, but it’s a business and at least I’m going to a pretty good team,” he said.

The focus is on Bergevin’s next moves now that the Canadiens are sellers.

One obvious target for contenders is Nate Thompson, who will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. There will be a market for a hard-nosed fourth-liner who can win faceoffs.

Ilya Kovalchuk is also a UFA and Bergevin will have to decide if there’s another season or two left in the Russian who will turn 37 in April. He has been a positive addition to the Montreal lineup and he should stay if the Canadiens get some assurance he will re-sign.

There’s talk that Tomas Tatar, who has one year remaining on his contract, could be in play but there are so many reasons why you should keep him. He’s a consistent 20-goal scorer, he likes playing in Montreal and he’s a hard worker. Could he fetch a first-round draft pick? Possibly, but why trade a proven NHLer for a middle-to-low pick who may or may not work out?

There is one player who could figure in a hockey trade as the Canadiens search for help on defence and that’s Max Domi. He blossomed in Montreal after arriving from Arizona last season, but he has been squeezed out of a top-six role. He’s more comfortable at centre, but he’s No. 3 on the depth chart at that position behind Phil Danault and the rapidly improving rookie Nick Suzuki. After leading the team in scoring last season, Domi’s numbers have dropped off and that’s not a good situation for a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171777 Montreal Canadiens goals, whereas Ouellet had a four-point game, including the game- winning goal. Laval lost every single game since then.

“Obviously we have to be objective and say we should have won some of Rocket Rundown: Forget the process, the Laval Rocket need results the games we lost, and that can leave a bad aftertaste,” said Bouchard. “As much as we like our goaltenders, there have been a lot of rough games this year. It’s not an excuse, but it’s true. Guys that were cut from the NHL that arrive in a new league, realizing their career is in play, that By Marc Dumont affects them. There are a lot of variables in play. But it’s not a bad thing, Feb 19, 2020 necessarily.”

Bouchard is referring to the value of gaining experience in the AHL, where mistakes are quickly forgotten and prospects can develop with a While the Canadiens continue to miss the cut in the NHL, there is hope focus on the good aspects of their play, rather than simply avoiding the for playoff hockey in Montreal. bad. And while that’s certainly true, it’s also his job to get everyone on the same page, something he did perfectly last season, despite the Well, just north of Montreal, anyhow. losing record. This season, things seem to be different. Bouchard doesn’t But even that’s far from a guarantee. The Rocket are currently seventh in use the term “buy-in” very often, even though it was his favourite saying the North Division, though they’re just four points shy of fourth-place, last year. which would be enough to ensure a playoff berth. As the only team in the “It’s on everyone,” said Jake Evans in a matter-of-fact tone. “Everyone organization with a legitimate chance of making the playoffs, the Laval needs to step up. There are no excuses. We have a great arena and we Rocket’s recent five-game losing streak came as a heavy blow to a club have great fans, who deserve playoff hockey. The guys here are all that’s struggled with its identity over the last month or so. hungry to win. It’s just a matter of getting those wins now.” We’ve heard it all before, in the AHL and NHL: the process is good, “We clearly have the guys here that can score, that can defend, and we bordering on great, but the results have been anything but. Eventually, have three great goalies. It’s not about the players, it’s about playing as a the process must give way to encouraging results. If not, it’s only team, getting that confidence and swagger back that we had at the reasonable to assume that the process itself was flawed. beginning of the year. We went into those games expecting to win. Being “It’s game, what, 50-something?” said Matthew Peca. “Process is…you afraid to lose is the big thing.” can keep saying it, but at the end of the day it’s execution. Whether it And that’s the biggest change since the flood of talented prospects has means goal scoring or beyond, it has to be better. We’re out chancing arrived in Laval, they’re afraid to lose. You could argue that most of the teams. We’re holding teams to sub-3 goals in a lot of games, but we’re prospects should have been in the AHL to begin with, and you wouldn’t not putting them in for whatever reason. We need to do everything we’ve be wrong, but it’s worth noting that the team has legitimately struggled been doing, and then some. When you watch our footage there’s a lot of since it received an influx of talent. Building chemistry on the fly is ‘almost’. And we seem to be paying the price when we lose focus for 10 difficult, and it’s up to the players to buy in, but as Evans states, it’s on minutes per game. Our leaders need to step up and produce a little everyone to fix the issue, and that certainly includes the coaching staff. more, too.” Having a hard time convincing veterans to buy-in is one thing, but Peca, who has four goals and nine assists in 31 games with the Rocket starting to lose games when you improve the overall talent level is this season, rightfully includes himself among the leaders who need to another. Of the two, the latter is the most pressing problem. step up, though he’s far from the only veteran player to provide underwhelming performances this season. Bouchard didn’t want to discuss standings or playoff hopes. He’s focused on the day-to-day rather than the end of the season. Phil Varone and Riley Barber were healthy scratches in the Rocket’s 3-0 loss to the on Sunday, with good reason, too. There’s time to find chemistry, there’s time to find the winning recipe, and there’s still more than enough games left on the schedule to qualify for Though Barber has produced much more consistently than Varone, to the playoffs, but unless something changes quickly, it’ll be yet another the tune of 13 goals in 38 games, versus Varone’s four goals in 26 spring without playoffs in Montreal and the surrounding areas. games, neither has provided the kind of leadership or game-breaking talent you’d expect from hired guns.

“I didn’t take them out of the lineup because I thought they were playing The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 excellent hockey,” said Joël Bouchard.

He’s not wrong, they’d struggle in recent games, though it’s far from the first time a veteran player struggles to adapt in a Bouchard-led setting. Last season we saw Alexandre Grenier, Hunter Shinkaruk, Daniel Audette and even David Schlemko quickly lose focus in Laval. This season we’ve seen issues with Dale Weise, Keith Kinkaid, Peca, Varone, Barber and others. It may not be an organizational issue, but there’s clearly a disconnect between the younger players, who provide an honest effort every night, and the veterans, who are simply going through the motions.

Neither Varone or Barber were available on Tuesday morning, which isn’t uncommon when it comes to struggling players in Laval, but it certainly leaves us with many more questions than answers. As for the recent losing streak? Bouchard, who was surprisingly upbeat on Monday morning, was quick to list the reasons.

“It feels like training camp,” he said. “There’s a lot of movement. Young players in tough situations they’re not used to. Jesperi Kotkaniemi is playing over 20 minutes a night, which is great, but it’s new. Cale Fleury hadn’t played in a long time. We lost Jake Evans. We lost our captain. We put Ryan Poehling in a spot he hadn’t played in a long time. It’s all part of the job, but we’re so inconsistent. We’ve played some young players in key situations, and they’ve failed. But that’s not on them. That’s on me. And that’s why they’re here. Veterans have to help out, too.”

It’s impossible to ignore that the last time the Rocket won a game, both Evans and captain Xavier Ouellet were in the lineup. Evans scored two 1171778 Nashville Predators That leaves Sami Vatanen as the top remaining defenseman on Craig Custance’s most recent Trade Big Board. Hynes coached Vatanen, who is on injured reserve with a bruised right leg, for parts of three seasons with the Devils, so he is familiar with his skill set. But the price to acquire With or without Ryan Ellis, the Predators need help on defense. But him, which Sportsnet reported Tuesday was “a second-plus,” is steep for how? a player with these underlying numbers:

Like many teams in the league that are on the edge of the playoff race, the Predators are in a tough spot with less than a week before the By Adam Vingan deadline. Although the Predators are a win-now team, they aren’t in a Feb 19, 2020 position to make another go-for-it move, many of which have backfired in recent years. And unless they lose significant ground before Monday, it’s hard to imagine them selling off major assets, since doing so would reduce their chances of making the playoffs for the sixth consecutive John Hynes has yet to coach a healthy Ryan Ellis. year. (Dom Luszczyszyn still gives them a 67 percent chance of Ellis was concussed Jan. 1, six days before Hynes replaced Peter qualifying.) Laviolette, and has progressed slowly over the past seven weeks. Even It’s much easier to imagine Poile trumpeting Ellis’ potential return as the so, Hynes has developed an appreciation for the Predators’ multi- equivalent of a trade-deadline acquisition, and that might be the best the talented defenseman. Predators can hope for at this point. “He’s a leader on the team, and even though he hasn’t played, I’ve been able to have multiple meetings with him, getting to talk to him privately one-on-one and in some leadership group meetings,” Hynes said. “He’s a The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 straight shooter. He’s really a hockey junkie in the sense that he knows everything that’s going on in the league. He lives it. He lives hockey. He’s got good opinions. He’s provided great feedback. He gives you straight answers, and you can see the leadership he provides as a person.

“I’m really excited to have him back in the lineup, because he’s such a leader in the locker room and in the way he plays. I’ve been really impressed with him to date and can’t wait to see him play.”

The problem with concussions, of course, is that there is no concrete recovery timeline. Ellis has been participating in morning skates and practices since Feb. 4, but as Hynes said Tuesday, “(With) these types of injuries, it’s tough to say he could be ready tomorrow (or) he could be ready in a week from now.” Predators general manager David Poile sounded hopeful during his weekly appearance on 102.5 FM that Ellis could return soon.

“I want to believe we’re really close, but I don’t have the symptoms that he has,” Poile said. “I really believe we’re getting really close.”

Ellis’ absence has further cemented his importance to the Predators, as evidenced by the fact that he remains second in the NHL in goals above replacement, according to Evolving Hockey. But it has also made their need for better defensive depth even more apparent.

When the Predators traded P.K. Subban last summer, it was understood that their defense would be weaker. With Ellis hurt, the team has been forced to elevate defensemen into roles they’re unsuited to play. (Before Ellis’ injury, he and Roman Josi formed a dominant pair, controlling a league-high 61.5 percent of inner slot shots when they were on the ice, according to Sportsnet.)

Perhaps as expected, Dante Fabbro has had an uneven rookie season. The bigger issue is that Yannick Weber, Dan Hamhuis, Jarred Tinordi and Matt Irwin are barely replacement-level players. Their offensive impact is negligible, and their defensive impact is problematic.

The trade deadline is Monday, and several teams have already added defensemen. Last Sunday, the New York Islanders packaged a second- round draft pick and a minor-league defenseman to pry 37-year-old Andy Greene, who had a no-trade clause, from the New Jersey Devils.

Three rental defensemen — Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon and Marco Scandella — were traded in a two-hour span Tuesday afternoon. DeMelo, sent from the Ottawa Senators to the Winnipeg Jets, fetched a third-round pick. The San Jose Sharks, who retained half of Dillon’s salary and cap hit, received a second-round pick and a conditional third- round pick from the Washington Capitals. (The Predators could use a defenseman in the mold of Dillon, who is defensive-minded, physical and responsible in his own end.)

Scandella went from the Montreal Canadiens, who retained half of his salary and cap hit, to the St. Louis Blues for a second-round pick and a conditional fourth-round pick. Also, TSN reported that Alec Martinez is expected to be traded from the Los Angeles Kings to the Vegas Golden Knights for two second-rounders. Martinez has one year left on his contract. 1171779 New Jersey Devils

What Devils’ Kyle Palmieri hopes to get out of foundation’s 2nd annual military ball

Posted Feb 19, 2020

By Chris Ryan

Between the NHL schedule and the upcoming trade deadline, it’s a stressful time of year Kyle Palmieri and any hockey player.

But the Devils forward is also focusing on final touches for the Kyle Palmieri Foundation’s second annual Military Ball, which will be held on Saturday night following an afternoon home game against the Washington Capitals.

Palmieri and many Devils teammates will attend, despite the hectic time of year on the hockey schedule.

“It’s awesome and I think the support from my teammates, it’s incredible to see. Guys want to help with it with whatever they can and obviously being there is a huge help and that’s time out of their day," Palmieri told NJ Advance Media. "This year we have a long trip coming up right after, it’s right around the trade deadline, it’s kind of a stressful time of the year, so obviously you don’t want to add stress by making guys come out, but I think everyone had a good time last year and we’re looking forward to having a good time again this year.”

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After launching his foundation in 2018, Palmieri held the first ball last February, marking one of the first major fundraising efforts for the group. Last year’s event raised money for three programs designed to aid veterans: Pets for Vets, The National Military Family Association and The Service Women’s Action Network. Those programs will again be at the center of this year’s fundraising efforts.

“They do such a great job. It was our first year, going through fundraising and things like that so we chose to keep the same organizations for the second year in a row," Palmieri said. "So this is kind of our last push with these couple organizations and then I think, as of right now, we’re planning on shifting our focus to a couple other organizations in this area.”

Palmieri and his wife, Ashlee, handle most of the organization for the event and the foundation, and their efforts from last year have helped the event grow.

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After making a late push to sell tickets in 2019, Palmieri said many more people have become aware and interested in year two.

“I think just due to word of mouth of people having a good time and having everything a little more organized,” Palmieri said. “There’s so many little things that my wife takes care of that you don’t really think about — ticket sales, making sure the website’s built for whatever kind of traffic you might have. So there’s some growing pains as far as that with the first year, but this year I think we have everything pretty dialed in, and ticket sales have been really good, so we’re really looking forward to it.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171780 New Jersey Devils This is creative. But … the Panthers would not give up Tippett (No. 12 in Pronman’s midseason ranking) straight up for Vatanen, who is a rental. It’s highly unlikely they’d yield their first-round pick, especially since they are far from a lock to make the playoffs. They absolutely would not give Who says no? Breaking down your Devils trade proposals up both for Vatanen.

Here’s some important information to remember …

By Corey Masisak Teams do not trade their best prospect. The last top prospect traded at the deadline was Filip Forsberg, and that was one of the worst Feb 19, 2020 transactions in NHL history.

The other ones that overvalue Palmieri … The Devils have already been one of the most active teams on the trade Blake Coleman netted the Devils, by most accounts, a great return. market this season, and there is good reason to believe interim GM Tom Nolan Foote immediately becomes New Jersey’s No. 2 prospect behind Fitzgerald will make more moves between now and the Monday Smith, and Vancouver’s first-round pick could end up in the teens. afternoon deadline. Is Palmieri worth more than Coleman? He has a longer track record of A handful of writers at The Athletic have asked their readers for trade success, but he’ll also cost nearly $3 million more against the salary cap proposals, but time was running out to ask Devils fans for their best trade next season (and that track record of scoring goals is likely going to lead ideas. The response to our request was impressive. Below are 70 trade to a hefty contract in the summer of 2021). proposals, culled from less than one day of collection. It depends on what teams are looking for. Tampa Bay needed offensive The quest for Bowen Byram … depth but didn’t have a lot of cap space, so Coleman was a perfect fit. A More than 15 percent of the proposals had a common target in mind: team with more room this year and next could place extra value on Avalanche prospect Bowen Byram. He was Corey Pronman’s No. 3 Palmieri’s offensive output, but he also might not fit on the first line/top prospect in his midseason rankings and highest-rated defenseman. power-play unit for some of the Cup contenders who have interest.

Byram’s name came up often in the days leading up to New Jersey’s Regardless, here are some trade offers where Palmieri would net more trade of Taylor Hall. The Devils did not land Byram. Nor did they obtain than Coleman, and significantly more in some cases: Victor Soderstrom, the Coyotes’ top defense prospect. Palmieri to the Isles for their 1st and (Oliver) Wahlstrom who hangs up While Kyle Palmieri, Devils forward and popular trade target, does have first? (Michael M.) an extra year of control left, the Avalanche are not trading Byram — save Wahlstrom has struggled in his first pro season, but he’s still No. 20 on for maybe an elite player with multiple years left on a team-friendly Pronman’s midseason list and the Islanders aren’t giving up on him that contract. quickly. Kyle Palmieri to Colorado for Byram and either their 1st or 2nd. Retain New Jersey trades Kyle Palmieri & Brandon Gignac to Colorado for 2020 salary if needed. (Shawn D.) 1st, Conor Timmins, & Martin Kaut (Ryan D.) Palmieri for Bowen Byram, Nikita Zadorov, 2020 1st (Joe S.) Kaut was a first-round pick in 2018 (the pick before Ty Smith) and Sami Vatanen and Palmieri for Byram (Michael R.) Timmins was No. 32 in 2017 (first pick of the second round). That’s too much for Palmieri. Colorado acquires Kyle Palmieri + Islanders’ 2021 2nd round pick; New Jersey acquires Bowen Byram + Colorado’s 2020 1st round pick (Tim R.) Boston gets Palmieri, NJD get (Jake) DeBrusk, 2020 1st Rd pick, David Backes (Matthew T.) Palms for Byram and a 2nd (Kyle R.) The Bruins are a popular destination for Palmieri. DeBrusk has 18 goals Colorado: Palmieri; New Jersey: Byram (Kevin C.) and 34 points this year. If Palmieri is an upgrade, he’s a slight one and not worth both DeBrusk and the first, even if the Devils help them out by Palmieri to Colorado for Bowen Byram (David L.) taking Backes’ bad contract ($6 million through next season). Colorado does not have its 2020 second-round pick, so a couple of these Palmieri (50% retained) to the Bruins for (David) Backes, (Charlie) deals would only work with a 2021 pick involved. But again, none of them McAvoy, a pick (John D.) would work because the Avalanche aren’t going to give up one of the game’s best prospects. The Bruins wouldn’t trade McAvoy straight up for Palmieri, and even all of the financial help that comes from taking Backes and eating half of Kyle Palmieri and Ty Smith to Colorado for Bowen Byram and Tyson Jost Palmieri’s contract wouldn’t bridge the gap. (Geoff S.) Palmieri to Boston for a 1st, Vaakanainen and Beecher (Jimmy L.) Geoff S. got creative and added Smith, the Devils’ top prospect, to the deal. The Avalanche would say no to Palmieri and Smith for Byram, even Again, this is three first-round picks with Vaakanainen (2017) and if the Devils agreed to leave Jost out of that deal. Beecher (2019) involved. That’s too much.

Palmieri (1/2 retained), Wood, Ty Smith to COL for Byram, Connor Kyle Palmieri (NJ retains 50% salary) to Edmonton for Jesse Puljujärvi, Timmins, 2020 COL 1st, 2021 COL 2nd (Scott P.) Sam Gagner (cap dump), 2020 1st round pick (Saad H.)

The Avalanche are not in any kind of salary cap trouble and likely won’t Palms for Puljujärvi, 1st, and (Evan) Bouchard (if this is too hot, 2nd be next year either, so eating half of Palmieri’s contract isn’t as enticing instead of Bouchard) (Tyler V.) to them as it might be to other contenders. And the return looks like something from a video game. Vats + Palmieri (both retained) -> EDM 1st 2020, Bouchard and Puljujärvi (Adam P.) Palms, Vatman, (Kevin) Rooney, (P.K.) Subban, (Jesper) Bratt to Avs for Byram, 2020 first, 2020 second, 2021 first, 2021 second, 2021 third Edmonton was another popular destination for Palmieri’s services. The (James B.) Oilers could certainly use another scorer to balance out their forward group and Palmieri’s contract is a reasonable one. They do not have Speaking of video games, would this one even work on NHL 20? much cap space this season, so Tyler and Adam would need to find a contract for New Jersey to take back. Even if the Devils retained half of First: New Jersey trades Vatenen to Florida for a first and RW Owen the cap hits for Vatanen and Palmieri, the Oilers wouldn’t have room. Tippett These offers center around Puljujärvi, the fourth pick in the 2016 draft Then: New Jersey flips the Florida 1st and Palmieri to Colorado for who went home to Finland this season. He’s played 140 NHL games and Byram and maybe a 5th round pick (Christopher M.) will be only 22 years old next season. Have the Oilers soured on him enough to give up him and a first-round pick for Palmieri? It doesn’t seem like the new management team there is ready to do that at a low value Palmieri seems like a virtual perfect fit for Dallas. They are desperate for point. offense and particularly on the right side. From what I’ve read, Thomas Harley is their #1 prospect and he is a defenseman, but I’m not sure his Saad’s offer is not a bad one. It would probably need a little tweaking — pedigree is enough to warrant giving up Palms for him. (Justin S.) perhaps the first-round pick is only conditional on the Oilers’ making the playoffs, and maybe the Devils have to send a 2021 or 2022 pick back to Harley checks in at No. 49 on Pronman’s list, one spot behind the Devils’ Edmonton based on how Puljujärvi performs. But that seems like newest addition, Nolan Foote. He would be the type of prospect who something both sides would have to think about. could make the Devils consider moving Palmieri. Harley for Palmieri straight up might not be enough, though? The Devils would likely push In case it crossed anyone’s mind, yes, Devils vice president of analytics for a draft pick as the second asset, similar to the Coleman deal. The Tyler Dellow was still with the Oilers when they selected Puljujärvi, Stars have already traded their second- and third-round picks this year, though only for about a month after that draft. so they might be more interested in offering the 2021 first or putting some Getting warmer with Palmieri … conditions on the 2020 first.

To BOS: Kyle Palmieri. To NJD: 2021 1st, 2020 2nd, Urho Vaakanainen, Palmieri and Arizona’s 2020 first-round pick to Florida for Mike Hoffman David Backes (Eric F.) (extension signed) and Owen Tippett (Michael L.)

Pushing the first to 2021 might make it a little more conceivable for the Hoffman is older than Palmieri and not much of an all-around player. Bruins. This would leave Boston with about $3.5 million in space, so the He’s a sniper-first type and the Devils would be trading one of their top Bruins could make an additional move if the Devils ate the Backes “character guys” for someone who was a toxic asset two summers ago. contract. It’s possible the Bruins just won’t part with Vaakanainen, but Palms and 1st to Pittsburgh for (Bryan) Rust and a 3rd (Joe B.) maybe the right conditions attached to those picks could move the two sides closer. Rust is having a breakout season, is two years younger than Palmieri and has an extra season of control ($3.5 million per through 2021-22). Palmieri to Boston for Boston’s 2020 1st round pick and Jack Studnicka He’s a similar player to Palmieri in 2020, but Palmieri was better for the (David L.) past 3-4 years. It’s unlikely the Devils would give up a first-round pick in Studnicka is at No. 37 on Pronman’s midseason list, so he’s in the range this trade. And Rust doesn’t quite qualify as someone who can grow with of the other prospects who have been traded. Studnicka, Beecher and Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, as Fitzgerald suggested he’s looking for. Vaakanainen are the Bruins’ top three prospects, according to The Kyle Palmieri to Carolina (I know I’m gonna get hate for this) for a 2020 Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. Would the Bruins give one of them up plus a 1st and Hadyn Fleury (Jack E.) first-rounder for Palmieri, a player who would fit nicely in their lineup? The Devils would need to retain some of his salary or take a contract Jack wasn’t the only person to suggest Carolina as a Palmieri trade back to make a deal work. Backes is the obvious one, but it could be a partner. Fleury might not have the upside the Devils would be looking for smaller contract as well. in a deal that includes Palmieri. He’s a good prospect who should play in the NHL for a long time. But the Devils don’t need to move Palmieri, even Palmieri to Carolina for Jake Bean and their-first round pick in 2020 if a first-round pick is in play. Maybe the Devils believe Fleury’s situation (Connor C.) in Carolina (being stuck behind some great players) is holding him back The Hurricanes have some cap space to work with because of Dougie and he can develop into an impact player. Hamilton’s injury. Do they need another scorer up front? Could Palamieri The ones that overvalue Sami Vatanen … entice them to turn away from adding a potential replacement for Hamilton? Vatanen to Carolina for a conditional second and (Martin) Necas (Kyle R.) Carolina also has plenty of intriguing young assets and extra draft picks to make a move if it wants. The Hurricanes have an extra first-round pick Necas is one of the top rookies in the league and is not going anywhere. (Toronto) this year. Bean is at No. 34 on Pronman’s midseason list and is probably stretching the limits of who’s available. Carolina does have Sami Vatanen to Carolina for Anttoni Honka, Dominik Bokk and a several other quality defense prospects, including Joey Keane, who conditional first (becomes a second if the Hurricanes don’t reach the joined the organization Tuesday in a trade with the Rangers. finals, and becomes a third if they miss the playoffs) (Tyler I)

Would a first and Conor Timmins from Colorado be reasonable (for It’s been reported that the Hurricanes are not keen to add a rental player Palmieri)? (Riley B.) as a Hamilton replacement. If the Devils are able to coax them into a potential trade, asking for two of their top-seven prospects and a Palmieri to Colorado for 1st and Connor Timmins (Theodore B.) conditional first-round pick won’t be what convinces them.

Kyle Palmieri and Boston’s 4th for Timmins and a 1st (2020 or 2021) Carolina receives: Sami Vatanen (50% retained) New Jersey receives: (Sean D.) 2020 1st round pick via Toronto, 1 B+ prospect (my initial guess on the prospect is Jamieson Rees) (Kevin M.) Timmins missed about 16 months because of concussion-related issues, but he’s 21 and producing well in his first AHL season. His name popped The Devils could, in theory, get a first-round pick for Vatanen. They are up during the Hall chase, as well, and he’s behind Byram, Cale Makar very unlikely to get both a first and a prospect of Rees’ caliber for a rental and Sam Girard on Colorado’s prospects depth chart. player.

The Avalanche missed out on Hall and Coleman, but could they pursue Vatanen to Carolina for the Rangers 2nd + Bokk (Joe M.) Palmieri to add one more scorer up front? He could replace Mikko Rantanen for now and then slide into a supporting role when the flashy Not asking for a first could give the Devils a better chance of getting a Finn is ready to return. A deal close to Sean’s proposal could get these deal done. Still, if the Hurricanes are leery of rentals, giving up a second two clubs to finally connect on a deal. and a top-50 prospect on Pronman’s midseason list doesn’t seem like something they’d be interested in doing. Palmieri to COL for 1st + Zadorov (Joe M.) Vatanen to Toronto for Kapanen (James D.) The Avalanche certainly have enough young defensemen in the system to part with Zadorov, but they might be hesitant to do it now before a Sami Vatanen to the Leafs for Kasperi Kapanen, Jeremy Bracco, Cody potential playoff run. Ceci, and the Sharks 7th (Brian F.)

Palmieri to Colorado for a 1st and Jost? (Matthew T.) Sami Vatanen for Leafs’ Kasperi Kapanen and Jeremy Bracco. Retain as much of Vatanen’s salary as needed to get the deal done (Johnny F.) Jost has had a similar NHL career to Pavel Zacha so far. The production hasn’t matched the potential to this point. This is one where Devils fans Wood and Vatanen to Toronto for Kapanen (Kevin C.) would likely feel a little underwhelmed by the return, though the first- The Maple Leafs are not going to trade Kapanen for a rental player. round pick is enticing. They’re definitely not going to give up Kapanen and then some, even if A few more that might undervalue Palmieri …? the Devils eat some of Vatanen’s money. Kapanen has two more years left on a team-friendly deal. The Leafs need more players like him, not Vatanen’s contract. New Jersey could also turn around and flip Ceci to fewer. another contender for another draft choice.

I don’t think the Leafs are going to see Wood as enough of a Would the Leafs give up two second-round picks to do that? The second replacement for Kapanen to make that deal work. Toronto is also going pick would probably have to include some conditions, and be more likely to be without Andreas Johnsson for six months, which means Kapanen is to end up as a third or even a fourth. even less likely to be moved. The ones featuring Wayne Simmonds … Vats to the Oilers for a pick + Puljajarvi (Joe M.) Simmonds’ production since leaving Philadelphia before the deadline a Regardless of what the pick is, the Oilers aren’t likely to part with a year ago does not warrant much of a return, but like Brian Boyle a year depressed asset like Puljajarvi for a rental player. ago, teams wouldn’t be paying just for his on-ice talent. (Maybe other teams should look at Nashville adding Boyle and Simmonds last year as Vatanen to the Oilers for Puljujarvi and a 2nd (David W.) a precautionary tale about overpaying for character, but NHL clubs have And Puljajarvi plus a second-round pick is likely to be way too much. The been doing it for decades at the deadline). second asset along with the second-round pick needs to be of lesser Here are the ones where the other team quickly says thanks, but no value. thanks:

Sami Vatanen to Vegas for Nicholas Hague, Devils 2020 2nd and Vegas Simmonds to Edmonton for Puljajarvi (Joe M.) 2020 1st. (Joe S.) Simmonds and a 5th to the Canucks for (Michael) DiPietro (Eitan M.) This is one premium asset too many for a rental, and the Golden Knights aren’t likely to give up Hague (who is NHL ready now) when they have The Oilers aren’t giving up Puljajarvi for a rental, and the Canucks aren’t plenty of other prospects who can help them in a playoff series if needed. yielding one of the best goalie prospects in the league for one, either.

Winnipeg Receives: Sami Vatanen, Michael McLeod, Jesper Boqvist, These ones might be in the neighborhood … 2022 Second Round Pick, and 2020 Boston Fourth Round Pick* Simmonds for Vancouver’s 2020 3rd and 2021 4th (Joe S.) New Jersey Receives: Nikolaj Ehlers and 2021 Conditional 3rd Round Pick (Condition: Sami Vatanen Resigns with Winnipeg) (Michael G.) Simmonds (50% retain) to Vancouver for a 2020 3rd and a 2022 4th* (Todd G.) *Instead of those two picks, maybe include the Vancouver 1st round pick in their place *if Vancouver resigns Simmonds it becomes a 2022 3rd

This is … wow. I’m all for crazy ideas, though. Winnipeg just traded for a The Athletic’s Pierre Lebrun has reported the Canucks have shown rental defenseman Tuesday afternoon, so that might minimize the Jets’ interest in Simmonds. They’ve already traded their first- and second- interest in Vatanen. But they could also use another defenseman to round picks in the 2020 draft for J.T. Miller and Tyler Toffoli. They may try make a playoff push. Are Boqvist, McLeod and the Vancouver first-round to get the Devils to take a 2021 pick as the main asset. Would New pick enough to include with Vatanen for Ehlers, who is 24 and headed for Jersey take a 2021 third and a second pick instead of a 2020 third from his third 25 goal, 60-point season in four years? another team?

The Jets say no here, I think. Ehlers is too good, and McLeod’s and Simmonds (salary retained) to Boston for a 2nd (Joe M.) Boqvist’s upside is too questionable. A second-round pick might be too rich for Simmonds, but it was a The ones that make some sense for Vatanen … surprise to see the Devils get one for Boyle last year, too. Eating half of Simmonds’ cap hit so the Bruins (or Canucks) only need to take on $2.5 NJD gets a 2nd/3rd round pick and Lucas Elvenes from VGK for Sami million could help. Vatanen (Alex C.) Miles Wood + Simmonds to Vancouver for a 2 + Jay Beagle’s salary Vatanen to Vegas for Peter Diliberatore and VGK 2020 second (Eitan M.) (Matthew T.)

Elvenes, a fifth-round pick in 2017, is the third-leading scorer among This would have to be a 2021 second-round pick. Beagle has two more rookies in the AHL. He is No. 28 on Pronman’s midseason list. Vegas years after this on his contract at $3 million per. If the Devils are looking has seven picks in the second and third rounds over the next two years, for a veteran player to help mentor the club’s young players, Beagle so Elvenes — or one of Vegas’ other top prospects — and a third-round could be a fit. Vancouver gave him too much money and term as a pick could get these two clubs close to a deal. fourth-line center, but he was beloved in Washington for being the hardest-working player on a team that won the Stanley Cup. The Dililberatore, a sixth-round pick in 2018, is a sophomore at Quinnipiac. Canucks might do this deal just for Simmonds. Wheeler rates him as the No. 7 prospect in the Vegas system. Two of the others in the top eight are Jack Dugan, who plays with Devils prospect The other ones involving Miles Wood … Tyce Thompson at Providence, and Kaedan Korczak, who is the top defenseman on Foote’s team, the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL. Wood + Will Butcher to Toronto for Kapanen + 2020 2nd (John M.)

When we created a buyer’s guide for Vatanen last month, Vegas made The Leafs have the space to do this deal now because of their injuries, the most sense as the frontrunner because of a need at the position, but does adding Wood and Butcher while subtracting Kapanen make motivation and asset capital. Elliotte Friedman reported Tuesday that the them that much better? Probably not, and definitely not enough to include Golden Knights are working on a trade for Alec Martinez from the Kings, a second-round pick. which could end any interest in Vatanen. Wood to Vancouver for Loui Eriksson, Vasily Podkolzin (Kevin C.)

Sami Vatanen to Florida for a 2nd + a prospect. Maybe even a Eriksson’s contract is a problem for the Canucks and the Devils would be conditional 1st instead of a 2nd? (Steve E.) eating $6 million for each of the next two seasons. Still, the Canucks are This is the framework of what the Devils are looking for. Start with a not giving up an elite prospect for cap relief and Wood. second-round pick plus a second asset of some kind. Maybe they can Wood and Zacha to Edmonton for Gagner and (Brandon) Manning get a team to make that second a conditional first if there are enough (salary dumps) a 2020 2nd and Puljajarvi (Sean K.) teams bidding. Three teams — Winnipeg, Washington and St. Louis — added a rental defenseman Tuesday and the Golden Knights might be That’s too much for the Oilers to give up, even with the Devils eating $5.4 out of the market for one, too. million in bad contracts. Also, Manning was recently suspended in the AHL for using a racial slur. No team is going to trade for him, even if it’s Vatanen (50% salary retained) to Toronto; Devils take back Cody Ceci, a just a salary dump and he never plays a game for their AHL club. 2020 second and a 2021 second. (John J.) Wood to Boston for 1st + David Backes (Joe M.) This proposal, similar to what I proposed in the buyers’ guide, is the Devils give the Maple Leafs an upgrade (Vatanen over Ceci) and also The Bruins are going to give up a first-round pick for Wood and salary create more room for Toronto to make a second deal by eating half of cap relief. It would give them some room to make a second deal, but that’s only saving them $3.25 million next season for a player who might Kase is another wing who will turn 25 next season. He’s got two more not crack their top three lines when everyone is healthy. years left on a great contract ($2.6 million per). He’s had some trouble staying healthy, but is a top-six caliber wing when he is. This probably The miscellaneous group, which includes some interesting ideas … wouldn’t be enough to get him from Anaheim, but it could be close Can the Devils trade for Quinn Hughes??? (Tom O.) enough to keep the two sides talking. The Ducks have likely fielded many calls on Kase, and it could take a significant return to pry him loose. No. That qualifies as an interesting idea, but the Devils couldn’t afford Jack’s brother before the draft and the price has only gone up since. Let’s finish with one of the best “who says no?” trade of the bunch …

Pavel Zacha to Columbus for Josh Anderson? (Toni P.) New Jersey trades Damon Severson to Florida for Vincent Trocheck (Dylan H.) The Blue Jackets would like to keep Anderson, but he’s a restricted free agent this offseason and can be a UFA after next year. Zacha is not Severson has three more years on his contract at $4.166 million per and enough for Anderson at face value, but Columbus could be in a turns 26 next season. That’s a great contract for a player who has been weakened position if they can’t get a deal done. Still, this feels more like the Devils’ best defenseman at times over the past two seasons and an offseason transaction (and the Devils would need to add something should be able to slot in as a No. 2 or 3 on a contending team. else to the offer). Trocheck has two years left on his contract at $4.75 million per and turns Will Butcher to Calgary for Sam Bennett? (Toni P.) 27 this summer. He had 31 goals and 75 points in 2017-18, but has only produced at about a 52-point pace each of the past two seasons, and Bennett is a year younger than Butcher and will cost around $1 million missed 27 games last year. less next season. Butcher has an extra year on his deal, though. Bennett’s career has been similar to Zacha’s at this point, save for a The Devils do not “need” a No. 2 center, but Trochek could also shift to strong rookie season which he has yet to match. There are probably the wing. His game is similar to Palmieri’s, but he’s a little younger and teams out there that think Bennett still has untapped potential. has an extra year left on his contract. The Devils also do not need to trade Severson, and doing this deal would create another hole in the I think the Devils say no here. defensive top four.

Will Butcher to Detroit for (Andreas) Athanasiou (Christopher G.) We must also consider a wrinkle at the end of each of their contracts. Severson will make $5.1 million in the final year of his contract, but Athanasiou is a fun players to watch because he can fly. He had 30 goals Trocheck’s deal jumps to $6.25 million in the final season. Some of these last year, but has only 10 this season. He’s an RFA and will likely cost long-term contracts for young players are set up that way, giving more than Butcher starting next season. They are essentially the same someone like Trocheck a better starting point for negotiations on the next age (this is their age-25 season). deal. This feels like a trade where both sides like their player more and it I think the Devils would say no here. It’s an intriguing proposal — two doesn’t get done. The Red Wings might change their view if they really good players with similar contracts — but even some of the best encounter difficulty in contract negotiations with Athanasiou. ideas don’t work out as trades in the NHL. Is there a Subban for Ceci trade that makes sense for Toronto? (Lou G.)

Probably not. The Devils would need to eat money, likely half of The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 Subban’s contract, which would be $4.5 million for each of the next two seasons. Toronto would get Subban at $4.5 million for three playoff runs, but would they have enough room to handle that (while also trying to further upgrade the defense corps because Subban likely plays on the team’s second pairing)?

Rooney to Boston for a 3rd (Joe M.)

The Bruins have Sean Kuraly as their No. 4 center when everyone is healthy. Maybe the Bruins would like Rooney as an insurance policy, but the pick coming back would likely be much later in the draft.

Arizona’s or Vancouver’s first and Pavel Zacha to Minnesota for (Jonas) Brodin or (Mathew) Dumba (Rob O.)

The Wild will want a first-round pick plus for either Brodin, who has two years left on his contract, or Dumba, who has three. Is Zacha enough as the “plus” part of a deal? Probably not for Brodin and definitely not for Dumba, but maybe he could be part of a package with another young player or draft pick.

Does Brodin or Dumba fit into Fitzgerald’s plan of surrounding Hughes and Hischier with more young players to grow with them? Brodin will be 27 next season, while Dumba will be 26. They are valuable enough to make sense in any team’s short- and long-term plans.

This could be the kind of deal that the Devils pursue in the offseason. Speaking of those …

New Jersey trades 2020 1st (Vancouver) to San Jose for Kevin Labanc (Ryan D.)

One of the firsts for Kevin Labanc (Theodore B.)

LaBanc took a one-year, $1 million contract from the Sharks to help them comply with the cap, but he’s an RFA again this offseason and will be looking for a significant raise. The Sharks also don’t have a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. Labanc will turn 25 next season, but has been a consistent producer over the past two seasons for San Jose. Labanc could slot in nicely as a wing for Hischier or Hughes.

2021 Isles 2nd + 2020 NJ 4th to Anaheim for Ondrej Kase (Dennis W.) 1171781 New York Islanders

Avalanche hand Islanders fourth straight loss

By MICHAEL KELLY

ASSOCIATED PRESS |

FEB 20, 2020 | 1:47 AM

DENVER — Pavel Francouz made 27 saves and lost his first NHL shutout with just over two minutes remaining as the Colorado Avalanche beat the New York Islanders 3-1 on Wednesday night.

"I was telling my father (Wednesday) I'm going to get him a shutout, so I'm really sad that it didn't work out," Francouz said. "I'm really happy we won, that's the most important thing."

Gabriel Landeskog, Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi scored to help Colorado end a three-game skid against a scuffling New York team.

"We needed to get back on the winning side of things. The homestand has been a little bit up and down, and we found ways to lose games," Landeskog said. "This was well-needed and big to finish up the homestand this way."

The Islanders continued their offensive struggles in losing their fourth straight despite another strong performance by Semyon Varlamov. The goaltender, who spent eight seasons with the Avalanche before signing with New York last summer, had 26 saves in his first game in Denver since leaving Colorado.

The Islanders had just two goals on their four-game road trip. Brock Nelson scored his 22nd of the season with Varlamov off for an extra skater and New York trailing by three.

"We're fighting until the end," captain Anders Lee said. "This has been a brutal four-game stretch and we're having a tough time with it."

The Islanders lost forward Derick Brassard after he was hit in the head on teammate Ryan Pulock's wrist shot late in the first period. Brassard went to the locker room and played just one shift the rest of the game.

"Pucks are hard, and the wrist shots are hard," coach Barry Trotz said. "If you get hit in the right spot, trust me it hurts."

The Avalanche got the early lead when Donskoi tipped in a shot by Makar at 9:07 of the first period, his 15th of the season to set a career high in goals. Burakovsky made it 2-0 just eight seconds after the Islanders killed off a penalty. Burakovsky's shot from between the circles beat Varlamov high on the glove side at 45 seconds of the second period.

Landeskog made it 3-0 at 7:43 of the third when he deflected Nathan MacKinnon's shot from the point. MacKinnon had two assists, giving him 51 for the season. He is just the third Colorado player to have at least 50 assists in three straight seasons, joining current general manager Joe Sakic (1998-2002) and Peter Forsberg (1995-99).

Colorado forward Martin Kaut made his NHL debut and nearly scored in the second period but his tip shot went wide.

“I had a couple chances so I think it was a great game for me,” he said.

New York Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171782 New York Islanders

Islanders dominated by Avalanche as skid continues

Staff Report

Associated Press

February 20, 2020 | 1:30am | Updated

DENVER — Pavel Francouz made 27 saves and lost his first NHL shutout with just over two minutes remaining as the Colorado Avalanche beat the New York Islanders 3-1 on Wednesday night.

“I was telling my father (Wednesday) I’m going to get him a shutout, so I’m really sad that it didn’t work out,” Francouz said. “I’m really happy we won, that’s the most important thing.”

The Islanders had just two goals on their four-game road trip. Brock Nelson scored his 22nd of the season with Varlamov off for an extra skater and the Islanders trailing by three.

“We’re fighting until the end,” captain Anders Lee said. “This has been a brutal four-game stretch and we’re having a tough time with it.”

The Islanders lost forward Derick Brassard after he was hit in the head on teammate Ryan Pulock’s shot late in the first period. Brassard went to the locker room and played just one shift the rest of the game.

“Pucks are hard, and the wrist shots are hard,” coach Barry Trotz said. “If you get hit in the right spot, trust me it hurts.”

Gabriel Landeskog, Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi scored to help Colorado end a three-game skid.

The offensive struggles continued for the reeling Islanders, who lost their fourth straight despite another strong performance by Semyon Varlamov. The goaltender, who spent eight seasons with the Avalanche before signing with New York last summer, had 26 saves in his first game in Denver since leaving Colorado.

The Avalanche got the early lead when Donskoi tipped in a shot by Makar at 9:07 of the first period, his 15th of the season to set a career high in goals. Burakovsky made it 2-0 just eight seconds after the Islanders killed off a penalty. Burakovsky’s shot from between the circles beat Varlamov high on the glove side at 45 seconds of the second period.

Landeskog made it 3-0 at 7:43 of the third when he deflected Nathan MacKinnon’s shot from the point. MacKinnon had two assists, giving him 51 for the season. He is just the third Colorado player to have at least 50 assists in three straight seasons, joining current general manager Joe Sakic (1998-2002) and Peter Forsberg (1995-99).

Varlamov was given a video tribute during a timeout in the first period as a thank you for his time with Colorado.

New York Post LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171783 New York Islanders the Islanders had an apparent goal waved off at 6:18 with Nelson crashing into Francouz.

Islanders fall to Avalanche, end road trip 0-4 Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2020 Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov stops a shot against Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov stops a shot against

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated February 20, 2020 1:39 AM

DENVER — Goalie Semyon Varlamov’s return to Colorado was not a happy homecoming. The Islanders can only hope returning to New York cures their scoring woes.

The Islanders were nearly shut out for the third time on a four-game Western road trip, losing 3-1 to the Avalanche on Wednesday night at Pepsi Center. In all, they have two goals in their last 12 periods with Monday’s NHL trade deadline looming their playoff positioning becoming precarious.

“You can let it get into your head, you can let it bring you down or you can let it fuel you,” captain Anders Lee said. “I don’t think any of this tough stretch right here is going to be the one that knocks us down.”

The Islanders (33-20-6) are in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the third-place Flyers. They could be clinging to the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference by the time they face the Red Wings on Friday night at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders, already thin at center with Casey Cizikas (left leg laceration), missing the road trip, lost Derick Brassard at 14:50 of the first period after defenseman Ryan Pulock’s wrist shot hit him in the head. Coach Barry Trotz, who began juggling his line combinations even before losing Brassard, had no immediate update on him after the game.

“It’s tough to come out on this trip and not get anything out of it,” said Brock Nelson, who scored the Islanders’ lone goal at 17:46 of the third period with Varlamov off for an extra skater. “But it’s a long year. We had that run earlier [a franchise-record 15-0-2 from Oct. 12 to Nov. 23] where everything was going our way and we were finding ways to win. Right now, it just seems like we can’t get over that hump or get that break to get by.”

Varlamov made 26 saves after spending the previous eight seasons with the Avalanche before signing a four-year, $20 million deal with the Islanders. Varlamov’s first game against his former team resulted in a 1-0 win for the Islanders on Jan. 6 at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum as he made 32 saves for his second shutout this season.

Pavel Francouz stopped 27 shots for the Avalanche (34-18-7), missing No. 1 goalie Philipp Grubauer (lower body), as well as regulars Mikko Rantanen (upper body), Nazem Kadri (lower body) and Matt Calvert (lower body).

“They’ve got a great team,” Josh Bailey said. “With it being a couple in a row now, it stings but the season is far from over. You’ve got to have the right mindset as a group and we will.”

Varlamov was honored with a tribute video during a stoppage at 11:10 of the first, lifting his stick to salute the crowd’s ovation.

By then, he had already faced 14 shots with the Islanders trailing 1-0. Joonas Donskoi deflected Calder Trophy candidate Cale Makar’s shot from the blue line at 9:07 as he set the Avalanche franchise record for rookie defensemen with his 32nd assist.

“They jumped on us early,” Trotz said. “They came out with a better purpose at home. I thought Varly kept us in the game in the first and our game settled down in the second and third. But it’s not coming easy for us.”

Andre Burakovsky’s wrister over Varlamov’s glove from between the faceoff circles made it 2-0 just 45 seconds into the second period. Gabriel Landeskog extended that to 3-0 at 7:43 of the third period after 1171784 New York Islanders smoothly as possible, even with the awkwardness of joining the team in the midst of a long road trip.

“We’re trying to win and he’s won in the past,” Toews said. “He’s just a Acquiring Andy Greene gives Barry Trotz options on Islanders' defense very respected guy. It’s nice to have his presence around. I’m looking forward to picking his brain over the next couple of months.”

By Andrew Gross Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2020 [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated February 19, 2020 7:12 PM

DENVER — It’s not so much his actual defense pairs that Barry Trotz is most concerned with as it is the roles the defensemen can play in the game.

Andy Greene’s acquisition has allowed the Islanders coach to put the pieces back in the order he prefers on both accounts for the first time since Adam Pelech suffered a season-ending Achilles’ tendon injury on Jan. 2.

“It’s not necessarily to get back with the pairs but maybe the roles,” Trotz said. “Leds [Nick Leddy] has gone in and killed penalties and done a really good job. But then, there’s not much for the power play so you give Dobber [rookie Noah Dobson] some power-play time and I thought our power play was going pretty good with Leds there. You could load him up with even more minutes. But I don’t think during the grind of it you can do that for very long.”

The Islanders faced the Avalanche on Wednesday night at Pepsi Center to conclude a four-game Western trip which started with three straight regulation losses for the first time under Trotz. It was Greene’s second game with the Islanders since he was acquired on Sunday from the Devils for minor-league defenseman David Quenneville and a second- round pick in 2021.

Wednesday’s game also marked goalie Semyon Varlamov’s first game back at Colorado, where he played the previous eight seasons, since signing a four-year, $20 million deal with the Islanders.

He had allowed just three goals in his previous two starts and made 30 saves in Monday afternoon’s 2-1 loss at Arizona as Greene logged 19:46, including 2:32 on the penalty kill, in his Islanders’ debut.

The left-shooting Greene has slipped into Pelech’s role as righty Ryan Pulock’s partner and as a key penalty-killing pair with right-shooting Scott Mayfield.

Trotz has re-paired lefty Devon Toews — an offensive-minded defenseman who had been playing on a top pair with Pulock — with Mayfield and the lefty Leddy with righty Johnny Boychuk. Those two have been a pair fairly consistently since they were both acquired on Oct. 4, 2014.

The right-handed Dobson was playing on his off-side before Greene’s acquisition.

“When Pelly went down, through the game we’d be mixing D partners through the whole game,” Pulock said. “It’d be a bit of a scramble. I think it’s good to get that stability back of just rolling six defensemen and the guys knowing their strengths and just playing to their game.”

“You got Andy back there and he’s a veteran and he’s a good player,” Boychuk said. “He’s just calm. It helps out back there. When you play with the same partners throughout the game it builds chemistry. When you’re not, you have to adjust your game a little bit. It’s good to have solid pairings but it’s also good to play with each other just in case somebody does go down.”

Greene’s acquisition has forced Dobson back into the reserve, seventh defenseman’s role.

“I think we can play with anyone,” Toews said. “There’s a little bit of stability for sure. We’ve got seven great defensemen. To have depth in this league is always because you never know when something’s going to happen. We’ve been a little unfortunate with some freak injuries this year.”

Greene’s transition to the Islanders after 13-plus seasons with the Devils — he had been New Jersey’s captain since 2015 — has gone as 1171785 New York Islanders

Islanders' Cal Clutterbuck may be close to returning

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated February 20, 2020 2:03 AM

DENVER — The Islanders, missing defenseman Adam Pelech, fourth- liners Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas and now, potentially, center Derick Brassard, may come home to some positive injury news.

Coach Barry Trotz said the hope is Clutterbuck can resume practicing with the team next week. The fourth line right wing has been out since his left wrist was slashed by Patrice Bergeron’s skate blade on Dec. 19 at Boston. Clutterbuck underwent surgery the next day to repair tendon damage.

“I don’t have a real accurate report, but Clutter has made good progress,” Trotz said before the Islanders concluded an 0-4-0 Western road trip with a 3-1 loss to the Avalanche on Wednesday night at Pepsi Center. “When we get back, I’d say, probably by Monday or so, he’d probably maybe start to skate with us.”

Trotz did not have an immediate update on Brassard, who was hit in the head by defenseman Ryan Pulock’s wrist shot at 14:50 of the first period and did not return.

He did report Cizikas, who suffered a left leg laceration on Feb. 11 when he was cut by Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov’s skate blade and was expected to miss three to four weeks, is doing upper-body workouts off- ice but has not resumed skating.

Pelech suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury on Jan. 2.

Isles files

Defenseman Scott Mayfield, who grew up in St. Louis but played two seasons of college hockey for Denver and now resides here in the offseason along with his immediate family, was a minus-2 in 19:54 in his third NHL game at Colorado . . . Mathew Barzal set a season-high for ice time for a second straight game, logging 24:59 with four shots and a missed breakaway at 12:30 of the second period after playing 24:35 in Monday’s 2-1 loss at Arizona . . . Defenseman Ryan Pulock logged 21:35 after getting a maintenance day off from Tuesday’s practice.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171786 New York Rangers Buchnevich and Strome connected 1:28 apart early in the third period to put New York ahead 3-1.

Buchnevich scored from the slot at 2:33 after taking Kreider's feed from Rangers score 5 times in third period to top Blackhawks behind the net. Strome made it 3-1 at 4:01 when he pounced on a rebound of Tony DeAngelo's shot, then turned and fired from the front of the crease.

By MATT CARLSON Kubalik scored on a backhander at 6:05 to cap a breakaway, but goals by Kreider and Panarin 53 seconds apart extended New York's lead to 5- ASSOCIATED PRESS | 2. FEB 20, 2020 | 1:35 AM Kreider plowed down left wing and then cut to the net and connected at 8:48. Panarin turned and ripped in a loose puck from the slot at 9:41.

CHICAGO — The New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider Caggiula scored from the slot at 11:39 to cut it to 5-3, but Zibanejad have all gotten hot, and are ready to chase a playoff spot. countered just under two minutes later on a tip-in for this 26th goal He has goals in four of his last five games and six in eight. Zibanejad and Kreider each had a goal and two assists as the Rangers scored five times in the third period and beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6- Henrik Lundqvist dressed as the backup goaltender for the eighth straight 3 on Wednesday night. game and hasn’t started since being pulled against the Dallas Stars on Feb. 3. New York has carried three goaltenders since recalling Pavel Buchnevich had a goal and assist, and Filip Chytil, Ryan Strome, Shesterkin from Hartford of the American Hockey League for the second and Artemi Panarin scored as New York rebounded from a 3-1 loss to time on Jan. 29. Boston on Sunday to win for the fifth time in six games. The Rangers also won their sixth straight on the road.

The line of Kreider, Zibanejad, and Buchnevich got rolling in the third in New York Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2020 this one to break a 1-1 tie.

"I think it's comfortability playing with each other," Kreider said. "We weren't able to get a lot going through the first two. There wasn't a whole lot of flow.

"We talked about some things we wanted to do, some adjustments we wanted to make. Get in the middle, get inside, instead of just being kept to the outside and playing perimeter hockey. I thought we did a better job of that."

Zibenejad has four goals in his last five games, and eight goals and eight assists in his last 11. Kreider has eight goals and six assists in 12 games.

Even so, the Rangers, who improved to 31-24-4 with 66 points, are six points out of the second wild card in the in East. New York's next game is Friday at Carolina, one of the teams it's chasing.

The Rangers know they need to win it.

"Our guys are excited about the game Friday night because it's going to be a playoff-type game for us in a lot of ways," coach David Quinn said.

Igor Shesterkin made 37 saves in his return after missing three games with an ankle injury. The 24-year-old has won seven of eight NHL career appearances since making his debut on Jan. 7.

Shesterkin went to the bench briefly with 2:44 left in the second after Jonathan Toews accidentally struck him in the mask with the butt-end of his stick. Shesterkin returned after a trainer attended to him.

Dominik Kubalik scored twice, giving him 25 goals to lead NHL rookies. Drake Caggiula also connected for Chicago, which has just one win in its last eight games (1-5-2).

Duncan Keith set up Kubalik's first goal for his 500th career assist.

Robin Lehner blocked 35 shots for the fading Blackhawks, who let the Rangers power past them in the third.

"It was one our worst third period or worst period in general that we've had," Lehner said. "I mean, look at their goals — a lot of alone chances right in front. We get out-battled and I need to make an extra save."

Chytil opened the scoring 1:58 in with his 13th goal. He beat Lehner between the pads with a low shot from the left circle.

Kubalik tied it 1-all at 2:29 on a one-timer from the right circle. Set up by Keith's perfect cross-ice feed, Kubalik ripped a shot just inside the right post.

The Rangers took off in the third.

"One of the things we talked about between the second and the third was we put ourselves in position to win the hockey game by playing 20 good minutes of hockey, because we certainly didn't play 40 good minutes of hockey when the game started," Quinn said. "Rarely do you get that opportunity in this league, and our guys responded." 1171787 New York Rangers

Julien Gauthier provides glimpse of his talent in Rangers debut

By Brett Cyrgalis

February 20, 2020 | 2:17am

CHICAGO — He was in the Rangers’ sights, and then he was in the lineup.

Julien Gauthier made his Blueshirts debut in Wednesday night’s 6-3 win over the Blackhawks, one day after he was obtained from the Hurricanes in exchange for defenseman Joey Keane.

Gauthier, 22, was a first-round pick (No. 21 overall), and is known as a goal-scorer — tallying 26 in 44 games this season for AHL Charlotte. He stands 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, and has great speed for his size.

He didn’t play a ton, starting on the fourth line with Brett Howden (who was back at center) and Brendan Lemieux. But Gauthier sped to the net and drew a holding penalty in the third period that resulted in a power- play goal from Ryan Strome.

“He’s been a highly touted player,” Rangers coach David Quinn said before the game. “First-round pick, played on Canada’s [2017] World Juniors team, he’s had a lot of success at every level he’s been at. We certainly were excited to get him.

“Been taking about him for a while, certainly a guy that’s been in our sights.”

Gauthier is a righty shot, and said he prefers playing right wing. The native of Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, knew he was joining a young team and there would be some opportunity for him to make an impact.

He said the message to him was “play your game,” which he easily explained.

“Big guy that can go to the net, skate well, and shoot the puck,” Gauthier said.

Gauthier played all five of his NHL games for the Hurricanes this season, notching one assist. But he knew he was walking into a big opportunity.

“Really young team, and world-class organization. They treat the players well,” Gauthier said. “People want to come here and play, and everybody plays hard.”

Quinn was also hoping that all the longing for Gauthier would be warranted.

“He’s a guy who’s got an awful lot of size and speed,” Quinn said. “He has scored goals everywhere he’s been. Looking forward to having him in the lineup, and bringing those two elements — the size and the speed — certainly help.”

The Rangers traded for former Islanders goalie Jean-Francois Berube, sending future considerations to the Flyers.

Berube was playing for AHL Lehigh Valley, and could end up being the goalie the Rangers expose in the 2021 expansion draft.

With Gauthier coming into the lineup, Greg McKegg was a healthy scratch. McKegg had played in the previous 31 games, mostly as the fourth-line center.

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo returned from his two-game absence because of an upper-body injury suffered during last Thursday’s game at Minnesota. DeAngelo, who went back to his regular spot next to veteran Marc Staal (bumping Brendan Smith from the lineup) had a pair of assists.

New York Post LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171788 New York Rangers “It’s certainly helps,” Quinn said. “Our guys have done a really good job of tuning [the distractions] out.”

Rangers roll Blackhawks with NHL trade deadline nearing New York Post LOADED: 02.20.2020

By Brett Cyrgalis

February 19, 2020 | 10:55PM

CHICAGO — You know, maybe it’s not all lip service after all.

For months now, the Rangers have been preaching about their togetherness, about their team jelling, about the good feel in the locker room. It sounded nice, but how much did it really mean when they were treading water on the edge of the playoff picture with another trade- deadline sell-off quickly approaching?

But all of those platitudes are continuing to ring true, as the noise of Monday’s deadline is only a soft hum under the boisterous celebrations. The fact that legend Henrik Lundqvist is the third goalie in a two-goalie rotation is a lot easier to ignore amid the continued excellence of emergent No. 1 Igor Shesterkin, and the steadiness of Alex Georgiev.

So as Shesterkin returned from a three-game absence due to a mild ankle injury, the Rangers used a wild third period to pull off a 6-3 victory over the Blackhawks on Wednesday night. It was the fifth win in six games for the Rangers (31-24-4), and their 12th win in the past 16 since this three-goalie situation began with Shesterkin’s call-up on Jan. 6. The 24-year-old Russian has now won seven of his first eight NHL starts, including both of his starts on the road.

“It’s a really good feeling in that locker room,” coach David Quinn reiterated, with the players’ moms here to celebrate as the club continues this two-game trip against the Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., on Friday night. “We’ve really become a team over the last two months. Listen, you have to win games when you’re not playing great.”

No, this was never pretty, even as the teams combined for seven goals in the first 13:37 of the third period. But the Rangers had five of them, and the Blackhawks (26-26-8) were never able to keep up.

“It’s always fun to win,” said Chris Kreider, whose value to the Rangers and on the trade market continues to rise, as he collected a goal and two assists and was a force all night. “You want to do it playing the right way, so the process has got to be a little bit better.”

That sounds like a player who is either unaware or unconcerned about an immediate future that is very uncertain. It’s unlikely this little run is going to change general manager Jeff Gorton’s mind going into the deadline, but it has sure made it a lot more pleasant around the team — in direct contrast to the previous two Februarys, when the impending sell- offs brought with them a cloud of gloom.

“This feels different than last year, for sure,” Quinn said. “Our guys are excited for Friday night, because it’s going to have a playoff-type game for us in a lot of ways.”

Right, the Rangers are six points behind Carolina for the second wild- card spot, with two teams between them. It’s difficult to make up ground in a league of three-point games, but playing meaningful hockey is still an important developmental tool for the youngest roster in the league.

And they looked it during the opening 40 minutes, when Filip Chytil’s goal 1:58 in had been equalized by the first of two on the night from Dominik Kubalik.

“I think we were lucky it was 1-1 going into the third,” Kreider said. “Igor kept us in it.”

Shesterkin was solid throughout, finishing with 37 saves, while surely upset with the two he allowed in the chaotic third period. After Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Strome scored less than two minutes apart to make it 3-1, Kubalik got his second at 6:05 to make it 3-2. But then tallies from Kreider and Panarin came 53 seconds apart to make it 5-2, before Drake Caggiula and Mika Zibanejad alternated to finish the scoring.

The red-hot line of Kreider-Zibanejad-Buchnevich combined for eight points, which makes it a lot easier to look beyond the fact that both flanks are hot commodities on the trade market. Keep winning and this playoff talk won’t sound like lip service, either. 1171789 New York Rangers “I just try to work hard every day. That’s my goal. And be ready,” Lundqvist said. “That’s that. I don’t have much more to say right now.”

Henrik Lundqvist has too much time to think after surprise Rangers New York Post LOADED: 02.20.2020 benching

By Brett Cyrgalis

February 19, 2020 | 4:16pm | Updated

CHICAGO — Now is not the time for Henrik Lundqvist to open up and spill his guts. There might be a time for that down the road for the always accommodating goaltender, who is being eased out of the Rangers’ nets after 15 years as not just the starter, but the face of the franchise.

With his 38th birthday 11 days away, Lundqvist has had only had two starts since Jan. 6, the day Igor Shesterkin was called up from AHL Hartford to make it a crowded crease, along with Alexandar Georgiev. Shesterkin was set to return from a mild ankle injury to start against the Blackhawks on Wednesday night, after Georgiev had started the previous three games.

Lundqvist, meanwhile, continues grinding away, sharing a net with Georgiev on Wednesday morning and trying not to think of the big picture — or its implications.

“There’s a time we can talk about the experience,” Lundqvist told The Post. “But right now I just want to focus on working hard, and that’s it.”

It’s clear this has been tough on Lundqvist, who did not so much give up his throne through poor play, as he had it usurped by the two 24-year-old Russians who have both played very well. It has left the thoughtful Swede with a lot of time on his hands and a lot to contemplate.

“It’s challenging at times,” Lundqvist said. “You think a lot, for sure. You try to come back to just controlling what you can control and not overthinking it. When things are the way you want them to be, you think less. You just go out and play. So it’s been a lot of trying to analyze the situation, but I just try to work hard every day.”

Lundqvist has one more year left on his contract with an $8.5 million salary-cap hit, and he has a full no-movement clause. At some point in the future, the Blueshirts could ask if he wants to waive that clause to go to a contender and play for that elusive Stanley Cup (even if no teams had inquired just yet), or they could decide to buy out the final year of his deal. Neither of those is an ideal way for him to end his Hall of Fame career, which started when he was a rookie in 2005-06 and he took the net from Kevin Weekes.

It was thought that Georgiev might be the one to go in a trade in order to make room for Shesterkin — long considered to be the heir to Lundqvist while he dominated in the KHL. But it doesn’t seem like a Rangers priority to move Georgiev, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

It also has become clear that Shesterkin is ready for the bright lights. He entered Wednesday having won six of his first seven starts, including his first road victory, Feb. 11 at Winnipeg. That is also when he suffered the minor ankle injury that didn’t keep him from finishing the game, but was sore enough to keep him out of the net for a week.

There was also quite the commotion when coach David Quinn said, before the Rangers played at Minnesota last Thurday that Shesterkin was the team’s No. 1 goalie “right now.” Quinn qualified the statement to emphasize the fact he was speaking about that moment and nothing further, and then mocked the hubbub that the comment created.

But no goalie besides Lundqvist has been declared the Rangers’ best option at any point in the past 15 years. When Lundqvist was healthy, he was always No. 1. The rare times he sat out two or three straight games for a hot backup were noteworthy situations.

What is happening now is more than that. Maybe the Rangers still will trade Georgiev before Monday’s deadline, or maybe they deal him over the summer, allowing a Shesterkin-Lundqvist duo to move into next season.

Or maybe we are nearing the end of Henrik Lundqvist’s career as a Ranger. 1171790 New York Rangers Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2020

Rangers score five goals in third period in win over Chicago

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated February 19, 2020 11:40 PM

CHICAGO — Teams are making trades all around the league and the Rangers did as well, sending minor league defenseman Joey Keane to Carolina for former first-round pick Julien Gauthier.

So with the NHL trade deadline on Monday, and the Rangers still a good distance away from the nearest playoff spot, time may be running out on the Blueshirt careers of a handful of players. Chief among those is free agent-to-be Chris Kreider, who doesn’t seem the slightest bit weighed down by the possibility he is playing his final games as a Ranger.

Kreider had a goal and two assists in the third period to break the Rangers out of a tight game against the Chicago Blackhawks and lead the way to a 6-3 victory that pulled them to within six points of a playoff spot in their long shot bid to reach the postseason. Each member of the first line, Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich, scored in the third period as the Rangers totaled five goals in the final 20 minutes to win for the fifth time in their last six games.

“That line was immense in the third period, and Kreids has had a great run here, playing great hockey for us,’’ coach David Quinn said.

Kreider set up Buchnevich’s goal at 2:33 of the third period, which broke a 1-1 tie, and scored his 24th goal of the season at 8:48, which made the score 4-2 and ended up being the game-winner. He later assisted on Zibanejad’s goal, which closed the scoring.

“All three of those guys have had really good years,’’ Quinn said. “They’ve always had some sort of chemistry during the course of my time here, anyway. There is a good feel amongst those three guys that they rely on each other as a relationship off the ice and it carries over on the ice, and they’ve really built a good chemistry.’’

Of course, the trio could be headed for a breakup. There are only two games remaining before the deadline, Friday in Carolina and Saturday at home against San Jose. And if the Rangers can’t come to an agreement on a contract for Kreider, he is likely going to be traded. General manager Jeff Gorton is negotiating with Kreider’s agent, Matt Keator, but Kreider’s asking price — his market value has to be somewhere in the neighborhood of the seven years, $50 million that former Ranger Kevin Hayes got last summer from Philadelphia — may be too high for the Rangers.

Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin also scored for the Rangers in the third period, and Igor Shesterkin, back in the net for the first time since Feb. 11, made 37 saves.

“Igor played well,’’ Quinn said. “I know he’s [ticked] that he let in three goals, but we defended like we did two-and-a-half months ago. Hopefully we can get that game out of our system and get back to defending the way we have the last two months.’’

With Shesterkin back in goal after missing the last three games with an ankle injury, and Tony DeAngelo in the lineup after missing two games with a shoulder injury, the Rangers were fully healthy for the first time in a week, and looking to get back on the winning track after Sunday’s loss to league-leading Boston.

