SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 4/1/2020 1173067 Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka to players: 'The 1173098 No NHL players think the Detroit Red Wings are message is to stay safe' interesting, worth watching 1173068 Arizona Coyotes sign F Michael Chaput to 1-year contract 1173099 Red Wings broadcaster Ken Kal waiting, hopeful NHL season will resume 1173100 Greatest Red Wings who never won a in 1173069 NHL players think Brad Marchand is the best – and worst Detroit – trash-talker in the league 1173070 NHLPA poll ‘honors’ Bruins’ Brad Marchand Oilers 1173071 Bruins-Hurricanes simulation: Canes beat B's 1-0 on 1173101 Oilers head coach Dave Tippett finding sun, but no fun flukey amid COVID-19 lockdown 1173072 set impressive Bruins goal scoring record on 1173102 Q&A: Scott Howson on new AHL job, Oilers’ unsung this day in 1971 prospect and development updates 1173073 NHLPA's new player poll results give Bruins' Patrice 1173103 Lowetide: Revisiting projections and identifying Oilers’ Bergeron plenty of respect performance spikes 1173074 Tuukka Rask 'hasn't made any decisions' on his long-term Bruins future 1173075 Johnny Bucyk’s plan for a new hip put on hold amid 1173104 REIGN “COMMUNITY ALL-STAR” INITIATIVE pandemic TO HONOR LOCAL COMMUNITY 1173105 MCLELLAN ARTICULATES COMMUNITY EFFORTS, POOH-POOHS THEORIZED LOTTERY TOURNEY 1173076 Buffalo sports' greatest what-ifs: What if 'No Goal' was really no goal? Wild 1173077 ‘Who stays vs. who goes’: Evaluating the Sabres’ free 1173106 With NHL put on ice, Wild's Zach Parise puts agent class of forwards focus on family 1173107 FOX Sports North to replay classic Wild games Flames 1173108 From quarantine, Wild’s Zach Parise on fatherhood, Kevin 1173078 Flames prospects update: Brad Pascall offers a rundown Fiala’s rise and … Tiger King of the minor-league cupboard 1173109 Missing the Wild? Fox Sports North airing classic games throughout April Blackhawks 1173110 Chatting with Zach Parise: Joking with rivals and kids, 1173079 5 things we learned from Blackhawks Jonathan hoping for more hockey Toews’ video interview, including his feelings about ‘Tig 1173080 Blackhawks jersey ranks as NHL players’ favorite sweater MontrealCanadiens in a poll 1173111 A conversation on the Canadiens: on the 1173081 has begun its new role as a storage facility team’s plan and future for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, already ho 1173082 optimistic Blackhawks hockey will return, even while NHL waits in limbo 1173112 Predators' on being quarantined, playing 1173083 NHL players say Blackhawks have league’s best logo hockey, Brussels sprouts, 'Tiger King' 1173084 What Toews, other NHL'ers have been up to with season on hold 1173085 2010 Hawks Rewind: 3 things we noticed in Blackhawks' 1173113 NHL’s new self-quarantine date ‘meaningless’ Game 6 win over Canucks 1173114 Devils’ Josh Harris, David Blitzer make 6-figure 1173086 Which teammate would Jonathan Toews most and least coronavirus donation to RWJBarnabas; Team will continue want to quarantine with? to su 1173087 Jonathan Toews on self-isolation, state of Blackhawks and 1173115 Scouting Devils’ 2019 draft class: Tyce Thompson ‘might message to fans be a diamond in rough, no question’ 1173088 Blackhawks' jersey voted best in NHL by NHLPA poll 1173116 How the NJ Devils, Prudential Center are helping the 1173089 Hawks Rewind: Blackhawks-Canucks Game 6 of 2010 community fight coronavirus Western Conference Semifinals 1173117 March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable 1173090 ‘God, I’d welcome those battles’: Jonathan Toews, fellow players eager to return 1173091 Pranks for the memories: Tormenting Kane, Toews a 1173118 March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable pastime for late-2000s Blackhawks 1173119 NHL shifts self-quarantine period to April 15 in response to coronavirus 1173092 From , Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog discusses activities during self-quarantine 1173120 March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable 1173093 Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon among league’s top 1173121 Chris Kreider embodies Rangers’ bridge from rebuild to forwards in NHLPA annual poll contention 1173094 What’s it like being a 6-foot-7 Russian goalie named 1173122 What we learned in 2019-20: The New York Rangers Shamil living in Iowa? rebuild remains on track 1173123 Rangers' jersey ranked No. 4 by players 1173124 NHL shifts self-quarantine period to April 15 in response to 1173095 Reading the goalie market: When should the Jackets deal coronavirus Merzlikins or Korpisalo? Senators Stars 1173125 The NHL shouldn't be in a hurry to cancel its regular 1173096 While is ready to get back on the ice, he says season the break ‘couldn’t have come at a better time’ for 1173126 Draft lottery simulator: Where and who the Senators could 1173097 Jamie Benn talks quarantine: Avoiding Radulov, fighting pick Wheeler, not having kids Canucks 1173127 Gritty embarks on an Instagram Live ‘vision quest’ from 1173177 Steve Simmons: Canucks of 2011 the best team never to coronavirus quarantine win the Stanley Cup 1173128 NHL open to playing in summer because of coronavirus | 1173178 One-on-one with Eddie Lack: On retirement, Bill Peters On the Fly and being a fan favourite in Vancouver 1173129 Flyers' James van Riemsdyk only has down time to let his 1173179 Vasili Podkolzin’s breakout season in the KHL has him finger heal looking ready for NHL 1173130 Because of coronavirus outbreak, James van Riemsdyk sees possible 'unique opportunity' for NHL playoffs 1173131 Predictions for who wins Flyers' 2019-20 Pelle Lindbergh 1173161 Golden Knights await decision from prospect Jack Dugan Memorial Trophy as most improved player 1173162 NHL extends self-isolation period through April 15 1173132 Scott Laughton says thank you to those 'putting their lives 1173163 Golden Knights featured heavily in NHL players poll on the line' during coronavirus outbreak 1173133 A look at how the Flyers changed expectations, even for themselves 1173164 Alex Ovechkin and his son Sergei team up for a Capitals 1173134 The 10 best Flyers free-agent signings of the 2010s simulation game 1173165 Alex Ovechkin's son, Sergei, is doing film study with him during NHL hiatus 1173135 If NHL resumes play, 2 weeks needed for minicamp, 1173166 Russians lead the way in Caps' simulated win over Maple Penguins’ Mike Sullivan says Leafs 1173136 Mike Sullivan: Win at N.J. showed Penguins were 1173167 With NHL season paused, a ranking of Capitals' best wins emerging from funk, have momentum of 2019-20: No. 9 1173137 NHL player vote: Penguins’ ‘most complete 1173168 Washington Capitals top 5 hits of the 2019-20 season player,’ but not best forward 1173169 What should the NHL look like when the season resumes? 1173138 Tim Benz: Jim Rutherford is right about champions having Caps GM weighs in on the possibilities ‘integrity’ in shortened seasons 1173170 Beltway March Madness: Elite 8 set in race for top athlete 1173139 Penguins coach Mike Sullivan on 'real heroes,' Jake from area pro teams Guentzel and more 1173171 Capitals GM on planning for free agency, draft and 1173140 NHL players poll: Sidney Crosby is league's 'most- playoffs without a timeline complete player' 1173141 Penguins on pause: Even as age and injuries take toll, Websites there's no replacing Patric Hornqvist 1173180 The Athletic / A tiny village in India, a father, a son and a 1173142 Mike Sullivan on Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and shared love of the Jets current life as a coach 1173181 The Athletic / The best players to wear every jersey number in NHL history 1173182 The Athletic / , the Hanson Brothers and 1173143 Coronavirus: Sharks president explains decision to play the hockey influences on “Strange Brew” games after county urged cancellations 1173183 The Athletic / LeBrun: Once pandemic is over, NHL and 1173144 San Jose Sharks add NCAA Division I’s leading scorer to NHLPA must find long-term labour peace its ranks 1173184 Sportsnet.ca / How Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is 1173145 The Latest: Becher defends Sharks' games amid county handling hockey's Twilight Zone caution 1173185 Sportsnet.ca / Future of Flames' Geoff Ward undecided, 1173146 Sharks suddenly in better position with draft picks, college but choice is obvious signings 1173186 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks all-time Dream Team for Game 7 1173147 Sharks' Mario Ferraro moved in with parents for NHL of Stanley Cup Final coronavirus pause 1173187 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' Tippett laments team's lost progress 1173148 Sharks exec explains why they played 3 games after the amid season pause county’s recommendation 1173188 Sportsnet.ca / Why Maple Leafs are competing for free 1173149 Get to know new Sharks prospect — defenseman Brinson agent Alexander Barabanov Pasichnuk 1173189 Sportsnet.ca / Five intriguing Canadiens prospects: Struble, Harris 'will be good NHL players' St Louis Blues 1173190 Sportsnet.ca / Calder Trophy Tier List: Hughes vs. Makar 1173150 Pietrangelo puts in triple duty during NHL shutdown period too close to call 1173151 ‘I got lucky’: Blues broadcaster John Kelly is feeling well 1173191 Sportsnet.ca / NHLPA player poll takeaways: after COVID-19 scare Crosby-McDavid debate alive and well 1173192 Sportsnet.ca / Remember When? Brett Hull scores 86th goal in Hart Trophy season 1173152 In players’ poll, Lightning’s Victor Hedman named top 1173193 Sportsnet.ca / The biggest goals in Senators history: OT defenseman magic and Alfredsson's redemption 1173194 TSN.CA / Dubas on Robertson’s role, recruiting Barabanov and a silver lining to season pause 1173153 For Kyle Dubas and the rest of the NHL, the road forward 1173195 TSN.CA / Yost: Who rules the NHL’s 3-on-3 format? isn’t so clear 1173196 TSN.CA / Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby continue to 1173154 Did ex-Leaf Tomas Kaberle just deliver my food? The dominate annual NHLPA poll answer might be yes 1173155 First things first, but the Maple Leafs are chasing a Russian forward — and making plans for a junior sensatio 1173172 Laugh scored by , assisted by Jamie Benn; 1173156 Leafs gag games not just April Fools' Day time of the fun... 1173157 Dubas confirms Leafs interest in Barabanov, sees much 1173173 Wheeler longs for return to work potential in Robertson 1173174 Jets' Wheeler adjusting to life as full-time dad, teacher 1173158 Leafs GM Dubas in balancing act, but safety of world 1173175 Jets captain Blake Wheeler weighs in on life at home comes first without hockey 1173159 Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas talks pursuing Barabanov, 1173176 A tiny village in India, a father, a son and a shared love of Robertson’s rise and more the Winnipeg Jets 1173160 Jonas Siegel’s Top 25 Toronto Maple Leafs of the past 25 years, Part I World Leagues News 1173197 Coronavirus: NBA, NBPA reportedly discussing deal to withhold portion of paychecks in case games are canceled 1173198 The NFL needs backup plans for the 2020 schedule due to coronavirus, and here are two 1173199 Coronavirus ban on elective surgery tough on athletes, sports medicine docs 1173200 March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable 1173201 Sports events around the world hit by the coronavirus pandemic 1173202 Youth sports also feeling impact of coronavirus 1173203 FIFA Says It Has 'Duty' to Support Clubs, Associations Hit Financially Due to Coronavirus 1173204 China orders major sports to remain suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak 1173205 Fanatics sees parts of its business fall 100% with sports on hold due to coronavirus 1173206 Coronavirus: Are outdoor sports healthy exercise or a dangerous risk? 1173207 Dr. James Andrews halts Tommy John surgery during coronavirus pandemic; Sale's surgeon explains decision 1173208 How could sports resume? The good, bad and downright crazy ideas 1173209 Sports Illustrated Layoffs A Sign Of Coronavirus’ Effect On Sports Media 1173210 Coronavirus Florida: If life gets back to normal, sports calendar could be jam packed later this year 1173211 Coronavirus update: Doomsday scenario predicted for sports in 2020, including NFL 1173212 Sports betting without sports? Adapting to the age of coronavirus 1173213 Coronavirus may lead to permanent changes to our beloved sports SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1173067 Arizona Coyotes Chayka also said that defenseman Aaron Ness remains the only member of the organization that has been tested for the coronavirus. Ness tested negative on March 16.

Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka to players: 'The message is to stay "All others have been healthy with no symptoms," Chayka said. "We've safe' been blessed so far."

To date, four NHL players have received positive COVID-19 tests. Two Richard Morin, Arizona Republic Published 11:41 a.m. MT March 31, are with the and two are with the Colorado Avalanche. 2020 | Updated 2:21 p.m. MT March 31, 2020 Additionally, the Coyotes announced Tuesday that both Chayka as well as President and CEO Ahron Cohen will donate 20% of their salaries over the coming months to the Arizona Coronavirus Relief Fund and John Chayka's background in analytics is well-documented. For years, other nonprofits working to combat the virus. he developed and employed statistical models to make predictions. Now, as the Coyotes' president of hockey operations and general manager, he Arizona Republic LOADED: 04.01.2020 has the luxury of staff members doing the model development. Chayka, in his current position, is more of an interpreter when it comes to data analysis.

But if the NHL's mandated self-quarantine period has afforded Chayka anything, it may be a return to his roots in model creation. Except this time it has nothing to do with hockey.

In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Chayka said he's been keeping busy by creating data models relating to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the world. Whereas most people might need a break from the news at this , Chayka said he is craving as much information as possible.

On top of enjoying family time with his wife, Kathryn, and his almost 2- year-old daughter, Capri, at their Scottsdale home, Chayka described his "playing around" with statistical analysis as "fun" during his self-isolation period.

"I'm the guy who always wants more information," Chayka said. "I've been making my own statistical models for when we, as a society, can return to normalcy."

Still, as much as Chayka has taken an interest in dissecting the global crisis, with the 2019-20 NHL season still in question of returning Chayka has remained in constant communication with his players and the league.

Chayka said he is receiving daily updates from the NHL, which announced Tuesday it had extended its self-isolation guidelines through April 15. Chayka said that among the many messages he has for players there is one that rings loud above all others: stay safe.

"The message right now is to stay safe," Chayka said.

Chayka expanded on the difficult situation that will be getting players back in shape for a potential season restart. With no sheets of ice available to players — multiple sources confirmed the ice at Gila River Arena has been removed — a unique conundrum has been presented to players.

"Guys haven't skated for a number of weeks now," Chayka said, adding that it would likely take at least three weeks for players to reach game shape if the league were given the green light on Tuesday. "For a lot of them, this is the longest they have gone without skating in years, maybe since they were very young."

Chayka noted that while some players are fortunate enough to have gyms or fitness rooms inside their homes, not everyone has access to professional-level equipment. The Coyotes have gone so far as to deliver equipment to certain players who might need it, while going through proper sanitation protocol in doing so, Chayka said.

Chayka said no firm plan has been put in place for a return to the NHL season, which still has about 15% of regular-season games on the calendar. He also said the time needed for getting back to playing shape will likely increase as the quarantine period extends.

A myriad scenarios have been floated regarding how the NHL might approach a return to the season. Proceed directly to the playoffs? Finish the season as is? Expanded playoff format? Or an altogether cancellation?

With the Coyotes on the outside of the playoff picture, Chayka will admit his bias, but his preference is to play out the remainder of the regular season if the league can find a way to do so without any major collateral damage, such as affecting the integrity of the 2020-21 season.

"It really just depends on how this all goes," Chayka said. "(The solution) will be a function of time." 1173068 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes sign F Michael Chaput to 1-year contract

BY MATT LAYMAN MARCH 30, 2020 AT 12:07 PM

The Arizona Coyotes announced on Monday a one-year, two-way contract for forward Michael Chaput, who most recently was with the AHL’s .

Chaput also had call-ups to the Coyotes this season and played two games, recording 10:01 average time on ice and no points on the scoresheet.

The 27-year-old had 16 goals and 13 assists in 47 games as the captain of the Roadrunners this season.

Chaput was already signed through this season and was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. When the season actually concludes has become increasingly unclear as coronavirus has put the NHL and AHL seasons on hold. The ECHL season was canceled outright.

Chaput can play center, giving the Coyotes further forward depth at a premium position. In addition to his call-ups last season, Chaput has a total of 169 games of NHL experience with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Canadiens.

Per CapFriendly, the Coyotes now have two minor-league forwards set to become UFAs this summer: Beau Bennett, who signed as a free agent last offseason, and Markus Hannikainen, whom the team acquired from Columbus on trade deadline day this season.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173069 Boston Bruins

NHL players think Brad Marchand is the best – and worst – trash-talker in the league

By Jenna Ciccotelli Boston.com staff,Updated March 31, 2020, 3:20 p.m.

Brad Marchand: expert trash-talker.

Do Brad Marchand’s trash-talking skills match up with what he puts out on the ice?

According to the NHL Players’ Association’s 2019-20 player poll, which surveyed 588 players on a number of hockey-related topics, it depends on who you ask.

Marchand, 31, was named the league’s best and worst trash-talker by his peers for the second consecutive season. He earned 25.9 percent of the vote as the league’s best, up from 21.3 percent in 2018-19. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Marchand’s peers also named him the worst trash-talker, coming in with 10.6 percent of the votes.

In both categories, he earned the title over Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings.

Marchand was also named one of the league’s funniest players, finishing third with 5.7 percent of the vote. He was tabbed as the third best follow on social media (4.4 percent), too.

The winger wasn’t the only Bruin to feature prominently in the poll.

Patrice Bergeron was in the running for most complete player, finishing second (25.5 percent) to Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby (45.6). Bergeron also was named a player wanted on a team that had to win one game, finishing fourth with 3.3 percent of the vote.

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173070 Boston Bruins Boston Herald LOADED: 04.01.2020

NHLPA poll ‘honors’ Bruins’ Brad Marchand

Hits and misses in players’ annual poll

By STEVE CONROY | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: March 31, 2020 at 3:17 p.m. | UPDATED: March 31, 2020 at 3:17 p.m.

The best teams are ones that are greater than the sum of their parts. Maybe that’s what the Bruins’ fellow players must think about that.

It’s that, or they’re straight up disrespecting them.

The Bruins may have been the best team in the league this year before play was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, outdistancing the nearest competitor by eight points. But in the annual NHL Players Association poll in which 588 players from all 31 teams participated, the B’s were shut out in just about every category except one, and it’s debatable as to whether that category was meant to be complimentary or not.

For the second year in a row, Brad Marchand won both best trash talker in the league and worst trash talker, which makes one wonder if anyone — let alone the players — knows the difference between the best and worst in this category.

While the Marchand “accolades” were the only wins for the Bruins, they did receive a little bit of love. finished second to Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby as the most complete player, getting 25.44% of the vote to Crosby’s 45.56%. On the question of “If you need to win one game, who is the one player you would want on your team?” Bergeron finished fourth behind Crosby, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Colorado’s Nathan McKinnon.

Fair enough.

But there were some serious head-scratchers. On the top of the list is the best goalie question, on which reputation appeared to trump the facts. At the time play was suspended, Tuukka Rask led the league in goals against average (2.12), was second in save percentage (.929) and he was coming off another long playoff run. Yet he did not finish in the top four. The runaway winner was Montreal’s with 41.55%. Carey had a so-so at best .909 save percentage and a 2.79 GAA and the Canadiens were on pace for their fourth playoff miss in the last five seasons. Clearly, Rask has a much better team playing in front of him, but Price has done little to elevate the Habs.

Also finishing ahead of Rask? Sergei Bobrovsky, who has been an absolute bust in his first season after signing a seven-year $70 million contract in Florida. He’s got a .900 save percentage and a whopping 3.23 GAA and was a big reason why the Panthers were en route to another DNQ. When he’s on his game, Bobrovsky can be very good. But when he was at his best in last spring’s playoffs, Rask was simply better in the head-to-head matchup. Well, at least you can’t accuse the players of recency bias in this category.

On the question of which player, past or present, that they’d pay to see, Wayne Gretzky finished first with 31.83% of the vote while finished second with 14.99%. Yes, Gretzky was great and he has the numbers to show for it. But if you’re going to plunk down your own hard- earned cash, there was nothing like one of Orr’s end-to-end rushes. Check out YouTube, lads, you’ve got the time right now.

In some other oddball categories, Montreal’s Bell won best ice (TD Garden was no threat there) and the Blackhawks won for best jersey. The Bruins’ spoked B, the winged wheel of the Red Wings and the CH of the Canadiens didn’t place, but the Golden Knights’ jersey finished second? Really?

The players didn’t get everything wrong, however. They voted overwhelmingly for McDavid as best forward (hard to argue) and Victor Hedman for best defenseman (he may not be having his best year, but he’s still damn good).

And while we don’t hear every one of Marchand’s insults he hurls at opposing players, we’ve heard enough from him over the past decade to assume the players were bang-on with their assessment. 1173071 Boston Bruins

Bruins-Hurricanes simulation: Canes beat B's 1-0 on flukey goal

By Erin Walsh March 31, 2020 8:38 PM

The NHL season has been put on hold due to the coronavirus crisis, meaning we may have to wait a while to watch the Boston Bruins again.

As a way to make up for the loss of Bruins action, we'll be using the EA Sports NHL 20 video game to simulate each game on Boston's schedule until they finally return to action.

Previous Simulations:

Bruins vs. Blue Jackets

Bruins vs. Ducks

Bruins vs. Kings

Bruins vs. Sharks

Bruins vs. Red Wings

Bruins vs. Senators

The Boston Bruins were supposed to take on the on Tuesday night at PNC Arena, here's how our simulation of that game went.

The B's fell to the Canes 1-0 on a flukey third-period goal that slipped by Tuukka Rask.

Here are the game stats:

Three Stars of the Game + Game Stats

Anton Forsberg, Tuukka Rask and Andrei Svechnikov were the three stars of the game. The Hurricanes led in shots with 25 and they also had three power-play opportunities that they squandered. The Bruins seemed to have passed too much in the offensive zone and didn't take enough shots on goal in the loss when comparing the shots to their time on attack.

Bruins Individual Stats

Charlie McAvoy led all B's skaters in ice time with 23:42 while David Krejci and David Pastrnak each had three shots on goal. Tuukka Rask stopped 24 of 25 shots in the loss, but the defense didn't help them out too much.

Hurricanes Individual Stats

Jaccob Slavin led all Hurricanes skaters in ice time with 24:11 and Martin Necas led in shots with four. Anton Forsberg stopped all 17 shots faced and the Hurricanes sneak by with a flukey goal from Andrei Svechnikov.

FINAL SCORE: Hurricanes 1, Bruins 0

Bruins Record (Includes simulated games): 47-16-14 (107 points)

*NOTE: We did not include Boston's games against the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs or in the simulation, therefore the simulated record isn't 100 percent accurate*

Next Simulation: vs. St. Louis Blues on Thursday

Be sure to keep an eye out for our Bruins vs. Blues simulation which is set to drop on Thursday.

We aren't the only ones enjoying sports video games to pass the time and get their competitive fix. Even the B's Anton Blidh is enjoying his time off with a little virtual sports action.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173072 Boston Bruins

Phil Esposito set impressive Bruins goal scoring record on this day in 1971

By Nick Goss March 31, 2020 4:41 PM

March 31 is a special day in the history books of the Boston Bruins franchise.

Hall of Fame forward Phil Esposito scored his 70th goal (an NHL record at the time) of the 1970-71 season on this day, becoming the first Bruins player to hit that goal-scoring milestone.

Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App

Check out the graphic below for more information:

March 31, 1971

Phil Esposito scores his 70th goal of the season.

Espo would end up with 76 goals, at that time shattering the NHL record by 18 goals . ( – 58 – 1968/69).

The 76 goals today is still tied for 5th most in a season. #TheStatsCorner pic.twitter.com/yQIegjm1X5

— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) March 31, 2020

Esposito's 76 goals in the 1970-71 season still stand as a Bruins record for a single campaign.

Bruins right winger David Pastrnak was making a run at 60 goals earlier this season. The 23-year-old star currently sits at 48 goals with the season suspended due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Pastrnak is tied for the league lead with Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin.

If the 2019-20 season doesn't resume or the league decides to go straight to the upon returning, Pastrnak would be the first Bruins player to win or share the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal scorer since Esposito in 1974-75.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173073 Boston Bruins

NHLPA's new player poll results give Bruins' Patrice Bergeron plenty of respect

By Nick Goss March 31, 2020 12:57 PM

The NHL Players' Association has released the results of its 2019-20 player poll, and it's clear Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron is still viewed as a top player by his peers.

Almost 600 players participated in the poll, and the voting took place before the league suspended the season earlier this month due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App

Bergeron finished in the top five of the results for two on-ice player categories. One of them was: "If you need to win one game, who is the one player (any position) you would want on your team?"

Here are the results:

1. Sidney Crosby, C, Penguins (44.04 percent of the vote)

2. Connor McDavid, C, Oilers (35.53 percent)

3. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Avalanche (4.11 percent)

4. Patrice Bergeron, C, Bruins (3.33 percent)

These results are hardly a surprise. Bergeron is one of the most clutch players of his era. He's one of two active players who've scored multiple goals in a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and his heroics in Game 7 of Boston's first-round playoff series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs were incredible as well. Bergeron's trophy case is pretty impressive, and it includes a Stanley Cup ring, four Frank J. Selke trophies, two Olympic gold medals, a World Championship gold medal and a World Junior Championships gold medal, among other team and individual honors.

Whether you need a goal, a defensive shift or a faceoff win, Bergeron arguably is the most reliable player in the world.

Thornton, Recchi reflect on Game 7 vs. Canadiens in 2011

The other category in which Bergeron appeared in the top results was, "Who is the most complete player?"

Here are the results:

1. Sidney Crosby, C, Penguins (45.56 percent)

2. Patrice Bergeron, C, Bruins (25.44 percent)

3. , C, Panthers (7.50 percent)

4. Ryan O'Reilly, C, Blues (5.33 percent)

Bergeron's inclusion in this category was fully expected. He's the best two-way player in the league and likely will be among the finalists for the Selke Trophy (best defensive forward), an award he's won four times. The Bruins center is best known for his excellent defensive play, but he's also an elite special teams player (both on the power play and kill) and an underrated scorer. Bergeron has scored 31 goals this season, giving him three consecutive years of 30-plus goals and nine consecutive non-lockout seasons of 20-plus goals.

It's uncertain when/if the 2019-20 season will resume. If it does, the Bruins will be among the top contenders for the Stanley Cup. If they make another deep playoff run, Bergeron, 34, likely will be one of the driving forces behind that success.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173074 Boston Bruins

Tuukka Rask 'hasn't made any decisions' on his long-term Bruins future

By Joe Haggerty March 31, 2020 1:00 PM

Tuukka Rask finally addressed an interview he gave weeks ago where he mused about retiring at the end of his current contract following next season, and brought a little more clarity to the situation.

The 33-year-old Bruins was on the Greg Hill Show on WEEI on Tuesday morning and made it clear no decisions have been about his future beyond the 2020-21 season that he’s still signed for in Boston. Rask was on track for a Vezina Trophy-level season this year when things were put on pause due to the coronavirus outbreak and was leading the NHL with a 2.12 goals against average while ranking second in the league with a .929 save percentage.

So it’s clear that Rask has still got more than one or two good years left if he wanted to keep on playing in Boston beyond his current deal.

Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My Teams App

“Listen, I remember the interview if you can even call it an interview. This [Boston Globe] reporter asked me some questions right after practice when I was packing my bag, and all I said was my contract’s up (in 2021) so every option is on the table,” said Rask. “I haven’t made any decisions on any direction yet, obviously we’re not even playing hockey right now, so that’ll be in the future. But it’s definitely not in my mind right now, just trying to take care of the family now and go back to hockey whenever that happens and then go from there.

“I’m sure we’re going to have good conversations with () after this season and go from there. But I’m only 34, so it’s not too old, might play another year or two and go from there. I don’t want to promise anything either way because you never know what’s going to happen.”

Haggerty: Chara rips on Rask... for letting his farts rip

Given the high level that Rask is currently playing at, his current $7 million per season contract wouldn’t be an outrageous ask without knowing how the current coronavirus work stoppage is going to impact the overall picture.

Clearly nothing is set in stone and perhaps the retirement talk is as much about contract leverage the next time around as anything else. But it still puts the Bruins in a tough position following this season if they don’t have any certainty when it comes to the future with Rask. They could re-sign Jaroslav Halak to an extension following this season and continue to hope to ride things out with a great goaltending duo while shelling out nearly $10 million for both goalies.

But the Bruins may also need to quickly groom a new No. 1 goalie if Rask is a question mark for the long-term future in Boston. Halak certainly doesn’t feel that guy at this point in his NHL career while in his mid-30s as well.

That may push the Bruins to install Dan Vladar, Jeremy Swayman or Kyle Keyser as Rask’s backup for next season to evaluate exactly what they currently have inside the organization should things change drastically.

Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to Rask’s future in Boston. But even with his mild assurances that nothing is set in stone, the Bruins will have to be prepared that it’s not a lock the No. 1 goalie will remain with the Bruins beyond his current contract.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173075 Boston Bruins

Johnny Bucyk’s plan for a new hip put on hold amid pandemic

By Joe McDonald Mar 31, 2020

Bruins legend Johnny Bucyk is hunkered down in Boston, awaiting a new hip.

His hip-replacement surgery was originally scheduled for March 23, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the procedure has been postponed indefinitely. Once he’s finally able to have his left hip replaced, he’ll feel decades younger than 84 years old.

“I’m nervous about the virus, but I’m not nervous about the operation. It’s not a big, difficult thing,” the Hall of Famer said. “It’s quick and easy and hopefully very helpful. Everybody I’ve talked to who has had it done said, ‘You won’t believe the difference.’ I’ll feel much better when it’s done.”

While he’s handling the bone-on-bone discomfort, he’s occasionally using a cane for the first time. The cane actually belonged to , who was a friend and teammate who passed away in December. He was 89. Bucyk grips the long black cane that sports a silver Jaguar as the handle with honor and admiration for his friend.

Due to his scheduled surgery, Bucyk would’ve missed the Bruins’ planned ceremony to honor the 50th anniversary of the 1970 Stanley Cup-winning team on March 24. Due to the virus, it was postponed.

Better known as “Chief,” Bucyk registered 31 goals and 38 assists for 69 points in 76 games during the 1969-70 season. Much of the team was scheduled to be in attendance for the ceremony.

“It was a group of guys that stuck together,” Bucyk said. “We did everything together. It was a fun team, and we had a lot of fun. We were a very strong team.”

Bucyk hardly ever misses a game. He’s always hosting fellow alums and guests in the alumni suite at TD Garden. When the NHL decided to pause the season due to the pandemic, the Bruins were leading the league with 100 points and prepared for another deep playoff run. Unfortunately for Boston, that’s been put on hold with an uncertain future.

“It was very disappointing,” Bucyk said. “Being No. 1 overall in the league, and being (favored) to win the Cup, and then you have individual records, like (David) Pastrnak’s chance to score 50 goals, that means a lot to you as a player. So, it’s a complete disappointment, because I really thought we had a great at winning the Stanley Cup this year.”

Bucyk is not around the team as much as he used to be since retiring as the road services coordinator only a few seasons ago, but his impact on captain Zdeno Chara, alternate captain Patrice Bergeron and the entire team is intangible.

“He’s an icon,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said. “I always find it special to see guys around who played and have made such a big impact on the game. The respect factor is always going to be there for those guys. I find it really cool to have them around and shake their hand. It’s been really cool to get to know Chief.”

While much of the world is on hiatus, in order to take his mind off his hip discomfort — or the fact there’s no hockey — Bucyk has been watching plenty of television. His go-to has been the Turner Classic Movies network or a marathon of “Hogan’s Heroes.”

He understands why he must wait for a new hip, and he hopes this global health crisis ends soon.

“This is a scary situation,” Bucyk said. “Let’s face it, you never know what’s going to happen. Hopefully, they can get it fixed – quick.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173076 Buffalo Sabres So just imagine somebody wearing a white, black and red goathead became a hero after 2 a.m., sending the fans off to last call to celebrate a Game 6 victory.

Buffalo sports' greatest what-ifs: What if 'No Goal' was really no goal? Now it's off to Game 7 in Dallas on June 22, 1999, but the Sabres' offense is still firing blanks and playing a Dallas team that was 9-3 at home in the playoffs. Remember, Buffalo scored one goal in the final 207 By Mike Harrington Published Wed, Apr 1, 2020 minutes, 14 seconds of the series. One. It was Stu Barnes' snapshot that forged the 1-1 tie in Game 6 with 1:39 left in the second period.

The Sabres didn't score more than two goals in regulation in any game of This is part of a series looking at Buffalo sports' greatest what-ifs. Today: the series (the 3-2 Game 1 victory was on a Jason Woolley What if 'No Goal' was really no goal? goal). They had a measly 30 shots on goal combined in splitting Games In the tale-of-woe lexicon of Buffalo sports, it's known simply as No Goal. 3 and 4 at home, with each ending in a 2-1 score. And what pain it still brings. Belfour was outplaying Hasek in the series, blanking Buffalo in Game 5 Three days after the Sabres lost Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup final to and shutting out the Sabres for 130:44 until Barnes' goal in Game 6. the , coach Lindy Ruff left fans packed into a Niagara Square Hasek had a few shaky moments in the series, capped by the terrible rally with those two words as his final ones for the summer. short side goal he allowed to Jere Lehtinen that put the Sabres behind after just 8:09 of Game 6. We all know what they mean. The Buffalo offense was toast much of the series. Barnes was the only Brett Hull's Cup-winning goal at 14:51 of the third overtime came with his player with more than one goal. Miroslav Satan, a 40-goal man in the foot clearly in the crease. It was clear to everyone watching that night regular season, didn't score in any of the six games. and all season long that the play should not have counted. Still, it would have come down to one game in Dallas' . But it did. The league produced a memo that night that reminded the The Sabres won twice in each of their Cup final appearances and have teams that players could advance into the crease for a puck still in their never played a game in franchise history where a victory would give them possession and thus Hull was allowed to go get his own rebound and the Cup. stuff it home. They would have had that chance in a Game 7 that never came. Captain "That was a goal," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman firmly said during has always rued that lost opportunity. an interview with The News last August in his New York office. "... People tend to forget that even if that wasn't a goal, it was Game 6. It doesn't "I thought we were a great team because a great team isn't always made mean Buffalo is winning Game 6 or Game 7, but the fact is it was a goal. up of great players," Peca said at '90s Night. "Look at the Rangers and There were interpretations sent out during the year. I understand people Leafs through the '90s. Not the Cup year for the Rangers in '94. After in Buffalo feel badly about it and have differing recollections in terms of that, they signed a lot of free agents and didn't achieve anything really. what was right and wrong, but isn't that part of the magic and aura and All that individual talent doesn't make a great team. lure of sports when things out of the ordinary take place?" "Having a group of guys that cares about nothing more than the group There was no magic at the time, of course. Ruff screamed at Bettman success more than any individual, that's what a great team is. And that's from the bench after seeing replays and the Sabres kept their dressing what we were. Sure, we weren't loaded with individual talent except for room closed for nearly a half hour until they got an explanation. maybe Dom. We were a great team because we bought in and had the same vision of what we wanted to do." At nearly 2 a.m., the ice was littered with cameramen and people handing out Stanley Cup caps and T-shirts. Bettman was on the ice Hull has famously taunted Buffalo fans over the years about the goal. handing out the and the Cup. There was no way to And in reality, it's a normal hockey play in most seasons. Just not in take it all back. 1999.

But what if No Goal really was .... no goal? "After that game, I was walking down the hallway,” Peca recalled. “He was doing an interview as I was walking down the hallway and I heard "We're in the locker room and all of a sudden somebody said, 'He was in him. Basically, he said, ‘It’s a bad rule anyway.’ So, the whole premise is the [bleeping] crease,' " Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek said in an he acknowledged that the goal shouldn’t have counted, but it was a bad interview with The News last year. "My first reaction was 'Let's get back rule so it doesn’t matter anyway. Frustrating, to say the least.” on the ice.' But it's 2 o'clock in the morning and I look at everyone and it's like, 'I'm already out of my pants. It's impossible.' Buffalo News LOADED: 04.01.2020

"I said we should go back out there but then I realized, 'This is stupid.' My jersey is off, one of my pads is off. People would have to wait another 15 minutes to get dressed again. It was pretty clear that nothing can change at that time."

"I wish I had thought to throw one of my crutches at the refs," defenseman Rhett Warrener joked at '90s Night in KeyBank Center on Jan. 4, referring to the leg injury he suffered in Game 5. "It was disheartening.

"Whether you agreed with it or not, I thought it was a goofy rule to begin with but it was the rule. And it had been called all year. Everyone knew it wasn't a goal but everyone was on the ice. It was too late. You just live with it."