Filip Chytil gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead, beating Chicago goaltender Robin Lehner on a wide-angle shot from the left wing that slipped between the goalie’s pads at 1:58 of the first.

But the Blackhawks tied the score at 2:29 of the second period, when Dominik Kubalik, Chicago’s second-leading goal scorer, somehow got behind the Rangers defense and was wide open on the back door to slam home a one-timer off a no-look pass from 36-year-old Duncan Keith.

1171791 New York Rangers

Julien Gauthier a sizable presence in Rangers lineup

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated February 19, 2020 11:32 PM

CHICAGO — Julien Gauthier, the forward the Rangers acquired Tuesday from the Carolina Hurricanes for defenseman Joey Keane, is a big man. And he uses his size to his advantage, he said.

“Absolutely,’’ the 6-4, 227-pound Gauthier said Wednesday after his first morning skate. “I try to use it as my strength. I’m not useless if I don’t do it, but I’m just not playing the right game. So going to the net, finishing my checks and playing in the dirty areas, that’s good for me.’’

Gauthier, a 2016 first-round pick who scored 26 goals in 44 games this season for Carolina’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte, reported to the Rangers and was issued jersey No. 12. He was in the lineup Wednesday. The 22- year-old had played five NHL games for Carolina this season, recording one assist.

“I was in the American Hockey League for quite a bit, and just to see that they want to give me an opportunity, it’s huge for me,’’ he said. “And I’m really grateful for that.’’

Rangers coach David Quinn said he was excited to have a player with Gauthier’s size and speed.

“He’s been a highly touted player,’’ Quinn said of Gauthier. “First-round pick; played on Canada’s World Junior team [in 2017]; he’s had a lot of success at every level he’s been at. We certainly were excited to get him; we’ve been talking about him for a while, a guy that’s been in our sights.’’

Gauthier, a righthanded shot, started on the fourth line with Brendan Lemieux on the left and Brett Howden at center. He said Quinn and general manager Jeff Gorton told him to just play his own game.

“Obviously, I scored goals in the minors,’’ Gauthier said. “They want me to play my game here, shoot, drive the net, and play big.’’

Another goalie added

Late in the game the Rangers announced they had traded for goaltender J-F Berube from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for future considerations. Berube, 28, has played in the AHL this season for the Flyers’ Lehigh Valley Phantoms farm team, posting a 12-11-4 record, with a 2.56 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and three shutouts ... Greg McKegg was scratched to make room for Gauthier, and with Tony DeAngelo returning to the lineup, Brendan Smith was scratched G Alexandar Georgiev also was scratched.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171792 New York Rangers

Rangers coach David Quinn makes it clear that he has confidence in Adam Fox

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated February 19, 2020 8:25 PM

CHICAGO —Adam Fox didn’t take it personally when Rangers coach David Quinn decided to send five forwards out on the ice in the Blueshirts’ final power play Sunday against the Boston Bruins.

“Things weren’t really going well,’’ Fox said after Wednesday’s optional morning skate before the Rangers’ game at the United Center against the Blackhawks. “We had a lot of opportunities (0-for-4, with a shorthanded goal allowed) before that. Obviously, the switch really helped us out.’’

Forward Pavel Buchnevich went on the ice instead of Fox, the rookie defenseman from Jericho, via Harvard. Mika Zibanejad moved to the point, where Fox had been playing in place of the injured Tony DeAngelo, and Zibanejad scored what turned out to be the Rangers’ only goal, cutting a 2-0 deficit to 2-1. The Rangers would go on to lose, 3-1.

Quinn said on Tuesday that he used the five-forward power play — a look he used a handful of times last season — simply to shake things up. It was not, he insisted, an indictment of Fox’s play on the power play in that game.

“Adam Fox has had a phenomenal year, we’ve all talked about it,’’ said Quinn, who added he just was looking for a spark when he went with Buchnevich. “When that game ended, I had to remind myself that sometimes my expectations — and our expectations — are so high for [Fox], because he’s played so well, that we forget he’s [22] years old. And we have to keep that in mind. He’s played a lot of hockey; it was our 10th game in 17 days, [Sunday]. I think we as a group were a little bit sluggish against the Bruins, and give them credit, but watching the game again, we just were sluggish.’’

DeAngelo was back Wednesday night after missing two games with an injured right shoulder. He returned to the role of being the point man on the first power play with Fox moved back to the second unit.

DeAngelo, the Rangers’ fourth-leading scorer entering Wednesday with 13 goals and 30 assists, both career highs, has been the No. 1 point man most of the season for a power play that entered Wednesday tied for sixth in efficiency (23.2 percent) and tied for fourth-most goals (43). The extra-man unit had clicked at a rate of 35.1 percent (20 goals in 57 attempts) over the previous 22 games, dating to Dec. 27. Their 20 power- play goals in that stretch were the most in the league.

The success of the power play, accompanied by a penalty killing unit that had not allowed a goal in six straight games (13 kills in 13 attempts) entering Wednesday had been a big part of the reason the Rangers had won four straight games before the loss to Boston.

Fox was willing to write off the power play’s struggles against Boston as just a bad day against a good team with a solid penalty kill. The Bruins, who had the NHL’s best record entering Wednesday, was second in killing penalties at 84.2%.

“They kind of stifled us on the entries [into the offensive zone] and being able to get set up,’’ Fox said. “And we’d maybe get a shot and not many second chances after that. It’s one game against one of the top PK groups, so I don’t think it’s going to kill a lot of the guys’ confidence going forward.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171793 New York Rangers cracking the lineup, especially if DeAngelo is re-signed. He’d be behind Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox and DeAngelo, plus Lundkvist, at least. And they really liked him. They really like Gauthier, too.

Chris Kreider’s talks with Rangers ongoing as trade deadline looms There are many other possibilities, which we’ve listed several times lately. Kreider remains the big prize for a contending team to potentially reel in.

By Rick Carpiniello On Wednesday against the Blackhawks, Kreider had a goal and two assists, and he had a hand in four goals, actually, as his line with Pavel Feb 19, 2020 Buchnevich and Mika Zibanejad dominated a wild third period in a 6-3 win. Kreider has eight goals and 14 points in his last 11 games, so obviously, the league-wide discussion about his availability hasn’t CHICAGO — And then there were two. The Rangers have a pair of bothered him. games remaining before the trade deadline, and though they’ve won five of six and eight of 11, there’s a lot that can still happen — and the Rangers coach David Quinn repeated that the entire team has done a winning isn’t going to play much of a part in the decisions they make. good job of tuning out the noise.

In the past two days, the Rangers have made a pair of relatively minor Quinn called Kreider’s goal — his 24th, which made it 4-2 and turned out trades. They dealt depth for need in trading defenseman Joey Keane to to be the winner — “big time.” “That line was immense in the third Carolina for big winger Julien Gauthier on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, period,” he said. The trio put up three goals and five assists as the teams they dealt future considerations to Philadelphia for goalie J-F Berube combined for seven goals in a span of 11:04. because, with Igor Shesterkin now in the NHL, the AHL-contending “Kreids has had a great run here. Playing great hockey for us,” Quinn Hartford Wolf Pack need a goalie to play with Adam Huska down the said. stretch. (Tom McCollum has been Huska’s backup.) Thoughts But bigger things are coming. We just don’t know what. 1. That said, the Rangers — only a day after Quinn spoke about how That the Rangers still aren’t Bubble Wrapping anybody doesn’t mean they’ve really figured things out — played a pretty lousy first two periods they’re not certain to make a trade. against Chicago, a really bad team in need of a similar rebuild. They had In fact, I think Jeff Gorton has been very busy, and that his phone will be a nice stretch going defensively, playing low-scoring games, even when burning up as this weekend approaches and passes. I expect a number they didn’t play particularly well, as in the game they lost to Boston on of moves. Sunday.

According to a source, the Rangers are still discussing a new contract for “We just were sluggish,” the coach said about Sunday’s game, then used Chris Kreider with his agent, Matt Keator. the same word about the first 40 minutes in Chicago. “I mentioned this to our team. I think we lose that game 5-1, 4-1 two months ago. I really Last year, they didn’t negotiate down the stretch with Mats Zuccarello believe that. I think our structure, defensively — and that’s what you have and Kevin Hayes — or at least, not in earnest. The year before, there to do in this league. You’re not going to have 82 great games. When were no negotiations with Rick Nash or Michael Grabner as they headed you’re off, you can rely on your structure and rely on just living another toward unrestricted free agency. This year seems more like the situation day and give yourself a chance. … Certainly not happy with the loss, but when Ryan Callahan skated the morning of the deadline in 2014 and was certainly happy, you know, 2-1 hockey games … we couldn’t play them traded to Tampa Bay shortly before the bell rung. The Rangers seven, eight weeks ago. We’ve played two of them lately and I think negotiated hard with Callahan, reportedly over not wanting to give him that’s a good sign for our guys. … For a team that looked like a fire drill a full no-move protection, and were trying to sign him. lot of times earlier in the year, we have come a long way.”

It’s the same for Kreider. They’re trying to sign him. I’m not sure where Then came the Blackhawks game. Quinn said they reverted to the they are in talks in terms of dollars, clauses or, more importantly, term. games they were playing two and a half months ago “so hopefully, we But as I’ve said all along, if they don’t sign him — or at the very least can get that game out of our systems.” have a strong indication they will soon be able to sign him to an acceptable deal — they have to trade him by Monday at 3 p.m. ET, even When asked about finding a way to turn it around in the third period, as he continues to pop eyes with his on-ice performance. Kreider said, “I think it’s knowing how we need to have success. The concerning part is not doing it for the first 40, though. We kind of returned There are so many other issues at stake, and one is Henrik Lundqvist, to some of the stuff we were doing early in the year. … I think it’s a little who has now been the backup goalie for eight games in a row. With reassuring that we found it in the third. Shesterkin returning from an ankle injury Wednesday to improve to 7-1, Lundqvist has started three of the past 19 games, dating to Jan 2. “It’s always fun to win. You want to do it playing the right way. The Lundqvist has not indicated whatsoever if he wants out or if he would process has got to be a little bit better. We have to go back to the film accept being moved. He really hasn’t complained or made a peep of and hammer home what we need to do to be successful.” negative noise. 2. Gauthier arrived and started on the fourth line and moved up to the I talked to him Tuesday and he continued to say the same things — the third despite not having a single practice with the head coach on the ice. situation is “challenging” and he’s going to keep working hard and see He took an optional morning skate Wednesday. what happens. He has handled it like an ultimate professional and it sure “A great feeling,” Gauthier said about when he heard about the deal. “I cannot be easy. It’s probably beyond challenging. wasn’t expecting it, to be honest. Per another source, Marc Staal has not been asked to waive his no- “I was in the American Hockey League for quite a bit and just to see that movement clause. At least not yet. they want to give me an opportunity is huge for me and I’m really grateful Several teams have inquired about defenseman Brady Skjei, though. for that.”

It’s hard to believe the Rangers can go into next season with Skjei’s Gauthier, 22, has the M.O. of a big, powerful guy who uses his size (6- contract and a new one for Tony DeAngelo, who could get $5 million per foot-4 and 227 pounds), is a strong skater and loves to get to the net and year or more based on the offensive season he’s having. He’s headed to shoot it. He can play either wing. restricted free agency and has arbitration rights. “He’s a guy who’s got an awful lot of size and speed and he’s scored Dealing Keane might be an indication the Rangers are counting on goals everywhere he’s been,” Quinn said. “He’s been a highly touted having DeAngelo, one of their three right-handed defensemen, around player, a first-round pick. … He’s had a lot of success at every level he’s for a while, although Nils Lundkvist’s presumed arrival could theoretically been. … We’ve been talking about him for a while, a guy who’s certainly — and, let’s face it, eventually, if not immediately — fill DeAngelo’s spot. been in our sights.”

There could be more strength-for-need trades coming by Monday, or by 3. Gauthier wore No. 12, which has hardly been a lucky charm, or one the draft, or during the summer. Keane was going to have a tough time headed to the rafters. Don Maloney was arguably the best No. 12 in Rangers history — or at least in the last 40 to 50 years. Tim Kerr wore it 16. Just for the heck of it, I looked up the “Miracle on Ice.” Per Wikipedia, for his brief tenure. Phil Esposito wore it his first year with the Rangers; I it was played at Arena in Lake Placid. Of course, it wasn’t didn’t know that. called Herb Brooks Arena when Herb Brooks’ team shocked the world.

Jesper Fast wore it his rookie year, changed to No. 19 and had to 17. They showed a whole bunch of cool stuff on the big board throughout change again when Jean Ratelle’s number was retired. the game — Original Six highlights and such, and Rangers-Blackhawks (or Black Hawks, as it was for a long while) rivalry tidbits. Oddly, though According to stats Superman Mike Rappaport, some real luminaries had they played all those decades in a six-team league, the Rangers and No. 12 on their backs, including Matt Puempel, Eric Staal, Daniel Paille, Blackhawks have played only six playoff series, and never in the Stanley , Olli Jokinen, Alexandre Daigle, Mike Keane, Ales Kotalik, Cup final. Patrick Rismiller, Todd White … OK, I’ll stop there. 18. But they will meet in the final game of the season, April 4 at the 4. Shesterkin had to make an early point-blank save on Brandon Saad, Garden. whom the Blackhawks acquired for a guy named Artemi Panarin once upon a time. DeAngelo, back from a shoulder injury, sent Kaapo Kakko Shayna Goldman’s analysis: out, and his pass was tapped ahead by Phil DiGuiseppe to Filip Chytil. He broke in around Adam Boqvist and sent a shot along the ice and • The Rangers’ strongest period was the third. At five-on-five, they through Robin Lehner’s legs. A goal that had all kinds of stink on it. 1-0. controlled play the most with 62.3 percent of the shots. When factoring in quality with expected goals, their 1.5 xG for in the final period was better 5. Ryan “Three-Dollar Steak” Lindgren hasn’t been banged up enough than the first two combined. According to Natural Stat Trick, they finished yet, so Slater Koekkoek sent him awkwardly feetfirst into the boards with with 53.8 percent of the shots and 56.8 percent of the expected goal a dangerous little shove. Lindgren was down for a moment but got up. share. Koekkoek went to the box for interference and the Rangers’ power play, as it has done a few times lately, gave up a short-handed breakaway to • At even strength, the Rangers created the most shots for (20) and David Kampf. Shesterkin poked it off his stick before he got a shot off. highest percentage of the Corsi share (54.1 percent) with DeAngelo on the ice. They generated the most scoring chances for with Fox on (1.31 6. Jack in the box (almost): Final seconds of the first, Alex DeBrincat xG for, plus-0.63 differential) and controlled the highest percentage of the rang one off the post following a penalty on Brett Howden, and Howden xG share with Strome deployed (70.7 percent). got a breakaway but had to shoot it at the buzzer and was stopped by Lehner. • Kreider had himself a game. His game score of 3.86 set a season high for a single-game performance, moving ahead of his previous high of 7. Early in the second, after Lehner was saved by a post, Duncan Keith 3.48 set Friday against Columbus. made a cross-ice pass behind DeAngelo to Dominik Kubalik for a one- timer past Shesterkin. It was Kubalik’s 24th and Keith’s 500th career • After a slower start, Kreider’s game really took off on Dec. 8 against the assist. 1-1. Shesterkin kept it tied with a quick glove save on a deflection Golden Knights. Since then, he’s tallied 18 goals and 32 points in 30 in front by Kirby Dach. games. With three points against the Blackhawks, he’s up to 45 in 57 games, putting him on pace for a 63-point season that would be a career 8. Lindgren was in another collision — shocker — and his helmet popped high. His 34-goal pace could also set a career best. off. By rule, he had to leave the ice. But … play went on for a while and one of the linesmen, across the ice from the benches, had Lindgren’s • In his Rangers debut, Gauthier played 7:18 in all situations, attempted helmet in his hand. If Lindgren’s turn came up, he would not have been three shots with an individual expected goal total of 0.26 and drew one able to jump onto the ice unless he borrowed a bucket. Skjei got the penalty. With him on the ice at even strength, the Rangers took 52.6 linesman’s attention and waved for him to send the helmet over, which percent of the shot share and 37.2 percent of the xG share, according to he did, with some serious bowling accuracy. Skjei was then able to fish Evolving-Hockey. the helmet off the ice from the bench with his stick. • With another two drawn penalties in Chicago, Lindgren’s up to 20 on 9. Early third, Ryan Strome beat Lehner short side but the puck hit the far the season, two shy of league-leading defenseman Charlie McAvoy. post and stayed out. That was immediately followed by Kreider • Shesterkin faced 40 shots for the fourth time in eight starts. He saved recovering a puck behind the net and tossing it to the slot for Buchnevich, 0.55 goals above expected when factoring in shot quality on the 3.55 xG who buried it. 2-1. against he faced.

10. The Rangers then went on the power play and got another as • The top five skaters in game score were all on the Rangers. Following DeAngelo’s shot looked to be tipped on goal by Kreider. Whether it was Kreider’s 3.86 were Zibanejad (3.41), DeAngelo (3.03), Buchnevich or wasn’t, it allowed Strome to get to the rebound and slip it inside the (2.53), Strome (2.17). right post. 3-1. “I don’t know,” Kreider said when asked if he deflected the first shot. “I was busy getting clobbered in the numbers.” He made the point that the first time the power play got a puck and bodies to the net, it The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 scored.

11. It didn’t last long. Kubalik poked the puck past Trouba by the Rangers’ blue line and cut in against Staal to beat Shesterkin on a breakaway. 3-2.

12. Staal sent Zibanejad down the middle and he fed Kreider flying on the left wing. Kreider kicked the puck up to his stick and went around Boqvist, cut in and slipped it past Lehner. 4-2. His 24th of the season.

13. Daily Bread: Panarin, the ex-Blackhawks forward, one-timed a loose puck from the high slot, just under the crossbar for his 30th. 5-2.

14. My Great Aunt Tillie Could Have Scored: But … three Rangers players chased the puck behind the icing line, and Jonathan Toews threw it in front to Drake Caggiula for an easy one. 5-3.

Buchnevich tossed a pass behind Boqvist, who had a brutal night, to the right post for Zibanejad, who was in for another dunk and another point for Kreider. 6-3.

15. Jack O’Callahan of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team dropped the ceremonial puck on the week of the 40th anniversary of the “Miracle on Ice” (Feb. 22, 1980). Panarin, who was born in the Soviet Union, and Patrick Kane lined up to take it. O’Callahan, another former Blackhawks player, dropped it decidedly to Kane’s side. 1171794 New York Rangers move the puck out of danger in a panic, which could easily lead to a quality short-handed chance for Columbus’ offensive penalty kill, he moves laterally to create a little space for himself to move the puck up to Mika Zibanejad below the goal line. Why Adam Fox has earned an expanded role on the Rangers defense As a puck-moving defender, there weren’t too many questions about whether or not he’d have a positive influence on the Rangers offense. But it may not have been expected that he was going to have as positive By Shayna Goldman of an influence on their defensive play, especially not this soon into his Feb 19, 2020 career on this team.

The same skills that make him such an impactful player offensively help him in his own zone. The Rangers allow the lowest rate of shots and The Adam Fox acquisition wasn’t the offseason move that had New York scoring chances when he’s on the ice. Relative to his teammates, Fox buzzing before the 2019-20 season began — the trade that brought him decreases their shot rate against by -8.8 and expected goals against by to the Rangers was overshadowed by other offseason moves. Despite 0.31. seeming like a lock to make the team, he wasn’t the most talked about rookie given the hype surrounding second overall pick Kaapo Kakko. And The below HockeyViz heat maps show just how significant the difference the biggest spotlight of all shined on the signing of Artemi Panarin. is in the Rangers’ zone with and without Fox on the ice — with red showing where more offense is generated and blue showing where Yet 58 games into his rookie season, Fox has excelled on defense they’re best at suppressing it. With their rookie defender on, they allow because of his consistency and play on both ends of the ice. It’s to the less than they would with the average defender on. Without him, they point where it might be time for the Rangers to explore if he’s ready for allow much more. more. With an expanded role sooner rather than later, the team can get a better sense of how to continue building around him — even if their blue Charts via HockeyViz line remains fully intact after the deadline. Fox’s smooth skating and quick reactions help him keep up with Fox was eased in with sheltered minutes as he transitioned to the NHL developing plays. He reads his opponents well to anticipate their next level, and was quietly effective in that role. Though he had just three moves rather than overreacting and taking himself out of the play entirely points through his first 12 games, his play below the surface was with a snap decision. encouraging — from how he helped the Rangers drive play to how he Instead, he’s patient and calm, even in high pressure situations, in his suppressed the opponent’s offense. The stability he provided to the blue attempts to breakup an incoming play. line was particularly impressive on a team with glaring defensive issues. Once the play is broken up, he often follows through with the play to As the season has progressed, he has maintained his high-level of play transition it up the ice. According to Corey Sznajder’s tracking data, and has seen his ice time tick up as a result. Over the last few games, which is a limited sample and only gives us a snapshot of this season so with Marc Staal and Tony DeAngelo each missing games, Fox reached far, Fox leads the Rangers’ blue line and ranks highly among other backs first-pair minutes that he handled in stride alongside his mainstay partner in the league at moving the puck out of the defensive zone at 5-on-5. Ryan Lindgren. Viz via Corey Sznajder Chart via HockeyViz Fox has been the Rangers’ best defender, and while his season would On the season as a whole, he’s still only averaging third pair minutes. still be a success if he continued at this rate, it’s worth seeing the heights Fox’s play on both ends of the ice is showing why that should change he could reach in his first year with more playing time. moving forward. More playing opportunity could open if the team makes changes at the Let’s start with offense, the area in which he was expected to be the most deadline. They don’t have to right now, but there aren’t any guarantees impactful — especially after scoring at such an impressive rate at the on a building team either. DeAngelo – who is set to become a restricted NCAA level. free agent in for a raise – could be moved. Without him, there’s even At 5-on-5, the Rangers control play the most with him on the ice, both in more of a need for Fox to continue progressing into the offensive terms of shot quantity and quality. Relative to his teammates, the defender he’s shown that he is. He’d likely also take on more even Rangers create more shots and scoring chances for when he’s on the strength minutes and the quarterback role on the first power play unit. ice, primarily from the circle and higher danger areas in front of the net. The team could also revisit moving DeAngelo early in the offseason, The below heat maps from HockeyViz help depict that, with red areas giving them time to assess their right-handed depth between now and showing where the team is creating more with him on the ice, and blue season’s end — and Fox is a key part of that right-handed depth, which representing where fewer shots are taken. is why it may be best to test him now. Charts via HockeyViz Another player featured in some trade speculation is Brady Skjei, who is Between his 5-on-5 play and power play minutes, which primarily have signed to a long-term contract. Without as much depth on the left, an come on the second unit, the rookie defender is up to 31 points in 58 internal replacement could be a righty shifting to the left, like DeAngelo. games – which ranks 25th among NHL defenders – while averaging third That once again puts even more importance on Fox’s play on the right, pair minutes on the season without a mainstay role on the first power and likely gives him the chance to absorb more minutes. play unit. Scoring rates can help balance out the differences in ice time, However, even if one isn’t moved, more ice time could be distributed to and Fox’s 1.73 points per 60 rank 17th. We can get a closer look at how the rookie. Along with those minutes should come more responsibility. that compares to other defenders in the league with the below chart by One way to expand his role is to give him a look on the penalty kill. Fox Sean Tierney. has played fewer than 10 minutes of short-handed time this season. To Viz via ChartingHockey.ca compare, their more consistent penalty killer defensemen have all played more than 100 minutes so far this year. So how does Fox create offense? The work of Matt Cane, now of the New Jersey Devils, didn’t have any Similar to his time at Harvard, it’s not his shot that makes him a threat, sweeping conclusions as it featured just one season of work, but found it’s how he moves up the ice with the puck on his stick, anticipates how a that teams who created more offense while short-handed had better play is going to develop, and distributes the puck. results. And increased offense didn’t correlate to more shots or goals against. Fox is incredibly poised with the puck and doesn’t panic when he’s under pressure. Because he sees the ice so well, he can quickly reassess and Others built off this idea, including Mike Pfeil, who explored a more be a step ahead of his opponents. proactive approach to short-handed play with ‘Power Kills’ that focused on time management and finding trigger points to spark opportunities. Take this play against Columbus last week. Panarin passed Fox the puck Most recently, Meghan Hall and The Athletic’s Alison Lukan dove into on the power play. The rookie back is at the blue line and under pressure increasing offense on power kills at the Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey from Blue Jackets penalty killer Riley Nash. Instead of quickly trying to Analytics Conference. With these concepts that emphasize having a more offensive approach to the penalty kill in mind, adding a puck-mover like Fox, who also happens to have the best defensive numbers of their blue line, should add another dimension to their play in short-handed situations. Not only could that give their penalty kill an injection of offense, but his vision and decision-making would be a useful addition defensively as well.

Fox stepped into New York’s lineup and became a key piece of their defensive core. The question is where he can go from here. A building season is the right time to figure it out.

Expanding Fox’s role and responsibilities doesn’t just facilitate the rebuilding process by focusing on development – it should also elevate the team’s play with his stability on the blue line, as they strive to win as many of their remaining games as possible.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171795 NHL annually. The complex’s capacity ranks below the W.C.H.A. minimum of 2,500 and Myford soon plans to announce fund-raising for an expansion project to increase seating to as many as 3,000. Robertson approved the venue shift, a decision that did not sit well with some members. How Many Hockey Teams Does it Take to Make a Conference? Travel costs were another issue. To further cut expenses, the two Alaska programs sought to eliminate the travel subsidies they pay W.C.H.A. schools to come play them once a season. Alabama-Huntsville, which By Pat Borzi joined in 2013, also subsidizes travel. Alaska-Fairbanks Chancellor Dan Published Feb. 19, 2020 White, chairman of the W.C.H.A.’s board of directors, declined to specify figures, but said the subsidies include airfare and some related costs — Updated Feb. 20, 2020, 12:44 a.m. ET easily many thousands of dollars.

More than once, White said, it came up for a conference vote. “And of course, with seven teams receiving the subsidy and three paying, you BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — By legacy, the Western Collegiate Hockey can imagine how that vote turns out,” White said in a telephone interview Association that current men’s league Commissioner Bill Robertson from Fairbanks. followed as a boy in St. Paul in the 1960s and ‘70s represented the hockey version of Big East basketball. Splashy and formidable, its five Two officials familiar with the presidents’ discussions said ongoing marquee programs — Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin financial issues in Alaska concerned all seven. So did lackluster play by and Denver — had 31 of the 38 national championships W.C.H.A. teams certain schools. Alabama-Huntsville’s last winning season came in 2005- won between 1951 and 2011. No other conference, not even Hockey 06, and Alaska-Anchorage is deep into its sixth consecutive losing East, won more in that span. season. The departing schools felt those sub-.500 seasons hampered their pursuit of at-large bids to the N.C.A.A. Tournament, where strength But when Robertson, a former N.H.L. executive, assumed the of schedule is a factor. Under its current configuration, the W.C.H.A. has commissioner’s job in 2014, the W.C.H.A. resembled the Big East in yet to win an N.C.A.A. title. The last came in 2011, by Minnesota Duluth, another way — a famous name fronting a diminished lineup. Eight now in the N.C.H.C. schools, the marquees among them, departed in 2013 for the newly- formed Big Ten and National Collegiate Hockey Conferences. The Robertson remains hopeful that one or two of the departing schools ensuing musical chairs of conference realignment left the W.C.H.A. with might reconsider. Beyond that, the W.C.H.A.’s options for luring new a loose confederation of remnants and outliers, along with the widest members are limited. geographic footprint of any Division I conference, stretching from Alaska to Alabama. Only 60 institutions sponsor N.C.A.A. Division I men’s college hockey, compared to 351 in men’s basketball and 255 in football, and 59 are It seemed untenable from the start. And now Robertson is struggling to committed to conferences. The lone independent, Arizona State, hold it together. declined W.C.H.A. overtures in 2017. Facility and travel costs make hockey an expensive proposition, and the number of Division I programs Last June, seven schools — Minnesota State, Bemidji State, Bowling has remained relatively stagnant for a decade. Green, Ferris State, Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech and Lake Superior State — announced plans to withdraw from the W.C.H.A. and Illinois soon plans to add Division I hockey but is committed to the Big possibly form a new conference for the 2021-22 season. That left only Ten. Mike Snee, executive director of College Hockey Inc., a nonprofit Alaska-Anchorage, Alaska-Fairbanks and Alabama-Huntsville, the that promotes men’s Division I hockey, said his organization is helping W.C.H.A.’s farthest-flung members. This week, the departing seven six schools develop Division I programs. He declined to name them, and programs reorganized as the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, it’s not clear if any will field teams by 2021-22. reviving the name of a conference that dissolved in the previous realignment. “Hopefully we will have some success getting some of these schools to move from the consideration stage to the actually adding and eventually “There is no script for this situation,” Robertson said recently at the playing hockey stage,” Snee said. “Of course they’ll need a conference to W.C.H.A. offices, located in a bleak office park near the Mall of America. play in, and hopefully that can assist Alaska-Fairbanks, Alaska- “It’s a challenge every day, and I’m trying to do the best job I can being Anchorage, Alabama-Huntsville, and other programs.” professional, honest and focused on the job at hand — to get us ready for the playoffs, conference championships, and the N.C.A.A. playoffs. I If not, where could the W.C.H.A. turn? Perhaps to St. Thomas, the St. can’t take my eye off that piece.” Paul school seeking N.C.A.A. approval to move directly to Division I from Division III. Robertson said he has talked to others as well. Hockey conferences need six teams for an automatic N.C.A.A. Tournament bid. Robertson said the two Alaska schools and Alabama- It’s a stressful time for Robertson. He remembers when the W.C.H.A. Huntsville are committed to the conference. Realistically, he has less and Hockey East were college hockey’s best-known brands, when fans than a year to find three more schools to keep the W.C.H.A. viable as a argued whether the Northeast or the Midwest produced the best players, men’s league. an argument manifested by the Minnesota-Massachusetts split on the 1980 U.S. Olympic roster, whose 20-member team featured 16 players The women’s W.C.H.A. should not be affected. Of the seven withdrawing from either state. schools, only two field women’s teams, and Robertson said both plan to remain. Robertson abhors the thought of the conference dissolving on his watch.

The presidents of the seven departing schools declined interview “I’m a competitor,” Robertson said. “I’ll work very hard to make sure this requests and directed inquiries to Morris Kurtz, a former college athletics brand continues for a long period of time.” administrator who serves as the group’s adviser. Kurtz would not say why the schools chose to leave. New York Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 “This is about seven like-minded schools going forward,” Kurtz said. “No one took a shot at anybody else, any other program.” By resources and commitment, the seven departing W.C.H.A. schools have been on opposite trajectories from the others since the beginning. While Minnesota State, Bemidji State, Bowling Green and the Michigan schools invested in facilities and program upgrades, the Alaska schools faced state-mandated budget cuts to higher education that threatened men’s hockey’s survival. The Alaska state budget will trim $70 million from the university system over three years.

This season, Alaska-Anchorage shifted games from the 6,290-seat Sullivan Arena downtown to the 750-seat Seawolf Sports Complex on campus, a move that Athletic Director Greg Myford said saved $200,000 1171796 Ottawa Senators Luchuk, 22, had 49 points in 40 games for the ECHL’s this season. Last year, he had nine points in 27 AHL games for the Belleville Senators.

Now with Winnipeg, DeMelo immediately returns to face his former Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 Senators teammates

Ken Warren

Goodbye. Hello again.

Two days after being traded away from the Ottawa Senators, Dylan DeMelo will return to play at Canadian Tire Centre Thursday. The twist, of course, is that DeMelo will be wearing Winnipeg Jets colours against his former teammates.

“Yeah, it’s weird, a weird set-up to just switch locker rooms,” said Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot, who was paired with DeMelo for most of the 2019-20 season. “The trade got hidden a bit in the fact we were playing on the same night we had the big night for Chris (Phillips). He was well liked in the locker room and a great player. He fit into the group real easily here and I’m sure it will be the same with his new team.

“Winnipeg should be happy with the defenceman they got. He’s a very good player on and off ice.”

Passionate fans being the way they are, there has been plenty of debate about whether Senators general manager Pierre Dorion could have received more than a 2020 third round draft choice if he had held out longer. What is clear is that the Senators weren’t prepared to extend DeMelo long-term, at the potential risk of blocking one of their younger defencemen from battling for a spot in the near future. Christian Wolanin and Erik Brannstrom are currently playing for Belleville in the American Hockey League. Lassi Thomson, the Senators first round pick last summer, is expected to come back to Canada from Finland to play pro next season, either in Ottawa or Belleville. Jacob Bernard-Docker, a first round selection in 2018, could also opt to leave North Dakota to turn pro following the NCAA season.

At this point, the only defencemen under guaranteed NHL contracts next season are Wolanin, Nikita Zaitsev and Mike Reilly. Mark Borowiecki and Ron Hainsey are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in the summer.

DeMelo, a defensive defenceman who arrived from the San Jose Sharks in the Erik Karlsson trade, had a calming presence on whatever defence partner he was given.

Senators coach D.J. Smith says DeMelo also helped his adjustment to becoming a first-year NHL head coach.

“There aren’t a ton of (players) that are completely maintenance free, that show up to play in a good mood everyday,” said Smith. “He was a good teammate. He helped the younger guys. I wish him nothing but the best.”

So, if he checks off all of the above, why not keep him here?

“He’s got to get out there and see (unrestricted free agency for himself),” said Smith. “You’ve got to sometimes do what’s right for your career and sometimes the organization has got to do what they’ve got to do, too. We’ve got a bunch of young kids we want to get in and look at. We wish him all the best in Winnipeg and if he can get that team into the playoffs, and playing well, it’s only going to be better for him.”

It’s a bizarre business. Come Thursday, the Senators will be immediately be going head-to-head against a guy they loved sharing time with.

“It’s hard, for sure,” said Chabot. “You never want to see any one of your buddies traded. It’s a long season. You spent a lot of time together. We all heard the speech from Chris (Phillips). He talked about all his old teammates, he developed a lot of friendships. It’s a part of it, the business we’re in. You never know what to expect.”

MINOR DEAL

The Senators and Maple Leafs swapped minor-leaguers on Wednesday, sending Max Veronneau to Toronto and re-acquiring forward Aaron Luchuk and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2021. 1171797 Ottawa Senators

Phillips celebration an all in the family occasion for Batherson

Ken Warren

Drake Batherson couldn’t help but watch from the bench as his uncle, former Senators tough guy Dennis Vial, spoke about his memories of Chris Phillips inside Canadian Tire Centre during a TV timeout Tuesday.

“I looked up and watched the interview,” Batherson said Wednesday. “It was pretty cool to have him here. I hung out with (Vial) before the game. And then I ended up scoring about 30 seconds after he did that interview.”

As coincidence would have it on the night the Senators retired Phillips’s number four jersey, Batherson’s goal came with 4:44 remaining in the first period. It was part of a rapid four-goal explosion for the Senators.

So rapid in fact, that Vial — who left a suite his fellow Alumni and took the elevator to and from the location of the interview — missed all four of the goals.

“He was pretty riled about that,” Batherson said, with a laugh. “But it was a great atmosphere.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171798 Ottawa Senators Sick Bay Mark Letestu, Bryan Little, Mathieau Perreault, Luca Sbisa, Adam Lowry

The Big Match Up GAMEDAY: Senators vs. Jets Thomas Chabot versus Dylan DeMelo: They had the makings of being

an ideal long-term pairing in Ottawa, with DeMelo gladly accepting the Ken Warren role of allowing Chabot to roam while he took care of his own end. But with DeMelo a pending unrestricted free agent, the Senators moved on to open the door for younger defencemen. DeMelo stayed at home in Ottawa Wednesday, awaiting the Jets arrival. Winnipeg Jets at Ottawa Senators, Thursday, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30. TV: TSN5, RDS. Radio: TSN 1200-AM, 94,5, Unique-FM Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 Five Keys to the Game:

DeMelo weirdness: Traded from Ottawa to Winnipeg on Tuesday, Dylan DeMelo is expected to make his Jets debut against the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. It will be odd, from all points of view.

Emotional lapse? From Jean-Gabriel Pageau to Craig Anderson to Artem Anisimov, the Senators had a little extra motivational juice Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres due to the Chris Phillips jersey retirement ceremonies. Now, they’ve got to refuel for a meeting against a desperate Jets squad.

Mixing and matching: After DeMelo’s trade, Andreas Englund was an emergency recall from Belleville of the AHL and he was paired with Cody Goloubef against Buffalo. All the pairings will get a major test, given the forward depth of the Jets.

Earning a spot in the playoffs?: The Jets have won their past two games, including a 6-3 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday, and four of their past six. Before Wednesday’s action, they were one point out of a wild card spot and two points out of third spot in the Pacific Division.

Laine WATCH: When the clubs met in Winnipeg on Feb. 8, Patrik Laine scored a power play hat trick. That’s part of an impressive role that has seen the Finnish star score seven goals and three assists in nine games during February.

Special Teams

Ottawa: PP 15.5 (28th), PK 78.6 (21st)

Winnipeg: PP 19.3 (20th), PK 75.7 (27th)

Senators Lines

Brady Tkachuk – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Anthony Duclair

Vladislav Namestnikov – Chris Tierney – Connor Brown

Nick Paul-Artem Anisimov – Jayce Hawryluk

Tyler Ennis – Colin White – Drake Batherson

Defence

Thomas Chabot – Nikita Zaitsev

Ron Hainsey – Mike Reilly

Andreas Englund – Cody Goloubef

Goaltending

Marcus Hogberg

Craig Anderson

Sick Bay: Anders Nilsson, Mark Borowiecki

Jets Lines

Nikolaj Ehlers – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler

Kyle Connor – Andrew Copp – Patrik Laine

Jansen Harkins – Jack Roslovic –

Andrei Chibisov – Nick Shore – Gabriel Bourque

Defence

Josh Morrissey – Tucker Poolman

Dmitry Kulikov – Neal Pionk

Nathan Beaulieu – Dylan DeMelo 1171799 Ottawa Senators share (51.42 percent of expected goals), which means the Senators get more shot quality than their opponents when Ennis is on the ice.

Additionally, his goals above replacement level are second behind only Salvian: Should the Ottawa Senators re-sign Tyler Ennis? Jean-Gabriel Pageau, which means Ennis isn’t someone you can just replace with a league-average player or an AHL call-up. He’s better than most.

By Hailey Salvian Feb 19, 2020 Not to mention, at his contract price ($800,000) and his production, Ennis is one of the biggest bargains in the league. First, consider some

comparable contracts, of players aged 28 to 30 who signed one-year During an intermission interview with TSN almost two weeks ago, with contracts as UFAs this summer. the Feb. 24 trade deadline approaching, Senators general manager Brandon Pirri, $775,000 cap hit, 11 games played, no goals, one point; Pierre Dorion said he was, “going to make sure we try to keep some” of the 10 pending unrestricted free agents on his roster. Par Lindholm, $850,000 cap hit, three goals, five points;

Since then, one of those players has been moved. On Tuesday, Dylan Tom Kuhnhackl, $850,000 cap hit, three goals, six points; DeMelo was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a third-round pick in this year’s draft. DeMelo was one UFA that could have been a Derek Grant, $700,000 cap hit, 14 goals. good fit to stay in Ottawa. Other comparable contracts based on age and cap hit include Kevin Roy, The merits of re-signing Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mark Borowiecki have Jordan Szwarz, Kenny Agostino, and Nick Shore, who all play in the already been discussed at length. But another player who the Senators American Hockey League. So, it is clear that Ennis’ price range isn’t should work on extending is Tyler Ennis. exactly filled with players as capable as he is, except for Grant.

The 30-year-old joined the Senators on July 1 through free agency. He Further, a glance at the NHL goal-scoring lists shows that players within told The Athletic at Senators training camp there was a lot of “mulling two goals more or less than Ennis’ 14 goal total earn significantly more over stuff” in the summer, including staying in Toronto, but ultimately, he than he does. For example: decided to join the Senators and play for head coach D.J. Smith. Jason Zucker, 28 years old, 14 goals, $5.5 million cap hit; Originally a first-round draft pick in 2008, Ennis won AHL rookie of the year and had three 20 goal seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. His career Tyler Seguin, 28 years old, 14 goals, $9.85 million cap hit; trajectory showed a lot of promise, until concussion issues and a double sports hernia surgery derailed things. Patric Hornqvist, 33 years old, 14 goals, $5.3 million cap hit;

He was traded from Buffalo to Minnesota and was bought out in the final Joonas Donskoi, 27 years old, 14 goals, $3.9 million cap hit. year of his five-year, $23 million contract after a difficult year where he None of this is to say Ennis should be paid even as much as $3.9 million. scored only eight goals and 22 points in 73 games. It appeared, at the However, it does highlight how affordable and effective he is for his price time, that Ennis’ NHL career could be coming to an end. range. The Senators should act on that.

In the last two seasons, however, Ennis has bounced back and has Now, the priority for the Senators in this rebuild is to develop their high- proven he can still produce at the NHL level. It started last year in end prospects to be NHL ready, and the team doesn’t want to block any Toronto where he scored 12 goals in 51 games while playing a minimal of them who could be ready to play next year with a veteran contract. fourth-line role (he averaged roughly nine minutes a game). And that’s However, the Senators will still need players who can contribute at the continued in Ottawa. NHL level and looking ahead to next fall, the Senators’ NHL-ready depth Through 60 games this season, Ennis has scored 14 goals and 33 at left-wing isn’t that deep. points. He’s done it with only an average of 14:46 time on ice, which is Brady Tkachuk, Paul, and Duclair are NHL wingers, without a doubt. Alex ranked 15th on the team, and ninth among forwards. The only forwards Formenton, who is having a stellar rookie year in the AHL with Belleville, to play less than Ennis are Nick Paul, Artem Anisimov, Scott Sabourin, could push for a spot out of training camp. But if he isn’t ready, the and Mikkel Boedker, none of whom have more goals or points than he Senators could find themselves in a similar spot like this past October, does. where they have to go out and make a trade to get a body. Why would He can play up and down the lineup in Ottawa and doesn’t need a lot of you do that, when you could have Ennis, who has already proven to be a ice time to be an effective player. He’s brought energy, effort, and good fit? creativity to nearly every shift, and Smith has said Ennis has been Of course if there is value for him at the trade deadline, moving him for a “arguably, offensively, our most consistent player.” draft pick is an option. However, the Senators already have 12 draft picks “He has unbelievable skill,” said teammate Nick Paul. “He generates lots at the upcoming draft in Montreal, and Ennis could prove to be more of offence, he has great hands, he has quick feet down low. He’s not valuable to keep around than adding another future asset. afraid to lay the body and get into the dirty areas which is nice. A lot of For an extension, Dorion and Ennis’ agent will have to have several skilled guys seem to shy away and he gets right in there. He can be discussions to reach a fair value for both sides. But Ennis has certainly anything you want him to be.” earned a raise.

Most of Ennis’ points have been at even strength (23), but on a team with I’d argue that somewhere between a one-year, $1 million contract, to a a bottom-five power play (28th in the league), Ennis has been one of the two-year, $1.5 million contract or even as much as three years best with the man advantage. His five power-play goals are tied for first (depending on how he finishes the season) would be fair. on the Senators with Anthony Duclair. And his 10 power-play points lead the team. When it comes to five-on-five scoring per 60 minutes, Ennis Ennis has had a great year with the organization. He joined the team ranks second on the team behind Duclair, which further proves his specifically to be with Smith, he likes the city, and his skill set aside, he’s effectiveness with the relatively minimal ice time he is given. a positive presence in the locker room. On a young rebuilding team, that can prove to be invaluable when times get tough. His age combined with potentially getting more opportunities on a bottom-dwelling team, could be cause for concern when thinking about “He’s just a good glue guy, and a good guy in general,” said Paul. “Right an extension. However, one doesn’t have to be too skeptical of his point when I met him he made me feel comfortable and makes everyone feel totals per se, as he is shooting just under one more shot per 60 comfortable. I’ve never seen him get mad at anyone. He’s kind of that compared to last year with the Leafs (8.56, the second-highest rate of his guy that’s always up and joking around, he’s just a great guy. career in a full season) with a respectable shooting percentage of nine percent, which is fairly reliable and would indicate he’s not benefiting “We joke around that he’s got this little swagger to him, he comes in with from a ton of puck luck. his coffee, his little strut, and the hand in the pocket and he’s just one of those guys that you’re always smiling when you see him.” And, for players who have at least 200 minutes on ice at five-on-five, Ennis is top five in overall shot share and top 10 in unblocked shot share “He’s played a lot of games in this league now and he’s got experience on the team. In terms of shot quality, he’s top five in overall shot quality and he brings a calming influence to the games,” said Chris Tierney. “You don’t really see him unwind and unravel too much, he’s pretty even- keeled and I think that helps a lot when we get into tight games or big games. He’s the guy that’s not wavering and you know you can count on.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171800 Philadelphia Flyers Breakaways The Flyers traded minor-league goalie J-F Berube to the New York

Rangers for future considerations. Berube has a 2.53 GAA and a .908 Travis Konecny, having a career season, and Flyers will try to sweep save percentage with the Phantoms this season. ... Konecny has had season series from Blue Jackets four of his six three-point games this season … The Flyers recalled defenseman Mark Friedman from the Phantoms. ... After Thursday, the Flyers will play nine of their next 12 games at home. … Flyers’ plus- minus leaders: Couturier (plus-20), Phil Myers (plus-16), Robert Hagg by Sam Carchidi, (plus-14), and Jake Voracek (plus-13). … The Flyers are 20-5-4 at home, 13-15-3 on the road. … The Flyers played a remix of the Action News theme song during warmups Tuesday, and some fans are suggesting it Funny game, hockey. should become their theme song, like “Gloria” was for the Blues last season. The Flyers had a much better attack in a 5-3 loss in Tampa on Saturday than they did in a 5-1 win Tuesday over visiting Columbus. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2020 “We probably had more chances and didn’t win the game,” center Sean Couturier said of the defeat to the powerful Lightning.

Tuesday, they scored five goals on just 15 shots. It marked the first time in franchise history they had scored five times on 15 or fewer shots.

“The hockey gods kind of gave us a few,” Couturier said, mindful that two of the Flyers’ goals bounced off Columbus defenseman Andrew Peeke and into the net. “That’s the way it goes. We just have to play our way. Play the right way and the way we can, and we’ll make the playoffs.”

The Flyers, now a point ahead of the offense-challenged Blue Jackets, will have a rematch Thursday in Columbus. They are 3-0 against the Blue Jackets and will try to sweep the season series (minimum: two games played) against them for the first time ever.

Now THIS sounds like Philly. https://t.co/KGp4Kmbgyw

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) February 19, 2020

Columbus won all four games against the Flyers last season, with goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who is now with Florida, beating four goalies: Cal Pickard, Anthony Stolarz, Carter Hart, and Brian Elliott.

The Jackets had a 29-15 shots advantage Tuesday, including a 26-9 domination over the last two periods, but the Flyers kept them on the perimeter.

“Now that this one is over, we just have to refocus,” right winger Travis Konecny said after collecting a goal and two assists. “It’s almost like we didn’t play them. We reset and treat it like it’s just another game going into Columbus, but it is definitely nice to get the first win.”

Konecny, 22, is having a career season. He already has a personal-best 51 points with 22 games remaining. The London, Ontario, native has 175 career points, the seventh-highest total in Flyers history for a player 22 or younger. (Bobby Clarke is next on the list, with 190 points at that age.)

Some players struggle after signing a big contract as they try too hard to justify the deal. Konecny, however, has flourished since signing a six- year, $33 million pact in September.

“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” said Konecny, who is on a 70-point pace. “I think the bounces are just working for me this year. I mean, the players I’ve been playing with have been putting me in really good situations to get these points, so a lot of that goes to my teammates. And I’m also playing a little more on the power play and in different situations, and that kind of gives you those opportunities as well.”

On Thursday, the Flyers will try to keep injury-plagued Columbus reeling. The Blue Jackets have lost six straight and fallen out of a playoff spot.

Elliott made 28 saves, including 15 in the third period, in a 3-2 win over the Jackets on Nov. 27, the Flyers’ first regulation victory in Columbus since 2005.

Because Elliott has played better than Hart on the road and because he needs work to stay sharp, it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets the call in Columbus. Hart started the last three games, and Elliott hasn’t played since Feb. 11.

Hart probably will start Saturday afternoon against Winnipeg at the Wells Fargo Center.

At home, Hart is 15-2-2 with a 1.62 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage. His GAA and save percentage are the best in the league at home among goalies who have played at least 15 games, according to the NHL. 1171801 Philadelphia Flyers

Claude Giroux is on a run, and taking the Flyers with him

by Ed Barkowitz,

In years past, if Claude Giroux had gone through a 13-game scoring drought in the middle of January, it might have been lethal for the team’s postseason hopes. He’s never been a sniping, 40-goal scorer, but Flyers clubs before might not have survived without his producing for a month.

But there’s something about this team that feels different.

“We come to the rink, and I don’t know one person who doesn’t have a good time,” the Flyers captain said after Tuesday night’s 5-1 victory over Columbus. “We know we have to play a team game to win. Everybody has a role. Everybody knows their role. And everybody has fun doing it.”

The Flyers were in third place after beating Columbus. They have 73 points through 60 games (33-20-7). A year ago at this time, they had 10 points fewer.

Giroux broke a modest team record Tuesday with his 235th power-play assist. It was a mark Bobby Clarke, who played more than three full seasons’ worth of games than Giroux, had set 36 years ago.

Clarke, though, has two important things that Giroux would give all 235 of those assists for: championship rings. Giroux told Alain Vigneault last summer that his only professional focus was taking this team on a playoff run. His legacy, the coach said, is foremost on his mind.

“He’s an impressive player,” said first-year teammate Kevin Hayes. “He demands perfection from himself, and when your best player demands perfection and is one of the hardest-working guys, it’s easy to follow.”

The record-setting assist was inconsequential to the outcome of the game, but it was still pretty. Giroux, on his knees, stickhandled for several moments before feeding a pass to Travis Konecny. Konecny went tape-to-tape to Jake Voracek, who fired it into an empty net.

Claude Giroux (@28CGiroux), just how...? Please explain. pic.twitter.com/L9l6APBYLA

— NHL (@NHL) February 19, 2020

Giroux has three goals and eight assists in his last six games. This run followed a career-high-tying 13-game skid without a goal. The Flyers persevered with a 7-4-2 mark during the drought.

“He’s our leader, right?,” Konecny asked rhetorically. “He’s doing all of the things that he needs to do to set an example for everyone following him. I mean, if G’s in on the forecheck, hitting guys and back-checking, then everyone else follows.”

“But it’s not like he hasn’t been doing that throughout the year. There was a stretch where he didn’t score for maybe 15 games and he was still one of our most effective players doing all of the little things.”

On Feb. 8, the Flyers started a stretch of seven consecutive games against Eastern Conference playoff contenders. They are 4-2 heading into Columbus on Thursday night — with their two losses being virtually by one goal (save for empty-netters).

Giroux has gotten hot, the game has gotten fun, and young goalie Carter Hart has returned to provide stability and optimism that have often been elusive heading into the final stretch of the season.

“It’s great to [set a record]. It really is,” Giroux said. “But we’re focused on the team that we’re playing [right now]. I think that’s why we’re successful right now. We’re looking at the next shift. We’re not looking at who we’re going to play next week.”

Or, for that matter, who their opponent will be in mid-April. By the way, after Tuesday’s results, that team would be Washington.

Now that would be a fun way to start the playoffs.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171802 Philadelphia Flyers and London Philharmonic. But angry viewers flooded 6ABC’s switchboards, and the new jingle was pulled after just four days.

“I didn’t realize how emotionally attached people were to our theme,” Flyers warmed up to remix of 6ABC’s iconic ‘Action News’ theme song, then-news chief Dave Davis told former Inquirer TV columnist Gail and fans went nuts Shister. “I’m certainly willing to admit we made a mistake.”

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2020 by Rob Tornoe

Flyers warmed up to remix of 6ABC’s iconic ‘Action News’ theme song, and fans went nuts

Ahead of the Flyers blowout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday night, both teams warmed up to a familiar jingle.

As the Flyers and the Blue Jackets circled around on the ice at the Wells Fargo Center prior to the first drop of the puck, team music director and DJ Reed Streets surprised everyone by dropping a remixed version of “Move Closer to Your World,” the catchy, iconic theme song of Action News on 6ABC.

Streets said he’s never used the famed jingle before, but decided to add it as part of his rotation of warm-up mixes that play prior to the game after seeing a fan poll on social media.

“[I] always want the opening to be big when the players take the ice," Streets said. “I’m always looking for local things to use in games and I remember on Flyers Reddit the Channel 6 theme was voted best idea for a new goal song... No matter what age you are, that song is Philadelphia."

The remix certainly got the attention of fans in the stands, who flooded Twitter with supportive statements and calls for the Flyers to make the jingle the team’s official song.

Heard a suggestion to make the Flyers goal song the Action News theme song. Wow. I am hereby putting everything aside in my life to do whatever it takes to make this a reality.

— DelcoDelphia (@DelcoDelphia) February 19, 2020

When the Flyers came out to a remixed version of the 6abc action news theme song for warm ups, I knew right then and there that tonight was going to be a blow out.

— Destiny Lugardo (@destiny_lugardo) February 19, 2020

When the Flyers win the Cup this year, the action news theme song will be our Gloria

— alain vigneault may actually be very good (@SoundFlyer14) February 18, 2020

#Flyers Action News Theme strikes again. pic.twitter.com/PhY4oNDFdm

— Bill Naylor (@BillNaylor27) February 19, 2020

Even Good Morning, America cohosts Michael Strahan and Robin Roberts spent time Wednesday morning grooving to the tune:

WAIT FOR IT... We are not the only ones rockin' out to this Action News Theme remix. Our friends at @GMA love it too! @robinroberts @michaelstrahan pic.twitter.com/UKwbx8Ped9

— Action News on 6abc (@6abc) February 19, 2020

The Flyers certainly could use some positive music press. Last year, the team was dogged by fans for dropping Kate Smith’s version of “God Bless America” after videos emerged of the popular singer belting out racist lyrics earlier in her career.

Outside of the Rocky theme song (or, “Gonna Fly Now”), there’s perhaps no other piece of music more identified with Philadelphia and its residents. “Move Closer to Your World,” which has largely gone unchanged for the better part of 50 years, was originally composed in 1972 by noted jingle writer Al Ham. It was actually a popular news theme for stations across the country, but by the 1990s most ditched the catchy jingle for more modern theme songs, though WNEP-TV in Scranton continues to use a version of the tune.

Back in 1996, the network experimented with an updated version of the song, featuring the work of 400 musicians from the London Symphony 1171803 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers trade Jean-Francois Berube to Rangers

By Jordan Hall February 19, 2020 11:10 PM

Save the splashes for the deadline, right?

The Flyers made a minor trade Wednesday night by dealing goalie Jean- Francois Berube to the Rangers in exchange for future considerations.

Berube, 28, went 12-11-4 with a 2.56 goals-against average and .906 save percentage in 29 games for AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley this season. Berube, who has 34 games of NHL experience between stints with the Islanders and Blackhawks, was signed by the Flyers on July 1 to a one- year, two-way contract worth $700,000.

The Flyers have young goalie prospects Felix Sandstrom and Kirill Ustimenko on their farm. Sandstrom, a 2015 third-round pick, and Ustimenko, a 2017 third-round selection, have appeared in a game apiece with the Phantoms this season. Both have played primarily with ECHL affiliate Reading in 2019-20.

The trade of Berube should provide developmental opportunity for Sandstrom, 23, and Ustimenko, 21, at the AHL level. On Friday night, the Flyers promoted Ustimenko to Lehigh Valley.

The Flyers' backup goaltending situation is unclear for 2020-21. Brian Elliott and Alex Lyon can become unrestricted free agents in the offseason.

Meanwhile, the NHL trade deadline is Monday of next week.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171804 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers NHL trade deadline option: Jean-Gabriel Pageau splash possible?

By Jordan Hall February 19, 2020 7:15 PM

Leading up to the Feb. 24 NHL trade deadline, we'll look at potential targets on the market and why they may or may not fit the Flyers' plans.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau

Age: 27

Height: 5-10

Weight: 180

Team: Ottawa Senators

2019-20 cap hit: $3.1 million

Scouting report

There's a lot to like with Pageau, from his age to his upside. The righty- shot center has already scored a career-high 24 goals for the Senators, who are one of the NHL's bottom five clubs.

Pageau possesses some Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes characteristics in that he values the 200-foot game, impacts the penalty kill, can scale a lineup and brings offensive potential, to boot.

While Pageau is four points away from surpassing his career high of 43 set in 2015-16, he is playing his largest role yet on a team in rebuild mode.

Could that be a red flag to suitors in contention with deeper lineups? The Athletic's senior NHL columnist Pierre LeBrun provided excellent insight on the matter in a recent article, writing how that question has been raised, yet Pageau's track record and makeup also hold weight.

Projection

Ottawa will want a sizable return for Pageau and the Flyers are not in an ideal position to land his services. Without recent call-up Mark Friedman on the roster, the Flyers would have just over $2 million in cap space. The Senators are likely not going to consider retaining salary to help necessitate a deal for their big chip, so a trade would require the Flyers to clear cap space, which would require some legitimate subtraction.

Not only that, but Ottawa could also very well eye a first- or second-round pick and possibly a prospect, as well. The Senators won't — and shouldn't — be shy in their demands. After all, they could instead attempt to re-sign Pageau, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason — another caveat for the Flyers. Would they want to risk so much for a player who might walk at season's end?

Pageau should be on the Flyers' radar, but general manager Chuck Fletcher has been pleased with his team's growth, likes its chances and won't be so quick to mortgage the future during the first full year of his process.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171805 Philadelphia Flyers Gostisbehere, but he’s not like Simmonds or Hayes in that there’s a firm expectation that he’ll be dealt.

He has heard his name in trade rumors for more than a year at this point, What’s it like to be moved at the trade deadline? Kevin Hayes explains so he too might be looking forward to Monday’s deadline so that kind of speculation can stop. At least for a few months. His bigger concern is getting back into the lineup after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee last month. Dave Isaac, NHL Writer Published 2:47 p.m. ET Feb. 19, 2020 It sounds like he may have had an injection recently to help him deal with

the pain, which evidently had a lot to do with the scar tissue from the Kevin Hayes doesn't have anxiety about the trade deadline this year, operation, and may be able to return to the lineup soon. after signing a contract for seven seasons with the Flyers. Last year at “As many times as you’re out, especially for that long, you hear all these this time, he had no idea where to expect to land. stories about people coming back from the type of surgery I had in two PHILADELPHIA — There’s only a few days left before the clock strikes 3 weeks, three weeks and your body’s just not responding well to it. It’s p.m. on Monday when rosters are locked in and there’s a clear end to the definitely a little frustrating,” Gostisbehere said. “It’s not like I didn’t feel hype and hysteria. good. It’s just I played and then didn’t feel good after. For me, definitely taking a slower step…it definitely helps that the boys are doing pretty For fans, the NHL trade deadline is entertainment and drama, the good right now so you know you can sit back, take care of yourself and possibility of adding that last piece or pieces that can potentially put a do good things for the team.” team over the top or, in the case of the New Jersey Devils, a fire sale where everyone must go that can help secure a good draft pick in a few Courier-Post LOADED: 02.20.2020 months.

This season, the Flyers might be buyers for a top nine forward and reportedly could even have interest in ex-Flyer Jeff Carter. It’s all very hazy, especially in the social media age.

That makes things complicated from the player’s perspective. Just ask Kevin Hayes.

He can breathe easy now after signing a seven-year, $50 million contract with the Flyers. A year ago, he was a little more anxious with an uncertain future. He entered the season on a one-year deal with the New York Rangers, believing that at some point they’d talk about a long-term extension.

“But once I realized that wasn’t happening, it was pretty inevitable that I was gonna get traded,” Hayes said Tuesday. “I tried to go about my day pretty regularly. I tried to be as much of a team player as I possibly could. It’s honestly disrespectful if you show up to the rink and you know you’re gonna be out of there in a couple months (and stop trying). You can’t treat it like that. Those guys are still grinding away every day. I’m trying to play my best so I can get A. the most for a return and I just want everyone to think that I’m a good player, obviously.”

The Flyers know this story from last year with Wayne Simmonds.

It was inevitable that Simmonds, one of the all-time fan favorites, was going to be moved once he couldn’t get an extension signed with either of the two general managers the Flyers employed last season. Simmonds is another player not capable of giving anything less than 100 percent and an emotional goodbye of sorts was captured by cameras on NBC’s reality show based around the Flyers’ outdoor game last season against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the last time Simmonds suited up for the Flyers.

At the time, Simmonds’ wife, Crystal, hadn’t yet given birth to their daughter so there were all kinds of logistical nightmares for Simmonds as he sat on the couch at the Flyers’ practice facility on deadline day and watched trade deadline coverage on television hoping to learn where he’d land. He was one of the last to go, moving to the Nashville Predators.

Hayes, on the other hand, was the first big move of the day. He was sent to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Brendan Lemieux and two draft picks. Unlike Simmonds, Hayes didn’t have to worry about moving a family in the middle of the hockey season, but he too didn’t know where he was going until things got very close.

“The night before you get a phone call and, ‘It’s either this team, this team or this team.’ It’s exciting, honestly,” Hayes said. “If you’re getting traded, usually your team isn’t in the playoffs and you’re going to a team that probably is going to be in the playoffs. For me it was exciting. I was in the bottom of the league and all of a sudden I was in first place. It was definitely a different situation. I went from to Winnipeg and those are very different places but the hockey was still the same. Everybody wants to win and it was exciting, honestly.”

Most of the Flyers don’t have that anxiety this year because they’re all pretty safe. If there’s an exception, it’s defenseman Shayne 1171806 Philadelphia Flyers In addition to their new place in the standings, Travis Konecny had a three-point night to give him a new career high in points with 51. Giroux’s pass on Jake Voracek’s power-play goal gave him the franchise lead in power-play assists, passing Bobby Clarke. Flyers move into third place, but 'should be better next game' “To be able to do that, it means a lot,” Giroux said. “I had a lot of help the whole time I was here on the power play and played with great players and a lot of different players. We were able to get on the same page.” Dave Isaac, NHL WriterPublished 10:46 p.m. ET Feb. 18, 2020 Still, it was a somewhat subdued locker room.

Maybe this team is more mature. Maybe they’re getting closer to figuring The Flyers put the game away early, scoring on their first two shots for out how to be perennial playoff contenders. an eventual 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. “I didn’t have time to sit and think about that,” Giroux said. “I just feel like PHILADELPHIA — It’s the time of year where every one of them is the everybody’s on the same page. We come to the rink and I don’t know “biggest game of the year” and the Flyers’ home-and-home series one person that doesn’t have a good time. We know we have to play a against the Columbus Blue Jackets this week could end up deciding team game to win. We don’t have a couple players that do everything. either team’s playoff fate, maybe both fates. Everybody has a role. Everybody knows their role and everybody has fun If they had won a game like this last year, the Flyers would have done doing it. A game like tonight, it’s an example of everybody contributing, backflips. playing on the same page. It’s fun to win.”

On Tuesday night the Flyers put the game away early. They had two Courier-Post LOADED: 02.20.2020 goals before the Blue Jackets could even muster a shot on goal and finished the game with a 5-1 victory, although you wouldn’t know it from the locker room vibe.

“I honestly don’t think it was one of our best games,” said Kevin Hayes, who scored the opening goal. “Obviously the score doesn’t say that but we should be better next game. I know we scored five goals but we definitely didn’t have our A-game. We had some puck luck and it’s a huge two points.”

“It was ugly,” Claude Giroux added. “We did a lot of good things. I know we didn’t have a lot of shots, but we played well defensively. Carter made some big saves. When we had a chance to score, we did. That was huge.”

In a game like that it’s easy to overlook the details and go to the end result, which is that in a tight race, the Flyers took a step forward when they had the opportunity and moved from the second wild card spot up to third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Instead the Flyers saw that they had only 15 shots, the third fewest they’ve had in franchise history in a win.

To win a game like that is a new development for this season’s squad. Last season they’d take two steps backward any time they took one forward.

“Sometimes we were chasing all year,” Sean Couturier said. “We were four or five points behind, we’d get on winning streaks but it gets tough as the year goes on. This year so far we’ve hung in there all year. We’re in a great situation still. We’ve got to keep playing our way. lately we’ve been playing some good hockey and if we play that way I’m not too worried that we’ll make the playoffs.”

On this night they played the exact game plan they set out to.

They knew that starting games had been an issue and, albeit by a couple lucky bounces, were in control from the start.

“There are certain games where we haven’t gotten off to the start that we would have liked but we compete,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “We battle. It’s a tough league. There’s so much parity. Everybody is, in my estimation, a good team. You need good starts. It helps you win games but when you don’t, we’ve tried to come back.”

That wasn’t a problem against Columbus this time, despite their being a stingy team.

Columbus allows the fourth fewest shots per game (Philadelphia allows the fewest) so the Flyers knew they’d have to be opportunistic.

“They play a structured game,” Hayes said. “It’s two really good coaches (John Tortorella behind Columbus’ bench) that have a really great system and when your players buy into it, it’s a tough system to beat. It was 5-1, but it definitely didn’t feel that way. We knew they were in it the whole time and that we had to bring it the whole 60 minutes. I think we played the right way defensively. They had a pretty good amount of saves but I don’t think they had a lot of Grade As and when they did, (Carter Hart) played great.”

For a team with plenty to celebrate, the Flyers didn’t seem in the mood to. 1171807 Philadelphia Flyers on beats-per-minute strategies than specific songs. That never sat well with Reed.

“I always would have Reed give me his opinion (on the music),” Gioia Flyers’ in-house DJ turns up the volume on Philadelphia’s rich music recalled. “And he said, ‘Listen, you need a better combination of modern scene music, classic music, dance music, fan favorites.’ Everybody in the crowd should be tapping their feet.”

This past summer, Gioia made the call — Reed would be tasked with By Charlie O'Connor Feb 19, 2020 getting the crowd’s feet tapping again at Flyers games.

His solution? Play something that the music-literate Philadelphia fans would know. At the far end of the Wells Fargo Center press box, just a few feet from where the catwalk begins, a young man in a faux leopard-spotted coat Philadelphia has long been more of a music city than many realize. hiding a 1980s-style Philadelphia Flyers T-shirt stares intently down from his perch, awaiting the early first-period faceoff between Claude Giroux The Philadelphia Orchestra is world-renowned. The tastemaking TV and Pittsburgh Penguins’ star forward Evgeni Malkin. show “American Bandstand” got its start here. Jazz legend John Coltrane spent years practicing and playing in North Philadelphia. Hall & Oates “The NHL ’96 view,” he says with a slight smirk, a nod to the sky-high are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And the otherwise-bygone string camera angle favored by the old-school Sega video game that he just band era gets its once-a-year resurgence courtesy of the Mummers repurchased. Parade every New Year’s Day.

Suddenly, the shrill vocals of Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez Philadelphia may not be Nashville or New Orleans, but the city can still blasting from the arena’s deafening speaker system halt, the remnants of boast of its rich music history and traditions, including being one of the “A Favor House Atlantic” limited to a quiet buzz still emanating from a nation’s last great strongholds of exciting rock music. pair of oversized headphones on the man’s ears. From the ’90s through the end of the ’00s, rock’s place in the popular and His hand still on the fader of his mixer, DJ Reed Streets’ shoulders sag critical zeitgeist was unquestioned. Grunge and its offshoots slowly gave just a bit. It’s not because the 20 seconds of the classic mid-00s way to indie rock as the “prestige” genre for North American music critics, emo/punk jam had run its course; that comes with the territory of being while emo (the “third wave” of a genre that began in the late ’80s) the Flyers’ in-arena DJ and playlist curator. It’s because Giroux lost the became the style of choice for thousands of disaffected high school and draw to his formidable foe in the faceoff dot, giving the hated Penguins college students. It was possible to dislike rock — it was impossible to control of the puck. ignore it.

It’s the first 2019-20 matchup in Philadelphia between the cross-state But as the first decade of the millennium came to a close, the music rivals, and the DJ, whose legal name is Matthew Reed, has two primary world began to shift. Major record labels stopped tossing contracts at hopes for the evening: select a memorable mix of some of his favorite every fledgling band combining catchy guitar licks with icy screams. Rap tunes for the paid attendance of 19,120, and watch his hometown Flyers continued its ascendancy. And due to the rise of the “poptimism” come away with two points in the standings. movement, “serious” music listeners no longer were required to become rock experts to retain credibility. By the end of the ’10s, rock had “It’s a big game, I put together something special for it,” he promises. seemingly lost its place near the top of the food chain. A close-up of DJ Reed Streets at work high above the ice at a Flyers That wasn’t the case in 2010s Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs game. (Courtesy of Kate Frese) and towns, however. “Special” hasn’t been a word often used in recent years to describe the Philadelphia-native Kurt Vile and his former band The War On Drugs music selection at Flyers games. were two of the rare prestige indie rock success stories of the decade, The days of an in-arena organ providing the sole musical mastering a timeless heartland rock sound heavily indebted to Tom Petty accompaniment to the on-ice action are long past. Old-school pipings and Neil Young. Hop Along bridged the gap between the confessional have largely been replaced by ear-splitting, focus-group-approved chart- folk that originally made its label (Saddle Creek) famous and the toppers and ubiquitous 30- to 40-year-old rock anthems. accessible indie rock that dominated the ’00s. Beach Slang had its time in the sun as purveyors of unabashedly straightforward garage rock. This season, however, the playlist at games has received a refresh — Local bedroom-pop songwriter (Sandy) Alex G’s most recent album, more post-2000 music, more local tracks and more deep cuts from “House of Sugar” — a reference to the formerly titled SugarHouse lesser-known artists. Casino on Delaware Avenue — earned Best New Music status from influential webzine Pitchfork last September. It’s a shift driven by Reed, a south Jersey-born DJ who now serves as the guiding hand to song selection. And those are merely the critic-approved Philadelphia-area artists and bands, artists who would have fit in during indie’s heyday. It’s musical Reed isn’t a new addition; he was hired by the Flyers in 2017-18, when malpractice to ignore the area’s emergence as a central hub for poppy Anthony Gioia — the team’s senior director of game presentation — went punk rock and the fourth-wave emo scene that rose out of the ashes of to a Penguins game and left impressed with the DJ at PPG Paints Arena. the genre’s demise in the late ’00s. Curious about replicating that atmosphere in Philadelphia, Gioia’s conversation with a friend from the Steel City sent him in Reed’s The Menzingers sit comfortably as local pop-punk legends. The Wonder direction. Years may hail from nearby Lansdale, but they include enough Philly references in their lyric-heavy songs to stock every shelf at a Port “If you’re going to do this in Philly,” the friend told Gioia, “there’s only one Richmond Wawa. Modern Baseball progressed from the city’s college guy you should really call.” scene to the forefront of emo’s underground revival before a hiatus in A veteran of the local DJ scene since the early ’00s, DJ Reed Streets 2017. linked up with Radio 104.5 — the Philadelphia area’s primary alternative Add in a wide array of artists such as the now-disbanded all-woman trio rock station — in 2012, and then won 2015’s East Coast Red Bull 3style Cayetana, emo/art-rock transplants The World Is A Beautiful Place, DJ competition, finishing second in the U.S. power poppers Sheer Mag, and even Alabama-born Katie and Allison “I really wanted somebody that could put together very trendy yet high- Crutchfield (Waxahatchee, Swearin’) and you have one of the deepest energy warmup music,” Gioia explained. “I wasn’t looking for a wedding and most diverse rock music communities in the country. DJ or something like that.” Philadelphia is passionate about its music and — of course — its sports. At the start, Reed’s duties were limited — mashing together a warmup When the two overlap, the result is often unforgettable: think the Eagles mix for the Flyers using songs picked by forward Scott Laughton, and running through the tunnel at Super Bowl LII backed by the visceral thrill producing pregame videos to be played on the Jumbotron. But the in- of then-imprisoned local rapper Meek Mill’s signature song, “Dreams and game playlist remained out of his control as Gioia’s team focused more Nightmares.” Many locals swear that victory seemed inevitable when it became clear the Eagles had chosen the edgy anthem as their intro music while the New England Patriots went with the ubiquitous, “Do you think the Flyers will make the playoffs?” milquetoast “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne. Reed grew up a Flyers fan, getting hooked on the sport the way many Perhaps tapping into Philadelphia’s reputation as a hub for modern rock local 30-somethings did — watching the Legion of Doom (he was a John music might just be a way to add that same authenticity and excitement LeClair guy) take its yearly runs at Stanley Cup glory. In other words, the to Flyers games. 34-year-old’s formative DJ years lined up perfectly with the ultimately fruitless end of that era of Flyers hockey. For DJ Reed Streets, staying in tune with the changing trends in music isn’t merely his job — it’s his passion. It’s also the reason he chose not to It’s that composite knowledge — of the modern rock music scene, of aim for jobs in top-40, mainstream radio. Flyers fandom, and the art of the profession — that he tries to tap into on game nights. “I don’t know, the pop radio (world) never intrigued me,” he said. “There was always a million DJs that wanted to do that stuff and I don’t know … “Does being a hockey fan help? Yeah, I think it helps,” Reed said. “You I’ve always been driven by my tastes. A lot of people want to do, say, do three gigs a week, at least, for over 12 years or something like that … (local top-40 station) Q102 or something, for the popularity. If your heart’s you just learn to read people, read vibes, feel, you know what I mean? not in it, what’s the point?” When to bring the energy up, when to just let it relax. I think that helps a lot.” His heart has certainly been in it when it comes to his new game duties. Sure, there’s still the occasional jock-rock arena staple under Reed’s The public seems satisfied with the DJ’s approach to music at Flyers watch. But more and more, those tracks are being replaced by local jams games — with only one complaint repeatedly surfacing. A late ’80s hair and deeper cuts from bands that influenced the Philadelphia scene. One metal goal song like “Feel the Shake” doesn’t seem to quite fit Reed’s can tell the DJ is having a blast keeping the audience guessing. newly established modus operandi.

Other arenas might toss punk-rock fans a hit or two by the Ramones or And as it turns out, Streets did not select the song — the business Green Day, but little-known tracks from North Jersey’s the Bouncing department made that decision. If Streets gains control over the goal Souls and Swedish skate-punks Millencolin? Not as likely. Jimmy Eat song choice in the future, however? Local Philadelphia rock music might World’s megahit “The Middle” might not raise many eyebrows at a take an even more prominent place at Flyers games. hockey game, but what about the lowest charting single from that album (“Bleed American”)? For aficionados of the last 20 years of rock music, “Someone had suggested ‘Came Out Swinging’ — ‘came out swinging Flyers games are starting to serve as a low-key game of “Name That from a South Philly basement,’” Streets said, reciting the best- Tune.” remembered lyrics of the cult favorite track by the Wonder Years. “That would be a song that I would think would be pretty cool.” “Flyers fans, they know their shit,” Reed says. “They’re a tough crowd, but they make it work.” Maybe ice level at the Flyers’ South Philly arena doesn’t quite qualify as a basement, but it’s close enough. And Reed has unsurprisingly found that local music seems to strike the biggest chord with them. The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020

“I think bringing Philadelphia music back into it helps a lot,” he says. “We got a new Menzingers track for tonight. We’re playing the Wonder Years. I want to do a lot more stuff with the Roots. We have such good music in Philadelphia that I think people appreciate hearing that.”

In fact, a local song inspired Reed’s favorite moment behind the turntables at the arena — “Best of Me,” a minor hit by early ’00s pop- punkers the Starting Line. Reed chose the song for a nondescript stoppage of play and was blown away when the arena sang the 18-year- old words back at him.

“When I cut off (the music), you could actually hear people still singing it,” he said. “That was really, really cool.”

The music will always be secondary to the play on the ice, but it doesn’t have to be mere background noise. Streets wasn’t shy about expressing his belief that too many DJs fall into the trap of focusing solely on what they believe maximizes the energy in the building, when in reality their playlists just sound like those at every other NHL arena.

“That’s the thing that people don’t realize,” he said. “Like all those DMX (songs), the ‘Party Ups’ or whatever — they’re like 20 years old. (Hockey) arena music has not really been updated. And it feels like everyone’s scared to update it. Everybody just keeps playing (the same songs).

“I think it’s cool, if you come to Philly, you’re going to hear different stuff. People say that about Nashville, too; if you go down there, you hear different kinds of music.”

“If you come to Philly, you’re going to hear different stuff,” DJ Reed Streets said of Flyers games. (Courtesy of Kate Frese)

It’s appropriate that the DJ trying to inject a bit more local music flair into Philadelphia’s sports would find his Philly sports fandom bleeding over as he tries to execute said job. Reed is a born-and-raised, 4-for-4 Philly sports fan — a fact made obvious during the Flyers’ 3-0 win over the Penguins last month.

A faint “woo!” escapes his lips as Jakub Voracek screams across the crease to fool Tristan Jarry for the Flyers’ first goal, a brief release of joy before queuing up the team’s goal song for the year, “Feel The Shake” by Jetboy. He mutters a frustrated “come on!” when Sean Couturier fails to take advantage of a perfect James van Riemsdyk pass on a 2-on-1. And during an extended stoppage in the first period, he asks a simple question unrelated to music. 1171808 Pittsburgh Penguins

Minor league report: Nailers beaten by Royals, 6-3

SETH RORABAUGH | Thursday, February 20, 2020 12:42 a.m.

Goaltender Alex D’Orio made 30 saves for the in a 6-3 home loss to the at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling on Wednesday.

Defenseman Matt Abt scored two goals for the Nailers (23-21-5-0).

Highlights:

The Nailers’ next game is on the road against the Cyclones at the in Cincinnati on Friday, 7:35 p.m.

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Penguins power play has turned into weapon through structure, flexibility

CHRIS ADAMSKI | Wednesday, February 19, 2020 6:52 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan often has remarked about the need to establish a structure for the team while allowing its talented players to freelance and use their world-class skill.

It’s a balancing act, and it is tested most by the power play.

Recent results suggest the Penguins are navigating that fine line well.

A 3 for 3 power-play effort during a 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday lifted the Penguins into the top 10 conversion rates. With power-play goals in five consecutive games heading into a rematch with the Maple Leafs on Thursday, the Penguins have converted seven of their past 13 opportunities.

“We’re out there working as a unit,” said Bryan Rust, who had the first 5- on-4 goal Tuesday. “I think we have a little bit of confidence and I think the more we have time together, the more we talk about things and the more chemistry we build.”

Tuesday’s game was the fifth over the team’s past 14 in which it had multiple power-play goals. That span featured one game each without the unit’s biggest stars: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And each of those games resulted in at least two power-play goals, including when Malkin missed because of illness Tuesday.

Jared McCann filled in seamlessly.

“I felt comfortable,” said McCann, who assisted on a Crosby power-play tally. “Obviously, it’s kind of different playing with those guys. They make plays a lot more. I am just trying to complement them as much as I can.”

McCann was a regular on the power play earlier this season when the Penguins’ injury problem was at its worst. He also has been part of the second unit, so he is familiar with how the Penguins do things 5-on-4.

The fact he could seamlessly immerse himself with short notice on the top unit at an unfamiliar position (the left point, Malkin’s typical domain) is a testament to the way the structure meets creative fluidity.

“We don’t really have any set positions,” McCann said. “You kind of move all over the ice, take what they give you. And we have guys who read the play really easily, and we have been taking advantage of it.”

That fluidity is part of the freedom Sullivan and his staff give in an effort to avoid stifling their best players’ creativity. That can be difficult for coaches, whose default mindset reverts to respecting structure.

“Sometimes these guys go off the grid a little bit just based on their instinctive play,” Sullivan said, “but I think that’s one of the things that separates some of our players from others, so that’s always been a fabric of our offense — be it 5-on-5 or on the power play — and we try to provide the latitude for that. We certainly don’t want to get in the way of that for the coaching staff. But it is important to have a framework and have some structure so that our guys can be somewhat predictable for one another when they are out there.”

The Penguins’ hour-long practice Wednesday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry featured power-play work with McCann taking Malkin’s spot alongside Crosby, Letang, Hornqvist and Rust, though Malkin could return for Thursday’s game.

Tuesday’s outburst improved the Penguins’ season power-play success rate by a point and a half to 21.9% and moved it to ninth in the NHL.

The Penguins rank sixth in the NHL in goals per game despite the power play lagging behind the 24.9% conversion rate of last season, suggesting the offense might not have peaked yet.

A strong power play also can affect the other 50-plus minutes of games via the threat of its potency.

“It definitely does help, because it does make teams a little more hesitant to take some penalties,” Rust said. “I think when they do, we try to either score goals or gain momentum for the team. And that’s big.” 1171810 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ Mike Sullivan: Sidney Crosby has ‘been terrific’ since return from surgery

CHRIS ADAMSKI | Wednesday, February 19, 2020 3:52 p.m.

That Sidney Crosby has 23 points and has been part of just three regulation losses in the 13 games he’s played since a two-month injury layoff is not surprising to Mike Sullivan.

Neither is that Crosby has 15 points while leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6-1-1 record over the past eight games.

“I think he’s getting better with each game that he’s played,” Sullivan said after practice Wednesday, a day following a four-point night for Crosby in a 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. “His impact on the games, I think, speaks for itself.

Since returning from injury, Sidney Crosby has picked up 22 points (7G- 15A) in 13 games. pic.twitter.com/PGRIMLM3Dw

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 19, 2020

“He’s just such an impactful player. We a very different hockey team when he’s in our lineup. He’s been terrific. I think he’s getting better every game. I think his game is gaining more traction, and I think he loves playing this time of year.”

Crosby sat out 30 games from early November through mid-January because of surgery related to his core muscles. While the Penguins took off without him, they have caught the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division since his return.

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Evgeni Malkin did not practice Wednesday, but will travel with Penguins to Toronto

CHRIS ADAMSKI | Wednesday, February 19, 2020 3:13 p.m.

Evgeni Malkin was not on the ice when the Pittsburgh Penguins practiced Wednesday.

He was with teammates as they departed for Toronto soon thereafter, though, according to coach Mike Sullivan.

“He is going to make the trip,” Sullivan said soon after the practice session ended in Cranberry Township. “We are hopeful he will be feeling better, (and) he will make the trip.”

Malkin sat out Tuesday’s home win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, getting scratched after taking his warmup. The teams meet again in a rematch Thursday in Canada.

Malkin has 18 goals and 58 points in 44 games this season.

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Penguins’ Brian Dumoulin has resumed skating, ‘making progress’ from surgery

CHRIS ADAMSKI | Wednesday, February 19, 2020 2:59 p.m.

Top-pairing defenseman Brian Dumoulin has resumed skating in recent days and is progressing in his return from December ankle surgery, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Wednesday.

“Dumo is making progress,” Sullivan said after practice Wednesday in Cranberry Township. “He skated the last couple of days. He’s, I think, tracking the right way, and the fact he is back on the ice right now is really encouraging.”

Dumoulin was injured during a Nov. 30 game against the St. Louis Blues and the following day underwent surgery to repair lacerated tendons in his left ankle.

At the time — 11 ½ weeks ago — the Penguins announced that Dumoulin, 28, was “expected to be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks.”

Sullivan said there was “no yet” a timetable for Dumoulin to return to the lineup.

A six-year veteran, Dumoulin has teamed with Kris Letang to form the Penguins’ top pairing in recent seasons. He has one goal and seven points this season.

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Penguins recall Zach Trotman, place John Marino on injured reserve

SETH RORABAUGH | Wednesday, February 19, 2020 10:42 a.m.

The Penguins have recalled defenseman Zach Trotman on an emergency basis from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. In a corresponding transaction, rookie defenseman John Marino has been placed on injured reserve.

This is the second recall of the season for Trotman, 29. In five NHL games this season, he has no points. At the AHL level, Trotman has appeared in 23 games and has 11 points (three goals, eight assists).

With an upcoming road game to Toronto on Thursday, Trotman was recalled as insurance as some of the team’s incumbent defensemen are dealing with some minor ailments according to coach Mike Sullivan.

Marino has not played since Feb. 6 when he was struck in the face by a puck and suffered broken bones which required surgery. He underwent surgery on Feb. 10 and is expected to be sidelined three to six weeks.

Marino joins forwards Nick Bjugstad (core muscle), Jake Guentzel (right shoulder) and defenseman Brian Dumoulin (left ankle) on injured reserve.

Tribune Review LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171814 Pittsburgh Penguins 1. He anticipates negotiations beginning after the combine ends on March 1.

2. Curran says, “The Patriots aren’t worried about other team’s financial First Call: Carly Zucker wins Twitter; Tom Brady and Chris Kreider pitches. Their business with Brady revolves around the direction of the updates; XFL ratings 2020 offensive personnel, Brady getting some input on that and Brady’s role in the team’s future.”

3. If Brady hits free agency, he may try to set up meetings at one location TIM BENZ | Wednesday, February 19, 2020 9:05 a.m. instead of doing a public free agency barnstorming tour.

4. The Patriots are willing to exceed a $30 million price tag.

Wednesday’s “First Call” features a Tom Brady update. Where is Chris Buffs not getting Bieniemy? Kreider going to wind up? Jason Zucker’s wife wins Twitter for a night. Many have lobbied for Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Destination TBA Bieniemy to get a head coaching job in the NFL.

The Penguins decided to go in a different direction than Chris Kreider. That hasn’t happened yet. The New York Rangers forward was believed to be a target of the Penguins when they were shopping for help up front. But his alma mater, the University of Colorado, has reportedly been interested in hiring him to replace Mel Tucker. But they acquired Jason Zucker from the Minnesota Wild instead. Tucker recently jumped ship to join Michigan State. But it appears that That’s working out so far. He has three goals in four games since joining Bieniemy is staying put. the Pens, including one Tuesday during a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. My understanding with Eric Bieniemy and CU: there's been no major traction so far and Bieniemy figures to be prominent coaching candidate Tic, tac, toe. in 2021 NFL cycle, but perhaps something will change if Buffs could still make late push. That's another power-play goal. pic.twitter.com/BrdAMzphoC — Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 19, 2020 — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 19, 2020 So, my translation of that? The Buffs needed to knock off Bieniemy’s So where is Kreider going? Perhaps nowhere. socks, and they haven’t done so yet. TSN’s Frank Seravalli writes that Kreider may sign an extension with Either in terms of commitment to the program or commitment to his bank New York. But if he’s moved, Colorado and Boston may be potential account. Or perhaps both. landing spots. Tribune Review LOADED: 02.20.2020 Well played

Speaking of Zucker, the Penguins sent out this tweet about the blossoming linemate relationship he seems to have with Sidney Crosby.

Find someone who looks at you the way Zucker looks at Crosby. pic.twitter.com/sdKKEApwnD

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 19, 2020

Zucker’s wife, Carly, is a media personality in Minnesota and active on Twitter. She jumped on that opportunity.

Someday… https://t.co/vn1VqUzkAL

— Carly Zucker (@CarlyAplin) February 19, 2020

Something tells me most Penguins fans are starting to look at him the same way.

Reading the ratings

The XFL’s second week of ratings are in, and, as expected, they are down.

Via Touchdown Wire, on Saturday, the league “garnered almost 1.2 million fewer viewers than the first weekend of the second launch of the XFL — 3.3 million in Week 1 versus 2.12 in Week 2. There wasn’t as large of a dip on Sunday where Week 1 had 2.5 million viewers but only averaged 2.39 million viewers on ABC in Week 2. It’s important to point out that Week 1 was on ESPN and Week 2 was on ABC. If Week 2 was on ESPN, we probably would see a similar ratio drop closer to the Saturday numbers.”

So despite an anticipated dip, maybe the drop wasn’t quite as severe as expected for Week 2.

However, I’d argue a week’s worth of negative spin about how poor the quarterback play was this past weekend will hurt the league and we may see more of a dive in Week 3.

Brady update

Here is the latest on Tom Brady’s pending free agency from NBC Boston’s Tom Curran.

He listed four news items of interest about how Brady may be approaching free agency, and how the Patriots may be angling their attempts to keep their legendary quarterback. 1171815 Pittsburgh Penguins Patric Hornqvist echoed that sentiment, saying he expects to get their best shot.

“It’s always fun when the other team brings their best game. It’s going to Evgeni Malkin expected to travel to Toronto; Brian Dumoulin starting to be a hell of a matchup [Thursday] in Toronto,” he said. “We’re all looking skate forward to it.”

Malkin, who leads Penguins in points with 58, missed Tuesday's game Blueger’s ‘impressive’ appetite after leaving the ice midway through pre-game warm-ups Teddy Blueger’s first full NHL season has been a success. In 58 games, he has nine goals and 22 points with a plus-7 rating while centering a pesky checking line. He has also been a quality penalty killer who in MATT VENSEL Pittsburgh Post-Gazette FEB 19, 2020 7:38 PM Tuesday’s win got his ninth goal not long after helping the Penguins kill a 5-on-3 power play for the Maple Leafs.

Sullivan praised Blueger, a second-round draft pick way back in 2012, for Evgeni Malkin, who missed Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple the work he has put in over the past several years to become an effective Leafs due an illness, did not practice with the Penguins on Wednesday. NHL player. But the team said the plan was for their leading scorer to travel to Toronto for Thursday’s rematch. “He takes pride in his game. He works at his game. I don’t think it’s by accident that Teddy’s had the success that he’s had this year,” he said. “We’re hopeful that he will be feeling better,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He deserves a lot of credit for the commitment that he’s made to trying Malkin, who participated in Tuesday’s morning skate, did not feel well to improve as a hockey player .... His practice habits are tremendous. His when he arrived at PPG Paints Arena that evening. He took the ice for appetite to get better is impressive.” pregame warm-ups but uncharacteristically returned to the locker room Sullivan added: “We’ve got a hungry group and that can be contagious.” midway through. Post Gazette LOADED: 02.20.2020 “It kind of caught us all off guard,” Sullivan said. “He just wasn’t feeling well.”

So the Penguins held out Malkin. It was the second time he missed action due to an illness. He sat out two games back in December. Despite playing just 44 games due to injury and illness, he leads the team with 40 assists and 58 points.

In his absence Tuesday, Jared McCann centered the second line, skating with Dominik Kahun and Bryan Rust. Rookie Anthony Angello, who was supposed to be a healthy scratch, was inserted into the lineup and scored his first NHL goal.

The Penguins, with Malkin still sick and Kahun feeling fine after his first game back from a concussion, stuck with that same lineup in Wednesday’s practice in Cranberry. McCann was back in Malkin’s spot on the top power-play unit, too.

Dumoulin back on the ice

Brian Dumoulin, who has been out since Nov. 30, has started skating again.

“He’s skated the last couple of days,” Sullivan said Wednesday. “He’s tracking the right way and the fact that he’s on the ice right now is real encouraging.”

The coach added, though, that there is still no timetable for Dumoulin’s return.

Penguins call up Zach Trotman, place John Marino on IR

The defenseman was injured during an odd collision in a loss to St. Louis. A day later, on Dec. 1, he had surgery at UPMC Presbyterian to repair lacerated tendons in his left ankle. The team said then that he would miss at least eight weeks.

At the time of his injury, the 6-foot-4 blue liner led the team with a plus-17 rating, was third among Penguins in blocked shots and seventh in hits. He is one of their best penalty-killers and was on pace for a second straight 20-point season.

Jack Johnson has taken Dumoulin’s spot next to Kris Letang on the top pair.

Penguins expect pushback

The Penguins dominated the Maple Leafs on home ice Tuesday and outscored them 11-3 in two wins this season. But Sullivan promised that the Penguins would not overlook a talented Toronto team Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.

“I just think every game is its own entity,” he said. “[You can’t] think that there’s an inevitability just because we won a game or two. Toronto’s a real good hockey team. They’ve got good players on their side. They’ve got a dynamic, explosive offense. They’ve got a real good power play. We expect a big challenge.” 1171816 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins call up Zach Trotman, place John Marino on IR

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE FEB 19, 2020 3:43 PM

The Penguins on Wednesday recalled defenseman Zach Trotman from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an emergency basis and placed John Marino on injured reserve. Coach Mike Sullivan explained Wednesday that the Penguins, with a couple of blue-liners “nicked up,” wanted a seventh defenseman on the roster.

The #Pens have recalled defenseman Zach Trotman on an emergency basis from WBS. John Marino has been placed on injured reserve.

— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) February 19, 2020

While Trotman did not practice with the Penguins on Wednesday in Cranberry, he will travel to Toronto, where they play the Maple Leafs on Thursday.

Trotman, 29, played in five games with the NHL team in November and December and had a plus-1 rating in those appearances. He has three goals and 11 points in 23 games in the American Hockey League this season. As our Mike DeFabo wrote earlier this year, Trotman is used to the NHL-AHL shuffle.

Marino underwent successful surgery to repair broken bones in his face Feb. 10 after taking a slap shot to the face four days earlier at Tampa Bay. At the time, the Penguins said the 22-year-old rookie defenseman’s estimated time frame for a return was 3-6 weeks. Wednesay’s roster move was procedural.

Post Gazette LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171817 Pittsburgh Penguins doesn’t need a spare part masquerading as a top-four defenseman, either.

A depth forward, though, was always going to be on the list — and that’s Gentille: Ten trades I’d propose if I was Penguins GM for a day only truer now, given Zach Aston-Reese’s week-to-week lower-body injury. That brings us first to Larsson, who makes a ton of sense as a plug-and-play Aston-Reese replacement.

By Sean Gentille Feb 19, 2020 The sense that Aston-Reese has more to give offensively persists. Mike Sullivan said as much last week, before his injury. That could well be

true. What he’d already become this season is a winger elite enough Read this now. Read it before something else happens. Read it before defensively to show up on more than one Selke shortlist. That’s the another hockey player is traded. Please. immediate loss to the Teddy Blueger- line.

Alrighty. The NHL trade deadline is Monday, Feb. 24 at 3 p.m. Penguins So, it’d make sense to go get another player who most positively impacts general manager Jim Rutherford has said a few times that he’ll know the game by limiting the other team’s attempts. Enter Larsson, currently what he needs to do in the final 48 hours. Given the action of the past centering the best part of a bad Sabres team: its fourth line. Among NHL couple days — particularly regarding defensemen — and the emergence forwards with at least 500 5-on-5 minutes played, only two (Ryan O’Reilly of another injured forward, in Zach Aston-Reese, whether that holds up is and Teuvo Teravainen) allow fewer shot attempts per 60 minutes than anyone’s guess. Larsson. He doesn’t bring a ton of point production or individual offense — but he also has the exact same 5-on-5 point breakdown (four goals, Still, if we know anything about Rutherford, it’s that another move is 11 assists) as Aston-Reese, and is on the ice for comfortably more likely. That’s how he operates. First, let’s go over what else we know. attempts for than against. He’s no drag — but his value is in his own end. Then, on to the fun stuff: A handful of theoretical trades that, individually, There, he’s elite. would make the Penguins a better team come April. That’s the No. 1 goal. We know because Rutherford — through his words and actions — (If you’d like a full primer on SKATR charts, it’s available here. The has told us. upshot is that those bars measure percentiles, and Larsson, as we said, uses his defensive capability to be a positive player both overall and 1. Adding a forward is more likely than adding a defenseman. This was relative to his teammates.) true before Aston-Reese’s injury; good as the Penguins have been, the bottom six could use some reinforcements. Nick Bjugstad’s recovery Makes sense as a short-term replacement on Blueger’s left side, yes? from a core injury is taking longer than expected, and how (and where) Larsson also is a left shot. If and when Aston-Reese returns, you’ve got a he fits when (and if) he returns is anyone’s guess. That injury all but versatile bottom-six option — not to mention a Nick Bjugstad contingency removed him and his $4.1 million cap hit from the deadline process. plan. A Larsson-centered fourth line in the playoffs — he takes faceoffs and effectively kills penalties, naturally — seems like it would work. If it In any case, this remains a team giving real minutes to Andrew Agozzino, were my team, I’d be flexible on the return. Sam Lafferty and, to a lesser extent, Anthony Angello. They’re young, cheap and, one would imagine, nice to have around — but they’re on the The deal: Sabres LW/C Zemgus Girgensons for a conditional third-round Wilkes-Barre shuttle for a reason. A team with cap space and a Cup pick mandate would be negligent not to look into an upgrade. Girgensons, 26, is a 2020 UFA with a $1.6 million cap hit. 2. Putting Jake Guentzel (and his $6 million salary) on long-term injured The easiest way to think of Girgensons is “like Larsson, just less reserve is not a given. Nor is it a necessity. According to Cap Friendly, valuable.” He suppresses shots but doesn’t affect attempts as positively, the Penguins could add up to a $4.3 million cap hit on deadline day and he’s probably less apt to move off the Blueger line into a center spot. without putting Guentzel on LTIR. Even if the actual figure is less — or if The Sabres, bad as they are, have a few interesting bottom-six players, the Penguins make a pre-deadline day move before banking every and he’s one of them. available dollar — there’s money to play with. In our fictional world, he’d cost a fourth-rounder that turns into a third- Beyond that, the team has potential bonuses for Dominik Kahun and rounder if the Penguins make the Eastern Conference finals while he John Marino to consider. Those, when calculated, can potentially count plays in 10 games, because sure, why not? against the cap figure for 2020-21. Teams are permitted to exceed the cap by 7.5 percent (about $6.1 million) due to bonuses without a “We need a little more offense” carryover — but using LTIR space would start to eat away at that number. In other words, if Guentzel were to go on LTIR, and Kahun The deal: Senators LW/C Vladislav Namestnikov and 25 percent salary and/or Marino reach their unspecified bonuses, there’d be some sort of retention for a third-round pick cap carryover charge for next season. Namestnikov, 27, is a 2020 UFA with a $4 million cap hit. But, again, between potentially sending out NHL players, salary retention Here’s a player who, at one point on Tuesday night, seemed like he in trades, the Penguins’ existing cap space and a market that doesn’t could be traded before this published. seem stocked with $10 million worth of worthy players, the question may not even come up. CALLS COMING IN TO OTTAWA ON NAMESTNIKOV. I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF HE’S ON THE MOVE IN THE DAYS AHEAD. HE’S OK, then. Time to play GM. BEEN VERY GOOD FOR THE SENATORS. GOOD TWO WAY “Let’s see what Botterill is up to” FORWARD. HTTPS://T.CO/WBI0FC275I

The deal: Sabres C/LW Johan Larsson for a third-round pick — DARREN DREGER (@DARRENDREGER) FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Larsson, 27, is a 2020 UFA with a $1.55 million cap hit. So, the demand is there. Given that it’s Dorion making the deal, though, and the problems inherent in adding a $4 million player for many teams, The market for depth forwards isn’t set yet; we have an idea of how much Ottawa’s return is anyone’s guess. Maybe this is where you’d dip into, top-six options, short as the supply may be, are likely to cost — a first- or say, the third tier of Scott Wheeler’s prospects, if this is the guy you want. second-round pick and a good prospect. It happened with Jason Zucker, it happened with Blake Coleman and it happened with Tyler Toffoli. We Namestnikov’s greatest asset is his past performance; he was the know how much defensemen are likely to cost; anyone with a pulse will Lightning’s 2011 first-round pick, and he had a 22-goal season in 2017- get two decent draft picks or the equivalent (unless you’re Senators GM 18 split between Tampa Bay and the Rangers. Last season in New York, Pierre Dorian, who has gotten the worst return — a second-round pick he dipped to 11 goals and 20 assists. So far with Ottawa he’s at 13 and from Winnipeg — for Dylan Demelo, the best defenseman to change 12 — decent numbers on a terrible team, with a couple of caveats. He’s teams thus far). a negative possession player, even relative to that aforementioned terrible team, for the first time in his career. So you wouldn’t be buying That’s a necessary point to make before we dive into all this. In a way, high on analytics. You would be getting a player with a solid track record, the flurry of the last few days helps Rutherford. He doesn’t need his capable of playing in a variety of spots in the middle six. flashy winger because he already got one. At those prices, he certainly A player like Namestnikov would be your move if you want one of your He’s a solid, young, potential fit — and if it doesn’t work, you can sit him bottom two lines — maybe with whoever they decide on, outside of the and cut bait in the summer. Blueger-Tanev tandem — to have more offensive ability. Down the stretch, using a Blueger line to free up, say, a Namestnikov-Bjugstad- Adding him would make Riikola expendable. Plus, Riikola has enough Hornqvist line would be interesting. untapped skill to be attractive as an asset for the Kings. Does this seem like it would work? Sure. Everything seems like it would work. But Ryan “Well, it worked before” — in terms of his contract, his skill set and the Penguins’ potential need — seems like a fit. If he doesn’t work out higher in the lineup, he’s a The deal: Red Wings D Trevor Daley or Senators D Ron Hainsey for … viable spare part. actually, nevermind. It’d be worth looking into another left defenseman, given Brian Dumoulin’s ongoing absence. It’d also probably be best for “Wanna get nuts? Let’s get nuts.” the Penguins to leave the past in the past. Hainsey seems a more viable option than Daley, at this point — he’s having a decent year defensively, The deal: Canadiens LW/RW Ilya Kovalchuk for … actually, let’s save at least based on shot suppression numbers, but he makes $3.5 million this one. Rob Rossi has a deep dive on Kovalchuk on the way. But yeah, against the cap. He’s not worth tempting fate, from that perspective. Also, sure, get him. Trade for Joe Thornton, while you’re at it. Load for bear — as a defenseman with a pulse and a ton of experience, someone out because this team is good, and every chance matters. there is probably willing to take him on full freight. The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 “Hey Anaheim, it’s Pittsburgh again”

The targets: Ducks RW Ondrej Kase (24 years old, RFA 2021, $2.6 million); Ducks C/LW Derek Grant (29 years old, UFA 2020, $700,000); Ducks D Michael Del Zotto (29 years old, UFA 2020, $750,000)

Rutherford and Ducks GM Bob Murray seem to enjoy doing business with each other. Since Murray took over as Anaheim’s GM in 2008, he’s made seven trades with Rutherford, first involving Aaron Ward in 2010 and most recently Erik Gudbranson this past fall. So, the track record is there.

Kase is the best player of these three — he was on pace for a 55-point 2018-19 before an injury and has seven goals and 16 assists in 2019-20. What’s clear with Kase is the potential for more. He positively impacts play in all facets and is second in points/60 on the Ducks since 2017-18, with 2.06. Only Ryan Getzlaf has him beat there. Given that, his contract and his pending RFA status, it seems odd the Ducks are shopping him at all, but that seems to be the case. The issue for the Penguins — beyond what should be stiff competition — is that he’s a true right winger, and if Aston-Reese returns, that position is occupied by Dominik Simon, Bryan Rust, Brandon Tanev and Patric Hornqvist. The need might not be there. Still, he’s a good player worth looking into, even if it’s in the summer.

Rutherford gave Grant a whirl in 2018, signing him in free agency before sending him back to the Ducks for Joseph Blandisi after five points in 25 games. If you forgot, you’re forgiven. Still, he’s assembled another 10- plus goal season in Anaheim (14 and six assists), and he’s cheap, on an expiring contract. He should be an option. Maybe a mid-round pick gets it done. Failing that, just pull a Jamie Oleksiak and add Blandisi to the mix.

Del Zotto is a cheap, 6/7th defenseman type with puck-moving ability. He’s been a mess defensively at 5-on-5 but seems like the kind of player Rutherford would kick the tires on. Assuming the Penguins don’t make a big-time change on the left side, it’s possible that they’d prefer him as the spare to Juuso Riikola.

“We need Dumoulin insurance”

The deal: Kings LD Joakim Ryan for Juuso Riikola and a fourth-round pick

Ryan, 27, is a 2020 UFA with a $725,000 cap hit.

It bears repeating: Brian Dumoulin’s ankle surgery on Dec. 1 came with a minimum eight-week rehab period. Minimum. We’re in the 10th week, and Dumoulin is working out with the team. Nothing about that is particularly off-schedule.

It also bears repeating: Brian Dumoulin had ankle surgery. Ankles are important for hockey players, and Dumoulin is about to jump on a moving train. It’s fair to wonder how he looks in the process, and Jack Johnson hasn’t been good as a first-line defender, period, or a partner for Kris Letang, specifically. That has to change, no matter what. They’ve survived overall, but the situation is what it is.

If Dumoulin is something approaching his old self, problem solved. If they’re not willing to bet on that, though — and even if they are — Ryan is a solid, apparently under-explored option. Ryan, flatly, is good at preventing the other team from generating shots. He’s a positive possession player for his three-year career. This season, no Kings defenseman has allowed fewer attempts per 60 minutes than Ryan’s 48.27 average. His offensive impact has dipped, but it’s easy to imagine a bounce-back next to Letang, John Marino or whomever else. 1171818 Pittsburgh Penguins cooler on the Mike Lange Media Level inside Pittsburgh’s arena Tuesday night, management remains only slightly optimistic he could return to play late in the postseason. The Penguins would love to give Guentzel that opportunity, which is the reason general manager Jim Rutherford traded Think Sidney Crosby is tough to defend? Try playing with him for Zucker.

For the Penguins to have any shot at again seeing Guentzel before next season, Rutherford needed to find Crosby a winger who also could fit By Rob Rossi Feb 19, 2020 with Crosby.

Because, you know, that’s such an easy assignment. With no time to think, Bryan Rust didn’t bother. Somehow, someway, “It’s not,” said Colby Armstrong, one of only a handful of wingers to really, through a mess of bodies, a puck appeared. As though it had been fired truly click with Crosby over the past 15 seasons. Actually, Armstrong was from a howitzer. As if it shouldn’t be going where it was headed. Right. the first in a short line that also included Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis and, Onto. His. Tape. before his shoulder injury, Guentzel. And when Sidney Crosby delivers one of those passes, well… That’s it. That’s the list. “Don’t let it miss your stick,” Rust said. “I think the secret is not thinking, ‘Oh, he’s Sidney Crosby,’” Armstrong BRYAN RUST TAPS HOME THE GORGEOUS FEED FROM CROSBY said. TO OPEN THE SCORING ON THE POWER PLAY!#LETSGOPENS Except that he is Sidney Crosby. Armstrong’s advantage was that he PIC.TWITTER.COM/QTB0GTXRRF hadn’t particularly cared about Crosby’s stature, because to him Crosby — HOCKEY DAILY 365 (@HOCKEYDAILY365) FEBRUARY 19, 2020 was a close friend first and an otherworldly hockey player second.

As the video shows, Rust did his part for the first of five consecutive Kunitz could keep up with Crosby, read plays like Crosby and master the goals the Penguins scored in their victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs fine art of creating space for Crosby. Dupuis lacked a scorer’s finishing on Tuesday night. Crosby played a part in each of those scores except touch. Still, his skating skill was elite. When combined with his the second one, which was probably for the best. willingness to work toward the hard areas where goals are scored, Dupuis’ speed was a tool that Crosby used to create scoring chances. A player’s first NHL goal is a big deal. Anthony Angello can always tell his future grandchildren he hadn’t needed help from Crosby to earn his. Guentzel doesn’t think like Crosby as much as comprehend developments with him. That particular gift often makes Guentzel appear Jason Zucker and Teddy Blueger couldn’t say the same after the to be a better skater and shooter than he is. Guentzel also wouldn’t be Penguins’ 5-2 victory at PPG Paints Arena. Not that an apple from the first winger in NHL history who mentally enhanced his physical gifts, Crosby is some sort of poisoned fruit. but he has been the first of Crosby’s wingers to seemingly help the NHL’s best player elevate his game. He probably could have filled a bushel Tuesday night. What Zucker will become remains unknown, though his three goals in JASON ZUCKER! WHAT A PASS FROM CROSBY! 3-0 four games since joining the Penguins are encouraging signs. His 14 PITTSBURGH!#LETSGOPENS PIC.TWITTER.COM/SJVPJRZ4DC shots on goal probably please coaches even more than his production. — HOCKEY DAILY 365 (@HOCKEYDAILY365) FEBRUARY 19, 2020 Zucker is already the most efficient and likely fastest winger to play with The good ones leave their mark. Crosby. As did Kunitz, Zucker creates space for Crosby. As did Dupuis, Zucker is comfortable skating into traffic. As is Guentzel, Zucker seems The greatest ones leave no doubt. to be a bit inside Crosby’s head.

Since missing nearly three months while recovering from a core-muscle In his small sample size of games as Crosby’s left winger, Zucker has surgery for a sports hernia injury that lingered since training camp, made habitual dashes to the crease and/or darts near the corner. Partly, Crosby has put up 23 points in 13 games. that is Zucker’s style. His way of skating stems from first learning to play That’s a 145-point pace for a full season. roller hockey on four-wheeled skates and later learning ice skating from a coach. He uses few strides to build and maintain momentum and often That’s a level no player has skated near since Mario Lemieux (161) and appears to be the hockey equivalent of a baseball batter with an open Jaromir Jagr (149) finished as the league’s Nos. 1 and 2 scorers for the stance, regularly ready to receive passes and turn them into shots. 1995-96 seasons. Only Crosby, who was on pace for 132 points before a couple of hits led to a concussion that cost him the second half of the When on a rush, Zucker said he tries to force defensemen to reach at 2010-11 seasons, has even approached that territory. him. Once he sees the commitment, he’s already on the move. From that point, with or without the puck, Zucker is all about making the most of any What does it say that the most recent of his in-season comeback stories spare inch of ice his speed has created. is starring a version of Crosby who is statistically better than the one struck down in his prime? “I’m not saying it creates a (big) gap,” Zucker said. “But even if it’s an extra foot, 12 inches is a big area for Sid. If I can give him an extra 12 “You never get used to it, you know?” That’s how defenseman Jack inches to make a play, by using my speed in the middle or driving wide Johnson put into perspective not just Crosby’s four-point assault of the and dropping a pocket, whatever it may be — that’s what I’m going to do, Maple Leafs but also Crosby’s weirdly under-the-radar surge since and hopefully it’s working for us.” returning to the Penguins in January. “When he makes those plays — I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever lost appreciation for it. Has it? Will it?

“But I guess if you see it all the time, you could.” “It’s still early,” Zucker said. “But, you know, what I’m seeing is if I just get it so he has options to make a play, he’s going to make it every time. Johnson is playing his second season with Crosby in Pittsburgh. They He’s that good. were first teammates at the Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Minnesota. Even there, even then, Johnson said Crosby forced wingers “to be “With Sid, he’s so capable of creating — a pass, a shot that becomes a quicker than you normally would be because he can see that line, he can rebound, whatever — that, for me, it’s really about being ready all the fire that puck to you — and he does it so quick. That’s what separates time.” him.” Zucker also excels with Crosby at what Boston’s Brad Marchand Zucker is learning that in real time. described as a sort of feed-the-beast philosophy.

He joined the Penguins’ top line a week ago and has to quickly form “He likes having the puck, so you’ve got to get him the puck,” Marchand chemistry with Crosby, the way Guentzel has, almost perfectly, in just a said. “You always have to be prepared to get it and you have to be able few short years into his career. Though Jake Guentzel wasn’t wearing a to find openings because that’s his thing. He’s going to make plays, and brace around his injured shoulder while grabbing a bottle of water from a you’ve got to put yourself into positions to get the puck from him.” Though a rival with the Bruins, and not one who has many supporters among the Penguins (other than Crosby), Marchand found himself finally fulfilling a boyhood dream of playing with Crosby on Canada’s top line at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Pleasantries are no requirement for national pride. Plus, if a winger can figure out how to read Crosby — as fellow Nova Scotian Marchand did in that tournament — it’s a least worth hearing what words of wisdom that winger has to offer somebody like Zucker, who is learning this play-with-Sid thing with the Penguins.

“He’s demanding,” Marchand said of Crosby. “He expects guys to do the job and that’s why he’s the best. He holds himself to an incredibly high standard and holds his linemates to a high standard.

“If you’re able to read off of him and find that open space, you’re going to connect with him and you’ll get your opportunities.”

Every winger who has skated a shift with Crosby has had opportunities. They come often. They come fast. Too fast, sometimes.

“My second game, first shift of the third period, I have one go right through my legs,” Zucker said of a pass from Crosby that eluded him. “It was one of those plays where I gave it to Sid in the middle. Sid chipped it in for (Dominik Simon.) Dom got it and was going behind the net. I came strong side for Dom.

“By the time I realized he wasn’t going to pass for me, I shoulder- checked to see where Sid was, because at that point I knew it was going to go Sid-shot or Sid-me — something like that. By the time I looked to shoulder-check, the puck was by my feet.

“It was that quick.”

Zucker is learning what Rust was schooled on over the past few seasons, what only a select group of wingers have figured out. Playing next to Crosby can make a winger look bad if that winger doesn’t adapt to Crosby’s style.

“I mean, he’s Sidney Crosby for a reason, right?” Zucker said. Or as Rust added after Crosby overwhelmed the Maple Leafs not by scoring goals but instead by setting up teammates: “It helps that he sees things the rest of us don’t.”

Rust paused, shrugged and smiled at the suggestion that Crosby also can do things the rest of them can’t.

“Yeah, there’s that too,” he said. “Like, look at what he did out there. Some of those passes. I mean, c’mon.”

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171819 San Jose Sharks

First the A’s audio broadcasts went digital-only; Now the Sharks are giving it a try

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: February 19, 2020 at 11:21 a.m. | UPDATED: February 19, 2020 at 12:07 p.m.

SAN JOSE — First the A’s announced the audio broadcasts for all of their games this season will only be available online. Now this week, the Sharks are experimenting with broadcasting audio for their next four games on its mobile app and not on terrestrial radio. Dubbed the “Sharks Digital Roadtrip,” audio broadcasts of the next four Sharks games will be on the team’s Sharks+SAP Center app. The broadcasts will include a one-hour pregame show and interactive features. The games from Feb. 20-25 will not be available on 98.5 KFOX, the Sharks’ radio network flagship since the 2000-01 NHL season. Fans wanting to listen to the broadcasts from the app in their car’s audio system will need to utilize Bluetooth technology or an auxiliary plug-in. The Sharks play New Jersey on Thursday and the New York Rangers on Saturday, with both games starting at 4 p.m. (PT). The team then plays the New York Islanders on Sunday at 2 p.m. and finish the road trip Tuesday against Philadelphia at 4 p.m. All four road games will still be televised on NBC Sports California. Broadcasts on KFOX will resume Feb. 27 when the Sharks host New Jersey, and continue for the rest of the season. A Sharks spokesman said while the team is happy with its partnership with KFOX, their signal does not reach certain parts of the Bay Area. KFOX, a classic rock station, is broadcast out of the South Bay. The Sharks announced the plan in September, seeing it as a potential solution to expand their listening audience and increase team-related content. Per the team spokesman, a decision has not been made on whether this will continue next season. Longtime play-by-play announcer Dan Rusanowsky will broadcast all of the games, with Jamie Baker and Bret Hedican alternating as color commentators.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171820 San Jose Sharks to focus on. The 22-year-old has posted a 1.79 GAA and .936 save percentage over 19 AHL games with the Providence Bruins this season, and with Tuukka Rask one of the leading candidates to win the Vezina Trophy, Vladar won't be taking over the top job with the Boston Bruins How Sharks can use 2020 NHL trade deadline to upgrade goalie position anytime soon. Vladar is on the final year of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season -- the exact scenario By Brian Witt Jones was in. With Jaroslav Halak proving to be a more-than-adequate February 19, 2020 6:23 PM backup to Rask, San Jose might be able to acquire Vladar on the relative cheap depending on Boston's plans for him.

Henrik Lundqvist It's no secret that the Sharks have suffered from below-average goaltending over the last two seasons. Only the Tampa Bay Lightning On the polar opposite end of the spectrum of Vladar is soon-to-be 38- scored more goals than San Jose last year, and yet they were one of year-old Henrik Lundqvist. The legendary goalie appears to be at the tail seven teams with a better goal differential than the Sharks, who finished end of his impressive tenure with the New York Rangers, as he is now with the worst cumulative save percentage in the NHL (.889). It's barely both considerably older and arguably worse than Alexandar Georgiev been any better in the current season, as the tandem of Martin Jones and Igor Shesterkin, who both appear to have passed him on the depth and Aaron Dell has posted a .894 cumulative save percentage thus far, chart. ranking 29th out of 31 teams. The Rangers have only been slightly better than the Sharks this season, Making matters worse, there's no obvious solution on the horizon. Jones, so they, too, have every reason to look towards the future -- which 30, has another four years remaining on his contract at $5.7 million per Lundqvist doesn't figure into. The problem is, King Henrik is on the books after this season, and he has actually performed worse in 2019-20 than for $8.5 million this season and the next before becoming an unrestricted he did in 2018-19. His save percentage and goals-against average have free agent. both continued to move in the wrong direction, and the fact that Dell His peripheral stats this season are very similar to Jones, but he also has appears to have taken over the No. 1 job doesn't exactly bode well for his a much lengthier track record of success. Lundqvist is the NHL's current ability to turn things around. active leader with 184.1 goals saved above average throughout his Dell, on the other hand, has arguably been San Jose's biggest bright spot career according to Hockey Reference, which ranks as the 14th-most all- in what has been a thoroughly disappointing season, as his save time. Jones, on the other hand, is at -21.7 over his seven-year career percentage (.909) and GAA (.289) are nearly identical to the league and has never ranked in the top-20 in that category in any single season averages. The problem is, he turns 31 in May and will be an unrestricted during his tenure with the Sharks. free agent at the conclusion of this season. Chances are, Dell will get a Might the two sides consider swapping their expensive, yet more lucrative offer on the open market than San Jose will be able to underperforming netminders? From the Sharks' perspective, they would afford. get out of the remaining four years on Jones' contract and only take back Making the situation even direr, the Sharks currently don't have any other salary for next season. Lundqvist would also potentially upgrade the goalies in their system with NHL experience beyond Jones and Dell. position for San Jose, and would fit right into the franchise's hopes to get back into contention next year. For New York, the appeal would be in Of course, this all assumes San Jose maintains the status quo. We're getting younger and cheaper in the immediate, and adding whatever else only a few days away from the trade deadline, however, which has the the Sharks would likely need to involve in the trade to get a deal done. potential to shake up the established order. There are numerous potential trade possibilities through which the Sharks could upgrade the While it's uncertain how the Sharks plan to address their goaltending goalie position, whether in the immediate or with eyes toward the future. situation moving forward, there is no question that they must do so. The status quo clearly isn't working, and the trade deadline offers an Robin Lehner opportunity for San Jose to go in a new direction. Lehner had a tremendous season (25-13-5) for the New York Islanders last year, but for whatever reason, he didn't receive the long-term offers he was looking for in free agency, so he ended up signing a one-year, $5 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 million contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. The 28-year-old has outperformed that contract this season, and has played better than his 35-year-old counterpart Corey Crawford, who, like Lehner, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. One would naturally assume Chicago would prefer to keep the better, younger goalie if forced to choose between the two, but Crawford has a modified no-trade clause and a no-movement clause in his contract, which basically rules out that possibility. The Blackhawks would have to be highly motivated to part with Lehner, but due to his age and track record, San Jose would have every reason to be very interested in him. The Sharks would have to give up something they would prefer to keep -- maybe a package centered around Kevin Labanc? -- but as they've been constantly reminded over the last 1.5 seasons, good goalies are worth the price. Casey DeSmith, Daniel Vladar In an effort to find Jones' replacement, perhaps San Jose should use the same strategy it took in acquiring him. Jones had been trapped behind Jonathan Quick throughout his time with the Los Angeles Kings, but revealed himself to be a quality starting goaltender -- temporarily, at least -- once he got an opportunity with the Sharks. Like Jones when he was with the Kings, Casey DeSmith, 28, has played well over a brief cup of coffee in the NHL, but with the Pittsburgh Penguins having one of the top young goaltending tandems in the league this season in Tristan Jarry (24) and Matt Murray (25), his path to the No. 1 spot is extremely obstructed. DeSmith has posted a 2.77 GAA and .908 save percentage over 36 AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, and carries a $1.25 million cap hit for the next two seasons after this one. He would cost significantly less to acquire than Lehner. If the Sharks want to look further down the line and go even younger with their goaltending trade target, Daniel Vladar seems like a good prospect 1171821 San Jose Sharks

Brenden Dillon thanks Sharks fans, San Jose after trade to Capitals

By Jessica Kleinschmidt February 19, 2020 1:58 PM

Before the Sharks trade that would send Brenden Dillon to the Washington Capitals took place on Tuesday, the defenseman was emotional talking to the media upon the possibility of leaving San Jose. After the inevitable deal happened, Dillon had a moment to say what spending six seasons with the Sharks meant to him. "First and foremost, the city here, the fan base has been unbelievable," Dillon told the media on Tuesday. "Doug (Wilson) from day one, he really believed in me as a player, bringing me in here." 'I've learned so much, and I think when I came here -- you know, a 22, 23-year-old guy, just trying to build this game, I think for my second year being part of going to the Stanley Cup Finals, see the grind, see how hard it is to get there, you need a lot of things to go right, you need a lot of the special people, I think that's helped me." "The city here, the fanbase has been unbelievable. Doug, from day one, he really believed in me as a player, bringing me in here." Wilson, the Sharks' general manager, mirrored the emotions on having to go through with a trade of this magnitude. "Such an amazing teammate," Wilson said about Dillon. "Wonderful guy, right from the day he's come here and he's made people around him better, and how he's carried himself, his fiancée Emma -- very much appreciate everything they've done for this organization." For Dillon, the Sharks received a 2020 second-round draft pick (Colorado's previously acquired by Washington) and a third-round draft pick in either 2020 or 2021 from the Caps. The 29-year-old came to San Jose in a trade from the Dallas Stars in November of 2014. Across those six seasons with the Sharks, he appeared in 439 games, posting 88 points with 13 goals and 75 assists. He has played the ninth-most games in Sharks history, and has the seventh-most penalty minutes in franchise history.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171822 St Louis Blues “A little bit,” he said. “Couple more sweaters. You never know this time of year, so you gotta be prepared.”

That’s what you call veteran savvy. Which is one of the reasons why the Blues will put Scandella's savvy, experience to immediate use Blues brought him in. He has 569 games of NHL regular-season experience. He also knows what the postseason feels like, having played 39 playoff contests as a member of the Minnesota Wild, most recently in the 2016-17 season against the Blues. Jim Thomas But after the missing the playoffs the past two seasons in Buffalo and on the verge of missing them again this season in Montreal, getting traded After the trade went down, the first person Marco Scandella heard from to a Stanley Cup contender was a big plus — more than making up for was Uncle Sergio, who talked to him about St. Louis. the fact that he was leaving his hometown. “I’m just following in his footsteps a little bit,” Scandella said Wednesday “I was absolutely excited to come to St. Louis, defending Cup champs,” after his first skate as a St. Louis Blue. Scandella said. “What a city, what a great organization to be a part of. So really happy about this. Uncle Sergio is Sergio Momesso, who played parts of four seasons with the Blues from 1988-91 and again for 31 games during the 1996-97 “Playing in the playoffs is everything in hockey. So just to be a part of this season. Momesso, who now works in sports radio in Montreal, had a team, this franchise, I feel like I’m really lucky.” career-high 24 goals during the 1989-90 season. It helped to be playing Well, he’s not back in the playoffs just yet. But even with their recent on a line with Brett Hull and Adam Oates. slump the Blues are positioned well for another playoff appearance. First The Blues don’t expect Scandella to score goals for them, at least not in the Western Conference and first in the Central Division with 22 games many. They want the 29-year-old defenseman to help fill the void created left to play. by the loss of Jay Bouwmeester, who’s almost certainly out for the Besides O’Reilly, Scandella knows Jake Allen, Alex Pietrangelo and season after a cardiac episode last week in Anaheim. Brayden Schenn from playing in the World Juniors with Team Canada. “Penalty killer. Big guy that can defend well,” coach Craig Berube said of From his roots in Montreal, he knows David Perron, who is from Quebec Scandella. “Plays a physical game. That’s basically what he is.” Province. Which sounds like Berube’s type of player. “It just makes the transition easier,” Scandella said. “I feel like there’s a lot of potential in this locker room. Obviously, you saw what happened “And he’s got a heavy shot,” Berube said. “We got a lot of guys back last year. So I want to be a part of that this year.” there that can shoot the puck, which we like. We use our ‘D’ a lot. They shoot a lot of pucks, so he’s gonna be useful that way.” A couple other things that should make the transition easier. He played seven seasons with the Wild, so he knows what the Central Division is all Berube plans to put Scandella to use right away. When asked about. Wednesday how soon Scandella would get in a game, Berube said: “Tomorrow probably. He’s ready to go. We got him for a reason. So we’ll And he knows Blues assistant coach Mike Van Ryn, who was an get him right in there and play him.” assistant coach with the Houston Aeros of the AHL, when Scandella was playing there for parts of the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons as a Wild The Blues play the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday at Enterprise Center. prospect. Berube likes what he’s seen from Carl Gunnarsson lately, particularly in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils. So Scandella’s debut probably will come at the expense of Robert Bortuzzo. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 Berube wasn’t sure who Scandella will be paired with, but didn’t rule out sliding him into Bouwmeester’s slot opposite Colton Parayko. “That can be an option for sure,” Berube said. “Getting him in that area and that spot, and getting that shutdown role.” Scandella was with the Canadiens in Detroit, getting ready to play the Red Wings, when he got the call from Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin that he was being traded to St. Louis for a second-round pick and a conditional fourth-rounder. On one level this was tough because Scandella is from Montreal, and doesn’t every young hockey player in Montreal dream of someday playing for the Canadiens? Scandella did. “I feel like I lived the dream,” he said. “Even though it was a small stint. It was just two months. . . . Got the opportunity to play there, play in front of my family and my friends. Scored at the Bell Centre against the Leafs. So some big moments there.” But as Scandella mentioned, it was a short dream. He was with his hometown Canadiens for only 20 games, 13 of which were played before family and friends in Montreal. Scandella spent the previous 2 ½ seasons with Buffalo — he was a teammate of Ryan O’Reilly in the 2017-18 campaign — before being traded to Montreal on Jan. 3. The Sabres had an excess of defensemen, and although he was playing well for Buffalo, Scandella was shipped out. With his contract up after this season, the Canadiens out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and the trade deadline fast approaching, Scandella prepared for the possibility of another trade before embarking on a three-game, six-day road trip with the team. “I’m not gonna lie, I packed pretty heavy for the trip,” Scandella said. “I knew (a trade) was a possibility if Montreal was gonna fall out of the race.” So he took more clothes than normal? 1171823 St Louis Blues

Preview: Blues vs. Coyotes

Jim Thomas

After a breakout 2018-19 season, Darcy Kuemper was establishing himself as one of the NHL’s top goalies this season before injury struck. He has a 15-8-2 record, with a 2.17 goals-against average and a save percentage of .929, but hasn’t played since Dec. 19 due to a lower-body injury. The Coyotes haven’t been the same without him, although they remain very much in the playoff hunt in the Western Conference. Kuemper isn’t expected to play against the Blues, who could use all the help they can get when it comes to the Coyotes. Since the start of the 2017-18 season, the Coyotes are 6-1-1 against the Blues, outscoring them 28-14 in the process. This season, Arizona won 3-2 in St. Louis on Nov. 12 in a shootout with Kuemper in goal. That snapped a seven-game Blues winning streak. On New Year’s Eve in Arizona, the Coyotes snapped an eight-game Blues winning streak with a 3-1 win.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171824 St Louis Blues “It was huge,” Berube said. “We’re tighter around our net. We talked about not getting so spread out. We used eight or nine guys killing there which was important. We got everybody involved and they did a good job.” Blues notebook: Gunnarsson shows his rare offensive side

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 Jim Thomas

Carl Gunnarsson played one of his best games of the season in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over New Jersey. The added bonus for the stay-at- home defenseman? He was much more prominent in the offensive zone against the Devils. Coach Craig Berube likes his defensemen to jump into the play. But it’s usually not Gunarsson. He had four overall shot attempts, which was a season high. He got an assist on Ivan Barbashev’s first goal. And was seen circling behind the New Jersey net, and posting up net-front. Rare indeed. “We had a lot of shifts were we hemmed them in and hounded the puck back, which is part of our identity,” Gunnarsson said. “And that opens up things, too, so a little easier on the blueline making plays and getting shots through.” Gunnarsson is a lefthanded defenseman, so seeing the Blues add another lefthanded defenseman via the Marco Scandella trade could be cause for extra motivation on the part of Gunnarssson. Because if Scandella’s in the lineup, obviously somebody else has to sit. But Gunnarsson doesn’t see it that way. “You just got to see it as we strengthen the team going forward here,” Gunnarsson said. “That’s it. We’re looking forward to the playoffs, and we’ve got 20-plus games to get better and better all the way through. “Hopefully we can get (Scandella) going pretty quick, too. But we’ve always been a deep D-corps. That’s how it is. Just gotta stay with it.” Berube likes what he sees from Gunnarsson lately. “He’s been playing extremely well for me,” Berube said. “He’s just a solid guy. You know what you’re getting out of him all the time. He’s getting some opportunities offensively. He’s jumping in at the right time and getting some looks.” Brouwer in limboFor the second time in three weeks, veteran forward Troy Brouwer was assigned to San Antonio on Sunday, making room on the roster for the return of Oskar Sundqvist from injured reserve. But as was the case last time, when injuries resulted in a quick return to the roster, Brouwer probably will never make it San Antonio. “I talked to him again (Tuesday),” general manager Doug Armstrong said. “It’s been a yo-yo for him. I said, ‘Right now, why don’t you take the rest of the week? Reconnect with your family. I’m going to have more information on our team and you’re going to have more information on what you want to do.’ “So he’s not going to report to San Antonio right now.” Teams can expand their rosters once the trade deadline comes and goes on Monday, so it’s possible Brouwer could return to the Blues at that point. Hat’s offAlexander Steen got his helmet knocked off by New Jersey defenseman P.K. Subban, who was penalized for roughing. Because Steen kept playing without a lid, he was sent to the box for playing without a helmet before the delayed penalty could be assessed against Subban. What Berube wanted to know afterwards is what took the officials so long to penalize Steen? “You don’t think of that rule and I don’t think the referees really thought of it either until he was coming to the bench,” Berube said. “And (then) they saw it. “We all forgot about it. It’s not something that you see all the time. It’s not called all the time. It’s tough. As a player, he’s in front of the net battling and stuff like that. You don’t think, ‘Whoa, I gotta get off the ice.’” Big killOne of the key moments in the New Jersey victory was a four- minute penalty kill by the Blues’ previously struggling PK unit after Robert Thomas got a double-minor for high-sticking. The Blues were up 2-0 at the time, less than six minutes into the third period. 1171825 St Louis Blues

Blues update: Berube plans to throw Scandella right into the fray

Jim Thomas

New Blues defenseman Marco Scandella was on the ice for Wednesday’s optional skate at Enterprise Center, and it looks like he’ll be on the ice Thursday against Arizona for his Blues debut. When asked how soon Scandella would get in a game, coach Craig Berube didn’t hesitate. “Tomorrow probably,” he said. “He’s ready to go. We got him for a reason. So we’ll get him right in there and play him.” Berube has liked what he’s seen from Carl Gunnarsson lately, particularly in Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils. So if Scandella does indeed play against the Coyotes, it probably will be at the expense of Robert Bortuzzo. Berube wasn’t sure who Scandella will be paired with, but didn’t rule out just sliding him into Jay Bouwmeester’s slot with Colton Parayko. “That can be an option for sure,” Berube said. “Getting him in that area and that spot, and getting that shutdown role.” When Berube met with the media early Wednesday afternoon, he had only spoken briefly with Scandella, acquired Tuesday from Montreal for a second-round pick and a conditional fourth-rounder. “I didn’t really get into too much stuff with him,” Berube said. “Just introduced him to the coaches and everybody and just stuff like that. ... We’ll talk more about his role here today, and tell him what we want and go from there.” Scandella was among 10 Blues taking part in the optional skate, a group that included Vladimir Tarasenko for the second day in a row.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171826 St Louis Blues “He’s training well, skating in our morning skates,” Armstrong said. “There’s no new update on a timeline, but things are moving positive in that fashion. He is progressing and hopefully, whether it’s in early March, mid-March, end of March, early April, that will be our great acquisition for After losing Bouwmeester, Armstrong pays a stiff price to fortify Blues the forwards at the deadline.” defense The Blues are also seeing progress from their younger forwards. Robert Thomas has upped his offensive game, making his case for a regular top six role. Jeff Gordon Zach Sanford enjoyed the first scoring surge of his young NHL career and Jordan Kyrou flashed his considerable scoring potential as well. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester stopped by Enterprise Center Tuesday to Berube looked at Thomas with Sanford and David Perron on one of his chat with teammates and assure them his cardiac recovery is continuing scoring lines Tuesday night. apace. “He’s played excellent hockey for us,” Berube said of Thomas. “I think the “I like him around,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “Like I said to him, if way he passes the puck, some of the plays he’s making. Sanford is hot he wants to come around whenever he wants to he should. I mean, it’s right now. Perron is obviously a real good shooter. I’m hoping he can get important. He’s a big part of our team, whether he’s playing or not.” them the puck in good areas and get some goals.” And he’s not playing. Bouwmeester went on long-term injured reserve Getting Oskar Sundqvist and Sammy Blais back from injuries restored Tuesday and made way for defenseman Marco Scandella, who arrived the team’s offensive depth. Now with the addition of Scandella, this team from the Montreal Canadiens for a second-round pick in 2020 and a doesn’t have a glaring personnel need. conditional fourth-round pick in 2021. “Right now we are going to assess the trade market between now and On a busy trading day in the NHL, general manager Doug Armstrong had next Monday,” Armstrong said. “But with the cap situation ... with a lot of to strike. The trade deadline isn’t until next Monday, but defensemen the math equation that goes in, any deal I would say at this point moving were flying off the shelves Tuesday. forward any trade is going to be strictly a hockey trade (player for player), which are very rare this time of year.” Brenden Dillon went from the San Jose Sharks to the Washington Capitals, Dylan DeMelo went from the Ottawa Senators to the Winnipeg Jets and Alec Martinez appeared headed from the Los Angeles Kings to St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 the Vegas Golden Knights. Whew! Given the sudden run on defensemen, Armstrong paid a stiff price for a player who moved from the Buffalo Sabres to Montreal earlier this season for just a fourth-round pick. “If you made a trade this early, people say you know you’ve overpaid when they say yes,” Armstrong admitted. “It’s a second-round pick we put a lot of value in. “That’s just the price of poker this time of year.” Armstrong wedged Scandella into Bouwmeester’s salary cap slot, with Montreal keeping some of Scandella’s money. But this is not an even swap on the ice. Bouwmeester played a shutdown role at even strength and on the penalty kill. A reasonable expectation for Scandella would be to fill a third-line role capably, making Carl Gunnarsson or Robert Bortuzzo the odd man out while allowing rookie Niko Mikkola to return to San Antonio for more seasoning. Mikkola must play to develop. He didn’t look out of place during his earlier NHL stint, but the Blues refuse to rush the process. “We have high hopes for him the future,” Armstrong said. “But entering this important push and the postseason, if we’re fortunate enough to play well enough to get there, experience does matter. If we were sitting here 10 days ago, I would have said one area we wouldn’t be touching would be our defense. But things changed.” Commerce has picked up the last few days around the league. The Tampa Bay Lightning, still stinging from last year’s playoff flop, acquired forward Blake Coleman from the New Jersey Devils. The New York Islanders tried to fortify their defense by adding reliable Andy Greene from the Devils. The Vancouver Canucks, eager to get back in the playoff chase, traded for Los Angeles Kings forward Tyler Toffoli after losing key winger Brock Boeser to long-term injury. The Colorado Avalanche appear especially motivated to make moves after losing star winger Mikko Rantanen (upper-body injury) and goaltender Philipp Grubauer (lower-body injury) in back-to-back games. Both of those players could be shelved a long time. With salary cap space to burn and prospects to sell, the Avalanche could drive the bidding for New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. A few weeks back the Blues seemed like an obvious fit for Kreider, a rental player headed toward unrestricted free agency. But since then injured Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko has resumed skating, making his return from shoulder surgery before the playoffs seem more likely. Given that, and the prospect of Tarasenko’s $7.5 million salary counting against the cap again, Armstrong can’t bid on a pricey rental forward. 1171827 St Louis Blues usually does it, is letting them know what’s going on. Just trying to get back to the way we need to play to be successful.”