As 20 years have passed, the disputed goal is said to have cost the Sabres the Stanley Cup. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

It cost them a chance at the Cup, sure. Certainly the best one in franchise history. But only a chance, and with no guarantee of success.

Let's not forget the Sabres were losing the series, three games to two. They nearly won the game in the second overtime, but a James Patrick shot clanged off the crossbar behind Stars goalie Ed Belfour and harmlessly careened out of play. 1173077 Buffalo Sabres Buffalo

69

‘Who stays vs. who goes’: Evaluating the Sabres’ free agent class of 0.1 forwards 0.7

19 By Joe Yerdon Mar 31, 2020 Johan Larsson

Buffalo When taking a look at the Sabres’ free agent class for this offseason, whenever that occurs, playing the game of “who stays vs. who goes” 62 means having to sort through the numbers a bit more carefully. 1.3

I get it, it’s easy to say let everyone go and replace them all with other 7.6 players. Many fans were hopeful for roster surgery last summer and didn’t get it, but with seven Sabres on the current roster (or injured 18 reserve) set to be unrestricted free agents, things should look different Wayne Simmonds next season. New Jersey The problem with that idea is the upcoming free agent crop isn’t very good. 61

Of the forwards set to be available, 11 of them have 30 or more points -0.7 this season. The rest of the top 20 scored between 23 and 29 points. One of those players in the top 20 is Conor Sheary, who spent most of -3.7 the season in Buffalo. Wayne Simmonds is in that group as well. Just two 24 free agents in the top 20 are younger than 28 years old (Vladislav Namestnikov and Alex Galchenyuk). For reference sake, the Sabres Wayne Simmonds have six players with 30 or more points and two others with 20 or more. Buffalo The pickings are slim and some of those players may re-sign with their current teams, which means it’ll only be a thinner crop. 7

The Sabres need offense and getting that out of free agency will be -0.2 difficult. So how do we go about figuring out better ways to compare -1.2 players when points alone won’t solve squat? We’ll get funky with stats from Josh and Luke Younggren from Evolving-Hockey.com and break 1 out a couple of advanced numbers: goals above replacement (GAR) and wins above replacement (WAR). You may be familiar with WAR from Scott Wilson baseball already, but GAR is obviously more sport specific. Buffalo

Basically, these numbers measure how much better (or worse) a player 6 is compared to a replacement-level player. If a player isn’t better than Gordie Average, he’s not an ideal player to add unless he’s better than 0.3 what you’ve got. And if that’s the case, well, that’s just not good. 1.6 Evolving Hockey tabulated just what the heck WAR is when it comes to hockey. The Younggrens explained how they got their methods on 2 Hockey-Graphs.com in a three-part series starting here. As for GAR, that Vladimir Sobotka takes into account even-strength goals for and against, power play offense, penalty kill defense, and penalties taken and drawn. It’s not just Buffalo goals scored but most factors of play surrounding offense on both sides of the puck. 16

Just to give you an idea how to gauge it, they list 15th in the 0 NHL in GAR (16.5) and WAR (2.9). New York Rangers forward Artemi 0.2 Panarin is tops in both categories with 24.9 GAR and 4.4 WAR. 3 These numbers aren’t an end-all, be-all means to finding a “Gotcha!” statistic to best fit a player, but it lends a hand toward evaluating how well Michael Frolik a player is playing and what that value is at the time. There are a lot of Calgary ways to view numbers and I’m not trying to point anyone in any particular direction. Let’s lay the cards out on the table and see what’s there and 38 how it shakes loose. -0.7 Sabres Free Agents -3.9 Sabres 2020 UFA forwards 10 Jimmy Vesey Michael Frolik Buffalo Buffalo 64 19 1.1 -0.6 6.3 -3.3 20 4 Zemgus Girgensons Just as it is in the raw stats, WAR and GAR have Eichel heads and 10 shoulders above all others. When you score that many goals and points and lead the team in just about everything, that’s how it’ll go. What’s wild 0.6 with the advanced numbers is that in both WAR and GAR, Larsson and 3.6 Vesey are second-best and third-best on the team at forward in overall minutes. This is likely going to mean a lot of you are going to pooh-pooh 10 what these numbers mean. I get it to a point, but the defensive value of Tyler Ennis Larsson and Vesey (yes, seriously) help them out. Ottawa What’s noticeable on the opposite end of this is how two of the acquisitions Jason Botterill made have had similar contributions, but not 61 for the best. Good-in-the-room veterans are great to have, but you’d like to see more of an offensive contribution. Hey, maybe the last 13 games 1 would’ve brought that on but both guys have been what they were with 5.7 their previous teams. 33 2020 Free Agents Tyler Ennis Here are the top-20 scorers set to be free agents when the offseason comes around. Players who were traded during the season will have all Edmonton their stops listed, which made for interesting comparisons in usage and success with different teams for some players. You’ll see where 9 Simmonds and Sheary fall in line with everyone else searching for new -0.1 deals as well. You can sort each column to see where they rank out by statistic to make comparing easier. -0.7

2020 NHL UFA forwards 4

Mike Hoffman Carl Soderberg

Florida Arizona

69 70

-0.1 0.7

-0.3 3.8

59 35

Taylor Hall Derick Brassard

New Jersey New York Islanders

30 66

-0.2 0.7

-1.1 4.1

25 32

Taylor Hall Vladislav Namestnikov

Arizona Ottawa

35 54

0.7 -0.5

3.9 -2.9

27 25

Evgeni Dadonov Vladislav Namestnikov

Florida Colorado

69 9

0.9 0.6

5.1 3.2

47 6

Tyler Toffoli Vladislav Namestnikov

Los Angeles New York Rangers

58 2

1.1 0

6.1 -0.2

34 0

Tyler Toffoli Craig Smith

Vancouver Nashville 69 7

2.2 -0.2

12.4 -1.2

31 1

Joe Thornton Derek Grant

San Jose Anaheim

70 49

0.2 0.2

1 1.4

31 20

Mikael Granlund Derek Grant

Nashville Philadelphia

63 7

0.6 -0.2

3.1 -1.1

30 5

Jesper Fast

New York Rangers Toronto

69 58

0.5 1.3

2.7 7.2

29 25

Ilya Kovalchuk Erik Haula

Los Angeles Carolina

17 41

-0.4 -0.3

-2.3 -1.5

9 22

Ilya Kovalchuk Erik Haula

Montreal Florida

22 7

1.2 0.2

7 1

13 2

Ilya Kovalchuk Alex Galchenyuk

Washington Pittsburgh

7 45

0 -0.3

-0.2 -1.7

4 17

Wayne Simmonds Alex Galchentuk

New Jersey Minnesota

61 14

-0.7 0.4

-3.7 2.1

24 7

Wayne Simmonds Conor Sheary

Buffalo Buffalo 55

1

5.7

19

Conor Sheary

Pittsburgh

8

0

-0.1

4

Patrick Maroon

Tampa Bay

64

0.9

5

23

A few interesting candidates pop up on this list. We know Hall is going to cash in with someone and the same is likely for Hoffman, as both will get long-term deals. Since we’re not trying to break the bank wide open, we’ll look a little lower. This is where Craig Smith is interesting. He’s good for about 20 goals per season and when he’s on the ice his team gets a lot of shots off (career 53.6 even strength Corsi).

Toffoli is really intriguing as well. He’s a guy that would’ve been an ideal buy-low candidate a year ago, but he’s picked it back up this season with L.A. and Vancouver. When the Kings were steadily good, he was a key contributor. He peaked with 31 goals and 58 points in 2015-2016 but he’s capable of 20-plus goals and plays with speed. He’s also going to get a lot of attention if he’s a free agent. He’s from Scarborough, Ontario though. Maybe he’d want to be closer to home like fellow Scarborough native Simmonds.

Fast would be a more inexpensive way to go and, hey, he’s Swedish too. The big issue is he hasn’t produced a ton of points (147 career points in 422 games; 0.35 points per-game) but he’s strong defensively, which clearly matters in Ralph Krueger’s system. His name is fun, but bringing in a forward that’s never cracked 15 goals in a season wouldn’t get anyone fired up unless he was third or fourth on a list of bigger moves.

Who Stays, Who Goes

Would you run me out of town for arguing to keep Larsson and Vesey? Don’t pack my bags yet, but finding players of equal or better value than them will be difficult. Larsson ranks out as one of the better players in the potential UFA forward group and Vesey is right there with him. Smith, Spezza, and Toffoli are all about on par with Vesey and you could argue you’d get more offense from Smith and Toffoli than Vesey.

Keep in mind Vesey is having a down offensive year while not being a liability defensively. If the goals come back (and his career-low shooting 9.7 shooting percentage says they should) it’d be a solid rebound for a guy who’s put up 16 or 17 goals per season before this one.

Simmonds would love to stay in Buffalo and Girgensons had a very good season on a line with Larsson and Kyle Okposo. Keeping both of them could mean asking veteran players to sit out occasionally and that’s probably not something any veteran wants to sign up to do. Letting both players go and signing Patrick Maroon to play the left side with Larsson and Okposo would bring in a physical player who can score occasional goals and recently won a Stanley Cup with St. Louis. If you're going to make a change to a group that's done well, getting a positive player like Maroon (career 52.6 Corsi at even strength) would indicate a fix for a toughness "problem" and add a winner to the group.

Keeping: Larsson, Vesey

Losing: Girgensons, Frolik, Simmonds, Wilson, Sobotka

Go after: Smith, Maroon, Toffoli

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173078 I remember talking to Glenn when he got called up and didn’t play. I talked about progression with him, I talked about even looking back at the summer — his commitment and what he did and why he had such a Flames prospects update: Brad Pascall offers a rundown of the minor- good season. I reminded him to make sure he thinks about all that league cupboard (because) it got him to a point where he was called up. Now he knows he’s in the conversation.

It’s knowing they’re in the conversation, knowing that they’re close, By Scott Cruickshank Mar 31, 2020 knowing that injuries happen. You hope they use that as even a further motivator.

Also in that rookie game in Red Deer, netminder Artem Zagidulin, in his Of course, it is not exactly business as usual for Brad Pascall. first-ever appearance in a Flames sweater, earned a shutout — and Without hockey’s shutdown, he’d be making his regular trips to California looked good doing it. — a week per month — to keep tabs on the AHL , the Which created an interesting crunch in Stockton — Jon Gillies, a 26-year- Calgary Flames’ top farm club. Maybe even catching a college game or old on a one-way deal; Tyler Parsons, a 22-year-old looking to gain an two. (At one point this winter, he timed his travel to the University of organizational foothold; Zagidulin, a 24-year-old newcomer from Russia. Denver to see prospect Emilio Pettersen with ’s visit, so he (Nick Schneider, 22, would be assigned to ECHL Kansas City.) could also assess hotshot senior Colton Poolman.) At Stockton at the start of the year, there were two chairs and we had Now Pascall is adapting to the new normal. But even while stuck at three goalies. I remember it was literally the day before we were heading home, he can scout, via video reports, and engage player reps about free to our first weekend in Colorado, and Tyler got hurt at practice … and he agents, including junior overagers and college graduates. And there are was out for over a month. All of a sudden the decision was easy. Two still deadlines. For instance, he and the rest of the Flames brass need to chairs, two goalies. figure out by June 1 if they’re going to sign youngsters Milos Roman and Linus Lindstrom or turn them loose. When Tyler, after he missed a good portion of time, came back, Stockton was playing well and the two goalies were playing well. At that point in “It’s a little bit different,” said Pascall, one of the Flames’ assistant time, we had a conversation with Tyler, “You’ve missed some time. You general managers. “But it never stops. There’s always something, right? need to play. You’ve got to go down there (to Kansas City) and play.” As There’s not really time to sit with your feet up.” it turned out, the team down there missed the playoffs, but Tyler was On Monday — the day the Calgary Sports and Entertainment MVP of the team. Corporation decided to cut staff (150 full-timers received 60-day layoff But it was tough for him. He wants to play at the highest level. He wants notices) and roll back salaries (the other 150 full-timers absorbed 10 to to be an NHL player. But he made the most of it. He’s a player over the 25 percent reductions in pay) — Pascall took a break to discuss the last few years who’s missed some time for either personal reasons or organization’s prospects. injury, but this year he had the longest stretch of games that he’s had in Offered starting points, he expanded on a number of topics. the last three years. Good numbers (11-9-2, 3.03 GAA, .911) and an MVP season down there. He’s a great prospect for us. Not many people expected Stockton to do well this season. The team was pretty young, given the number of prospects who had recently We were pleasantly surprised with Zagidulin. He was a goalie that made graduated to the Flames. But the Heat fared well, leading the AHL’s timely saves for us and won games. We chuckled a little bit about it — it Pacific Division for much of the season. The team’s record is 30-17-8. was like 1980s hockey, where his goals-against (3.07) and save percentage (.898) at times weren’t strong, but he was (11-1-2 at one Brad Treliving said the first day I got hired, “Hey, I don’t want you to go 0- point), right? It was old-school Mike Vernon and Grant Fuhr — just and-68, but winning isn’t everything down there. You want to have a winning games. So it was impressive that way. competitive environment, but it’s about development, development, development.” But we’ve always said that part of development is winning Zag was a little bit of an unknown … to say we had a deep book of three — playing in a winning environment and being in every game in deep or four years, like you do when you watch a junior player, wouldn’t be situations as much as possible. It’s really important in my mind. true. He was a guy we liked and wanted to sign and he came in a did well. We own his rights for next year (after this one-year entry-level deal We had some really good veterans. Our captain, Byron Froese, who had expires). We’d like to have him back. played in the NHL, was a great addition. Brandon Davidson, a great addition to provide that leadership. And Buddy Robinson. Guys that were Three of the Flames’ prospects enjoyed outstanding years in junior — G there for the right reasons in the right situations. Dustin Wolf in WHL Everett (34-10-2, 1.88 GAA, .935, nine shutouts); LW Jakob Pelletier in QMJHL Moncton (82 points, plus-57, in 57 games); RW We had a good team. You can’t poke too many holes in our game. Dimitry Zavgorodniy in QMJHL Rimouski (67 points, plus-40, in 40 Stockton has the No. 1 power play and the No. 1 penalty kill in the entire games). league. A lot of good things going on at both ends of the ice for us. Pelletier was a first-rounder, 26th overall, but the other two? Seventh- Kudos to the players, and kudos to the coaches (Cail MacLean, Domenic rounders — Zavgorodniy in 2018, Wolf in 2019. Pittis, Joe Cirella, Thomas Speer, Rick Davis) down there, too. The group was connected. In each of their leagues, these guys were dominant. Look at Wolf’s numbers. Obviously, it has something to do with the team in front of you, Anyone in Red Deer for the annual rookie game between the Flames and but this is a talented individual who led all CHL goalies … in different the would have seen Glenn Gawdin and Matthew statistical categories. (Indeed, for GAA, save percentage, shutouts, Wolf Phillips put on dominating performances, which continued throughout the topped the CHL. And only one netminder, Chicoutimi’s Alexis Shank, winter. collected more wins than the Tustin, Calif., native.) An important position, obviously. Gawdin, a centreman who turned 23 last week, and Phillips, a right- winger who turns 22 next week, were roommates for the second year. Jakob, we picked him in the first round for a reason — we know he’s a (By virtue of a video-game showdown, the former earned the rights to the game-breaker. bigger bedroom.) Both were invited to the AHL all-star game. Both operated at nearly a point per game. Both were summoned in-season by And Zav, he has spent the last couple summers in Calgary training with the Flames — but neither got a chance to suit up for his debut. our group. You’d like to say that’s part of the reason (he’s thriving). He’s a talented player who has the drive in him. He’s a dedicated guy that For Glenn and Matthew, you definitely saw progression. You don’t want wants to get better. I see him turning pro next year. Pelletier, unless he to measure progression as (only) points … both of those guys exceeded makes the Flames, he’d be going back to junior. Same thing with Wolf. in those areas. But their all-around games? From the time they showed up in training camp from Year 1 to Year 2, the better shape they were in, But all exciting prospects. Skill and speed and tenacity and how they committed themselves to the summer, everything from their competitiveness. Those are the qualities we’re looking for in these guys. nutrition to their habits to knowing what it takes to be a pro. A lot of that is For first-year pros — such as Adam Ruzicka, Martin Pospisil, Luke Philp on the players. — there’s typically an adjustment. With few exceptions. Ruzicka ended up with 27 points. But down the stretch, he was arguably one of our most important forwards. He’s another guy that trained here in the summertime and just worked on his game and strength.

On the topic of transitioning to pro, you look at Pospisil. He got into that fight and got knocked out and missed a number of games and didn’t start playing again till January. He had a slow go, too, but at the end he was putting up points (seven in his last seven appearances).

Both Pospisil and Ruzicka started out slow — one because of injury, one because of play. We had a good team and guys had to earn their opportunity … and (Ruzicka) was no different. Look at Philp, same thing. He was a guy that was at the bottom of our depth chart at the start of the season because we had some players sent down (from Calgary), but he turned into one of our goal scorers (with 19).

Good progression from all of them. They figured out the pro game. It always seems to take guys a while. These guys were no different. It takes them that 10, 15 games to figure out what their lot in life is.

The Flames recently signed a pair of college free agents — Colton Poolman, 24, from North Dakota; Connor Mackey, 23, from Minnesota State University — to one-year entry-level deals. Not only are they legitimate prospects, they fill a void for the Flames, who, since taking Juuso Valimaki in 2017, have drafted 14 straight non-defencemen. A streak that remains alive, by the way.

Billy Powers leads our college scouting and these were two guys that, even last year, he had high on his list. So we spent a lot of time talking to their representatives, following and watching their games, and letting them know that, “Hey, the Calgary Flames like you and have interest in you” … but not being overbearing. With those guys, there’s a process of recruitment, that’s really what it is. To sign both of them was great for the organization. These are two really good players that we have high hopes for.

For a team that doesn’t have much defensive depth — I don’t think there’s another team in the league that has some of the defensive holes that we do … (Poolman and Mackey) obviously realize that as well — that there’s a good opportunity here with the Flames.

On the blue line, Brandon Davidson and Alexander Yelesin got NHL games this season. But three unheralded defenders on AHL contracts — Zac Leslie, Robert Hamilton, Corey Schueneman — carried a load for the Heat.

They performed extremely well. Davidson was a good addition to that, that veteran presence who brought a lot in all zones. Rob Hamilton, a Calgary kid, we had the year before and (liked). We had quite a few defencemen at the start of the year and Schueneman spent some time in the East Coast league. But the last 20 games, he played extremely well and got tons of ice time.

Zac Leslie went all the way to the (2019) final with Chicago, and he had a great, great season for us.

An intriguing member of the Flames’ prospect pool is Emilio Pettersen, a Norwegian centre snatched with a sixth-round selection in 2018. He just completed his sophomore year at the University of Denver — 35 points in 36 games.

An exciting player that played on a really good team. He’s a top-end player if you just look at the statistics. He’s a go-to guy for that organization. A smaller, smart, skilled player that can really change a game.

We have some exciting prospects. When you go to a game and you see them, you’re like, “Wow, that’s a good player who’s going to play in the NHL.” Kudos to the amateur (scouts) for identifying and selecting these guys for us. It’s exciting to have the cupboard stocked in different areas … it seems we have a good number of those guys.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173079 Toews recalled being teammates with Pietrangelo for Team during the 2016 in Toronto, “and I was standing in front of the net one time, he’s letting one rip and I thought it was aimed 5 things we learned from Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews’ video right at my chin, but somehow (he) whistled it right by my shoulder, top interview, including his feelings about ‘Tiger King’ and as a shelf. So it was kind of (interesting) to be on that side for once.” roommate “We’ve had some great playoff series against each other where there’s been some hatred,” Toews said, “but that’s what the game’s all about.”

By PHIL THOMPSON |MAR 31, 2020 | 6:16 PM Roman Josi wasn’t left out of the ribbing either. When the Predators star talked up Netflix’s bizarre “Tiger King” docuseries, Toews shook his head in hilarious disapproval.

Since the NHL started hosting video news conferences with various For what it’s worth, with the time off, Toews said he has gotten into players, some commonalities have emerged. Season 3 of “Ozark.”

Players miss the games and fans, they face various challenges while 3. If Jonathan Toews and Alex Pietrangelo are frenemies, Toews and trying to keep in playing shape and some have gone stir crazy — along Patrick Kane are, well, frenemies. with their families — while they wait out the league’s lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. NHL moderator John Dellapina asked each player about his best and worst choices for a quarantine roommate. It was pretty much the same for Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews, Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and Predators defenseman Roman Toews picked “easy-going” goaltender as his best. Josi, who spoke to reporters Tuesday via teleconference. Each shared And his worst? Well, Toews and Kane were roommates on road trips for what they’ve been doing during the break and their hopes for the league five years, and apparently that was more than enough. and their teams. “Least (favorite)?” Toews said. “Since I roomed with him for so long, I’d Here are five things we learned about Toews from the interview. have to say Kaner. There are some ups and downs through that 1. Jonathan Toews believes the Blackhawks are on the cusp of relationship there.” contending. Dellapina chimed in, “You stopped talking, so I guess you don’t want to Earlier this month, Hawks Chairman said on NBC Sports be more specific.” Chicago’s “Blackhawks Talk” podcast that he plans to keep management Toews laughed. “Definitely would not.” intact. 4. Jonathan Toews hopes to see young fan Declan Dassie if play “You’re looking at salaries, you’re looking at free agents, you’re looking resumes. at signing college players, free agents in Europe,” Wirtz said. “The nice thing is, (President) John McDonough and his crew and (general Because of the shutdown, Junior IceHogs skater Declan Dassie missed manager) , in my humble opinion, we have a good out on plans to celebrate his seventh birthday at a Hawks game this organization. They will figure it out.” month. But Toews gave him a special shout-out during an appearance on NBC’s “Today.” Asked about management’s direction, Toews pivoted. There are so many health care professionals we love, and we have some “Regardless of what’s going on in the organization, your job as a captain #WithYouTODAY messages to share, including one from Sharon. She and a player ... it’s just the focus on getting the most out of ourselves, sent us a shoutout for her sister, who’s a nurse in Illinois. getting the most out of our group,” Toews said. “We went through quite a pic.twitter.com/aUeCaojoPK few serious injuries to key players, guys that have experience in the playoffs ... (and) brought that character and leadership in the room, so — TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 26, 2020 that definitely hurt us. “I guess at some point we’ll see our little buddy Declan there,” Toews “But on the other hand, we’ve got some young players who are learning said during Tuesday’s teleconference. “The sign that he held up on one and getting better really quickly. And we showed some signs this year, of our postgame shows I think said something like, ‘I’ll never give up.’ It’s even if we’re not sitting in a playoff spot right now, we’re right on the great to see we have some little fans out there sticking with us through edge.” thick and thin.

2. If the Blackhawks and Blues weren’t such bitter rivals, ‘Tazer and “So I sent him a little message since they were going to highlight that Petro’ might be a thing. whole thing on the ‘Today’ show.”

It was only a brief glimpse of how NHL peers interact off the ice, but “Today” host Hoda Kotb stumbled on Toews’ name, pronouncing it Jonathan Toews and Alex Pietrangelo appeared to have bromance-level “TAY-vitz.” chemistry. “I thought I heard all the different pronunciations of my name, but … that From the start, Toews poked fun at Pietrangelo being stuck at home with was a new one,” Toews said. “It was pretty funny.” a big family. In addition to his video message, Toews donated $100,000 to the “I’m just here in Chicago with my girlfriend, a little Yorkie and that’s about Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund, and Dassie thanked it,” Toews said. “So it’s pretty quiet compared to Petro’s house, it sounds him for both gestures. like.” “Thank you for donating the money for the virus, and I’ll see you at the Pietrangelo admitted: “It’s a little loud over here — three kids, two dogs, United Center soon,” Dassie said. (a) wife. … I tell you what, the kids can do some damage in the house in a two-week span when you keep them inside too long.” Declan wanted to say a thank you to his buddy @JonathanToews while he was out shooting some pucks. Coincidentally, he just received the When Pietrangelo added that he has spent chunks of his time cleaning or World’s jersey for his birthday on Sunday. A big thank you to all that watching cartoons with the kids, Toews joked, “I’m really starting to feel made his birthday a little more special during this time. bad for Petro over here.” @NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/iIW4ZVGZCX

Pietrangelo chuckled when Toews mentioned games in which the Hawks — Stefanie (@MommyStef2) March 28, 2020 led the Blues in St. Louis, “but we blow it.” 5. Jonathan Toews has a message for fans: ‘Come together.’ They also shared a mutual respect. All three players expressed eagerness to learn when play might resume. “Jonny’s just a pain in the ass to play — pardon my language,” Pietrangelo said. “The season turned on a dime,” Toews said. Chicago Tribune Sports Newsletter Weekdays

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He admitted he didn’t have much motivation to exercise for the first four or five days after the shutdown, but he has since started riding his bike to stay in shape.

“I’m thinking, hey, at some point this has to wrap up. We’ve got go back to our normal lives,” Toews said. “Just not sure when that is. Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.”

Still, Toews preached patience, as much to himself as to fellow players and fans.

“No matter what your background, what your political views are, I think we’re all kind of coming together on this, and that’s the biggest thing,” he said.

Toews compared the situation to the solidarity a winning team displays, saying it will take that kind of fortitude from the community to “wait this thing out.”

“We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do, and we’ll get through it,” he said.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173080 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks jersey ranks as NHL players’ favorite sweater in a poll

By PHIL THOMPSON CHICAGO TRIBUNE |MAR 31, 2020 | 1:11 PM

The Blackhawks’ jersey is a classic — at least in the estimation of their peers who took the NHL Players Association poll.

The Hawks sweater received about 28% of the vote, followed by the Knights, Maple Leafs and Rangers, tied at 6.8%, according to the survey of nearly 600 NHL players. Slightly more than half of poll takers voted for a team that didn’t make the top four.

The annual poll’s release was delayed by the league’s suspension of its schedule because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Patrick Kane’s and Jonathan Toews’ sweaters currently rank sixth and ninth on the NHL online shop.

While the brand seems to be doing just fine, the team didn’t fare as well as it has in past polls.

The union’s survey asked its players a range of questions, from who’s the best forward (Connor McDavid) to the one player (Sidney Crosby) you’d want on your team, and Hawks players didn’t make any of the top five lists.

Last year the United Center ranked as the fourth best atmosphere, but the survey didn’t include that question in this year’s survey, instead asking about the best visitor’s locker room (Edmonton’s Rogers Place).

The players also were asked who’s the best women’s hockey player in the world, and Lake Forest’s Hilary Knight and Palos Heights’ Kendall Coyne Schofield ranked second and third, respectively, behind Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin. Last year, Knight edged out Poulin in the poll.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173081 Chicago Blackhawks A few Chicago athletes have contributed to the food bank in the past few weeks, including Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward, who donated $100,000, and Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson, who made a $12,000 United Center has begun its new role as a storage facility for the Greater donation that coach Matt Nagy matched. Chicago Food Depository, already housing more than 460,000 pounds of “Many people are already in really challenging situations because of food this,” said Greg Trotter, senior manager for public relations at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “We really think it’s going to get much worse the longer it goes on for people who financially may be sort of living on By JAMAL COLLIER CHICAGO TRIBUNE |MAR 31, 2020 | 5:49 PM the edge or already in a tough financial situation.

“So it’s truly inspiring to see people and organizations, nonprofits and businesses, kind of step into the breach and come together. We’re Rows of brown boxes are stacked and lined across the floor of the United grateful. This is an example of that.” Center, about 16 truckloads with more to come, dropped off Monday by the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 04.01.2020 Each box weighs about 20 to 30 pounds and is filled with nonperishable food items such as canned fruits and vegetables, rice, beans, pasta, cereal, peanut butter and other basic foods to help people in the Chicago area just beginning to feel the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Initially, the United Center was scheduled to host the Blackhawks home finale Tuesday night, but with most of the sports and entertainment world on pause to combat the spread of COVID-19, the arena announced last week it would be turned into a logistics hub for emergency relief.

And now it’s starting to be put to use.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository (@FoodDepository), Chicago’s food bank, will be utilizing our arena as a satellite storage facility in response to the increased need for food.

For details on how we're assisting emergency relief efforts, visit: https://t.co/zqaVAtWV17 pic.twitter.com/YwsSlY1jaW

— United Center (@UnitedCenter) March 31, 2020

“Hopefully we’ll get to a point where it’ll be converted back to host sporting events and concerts,” said Guy Chipparoni, president of Res Publica Group, which represents the United Center. “But until that day comes, the United Center is here to be a part of the community and helping the community.”

Those efforts began Sunday, when the home of the Bulls and Blackhawks hosted a Personal Protective Equipment drive in one of its large parking lots for Project C.U.R.E., an organization that usually focuses on delivering supplies to under-resourced hospitals around the world but has shifted its focus locally during the pandemic.

The drive brought in about 13 palates full of critical supplies in shortage for health care workers, including sterile and non-sterile gloves, bleach wipes and bottles, hand sanitizer, clear face shields, respirator masks and masks with a tie/ear loop. The first shipments to local nursing homes, first responders and large hospitals were sent out Monday and Tuesday, within a week after the first contact between Project C.U.R.E. and the United Center about setting up an event.

“That is kind of the silver lining of the situation that we’re in, to really see the community come together,” said Beth Rottman, executive director of Project C.U.R.E. “I’ve received so many calls from so many people, different people who are in unrelated industries, doing anything they can to help, offering whatever services they have to really rally together.”

The Greater Chicago Food Depository — which acts as a hub for more than 700 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters — has been preparing for an increase in food demand not seen since the Great Recession of 2008.

In response, it has had volunteer sessions five days per week, upping the number of volunteers from about 60 per session to 140 per two-a-day session. And because of the need to spread people out to respect social distancing, it needed more room in its warehouse.

The food depository already has dropped off more than 460,000 pounds of food at the United Center, freeing up space to hold volunteers and continue preparing for the demand that seems certain to skyrocket soon.

Some of the food boxes that were part of the early coronavirus response were packed during NBA All-Star Weekend in February, long before the virus upended so much of life around the globe. NBA stars such as Anthony Davis, Donovan Mitchell and Dwight Howard and former players such as Dikembe Mutombo volunteered their efforts. 1173082 Chicago Blackhawks That insight was particularly interesting when paired with some comments he made about the Hawks earlier in the call. That included mentioning how the injuries to veterans this season were Jonathan Toews optimistic Blackhawks hockey will return, even while counterbalanced by the growth of the rookies. NHL waits in limbo ‘‘We showed a lot of signs this year, even if we weren’t sitting in a playoff “I’ve been getting back and riding the bike and thinking, ‘Hey, at some spot right now, that we’re right on the edge,’’ Toews said. point, this has to wrap up,’ ’’ Toews said on a video conference call For now, however, all he can do is wait to see whether the Hawks’ next Tuesday. chance to hop over that edge comes later this spring or next season.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.01.2020 By Ben Pope Mar 31, 2020, 2:27pm CDT

Less than a week after he skated around Detroit’s Sam Gagner, Jonathan Toews saw the Blackhawks’ season halted abruptly.

Less than three weeks after the NHL season paused indefinitely, the days already are running together for Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews.

In a video conference call Tuesday with fellow Central Division captains Alex Pietrangelo (Blues) and Roman Josi (Predators), Toews ended the Hawks’ coronavirus quarantine silence by reflecting on the sudden stoppage, his lifestyle since and his outlook on what lies ahead.

Except he already had forgotten the Hawks’ final opponent — the Sharks — before the stoppage. And, apparently, the days of the week. The Hawks and Sharks played Wednesday, March 11.

‘‘We basically woke up in the morning Friday,’’ Toews said. ‘‘We played Thursday night — I forget who we even played at home — but they said, ‘Don’t come in to the rink,’ and the season turned on a dime just like that.’’

To be fair, for the last three weeks, Toews has lived a lifestyle unfamiliar to him in prior Marches.

He has been cooped up with his girlfriend and their Yorkshire terrier, binge-watching ‘‘Ozark’’ and relaxing to ‘‘deep house’’ music.

He has tried to keep the Hawks’ meme-laden group chat under control, even as one of the relatively few players riding out the pandemic in Chicago. (In related news Tuesday, the NHL extended the self-isolation period for players to April 15.)

‘‘I didn’t have that motivation to do much the first four or five days,’’ Toews said. ‘‘Since then, I’ve been getting back and riding the bike and thinking: ‘Hey, at some point, this has to wrap up. We’ve got to go back to our normal lives.’

‘‘Just not sure when that is, so hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.’’

Toews joined Tuesday’s video conference call from his kitchen. Ben Pope/Chicago Sun-Times

Toews said he has watched news broadcasts and listened to Joe Rogan podcasts to educate himself about the pandemic. He also has taken advantage of the free time to attend to some previously neglected responsibilities.

‘‘I moved into a new place during the season this year, and . . . during the year, you put a lot on the back burner with how busy the schedule was,’’ he said. ‘‘Just catching up, calling some friends, little things I don’t have time to do when we’re in season.’’

Toews also has had plenty of time to watch old hockey highlights and reflect about the gradual transformation of the league and the sport. That nostalgia led to a fascinating conversation with Pietrangelo and Josi when the moderator on the call temporarily lost his connection.

‘‘I’ve definitely had the time to sit back and watch these guys in the playoffs and the runs they’ve been on the last two years while I’m just sitting at home in April, May, June,’’ Toews said. ‘‘But the last time we won [the Stanley Cup] in 2015, Tampa was that first example of where the game was headed. They had smaller [defensemen] and forwards that could skate, and it wasn’t as physical of a series as we had against Anaheim in the conference final.

‘‘That’s where the game has really gone nowadays. Every team can really skate. They’ve got forwards and D-men on all four lines that can fly. I’ve just been watching some of those games and seeing how it compares to the playoff games in ’15 and ’13 and all those years.’’ 1173083 Chicago Blackhawks Players were split on whether they’d prefer customizing their skates, helmets or sticks to show off their personalities. Only 53% of the 529 players who voted favored the option, with nearly 44% of those choosing NHL players say Blackhawks have league’s best logo custom skates.

The NHLPA said 588 players participated in the 21-question poll, which When it comes to mascots, the Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty was the covered topics involving skills, arenas, teams and off-ice fun. runaway favorite for a second straight year. Gritty received 273 of 393 votes, finishing ahead of Nashville’s Gnash and Arizona’s Howler, who got 11 votes each.

By Sun-times Staff And Wires Mar 31, 2020, 12:00pm CDT Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.01.2020

The Blackhawks have the NHL’s best logo, according to a poll of the league’s players.

The Blackhawks have won one competition this season.

The Hawks’ logo was voted best in the league in the NHL Players’ Association annual poll of players. The Blackhawks’ insignia received 28.25% of the 439 votes cast. The Golden Knights and Maple Leafs tied for second at 6.83%.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is still regarded as the NHL’s top forward, while peers consider Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby the game’s most complete player.

When it comes to game-day dress code, hockey players overwhelming favor relaxing the rule requiring a suit and tie.

Players voted 411 to 152 in favoring the NHL adopt the NBA’s dress- code policy, which requires players wearing “business or conservative attire” when arriving at and leaving a game.

The NHLPA said 588 players participated in the 21-question poll, which covered topics involving skills, arenas, teams and off-ice fun. The categories ranged from who they considered the league’s best golfer (Dallas’ Joe Pavelski) to the top player to follow on social media (New Jersey’s P.K. Subban).

This is the third consecutive year the NHLPA has conducted the poll, though not all the categories — including the dress-code question — have been the same. The results were released while the NHL’s season has been suspended and players asked to self-isolate because of the new coronavirus.

McDavid was the overwhelming favorite as the league’s top forward. He received 379 of 555 votes, followed by Crosby (83) and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (37). The results were similar to last year’s poll.

Crosby finished first in two other categories, including the league’s most complete player. The Penguins captain received 230 of 506 votes, beating out Boston’s Patrice Bergeron (129), Florida’s Aleksander Barkov (38) and St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly (27).

With 224 votes (68 more than McDavid), Crosby also topped the list of who players would want on their team when needing to win one game.

Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman was selected the top defenseman for a second straight year with 196 votes, 85 more than Washington’s John Carlson.

Montreal’s Carey Price repeated as the league’s top goalie with 214 votes, 127 ahead of Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy.

And Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin got 198 votes to edge out America’s Hilary Knight (180) as the world’s best female hockey player. America’s Kendal Coyne Schofield (77) finished third. That’s a switch from last year, when Poulin edged out Knight by a little over three percentage points.

Boston’s Brad Marchand topped the lists for a second consecutive year as both the best and worst trash-talker. Florida defenseman Keith Yandle repeated as the game’s funniest player.