The Blues had several prime chances early, as Berube shook up his Order restored: Blues get back to winning by clamping down on Devils lines big-time, separating David Perron and Ryan O’Reilly for the first time since Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against Dallas last May 3. Jim Thomas Backup goalie Louis Domingue looked more like former Devils great Martin Brodeur for much of the game, than a guy who was 3-7-2 entering the game with a 3.86 goals-against average. Ivan Barbashev got hot late last season when his parents came to town Barbashev finally broke the ice in the second period with his eighth goal from Russia. During that visit, he scored his one and only NHL hat trick of the season. last March 21 against Detroit. Barbashev’s eighth goal: It’s the third time that’s been said in the last So after Barbashev’s two-goal night spurred the Blues to a 3-0 victory week. Tuesday night over the New Jersey Devils, it seemed only fitting to ask if his parents were in town. He scored in Anaheim a week ago, but that game was postponed after Jay Bouwmeester’s cardiac episode at Honda Center. The stats from that “No, no,” Barbashev said. “They were supposed to be here for the game will count, but not until the game is made up on March 11 in father’s trip, but they couldn’t make it. Maybe a little bit later, we’ll see.” Anaheim. So he was stuck on seven. Of course, he remembers what happened the last time the family came For a while, he was credited with his eighth two nights later in Las Vegas. to St. Louis. But that goal was later changed to MacKenzie MacEachern on a tip-in. “I know, it’s for me getting hot at the end of the season,” he said. “I don’t Still stuck on seven. know (why).” But he finally got No. 8 Tuesday, when a shot from Carl Gunnarsson He can’t explain why he heats up down the stretch. But this year’s bounced off Devils defenseman Damon Severson and caromed over to version couldn’t have come at a better time for the struggling Blues. Barbashev, who did the rest. Mired in a five-game winless streak (0-3-2), part of a stretch in which Barbashev came to the forefront again 5 ½ minutes into the third period. they’d won only two of their last 12, the Blues finally got on the winning Playing a little give-and-go with Sammy Blais on a rush, Barbashev side of the ledger. received a perfect pass from Blais in the slot and beat Domingue again, giving the Blues a 2-0 lead. Jaden Schwartz completed the Blues scoring The Devils (22-27-10) usually are a get-well card for the Blues, having later with his 19th goal. now lost 12 straight games against St. Louis. For Barbashev, it was only the third multi-goal game of his NHL career. It matches the longest streak for the Blues in franchise history against Besides the Detroit hat trick, he had two goals on Feb. 12, 2019 against another team. They won 12 straight against Arizona from Dec. 14, 2014 these same Devils. through Nov. 9, 2017, and also won a dozen straight against Vancouver from Jan. 23, 1997 through Feb. 3, 2000. More importantly, it pushed them to 33-17-10, for 76 points and two St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2020 points clear of idle Dallas for first in the Central Division. Colorado, also idle, is three points back. Barbashev doesn’t check the NHL standings all that often, and got a bit of a shock as he started his day. “I looked at the standings this morning and was like, ‘Oh my God!’,” he said. “It’s getting real close. We’ve got to wake up and keep building.” Granted, no one is going to confuse New Jersey for, say, the Tampa Bay Lightning when it comes to offensive prowess. However, the Devils had been playing pretty well lately, and the Blues’ defense has been a sieve. The Blues ended their string of 11 consecutive games allowing three or more goals Sunday in Nashville, albeit in a 2-1 loss. On Tuesday, they registered just their third shutout of the season. For the previously struggling Jordan Binnington, it was his second shutout of the season and the seventh of his young NHL career. Prior to that Nashville game, he had been responsible for eight of the 11 consecutive games allowing three or more goals. “Things aren’t always gonna go your way,” he said. “You just gotta keep your head down and keep working, and nothing changes no matter what the outcomes are. Just try to be the best version of myself every day, and I’m gonna continue to do that.” It helped that the Blues’ defense has tightened up considerably in front of him the past two games, allowing a mere 17 shots on goal — a season low — against the Devils. As Binnington pointed out, sometimes the best defense is a good, puck- control offense. “We had a lot of O-zone time,” Binnington said. “Everyone was working together, using the cycle and using our game plan, getting pucks deep. Getting a strong net-front presence and just battling. We were very disciplined tonight, and that’s key this time of year.” For the second game in a row, the Blues had 39 shots on goal. From the opening minutes, it was apparent that this was a night where the Blues would win most of the puck battles and control possession time. All in all, it looked very much like Blues hockey — Stanley Cup version — something that hasn’t been seen much since the All-Star break. That was especially true on defense. “Obviously, we looked at video with the players and went over it,” coach Craig Berube said, referring to the defensive woes. “And that’s what 1171828 St Louis Blues I like the draft-pick condition and feel this is a reasonable proposal to build off of.

Blues-Devils (via S.K.) Who says no? A former NHL general manager evaluates your Blues’ Blues get: Nikita Gusev, Louis Domingue trade-deadline proposals Devils get: Sammy Blais, Jake Allen

Button’s thoughts By Jeremy Rutherford I think this would be an interesting trade. New Jersey could use Jake Feb 19, 2020 Allen, and Sammy Blais could be a replacement for Blake Coleman.

Blais was a good contributor for the Blues en route to the Stanley Cup, As a Blues beat writer for the past 15 seasons, I can attest the subject and Gusev is a very different player. that readers reach out about the most via emails, tweets and Q&As is the It seems to me that the Blues’ problems don’t center around scoring, so NHL trade deadline. that would signal a change in approach with respect to team composition. It’s also the most difficult to offer a response. Also, more dollars with Gusev ($4.5 million AAV) than Blais ($850,000). For starters, fans want to trade anybody on their favorite team who’s not Overall, I think it would have more interest to the Devils than it would to playing well, and usually for future Hall of Famers. But beyond that, other the Blues. than a handful of pending unrestricted free agents, few people other than the NHL general managers actually know who’s available. Blues-New York Rangers (via Gregg S.) But the annual deadline, which is Monday, is also a lot of fun for Blues get: Chris Kreider everyone except for those players whose lives could change the next time they answer their phone. Rangers get: Zach Sanford, 2020 second-round pick So to have some fun with it, The Athletic summoned the professional Button’s thoughts experience of Craig Button, an analyst for TSN. In the late 1980s, Button Kreider would be a solid addition to the Blues. broke into management with the Minnesota North Stars and spent time as the director of scouting (1992-98) and player personnel (1998-2000) I think the second-round pick would have to be a first-round pick. with the Dallas Stars before becoming the general manager of the Calgary Flames (2000-03). If the Rangers can’t/won’t sign Kreider, I think this is a good option. Last week, we asked subscribers to send us their best Blues trade The quandary for a GM with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations at this proposals — legitimate ones only — and the response was pretty time of year is how to balance the present with the future, which is what overwhelming. Button is a busy man, so we narrowed the list to 10 and what Doug Armstrong must be weighing when considering a player like tried to cover as many of the more popular trade targets around the Kreider. Clearly Kreider upgrades the Blues and their chances to repeat league. as Stanley Cup champions. But at what cost? What would you trade? What is the potential of the player(s) you’re considering trading? Signing As many know, the market can change in a hurry, so when the Blues Kreider long-term might not be an option, but if you can get Kreider for dealt for defenseman Marco Scandella on Tuesday, the other defensive Zach Sanford and put a condition on the pick, then I think you can satisfy options were moot. your short-term objective of repeating as champions. Meanwhile, players such as Los Angeles’ Tyler Toffoli, who was sent to Blues-Canadiens (via Chris B.) the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, were also off the board. With Blues general manager Doug Armstrong saying Tuesday that his team is Blues get: Ilya Kovalchuk probably no longer looking for a top-six forward, those players could have perhaps come off the list, too. But as long as the deadline hasn’t passed Canadiens get: Alexei Toropchenko, 2020 second-round pick and they’re still available, they might as well stay. Button’s thoughts So here are your trade proposals and Button’s evaluations. Keep in mind Interesting proposal. Second-round pick is plausible given Montreal’s this is a good way to talk about the Blues but is primarily an exercise in situation. Ilya could add some scoring. enjoyment. Have to agree on a prospect, but this is reasonable in my opinion. Blues-Coyotes (via Michael G.) Blues-Predators (via Greg. R) Blues get: Taylor Hall Blues get: Craig Smith Coyotes get: Jordan Kyrou, Jake Allen, second-round pick Predators get: Keean Washkurak, 2020 second-round pick Button’s thoughts Button’s thoughts I don’t think Arizona needs or wants a goalie. Jake has a year left on his contract and the Coyotes have a “full house” of goalies in the system. I like Craig Smith and think he’d be a terrific addition to the Blues. Arizona gave up a first-round pick and a solid prospect in Kevin Bahl, as Complications are that Nashville is in a playoff race of their own, and well as two other prospects, to acquire Taylor Hall. trading a good player for a prospect and draft pick doesn’t make sense. Hall would be a terrific addition to the Blues, but I don’t think this return If the Blues wanted to part with Zach Sanford, or some player like that, it for the Coyotes is nearly enough to consider trading him. may get more consideration from the Predators. Blues-Panthers (via Clark S.) Blues-Red Wings (via Paul M.) Blues get: Mike Hoffman Blues get: Andreas Athansiou, Mike Greene Panthers get: Klim Kostin, Jake Walman, third-round pick (becomes a Red Wings get: Jordan Kyrou, 2020 third-round pick second-round pick if Blues reach Western Conference finals or Hoffman re-signs) Button’s thoughts Button’s thoughts Well, it’s help for the Blues. The key here is how much does Florida like Kostin? The prospect idea is Not sure where Athansiou fits, but he adds speed and scoring. solid, but the Panthers have to like him. Finding the right prospect is Mike Green helps for the short term. important. Kyrou would be a nice addition for the Red Wings, in my opinion. The Panthers seemingly have a glut of defensemen, so Walman might not be a desired player. Perhaps a little bump on the pick. Blues-Canadiens (via Mark F.) Blues get: Tomas Tatar Canadiens get: Jordan Kyrou, Sammy Blais, Jake Walman Button’s thoughts Tatar has been a good player for the Canadiens. He’s a scorer who can be dangerous on the power play, but that hasn’t been an issue for the Blues. He’s another player who changes the composition of the team. Is this the route the Blues want to go? Would be a departure from their success. Montreal would have to feel that Kyrou is a legitimate player to help Blues-Maple Leafs (via Jack H.) Blues get: William Nylander, 2020 second-round pick Maple Leafs get: Alex Pietrangelo Button’s thoughts Blues would impede their ability to contend for the Stanley Cup this season if they traded Pietrangelo. If they feel they can’t sign him, then perhaps it might cross Doug’s mind, but I can’t see it being any more than a passing thought and a quick one at that. I don’t see teams trading a top defenseman off a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations for a winger regardless of contract status. Blues-Blue Jackets (via James S.) Blues get: Josh Anderson Blue Jackets get: Tyler Bozak plus picks Button’s thoughts Josh fits the MO of the Blues. Has been injured, but his style of play is one that would certainly be welcomed in my opinion. That said, Bozak has been a very solid contributor for the Blues, and I don’t think the exchange helps the Blues be a better team. You are betting on a healthy Anderson, and while I like his style, I would keep Bozak. Perhaps a different player to consider trading would make me be a little more open to the idea. Thanks to subscribers of The Athletic for submitting these proposals, and to those who made offers that we didn’t address. Also, a special thanks to Button for his time helping us with this project.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171829 Tampa Bay Lightning After being acquired April 3, Bishop played nine games for the Lightning in the 48-game season. He took over the starting job the next season as the Lightning made the playoffs to start a run of postseason appearances in five of the next six years. Counting down the Lightning’s top five deadline deals of all time Bishop wasn’t the only new difference-maker arriving in 2013. Jon Cooper was brought on from the Lightning’s AHL team as coach after Guy Boucher was fired. But Bishop had a big role in getting the Lightning By Diana C. Nearhos back to being one of the league’s best. No. 1 — 2014, The St. Louis trade TAMPA — Trade deadline moves of the past helped make the Lightning Acquired: Forward Ryan Callahan, a 2014 first-round pick and 2015 first- the team they are now. Over the years, they added key pieces and and seventh-round picks from the Rangers acquired draft picks that became key pieces. Gave up: Forward Marty St. Louis and a 2015 second-round pick With this year’s looming at 3 p.m. Monday, here are the Lightning’s top five deadline moves. Analysis: This was one of the better moves of Steve Yzerman’s tenure as general manager. St. Louis publicly requested a trade, painting Yzerman No. 5 — 2018, Help on the blue line into a corner. He found a way to get out of it. Callahan brought leadership Acquired: Defenseman Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller from the and grit to the Lightning, and became a fan favorite even as he dealt with Rangers injuries. The team and fans were sorry to see him go last offseason when he was diagnosed with a degenerative back disease. Gave up: Forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and Brett Howden; defenseman Libor Hajek; a 2018 first-round draft pick, and a 2019 The kicker? The trade also ended up bringing Anthony Cirelli to the second-round pick Lightning. Tampa Bay flipped the 2015 first-round pick to the Islanders for 2015 second- and third-rounders. The latter pick became Cirelli, the Analysis: The Lightning raised eyebrows with the trade. The list of what Lightning’s two-way center of the future. Mitchell Stephens, a promising they gave up seems long: a former first-round pick, Namestnikov; two center, was the second-round pick. prospects and two high future picks. But McDonagh brought something the Lightning needed: support for Victor Hedman. The team’s top Postscript: The Lightning also traded the 2014 first-rounder to the defenseman did it all before McDonagh arrived. After the trade, the Islanders for two 2014 second-rounders, with which they drafted Lightning could look to McDonagh in defensive situations, too. defensemen Jonathan MacLeod (never signed) and Dominik Masin (prospect with AHL Syracuse). Postscript: The Lightning later traded Miller in June 2019 for a 2019 draft pick that became a strong goalie prospect, Hugo Alnefelt, and a Honorable mention — 2004, On the way to the Cup conditional 2020 first-round pick they flipped to the Devils in the trade for The Lightning didn't need a big trade deadline move on the way to the Blake Coleman on Sunday. Stanley Cup, because they had already acquired Darryl Sydor. No. 4 — 2017, Committing to a franchise goalie Acquired: Defenseman Darryl Sydor and a 2004 fourth-round pick from Acquired: Goalie Peter Budaj, defenseman Erik Cernak and a 2017 the Blue Jackets seventh-round pick from the Kings Gave up: Forward Alexander Svitov and a 2004 third-round pick Gave up: Goalie Ben Bishop and a 2017 fifth-round pick Analysis: The trade occurred six weeks before the deadline, so it doesn’t Analysis: The pieces acquired weren’t the point at the time. The trade really belong on this list. But at the time, the Lightning said they didn’t was a business move for the Lightning to settle on one No. 1 goalie need to make big moves at the deadline because they had made their between Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy. Somewhat oversimplifying: They move in January, so we’re making it an honorable mention. Sydor was picked the one who cost less. the missing piece that put the Lightning on a path to its only Stanley Cup win. If this trade had happened at the deadline, it would be No. 1. The trade set Vasilevskiy, then a 22-year-old splitting time as starter, as the franchise goalie. The decision has worked out pretty well for the Lightning; Vasilevskiy has become one of the league’s top goalies. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 At the time, Cernak was a prospect in the minors, something of an unknown. He has become a major piece of the Lightning’s future on defense, making an already good trade better. No. 3 — 2012, Goalie of the future Acquired: Defenseman Sebastien Piche and a 2012 first-round pick from the Red Wings Gave up: Forward Steve Downie to Avalanche Analysis: What makes this trade great is who the Lightning got with that first-round draft pick: Vasilevskiy. Downie was a fan favorite at the time, and trading those players hurts. But in hindsight, the trade was worth it. This was of the NHL’s rare three-team trades. The Lightning got defenseman Kyle Quincey from the Avalanche for Downie and then sent Quincey to the Red Wings for the pick and Piche, who becomes a footnote in the story of how Tampa Bay ended up with Vasilevskiy. No. 2 — 2013, A key piece on the way to elite Ben Bishop was a backup before coming to the Lightning, but he helped bring the team to its current standing in the league. Acquired: Goalie Ben Bishop from the Senators Gave up: Forward Cory Conacher and a 2013 fourth-round pick Analysis: In the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, the Lightning was on its way to a second straight year out of the playoffs. This trade gave them the goalie they needed to get back to being an elite organization. From today’s perspective, the trade looks lopsided. At the time, Bishop was a promising backup and Conacher was on rookie-of-the-year watch lists. 1171830 Tampa Bay Lightning “We know it’s something we can’t even deal with now,” Shattenkirk said. “They don’t know what their situation is going to be with the guys they have to sign, but I think in that respect, it’s a different situation. We know we can be patient with it, it doesn’t weigh on your mind, it allows you to Lightning notes: Kevin Shattenkirk says he’d like to re-sign, so can it focus on the season and not worry about it until it comes. work? “But it’s something I think any player will tell you, that throughout the season, it’s always on your mind: What’s your next step? As long as it’s not retirement, you’re thinking about your next step.” By Joe Smith Through the first few months of the season, defenseman Erik Cernak Feb 19, 2020 didn’t look like himself. The 22-year-old had set a high standard from last year’s rookie season, DENVER — The Lightning have a lot to think about as they approach when he emerged as a staple in the shutdown pair with Ryan McDonagh. next Monday’s trade deadline. If you thought Cernak was off, you’d be right, whether it was his puck management, defending or taking penalties. They’ve already addressed one immediate need, paying a hefty price to acquire two-way winger Blake Coleman, who they believe will be a “Maybe with it my second year, I thought I had to make more plays, do perfect fit, from the Devils. something more, something special,” Cernak said. “But it’s not true. When I started doing what I was doing last year, my style of play, it But they can also look ahead to next season, when they have zero makes a difference.” regular right-shot defensemen currently under contract. Erik Cernak is a restricted free agent and is expected to be signed, and prospect Cal Cernak said a few weeks ago on the West Coast trip that, “I have to be Foote is likely to get an opportunity to make the team. myself,” and he feels like he has. It has paid off with stronger, steadier performances while playing alongside Norris Trophy winner Victor What if an answer to their defensive depth is already in their lineup? Hedman in the top pair. What if the Lightning found a way to re-sign veteran Kevin Shattenkirk, who has delivered a tremendous bounce-back year on a bargain $1.75 “At the beginning of the season, I was thinking too much,” Cernak said. million salary? It would take a team-friendly deal, but it’s still possible. “But now starting the new year, I’m just doing my thing: playing physical, playing hard against guys, making simple plays and jumping into the Just ask Shattenkirk. rush. That’s working for me and I’m feeling amazing. I feel much better than the first 15 games of the season.” “In my mind, it’s my first choice by far,” Shattenkirk told The Athletic. “This is where I’d love to stay for a few more years. The fit on the ice has When captain Steven Stamkos was sidelined for the Monday-Tuesday been great. The fit off the ice has been great as well. You know the back-to-back in Columbus and Pittsburgh, it caught some by surprise. nature of the beast coming, but you also learn in this business that a lot After all, Stamkos had scored an empty-net goal late in a victory over the of crazier things have happened.” Islanders just a few days earlier. No one is saying it would be easy. The Lightning already have $75 But Stamkos admitted that he has a lower-body injury that he’s been million committed to just 13 players for next season and have a number dealing with for some time. It finally got to the point where he couldn’t of key RFAs they need to sign to raises, like Mikhail Sergachev and play, which is why he sat out Monday, Tuesday and Thursday’s games Anthony Cirelli, not to mention Cernak, Mitchell Stephens, Mathieu before returning Saturday against the Flyers. Joseph and Alex Volkov. Judging by how Brayden Point’s RFA saga went last summer, dragging into September, Tampa Bay might not know This should be something to watch down the stretch, as it doesn’t sound what they’ll have to pay the likes of Sergachev and Cirelli until well like the issue will heal itself before the season is over. It’ll be about pain beyond the July 1 opening of free agency. management, tolerance and treatment. My sense is that the Lightning will touch base with both Shattenkirk and “I’m going to have to manage it the rest of the year, for sure,” Stamkos fellow right-shot defenseman Jan Rutta after the season to see if they said. “But everyone has to manage some stuff, it’s just the nature of the can re-sign them. But the ball clearly would be in the players’ court. What sport.” would they be willing to take? There’s no question Yanni Gourde’s 35-game goal drought was “rattling,” For Shattenkirk, 31, there are a couple of wrinkles here. This could be an frustrating and a few other words we can’t print. opportunity to cash in on what could be his last big deal, and his numbers But it was impressive how the winger managed the situation. He didn’t let this year suggest he should draw interest on the open market. However, the slump impact the rest of his game as he maintained that relentless, Shattenkirk will still be receiving $1.433 million each of the next three fast and pain-in-the-butt style while also creating for rookie linemates years from his Rangers buyout. Mitchell Stephens and Carter Verhaeghe. There were many times where So if you’re Tampa Bay and make a two- or three-year offer in the $2.5- Gourde would be the last player on the ice, working with assistant coach $3 million AAV range (making it close to $4-$4.5 million total with the Jeff Halpern on his shot or deflections. Rangers’ buyout money), it could be something Shattenkirk would Halpern told Gourde the story of how former Devils winger Claude consider. He loves it here. Lemieux scored just six goals during a lockout-shortened 1995 season Shattenkirk said those talks won’t happen until after the season, but but ended up racking up 13 in the playoffs to become the Conn Smythe staying with Tampa Bay would be a priority. winner. “We just have that feeling that this is the first team we want to talk to You could sense a big weight off Gourde’s shoulders when he scored when the season is over,” Shattenkirk said. “And if we can make that overtime winner in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Gourde followed up with something work, we’ll make something work.” another on Thursday for his second straight game-winner. Finally getting that kind of production from the bottom six — Pat Maroon and Cedric Shattenkirk’s last deal was a four-year pact with the Rangers signed in Paquette also scored Thursday — should be a big boost down the the summer of 2017 (with a $6.65 million AAV). He has been open about stretch. how that dream-come-true homecoming didn’t work out as he hoped, partly due to injuries and expectations. “It definitely helps having that goal out of the way,” Gourde said. “I think I was really focused the past few weeks and months on how I could help Now, though, Shattenkirk, his wife, Deanna, and their 7-month-old son, this team. I knew I wasn’t going to score every night — and literally I Connor, feel at home in Tampa Bay and with this team. He’s been an wasn’t scoring at all. I was just trying to play my best, help this team win easy fit in the room, with coach Jon Cooper lauding his presence and by playing hard, being hard to play against, finishing my hits and going to accountability and teammates praising his musical playlists. the front of the net, getting traffic, playing good on the PK. Those little things I have to bring every single night. I figured if I just kept doing those With the lack of state income tax here and a chance to win the Cup each things, (the goals) were going to come.” year, it’ll be interesting to see what happens. Shattenkirk and Sergachev have been great as a pair, and they could grow together over the next Andrei Vasilevskiy’s hot stretch has reached record levels, with the couple of years. Vezina Trophy winner going 19-0-2 in his last 21 starts dating back to mid-December. The 21-game point streak is tied for the fourth-longest Rutta, a UFA this summer coming off his one-year, $1.3 million deal, is point streak by a goalie in NHL history. another option, especially considering how well he meshed with Hedman in the top pair before his recent injury. We already tackled Vasilevskiy’s midseason resurgence, how he went from “way average” to an All-Star. But it should be noted that credit should also go to the players in front of him. Only a strong defensive The Lightning have lobbied for years to host an outdoor game, and with team effort can be responsible for a stretch of 21 games of giving up the league still having concerns for how the logistics would work, the three goals or fewer. They’ve been giving up less grade-A chances, rush organization also put its name in to be a visiting team for such a game. chances and east-to-west plays (setups from circle to circle). So Tampa Bay does have a shot, one would think, especially because it’s one of just a handful of teams yet to participate in one. But, as of yet, But what Vasilevskiy has noticed the most is how well his teammates are the Lightning haven’t been asked to play in this game, and there’s boxing out in front of him, allowing him to see the shots, and not giving nothing imminent in that regard. So stay tuned. up as many rebound chances. One player in particular making a difference in this area has been defenseman Luke Schenn. “I would say that’s a big part of the success we’ve had,” Cooper said. “It’s The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 something we’ve concentrated on in the defensive zone. If you’re going to give your goaltender a chance to see it, there’s a way better chance they can make the save. It’s not been perfect, there are some teams that really go to those traffic areas, hard to get them out of there, but we’re doing a pretty good job.” What’s wrong with the power play? It’s hard to believe that a power-play unit with this much talent — think Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman in one group — is going through this kind of slump. Tampa Bay has scored just two power-play goals in the past 17 games: they’re in a 2-for-44 slump. The Lightning have been working on it, including after Friday’s practice in Brandon, but haven’t had much luck. They were 0-for-5 Saturday against the Flyers. “Usually there are a few things that go into that,” Stamkos said. “One, sometimes the puck just isn’t going into the net, and sometimes there’s a little frustration and it gets in your head and you try to do a little too much out there. Sometimes, it’s just a funny game, right? The power play hasn’t been very good but our five-on-five play has been tremendous. At the end of the day, if one is on and one is not, that’s the way you’d want to have it. It all balances out at the end of the year. We have too much talent to have that streak that we were on.” Cooper said he isn’t worried, either, pointing to the track record of success for the group, believing he’d rather have the rut now than later in the year or in the playoffs. But he admitted that they may have to make some little changes. “We’ll be OK,” he said. “I trust those guys.” The last punch Cooper had an interesting comment following Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Flyers. He felt the Lightning got caught up too much in the post-whistle scrums the Flyers started, and it took them away from their game. Tampa Bay, which controlled the first 30 minutes, saw a 3-0 lead turn into 4-3 late in the third. You saw the Flyers’ Travis Konecny sucker-punch Stamkos, who retaliated with a punch of his own and a matching roughing penalty. Defenseman Erik Cernak got a 10-minute misconduct for the first half of the third period. There’s a fine line there between standing up for yourself — or teammates — and being baited. There will be other teams trying to get the highly skilled Tampa Bay team off its game in the playoffs. The Blue Jackets got under the Lightning’s skin in their playoff sweep in April. “The little punches and stuff after the whistle, we don’t want to get caught up in that,” Stamkos said. “We’ve got some guys that can take care of their own business on the ice. No matter the size, they’re willing to stick up for themselves and teammates. We’re not going to get pushed around out there. We brought in some guys to have that presence on the ice.” Is it hard to not get caught up in such a physical game? “I mean, it’s hockey, right?” Stamkos said. “Stuff happens. It’s an aggressive sport. It’s a sport where sometimes your emotions can get the best of you. It’s about the team that stays disciplined. But at the same time, we’re not going to let teams try to do that to us.” Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim hits Lightning center Steven Stamkos during their game on Feb 15. (Kim Klement / USA Today) Outdoor game? When the news broke Saturday that the Carolina Hurricanes will host an NHL Stadium Series outdoor game next season, the biggest question became: Who will be their opponent? The Capitals announced that they weren’t the team facing Carolina, though it would be a logical choice. Could it be the Lightning? NHL VP Steve Mayer said that no opponent has been determined yet. 1171831 Toronto Maple Leafs It’s hard to imagine the New York Yankees selling themselves as a big- league reboot of their Class-A affiliate. But this kind of upside-down logic works in Toronto, because it’s assumed here that every organization in hockey – from pee-wee on up – must be better run than the Leafs. It’s time to ask the question – what if these Leafs just aren’t good enough? Keefe’s act worked for a while, but it’s looking a little ragged already. “It looks like the process that we want to go through is to just get embarrassed enough to the point where we really just look in the mirror CATHAL KELLY and recognize what’s required for us to compete at a high level at this stage of the season,” he said after Tuesday’s loss. TORONTO This is Babcockian “process” talk taking a dark turn. The Leafs have PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 19, 2020 given up on paying their employees to do their jobs. They’re hoping the UPDATED FEBRUARY 19, 2020 city shames them into working. This is like your mechanic saying to you, “It’s not the car’s fault it doesn’t work. It’s your fault for not yelling at it enough.” Maybe the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t poorly coached, under-motivated or not yet fully “processed.” That’s one approach. It’s certainly one that puts the people most responsible for a non-functioning pro sports team (i.e., the ones who put Maybe the Leafs are just bad. it together) in the least danger of losing their jobs. Because once you strip away the stats and expectations, they look bad. The other approach is starting from this basic principle: The Leafs are not For short bursts – for instance, giving up a Keystone Kops goal good. They are incapable of becoming the sum of their parts, never mind immediately after blowing a 5-on-3 advantage – they look like they’ve more than that. pooled their money and bet against themselves. Dubas paid too much for four guys who aren’t doing what their inflated If you didn’t come into Leafs games knowing who is supposed to be good paycheques demand: winning games on their own. and who isn’t, you might think 36-year-old journeyman Jason Spezza is the star of the roster. Because he’s often the only one who looks like he Unfortunately, Tavares can’t play in net, and the rest of them refuse to is a) trying and b) also using his brain while doing so. play anything resembling defence. That’s the defencemen’s job. And they aren’t doing it either. On Tuesday, the Leafs got their doors blown off, their tires jacked and their engine block removed by the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was over When you look around the league, the best teams have something in halfway through the second. common: They feature stars who didn’t gouge their clubs out of contention. Pittsburgh is a good team. But the Leafs were coming off an embarrassing loss to a bad team (Buffalo). You expected some jump. The Boston Bruins are the Costco of hockey – you’ve got everything you Instead, they gave up five straight goals before deciding to play keep- need there, cheaper than anywhere else. away for the remainder of the evening. Crosby gave the Penguins a discount because – here’s a shocker – he On the NBC broadcast, former NHLer Ben Lovejoy was laughing at them likes living in Pittsburgh and he also likes to win. during the intermission: “I had a friend who used to say that playing Nathan MacKinnon is on US$7-million a year for the next four seasons. against Toronto is good for your brand.” Right now, you’d trade him straight up for the four guys who’ve hung a Did he say that yesterday? Because that would make sense. golden anchor around the Leafs’ neck. The most important player on the ice from Toronto’s perspective was Two things can be true at once: Tavares, Marner, Auston Matthews and Sidney Crosby. Not because Crosby played like he could’ve taken entire William Nylander are good players, and the Leafs are still a bad team. shifts on his own and still managed to get an assist. But because he is Asking Toronto to scream them into being better isn’t doing the trick. It’s the sort of player the Leafs thought they were buying multiples of over time to consider letting someone else, somewhere else, do the the past couple of years. screaming instead. You can’t expect Mitch Marner or John Tavares to be as good as the best player of his generation, but you do expect something in the same performance neighbourhood. At the absolute least, at the same level of Globe And Mail LOADED: 02.20.2020 nightly intensity. Eleven million bucks a year ought to buy you that much. Crosby is 32 years old. He’s won everything there is to win and has been beaten like a piñata throughout most of his career. A lot of guys would’ve spent the past 10 years taking a victory lap. The Leafs’ Big Four are 22, 22, 23 and 29 years old. Their trophy pantry is bare. They ought to be in the hungry upstart stage of their careers. None more so than Tavares, who had top billing with the Islanders, quit New York and has watched his former team get better while his new team gets slowly worse. Hans Christian Andersen wrote stories that touch on these themes. But despite the disparity in youth and accomplishment, it’s Crosby who goes to work like an intern trying to make an impression. The Leafs’ Big Four are already in the feet-on-the-desk stage of their careers. And I suppose you can’t blame them for thinking that’s okay. Three of them make more money than Crosby. A couple of months ago, the Leafs identified their problem: the coach. Too surly. Too boring. Too mean. The Leafs made sure everybody heard all about it once he was gone. What we’ll remember best about Mike Babcock was five years of blather about “the process” – whose main purpose seemed to be that it never end. The new coach came in with a make-friends-first approach. Sheldon Keefe was presented as the Justin Trudeau of the NHL – someone who understood the special pain of making a boatload of money to play hockey for a living. Keefe’s Sault Ste. Marie connection with GM Kyle Dubas was presented as proof of quality. 1171832 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs blueliner Tyson Barrie is pushing ahead while the road shifts beneath him

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Wed., Feb. 19, 2020

Tyson Barrie is not worried that the world seems to be shifting beneath his skates. The 28-year-old defenceman, who has had an up-and-down year since joining the Maple Leafs in an off-season trade, skated with Martin Marincin at practice Wednesday. He was partnered with Rasmus Sandin the night before in a 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh. Two days before that, he skated with Travis Dermott in the Leafs’ loss in Buffalo. Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe has varied the looks of his second and third pairings, especially over the past two games where the Leafs’ defensive play confounded the coach, the players and everyone who follows the team. So Barrie has been in a moving dance with his defensive partners. It’s part of a big-picture problem with the Leafs’ blue line, which has faced criticism for months over whether its performance level is too jittery to lead to success in the playoffs. And while Barrie’s playing partner seems uncertain from day to day, so too does his future with the team. Talk that the Leafs could trade him again, if the right package presents itself, has surfaced. The trading deadline is Monday. “I honestly don’t pay attention to that stuff,” Barrie said Wednesday. “We’ve got one goal here, and that’s to get into the playoffs. At the end of the day, it’s a business and anything can happen. But it’s not something you pay attention to.” Barrie’s value to the Leafs remains strong enough to deflect the trade talk into the realm of rumour only. He is second on the team in ice time, behind the injured Morgan Rielly, playing close to 22 minutes a game. And he leads all Toronto defenceman with 156 shots. With Rielly out well into March or longer, the Leafs would be short on experience if they moved Barrie. Much of his ice time, and presumably the responsibilities that include time on the top power-play unit, would likely be passed on to rookie Rasmus Sandin. And a departure would weaken a defensive corps that is already struggling against the opposition’s forecheck and cycle.

Toronto Star LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171833 Toronto Maple Leafs the end of your career you’re not judged by your individual accolades. You’re judged by how many Stanley Cups you won.”

Some of the team’s recent struggles come down to goaltending, sure. The numbers suggest the Leafs are getting the best from their best, so Over their most recent 18 games, after all, they sport the worst five-on- why aren’t they winning? five team save percentage in the league. But some of that, you can argue, is the product of a top-heavy salary-cap structure that’s made it difficult for the team to afford various necessities. By Dave Feschuk Sports Columnist How much further ahead would the Leafs find themselves if they’d had the money for more reliable backup goaltending this season? And how Wed., Feb. 19, 2020 much better and healthier would Frederik Andersen be if he hadn’t been worked harder than any NHL netminder over the past few seasons? It’s one of the sporting world’s eternal principles: To win, a team needs its Head coach Sheldon Keefe has been publicly pleading for his depth best players to be its best players. players to give more. But maybe you get what you pay for. The Leafs replaced Nazem Kadri with Alex Kerfoot to save about $1 million in So why isn’t it working for the Maple Leafs? salary-cap space, but it’s undoubtedly cost them something palpable. So why is anyone surprised that the inconsistent work of their lower-priced Toronto’s best players, after all, are mostly having their best seasons yet. employees is costing them wins? Kerfoot, who has yet to really fit in, has Auston Matthews is on pace for a franchise-record 58 goals, a Rocket one goal in his past 20 games. Kasperi Kapanen has one goal in his past Richard Trophy and a career-high 97 points. Mitch Marner’s career-best 18. Justin Holl is a team-worst minus-8 since the Leafs began their dive 1.2 points a game ranks first on the team, and only 11 players in the NHL 18 games ago. Martin Marincin’s making a run at minus-six over that are producing at a higher rate. William Nylander is on track for 35 goals span. and 71 points, career numbers that make his $6.9-million (U.S.) cap hit look more palatable. And John Tavares — hey, if being on pace for 32 Your best players have to be your best players, sure. But good luck goals and 71 points counts as a down year for Toronto’s captain, that winning when your depth players are this sporadic. only speaks to how good he was a season ago. Tavares’s 0.94 points per game this season tracks precisely on his career average. Then again, it’s late February, not mid-April. This team has always given off the vibe that it can flip a switch when it counts. And let’s just say that They’re all delivering, right? So why has their wayward team managed vibe continued to be perpetuated this week. just four regulation wins in the past 18 games? “We’re getting judged on our playoff success, regardless, so it doesn’t One theory: This team is playing in the fashion its best players negotiated matter if we finish first in the regular season or eighth. So we’ve got a lot their mammoth contracts. No, not with the savage blood-thirstiness of the of runway left,” said Jason Spezza, the 36-year-old dressing-room sage. quartet’s masterful collection of agents. If they were playing with that kind “If we were in first, you’d be talking about how we were just cruising in of win-at-all-costs relentlessness, they’d be Stanley Cup favourites. and we haven’t had adversity. Now we’ve got the adversity everybody wants us to have, and we’ll see how we come out of it.” No, the members of this team sometimes appear as though they’re playing for themselves, without a thought toward the good of the group. If We’ll see, indeed. As Spezza said, a team populated by star players great hockey teams are models of all-for-one socialism — about reeling off individual career seasons doesn’t often watch its collective fate sacrificing for the whole more than maximizing one’s haul — this is a careen off a cliff. dressing room ruled by get-mine capitalists. So maybe it makes sense that they’ve found themselves searching for cohesiveness. Maybe that’s “You can have great personal years and also have great team success at least a part of the reason why they’re not adding up to more than the — that’s usually what the best teams have,” he said. sum of their parts. No argument here, except that there’s nothing usual about the way this “We’ve got to find the urgency, the passion, the love of the game, the team’s been put together. And there’s no convincing evidence yet that love to compete for each other,” Jake Muzzin, the veteran defenceman, the Leafs are among the NHL’s best. told reporters after Tuesday’s embarrassing 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh. “All of that needs to come. I don’t know why it’s not there.” Toronto Star LOADED: 02.20.2020 Muzzin was a part of the L.A. Kings organization as they won a pair of Stanley Cups, and knows a wee bit about how the best teams ultimately rise. The Leafs, he said, have got to find the love to compete for each other, to make the necessary play, not simply pile up the contract- justifying numbers. They need to fight through the tough moments, and not simply look for ways to play what Muzzin derisively called “the easy game.” Muzzin’s assessment called to mind a similar critique from another Stanley Cup champion. That’d be Alex Ovechkin, who arrived in Toronto a few months back and offered a eyebrow-raising take on of the state of his opponent. “It’s up to them how they want to do it, if they want to play for themselves,” Ovechkin said. “Or if they want to win a Stanley Cup, they have to play differently.” Ovechkin’s remarks didn’t go over particularly well in the Leafs room. But they brought a certain joy to then-coach Mike Babcock. “Things like that always sting more when it’s right,” Babcock told TSN’s Mark Masters that night. “It’s the ultimate team game and you’ve got to sacrifice individual rights for team rights. I say it all the time, it’s (about) the two points in the game and it has nothing to do with the points you get yourself. It’s a process for young guys.” It’s a balance the Maple Leafs, with 21 games remaining, are running out of time to figure out. Can this offence-first team sufficiently master the necessary defensive details? So far, with the Leafs dragging around the NHL’s sixth-worst defence as measured by goals against per game heading into Wednesday, the answer is no. “We’re scoring a lot, but we’re giving up a lot. It’s the give and the take. You can have a career year and score all you want, but if you’re not winning games, it doesn’t matter,” said Zach Hyman, on pace for a career-topping 27 goals despite missing 19 games with a knee injury. “At 1171834 Toronto Maple Leafs

If you were Kyle Dubas (left) or Sheldon Keefe, how would you fix the Toronto Maple Leafs?

By Star Staff Wed., Feb. 19, 2020

It’s been a tough stretch for the Toronto Maple Leafs of late. After an ugly loss Tuesday to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Leafs have won just four games in regulation over their last 18. While expectations among the organization and fans were sky-high coming into the season, Toronto now find themselves fighting desperately just to make the playoffs. There’s been no shortage of blame flying around from Leafs fans as the team continues to struggle. Does it fall on Kyle Dubas? Sheldon Keefe? Frederik Andersen? Leafs fans, this is a chance to have your say. If you were Leafs GM Kyle Dubas or head coach Sheldon Keefe, how would you fix the Leafs?

Toronto Star LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171835 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs goalie Freddie Andersen will get another crack at Penguins, Keefe says

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Wed., Feb. 19, 2020

Sheldon Keefe says he will go with No. 1 goalie Freddie Andersen again when the Maple Leafs host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. The decision comes in the wake of a 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night in which the Leafs struggled on their penalty kill and lacked the compete level needed to survive at this time of the season when every point can be crucial in the quest to lock down a playoff spot. “He’s our guy, right ... he’s coming back off an injury and we need to get him back and going,” the head coach said about Andersen. With Andersen in goal for a pair of ugly road outings — a 5-2 loss in Buffalo on Sunday and then in Pittsburgh — the Leafs were expected to go with backup Jack Campbell for the second half of a home-and-home with the Penguins. Campbell has taken seven of eight points in the four games he’s started since being traded to Toronto from Los Angeles. Andersen, meanwhile, has struggled in the three games he’s played since returning from a neck injury, posting a 4.45 goals-against average and a .835 save percentage. “Our team’s at its best when Freddie’s at his best,” said Keefe, who told media in Pittsburgh that Andersen needed to be better. “It’s a whole other level out there (down the stretch run) and we need Freddie to be great.” Keefe also said he expects Denis Malgin, acquired Wednesday in a deal with the Florida Panthers, to slot into the lineup Thursday night against the Penguins. “He’s not just a small skilled forward, he’s a competitor as well, and when he’s played with skilled players he’s succeeded,” Keefe said of Malgin.

Toronto Star LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171836 Toronto Maple Leafs out, and Dubas traded Mason Marchment for Florida forward Denis Malgin, who played with Auston Matthews when he was in the Swiss League in 2015-16. Leafs facing another moment that will test them — and their history of Look, the offence is real and the injuries hurt and the underlying numbers succeeding isn’t great are often still good. The Florida Panthers seem likely to faceplant. Better goaltending fixes a lot. Sure.

But goaltending and defence are not separate, and the Leafs have won By Bruce Arthur Sports Columnist four times in regulation in 18 games, and there’s no guaranteed playoff spot at the end of the rainbow this time. They weren’t up to the biggest Wed., Feb. 19, 2020 moments last season. Are they this year? Keefe put it this way: “We have to make a decision here what we want to be as a team, because we’re going to run out of games.” Before this Maple Leafs season turned into a sickening series of lurches — into a roller coaster that might, like an actual carnival ride, return them “We’ve got to find the urgency, the passion, the love of the game, the to the very same place they started — general manager Kyle Dubas sat love to compete for each other,” Muzzin said in Pittsburgh. “All of that in his office and charted the central challenge of this season, as he saw needs to come. I don’t know why it’s not there. I think sometimes we, like it. We were talking about how last year’s Leafs had blown a chance to I’ve touched on earlier, when we struggle, we want the easy game. When close out Boston in Game 6. Dubas talked about moments that test you play good teams it’s not going to be easy.” teams. They seem to think it will be easy, too often. It’s not new. If they make the “That’s probably what you look at when you look at the maturation of the playoffs it’s Boston or Tampa or maybe even Pittsburgh, and the Leafs group,” said Dubas. “They know that they’re coming, they’re not going to will raise their level, if past playoffs are any indication. Whether it can be hide from it, it’s never going to be perfect, it’s going to come with its high enough is a question. Doesn’t feel likely. challenges. But I think that’s the exciting part. For me, it’s not trying to But that moment that will test them? It’s already here. avoid those moments in the future, but knowing that they’re coming, and how does our whole group respond when they do?” Five months of lurching later, and here we are. Tuesday night the Leafs Toronto Star LOADED: 02.20.2020 were humiliated in Pittsburgh, falling behind 5-0 and losing 5-2. At the start they looked as leaden as they did when Pittsburgh pantsed them back in November, one game before Mike Babcock was fired. This was a game against a contender, for a team that ended the night 10th in the East by points percentage. And that’s how the Leafs played. Toronto’s post-game player quotes were basically seppuku, though coach Sheldon Keefe preferred to wield the blade in other directions. “Well, it looks like the process that we want to go through is to just get embarrassed enough to the point where we just really look in the mirror and recognize what’s required for us to be able to compete at a high level at this stage of the season,” Keefe said. “I think the common denominator is just the overall urgency and competitiveness of the group. “Some guys are there consistently. (But) you see the difference between a team that’s good some days and not so good others and a team that’s good all the time, no matter who’s in the lineup and you see that in the game tonight, the difference between them and us. They just work.” There was more, much more. The players echoed that, sure, whatever. What else can you say? “I don’t know what else we need in front of us to motivate us,” said John Tavares, the captain. It’s not as bad as it looks, but they’re at a crossroads now. You can say goaltending has submarined this team this season and you would be right, but you wouldn’t be comprehensive. Tuesday night wasn’t on Andersen, though he messed up on one goal. This Dubas-Keefe team has fairly simple aims: Have the puck, get to the net, keep the other guys from your net, have more skill. It’s not so radical, except that this is the NHL. But none of it truly works unless it’s underpinned by both goaltending AND the consistent work and habits the NHL demands. Sidney Crosby is a hockey god who treats every day like it could all disappear tomorrow, and has been this way in the NHL for 15 years, and he took Toronto apart Tuesday. This Leafs team still comes and goes, and it’s not new. Keefe called them immature before the all-star break, if you recall. Mike Babcock preached this stuff for three years. In March of last year Toronto allowed 23 goals in four games, often off odd-man rushes, and Freddie said, “I think if I can say anything, winning and scoring goals often can mask some mistakes, and it’s a good perfume that covers up some things that doesn’t smell too good.” The year before, in January, Toronto had five wins in 20 games and had just blown a lead and Freddie said, “I think we got to look each other in the eyes and determine where we want to go from here.” He has now spiralled into a down year, whether from overwork or age or bad luck, so calling out teammates gets trickier. But for all the talk about how Dubas has built this team, about style and philosophy, and even about goaltending — and that question has definitely not gone away — the habits matter, too. And now winger Andreas Johnsson is done for the year after knee surgery, and Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci and Ilya Mikheyev are already 1171837 Toronto Maple Leafs played a school day game Wednesday afternoon at Coca-Cola Coliseum, losing 5-3 to Binghamton. Veteran Matt Read had two goals. “The whole line (Read, Tyler Gaudet and Garrett Wilson) has been carrying the team the last couple games,” said coach Greg Moore … Maple Leafs make two small trades amid crisis With the trading of Marchment, the absence of Jeremy Bracco and Korshkov’s recall, the Marlies have brought up forwards Colt Conrad, Giorgio Estephan and Riley Woods from the ECHL Newfoundland Lance Hornby Growlers … The Leafs were all in green and white on Wednesday, breaking in Toronto St. Patricks-themed equipment for their March 17 February 20, 2020 12:35 AM EST home game against New Jersey.

You won’t mistake Malgin for Malkin. Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 Even though both should be added to their respective team’s lineup for the second half of the home-and-home between the Leafs and Penguins on Thursday, Denis is a 5-foot-9 Swiss-born forward acquired by Toronto on Wednesday from Florida for Mason Marchment, while Evgeni is an all- star with 64 points in 38 games against the Leafs exclusively. The Malgin deal was curious on two fronts, the swap of a scarce size commodity for the Leafs for more skill, and the fact that they bartered with a Panthers team nipping at their heels for a playoff spot. “It gives us another NHL player,” said coach Sheldon Keefe of the 23- year-old Malgin’s 184 games. “Paul McFarland (who coached Malgin in Florida) talks about him as not just a small, skilled guy, but a competitor. “When he’s played with good players (once with a teenaged Auston Matthews on the Zurich Lions) he’s succeeded. It’s not gone as well for him this year (12 points in 36 games), but we need a little extra depth. Two teams saw a need and we found a way to get a younger player, ready to contribute.” Keefe hoped that Malgin would have no jet lag issues on Thursday after leaving the Panthers’ U.S. West Coast trip. Malkin, a late scratch Tuesday against the Leafs, was hardly missed in the easy 5-2 win in which Sidney Crosby inflicted the most damage to reach 63 points in 44 games against the Buds. Late Wednesday, the Leafs acquired right winger Max Verroneau from Ottawa, a former Hobey Baker finalist from Princeton, sending forward Aaron Luchuk back to Bytown. The undrafted Verroneau, who is 6-foot-1, appeared in four games for Ottawa this season when not on the farm in Belleville, after 12 appearances in 2018-19 following his graduation last spring. Luchuk goes back to the team that put him in the big summer trade centred around Cody Ceci and Ben Harpur joining the Leafs for Connor Brown and Nikita Zaitsev. One of Keefe’s personal chats at Wednesday’s workout was with William Nylander, ending with a chuckle between them and a stick tap from the coach. Nylander has six points in eight games this month, but like many Leafs, has veered from the script of late. “Just checking to see where he’s at, how he’s feeling since coming back from his illness (a nasty flu bug), get his perspective on things,” Keefe said. “Also reminding him he’s an important player for us. The offence isn’t always going to be there, but we need him to remain engaged on every shift and in on every single puck. He has more to offer in that regard, but there has been a larger sample of him being very good.” Winger Andreas Johnsson is done for the season after knee surgery on Wednesday morning. “It was a miniscus situation,” Keefe said. “One scenario, (doctors) were going to remove it and in that case it would’ve been six to eight weeks or whatever, but they were able to repair it, which is better for him, but a longer recovery. “If that’s what’s best for him, that’s what’s best for us.” Marlies forward Egor Korshkov remains with the Leafs for now, but was used as an eighth defenceman on Wednesday, pending Malgin’s arrival. LOOSE LEAFS The Leafs giving up three power-play goals to Pittsburgh, after having not surrendered more than one since Keefe replaced Mike Babcock, stung everyone and was given priority at practice. “Unacceptable for our PK as a whole,” said defenceman Justin Holl. “In a 5-2 game, that’s the whole difference. And the way it happened so quickly, it takes us out of the game early” … Keefe was sad to part ways with Marchment, one of his long-term Marlies projects, who came from nowhere, earned an entry- level contract and battled injuries to get a brief look with the Leafs. “A great kid, he’s put in a ton of work, but we’re unable to find consistent (ice time) for him. I hope for his sake it works out. He was an undrafted player, whom we were able to trade for an NHL asset” … The Marlies 1171838 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs coach Keefe keeps faith in Freddy

Lance Hornby February 19, 2020 7:03 PM EST

Critics might be urging him to think twice, but Sheldon Keefe had no hesitation naming Frederik Andersen as Thursday’s starting goaltender. “It’s fairly obvious he’s our guy,” said the coach. “He’s coming off an injury (a stiff neck that preceded three straight losses) and we need to get him back going. And boy, this team’s at its best when Fred’s at his best.” So much for Keefe listening to those who want Jack Campbell elevated from back-up to No. 1, based on a small sample size. “Soupy’s come in and we’ve had confidence in the games he’s played,” said Keefe, “but this (a back-to-back versus the Penguins with pride and playoff ramifications on the line) is a whole different situation, a whole different level of competition.” Not that Andersen should be excused for a couple of goals in Pittsburgh, one where he spoon fed Sidney Crosby the puck and other gaffes against Buffalo and Dallas. “I have more to give,” said Andersen. “That’s my focus, to try and get back to my level, help the team out, give them confidence. We’ll feed off each other. “The group is excited about the workout today. These lessons (from Pittsburgh) aren’t very pleasant, but they’re important.” During a break in practice, Andersen and veteran centre Jason Spezza were seen in high spirits. “Fred’s great, Fred gets it,” said Spezza. “I talk to him all the time. He’s a very competitive guy and we all want to get things turned around here.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171839 Toronto Maple Leafs Though avoiding a sweep by Pittsburgh, which will have both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in its lineup, Marner said the Leafs aren’t intimidated. Leafs vow to respond after flat stretch “The good thing is that we get to face these guys again,” he said. “We owe it to our goalies, owe it to ourselves.”

Lance Hornby Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 February 20, 2020 12:31 AM EST

They’ve been swarmed with adulation, many given hefty financial compensation. But the Maple Leafs came back from Pittsburgh to face a whole lot of frustration, most of it delivered via angry fans, some of it expressed by their own coach. So how to save their reputation — not to mention a playoff spot that’s one Florida win away from disappearing, was the soul searching question at practice on Wednesday. The usual loud tunes were piped through the arena during skill drills, starting with Justin Bieber’s Intentions, but some heavy metal should’ve been cued up for the puck-posession battle drills that took on new urgency after soft play in a 5-2 Steeltown loss. The players faced the real music afterwards. “We get down in these games early — and then we just give up, leave our goalie out to dry,” said Mitch Marner, who along with Auston Matthews and John Tavares, has an eight-figure salary. “We all know we have the skill, we don’t have the work ethic every single night, with every single guy buying in. Skill only takes you so far, the work ethic takes you to a whole other level. Get that going, our skill will come along and we’ll get back to the way we can be.” If he’s heard the clamour outside the past couple of weeks as the Leafs lost six of the past nine, with just one regulation victory, Marner is blocking it out. “We’re the ones in this room every day; for us it’s just making sure we’re keeping our mood the same way we’ve been all year — light fun. When we’re doing that, we’re at our best. We know we have to change our work ethic. That starts (with Thursday’s rematch against the Penguins at SBA). “That was a high-intensity practice today, which is what we needed.” Sheldon Keefe had cooled his temper from Tuesday night, when months of effort he has put in to make the Leafs a more well-rounded team simply vanished. He didn’t raise his voice, but spent plenty of time supervising high-intensity digging, some special teams work (Pittsburgh’s power play was 3-for-3) and conducted some 1-on-1 chats, such as with the low-output William Nylander. “As coaches, we can remind them when it’s not there, talk about what’s happening with teams around them and what we’ve failed to get to ourselves,” Keefe said. “Our guys have pride, they don’t want the results we’ve had. Our conversations today were enough to get their attention. Now we have to bring it to the ice.” The answer lies with the 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goalies out there on Wednesday — pending a deal by general manager Kyle Dubas by Monday afternoon’s NHL trade deadline. Defenceman Justin Holl was asked about the temperature in the room. “It’s hard not to be emotional, especially after this stretch of the Buffalo game and last night. You feel embarrassed how it went. People aren’t happy in here today, but there’s only one way out of it. This is sports. You have a decision to make. Sit here and wallow for yourself or keep going,” he said. Keefe has no magic healing powers to get long-term injured players such as Morgan Rielly and Ilya Mikheyev back by April (Andreas Johnsson’s absence was pegged at six months after successful knee surgery on Wednesday). Keefe’s only new roster option is winger Denis Malgin, acquired from Florida on Wednesday morning for Mason Marchment. The coach would not link the dip in club fortunes to the struggles some of the young stars are having, insisting again it’s just as vital to get more production from the bottom six as Matthews, Marner and Nylander. “Those guys have played good hockey,” Keefe said. “Even last night, though he didn’t have the first period we’ve come to expect of Auston, the second and third, he was really working. When the game got out of hand, those guys didn’t stop playing. They’ve been doing their jobs; now we need them to perhaps find another level. It’s more the supporting cast that has to do their part.” 1171840 Toronto Maple Leafs Brock Boeser could be out for the season. Yeah, I get it, Vancouver probably isn’t going to win a Cup this year or even go deep without a full lineup. But if Toffoli can ensure that Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes get a taste of playoffs – and the experience that comes with it – isn’t that TRAIK-EOTOMY: Goalie battle could be brewing in Maple Leafs net worth giving up a second-round pick and a couple of prospects? … Word out of Buffalo is that head coach Ralph Krueger, who used to be the chairman of Southampton Football Club, could move from behind the Michael Traikos bench and replace Jason Botterill as the Sabres’ GM. If so, the offensively challenged team would be wise to hire Bruce Boudreau, February 19, 2020 4:35 PM EST who’s missed the playoffs only twice in 13 years, as their new head coach.

A few years ago, when the Predators were playing the Ducks in the Do the Toronto Maple Leafs have a goalie controversy? Western Conference final, former Leafs head coach Mike Babcock Maybe. But that’s not what they call it in Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington happened to be in Nashville enjoying a little R&R. Word was that he was or the many other NHL cities where the backup goalie has temporarily also scouting defenceman Sami Vatanen, who is now in New Jersey and taken over the starter’s job. on the trade market. Wonder if the Leafs still have the same interest … Tampa Bay and Toronto better hope that Chris Kreider, whom according There, they call it riding the hot hand. to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is being pursued by the Bruins, Islanders, Avalanche and Blues, ends up anywhere but the Eastern And that’s what the Leafs need to do now. They need to put Frederik Conference … Expect the recent criticisms over officiating and the way Andersen’s feelings, salary and reputation aside and do what’s best for that the department of player safety has doled out fines and suspensions the team. For the foreseeable future, that means handing over the keys to be discussed at next month’s GM meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. After to the net to Jack Campbell. last year’s playoffs, where officiating was blamed almost on a nightly basis, the last thing the league wants is for players, coaches and fans to Campbell might have been brought to Toronto to simply replace Michael feel like anyone is being cheated out of a win … As happy as Ilya Hutchinson as the backup goalie. But since going 3-0-1 with a .919 save Kovalchuk has looked in Montreal, can you imagine how big his smile percentage, he’s deserving of a promotion. He should start against the would be if the Penguins were to acquire him at the deadline? Penguins on Thursday. And if he wins that game, there’s no reason not to keep putting him between the pipes. The debate is over. This doesn’t mean the Leafs should move on from Andersen or If the season were to end today, I’d be casting a first-place Hart Trophy designate him as the backup. It just means that until Campbell cools vote for Leon Draisaitl. I wouldn’t have said that if Connor McDavid didn’t down or Andersen re-finds his game, head coach Sheldon Keefe has to get injured last week. give the team the best chance to win and stay in the playoff hunt. Back then, I would have had Draisaitl behind McDavid, Nathan It’s what other teams do. And it’s not necessarily a bad thing. MacKinnon, David Pastrnak and maybe even Artemi Panarin, Roman Josi and Jacob Markstrom on my ballot. But since the Oilers captain went Pittsburgh, which benched Marc-Andre Fleury in favour of Matt Murray down, Draisaitl has stepped up in a big way to lead Edmonton to the top for their back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017, has now of the Pacific Division standings. replaced Murray with red-hot Tristan Jarry. Draisaitl, who has 34 goals in 59 games, leads all scorers with 95 points. When Washington won two years ago, it was Philipp Grubauer – not Of those, three goals and seven assists have come in the four games Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby – who started in Game 1 of the without McDavid, with the Oilers going 3-1-0 during that span. playoffs. This year, despite sending Holtby to the All-Star Game, he’s once again battled with rookie Ilya Samsonov for the starter’s job. That’s a huge statement for a team that has relied so heavily on McDavid and Draisaitl for its offensive production. The moves don’t always stick. Holtby eventually replaced Grubauer in Game 2 of the 2018 playoffs and never gave up the net again. But even if The thinking was that if you took one of them away, Edmonton’s house of it’s temporary, they can cause a lasting effect by raising the competition cards would crumble. Instead, the opposite has occurred. Like between the two goalies – something that Andersen could use at this Pittsburgh, which seems to play better whenever Sidney Crosby or point of the season. Evgeni Malkin is out of the lineup, the Oilers are finding that they have a lot more depth than anyone gave them credit for. While Andersen was arguably the team’s MVP for the first-half of the year, he has gone 4-4-2 since the calendar turned over, with a .880 save The Oilers are definitely a better team with McDavid in the lineup. But as percentage. In each of his past two starts, he’s given up five goals. You this past week has shown, they are more than just a one-man team. If can blame the defence all you want, but until Morgan Rielly returns from anything, Draisaitl is not only proving that he is able to get the job done in injury or GM Kyle Dubas brings in Josh Manson or Matt Dumba, the McDavid’s absence, but that he is also capable of making others around Leafs need someone to keep the puck of the net. him better. Right now, that’s not Andersen. That’s what the great players do. They turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Great point by TSN’s Jeff O’Neill (via a conversation with his dad) on how to properly evaluate the season that Toronto’s Auston Matthews, Mitch Right now, the player receiving the biggest boost has been Kailer Marner and John Tavares are having. Forget about the statistics, he said. Yamamoto, who has four goals in his past four games. Draisaitl has When you’re making $10-plus million, the team is not paying you to assisted on every single one of those goals. necessarily produce goals or points – it’s more about producing wins. All three are failing in that department … The bump that the Leafs In the process, he’s asserted himself as the best player in the league. experienced from replacing Mike Babcock with Sheldon Keefe is long gone. After going 15-4-1, the team is now 7-8-3. That’s a clear indicator There is no Ray Bourque available at this year’s NHL trade deadline. No that the problem with this roster was never about coaching … “To win a Brett Hull, Marian Hossa or Markus Naslund. There’s not even a Matt Stanley Cup, you’ve got to beat four teams in the league,” Tampa Bay Duchene. head coach Jon Cooper told me last month. “It’s just got to be the four With less than a week before the Feb. 24 deadline, the biggest name out right teams.” If you’re the Leafs, can you come up with the so-called there remains Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers, who has never “right” four teams? … Don’t look now, but reigning Art Ross Trophy scored 30 goals or 55 points and is currently tied for 72nd in league winner Nikita Kucherov is amongst the top-10 in scoring. Most of his scoring. production has come in the past month, with only Leon Draisaitl (20 points in 10 games) outscoring Kucherov (19 points in 11 games) since Chances are the 28-year-old winger will get moved for a first-round pick the All-Star break. and possibly much more. With five weeks to go, the surging Lightning are one point back of first That’s how much of a sellers’ market this year’s trade deadline has place in the Eastern Conference, while the Blue Jackets are tied for the become. final wild card spot. What a first-round rematch that would be … Sidney Crosby, who has 23 points in 13 games since returning from injury, has a Marco Scandella, whom Montreal acquired from Buffalo for a fourth- total of 40 points in 30 games this season. That’s a 109-point pace from round pick in January, was flipped to St. Louis on Tuesday for a second- the 32-year-old, which had he been healthy would have tied his second- round pick and a conditional fourth-rounder. best season … I don’t understand the criticism being lobbied at Canucks GM Jim Benning for acquiring Tyler Toffoli the day before announcing Brenden Dillon, a stay-at-home defenceman who doesn’t do much more than kill penalties and chip pucks off the glass, went from San Jose to Washington for a second-round pick and a conditional third-rounder. Dylan DeMelo, who was trusted with fewer minutes than Nikita Zaitsev and Ron Hainsey in Ottawa, was dealt to Winnipeg for a third-round pick. Perhaps that is why so many teams (Pittsburgh acquiring Jason Zucker and Tampa Bay landing Blake Coleman) are looking past the rentals and acquiring players with term remaining on their deals. After all, if you’re going to give up a lot for a player, then you might as well get him for more than a couple of months. It also makes you wonder what the asking price might be for Minnesota’s Matthew Dumba or Anaheim’s Josh Manson, who not only have term remaining on their deals but also are good enough to actually impact a team.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171841 Toronto Maple Leafs

'Embarrassed' Leafs vow better effort

Lance Hornby February 19, 2020 3:27 PM EST

Frederik Andersen spoke for many Maple Leafs on Wednesday, as they tried to rally from their worst stretch under new coach Sheldon Keefe and salvage playoff hopes. “I have more to give,” said Toronto’s goaltender, who’ll get a chance to atone for a 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday against the same team. “That’s my focus, to try and get back to my level, help the team out, give them confidence. We’ll feed off each other once we’re back.” But the Leafs were springing leaks everywhere in Steeltown; at even- strength, on special teams, in net and their general behaviour, underlining a slide that has seen them win once in regulation the past 10 games, while losing six. Wednesday’s practice was the first long one at home that coach Sheldon Keefe has been able to squeeze into a busy NHL schedule. It featured spirited drills, lots of 1-on-1 chats such as Keefe and William Nylander, veteran Jason Spezza having a chat with Andersen and player development assistant Hayley Wickenheiser on the ice to pump up some of her former students. Earlier in the day, the Leafs traded with their closest playoff spot pursuers, the Florida Panthers, obtaining 5-foot-9 skill winger Denis Malgin for bruiser farmhand Mason Marchment. If Malgin’s not too jet- lagged after arriving later Wednesday, Keefe will use him Thursday, maybe on the second or third line as the word from former Panthers coach Paul McFarland on his staff is that is how Malgin is best deployed. So Keefe cautioned not to read into any line changes from Wednesday’s practice, where his quest to get more production from the bottom six supersedes the lower output of stars such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Nylander. “Those guys have played good hockey,” Keefe maintained of his highest paid young guns. “Even last night, though he didn’t have the first period we’ve come to expect of Auston, the second and third he was really working. When the game got out of hand, those guys didn’t stop playing. Those guys have been doing their jobs; now we need them to perhaps find another level. It’s more the supporting cast that has to do their part.” The Leafs face a tall order to avoid a sweep of the home-and-home series by the Pens, who will likely have Evgeni Malkin back in the lineup after missing Tuesday. As it was, Sidney Crosby proved too much for the Leafs to handle a solo game breaker. Pittsburgh’s 3-for-3 power play, the first time the Keefe Leafs have given up more than one in a game, can’t allow that kind of free range play again. Keefe was clearly irked at the overall schooling his team was given in his post-game comments. “It’s hard not to be emotional,” said defenceman Justin Holl, “especially after this stretch of the Buffalo game and last night. You feel embarrassed how it went, a motivator for all of us. “People aren’t happy in here today, but there’s only one way out of it. This is sports. You have a decision to make. Sit here and wallow for yourself or keep going.” Keefe would not listen to the chorus of fans and media who’ve seized on Jack Campbell’s three wins in four starts as a sign he should be the big game goalie, saying it’s a pressure situation in which he doesn’t think Campbell should be touted as a saviour. “When this team’s been at its best, Fred’s been at his best,” Keefe said. “He’s our guy.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171842 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs trade Marchment for Malgin, lose Johnsson for six months

Lance Hornby February 19, 2020 11:27 AM EST

The Maple Leafs lost a forward, then traded for one in what heralds a busy few days for a team trying to save its season. Minutes after announcing winger Andreas Johnsson would be gone six months after successful knee surgery, Toronto traded physical farmhand Mason Marchment for more experienced winger Denis Malgin, a strange deal given it’s with their nearest playoff rival, the Florida Panthers. SIMMONS: Dubas' Maple Leaf problems extend well beyond trade deadline Malgin, a 23-year-old Swiss-born one-time teammate of Auston Matthews in Zurich, has 12 points in 36 games in Florida this season. It was expected the Leafs would add a defenceman as their post-season hopes took a hit after back-to-back road losses, but the NHL deadline is still six days away. With criticism of a lack of toughness, it’s interesting the Leafs unloaded Marchment, who made his name as a net presence with the Marlies and had been given a couple of games with the big team. Johnsson, injured a few days ago, was expected to be lost long term. After a humiliating 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, the Leafs will practice Wednesday afternoon ahead of Thursday’s rematch at Scotiabank Arena. Florida, with two games in hand, could tie them for third in the division Wednesday night with a win in Anaheim.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171843 Toronto Maple Leafs against just about every opponent boasting offensive quality they have played of late.