Wayne Gretzky was the top vote-getter in the new category of which player, past or present, players would pay to see play. Gretzky received 155 of 485 votes, followed by Bobby Orr (73), Mario Lemieux (45) and McDavid (38).

Montreal’s was voted as having the best ice for a third consecutive year, followed by Edmonton’s Rogers Place and Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place. Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena finished fourth, having the best ice among U.S.-based teams. 1173084 Chicago Blackhawks "Least? Since I roomed with him for so long, I'd have to say Kaner. There were some ups and downs through that relationship there."

Q: What would your message be to the fans? What Toews, other NHL'ers have been up to with season on hold Toews: Well, first of all we love our fans. We miss 'em. We miss seeing everybody at the United Cen ter. Obviously this is a crazy time and a John Dietz tough time for everybody.

The biggest thing we can learn probably is no matter what your background, what your political views are, I think we're all coming With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc around the globe, video together on this. That's the biggest thing. conference calls have become perhaps the best way for everyone to keep in touch with family and loved ones. You guys all know what it takes to have a winning hockey team. You have to have everybody come together. That's the biggest message right They are also being utilized by the NHL, which conducted eight such now, is coming together with your family, your friends, your community calls over the past six days, giving fans an opportunity to hear from some and wait this thing out. of their favorite players. We've got to do what we've got to do and we'll get through it. The seventh call came Tuesday and featured the Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews, St. Louis' Alex Pietrangelo and Nashville's Roman Josi. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 04.01.2020

Over the course of 30 minutes, we learned that these three captains aren't exactly big readers, that Toews is loving the third season of Ozark and that Pietrangelo has his hands full with three kids and two dogs. When the call's host disappeared, the trio also did a solid job of improvising for about 90 seconds by talking about life just like you would with three old buddies.

We're splitting this session up into two parts: The first will deal with what their life is like in the coronavirus world; the second will deal with more hockey-related questions.

Q: How are you holding up and where are you?

Josi: I'm in Nashville in my house. My wife is here, got two dogs. "Same as everyone -- staying home as much as we can. Playing with the dogs and trying to work out at home.

Toews: Same, I'm just here in Chicago with my girlfriend and a little Yorkie and that's about it. So it's pretty quiet compared to (Pietrangelo's) house it sounds like.

Pietrangelo: Yeah, it's a little loud over here. Three kids, two dogs, wife. Trying to stay inasmuch as we can, trying to be careful. ... I'll tell you what, the kids can do some damage in the house in a two-week span if you keep 'em inside too long.

Q: What are your days like?

Pietrangelo: I was laughing last night because I said, 'There's not enough time in the day.' I'm not even working right now and I can't even find enough time to do something for myself.

We wake up, eat breakfast, I have my morning coffee. So does my wife. Today we watched the Good Dinosaur, went upstairs (and) played a bit.

(Now) they're going to go outside, then they'll take a nap. Do the same thing in the afternoon, wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.

Toews: I moved into a new place during the season. I think you guys can all agree (that) during the year you kind of put a lot on the back burner with how busy the schedule was and all that. Just catching up. Calling some friends. You know, little things I don't really have time to do when we're in season.

Q: Toews was asked to talk about wishing Belvidere's Declan Dassie a happy seventh birthday on the Today show:

Toews: Yeah, yeah. I guess at some point we'll see our little buddy Declan there. (There was a) sign that he held up at one of our postgame show(s) where it said something like: "I'll never give up." It's great to see that we've got some little fans out there that are sticking with us through thick and thin. So I decided to send him a little message.

(Toews also added this little zinger for the host who mispronounced his name: "Thought I heard all the different pronunciations of my name, but 'Tay-vits' or something? That was a new one. So it was pretty funny.")

Q: Jonathan, which teammate would you most want to be quarantined with and which teammate would you least want to be quarantined with?

Toews chose Crawford for most: "He's kind of an easy-going guy. Whatever you want to do, he's down for whatever. 1173085 Chicago Blackhawks

2010 Hawks Rewind: 3 things we noticed in Blackhawks' Game 6 win over Canucks

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 31, 2020 7:00 PM

In honor of the 10-year anniversary of the 2010 Stanley Cup team, NBC Sports Chicago is re-airing each of the Blackhawks' 16 postseason wins from the run that ended a 49-year championship drought. You can join the conversation using #HawksRewind on social media.

After failing to close out the series at home in Game 5, the Blackhawks took care of business in Vancouver by eliminating the Canucks following a 5-1 win in Game 6 to advance to the Western Conference Final for the second straight season. Here are three things we noticed in the win:

1. Contributions all around

The 2010 Blackhawks had ridiculous depth. And they flexed their muscles in Game 6 after three of the four lines contributed on the scoresheet.

Five different Blackhawks scored in the win (Troy Brouwer, Dave Bolland, , Patrick Kane and ) and three others recorded an assist (, and ). Byfuglien and Kane each had multi-point outings.

2. Dave Bolland ices the game

After a scoreless first period, the Blackhawks scored two goals in a 36- second span in the opening minutes of the second period to take a 2-0 lead. The next goal was going to be a crucial one as the game went on.

With 1:03 left in the period, the Canucks were awarded a power play. It was a prime opportunity to get themselves back in the game and generate momentum. But that did not happen thanks to The Rat.

Bolland, who was a pest all series long, disrupted 's pass at the point, caught the puck in his hand, dropped it on the ice, fought off Demitra twice and snuck a shot past Robert Luongo to put the Blackhawks up 3-0.

The Canucks never recovered.

3. Containing the Sedin twins

Big-time players make big-time plays in the biggest moments. The Blackhawks are a perfect example of that. Can you think of a better big- game player than Patrick Kane? Jonathan Toews? Duncan Keith? The core together?

The Canucks, at home, had the advantage of drawing favorable defensive matchups. But Henrik and Daniel Sedin went up against Bolland's line, which contained both of them.

At even strength, the Sedins had 15 shot attempts for and six against and seven scoring chances for and four against, according to Natural Stat Trick. But they gave up two goals and scored zero.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173086 Chicago Blackhawks

Which teammate would Jonathan Toews most and least want to quarantine with?

By Scott King March 31, 2020 3:50 PM

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews spoke with the media on Tuesday for the first time since the NHL was paused on march 12.

Toews, along with defensemen Roman Josi (Nashville Predators) and Alex Pietrangelo (St. Louis Blues) represented the Central Division on a video conference call held by the NHL.

The trio answered a variety of questions, including which teammates you'd most and least want to be quarantined with.

"I guess I'll start with the most. I'd probably say Corey Crawford," Toews answered. "He's just kind of an easy going guy. Whatever you want to do, he's down for whatever."

And for who he'd least like to be quarantined with? You could probably guess.

"And I'd say least, since I roomed with him for so long, I'd have to say Kaner (Patrick Kane). There's some ups and downs through that relationship there."

The three players were also asked what they missed the least about playing one another. Pietrangelo and Josi had interesting responses on Toews.

"Jonny's just a pain in the a** to play against. Oops, pardon my language," Pietrangelo responded. "I battled a lot with these two guys (Toews and Josi). More so Jonny because he's a forward, but we've had a lot of battles.

"But, you know what, God, I’d welcome those battles. I think right now we miss those battles. I don’t know about you guys, but we could use a few of those battles."

"Like [Pietrangelo] said, I obviously see a lot more of Jonny, as a forward, but I mean just chasing him around in our zone, for I don't know how long, and can't take the puck away from him, trying to cross-check him," Josi answered. "Just him around the net it's not fun as a defenseman, you can't really get the puck off him. We had some really good battles against Chicago, some really good playoff series. We all miss it."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173087 Chicago Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews on self-isolation, state of Blackhawks and message to fans

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 31, 2020 1:35 PM

The NHL put its season on pause 20 days ago due to the COVID-19 outbreak, following the NBA's lead after a player tested positive for the virus. Since then, the world has shut down and it came at a time where hockey players were gearing up for the stretch run and playoff push.

To help give fans a glimpse of how the athletes are handling the quarantine, the NHL over the last few days made the captains of all 31 teams available via video conference call in a group-type setting sorted by division. On Tuesday, it was the Central Division's turn that featured Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators, Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues and Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks in the first group.

#Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews on a video conference call with Alex Pietrangelo and Roman Josi. pic.twitter.com/oxgu3lpfka

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 31, 2020

Toews said he has remained in Chicago, where he's self-isolating in his new home with his girlfriend and their little Yorkie. He joked that he didn't have much motivation to do anything the first three to five days of the quarantine period, but since then has stayed active by riding a stationary bike and preparing as if hockey could return at any point, even though that remains unclear.

"I can't complain, still finding stuff to do," said Toews, who has spent the past two nights watching Season 3 of Ozark. "Moved into a new place during the season this year and I think you guys can all agree, during the year you kind of put a lot on the backburner with how busy the schedule was and all that, so just catching up, calling some friends and little things that I don't have time to do when we're in season."

Toews was also asked about the state of the franchise and his thoughts on Chairman Rocky Wirtz confirming that the Blackhawks' leadership group of President & CEO John McDonough, GM Stan Bowman and head coach will return for the 2020-21 season.

"Regardless of what's going on in the organization, I think your job as a captain and as a player and for myself and the other guys that have been in the room for a while, it's just to focus on getting the most out of ourselves but [also] getting the most out of our group," Toews said. "We've been through quite a few serious injuries with key players, guys that have experience in the playoffs but that brought that character and that leadership in the room as well, so I think that definitely hurt us.

"But on the other hand, we've got some young players who are learning and getting better really quickly, and I think we showed a lot of signs this year, even if we weren't sitting in a playoff spot right now, that we're right on the edge. ... It's just that experience of playing against the top teams and getting back to that level that we know we can to be a playoff contender."

While it's certainly been challenging for the players to put hockey on hold, all three captains had powerful messages to their fanbases and NHL fans in general. And Toews led the way by going first.

"First of all, we love our fans," Toews said. "We miss them, we miss seeing them at the United Center. Obviously this is a crazy time and a tough time for everybody, but the biggest thing we can learn is, no matter what your background or what your political views are, I think we all are kind of coming together around this and that's the biggest thing. ... That's the biggest message right now, is coming together with your family and friends and your community and wait this thing out. We gotta do what we gotta do to get through it."

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Blackhawks' jersey voted best in NHL by NHLPA poll

By Scott King March 31, 2020 10:26 AM

The 2019-20 NHLPA Players' Poll was released on Tuesday morning and despite no individual nods, which Chicago has been accustomed to in the past, Blackhawks fans will be happy to see the Hawks win one key franchise award: best jersey.

The Blackhawks demolished the competition in this category winning 28.25% of the vote. The Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs tied for second place at 6.83% for their sweaters.

Nearly 600 NHL players were surveyed prior to the NHL pause for a variety of league-related categories for the poll.

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Hawks Rewind: Blackhawks-Canucks Game 6 of 2010 Western Conference Semifinals

By Scott King March 31, 2020 9:34 AM Tuesday at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Chicago:

A heartbreaker for the Canucks and another decisive, confidence- building victory for the 2010 Blackhawks.

Following Game 5's 4-1 win at the United Center over Chicago, Vancouver had come within one in the series, making it 3-2 Hawks. The Blackhawks had won the previous three games.

After a 0-0 first period in Game 6 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, three consecutive unanswered goals in the second period put Chicago in good shape heading into the third. Troy Brouwer and Kris Versteeg scored within the first three minutes of the second and Dave Bolland added a goal with 45 seconds remaining in the frame.

After Shane O'Brien scored at 3:44 of the third for the Canucks, Patrick Kane lit the lamp at 8:17, followed by Dustin Byfuglien at 8:42 for the 5-1 final score.

Kane's Game 6 goal unleashed his now famous "heartbreaker" celebration where he outlines a heart with both gloves and punched through it.

The Blackhawks won the series 4-2 and would be on their way to play the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Final.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173090 Chicago Blackhawks it takes to have a winning hockey team — you have to have everybody come together. And I think that’s the biggest message right now, is coming together with your family, your friends, and your community, and ‘God, I’d welcome those battles’: Jonathan Toews, fellow players eager wait this thing out. We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do, and we’ll get to return through it.”

Some other highlights from the call:

By Mark Lazerus Mar 31, 2020 • Toews, on the teammate he could most and least stand to be quarantined with: “Most, I’d probably say Corey Crawford. Easygoing guy. Whatever you want to do, he’s down for whatever. Least? Since I roomed with him for so long, I’d have to say (Patrick Kane). Some ups Jonathan Toews is a world-famous, fabulously wealthy professional and downs in that relationship there.” athlete who lives in an entirely different world than the rest of us. • Toews on Rocky Wirtz saying the Blackhawks’ management team will But for the past few weeks, Toews’ life has been a lot like everybody be back next season and how he feels about the direction of the else’s. franchise: “Regardless of what’s going on in the organization, your job as He’s hanging around the house with his girlfriend and their little Yorkie. a captain and as a player — for myself and for the other guys that have He bought a book but hasn’t cracked it open yet. He’s listening to some been in the room for a while — is just to focus on getting the most out of podcasts for perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic (Joe Rogan, in ourselves, and getting the most out of our group. We went through quite particular). He’s watching the third season of “Ozark” on Netflix. He’s a few serious injuries with key players, guys that have experience in the laughing at memes being sent around the team’s group chat, likely the playoffs and that brought that character and leadership in room, as well. same toilet-paper-themed ones we’ve all seen on Twitter and Facebook. So that definitely hurt us. But on the other hand, we’ve got some young He’s even been going down YouTube rabbit holes to watch old “Rock players who were learning and getting better really quickly. I think we ‘Em Sock ‘Em” hockey clips, marveling about how seemingly every hit showed a lot of signs this year, even if we weren’t sitting in a playoff spot back then would warrant a suspension now. And after four or five days of right now, that we’re right on the edge. We had St. Louis with a lead in not feeling motivated to do much of anything, he’s been hopping on the their own building a couple times but we found a way to blow it. It’s just bike to stay in some semblance of shape. that experience of playing against the top teams and getting back to that level we know we can be to be a playoff contender.” “I can’t complain,” Toews said on a video conference call with Nashville’s Roman Josi and St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo, the latter of whom is chasing Pietrangelo was smiling as Toews brought up the St. Louis game. three little kids around the house all day. “Still finding stuff to do. Moved • Josi on what he’s been binge-watching: “I watched ‘Tiger King’ like into a new place during the season this year, and I think you guys can all everyone else.” agree during the year you put a lot on the back-burner with how busy the schedule is and all that. So just catching up, calling some friends, little Toews was shaking his head no as Josi said this. things I don’t really have time to do when we’re in season.” • Josi on what he misses the least about playing against Toews: And like the rest of us, he’s antsy to leave the house and get back to “Chasing him around in our zone for I don’t know how long. Can’t take some sense of normalcy. the puck away from him, trying to cross-check him. Just him around the net, it’s not fun as a defenseman, You can’t really get the puck off him. “At some point, this has to wrap up, we’ve got to go back to our normal We had some really good battles against Chicago, some really good lives,” he said. “Just not sure when that is. Hopefully it’s sooner rather playoff series. But we all miss it.” than later.” • Pietrangelo on what he misses the least about playing against Toews: Alex Pietrangelo (top left), Jonathan Toews and Roman Josi participate “Jonny’s just a pain in the ass to play against. We’ve had a lot of battles. in a video chat for reporters on Tuesday. But God, I’d welcome those battles. I miss those battles. I don’t know Later seems a lot more likely than sooner, of course. There are all sorts about you guys, but I could use a few of those battles.” of proposals being floated by fans, players and executives about a one- The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 week training camp sometime in the summer, followed by the resumption of the regular season and a postseason in, say, August and September before starting up the 2020-21 season in November. Or, perhaps more realistically, canceling the rest of the regular season and going straight to a wild playoff format, perhaps with as many as 24 teams (which would even include the Blackhawks). Or, perhaps most likely, giving up on the 2019-20 season altogether and just hoping the 2020-21 season can start on time in the fall.

“I feel like I’m in summer mode,” said Josi, who bought some equipment so he could build a small gym in his garage in Nashville. “Hopefully, we get a timeline soon so you can adjust your workouts a little bit.”

The “pause” of the season stinks for everybody, but it’s obviously worse for teams that were in contention than for teams like the Blackhawks. Pietrangelo’s Blues sit in first place in the Central Division and appeared poised to make a run at a second straight Stanley Cup when the season was abruptly put on hold.

But the players are keeping perspective, too.

“We had some momentum, too, (so) it’s frustrating,” Pietrangelo said. “But I don’t think any of us are really thinking about that. We’re just more worried about taking care of ourselves and our loved ones. At the time, it’s frustrating. But we’re all optimistic we’ll have a chance to play again this year.”

Toews offered a message of hope to Blackhawks fans.

“We love our fans, we miss them, we miss seeing everybody at the United Center,” he said. “Obviously, this is a crazy time and a tough time for everybody. I think the biggest thing we can learn, probably, is no matter what your background or what your political views are, we’re all coming together on this. That’s the biggest thing. You guys all know what 1173091 Chicago Blackhawks local time and schlepping 45 minutes to the hotel in a bus, Sharp would set the breakfast delivery time for some ungodly hour, like 6 a.m.

Then a cheery room-service attendant came knocking on the door at the Pranks for the memories: Tormenting Kane, Toews a pastime for late- crack of dawn with three or four carts full of food. 2000s Blackhawks “Toews would get really mad,” Burish says. “He’d be calling our room at 6:30 in the morning to yell at us. We just took the receiver off the hook so By Mark Lazerus Mar 31, 2020 he couldn’t ring it anymore. The first time we did that, I saw him that afternoon and he was livid. Then I saw Kane and he’s saying how Toews was really, really mad, and yelling at the poor lady who delivered it, saying how he didn’t order any of the food. Kane just laid in bed. I asked This excerpt from If These Walls Could Talk: Chicago Blackhawks, by Kane what he did. He said, ‘I ate the food. I just ate it and went back to Mark Lazerus, is printed with the permission of Triumph Books. bed. I’m paying for it, I might as well eat it.’” Despite the fact that they were first-round picks and didn’t really pay their Kane always shrugged it off. Toews never could. dues — Jonathan Toews went right from a year at the University of North Dakota to the NHL, and Patrick Kane made the jump directly from the “One thing I’ll say is, I never saw Kaner get upset over the pranks, over — the two kids fit right in with the Blackhawks. It the hazing,” Sharp says. “He always took it in stride and kept smiling and was a whole team of kids, really. kept laughing. Jonny, though, you could send Jonny off with just the smallest of things and he’d be so mad. It got to a point where it wasn’t But here’s the thing about being the top picks on a team of young, single even fun to mess with Patty anymore because you weren’t going to get a guys with too much time on their hands: They’re going to make your life a reaction out of him. But if you said or did one thing to Jonny, he’d fly off living hell. the handle. That was the best thing about it.” And on a team that relentlessly pranked everyone — resorting to old One such instance came while the flu was running rampant through the standbys such as putting shaving cream on towels, cutting the laces on locker room. One guy would be out one day, another the next, and on someone’s skates, or just flat-out belittling people to their face in the and on. The day Toews succumbed, it was a skate-and-fly day — a cruelest, funniest ways imaginable — Kane and Toews were easy practice on home ice and then straight to the airport. Toews, being targets. And so Patrick Sharp and Adam Burish, roommates on the road Toews, showed up to practice anyway — “to show that he could fight and inveterate pains in the ass, launched a relentless assault on the through it,” Sharp says. But he forgot his passport, and the Blackhawks sanity of the two centerpieces of the franchise, both of whom got stuck were headed north of the border. So he was weak with the flu, and even together on the road for five long years. weaker after the practice. On top of that, now he was addled — in a And not just when they were rookies. In their second year, too. And their veritable panic. third year. Sharp and Burish never let up. Even when Kane was fast There wasn’t much convenient about the Blackhawks’ old practice facility becoming one of the biggest stars in the league, even when Toews was in the western suburb of Bensenville, but at least it was close to O’Hare. the universally respected captain and undisputed leader of the team, they But Toews lived downtown. He’d have to drive all the way home, grab his still were the targets. They were too ripe for the mocking, too naive to passport, and race back out to O’Hare to catch the charter. The whole defend themselves. And Toews was too hilarious when he was pissed team was having fun with it. Well, everyone but Toews, of course, who off. was growing increasingly agitated. “One thing about Kaner and Tazer is that you knew right from the So after practice, sick and irritated, Toews tore off his hockey gear, threw beginning of their career, they were going to be great,” Sharp says. it in a bag, jumped into his suit, and raced for the door, where Sharp was “Nowadays, these 18- and 19-year-old kids come into the league and stretching after practice. they’ve got talent and it’s somewhat common across the league. But at that time, it was somewhat unheard-of to see a teenager step in and be a Sharp doesn’t even remember what he said as Toews ran by, just that it top player and lead the team in scoring and demand the puck. We knew was — by his usual chirping standards, at least — pretty innocuous. right away that they were great players and they were going to help our team a ton, and it was going to be awesome to have them around. At the “He just lost his mind,” Sharp says. “I’ll never forget it. I don’t know if I’ve same time, since they were getting all that attention, Bur and I took it ever seen him that mad. It was almost too easy sometimes with Jonny.” upon ourselves to try to make things a little harder on them.” Indeed, it didn’t take much. In those early years, Toews shared a house It usually started on the bus from the airport to the hotel, in whatever city with and , with Duncan Keith as a frequent they were in. Rather than make each player stand in line in the lobby, visitor. One random day off, Toews was taking a nap, as he was wont to waiting for their turn to check in, the hotels simply would leave do. And because they were basically overgrown children, Seabrook, everyone’s room keys out on the counter, with a player’s name on each Ladd and Keith sat outside his room making animal noises at ear-splitting one. And there wasn’t exactly a Secret Service-like watch kept over volumes. After four or five minutes, the door opened and a garbage can them. If the employee at the counter had his or her head turned to take a came flying out, directed squarely at their heads. call or check in another guest, the keys were there for the taking. But Sharp and Burish honed most of their tormenting skills on the road. And Sharp and Burish kept taking them. Sometimes, they would wait until Kane and Toews went to dinner, then use their illegally procured room key to sneak into their room and steal They’d execute some convoluted plan during which one of them would their stuff. Sometimes they would just take something little — a hat, a distract Kane or Toews on the bus or in the lobby while the other darted shirt, a jacket — and see if Kane or Toews would notice. Other times, off to grab one of the keys. And before the two young superstars could they’d actually add things to their luggage. Maybe a carefully hidden iron even get into their room, it was trashed. Not messed-up trashed. Like at the bottom of Toews’ bag. Or a hair dryer, artfully disguised rock-star trashed. Like Team USA in Nagano trashed. underneath his clothes. Or the hotel phone. Airport security is a lot less severe when you’re flying on a private jet, after all. Beds were flipped over. Tables were turned on their side. Televisions were knocked over. Bathroom fixtures were severely damaged. Towels One time Toews got on the plane with his bag over his shoulder. were defiled. Curtains, too. By the time Kane and Toews got into their room, they’d have to go back downstairs and get a new one. And while “Hey, your bag looks pretty heavy, Tazer,” Burish said. the team pays for the hotel room, each individual player is responsible for “What are you guys talking about?” Toews said with a wary eye, before the “incidentals.” Like room service. Or a drink at the hotel bar. Or a unzipping his bag and rifling through the clothes. completely destroyed room. And sure enough, there was the coffeemaker from his room. Another More than a few times, Sharp and Burish snatched the room-service thing that he’d get charged for. Another thing to get mad about. ordering form out of the young stars’ room, filled it out to the tune of $300-400 worth of breakfast, then hung it back on their door after lights- Kane and Toews had neither the wherewithal nor the sinister streak to out. And if it was an off-day the next day, a day on which the weary truly fight back against Sharp and Burish, but they did return the favor Blackhawks could finally sleep in after landing in Edmonton at 3 a.m. every now and then. Their best effort came in Calgary. The kids did the key-stealing for once, and they ordered a bunch of room service while Burish and Sharp were out and about. Once the food came, Kane and Toews pushed the two beds together and stacked all the furniture on top of the bed, creating a sort of dining-room table, wobbly perched atop the beds. They carefully assembled all the food that was ordered, creating a shaky, but romantic dinner that would cost Sharp and Burish a few hundred bucks, as well as some manual labor.

“I was usually the butt of the joke more often than not,” Toews says. “But I think I learned to take it better and better, and kind of figured out why I was such a target to begin with. And every now and then, I could give it back.”

Kane and Toews took the brunt of the frat-boy pranking that went on, but nobody was safe — not with a bunch of college-aged kids running around five-star hotels all the time. Dave Bolland was particularly fond of the age-old gag of soaking a teammate’s carpet by precariously leaning an ice bucket — filled to the brim with water — against his door, then knocking and running away. At the rink, he and others would even occasionally put unnoticeable Scotch tape on a player’s skate blade so that the moment he stepped on the ice, he’d go down in a heap.

“That was never a good one, because a guy could pull his groin,” Bolland says. “You had to be careful. But everyone had fun on that team. We were always joking around.”

The Blackhawks spent Thanksgiving in 2007 in Edmonton, at the posh McDonald hotel. The team — now under the rule of John McDonough and the wallet of Rocky Wirtz — set up a massive buffet in a conference room for players and staffers to enjoy. James Wisniewski and Dustin Byfuglien spent much of the time crawling under the tables, putting dollops of applesauce or ketchup on everyone’s shoes. Every so often, someone would start clinking their spoon on a glass, which meant it was time for a shoe-check.

And while Sharp was one of the ringleaders of the relentless torturing of Kane and Toews, his teammates had plenty of fun at his expense, too. As well-liked and well-respected as Sharp was — he was an alternate captain, after all — he also was notoriously moody, depending on how well he was playing.

“He liked to score goals,” Colin Fraser says. “And when he got in a funk, when he wasn’t scoring goals, he got a little pouty. We started calling him Pooprick Sharp. We’d put diapers and wipes in his stall when he was having a tough go in the goal-scoring department. I think he always felt slighted a bit by the attention Kaner and Tazer got. He’d have a goal and an assist and a fight, and they wouldn’t make him one of the three stars. They’d give it to Kaner or Tazer, instead. He’d lose it, and then we lost it laughing. ‘Hey, the fans don’t want to see you. They want to see Kaner twirling around.’”

Even the coaches got in on the act. Radio play-by-play man John Wiedeman — a notoriously prolific eater, despite his slender stature — went up for seconds that Thanksgiving after cleaning his plate. Goalie coach Stephane Waite came over to the buffet table and immediately grabbed his attention, telling Wiedeman what was good, and what he should eat, and keeping his focus on the table, while head coach Denis Savard and assistant coach Mark Hardy snuck over to his chair, where his sport coat was draped.

Wiedeman went back to finish his meal and got up to leave. He noticed his jacket was a little heavy, but didn’t think much of it. As he got to the door, one of the servers stopped him in front of the entire team.

“Sir, I think you have some of our silverware,” she said. “We’re going to need it back.”

Wiedeman was nonplussed. The server helped him take off his jacket, then held it upside down and shook it, as a mess of forks, knives and spoons came tumbling out in a clattering cacophony. Savard and Hardy were already well down the hall, cackling. Even the supposed grown-ups acted like kids much of the time in those days.

But nobody got it as badly, and as frequently, as Kane and Toews — the faces of the franchise, the future of the sport, the easiest targets in the room.

“Guys picked on them all the time,” Fraser says. “They were young kids, they were the superstars, and they got the brunt of it. Sometimes you’ve just got to tip your hat and take it. Everyone knew they were superstars. They could afford it.”

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From Toronto, Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog discusses activities during self-quarantine

By MIKE CHAMBERS | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: March 31, 2020 at 2:28 p.m. | UPDATED: March 31, 2020 at 6:48 p.m.

Avalanche left wing Gabe Landeskog said Tuesday that he is hunkered down with his family in Toronto, where his wife is from, and if he had to be isolated with one teammate during the coronavirus pandemic, it would be defenseman Erik Johnson.

Johnson owns racehorses and is building a wine collection, among other hobbies. Landeskog said he and “EJ” rarely run out of things to talk about. But as it is, Landeskog is thankful to be spending his time with wife Melissa and their 5-month-old daughter, Linnea.

“She’s not mobile yet. She doesn’t move,” Landeskog said of his daughter during a conference call. “She’s sort of getting to the stage where she’s trying to roll around and she can almost sit on her own. But it’s been a lot of fun. You definitely get an appreciation of what the wives and the girlfriends are going through when we’re on the road. It’s been fun being a full-time dad, for a change.”

Two Avalanche players are among the NHL’s four cases who tested positive for COVID-19. Landeskog, who only took questions from a moderator, indirectly eliminated himself from being one of the two cases.

“From the conversations I’ve had with them, they’ve recovered well and are doing well,” Landeskog said of his infected teammates, whom he did not name.

Landeskog did not identify the owner of the residence he is at, but he said he has been working out in a small gym in the basement.

“I try to keep in shape and really, I guess, get away from diaper duty and feeding Linnea three times a day. It’s been good. and I’m lucky that way,” Landeskog said.

The Avalanche (42-20-8) is second in the Western Conference with 92 points, two behind Central Division rival St. Louis (42-19-10).

“Probably the first time in nine years that I’ve been in Denver that we felt really confident about the group that we had, and actually feeling like you had a shot at this thing,” Landeskog said of his team. “We weren’t just playing to make the playoffs. We were chasing down St. Louis, and we were two points behind them with a game in hand and we knew we had them coming up in Game 82, the last game of the season.”

He added: “I liked the way our group was playing. We were finding different ways to win hockey games. I think we were 7-2-1 in our last 10 and just gearing up for a playoff run, and then this happened.”

Landeskog was joined on the conference call by Dallas’ Jamie Benn, Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler and Zach Parise of Minnesota.

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Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon among league’s top forwards in NHLPA annual poll

By JOHN WAWROW | The Associated Press March 31, 2020 at 10:42 a.m.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is still regarded as the NHL’s top forward, while peers consider Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby the game’s most complete player.

When it comes to game-day dress code, hockey players overwhelming favor relaxing the rule requiring a suit and tie, according to the results of the NHL Players’ Association’s annual poll of players released Tuesday.

Players voted 411 to 152 in favoring the NHL adopt the NBA’s dress- code policy, which requires players wearing “business or conservative attire” when arriving at and leaving a game.

The NHLPA said 588 players participated in the 21-question poll, which covered topics involving skills, arenas, teams and off-ice fun. That category ranged from who they considered the league’s best golfer (Dallas’ Joe Pavelski) to the top player to follow on social media (New Jersey’s P.K. Subban).

This is the third consecutive year the NHLPA has conducted the poll, though not all the categories – including the dress-code question — have been the same. The results were released while the NHL’s season has been suspended and players asked to self-isolate because of the new coronavirus.

McDavid was the overwhelming favorite as the league’s top forward. He received 379 of 555 votes, followed by Crosby (83) and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (37). The results were similar to last year’s poll.

Crosby finished first in two other categories, including the league’s most complete player. The Penguins captain received 230 of 506 votes, beating out Boston’s Patrice Bergeron (129), Florida’s Aleksander Barkov (38) and St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly (27).

With 224 votes (68 more than McDavid), Crosby also topped the list of who players would want on their team when needing to win one game.

Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman was selected the top defenseman for a second straight year with 196 votes, 85 more than Washington’s John Carlson.

Montreal’s Carey Price repeated as the league’s top goalie with 214 votes, 127 ahead of Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy.

And Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin got 198 votes to edge out America’s Hilary Knight (180) as the world’s best female hockey player. America’s Kendal Coyne Schofield (77) finished third. That’s a switch from last year, when Poulin edged out Knight by a little over three percentage points.

Boston’s Brad Marchand topped the lists for a second consecutive year as both the best and worst trash-talker. Florida defenseman Keith Yandle repeated as the game’s funniest player.

Wayne Gretzky was the top vote-getter in the new category of which player, past or present, players would pay to see play. Gretzky received 155 of 485 votes, followed by Bobby Orr (73), Mario Lemieux (45) and McDavid (38).

Montreal’s Bell Centre was voted as having the best ice for a third consecutive year, followed by Edmonton’s Rogers Place and Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place. Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena finished fourth, having the best ice among U.S.-based teams.

Players were split on whether they’d prefer customizing their skates, helmets or sticks to show off their personalities. Only 53% of the 529 players who voted favored the option, with nearly 44% of those choosing custom skates.

When it comes to mascots, the Philadelphia Flyers’ Gritty was the runaway favorite for a second straight year. Gritty received 273 of 393 votes, finishing ahead of Nashville’s Gnash and Arizona’s Howler, who got 11 votes each. 1173094 Colorado Avalanche place and he knew people were looking at him but he would just talk about it so candidly.”

Brad and Jill Johnson began going to RoughRiders games and fell in What’s it like being a 6-foot-7 Russian goalie named Shamil living in love with hockey. They got season tickets, and those seats were behind Iowa? the team’s housing coordinator. It took a couple of years but the organization was able to add the Johnsons to their network of billet families. The first year they did it, the team won the Clark Cup, which is By Ryan S. Clark Mar 31, 2020 the USHL’s league championship.

That was 17 years ago.

Please. In the event you ever meet Shamil Shmakov, do not ask him “One day, I got a text from the housing coordinator,” Jill said. “The text what it was like growing up in Moscow. said that we have a new player in town and that he’s from Russia and he will be here tomorrow.” He has no idea why this perception exists. But he knows about it because nearly every online hockey database lists Russia’s capital and Having a guest arrive on short notice is nothing new for the Johnsons. It largest city as either his birthplace or his hometown. has happened before and there was a method they used to make Shmakov feel at home. There were conversations about what food he Spoiler alert: It’s not. wanted because Shmakov has a strict diet. But there was also the open “Maybe Americans only know one city in Russia?” Shmakov says in a dialogue Brad and Jill established about how they treat players as if they dry, straightforward delivery. “Guess they think everyone is from Moscow were their own children. That means everything from including them in or maybe Siberia?” family activities to making sure their room remained clean.

Even Shmakov takes a few seconds to laugh at what he says before Shmakov abided by those rules but there were other discussions that explaining this part of his origin story. He grew up in Ufa. It is an defined his relationship with Brad and Jill. They talked about politics. Why industrial city with a little more than 1.1 million people that is more than American politics are different from Russian politics and vice versa. They 1,300 kilometers — or anywhere between an 18-to-19-hour car ride — watched the news and talked about what was on television that night. east from Moscow. That is the equivalent of meeting an American and Shmakov would come with questions wanting to know why certain assuming they are from when they are actually from constructs existed. Minneapolis in terms of driving distance. “The level, the quality of life, for Americans is pretty high,” Shmakov Taking advantage of the internet is how Shmakov learned more about observed. “The government helps people. If you don’t have a job, they American culture. He acknowledges there is more to learn about the help you get a job. They pay you a good salary. It’s like the standards of United States compared with whether this was even 20 years ago. Using living are better.” modern advances like Instagram and YouTube while watching hockey Yes, a 20-year-old Russian hockey player would sit around with his billet highlights, movies and music videos in English is how he learned the parents and have conversations about American social programs such language. That, and there are several Russian youth who learn basic as unemployment. English words and phrases when they are in school because it is such a universal language. But why?

All of this studying eventually paid off. He was in Kazan to go eventually “We would watch the news and he would ask, ‘Why are they doing that?’ watch a FIFA World Cup match that saw Colombia grab a 3-0 win over or ‘Why this?’” Brad said. “He was really interested in how the Americans Poland. Shmakov, his father and a family friend arrived in Kazan a day help people. He said it is not always the same way in Russia. There’s a early. They went sightseeing and came back to their hotel for dinner. He much smaller middle class in Russia. Either you’re in the group or out of went to pick up his phone and saw there was an endless chain of text the group. The government doesn’t help many of the people the same messages all wishing him “Поздравляю!,” which is Russian for way we do with all the social programs. “Congratulations!” “We would get a lot of that just by watching the local news or national It was because their friend just got drafted in the seventh round by the news and them talking about the unemployment rate.” Colorado Avalanche. Shmakov had a feeling he would be drafted, but being selected by the Avs was a surprise given that he had never talked A family activity that gave Shmakov more insight into his new home was to them before the draft. Getting drafted meant he was coming to experiencing an American Christmas. Jill’s mom had everyone over to America to participate in the Avs’ development camp. Furthermore, there her house and it was a chance for Shmakov to learn about a new was the realization those self-taught English lessons were about to be custom. They went to church and it was Shmakov’s first time going to a tested. Christian church because he is Muslim.

What was that first moment Shmakov knew he felt comfortable speaking “It was more of a very inquisitive ‘What about this?’ and it was not a English with someone who was a native speaker? judgmental thing at all,” Brad said. “He wanted to know, ‘Why do they do this?’ and ‘Why do they do that?’ You have a kid that has been in Russia “I think it was the first time called me,” Shmakov said before and now you’re including him in a family Christmas. He was nervous at laughing. first but once he was there with everybody, he was very comfortable being himself. People like talking to him and they find excuses to talk to A number of items played a part in why the Avalanche drafted Shmakov. him because he is different. He dominated the MHL, the nation’s top junior league, by finishing with a 36-8-6 record, a 2.03 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage “Especially because he is 6-7 and Russian and you really cannot hide over 51 games. That was enough to show there was potential. Being a him.” bigger goaltender in an era when organizations have made size a priority also helped his case. RoughRiders coach Mark Carlson said the USHL adding more import spots has played a part in why the league is seeing more foreign-born Shmakov stands at 6-foot-7 with a slender 196-pound frame that offers players come to America. But he also said it all depends upon the runway for him to grow into his body and become an even bigger individual player. Carlson described Shmakov as someone who was presence in the net should it all go according to plan. The Avalanche had “ultra-prepared” to play in the United States. The RoughRiders coaching Shmakov spend one more season in Russia before he came to the staff and front office got a chance to watch Shmakov’s games on film United States. He was drafted by the Lincoln Stars to go play in the while along with what they saw in a few exhibition games before he was USHL but was then traded to the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. traded to Cedar Rapids.

For this is how Shamil Shmakov became a 6-foot-7 Russian goaltender Carlson said Shmakov’s need to learn English was an example of how walking around the middle of Iowa for a year of his life. serious he took playing in the USHL.

“He would get looks because he was the tallest person everywhere he Transitioning from the European landscape to the North American one is went,” RoughRiders forward Max Sasson said. “He would walk around a challenge every player in Shmakov’s position faces. In North America, being 6-7 and it was funny when he would order stuff from a smoothie the ice is smaller, which means certain factors for a goaltender — like angles — are going to be different from what they are used to Sasson said the team has kept a group Snapchat that has allowed experiencing back home. Carlson thought Shmakov was adapting well to everyone to participate. Even Shmakov, who is back in Russia, will jump his new surroundings. on within minutes of receiving a notification.

“One of the things I liked is being that size, he took up a lot of the net,” “It was just cut short and that’s been the weirdest thing,” Sasson said. Carlson said. “I thought he was, most of the time, in position and ready to “We had no clue. The weirdest thing to me and for anyone that was on make a second save, which I think is really important in goaltending. He the team was the habits you get into. Seeing these guys and doing the had great quickness and a real competitor and he really competed in same thing Monday mornings and skating every day at 2 p.m. and games he played. He had an injury that limited his playing time but you playing games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It feels like I should be look at the numbers, he had a number of real good games for us and going to the rink and goofing around before practice. It’s a really weird then the injury came into the picture. That had an effect on him.” time.”

Shmakov won his first three starts and only allowed a goal in each game. For Shmakov, he was immediately in contact with his family once the He started struggling by only winning once in his next four starts. It was season was canceled. He is currently back home in Ufa where he later discovered Shmakov sustained a back injury that would keep him continues rehabbing his back injury in the hopes of being ready for the sidelined for the rest of the season. That meant his first and lone USHL upcoming season. He said there were no issues trying to return to season — because he has aged out as a 20-year-old who turns 21 in Russia. Like many around the globe, Shmakov is staying at home and is July — was limited to a 4-3 record, a 3.03 GAA and a .901 save practicing social distancing. percentage. “We have quarantines on schools and universities,” he said. “But Being injured was something Shamil did not have to face alone. Brad and everybody is working and people can go into grocery stores and Jill did what they could to make sure he was feeling supported. restaurants in my hometown.”

They did things as a family. Like watching movies. Talking politics. They Knowing exactly where Shmakov will play next season is a question would tell jokes. They talked about Russia. waiting to be answered. He said a decision has yet to be made but there are options in different portions of the world he could pursue. Anything was on the table except hockey because Shamil could not play and talking about the game would only make it more trying because he “We’ve been working on the plan and right now you can’t do a lot of was going through physical therapy. things,” Shmakov said. “But I’m working how I can right now. It’s hard but it happens sometimes. … But right now, the first priority is recovery.” “I think for us, it’s just getting to know them as soon as they walk through the door,” she said. “For a while, we could tell something was off by his The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 facial expressions and that is where you ask the appropriate probing questions about what was happening. Those were things we were doing. It was asking if he had talked to his mom and dad about this and what did his parents think. … I think with Shamil, and I do get really attached to the players, it was the heartbreak of watching what Shamil went through and the frustration and the emotion he was showing and there is nothing we can do to take that away.

“Even with his parents being a whole ocean away, we couldn’t do anything about what he was experiencing. It’s sad for a mom because it breaks your heart. It’s your dream and now things have been slowed down in that process.”

There was also the support system he had from his teammates. Sasson, who will spend next season at Western Michigan University, became extremely close with Shmakov considering he gave him rides to and from the team’s facility.

“It was funny at first. We kinda butted heads but as the year went on and I started picking him up, we became pretty close,” Sasson said. “By the end of it, he was showing me Russian music and the dances that would go along with it. His house was on the way (to the arena) and as the season went on and he liked being picked up by me. It was a good dynamic. I did not have a roommate and it was nice to drive with someone and hang out with someone outside the rink. It was pretty nice.”

Shmakov also became extremely popular among the rest of his teammates. They naturally gave him the nickname “Ivan Drago” as a nod to the Russian colossus played by Dolph Lundgren in the iconic “Rocky IV” film.

But he also was given another, more cosmopolitan moniker: ShammGod. It stems from the soul-ripping crossovers performed by former Providence College star guard and one-time Washington Wizard God Shammgod that have found a place in today’s basketball landscape.

Constantly being at the rink to rehab meant there was not a lot of free time. But, when there was, Shmakov and his teammates had fun.

“We went out to dinner and tricked our waitress,” Sasson said. “He spoke Russian to me and started speaking Russian to her. She had this look like, ‘What’s happening?’ We started laughing and that’s the kind of kid he is.”

It’s another reason why the season’s abrupt and unexpected end was even tougher. The RoughRiders were four points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with two games in hand before the USHL ultimately canceled its season because of the new coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. Players immediately left Cedar Rapids to return home knowing there is a chance they may not see each other for several years. 1173095 Columbus Blue Jackets “Every summer is a game of musical chairs for the ,” said Kevin Woodley, managing editor of In Goal Magazine. “It’s set to be as unpredictable a market as we’ve ever had.”

Reading the goalie market: When should the Jackets deal Merzlikins or The glut of goaltenders could lead to Holtby back to the Capitals and Korpisalo? Crawford back to the Blackhawks under team-friendly contracts.

It could also make this a buyer’s market, meaning it might not be the best By Aaron Portzline Mar 31, 2020 time for the Blue Jackets to trade one of their guys.

What recent goalie trades indicate

COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Sergei Bobrovsky signed as a free agent Goalie trades aren’t rare, but trades involving No. 1 goaltenders don’t with the Florida Panthers last summer, many believed he left the Blue happen very often. And they aren’t for the faint of heart. Jackets without a No. 1 goaltender. In reality, Bobrovsky’s departure only It must be said that every marketplace is different, and it’s the created room for two of them to emerge. marketplace that helps dictate the return. So the returns that were Joonas Korpisalo was picked to play in the All-Star Game before possible in previous seasons may not be available to the Blue Jackets in suffering a knee injury, while Elvis Merzlikins — once freed to play — had 2020 or 2021. a torrid stretch in December and January when he looked like a Vezina We picked four trades to evaluate, with the following criteria: Trophy candidate. it couldn’t be a goalie-for-goalie trade, because that’s not what the Blue Korpisalo, who played behind Bobrovsky for three-plus seasons, and Jackets will be pursuing Merzlikins, who stayed in Switzerland while he waited for Bobrovsky to move along, both turn 26 in April. They are coming into their prime years. it had to involve a goaltender that was projected at the time of the trade to be a No. 1 goaltender for his future club A larger body of work may be required to convince some, but the Blue Jackets believe they have two NHL starters on their roster, an enviable June 20, 2016: Anaheim traded Fredrik Anderson to Toronto for a first- position no matter how you dissect it. round pick (No. 30 overall) in 2016 and a second-round pick in 2017.

The assumption has been that the Blue Jackets will trade either June 30, 2015: Boston traded Martin Jones to San Jose for a first-round Korpisalo or Merzlikins this summer — whenever the off-season is pick (No. 29) in 2016 and forward Sean Kuraly. allowed to begin, due to the COVID-19 pandemic — but it might not be that simple. June 27, 2015: the New York Rangers traded Cam Talbot and a seventh- round pick to Edmonton for a second-round pick, third-round pick and Here are some of the issues to consider when you look ahead to how the seventh-round pick in 2015. Blue Jackets might handle the situation: June 30, 2013: Vancouver traded Cory Schneider to New Jersey for a Contracts needed first-round pick (No. 9 overall).

Both Korpisalo and Merzlikins are restricted free agents with arbitration The Athletic contacted several coaches, goaltending coaches, and rights after this season, and one can safely assume contract talks are executives in an attempt to get a read on the Korpisalo/Merzlikins trade well underway. (Merzlikins denied all knowledge of such talks in a chat market. with The Athletic last week.) Schneider and Anderson were seen as bona fide NHL starters when they With one year to go before they hit their “unrestricted years,” expect the were traded, which is why the return was so rich. Blue Jackets to accept nothing less than a two-year term. It’s unlikely either player would want to go longer than three or four years, but we “(Korpisalo and Merzlikins) are headed in the right direction,” one shall see. executive said. “But I’d feel better about them, especially Merzlikins, if I could see them do it again.” As for the salaries, that’s more difficult to predict. If the Blue Jackets traded them this summer, the Talbot trade was Last summer, St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington was, like Korpisalo and deemed most attainable, while the Jones return was seen as being on Merzlikins, a restricted free agent with one year to go before his UFA the high end of what Columbus could expect in return. years. He won the Stanley Cup with the Blues, then signed a two-year, $4.4 million deal with St. Louis. The best part of this for the Blue Jackets, of course, is they don’t have to trade one this summer. They don’t have to trade one until the right return Neither Korpisalo nor Merzlikins have “Stanley Cup winner” on their is on the table. resumes yet, so we can expect they’ll come in under Binnington’s deal. We asked those same experts which goaltender they’d move forward Predicted range: $2.5 million to $3.25 million with if they were Kekalainen. Only 11 would answer the question. Eight picked Merzlikins. A chaotic goalie market Who needs a goalie? It’s been many years (maybe ever?) since the NHL prepared for such a disruptive off-season among goaltenders. Detroit jumps off the page as a club that needs a long-term answer in goal. The Red Wings need help all over their roster, but nothing deflates Is Stanley Cup-winner and Vezina Trophy-winner Braden Holtby moving a young team faster than bad goaltending. on from Washington? The Capitals would have struggled to fit him under the salary cap before the global pandemic drove the cap downward. Chicago, which traded Lehner to Vegas earlier this season, will be looking for a new starter if Crawford leaves as a free agent. What do the New York Rangers do with franchise legend Henrik Lundqvist, who has been unceremoniously pushed to the curb by two Minnesota and Carolina have two goaltenders signed through at least younger players? next season, but it won’t surprise anybody if they head in a new direction this summer. Vegas’ Robin Lehner, the New York Islanders’ Thomas Greiss, Chicago’s Corey Crawford, Boston’s Jaroslav Halak, Calgary’s Cam Talbot, St. Is Ottawa settled with Anders Nilsson and Marcus Hogberg? Will San Louis’ Jake Allen, Detroit’s Jimmy Howard, Edmonton’s Mike Smith and Jose try to somehow wiggle free of Jones’ long-term contract? Does others could all be looking for new homes, too. Toronto still believe it can win with Andersen? Are the Kings keeping on with Jonathan Quick? Prediction: even if Howard and Smith decide to retire, there will be “name” goaltenders left without a chair when the music stops this off- The expansion effect season. If both Korpisalo and Merzlikins required protection in next summer’s NHL expansion draft — welcome, Seattle, by the way — the Blue Jackets would be under growing pressure to trade one of them to avoid a sticky situation.

But Merzlikins will be exempt from expansion, meaning Seattle can’t snap up one of the Blue Jackets’ goalies or force the Jackets to make a sweetheart deal. (Recall the deal the Blue Jackets made with Vegas to protect Korpisalo and Josh Anderson in 2017.)

So that works out perfectly for the Blue Jackets. Now, to the other aspect of goaltenders and the expansion draft.

Every team is required to expose a goaltender in the expansion draft, however. For the Blue Jackets, Matiss Kivlenieks qualifies as a goalie they can expose because he will have had three pro seasons in the books by next summer.

Here’s something to consider, though.

The Blue Jackets expect top prospect Daniil Tarasov to come to North America next season. For that matter, the Jackets planned to bring him over at the end of this season once his club in Finland (Assat) ended play. In other words, he’d likely be in Cleveland under normal circumstances.

Tarasov, Kivlenieks and Veini Vehvilainen will all be in the running for roster spots with AHL Cleveland next season, a situation that a year ago would have made Kivlenieks look like the odd man out.

But Kivlenieks saw his first action with the Blue Jackets this season when he was called into duty following injuries to Korpisalo (knee) and Merzlikins (concussion), playing well enough to earn a future in the organization.

For now, though, his biggest value to the Blue Jackets may be his eligibility for the expansion draft, meaning the Jackets won’t have to acquire a goaltender to fulfill the NHL’s expansion requirements.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173096 Dallas Stars Jamie Benn vs. Blake Wheeler is the fight we've never gotten. pic.twitter.com/3h3jO1EnSe

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) March 31, 2020 While Jamie Benn is ready to get back on the ice, he says the break ‘couldn’t have come at a better time’ for the Stars Benn: “I don’t think I ever met you, Wheels, until last summer in Toronto. We had a good time. We had a couple laughs and a couple cold ones over it. I think I came out of the gates hot again this year and asked him By Matthew DeFranks 11:09 PM on Mar 31, 2020 — Updated at 11:12 to go one more time.” PM on Mar 31, 2020 Since the Jets moved to Winnipeg in 2011-12, Benn has played against them 32 times, but Benn and Wheeler have never dropped the gloves.

Just like you, Jamie Benn has binge-watched Tiger King. The exchange was sparked by a question to Parise about what he misses the least about playing the other three players on the panel. The Stars captain has dusted off the Nintendo 64. He’s broken out the board games. He’s FaceTimed with teammates and friends. Benn might “Gabe and Jamie, I feel like they’ll KO you if you’ve got your head down watch Ozark next on Netflix. Like the rest of the NHL players and much at the puck,” Parise said. “I don’t miss that. Gabe’s got me a couple of Dallas, Benn is trying to keep busy while quarantined during the times, I know that. Jamie’s taken some runs at me, too. But he usually coronavirus pandemic. laughs about it after, so that’s fine.”

The COVID-19 outbreak forced the NHL to suspend the regular season No to Radulov: All four players were asked which teammates they would March 12, and the league extended the players’ self-quarantine until April most and least like to be quarantined with during this time. Benn would 15. Because of the suspension, the NHL began hosting Zoom like to stay away from Alexander Radulov and spend time with Ben videoconferences with players last week, and Benn was joined by Bishop. Minnesota’s Zach Parise, Colorado’s and Winnipeg’s “The guy’s crazy,” Benn said of Radulov. “He’s a mess. You never know Blake Wheeler on Tuesday afternoon. what he’s up to. When he’s got his family in town here, his pops and his Benn has remained in Dallas, where he makes his home year-round, with son, they’re all just buzzing around the rink, and nobody knows what’s his girlfriend Katie. going on. It’s just Russian spoken everywhere.”

“I just hope everyone’s staying safe, staying inside and keeping positive Alexander Radulov is the teammate Jamie Benn would least like to be through a tough time like this,” Benn said. “I think if we stick together and quarantined with. pic.twitter.com/BwhhjmdzPF do the right thing, looking forward to something much better. Hopefully, — Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) March 31, 2020 we’ll get hockey back soon, and we can start playing in front all the great fans of the NHL and especially here in Dallas.” As for Bishop, Benn said he was a “fun guy, talks a lot,” and they share an affinity for red wine “so I wouldn’t mind getting stuck in quarantine with Jamie Benn's message to the fans. pic.twitter.com/PFs2W7Kgpn him.”

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) March 31, 2020 Earlier this season, after a tornado damaged Bishop’s home, he stayed Benn touched on a number of subjects during the call, moderated by a at Benn’s house. member of the NHL’s communications department, including the Stars’ Long memories: Even in a light-hearted videoconference, Benn snuck in form before the pause. Dallas entered the break on a six-game losing a jab at the Avalanche. When Landeskog was asked which one of the streak, its longest losing skid of the season that brought it closer to the players on the call cheats the most at faceoffs, Benn cut in and said postseason bubble with 13 games remaining. “Gabe’s going to say the Stars as a whole team.”

“For the break, I think it couldn’t have come at a better time for us,” Benn When the Stars beat the Avalanche in overtime on Jan. 14, Landeskog said. “We were slipping a bit. I think we lost six in a row, so I know our lost a faceoff to Joe Pavelski that directly led to Esa Lindell’s game- group was like ‘All right, this ain’t so bad.’ But now that it’s been a few winning goal. The next day, Colorado coach said the Stars weeks, and we don’t know how much longer it’s going to be. I think we’re were “doing a better job of cheating on it than we are. We don’t feel like all just wishing we could get back out there on the ice.” the linesmen were doing a good enough job (Tuesday), sort of holding Here are some other topics Benn spoke about. (the respective teams) accountable to make it a level playing field on the faceoffs." No kids yet: Unlike Parise, Wheeler and Landeskog, Benn does not have any children, which makes his quarantine experience different from the On Tuesday, Landeskog offered a quick response to Benn before rest of the players. praising the other panelists: “Yeah, the Stars, they’re painful in the faceoff circle.” “No kids, so it sounds like I’ve got it easiest out of all the boys on this call,” Benn said. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 04.01.2020

While the other players are busy homeschooling and entertaining kids, Benn doesn’t have those responsibilities. So Parise explained to Benn what a typical day looked like in his household: his 2-year-old wakes up around 5 a.m., his other two kids are up at 7 a.m., there’s cooking and schoolwork and a little bit of hockey and then a deep breath when the youngest takes a nap from 1-3 p.m.

“We’ll get there one day,” Benn said. “For right now, me and my girlfriend Katie, we’re enjoying just being together. It’s a little bit of a different time. We’re looking at each other throughout the day here being like ‘What do we do next? What do we do next?’ These guys are probably go, go, go all day. My time will come, and I’ll let these guys do the work for now.”

Challenging Wheeler: Benn made it clear that he’s asked Wheeler to fight him almost every game that the Stars and Jets have matched up.

“I like playing the game hard, and I try to play the right way,” Benn said. “I have a lot of fun with it. I do a lot of talking on the ice to other players. I know me and Wheels, I think I ask him to fight every game we play.”

Wheeler responded: “There was one game, I think we faced off against each other like 20 times. He asked me to fight 20 times. Like third period, tied game, whatever.” 1173097 Dallas Stars For example: Two months ago Radulov’s parents were visiting along with his son, Makar, as well as Radulov’s brother and nephew. While waiting for a Stars practice to end, the two youngest Radulovs were shooting Jamie Benn talks quarantine: Avoiding Radulov, fighting Wheeler, not pucks at each other near the assembled media. At one point a media having kids member just dodged a high stick before Radulov’s father said something to his grandchildren, who then continued to slash each other.

(While taking over the NHL’s official Instagram account on Tuesday By Sean Shapiro Mar 31, 2020 afternoon actually said Radulov was the teammate he missed most. He also didn’t commit to sharing space during quarantine,

though.) During the COVID-19 pandemic, there seems to be a clear divide When it comes to players he’d most want to spend quarantine with, Benn between those who have kids and those who don’t. said that would be Ben Bishop. It certainly helps that they’ve spent time Kids represent organized chaos. They represent home-schooling together before during unfortunate circumstances, when Bishop’s house attempts and time spent on the couch after everyone goes to bed. They was struck by a tornado. The two also share an affinity for red wine. have led to earlier and earlier happy hours for forward If that quarantine were to happen, the goalie claims it has to be at his Zach Parise and Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler; it’s not house: Benn’s isn’t childproofed, and the Bishops have a young son. uncommon for a bottle of wine to be opened before 5 p.m. in either household. Benn lives in Dallas year-round; he and his brother Jordie both have green cards, so he’s staying put during the global pandemic. For almost Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn is on the opposite side of the line, as we half the Stars roster, which is heavily European, there was a difficult learned in an NHL-hosted Zoom call on Tuesday with Benn, Parise, decision on whether or not to take a transatlantic flight. Wheeler and Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who also has a young child. Radek Faksa had originally planned on spending more time in Dallas, but as the likely stoppage window extended – players were told to shelter in PIC.TWITTER.COM/SGDQEY0C3K place until April 15 on Tuesday – he flew back to the Czech Republic on — SEAN SHAPIRO (@SEANSHAPIRO) MARCH 31, 2020 Monday. Esa Lindell hadn’t returned to Finland yet, but he was looking at flights earlier this week and said that he’ll likely head home during the “No kids, so it sounds like I’ve got it easy,” Benn said after opening first week of April. remarks from the other three players. A similar crunch is being felt by players without long-term contracts, Easy for Benn has meant spending time with his girlfriend, Katie, and which typically coincide with houses like the one that Benn did his Zoom playing Nintendo 64. They’ve already crushed through Tiger King on conference from on Tuesday. Jason Dickinson, for example, said the Netflix, while Benn said he’s considering watching Ozark, something that workout structure in an apartment isn’t ideal and he “certainly won’t be became more likely after Wheeler’s urging during the call. Board games bodybuilding,” so he was heavily considering flying back to Toronto. have been played, and Benn says he’s FaceTimed more than any other stretch in his life. The same goes for many of the younger players in the Stars organization, given that all of the players on the AHL roster lived in He also wasn’t jealous of the hard work that the three fathers on the call apartments in Austin. Most have already returned home, while some have put in. have had to get creative in the short-term. Gavin Bayreuther is staying at his girlfriend’s family’s lake house before planning to close on a home “We’ll get there someday,” he quipped he’s purchasing in Portland, Maine on Wednesday. If there’s a trick to learning more about Benn, it’s getting him in a group For other players, kids – particularly new kids – have kept them in Dallas. setting with other players, even if those other players happen to be Justin Dowling and his wife, Meg, recently welcomed a new baby divisional rivals on a conference call. It’s a setting that Benn clearly feels daughter. Getting a passport for a newborn to return to Calgary isn’t relaxed in, and when others are given more attention – Benn spoke the realistic, so stationary bike workouts while holding an infant are part of a least among the four players – he’s willing to share a bit more. new reality. Taylor Fedun and his wife are expecting their first child soon For example, we’ve all been denied the Benn vs. Wheeler fight, which and are also holed up in an apartment. the Stars captain has apparently offered to initiate every time the Stars Despite several different circumstances, Benn said supporting one and Jets play. another as both a team and people, in general, is something he’ll take “I think I ask him to fight every game we play,” Benn said. away from the quarantine.

Wheeler said there was one game Benn asked him to fight 20 times. “If we stick together and do the right thing (then), we’ll be looking forward to something much better,” Benn said. “So hopefully we get hockey back “Third period, tied game, whatever,” Wheeler said. “He’s like, ‘We soon, and we can start playing in front of all the great fans in the NHL going?'” and especially here in Dallas.”

“Have you guys fought?” Parise said, asking the important questions. The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 No. Not yet, at least.

“We’ve got to,” Wheeler said.

Benn then shared the story about how he and Wheeler first met off the ice in Toronto last summer and talked about their non-fight history over a couple of “cold ones.” There was no follow-up question about what beer was consumed or why they were meeting in Toronto.

When Landeskog was asked about which player on the chat cheated most on faceoffs, Benn cut in to say he’d probably say all of the Dallas Stars, a callback to earlier this season when Avalanche coach Jared Bednar went off to local media members in Denver about how the Stars bent the rules in such situations.

Benn also discussed the Stars group chat – “it keeps us entertained” – and why he wouldn’t want to spend quarantine with Alexander Radulov.

“Least would be Radulov. The guy is crazy, he’s a mess and you never know what he’s up to,” Benn said. “When he’s got his family in town here, his pops and his son, and they’re buzzing around the rink, nobody knows what’s going on. Just Russian spoken everywhere.” 1173098 Detroit Red Wings Detroit Free Press LOADED: 04.01.2020

No NHL players think the Detroit Red Wings are interesting, worth watching

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 12:10 p.m. ET March 31, 2020 | Updated 2:25 p.m. ET March 31, 2020

Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman touched on numerous topics during a rare news conference. Filmed Feb. 24, 2020 in Detroit. Detroit Free Press

Given their no-good season, it’s little surprise that none of their colleagues in the NHL think the Detroit Red Wings are deserving of any recognition.

Except for their home. Little Caesars Arena did get a measure of love.

The NHL Players' Association, doing its part to distract while the league is on pause to fight the spread of coronavirus, released its 2019-20 poll Tuesday.

The players' association conducted an anonymous 20-question survey with players from each of the 31 clubs; 588 players participated. They were asked who they would want as a teammate for a winner-take-all game, and about the dress code.

Not even former Detroit Red Wings greats Ted Lindsay (left), Steve Yzerman (middle) nor polled well when the Players Association asked who current NHLers of all players, past and present, who they would pay to see play

The Wings (17-49-5) had just ensured a last-place finish when the league suspended the season March 12. Their minus-122 goal-differential is the worst in the league by more than double (Ottawa checks in next at minus-52).

When it comes to plus-minus ratings in the NHL, Wings players occupy eight of the worst 15 spots, with Valtteri Filppula at minus-42 and Filip Hronek next at minus-38. (The worst in the league is Andreas Athanasiou, who was traded to Edmonton Feb. 24 and sits at minus-46. Fourth-worst is Mike Green, also now with Edmonton, who checks in at minus-34).

Dylan Larkin leads the Wings with 53 points in 71 games; that doesn’t even put him in the top 60 among league scorers.

So who did players like? Edmonton’s Connor McDavid was voted best forward (63.35% to 14.93% for runner-up Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh). Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman was voted the best defenseman (37.88%), and Montreal’s Carey Price took best goaltending (41.55%).

Red Wings left wing Tomas Tatar (21) celebrates scoring a goal during the third period of the 2-1 loss to the Rangers in overtime on Friday, Nov. 24, 2017, in New York.

Asked whom they would choose if they needed to win one game, Crosby received 44.03% of the votes to McDavid’s 30.53%. Crosby also was voted the most complete player (45.56%).

Considering their rich alumni base — Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Nicklas Lidstrom, among others — it’s a bit surprising the Wings didn’t get even a mention when asked “of all players past or present, who would you pay to see play?”

The winners were Wayne Gretzky (31.83%), Bobby Orr (14.99%), Mario Lemieux (9.24%) and McDavid (7.80%).

Players voted overwhelmingly in favor of relaxing game-day dress codes that require they wear suits, with the yes vote coming in at 73%.

Ex-Wings forward Tomas Tatar won best nickname (Tuna), getting 8.08% of the vote, narrowly topping David “Pasta” Pastrnak (7.31%).

More on NHL: Wings will have to wait on draft placement, with NHL postponing lottery

The one category the Wings did fare well in was best visitors dressing room, where LCA finished third (23.3%), behind Edmonton’s Rogers Place (38.01%) and Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena (26.47%). 1173099 Detroit Red Wings “Now, based on the time frame, I don’t know if that’s going to happen. But I would love to finish the last 11 games and then have the playoffs and crown a Stanley Cup champion.

Red Wings broadcaster Ken Kal waiting, hopeful NHL season will “I do know whatever the league comes up with, it will take into account resume what is fair for everyone.”

This has been a difficult Red Wings season, but Kal felt long-term injuries to Anthony Mantha and Danny DeKeyser as well as shorter-term injuries Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 4:20 p.m. ET March 31, 2020 | to several other key players, like Luke Glendening, Filip Hronek, Updated 5:22 p.m. ET March 31, 2020 Jonathan Bernier, make it difficult to properly assess where this roster is at.

“Mantha started out strong, was injured, but if he played a full season, Detroit — The Red Wings would have been in St. Louis on Tuesday, you would see a lot of progress there,” Kal said. “It’s difficult to judge a beginning their final week of scheduled games and beginning the guy like because of the fact of all the injuries (around him). countdown to the offseason. “A guy who really stepped forward was Tyler Bertuzzi. He was able to Ken Kal, the Wings’ radio play-by-play man, would have been there to stay away from injuries on a nightly basis. He was pretty consistent. gather information in the morning, record an interview with coach Jeff Hronek was one of the best defensemen. He showed a lot of promise Blashill and broadcast the game with longtime broadcasting partner Paul playing 25 minutes per game and was asked to do a lot against the other Woods. team’s best players, so there’s promise there. But that way of life was suspended several weeks ago because of the “And Bernier came through with a heck of a season.” coronavirus pandemic. Detroit News LOADED: 04.01.2020 Now, Kal is sitting at home anxious and not knowing when, or if, the hockey season will resume.

“At the end of the season you start planning for the summer, and there are a lot of things I’ve planned like you plan for every year taking place at the proper time (development camp, Entry Draft),” Kal said. “But the problem you have right now is you don’t know (when they’ll take place). You’re basically in a holding pattern. You don’t know when things will happen.”

Kal is spending time at home with his wife, Darlene, a situation that simply isn’t available much during a typical hockey season.

“You’re getting the opportunity to do things you normally wouldn’t during the course of a season,” Kal said. “We’re playing cards, puzzles, tilled the garden. I’m getting a chance to spend time with my wife during the season. It’s one of the positives.”

Kal was in the final days of his 25th season with Woods broadcasting the Wings. And it’s fair to say Kal and many fans aren’t going to forget this campaign.

Kal was in Washington on March 12 with the Wings, preparing to broadcast that evening’s game, when news broke about this season being paused.

“We went out to dinner the night before and I saw (assistant coach) Dan Bylsma (on the way back) and he mentioned the Utah Jazz player (Rudy Gobert) tested positive for he coronavirus and the NBA had shut their league down,” said Kal, who immediately wondered if the NHL would make a similar move.

“The next morning I was preparing for the game. I heard the league was going to make a statement early in the afternoon, but I just kept doing notes and preparing for the game.

“When the announcement came down at 1 p.m. or 1:15 p.m., there was another announcement (from the team) to pack your bags and get ready for the bus, and we headed back to Detroit.

“It was strange. It’s something that hadn’t happened before. (Usually) you move on to the next city, but here you’re going home and you don’t know when you are going to play again.”

That is the big question — whether this NHL regular season will resume and when.

There has been speculation the NHL would be willing to go until late summer — July or August, or maybe even September — to complete this paused season and the playoffs.

Kal is hopeful the Wings will be able to return and complete their, and the NHL’s, regular season.

“I would love to play the last 11 games and complete the season, I really would,” said Kal, who wouldn’t mind seeing games in July or August. “You play an 82-game season. I would like to see it completed. 1173100 Detroit Red Wings of playing on some bad teams in Detroit and Buffalo and appeared in only 10 more playoff games before retiring in 1977.

7. Gerard Gallant Greatest Red Wings who never won a Stanley Cup in Detroit An abrasive winger with a combination of scoring ability and toughness, he spent nine seasons in Detroit, much of it on Steve Yzerman’s line, and posted four consecutive seasons with 34 or more goals. He was traded By Ansar Khan to Tampa Bay in 1993 and appeared in only 52 more NHL games. The 2018 Jack Adams Award winner as the best coach after guiding

expansion Vegas to the Cup Final, Gallant will be one of the most Numerous Hall of Famers and great players have hoisted the Stanley sought-after coaches on the market in the off-season after being fired in Cup for the Detroit Red Wings, whose 11 championships rank behind January. only Montreal (24) and Toronto (13). 8. Gary Bergman But many notable Red Wings never won a title in Detroit. Most of them A strong defensive defenseman for 10 seasons in Detroit (1964-74), played for the Red Wings during a 42-year championship drought Bergman also contributed some offense. Bergman was tangled up with sandwiched between two eras of dominance – four Cups between 1950 Montreal’s Henri Richard when Richard scored the controversial Stanley and 1955 and four more from 1997 to 2008. Cup-winning overtime goal in Game 6 in 1966. The Red Wings Some of these players are in the , some are among maintained Richard pushed the puck in the net with his glove. Bergman, the most popular in franchise history, some won the Stanley Cup with who died in 2000, also played for Team Canada in the 1972 Summit other teams. Series against the Soviet Union.

This week, MLive is ranking the best players for the Tigers, Red Wings, 9. Reed Larson Pistons and Lions to never win a title during their time in Detroit. Friday, An offensive defenseman who played his first 10 seasons in Detroit, we will rank the top 10 from all four sports combined. Larson ranks behind only Nicklas Lidstrom on the franchise list for most Here is a look at the 20 most notable Red Wings who never won a Cup in goals (188) and points (570) for a defenseman. He recorded five Detroit. consecutive 20-goal seasons in the early 1980s, posted a minus-139 rating and played on many bad teams, appearing in only 14 playoff This includes only players who played multiple seasons with the Red games with Detroit. Wings, so the likes of , Mike Modano, Darryl Sittler and Borje Salming weren’t listed. Their ranking is weighted heavily toward 10. Adam Oates their accomplishments in Detroit. A college free agent (RPI) who showed enticing skills his first four 1. Norm Ullman seasons in Detroit before being shipped to St. Louis (along with Paul MacLean) in one of the worst trades in franchise history (for Bernie He scored 20 or more goals 16 times during his Hall-of-Fame career. He Federko and Tony McKegney). Oates immediately became one of the joined the Red Wings one year after they won the Cup in 1955 and was game’s premier playmakers and ranks eighth all-time in assists (1,079). traded to Toronto one year after the Maple Leafs won their most recent He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012. Cup in 1967. 11. Mickey Redmond 2. The Red Wings’ long-time TV analyst scored 52 and 51 goals in 1972-73 After four strong seasons in Detroit, he was traded to Los Angeles, where and 1973-74, becoming only the third NHL player to record back-to-back he signed the richest deal in the NHL at the time ($300,000 a season) 50-goal seasons at the time. He was forced to retire two years later at and remained one of the game’s best offensive players for many years. age 28 due to a back injury. Redmond won Stanley Cups with Montreal He ranks fifth all-time in goals (731) and sixth in points (1,771). His teams in 1968 and ’69 before being dealt to Detroit in 1971. won only three playoff series and never advanced past the second round. 12. Nick Libett 3. Paul Coffey A two-way winger who had the misfortune of playing on many bad teams The second highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history won his third and during his 12-year career in Detroit from 1967-1979, appearing in only 11 final Norris Trophy as a Red Wing in 1995. He won two Cups with postseason games. Libett scored 20 or more goals six times and didn’t Edmonton and one with Pittsburgh but was traded near the start of the miss a game for four consecutive seasons. 1996-97 season to Hartford along with Keith Primeau for in a deal that helped the Red Wings end their championship 13. Bob Probert drought. One of the game’s greatest fighters of all-time, his nine-year career in 4. Dino Ciccarelli Detroit was hampered by substance abuse issues and off-ice problems. He was an All-Star in 1987-88 and spent his final seven seasons in Hall of Famer who ranks 19th all-time in goals scored (608) – only Marcel Chicago. Probert died in 2010 from a heart attack at age 45. Dionne and Jarome Iginla have scored more goals without winning a Cup. Ciccarelli played four seasons with the Red Wings and, after his 14. John Ogrodnick final game with Detroit, famously said of Claude Lemieux in the 1996 A high-scoring winger who spent his first eight seasons in Detroit, where Western Conference finals: “I can’t believe I shook his freaking hand.” he returned to finish his career in 1992-93, Ogrodnick tallied 55 goals Detroit Red Wings vs. Dallas Stars - October 6, 2019 and 105 points in 1984-85. He was traded less than two years later to in a six-player deal that brought Brent Ashton to the Red Wings. 5. Jimmy Howard 15. Bill Gadsby He has struggled mightily this season, but Howard has been a workhorse since assuming the starting job from Chris Osgood in 2009. Howard’s He played the final 323 games of a Hall-of-Fame career that spanned 21 543 games rank third in franchise history, two behind Osgood. A three- seasons and 1,248 games in Detroit and retired in 1966 without a Cup, time All-Star, Howard also ranks third on the club in wins (246), behind after the Red Wings’ overtime loss in Game 6 of the Final against (350) and Osgood (317). Montreal. He was the all-time leading scorer among defensemen with 568 points when he retired. 6. Roger Crozier 16. Dean Prentice Crozier was the fourth and still the most recent Red Wing to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1965. The next season, he A 10-time 20-goal scorer whose career spanned 22 seasons and 1,378 became the first goaltender and first player on the losing team to win the games, he played four seasons in Detroit (1965-69). He finished his Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP when the Red Wings lost in six hockey career in 1976-77 at age 44 with the Traverse City Bays of the games to the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final. He had the misfortune then-professional USHL. 17. Curtis Joseph

CuJo ranks seventh all-time in wins (454) and sixth in games (943); only has more games and wins among goalies without a Cup. He hasn’t yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame, which has been a topic for debate. The Red Wings signed Joseph to a three-year, $24 million contract shortly after winning the Cup in 2002, after Dominik Hasek retired. After one mediocre season, the club attempted to trade Joseph when Hasek expressed his intention to return. Unable to move Joseph, he, Hasek and Manny Legace were on the 2003-04 team, though Joseph was injured early in the season and Hasek was idled midway through the season with a groin injury.