This is supposed to be a playoff race for the final spot in the Atlantic SIMMONS: Dubas' Maple Leaf problems extend well beyond trade Division. This is supposed to be a team in contention. Shanahan said at deadline the beginning of the season that he wanted the Leafs to be one of eight teams with a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Maybe now they’re top-16. Maybe. Steve Simmons Almost all the reasons for letting Babcock go have crept back into Maple Leafs games. Babcock’s fate was sealed after a horrible, careless game February 20, 2020 12:45 AM EST in Pittsburgh in November. The Leafs would have fired him the next day had the Hall of Fame ceremony not been going on. So they waited one more game, then let him go. This is not a time for Kyle Dubas to be worrying about Monday’s trade deadline in the National Hockey League. The Pittsburgh game on Tuesday night looked a lot like the game that doomed Babcock. Aside from Zach Hyman, there was almost no one This is a time to assess, to try to make sense of the disaster that this fighting for loose pucks. They had little offensive zone time, few offensive season is turning out to be for the Maple Leafs — as disappointing a year chances, were soft in the neutral zone, were bottled up terribly by as I can remember, considering the circumstances, the salaries and the Penguins forechecking, and were disastrous on the penalty- kill, which expectations. has been a Leafs difficulty coming on four years now. This is a time for Dubas and his front office and Brendan Shanahan and What can Dubas do now to change the direction of the team? He’s Sheldon Keefe to do an internal overhaul and examination because this played his big cards this season. He fired the coach. That worked season, unlike any in recent memory, hasn’t unfolded anywhere near temporarily. The team is now all over the place, playing the kind of where the executives or fans expected them to be. games that got Babcock dismissed. His big trade was to bring in Tyson Barrie and Alex Kerfoot for Nazem Kadri and that hasn’t helped at all. He Dubas fired coach Mike Babcock in November. That had to happen. waited too long to trade for Jack Campbell and bring in a backup goalie. Initially, the team took off under Keefe, excited about a new style of play, The five or six points they relinquished could be the points that cost them excited that the coach they’d had enough of was gone. Keefe went 13-4- the post-season. 1 from the November day he was hired to the end of December. Dubas, like his team, hasn’t had a good year. And what the best general That was incredible. It was also unsustainable. managers do — and we still don’t know where he fits in on that scale — In goal differential, a statistic Babcock adores, the Leafs were plus-22 when they assess their teams, when they realize that some moves aren’t over that time. Since January, the Leafs have won eight of 20 games, are working, is find a way to fix them. You don’t sit and watch and wait and a minus team in goal differential, haven’t been able to deal with injuries let the same thing happen over and over again. This season isn’t an and poor goaltending from Frederik Andersen, and they appear to have anomaly. They are what their record says they are — maybe worse — little sense of team, sense of occasion, or the ability to deal with the daily with a bigger problem. circumstances of their jobs. When the game seems to matter most — the two games against Florida That, more than anything, has to upset Dubas — and create doubt about thus far, the home game against Chicago, the game in Buffalo last week, him. He put so much faith and so many of Maple Leaf Sports and a clear chance to pick up two points on the Panthers — they have been Entertainment dollars in the hands of the Leafs leadership group and he at their worst and their weakest. has to wonder, as they continue to flounder, what precisely he is paying And, afterward, you get the typical dressing-room response. We like our for. And where is the value that comes from building a team around four team. We have to play better. We’re better than this. We have to play apparent superstars? harder. Blah blah blah for the cameras. There are different kinds of stars in hockey — there always have been. How many times have you heard those same words this season? There are the big scorers who change teams, the way Boston’s top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak change and How many times have those words fixed the Leafs problems? mould the Bruins almost every night. And there are, what I call, accumulators of statistics. Dubas lost Kadri and signed Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson for $3 million a year. Before he got hurt, Johnsson hadn’t done much and At the end of the season, and sometimes during the season, the Kapanen’s season can be filed, like the team, under “grand numbers look fine. But when it matters — when it really matters — where disappointment.” have Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander been? Are they changing games the way Sidney Crosby Before he got hurt, Dubas brought in Cody Ceci. Dubas is below the changed that awful game in Pittsburgh — awful if you’re a Leafs fan — Mendoza Line is his trading percentage and salary-cap management of on Tuesday night? the past nine months. Crosby scored the winning goal at the 2010 Olympics in overtime and With all the pressure of Monday’s trade deadline, he is probably better off scored a goal in the gold medal-winning game in Sochi four years later. taking a step back than doing anything foolhardy here. That wasn’t accidental. Nor was it accidental when Jonathan Toews For all the devout followers of analytics, who laughed with glee when the scored the first goal in Vancouver and Sochi in the gold-medal games. modern-thinking Dubas was named as GM ahead of Lou Lamoriello and That’s what winners do. They change games. They don’t leave it to Mark Hunter, ask yourself this: What exactly did analytics have to do with anyone else. getting drubbed in Pittsburgh on Tuesday? What kind of superstars is Dubas paying for and banking his reputation Martin Marincin was out of position on two Pittsburgh power-play goals. — and maybe his future — on? Andersen coughed one up on another goal. Random plays. Simple Ugly Leafs effort proves costly, go figure, against Crosby and Co. mistakes. Players in front of the Toronto net left unattended. Crosby well aware of Leafs' Matthews/Marner threat The goals were mostly tap-ins from in close to empty nets because the Leafs seemed clueless without the puck and unable to deal with cross- TRAIKOS: Pressure is on Leafs GM Dubas to make more moves ice passes anywhere in the defensive zone. Matthews leads the NHL in goal scoring. The Leafs were down 5-0 when The Leafs play Pittsburgh again on Thursday night. I expect a better he scored on the power play on Tuesday night. He got his goal. The performance. How much better, I don’t know. team got whomped. After the Buffalo game on the weekend, they should have been better on The way in which they were defeated, with Evgeni Malkin out of the Tuesday night. They weren’t. It was as soft a performance as the Leafs Penguins lineup, was more than troublesome. have had all season. They didn’t compete very hard. They had no sense of purpose or They have injured players — but so does just about everybody else. occasion. On the penalty-kill, hockey analyst Pierre McGuire pointed out Aside from Morgan Rielly, who was not having a great season to begin regularly on NBCSN that players were out of position and often didn’t with, the Leafs are playing with Matthews, Marner, Nylander and John have their sticks on the ice or sticks in the passing lanes. The Leafs were Tavares: Difference-makers should be making a difference. susceptible to the cross-ice pass, not just against the Penguins, but Last year and the year before, there was optimism at the trade deadline. There was a sense the Leafs needed one player, such as Jake Muzzin, who could help the team at playoff time. Now it’s not really about contending. Even if this team makes the playoffs, they’ll be an easy out for somebody. What Dubas and Shanahan and Keefe need to determine is: What is this team now? What is it going forward? Those are the hard questions and they require hard answers. If the trade deadline passes without any significant Leafs activity, so be it. There is no one-day, one-move solution available. This team requires a hockey autopsy of sorts. The bodies may not be dead yet. But the club looked close to that on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171844 Toronto Maple Leafs These touch on two rare areas of hockey today where statistics have directly influenced how teams currently operate. Statistically, when you’re down a goal or two, there are optimal times to pull your goaltender if you’re legitimately trying to win (and not just make the score at the end Bourne: High-risk hockey can cost you but that doesn’t mean it should be look close). If you’re down a couple of goals, waiting for 60-90 seconds ignored left in the game isn’t just conservative, it’s wrong. This one’s not up for debate anymore. One side argues this: playing six skaters against five, the odds of giving up a shot against go down and your odds of scoring go By Justin Bourne up a bit. Since scoring is one of the hardest things to do in hockey, pulling your goalie with three to four minutes left gives you a better and Feb 19, 2020 more realistic chance of actually tying the game up. If you give a goal up, well, you were likely losing anyway. The other side argues this about early goalie pulls: It doesn’t make me feel safe in my tummy and I’d While it’s less directly visible, “low-risk hockey” comes with some risk and rather tell people we lost 3-1 than 4-1. sometimes hockey teams get burned by the wrong side of that risk — low The odds of scoring a goal against a full five skaters and a goalie, versus or not. Maybe they dump the puck in all game instead of trying to hang the odds of a team simply getting a shot on your (empty) net, heavily on to the puck, which gives the other team one too many possessions, favor the latter. Yet teams have pulled their goalie for decades (albeit which leads to the one extra goal against that costs our low-risk team the later in games than present day), knowing that the risk of giving up that game. They “risked” that outcome by avoiding the big glaring error in empty-net goal against was worth increasing their own chances of hopes that if they put themselves in good positions to defend, they’d scoring. Therefore, hockey fans have been conditioned to accept that keep the puck out of their net, which would lead to a win. Of course, that little bit of risk. That’s directly what I’m talking about here — a better meant defending a lot, on purpose, and in this example, that risk bit understanding that taking certain risks is worth the potential rewards and them. that should lead us to accept those potential negative outcomes like That’s what I want to talk about here today – the negative side of risk and empty-net goals against. The same should hold for accepting the seeing it for what it is: just an outcome from a percentage-based negatives — namely turnovers — when discussing high-risk hockey. decision. The other conversation was about how newer stats say you should take High-risk hockey comes with risk too, just more of it, and those risks bite the shot at the net from the “wrong” side of the red line (when the red “high-risk” teams, just more often. The trade-off with high risk, is isn’t easily obtained) with the opposing goalie pulled because the wondering how valuable are the positive outcomes of the risks you’re potential reward (a goal and essentially ending the game outright) is taking? Does the chance of executing a certain high-risk play come with worth the risk of a draw in your own zone. I know that makes older a reward so big it outweighs the damage of the possible – and maybe hockey fans shudder because that decision has always been looked at more likely – potential negative outcomes? Maybe a team was relieving as a selfish, team-second play. It’s one of those things that we agreed forechecker pressure by passing the puck out in front of their own goalie was scorn-worthy years ago. With that, people who used to make that — a strategy that allowed them to walk out of the zone easily. Until in the decision were being selfish — they knew the team didn’t want them to second period, a single pass gets bobbled, and the other team is gifted take that shot, but they wanted to up their personal stats and went for it with the eventual game-winning goal. Executing the higher risk play was anyway. But in reality, missing the net on that shot will only end up in a great for them until one pass got mishandled and it wound up in a goal lost draw roughly half the time, will result in a shot against from there an against. even smaller percentage of the time and will end in a goal against in a significantly smaller percentage of the time. Were the advantages gained by all the easy breakouts worth the cost of the goal against? The likely answer to that is yes, which means finding a In this chat I’m referring to, we were talking about a recent example of a way to come to grips with the time it turned into a worst-case result. player who’d gone for it from his own blue line, missed the net and it resulted in a goal against his team (and a similar play that had resulted in This is the battle many teams face in today’s NHL, particularly for a team a good chance against). like the Toronto Maple Leafs, who trail only the Tampa Bay Lightning in goals for this season … but find themselves among the bottom five in That’s gonna happen. That’s the negative side of a positive decision. goals against, too. (We’ll get to the Leafs in a bit, as they are an excellent When you consider the result as a function of “times attempted out of case study.) 100,” shooting for the empty net will leave you with more wins than Myth vs. reality passing on the shot and trying to skate it farther into the opposition’s end to avoid a potential icing. This is about living with and accepting the bad The debate in hockey over what’s the better way to play — low-risk or outcomes based on statistical decisions even though you can see and high-risk — has only been a debate in the way a yappy dog thinks it has remember how they looked, even though they don’t make your tummy a shot against a truck. It can make a lot of noise from the window, but feel good. Detractors of “shoot from distance” are quick to bring up one side (low-risk) has always come out on top when push comes to anecdotes of failure, yet less inclined to remember the converted shots shove. For coaches, giving up the obvious, glaring error in a sport where from beyond 100 feet. (They’re pretty common these days!) those moments are rare has been seen as the ultimate no-no. It looks poorly coached, whereas doing the safe thing looks like good coaching Another example can be found in how to defend a 2-on-1. I believe (“boy, they play the right way”), though playing that way disguises the defensemen should be far more aggressive on the puck carrier early. downsides of handing over the puck voluntarily and ignores the value of The detractors to this idea will point to what happens when a D-man a player pulling off a high-risk play. If you beat anyone 1-on-1 today in goes at a puck carrier at the blue line and fails to stop the pass going the NHL, it pulls the entire defense apart, as I illustrated in this video of a through. The result is a prime scoring chance against. You can read recent David Pastrnak goal. Brad Marchand dangles Jeff Petry, which more of my thoughts on this scenario here, and while I will agree that a pulls both Brett Kulak and Jonathan Drouin to him, which changes pass getting through isn’t a great look, the crux of my point is that if the everything in an instant. Maybe Marchand should have driven wide or D-man does get beat and gives up a breakaway, the odds of that pulled up on a delay — both safer options — but the risk he took by breakaway ending up in a goal aren’t any higher than the success rate of attempting a 1-on-1 dangle equaled a goal for, straight up. any shot allowed off a 2-on-1. Getting burned early by being aggressive just simplifies life for the goalie. The defending advantage to be utilized is Before we go any further, I want to be clear that I’m not heading toward to not allow said 2-on-1 to end in a shot at all. Backing off and playing the point that high-risk hockey is the better way to win. That’s not what conservatively doesn’t prevent 2-on-1 shots, which are just as dangerous I’m here to say. The point I want to get through is that sometimes higher (incrementally more this year, actually) as breakaways. But the risk hockey makes more sense, particularly when your roster is built in a implementation of this is brutally hard because of confirmation bias. We favorable way (with the elite skill that can make special plays), and that see a pass get through an aggressive defender, and our brain goes when you lean into that, you have to accept the negative side of those “SEE!” When it works, it’s just another rush snuffed out before it got percentages. You have to see some failed high-risk plays as a function of interesting, and off we go the other way. “times out of 100 that you try X,” and not just see the failures and bank them as anecdotes to push back against a style of hockey that’s different For the NHL case study, we turn to the Maple Leafs, who have success than most of us grew up playing. When high-risk hockey plays go wrong, based on doing a few offensive things most other teams simply can’t do. it doesn’t always mean a glaring decision-making error was to blame. The way Mitch Marner makes people miss and holds the puck to extend possessions, the way Matthews shoots it, Tavares net-front brain, and on Recently, I’ve had two interesting discussions that are relevant here. One and on … Those things are why the Leafs win more than they lose on the was about how early teams pull goaltenders these days, and along a whole. Making high-risk plays that end in high-danger chances is worth it similar vein, one was about shooting at empty nets from the wrong side for the Leafs in the big sample, as they pay off big when they pay off, and (the icing side) of the red line. they pay off often enough for them. Their problems start when they try to play a safe, low-risk game, which means more defending. However, they simply don’t defend well, and Leafs fans can tell you how poorly they look when playing a “safe” brand of hockey. I should note, this sort of philosophy– low-risk and playing it safe — is rarely introduced by a coach within a game. Yes, a coach would encourage safe/smart decision making with the lead (maybe adjusting the percentages of when to risk home runs for strikeouts and when not to), but players know what those game states mean — “don’t do things that risk the other team getting a great chance.” Inherently, players chip and dump the puck more, they pull back from potential battles to stay in a safe position rather than aggressively running in on 50/50 pucks and it all adds up. Low-risk hockey becomes a problem for teams like the Leafs, but unfortunately, it’s not as simple as telling players “keep the pedal down” purely because of human nature. In Toronto, players that lean high-risk and can’t seem to play any other way have proven maddening. Jake Gardiner, William Nylander and even Tyson Barrie all do things, in the big picture, that are for the betterment of the team. The wrong side of the percentages they play, though, is noticeable, and often look egregious. We call them brain cramps or say certain players are more prone to the big mistake, and those things are certainly true with the names mentioned above. But mostly it’s them just continuing to take the chances that they’ve seen play out positively more often than not over the courses of their careers. They’re less successful and tweaking those percentage meters from taking full-on highs risks to the slightly more moderate ones. They can only play one way, which irony of ironies, might be exactly what the Leafs need. Conclusion In the end, though, the Leafs are just a greater example of the point being made here. We take risks in hockey because sometimes the potential payout can be worth the potential negative outcomes. It’s in those situations where we can’t hold on to how it looks when it doesn’t work out, and we have to remember the greater point. Small sample bad results don’t always point to big picture bad decisions.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171845 Toronto Maple Leafs His underlying numbers also suggest he has run into some tough on-ice luck this season. His four goals on 47 shots this year means he’s converting on only 8.5 percent of his chances, well below his career average of 11.3 percent before the season began. The good news is that Wheeler: Why Denis Malgin is a good fit for what ails the Maple Leafs his .940 PDO (last on the Panthers) is probably something the Leafs bottom six identified as unsustainable, so his luck is bound to turn and the Leafs appear to be buying low. Still, though Malgin has always driven possession (his 52.9 CF percentage ranked fifth on the Panthers), his By Scott Wheeler expected goals percentage of 46.5 percent this season sat closer to the middle of the pack with the club. Feb 19, 2020 As part of this analysis, I watched most of his shifts from his games in 2020, as well as all of his points on the season. And while it’s worth noting that three of his 12 points this season have come with the net I wouldn’t fault you if your initial reaction to Wednesday morning’s news empty (one goal, two assists), I would also highlight that 47 of his 60 that the Toronto Maple Leafs had swapped long-time project Mason career points across his 184 NHL games are primary. Marchment for Florida Panthers forward Denis Malgin was, “who?” He hasn’t traditionally been used in defensive situations, and if the Leafs And I also wouldn’t fault you if your initial reaction to the Google search intend to use him at centre, then that’s unlikely to change. Malgin started that followed was a sigh when you saw his height listed at 5-foot-9. the vast majority of his shifts in the offensive zone in Florida and seldom The Leafs took a chance on Marchment and invested more time and penalty killed, averaging just 14 seconds a night on the penalty kill. resources into his development than maybe any other player in the I do think he could potentially have value on a Leafs penalty kill that sits organization’s history. They plucked him out of obscurity, an overager 25th in the league, though more on that below when I get to the tape. who’d never scored at any level, and they made him into an NHL option that appeared to fill a void. He was the big, strong, hit-you-through-the- He can also help the Leafs’ struggling second power play unit and has boards, pain in the ass that many Leafs fans have yearned for. traditionally shown well in second unit usage in Florida, primarily as a flank/point option. Given he’s a right-handed shot and the Leafs’ second And I’m still here to tell you that the trade makes sense and that Malgin is unit typically features a left-handed defenceman, he’s probably a natural a good fit. Here, with the help of video and data, I’ll detail why. fit there, creating a second Leafs power play unit that looks like this But first, let’s get some misnomers out of the way: The Leafs aren’t small. (bumping Hyman off of it): Their average weight of 199 pounds ranks in a tie for 12th in the NHL. Sandin – Malgin Their average height of 6-foot-1 ranks in a tie for 11th. Kerfoot – Spezza – Kapanen As easy as it is to point to the style of many of their players and harp on how small they may play, (Auston Matthews, Frederik Gauthier and Watch the way he (No. 62 in all sequences) dictates the following power Jason Spezza are all huge, but not necessarily physical), the acquisition play sequence. After sliding down the wall to draw the Red Wings penalty of Kyle Clifford, a left-shot physical presence in the same vein as killer off of the point, Malgin helps the Panthers reset, circles back to the Marchment, essentially took Marchment’s roster spot. point, executes a one-touch seam pass to Brett Connolly (who hits The Post), keeps moving, gets the puck back again, and executes a second These days, in the absence of Andreas Johnsson and Ilya Mikheyev for seam pass to Connolly, who scores: the remainder of the regular season, the Leafs lack skill in their bottom- six, with two lines that look more like fourth lines than one third line and I would like to see Malgin shoot more at even-strength. He’s got the one fourth line. The Leafs need offence from players not named Auston, touch and puck control to be able to use his feet to play through the John, William and Mitch. Of late, they haven’t received that. Without middle of the ice a little more than he does, rather than drifting to the Mikheyev and Johnsson, or the addition of another roster player who can outside. This shot on goal was a good example of that. do that, they were unlikely to get a ton of offence from the bottom-six they ran out against the Penguins on Tuesday. On the power play, he’s a threat to score with both a standstill release or a one-timer. Here’s a quick catch-and-release to demonstrate that: It looked like this: And here’s that one-touch shot I talked about (though this is at 5-on-5): Pierre Engvall – Frederik Gauthier – Kasperi Kapanen At even-strength, Malgin offers a couple of interesting qualities. The first Kyle Clifford – Jason Spezza – Dmytro Timashov is his speed. He doesn’t have Kapanen’s crossovers or Engvall’s straightaway power, but he’s somewhere in between and it helps him Kapanen has one goal in his past 18 games (in part because of his make a lot of plays off of the rush. He also does a good job playing off of linemates). After a strong start to his career, Engvall is pointless in 12 opposing defenders. You won’t often see him fight his way to the front of straight. Timashov has one point in his last 16 games. Gauthier is the net, but you will see him slide off of a defender to open up on the Gauthier. Clifford isn’t there to create offence. And Spezza, the one backside: player who has shown he can drive one of those lines, will be approaching his 37th birthday should the Leafs manage a playoff run of He’s also the kind of player, like Spezza, who can hang onto the puck any kind. and make plays for himself or his linemates, rather than relying on others to do that for him (like Kapanen and Engvall tend to). Watch the way he For all of those reasons, the Leafs pursuing more skill to insulate against shakes past two Bruins with his shoulders before cutting to the middle for their injury troubles makes a lot of sense. Some might argue the Leafs a chance here: already have that in Nic Petan and Pontus Aberg, but it’s clear the organization isn’t comfortable with those options. His standout skill might be his ability to make small area plays all over the ice. Despite lacking strength along the wall, Malgin makes a lot of The question is: Is Denis Malgin the right fit? Can he help the bottom-six little plays from the perimeter (which is not always a bad word!). get going and function as a line driver for a group of players who are better served in complementary roles? He routinely makes little bump plays like this one in the neutral zone. A closer look at his game suggests yes, he might. And he can make plays to the slot off of the cycle, too: Before diving into an analysis of his skillset, it’s worth noting that Malgin That ability to make plays under pressure, or out of traffic, is particularly gives the Leafs some positional versatility. He can play both wing and handy in the defensive zone. I don’t dislike Malgin’s game away from the centre. And while his faceoff numbers this year (39 per cent) suggest puck. Watch the way he tracks the play low to swing at the goal line and centre may not be an everyday fit even though it’s the position he grew give his defenceman an option for a short pass before making a nifty little up playing, it does give the Leafs some options. zone-exit pass that helps create a goal at the other end: In order to understand Malgin’s season to date, you first need to Or watch the way he uses his skating to stay involved with backpressure understand his usage. This year, his most common linemates have been below before also using it to burn Kris Letang back the other way with Frank Vatrano (210 mins) and Mike Hoffman (111 mins). Most of those some quick crossovers ahead of a scoring chance: Hoffman minutes came earlier in the year, though. After beginning the season with an increased role, Malgin produced eight points in his first If the Leafs do decide to experiment with him on the penalty kill more nine games. But after a 19-game pointless drought followed, Malgin saw than the Panthers did, those two skills have also shown they can be his role reduced as he was pushed down the lineup. He has played in useful here. Watch, after he gets a piece of the point shot with his stick, just seven of Florida’s 20 games in 2020, despite posting three points in the way Malgin uses his feet to push the tempo up ice before springing those games while often playing a little over eight minutes per night. Vatrano with a short pass: Though Malgin’s underlying numbers have taken a bit of a hit this season relative to the previous two seasons, where he looked like a useful top- nine contributor, there’s reason to believe he’s a good fit for the Leafs’ bottom-six. He’s the kind of player who has the speed to keep up with Engvall and Kapanen (something Gauthier doesn’t possess), and the playmaking to get them the puck in areas where they can shoot it (something they don’t do particularly well on their own). If the Leafs were to play Malgin on the third line with that pair, they could move Gauthier back to the wing to form a bigger fourth line with Clifford and Spezza, bumping Timashov out of the lineup. It could look something like this: Malgin/Engvall – Malgin/Engvall – Kapanen Clifford – Spezza – Gauthier Ultimately, even if Malgin is closer to the replacement-level player he has been for the latter half of this season, rather than the legitimate option he was out of the gate and in much of the last two seasons, he’s a better stylistic fit in a bottom-six that was looking thin on offensive skill without Johnsson and Mikheyev. And as good as Marchment has been of late in the AHL, he’s a year older than Malgin — who made quick work of his AHL career — and the addition of Clifford made him less valuable to a Leafs team that is understandably (or regrettably, depending on your perspective) top-heavy. It’s the kind of change-of-scenery swap that makes sense for both teams, given the way Malgin had seen his role reduced as the season progressed and the owed opportunity for Marchment after a recent string of strong play in the AHL that included eight goals in his last five games. At the very least, Malgin should be able to give the Leafs slightly more than Timashov, Petan and Aberg could in similar roles.

The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171846 Toronto Maple Leafs But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Andrew Raycroft, in a straight-up deal. He lasted one season as the starter in Toronto, leading the league in goals against and then lost his job to Vesa Toskala. That may be the most depressing sentence I’ve ever written. Down Goes Brown: Roster of all-time Maple Leaf trade regrets But remember, the Leafs also got to keep Pogge, who played (checks notes) seven NHL games. A lot of people forget that part. By Sean McIndoe Just missed the cut: The Leafs traded Lorne Chabot to the Habs way back in 1933 and two years later he won the Vezina with Chicago, but Feb 19, 2020 they got George Hainsworth in that deal so it wasn’t bad. They won the Grant Fuhr trade with Buffalo, and did OK with Ken Wregget. (And in case you’re wondering, Gerry Cheevers went to the Bruins in the intra- With a few days to go until the trade deadline, Kyle Dubas and the Maple league draft, not a trade.) Leafs still haven’t pulled off their big move. Or maybe they have, and Jack Campbell was it. But most of the fan base seems to be expecting Defensemen something bigger, preferably a top-four defenseman. And while Dubas Larry Murphy doesn’t have much in the way of picks to work with, he could surely work a blockbuster using guys off of the current roster, or from the prospect The trade: At the 1997 trade deadline, the rebuilding Leafs sent Murphy pipeline. Do it Kyle! Swing for the fences! to the Red Wings, because he was 36 and was clearly done. Just one thing: Do not under any circumstances trade away somebody What he did once he left: It turns out he wasn’t done; he played four we’re all going to regret losing. more seasons in Detroit, earning Norris votes in two of them and winning two Cups to cement his Hall-of-Fame case. That’s the tricky part of making trades. Fans love the short-term adrenaline rush of seeing a big deal cross the wire. But something has to But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Um … nothing. They gave Murphy go the other way, and that will often be a player or two or more. And away for “future considerations,” but it was basically a salary dump, so sometimes, those players can turn out to be pretty good. they never received anything in return. It’s like Sam Pollock used to say, the team that gets the best only player in a trade usually wins. That’s where the regret comes in, along with that sense of disbelief that anyone ever thought it would be a good idea to give up that guy in the Randy Carlyle first place. It’s a feeling that Maple Leaf fans know well. The trade: During the 1978 offseason, the Leafs sent the 22-year-old How well? How about well enough to fill out a full roster, which is what defenseman to the Penguins. Carlyle had been OK in parts of two we’re going to do today. Just in case there were any Leaf fans out there seasons in Toronto, but the Leafs decided they wanted a veteran in that with a little bit of hope and optimism still clinging to this rollercoaster of a spot. season, let’s wring that right out with a full 20-man roster of guys that the Leafs probably wish they hadn’t traded away. What he did once he left: Carlyle went on to become one of the league’s better two-way defensemen in Pittsburgh and later Winnipeg for the next A few quick ground rules. First, we’re only worried about what the player 15 seasons. His best year came in 1980-81, when he scored a career- did over the course of his career after being traded away by the Leafs. high 83 points and won the Norris Trophy. We’re looking at trades only, not guys lost to free agency or waivers or various drafts. And finally, we’re only considering players, not draft picks. But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Dave Burrows, who lasted two unremarkable years in Toronto before they sent him back to the That last one is important because it removes a few names you might be Penguins. But don’t worry, Carlyle eventually returned to Toronto and expecting to see. Scott Niedermayer was never Maple Leafs’ property. that worked out great. Neither were Tyler Seguin or Roberto Luongo, or John Gibson or Roman Josi, or any number of good players who were drafted with picks that Fern Flaman teams acquired from Toronto. The Leafs have certainly had a bad habit The trade: Flaman was a hard-nosed Original Six era defenseman who of trading high picks over the years, and it almost always works out great broke in with the Bruins, then was traded to the Maple Leafs in time to for the team on the other side. But trading a pick isn’t the same as trading help them win the 1951 Stanley Cup. He stuck around for three more a player, and you never know who your team might have taken if they’d seasons, then was traded back to Boston over the 1954 offseason. stayed in that spot. While it costs us some star power, we’re going to stick to players who actually belonged to the Leafs. What he did once he left: At the time of the trade, Flaman had been a pretty solid defenseman over the course of a ten-year career. But he The good news is that we still have plenty of candidates to choose from. broke through as a legitimate stud once he returned to Boston; he came And by good news, I mean let’s all hold hands and feel sad together. in third in Norris voting and was a second-team All-Star in 1955, would We’ll build this team the way all those Dubas critics insist on, from the net earn those same honors in both 1957 and 1958 and finished in the top out … five in Norris voting in two other seasons. That five-year stretch of Goaltenders dominance lifted him from respected veteran to potential Hall-of-Famer, an honor he eventually received in 1990. Bernie Parent But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Dave Creighton, a center who lasted The trade: Parent bounced around a bit early in his career, going from 14 games in Toronto before he was sold to the Hawks. He did score two the Bruins to the Flyers to the Leafs before flirting with the WHA. That led goals over that time (and eventually made his way back to the Leafs to the Leafs sending his rights back to Philadelphia in 1973. years later for the last two seasons of his career). What he did once he left: Parent returned to the NHL for the 1973-74 Leo Boivin season and immediately won the Vezina, Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup. Then he did it all again the next year. He was inducted into the Hall-of- The trade: As a teenager, Boivin came to Toronto in the same 1950 deal Fame in 1984. that brought Flaman there. He followed him back to Boston in 1954, but this time in a separate trade a few months later. In between he played But it’s OK because the Leafs got: The 10th overall pick in the 1973 draft, three strong seasons for the Leafs and finished third in Calder voting in which they used on Bob Neely. He played five NHL seasons and scored 1953. 36 career goals as a Leaf. What he did once he left: At the time of the 1954 trade that sent him back Tuukka Rask to the Bruins, Boivin was 22 and had three full seasons under his belt. He’d go on to play 15 more, including over a decade in Boston as well as The trade: Heading into the 2006 offseason, Maple Leafs GM John stints in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Minnesota, where he finished his career Ferguson Jr. found himself with two can’t miss goaltending prospects, but in 1970. He was named to three All-Star teams and was inducted into the nobody to hold down the starting job at the NHL level. He kept Justin Hall of Fame in 1986. Pogge and sent Rask to the Bruins. But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Thirty-two-year-old winger Joe Klukay, What he did once he left: Rask is in his 11th season in Boston, most of who lasted 74 games and scored eight goals before heading to the those as a starter. He’s won a Vezina, is closing in on the 300-win club minors. and was part of a Cup winner in 2011. And yes, for those keeping track: the Maple Leafs traded not one but two Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask in action. future Hall-of-Fame defensemen to the Bruins in separate trades in 1954, and in return they received two forwards who combined for 88 games and ten goals. Hey, I’m just going to throw this out there, but maybe the later went to Montreal, where he continued to produce, with a pair of 90- Leafs should stop trading with the Boston Bruins? point seasons and first-team honors in 1973. Anton Stralman But it’s OK because the Leafs got: This was a blockbuster deal, and the Leafs actually didn’t make out too badly. They gave up Mahovlich, Pete The trade: Stralman was a seventh-round pick in 2005, and by 2009 it Stemkowski, Garry Unger and Carl Brewer and got Norm Ullman, Paul looked like the Leafs may have found something, as he’d been decent in Henderson, Floyd Smith and Doug Barrie. Smith was done and Barrie two partial seasons. Then they traded him to the Flames. never cracked the lineup, but Henderson and Ullman were solid parts of What he did once he left: He’s in his 11th season since the deal and the early 70s Leafs, even if they never reached the same post-trade spent most of them in New York and Tampa Bay carving out a reputation heights that Mahovlich did. As far as big trades go, the Leafs have as an analytics darling. He earned Norris votes in 2015 and 2016 and certainly done worse. was a key part of trips to the final for both the Rangers and Lightning. Doug Jarvis But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Wayne Primeau, who was 33 and The trade: The Leafs took Jarvis with their second-round pick in 1975, winding down his career when Brian Burke decided his struggling club then waited three whole weeks before trading him to the Canadiens. needed some veteran moxie. He played 59 games and scored three goals in what would be his final NHL season. (The Leafs also got a What he did once he left: Jarvis went on to establish himself as one of second-round pick in the deal, which they later traded to the Blackhawks, the best defensive centers in hockey over a 13-year career with used it on Brandon Saad.) Canadiens, Capitals and Whalers. He won four Cups in Montreal, a Selke in Washington and the Masterton in Hartford, and still holds the Kenny Jonsson NHL’s all-time ironman record. The trade: OK, we said we wouldn’t include Roberto Luongo, since the But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Defenseman Greg Hubick, who lasted Leafs never actually had him and only traded the pick that was used to one season in Toronto before being relegated to the minors. select him. But we can still work that deal onto the list, because it also included Jonsson, a highly regarded former first-round pick in his first full Vincent Damphousse season when the Leafs sent him to the Islanders along with two prospects and that Luongo pick in 1996. The trade: When Cliff Fletcher arrived in 1991, he didn’t do the whole “I need a year to figure out what I’m working with” thing. Instead, he got What he did once he left: Jonsson played eight full seasons for the right to work on remaking the Leafs, pulling off a seven-player Islanders, during which he was either a solid top-four presence or one of blockbuster with the Oilers that sent the 23-year-old forward with 329 the most underrated young stars in the entire league, depending on how career points to Edmonton. badly you felt like twisting the knife on Leaf fans. His NHL career was hampered by concussions, and he stayed in Sweden after the 2005 What he did once he left: Played a lot longer than you probably lockout. remember, and racked up a lot more points. Damphousse starred for another 14 seasons in Edmonton, Montreal and San Jose, serving as But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Wendel Freaking Clark so I don’t want captain in the latter two. He finished with over 1,200 points and still ranks to hear another word about it from you people. in the NHL’s all-time top 50 for games, assists and points. OK, look, this was a bad trade. The aging Leafs gave up far too much of But it’s OK because the Leafs got: This is another deal where the Leafs their future to try to light a spark by bringing their beloved captain back, didn’t exactly get robbed. In fact, they got two Hall-of-Famers, albeit even though it initially worked. The deal wasn’t as disastrous as it’s often veterans ones in Grant Fuhr and Glenn Anderson. Still, there isn’t much remembered – Clark scored 30 goals in his first full season back, and the question as to who ended up being the most productive piece of this Leafs also landed Mathieu Schneider. (Fun fact: Former Leafs assistant deal. and current Sens head coach D.J. Smith was also in the deal, going to Toronto as a prospect that never panned out.) But yes, the Islanders J.P. Parise suckered a desperate Leafs team into overpaying. You were all going to The trade: Parise was a 26-year-old late bloomer who’d barely cracked yell at me if I didn’t put Jonsson on the list, so here he is. the NHL when the Leafs acquired him in 1967. He played one game, had If anyone needs me, I’ll be over here. an assist and the Leafs had apparently seen enough; they sent him to their AHL team, who traded him to the expansion North Stars. Late cuts: Flash Hollett was a 1930s defenseman who earned postseason All-Star honors twice after the Leafs sold him to – who else? What he did once he left: Parise blossomed into a useful player in the – the Bruins. Jason Smith went on to a solid career after the Leafs gave post-expansion NHL, lasting 11 seasons and recording 238 goals and up on him, as did Carl Gunnarsson. Luke Richardson lasted over 1,100 594 points, not to mention playing for Team Canada at the 1972 Summit gams after the Leafs moved him. Francois Beauchemin was a second- Series. He also had a kid who turned out to be pretty good at hockey. team All-Star after the Leafs sent him to Anaheim, although that was the But it’s OK because the Leafs got: OK, deep breath – the deal saw the Jake Gardiner trade, so it worked out OK. Leafs organization get Murray Hall, Ted Taylor, Len Lunde, Don Johns, Forwards Duke Harris and Carl Wetzel. Six guys! That’s not bad. Except that those half-dozen players combined to play four games for the Maple Leafs, all Lanny McDonald of them by Harris. He had zero points. The trade: McDonald was 26, had recently scored the biggest goal in the Darryl Sittler Leafs’ post-expansion history and was on his way to a fourth straight 40- goal season when he was dealt to the Rockies in 1979. The trade: Sittler was 31 when the Harold Ballard-era Leafs finally managed to shove him out the door, sending him to Philadelphia midway What he did once he left: After parts of three relatively productive through the 1981-82 season. seasons in Colorado, McDonald went to Calgary for eight more years that featured a season of 66(!) goals and, at long last, that elusive What he did once he left: Sittler is arguably the biggest star the Leafs Stanley Cup. have ever traded away, but his best days were behind him by this point, which is why we’ve got him on second-line duty here instead of heading But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Pat Hickey and Wilf Paiement, in a the list. Still, he racked up 83 points in his first full season in Philadelphia deal that also saw sexy young Joel Quenneville go to Colorado. Hickey and 63 more the next year before ending his career in Detroit, as per lasted two seasons in Toronto, while Paiement managed parts of three. league bylaws. But that’s fine, because the point of the trade wasn’t to make the Leafs But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Prospect Rich Costello and a second- better. It was to make Darryl Sittler mad. No, really, that was why the round pick. Costello famously turned out to be a bust whose NHL career deal happened. Sittler responded by stripping the captain’s “C” off his lasted just 12 games. The pick was a little better, as the Leafs chose jersey, so, mission accomplished I guess. useful Czech center Peter Ihnacak, but nobody ever confused him with Sittler. Frank Mahovlich Russ Courtnall The trade: Mahvolich had just turned 30 and was midway through his 12th season in Toronto when the Leafs sent him to the Red Wings in The trade: The flashy speedster was 23 and just starting his sixth season 1968. in Toronto when the Leafs dealt him to the Habs in 1988. What he did once he left: It turned out The Big M was far from washed What he did once he left: Not as much as you think, but he’d play for up, as he scored a career-best 49 goals in his first full season in Detroit, another decade, scoring 200 goals and 500 points. earning second-team All-Star honors both that year and the next. He But it’s OK because the Leafs got: John Kordic, and you old-school DGB Didn’t make the cut: Should Phil Kessel be on this roster? He was very types know where this is going. My original hot take, just two weeks into good in Pittsburgh, but I still feel like that deal was the rare win-win for my career as a no-name blogger, was that the Courtnall-for-Kordic deal both teams. The Wendel Clark trade to Quebec broke my heart, but the made perfect sense for the late-80s Leafs, and I stand by every word of Leafs got Mats Sundin. The Doug Gilmour trade worked out fine. And it. I’m right about this. I’m also completely alone on this island, so I’ll Steve Sullivan manages to show up on every “bad Leafs trade” list even accept my fate and include Courtnall on the roster. Just know that I don’t though he was lost on waivers. actually mean it.

Alex Steen The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 The trade: Steen was 24 and had three NHL seasons under his belt when the Leafs flipped him (and fellow former first-rounder Carlo Colaiacovo) to the Blues early in the 2008-09 season. The weirdest thing about this deal was the timing; it was made by interim GM Cliff Fletcher just days before the long-rumored hiring of Brian Burke for the full-time job was made official. What he did once he left: Steen has been a dependable two-way contributor in St. Louis ever since, peaking with a 33-goal season in 2013-14. Now well into his 30s, he held down regular minutes on last year’s Cup winner. But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Lee Stempniak, who gave the Leafs 25 goals over parts of two seasons before moving on. Rick Kehoe The trade: Kehoe was 23 and had three NHL seasons (including a 30- goal campaign) on his resume when the Leafs sent the center to Pittsburgh on the eve of the 1974-75 season. What he did once he left: Kehoe averaged about 30 goals for the Penguins for six years, then broke out with a 55-goal season in 1980-81 that also saw him win the Lady Byng. He’d eventually have his career cut short by injury, but not before he racked up over 300 goals in Pittsburgh. But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Blaine Stoughton and a 1977 first. Stoughton only lasted two years in Toronto, but the future draft pick was actually a nice Sam Pollock-style roll of the dice. It didn’t really pay off, though; it ended up being 12th overall, and the Leafs used it on defenseman Trevor Johansen, who only lasted one full season in Toronto. (Mike Bossy went three picks later.) Nazem Kadri The trade: Is this too soon? Maybe, but I miss the guy, even though I understand why the Leafs felt they needed to move on last summer. What he did once he left: He was on pace for another 30 goals and 50+ points before an injury sidelined him last week. But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Tyson Barrie and Alex Kerfoot, and yeah, it’s probably too soon to say the deal hasn’t worked out. Barrie has had his ups and downs in Toronto, to put it mildly, while Kerfoot hasn’t been the third-line center solution the team hoped for. This one could still be fine, but if Barrie bolts as a UFA this year, it doesn’t look good. And we needed at least one Dubas deal on here just for maximum pathos. Fredrik Modin The trade: Freddy Mo was 24 and three seasons into his career when the Leafs sent him to Tampa Bay just before the 1999-2000 season. What he did once he left: Modin lasted over a decade and scored nearly 200 goals for five teams, including two 30-goals years and three more with 20+. He was even an All-Star in 2001, although that was partly thanks to the weird format. But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Cory Cross. On the one hand, Cross wasn’t very good in three seasons in Toronto. On the other, he did do this. Is one playoff overtime goal worth almost 200 in the regular season? (Remembers how sad Senators fans were that year.) Maybe? Alyn McCauley and Brad Boyes The trade: We’ll squeeze both of them into our final forward slot, since the Leafs managed to squeeze both into the same trade to the Sharks back in 2003. McCauley was a 25-year-old in his sixth season who’d just had a fantastic 2002 playoff run; Boyes was a 20-year-old prospect. What they did once they left: McCauley was a Selke finalist in his first full year in San Jose, but had his career cut short by concussions. Boyes bounced around but peaked with a 40-goal season in St. Louis in 2007- 08 and scored 211 goals after the deal. But it’s OK because the Leafs got: Owen Nolan, who was really good and could have been the final piece of the Leafs’ Cup puzzle. Instead, he gave them one disappointing playoff run and one full regular season before departing in controversy. I’m always complaining about GMs who don’t have the guts to take a big swing, and Pat Quinn and the Leafs took one here. But in hindsight, they whiffed. 1171847 Vegas Golden Knights They’re rentals that the Knights should at least inquire about before Monday to see if the crazy selling prices remain out of sorts. Holding tight to a concept that such players aren’t worth the risk for fear of losing them to free agency is just shortsighted. Time will tell if Golden Knights overpaid for Alec Martinez Besides, haven’t we heard over and over how much players love Las Vegas? By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal Experience means little I’ve waited until now to recount the fact that Martinez was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Kings and in 2014 scored goals that won Alec Martinez doesn’t move you from a townhouse with street parking to the Western Conference title and then the Cup. a two-story Colonial with a long, winding, cobblestone driveway and three-car garage. I waited because, despite the narrative management offered Wednesday in how important such a resume should directly affect the Vegas room, I’m not even sure he’s an upgrade from wool carpet to hardwood given it’s more a concept of momentum. the cost. It doesn’t mean anything. But the Golden Knights felt different enough to part with two second- round picks Wednesday to acquire the 32-year-old defenseman from the Those moments occurred years ago, and you would wear yourself out Los Angeles Kings. counting how many teams in all sports have won titles with little-to-no championship experience. The Knights have enough leaders to make a Trades involving draft selections and a player with term are never easily run. That’s not an issue. —and perhaps fairly — judged in the moment. Players on the Knights who know Martinez say he will fit in well. That’s But if it’s true that the only thing more precious than time is those we good. That he’s excited about again competing on a winning team. Good spend it with, the Knights dispensed a good amount. also. Vegas was never going to keep all five second-round picks it compiled So, too, is the fact that he fills a need, how well or much to be determined over the next two seasons, so in trading for Martinez, they get a player at on a defense that has improved under DeBoer. a position that has needed an upgrade for a while. For now, however, the Knights made a trade Wednesday and the So the idea to stockpile assets in the past to now improve the present is proverbial needle barely moved. at least acceptable. Time will tell if the price was too high. But by how much, really? But doesn’t it always? Is this it? LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 02.20.2020 There’s another move coming, yes? It’s hardly desperate to trade for Martinez given the defensemen who have been moved the last few days. Vegas had to get better at the blue line, a fact that was obvious before Gerard Gallant was fired as coach and Pete DeBoer was hired. And it did. The Knights also parted with no prospects, a positive conclusion when those buying strike a deal. But the analytical production Martinez has offered in this, his ninth full NHL season, would slate him above Knights defenseman Jon Merrill and below defenseman Nick Holden. Not exactly a room full of antique java hardwood on return, and yet Martinez will now play with much better talent. Any offense from him is a plus. He can help on the penalty kill and should benefit the transition breakout DeBoer has implemented. He will block shots. He can play both sides, versatility that will make it interesting to see who he best fits alongside. On one hand, it has been beyond a seller’s market as the deadline looms. I’m surprised someone hasn’t offered the Devils their entire draft for Lindsey Vonn with P.K. Subban as a throw-in, given it appears most everyone in New Jersey is available. I suppose, then, the Knights view the Martinez deal as much for next season — he will make $4 million while the contracts for Merrill and Holden expire — as whatever he offers now. Martinez is solid but not near the missing piece to a Stanley Cup. He’s merely a guy who is better than the guy he will replace. What this also did is restate the Vegas belief not to pursue rentals at the deadline, unless his name is Ryan Reaves. So while the Capitals this week traded a second- and third-round pick to San Jose for a younger and better defenseman in Brenden Dillon while getting the Sharks to retain 50 percent of salary, the Knights sought an older player with term. I understand such inflexibility at times, but what about when you think a move might mean the difference between an early playoff exit or legitimate Cup run? There are defensemen left to be had that you can win a Cup with, but maybe not because of them. Dillon was one, and Washington got him. So is Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Erik Gustafsson, an impending unrestricted free agent who could bolster the Vegas blue line even more. Or someone like Sami Vatanen of New Jersey, still on injured reserve and yet perhaps more a bargain now than ever. 1171848 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights GM likes progress under Pete DeBoer

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Wednesday he’s encouraged by the team’s progress under coach Pete DeBoer. The Knights fired Gerard Gallant as coach Jan. 15 after 24-19-6 start. They are 7-3-2 since. DeBoer has tweaked the systems, special teams and lines and has delivered results during a difficult stretch. His first seven games were on the road and his first eight were without center William Karlsson. “He came in at a challenging time in our schedule,” McCrimmon said. “I like the improvement that I see in our team.” There’s no doubt the Knights have experienced an uptick under DeBoer. They’re scoring more goals. They’re allowing fewer. They rank sixth in the NHL in points percentage since he was hired despite their daunting schedule. The Knights played eight of their first nine games with DeBoer on the road, then began a strenuous five-game homestand Feb. 13. They’ve started the homestand 3-0. They’ve defeated the last two Stanley Cup champions (St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals) and a team in line to make the playoffs (New York Islanders). On Thursday, the Knights host last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner, the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s another test, but DeBoer has passed each one thrown his way. “Am I encouraged that our team has played better of late? I am,” McCrimmon said. “They’ve played well. We’ve beat real good teams. (Those are) the kind of teams you have to beat if you’re going to be successful playoff time, so that’s encouraging.” Tuch lands on IR The Knights placed right wing Alex Tuch, who is week to week with a lower-body injury, on injured reserve. He was placed on long-term injured reserve, which allows the team to exceed the salary cap limit by his $4.75 million hit, according to the website CapFriendly. McCrimmon said he expects Tuch to return before the end of the regular season. He has eight goals and nine assists in 42 games. He was injured in the Knights’ 6-5 overtime win over the Blues on Feb. 13. Chicago additions The Knights recalled center Nicolas Roy and defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Jimmy Schuldt from the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves on Wednesday. Roy has six points. Whitecloud has yet to record a point. He’s played in seven of the team’s last eight games. Schuldt made his NHL debut April 6 and hasn’t appeared with the Knights since. The team now has nine defensemen on the roster. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171849 Vegas Golden Knights “I like actually how some of our pairs have rolled out lately,” DeBoer said. “We’ll put some thought into that. Where we start (Thursday) night isn’t necessarily where it all ends up.” Golden Knights acquire Alec Martinez from Los Angeles Kings The Knights might not be done dealing ahead of the trade deadline, despite being pushed against the salary cap and the skyrocketing cost of doing business. By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal New Jersey defenseman Sami Vatanen remains on injured reserve, and the Knights could buy low on the pending unrestricted free agent as a result. Chicago has fallen behind in the wild-card chase and is expected Kelly McCrimmon rattled off several qualities he liked about defenseman to cash in on rental defenseman Erik Gustafsson, as well. Alec Martinez, including his leadership, versatility, skills as a penalty killer McCrimmon predicted the trade market will become more clear in the and ability to move the puck in transition. coming days as more bubble teams determine whether they’re sellers. But the first thing the Golden Knights’ general manager identified in his “This was a move that we had considered for a long time,” McCrimmon opening remarks Wednesday about the team’s newest acquisition was said. “We identified this as a way we really wanted to improve our team Martinez’s postseason experience. was to add a defenseman of this caliber. “In the player, we get a two-time Stanley Cup champion,” McCrimmon “We’ll do a reset now and work right to the deadline on Monday to see if said. there’s any other moves out there that can help us.” The Knights finalized the deal for the 32-year-old Martinez on LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 02.20.2020 Wednesday, sending a 2020 second-round pick and a 2021 second- rounder to Los Angeles. He is expected to be in the lineup Thursday when the Knights host Tampa Bay, winners of 11 straight, at T-Mobile Arena. “I think experience is real important,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Kelly and I had some frank conversations about the strengths and the weaknesses of the team. I don’t think it’s any secret that getting a defenseman has been a priority or at least at the top of the list if they were going to do something, that was going to be one of the first things they did.” Martinez, who will wear jersey No. 23, joins Marc-Andre Fleury (three) and Chandler Stephenson (one) as the only players on the roster to win the Stanley Cup. He scored the series-clinching goal for the Kings against the New York Rangers in 2014 and also helped Los Angeles defeat New Jersey in 2012 when DeBoer coached the Devils. The Knights had extra draft picks after a series of cost-cutting trades last summer, which provided McCrimmon the capital to make a move for Martinez ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. They still have Pittsburgh’s second-round pick in 2020 (for selecting Fleury in the expansion draft) and also have two picks in the second round in 2021. “We improve without subtracting, which is really important to us,” McCrimmon said. Martinez is under contract through the 2020-21 season, a major selling point for the Knights’ front office with three pending unrestricted free agents on defense (Deryk Engelland, Nick Holden and Jon Merrill). Martinez has a $4 million cap hit, and McCrimmon confirmed the Knights are taking on his full salary rather than Los Angeles retaining a portion. “He’s a seasoned guy that has the ability to raise his level at the important times of the year,” DeBoer said. In 41 games with the Kings, Martinez has one goal — which came Jan. 9 against the Knights — and eight points. He’s averaging 21:31 of ice time per game, second on the team behind Drew Doughty. Martinez, who was not available to the media Wednesday, has 62 goals and 198 points in 597 career NHL games. His career high of 39 points came in 2016-17, and he’s topped 20 points in a season five times. Martinez will face his former team March 1 at T-Mobile Arena when Los Angeles faces the Knights. “He’s a warrior,” said defenseman Brayden McNabb, who played three seasons with Martinez in Los Angeles. “He (has) a ton of experience. Two Stanley Cups. Plays the game the right way. Plays it hard. Very reliable defensively and can chip in offensively. It’s a great pickup for us, and we’re excited to have him.” Martinez is a left shot but can play both sides of the ice, providing DeBoer with plenty of options on defense. He can slot into the top four, or solidify the Knights’ third pair. The Knights also recalled Zach Whitecloud and Jimmy Schuldt from the American Hockey League on Wednesday, giving them nine defensemen on the roster. McCrimmon said those moves were related to salary cap compliance. 1171850 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Ryan Reaves teams with MGM on newest beer

By Heidi Knapp Rinella Las Vegas Review-Journal

Vegas Golden Knights star Ryan Reaves will make a ceremonial first pour of his new Showtime Blonde Ale during an appearance from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at NoMad Bar at NoMad. Some 75 guests who purchase a pint of it will have a chance to meet the right winger. The event will celebrate a collaboration between Reaves’ 7Five Brewing Co. and MGM Resorts International to create the beer, which has been described as a crisp, easy-drinking ale. An MGM Resorts spokeswoman said it will be available at all of the company’s Las Vegas-area properties at bars including NoMad Bar; Moneyline at Park MGM; Beerhaus at The Park; Five50, the Lobby Bar and the Aria Pool at Aria; the Starting Gate at the sportsbook at Bellagio; Nine Fine Irishmen and Pour 24 at New York-New York; the Public House, Tender Lounge, Aurora and Flight at the Luxor; and Vagabond and The Lounge at Excalibur. This is the third brew for 7Five and Reaves, following Training Day Golden Ale and Dawn Breaker Lager. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171851 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights acquire defenseman Alec Martinez from Kings

By Justin Emerson (contact)

The Golden Knights have a history of being aggressive at the trade deadline and didn’t want to wait until Monday’s deadline this time. Vegas announced today that it has acquired defenseman Alec Martinez from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for two second-round draft picks. Martinez is expected to join the team in time for Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Golden Knights will send their second-round pick in the 2020 draft and a second-rounder in 2021 that originally belonged to the St. Louis Blues. Vegas still has a second-rounder this season and two in 2021. The Golden Knights also recalled forward Nicolas Roy, defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Jimmy Schuldt, and placed forward Alex Tuch on injured reserve, capping their roster at 23 players, including Martinez. Martinez, 32, is under contract for this season and next at a cap hit of $4 million. He shoots left-handed but has often played the right side in Los Angeles, where he had eight points in 41 games. Martinez is best known for scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal in double overtime of Game 5 in 2014. As a defenseman with term, Martinez fits what the Golden Knights are looking for. They don’t have to worry about a new contract for him this summer, when defensemen Nick Holden, Jon Merrill and Deryk Engelland are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents. But it’s fair to question whether this was the right defenseman to acquire. According to Evolving Wild’s model, Martinez has been worth 3.9 goals above replacement this year, which would slide him between Holden (4.4) and Merrill (3.5) on the Vegas depth chart. He hasn’t moved the needle on a struggling Kings team, with a 51.3% Corsi share that is below the relative strength of his Los Angeles teammates. LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171852 Vegas Golden Knights That’s why I believe Gustafsson is a perfect fit for what the Golden Knights are looking for at the deadline, for multiple reasons.

Gustafsson provides an instant offensive boost to the blue line Granger: Why the Golden Knights should trade for Chicago’s Erik The Golden Knights have one of the cheapest defensive groups in all of Gustafsson the NHL, so it’s no surprise they could use some upgrading. However, Vegas’ issue hasn’t necessarily been defending, especially since DeBoer took over. By Jesse Granger Feb 19, 2020 14 Since Dec. 16, when the coaching change was made, the Golden Knights have played the best defense in the NHL, allowing a league low in shot attempts and shots on goal and the second-fewest scoring The Golden Knights acquired veteran defenseman Alec Martinez from chances during that span. the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday morning to bolster their blue line. The addition of Martinez should make that defense even tougher to play Vegas has been looking to improve its defensive core for some time, as against, but with only one goal this season, he isn’t going to add much head coach Peter DeBoer alluded to Wednesday. offensively. Shea Theodore has been unbelievable offensively, and Nate “Kelly (McCrimmon) and I had some frank conversations about the Schmidt has picked up his production lately, but Vegas could still use strengths and weaknesses of the team, and I don’t think it’s any secret another weapon. DeBoer loves using his defensemen in the offensive that getting a defenseman has been a priority, or at least at the top of the zone — look at Burns’ numbers over the past few seasons for reference list if they were going to do something,” DeBoer said. “Those — and he’s already shown that in Vegas by playing Theodore a lot more conversations were pretty frank, and pretty early in the process.” than Gerard Gallant ever did. What if the Golden Knights aren’t done adding to the defense? While Gustafsson certainly has issues defensively, I think the Golden Knights have the structure around him to hide some of those deficiencies “This was a move that we have considered for a long time, and we while showcasing his playmaking. If DeBoer can play Gustafsson mostly identified this as a way we really wanted to improve our team, was to add on offensive-zone starts and the power play, he could be a major a defenseman of this caliber,” McCrimmon said Wednesday after the contributor who brings another element of offense to Vegas. trade to acquire Martinez. “That’s why we worked really hard to finalize and determine what the price was going to be at the deadline. We’ll do a With Gustafsson on the ice at even strength, Chicago has scored 3.11 reset now, and then we’ll work right to the deadline on Monday to see if goals per 60 minutes this season. That leads all Blackhawks defensemen there are any other moves out there that could help us, that make and is higher than any current Golden Knights defenseman. sense.” The asking price should be reasonable Martinez is a stay-at-home defenseman who should improve Vegas in its No one has a handle on what the Blackhawks front office is thinking own end and around the net, but he adds little to the offense and isn’t the better than Lazerus. Here are his thoughts on what Gustafsson could smooth-skating, puck-mover the third pair seems to be missing. command in return: But Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson is, and he could be available for a “Coming into the season, you have to think Stan Bowman figured he reasonable price. could get a first-round pick and then some for Gustafsson. After all, he The Blackhawks have endured a roller-coaster season, repeatedly got a first-rounder and a decent prospect for Ryan Hartman a couple elevating themselves to a possible playoff team before dipping into a years ago. But with defense-needy teams making early moves this week, losing streak that puts them out of contention. The latest streak — losing and with Gustafsson’s dip in production, Bowman might have to settle for six of their last seven games — has the Blackhawks on the outside a package centering around a second-rounder instead. The Blackhawks looking in, making them a potential seller at the deadline. only have five picks in the 2020 draft, and need a second-rounder after dealing theirs away in the Andrew Shaw trade last summer.” Gustafsson is an unrestricted free agent this summer and is unlikely to re-sign with the Blackhawks due to cap restraints and the emergence of The Golden Knights began the week with a glut of second-round picks youngster Adam Boqvist. Gustafsson is fresh off a 2018-19 season when over the next two years, and they still have extras even after sending two he was the NHL’s sixth-highest scoring defenseman, with 17 goals and of them to Los Angeles for Martinez. Vegas still owns Pittsburgh’s 2020 43 assists. That would’ve made him the Golden Knights’ highest scorer, second-round pick as well as its own, and it also has New Jersey’s one point ahead of Jonathan Marchessault. second-round pick in 2021. The only defensemen with more points than Gustafsson last season If McCrimmon is willing to give up two second-round picks for Martinez, were Brent Burns, Mark Giordano, Morgan Rielly, John Carlson and he could certainly entertain giving another one (or two) to Chicago for a Keith Yandle. His smooth edge work and exceptional vision in the difference-maker like Gustafsson. I could also see a prospect thrown in. offensive zone make him a commanding quarterback to a dangerous Gustafsson’s extremely low cap hit power play and a weapon at five-on-five. The bad news when it comes to Gustafsson’s contract status is that he’s And while Gustafsson’s 2018-19 season put him in phenomenal an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Golden Knights have company, his production has dropped to only six goals and 20 assists in remained steadfast that they aren’t interested in rentals. 58 appearances this season. But the good news is that under Gustafsson’s current contract his cap hit His somewhat disappointing follow-up to his breakout year certainly is only $1.2 million for the season, which works out to only $296,774 for generates some questions as to his consistency and his ability to be a the remainder of the year. Even after the Golden Knights added top-end scoring defenseman long term. The fact that he’s had only one Martinez’s salary in Wednesday’s trade, finding space for less than season with more than 30 points, and will be a free agent this summer, $300,000 shouldn’t be too difficult, especially for a player of Gustafsson’s could make contract negotiations tricky. level. But it also has another effect: His trade price has gone way down. Gustafsson has had only one great season, so he shouldn’t be too Here’s The Athletic’s Blackhawks writer Mark Lazerus’ perspective on the difficult to lock up long term if the Golden Knights choose to do that. The situation: benefit of having a rental player is it allows you to see how he fits into the team before committing long term. With how much the players love living “Gustafsson should be a prime bit of trade bait for the Blackhawks. He’s in Las Vegas, no state income tax and the brand-new facilities, I don’t on an expiring contract that carries a measly $1.2 million cap hit, and believe the Golden Knights would have any issues signing him if that’s he’s coming off a season in which he posted 60 points and the direction they chose to go. quarterbacked one of the top power-play units over the second half of the season. But this season hasn’t gone nearly as well. The Blackhawks’ Vegas may have to send some salary out, and it likely wouldn’t be to power play is dead last in the league, and Gustafsson has just six goals Chicago — which is also pressed tightly against the cap ceiling — but and 20 assists through 58 games. He also continues to be an adventure finding a taker for a contract shouldn’t be too hard around the deadline. in his own end, something that was easier to overlook last season when He fits nicely into the lineup he was scoring at such a high clip. In Chicago, he’s been playing a lot of top-four minutes. In a more ideal situation, he’d probably be seeing more The Golden Knights love pairing a speedy defenseman with a steady, sheltered 5-on-5 minutes and used more as a power-play specialist.” stay-at-home presence on each pairing, but for the past couple of years they haven’t had a third offensive-minded blueliner for the third pairing. Schmidt and Brayden McNabb have served as Vegas’ top pairing nearly since inception, and DeBoer is very comfortable sending them over the boards to defend the opposing top line every night. Theodore has been one of the best defensemen in the league this season on the second line and will pair nicely with either Holden (whom he’s excelled with lately) or Martinez. But the third pairing has given Vegas fits, trying different combinations of Deryk Engelland, Jon Merrill and rookie Zach Whitecloud. All three of those players are of the stay-at-home mold. Bumping either Holden or Martinez down to the bottom pairing will be an immediate upgrade, and a speedy Gustafsson could be the perfect bottom pair. As Lazerus said above, Gustafsson’s abilities are best used on a bottom pairing, where he can play sheltered minutes, in the offensive zone, and pitch in on the power play. It would get the most out of every defenseman in the lineup and finally give Vegas three equally balanced pairs. Plus, if the Golden Knights end up going on the long playoff run they hope to have, they’ll almost certainly need more than six defensemen to survive it. Adding Gustafsson means the healthy scratches would likely be Merill, Engelland and Whitecloud, who are very solid fill-ins if needed. There’s always a chance Chicago decides to keep Gustafsson altogether. A source told The Athletic that “the trade has to really make sense for them to do (it).” McCrimmon alluded to that Wednesday, saying, “I think you’ll find when Monday comes there are a lot of defensemen that people suggested might be moved, that you’ll find those moves don’t happen.” But league sources also said they believe Bowman’s asking price for players like Gustafsson and Robin Lehner are high now (first-round pick) but will come down as the deadline draws nearer. The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171853 Vegas Golden Knights The Athletic’s Ken Wiebe. “Championship qualities. A guy where you can see why they’ve won here in the past, when you have those type of players are contributing on a daily basis. They had the pieces they needed to win. Everybody talks about (Anze) Kopitar, (Drew) Doughty, What Alec Martinez brings to the Golden Knights’ lineup (Marian) Gaborik and some of those guys from those championship teams, but (Tyler) Toffoli and Martinez played a huge role in it and I can see it now.” By Jesse Granger Feb 19, 2020 33 Doughty, who played with Martinez for his entire career in Los Angeles, had this to say about his longtime teammate: “He’s a very good shot- blocker. Good skater, gets his shots through from the point. A good little The Golden Knights have been looking to add to their blue line for a wrister on him. He can hammer one-timers, too, actually. Good while, and Wednesday they finally did. Vegas acquired veteran defensively. The game’s kind of going a different direction (with) defenseman Alec Martinez from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a offensive D-men, so Marty’s a good two-way defenseman that’s going to second-round pick in 2020 and a second-round pick in 2021, according make any team better. He’s a professional as well and a good person.” to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. The Golden Knights have been the best defensive team in the NHL since Martinez brings veteran leadership and a boatload of playoff experience Peter DeBoer took over as head coach. Since Dec. 16, when the to a team hoping for a deep run. The 32-year-old defenseman helped coaching change was made, Vegas has allowed only 43.92 shot anchor the Kings’ defensive core for the past decade, including their two attempts against per 60 minutes at even strength. Not only does that lead Stanley Cup runs. He even scored the game-winning goal in overtime to the NHL, but it’s more than four fewer shot attempts against than the next seal the 2014 Stanley Cup final. All together Martinez has appeared in 64 best team (Philadelphia at 48.23). playoff games, which places him third on the Golden Knights behind Marc-Andre Fleury (142) and Paul Stastny (79). Vegas has also allowed the NHL’s fewest shots on goal and second- fewest scoring chances during that span. That’s partially due to more And Martinez still has another year left on his contract after this season, consistent play from veterans like Nate Schmidt, Shea Theodore and with a cap hit of $4 million, making him the third-highest paid defender in Brayden McNabb, but also the emergence of Zach Whitecloud. The Vegas. rookie has played great in his own zone, perhaps even well enough to erase Vegas’ need for defensive help. Over the past two seasons, Vegas has made a big splash at the deadline, dishing out multiple picks for Tomas Tatar in 2017-18, and But perhaps management would prefer a veteran presence in that spot sending top prospect Erik Brannstrom to Ottawa for star forward Mark when the postseason arrives instead of a rookie like Whitecloud or Nic Stone last season. Hague. Martinez brings a steady defensive presence to a team that already has Based on Martinez’s performance over the past two seasons I think it’s plenty of that. He has only one goal and seven assists in 41 games this unlikely he unseats any of the top-three defensemen in Vegas season, and hasn’t topped 30 points in a season since 2016-17. Martinez (Theodore, Schmidt and McNabb). That leaves two possible slots for the is the type of stay-at-home defenseman that goes unnoticed when he’s at left-handed shot. Either playing with Theodore on the second pair, or on his best, helping neutralize opposing top players with good positioning the bottom pair with one of Whitecloud, Jon Merrill or Deryk Engelland. and a strong net-front presence. But since the 2014-15 season, Martinez’s playmaking ability has steadily declined. Breaking up the second pairing of Theodore and Nick Holden may be tough to do, considering they’ve been the third-best defensive pairing in That last number in the chart isn’t a typo. In 714:54 of even strength ice the NHL by expected goals percentage (64.7). The two have gelled time this season, Martinez hasn’t recorded a single primary assist. His extremely well lately, and Theodore’s speed and offensive prowess play goals per 60 minutes have also plummeted to a career-low 0.08 this well with Holden’s vision and reliability on the back end. Every year. defenseman that has played with Theodore this season has played their best hockey, so perhaps the Golden Knights will play Martinez there in It can be difficult to determine if Martinez’s defensive game has order to get the most out of him. He certainly fits the mold of a stay-at- deteriorated or if that’s just a product of the Kings’ demise over the past home blueliner to juxtapose Theodore. two seasons. That’s the case with most trade deadline deals, as executives try to project how players on struggling teams will fit into their That would bump Holden back down to the third pairing, which would be playoff-hopeful squad. Sometimes it works brilliantly — like when Stone disappointing for him considering he currently ranks in the top five left a floundering Senators team and was immediately one of the best amongst all defensemen in on-ice shot share, scoring chance share and players on the team for Vegas. And sometimes it doesn’t — like when expected goals. Tatar transformed from a perennial 20-goal scorer in Detroit to a healthy scratch in the playoffs for the Golden Knights. One aspect of Martinez’s game that could have enticed Vegas is his willingness to block shots. The 32-year-0ld has 85 blocks this year, Vegas clearly believes Martinez’s poor defensive numbers are a product ranking 46th in the NHL. He would rank third on the Golden Knights of his environment, which was the 24th-ranked defense in the league. behind McNabb (116) and Engelland (86). Since DeBoer took over he Martinez’s goals against per 60 minutes skyrocketed to a career-high has focused on getting more blocked shots from the team, and Martinez 3.19, but that’s certainly a product of playing for a rebuilding Kings’ should help in that department. squad. However, Martinez has the worst goals against per 60 minutes of any Los Angeles defenseman that has played at least five games. There’s no question the Golden Knights are better today than they were yesterday. Adding an NHL defenseman of Martinez’s pedigree improves One of the best ways to remove a player’s outside surroundings and the roster, while they only gave up futures to Los Angeles. analyze a player on his own contribution is RAPM (regularized adjusted plus-minus). RAPM measures a player’s actual contribution to his team in But there’s also a chance McPhee and McCrimmon aren’t done yet. the various statistics like shots, expected goals and goal differential by Offensively-talented defensemen like Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson and stripping out factors outside of the player’s control, such as the strength New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen are both still be on the market and would of his teammates and strength of his opponents. provide Vegas’ blue line with the offensive punch it has lacked when Theodore isn’t on the ice. Over the past three seasons, Martinez’s expected goals against RAPM is the 36th-worst in the NHL. And as this heat map by Micah Blake I’m not sure this deal on its own puts the Golden Knights over the top as McCurdy at Ineffective Math shows, the Kings have actually been better a contender for the Western Conference with St. Louis and Colorado, but defensively with Martinez off the ice this season. if it’s the first piece to the trade deadline puzzle, it could be a savvy move to add playoff experience. McCrimmon and McPhee shockingly fired However, prior to the Kings’ recent decline, they played a playoff series Gerard Gallant mid-season, have dealt a bounty of future picks and against the Golden Knights in 2018. During that four-game sweep, Los prospects over the last two years, and their hopes of a playoff run rest on Angeles played Martinez a whopping 27:52 per game, showing the the shoulders of a 35-year-old goalie, so they are clearly in win-now coaching staff’s trust in the veteran. There’s a possibility Martinez’s mode. defensive decline has been a product of Los Angeles’ immense struggles as a team. Perhaps playing with more talented players, in meaningful This trade continues that trend and could be a helpful piece toward the games late in the season, will rejuvenate him into the playoff stalwart he ultimate goal of hoisting the Stanley Cup. And if they need an overtime was for the Kings a few years ago. That’s certainly what the Golden goal to seal it, Martinez may be the right man for the job. Knights are hoping for in this trade. The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 “Quality individual. First-class guy. Very mature, bright, smart, an incredible work ethic,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said of Martinez to 1171854 Washington Capitals

Capitals say newly acquired Brenden Dillon will give them a veteran, physical presence on defense

Samantha Pell

With the acquisition of Brenden Dillon in a trade Tuesday with the San Jose Sharks, the Washington Capitals added a top-four defenseman with playoff experience, physicality and a veteran locker room presence at a time when they are trying to get back on track after a prolonged slump. “He checked a lot of boxes for everything we thought we needed,” General Manager Brian MacLellan said Wednesday, noting Dillon’s reputation for strong defensive play. “I think one of the things that’s been frustrating for me is the play in front of our own net, the compete level in front of our own net, and this is something he brings to the table here. I think he does a great job in front of our net. So I think we addressed that through him.” Dillon is in the final season of his contract and can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. He was expected to arrive in Washington on Wednesday afternoon, and it had not been determined whether he will play Thursday at against the Montreal Canadiens. Capitals Coach Todd Reirden said the team would like to see Dillon in Thursday’s game, if possible. If not, he probably would be in the lineup Saturday at New Jersey before Washington plays an important matinee against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday at home. MacLellan said he had an eye on Dillon since he first came to the NHL in 2012, a year after he signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent. The Capitals felt the cost to add Dillon was fair — they gave up a 2020 second-round draft pick and a conditional third-round pick — especially with San Jose retaining 50 percent of Dillon’s salary and salary cap hit. MacLellan seemed open to the idea of additional player moves in advance of Monday’s trade deadline, and he said they would probably involve forwards rather than defensemen. “We’re going to pursue anything that we think can make us better,” MacLellan said. “We’ll continue to talk to teams. We’ve had conversations as we’ve had with the defense, and we’ll keep doing it and see if we can make our team better.” When asked whether the team would be looking to make any major deals, MacLellan didn’t rule it out. He made clear, however, that goaltender Braden Holtby was not on the trading block. MacLellan said he was satisfied with the Capitals’ depth on defense, even without Tuesday’s acquisition of Dillon. “I think we have a good team that’s not playing the right way, and we need to find the right way to play,” MacLellan said of the Capitals, who have lost four of their past five games and are 10-10 over their past 20. “I think sometimes our defense is getting pinpointed for it where I think team defense should be more the focus of the criticism. I think our forwards contribute to the pressure that’s put on our 'D': wall play in our own end, back pressure, lack of a forecheck. I think our team game is off, and that results in poor defensive efforts from basically our team.” “There are guys around the league that play hard and that play the right way, and he’s one of them,” Wilson said. “We’re really excited to have a guy like that come into our room. I’ve heard nothing but really top-tier things from pretty much everybody that knows him, so we’re excited to have him and excited to add him to the group.” Capitals’ John Carlson nearing franchise record as he tries to anchor the blue line Reirden said Dillon, who is a left-handed shot and played on the left when paired with Brent Burns in San Jose, will play alongside either John Carlson or Dmitry Orlov. “Now that we have another player here and who knows what else as we get closer to finishing up the deadline here, it creates competition and it’s going to bring out the best in our players, and how do they deal with the adversity?” Reirden said. “Some of these guys haven’t had to go through a lot of adversity this year or within their careers. And now they’re going to have to. We’ll get to see a little bit of the makeup of certain players and how they handle themselves as we make this final push in the last 20 games.” Washington Post LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171855 Washington Capitals “I think the more you can acclimate (new players) to being themselves and having fun and getting to know everyone, that is the main thing,” Carlson said. “You go out and work hard and good things happen. On-ice stuff gets better as it goes.” With Dillon's size, toughness, Caps can play 'heavy' hockey “The hard things to do, the defensive things to do, are always kind of the things that go first when you get into these kind of lulls in the season or whatever, because they’re not the fun things to do,” Braden Holtby By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, February 19, added. “Obviously, everyone always wants to score goals. Not everyone 2020 always wants to play defense. It’s just human nature. So bringing a guy like (Dillon) in, just the energy, a guy that’s been known to do those things, the hard things, (and) be a leader that way is good.” ARLINGTON — If there’s a theme to the Washington Capitals‘ acquisitions since last offseason — Garnet Hathaway, Radko Gudas and Washington Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 now Brenden Dillon — it’s players that are “not fun to play against.” That’s how coach Todd Reirden described Dillon one day after the Capitals acquired the defenseman from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2020 second-round draft pick and a conditional 2021 third-round pick. Adding the 6-foot-4, 225-pound blueliner gives Washington another physical piece in its pursuit of playing “heavy” hockey this season. Dillon is ninth in the NHL this year with 178 hits. More to the point, Dillon, 29, gives the Capitals a new top-4 defenseman to work into the mix as they try to grapple with their recent defensive deficiencies. “He’s got playoff experience, he’s a veteran player, physicality, the ability to play with top-end guys, a good character guy,” general manager Brian MacLellan told reporters Wednesday. “I think he’ll add a lot of energy in our room and on the ice. He’s a physical presence. He checked a lot of boxes for everything we thought we needed.” Dillon did not practice with the Capitals Wednesday as he traveled from California to the District. It is uncertain whether he’ll be ready to make his team debut Thursday when the Capitals host the Montreal Canadiens. “We’ll see what time he ends up getting in today from travel and everything,” Reirden said. “I think if possible we’d like to get him in there tomorrow … The next three games are important and just want to get him in there as quick as possible so he’s up to speed with what we want to do systematically.” The question becomes where Dillon will fit. Both Reirden and MacLellan said they could see Dillon pairing up with either John Carlson on the first pair or Dmitry Orlov on the second — implying that Michal Kempny and Nick Jensen are the blueliners in danger of losing some minutes. Dillon is a left-shot defenseman who has played very little on the right side, so a simple swap for Jensen is not the likely answer. Orlov told reporters he would feel comfortable moving from the left side to the right to accommodate Dillon. MacLellan has no qualms about playing two lefties on the same pair. “I mean, ideally you want a lefty-righty, but that’s not the way the league functions,” MacLellan said. “You could sit here and wait forever for the right-handed shot guy. I think you gotta make it work. Coaches have to make it work, players have to make it work.” The general manager — who has now traded for at least one defenseman before the trade deadline in each of his six seasons on the job — said criticism of the Capitals‘ recent defensive lapses should be directed to the entire team, not particularly the blueliners. He believes the “compete level in front of our own net” had become an issue. “I think there’s a little cheat in our game,” he said. “I think we’re playing teams that are very well-structured in the neutral zone and we’re not willing to do the right things to counteract that. I think we gotta get more in the mindset of we’re willing to play a 1-0 game and we’re not there right now. It’s a team effort. “The forwards contribute to it, defense contributes to it, and we got to get all on the same page here and play a tighter game.” The Capitals could still make a deal for a forward before Monday’s NHL trade deadline, but MacLellan said the team was content to have seven defensemen following the trade for Dillon. As for Dillon, he’ll skate with his new team for the first time Thursday morning before Reirden and the coaching staff evaluate whether he’ll be fresh and ready to play against the Canadiens. Carlson said he had heard great things about Dillon, who has spent most of the last six seasons in San Jose paired with Brent Burns, one of the league’s top defensemen. 1171856 Washington Capitals

Brian MacLellan doesn't want Capitals to force Ovechkin's 700th goal

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, February 19, 2020

ARLINGTON — New acquisition Brenden Dillon hasn’t arrived in Washington yet, but Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan fielded questions about the trade Wednesday morning and said the team was pursuing a top-4 defenseman regardless of the Capitals’ recent slump. “No, I think we wanted to do that anyway, the top-4 D,” MacLellan said. “I think we have a good team that’s not playing the right way, and we need to find the right way to play.” The Capitals are 10-10-0 in their last 20 games, including 4-6-0 with 36 goals allowed in 10 games since the All-Star break. TOP STORIES Remember the 'NASCAR Democrats?' Neither do they Patricia Heaton asks why 'any civilized person' would support the Democratic Party 2020 Dems unite -- against Bloomberg Alex Ovechkin’s ongoing quest for 700 career goals has also hit a speed bump. After he went on a tear in January and early February, Ovechkin stalled at 698 goals and hasn’t scored in five games — games in which Washington went 1-4-0. Asked if the chase for 700 was potentially distracting the Capitals, MacLellan and Ovechkin had differing opinions. “From observing, I would say I think everybody wants him to get it and are trying hard for him to get it and I think we would benefit from just: Let’s play our game and it’s going to happen organically,” MacLellan said. “It’s just going to take care of itself. But you’d have to ask him that specifically if it’s affecting him. But I think if we play the right way it’s going to happen sooner than later.” Ovechkin shrugged off the idea that it was affecting either him or his teammates. “No, I don’t think [anyone] thinks about it,” Ovechkin said “If it happens, it happens. How I said, it’s just a matter of time. Tomorrow, after tomorrow, whatever. So we’re focusing right now to get our game better, securing a playoff spot and then we’ll move on.” Last week, after a 5-3 loss to the Islanders, Tom Wilson and other Capitals players faced similar lines of query. “I don’t know if it’s a distraction. Maybe it is,” Wilson said. “But in the NHL, when you’re a professional, you’re supposed to deal with what’s gonig on around you. It’s not always a great day at home. It’s not always a great day at the rink. You come to the rink and you’ve got to perform. … Obviously we want Ovi to get to 700. That’s gonna be a great day when he does. But for now we gotta worry about the two points at the end of the night.” Washington Times LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171857 Washington Capitals Last season, MacLellan traded for a defenseman playing a significant role on a bad team in Nick Jensen. Jensen had zero playoff experience and that showed in the team's postseason series against the Carolina Hurricanes. This year, MacLellan elected to go a different route. The 6 most important things Brian MacLellan said about new Caps acquisition Brenden Dillon Dillon has 62 games of playoff experience under his belt and helped the San Jose Sharks reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 and the Western Conference Final in 2019. By J.J. Regan February 19, 2020 1:50 PM MacLellan was asked how much that experience mattered to him, and he said, "A lot. A lot. I think he’s been in the final. He’s been on good teams, similar to us. I think San Jose and Washington had top teams for a long ARLINGTON, Va. -- While the Capitals were on the road, Brian time and he’s been in that environment, so I think it’s a good fit.” MacLellan was hard at work and finalized a deal on Tuesday to bring San Physical play is still a major part of the team's identity Jose Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon to Washington. On Wednesday he met with the media to talk about the newest Cap. Dillon is not the type of player you go out an acquire if physicality is not a priority. "He's got playoff experience, he's a veteran player, physicality, the ability to play with top-end guys, a good character guy," MacLellan said. "I think For the season, Dillon ranks ninth in the NHL with 178 hits. His he'll add a lot of energy in our room and on the ice. He's a physical acquisition means the Caps now have five of the top 21 hitters in the presence. He checked a lot of boxes for everything we thought we league. needed." "I think we're all attracted to size as long as it can play," MacLellan said. Here are the six most important things MacLellan said about Dillon. "We like having the big bodies and playing a heavier game, and he's a good skater for his size, too. He has that physical presence, and we're Dillon may be a top-pair player excited to see how it fits for us." Dillon is certainly a top-four defenseman, but the Caps added a player Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 they feel can play on the top pair. "I think we move him around a little bit," MacLellan said. "He could play with [John Carlson], could play with [Dmitry Orlov]. He's played with two good guys in San Jose. I anticipate the coaches trying him at both spots and see what works best for us." Todd Reirden echoed those thoughts after practice. When asked if Dillon playing with Brent Burns made him a natural fit to play with Carlson on the top pair, Reirden said, "That's my first initial thought. That is a similar type of player for sure." Either Kempny or Jensen is going to get bumped out of the top four When you re-read MacLellan's comments on Dillon playing in the top four, he said he could play with either Carlson or Dmitry Orlov. Adding a player into the top four means taking someone out and, based on those comments, that player is either going to be Michal Kempny or Nick Jensen. Dillon is not the solution for the team's problems on the right Right defense has been an issue for the Caps this season, but it does not sound like the plan is to plug Dillon in on the right side. MacLellan was asked if Dillon could play on his off-side and he gave a tepid endorsement. "He could, yeah," MacLellan said. "I think he's played a little bit on the off-side, but Orly's had some experience playing on the off-side. There's a number of different combinations we could try." Reirden was asked who would play the right if Dillon and Orlov played together, and he said it would be Orlov. While both MacLellan and Reirden said it would be an option to try Dillon on the right, it did not sound like that was the long-term plan at all. This was not a reaction trade Washington has lost four of its last five games and is 11-11-0 since Dec. 23. The team suddenly no longer sits in first place in the Metropolitan Division and trails the Pittsburgh Penguins by a point in the standings. The Caps' recent struggles, however, did not influence this deal, at least according to MacLellan. MacLellan stated twice that he would have made this deal "regardless because I think it's a great fit for us — I think his skillset and the group we do have. I think one of the things that's been frustrating for me is the play in front of our own net, the compete level in front of our own net, and this is something he brings to the table here. I think he does a great job in front of our net. So I think we addressed that through him." It should be noted that MacLellan has previously stated he was only looking for depth at the trade deadline and now has acquired a player who may well end up playing on the team's top pair. If you take him at his word, however, MacLellan liked Dillon and liked the upgrade, and that's why this deal got done — not because of the team's current struggles. Dillon's playoff experience is a major reason why he is now with Washington 1171858 Washington Capitals

Joel Ward to drop ceremonial puck at annual Black History Game Sunday for Caps-Penguins

By Caroline Brandt February 19, 2020 11:55 AM

TRENDING NOW 0:41 Happy retirement, Ovie the Bulldog! 2:04 The Big Twenty No. 1: Capitals win the Stanley Cup 2:01 The Big Twenty No. 2: Nationals win the World Series 1:57 The Big Twenty No. 3: The life and death of Sean Taylor 2:19 Chase to 700: Reliving Ovechkin's 2009 off the boards goal Capitals alumnus Joel Ward is coming back to D.C.! The Capitals announced in a press release Wednesday that Ward, well- remembered for his series-winning overtime goal against the Boston Bruins in 2012, will drop the ceremonial puck at the Caps' "Black History Game" Sunday against the Penguins. Not only will Ward be reunited with some of his former teammates from his time in Washington over 2011-2015, but he will also see former San Jose Sharks teammate, Brenden Dillon, whom the Caps just traded for and whom Ward endorsed Tuesday.

@Capitals got yourself a great one! #Dilly — Joel Ward (@JRandalWard42) February 18, 2020 In celebration of February's Black History Month, the Caps will recognize the contributions of African-Americans to the sport of hockey throughout Sunday's game. Ward will also be participating in a street hockey clinic with the Fort Dupont Cannons at Watkins Rec Center Saturday afternoon. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171859 Washington Capitals

The Caps aren't leading the Metro Division for the first time since Oct. 19

By J.J. Regan February 19, 2020 6:00 AM

TRENDING NOW 0:41 Happy retirement, Ovie the Bulldog! 2:04 The Big Twenty No. 1: Capitals win the Stanley Cup 2:01 The Big Twenty No. 2: Nationals win the World Series 1:57 The Big Twenty No. 3: The life and death of Sean Taylor 2:19 Chase to 700: Reliving Ovechkin's 2009 off the boards goal For the first time since Oct. 19, the Capitals do not sit in first place of the Metropolitan Division. The Pittsburgh Penguins jumped Washington with a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday ending a streak of 122 days in which the Caps sat atop the division. Pittsburgh won despite Evgeni Malkin missing the game due to illness. It was a fitting way to take first place given how the Penguins have overcome a number of significant injuries this season. Anthony Angelo played in Malkin’s place and scored his first NHL goal. Jason Zucker also scored his third goal in just his fourth game with the Penguins after getting acquired by Pittsburgh in a trade. Pittsburgh has now won six of its last eight with its only two losses coming against the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning. By contract, the Caps have lost four of their last five. Since Dec. 23, no team in the Metropolitan Division has earned fewer points than Washington which has gone 11-11-0 during the stretch, allowing Pittsburgh to close the gap in the standings. The Caps and Penguins appear to be two teams headed in different directions. The good news for Washington is that it is February and there is still time for them to rally. With three games left to be played between the Caps and Pittsburgh this season, Washington will have ample opportunity to reclaim supremacy of the division. For now, however, the Penguins certainly look like the team to beat within the Metro. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171860 Washington Capitals The addition of Dillon also gives the Caps seven NHL defensemen when everyone’s healthy. That figures to create a measure of internal competition along the blue line that has not existed this season. For salary cap reasons, the Caps have carried six for the majority of the ‘It’s going to be a battle’ – Brenden Dillon brings presence in front of campaign. Caps’ net “One of the negatives to sometimes being in a tough cap situation is that all year you don’t have competition hanging over a lot of players, and they’re in and out of the lineup if they’re not playing well,” Reirden said. By Tarik El-Bashir Feb 19, 2020 10 “Now we know it’s a competition.” MacLellan, who said he does not anticipate adding another defenseman, ARLINGTON, Va. – Tom Wilson knows firsthand what Brenden Dillon added: “That’s the struggle for us, is to get some consistency back there. brings to the Capitals. And he’s is excited to see it. I think now that we have seven, you can now hold guys a little more accountable because, if you’re not playing well, you’re out.” “The game has obviously trended towards speed and skill but towards the end of the year and in the playoffs, the good ole’ hockey game Dillon’s biggest impact, though, is going to much easier for those outside always seems to come back out,” Wilson said of Dillon, whom the of the Caps’ room to notice. Opposing forwards will now think twice about Capitals acquired from San Jose on Tuesday. “He’s hard to play against. taking the puck to the net when he’s on the ice. And if they do, Dillon will You know when you’re going into his corner, it’s going to be a battle. make them pay a price. When you’re standing in front of the net with him, it’s going to be a Like Wilson, T.J. Oshie knows all too well what it’s like to go head-to- battle.” head with the former Shark. The Caps are struggling in a number of areas – they are 11-11-0 since “He’s a tough guy to play against,” Oshie said. “One that when you see Dec. 23 – but the ease of access to the front of Washington’s net has he’s out there for the faceoff, you know you’re going to be in a battle. So, consistently ranked as its biggest problem, with the first two goals in I think he’ll help us out and we’re excited to have him here and to Monday’s 3-2 loss in Las Vegas serving as a prime example of the issue. welcome him in. I think anytime you get a guy that’s physical and that will A day later, general manager Brian MacLellan met the Sharks’ asking go out there and lay the body, it’s just another thing for the opposing price – a 2020 second-round pick and a conditional third-round draft pick team to think about. It’s one of his many good attributes about his game. in either 2020 or 2021, with the Sharks retaining 50 percent of Dillon’s We’re excited to see that physicality and his work ethic on our side.” salary – and Dillon, 29, was a member of the Caps. (MacLellan said The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 Wednesday that the cost for acquiring Dillon, “was what we anticipated.”) “One of the things that’s been frustrating for me is the play in front of our own net, the compete level in front of our own net,” MacLellan said of the persistent D-zone coverage lapses. “And this is something he brings to the table. I think he does a great job in front of our net. So I think we address that through him.” Added coach Todd Reirden, who instructed the undrafted Dillon in a rookie camp a decade ago: “His chances against versus the rest of the team around the front of the net is heavily slanted in one direction. He does a good job there. We’ll rely on him for that and hopefully he can bring some more of our group into the fight.” Dillon did not arrive in time for Wednesday morning’s practice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, but Reirden did not rule out using him Thursday night against Montreal. “The next three games are important and we want to get him in there as quick as possible so he’s up to speed with what we want to do systematically,” Reirden said. “We’ll see how his travel goes and then go from there, but I’m hoping to get him in.” Reirden also must decide which current defenseman to put the left-shot Dillon with and which full-timer gets bumped out of the lineup. Based on Reirden’s comments, Dillon is going to skate in the top four, either on the left of John Carlson on the top pair or on the second pair with Dmitry Orlov, who would shift to the right side. In San Jose, Dillon skated on the left of offensive dynamo Brent Burns. “That’s my initial thought,” Reirden said of pairing Dillon with Carlson, a top offensive-defenseman like Burns. “That is a similar type of player for sure. (Dillon) is able to play in those situations and then additionally he’s not fun to play against.” The addition of Dillon also transforms the Caps from one of the heaviest teams in the NHL into arguably the heaviest. In fact, five of the league’s top 21 hitters now reside in Washington: Wilson (4th), Dillon (9th), Garnet Hathaway (16th), Alex Ovechkin (20th) and Radko Gudas (21st). That’s not by accident. “We’re all attracted to size as long as they can play,” MacLellan said of Dillon, who is listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. “We like having the bigger bodies, playing a heavier game. He’s a good skater for his size, too, and has that physical presence. We’re excited to see how it fits for us.” Dillon also brings a level of postseason experience that some others don’t possess. Jonas Siegenthaler and Nick Jensen have a combined 11 games of playoff experience, all of it coming last spring. Dillon, on the other hand, has 62 games of experience with the Sharks, including a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2016 and the West Conference final last year. Dillon is “a guy that knows what it takes to get to the finals and play a lot in the playoffs and has that experience that some of our defense does not have,” Reirden said. “That will be great to add that to our room.” 1171861 Winnipeg Jets

DeMelo's got all-around game

Mike McIntyreBy: Mike McIntyre

He has yet to play a game for the Winnipeg Jets, but the acquisition of defenceman Dylan DeMelo is already getting rave reviews from his new teammates. The 26-year-old is expected to make his debut on Thursday night in Ottawa as Winnipeg begins a four-game road trip. DeMelo will be facing the Senators squad he was just traded from on Tuesday in exchange for a third round pick in the 2020 draft. Jets coach Paul Maurice called up good friend Peter DeBoer to a quick scouting report on DeMelo. DeBoer, now the bench boss of the Vegas Golden Knights, coached DeMelo in San Jose prior to his move to Ottawa as part of the Erik Karlsson trade in 2018. "The hockey part was simple. He said he's a real effective player. That's the right descriptive word. More importantly he said, 'This guy's salt of the earth. He's just a good man that's had nothing given to him, that he's worked really, really hard to get to the NHL,'" said Maurice. Winnipeg's blue-line has been battered this season, with the departures of Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot, plus a number of injuries to those tasked with trying to fill the holes. DeMelo is expected to step into a top four role, likely paired with either Josh Morrissey or Dmitry Kulikov. "Our guys playing the off side have done a really good job for us this year. But a right-handed shot. Makes your transition better. What he's good at is all parts of the game, without being able to identify him as, 'This is the strongest thing that he does.' That in itself, the all-around game," said Maurice. "He can move the puck well, he'll get to it first. It's not the same player, but it's a version of what Neal (Pionk) does so well. He'll go back and touch it first, he moves the puck well. He doesn't have a hard time finding his man in the D-zone. He sorts that out real good. He's got a real good stick on him. He's just a real-good, all-around defenceman." Jets centre Mark Scheifele is looking forward to catching up with an old friend from back home in Ontario. "I played against him all minor hockey, probably from when I was seven until I was 16. Obviously he’s a very special defenceman. He was growing up, he was always the best defenceman in our league. It’ll be cool to reminisce about some memories that probably both of us don’t remember too much," said Scheifele. "He’s solid. He moves well, always in the right spot. A reliable defensive player and he’s a good first pass guy. We’re excited to meet him in Ottawa and he’ll be welcome with open arms." General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is on record and saying he wants to reward this hard-working group, which sit just one point out of a playoff spot with 21 regular-season games left to play. And that is certainly appreciated by those in the room. "Exciting. He’s an NHL defenceman, a guy that’s going to help solidify our back end and give us another able body. We’ve got a collection of guys that are really capable back there of getting the job done, they’ve done a heck of a job for us so far this year. He’s going to add to that mix and just make us more formidable," said captain Blake Wheeler. The trade deadline is next Monday, and Cheveldayoff suggested he might not be done dealing just yet. Another depth defenceman and some forward help remain on the shopping list, provided the price is right. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.20.2020 1171862 Winnipeg Jets Copp is having a breakthrough campaign, proving his worth as a versatile, two-way Swiss Army knife of sorts who makes any line he plays on better and can handle both the wing and centre positions. That has allowed Maurice to use him, as he did Tuesday, up the middle of the Wheeler making it happen second line, between dynamic wingers Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine. Then there's Roslovic, who has strung together two terrific games in a row as part of a new-look third line with fellow 2015 draftees Mason By: Mike McIntyre | Posted: 02/19/2020 7:00 PM Appleton and Jansen Harkins. The kids are truly all right, and Roslovic seems to be thriving with the increased responsibility of being back at centre, not to mention being the most experienced player on his line. Blake Wheeler can be a lot of things: intense, driven, prickly, confident, brash. But he is certainly not selfish, which has become abundantly clear "Selfishly, you want to play with the guys that bring out the best in you in this most unusual season for the Winnipeg Jets. and vice versa. With the circumstances of the season, we don’t really have that luxury." We saw that in November when good friend and teammate Bryan Little went down with a gruesome season-ending injury. Wheeler immediately - Blake Wheeler texted head coach Paul Maurice and offered to do whatever was "It would be one of the reasons why you would strongly consider necessary to help fill the void. In this case, that meant moving out of his (keeping Scheifele and Wheeler together) is the play of the Roslovic comfort zone as the right-winger on the top line with centre Mark line," admitted Maurice. "There’s no reason why Kyle Connor, who going Scheifele to take Little's spot as the second-line centre. into the game is our leading scorer, with Patty and Andrew Copp, who’s We heard it again on Tuesday night after somewhat desperate times arguably our best defensive forward, can’t be very, very strong as a line." called for desperate measures and Wheeler was moved back beside his The Jets can't be just a one or two-line team. You simply don't win that slumping buddy Scheifele, who hasn't scored in 12 games and counting. way over the long haul. It was an instant success as the dynamic duo, along with Nikolaj Ehlers, combined for three goals (two by Wheeler, one by Ehlers) and eight Wheeler agreed it was necessary to play apart from Scheifele for a points in a 6-3 victory over Los Angeles. stretch, even if that meant his own numbers might take a hit. In his case, the goals are still there (he's already matched the 20 he scored last Wheeler agreed it was necessary to play apart from Scheifele for a season and may exceed the 23 registered a year earlier), but the points stretch, even if that meant his own numbers might take a hit. (Trevor are not (he has 34 assists and won't come anywhere close to the 71 and Hagan / Free Press files) 68 he put up the last two seasons). Wheeler agreed it was necessary to play apart from Scheifele for a "I think I’ve been able to be somewhat productive as a centre iceman. stretch, even if that meant his own numbers might take a hit. (Trevor The goal wasn’t how many points could I get and how could I play the Hagan / Free Press files) best hockey of my career, it was more how can we make this thing work Perhaps more important than that performance, which moved the Jets and get the most out of our lineup and try to win some hockey games. within a point of a playoff spot, was what came out of the mouth of the That was the thought all along," said Wheeler. captain in his post-game chat with the media. "But it’s not about me, it’s not about making me happy, it’s about trying to "Obviously in the back of my head, I know where I rank in terms of right- piece together as many wins as we can," Blake Wheeler said after wingers in this world. I like being on the wall, and playing with a centre Tuesday's game. (John Woods / Canadian Press files) iceman like Mark makes me a better hockey player," Wheeler began, "But it’s not about me, it’s not about making me happy, it’s about trying to adding that being back in that spot was "like riding a bike." piece together as many wins as we can," Blake Wheeler said after "But it’s not about me, it’s not about making me happy, it’s about trying to Tuesday's game. (John Woods / Canadian Press files) piece together as many wins as we can." "Selfishly, you want to play with the guys that bring out the best in you Spoken like a true leader, and no doubt music to the ears of other and vice versa. With the circumstances of the season, we don’t really players, coaches and management. Wheeler has deftly stick-handled his have that luxury. It’s just about filling in and doing the best you can and way through the many ups and downs of this season — his nearly 10- trying to plug in any holes that might come up." minute take on the Dustin Byfuglien situation a couple of weeks ago in Now, it turns out, that hole is in the most unexpected of places, with St. Louis was stellar stuff — and that includes putting the team's best Scheifele in need of a spark. If the Jets are to make any noise, they need interests ahead of his own. their No. 1 centre to be firing on all cylinders. "But it’s not about me, it’s not about making me happy, it’s about trying to And Wheeler, as he's been doing all season, is willing to do whatever it piece together as many wins as we can." takes to make that happen. - Captain Blake Wheeler Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.20.2020 It would be easy to suggest that's the way all pro athletes should be, but that's often not the case in a testosterone-fuelled, ego-driven environment. In Wheeler's case, I believe his sentiments are truly genuine and not just a public act masking some kind of behind-the- scenes grumbling and/or lobbying. The 33-year-old already has his money and long-term security in the form of a contract that runs through the 2023-24 season and pays him US $8.25 million annually. In that sense, personal triumphs including goals, assists and points don't really move the needle. What Wheeler doesn't have is a Stanley Cup, nor time on his side the way many of his younger teammates do. He knows he's running out of chances, something he's brought up with me on multiple occasions this season. It truly is a case of all for one and one for all. This leads us to the most interesting part of reuniting Wheeler and Scheifele, a move the two players were having a hard time hiding their excitement about on Tuesday night. If Maurice elects to keep them together, which I suspect is going to be the case, it won't be simply a case of the coach trying to keep his two big stars happy. Rather, it's a sign that there's been enough development from other players in the lineup to make it work. That's where Andrew Copp and Jack Roslovic enter the picture and appear to provide some much-needed clarity. 1171863 Winnipeg Jets understanding the team that we have. We have one of the youngest teams in the league and there have been some points in the season where we’re anything but that. There would be some hard meetings and some hard practices. FRIESEN ON THE JETS: Beers, bonding and Scheifele's hockey hot stove “We just don’t have the ability to do that.” One could take that to mean that head man Paul Maurice and Co., have resisted the temptation to smash garbage cans and peel paint off the Paul Friesen walls, choosing patience over the patented coach’s tantrum. Wheeler’s answer revealed what every good team strives to create and needs in order to be successful: An atmosphere where nobody feels left So, not only is Mark Scheifele mired in one of the longest goal-scoring out. droughts of his career, he’s also in some legal hot water. “We’ve done a really good job of just trying to teach, try to get the most A full, boiling pot of it, cooked up by his former personal chef. out of everyone and try to empower as many guys as we can,” he said, You may recall that No. 55 hired his own grub guru a few years back, “so that we’ve got a lineup full of guys that are feeling like they’re after consulting with NFL quarterback Tom Brady’s former personal chef. involved in the game and involved in us pushing for a playoff spot.” The full, mouth-watering story was originally served up by GQ Magazine It’s not unique to the Jets, by any means. But it’s the only way they could back in August of 2018. still be fighting for a post-season spot, given the rag-tag collection of lineups they’ve iced. Becoming a health-food freak was just the latest in Scheifele’s quest to squeeze out every ounce from his considerable talents. Yeah, they’ve got the high-end talent to compete. But depth? Not on the blue line, and certainly not up front after the losses of Bryan Little and However, it seems the Jets’ No. 1 centre wasn’t as committed to actually Adam Lowry down the middle. paying his meal man fairly or promptly, according to a lawsuit filed by the super-chef in Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench. Dustin Byfuglien’s training camp upper-cut and the migraine of uncertainty that’s lingered, the frightening slap shot to Little’s head, Winnipegger Jeremy Senaris, a former finalist in TV’s MasterChef Lowry’s ongoing stint in sick bay, injury upon injury to the defence, heart Canada, is suing Scheifele for $75,000 plus legal costs, putting a whole trouble shutting down Mark Letestu’s season — the hits have just kept on new spin on the Hockey Hot Stove. coming. Senaris was to cater to all of Scheifele’s culinary commands during the “I don’t think I can count the easy days on one hand, because there 2017-18 season, both at home and on the road, for a yearly stipend of haven’t been any,” Wheeler said. “It’s been a really challenging year, for $50,000 plus benefits and expenses, the court documents tell us. a lot of different reasons.” While Scheifele, earning $6 million-plus per year, was leading the Jets all The kind of year that tests a team’s bonds. Rips them apart if they’re the way to the NHL’s Western Conference final, he was dishing out weak. crumbs to his chef, according to the lawsuit, failing to pay Senaris on time or covering his benefits. “We’ve had to rely on each other,” Wheeler continued. “We haven’t turned our backs on each other. We haven’t pointed fingers. Even the The two reached an agreement for the next season and all seemed well, stretch we were losing a lot of games, just keep having beers together, Senaris even resigning from his full-time gig as a building plan examiner keep doing things together, keep staying in it together.” with the City of Winnipeg, content in the belief the Jets star would set him up as promised. All of which has brought the Jets to this: One point out of a wild-card playoff spot, with 21 games left. But the turned sour when, the suit claims, Scheifele demanded his chef add another plate to the dinner table and begin Still in the fight. cooking for a teammate, too. “Ultimately,” Wheeler concluded. “That builds some equity at the end of Problem is he allegedly didn’t want to pay what Senaris believed was fair the season, when it’s hardest.” for the extra time in the kitchen. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 02.20.2020 The teammate isn’t named in the lawsuit, but Scheifele’s roommate was reported in that GQ piece to be Andrew Copp. The trio’s last supper came soon after: Scheifele told Senaris to pack up his wok and spatula and hit the road. The cook slashed back, claiming wrongful dismissal in the lawsuit and describing Scheifele’s behaviour as “callous” and “unprofessional.” At last word, Scheifele hadn’t filed a defence. The way he plays in his own zone at times, that’s not a huge surprise. He hasn’t had his elbows this high in a while, either. He doesn’t shy away from corners, though, so perhaps he’ll feel the same about going to court. A better bet would be this meal melee gets settled quietly, under the table. Scheifele can probably afford to pick up the tab. JETS STAY IN THE FIGHT It turns out Blake Wheeler hadn’t left it all out on the ice, after all. It was late Tuesday night, after the Winnipeg Jets had doubled up on the L.A. Kings, 6-3, and after the TV cameras and microphones had moved on to the next scrum. That’s when Wheeler was asked to dig a little deeper. The topic? The team’s mantra this season: Stay in the fight. Specifically, the root of it. What it actually looks like, in the dressing room, when things aren’t going as planned, which in itself could be this team’s 2019-20 slogan. “I don’t think it has anything to do with me, personally,” Wheeler began. “Our coaches have done a good job of relaying that message and 1171864 Winnipeg Jets Conor Sheary, Buffalo Sabres Speaking of making your top-nine better, Sheary would do just that with

his ability to drive offence and prevent it in his own zone. TRADE DEADLINE: Four possible fits for Winnipeg, and one bold idea At the time of writing this, the Sabres are 10 points adrift of the final wildcard in the Eastern Conference and looking to sell. Sheary is 27, a pending unrestricted free agent and will fetch a pick. Scott Billeck THE BOLD MOVE

Brace yourselves… OTTAWA — Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff sucked some of the fun out of the trade deadline proper when he acquired P.K. Subban, New Jersey Devils defenceman Dylan DeMelo from the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. This debate raged around a dinner table recently up in the press box in But as he spoke to media following the deal, he added some of that joy Winnipeg. back, suggesting that he’s still shopping, perhaps for another Here’s the thing: The New Jersey Devils seem to be willing to trade off defenceman to bolster Winnipeg’s (often battered) back end and a assets right now after their quick rebuild failed to materialize this season. forward, which would likely help reinforce the team’s secondary scoring. Or possibly, he meant buying a second-line centre for the third straight Does a team doing that want a guy making $9 million a season, or would year. they rather shed that contract (which has two years left on it) and gain a pick and prospect or a roster player? We’ll see, and that’s part of the intrigue at this time of year — silly season, as it were. If they are looking to get rid of Subban, perhaps the Jets could slide into the mix and offer up Jack Roslovic. The acquisition of DeMelo announced Cheveldayoff’s intentions as a buyer as we close in on the final weekend before Monday’s trade But you’re sitting there saying there’s no way in hell the Devils would get deadline. And while rentals are all the buzz right now, Cheveldayoff said such a small return for Subban. Ah, but part of the “return” is shedding he’s also scouring the market for players with term, guys that can help the cap dollars that Subban’s contract comes with. In fact, it’s not out of the team for more than a couple of months. the realm of possibility that the Devils would take on Mathieu Perreault’s contract as well in the deal. Perhaps the Jets can sweeten the pot with a While one splash has been made, others could be on the horizon. A pick of some sort. third-rounder at the 2020 Draft later this year in Montreal was quite the steal for the Jets, even if DeMelo is just a rental at the end of it. It’s as What the Jets get is a proven offensive defenceman that would slide right shrewd as it gets and possibly took the best defenceman off the board into the team’s anchor on the power play for the next two seasons. Sure, before anyone realized it (just look at the price paid for Brenden Dillon by Subban hasn’t had the best past two seasons, and the Jets victimized comparison). him during their second-round playoff season two years ago. Speaking of boards, let’s now turn to those to see what else the Jets But Subban isn’t far removed from being a defenceman that was elite at could be hunting for over the next couple of days, as well as some shot suppression and a bona fide Norris candidate. He’s played on a very players that won’t appear as trade bait but could help the team beyond poor Devils team this year. Playing on a team that would once again be a this season. legitimate Cup contender could revitalize the 30-year-old. DEFENCEMEN And assuming Dustin Byfuglien’s contract is, indeed, coming off the books, Subban’s cap hit is only $1.4 million more. That may be covered Matt Dumba, Minnesota Wild off this offseason with an overall salary cap increase across the NHL. If the Wild are selling Dumba, the Jets should be tapping Bill Guerin’s Winnipeg Sun LOADED 02.20.2020 phone to get as much intel as they can before shooting their shot on an offer. Dumba would become the team’s point man on the power play and at 24 with a $6 million cap hit (and three years remaining), he’s quite the value providing he can get back to where he was a couple of years ago. Give him a better team and Dumba could give you a scoring defenceman with plenty of physicality to boot. A Dustin Byfuglien-lite. He’ll cost a lot, but a first-round pick and a prospect (*gasp Dylan Samberg) might be worth it for a proven force on the blue line. Josh Manson, Anaheim Ducks A true, stay-at-home defenceman who can lay the body. Manson doesn’t score much, but he doesn’t allow other teams to do so, either. The Jets need stalwarts on the blue line and Manson is certainly that. He’s 28 with two years left on a deal that comes with a $4.1 million cap hit. He’s also entering his prime, and Ducks GM Bob Murray would likely want a small ransom for Manson. He would make the team better for the next two seasons and perhaps beyond. You’re going to have to pair more for that, perhaps a first-rounder, a second and a prospect. FORWARDS Vladislav Namestnikov, Ottawa Senators Can Cheveldayoff fleece Senators GM Pierre Dorion twice in one week? If he can pull it off, the 27-year-old Namestnikov is his guy. He wouldn’t come with the price tag of a Jean-Gabriel Pageau but comes with an offensive pedigree and an ability to shut down other teams in the defensive zone. Yes, he hasn’t had his best season with the Senators this year (few have). But his numbers with both the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning were very good. He immediately makes the top-nine better and would help the Jets were they hurt the most, analytically. 1171865 Vancouver Canucks Term for career stability and lifestyle could mean as much as money. The Canucks, who have a dozen expiring contracts on the current roster and those injured long term, could look at his expiring $4.6 million cap hit and wonder. Canucks Post Game: The Pearson pledge, the Toffoli effect, the Super Seven Could they fit a Toffoli extension into the ballpark where Miller has three more years remaining at a $5.25 million annual cap hit.

“I’ve already talked to his agent (Pat Brisson) to see where it all goes and BEN KUZMA figure something out to keep him here long term,” said Benning. “He’s strong on the walls and goes to the net hard and has a good release. He can play the power play and kill penalties and has got a good overall Tyler Toffoli got a warm welcome in his Canucks debut on Wednesday. game. Points to ponder as the arrival of Tyler Toffoli, and his long-standing “But the main reason we got him is because he can shoot. We need friendship with teammate Tanner Pearson, were the stories before the more scoring.” Canucks authored a tough one in falling 4-3 in a shootout to the Wild on 73⃣ ⃣ pic.twitter.com/tUOi80eLOw— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) Wednesday at Rogers Arena: February 20, 2020 That Toffoli point shot. That Miller redirect. You also can’t put a price tag on feeling, fit or friendship and the Canucks https://t.co/2xpPNmQbpV pic.twitter.com/5rgK5TOxEi— Vancouver are banking on that. #Canucks (@Canucks) February 20, 2020 “We always got along,” Pearson said of Toffoli. “We lived in the same MVP PEARSON (MOST VALUABLE PUSH): ‘I’ll try to sweet talk him for building in Manchester (AHL) and when we first got called up, we spent sure. He pretty much checks all the boxes’ the summers in L.A. and lived together there. I probably spent too much Tanner Pearson could be the first-impression MVP. time with him to be honest.” The Canucks winger knows what makes close friend Tyler Toffoli tick. He However when the trade was coming down, Pearson really knew where knows his likes and dislikes, his food choices, his hobbies and how he he stood with Toffoli. will chill from the heat of the NHL grind. “He texted me right after,” said Pearson. “We’ve kind of been talking And aside from playing tour guide in a world-class city that sports about it for a bit here and there – just joking around. Then, he texted me spectacular scenery and incredible five-star restaurants, he can also sell one day that this could be happening and called me an hour later saying Toffoli on not testing the free-agent waters this summer. it could be done.” “I’ll try to sweet talk him for sure,” laughed Pearson. THE TOFFOLI EFFECT:‘A heck of an addition to our group with what we’re trying to do here. It shows we want to win’ All kidding aside, the last thing the Canucks can afford is Toffoli the rental as opposed to Toffoli the long-term, top-six impact winger. They had to Bo Horvat was an OHL rookie when Toffoli was strutting his stuff for the part with a prime prospect (Tyler Madden), a second-round pick and a Ottawa 67s. fourth-round conditional selection if Toffoli signs an extension. The Canucks captain had 11 goals and 19 assists for the London Knights It’s why general manager Jim Benning and coach Travis Green picked in 2011-12 and crossing competitive paths with his future NHL teammate Pearson’s brain before doing the deal Monday. They wanted to know was tough. With an old-school swagger and ability to shove a dagger into about the player and the person. They went to the right guy. From cross- opponents, Toffoli scored 52 goals and collected 100 points in his fourth checking each other as high-scoring OHL wingers to winning a Stanley and final OHL season. Cup in 2014 in Los Angeles, it’s been quite the journey. “He was just a natural goal scorer,” recalled Horvat. “And it seemed like “They bounced some stuff off me,” said Pearson. “I tried to put my bias he scored a lot of goals against the Canucks since I’ve been here. aside in what I think of Ty as a player and that conversation can extend Thankfully, he’s on our team and he’ll be able to do the same.” to how he is as a guy. He pretty much checks all the boxes and is a good What Toffoli also did following his first practice is take some of the focus add for our group. off Horvat because the cameras swarmed the new guy instead of the “And he’s won a couple of community service awards in L.A. He’s a captain. good-hearted guy. It’s why we’ve stayed friends for so long and haven’t #Canucks Toffoli doesnt flinch pic.twitter.com/LRmyYQRlAS— Matt really drifted apart.” (@dooley_matt_) February 20, 2020 Alllllllmost a tied game pic.twitter.com/ATCexe1fSY— Vancouver Horvat could have centred The OHL Line on Wednesday because being #Canucks (@Canucks) February 20, 2020 flanked by Pearson and Toffoli made a lot of sense — and it may still happen — but adding another scorer to replace the injured Brock Boeser Judging by Toffoli’s first reaction to joining a club in playoff contention — isn’t lost on anybody. Those who wondered if Benning would strike and a franchise that has two of the league’s better young talents in Elias quickly and not await the Monday deadline got the right answer. Pettersson and Quinn Hughes — it might not be a tough west coast sell. Toffoli has played some of his best games here and seems sold on the “It’s great,” said Horvat. “We’re really happy to have Tyler. He’s a great city. player and he’s a heck of an addition to our group with what we’re trying to do here. It shows that we want to win and Jim wants to win.” “I definitely love playing here — I love the city and I always have,” said the Scarborough, Ont. native. “To be here is a little bit of a blessing and Added Pearson: “Jim is helping us out and now it’s within this room to hopefully I can succeed. I bring veteran experience. I’m 27 and feel like pretty much back that up and get back on a winning road and stay in the I’ve been through a lot. I’t’s a good spot for me to succeed — I’ve just got playoff hunt and get there. Anything can happen in the playoffs and you to bring my game.” just have to get in and get home-ice advantage.” That wasn’t looking like the case to start this season. Pearson also found out a year ago that the Canucks were trying to build something. Coming off 13 goals in 2018-19 and with just 13 points in his first 30 games — and being scratched Oct. 30 and demoted to the fourth line — They were out of playoff contention but not out of thinking that they could he was on borrowed time. But a spurt of 21 points (12-9) in his final 28 make their team better. Acquiring Pearson from Pittsburgh for Erik games with the Kings proved he could find his game again because he Gudbranson was putting faith in a guy who was playing for his third team did have 31 goals in 2015-16. last spring and mentally beaten up. However, seven goals in a nine- game stretch on Horvat’s line was a foundation for Pearson to produce A hat-trick in his final Kings outing cemented the conclusion. 41 points (17-24) through 60 games this season. “It was definitely a statement and I got mad at him for that — just And getting Toffoli before the deadline works in many ways. personal reasons – or team reasons in trying to get him,” chuckled Pearson of the ante riding after the goal spree. “His confidence should be “It gives you a week to see how things are fitting and if anything else riding pretty high right now and I know when it is, he pulls the trigger and happens,” added Pearson. “It’s like when Muzz (Jake Muzzin) got traded often it (puck) goes in.” to Toronto a month early. You get that (time) and maybe not force things so quickly.” What’s all that worth? MEET THE SUPER SEVEN: ‘We have seven young players who are going to be on our team in the next two or three years’ When Benning was asked about asset management — and having to part with a prospect like Madden — he offered up some quick math to offer his Toffoli trade perspective. “I feel we have seven young players in our system who are going to be on our team in the next two or three years — and I count seven on the conservative side,” he said. “I’m talking about players in Utica, draft picks and that’s one-third of the team. And with the young guys we have now, that’s two-thirds of our team and guys who are 25 years and younger.” #Canucks GM Jim Benning discusses the @tytoff16 trade that sent Tim Schaller, Tyler Madden, a 2020 2nd round pick and a conditional 2022 pick to the LA Kings. pic.twitter.com/Y1bCbpmPHB— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) February 18, 2020 For argument sake, assume the Super Seven are Vasili Podkolzin, Kole Lind, Nils Hoglander, Brogan Rafferty, Jack Rathbone, Mike DiPietro and the polarizing Olli Juolevi. “It (Madden) was a tough decision – I’m not going to lie,” added Benning. “We drafted him and worked with him, but we have enough good players in our system and comfortable that we’ll be alright.” And, apparently, enough down the middle. Madden, 20, is lighting it up as a NCAA centre at Northeastern where the Canucks’ third-round pick of 2018 had 37 points (19-18) in his first 27 games and is dealing with a finger injury. He’s getting some Hobey Baker Award buzz at top Division 1 player, but the Canucks didn’t project him as an NHL centre. They see him as a winger and plan to draft more centres. He wasn’t going to dislodge Pettersson, Horvat or Adam Gaudette here but the Kings see Madden as a pivot who might be on the fast track because they’re long in the tooth down the middle in the aging Jeff Carter (35) and Anze Kopitar (32). Vancouver Province: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171866 Vancouver Canucks The more shots he faces, the better he plays. He has seven wins in eight games where he has seen at least 40 shots.

On Wednesday, the first shot got by him and so did the 10th. The Wild Wild 4, Canucks 3 (SO): Toffoli learns in his debut to get Miller the puck opened scoring when Jordie Benn was caught in the neutral zone and Kevin Fiala moved into the high slot on a 2-on-1 and ripped a wrister that went off Markstrom’s glove and post and in. Ben Kuzma The second goal came after the Canucks were pinned in their zone and gassed. A slow line change allowed the Wild to quickly enter the O-zone and Luke Kunin went wide and his centring effort struck Markstrom and For once, the cameras didn’t encircle Bo Horvat. somehow trickled between his pads. But his biggest save was off Fiala in overtime. He strolled into the locker-room with a wide grin as the media surrounded Tyler Toffoli following his first practice Tuesday and then they went However, the weird Galchenyuk effort to force overtime was hard to looking again for the new Vancouver Canucks winger on Wednesday. stomach. “Welcome to a Canadian market,” chuckled the captain. “I don’t know what to describe,” said Markstrom. “It goes off me and Stech’s foot and his face and over the top of me and in the net. But two Toffoli was front page news when the former Los Angeles Kings winger goals in the shootout on the first three shots. You have to help the guys was acquired Monday in a package deal. He was also fodder for the talk- win the game and that’s not good enough.” show circuit, podcasts and endless blogs debating whether general manager Jim Benning had hit a home run or struck out by giving up too Markstrom was even bodychecked by Eric Staal in overtime. much. “I wanted him to come at me,” said Markstrom. “I’m out there playing the Welcome to Vancouver, indeed. puck and in OT, you want to help the players as much as you can, and if they have a guy coming at me, it means there’s a 3-on-2 somewhere. But For his part, Toffoli tried to find his legs and his game on a line with Elias we should have won. I’ve got to come up with one or two saves in the Pettersson and J.T. Miller in a see-saw struggle with the Minnesota Wild shootout.” on Wednesday. He had three shots and five attempts in regulation and had a glorious chance on a 2-on-1 in overtime before Alex Galchenyuk The Canucks finally gave Markstrom some run support because they had ended the drama in the fifth round of the shootout for a 4-3 Wild triumph. ample opportunity to score. Toffoli also quickly learned that Miller likes to talk a lot and wants the Miller took a stretch pass and was stopped on a first-period breakaway. puck a lot. He must have heard something because his shot early in the Pettersson then fanned on a bouncing puck in his sweet shooting spot at third period was perfectly re-directed in the slot by Miller for his career- the dot in the same frame. And Loui Eriksson shot wide when looking at high 23rd goal to make it 2-2. an open net. Miller then rang a shot off the post early in the third period before finally scoring. “Tanev made a nice play and I had a whole lot of time and just saw him (Miller) standing there and a really nice tip,” said Toffoli. “I always thought Hey, thanks a lot, Motte he was a good player and tonight he showed it. I thought we made some Tyler Motte returned after missing eight games with a shoulder injury. good plays early on and the more we work together, the better we’re going to feel.” His immediate impact was to bring speed and grit to a fourth-line alignment with Jay Beagle and Brandon Sutter — especially in shutdown As for his shootout chance, Toffoli went wide, lost his balance and fell roles. But what was missing when he was missing was a pursuit element back. that was dragging down the once-reliable penalty kill. “Tough,” he said. “Not my best attempt on first impression with the team, In Motte’s absence, the unit went 20-for-27 with a 73.9 efficiency, which but I’ll make it up.” is below its 80.2 overall percentage entering Wednesday — which only And that was the big take-away from the line on the night — the potential ranks 16th. And at home the Canucks were 23rd, so if they expect to of Toffoli. advance to the playoffs they have to be much better. Miller came right back and his rocket of a wrist shot found the glove side Motte was paired with Beagle in one penalty kill unit while Sutter worked on Devan Dubnyk for what looked like the winning goal to make it 3-2. the other with Eriksson. But when a sweeping Galchenyuk centring attempt went off Troy Stecher “It’s a huge loss to our line when he goes down and for the PK,” said at the side of the net with 4:45 remaining in regulation time, the tension Beagle. “He plays with speed. Easy to read. We have great chemistry only rose. and it’s good to have him back.” “They kind of got a goofy one,” shrugged Miller. “Toffoli is easy to play The Canucks easily killed two Wild power plays, but Motte would also with. Fun to play with and for the most part, we were on the same page, play a pivotal role when the Canucks finally got to Dubnyk. Motte took a It’s going to take time to develop chemistry and timing but it was a good heavy hit along the boards on the forecheck to spring Quinn Hughes and start.” Beagle on a 2-on-1 break. Travis Green thought his club reverted to form by not giving up much and Instead of shooting, Hughes fed a perfect cross-ice pass to Beagle for frustrating the opposition with a better forecheck. the tap-in at 1:31 of the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit. It was “Probably our best game in the last six or seven,” said the Canucks Beagle’s second goal of the season and first in 43 games. coach. “We gave up 11 scoring chances in regulation and we didn’t get “He looked at me and I said: ‘Oh, shoot, he’s coming to me,’” laughed any puck luck. I like how we stuck with it for 60 minutes and we were a Beagle. “Motte makes the great play and I figured he (Hughes) is a lefty very tenacious group — I liked our energy.” and I’m a righty and I’m going to drive the far post and try to get it to me. As for Toffoli, the reviews were positive. “As soon as we met eyes, I knew he was going to get it to me and make “He was good,” said Green. “I told him before the game to just enjoy it a great pass. You have to bury those.” and go and have fun and don’t overthink it. And shoot the puck whenever Jim Benning may not be done. you can. He knows how to play the game and that was a hell of a play on the shot-pass to Millsy (Miller). It’s one reason we got him here.” The Canucks general manager will see if something make sense before the Monday trade deadline. And something may give. Or not. Here’s what else we learned as the Canucks crept to within a point of the Pacific Division leading Edmonton Oilers: Long associated with a level of interest in unrestricted free-agent winger Wayne Simmonds — and aware that Micheal Ferland being shut down Tyler Toffoli mixes it up with Minnesota Wild players in NHL at Rogers for the season with recurring concussion-like symptoms may leave his Arena on Wednesday night. Arlen Redekop / PNG club lacking bite and stiffness — a move is not out of the question. But When the other skate drops who and at what price? Jacob Markstrom has been the club’s most valuable player. He should Simmonds, 31, has but seven goals with the New Jersey Devils on an even merit Vezina Trophy consideration, he has been that good this expiring US$5 million cap hit. He was a disaster as a rental for the season — especially in stopping high-percentage scoring chances. Nashville Predators last spring — one goal in 17 games — and seems far removed from 24 goals in 2017-18. He hasn’t scored a playoff goal since 2013. “We could be done, but if something makes sense to fill the needs, or the hole we think we have, we’ll look to do that within reason,” said Benning. Without a first- or second-round pick to dangle, he’s obviously loathe to part with any more picks and will try to recoup one before the draft with moveable assets. “With some of our young players, if we think we have enough depth at that position, we may look to do something,” said Benning. He does have a lot of defencemen in the system. [email protected] twitter.com/benkuzma NEXT GAME Saturday Boston Bruins vs. Vancouver Canucks 7 p.m., Rogers Arena, TV: CBC, SNETP; Radio: SNET 650 AM

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171867 Vancouver Canucks J.T. Miller — Elias Pettersson — Tyler Toffoli Tanner Pearson — Bo Horvat — Loui Eriksson

Antoine Roussel — Adam Gaudette — Jake Virtanen Canucks Game Day: Toffoli laces up for first night with Vancouver facing the Wild side Tyler Motte — Jay Beagle — Brandon Sutter Defence pairings PATRICK JOHNSTON Quinn Hughes — Chris Tanev Alex Edler — Troy Stecher The Canucks can score. But they need to play better defence and kill Jordie Benn — Tyler Myers penalties, too. Goalies: Jacob Markstrom, Thatcher Demko NEXT GAME WILD’S PROJECTED LINEUP Wednesday Forwards Minnesota Wild (27-24-7) vs. Vancouver Canucks (32-22-5) Zach Parise — Eric Staal — Kevin Fiala 7:30 p.m., Rogers Arena, TV: Sportsnet Pacific; Radio: Sportsnet 650 AM Alex Galchenyuk — Luke Kunin — Mats Zuccarello Jordan Greenway — Joel Eriksson — Marcus Foligno THE BIG MATCHUP Ryan Donato — Mikko Koivu — Ryan Hartman Jake Virtanen vs. Marcus Foligno Defence The last time these teams met, both Virtanen and Foligno dropped the Ryan Suter — Jared Spurgeon gloves, but not with each other. There’s every reason to believe this Jonas Brodin — Mathew Dumba game will be feisty. Even though Virtanen’s opponent in the game two weeks ago, Jason Zucker, has been traded, Foligno remains with the Carson Soucy — Greg Pateryn Wild and Foligno likes to throw his weight around. Will Virtanen come calling should he hear a bell ringing? Goaltenders: Alex Stalock, Devan Dubnyk FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME SICK BAY 1. Toffoli’s debut Canucks: Micheal Ferland (post-concussion symptoms), Tyler Motte (shoulder), Josh Leivo (fractured kneecap), Tyler Graovac (foot), Brock The Tyler Toffoli era in Vancouver begins Wednesday night at Rogers Boeser (fractured rib cartilage), Oscar Fantenberg (concussion) Arena. He’s likely to be skating on the first line with Elias Pettersson, albeit he has plenty of history from his time with the Los Angeles Kings Wild: None skating alongside Tanner Pearson. SPECIAL TEAMS “I know he’s played with Pearse before, and right now I’m going to play him probably with Petey and I’m pretty sure he’s all right with playing with POWER PLAY Petey and (J.T.) Miller, too. It’s not a bad spot to play,” coach Travis Canucks: 23.7 per cent (fifth) Green said. “He’s strong on the walls. He can kill penalties as well.” Wild: 22.0 per cent (eighth) 2. Toffoli’s power-play spot PENALTY KILL The loss of Brock Boeser for as many as eight weeks leaves a huge hole on the Canucks’ first power-play unit. Boeser hasn’t been able to score in Canucks: 80.2 per cent (16th) quite some time, so if Toffoli is able to produce in Boeser’s spot, it could make for some interesting lineup options once the Minnesota athlete is Wild: 74.9 per cent (30th) healthy again. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 02.20.2020 “He’s a smart player. You could probably put him in a lot of different spots,” Green said about Toffoli’s ability on the power play. “It’s a nice option to have when you have guys you can flip to a one-timer, flip to shooting downhill. You need smart players on your power play and skilled players.” 3. Defend the slot It’s been a regular note in this Canucks season: for as well as Jacob Markstrom has played in goal, the Canucks are still bleeding too many quality shots from the middle of their defensive zone. Minnesota doesn’t have a high-flying offence, but the Wild took some chances two weeks ago at home and it was a telling story in beating the Canucks 4-2. 4. Kill those penalties The Canucks have surrendered goals on eight of the last 25 power-play opportunities against. That’s not good enough for a team that hopes to make a deep playoff run. They’ll need to get their PK sorted out long before the playoffs if they hope to qualify for the big dance. 5. Motte’s return Tyler Motte could return Wednesday, Green indicated. The hustling winger said Saturday he felt ready to return but still needed final clearance from the team’s medical staff. Given the coach’s comments after Tuesday’s practice, it seems likely he’ll step back into action, three weeks after damaging his shoulder against the San Jose Sharks. If that’s the case, Zack MacEwen seems most likely to come out of the lineup. CANUCKS’ PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 1171868 Vancouver Canucks “It’s no secret that we’re really good friends,” Pearson said. “At the same time, he’s a really good hockey player and he definitely should help our team here. Canucks expect Brock Boeser to miss rest of regular season with “Ty has played in some pretty key situations,” he continued. “He had the fractured rib cartilage assist for an OT Stanley Cup winner. I don’t know if it gets any more pressure than that, so he doesn’t change his game coming over here at all. CAROL SCHRAM “We’re not asking him to do anything that he wasn’t doing before. When it’s like that and he’s going to be playing with good players, that helps out too.” Jim Benning has had enough of watching other teams compete in the Benning said the team talked to Pearson before they made the deal. Stanley Cup playoffs. “They grew up playing together in L.A. They’re best friends. ’Pears’ had On Monday, the Vancouver Canucks general manager tried to boost his nothing but positive things to say about Tyler,” Benning said. team’s chances of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2015 when he swung a deal with the Los Angeles Kings to acquire right-winger Toffoli also practised with Vancouver’s first power-play unit, where Tyler Toffoli. Brandon Sutter had been subbing in since Boeser’s injury. “When we haven’t made the playoffs for four years, I call it the ’black In addition to updating Boeser’s injury status, Benning also reported on hole,’" Benning told assembled media on Tuesday morning. “You have to Tuesday that forward Josh Leivo, who suffered a fractured kneecap on try to fight and scratch your way out of that to be a playoff team again.” Dec. 19, is also now expected to miss the rest of the regular season. The team says he will also see a specialist this week. An unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, Toffoli was acquired in exchange for winger Tim Schaller, the rights to sophomore NCAA Leivo has 19 points (7-12) in 36 games this season. prospect Tyler Madden and a second-round draft pick in 2020. If Toffoli re-signs with the Canucks, the Kings will also receive a fourth-round pick The Canucks also announced on Monday night that forward Micheal in 2022. Ferland would also miss the rest of the campaign due to concussion-like symptoms. “Our players have worked hard this year,” Benning said. “Our coaches have worked hard for our fans. We want to stay in the race here, coming After collecting five points in 14 games with the Canucks this season, down the stretch, so we figured this was something we could do to help Ferland was assigned to AHL Utica on a conditioning loan last week. He them.” played just one period last Friday before removing himself from the game. Canucks coach Travis Green said there’s a “lot to like” about Toffoli, who has 18 goals and 16 assists this season and is coming off a hat trick Toffoli will be in the lineup with his new team when the Canucks play the performance in last Saturday’s Stadium Series game against the fifth game of a six-game homestand on Wednesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. After a slow start, including a healthy scratch in late Minnesota Wild. October, Toffoli’s game has picked up as the season’s progressed. That Globe And Mail LOADED: 02.20.2020 made him one of the most desirable free-agent rentals on the market ahead of the Feb. 24 NHL trade deadline. “He’s played over 500 games in the NHL, he’s won in the NHL,” Green said. “He understands how hard it is to score, to win a puck battle at certain times of the year, a lot of the things that we talk about. I think it’s good timing with Brock being out.” “It’s a great addition for us,” said Elias Pettersson, who skated on a line with Toffoli and J.T. Miller at the Canucks practice on Tuesday. “He’s always been a tough player to play against. I’m happy he’s on the team now, and he’ll be good for us.” Entering Tuesday’s games, the 32-22-5 Canucks were one point out of the lead in the tight Pacific Division standings. The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights were tied for top spot with 70 points. After the Canucks climbed to the top of the Pacific with a red-hot run of 14-3-1 between Dec. 19 and Feb. 2, the team has gone 2-4-0 in its past six games and dropped a 5-1 decision to the Anaheim Ducks in its most recent outing last Sunday. Benning said he didn’t think he would have traded for Toffoli if it hadn’t been for some bad news on the injury front. On Tuesday, he said that right-winger Brock Boeser is now expected to be out until the end of the regular season after suffering a rib cartilage injury on Feb. 8. The 22-year-old forward, in his third NHL season, has 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 56 games this year. “He can shoot the puck,” Benning said of the 27-year-old Toffoli, who had spent his entire NHL career with the Kings before Monday’s trade. “He does a lot of the same things that Brock did for us.” Toffoli said he’s excited about the chance to chase a playoff spot through the final six weeks of the regular season. “Obviously, the past three years have been kind of frustrating for the Kings,” he said. “To be here and in the race, I don’t take it for granted like maybe a little bit before, kind of thinking that you’re always going to be in the playoffs and have a chance. “Time kind of flies. I’m here now and I want to help this team win.” Originally drafted 47th over all in 2010, Toffoli had 139-151-290 in 515 career games with the Kings. He won a Stanley Cup with Los Angeles in 2014, alongside another Canuck, Tanner Pearson. Pearson and Toffoli had battled in junior hockey before the two joined forces with the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs and then eventually the Kings. 1171869 Vancouver Canucks They’re still trying to get Devils forward Wayne Simmonds if the price is right.