18. Mark Howe

A Hall-of-Fame defenseman who played the final three years of his career in Detroit (1992-1995) after 10 seasons in Philadelphia, where he reached the Cup Final twice. He began his pro career as a high-scoring left wing with the World Hockey Association’s Houston Aeros, playing with legendary father Gordie and older brother Marty. They won the Avco Cup in 1974 and ’75.

19. Rogie Vachon

A three-time Cup winner for the Canadiens, a top-notch goalie for many years with the Kings and the hero in the 1976 Canada Cup, Vachon couldn’t improve a lousy Red Wings team when they signed him as a free agent in 1978 at age 33. He played two nondescript seasons in Detroit.

20. Brad Park

This seven-time All-Star and Hall-of-Fame defenseman spent his final two seasons in Detroit. He had the misfortune of playing in the Bobby Orr-era, finishing second to Orr six times in Norris Trophy voting while playing for the Rangers and seven times overall after being dealt to the Bruins.

Michigan Live LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173101 Edmonton Oilers and react for the first time. We’ll have to restart to get all of that going,” said Tippett.

“You need rhythm in a lineup, and your always trying to find that Oilers head coach Dave Tippett finding sun, but no fun amid COVID-19 chemistry through it. We had the new guys, we had (James) Neal come lockdown back from a long-term injury. I liked the depth we had. I would have liked to have that last 11 games to evaluate that. That’s the disappointing part.

It’ll be a level playing field if the NHL gets at least some playoffs. Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal “There will be adequate time to get fitness levels up and get back skating for players but it’ll be a little bit like the start of a season, where you’ve got to get up and going pretty quick. You’re not going to have a 28-day Weathering the COVID-19 storm, Edmonton Oilers coach Dave Tippett training camp,” said Tippett. retreated to his home in Arizona, wishing he had line combinations to figure out, wishing he could have game-planned to stop Max Pacioretty “I’ve looked back at some of my notes from the lockout year (2012-13) and the Vegas Golden Knights, who would have been at Rogers Place when I was in Arizona and we started in (January), a short training camp, Tuesday night. what it looked like, what we did. Now it’s a little different scenario; it’s not as if it’s a new season. I look at our team and driven by our core players, The sudden halt to the NHL season left the Oilers with a lot of what ifs. I think we could get up and running pretty quickly. The rest might have Like about planning for the playoffs. Who knows, maybe Tuesday’s game done them some good,” said Tippett. “The guys who have to get back might have been a battle for top seed in the Pacific Division? and sharp again are our two goal-tenders.” “You get to those (late regular-season) games where the intensity level is Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.01.2020 there, the pressure to win is there and those are all things you put in that memory bank,” said Tippett on a video conference call. “Then you get to a playoff series, and you have one opponent. You’ve got to make adjustments — not just in-game but game-to-game, find ways to win. You have ways of finding advantages over a team when you’re playing them night after night. Those things are different from your regular NHL schedule.”

Right now, we have neither regular-season nor post-season.

“I’ve had contact with the players but just on conditioning levels, lots of texts back and forth,” said Tippett, wearing a golf shirt for the video and, most likely shorts instead of a parka and toque like here. “There’s a little bit of frustration on the players’ part because they just want to play. But they all understand the gravity of what’s happening in the world right now and understand that patience is of the essence. They just hope at some point we get back and get to continue what we started here this year.”

The Oilers have been one of the NHL surprises with the best power play in the league and the second best penalty-kill with Tippett applauding the work of Jim Playfair with the penalty kill and Glen Gulutzan with the power play.

“Our special teams have won us a lot of games this season,” said Tippett, whose specialteams percentage was 113.9, with Boston next at 109.4, in a league where 100 per cent when you add up power-play and penalty-kill success is deemed good.

Tippett also has the NHL’s leading scorer in Leon Draisaitl and No. 2 Connor McDavid, which makes life easier. He says he’s not surprised by how good the Oilers currently are. But all coaches are optimistic, it’s part of their DNA.

“I think Ken (Holland, general manager) put it best when he said, ‘We want to be playing meaningful games in March.’ And we’ve got ourselves in that position,” said Tippett. “It’s hard when you’re coming into a new situation because you don’t know the players as well as you would if you’d been there before, but my expectations were high coming in. When you have players like McDavid, Draisaitl, (Oscar) Klefbom, Nuge (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins), you’ve got good, core players and you should be able to find a way to earn a playoff spot.

“The last little bit there before we finished, we were trying to find that rhythm in our lineup with adding those new players to make us a deeper group and make us a real, real competitive group. I think we were trending the right way.”

What about those new faces: Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Ennis and Mike Green who came in at the trade deadline? Green hurt his knee early on, but the other two were trying to assimilate, with Ennis getting three points and Athanasiou two in their eight Oilers games. Ennis had shown more offensive flashes.

“We only had a short look at Green but he’s a veteran in the league and we had an idea what he can do,” said Tippett, who said Green has pretty much healed from spraining his knee against Vegas on Feb. 26.

“With Double A, when a young player changes organizations, his first move, the adjustment period is longer. Ennis jumped in right away, he’s been on a couple of teams and he’s a veteran who knows how to read 1173102 Edmonton Oilers development league of the NHL. I want to see us grow it and continue on in the path and see if there are some new things that we can tackle to make it even better.

Q&A: Scott Howson on new AHL job, Oilers’ unsung prospect and Are there a couple of things you feel you can do to grow, stabilize or development updates improve the league specifically?

I don’t want to get into specifics now until I get in and see what’s going on. One of the things that’s a bit of a hot-button issue right now is the By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Mar 31, 2020 uneven number of games that the teams play. The Pacific Division (which includes Oilers’ affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors) plays 68 and

everyone else plays 76. That’s something that I want to look at. I certainly Sometimes best-laid plans just aren’t meant to be. know why it happened. It was a negotiation and it was very important to the Pacific Division teams. I’d just like to get in and talk to everybody and As the Oilers’ director of player development, Scott Howson should have see if there’s a way, at some point, we can find a compromise and get been spending March up on the team’s top prospects or pro everybody playing the same number of games. That would be in the best scouting during a crucial part of the season. interest of the league.

The COVID-19 pandemic initially limited that and then prevented it from It’s an odd look. But it’s something that was very important to the teams happening entirely. Most hockey leagues around the world screeched to at the time. a halt, leaving Howson confined to his Columbus home. After some lean years here in Edmonton, the Oilers look like a team on Not that he’s struggling with things to keep him occupied. the rise. Why make the career switch now?

“I’ve got lots going on,” Howson said. “I’m taking on a new job in a month. This is when the job became available. The irony of all this is I replaced I’ve got a stack of materials to read. The Oilers are keeping us busy, too. Dave (before). He was running Cape Breton and he left to become (AHL) president and Glen Sather hired me to go run Cape Breton out of a law “It’s been a nice, relaxed pace.” firm in Toronto. I’m friends with Dave; I’ve got a good relationship with However, because of the coronavirus crisis, Howson’s in-arena days with him. He had talked for a while about (retiring) – probably over the last the Oilers have come to a bizarre end. three or four years. It just wasn’t the right time for him to leave. He announced it last May at the AHL spring meeting that this upcoming As he mentioned, he’ll soon be moving on. His hiring as AHL president season was going to be his last year. That’s when I started thinking more and CEO was announced in February but doesn’t officially take effect seriously about it. They sent out an email inviting applications, and I until May 1. applied in October.

The transition period began on Monday from afar as he received tutelage I’ve really enjoyed working for Kenny. I think the team’s going in the right from his soon-to-be longtime predecessor Dave Andrews. direction now and it’s going to be an exciting time for the Oilers. And I’m The initial idea was for Howson to finish off his work with the Oilers in going to do something else after the lean years. (Laughs.) There’s a mid-April. Next on the agenda was supposed to be a trip to Chicago or slight bit of regret there, but I’m really looking forward to this new New York with his wife and maybe visit Springfield, Mass., where AHL is challenge. It’s exciting. It’s a great job. headquartered and where they’ll move. You’ve been with the Oilers for 20 years (over two stints) and with an “That’s all been put on hold,” he said. “I’ve been to Springfield lots. I NHL team for even longer. What will you miss about working in hockey played there for two years. But I haven’t gone to get the lay of the land in operations? terms of where I’m going to live.” I’ll miss working to try to achieve that one goal of winning. It’s a really Clearly, plans are fluid right now – other than the pending career change, great feeling when you go to bed at night and your team’s won. You feel of course. good about your team. You sleep better. The food tastes better. Just being in that collective group and relying on each other and trying to With Howson close to moving on, The Athletic caught up with him to make the team a winning team. discuss the AHL and some of the players he’s kept close tabs on this season – and in past years – for the Oilers. We’re finally heading in that direction in Edmonton. It’s no secret the main parts are there with Leon (Draisaitl) and Connor (McDavid). That’s Ken Holland was on our podcast (The Oil Can) a few weeks ago and a big part of it. To get those players and to be able to build around those made it sound like this AHL job had been in the works for a while. What players is something special. intrigued you about the position? I’m sure you won’t miss the travel though, will you? I grew up in the AHL as a hockey professional. I played there, first of all. When I first entered hockey, my first job was general manager of the I talked to Dave about the travel and he said, “You won’t travel as much.” Oilers’ affiliate in Cape Breton. Then we moved it to Hamilton. Even (Laughs.) I don’t mind travelling. I’ve always considered it as a necessary when I moved up to the Oilers and was assistant GM with Kevin Lowe part of the job. I don’t hate it. I don’t love it. I put up with it. Living where (as GM), I was responsible for the AHL team. I’m living – and I don’t do a lot of European scouting – most of my trips are a week or under. You’re in and out and back home. My travelling I’m attached to the AHL. I love the sport. I just thought this would be a hasn’t been too onerous. Living in Columbus since I took this job – the good job. I know it’s a good job. It’s going to be a big challenge for me. development job – three years ago, it’s been an advantage because It’s not something that I’ve done in my time in hockey. It’s going to be most of our players have been east or in Europe. The travel would’ve different, but I thought I’d throw my name in the hat and see where it been a lot harder had I been west. went. You said you don’t mind the travel, but do you have any decent or horror You said it’ll be a “big challenge.” What do you think will be the biggest stories from the road? challenge? I’ve been lucky horror story-wise. We travel in the winter, so you’re I’ve got to get familiar with how it works. That’s what I’m really looking always subject to the odd delay. There have been a couple of times forward to. You can look at any job from the outside, but until you’re where I’ve been caught in Chicago. Chicago’s only an hour flight to inside the walls you don’t really know what goes on. I’ve got a lot to learn. Columbus, but the weather there can come in pretty quickly. I’ve been That learning is going to take place over the next six to nine months. I’m caught there, waiting around in an airport all day, hoping to get the one going to make sure I visit every team and get to know the people that are flights that’s going to leave. They keep getting cancelled and cancelled running the teams and get to know the office. We’ve got a staff of 16 and cancelled and you’ve gotta scramble to get a hotel room. But in there. There’s a lot to take on initially. terms of horror stories, I’ve been pretty lucky. I haven’t had any near- accidents or any scary moments on the plane where you think The league’s got a great place in hockey. Dave’s run it for the last 26 something’s going to happen. years. It’s grown to a fantastic place. It’s got a great reputation. It’s got a lot of prestige. It’s an important stakeholder in the game of hockey as the Switching gears to players you’ve watched this year. The Oilers just There are a couple of players in Filip Berglund and Markus Niemelainen signed 2019 second-rounder Raphael Lavoie. What did you make of his that you need to get signed soon. I know Berglund just signed a new development this season? contract in Sweden. What is your recommendation about signing those players by June 1 – or whatever the cut-off ends up being? The biggest piece of his development was making the world junior team. He wasn’t a lock to make it. I saw him play the two Russian select games Yeah – whatever the cut-off ends up being. (Chuckles.) We’re going to against the Quebec league and I saw him play the two games against the try to sign them both. university all-star team in Toronto in their training camp. I thought he deserved to make the team based on what I saw in those games. Niemelainen’s trajectory was really strange. He was a third-round pick and then he had a really good initial training camp right after his draft. He He started at the bottom of the lineup and, although he didn’t get the real even played an exhibition game, I think. I remember talking to (former offensive role, he became a player that played regularly and contributed. GM) Peter (Chiarelli) and Peter said he was outstanding at camp. And He found a way to contribute outside of his normal comfort zone, which is then he kinda went on this downward spiral. He spent a year in Saginaw the power play and scoring goals. That was a really big piece of his (OHL). That didn’t go very well. He went back to Finland and struggled development. He’s a one-shot scorer with a terrific shot. He’s going to there for a year or two. Last year, he took off. He played for a team, HPK, have to get a little bit stronger and become a better skater. He’s a man and they ended up winning the championship. He played a pretty big role already, so that’s good. The core strength and the power are going to on their team. Then he changed teams and went to Assat Porin this year have to come. We’ve got a real legitimate prospect there. and had a really good year again. He’s a defending defenceman. He’s not going to put up points. He’s got great size and he’s a great skater. As You mentioned the core strength and the power. Are those the areas that I said to Kenny, there are lots of guys just like him playing in the NHL you need to see him focus on this summer – presuming that he’s going to right now that aren’t great with the puck, but they’re big, and they move make the jump to Bakersfield? and they get in the way. They’re valuable guys.

Yeah. We sent (skating coach) David Pelletier in to work with him on two Berglund just kept getting better every year. This was his fourth year in occasions, once in Halifax and once in Chicoutimi because he got traded the SHL. He kept getting a bigger role each year. This year was his best to Chicoutimi (during the season). Those are the things we’d like to see year yet. him work on. Berglund’s new contract doesn’t preclude that signing with the Oilers or How would you categorize Philip Broberg’s season in his first year after prevent him from coming to play in Bakersfield next year, does it? the draft? No. It wouldn’t prevent it. Usually, you have these agreements with these I know there’s been a lot of talk about his numbers and maybe a little federations. Usually, the NHL’s contract trumps it. That’s not to say we disappointment about his ice time. I thought he had a really good year, won’t leave him over there. We may end up leaving him over there for especially playing with men as an 18-year-old. After my first trip to another year. Those things are all possible. The fact that he’s signed Sweden, I came back and I told Kenny, “He’s not overwhelmed, but he’s doesn’t preclude us from signing him. challenged.” It was a really good place for him. He averaged just over 13 minutes a night. He had power-play time at the beginning, but that kinda One guy who really jumped out to me was Aapeli Rasanen at Boston dried up for him. Skelleftea was a good team. College and the production he put up in comparison with previous years. (He had 24 points in 34 games after recording seven points last season I thought he held his own and grew as a player. I saw him play three or and 16 the year before.) How would you explain that? four games and I was really pleased with his development. I saw the piece at The Athletic (from Allan Mitchell) comparing his even-strength The strangest thing happened. He moved to the wing – and then he took numbers to (Coyotes pick Victor) Soderstrom and even (Oscar) Klefbom right off. He got on a line with, I think, Alex Newhook and Jack McBain, and (Senators prospect Erik) Brannstrom. I thought that was pretty fair. who are picks of Colorado and Minnesota. I’ve never seen him play wing. His even-strength numbers are comparable. Klefbom stayed over for a The line took right off. At one point, I think he was third on the team in second year, too. I think that’s the plan – that he’s going to stay over next scoring. He tailed off at the end. year. It’s not written in stone, but I think that’s Kenny’s preference right now. I have no doubt his role will grow. He’ll jump from 13 to 16 or 17 His skating needs to improve. Playing wing took some responsibility minutes a night. It’ll be a good place for him. The other option is away from him in terms of having to cover all the ice. That helped out his Bakersfield, so I wouldn’t rule that out. game.

I went and saw Philip play at the end of February. I talked to Philip and An intriguing guy you drafted in the third round last year was goalie Ilya said, “You need to start thinking about where you want to play next year. Konovalov. He started the year in the KHL with Craig MacTavish, who We’re starting to think about where the best place is for you.” The one didn’t last very long. How would you describe Konovalov’s season? thing he said he’d like to come to training camp. He wants to come in and This was a growing year for him. I did go over and see him play. I saw get the feel for the NHL players and an NHL camp. That would be a good him play twice. Last year, he came out of nowhere. He grew up in the growing experience for him, too. Yaroslavl system. He was a young kid and took the No. 1 job. This year Assuming he does stay in Sweden for another year, it would give him a became a little tougher for him. He had to persevere through this year chance to grow in that league. Do you sense there’s been a change in and grow and get used to handling being the No. 1 guy and doing it every philosophy in terms of letting guys play where they’re most comfortable? night. You’re not playing with house money anymore. There are bigger expectations on you. Yeah. I think it’s the right thing. Philip was ready to come over and play junior last year. It wasn’t like he was saying he didn’t want anything to do He didn’t have a terrible year, but he wasn’t as good as he was last year. with it. He would have done it. His preference was to stay there. It was a I like him as a prospect. His work habits are outstanding. He’s on the good move in retrospect because he did play. He wasn’t a player who smaller side for a goalie. I would tell you he’s six feet (tall). But he’s big, was sat out or anything. He played every night. Maybe he didn’t play as strong and thick. I think the trajectory for him will be that he’ll play over much as we wanted, but he played a lot – and against men. I know there for another year and then we’ll try and big him over. Kenny feels the same way, but I’ve always said this: If a player’s not Are there any other prospects that jumped out at you this season? mentally ready to play and come over, it’s not going to work. He’s going to wake up one morning in a place he doesn’t wanna be in and his mind’s The guy that you need to keep your eye on is (defenceman Michael) not going to totally be in it. Kesselring at Northeastern. The stats don’t show it. (Two goals and five points in 35 games.) We’re fully supportive of keeping players over there if that’s where they want to be and they’re not ready to play over here at this time. We’ve got He was in the USHL last year. He had a not a terrible start, but not a to be patient with him. He’s at least a year away, probably two, from great start with Des Moines and then he got traded to Fargo and he took being an NHL player. And that’s OK. off. Northeastern’s a good program. I was hoping he was going to get a spot regularly and play there as a freshman. He was playing against the He’s a beautiful skater. He just eats up the ice. He’s so fluid. And he’s not top players. He was killing penalties. He’s got skill. He’s 6-5. He passes strong yet. He’s going to put on another 15 or 20 pounds by the time he the puck well. He’s got good hockey sense. He’s a legitimate guy for us. becomes a man. That’s the exciting part for us. He doesn’t get a lot of recognition because the numbers haven’t come.

How’s his skating for a big man? His skating needs to come, but it’s not flawed. It’s just strength. He’ll be a fine skater once he gets his strength. He’s kinda gangly. Those guys take a little time to grow into their bodies and get the man strength. His skating’s going to be fine. It’s not going to be an issue at all.

So, you see and talk to all these prospects. I’m curious; what advice have you given them for how to train and what to do right now (because of physical distancing protocols)?

It hasn’t really started yet. First of all, I just checked in with them all to make sure they’re all safe, that they’re all healthy and where they are. Phil Kemp is still at school right now (Yale University). They’re all doing online classes, so they could be anywhere. But Phil says he’s still at school because he didn’t want to go back to the house because his brother just got back from California and he wasn’t sure if he was a carrier of the virus. He stayed away. But most of them are in their homes. I told them to do what they can do now.

We usually want them to take two or three weeks off after the season anyway. Raphael (Lavoie), we were making plans for him to get to Edmonton and train in Edmonton for a few weeks before development camp and a couple of weeks in the summer. Obviously, that’s all put on hold. We’re going to have to develop some plans. Most of them are pretty resourceful. They’ll figure out a way to do it. It’s hard right now. Even the NHL players are having a hard time because there are no gyms available and they can’t go anywhere. It’ll be something we’ll really have to delve into as we get further along.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173103 Edmonton Oilers Here we see the results of the shooting percentage spike, the power play total is supernova. There’s an equally eye-popping number in the goalie table (look for Cam Talbot in 2016-17) but offensively the man advantage total in 2019-20 towers over these five seasons. Lowetide: Revisiting projections and identifying Oilers’ performance spikes Edmonton has enjoyed strong power play performances during the McDavid years but nothing like this season.

The Oilers scored 59 goals on the power play in 2019-20, the top total in By Allan Mitchell Mar 31, 2020 the NHL. Shock and awe.

Goals against

In early September I projected the Oilers’ 2019-20 season, using shots 2015-16: 242 (2.95 goals per game) and goals in each game state to surround and then monitor impact. As the regular season appears complete, now is a good time to look back 2016-17: 207 (2.52 goals per game) and see how close my projections landed. Spoiler: It was a very good 2017-18: 262 (3.20 goals per game) year. 2018-19: 271 (3.30 goals per game) Oilers goals-for projection, 2019-20: 239 (2.91 goals per game) 2019-20: 215 (3.03 goals per game) Oilers actual goals-for, 2019-20: 223 (3.14 goals per game) The five years on display here show exactly one outstanding season in Edmonton was on a trajectory to score 257 goals, the highest total for the goals against, and that was the year Talbot blocked out the sun. In 2019- team since 1993-94. We’ll have a closer look at when the goals were 20, the Oilers improved season over season, they were on a trajectory scored in a minute, but those goals per game totals haven’t appeared in for 248 goals against (and a 23-goal improvement). That’s a significant Edmonton for decades. total, although the goal scoring was slightly higher due to power play Oilers goals-against projection, 2019-20: 250 (3.05 goals-against per success. game) As is the case with the shots-for total, we see a team basically running in Oilers actual goals-against, 2019-20: 215 (3.03 goals-against per game) place year over year. There’s no real indication here of the 2019-20 team being far more successful than the previous two seasons based on the The predicted goals against from September is a direct hit when factoring shots that landed on Edmonton’s net. Now for the goals against. in games played (71). That total represents some year over year improvement (more in a minute) and should be given a great deal of The Oilers’ goals against has been consistent over the last three years at attention when breaking down the season. even strength, but the penalty killing improved in a big way this season. Edmonton’s improved record can be credited to better goal suppression, Oilers projected goal differential, 2019-20: 239-250 (-11 GD) specifically on the penalty kill. Where to place that credit may take all spring and summer to suss out. Oilers actual goal differential, 2019-20: 223-215 (+8 GD) Goal differentials It’s important to note I projected marked improvement in my estimates, and this Oilers club passed that projected and delivered a tremendous 2015-16: 199-242 (-43) comeback season compared to 2018-19. 2016-17: 243-207 (+36) I submit the projection in September and mostly got it right but didn’t predict special teams excellence and the emergence of talent from the 2017-18: 229-262 (-33) system. 2018-19: 229-271 (-42) Now the actual year over year numbers. Stand back. 2019-20: 223-215 (+8) Scoring numbers The Oilers are in the black in goal differential for just the second time 2015-16: 199 (2.43 goals per game) during the five seasons of McDavid’s career. It reflects poorly on the franchise but the past is gone and this season might be something to 2016-17: 243 (2.96 goals per game) build on. Overall, the numbers are encouraging.

2017-18: 229 (2.79 goals per game) My predictions (-11 goal differential) were exceeded by this year’s Oilers, and then some. It was a substantial improvement. 2018-19: 229 (2.79 goals per game) Specific player projections 2019-20: 223 (3.14 goals per game) It’s always fun to go back and see how close (or far) the projections It’s a large increase (it would have been around 30 goals over 82 games) landed from home plate with individual players. and the goals-for spike was the most important factor in Edmonton’s increased success. The team’s ability to overcome deficits and to Leon Draisaitl: Projected (82 games, 38-55-93 1.13 points per game); increase one-goal leads is a luxury not seen in Edmonton for years but Actual 71 games, 43-67-110 1.55 the firepower appeared often in 2019-20. Connor McDavid: Projected (78 games, 48-68-116 1.49 points per This is a five-year table showing shots for by discipline. We already know game); Actual 64 games, 34-63-97 1.52 the team scored more goals, so the stagnant shot totals (up only slightly from a year ago) indicate increased shooting percentage. Shot volume Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Projected (72 games, 20-32-52 0.72 points per increase is a worthy goal, shooting percentages tend to fluctuate wildly game); Actual: 65 games, 22-39-61 0.94 season over season. Zack Kassian: Projected (79 games, 10-10-20 0.25 points per game); 59 Edmonton’s shooting percentage (in all disciplines) in 2018-19 was 9.57, games, 15-19-34 0.58 good for No. 14 overall. This season, Edmonton’s shooting percentage Oscar Klefbom: Projected (70 games, 10-25-35 0.50 points per game); jumped to 10.62, the No. 4 total in the NHL. Actual: 62 games, 5-29-34 0.55 The Oilers had more skill than a year ago — two scoring lines beginning Darnell Nurse: Projected (76 games, 5-16-21 0.28 points per game); in January — and it had a major impact on the season. Actual 71 games, 5-28-33 0.46 Edmonton’s power play shooting percentage in 2018-19 was 14.92 and Mikko Koskinen: Projected (50 games, 2.71 GAA, .912 SV%); Actual 38 improved to a stunning 20.27 (No. 1 in the league) this season. This is games, 2.75 .917 SV% the sentence you circle in this piece. Draisaitl made everyone (including me) look silly, but the McDavid and Klefbom estimates were solid to excellent. On the other hand, I predicted Ethan Bear would play in 18 games and Kailer Yamamoto just three.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173104 Los Angeles Kings

ONTARIO REIGN “COMMUNITY ALL-STAR” INITIATIVE TO HONOR LOCAL COMMUNITY

ZACH DOOLEY MARCH 31, 2020

A fantastic initiative – The Ontario Reign are looking to recognize those going above and beyond in the Inland Empire community through the “Community All-Star” program, which was announced by the team earlier today.

Fans are asked to submit people in their lives who are doing their part to help fight COVID-19. Whether it be health-care workers, people in law enforcement, grocery-store or food service employees, or anyone else continuing to help out the community during these times, the Reign are looking to recognize you for your service.

To nominate someone you know who fits the bill, visit ontarioreign.com/nominate.

Full Release –

ONTARIO, CA – The Ontario Reign, proud AHL affiliate of the LA Kings, have launched the “Community All-Star” initiative, designed to honor members of the local, Inland Empire community who are working to combat COVID-19.

The Reign are asking for submissions of members of the local community who are aiding in the fight against COVID-19. This can include health-care workers, grocery store employees, those in law enforcement or anyone who has gone above and beyond to do their part. All winners will be invited out to the newly established “Local Heroes Night” during the 2020-21 AHL season.

Anyone interested in nominating someone to be honored should visit ontarioreign.com/nominate. Nominees who are selected will be honored on social media and at Local Heroes Night next season.

For the latest information on the suspended 2019-20 season, visit ontarioreign.com.

Stay safe, Insiders.

LA Times: LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173105 Los Angeles Kings The Blood Donor Center at @ChildrensLA is looking for healthy, eligible individuals to donate blood or platelets. Donors will receive a voucher for two free tickets to a future @LAKings game.@LAKingsCare | @BaileyLAKings pic.twitter.com/adnqxkfcB2 MCLELLAN ARTICULATES COMMUNITY EFFORTS, POOH-POOHS THEORIZED LOTTERY TOURNEY — AEG (@AEGworldwide) March 26, 2020

McLellan, on where the needle was pointing when play halted:

JON ROSEN MARCH 31, 2020 Well, at that point, it was definitely past the midway point. It was pointing in the right direction. The tank was as full as it’s been all year. Players were doing things the right way, we were coming together as a team, we were structurally much more efficient and less error-prone than we were These are testing times across the globe, and in our family and in the past, which is everything that we could ask of from a relatively new community networks and our Southland hockey and friendship circles, group. We had a number of players that left the locker rooms during the we’re all doing what we can to ensure those around us are able to remain trade deadline and a number of new players that stepped in. Based on healthy while reducing the physical, mental and financial strains the plan of turning the team over, injecting some youth, things were going associated with a global pandemic and shelter-in-place order. well for us. But there are ebbs and flows throughout the seasons for Todd McLellan, like so many of us, is making do. The daily schedule is every team. We were certainly in a positive one at that point. It would’ve malleable, one that changes with the minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour and been interesting to see if we could’ve maintained it or if we would’ve day-by-day direction of boldface headlines. Hockey-wise, it’s not easy to begun to stray from structure, to stray from the commitment to doing implement structure in a state of suspended animation where there is no things right. Often with success that begins to happen, especially with end date in site. He and the coaching staff, however, have been able to young teams. So, it would’ve been a great teaching or learning vastly add to their video database that will help streamline instruction and opportunity for us to go through should it have arrived. But maybe we’ll video sessions once play resumes – whenever that may – though much find that out in the next month or two if we can get back up playing again. of the time is spent holed up in the South Bay just like many others McLellan, on how he’s spoken with players “like Kopitar and Brown” to across the L.A. Kings organization. There’s a lot of family time, and as it convey “being with the program, being leaders,” and how they’ve dealt is for all of us, a lot of unknown. with that: “I continue to get up early in the morning, get through all the news and Good question. Well, it just began – we’re talking about it about it here in coffee and the usual stuff that most people do, and then I’ll go turn on my the pause in our season in March, but this began almost a year ago computer and I’ll do a little bit of hockey work, but I’m not sure where to when I was hired. They – being Doughty and Brown and Carter and go with it,” he said. “Am I in season-ending mode where I’ve got to create Kopitar – some of the elder statesmen on the team that have been some type of review video and sort out year-end meetings with players, through a good, long, healthy career were the first players that I made or am I planning for a mini-training camp, should we get back to playing? contact with, and I wanted them, first of all, to feel comfortable with How many games, [what] type of scheduling to I have to plan for, so myself. Secondly, I wanted to expose our plan not only structurally within there’s a lot of variables that are unknown. I’ll write something on a piece the organization, but also a coaching plan for them, and get them to of paper, and the next day I’ll flip the page over and I’ll write the exact understand that I value their experience. Moving forward they’re going to opposite. So, the unknown is difficult.” be very important pieces. But also, getting them to understand that we’re Speaking on a conference call with Los Angeles and national hockey beginning to run a new marathon. I think I used that word often and early media, McLellan spent nearly an hour discussing his regimen in these with the media and the players, and marathons are not easy to run. The uncertain times while also throwing some cold water on the proposal that players I mentioned early have run one or two, and they got to the finish the first-overall draft pick could be awarded to the team that wins a line, that culminating with Stanley Cups. But we’re truly at the starting line tournament among non-playoff teams. again, and I had to ask those players if they’re prepared to start at Mile 1 again and to run it and to make sure they’re prepared to go through not There’s a ton here, so I’m going to spread this out over another one or only the upper part, the hills, but the valleys that come with it. And each two posts, but let’s start with Todd discussing ways in which Kings fans of them, to an individual, indicated at that time they were prepared may donate blood and platelets to earn tickets to a game next season. In throughout the season – I included with those individuals as part of the addition to that, I also asked him where exactly that needle was pointing leadership group. We met quite often and talked about where we were, when play halted. (“Move the needle” does seem like a while ago, some of the frustrations we might be having, some of the rewards we’re doesn’t it? Sigh.) Lots more to come, Insiders. getting or not getting, but always kept them informed. And then the last thing that we did as a coaching staff to maybe get their attention was Todd McLellan, on what he, his family and the Kings are doing to support really change the way we played. This team, organization has had a ton the community: of success in the past playing a certain style of game. As a staff and an Yeah, there are many things that I know families are doing. The Kings as organization, we thought it might be time to change that a little bit. Get a whole, we’re really trying to support CHLA. Right now, they’re like a lot players excited about something new, and maybe catch up with what the of hospitals where there are some shortages in things that they need to league was doing. So, we chose to do that, and for the most part, they’ve operate on a daily basis, and one of the big things is a need for blood been very patient, they’ve been very cooperative, and they’re players that and platelets. I think there are a lot of individuals in today’s world that are I lean on a lot to lead the way for the younger players. afraid to go out – and we’ve been told not to – but also to approach a McLellan, on his “ideal scenario” to resume play, “provided” league play hospital or a donation center like that, and there are secure, safe areas will resume: for this to happen. There’s a definite need for it at CHLA, and I know the Kings are really pushing hard to try and help them. In fact, I think that You said ‘provided,’ and I think that’s the most important thing right now, we’ve created a website where you can register, donate and earn a is that we take care of everybody and make sure that not only the Kings couple tickets to a future Kings game. So, from a team or from a family is healthy, but our neighborhoods, our cities, communities and that Kings/family organization, that’s what we’re doing. From an individual type of stuff. And I think that part of health is going to be mental health. I perspective, we’re trying to support small businesses here in the South know that my family and I, it’s not necessarily cooped up in the house, Bay as much as we possibly can. We’re also trying to follow all the but we’re around each other a lot more than we normally are. It’s not guidance and guidelines that have bee given to us with social distancing, always easy. It’s rewarding because we get to be around each other, but washing the hands, staying home as much as we possibly can. We’ve it’s not always easy. I think one thing that sport and particularly the Kings tried to support some of the people that help our family – whether it’s the and I’m sure the rest of the NHL will offer people is once we get up and yard crew, a cleaning lady that might come in once every two weeks – running again, there will be a nice reward. There’s been numerous times we’ve tried to keep them on a payroll, I guess, if you want to call it that. I’ve sat down and turned the TV on and wanted to watch a hockey game Those families desperately need help right now. My family, and I know a or a baseball game or something like that, and they’re just not there right lot of the players are doing the same thing, they’re trying to continue to now. So, I think we will provide a sense of mental relief for a lot of support the nannies and the cleaners and the other people that come individuals that are looking for something. When we start up again, I think around to help them out. It’s something that I’m proud that the players our players are going to want to participate in any way, shape or form. have participated in and we’ll do anything we can to help our community. That’s how they’re wired. I think they would be excited about coming back and playing. I don’t have an idea of what the proper league play or playoff format would or will look like. Obviously, the playoff part of it sports starts up again, that will be a good signal to the rest of the world or probably wouldn’t include us based on our record. But if we’re lucky everyday society that things are beginning to normalize. enough and fortunate enough to be involved in some sort of regular season finality, I think that our players would be excited and take McLellan, on the theorized 31-team playoff format and hypothetical advantage of it. tournament for the first overall pick:

McLellan, on his typical day during the league’s pause: Well, I’m going to start with number two, because I think we’re going to fall into that category should the league, and this is just my opinion, I Well, I’m probably like a lot of people, trying to establish a routine now think we’re going to fall into that non-playoff category should the league that I’m home for an extended period. What’s different right now from a start up and only go with a playoff format and that’s basically what we’ve season-ending situation or scenario when you’re at home is you really earned. I can’t justify saying “hey you should include us”, our point totals, don’t know where to turn hockey-wise. But I’m an early riser. I continue to our win-loss column isn’t strong enough to qualify as a playoff team. I’ll get up early in the morning, get through all the news and coffee and the start with that second scenario, I’m not a fan of it one bit. I don’t think that usual stuff that most people do, and then I’ll go turn on my computer and the draft and the draft lottery was ever put in to reward a winner of a I’ll do a little bit of hockey work, but I’m not sure where to go with it. Am I tournament. When you take the teams that don’t make the playoffs, so in season-ending mode where I’ve got to create some type of review Team 17 might miss the playoffs, if that’s the number, may miss the video and sort out year-end meetings with players, or am I planning for a playoffs by one point and you compare them to teams that are at 31, mini-training camp should we get back to playing? How many games, there’s a big discrepancy between 17 and 31. 17 should have a greater [what] type of scheduling to I have to plan for, so there’s a lot of variables chance at winning and they’re less likely to need the first pick overall so that are unknown. I’ll write something on apiece of paper, and the next for me, it’s counter-intuitive to do it that way, it makes no sense, but I’m day I’ll flip the page over and I’ll write the exact opposite. So the unknown only one voter. The 31-team tournament, I could see some validity or is difficult. One of the things that our staff does throughout the season is some thought process to that. Just exactly how is it structured, I don’t we create a video library or a foundation library. I’ve been going through think you would want to get any teams up and running for a three-game a lot of old games from this past season trying to sort things out so I can period and then say “see you later” again. That’s why I think finishing the find good individual clips for each of the players but also team clips that regular season, if everybody’s going to participate, let’s finish the regular we might use if we come back and started camp, or if we don’t, it would season, let’s take care of all the questions that are out there about be used in training camp in the fall again. After that, then it’s family time. compensation for drafts and pretty soon I’m sure we’ll hear about player Everybody’s up, we go for a nice long walk, whether it’s all of us together bonuses and how do they pro rate those, have some of these entry-level or just my wife and I. We’ve been cooking a lot together. My two sons guys reached their bonuses and should they be paid, and then reward and my oldest son’s girlfriend are here living with us right now, so the five the 16 teams that have earned it. I think that’s the way to go, personally. of us will plan dinner. We all cook together, often open a nice bottle of wine. They’re all adults, so we get to enjoy that. There are some LA Times: LOADED: 04.01.2020 advantages to this virus – very few of them – but the one is family time. We’ve sat around and talked and told stories, we’ve played cards, we’ve played board games. Stuff I can guarantee you we wouldn’t have found the time to do as a family. So, there are those advantages, but the sooner everybody can get healthy and we move on with a normal world, the better it is for myself and my family.

McLellan, on his “level of concern” with hockey’s physicality and close quarters amidst the coronavirus pandemic:

Well, our type of sport certainly raises that question. By no means am I an expert with disease control or anything like that. We would certainly continue to rely on the experts for guidance and whatnot, but I believe that some of the best spots I can be right now are in locker rooms. Just the way our training staff and the rest of the Kings family or the Sharks family, Oilers family – everywhere I’ve been – they do such a tremendous job in keeping us in such a safe, healthy, clean environment that I think that’s a good spot for us. As far as being on the ice and making contact, player-to-player, I guess you always run that risk. You certainly wouldn’t be social distancing on the ice by any means, and if we were, the coach wouldn’t be pretty happy because it would be a pretty dull game. So, there is always that risk. Something that was pointed out to me was that we play more in a confined area than many sports where we wouldn’t have any type of fan contact. For example, in basketball, you often see players going into the stands to retrieve a ball or anything or something like that. In our situation, we’re confined by the boards and the glass, which often acts as a shield just from the fans’ perspective to the players’. Other than that, we’ll take all the guidance we can get and rely on it from the professionals that are in a situation to provide it.

McLellan, on the importance of sports to allow people to “relax in these troubled times”:

I think that’s a great point that you just made. We play 82 games a season and hopefully many more in the playoffs to entertain people. What I think the best type of entertainment is, whether it’s a movie or a sport or anything, is you take people out of the real world for two and a half hours. They get engaged in what’s going on in front of them, they forget their problems, they emotionally escape the real world and they emotionally get attached to a sport or a player or the event that’s going on, and I think moving forward right now we miss that. As I said earlier, I can’t turn the TV on and watch the Dodgers on opening night. I was excited about watching that. It would’ve created an escape for me. The fans that are missing the Kings games right now, that two-and-a-half- hour period is soothing. It provides a sense of relief and escape. I think that sports will be a big part of the healing process when this is done, because it will start up again and it will allow people whether they’re at home watching it on TV or listening to it online or on radio or in person, it will allow people to get back to what they consider the norm, and once 1173106 Minnesota Wild “I don’t know if he’d stop talking the entire time,” Parise said. It remains unclear if the NHL season will resume and the Wild will get a

chance to reunite on the ice; the team was only one point out of a playoff With NHL playoffs put on ice, Wild's Zach Parise puts focus on family spot when the league was suspended March 12. Parise was also cruising, racking up nine points in his last seven games and 20 over the Since playoffs put on ice, winger is enjoying time with wife and kids past 24.

And even though he is busy with his children, Parise is still reminded of his teammates — one in particular. By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune MARCH 31, 2020 — 9:21PM When Jaxson, Emelia and their schoolmates were asked who their local

sports hero was, Parise was a popular choice but not a unanimous one. Zach Parise gets up at 5 a.m., rising at the same time as his 2-year-old “They all know that the twins are my kids, so I’d say 90 percent of them son, Theodore. wrote that Zach Parise is their favorite,” Parise said. “Except my By 7 a.m., his other children — twins Jaxson and Emelia — are awake daughter. She wrote Kevin Fiala. That’s how things are going in our and they tackle schoolwork before Jaxson and his dad square off in household right now.” hockey. Emelia hangs out with them, too. Star Tribune LOADED: 04.01.2020 When Theo snoozes in the afternoon, that’s when the Parise family regroups.

“The 2-year-old is a handful right now,” Parise said. “He naps from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and that’s our time to take a deep breath. Other than that, he is full-time and nonstop. He’s all over the place.”

Since the NHL paused its season nearly three weeks ago during the coronavirus pandemic, the Wild winger has focused on his family — a point hammered home during Tuesday’s video conference call with three other players from the Central Division. Jaxson sat in on the chat with Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler, Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog and Dallas’ Jamie Benn.

All four NHLers detailed what their lives have been like during this hiatus, and while the 35-year-old is still working out to prepare for a potential return, Parise’s routine is concentrating on his kids and wife, Alisha.

“Hopefully everyone’s enjoying some time with their family like we are,” he said. “With what we do, we don’t get a ton of time to spend with the kids during the season, so this has been nice. But hopefully everyone’s finding something to do inside and staying healthy.

“Everyone back in New Jersey and New York, I know it’s the hotbed there. Hopefully everyone is hanging in there. I know the country is watching and praying for everybody. Everyone’s hopefully being nice to each other.”

Parise and his family have remained in Minnesota, and everyone’s doing well, he said.

Aside from playing 1-on-1 against Jaxson, Parise ordered a bike to get his heart rate up since he’s “not much of a runner.”

He’s also been watching the Netflix documentary “Tiger King,” and he and Alisha were on track to finish the series Tuesday.

“[Monday] night I think we opened the wine at 5, and I fell asleep watching ‘Tiger King’ at 8:30 on the couch,” Parise said. “…Once [the kids are] finally down at 7, we usually don’t even speak to each other. It’s just silence for a good hour.”

Right after the shutdown, Wild players stayed in touch in a group chat and Parise said the videos sent in by the youngsters amused the veterans. But since some players have left the Twin Cities to return home, the conversation has dwindled.

“As this has gone on, it’s gotten less and less,” said Parise, whose 25 goals through 69 games are the most on the team and marked the 10th time in his career he reached that plateau. “I don’t think anyone has written into it for about a week now. We had some funny stuff going around at first.”

Asked on the video call whom he’d least want to be quarantined with, Parise singled out teammate Jordan Greenway.

“Great guy but lazy and tired all the time and a slob a little bit,” Parise said. “On the airplane, his chair is just gross and [stuff] everywhere. From what I hear, around his apartment, it’s just pizza boxes all over the place.”

Forward Joel Eriksson Ek and goalie Alex Stalock would be his preferences — Eriksson Ek because he’s quiet, easy-going and has a good sense of humor, and Stalock since he’d be entertaining. 1173107 Minnesota Wild 5/8/03 Wild wins Game 7 of Western Conference Semifinal at Vancouver

Mon FOX Sports North to replay classic Wild games 4/27/20

7:00 PM By Sarah McLellan MARCH 31, 2020 — 10:34AM 4/30/14

Minnesota wins Game 7 of 2014 Western Conference Quarterfinal at FOX Sports North will replay memorable Wild games throughout April Colorado in overtime starting Saturday. Thurs Each classic game will feature live commentary on Twitter from FOX Sports North on-air talent. 4/30/20

The games scheduled to be broadcast include the franchise’s first home 7:00 PM game, overtime wins in Games 6 and 7 against Colorado in the first round of the 2003 playoffs and a Game 7 victory over Vancouver later 4/26/15 that spring that sent the Wild to the Western Conference finals. Wild wins Game 6 at home to clinch 2015 Western Conference Here’s the full schedule: Quarterfinal vs. St. Louis

Day Star Tribune LOADED: 04.01.2020

Date

Time

Original Air Date

Match-Up / Description

Sat

4/4/20

7:00 PM

12/17/00

Wild wins first-ever game against the Dallas Stars

Wed

4/8/20

7:00 PM

10/11/00

First-ever Wild home game

Fri

4/17/20

7:00 PM

4/21/03

Minnesota wins Game 6 of 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinal vs. Colorado at home in overtime

Sat

4/18/20

7:00 PM

4/22/03

Wild defeats Colorado in Game 7 of 2003 Western Conference Quarterfinal in overtime

Tues

4/21/20

7:00 PM

3/27/13

Minnesota beats Arizona in overtime for seventh straight win

Fri

4/24/20

7:00 PM 1173108 Minnesota Wild “(Jordan) Greenway. He’s a great guy. Just lazy and tired all the time and a slob a little bit. On the airplane, his chair is just gross and crap everywhere. From what I hear, around his apartment, pizza boxes all over the place.” From quarantine, Wild’s Zach Parise on fatherhood, Kevin Fiala’s rise and … Tiger King What show are you binging on Netflix right now?

“I think we’re starting the last episode of Tiger King tonight. I think we finished six (episodes) last night. I don’t know. I love it. It’s great.” By DANE MIZUTANI | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: March 31, 2020 at 3:51 p.m. | UPDATED: March 31, 2020 at 5:38 p.m. What else have you been doing to pass the time?

“I think we opened the wine at 5 p.m. and I fell asleep watching Tiger King at 8:30 p.m. on the couch. I know what that numbness feels like. Zach Parise stared into the camera on Tuesday afternoon with his son Once (the kids) are finally down at 7 p.m., (my wife and I) usually don’t Jaxson perched on his lap. even speak to each other. Just silence for a good hour.”

It was a microcosm of what everyday life has become for Parise and the What is your message to Wild fans listening out there? rest of his family. “Hopefully everyone’s staying at home. I know here in Minnesota we’ve Since the NHL suspended the 2019-20 season weeks ago, and got that stay in place for the next two weeks. Hopefully everyone’s subsequently instituted a self-quarantine period for players and staff, enjoying some time with their family like we are. With what we do, we Parise has been confined to his home, in Edina, like most Minnesotans. don’t get a ton of time to spend with the kids during the season, so this That self-quarantine period recently was extended to April 15. has been nice. But hopefully, everyone’s finding something to do inside and staying healthy. Everyone back in New Jersey and New York, I know The veteran Wild forward has spent his days at home hanging out with it’s the hotbed there (for the coronavirus). Hopefully, everyone is hanging wife Alisha, helping home school twins Jaxson and Emelia — and trying in there. I know the country is watching and praying for everybody. to keep up with his youngest child Theodore. Everyone’s hopefully being nice to each other.” “Our 2-year-old is a handful right now,” Parise said Tueday with a laugh. Pioneer Press LOADED: 04.01.2020 “He naps from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and that’s our time to take a deep breath.”

It also served as the perfect time for Parise to sit down for a 30-minute video conference call Tuesday.

It was moderated by the NHL via Zoom and featured several other Central Division players: Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars and local boy Blake Wheeler of the Winnipeg Jets.

This is a condensed version of the call; questions have been edited for clarity. You can watch it in its entirety on Zoom.

How has the team been keeping in contact? FaceTime? Zoom? Text?

“The group chat was pretty active right away. But as this has gone on, it’s gotten less and less. I don’t think anyone has written into it for about a week now. We had some funny stuff going around at first. Now it’s like everyone left and everyone took off and we kind of stopped talking to each other, I guess.”

How are you staying in shape during the self-quarantine period?

“We have a little sport court in the basement. Just very limited workout stuff. I ended up ordering a bike just to kind of get the heart rate up. Not much of a runner so I got a bike to try to get the heart rate up a little bit. We play some one-on-one down there, and (Jaxon) keeps me sharp. Hopefully it will carry over.”

Your teammate Kevin Fiala was starting to look like a legitimate superstar. That’s good to see, right?

“He’s been playing awesome for us. He was on a tear before this thing ended up happening, so hopefully he’ll keep that momentum up that he had. Even my daughter was starting to grow a little affection for him. At their school, they did a local sports hero thing and they all know that the twins are my kids so I’d say 90 percent of them wrote that Zach Parise is their favorite. Except my daughter. She wrote Kevin Fiala. That’s how things are going in our household right now. He’s been playing awesome.”

Was the stoppage disappointing because you guys were playing so well?

“There were a couple of things that (interim coach Dean Evason) wanted a little differently. It took us a few games, and then once we got the hang of it, I think we all liked the way we were playing. We were playing with a lot speed and a lot more pace than we had been. We were starting to win some games, and we were feeling good about it. Hopefully that can continue. We are right there in the mix with that bottom group of teams trying to get that final wild-card spot. We liked the direction we were going.”

Which teammate would you least want to be stuck with in the self- quarantine period? 1173109 Minnesota Wild

Missing the Wild? Fox Sports North airing classic games throughout April

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: March 31, 2020 at 12:58 p.m. | UPDATED: March 31, 2020 at 12:58 p.m.

It’s still unclear when the 2019-20 NHL season will resume. Or if it will resume at all.

Which means Wild fans will have to continue to be creative if they want to get their hockey fix.

Luckily for them, Fox Sports North announced Tuesday that it will be replaying classic games throughout April.

All of the classic games will feature live Twitter commentary by Fox Sports North on-air talent.

Here’s the full schedule:

April 4: Wild win first game in franchise history, beating Stars (Originally aired on Dec. 17, 2000)

April 8: Wild’s inaugural home game (Oct. 11, 2000)

April 17: Wild beat Avalanche in Game 6 of 2003 Western Conference quarterfinal series (April 21, 2003)

April 18: Wild defeat Avalanche in Game 7 of 2003 Western Conference quarterfinals (April 22, 2003)

April 21: Wild beat Coyotes in overtime for seventh straight victory (March 27, 2013)

April 24: Wild beat Canucks in Game 7 of Western Conference semifinals (May 8, 2003)

April 27: Wild beat Avalanche in Game 7 of Western Conference quarterfinals (April 30, 2014)

April 30: Wild beat Blues at home in Game 6 to clinch 2015 Western Conference quarterfinal series (April 26, 2015)

Pioneer Press LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173110 Minnesota Wild “Yeah, and I remember hearing the Minnesota crowd (in Denver) cheering (after each goal),” said Landeskog.

Like 700 other NHLers and most of the world, Parise cannot wait for the Chatting with Zach Parise: Joking with rivals and kids, hoping for more COVID-19 pandemic to be just a memory so he can get back to work. He hockey took part in Tuesday’s video chat with his 6-year-old son, Jaxson, sitting on his lap.

Not a shock, Jaxson was one of the more entertaining parts of the call as By Michael Russo Mar 31, 2020 he kept re-positioning his Edina hockey hat, kept putting his hands and hat in Dad’s face and at one point left to get his dad a drink and a snack 13 for himself. John Dellapina, the great former New York Daily News Rangers beat NOT A SHOCK, JAX PARISE IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING PERSON writer who’s now one the NHL’s media relations gurus, took a ON THE CALL. PIC.TWITTER.COM/E4DQ6UCY3X lighthearted turn during what turned out to be an enjoyable videocast Tuesday designed for local reporters to catch up with quarantined — MICHAEL RUSSO (@RUSSOHOCKEY) MARCH 31, 2020 NHLers Zach Parise of the Wild, Gabriel Landeskog of the Avalanche, Jamie Benn of the Stars and Blake Wheeler of the Jets. “Well, my 2-year-old (Theo) gets up at about 5 a.m. right now, so I get up with him and wait for the other two kids to get up at 7 a.m. and then they The former reporter, who moderated the Zoom webinar, asked what the do a little schoolwork and then we all look at each other like, ‘What are four Central Division stars didn’t miss about playing against each other. we going to do next?’” Parise said. “Then (Jaxson) and I will play a little hockey (on the sports court in the basement) and (Emelia) will be Wheeler, the Winnipeg captain and former Gopher, told of the night he hanging out with us, too. But the 2-year-old is a handful right now. He went head-to-head with Benn, Dallas’ captain: “I think we faced off naps from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and that’s our time to take a deep breath. against each other 20 times, and he asked me to fight 20 times.” Other than that, he is full-time and non-stop. He’s all over the place.” Said Benn, “I think I ask him to fight every game we play.” Parise and the Wild were playing their best hockey of the season when CALL IS GETTING GOOD AS ALL 4 TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DON’T sports as we know it came to a screeching halt earlier this month. MISS ABOUT PLAYING EACH OTHER. Parise, 35, who played his 1,000th NHL game a month earlier in Dallas, PIC.TWITTER.COM/KAHPMTD0BD had points in six of his last seven games (four goals, five assists) with 19 — MICHAEL RUSSO (@RUSSOHOCKEY) MARCH 31, 2020 shots on net. He is tied for sixth in the NHL with 12 power-play goals and was playing exceptionally alongside Kevin Fiala, who had 18 goals and Parise said he doesn’t miss facing Wheeler, who has 14 goals and 35 26 points in the last 18 games, including the overtime winner in the points in 38 career games against the Wild, because “the guy just gets team’s final game March 8 at Anaheim. points against us. Every time, I feel like when it comes to Minnesota, the guy just gets points. It drives me nuts.” “He’s been playing awesome for us,” Parise said. “He was on a tear before this thing ended up happening, so hopefully he’ll keep that Addressing Landeskog — Colorado’s hard-nosed captain — and Benn, momentum up that he had.” Parise said, “I feel like they’ll K.O. you if you got your head down with the puck. I don’t miss that. Gabe’s got me a couple times, I know that. Fiala’s become a popular fixture in Parise’s household. Jamie’s taken some runs at me, too, but he usually laughs about it after, He said that his daughter has so much affection for the Wild’s budding so that’s fine.” star, “at their school, they did a local sports hero thing and they all know That triggered a funny back-and-forth between Parise and Landeskog, that the twins are my kids, so I’d say 90 percent of them wrote that ‘Zach two cutthroat combatants who battle every time the Wild square off with Parise’ is their favorite,” Parise said. “Except my daughter. She wrote their detested Mile High City rivals. Kevin Fiala. That’s how things are going in our household right now. He’s been playing awesome.” “Zach is just a handful in the offensive zone, especially for our defensemen,” Landeskog said of Parise, who has scored 17 goals and The Wild were 12-5-1 in their last 18 games and 8-4 under interim coach 40 points in 40 career games against the Avs and is in the midst of his Dean Evason. They had pulled within a point of a playoff spot when the 10th career 25-goal season. “In and around the net, he’s always finding hiatus began. loose pucks in there and he’s scored a bunch of goals. Even that one “I think these guys have been through it, when there’s a coaching time I took a run at you in Denver, you ended up getting the puck back change, especially that late in the season, there’s not a lot that we and two seconds later it was in the back of our net. And I hit you hard, switched,” Parise said, referring to Landeskog, Benn and Wheeler. “But but I ended up getting cut and had to go back and get stitches.” there were a couple of things that Dean wanted a little differently. It took That was opening night 2015, and Parise actually notched a hat trick in a us a few games and then once we got the hang of it, I think we all liked game in which the Wild scored their fastest four goals in history. the way we were playing. We were playing with a lot speed and a lot more pace than we had been. The goal Landeskog was referring to was Parise’s second of the game and the Wild’s first of four goals in a span of 5 minutes, 7 seconds in the “We were starting to win some games and we were feeling good about it. third period. Hopefully that can continue. … We’re right there in the mix with that bottom group of teams trying to get that wild-card spot. We liked the Landeskog lined Parise up and floored him, but Parise just popped back direction we were going.” up like it was nothing, went to the net and found Jason Pominville’s pass before burying it. Two minutes later, Nino Niederreiter scored after Jason Parise hopes to keep things going personally. He has scored more goals Zucker beat out an icing. A little more than two minutes after that, than any Minnesota-born player in NHL history (386). He ranks third with Thomas Vanek scored after Charlie Coyle checked Matt Duchene off the 792 points, first with 73 game-winning goals and second with 120 power- puck. Less than a minute later, Parise one-timed ’s pass on a play goals (nine behind South St. Paul’s Phil Housley). power play for his third of the game to cap an epic Minnesota comeback In Wild history, he ranks third with 192 goals (27 behind Marian Gaborik), from 3-0 and 4-1 down. third with 382 points, first with 69 power-play goals and second with 36 Landeskog was in the locker room during those final three goals getting game-winning goals. his face repaired from the hit he levied upon Parise. Wild fans always Parise, a workout fanatic, is not a big runner and he hates to bike, but he pack the Pepsi Center, and that’s how Landeskog knew each time the recently bought himself an exercise bike for his makeshift gym just to get Wild scored, especially when the visiting Wild fans made that arena the heart rate going. NHL players are supposed to be in quarantine and shake after Parise whistled home the go-ahead and eventual winning are not permitted to work out at team facilities. He’d love to skate, but all goal. hockey rinks are locked up and Minnesota’s currently under a stay-at- “I was going to say, I think you went to the locker room after that one,” home order from the governor. Parise said. “We play some one-on-one and (Jax) keeps me sharp,” Parise said, smiling. “Hopefully it will carry over.”

So, right now, he’s enjoying being a full-time dad and helping Alisha, his wife, around the house.

The couple plans to start the final episode of the crazy Netflix documentary series “Tiger King” on Tuesday night.

“Yeah, I don’t know. I love it,” Parise said. “It’s great.”

But he said his three children have him so tired, he opened a bottle of wine at 5 o’clock Monday and fell asleep on the couch watching Tiger King by 8:30.

“Once (the kids are) finally down at 7, (Alisha and I) usually don’t even speak to each other,” Parise said. “It’s just silence for a good hour.”

As a number of Wild players have returned to their offseason homes, Parise has noticed that the usually active group text chat has suddenly died down.

That led to some levity in the call.

Dellapina asked each player which teammate they’d least and most want to be quarantined with.

Parise’s least?

Not a surprise, Jordan Greenway, who was the popular choice in January’s Wild player poll by The Athletic for who’d be the worst road roommate.

“He’s just … great guy, but lazy and tired all the time and slob a little bit,” Parise said. “On the airplane, his chair is just gross and crap everywhere. From what I hear, around his apartment, just pizza boxes all over the place.”

The most?

“Probably either (Joel) Eriksson Ek because he’s pretty quiet and easy- going and good sense of humor or (Alex) Stalock,” Parise said. “Wheels, I don’t know what your thoughts are on that because I don’t know if (Stalock) would stop talking the entire time. But it would probably be the most entertaining with Stalock.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173111 MontrealCanadiens Lehkonen and all them … to what extent does that group have room for improvement and how can that group make this team better in the short term?

A conversation on the Canadiens: Marc Denis on the team’s plan and Well, I think if we had the answer Marc Bergevin would buy this podcast future and keep it in his crystal ball. I think the answer to that question is the key to short-term success for this team, because if there is unrealized potential there and that group hits its ceiling, then this is a playoff team. At least that’s my opinion, for what it’s worth. But to me, we saw a Joel By Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin Mar 31, 2020 Armia before he got hurt seemingly becoming the 25-goal scorer he was always expected to be. In terms of Lehkonen, the offensive production might not be there in terms of goals, but the effort is always there and his I have long felt that English Canada has been deprived of one of the best attention to detail has some value, then there’s Max Domi who might not NHL game analysts working today. have had the season we expected offensively, so maybe there’s some unrealized potential there as well. Marc Denis has all the tools. He is razor sharp, an excellent communicator and extremely knowledgeable on every facet of the game. I think when it comes to Phillip Danault, Brendan Gallagher and Tomas His work with RDS on Canadiens broadcasts is second to none, it’s just Tatar, you pretty much know what you’re going to get from them. Phillip that only a small portion of the total hockey-loving population can Danault is recognized as a responsible player who is good in transition, understand a single word he is saying. It’s really a shame. we know it wasn’t a fluke that Tomas Tatar had a good season, that he’s found his niche and his identity and with Brendan Gallagher, it’s not Consider this an effort to rectify that. Marc Antoine Godin and I had Denis complicated, he was on pace for another 30-goal season … So those are as a guest on the last episode of “Le Support Athlétique” podcast and the known quantities, the unknown is more towards Domi and Armia … But conversation was so compelling, we decided to translate it and post then we need to talk about . And the reason I put him in some of the discussion in English for those who might not understand a separate category is because I find the answer for him is tougher to French. If you understand French, please have a listen. Some portions of find. He had what could be called a disappointing season, according to the conversation, like his role as vice president of hockey operations for both him and his coaching staff, last year. He had, was it a mea culpa? the Chicoutimi Sagunéens, his view on analytics, the Vezina race this Was it simply a proper self-evaluation for the first time in his career? But season and his latest column for RDS.ca on the top-10 playoff he had very good intentions and he had a very good start to the season performances by goalies, didn’t make the cut here. in terms of how engaged he was. Then he got injured in the middle of What did make the cut has also been edited for length, believe it or not. November and, well, did he come back too early? Was he playing a bit Some of the answers (and even the questions, frankly) are quite long, but scared to get hurt again? Was it the new (ankle) injury? we feel it’s worth it. Whatever it was, I don’t know yet whether these 27 games will amount to Arpon Basu: We’re going to make the most of your visit with us to pick a wasted season for Jonathan Drouin. I hope not, because he could your brain a little bit. Even if the NHL schedule resumes at some point, represent a good portion of the answer to your question. If Jonathan we can agree the Canadiens are looking ahead to the offseason right Drouin becomes the player we saw in the first 15 games, not quite at a now. …There were expectations this season that this team would reach point a game but someone looking like he could do that, well then all of a the playoffs; the big reset is based on this transition to becoming a sudden you have a playoff team if it can stay healthy and not simply a competitive team while we wait for the kids to arrive. In your eyes, did team fighting for a playoff spot. So yes, there are a lot of question marks, that plan take a step back this season? but I think it’s an intriguing team.

I don’t think the plan to turn towards a youth movement which, for the first I also want to go back to a point that’s important – and I know this is a time in a long time for the Canadiens, seems promising with several long answer to your question – but whether or not I think they can find a prospects not only excelling in their respective leagues, but who also jewel among all these prospects, don’t forget one thing: if you turn to the seem to have bright futures in the NHL or at least in professional hockey, future immediately and you hand the reins of your team to the kids, it I don’t think it took a step back. I don’t think the fact Ryan Poehling didn’t won’t be long before you’re called the Edmonton Oilers or the Buffalo score three goals a game is a step back for him; it might even have been Sabres. You have to be careful of that if you’re the Canadiens. a way to recognize the mistakes made in the past. So I don’t think there Basu: I wrote a story… on how the Jonathan Drouin from the first 15 was a step back in that sense, but it’s obvious that considering the games is exactly the type of player this team needs. This is why when expectations of an organization that wants to turn towards youth while people say, ‘Well, the Canadiens had a lot of injuries but so did also making the playoffs, there has to be a good dose of disappointment Pittsburgh and Columbus…’ and yes, it’s true, but for him specifically it when you find yourself after 71 games … being so far from a playoff spot. seemed to be a moment in his career where something finally clicked in Basu: That’s interesting, when you say mistakes of the past, what do you his head. And the very moment when it clicks, when we finally see his full mean by that? potential, boom, it’s gone, and he never found it again. And this is something I didn’t mention in my story, but the final day we had media Well, mistakes of the past, honestly I don’t want to go back on what’s availability with the Canadiens, Jonathan Drouin was available, he spoke been done, you have to look forward, but we can think of what might about his season and everything that happened. Then I asked Claude have been a rushed arrival for Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the NHL, we can Julien about what he remembered from Jonathan Drouin’s first 15 think of bringing in certain young players, like Victor Mete perhaps, very games, whether it gave him a taste of the player he could become, and early in their professional careers. I don’t totally buy that the NHL isn’t a Claude basically didn’t want to answer. He said it was so long ago he development league, but there’s no doubt it is a league where you have didn’t remember. So I wonder, to what extent can the Canadiens rely on to perform and meet expectations and produce results. So maybe this that 15-game sample to evaluate a player who hasn’t really met made the Canadiens, and even the young players, realize that spending expectations since arriving in Montreal? It’s such a small sample, and time in the AHL with the , with a competitive AHL team, now there are going to be decisions to make in the offseason, so which playing with players who are of the same age and on the same trajectory Jonathan Drouin should the organization consider itself to have here? trying to carve out a place in the NHL, might not be a bad thing. That’s all I meant. I’m not blaming Victor Mete or Jesperi Kotkaniemi, I’m talking Well, it’s the one the organization wants to see. I think asking the more from an organizational point of view … And you hope there will be question is answering it, in a way. Up until Nov. 15, Jonathan Drouin was some lessons learned in this organization. a player who was involved, one who had 15 points in 18 games heading into the game in Washington when he was injured twice, once on the hit (Courtesy Rocket de Laval) by (Alex) Ovechkin and then the wrist injury. We’re talking about a player Marc Antoine Godin: It’s interesting to hear you talk about the young who was engaged and one who played sometimes up to 20 minutes in a players because I think it’s basically unanimous that the Canadiens need game. That’s the player the Canadiens want to see. He was getting shots to make room for a youth movement and with the quantity of prospects on goal nearly every game. When he came back from injury, he was a they have, you have to believe they’ll be able to unearth a few diamonds minus-10 in eight games with about one shot on goal per game (Drouin in the rough. … (But) I wonder if the group of players they have now, let’s had 44 shots on goal in 19 games when he was injured, and seven shots say the ones between 24 and 30, the guys like (Brendan) Gallagher, on goal in eight games afterward) and 11 or 13 minutes of ice time per (Phillip) Danault, (Tomas) Tatar and even the ones a bit younger, (Artturi) game. So, there’s no comparison. It’s apples and oranges. It’s obvious that the organization wants to see the player from the start of realized – and this is where I have trouble understanding why people the season, and I have no reason to believe he can’t be that player were so surprised that at the NHL level you don’t get a lot of feedback because the epiphany, or the moment you realize what kind of player you but in the AHL you do get it. I look at that from the other side, that it’s can be in the NHL – you know, there’s a certain naiveté that comes with incredible Jesperi Kotkaniemi didn’t know that in the NHL there would be youth, and a certain confidence, too. So, when you can keep an element a lot less communication than there would be in the AHL. I’m not saying it of that confidence while also being able to properly self-evaluate, to be should be different measures for different players, but the perspective is critical of yourself while also realizing what you do well, normally you can difficult and it takes someone who’s made the trip through the AHL to the reproduce that. There will be moments, some 10-game segments where NHL – I had the chance to do that – to have the ability to recognize that he can’t find the back of the net and some 10-game segments where there is some development that goes on in the NHL, but not much. So it’s everything will go in, but normally a player or a goalie – I experienced it incredible the players don’t know that. as a goalie – every player at every position has a moment in their career where they stop relying solely on talent, where they understand the effort It’s not the ’ fault, there are a ton of reasons why that needed and where it needs to be applied, understand how to be engaged is, starting with the CBA, the players’ association, agents, the schedule and how to contribute even if you’re not scoring. That’s what I saw in that has you playing every two days and the time coaches don’t have Jonathan Drouin over his first 15 or 20 games, up until Nov. 15. And that because of media responsibilities and whatnot. You put all that together game in Washington, I remember very clearly what I said coming out of in one basket and you realize it might not just be the Canadiens that are there. I got on the media bus and Sergio Momesso and Dan Robertson to blame. But there needs to be some planning, and these players can’t are already there, and there’s Pierre Houde and me and I said, ‘Well, this be left to do that by themselves. We talked about self-evaluation, but team’s for real.’ They had just beaten the Washington Capitals in there needs to be feedback on a semi-constant basis for the youngest Washington. We didn’t know at the time that Paul Byron and Jonathan players. There wouldn’t be nearly as much between Luke Richardson Drouin would each be lost for three months and that they would lose to and Jeff Petry or , for instance, because Shea Weber will be New Jersey the next night at home and the slide would be underway. the first to recognize something as soon as he gets back to the bench. But when Victor Mete comes back to the bench, it’s important that Luke But that’s why I say the line can be very thin, and when it comes to Richardson corrects mistakes immediately. Jonathan Drouin, I think the same thing applies. But I would like to believe that with an offseason that might be an extended one and Basu: Honestly, Marc Antoine and I were talking about this just therefore a return to perfect health, hopefully, for Jonathan Drouin, he yesterday. I agree with everything you said in the sense that today’s would be able to reproduce what he did in the first month and a half of youth needs a different framework than you needed when you played. the season. Absolutely.

Godin: You said a very important word there, self-evaluation. I think it’s Basu: It’s also different than what Claude Julien needed or Marc such a key for so many players. In Jonathan’s case, he had mentioned Bergevin needed when they played in the NHL. his success in junior so often; he had a certain image of himself based on what he did in junior and how he dreamed of reproducing that in the NHL, Absolutely. when the reality was so different. I think he hung on to that image for so Basu: So considering the Canadiens are moving toward a youth long, but last summer he did a proper self-evaluation and made the movement and the plan is to incorporate two or three young players, or adjustments necessary in his game. It’s a challenge that so many players one or two a year for the next three, four, five years, to what extent have to overcome at a certain point. Maybe Jesperi Kotkaniemi is already should the organization – and I don’t know the answer to this, I’m asking there to say, well, I’ve lived the experience of playing in the NHL, so what sincerely – to what extent should the Canadiens take this into account do I need to do to become the player I want to be and not simply hang on and adjust to this new reality that will take up more and more space on to what I’ve done in the past? Maybe Max Domi also has some self- this team? Because eventually, sure, you can say to the kids that they evaluating to do. I think that’s where the organization needs to support should know better, but if they don’t know, an adjustment is needed at a these players who need to make a transition to bring their game to certain level. Like, Claude Julien, he has certain things he tolerates less another level. I don’t know if that’s really possible, if it’s solely on the from young players than he does from veterans. For example, Armia player, but can the organization help this self-evaluation to make them goes 10 or 12 games without a goal, he’s in a slump. But (Nick) Suzuki new players? Because it’s clear that Jonathan Drouin is the only internal does the same thing and he’s hit a wall. So is it possible, and if so, option when it comes to the Canadiens finding a game changer, even if it should the Canadiens adjust a bit to the realities of today’s young was a small sample size. But it was his self-evaluation that made the players? difference. The answer is not a bit, it’s a lot. The Canadiens absolutely have to This is fun, I don’t only have seven seconds between whistles to express adjust as much as they can. But to me, as far as I can see, it’s already myself! But I want to be clear: my area of expertise is hockey analysis, to started. It’s a process. Joël Bouchard is among the best communicators. analyze what I see happening in front of me. But because I am also He’s a demanding coach, but he’s been through it during his time as a involved in junior hockey, I’m exposed to, I wouldn’t say the flaw of this professional player, the highs and lows, the failures, the losses, the generation, but self-evaluation in the generation that followed mine – I’m adversity and also the success. So with (assistant coaches) Daniel Jacob in my 40s now – so the kids who are entering the NHL right up to those in and , I think that’s already started. But now there are their mid 20s and junior players, for them, self-evaluation is a problem. players who aren’t with the Laval Rocket. Does Claude Julien need to be We show video to a player, and sometimes he does or doesn’t realize better surrounded, and what I mean by that is does he need additional that he is disconnected from reality a bit because as soon as he left the people to provide more of a framework for the young players? Potentially, ice after a game, he already had messages on his phone from his agent, yes. And if they want to add one or two at a time to the NHL lineup, then his parents, his girlfriend telling him that he played a great game. Then absolutely. we show him video and he comes to the realization that even if he got instant positive feedback – not from his coaches, but everyone around But when you’re building a culture – and this is why the presence of guys him – it might not have been the right evaluation. Having people pump like Shea Weber and Carey Price shouldn’t be overlooked, nor should your tires is not always the best thing. This ends my amateur psychology the core of players you were talking about earlier, Marc Antoine, the ones lesson. who are between 24 and 30. So you need layers, just like you do in society, of those different age groups. But it’s clear the Canadiens must Bringing it back to hockey, the balance between being hard and make that adjustment, and I feel they’ve already started making that demanding on your own performance was even a problem when I played adjustment. When I talk about the limits of what can be done in the NHL in the NHL, we were very hard on ourselves. But now the balance has (in terms of development), I remember when I started, Mike Foligno was gone completely in the other direction. The best players are the ones an assistant coach in Colorado and was later my head coach in (AHL) who can find that balance and I would say it rarely comes on its own. It Hershey, there were no days off. The days off were optionals where the takes experience. You have to make mistakes. You have to fall down. It’s young players, myself included, we would go to the rink and there was a daily challenge in junior hockey; I assume it’s also daily challenge in a special coaching going on just for us. It was the same thing in the AHL, professional organization that has to provide the proper framework for its though when I was the starting goalie I would take some of those young players. optionals off. But today, that doesn’t happen anymore. When it’s a day So, if the Jesperi Kotkaniemi experience showed us something based on off, it’s mandatory. So the 19-year-old isn’t allowed to set foot in the rink. his comments, and we know Jesperi Kotkaniemi is not afraid to speak his There are also limits to what you can get done in the NHL whereas the mind, if we read between the lines of his comments you’ll see he himself schedule in the AHL can allow it; it’s largely a weekend league, you travel by bus, there’s lots of down time. There’s also an upside to it; yes, you I think, is the only one left from the time I was with the Canadiens. So we might be learning the hard way, but as an AHL player in the Canadiens’ have that link. organization, you’re treated like a pro and the schedule and the openness to it allows for some development. I think the next step to take, Basu: By the way, from the players who were on the roster in your final Arpon, is to constantly have a winning team in the AHL, which the NHL season with the Canadiens, there are three players still playing in Canadiens were doing this season with the Rocket in a playoff race that the NHL. There’s Carey, there’s Halak, and there’s Max Pacioretty. Not ultimately won’t happen now. sure if you actually played with Max that year or not…

Godin: Before switching gears here, I’d like to ask one more on this Oh yeah, that’s true. With Pacioretty, it’s interesting, that was his first theme. You talk about the kids ready to arrive in the AHL that, the hope training camp (in 2008). So and Julien BriseBois met with is, will make the Rocket a winning team. There are a lot of fans who me to ask if I wanted to go to the rookie tournament that year, I think it criticized Marc Bergevin for prioritizing youth while also keeping Price was in Prince Edward Island back then. They quickly realized for a 32- and Weber made it so that merging two completely opposite generations year-old with 10 years in the NHL there was no real point in me going, of players because it would be difficult and wouldn’t work. So to what but they kept me around and asked me right away to be Max Pacioretty’s extent do you think these young players can make it onto the team and roommate. He was a first-round pick and not only that, obviously the contribute in a significant way while Price and Weber are still contributing decision wasn’t made at that time, but they asked me to help him out at the level we expect from them? when we were both sent down to Hamilton in the AHL on the same day. So that first weekend, we were sent down together, and I helped Max Nick Suzuki, to me, is the best example of the possibility of that Pacioretty and Yannick Weber find an apartment in the same building as happening. Nick Suzuki had a positive impact this year on the whole me. They were living together and I told them to come see me if they lineup. Forget the wall or slump or whatever at the end, Nick Suzuki had needed some tips on what to make for supper or if they needed a ride to an impact as soon as he arrived. So it’s possible. I strongly believe Jake the rink. That was kind of the role I had when they brought me into the Evans after more than 100 games in the AHL, or maybe it was just about organization. So Pacioretty and I played together that year, he was called 100 on the nose, I don’t remember, seemed ready to take the next step. up and I was too at various points in the year. So I always had a good So it’s possible. I think the question, Marc Antoine, makes reference to relationship with Patch, who was having a very good season with the what I said earlier, that if you totally turn to youth, before long you find Golden Knights this year. yourselves like the Edmonton Oilers or the Buffalo Sabres. …What I would also say on that is that the good teams find a balance between Basu: Oh yeah, I forgot about Yannick Weber, so there were four players age groups, players starting their careers, players in their prime and from that team who are still in the NHL. players with more experience who haven’t necessarily totally declined, Godin: It’s been three years in a row where Price has fallen into long but whose best years are probably behind them. You need balance in slumps, and it was always in November. Where do you think that comes everything. I imagine it’s the same for you two when you write and it’s the from? Because it’s hard for us to explain. We can understand that goalies same for me when I do analysis, it’s finding that perfect balance. But will hit slumps, they’re not superheroes, but to have this slump come finding it is hard. back so regularly, how do you see it?