I wonder if Vancouver could be offering a defenceman prospect. Dhaliwal’s Diary: The Canucks aren’t done dealing, still eyeing Wayne It is a position of strength for the Canucks, with Jett Woo, Olli Juolevi, Simmonds Brogan Rafferty, Toni Utunen, Jack Rathbone and Nikita Tryamkin as options. By Rick Dhaliwal Feb 19, 2020 22 Simmonds will have no shortage of teams after him. Teams are always looking to get heavier and grittier for the playoffs.

I’m told the Canucks won’t move Tanev, and according to one rumour the While the Canucks are getting ready for the playoff push, Micheal organization has told his agent as much this week. Troy Stecher’s name Ferland is in Utah this week meeting with Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, an is certainly out there, though. internationally recognized expert and sports neurology pioneer who specializes in the diagnosis and management of concussions, post- Lockwood and McDonough concussion syndrome and neurological conditions in athletes. Madden getting traded does not affect forward Will Lockwood’s potential This comes after the Canucks shut down Ferland for the season after his future with the Canucks. conditioning stint in Utica over the weekend did not go as planned. Vancouver drafted Lockwood in the third round in 2016 but didn’t sign Ferland didn’t make it to the second period of a Comets game last Friday him last year, which means he can become a UFA on Aug. 15, 2020. night, the result of concussion-like symptoms. The 21-year-old wanted the chance to be a captain and leader for The theory that the Canucks rushed Ferland back isn’t true. It was Michigan this season. Ferland’s idea to go to Utica. He wanted to skate there at a game pace and get ready to return to the Canucks lineup. He has been in control of The Canucks’ pursuit of Lockwood will continue; the appetite to sign him this process from the start. has always been strong. Ferland is a warrior, a player who sticks up for his teammates. He is one An NCAA source thinks Lockwood will sign in Vancouver: “You never of the most liked players in the dressing room and with the media on want prospects (to) get dealt at the (trade) deadline but the Canucks like every team he’s been on. this player and every year try and sign him — this year should be no different.” This is not the way he wanted his first year with the Canucks to go. But this isn’t the end for Ferland. The goal is to play next year; the plan now Meanwhile, Northeastern coach Jim Madigan was also raving about is for Ferland to return to Vancouver and get better. another Canucks prospect on his team, forward Aidan McDonough. Playoffs on the brain “I was talking to Judd Brackett today — Judd likes him a lot and has scouted him a long time. Aidan is a natural goal scorer, he is a shooter,” The Canucks are making it very clear that the playoffs are on their mind Madigan said. “His habits and details are good, he just has to work on his after acquiring Tyler Toffoli from the Kings for Tim Schaller, prospect first step quickness.” Tyler Madden, a 2020 second-round pick and 2022 conditional fourth- round pick. With 24 points in 25 games in his first year of college hockey, the Canucks may have found a gem in the seventh round. They made the trade because they are right in the thick of things in the Western Conference. Bachman heads to Sweden They also made it because Brock Boeser is out for eight weeks (or less) Three games, that’s all veteran goalie Richard Bachman has played this with fractured rib cartilage, Ferland is done for the season with season in Utica. concussion issues and Josh Leivo is out for the rest of the regular season with a fractured kneecap. It was no surprise then that last week Bachman was loaned by the Canucks to IK Oskarshamn, a team in the top-tier Swedish Hockey Tyler Madden League. One thing is for sure, Madden is having a fantastic season at Bachman has no ill feelings toward Vancouver’s management. Northeastern University and was certainly one of the team’s quality prospects, but the prices are always high around the NHL trade deadline, “Not at all, you just want to play, it was difficult,” he told me. “It can wear which is coming up on Monday. on you, it was hard to deal with. Last month in conjunction with the Canucks I started looking. No hard feelings.” No one has a better read on Madden than Northeastern coach Jim Madigan, and he tells me that Madden has a bright future. While in Utica this season, Bachman has had a front-row seat to see the growth and development of rookie goalie Mike DiPietro. “He will play in the NHL. He is smart, has skill and grit as well. He is a good skater and can play wing or in the middle. His body needs time, he “He has been excellent, he puts the time in, very professional. Not many is not going to be a heavy player but a smart player,” said Madigan. kids out of junior act like a pro. It’s pretty impressive — he is always super prepared and competes hard. He can play,” he said. “I talked to him the night of the trade, we sat him down. The trade did not faze him. His dad has been through it and the Kings really showed a lot Just like Bachman, DiPietro is not a huge goalie: “I battled size. I’m not 6- of interest in him in his draft year.” 4. I’m in my 11th year of pro hockey. Mike has to deal with it, but he has athleticism, tracks the puck well and has speed, other parts he has A Western Conference executive had this to say about the trade: “You excelled at.” gave up the entire career of a consensus very high-end prospect. Madden is going to be a player, good bloodlines, needs to get stronger It can be a challenge, though. A scout told me once, “If a goalie is not 6- and he will. Meanwhile, Jim shows his fan base promise and he rewards 2, we are not looking at him.” his coaches and his players with a player who will step in right away and Bachman’s time with the Canucks franchise may be done after this help.” season. But his fingerprints will remain on the Canucks’ development of Toffoli will be a UFA after this season, just like Jacob Markstrom and their goalies. His work with Thatcher Demko and DiPietro was Chris Tanev. appreciated by many in Utica. Toffoli’s agent Pat Brisson had this to say: “Since the L.A. Kings were not The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 going to re-sign Tyler at this stage of the season it became clear he needed to get an opportunity to go to a contender before the deadline. Vancouver came strong obviously and is a great destination for him. With regard to discussions with Jim Benning for the future we will explore at the appropriate time.” Trade deadline countdown Are the Canucks done with deals? I don’t think so. 1171870 Vancouver Canucks On Saturday in Utica, N.Y., Ferland took to the ice for a light skate at the Utica Memorial Auditorium under the observation of Utica Comets medical staff. Inside a whirlwind weekend: How Tyler Toffoli became a Vancouver Meanwhile, in Denver, Toffoli and the Kings were decked out in large Canuck white Adidas-branded Stadium Series warmup parkas, preparing for an outdoor game. Shrouded in the usual trade rumours, Toffoli and his teammates tried to put the business of the game out of their minds and focus on enjoying a special occasion. By Thomas Drance Feb 19, 2020 29 “It was a lot of fun being outdoors, a really cool experience,” Toffoli told The Athletic on Tuesday. “At the same time, I kind of knew at the back of Over the course of a fateful weekend the Vancouver Canucks made the my head that it was at an end.” decision to step up their pursuit of Los Angeles Kings forward Tyler Toffoli made what turned out to be his last game with the Kings count. Toffoli. In the first period, he put a rebound off of the post into the net on his General manager Jim Benning consummated the megadeal with Los backhand, opening the scoring. Angeles on Monday evening, but it was the product of weeks of work and hours of negotiations that stretched over the course of Sunday afternoon Late in the third period, Toffoli streaked into the high slot following a and throughout the day on Monday. Kings faceoff win in the offensive zone. He tried a wrist shot, which was blocked by Colorado Avalanche defender Erik Johnson. The puck It was a deal motivated — in fact facilitated — in part by the Canucks bounced back to Toffoli. being hit by a series of injuries and unfavourable diagnoses over the weekend. With less than a minute to play, Toffoli tried the same shot again, unleashing a wrist shot through traffic that Avalanche goaltender Pavel In a contemporary NHL environment, the collective bargaining agreement Francouz never got a good look at. The puck found the back of the net. It rules over every move and transaction. Hockey operations teams work was the game-winning goal. within salary cap constraints and complicated mechanisms like long-term injured reserve. The goal is to try and put as much talent on the ice as A few moments later, Toffoli added his third of the night into the empty possible, as efficiently as possible, within the constraints of the $81.5 net. He’d become the first player in NHL history to record a hat trick in an million upper limit. outdoor game. Salary cap space, prospect capital, LTI, family, health, airplane travel, After the game, dressed in a suit and tie and sporting a sharp-looking text messages: the story of an NHL trade may centre around two primary trench coat and a Santa-style Kings-branded toque at a podium, Toffoli decision makers, but it includes moving parts that stretch across the answered questions from NHL media. He seemed relaxed. continent. It includes people and families. When Anze Kopitar was asked what his favourite part of the game was, This is the story of the Toffoli trade. he gestured at Toffoli and answered, “His hat trick.” Friday When Toffoli was asked the same question, he had a sharp rejoinder at the ready. On Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. MT, Toffoli and the Kings took to the ice at the U.S. Air Force Academy for an outdoor practice. “Him passing it to me for my hat trick,” Toffoli joked, gesturing at his linemate. Wearing a special grey Stadium Series Kings practice jersey and a gaudy chrome helmet, Toffoli skated one last time with seven teammates The Kings boarded their bus and returned to Los Angeles on the team he’d won a Stanley Cup alongside in 2014. It would be his final practice charter. as a member of the franchise that drafted him. Sunday As practice wrapped, Toffoli and his Kings teammates swapped their practice sweaters for game jerseys. He was positioned in the back row Sunday was a team day off for Toffoli and the Kings. A day to for a full team photograph. decompress, put down your phone and try to ignore the pressures and distractions of the trade deadline. Kings players’ families were filtering onto the ice for a post-practice skate when, over 2500 kilometres to the East in Syracuse, N.Y., a development “Every day you’re sitting by the phone waiting for something to happen,” was unfolding that would directly lead to Toffoli’s departure from Los Toffoli told The Athletic of his day off on Sunday. “A lot of guys in that Angeles. locker room are feeling the same way.” In Syracuse, Canucks forward Micheal Ferland took to the ice for the Two thousand kilometres north up the I-5, meanwhile, it was a Canucks warmup skate at the Upstate Medical University Arena at 3:29 p.m. ET game day. ahead of the first of two scheduled weekend appearances with the At noon, a sellout crowd began to filter into Rogers Arena for the final Canucks’ American League affiliate, the Utica Comets, on an LTI home game of Sedin Week. There was a full house in the arena, and Conditioning loan. Ferland had agreed to go to Utica on loan to get some also in Benning’s office. game action. As the lunch hour approached, Vancouver’s senior hockey operations This was Ferland’s first game back since early December, when he left a personnel gathered to debrief on the injury news and discuss their Canucks home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a recurrence options. This wasn’t a prescheduled meeting. These briefings are a daily of concussion symptoms. Ferland first began experiencing concussion occurrence at this time of year for Canucks hockey operations staff, symptoms this season during a game against the Kings on Halloween particularly as the leverage turns up with the approaching NHL trade night, a game in which Toffoli was a healthy scratch. This was his second deadline. attempt to return from the head injury he’d sustained that evening, during a fight with Toffoli’s longtime teammate Kyle Clifford. In an office tower connected to the arena, several storeys above ice level, Benning’s office looks over BC Place. And on the far wall is a Ferland is a family man who had worked hard to get to this point. He’d massive whiteboard with every NHL team’s depth chart scrawled onto it. struggled through some bad days. He’d been symptom-free through multiple full practices with teammates in Vancouver and in Utica. This In these daily meetings, senior staff gather and get updates from the was the next step in his recovery. Canucks general manager on his conversations with rival teams. They discuss their options and the Canucks’ needs. And they discuss the Head injuries are merciless. On Friday night in Syracuse, Ferland only status of injured players. played a small handful of shifts before he removed himself from the game. Despite the work he’d put in, the due diligence of the Canucks Within the NHL salary cap system is a device called Long-Term Injured medical staff and the fact that he’d made it through several high-intensity Reserve. The media often calls this mechanism “LTIR,” but most hockey practices as a full participant, Ferland didn’t feel right. operations staffers just call it “LTI.” It’s a relatively complicated device, but the basic concept is simple: If a player is going to miss at least 10 The Canucks released a straightforward statement that evening: “Micheal games or 24 days as a result of injury, he can be placed on LTI and the Ferland left tonight’s game due to concussion-like symptoms and will not team is then permitted to exceed the upper limit of the salary cap by the return as a participant.” equivalent amount of that player’s cap hit for the duration of the injury. Saturday This device can have a decisive impact on a team’s flexibility to add Adding Toffoli’s cap hit only really became practical once it was apparent salary ahead of the NHL trade deadline. that Ferland would remain on LTI through the balance of the regular season. During this particular Sunday meeting, Benning gathered with his assistant general managers Chris Gear and John Weisbrod, Canucks And at 5 p.m., hockey operations representatives from the Kings and the senior director of hockey operations and analytics Jonathan Wall and Canucks got on the telephone with the NHL to conduct the official “Trade Canucks senior adviser to the general manager Stan Smyl. The group Call” and formally complete the transaction. was occasionally joined over the telephone by various pro scouts, and senior adviser Doug Jarvis, who played a significant role in the Toffoli, meanwhile, had only just arrived in Winnipeg. He found out about discussions. the deal at dinner, about 40 minutes after landing. By this point it was clear, after further consultation with Canucks medical “He texted me and said, ‘This actually could be happening,'” Toffoli’s staffers and concussion specialists, that Ferland would be shut down for friend, former Kings teammate and new Canucks teammate Tanner the rest of the season as a result of recurring concussion-like symptoms. Pearson recalled of hearing the news on Monday. It was also apparent that Brock Boeser would miss more time than “When I found out, he found out at the same time,” Toffoli said, laughing originally hoped for with a rib cartilage fracture. about his communication with Pearson on Monday evening. “I probably If things had gone well for Ferland in Utica, Vancouver had hoped to iced him a little bit, because I had hundreds of other people calling.” have Ferland back in the lineup by Wednesday night’s game against Off of Griffiths Way, Benning began to call the impacted players. He Minnesota. Up until Friday, there remained hope internally that he’d be called Schaller and thanked him for his contributions during his season- an impactful player for the club down the stretch. and-a-half in Vancouver. The Ferland news was a blow. It seems ghoulish, but because of how And he called Toffoli, welcomed him to Vancouver. He let Toffoli know LTI is designed, from a cap perspective, it clarified Vancouver’s situation. that he should expect to hear from Canucks Team Services, who The team now knew they could afford to responsibly add somewhere in arranged his travel and accommodations. the neighbourhood of $3 million to $3.5 million in salary, without sending By 9 p.m. CT, just two hours after the Trade Call began with the NHL, money out. Toffoli was on his way to Vancouver, by way of Calgary. He landed at The Boeser news, meanwhile, meant that Vancouver was down three about 11:30 p.m. PT, ready to get in a night’s sleep before his first right-sided forwards: Boeser, Josh Leivo and Tyler Motte. And the Pacific Canucks practice and a lengthy list of media obligations on Tuesday Division standings were tightening, with the teams around Vancouver morning. racking up wins throughout the weekend. For Toffoli, a whirlwind weekend was over. “We looked at our group and did an analysis of where we think we can be Over four hectics days he’d practised for the final time with his former better to help our group down the stretch,” Benning recapped on club, scored a historic outdoor hat trick and was traded. Tuesday. He’d been through Denver, Los Angeles, Winnipeg — and now he was a “As a hockey operations group we talked about it and decided to do Vancouver Canuck. something to give these guys a little bump, a little push and finish off the year strong.” The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 Vancouver’s hockey operations group settled on prioritizing a piece to upgrade their top-six forward group and bolster their offensive attack. And they began to engage the Kings — with general manager Rob Blake leading negotiations directly on the Los Angeles side, and Benning on Vancouver’s — on the structure of a possible deal for Toffoli. As the two sides began the process of piecing together the structure for a possible deal, progress was made, but the sides still weren’t particularly close. Benning left the rink that evening, having watched his team lose to Anaheim 5-1 and tumble for the first time in a month out of pole position in the Pacific Division standings. He didn’t have a sense of whether the deal would get done or not. Monday Just after midday on Monday, Toffoli and his Kings teammates boarded the charter in Los Angeles to depart for Winnipeg, where the Kings were scheduled to play the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night. It’s a three-and-a- half hour flight on the charter, then you clear customs and take the team bus to the hotel. Toffoli was prepared to be dealt. He’s on an expiring contract and he’s been around the business long enough. Meanwhile, that morning, Canucks hockey operations met again as a group. “Unfortunately there’s no such thing as Family Day in our business,” Benning said with a laugh as he discussed this sequence of events with The Athletic on Tuesday. By roughly noon, Vancouver had re-engaged Los Angeles. For a variety of reasons, the Canucks were a motivated buyer. And Los Angeles, having gone through an early sale with the Jake Muzzin-to- Toronto trade the year prior, were willing to make the move early if their price was met. By the late afternoon, the club had agreed to a deal: The Canucks would acquire Toffoli in exchange for forward Tim Schaller and his $1.9 million cap hit, a 2020 second-round pick, prospect Tyler Madden and a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick, which will only be included in the deal in the event that Toffoli re-signs with the Canucks. All told, the Canucks were adding a $2.7 million cap hit to the books. There were other paper transactions to process, as Leivo and Boeser moved to LTI in paper transactions to open up the cap space. 1171871 Vancouver Canucks with a shower beer of celebration, as opposed to a shower beer of sadness when scoring a goal on your own goalie in the playoffs.

Tyler Motte was the man taking the huge hit to make the play, and the gif The Armies: Tyler Toffoli’s forgettable moment in shootout loss to Wild doesn’t do this justice. The sound of Motte being clunked was like a watermelon being hit with a sledgehammer.

The end result of all that work is Jay Beagle gets luckier than Mr. By Wyatt Arndt Feb 20, 2020 1 Papagiorgio at the slots, as he gets a two-on-one with Quinn Hughes, who leads him to the easy goal.

It should also be noted that Motte’s speed was a welcome addition to the The hottest rivalry in the NHL concluded its season series at Rogers lineup, as his forechecking and puck hounding was on par with Phoebe Arena, as the Vancouver Canucks lost to the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in a Stecher. He also made some timely defensive plays late in the game to shootout. keep the score tied, blocking shots and getting the puck out of his zone. For two periods, it was everything you wanted out of a game against It was the kind of game that made Green beam with pride about him Minnesota. doing all the “little things.” Random icings. Worst feeling in the world Passes and shots hitting shin pads by the hundred. EDLER HAD A 3:00 SHIFT AND STECHER 2:31 ON THAT 2-1 MINNY GOAL HTTPS://T.CO/4BXQLPFDB0 Aggressive offsides. — JEFF PATERSON (@PATERSONJEFF) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 Shots missing the net and ringing around the boards and out of the zone. If you’ve ever played a sport where you drain your stamina and you have TV commercials. nothing left in the tank, then you know the pain of Troy Stecher and Alex Edler on this shift. It was the stuff of legends, as all games against Minnesota tend to be. You could hardly tear your eyes away from it. If you ever watched Shane Carwin versus Brock Lesnar, where Carwin basically begged Lesnar to give him a reason to tap out because he was But then something funny happened in the third period. Suddenly, in the so tired, that is a solid equivalent for this shift. midst of all of this, a hockey game broke out. Now, people will be angry at Loui Eriksson for having a chance to clear The end of this game had everything. Goals, hits, dekes and dogs racing the puck farther down the ice, or at the very least, ice the puck and across the ice. maybe the team takes a timeout. Sadly, he was not able to advance the The night even set itself up for newest Canuck Tyler Toffoli to become puck very far out of the zone, the end result being the forward changed, the hero. but the defense did not. With the Canucks needing one goal in the shootout, Toffoli weaved his Which is why there now exists a gif of a very sad Stecher and Edler way toward Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, and with room running out, fell staring at a puck trickling in behind the goalie. backward in an attempt to go top shelf and blow the roof off Rogers In defense of Eriksson, he was also very exhausted on that shift and was Arena. in survival mode just like everyone else was. That right there my friends, is how every breakaway attempt I make in my Best flow life ends. Starts with high hopes, ends with me crashing into the boards. It’s a metaphor for life, really. I LIKE THIS TOFFOLI GUY. GREAT HAIR. #CANUCKS “It was tough. Not my best attempt and first impression with the team. It’s — CHARLIE COLE (@CHUCKTHACANUCK) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 all right, I’ll make it up,” Toffoli said. Science will tell you if Pettersson’s best friend in the world, Brock Boeser, So while Toffoli’s debut fell just short of becoming the stuff of legends, has terrific hair, you should replace him in the lineup with another guy coach Travis Green, well-known hype man, was still pleased with the who has great hair. result. Enter Toffoli. “Yeah, I liked him. He’s good,” Green said. Toffoli fit right in with the two-thirds of the Lotto Line. “Easy to play with, As for the game itself, Green was happy with the complete effort, even if fun to play with,” JT Miller said of Toffoli. the bounces didn’t go their way. The main highlight for Toffoli was him sliding into the slot and sending in “It was a good game. A really good game. Probably our best game in the a puck to Miller’s wheelhouse for the tip-in: last six or seven games. … We didn’t get any puck luck tonight. I like how we stuck with it for 60 minutes. You know, came back in the third, got the “It was good, (Chris) Tanev made a really nice play leaving it for me, and lead and got a little bit unlucky.” I had a whole lot of time and I saw (Miller) standing there by himself and he made a nice tip,” Toffoli said. Best slow start The best part about this quote is Toffoli using Tanev’s official name and The game got off to a rough start, especially for one Jordie Benn. After not the informal “Tansy” or “Tanner” or “Dad” that everyone else uses. turning the puck over trying to clear the puck, Benn inexplicably goes You can tell he’s still new to the team. straight into Leeroy Jenkins mode and rushes after the puck, only to see it bounce behind him right onto the stick of Kevin Fiala. Let’s run down some gifs to give a good idea of the kind of game Toffoli brings. It continues a trend of uneven play for Benn, even though his game did get better as the game progressed. Still, there were moments when it felt Up first, he showcased good defense by stripping the Galchenyuk of the like his foot speed was putting him at a disadvantage. puck. Best never saw it coming After a nice hit from Miller, Toffoli also follows Canuck rule No. 2 — always get the puck to Hughes or Pettersson — and almost bangs in a THE DEADLY COMBINATION OF QUINN HUGHES AND JAY BEAGLE rebound beside the net. #CANUCKS On the physical side of the game, Toffoli didn’t even blink when Dubnyk — DYLAN NICHOLSON (@RADIOCODEX) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 tried to punk him. Nothing phases this guy. Nothing. THOSE ARE THRE KIND OF PLAYS WHERE TEAMMATES BUY YOU And my favorite play was in overtime when after he gets a shot off on A DINNER. net, he comes in hard to finish off his check. — NATE (@NATE_E_MAN) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 It was perhaps his physical play that was most surprising to see in action. He’s not a physically imposing fella, but it felt like every time the Wild hit This was the kind of goal beer leaguers love. A guy takes a huge hit to Pettersson or Hughes, there was Toffoli getting in the Wild players’ faces. make a play, creating a two-on-one for his team, and then one of the For years, people in Vancouver have wanted not necessarily on-ice heart-and-soul guys gets a tap-in. That’s the kind of goal you celebrate justice in the form of bone-jarring retalitory hits, but to at least show a Up next was Eriksson almost out-waiting Dubnyk for the nice goal in the pulse when the other team attacks their star players. third period, only to be thwarted by the goalie because it’s Eriksson and he hates scoring on goalies. Empty nets only. “Just kind of sticking up for my teammate,” Toffoli said about his coming to the defense of Pettersson. “Don’t want guys taking advantage of him. This attempt was still better than the one in the second period when he You know he’s one of our best players. Anything I can do to help him out fumbled the puck and turned a breakout pass from Tyler Motte into a lost and give him a little extra space. Obviously I’m not the toughest guy, but puck battle. when Petey has that space he can make some really impressive plays.” Eriksson’s goodwill from the Insurance Line is starting to wane, as plays This is how you make legions of fans in this town. like this will not quiet the people from wondering if Zack MacEwen should be put back in the lineup at the expense of Eriksson, especially after Best snipe show, you’re a sniper games in which the Big Fella was one of the best players for the JIMOTHY. TIMOTHY. #CANUCKS Canucks. — OWEN LAUKKANEN (@OWENLAUKKANEN) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 Miller also had a chance early on to score, but he too, was thwarted. WHAT A HUSTLE PLAY BY PETTERSSON TO BEAT OUT THAT Pettersson did manage to figure out how to beat Dubnyk in the shootout, ICING, LEADING TO THE MILLER GOAL! #CANUCKS however. — DANIEL WAGNER (@PASSITTOBULIS) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 Which led to Miller absolutely ethering Dubnyk in the shootout. I have no idea what the gameplan from Dubnyk was (“I bet a really slow poke Miller hit a career high in goals with his 23rd and 24th goals Wednesday, check will fool this guy!”) but it didn’t work. as he continues to be an invaluable part of the Canucks’ playoff picture. But don’t forget who helped make this possible. Miller gets to walk the puck into the net then skate off like he doesn’t even care that he scored. Pettersson hustling to beat out an icing. This, too, was delightful. Not since Eriksson got a standing ovation for doing a similar thing earlier in the season have we seen such a dramatic puck chase. Wednesday Best Maverick was the kind of game where it felt like Pettersson had no intention of PERHAPS OVERSHADOWED BY THE TYLER TOFFOLI DEBUT, losing and was going to try and will the Canucks to two points. THAT WAS AMONG THE BEST GAMES QUINN HUGHES HAS But why should I play up this icing when Green can do it for me. PLAYED IN THE NHL: “That’s not surprising,” Green said. “Whether you’re a skilled player or a – 27:05 MINUTES gritty player, we want all our guys to work.” – 2 ASSISTS Worst luck – 5 SOG SO TROY STETCHER… – 10 SHOT ATTEMPTS WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION…#CANUCKS – #CANUCKS OUT-CHANCED THE WILD 21-7 WITH HUGHES ON — BEN “FRANKIE FRANCOUZ FAN” SHPALL (@BENSHPALL) THE ICE AT EVEN-STRENGTH. FEBRUARY 20, 2020 — THOMAS DRANCE (@THOMASDRANCE) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 DAMMIT. SOMEONE GET THE BAD LUCK BRIAN MEME AND What Armies would be complete without a few gifs of Quinn Hughes PHOTOSHOP STECHER'S HEAD ON IT. #CANUCKS playing hockey? Drance is quite correct in that Hughes had himself a — R.SANTOS (@THEDIRTYSANTOS) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 night. No, for some reason he still isn’t used in the shootout (he has to be a better option than watching Horvat “Daniel Sedin” it up in the shootout, The proud, honourable tradition of defencemen scoring on their own net right?), but he was leaned on heavily by Green yet again. I will bring it up continued in Vancouver, but this goal had an extra strange element to it. every time, but man, remember when he wasn’t ready to run PP1, Jacob Markstrom, who had a front-row seat to the goal, was unsure of according to Green? how to describe it. My current favorite game is watching people try and skate after Hughes “I mean, I don’t know what to describe. I think it goes off me, off Stech like they’re going to actually catch him. foot then his face then over top of me then in the net,” Markstrom said. The amount of time and space he creates just by changing up his angle This led to the best interaction between Markstrom and Jeff Paterson, of attack is insane. who asked Markstrom about the non-call in overtime when he got run over. I stated earlier in the season that Hughes is the best Canucks defenseman of all time, and now I’m wondering if I didn’t go far enough. Paterson: “You looked frustrated in overtime there, do you think you …” Best doggos Markstrom: “I wasn’t frustrated. I wasn’t frustrated. No. I was laughing and smiling at the ref.” MY FEED RN Now you have to imagine Markstrom bristling with intensity and delivering #CANUCKS TWITTER PIC.TWITTER.COM/BBXY9ODGPD this in the most deadpan delivery you’ve ever heard, and nobody quite — DARRYL KEEPING (@DKEEPING) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 knowing if he’s making a joke or being serious. Tanner Pearson’s dog may have won the race, but Phoebe captured the It was downright delightful. hearts of Canucks Nation. Best stacking the pads Also, they should have Canuck dog races every month. EDLER: “THIS IS MY MOMENT!” #CANUCKS Best shameless self-promotion — MIKE IN PORTLAND (@NROKCHI) FEBRUARY 20, 2020 BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!#CANUCKS CENTRE ELIAS This is the correct way to Leeroy Jenkins. PETTERSSON (@_EPETTERSSON) HAS AGREED TO ANSWER 10 QUESTIONS FROM @THEATHLETICVAN VIPS. Edler, who has never met a puck he hasn’t wanted to save, dashes into the frame at the last second to make a pad stack save that possibly SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS HERE, AND I’LL POSE THE BEST ONES saved the Canucks a point on the night. TO ELIAS LATER THIS WEEK:HTTPS://T.CO/EYCRQEPG8T The only way that could be better if it were in the Skate jersey. — THOMAS DRANCE (@THOMASDRANCE) FEBRUARY 19, 2020 Best bro, do your dekes Now you have a chance to ask Pettersson anything you want! First up it’s Pettersson showcasing what would have happened if Wile E. Does he enjoy raisins in carrot muffins? Coyote had just learned to stiff-arm the Roadrunner or jam a stick Are Shibas the best dog breed? between his legs. Is the Buffalo Sabres jersey the nicest in hockey? lead to them relying on their, uh, tidal wave of prospects awaiting them. If the Canucks truly believe in their defensive depth being able to cover for These are just some of the questions you can ask on my behalf. Stecher (and any possible injuries to their top four), this could be one of Best jersey Botch the easiest decisions for the Canucks to shed some money. This one was sent in by @starbryson, who captured the dueling Oscars And while Toffoli is certainly a player who should be a boon to the in their natural habitat, the bar. I can only pray that the guy on the far Canucks this season, if the Canucks plan to re-sign him, that’s again right in the jacket is about to take it off to reveal the third Fantenberg more money to account for. While it’s easy to suggest certain players jersey. might retire or salary can be dumped to the tire fire of Detroit, that is far easier said than done. Especially for a team that isn’t really in a spot to SAW MY FIRST SUNDIN ON THE WAY IN, BUT IT'S A TEAM SWEDEN add a mid-round draft pick to sweeten the pot on taking back a bad PIC.TWITTER.COM/6RK3MXB5JP contract. — INSPIRED AQUARIUMS (@INSPIREDAQUACA) FEBRUARY 20, (You can almost hear Judd Brackett wailing in his office as he sees his 2020 draft picks being bandied back and forth.) Best time to shine Of course, they can also simply walk away from Toffoli, but it leads down the path of asking “Just how much would you pay for playoff SOURCE – #CANUCKS ARE STILL IN MIX FOR WAYNE SIMMONDS. experience?” — especially for a team that certainly feels like it’s not a consistent Stanley Cup threat yet. I WONDER IF VANCOUVER COULD BE OFFERING A DEFENSEMAN PROSPECT. What about Shotgun Jake? As much fun as it is to wait and see if Bob McKenzie will toast a margarita if Big Tuna hits 20 goals, his potential IT IS A POSITION OF STRENGTH FOR CANUCKS – WOO, JUOLEVI, future contract demands seemingly rise with every can of disgusting food RAFFERTY, UTUNEN, RATHBONE, TRYAMKIN. Tommy shoots back in his honour. — RICK DHALIWAL (@DHALIWALSPORTS) FEBRUARY 19, 2020 And to think, we haven’t even touched on Tanev yet, who at the start of The battle raged on in Canucks Nation, as the reaction to the acquisition the season might have felt more expendable if we didn’t see him turn into of Tyler Toffoli and rumours of possible interest in Wayne Simmonds Quinn Hughes’ hockey dad throughout the year. The Canucks could continued to roll in. potentially make a killing trading him at the deadline, but that wouldn’t line up with the apparent all-in approach they’ve taken, meaning they Popular subjects included: have to figure out his situation before free agency. Just how valuable is playoff experience, and what price would you pay All of which leads to the glaring spotlight over the next several months. for even four games of it? Jim Benning can no longer hide in the re-tool and re-build phases of the past. It’s become clear that this season is about pushing for the playoffs The window for Hughes and Pettersson — is it now? and beyond, and now it’s up to Benning to prove that not only was his What would you give up for Wayne Simmonds? vision the correct one, but that he and his staff can navigate the waters into making this team a legit contender. Is Jim Benning utilizing short-term gains at the expense of long-term success? All while an amicable Trevor Linden watches from afar. How strong is the Canucks’ prospect pool and are there merits in utilizing Best sign you need a change it to bring in help for this year’s playoff push? HIS PREFERRED GOAL SONG IS JUST FANS CHEERING IM- Tyler Toffoli’s best-friend status with Tanner Pearson: Is their bond PIC.TWITTER.COM/KWJ885EMCA stronger than Pettersson and Boeser’s? — KJ (@KAYJAYSSSS) FEBRUARY 18, 2020 To some fans, this is a glorious beginning of a push to relevancy, the determined kind of actions needed to take a giant step forward as an This is what happens when you don’t hear “Holiday” as the goal song. organization. To others, they worry it’s too much too soon and more Fans cheering is clearly a better option than the current goal song that patience is required. just yells at you suggestively, “HEY HEY HEY,” every three goddamn seconds like you’re walking past a construction zone. Barring a miraculous run to the Stanley Cup and subsequent victory that teams around the league will use in their PR push next season (“Look Best fur baby award how quickly Vancouver pushed for the Cup, we should totally do that IF THE GAME GOES SOUTH, HERE’S MY PREEMPTIVE PET too!”), it’s all leading up to perhaps the most important five months of the SUBMISSION – MY CAT’S A BIG SEDIN FAN APPARENTLY! current Canucks management’s careers. PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZEIJ3KKYGG Not only will they have to balance the expectations for next season — OH OKAY (@HAMJUICE) FEBRUARY 19, 2020 depending on how this year’s playoff push goes, but they also have to deal with a roster that has a lot of contractual moving parts. Best Luuuuuuuu? For a general manager who has often been lambasted for playing fast Canucks Reddit user Legend_of_Petey found a fantastic piece of artwork and loose with bottom-six contracts, Benning’s salary chickens are today, all the way in Thailand. coming home to roost this offseason. It appears to be an off-brand Roberto Luongo? It looks like the image has They have to plan for a future that will have substantial Hughes and been flipped, the name bar reversed, and the colours look oddly New Pettersson contracts, and a potential Markstrom contract, before they York Islander based. Other theories are that it’s simply for Canuck back- can even try and figure out how to fit in everybody else in need of a new up Andrew Raycroft, based purely on the fact it says Andrew on the deal. goalie pads. It’s why we’re seeing things like this pop up: Complex science is being used on this analysis. .@DHALIWALSPORTS TANEV IS NOT BEING SHOPPED, HOWEVER So while we might never know if this is truly an homage to Luongo or not, TROY STECHER MIGHT BE ON THE MARKET #CANUCKS it’s comforting to know a Vancouver goalie of some sorts is watching over an ice rink all the way over in Phuket. — TSN RADIO VANCOUVER (@TSN1040) FEBRUARY 19, 2020 The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 While part of me stares in bewilderment at the idea that there are people who view defence as a huge strength of this organization, someone like Stecher is 100 percent a prime candidate to be moved to not only help give the Canucks salary cap breathing room, but to also possibly recoup a draft pick for Judd Brackett to play with. As Harman Dayal pointed out back in November, Stecher will be heading to arbitration. It’s possible he could land a $3.5 million-plus contract in arbitration, something the Canucks might feel is too rich for their blood. This could 1171872 Websites down a goal or two, there are optimal times to pull your goaltender if you’re legitimately trying to win (and not just make the score at the end look close). If you’re down a couple of goals, waiting for 60-90 seconds left in the game isn’t just conservative, it’s wrong. This one’s not up for The Athletic / Bourne: High-risk hockey can cost you but that doesn’t debate anymore. One side argues this: playing six skaters against five, mean it should be ignored the odds of giving up a shot against go down and your odds of scoring go up a bit. Since scoring is one of the hardest things to do in hockey, pulling your goalie with three to four minutes left gives you a better and By Justin Bourne Feb 19, 2020 79 more realistic chance of actually tying the game up. If you give a goal up, well, you were likely losing anyway. The other side argues this about early goalie pulls: It doesn’t make me feel safe in my tummy and I’d rather tell people we lost 3-1 than 4-1. While it’s less directly visible, “low-risk hockey” comes with some risk and sometimes hockey teams get burned by the wrong side of that risk — low The odds of scoring a goal against a full five skaters and a goalie, versus or not. Maybe they dump the puck in all game instead of trying to hang the odds of a team simply getting a shot on your (empty) net, heavily on to the puck, which gives the other team one too many possessions, favor the latter. Yet teams have pulled their goalie for decades (albeit which leads to the one extra goal against that costs our low-risk team the later in games than present day), knowing that the risk of giving up that game. They “risked” that outcome by avoiding the big glaring error in empty-net goal against was worth increasing their own chances of hopes that if they put themselves in good positions to defend, they’d scoring. Therefore, hockey fans have been conditioned to accept that keep the puck out of their net, which would lead to a win. Of course, that little bit of risk. That’s directly what I’m talking about here — a better meant defending a lot, on purpose, and in this example, that risk bit understanding that taking certain risks is worth the potential rewards and them. that should lead us to accept those potential negative outcomes like empty-net goals against. The same should hold for accepting the That’s what I want to talk about here today – the negative side of risk and negatives — namely turnovers — when discussing high-risk hockey. seeing it for what it is: just an outcome from a percentage-based decision. The other conversation was about how newer stats say you should take the shot at the net from the “wrong” side of the red line (when the red High-risk hockey comes with risk too, just more of it, and those risks bite isn’t easily obtained) with the opposing goalie pulled because the “high-risk” teams, just more often. The trade-off with high risk, is potential reward (a goal and essentially ending the game outright) is wondering how valuable are the positive outcomes of the risks you’re worth the risk of a draw in your own zone. I know that makes older taking? Does the chance of executing a certain high-risk play come with hockey fans shudder because that decision has always been looked at a reward so big it outweighs the damage of the possible – and maybe as a selfish, team-second play. It’s one of those things that we agreed more likely – potential negative outcomes? Maybe a team was relieving was scorn-worthy years ago. With that, people who used to make that forechecker pressure by passing the puck out in front of their own goalie decision were being selfish — they knew the team didn’t want them to — a strategy that allowed them to walk out of the zone easily. Until in the take that shot, but they wanted to up their personal stats and went for it second period, a single pass gets bobbled, and the other team is gifted anyway. But in reality, missing the net on that shot will only end up in a with the eventual game-winning goal. Executing the higher risk play was lost draw roughly half the time, will result in a shot against from there an great for them until one pass got mishandled and it wound up in a goal even smaller percentage of the time and will end in a goal against in a against. significantly smaller percentage of the time. Were the advantages gained by all the easy breakouts worth the cost of In this chat I’m referring to, we were talking about a recent example of a the goal against? The likely answer to that is yes, which means finding a player who’d gone for it from his own blue line, missed the net and it way to come to grips with the time it turned into a worst-case result. resulted in a goal against his team (and a similar play that had resulted in This is the battle many teams face in today’s NHL, particularly for a team a good chance against). like the Toronto Maple Leafs, who trail only the Tampa Bay Lightning in That’s gonna happen. That’s the negative side of a positive decision. goals for this season … but find themselves among the bottom five in goals against, too. (We’ll get to the Leafs in a bit, as they are an excellent Don’t let your memory fool you case study.) When you consider the result as a function of “times attempted out of Myth vs. reality 100,” shooting for the empty net will leave you with more wins than passing on the shot and trying to skate it farther into the opposition’s end The debate in hockey over what’s the better way to play — low-risk or to avoid a potential icing. This is about living with and accepting the bad high-risk — has only been a debate in the way a yappy dog thinks it has outcomes based on statistical decisions even though you can see and a shot against a truck. It can make a lot of noise from the window, but remember how they looked, even though they don’t make your tummy one side (low-risk) has always come out on top when push comes to feel good. Detractors of “shoot from distance” are quick to bring up shove. For coaches, giving up the obvious, glaring error in a sport where anecdotes of failure, yet less inclined to remember the converted shots those moments are rare has been seen as the ultimate no-no. It looks from beyond 100 feet. (They’re pretty common these days!) poorly coached, whereas doing the safe thing looks like good coaching (“boy, they play the right way”), though playing that way disguises the Another example can be found in how to defend a 2-on-1. I believe downsides of handing over the puck voluntarily and ignores the value of defensemen should be far more aggressive on the puck carrier early. a player pulling off a high-risk play. If you beat anyone 1-on-1 today in The detractors to this idea will point to what happens when a D-man the NHL, it pulls the entire defense apart, as I illustrated in this video of a goes at a puck carrier at the blue line and fails to stop the pass going recent David Pastrnak goal. Brad Marchand dangles Jeff Petry, which through. The result is a prime scoring chance against. You can read pulls both Brett Kulak and Jonathan Drouin to him, which changes more of my thoughts on this scenario here, and while I will agree that a everything in an instant. Maybe Marchand should have driven wide or pass getting through isn’t a great look, the crux of my point is that if the pulled up on a delay — both safer options — but the risk he took by D-man does get beat and gives up a breakaway, the odds of that attempting a 1-on-1 dangle equaled a goal for, straight up. breakaway ending up in a goal aren’t any higher than the success rate of any shot allowed off a 2-on-1. Getting burned early by being aggressive Before we go any further, I want to be clear that I’m not heading toward just simplifies life for the goalie. The defending advantage to be utilized is the point that high-risk hockey is the better way to win. That’s not what to not allow said 2-on-1 to end in a shot at all. Backing off and playing I’m here to say. The point I want to get through is that sometimes higher conservatively doesn’t prevent 2-on-1 shots, which are just as dangerous risk hockey makes more sense, particularly when your roster is built in a (incrementally more this year, actually) as breakaways. But the favorable way (with the elite skill that can make special plays), and that implementation of this is brutally hard because of confirmation bias. We when you lean into that, you have to accept the negative side of those see a pass get through an aggressive defender, and our brain goes percentages. You have to see some failed high-risk plays as a function of “SEE!” When it works, it’s just another rush snuffed out before it got “times out of 100 that you try X,” and not just see the failures and bank interesting, and off we go the other way. them as anecdotes to push back against a style of hockey that’s different than most of us grew up playing. When high-risk hockey plays go wrong, For the NHL case study, we turn to the Maple Leafs, who have success it doesn’t always mean a glaring decision-making error was to blame. based on doing a few offensive things most other teams simply can’t do. The way Mitch Marner makes people miss and holds the puck to extend Recently, I’ve had two interesting discussions that are relevant here. One possessions, the way Matthews shoots it, Tavares net-front brain, and on was about how early teams pull goaltenders these days, and along a and on … Those things are why the Leafs win more than they lose on the similar vein, one was about shooting at empty nets from the wrong side whole. Making high-risk plays that end in high-danger chances is worth it (the icing side) of the red line. for the Leafs in the big sample, as they pay off big when they pay off, and These touch on two rare areas of hockey today where statistics have they pay off often enough for them. Their problems start when they try to directly influenced how teams currently operate. Statistically, when you’re play a safe, low-risk game, which means more defending. However, they simply don’t defend well, and Leafs fans can tell you how poorly they look when playing a “safe” brand of hockey. I should note, this sort of philosophy– low-risk and playing it safe — is rarely introduced by a coach within a game. Yes, a coach would encourage safe/smart decision making with the lead (maybe adjusting the percentages of when to risk home runs for strikeouts and when not to), but players know what those game states mean — “don’t do things that risk the other team getting a great chance.” Inherently, players chip and dump the puck more, they pull back from potential battles to stay in a safe position rather than aggressively running in on 50/50 pucks and it all adds up. Low-risk hockey becomes a problem for teams like the Leafs, but unfortunately, it’s not as simple as telling players “keep the pedal down” purely because of human nature. In Toronto, players that lean high-risk and can’t seem to play any other way have proven maddening. Jake Gardiner, William Nylander and even Tyson Barrie all do things, in the big picture, that are for the betterment of the team. The wrong side of the percentages they play, though, is noticeable, and often look egregious. We call them brain cramps or say certain players are more prone to the big mistake, and those things are certainly true with the names mentioned above. But mostly it’s them just continuing to take the chances that they’ve seen play out positively more often than not over the courses of their careers. They’re less successful and tweaking those percentage meters from taking full-on highs risks to the slightly more moderate ones. They can only play one way, which irony of ironies, might be exactly what the Leafs need. Conclusion In the end, though, the Leafs are just a greater example of the point being made here. We take risks in hockey because sometimes the potential payout can be worth the potential negative outcomes. It’s in those situations where we can’t hold on to how it looks when it doesn’t work out, and we have to remember the greater point. Small sample bad results don’t always point to big picture bad decisions. The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171873 Websites Scott Burnside: For me, the top defenseman that could actually be on the market is Jeff Petry in Montreal. Petry checks all the boxes regardless of the team in that he’s still got one more year on his current contract at $5.5 million, he’s a right-hand shot, he’s just 32, he can play in your top The Athletic / Resetting the defenseman trade market: Who is still four and help out on the power play, and he’s having a terrific season. He shopping and who are the best options? does have limited no-trade protection that, according to CapFriendly, means Petry can submit a list of 15 teams he cannot be traded to. The cost would be significant. Think Jake Muzzin-plus. So, a first-round pick, By Craig Custance Feb 19, 2020 100 a top prospect and at least another mid-range draft pick or secondary prospect. Montreal can eat some salary to help make this digestible, but given what Petry brings to the table for not one but two playoff runs, I’d do it in a heartbeat. OK, it wasn’t quite the hour rush that saw P.K. Subban, Shea Weber and Taylor Hall switch teams while Steven Stamkos signed a long-term deal Dom Luszczyszyn: It’s no wonder the prices are all out of whack for with the Lightning back on June 29, 2016, but it was something. On defenders during the deadline: With six days left the market is basically Tuesday, the defenseman market broke open with Brenden Dillon already dry, especially for rentals. (Capitals), Marco Scandella (Blues) and Dylan DeMelo (Jets) all getting traded, and Alec Martinez expected to get moved to the Vegas Golden If I’m a team right now I’m probably going hard after a guy like Jonas Knights at any moment. (Editor’s Note: The Martinez deal was completed Brodin who is for my money probably one of the best defensive on Wednesday afternoon.) defensemen on the planet. He will be hard to pry out if Minnesota, but he’s worth the price, especially since he comes with term on a That did a number on the defenseman trade market, both in terms of who reasonably cheap deal – he has one more season with a $4.17 million is available and who still needs a defenseman. cap hit. No one else available will provide the impact Brodin does. “Anyone still looking?” asked one NHL source on Tuesday evening. Eric Duhatschek: First, a small caveat. Among the remaining defensemen that may change hands between now and Monday, Sami Yes, turns out there is. One executive on Tuesday evening said interest Vatanen qualifies as the most intriguing, assuming he’s healthy. And at on defensemen actually picked up after all the trades went down the moment, good health would be a key qualifier for any team looking to presumably because teams didn’t want to get left out. There are always add defensive reinforcement because of their own injuries on defense teams looking to add on defense. Always. The Carolina Hurricanes are (see Columbus, Calgary, Nashville and others for details). Logically, looking for help on defense. So are the Florida Panthers. You know Jim there would be little point in adding a short-term reinforcement if that Rutherford isn’t done in Pittsburgh. He never is. And even though it reinforcement couldn’t play in the short term. Vatanen is currently on sounds like the Jets have shifted their focus to help at forward in light of injured reserve and hasn’t played since Feb. 1. Any team negotiating to the Bryan Little news, they’d still add another defenseman if they can find bring the pending unrestricted free agent in would obviously want a full one at a discount. That’s just to start. medical status report. So with that in mind, let’s do a quick reset of the defenseman market: However, if Vatanen’s return date is nearing and the question shifts to Luxury rental: New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen is now the biggest name left what he can provide a team looking for help in the stretch drive and into on the rental market, but it’s complicated. One source suggested it was the playoffs, then the answer is: Potentially lots. Vatanen was having a too early to determine the impact of Vatanen’s value following Tuesday’s pretty good year individually on a Devils team that was having a very market shift because of his injury. As GM Tom Fitzgerald pointed out to mediocre year collectively. He’s burning lots of minutes – averaging The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, adding Vatanen is about his contribution in 21:45 per night in ice time – and before he was hurt, getting work on the the spring, not now: “At the end of the day teams add a player like Sami first power play unit. He skates well, moves the puck efficiently and, for a Vatanen not for Feb. 25 or Feb. 26, but they got him for April and May. small man, isn’t easily intimidated. They want to win.” In three consecutive playoffs for the Anaheim Ducks between 2015 and Wild-card rental: Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson hasn’t had a great year 2017, he got into 35 postseason games and produced 21 playoff points. overall but he might just be the best option right now. He had eight points When the Devils were shopping Taylor Hall before Christmas, Vatanen’s in 10 games in January. He’s playing well over 20 minutes a night for the name came up in connection with a few of the scenarios that were being Blackhawks and at least four teams have expressed interest in him in the batted around before Hall landed in Arizona. midst of all the action this week. The Blackhawks will have no problem Any and all trades nowadays hinge on acquisition cost – and thus far, no moving him if that’s what they decide to do, and the scarcity in the market one’s anteed up a first-round pick for a pure rental in 2020. So that’s an could end up playing to their favor. Carolina, even though they’re looking additional stumbling block, along with the state of Vatanen’s health. But if to add on defense with a player who can help beyond this year, would quality and impact is what you’re looking for as the supply of available move Joel Edmundson or Trevor van Riemsdyk in the right deal. defensemen dwindles, Vatanen’s name would top the charts on my list. Rental on the cheap: Teams simply looking for depth still have plenty of The Athletic LOADED: 02.20.2020 options. Ron Hainsey logged over 25 minutes against the Sabres on Wednesday and one talent evaluator watching left impressed with how he played. At this point, people know what they’re getting in Hainsey. Mike Green scored a goal for the Red Wings on Tuesday and wouldn’t cost much to acquire. He’s being asked to play 20-plus minutes a night on a bad team and could benefit from being slotted down the lineup. Guys with term: It’s clear that many GMs prefer to add a guy with a year or two left on their deal so that they can get more than a couple months out of them. The Minnesota defensemen – Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba – remain the top targets here. LeBrun’s report about Vincent Trocheck’s availability and a possible connection to the Wild is certainly interesting, although those pure hockey trades are tough to make right now. This week’s moves haven’t changed much on the Rasmus Ristolainen front. Teams like him but nothing appears imminent. Jake Gardiner’s name has been out there but there’s nothing doing on that front right now. The young option: Granted, these are more likely the kinds of deals that happen in the summer. Teams aren’t necessarily looking to throw a young defenseman into the mix for a playoff push. But if you’re a team with one eye on the playoffs and adding a long-term solution, the Rangers would listen on Tony DeAngelo. It would probably take an overpay to get it done right now but he’s a 24-year-old with 43 points. Maybe that’s exactly the kind of player you overpay to get. So who should be the top target on defenseman moving forward? A few of our writers weigh in: 1171874 Websites The way they grabbed a point against the NHL’s best team on a night when McDavid was out and Leon Draisaitl went without a point.

“Some guys have been looking for more opportunities,” Tippett said. “I Sportsnet.ca / Depleted Oilers show signs of confidence in getting point liked the way Jones’s game evolved during that game. That first period against Bruins was very average like a lot of the rest of them, same with Lagesson. But as the game went on they got better. That is a really good power play over there and I think Laggy had four minutes of PK (4:41).” Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec February 20, 2020, 12:48 AM The longer this game went, and the closer it stayed, the more the Oilers believed.