Listen, this isn’t about the cult of Carey Price and Shea Weber, but these Oof. I would say that a goalie, when he hits his 30s, needs to play are the impact veterans that are here right now and it’s the team we between 52 and 56 games. A starting goalie of Price’s status, no matter analyze, and I think their presence is beyond important. It’s leadership, his salary … look at what the Boston Bruins are doing with Tuukka Rask, it’s how things are done, it’s setting a path and it’s also, seeing as Marc look at what Dallas has done with Ben Bishop. I strongly believe if you Bergevin appears safe as GM right now, the DNA and the face that he took, for example, 10 starts away from Carey Price, you won’t be wants for the organization. So to me, that’s important. So we’ve talked removing 10 quality starts. You’ll be lessening his load by taking away about these two, but one who is also important and is also a face of the some of the tougher starts. So he wouldn’t need to pace himself organization that we’ve not talked about a lot is Brendan Gallagher. He’s anymore, he would have a greater sense of urgency when he does play a part of that leadership group as well. He’s younger, he hasn’t had any and maybe even more hunger. And as a goalie who played 77 games, as noticeable decline yet, his contract situation makes it so he’s at a you mentioned Arpon, I come from an era where a starting goalie was different stage of his career – we talked about that window for so long but there every night. But I’ve come to the conclusion that in 2020, a goalie in now it looks more like a wall, I imagine the window is in the wall his 30s needs to play 55 games. I think that’s the ultimate target, and somewhere. perhaps the optimal one. Of course, that’s not the answer to everything, it So I don’t have the answer or the secret recipe, but to me it’s important to doesn’t explain why even when he’s rested he might have a bad start. have these players. And yes, it can be done to turn to your youth … But every goalie will have bad games when they’re rested and good ones especially when you have high end prospects in your organization like when they’re tired and sometimes you can’t explain it. But as a general the Canadiens do for the first time in a long time. rule, over a full season and even over a full career – because I believe an overworked goalie in his 30s will trigger a drop in his numbers and early Basu: We wanted to finish, since we are graced with the presence of a retirement as well – so I think you need to take a hard look at controlling goalie who once played 77 games in one season, by talking a little bit that usage. about the Carey Price situation and also a bit on your unique relationship with him. We’ve both covered his entire career and I think I have a good Basu: The intention to do what you’re describing was there this season. relationship with him in the sense I can go talk to him and he’ll answer That’s why they signed Keith Kinkaid, which was probably the biggest me. But every time I see you go to talk to him, I imagine the conversation failure of the last two years in terms of the decisions Marc Bergevin and is a bit different. What kind of advantage do you have as a member of the his management team have made, to think he could fill that role and play media who played in the league and played goalie? How would you about 30 games. So I’m wondering if they could even do it because this describe your relationship with Carey? team has no margin for error. Every time Price wasn’t playing and you listened to , the question was why isn’t Price playing? He makes Well, Carey is a man of few words, I think we can agree on that. I don’t $10.5 million a year, he’s our best player, he should play. But by the end think we can talk about a friendship, but it’s more like being members of of the season everyone’s saying Price is playing too much. So it’s an a brotherhood. The fact we shared the same ice while I was finishing my enigma for this team because Price gives them the best chance to win, career and he was starting his, there’s a level of mutual respect there. I they can’t take any game lightly because of their reality, but at the same felt he always respected the fact I was older and had a decent amount of time if they want to have the best of Carey Price he has to sit from time to experience. When I got there, he and Jaroslav Halak were starting their time. There’s no solution to that. careers and that’s one of the reasons why Julien BriseBois and Bob Gainey brought me in even if I was clearly the third goalie. So we can But you just said it. The solution is to find a goalie who, when Price is draw on that shared experience. There’s also an analysis of the position coming back from a road trip or would be forced to play a third game in and I can speak from a certain base of knowledge. Then there’s my role. four nights, gives them a better chance to win than Carey Price. It’s not Yes, I’m a member of the media, but as I’ve always told my bosses, I’m really complicated. Well, I say it’s not really complicated, it’s very difficult not there to find scoops or to find a story. Very often, I guess it’s my to accomplish, but that’s what it is. In Dallas, they determine that a rested prerogative to divulge any information I might come across, but I will Anton Khudobin, who you can’t really mention in the same sentence as always use that information to provide the fans or our viewers with a Ben Bishop, gives them a better chance to win a second game in two more informed analysis. That’s always been my approach with all the nights. Same with Jaroslav Halak. No one would give the Vezina to players, and Carey is no exception. But there is that link because Carey, Jaroslav Halak. Maybe Tuukka Rask is in that conversation, but they don’t overthink it when it comes time to put Jaroslav Halak in those tough games, and they don’t necessarily look at the opponent either. It’s evolved. The NHL has changed enormously on this. The difference between the starter and the backups is no longer all that large in the NHL and you have to act accordingly. But you’re right. It is an enigma. I’m not saying Claude Julien made the wrong goaltending decision once this season. I’m not saying Carey Price shouldn’t have played this game or that because the Canadiens, for better or worse, were trying to battle for the playoffs. And the Canadiens, you can’t forget it, each time we thought they were out they would win two or three games and would slide back into that dangerous zone where there’s a slim chance. So I’m not blaming the Canadiens for that.

Basu and Godin: Thanks Marc, this was great.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173112 Nashville Predators "That was pretty good, but surprisingly I haven't been watching that much TV," Josi said.

Perhaps because he's not quarantined with Bonino, Josi hasn't been Predators' Roman Josi on being quarantined, playing hockey, Brussels doing too much reading, either. sprouts, 'Tiger King' "I bought like three books, but I haven't started," he said. "I have to get on that. This is a good reminder."

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean Published 3:00 p.m. CT March 31, Josi also showed off his language skills. 2020 | Updated 3:06 p.m. CT March 31, 2020 When asked to deliver a message to fans in something other than English, Josi responded with a question of his own: "Do you want me to do it in German or Swiss-German?" he asked. Roman Josi is still playing hockey. Swiss-German it was. With his hands. From his Nashville-area home. On his Xbox. His English answer went like this: "We miss hockey. We miss playing in The Predators captain has no other choice but to get his hockey fix front of the fans at Bridgestone," he said. "But it's more important to be through video games – he also has been playing "Call of Duty" – with the safe and to be healthy right now and hopefully be back soon." NHL season still on "pause" because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tennessean LOADED: 04.01.2020 Josi joined fellow captains Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks and Alex Pietrangelo of the Blues on a videoconference call Tuesday afternoon, the first time the players were made available since the season was stopped March 12.

"It's been a tough month for our city, but I think if you take one thing out of it, you saw when the tornado happened how this community came together, how everyone was helping each other," Josi said. "It was cool to see, and it shows how tight of a community the city is. Same with the virus right now. Everybody is trying to stick together. We're all in this together."

Josi said he bought some workout equipment and built a little gym in his garage.

"You're kind of in summer mode, and you just try to stay in shape," Josi said.

Other than that, Josi said, it's been pretty quiet with his wife and dogs at home.

"The first thing I worry about is my coffee in the morning," Josi said. "Try to get a workout in. Run around with the dogs outside a little bit. That's about it."

Josi also riffed on a few other topics, including the teammates with whom he'd like to most and least be quarantined. The NHL announced Tuesday it has extended its self-quarantine guideline to April 15.

Nick Bonino won the "most" category, with Josi citing his intelligence, cooking ability and pingpong prowess.

"He's a good chef; he likes to cook. He will cook some good meals," Josi said. "He's a pretty smart guy, reads a lot of books, so he'd make me read a lot more. He's good at pingpong, too, so we could have some good pingpong battles."

When Bonino caught wind of Josi's remarks, he took to Twitter to jab his teammate.

"Pretty smart?! A “good” ping pong player?! Unbelievable" Bonino tweeted.

Pretty smart?! A “good” ping pong player?! Unbelievable

— Nick Bonino (@NickBonino) March 31, 2020

Josi said he'd least like to be stuck with center Ryan Johansen.

"I feel like we would be a bad team at home," Josi said. "Our house would be pretty messy. I don't know if he's a good cook, either. He makes some great Brussels sprouts, I know that."

When the topic of pronunciation of last names was broached, Josi couldn't help but laugh.

"People kept asking me how to pronounce my last name," Josi said. "I wasn't even sure how to pronounce it in English."

Josi has been keeping in touch with teammates through a group chat and group Instagram.

He's also spent some time catching up on some Netflix shows, including "Tiger King." 1173113 New Jersey Devils

NHL’s new self-quarantine date ‘meaningless’

By Randy Miller

NHL players were told to continue self isolating through April 15, the league announced on Tuesday.

Then what?

Come mid-month, the quarantine period surely will be extended because President Trump announced last Sunday that social distancing should continue at least through the end of April. Also, the next two weeks are expected the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Two-plus weeks ago, the NHL advised players to be on lockdown until March 27 when the league shut down on March 13.

"That's a meaningless date really at this point in time," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said at the time. "As we get closer to the date, we're going to have to make decisions as to what to do then."

The NHL still is hoping to complete its regular season and have a postseason, and the league is consider many options, including returning only for the Stanley Cup playoffs and/or expanding the playoff field.

“Of course, the more games we play, it’s going to be better for the fans, and it’s going to be better for the teams fighting for the playoffs,” Washington Capitals superstar winger Alex Ovechkin said last week in a media conference call. “But I’d rather start the playoffs right away.”

Before the NHL returns, they’d likely need a training camp that would last at least two-to-three because players haven’t been able to skate during the shutdown.

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With the death toll in the United States climbing by the day, NHL execs and players’ only concern is getting past this coronavirus crisis.

“We talk so much about the season and when we’re getting back to playing, but there are a lot of people out there who have lost jobs and or trying to make their next bill payments and provide for their family,” Devils defenseman P.K Subban said in the media conference call. “It’s just a dose of reality for us.

Star Ledger LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173114 New Jersey Devils

Devils’ Josh Harris, David Blitzer make 6-figure coronavirus donation to RWJBarnabas; Team will continue to support part-time employees through May 15

By Chris Ryan

New Jersey Devils managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer have made a significant six-figure donation to RWJBarnabas Health’s Emergency Response Fund in an effort to aid the healthcare company’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The donation will help supply RWJBarnabas’ more than 35,000 employees with proper safety equipment while battling the pandemic. The money will help hospitals acquire N95 respirators and surgical masks, gloves, gowns, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, eye protection, and other necessary medical equipment, such as ventilators.

The Devils also donated 7,000 pairs of gloves, 10,000 hand sanitizer units and an assortment of sanitizing wipes and sprays, to RJWBarnabas. Those supplies were picked by the organization and distributed to its hospitals.

“We are incredibly thankful and appreciative for the generous donation from Josh Harris, David Blitzer and the New Jersey Devils,” Barry H. Ostrowsky, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJBarnabas Health, said in a release. “Our team members are extremely dedicated and selfless. It is our obligation to ensure the best protection as they perform their truly heroic work and this donation will help to provide them with the resources necessary to stay safe and care for our patients.

“These are unprecedented times, and this donation reinforces the importance of aligning with a like-minded partner that shares our vision and recognizes the true meaning of community goodwill.”

The Devils, who already pledged support to their part-time employees following the suspension of the NHL season, extended that pledge through May 15.

The team also informed local government that Prudential Center can be made available of emergency medical purposes, if necessary.

Star Ledger LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173115 New Jersey Devils

Scouting Devils’ 2019 draft class: Tyce Thompson ‘might be a diamond in rough, no question’

By Randy Miller

When it comes to evaluating NHL prospects, nobody does it better than Craig Button, who doubles as director of scouting and television analyst for TSN, Canada’s version of ESPN.

The Calgary Flames general manager from 2000-03, Button knows the strengths and weaknesses of every NHL player and just about all of the drafted and undrafted prospects from all over the world.

Introducing Devils Insider: Sign up for exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers

NJ Advance Media recently phoned Button to provide fresh scouting reports on the Devils’ 2019 draft class, and he didn’t disappoint sharing his insight for 25 minutes from his home in Calgary.

We’re sharing Button’s take in a series.

Here’s Part 7:

TYCE THOMPSON, RW

Drafted: 2019, 4th round, 96th overall.

Hometown: Milford, Conn.

Age: 20 (21 on July 12, 2020)

Size: 6-1, 171.

Shoots: Right.

Contract status: Unsigned.

Twitter: tycethompson27

2019-20 club: Sophomore at Providence College (NCAA).

2019-20 stats: 34 games, 19 goals, 25 assists, 44 points, 29 PIM, plus-8.

Fast fact: Thompson finished the season in a three-way tie for third in the NCAA scoring race and just five points behind scoring champ/Providence linemate Jack Dugan.

Quoting Providence coach Nate Leaman: “His dad is a coach, so his practice habits have always been excellent” Leaman told uscho.com. His work ethic has always been good. Because of those two things, he was able to adjust rather quickly to college hockey. His shot got a whole lot better. His shot got a lot more accurate and hard. We started him out at center and I don’t think he was quite himself. We moved him back to the wing and he took off.”

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Craig Button scouting report: “Tyce had a fantastic season. Tyce played prep school hockey and he’s had to adjust to the higher level. Physically, he’s good. He’s smart. He’s playing with Jack Dugan, a first-team All- American (and 2017 Vegas Golden Knights 5th-round pick) who might win the Hobey Baker. Dugan is a really good playmaker and Tyce is a really good finisher.

“You usually get players out of the deeper parts of the draft that you think can be contributors, and the Devils might have found a diamond in the rough in Tyce Thompson. There’s no question in my mind.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173116 New Jersey Devils Bergen Record LOADED: 04.01.2020

How the NJ Devils, Prudential Center are helping the community fight coronavirus

Abbey Mastracco, NHL Writer Published 5:31 p.m. ET March 31, 2020 | Updated 5:54 p.m. ET March 31, 2020

The New Jersey Devils are doing their part to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-owners and managing partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer made two significant six-figure donations over the last few days, with the latest coming Tuesday to RWJBarnabas, a team partner of the Devils.

The donation was made to the Emergency Response Fund, which helps battle the medical and community challenges brought by this pandemic. Hospitals around the country have been short on personal protective equipment (PPE) as coronavirus has spread like wildfire and this donation helped secure funds that will go towards equipment for patients, like ventilators, and safety equipment like N95 respirators and surgical masks, gloves, gowns, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer and eye protection for the more than 35,000 employees in the RWJBarnabas Health system.

The New Jersey Devils liquidated Prudential center supplies and donated them to RWJBarnabas Health.

“We are incredibly thankful and appreciative for the generous donation from Josh Harris, David Blitzer and the New Jersey Devils,” RWJBarnabas Health president and CEO Barry H. Ostrowsky said in a statement. “Our team members are extremely dedicated and selfless. It is our obligation to ensure the best protection as they perform their truly heroic work and this donation will help to provide them with the resources necessary to stay safe and care for our patients.”

Coronavirus: Complete coverage on New Jersey cases and the state's response

Prudential Center, which is owned and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, was able to assist the group as well. Monday, the sports and entertainment venue liquidated all supplies and the Devils donated 7,000 pairs of gloves, 10,000 hand sanitizers, soap and other sanitizing supplies.

Should a large-scale temporary medical facility need to be erected in northern New Jersey, the group has made it known that Prudential Center is available for use.

Friday, the Harris, Blitzer and the Devils made a donation to a Newark food relief program that provides assistance to families affected by COVID-19. ShopRite gift cards will be provided to families in need and shopping assistance is made available through this fund as well.

The New Jersey Devils liquidated Prudential center supplies and donated them to RWJBarnabas Health.

Prudential Center’s hourly and event staff workers are being supported through May 15. Initially, the HBSE promised compensation through the end of the NHL’s regular season and for all postponed events in the month of March. Other assistance may be made available as the group continues to navigate the economic impact of the pandemic.

HBSE’s philanthropic efforts are based on four pillars: Education, medical, food, and support. So far, the group has made significant contributions to groups representing three of those four pillars and efforts are being made to see how to provide some sort of community aid when it comes to education. The group is also making contributions in Camden, where the group is headquartered, and Philadelphia, home to their other North American team in their portfolio, the 76ers.

We’re nowhere near the end of the line with this pandemic and the economic impacts continue to intensify. The NHL has extended player isolation to April 15 and the city of Toronto, where the NHL has offices, has banned public events through June 30. The likelihood of a return to normalcy seems to be further and further each day, which is why the Devils, the 76ers and HBSE are continuing to see how they can aid the communities that their teams call home. 1173117 New Jersey Devils On April 1, there are more than 3,000 American deaths from COVID-19, the count surpassing the terrible carnage of Sept. 11. There are more than 175,000 people afflicted with the virus. Life as we know it has been turned upside-down, and it’s going to stay that way until May 1, maybe March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable June 1, likely longer, possibly much longer.

A-Rod and Pete Alonso are also obsessed with 'Tiger King'

By Mike Vaccaro March 31, 2020 | 7:05PM We fill the time any way we can: doom-surfing on Twitter, binge-watching “Tiger King” and other cultural necessities, making Zoom stock shoot

through the roof — hungry for nice days when we can sit, appropriately A dejected Mets fan stands on line outside a testing facility for Covid-19 distanced, in the outdoors and let the sun’s healing rays make us feel at Elmhurst Hospital, instead of being at Opening Day at Citi Field. normal, however temporarily.

Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the Sports fans make do. There are old games on YouTube and elsewhere. coronavirus pandemic. April 1 is the 35th anniversary of Villanova 66, Georgetown 64, and there’s been plenty of discussion about that game since CBS re-aired it On March 1, there were two stories that dominated much of the news Sunday. cycle. There was much buzz attached to Joe Biden’s stunning political resurrection after winning the South Carolina primary. There was hope On Tuesday, your humble narrator may or may not have reactivated his surrounding an agreement signed between the U.S. and the Taliban to dormant William Hill account in order to wager a double-sawbuck on end America’s longest war, which on that Sunday had lasted for 6,720 Shakhter Soligorsk over Yunost Minsk in a Belarus Extraliga hockey days. game (and your humble narrator may have lost that $20 when Yunost scored an overtime goal, causing a groan and a cry of “Same old On March 1, there were a total of 62 reported cases of COVID-19 in the Soligorsk!”). United States. On April 1, we all do what we can. Smartly, I hope. And safely, I pray. On March 1, Galen Rupp was celebrating having become one of the first Americans to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, winning New York Post LOADED: 04.01.2020 the men’s marathon trials in Atlanta in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 20 seconds. Aliphine Tuliamuk won the women’s portion of the race in 2:27:23.

On March 1, a resident in a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., became the second American to die of COVID-19.

On March 1, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Jacob deGrom looked razor sharp in throwing three shutout innings of one-hit ball at the Nationals. Michael Conforto hit a home run — it would be a few days later when he threw a wrench in the Mets’ springtime optimism when it was revealed he tweaked his oblique in that same game. That seemed like dreadful news at the time. In Lakeland, a 27-year-old journeyman named Rosell Herrera hit two homers for the Yankees, who were bracing for the next day, when Aaron Judge would have more tests on his ailing shoulder.

Everything changed in MarchNew York Post back page March 13

On March 1, our world was the same world we’d ever known, the only world we’d ever known. Restaurants and saloons were crowded. Folks in Florida frolicked on the beach without a care in the world. People boarded airplanes and, undoubtedly, groused that there never seem to be any empty seats anymore. People planned vacations, and weddings, and baptisms, and bar mitzvahs, and funerals.

On March 1, sports fans were allowed to live well within the blissful bubble to which we’ve grown accustomed. They strategized about fantasy-baseball drafts. If you lived in New Jersey and had a hunch and some money burning a hole in your pocket, you clicked on your MGM or FanDuel accounts and gambled to your heart’s content on NBA, NHL, MLS, college hoops, an endless buffet table of options.

You raged — I mean, raged — about the Houston Astros if you were a fan of any of the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball (or just a believer in fair play). If you wanted to take a break from the Astros, you set your furies on Rob Manfred and the various controversies littering the commissioner’s office. You fretted about the Islanders’ collapse, rejoiced in the Rangers’ surge.

If you had tickets to see the Knicks at the Garden — they had games with the Rockets and Jazz that week — maybe you wondered if you’d be able to join your fellow sufferers in a chorus or two of “Sell the team!” before any of the Garden security folks heard you. If you were a Mets fan grown tired of present ownership, you gamed out with fellow believers how Steve Cohen could still possibly ride in on a white horse and save the day.

That was March 1, all of it.

Wednesday, finally — mercifully — the calendar flips to April 1. History will forever insist that March 2020 occupied just the standard 31 days of the calendar, but you know better. You know that after a lifetime of sad, wistful lamenting that time speeds by so quickly, the past 31 days, for all of us, have felt like a year unto itself. A decade, maybe. 1173118 New York Islanders On April 1, there are more than 3,000 American deaths from COVID-19, the count surpassing the terrible carnage of Sept. 11. There are more than 175,000 people afflicted with the virus. Life as we know it has been turned upside-down, and it’s going to stay that way until May 1, maybe March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable June 1, likely longer, possibly much longer.

We fill the time any way we can: doom-surfing on Twitter, binge-watching “Tiger King” and other cultural necessities, making Zoom stock shoot By Mike Vaccaro March 31, 2020 | 7:05PM through the roof — hungry for nice days when we can sit, appropriately distanced, in the outdoors and let the sun’s healing rays make us feel normal, however temporarily. A dejected Mets fan stands on line outside a testing facility for Covid-19 at Elmhurst Hospital, instead of being at Opening Day at Citi Sports fans make do. There are old games on YouTube and elsewhere. Field.Richard Harbus April 1 is the 35th anniversary of Villanova 66, Georgetown 64, and there’s been plenty of discussion about that game since CBS re-aired it Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the Sunday. coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, your humble narrator may or may not have reactivated his On March 1, there were two stories that dominated much of the news dormant William Hill account in order to wager a double-sawbuck on cycle. There was much buzz attached to Joe Biden’s stunning political Shakhter Soligorsk over Yunost Minsk in a Belarus Extraliga hockey resurrection after winning the South Carolina primary. There was hope game (and your humble narrator may have lost that $20 when Yunost surrounding an agreement signed between the U.S. and the Taliban to scored an overtime goal, causing a groan and a cry of “Same old end America’s longest war, which on that Sunday had lasted for 6,720 Soligorsk!”). days. On April 1, we all do what we can. Smartly, I hope. And safely, I pray. On March 1, there were a total of 62 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States. New York Post LOADED: 04.01.2020

On March 1, Galen Rupp was celebrating having become one of the first Americans to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, winning the men’s marathon trials in Atlanta in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 20 seconds. Aliphine Tuliamuk won the women’s portion of the race in 2:27:23.

On March 1, a resident in a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., became the second American to die of COVID-19.

On March 1, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Jacob deGrom looked razor sharp in throwing three shutout innings of one-hit ball at the Nationals. Michael Conforto hit a home run — it would be a few days later when he threw a wrench in the Mets’ springtime optimism when it was revealed he tweaked his oblique in that same game. That seemed like dreadful news at the time. In Lakeland, a 27-year-old journeyman named Rosell Herrera hit two homers for the Yankees, who were bracing for the next day, when Aaron Judge would have more tests on his ailing shoulder.

Everything changed in MarchNew York Post back page March 13

On March 1, our world was the same world we’d ever known, the only world we’d ever known. Restaurants and saloons were crowded. Folks in Florida frolicked on the beach without a care in the world. People boarded airplanes and, undoubtedly, groused that there never seem to be any empty seats anymore. People planned vacations, and weddings, and baptisms, and bar mitzvahs, and funerals.

On March 1, sports fans were allowed to live well within the blissful bubble to which we’ve grown accustomed. They strategized about fantasy-baseball drafts. If you lived in New Jersey and had a hunch and some money burning a hole in your pocket, you clicked on your MGM or FanDuel accounts and gambled to your heart’s content on NBA, NHL, MLS, college hoops, an endless buffet table of options.

You raged — I mean, raged — about the Houston Astros if you were a fan of any of the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball (or just a believer in fair play). If you wanted to take a break from the Astros, you set your furies on Rob Manfred and the various controversies littering the commissioner’s office. You fretted about the Islanders’ collapse, rejoiced in the Rangers’ surge.

If you had tickets to see the Knicks at the Garden — they had games with the Rockets and Jazz that week — maybe you wondered if you’d be able to join your fellow sufferers in a chorus or two of “Sell the team!” before any of the Garden security folks heard you. If you were a Mets fan grown tired of present ownership, you gamed out with fellow believers how Steve Cohen could still possibly ride in on a white horse and save the day.

That was March 1, all of it.

Wednesday, finally — mercifully — the calendar flips to April 1. History will forever insist that March 2020 occupied just the standard 31 days of the calendar, but you know better. You know that after a lifetime of sad, wistful lamenting that time speeds by so quickly, the past 31 days, for all of us, have felt like a year unto itself. A decade, maybe. 1173119 New York Islanders

NHL shifts self-quarantine period to April 15 in response to coronavirus

By Andrew Gross

The NHL on Tuesday pushed the self-quarantine period for its players through April 15, marking the second extension since the league put its season on pause on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also on Tuesday, the city of Toronto banned all public events until June 30, though that order would not necessarily preclude the Maple Leafs from hosting games.

Still, the separate reactions to the coronavirus outbreak illustrate the uncertainty the NHL – along with the rest of the sports world – faces in re-starting competition.

Initially, the NHL was hopeful its teams could resume training by the end of the 60-day period the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended on March 15 during which gatherings were to be limited to 50 people or fewer. The league, at first, issued a self-quarantine guideline for its players through March 27, which was then extended to this coming Saturday.

On Sunday, President Trump extended social-distancing guidelines in the United States through April 30.

So far, four unnamed NHL players have tested positive for COVID-19, two from the Ottawa Senators and two from the Colorado Avalanche. Rangers and Knicks owner James Dolan has also tested positive.

The NHL is still expressing hope it can complete the 2019-20 season. But no decisions have been made on whether that will include any or all of the remaining 189 regular-season games among the 31 teams or what the playoff format might be, or if fans would be allowed in the rinks if games occur.

Having groups of players resume training – presumably at the team facilities – would be the first step toward restarting the season.

But awarding the Stanley Cup by the second week of June is seemingly becoming less and less likely.

“I think, as time has gone on, we’ve recognized we might have a bigger window than we had originally thought with respect to the summer months and when we have to finish things to be ready for a full regular season next year,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told NHL.com on Friday.

The NHL has asked teams for arena availability through the end of August, though Daly said it was the league’s hope to be playing sooner than that.

“Depending on how things play out, we’d love to be playing sometime in the spring,” Daly said. “Then, if we have to leak into early summer, we’d love to have that problem. But I don’t think we’re far enough long in understanding where this is going to know what’s possible at this point in time.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173120 New York Rangers the calendar, but you know better. You know that after a lifetime of sad, wistful lamenting that time speeds by so quickly, the past 31 days, for all of us, have felt like a year unto itself. A decade, maybe.

March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable On April 1, there are more than 3,000 American deaths from COVID-19, the count surpassing the terrible carnage of Sept. 11. There are more than 175,000 people afflicted with the virus. Life as we know it has been turned upside-down, and it’s going to stay that way until May 1, maybe By Mike Vaccaro March 31, 2020 | 7:05PM June 1, likely longer, possibly much longer.

We fill the time any way we can: doom-surfing on Twitter, binge-watching A dejected Mets fan stands on line outside a testing facility for Covid-19 “Tiger King” and other cultural necessities, making Zoom stock shoot at Elmhurst Hospital, instead of being at Opening Day at Citi Field. through the roof — hungry for nice days when we can sit, appropriately distanced, in the outdoors and let the sun’s healing rays make us feel A dejected Mets fan stands on line outside a testing facility for Covid-19 normal, however temporarily. at Elmhurst Hospital, instead of being at Opening Day at Citi Field.Richard Harbus Sports fans make do. There are old games on YouTube and elsewhere. April 1 is the 35th anniversary of Villanova 66, Georgetown 64, and Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the there’s been plenty of discussion about that game since CBS re-aired it coronavirus pandemic. Sunday.

On March 1, there were two stories that dominated much of the news On Tuesday, your humble narrator may or may not have reactivated his cycle. There was much buzz attached to Joe Biden’s stunning political dormant William Hill account in order to wager a double-sawbuck on resurrection after winning the South Carolina primary. There was hope Shakhter Soligorsk over Yunost Minsk in a Belarus Extraliga hockey surrounding an agreement signed between the U.S. and the Taliban to game (and your humble narrator may have lost that $20 when Yunost end America’s longest war, which on that Sunday had lasted for 6,720 scored an overtime goal, causing a groan and a cry of “Same old days. Soligorsk!”).

On March 1, there were a total of 62 reported cases of COVID-19 in the On April 1, we all do what we can. Smartly, I hope. And safely, I pray. United States. New York Post LOADED: 04.01.2020 On March 1, Galen Rupp was celebrating having become one of the first Americans to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, winning the men’s marathon trials in Atlanta in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 20 seconds. Aliphine Tuliamuk won the women’s portion of the race in 2:27:23.

On March 1, a resident in a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., became the second American to die of COVID-19.

On March 1, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Jacob deGrom looked razor sharp in throwing three shutout innings of one-hit ball at the Nationals. Michael Conforto hit a home run — it would be a few days later when he threw a wrench in the Mets’ springtime optimism when it was revealed he tweaked his oblique in that same game. That seemed like dreadful news at the time. In Lakeland, a 27-year-old journeyman named Rosell Herrera hit two homers for the Yankees, who were bracing for the next day, when Aaron Judge would have more tests on his ailing shoulder.

Everything changed in MarchNew York Post back page March 13

On March 1, our world was the same world we’d ever known, the only world we’d ever known. Restaurants and saloons were crowded. Folks in Florida frolicked on the beach without a care in the world. People boarded airplanes and, undoubtedly, groused that there never seem to be any empty seats anymore. People planned vacations, and weddings, and baptisms, and bar mitzvahs, and funerals.

On March 1, sports fans were allowed to live well within the blissful bubble to which we’ve grown accustomed. They strategized about fantasy-baseball drafts. If you lived in New Jersey and had a hunch and some money burning a hole in your pocket, you clicked on your MGM or FanDuel accounts and gambled to your heart’s content on NBA, NHL, MLS, college hoops, an endless buffet table of options.

You raged — I mean, raged — about the Houston Astros if you were a fan of any of the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball (or just a believer in fair play). If you wanted to take a break from the Astros, you set your furies on Rob Manfred and the various controversies littering the commissioner’s office. You fretted about the Islanders’ collapse, rejoiced in the Rangers’ surge.

If you had tickets to see the Knicks at the Garden — they had games with the Rockets and Jazz that week — maybe you wondered if you’d be able to join your fellow sufferers in a chorus or two of “Sell the team!” before any of the Garden security folks heard you. If you were a Mets fan grown tired of present ownership, you gamed out with fellow believers how Steve Cohen could still possibly ride in on a white horse and save the day.

That was March 1, all of it.

Wednesday, finally — mercifully — the calendar flips to April 1. History will forever insist that March 2020 occupied just the standard 31 days of 1173121 New York Rangers Submit your Rangers questions here to be answered in an upcoming Post mailbag

Do you remember that Kreider did not make the team out of Alain Chris Kreider embodies Rangers’ bridge from rebuild to contention Vigneault’s first training camp in 2013? Jesper Fast made it. Taylor Pyatt made it. Derek Dorsett made it. Arron Asham made it. J.T. Miller made it. Kreider was sent to the AHL.

By Larry BrooksMarch 31, 2020 | 3:59pm | Updated He was recalled in late October and hasn’t gone anywhere since, establishing himself as an essential member of the top six for Vigneault

and for David Quinn despite his propensity for taking more than the Part 10 in a series analyzing the New York Rangers. occasional walkabout.

Let’s play Jeopardy. This year’s splits are not unique. In 2018-19, Kreider scored 20 goals in his first 37 games. He finished with eight in his final 42. He has had Rangers edition. stretches in which he has scored two goals in 21 games (2017-18), one in 16 (2016-17), one in 19 (2014-15). Exacerbating the issue is that when For $1,000. Kreider isn’t scoring, he too often isn’t involved at all. Nine years later, we The Answer: Jan Erixon. know who he is.

The question: Who is the last forward drafted by the Rangers to remain He is a force when he’s going, an intimidating presence with size, speed with the team until age 30? and strength and a finisher’s hands. (Pay no attention to that year, was it 2015-16, when after finally scoring on a breakaway late in the year, he Erixon was drafted in 1981. exclaimed, “I’m 1-for-72!”). He is a vital part of a superior power play. He Tony Granato, Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Tomas Sandstrom, Ulf is a leader in the room, an offseason workout pied piper for any and all Dahlen; those guys went pretty early. So did Niklas Sundstrom, Marc who want to join him. He is, in large part, the team’s conscience. Savard and Mike York. Alex Kovalev was only 25 when he was sent In 2013-14, Kreider was on the left with Stepan in the middle and Rick away the first time. Nash on the right. That had been the team’s best line post-Jaromir Jagr. Artem Anisimov was gone at 24. Brandon Dubinsky was out at 26, as Now, a debate is in the offing. That line, or the one with Kreider, Mika was Carl Hagelin. Derek Stepan was traded at age 27. Ryan Callahan, Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich. co-conspirator in his exit, made it to 29. Take your pick.