And trust us, this franchise has not been long on belief in the past EDMONTON — Forget everything these Edmonton Oilers tell you about decade or so. how they’re confident that they can play with anyone. And that they’ve outgrown any moral victories. “Maybe they just need to get so tired that they didn’t think about that they shouldn’t be playing against Boston,” Tippett figured. “They are good This one — a loser point in a 2-1 overtime loss to the mighty Boston players, just get out there and play. Bruins — was a point they never expected they could get. One they didn’t know they were capable of earning, under the circumstances that “We have to play with confidence if we are going to win.” met the Oilers Wednesday night at Rogers Place. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 You could tell by the way the home team dipped its collective toe in the water Wednesday, edging into the game. Already playing without Connor McDavid and now minus Oscar Klefbom as well, the Oilers first view of this game came like a groundhog poking out of his hole looking for the sun. “What we want to learn from that game is we need some swagger early on,” admitted Sam Gagner. “Making plays under pressure and having confidence with the puck in the first period would have set us up better. But we clawed our way to a point. Lots to like against a really good team.” Home of the Oilers Stream all 82 Oilers games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. This is the kind of game of which there are very few in a season. A game that sets a template, to be returned to later on, when the games get tough. This was a 2-1 overtime loss where the Oilers — playing with $30 million worth of players either injured or suspended — fell behind Boston 1-0 just 8:28 into the game, yet somehow didn’t give up the next one. They killed seven power plays against the No. 2 unit in the league, and then Edmonton — whose league-leading power play is gutted — got its only goal from a seldom used second unit, as Gagner tipped home an Ethan Bear shot. There were 100 points in this game where a weak link could have coughed up a goal, but unlike Oilers teams of yore that link was never exposed — despite a defence core that employed three rookies and charged Darnell Nurse with playing a game-high 28:44. “That’s the recipe for us,” Gagner said. “That was a playoff-style atmosphere and we have to be comfortable in the kinds of games like this. We have to have the confidence to play with whatever’s going on around here (injuries). I thought our young defencemen were great. (Caleb) Jones went up into the second pair and played really well. Laggy (William Lagesson) did a good job. You want to see how young guys respond to tough challenges.” So that’s what this is all about, isn’t it? How many teams look at this game, consider their injuries and the opponent, and say to themselves, “Let’s face it: We don’t have a chance tonight.” Fifteen? Twenty? Surely there was an element of Edmonton’s psyche that was telling them the cards were stacked against them on Wednesday. You could see it in their early play. “If it is, we shouldn’t be,” said head coach Dave Tippett, whose mantra is to erase all of the negativity that preceded him here, and replace it with some swagger and confidence. “We are a good team too,” he began. “We just won two games in a row, why can’t we keep winning? It is a mindset, you have to go out and play.” That David Pastrnak took a stretch pass and salted this game away with an overtime breakaway will be forgotten by Thursday morning in this town. What will live on is the effort a bunch of Bakersfield call-ups gave their parent team; the way Kailer Yamamoto dove into his battles with the giant Zdeno Chara, giving as good as he got; the way Jones and Lagesson’s games escalated as the pressure ramped up. 1171875 Websites highly doubt that just drops off out of nowhere, especially since he maintained his strong play while common linemate and proven possession monster Brendan Gallagher was injured earlier in the year. Sportsnet.ca / Analyzing the best goal scorers available at the 2020 NHL Ilya Kovalchuk, Montreal Canadiens trade deadline The longer Kovalchuk has stayed in Montreal the better his statistics have looked across the board. He’s still not going to hurt teams much off the rush with his shooting, but he sets up really well in the slot and puts a Andrew Berkshire lot of shots on net from dangerous areas. Kovalchuk’s instincts remain phenomenal, but his best asset as a shooter might be his quick release. He’s among the league leaders in one-timers With the prices teams are paying to acquire players in the week leading at even strength and on the power play, so if a team is looking for a up to the NHL’s trade deadline, you have to think that some teams who trigger man and they don’t have much cap space to work with, Kovalchuk have been on the buyer-seller bubble all season are starting to wonder could really help. how deep into their rosters they should cut. Andreas Athanasiou, Detroit Red Wings A sellers’ market resulting in crazy overpays for rentals hasn’t been too common in recent years, with teams starting to get a little more protective He hasn’t scored a ton of goals this season, partly because he’s been of their first-round draft picks and more priority being placed on keeping among the league’s unluckiest players at both ends of the ice, but your best prospects. In general, that cautious approach is usually the Athanasiou is a middle-six goal scorer who could really push a team over right one, but the returns on trades we’ve seen so far seem to be less the edge if they can properly insulate him. cautious than usual. There’s no debating at this point that Athanasiou is a one-dimensional Because of that, some names are popping up that wouldn’t be available player. He’s a big liability on the defensive side, but that one dimension in a normal year. In fact, a few selling teams hold some huge potential he’s good at? Oh man is he ever good. Everything Athanasiou does well additions for competing teams, depending on how much they’re willing to revolves around his ridiculous speed with the puck on his stick, which is rip their rosters apart in the near future. why he produces chances off the rush at a rate 85 per cent better than the average NHL forward. For teams looking to add goal scoring, who are the potentially attainable players most likely to get results post-deadline? If you need someone to help you off the cycle, look elsewhere, because as soon as his feet are planted he’s not nearly as useful, but teams A huge percentage of goal scoring is about talent, beyond just what can looking to add to their rushing ability should take a chance on be measured with shot statistics. Patrik Laine is never going to be among Athanasiou. the leaders in high danger scoring chances put on net, but his incredible release and instincts on how to get lost in traffic will always allow him to Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils produce goals. With another year left on his deal, I’m not sure the Devils want to part Because so much of that nebulous ability to put the puck in the net is with one of their only consistent offensive threats, but with the way this about the split-second decisions before or even during a shot, it can be season has gone I wouldn’t be surprised if they capitalize on Palmieri’s hard to quantify, but we can do our best to take the general statistics and value. figure out which players who could be available at the deadline would be impact adds. Palmieri is a dual threat in that he’s dangerous off the rush and off the cycle, but he’s struggled to get his quality shot attempts on net this As opposed to the usual listing of just how often a player completes a season, maybe because there are so few shooting threats in New Jersey specific event, this time I wanted to do something a little different and that opponents are able to easily key in on him. Even so, he gets show how much better or worse a player is in a specific statistic dangerous shots off at a near first-line rate, and gets them off quickly in a compared to the league average. This should give a better impression of variety of attacking styles. Palmieri can be both a rush attacker or one- the impact the player can make in each area. timer option, which makes him a versatile addition for essentially any team looking for scoring. Looking at the landscape of teams in sell mode, a good part of this list is going to be highly dependent on how little confidence the Florida Mike Hoffman, Florida Panthers Panthers and Montreal Canadiens have in their current rosters being able to turn things around quickly next season. Hoffman has never seen a perimeter shot he didn’t like, and that can be frustrating when he goes through scoring slumps, but he also has one of If both teams believe external issues kept them out of the playoff picture the most deceptively dangerous shots in the league. He’s not going to and decide to keep their good players, this list is going to look much less drive an offence on his own, and he’s way below average as a slot area robust. Or if the Maple Leafs keep struggling and the Panthers sneak in presence, but he is the one-timer king of the current crop of available by Monday, they may not sell at all. But let’s operate on the assumption scorers. that some very good players are going to be available. Ripping one-timers on net at 150 per cent of the league average rate, Chris Kreider, NY Rangers only seven players in the NHL accomplish the feat more often than he does. Teams that need more complete players to add to their forward Kreider is probably the most talked about forward on the market heading ranks should be wary, but a pure finisher who can score from a distance into the deadline, and I’ve looked at his strengths and weaknesses has value, too. recently. Kreider is best as a net-front presence, getting shots on net from the inner slot at a rate 25 per cent better than a league average Evgenii Dadonov, Florida Panthers forward. However, he’s not just a net-front guy, he’s also above average from the slot overall, gets tons of one-timers off, and is one of the best Considering how much of the attention Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan wingers in the league off the rush. Huberdeau soak up in Florida there are likely a lot of people who don’t realize how good Dadonov is. That speed and size combination is so enticing for basically every team, and he’s got a history of strong defensive acumen to bring to the table as If the Panthers pull the chute on the season in short order — or just move well. The one area where he doesn’t really stand out is off the cycle. If pieces around — and decide to get some value on Dadonov’s expiring that’s the primary need for a team, they should look elsewhere. contract, there should be tons of teams interested in him. Dadonov attacks off the rush nearly as effectively as Athanasiou, and he brings a Tomas Tatar, Montreal Canadiens lot more versatility to the table with more inner slot shots per minute than any other forward on this list, and 60 per cent more one-timers than the I’m not sure if the Canadiens are willing to part with Tatar this season, average forward as well. He’s not great off the cycle, but Dadonov is but since he has a year left on his contract the cost of acquiring him likely the most dangerous pure shooter of the bunch because of how should be relatively huge. If a team needs a true top-line winger who can willing he is to both attack off the rush and drive the net. score and make plays while driving possession on top of it all, they should be going hard after Tatar. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 Despite playing on a team that loves to attack off the rush, Tatar isn’t amazing in that area, but he’s excellent everywhere else. Teams may be a little gun shy considering how things turned out for him with the Vegas Golden Knights the last time he was traded mid-season, but the past two seasons he’s been one of the best wingers in the NHL in overall impact. I 1171876 Websites The silver lining to the injuries is that they have opened up some more cap space. And if the price for termed players is too high, Dubas may have no choice but to get into the rental market. Sportsnet.ca / NHL Rumour Roundup: Will Maple Leafs, Panthers find an “Where they’re at injury-wise I do think will dictate how aggressive they impact trade? get,” Johnston continued. “In fact with a few players now injured potentially for the season I think it probably creates a window here for them to go out into the rental market, which is not something I think in theory they want to do, but just with the way everything’s unfolded they Rory Boylen | @RoryBoylen February 19, 2020, 3:33 PM find themselves with a fair bit of cap space between now and the end of the season and there might be some ways they can get better by using that.” The playoff race that probably has the most eyeballs on it these days is the battle for third in the Atlantic Division. Exactly what Dubas does at this deadline will still likely be influenced by the next couple of games and what kind of effort and execution he sees The Maple Leafs, of course, have their own gargantuan following, but as from his players. The Leafs play Pittsburgh again on Thursday and they teeter on the edge of missing out, there will also be a large swath of Carolina on Saturday, then come out of Monday’s deadline with road hockey fans who will just be rooting against Toronto. Put ’em all together games in Tampa Bay and Florida. and a lot of people are paying attention to what’s shaking out there. Interestingly, the team Toronto is embroiled in a playoff race with also Just five days before the deadline, both the Maple Leafs and Florida needs the same kind of player. The Panthers have stated a similar need Panthers are struggling. Toronto is coming off back-to-back for a top-four defenceman, but they do have their own first-rounder still, embarrassing losses and have Pittsburgh up again on Thursday. Florida plus a few roster players who have been popping up in rumours. hasn’t been making up any ground, though, with a 3-6-1 record in their past 10 games. Both teams came into the season with heavy Michael Matheson, a 25-year-old defenceman signed for the long-term, expectations to reach the playoffs. Toronto was expected to advance at could be made available. even second-line centre Vincent Trocheck has least a round or two. had his name added to the mill in recent days. A young defenceman with term and a centre signed for another two seasons — those kinds of At this rate, one of them is going to whiff on the post-season. Both should assets are always in demand around the league. be motivated to buy, to some degree anyway, at the deadline. But at the same time, some of their own roster players are beginning to show up in Of course, Florida is also struggling, so it may be reasonable to wonder if the rumour mill. they could end up selling by Monday. Those same questions are even being asked about the Leafs. The answer in both cases, however, is a Will either the Panthers or Leafs find an upgrade in time to give them a hard no. leg up in their playoff race? Here’s the latest in the rumour mill. “With Trocheck I think maybe there’s a deeper issue there,” Johnston Sign up for NHL newsletters said. “He signed a big contract, unfortunately a significant leg injury last season, I just think he hasn’t performed well so this is the time of year Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to when trades get made — now and the draft basically — so they put his your inbox! name out there to see if they might get a bite. But I don’t think that is a DOES TORONTO HAVE THE ASSETS NEEDED TO ACQUIRE AN move or a potential move that tells us about their plans. IMPACT DEFENCEMAN? “This is the first time I can remember where they’ve been among the There’s a whole lot going wrong in Toronto right now. Back-to-back 5-2 highest-spending teams in the league. I think ownership wants to see if losses to Buffalo and Pittsburgh laid bare a disturbing lack of desperation having a winning team will result in selling tickets and creating and attention to detail — and also made it clear that the defensive core excitement the way it has in other places such as Nashville or even as currently constituted needs at least one major upgrade. At the very Carolina nowadays. I don’t see a scenario where they become a seller.” least Toronto is going to need another right-shot veteran for depth on the BOSTON APPEARS TO BE ITCHING FOR A BIG MOVE third pair because injuries have left their blue line extremely thin. The Bruins continue to play strong hockey, with a 9-1-0 record in their Over the past few days the defence market has started to fire up. Andy past 10 games, but they’ve actually lost two points to the hard-charging Greene, Dylan DeMelo, Marco Scandella and Brenden Dillon have all Tampa Bay Lightning in that span. While Toronto and Florida fight it out been dealt and, on paper, would have been good gets for the Leafs. But for a spot, Boston and Tampa are setting up for a no-holds-barred cage those deals also showed how expensive the market for blueliners could match for first place in the division and home-ice advantage through at be — DeMelo went for a third, and all the others went for a second- least the first two rounds — and quite possibly the first three. rounder plus. And the Leafs may even be thinking of taking a bigger cut and try to bring in a top-four defenceman with term. That’s when it would The Lightning have already been active on the trade market, acquiring get expensive, complicated and, maybe even unattainable at this time. the cheap $1.8 million contract of Blake Coleman for Nolan Foote and Vancouver’s first-rounder. The Bruins have been linked to a number of The question shouldn’t be ‘why isn’t Toronto doing anything’ but instead players, including two who have already been moved in Coleman and ‘do they have the pieces to get a deal done in this market?’ Tyler Toffoli. “What the Leafs have done is looked at every possible potential solution It’s likely only a matter of time before they make their own splash to to their problem here and identify players who shoot right, that have term counter what the Lightning have done. left on their deals, are of the right age that they can be part of what the group is now and at least make the calls to see if they’re available,” Chris “Boston was a team that had some interest (in Toffoli),” Johnston told Johnston told Sportsnet 590 the FAN’s Good Show. Pinder and Steinberg on SN960. “I think Boston probably was the most interested other team and that’s interesting in itself because we know “That’s why I’m a little skeptical this is going to happen because I don’t they were a finalist for Blake Coleman, they were in the mix on Toffoli see an obvious fit. I do think (Matt) Dumba could be had out of and didn’t end up with him. It feels like the Bruins are a team that are Minnesota, that’s why you’re hearing his name, but the price that waiting to go out there and take a big swing and be aggressive.” Minnesota wants is much more than Kasperi Kapanen and I don’t think if you’re the Leafs… they might not even have the assets to get it done, The biggest swing they could take as far as a scoring winger goes is on they might not have the will to pay what the Wild would like to get.” Chris Kreider. A pending UFA, Kreider’s price of acquisition starts at a first-round pick and goes up from there. And the Bruins still have their In the past, GM Kyle Dubas has been loath to dip into the rental market. own first-round pick. Jack Campbell came with an extra two years on his contract and last year’s mid-season pickup of Jake Muzzin brought in a defenceman Last year, GM Don Sweeney acquired Charlie Coyle and rental Marcus signed through another season. Johansson for their run, but gave up a second-, fourth- and fifth-round picks plus Ryan Donato for the both of them, so a Kreider trade would But he doesn’t have a first-round pick to trade this season and injuries to raise the stakes even more. It is worth noting that the Bruins and Andreas Johnsson, Ilya Mikheyev, Morgan Rielly and Cody Ceci are Rangers do have a trade history — in September of 2018, Boston sent already putting a strain on the depth chart. It’d seemingly be impossible Adam McQuaid to the Rangers and at the 2018 deadline, Boston for Dubas to acquire a Dumba-type without subtracting more from the acquired rental winger Rick Nash from the Rangers. roster, but something does need to be done with the blue line. The goalie market is always a tough one. Generally, they don’t get traded for a whole heck of a lot and there’s not a market overflowing with teams needy at the position. The Maple Leafs had perhaps the clearest need for one, but they were after a backup rather than a starter — plus they COLORADO COULD MAKE A NUMBER OF MOVES, BIG AND SMALL already got theirs in Jack Campbell. The team with the most cap space to work with is also one you’d lump in But things could get interesting. Just as we’ve seen on the defenceman with the high-end Stanley Cup contenders. We already discussed how market, injuries could start to create a need. Colorado’s Philipp Grubauer Grubauer’s injury could push the Avalanche into the goalie trade market, was injured last weekend and has no clear timetable for a return. Rather but there are more holes to fill there right now. than run with Pavel Francouz as the starter for a legitimate Cup hopeful, GM Joe Sakic may have to swing into action on that front. Mikko Rantanen also sustained an injury that could keep him out “weeks” and Nazem Kadri is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. That’s one- And they aren’t the only team with a potential desire to add a netminder. third of their top-six out, plus forwards Matt Calvert and Colin Wilson remain sidelined. “I’m curious about Robin Lehner,” Johnston said. “It sounds as though there’s been a little bit of life to the goalie market right now. Carolina’s The Program certainly interested in trying to get a goalie. I think Colorado’s in that market after seeing Philipp Grubauer injured over the weekend in their outdoor game. I’ve heard some whispers that even Edmonton is at least Elliotte Friedman on the Tyler Toffoli trade and more potential additions looking at goaltending as an option. To me, it doesn’t seem as though to the Canucks anything’s going to get done between Lehner and the Blackhawks on an extension; he’s probably the most intriguing goaltending name that might February 18 2020 move unless Henrik Lundqvist wants to waive his no-move clause.” Your browser does not support the audio element. Best information is that no team has inquired about Lundqvist. Unless something drastic develops, Rangers will have the same three All this means Colorado could seek to add depth, and even possibly a goaltenders on roster following the deadline as they have today. high-end move with all their assets and cap space. — Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) February 19, 2020 “I think Colorado’s trying to do two things at once,” Elliotte Friedman told SN650’s The Program. “I think what they’re trying to do is to say ‘we want Lehner has been an incredible story. After finishing as a Vezina Trophy to plug some holes.’ I could see them being interested in a guy like finalist last season with the NY Islanders, Lehner left in free agency and (Ottawa’s Vladislav) Namestnikov for example, that might cost them a only got a one-year contract from Chicago. Though he has posted mostly mid-round pick to get them to dress guys and to fill some holes. But I strong seasons in his career, his accomplishments with the Islanders set think they’re also looking at a hockey deal which would bring them career-best totals that were so good (.930 save percentage, 2.13 GAA) something bigger, whether that’s a Kreider or something like that.” behind a strong defensive team, that the belief was he benefitted from Barry Trotz’s system. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 But playing behind the defensively porous Blackhawks, Lehner is still showing strong with a .921 save percentage and should be due a healthy raise and a contract with term this summer. In the meantime, he could be a huge addition if a team is willing to pay up. “I think he’s still a decently valuable trade chip,” Johnston said. “I know goalies historically don’t bring as much back in trades, but I think the Blackhawks feel they can get a first-round pick for him so there’s certainly teams kicking tires there. It’d be funny if he ended up in Carolina — they were one of the teams that had serious discussions with him last July 1. Maybe they’re a team that makes that move and is happy to attach an extension to it.” Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Canada’s most beloved game. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS NOT DONE YET, BUT DON’T EXPECT THEM TO TRADE A GOALIE Speaking of the goalie market, Pittsburgh has three of them in the stable right now. Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray are splitting duty with the NHL team, while 28-year-old Casey DeSmith (who had a .916 save rate in 36 NHL games last season) is facing one of the heaviest AHL workloads and has a .908 save percentage. DeSmith is signed for another two seasons, while Murray and Jarry will both be RFAs this summer. All are attractive options, so, if Penguins GM Jim Rutherford wanted, he could explore moving one of them. But in a recent interview with NHL.com, he shot down that idea. “I don’t have interest in trading our goalies,” he said. “The best thing I’ve heard in hockey is if you don’t have a goalie, that’s when you realize the importance of a goalie. Our goalies have worked hard to get where they are. I’m glad you pointed out the importance of DeSmith. He’s a little bit of a forgotten guy. He’s keeping our team afloat — at least keeping us on the bubble of a playoff spot in the [American Hockey League]. He’ll be back in the NHL next year. He gives us that depth. And then we have two very, very good young No. 1 goalies in Jarry and Murray.” As he usually does, Rutherford got into the trade market early this season, acquiring Jason Zucker from Minnesota last week. Picks and prospects are of almost no consequence to a team that will be aggressively chasing Stanley Cups as long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are on the team, and the GM didn’t rule out getting more business done before Feb. 24. “If we could add another forward to give us a little more balance in our top 12, we’d do it if it’s someone who we think is the right fit,” he said. According to Cap Friendly, the Penguins currently have approximately $3.4 million in cap space to work with on deadline day. 1171877 Websites considering adding him before the Canadiens signed him out of his contract termination with the Los Angeles Kings.

Tomas Tatar: With one year left on a deal that counts annually for $5.3 Sportsnet.ca / 2020 NHL Trade Deadline Primer: Montreal Canadiens million on the cap — $500,000 of which is retained by the Vegas Golden Knights — and an actual salary of $4.2 million in 2020-21, many teams should be interested in Montreal’s leading scorer. Tatar is an uber- competitive player who possesses great offensive instincts and a knack Eric Engels | @EricEngels February 19, 2020, 8:30 AM for being extremely hard to knock off the puck. The Canadiens would prefer to keep Tatar for next season, but with the WASHINGTON, D.C. — Montreal Canadiens, sellers. market on non-rentals being set exceptionally high in recent trades the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning made for Jason Zucker That has to be what they are as we approach the Feb. 24 trade deadline. and Blake Coleman, respectively, they’ll have to listen to offers on Tatar. Even if they still believe they can win enough of their remaining games to That they have Jonathan Drouin, Max Domi, Artturi Lehkonen and Paul make this year’s playoffs, the Canadiens currently have less than a two Byron as depth options at left wing could make them that much more per cent chance of reaching the threshold of 97 points, which is the willing to move the 28-year-old, who’s likely to earn a big raise on his expected point total to finish either third in the Atlantic Division or in one next contract. of the Eastern Conference’s two wild-card spots. Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey As for Montreal’s needs — an upgrade on defence and some beef world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what upfront — it’s more likely they address most of them in the summer than they think about it. over the coming days. Draft Picks: Pending free agents: 2020: 1st, 2nd, 2nd (CHI), 2nd (STL) 3rd, 4th, 4th (ANA), 4th (WPG), 5th, RFAs 5th (FLA), 6th, 7th (CHI) • Max Domi, 24, $3.15M 2021: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd (CHI), 4th, 5th, 5th (OTT), 6th • Nick Cousins, 26, $1M One bold move Montreal could make: • Jake Evans, 23, $925,000 Trade Max Domi for a power forward or a top-four defenceman. • Charles Hudon, 25, $800,000 Should the Canadiens opt to keep Tatar, they could be enticed to move Domi instead. • Lukas Vejdemo, 24, $792,500 By no means are we suggesting they’re going to do it but, this being a • Riley Barber, 26, $700,000 bold prediction and all, they might consider doing it if it nets them • Victor Mete, 21, $748,333 something that addresses one of their two most pressing needs. • Xavier Ouellet, 26, $700,000 The Canadiens have been linked to Columbus Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson, who, at six-foot-three and 222 pounds, fits the exact profile of • Noah Juulsen, 22, $863,333 the type of player they’re looking for. • Gustav Olofsson, 25, $700,000 It’s been an injury riddled season for Anderson, only appearing in 26 games and registering just one goal and three assists. And he topped out • Michael McNiven, 22, $682,222 at 27 goals and 47 points last season, while Domi put up 28 goals and 72 points. So obviously, we might not have the makings of a one-for-one UFAs trade here. • Dale Weise, 31, $2.35M But if the Blue Jackets are going to move Anderson ahead of the • Nate Thompson, 35, $1M deadline, they’re going to want a player who can help them continue this year’s playoff push, and one who can still help them in the future. With • Ilya Kovalchuk, 36, $700,000 both Domi and Anderson seeking new contracts and owning arbitration rights as restricted free agents, perhaps there’s a fit here. • Matthew Peca, 26, $1.3M We still find it hard to believe either player will move before the deadline, • Keith Kinkaid, 30, $1.75M but it’s a possibility we can’t discount. Potential assets to move: Meanwhile, as The Athletic’s Mike Russo recently reported, Domi could Nate Thompson: A versatile fourth-line centre who wins over 55 per cent be a piece that nets the Canadiens a top-quality defenceman such as of his faceoffs and kills penalties, Thompson is one of Montreal’s most Jonas Brodin or Matt Dumba. The Wild are looking for an upgrade at respected leaders. Despite his age, his pace of play is a non-issue. In centre and that’s where Domi is most comfortable playing. fact, it’s one of the things that should make him attractive to teams All of that considered, we still believe the likeliest scenario is that Domi looking to acquire forward depth for a long playoff run. stays put in Montreal and eventually signs a contract extension that Dale Weise: A fourth-line energy forward who can still score and is comes with a three- to five-year term. known for being a playoff performer. It’s possible the Canadiens will have The Canadiens should not: to retain some of his salary to move him, but he can be an effective player. It helps that he’s not afraid to get his nose dirty. Trade Jeff Petry. Nick Cousins: With nine goals and 22 points, Cousins has been a solid The 32-year-old has one more year left on a contract that comes with a contributor for the Canadiens. He can play up and down the lineup and $5.5-million hit. chip in on the power play, and chances are he’d net a higher return than Thompson or Weise would in a trade. There are numerous teams that would give up a sizeable package to acquire Petry over the coming days, but unless the Canadiens acquire a Ilya Kovalchuk: The 36-year-old has proven he can still make plays at an first-round pick plus a player who’s at least five years younger, a right- elite level, having scored six goals and 12 points in 20 games with the handed defenceman capable of playing close to half of every game and Canadiens. While averaging 19:09 game and not looking at all out of produce between 40-50 points per season, they can’t seriously entertain place, Kovalchuk has shown that he can be an excellent insurance policy moving him. for a team with concerns about an injury to a top-six forward from here to the end of the season (or beyond). Despite the future promise of prospects Cale Fleury and Josh Brook, the Canadiens don’t have a viable replacement for Petry in the near future. He plays hard away from the puck, he’s an elite presence on the power play, and he’s also gotten rave reviews from both coach Claude Julien They should be discussing parameters for a new contract with the and his teammates for his attitude and his work ethic. Michigan native, and they should be looking to get him signed as soon as they’re eligible to on July 1. From what we’ve gathered, there are at least five teams interested in Kovalchuk’s services, whereas there were none who were seriously Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171878 Websites He deked Markstrom to win the shootout after Toffoli shot high of a semi- open net in the third round, which allowed Minnesota’s Mats Zuccarello to score and extend the skills competition. Sportsnet.ca / Tyler Toffoli's Canucks debut creates plenty of buzz but Minnesota made it 1-0 its first time down the ice when Kevin Fiala not win whistled a shot bar-down after a slack Vancouver line change gave him time and space to pick his spot on Markstrom.

Wonder-rookie Quinn Hughes manufactured a tying goal for fourth-liner Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet February 20, 2020, 2:01 AM Jay Beagle at 1:31 of the second period when he held the puck long enough on a two-on-one to finesse a pass under the stick of defenceman Jonas Brodin, whose partner Matt Dumba had charged out of position to VANCOUVER – Maybe the Vancouver Canucks need another trade. make a hit. The acquisition of winger Tyler Toffoli created a lot of excitement on the But the Wild regained the lead at 13:03 when another sloppy, partial line West Coast, but the Canucks remained stuck in the National Hockey change left the Canucks scrambling and Luke Kunin found room between League standings Wednesday when they lost 4-3 in a shootout to the three Vancouver players to squeeze a centring pass from Brad Hunt Minnesota Wild. through Markstrom. Four games after his trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alex Toffoli played his first Canucks game on a line with Miller and Pettersson Galchenyuk finally showed up for the Wild, scoring the tying goal late in and registered four shots in his 18:52 of ice time. the third period and the shootout winner as the Canucks failed to hold “We wanted to be in this spot,” Canucks coach Travis Green said of the leads in both the game and tiebreaker. playoff race. “At the beginning of the year, we talked about expectations. It was the first win for interim Minnesota coach Dean Evason, who . . to be a better hockey team. I think we’ve done that. Long-term goal replaced Bruce Boudreau on Friday. was to make the playoffs, and we’re going to try to do that.” Home of the Canucks Hughes finished the game with two assists and a game-high five shots on net over 27:05 of ice time that included 25:19 of even strength. Stream all 82 Canucks games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Now clinging to a playoff spot after sitting on a nine-point cushion just three weeks ago, the Canucks continue to scuffle through February. They are 2-2-1 on their longest homestand of the season, which ends Saturday against the Stanley Cup contenders Boston Bruins, and have added just five points in the standings since Feb. 2. Still third in the Pacific Division, the Canucks are only two points up on the final playoff spot in the wide-open Western Conference. “I don’t think we feel like we’re slipping,” veteran winger J.T. Miller said before the game. “We haven’t played a lot of hockey the last week at all. It seems like one week you’re on top of the world, the next week you’re in a panic a little bit. We have to find a way to stay even keel. We know we’re a good hockey team. We’ve beat some good teams. We expect a lot out of ourselves. “We know we need to be better, but I don’t think we’re putting too much pressure on ourselves. We’re excited about the challenge from here on in. We’re going to get dialed in and at least give our best effort. And most nights, that will be enough.” Their effort, and especially Miller’s, was pretty good against the Wild but that still wasn’t enough for the Canucks to get both points as they lost to the non-playoff team for the second time this month. And despite outshooting the Wild 21-10 in the first half of the game, they’d have had zero points Wednesday were it not for Miller. Acquired Monday from the Kings, Toffoli is the big, skilled winger the Canucks hope will make a difference. Acquired last June from the Tampa Bay Lightning, Miller is the big, skilled winger who has. The cost of a conditional first-round pick to get Miller felt like a bargain as soon as he started playing games in October. He scored twice in just over three minutes early in the third period Wednesday to erase a 2-1 Minnesota lead. His tying goal at 1:28 was his career-high 23rd of the season and leaked through goalie Devan Dubnyk after Miller redirected a hard pass in the high slot from Toffoli. Miller made it 24 goals on his next shift, slinging a wrist shot from the left- wing circle past Dubnyk’s catcher at 4:43 after Elias Pettersson sprinted to cancel an icing and Wild defenceman Carson Soucy was separated from the puck in a collision with the linesman. It was an unlucky goal for Minnesota. But occasionally the hockey gods are fair – this is hard for people in Vancouver to believe — and with 4:45 remaining the Wild tied it 3-3 when Galchenyuk’s centring pass from a bounce off the end boards ramped up off Canuck Loui Eriksson, pegged Troy Stecher in the face and tumbled behind goalie Jacob Markstrom. It was the first Minnesota goal for Galchenyuk, who had seemed to leave his heart in Montreal three teams ago, after three games for the Wild in which he had registered no points and two shots. He wasn’t done, either. 1171879 Websites 200 pounds with an excellent stride and above average shot, Puljujarvi is an intriguing question mark that could easily be sold to a team’s fan base if picked up as part of a rebuild. Sportsnet.ca / 2020 NHL Trade Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers Second-rounder: If we agree that Holland won’t move a first, and we think that James Neal will score two more goals to send Edmonton’s third-round pick to Calgary in the Milan Lucic deal (Neal must score 21 goals and have 10 more than Lucic for the pick to move), then it seems Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec February 19, 2020, 12:19 PM that Edmonton’s second-round pick is at large. We believe that Holland will not move a prospect like Evan Bouchard, Ryan McLeod or Dimitri Samorukov. EDMONTON — The one thing we can all agree on when it comes to Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland is this: he should know Draft Picks what a Stanley Cup contender looks like. 2020: 1st, 2nd, *3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th 7th. (*3rd goes to CGY if Neal scores Twenty-two years running the Detroit Red Wings has given the Oilers 21 goals and Lucic trails him by 10 or more goals). GM an excellent sense of what a team looks like when it’s ready to win, 2021: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 6th (PIT), 7th. when it’s nearly ready to win, and when it’s still a year or two away from winning. It is fair to assume he has learned to act accordingly, depending One bold move the Oilers could make on the situation. How about Puljujarvi and a first-rounder — in 2021? Newsflash: The Oilers are not considered a Stanley Cup contender — even if the weaker Pacific Division allows the possibility that a team like Puljujarvi is valued by Holland as equal to a first-round pick. And if the Edmonton (or Vancouver, Calgary or Vegas) could somehow navigate Oilers could find the right left-winger for McDavid — who has term left on into a Western Conference Final. But Edmonton is not a “right now” their deal — Holland could swing for the fences by moving next year’s team, and Holland should not approach the Trade Deadline as if he is first. That doesn’t interrupt his pipeline for another year, at which time he running the 2008 Red Wings. could justify not having a first because this deal helps make his team a legit contender for 2021 and beyond. Holland has been at the helm in Edmonton for only one summertime free-agent season, and hasn’t even taken the Oilers through a Trade The Oilers should not Deadline yet. So his opportunity to affect change has been short — even Be Arizona, and act like a team that can win a Cup this season when though he has made maximum impact in his nearly 10 months in charge. they can’t. He’ll bolster his team at the deadline, but he won’t give up a first-round The Coyotes gave up a ton for Taylor Hall, who may turn out to be just a pick or a top prospect in the process. Not for an Oilers team that could rental. Edmonton isn’t much better than the ‘Yotes, if at all. So trading for still miss the playoff altogether, or go out in Round 1. a player with term makes sense, but over-spending on a rental does not. Home of the Oilers Trading this year’s first-round pick would be a sin. So would dealing a Stream all 82 Oilers games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over significant prospect. 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all Those days are around the corner, but have not arrived in Edmonton yet. outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 Needs The Oilers’ biggest need is a left winger for Connor McDavid. Full-stop. The goaltending is fine, the defence could stand the addition of a veteran, depth D-man — particularly with Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) on the injured list — and they could use a third-line, faceoff-winning, penalty- killing centreman like Jean-Gabriel Pageau. But for this team to really fly, McDavid needs a fast finisher on his left side that would give the Oilers two potent offensive units up front. Andreas Athanasiou? Tomas Tatar? Kyle Palmieri (a RW)? Tyler Ennis? Speed is a must, and some finish would help too. RFAs • Jesse Puljujarvi, 21, $925,000 • Ethan Bear, 22, $720,000 • Matt Benning, 25, $1.9 million • William Lagesson, 23, $741,666 UFAs • Mike Smith, 37, $2 million • Josh Archibald, 27, $1 million • Gaetan Haas, 28, $925,000 • Riley Sheahan, 28, $900,000 • Sam Gagner, 30, $3.15 million • Markus Granlund, 26, $1.3 million • Patrick Russel, 27, $700,000 • Brandon Manning, 29, $1.175 million Potential Assets To Move Jesse Puljujarvi: The former No. 4-overall pick cannot play in the NHL this season, but that won’t matter to a seller that is already done for the season. Holland is shopping the current Oulu Karpat winger hard, and the New York Rangers are said to be an interested team. At six-foot-four, 1171880 Websites Keefe resorted to gallows humour by suggesting one could fill an entire bingo card of various ways the Leafs have uncovered to underwhelm.

“It’s been a little bit different each night,” Keefe said. “We need to make a Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs search for answers: ‘Our work ethic hasn’t decision that the time is now and it’s important. You need to rise to the been there’ occasion. “Our guys have pride, and they don’t want to have the results that we’ve had.” Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox February 19, 2020, 4:27 PM That the Leafs awoke Wednesday still in a playoff spot despite this mess is a slight illusion. Among Eastern Conference clubs, Toronto ranks 10th in points percentage (.574), and Florida holds two games in hand. TORONTO – It was telling that when Mitch Marner was asked about the impact of his coach, Sheldon Keefe, publicly taking the Toronto Maple Where the frustration curdles in a nagging sense that the sum has failed Leafs to task in the wake of Tuesday’s lethargic 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh, he to equal the high-octane parts. Most of the individual stat lines look fine if flipped focus instead to the equally blunt words of Jake Muzzin. not dang impressive. Muzzin comes bearing a ring and hard truths, which are best heard after When the solutions aren’t easy, players and coaches retreat to the an embarrassing loss. basics. The letter-less leader challenged every man in that dressing room to Win a puck battle. stare at their own reflection. He called for tangibles like finishing checks and quick zone exits. He pleaded for intangibles like urgency and Start there. passion. Muzzin suggested “getting mad at yourself for not performing That was the theme of Wednesday’s practice, as Keefe pulled William the right way.” Nylander aside to stress the importance of him to remain engaged Marner watched Muzzin’s candid soliloquy on a screen after the fact. And through every shift. agreed. And that’s how Marner — notably this season’s highest-salaried player in “I saw Muzzin — he said it great. He’s very chill with us when he thinks hockey ($16 million) — handled a string of questions about outside we’re doing well, but when we need it, he’s there to tighten everyone up pressures and a fan base beginning to fume. and speak out and speak his mind. That’s something you need every “It’s just hockey. I mean, we’re not really frustrated, I don’t think, at all. once a while,” Marner said Wednesday, after the Leafs wedged a battle- We all know we have the skill, but we don’t have the work ethic every drill session between their home-and-home with the Penguins. “We know single night, every single guy buying in,” Marner said. “We’re the ones our work ethic hasn’t been there, and it’s been unacceptable.” playing on the ice. We’re the ones in this locker room every day and Auston Matthews, the NHL’s leading goal-getter, echoed that sentiment. seeing each other. For us, it’s just making sure we’re keeping our moods the same way we’ve been all year, and that’s light and fun and just Home of the Maple Leafs enjoying each other’s presence. When we’re doing that, that’s when we’re at our best. Stream 56 Maple Leafs games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, “We know we need to change our work ethic. We know we need to be all outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and better with that.” more. Pride? “As other teams have elevated, we obviously haven’t,” Matthews said. “We realized that the last couple games we haven’t been competing hard Playoffs? enough. It’s all on the line these days. “Pittsburgh, they’ve established a winning culture, a championship Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 culture. I mean, it wasn’t all easy for them, obviously. It’s hard. It’s supposed to be. This is obviously a challenging test for us, and something that hopefully we can take out of it and move forward positively. “We need to answer the bell.” After consecutive stinkers in Buffalo and Pittsburgh, Thursday’s rematch against the Penguins doesn’t feel like just another game. The trade deadline looms, a combustible fan base got #FireDubas trending during Tuesday night’s debacle, and something feels amiss in Leafland as the local heroes have failed to take advantage of some mediocre play by their closest competitor, the Florida Panthers. Fragile is the word that pops to mind. The disease has not been easily isolated. A stretch of subpar netminding from Frederik Andersen, who copped to a battle between the ears when he’s between the pipes but will still get Thursday’s start. A long-term injury to Morgan Rielly that an already-thin defence corps has struggled to compensate for. A porous penalty kill. A parade to the LTIR that means no diehard Leafs fan needs to Google what LTIR stands for. Some atrocious third periods. Some sloppy first minutes. A dearth of bottom-six contribution that prompted Wednesday’s trade of gritty prospect Mason Marchment for the more NHL-ready Denis Malgin. Auston Matthews' scouting report on Denis Malgin: "He’s a small guy but he’s really skilled. Really shifty and elusive. A good skater and sees the ice well. So, nice to have a familiar face around the locker room… somebody that likes to work on his game quite a bit." — luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) February 19, 2020 1171881 Websites As Keefe noted of Tuesday’s game in Pittsburgh, the three power-play goals against were essentially “passed into the net.” They weren’t the type you can fault the goaltender for. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs banking on slumping Andersen rediscovering And yet there’s still no getting around the fact the Dane could be better old form — he’s been better than this for over 200 prior games in a Maple Leafs sweater. And there’s only 21 games left in the regular season for him to rediscover top form. Chris Johnston | @reporterchris February 19, 2020, 6:01 PM “I think Fred and [goalie coach] Steve Briere and those guys are working hard every day to get him playing at the level he’s capable of, which is a guy that has the ability to make the easy saves look easy but also the TORONTO — This would be an interesting concession from Frederik one that makes difficult saves and takes those challenges head-on when Andersen whenever he made it. we crack defensively,” said Keefe. But at this critical juncture of his most challenging season in the Toronto With a banged-up blue line and a top-heavy offensive team, there are Maple Leafs crease it stood out even more. Amid a personal three-game going to be some cracks in the foundation. losing streak, and with his coach offering yet another public show of This is what they are. support, the stoic Andersen acknowledged that he’s been off his game mentally while stringing together a couple sub-.900 starts since returning For now the Leafs will stick with their guy, and try to see him through a from a neck injury last week. tough stretch, and calm the waters. That makes sense. But they may reach a point where loyalty and feelings have to be put aside if he can’t “When I’m at my best, I didn’t really worry about what’s going on, about turn back the clock, and soon. things I can’t control,” Andersen said Wednesday. “I think that’s something I’ve been working on lately. Just trying to make sure that I put Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2020 in the 100 per cent effort and focus on what I do and what my job is to do. “I think that’s, uh, over the last little bit it’s been what’s missing.” On the list of what’s troubling the Leafs, Andersen is far from the only entry. The recent pair of 5-2 losses in Pittsburgh and Buffalo certainly couldn’t be hung around his neck, although Sheldon Keefe did say after Tuesday’s game against the Penguins that “I thought their goaltender [Tristan Jarry] was better than ours today.” Still, it’s telling that the Leafs coach is going back to Andersen for Thursday’s start rather than turning to Jack Campbell, he of the 3-0-1 record since arriving in a trade from Los Angeles. It’s the safest choice because it shows deference to one of the NHL’s steadiest performers over the last three seasons and the unquestioned No. 1 in these parts during that period. The Leafs are obviously mindful of not wanting to show any doubt in Andersen, and don’t want to make matters worse for him. They are looking at the big picture while throwing him back in to complete a home-and-home with Pittsburgh even in a moment where the here and now — the points available — is so vital to their push for a playoff spot. “Yeah it was fairly obvious,” Keefe said of his goaltending decision. “He’s our guy. He’s coming back off of an injury here and we need to get him back going. But when this team’s been at its best it’s when Fred’s been at his best.” A notable amount of time has passed since that’s been the case. There have been quality starts along the way — wins in Nashville and Dallas coming out of the all-star break jump to mind — but he hasn’t managed to put together a sustained run of success for two months. In fact, he’s sporting an .892 save percentage across 24 appearances since Dec. 1, dragging his season-long number down to .906 in the process. “I’ve got more to give,” said Andersen. Home of the Maple Leafs Stream 56 Maple Leafs games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. What’s made the 30-year-old so special is that he’s both a workhorse and a model of consistency. The Leafs have been able to set their watch to Andersen while seeing him deliver save percentages of .917, .918 and .918 since arriving from Anaheim in Lou Lamoriello’s best trade as Toronto’s general manager. He’s been the exception rather than the norm. Goalies are voodoo, they say, in part because they can’t usually be counted on to deliver the same results year over year. Those results are also tied to the play in front of them and the Leafs are in the bottom-third of NHL teams in allowing odd-man rushes and shot attempts from the slot. Sign up for NHL newsletters Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to your inbox! 1171882 Websites with JT Miller for the team lead with 13 points (3+10). No one else on the Canucks has more than 8 over that span. On top of that, Hughes leads all NHL defensemen (not just rookies) in scoring since the All Star break by three points. TSN.CA / Five Takeaways: Canucks vs Wild 5) It was a tough night and it's been a tough stretch for Bo Horvat and his linemates Tanner Pearson and Loui Eriksson since the All Star break. The Horvat line was on for two of the three Minnesota goals in regulation Jeff Paterson on Wednesday and trapped for an eternity on the shift prior to the Wild's other goal. And nothing is happening at the other end of the ice for that trio. Pearson has 3+1=4 and Horvat has 2+2=4 while Eriksson has 1) The margin of defeat in the National Hockey League can often be 0+2=2 in the team's 11 games since the January break. During the razor thin. For much of the third period on Wednesday night, it looked like Canucks run of 14 wins in 17 games, Horvat and Pearson were both the Vancouver Canucks were going to skate away with a hard-fought 3-2 better than a point a game players with 18 points in those 17 games tied victory over the Minnesota Wild and the storyline from the game would with Elias Pettersson and second only to JT Miller. Not only is Horvat the have been a plucky third period comeback resulting in a much-needed captain of the club, but he's a heart and soul guy who knows his role and victory. But a fortunate bounce for the visitors tied the game with five his importance to the success of the hockey club. The Canucks need that minutes to play and forced overtime and from there the game was second line to recapture the two-way presence it displayed for more than decided in a five-round shootout with Minnesota prevailing. Like many of a month from mid-December until the third week of January. The their games during a dry stretch back in November, the Canucks played Canucks enjoyed success that shot them to the top of the division a few reasonably-well for 65 minutes and secured a single point in the weeks back with strong goaltending and spread scoring. Right now, standings. But with 22 games to go, if the Canucks are going to remain a they're giving up more than they'd like defensively and they're relying too playoff team, they have to find a way to come away with two points more much on the top line to produce offense. The Horvat line needs to find its often than they have over the past two and half weeks. The loss to form again -- and it has to happen soon to pull the Canucks out of the Minnesota drops the Canucks to 2-4-2 in their last eight games and 2-2-1 slump they're in. through the first five games of a season-high six-game homestand. They've already lost their grasp on top spot in the Pacific Division and TSN.CA LOADED: 02.20.2020 now their hold on one of the three divisional playoff berths is tenuous at best. They will reside above the playoff bar for another night, but considering they don't play again until they host Boston on Saturday, who knows where they'll sit by the time they hit the ice against the Bruins. That's what happens when you amass just six of the 16 points available to you as the Canucks have done since February 2nd. 2) The Canucks had to find a way to seal the deal in the shootout Wednesday. They had two chances to win the skills competition -- and the hockey game -- and couldn't bury the Wild. Newcomer Tyler Toffoli had a chance to end the proceeding had he been able to score after Elias Pettersson and JT Miller had beaten Devan Dubnyk on the team's first two attempts. While Toffoli dropped to 1 for 13 lifetime in the shootout, the Canucks still had a second chance to put the Wild away. Unfortunately for them, Mats Zuccarello came in with speed and beat Jacob Markstrom on a deke to even the shootout at 2-2 and send it to extra rounds.From there, Tanner Pearson and Bo Horvat were unable to convert while Alex Galchenyuk -- who had forced overtime with 4:45 remaining in the third -- scored the game-deciding goal on a backhand giving Minnesota a 4-3 victory. It's always easy to second-guess the shootout selections when a team comes up short. Elias Pettersson is money and is now 4 for 6 on the season in the showdown contest. Tanner Pearson is 1 for 5 while Horvat is now 1 for 3 on the year and 3 for 16 lifetime. It may be time for Travis Green to re-evaluate his shooters after Pettersson. The Canucks simply can't afford to leave many more shootout points on the table. 3) The shootout may have been a disappointment for Toffoli, but otherwise his debut was strong. He picked up an assist on Miller's first of two goals on the night that tied the game 2-2 early in the third period. He looked at home on the right side with Miller and Pettersson and produced four shots on six attempts in 18:52 of ice time. Toffoli nearly scored on one of his first shifts as a Canuck when he tried to corral a loose puck at the side of the Minnesota net in the first period but just couldn't find the handle. He whistled a shot just wide off a clean face-off win in the second with the score tied 1-1. He logged 1:59 of power play time and saw two shifts in overtime registering one of the Canucks two shots in the extra session taking an Alex Edler pass and letting a snap shot go off left wing. For a guy who arrived late Monday night still processing the first trade of his NHL career and had one practice with his new team, Toffoli looked comfortable and confident and appeared to be a nice fit on the Canucks top line. Certainly, he's earned another shot to skate with Miller and Pettersson again on Saturday night. 4) Quinn Hughes had another dazzling night logging 27:05 including 2:55 of overtime and was in on two of the Canucks three goals bringing his point total to 47 on the season. His second period assist on Jay Beagle's goal was a masterpiece. With Hughes moving in on the left side and Beagle driving the net, Wild blueliner Jonas Brodin looked like he played the situation perfectly. He stayed with Hughes and seemingly took any possible passing lane away. But as he's done all season, the Canucks rookie sensation patiently waited for his opportunity and calmly slipped the puck across the slot for Beagle to redirect. It was just the latest example of Hughes making something out of nothing. Hughes finished the night with a game-high five shots on goal and 10 attempts overall. It's his first taste of an NHL stretch run and Hughes has played 26:56 and 27:05 in his last two games -- his second and fourth highest ice times of his young career. If the Canucks make the playoffs, Hughes will have been a pivotal piece. In 11 games since the All Star break, Hughes is tied 1171883 Websites The on-ice workout lasted 45 minutes, which is about 15 to 20 minutes longer than usual. It was focused on stoking the competitive fire of the scuffling team. TSN.CA / Keefe: Leafs need Andersen ‘to be great’ in rematch with "A high-intensity practice," observed winger Mitch Marner, "I think it's Penguins what we needed." "Lots of battle drills," added Auston Matthews, "and hopefully gets our mindset right." Mark Masters Keefe has lambasted the team's effort after the last two losses and on Tuesday night identified a lack of urgency and work ethic as common denominators during a 4-5-1 stretch in which the Leafs have just one TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes regulation win. on the Maple Leafs, who practised on Wednesday at the Ford Performance Centre ahead of Thursday’s rematch with the Pittsburgh So, how can the coach create more urgency? Penguins. "You can just remind them when it’s not there, you can talk to them about Sheldon Keefe is sticking with Frederik Andersen for Thursday's rematch what’s happening around them and what other teams are doing and what against the Pittsburgh Penguins. we've failed to get to ourselves," Keefe said. "You can have a practice like we did today and then it's just trusting ... the players." "It's fairly obvious," he said of the decision. "He's our guy, right. He's coming back off an injury here, we need to get him back going. When this Keefe is generally pleased with how his top guys are playing, but team has been at its best is when Fred's been at his best.” Matthews said the turnaround has to be sparked by the leaders. And while Matthews has continued to produce, the 43-goal man was off his Andersen is 0-3-0 with an .835 save percentage since returning from a game in the first period in Pittsburgh, allowing Sidney Crosby and the neck injury while new backup Jack Campbell is 3-0-1 with a .919 save Penguins to seize control. percentage since being acquired by the Maple Leafs earlier this month. "As other teams have elevated, we haven't," Matthews said, "and I think "Soupy's coming in here and we've got confidence in him, but this is a that's the message in this room, we need to elevate as a team." whole different situation, it's a whole different level of competition and Fred's our guy and we need him to be great," Keefe said. There is an underlying fragility with this Leafs group right now. They lack the championship pedigree of a team like the Penguins. Andersen seemed to be trending in the wrong direction even before the nine-day injury absence. Since December, Andersen is just 11-7-3 with "We get down in these games early and then I think we just give up and an .892 save percentage. leave our goalie out to dry," said Marner. "We all know we have the skill, but we don't have the work ethic every single night and every single guy "I got more to give and I got more to do so that's my focus," Andersen buying in." said, "try to get back to my level and being as good as I can be and help the team out, get some confidence and I think we'll feed off each other Where does the urgency come from? once we're back and playing like the way we can." "It comes from every guy, that's pretty much as simple as it gets," Keefe doesn't blame Andersen for Tuesday’s 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh, Matthews said. "We need to answer the bell." noting the Penguins basically "passed the puck into the net" on their three power-play goals. But the coach did call upon Andersen to raise his The lines looked the same at practice, but Keefe hinted strongly that a level after the defeat. major shake up is in store on Thursday. "Pretty much hit it right on," Andersen said of the coach's analysis. "I didn't put two seconds of thought into what the lines or D pairs looked like today, because it wasn't going to affect anything we were doing on Andersen is usually tightlipped about his own issues, but opened up a bit the ice," Keefe said. "It's probably going to look much different tomorrow on Wednesday acknowledging that he's struggling to stay focused as the for everybody." team deals with its own problems in front of him. Leafs Ice Chips: Generating urgency in a rare practice; line changes "Just mentally, when I'm at my best I didn't worry about what's going on, coming about things I can't control and I think that's something I've been working on lately," Andersen explained, "and just trying to make sure I put in 100 In their first full practice since Feb. 10, Sheldon Keefe pushed his players per cent effort and focus on what I do and what my job is to do and that's, in compete drills on Wednesday in hopes of generating urgency for the over the last little bit, has been what's missing." struggling Leafs. Mark Masters has more on the high-intensity practice, and discusses Keefe's plans to shake up his lines Thursday night when After making his all-star game debut, Andersen appeared to generate the team faces the Penguins again. some momentum with quality starts in Nashville and Dallas before getting hurt. --- "I did good out of the break, but obviously hit a little speed bump," he One reason there will be a lineup change is the Leafs acquired a new said, "last couple games there's been some improvements, but obviously player on Wednesday, getting Denis Malgin from Florida in exchange for I haven't been perfect." Mason Marchment. Malgin was in transit from California and missed practice, but is expected to play against the Penguins. Keefe says defending better to protect Andersen is a priority, but until the Dane becomes more like the goalie he was in November (.938 save "It gives us another NHL player, a guy who has a lot of skill and can do a percentage), the Leafs will likely be hard pressed to make the playoffs. lot of things we like to do," said Keefe, who admits he doesn't know much about the 23-year-old beyond seeing some video clips and watching him "Fred and (goalie coach) Steve Briere and those guys are working hard play against Toronto this season. every day to get him playing at the level he's capable of," Keefe said, "which is a guy that has the ability to make the easy saves, but also the But Leafs assistant coach Paul McFarland worked with the five-foot-nine, one that makes the difficult saves and takes those challenges head on 177-pound forward the last two seasons in Florida where he was an when we crack defensively." assistant to Bob Boughner on the Panthers bench. Andersen gets another crack at Pens, but goalie admits he has more to "When he talks about him it's not just a small, skilled guy, but he's a give competitor as well, wants to do well," Keefe said of the scouting report, "and when he's played with good players he's succeeded. It hasn't gone After giving up five goals on 24 shots in Tuesday's loss to Pittsburgh, as well for him this year, but we needed a little extra depth (in terms) of Frederik Andersen discusses getting a chance at redemption Thursday NHL players with skill and we think we've got one here now." night when the Leafs face the Penguins again, and admits that he has more to give in net. Matthews also has some insight on Malgin having played with him on the Zurich Lions in the Swiss league during the 2015-16 season. --- "He's a small guy, but he's really skilled, really shifty and elusive, good Dealing with a condensed schedule, plenty of travel and a flu bug, the skater and sees the ice well," said Matthews, who usually catches up Leafs had not practised since Feb. 10 so Keefe was eager to make the with Malgin at the arena following Leafs-Panthers games. "Nice to have a most of Wednesday's session. familiar face around the locker room, looking forward to seeing him, he's "A good chance for us to reset the group," is how the coach put it. somebody that likes to work on his game quite a bit so it'll be good to TSN.CA LOADED: 02.20.2020 have a guy like him here and I'm sure he'll fit in just fine." Malgin has four goals and eight assists in 36 games this season, but is expected to bolster a bottom-six in Toronto that hasn't been contributing much. "It's more the supporting cast here that has to do their part," Keefe said in addressing Toronto's issues. Matthews on newest Leaf acquisition Malgin: 'A small guy, but he's really skilled' After playing with Denis Malgin in Zurich the season before being drafted, Auston Matthews explains what the Leafs are getting in the forward, while Sheldon Keefe says Malgin gives the team some much-needed depth up front. --- William Nylander is having an impressive season, but the smooth-skating Swede has gone a bit quiet of late with just two shots and one assist in the last two games. Keefe pulled Nylander aside for a chat at the end of practice. The message? "Just reminding him that he's an important player for us and he had been playing at a very high level, producing at a very high level and the offence isn't always going to be there, but we just need him to remain engaged in every shift and on every single puck and I think he's got more to offer in that regard. But he'll get it back, because he's shown over a larger sample, there's been a larger sample there of him being very good and consistent for us rather than what we've seen recently." Keefe on Nylander: 'We need him to remain engaged in every shift' Sheldon Keefe was asked about the lengthy discussion he had with William Nylander on the ice following practice Wednesday. Keefe says he was reminding Nylander how important he is to the team, and stressed the need for him to remain engaged in every shift. --- Wednesday was the first time since Keefe took over that the Leafs allowed multiple power-play goals in a game. In fact, Pittsburgh struck on all three of their man-advantage opportunities. "Our kill, we need to do a better job of changing when we're fresh," Marner said. "We're staying out too long. We have plays on the wall that we can kill with fresh guys and people stay too long and the puck doesn't die and, especially these guys, they don't miss when they get their opportunities." Keefe believes the issue on the penalty kill was more of a one off, noting that the Leafs are killing at a 79.6 per cent rate (15th overall) on his watch. "We have seen a lot of progress in our penalty kill, it just didn't happen yesterday," Keefe said. "It hasn't been an issue." Under Mike Babcock, the Leafs started the season killing at a rate of just 76.6 per cent (25th overall). Button breaks down the 3 biggest issues with the Leafs right now Defensive zone play, details of the game and team composition, those are the three biggest issues right now for the Maple Leafs and Craig Button joins Sportscentre to explain why. --- Lines at Wednesday’s practice: Hyman - Matthews - Marner Nylander - Tavares - Kerfoot Engvall - Gauthier - Kapanen Clifford - Spezza - Timashov Muzzin - Holl Dermott - Sandin Marincin - Barrie Korshkov - Liljegren Andersen Campbell 1171884 Websites 2. Sami Vatanen, NJD RD 28 47 5 23 $4.9M UFA

3. Jean-Gabriel Pageau, OTT C 27 58 TSN.CA / Trade Bait: Winnipeg Jets exhausting all Dustin Byfuglien trade 24 40 $3.1M UFA options 4. Vladislav Namestnikov, OTT LW 27 54 13 25 $4M UFA Frank Seravalli 5. Carolina's 1st Round Pick 2020

6. Ilya Kovalchuk, MTL LW 36 37 Another day, another twist in the Dustin Byfuglien saga. 9 21 $700K UFA Turns out, the Winnipeg Jets have waited to pull the trigger on a mutual 7. Andreas Athanasiou, DET LW 25 45 contract termination with Dustin Byfuglien because multiple sources say 10 24 $3M RFA the Jets are attempting to exhaust all trade options for the hulking defenceman. 8. Erik Gustafsson, CHI LD 27 58 6 26 $1.2M UFA After being thrust into an uncomfortable position by Byfuglien at the start of the season, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is now seeking to salvage a 9. Wayne Simmonds, NJD RW 31 59 return. 7 23 $5M UFA Sources say suitors have been in regular contact with Cheveldayoff over 10. Dustin Byfuglien, WPG RD 34 - the last weeks about Byfuglien’s future, but talks have only intensified in - - $7.6M 1 recent days leading up to the NHL’s Feb. 24 trade deadline. 11. Mike Hoffman, FLA RW 30 59 There is no guarantee that Byfuglien will be dealt – in part because of the 22 47 $5.19M UFA fact that sources say he remains a long shot to return to the ice this 12. Patrick Marleau, SJS LW 40 55 season – but Big Buff’s mere potential impact warrants his debut at No. 10 20 $700K UFA 10 on the latest TSN Trade Bait board. 13. Joe Thornton, SJS C 40 59 Why would a team be interested in Byfuglien now? 2 25 $2M UFA If a team believes they could successfully lure him back to the rink, 14. Derek Grant, ANA C 29 47 Byfuglien’s once massive $7.6 million salary cap hit has dwindled down 14 20 $700K UFA to just a prorated $1.84 million now with only 45 days left in the regular season. 15. Barclay Goodrow, SJS C 26 59 8 24 $925K 1 It is a potential low-risk, high-reward play. Few could impact a game like ‘Big Buff’ when he’s engaged, as evidenced by his bone-crunching hits, 16. Robin Lehner, CHI G 28 32 powerful shot, and knack for the moment. He was the Jets’ leading 2.91 0.921 $5M UFA scorer in last year’s first-round series with St. Louis, collecting eight points in six playoff games – his last NHL action to date. 17. Conor Sheary, BUF LW 27 52 9 19 $3M UFA At the worst case, if Byfuglien refuses to report, then he will remain suspended without pay – at no salary cap consequence to the acquiring 18. Vincent Trocheck, FLA C 26 52 team. That team could then move to terminate Byfuglien’s contract, like 9 33 $4.75M 2 the Jets can now, or opt to hold his rights into the summer to see if he 19. Jonas Brodin, MIN LD 26 58 has interest in resuming his career next season. 2 24 $4.17M 1 Those close to Byfuglien wonder whether he might be able to be re- 20. Kyle Palmieri, NJD RW 29 54 energized by the idea of reuniting with old coach Joel Quenneville and 22 41 $4.65M 1 GM Dale Tallon in Florida. Or whether the Minnesota Wild might intrigue the proud Roseau, Minn., native. Even if still suspended, Byfuglien would 21. Detroit's Cap Space need to be on the acquiring team’s reserve list by Feb. 24 at 3 o’clock to 2020 be eligible for postseason play. 22. Ron Hainsey, OTT LD 38 53 It’s believe that Byfuglien has not skated since September. He has been 1 11 $3.5M UFA suspended without pay by the Jets for failure to report since he arrived at training camp and asked to take time off to contemplate retirement. 23. Alex Kerfoot, TOR C 25 56 8 25 $3.5M 3 After Byfuglien revealed a lingering ankle injury and underwent surgery in late October, the NHLPA filed a grievance in conjunction with Byfuglien in 24. Kasperi Kapanen, TOR RW 23 60 an attempt to have a neutral arbitrator rule on a legitimate hockey injury 11 32 $3.2M 2 as a course to recoup this season’s lost wages. 25. Matt Dumba, MIN RD 25 58 But once Byfuglien declined to continue to the on-ice portion of his rehab 4 20 $6M 3 progress in January, the NHLPA’s ability to defend the grievance became moot. 26. Josh Anderson, CBJ RW 25 26 1 4 $1.85M RFA With that grievance in the rearview mirror, Cheveldayoff and the Jets have been given the green light – with the support of the NHL – to use 27. Pavel Buchnevich, NYR RW 24 58 the $7.6 million that they’ve set aside all season for Byfuglien at the 13 35 $3.25M 1 deadline as Winnipeg sees fit. 28. Anthony DeAngelo, NYR RD 24 56 That’s why there has been no rush to terminate Byfuglien’s contract. It’s 13 43 $925K RFA a chip Cheveldayoff has kept in his pocket. The Jets can terminate 29. Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI LD 26 41 Byfuglien after the trade deadline if Cheveldayoff ultimately cannot work 5 12 $4.5M 3 out a deal – and at the very least, that will ensure Byfuglien cannot be signed to a free agent contract by a playoff rival. 30. Ondrej Kase, ANA RW 24 49 7 23 $2.6M 1 Here is TSN Hockey’s latest Trade Bait board, which always seeks to blend a player’s prominence with his likelihood of a deal: 31. Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF RD 25 60 5 29 $5.4M 2 Trend Player Pos Age GP G PTS Cap Hit Years 32. Mike Green, DET RD 34 46 2 9 $5.38M UFA 1. Chris Kreider, NYR LW 28 57 23 42 $4.63M UFA 33. Ben Hutton, LAK LD 26 56 3 10 $1.5M UFA 34. Chris Tierney, OTT C 25 60 10 30 $2.94M RFA 35. Ryan Donato, MIN LW 23 52 11 18 $1.9M 1 36. Craig Smith, NSH RW 30 58 17 28 $4.5M UFA 37. Valtteri Filppula, DET C 35 61 5 20 $3M 1 38. Brady Skjei, NYR LD 25 57 7 22 $5.25M 4 39. Mikael Granlund, NSH LW 27 53 14 25 $5.75M UFA 40. Sam Bennett, CGY LW 23 42 7 11 $2.55M 1 41. Michael Del Zotto, ANA LD 29 37 2 11 $750K UFA 42. Nate Thompson, MTL C 35 61 4 14 $1M UFA 43. Trevor Lewis, LAK RW 33 46 3 9 $2M UFA 44. Devin Shore, ANA LW 25 36 3 9 $2.3M UFA 45. Rocco Grimaldi, NSH RW 27 56 10 29 $1M UFA 46. Evgeni Dadonov, FLA RW 30 59 24 43 $4M UFA 47. Josh Manson, ANA RD 28 40 1 6 $4.1M 2 48. Kyle Turris, NSH C 30 52 9 28 $6M 4 49. Jeff Petry, MTL RD 32 62 9 36 $5.5M 1 50. Jesse Puljujarvi, EDM* RW 21 46 18 44 - RFA *Stats from SM-Liiga TRADED 4. Alec Martinez (Lak to Vgk) 4. Brenden Dillon (Sjs to Wsh) 6. Tyler Toffoli (LA to Van) 10. Dylan DeMelo (Ott to Wpg) 11. Jason Zucker (Min to Pit) 29. Kyle Clifford (LA to Tor) 36. Alex Galchenyuk (Pit to Min) 37. Marco Scandella (Mtl to Stl) TSN.CA LOADED: 02.20.2020 1171885 Websites But Keefe is using Andersen's history as the Leafs' backbone to guide his decision making.

“[Andersen] is our guy,” Keefe said. “He’s coming back off an injury here; TSN.CA / With no shortage of skill, Toronto Maple Leafs search for we need to get him back going. When this team has been at its best, it’s urgency and will when Fred has been at his best. Soupy has come in here and we’ve got confidence in him, but this is a whole different situation. This is a whole different level of competition and Fred is our guy and we need him to be great.” Kristen Shilton That turnaround needs to happen immediately for Toronto to stay in playoff position. The question is whether the Maple Leafs can find the TORONTO – Fresh off a pair of embarrassing 5-2 losses, the Maple urgency in their play to match the circumstance. Leafs spent Wednesday’s practice focusing almost entirely on one-on- “The message in this room is that we need to elevate our play as a team one battle drills – a clear indication of where the team thinks it must and from the leadership [group],” said Auston Matthews. “Sheldon improve to pull out of its recent funk. demands a lot of us and we haven’t met our expectations the last couple “I think we all know we have the skill, but we don’t have the work ethic games. I think [that urgency] comes from every guy. That’s as simple as every single night and every single guy buying in,” said Mitch Marner. it gets.” “Skill only takes you so far, and then work ethic takes you to a whole TSN.CA LOADED: 02.20.2020 other level. That’s something we need to be consistently better with. We owe it to ourselves and to each other in this room.” Marner’s comments echo those made by veteran defenceman Jake Muzzin following Tuesday’s loss, when the blueliner was adamant the Leafs need to start competing harder. "Everyone has to take a look in the mirror,” Muzzin said. “We have to be better. We have to find the urgency, the passion, the love of the game, the love to compete for each other. All that needs to come. I don't know why it's not there." At a time like this, with the Leafs clinging precariously to a playoff spot with just a two-point lead over Florida for third place in the Atlantic Division, head coach Sheldon Keefe is counting on messaging from his players to have more of an effect than anything he can share. “I think as a coach, you can just remind them when [the work ethic] is not there,” Keefe said. “And then it’s just trusting the players. They have pride and they don’t want to have the results that we’ve had. They don’t want the games to go the way that they’ve gone. From the conversations we’ve had with the players today, [those losses were] enough to get their attention. Now we have to bring it to the ice.” The Leafs will have to try and right the ship against the same Penguins team that sunk them on Tuesday when they welcome Pittsburgh to town for the second half of a home-and-home on Thursday. While Keefe kept the same lineup at Wednesday’s practice as he rolled out the night before, there will be changes made before the rematch with Pittsburgh. Earlier on Wednesday, the Leafs announced a trade with the Florida to acquire centre Denis Malgin in exchange for winger Mason Marchment in a move that will shake up Toronto's bottom six. A smaller (5-foot-9, 177 pounds), speedy centre with good hands, Malgin’s time with Florida was marked by inconsistency. He’s skated in just 36 games this season with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) and was a healthy scratch for five consecutive contests prior to playing in Florida’s most recent win over San Jose on Monday. Malgin wasn’t at practice Wednesday, but Keefe expects he’ll slot in right away after arriving from California. The deal came on the heels of Keefe’s comments earlier this week about needing more out of the Leafs’ third- and fourth-line forwards, who have failed to complement Toronto’s top scorers. Without revealing exactly where Malgin will fit, Keefe said he had heard enough good things from Leafs’ assistant coach Paul McFarland, who was an assistant with the Panthers for two seasons prior to joining Toronto, to be confident Malgin will fill a need for the Leafs. “He gives us another NHL player, a guy that has a lot of skill that can do a lot of the things we like to do,” Keefe said. “McFarland is familiar with him and when he talks about him, he says he’s not just a small, skilled guy but he’s a competitor as well and when he’s played with good players he has succeeded. We needed a little extra depth of NHL players with skill and we think we’ve got one here now.” Malgin's insertion will be one change for the Leafs, but Keefe is standing pat with starting goaltender Frederik Andersen. Andersen has gone 0-3-0 with a lacklustre .835 save percentage since returning from a neck injury that cost him four games earlier this month. Backup Jack Campbell is 3-0-1 in his four starts for the Leafs since being traded from the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 5, giving Keefe another viable option. 1171886 Websites February 6th. Elias Pettersson missed the most recent meeting between these teams with a lower body injury.

POSSIBLE CANUCKS LINE-UP TSN.CA / Canucks vs Wild Gameday Preview Miller-Pettersson-Toffoli Pearson-Horvat-Eriksson Jeff Paterson Roussel-Gaudette-Virtanen

Motte-Beagle-Sutter VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks (32-22-5) will roll out their Hughes-Tanev newest player tonight when they host the Minnesota Wild (27-24-7) at Rogers Arena. Tyler Toffoli, acquired Monday night from the Los Angeles Edler-Stecher Kings, will make his Canucks debut wearing his familiar number 73. Toffoli had a hattrick in his last game with the Kings on Saturday night Benn-Myers and has 18+16=34 in 58 games this season. Markstrom The Canucks can use a shot in the arm and hope Toffoli’s presence POSSIBLE WILD LINE-UP provides that. They are 2-4-1 in their last seven games following a 5-1 loss to Anaheim on Sunday afternoon. Elias Pettersson scored the lone Parise-Staal-Fiala Vancouver goal – the team’s 50th power play goal of the season – midway through the second period. Thatcher Demko made 23 saves in Galchenyuk-Kunin-Zucarello goal. Foligno-Eriksson-Ek-Greenway The Ducks scored two of their first three goals on the power play and penalty killing has become an issue for the Canucks. Vancouver is just Donato-Koivu-Hartman 17 for 24 (70.8%) on the PK over the past six games. They’ve given up a Suter-Spurgeon pair of PPG twice in that span including in a 4-2 loss to the Wild at Xcel Energy Center on February 6th. Brodin-Dumba To that end, the penalty kill gets a boost tonight with the return of Tyler Soucy-Pateryn Motte who has missed the past eight games with a shoulder injury. Zack MacEwen comes out of the line-up to make room for Motte. Oscar Dubnyk Fantenberg (concussion) has skated with the team the past two days but TSN.CA LOADED: 02.20.2020 remains out of the line-up. After a rare game off Sunday, Jacob Markstrom returns to the Canucks net tonight. The 30-year-old matched his career high with 49 saves in a 3-0 shutout win in his last start last Wednesday. Markstrom has stopped 85 of the last 87 shots he’s faced over the past two games. Rookie blueliner Quinn Hughes shares the team lead in scoring since the All Star break with JT Miller. Hughes has 3+8=11 in the past 10 games while Miller has 5+6=11. Captain Bo Horvat has just one goal in his past nine games and has not scored at 5-on-5 since a game in Minnesota on January 12th. Horvat has a pair of power play goals and an empty netter in his last 13 outings. Tanner Pearson has 2+0=2 in his past eight games while Jake Virtanen has 1+0=1 in his last eight. Loui Eriksson has gone eight games without a point. Jim Benning announced on Tuesday morning that Brock Boeser and Josh Leivo are both expected to miss the remainder of the regular season. Boeser suffered fractured rib cartilage in a February 8th game against Calgary while Leivo has been out since fracturing his knee cap in a December 19th game against Vegas. The club has also made the decision to shut down Micheal Ferland for the rest of the season due to on-going concussion issues. The Wild has not played since a 2-0 home loss to San Jose last Saturday in Dean Evason’s first game behind the bench since replacing Bruce Boudreau. Despite the coaching change, Minnesota is 4-2-1 in its last seven games. The Wild dropped six of its first seven games of the season and through 14 games was 4-9-1. Since then, however, Minnesota is 23-15-6. The Wild actually has more points (52) than the Canucks (49) since November 2nd. Zach Parise leads the club with 21 goals and his 11 on the power play are tied for fourth in the NHL. Eric Staal is the team leader in scoring with 17+24=41. Of late, Kevin Fiala has been holding the hot stick picking up a team-best 5+7=12 in his last dozen games. Minnesota sits 30th in the NHL on the penalty kill at 74.9% on the season ahead of only Nashville. Minnesota has had success on home ice recording 17 of its 27 wins as the home team. However, the Wild has a road record of 10-15-2. Among Western Conference teams, only Los Angeles has fewer road victories this season. The Wild has played a league-low 27 road games and will finish with 14 of its final 24 away from home. With last Saturday’s game against San Jose, Minnesota just completed a stretch of 18 of 22 at home. This is the team’s Father’s Trip. Vancouver and Minnesota have split their first two meetings of the season both played in St. Paul. The Canucks were 4-1 winners on January 12th while the Wild returned the favour with a 4-2 victory on 1171887 Websites

USA TODAY / Jeremy Roenick gets presidential shout-out at Donald Trump rally in Phoenix

Mike Brehm

Jeremy Roenick, who was let go by NBC Sports last week, got a presidential shout-out during Donald Trump's rally Wednesday night in Phoenix. "He's an Arizona hockey great, a friend of mine," Trump said. "He's a great golfer, too. He's a tough golfer. He's tough to beat. He's tough as hell. And if you beat him in golf, he'll beat you physically. He doesn't care." Usually, Roenick would be in the NBC Sports hockey studio on Wednesday nights, but he was suspended in December for making inappropriate comments about his co-workers during an appearance on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast. He issued a public apology in January, but NBC Sports announced on Feb. 12 that he wasn't coming back. Roenick played 20 years in the NHL, including five in Arizona with the Coyotes, where was very popular. "He was the toughest hockey player," Trump said. "He was one of those guys who could beat you one way, and if he couldn't, he'd just beat them up." The crowd cheered when Roenick's name was mentioned and the president pointed him out. "Thank you, Jeremy," Trump said. "He's a winner." USA TODAY LOADED: 02.20.2020