This trip through history is to remind you that Chris Kreider turns 29 on Either way, it includes Kreider. April 30 and will be on the first year of his seven-year extension next season. We live in a time where we cannot even assume tomorrow, that Of course it does. is understood, but barring the most extenuating circumstances, Kreider Chris Kreider will make it to 30 in a Blueshirt. Age: 29 on April 30 You are quite familiar by now with the often interchangeable exclamation point and question mark that follow the four words, Did You See Chris. It Position: LW was a question mark the first couple of months of this season in which No. 20 scored seven goals in his first 32 games. It was an exclamation Contract: Next season will mark first year of seven-year extension with point essentially thereafter while the winger scored 17 in his next 26 annual cap hit of $6.5 million. contests to help drive the Rangers into the playoff race. Stats: 24-21-45 in 63 games That was the outburst that convinced what previously had been a quite New York Post LOADED: 04.01.2020 skeptical management to go all in on the club’s third-senior player and lock him up as a vital plank of the bridge from rebuild to contention. Around the middle of the year the refrain out of the front office was along the lines of, “How could we keep Chris?” By the deadline it was, “How could we not?”

Kreider arrived only two months after Linsanity had swept through the city, joining the Rangers on the cusp on the 2012 playoffs just days after helping to lead Boston College to the national championship in his junior season. He played much sooner than expected, replacing Hagelin for Game 3 of the first round against Ottawa when No. 62 had been suspended for elbowing Daniel Alfredsson in the head.

John Tortorella had three options to fill Hagelin’s spot and all three skated in the Game 3 warmup in Ottawa, the coach of course refusing to publicly commit. There were Kreider, slow-footed enforcer John Scott, and defenseman-by-trade Stu Bickel, who also played forward on occasion (even center, once, as New Jersey’s Ryan Carter might recall). It was impossible to tell off the pre-game line rushes.

When the first lineup sheet appeared on NHL.com, it included Scott. It was unfathomable. It was also incorrect, the correction made within a moment or so. It was Kreider, who not only played his first NHL game, but did on the first line with in the middle and Marian Gaborik on the right. The unit lasted for one game.

But Kreider scored in Game 4. And then he scored again in Game 1 of the next round against the Caps. And that is when, somehow, Kreider became the Rangers’ version of Jeremy Lin. Chris-sanity is what it was called as the 20-year-old scored five goals in his first 15 playoff games.

Lin was gone off to Houston that July.

Kreider is still here. 1173122 New York Rangers players who are 22 or younger, gaining information about who is a good fit and who is expendable.

Then there were the decisions made at and around the trade deadline. What we learned in 2019-20: The New York Rangers rebuild remains on A full-bore effort to win now is often bolstered by moves made with short- track term interest. Teams who feel they're on the verge of competing for a Stanley Cup will trade away future assets for immediate help, which can be a rental for just a few months. Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL Writer Published 5:41 p.m. ET March 31, 2020 | Updated 5:53 p.m. ET March 31, 2020 The Rangers opted to keep the most attractive rental on the market in Kreider, but they didn't sacrifice draft picks or prospects for a temporary boost. In fact, they added a future first-round pick by trading Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes, which also freed up valuable salary cap With the NHL season on pause due to the coronavirus, we'll be space. Prior to that, they traded from an area of strength — right-handed producing a series of stories about the 2019-20 New York Rangers. First defenseman Joey Keane — to acquire a talented prospect at a position we'll look at what we learned, then examine questions that remain of need in forward Julien Gauthier. unanswered. All in all, it felt like the right balance. The Rangers established Remember when it was all about the rebuild? themselves as a winning team in 2019-20, but they didn't lose sight of the That's been the buzz word surrounding the New York Rangers for about ultimate goal — sustained success. two years, with fans showing unique perspective and understanding "You have to keep your eye on what the big picture is," Davidson said. throughout the process. Even when big names like Artemi Panarin and "We have to make decisions with that mind.” Jacob Trouba were acquired during the offseason, the focus remained on the big picture. Bergen Record LOADED: 04.01.2020 Don't forget: There were some who thought it was a mistake to give a seven-year, $81.5 million contract to a player entering his age-28 season. (Don't count me among them.)

When the 2019-20 season began, patience remained prevalent. But that attitude changed ever so slightly.

Seeing Panarin produce unlike any Ranger in more than a decade was part of it, as were the stellar debuts from Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin. But more than anything, it came down to winning.

New York Rangers coach David Quinn confers with players on the bench during the first period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, in Denver.

When the Rangers entered the all-star break 11 points out of a wild card spot, another trade deadline selloff with eyes to the future seemed like a sure thing — and it's what most fans wanted. But then the Blueshirts went 12-3 to climb to within two points of the playoffs and shift the focus to the present.

The result was newfound hope and a contract extension for Chris Kreider, which signaled the front office was giving this team the opportunity to continue its run.

But none of that means the rebuild is suddenly a thing of the past. The rebuild has simply entered the next phase — and that's a positive revelation.

As team president John Davidson noted on more than one occasion, playing meaningful games is an important part of the process.

“We want our club to keep winning,” he said on the Feb. 24 deadline. “We want them to go through the experience of a chase down the stretch for the playoffs. That's very important to young people, in particular — and the veteran players, too. If we get there, fantastic. If we don't, it will be a good experience and we'll just keep moving along, as we're trying to build this into something."

Jan 7, 2020; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) and center Ryan Strome (16) celebrate after a goal by defenseman Brady Skjei (76) against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period at Madison Square Garden.

Whether they finish the 2019-20 season or not, the Rangers will enter 2020-21 with the confidence that they can compete. The playoffs were mentioned as a lofty goal last September, but now it's an attainable reality.

Furthermore, that effort to win now was complemented by calculated decisions that will be beneficial moving forward.

It was valuable for this collection of young players to experience the rigors of an NHL playoff push. There were instant successes like Fox and Shesterkin, but there were also growing pains. No. 2 overall pick Kaapo Kakko was the most glaring example of that. (More on him next week.)

The hope is that they'll be better for it in 2020-21 and beyond — but not all of them will be part of the long-term solution. The Rangers used nine 1173123 New York Rangers

Rangers' jersey ranked No. 4 by players

By Colin Stephenson

The Rangers and Islanders were largely absent from the results of the NHL Players Association poll, the results of which were released Tuesday. But the Rangers did make an appearance in the best jersey category, where voters chose the Broadway Blueshirt as the fourth-nicest jersey in the league.

The Rangers jersey was chosen No. 1 by 6.38 percent of the 400 voters who answered the question, coming in well behind runaway winner Chicago (28.25 percent), but just behind the Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs (6.83 percent each) who were tied for second. It was the only appearance by either local team in the poll, which anonymously surveyed players on all of the league’s 31 teams on a variety of topics during the 2019-20 season.

Off the ice, 73 percent of 563 respondents said they would like to see the NHL’s game-day dress code be relaxed, to be more like the NBA’s. Currently, NHL players are expected to wear suits on game days. On the ice, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers was chosen as the NHL’s top forward for the second straight year, garnering 68.35 percent of the 556 votes cast to beat out runner-up Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins by a landslide margin. Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, three-time Hart Trophy winner as league Most Valuable Player, and two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, got 14.93 percent of the votes.

Crosby, though, was the voters’ pick as the one player they would want on their team if they needed to win one game. He beat out McDavid by a margin of 44.03 percent to 30.53 percent. Crosby was also voted the league’s best all-around player, beating out Boston’s Patrice Bergeron (45.56 percent to 25.44 percent).

Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman was the players’ pick (37.88 percent) as best defenseman, beating out Washington’s John Carlson (21.35 percent). The Montreal Canadiens’ Carey Price was the choice as top goaltender, getting 41.55 percent of the votes. Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy was second, with 17.09 percent.

Boston’s Brad Marchand was named the league’s best trash talker, with 25.87 percent of the vote. He was also named the worst trash talker (with no explanation as to the difference). Voters declared Florida’s Keith Yandle – a former Ranger – to be the league’s funniest man. Yandle got 17.98 percent of the vote, with the L.A. Kings’ Drew Doughty second at 6.94 percent. (Doughty, by the way, also finished second in both the best and worst trash-talking categories.)

The Devils’ P.K. Subban was the choice (13.59 percent) as the best player to follow on social media, while 25.68 percent of voters said Crosby was the player who wasn’t on social media but should be.

Wayne Gretzky was chosen as the player – past or present – most voters would pay to see play. Gretzky got 31.83 percent of that vote, with defenseman Bobby Orr finishing second with 14.99 percent.

Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin (39.92 percent) edged out the USA’s Hilary Knight (36.29 percent) for the world’s best female player according to 496 voters.

Bell Centre, in Montreal, the home of the Canadiens, was chosen as the building with the best ice in the league, garnering 31.75 percent of the vote. Edmonton’s Rogers Place (16.75 percent) was second and Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place third. Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, with 8.75 percent of the vote, was fourth, and best in the U.S.

Gritty, of the Philadelphia Flyers, was named the NHLPA’s favorite mascot, with 69.7 percent of the vote. No other mascot got as much as 3 percent in the polling.

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NHL shifts self-quarantine period to April 15 in response to coronavirus

By Andrew Gross

The NHL on Tuesday pushed the self-quarantine period for its players through April 15, marking the second extension since the league put its season on pause on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also on Tuesday, the city of Toronto banned all public events until June 30, though that order would not necessarily preclude the Maple Leafs from hosting games.

Still, the separate reactions to the coronavirus outbreak illustrate the uncertainty the NHL – along with the rest of the sports world – faces in re-starting competition.

Initially, the NHL was hopeful its teams could resume training by the end of the 60-day period the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended on March 15 during which gatherings were to be limited to 50 people or fewer. The league, at first, issued a self-quarantine guideline for its players through March 27, which was then extended to this coming Saturday.

On Sunday, President Trump extended social-distancing guidelines in the United States through April 30.

So far, four unnamed NHL players have tested positive for COVID-19, two from the Ottawa Senators and two from the Colorado Avalanche. Rangers and Knicks owner James Dolan has also tested positive.

The NHL is still expressing hope it can complete the 2019-20 season. But no decisions have been made on whether that will include any or all of the remaining 189 regular-season games among the 31 teams or what the playoff format might be, or if fans would be allowed in the rinks if games occur.

Having groups of players resume training – presumably at the team facilities – would be the first step toward restarting the season.

But awarding the Stanley Cup by the second week of June is seemingly becoming less and less likely.

“I think, as time has gone on, we’ve recognized we might have a bigger window than we had originally thought with respect to the summer months and when we have to finish things to be ready for a full regular season next year,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told NHL.com on Friday.

The NHL has asked teams for arena availability through the end of August, though Daly said it was the league’s hope to be playing sooner than that.

“Depending on how things play out, we’d love to be playing sometime in the spring,” Daly said. “Then, if we have to leak into early summer, we’d love to have that problem. But I don’t think we’re far enough long in understanding where this is going to know what’s possible at this point in time.”

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1173125 Ottawa Senators want to have an 82-game schedule next year, so you have to work back from when that can start to when it can finish.

“I don’t think they want to go into July next summer based on what I’ve The NHL shouldn't be in a hurry to cancel its regular season been hearing. We want to have a normal playoff and regular season next year. You can condense that regular season (without) an all-star (game), and maybe not that seven-day break. I’m a little bit nervous about that because you want to make sure the players are healthy and I don’t think Bruce Garrioch it’s great. You want to be careful not to play 82 games in 164 days. March 31, 2020 5:51 PM EDT “The wear and tear on the body, we have to be smart about this. I know Mr. Bettman and the union representatives understand that also. I think there’s a date they have in mind that they’re not sharing with us, and I If all had gone as planned, the NHL would have been heading into the think that’s the best way to go, not sharing it, and hoping this gets behind final week of its season with all seven Canadian teams in action on us sooner rather than later.” on the final Saturday night.

The National Hockey League shouldn’t rush to judgement on the rest of its regular season. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.01.2020

Instead, the best bet for commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly and the league’s 31 owners is to play the waiting game before deciding what the next step will be. The league and all other major sports are on pause because of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

If all had gone as planned, the NHL would have been heading into the final week of its season with all seven Canadian teams in action on Hockey Night in Canada on the final Saturday night — including rivalry matchups between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers against the Calgary Flames in the Battle of .

In addition, the Winnipeg Jets were to be on the road against the Arizona Coyotes, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins were to finish the season versus the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre and the Vancouver Canucks were to host the Vegas Golden Knights in what could have been a pivotal game for Western Conference playoff spots.

Of course, all this is on hold and we have no idea if these games will be played.

But the reality is the league has time before deciding on its next step when — or if — it does resume this season. Bettman and Daly will take their directives from the American Centers for Disease Control and Health Canada before determining when players will be allowed to return to rinks for what would be a short training camp before the resumption of game action.

Speaking in an interview on St. Louis radio station ESPN 101.7 on Tuesday, Blues vice-president and general manager said teams received a memo from the league stipulating that players wouldn’t return to rinks before April 15. That’s no surprise, but the NHL also hopes there will be a point when players will be allowed to work out together and skate in small groups.

“Those are just timelines. They go a week or two at a time and they don’t want to get too far ahead,” Armstrong said. “But we know now that won’t be having small-block training. I think that’s the next phase, hopefully. We don’t think we’re going to go from shelter in place to having large groups around, but we’d love to get the guys still in town back training in groups of five or six or seven at our practice facility.

“We’re still April 15 away from that and probably a little bit longer if you watch the government news. They shut everything down until April 30. We don’t want to be penny-wise and pound foolish. Sport is such a small part of what’s happening with society. We want to make sure we’re good citizens and we’re as sports leaders carrying the torch for every one on how to respond and how to react in this crazy time.”

Ideally, the Blues would have the opportunity to defend their Stanley Cup championship this spring and, if at all possible, the NHL would like St. Louis to get that chance after the full 82-game regular-season schedule. If the league decides to cancel the rest of the regular season too hastily, it can’t turn back on that move.

There’s still a lot left to be decided in both conferences as far as playoff wildcard spots go, which is why the league would like to get all 82 games completed.

“They haven’t given us any date. They probably have a date in mind and I don’t blame them for not sharing it because they probably hope we can get back earlier,” Armstrong said. “They have been consistent that they 1173126 Ottawa Senators He’s a highly-skilled forward and a great passer. He may not be as big as Byfield through the middle, but Rossi is an elite centre, and The Athletic’s Corey Pronman thinks he could be a “legit No.1 centre in the NHL.” And that’s something the Senators could really use. They have the depth up Draft lottery simulator: Where and who the Senators could pick the middle, but they don’t have the without-a-doubt, No.1 centre yet, which could be a game-changer for the team.

A bonus? Rossi is already familiar with Ottawa after spending two years By Hailey Salvian in junior with the 67s. Mar 31, 2020 This would be an excellent draft scenario for the Senators, and possibly 66 percent of a future top line. Not too shabby for the first simulation.

The biggest day in the Ottawa Senators rebuild has been – like the rest Simulation 2 of the NHL calendar – pushed back. How this could play out: The 2019-20 season is paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Detroit: Lafrenière what exactly that means for the 2020 draft remains to be determined. New Jersey: Byfield The NHL announced last week the previously scheduled Montreal draft in June has been postponed, and when and where it will happen is Ottawa: Stützle unknown. And with so much uncertainty around the unfinished season, who knows what the draft lottery could look like. Ottawa: Jamie Drysdale, D, Erie Otters (OHL)

If there are no more regular-season games and the lottery system If the first simulation is perfect, this scenario is a bit more disappointing. remains the same, the Detroit Red Wings – who clinched last place just But it could still work well for the Senators. before the season was paused – have an 18.5 percent chance at the first Yes, they miss out on both Lafrenière and Byfield, but this is a deep draft overall pick. That’s supposed to be the highest chance any team can get. and picking third and fourth is a pretty good consolation prize. However, by owning San Jose’s pick, the Senators actually have the best total odds at winning the lottery, whenever that might be. Now, I have Drysdale at fourth over Rossi, but hear me out.

As it stands right now, the Senators and Sharks rank 30th and 29th Rossi is a great talent, as detailed above. However, NHL teams tend to overall, which equates to 13.5 percent and 11.5 percent odds pick defenceman higher than usually expected, in fact, the last time a respectively. blueliner wasn’t picked in the top 5 was in 2003 (stick taps to Max Bultman in Detroit for that). And, in an interview in February, Lafrenière With three potential picks in the first round – the New York Islanders’ pick told The Athletic, he thinks Drysdale “is a big game changer” and “could via trade for Jean-Gabriel Pageau is conditional and top-three protected definitely go earlier than people may think.” – this could be a franchise-altering draft. At this year’s draft, Drysdale has established himself as the defenceman How could this all shake out for the Ottawa Senators? you want, if he’s available. Well, if there is one thing I’ve learned since moving to Ottawa this year, is He’s been a top defenceman in the OHL with the Eerie Otters and he that fans love Tankathon.com (myself included). So, I felt like this was a played for Canada at the world juniors as a 17-year-old. He doesn’t pretty good time to run some simulations. project to be a top-end offensive talent like Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes, The Athletic ran four consecutive lottery simulations and analyzed how but Drysdale is an elite skater and a smart puck-mover. the draft orders could work for the Senators and the other lucky lottery Stützle is listed as a winger, but according to Pronman, due to his speed, teams. Here’s how things turned out, with four different spins of the skill, and ability to play off the puck, some scouts believe he could be an wheel. NHL centre. Simulation 1 He scored seven goals and 34 points in 41 games for Alder Mannheim in How this could play out: the top German pro league this season. And he’s only 18 years old, which is incredibly impressive. Stützle an attacking forward, and arguably Ottawa: Alexis Lafrenière, F, Rimouski (QMJHL) one of the fastest skaters in the draft.

Detroit: Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury (OHL) You can never have too many centres in your organization, but the Senators already have Colin White, Logan Brown, Josh Norris, Shane Minnesota: Tim Stützle, C/W, Mannheim (DEL) Pinto and in this case, Stützle. So, do you really need to add Rossi to the Ottawa: Marco Rossi, C, Ottawa (OHL) fold when you could add a right-shot defenceman?

Well, this simulation is pretty close to a perfect scenario for the Senators. As of right now, the Senators only have three right-shot defencemen They win the Lafrenière sweepstakes, and you can’t really ask for much signed for next season: Nikita Zaitsev, Lassi Thomson, and Christian more than that if you’re a Senators fan. Jaros. Realistically, Zaitsev is the only reliable NHL defender at this time.

The 18-year-old is the consensus No.1 overall pick, and for good reason. This would be the perfect scenario for the Senators to add to both their He’s dominated the QMJHL for three years now, winning CHL rookie of centre depth and their need on the right-side defensively. the year in 2017-18 and CHL player of the year in 2018-19. When the Simulation 3 CHL season was cancelled, Lafrenière was leading the QMJHL with 112 points in 52 games. And, he was the MVP of the world juniors, winning a How this could play out: gold medal with Canada. Arizona: Lafrenière Lafrenière has passed virtually every test thrown at him. He’s a projected star-caliber forward in the NHL and a cornerstone piece for the team that Columbus: Byfield drafts him. And in this simulation, the Senators are the lucky winners. He Anaheim: Stützle could truly alter the trajectory of the team. Detroit: Rossi The only thing that doesn’t make this perfect is that Detroit – a divisional opponent – gets the second pick and the San Jose pick drops to fourth. Ottawa: Alexander Holtz, W, Djurgårdens (SHL) However, a shot at getting Marco Rossi is nothing to be sad about. Ottawa: Drysdale While Lafrenière was dominating the QMJHL, Rossi was doing the same in the OHL. In 56 games with the Ottawa 67s this season, Rossi scored At the risk of hyperbole, this would be the Armageddon scenario. A 39 goals and 120 points. cosmic joke that the Senators’ two picks would fall to fifth and sixth. And yet this is a very real example of how unpredictable the draft lottery can be. The top three picks combined (13 percent) had less of a chance at the first-overall pick than the Senators’ did at 13.5 percent.

It goes without saying this would be the worst-case scenario for Ottawa.

If there is a silver lining here, it’s that Lafrenière would be headed to the Western Conference to wreak havoc on other teams more frequently than the Senators. And Detroit falls to fourth, so at least Senators fans have someone to wallow in self-pity with?

In all seriousness though, with the draft being so rich in top-end forwards this is fine.

Holtz, while not in the “potential superstar” category, is still a high-end NHL prospect. He’s been productive at the junior, international and now SHL level playing against men. A lot has been made about his natural scoring ability and his elite shot, which lessens the blow of dropping to the fifth pick.

It’s plausible Drysdale is off the board by the time the Senators get to the stage with the way NHL teams often pick defenceman sooner than expected. But that would be too doom and gloom for this simulation.

This would probably be the most likely scenario where you’d see the Senators try to package the two picks to move up in the draft. Nobody is letting go of Lafrenière, certainly not Arizona who could use him as leverage to get Taylor Hall to stick around. Columbus would probably keep Byfield, but maybe Anaheim would bite on taking the fifth and sixth pick in exchange for Rossi.

But that begs the question then, is Rossi better than getting both Drysdale and Holtz? Maybe not. Maybe this isn’t the end of the world scenario after all?

Let’s hope for Senators fans’ sake we don’t need to answer those questions.

Simulation 4

How this could play out:

Ottawa: Lafrenière

Anaheim: Byfield

New York: Stützle

Detroit: Rossi

Ottawa: Drysdale

If the last simulation was a nightmare, this one is a significant upgrade in how the lottery could playout for the Senators.

For the second time in this piece, Ottawa has won the draft lottery, which realistically they have a 25 percent chance of doing so if and when a lottery happens. It’s a very real potential outcome for the Senators, and that it happened twice out of four simulations illustrates that. Although it should be noted that this is a very small sample size.

There is no question if Ottawa picks first they will draft Lafrenière. He’s the best prospect on the board and has the potential to step into the NHL immediately next season. He might not have the instant game-changing ability say, Connor McDavid, or had as rookies, but he could make a difference and grow into an NHL star.

At fifth, I keep Drysdale again even though he is ranked lower than fifth- overall by many scouts and draft rankings. Players like Holtz, Lucas Raymond, and goalie Yaroslav Askarov would be options for Ottawa and have traditionally been ranked above Drysdale. However, the Senators really do need more defencemen on the right-side, and if he is still on the board, I can’t see a player of Drysdale’s calibre getting passed Ottawa, especially if they get their star-forward in Lafrenière.

There’s a 25 percent chance of it happening, and the lottery can be unpredictable. But for the Senators fans who’ve endured the downright misery of the last few years, this scenario would be a massive win for everyone involved.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173127 Philadelphia Flyers “This is a vision quest,” he wrote. “I don’t really know what’s going to happen until lights, camera, action. I’ll keep going while it feels right. The show must go on until it doesn’t.”

Gritty embarks on an Instagram Live ‘vision quest’ from coronavirus Gritty’s social media stardom — he’s got more than 301,000 followers on quarantine Twitter and 275,000 on Instagram — is thanks in large part to the Flyers’ six-member marketing team, who have helped cultivate his eccentric personality through sassy tweets, Spotify playlists, and pop-culture videos. Last week the team dropped a music video inspired by the hit by Stephanie Farr Netflix series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness, featuring Gritty and a very confused house cat.

At first, we felt our way alone in the dark shadow of the coronavirus, with When the NHL season was canceled on March 12 to stem the spread of no light to guide us. the coronavirus, Gritty offered no immediate reaction. It wasn’t until after his concerned fans inquired about his self-quarantine status that he put But then, like a carrot-colored sunrise on the digital Twitter horizon, he out a statement on St. Patrick’s Day. reappeared with a message for us all — Philadelphia’s furry overlord, the self-proclaimed “orange light of hope in this COVID-19 covered world" — “I’m lonely, so I’m sure you are too. Maybe we can be lonely together. Gritty. Maybe being together in loneliness will make us... not lonely?” the message read in part. “I recognize there’s a lot going on, and I rightfully “How are you? I hope everyone is staying safe ... but enough about you, assume my duty to be the orange light of hope in this COVID-19 covered let’s talk about me,” he wrote in a March 17 statement after nearly a world. After all, laughter is the best medicine. Next to medicine.” week of radio silence. Two hours later, Gritty released a video of himself dancing in a Now, Philadelphia’s beloved, unstable son — and the internet’s favorite leprechaun suit while building a tower of toilet paper in front of a rainbow mascot — has stepped up his social media game by embarking on an of plastic plates. He dubbed the performance art piece Instagram Live series called “Gritty’s 1/4 Hour of Power.” “Leprequarantine.”

Shortly after the second episode aired Tuesday, the NHL Players’ As the reality we knew slips further from our grasp each day, moments of Association announced that for the second year in a row, Gritty has been absurdity like those Gritty provides become even more essential to help named NHL players’ favorite mascot. us retain our sanity and our humanity.

Every Thursday, we'll send you ways to help you live better and stay And so long as we all remain united together behind Gritty, we can connected while we’re social distancing. undoubtedly win the fight against our common enemy: The Penguins.

Gritty’s jump into Instagram Live follows those of other talented celebrities, like DJ D-Nice and Questlove, who have taken to livestreaming to stay connected with fans and bring some momentary Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.01.2020 escape from the unrelenting coronavirus news.

But unlike other celebrities — who spin records, read poetry, or dance — Gritty’s show, like Gritty himself, is entirely unpredictable. So far, he’s performed banal tasks with great absurdity. It’s the kind of dadaism even dadaists couldn’t have imagined.

On Monday, Gritty played both sides of a game of Giant Jenga as Flyers in-arena host Andrea Helfrich, who appeared via split screen, dictated to Gritty which blocks to remove while she read comments from those watching.

15 minutes later...

Stay tuned for a new activity on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Gritty made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as Helfrich read some of the requests and shout-outs sent to him by the more than 1,200 followers who tuned in, from Philly to Finland. Among the messages she didn’t read aloud were:

“Gritty I want to be your bride.”

“Gritty is my spirit animal.”

“Gritty is my dad.”

“Gritty shall cure corona.”

“Gritty is the best thing we have left of hockey and I’m a Caps fan.”

Gritty used grape jelly and crunchy peanut butter on toasted sesame bread, which he removed from the toaster with a pair of tongs. He added a “secret ingredient” — sliced green grapes — cut off the crust, and then sliced the sandwich diagonally with a very unnecessary cleaver knife while songs like Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” and Rusted Root’s “Send Me on My Way” played in the background.

“STOP GIVING GRITTY KNIVES,” one commenter wrote.

“My secret ingredient is Sydney Crosby,” wrote a Penguins fan, who is lucky all Flyers fans are currently in self-isolation.

The show is streamed live on both the Flyers’ and Gritty’s Instagram pages at 12:30 p.m., but it’s unclear for how long. In an emailed response to questions from The Inquirer, Gritty said “the possibilities are endless." And yes, he was the one who italicized possibilities. 1173128 Philadelphia Flyers Goalie Carter Hart getting congratulated by Phil Myers after the Flyers' 4- 1 victory over Carolina at the Wells Fargo Center on March 5.

Goalie Carter Hart getting congratulated by Phil Myers after the Flyers' 4- NHL open to playing in summer because of coronavirus | On the Fly 1 victory over Carolina at the Wells Fargo Center on March 5.

Things to know by Sam Carchidi GM Chuck Fletcher gives an update on the state of the Flyers and the NHL during a pause in the season.

The Flyers and assistant GM Brent Flahr are preparing for the draft, By the end of this week, the Flyers’ final 13 regular-season games will which will be a bigger crapshoot than usual. have been postponed by the coronavirus outbreak. Vegas oddsmaker gives theoretical odds for the Flyers and Sixers first- Will they ever be played? round playoff games.

From here, the regular-season games should be scrapped and the Flyers broadcasters have a different way of filling the hockey void; just league should start forming plans for the playoffs — if the season is don’t ask Steve Coates to do THAT. resumed. Rugged winger Wade Allison is signed by the Flyers. The lost regular-season games will hurt teams financially, and that is one of the reasons the league is hoping they can be played. If the regular season is over, the Flyers’ award winners should be ...

Short training camp Fletcher on Hayes

The NHL has asked teams for their arena availability through August, so Besides center Kevin Hayes’ strong play in all situations, Fletcher talked this season might not end for a while if it restarts. (Yes, there would be Monday about his impact off the ice: “He’s a beauty. I think we all knew lots of bad ice surfaces if games were played while outside temperatures he had a strong personality, but he’s had a very positive impact on our were in the 90s.) franchise.”

Referring to games in late August, Bill Daly, the league’s deputy And another thing... commissioner, told NHL.com it “remains our hope, if not our goal, to be I’m working on a series that features the Flyers’ 10 best playoff wins in playing hockey sooner than then.” franchise history. The two Stanley Cup wins are obvious, and I have Daly hopes the season can resume sometime this spring. eight others I’ve tentatively picked — and will have to leave a couple of great games off the list. Would love your feedback on some games that Chuck Fletcher, the Flyers’ general manager, believes if the season would be on your list. If you’d like, kindly email me resumes, an abbreviated training camp would first have to be held. ([email protected]) with your suggestions. During a conference call with reporters Monday, he was asked if a two- week camp would be enough to get players in playing shape. Important date

Fletcher called hockey players “tremendous athletes” who “take care of May 10: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended themselves. We have had other instances where we have had work the cancellation or postponement of all events with 50 or more people stoppages and we’ve had shorter training camps to get ready for the until this date. We shall see if this date is extended. season. Players have been able to manage it. From the mailbag “Certainly two weeks, in my opinion, would be sufficient to get guys up to Whose the odd man out when the season resumes, assuming JVR and speed," Fletcher added. "Obviously you have normal conditioning and Myers are good to go? you have game conditioning that may take a little time for guys to get to where they were when the pause happened. Again, these guys are great Answer: Thanks for the question, Dyl. Thompson, the fourth-line center, athletes and I think that could be sufficient.” is also expected to be ready if the season resumes, so that makes the lineup decisions even more difficult. During the work stoppage, Fletcher has been in contact with James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers’ player representative; captain ; and Since the Flyers were dominating with Shayne Gostisbehere out of the others. lineup — they won nine straight at one point — I’d assume he would become a healthy scratch when Myers returns. Van Riemsdyk figures to “Just making sure everyone is safe and their families are safe, and if go back to his spot as the third-line left winger. That would put Scott there is anything they need from us to get through this time and stage Laughton back as the No. 2 left winger, and send Joel Farabee to the where we are all at,” Fletcher said. “We want to help out any way we can. bench. Farabee has played well, but I believe the Flyers would stay with Obviously we have some injured players that we have been trying to get an experienced lineup. healthy and make sure they are in a good spot.” Another option: Making Laughton the fourth-line center, keeping Farabee Trainer Jim McCrossin has been “working very hard at keeping in touch as the second-line left winger, and having Thompson sit out. This team is with the players that were banged up,” Fletcher said, referring to van very deep, so it would be a good problem to have. Riemsdyk (broken right hand), Phil Myers (broken right kneecap) and Nate Thompson (sprained left knee). “Right now, it’s about doing what we can to make sure players are in good spot. Again, as things are resolved and things get to a different stage and we can start talking about Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.01.2020 playing hockey again in a more realistic manner, communication will ramp up.”

All three injured players should be ready to play if the season resumes in May.

Fletcher has been in contact with front-office personnel, including Dave Scott, Bob Clarke and Paul Holmgren; assistant general managers; coaches; and scouts since the season was paused.

“We’re all trying to stay in touch and do what we can,” he said. “Again, for obvious reasons, a lot of our business has been shut down right now. Most of the things we can focus on are matters going forward, whether that’s the draft or signing some of our players. Maybe planning some things for the future." 1173129 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' James van Riemsdyk only has down time to let his finger heal

By Rob Parent [email protected] @ReluctantSE

Nearly a month and a surreal lifetime removed from suffering a fractured finger in a game in Washington, Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk said Tuesday night that his rehabilitation was coming along slowly but surely.

Considering the world has stopped due to the effects of a terrifying coronavirus pandemic, it's coming along about as well as could be expected. That's about all you can say when thing that seemed to matter yesterday are so quaintly trivial today.

"I haven't touched a stick yet," van Riemsdyk said on a media conference call. "I haven't been cleared to lift anything that weighs more than a pound. I'm just doing more passive motion stuff and kind of taking my time with that and obviously they'll give me the go-ahead at a certain point, when the doctors think it's OK to start progressing things."

In normal times ... like those we wrongly thought we were in just a few short weeks ago ... van Riemsdyk's rehab would be getting fine-tuned in an effort to get him back for at least part of a playoff drive that the Flyers believed could reap some rare rewards.

"We were on a nice run there and that momentum just comes to a halt along with everyone else," van Riemsdyk said. "But we realize this is about stuff bigger than sports. It's about livelihood of people and their health and we're all just trying to do our part. But certainly it's disappointing in the sense that we felt good about what we were building and we want to get a chance to continue doing that at some point."

Any regrets, of course, are only mixed with the vast hopes that the future might be brighter than it seems, and even sports seasons that were halted could somehow see a re-start.

"That's been the hardest part, not only for us but I feel like for everyone in the world," van Riemsdyk said. "All this uncertainty around everything. It would be nice to (hear) 'You guys, you know what, sit at home for a month and then everything will go back to normal.' That would obviously be easier for everyone to handle instead of the daily or weekly updates on stuff.

"You're kind of still unsure about what's going to go on. ... Like a lot of people, it feels like we're just running in place right now. It's stay busy and keep yourself in shape and that sort of thing for us. Once we get the green light to start progressing things that will be nice, but we'll see when those updates end up coming."

The Flyers' players representative, it's more or less van Riemsdyk's job to act as go-between with the coaches and management while everyone essentially quarantines during these COVID-19 times. JVR and his teammates have been holding group chats during the past couple of weeks.

He's hoping that at some point sooner rather than later, the group chats will be face to face.

"I'd like to think of things in that lens vs. the other way, where we're trying to wonder how we're going to get this done," said van Riemsdyk, the New Jersey native who has been working out in his in-laws' basement in Minnesota while he and his wife await their house's construction to be completed nearby. "I'd like to think we'll find a way (to play soon), but we want to guarantee the safety of everyone involved; players, staff, fans ... families.

"Certainly we don't want to do anything at the expense of any of that. This is a way bigger issue than sports or business or whatever it may be. There's lots of stuff going on in the world right now. We all have to do our parts in a different way, even if it's just sitting tight at home and following the different instructions that the governments are putting out there."

Delaware County Times LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173130 Philadelphia Flyers must-see entertainment. They could be a whole lot more fun, for all viewers, with a look that will be different to everybody. After all, 2019-20 has now become much different than other seasons in the past.

Because of coronavirus outbreak, James van Riemsdyk sees possible “If it gets to the point where we don’t have enough time to play out the 'unique opportunity' for NHL playoffs regular season, which I’m sure everyone obviously would like to do," van Riemsdyk said, "then we can be more creative in the sense of trying something a little bit outside the box with the playoff structure potentially.”

By Jordan Hall

March 31, 2020 11:00 PM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020

INSIDE THE TURNAROUND

An inside look at how Flyers have built 2019-20 turnaround

With perspective from the players and head coach, let's take an inside look at how the Flyers have built their 2019-20 turnaround. By Jordan Hall

There always seem to be the people out there pleading for the NHL to become more marketable, more fun, more appealing.

If there's a silver lining to the suspension and uncertainty of the 2019-20 season amid the coronavirus outbreak, it could be the doors opening for some experimentation by the league.

Wednesday morning saw the calendar flip to April. The 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs were originally scheduled to start April 8. Nobody knows when or if they'll begin. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL has been out of commission since March 12 and on Tuesday extended its isolation period to April 15.

Every NHL team has at least 11 games left on its regular-season schedule. The Flyers, who are a point behind the Metropolitan Division- leading Capitals, have 13 games left.

With each passing day, the hopes of finishing the 2019-20 season in full weaken.

"That’s been the hardest part, for not only us but I feel like everyone in the world — there’s all this uncertainty around everything," James van Riemsdyk, the Flyers' NHLPA representative, said Tuesday night in a conference call. "It’d be nice to be like, ‘You know what, you sit at home for a month and then everything will go back to normal.’ I think that would obviously be a lot easier for everyone to handle than these daily to weekly updates on stuff and you’re kind of still unsure about what’s going to go on. A lot of people feel like, I’m sure, just running in place right now trying to stay busy and keep yourself in shape.”

Will the NHL find a way to drastically change its plan throughout the summer to play 2019-20 in its entirety? Should the league ax the remainder of the regular season and jump right into the playoffs? Could the postseason format change? Is the season going to resume at all?

A veteran of 11 seasons, van Riemsdyk knows all options will be on the table.

"I’d like to think we’ll find a way, but ultimately we want to guarantee the safety of everyone involved whether that’s players, staff, fans, families — we don’t want to do anything at the expense of any of that," van Riemsdyk said. "This is a way bigger issue than sports.”

He sees the NHL's predicament as a possible tryout opportunity for the league.

“Ultimately it’s going to come down to timing and how we can fit everything in," van Riemsdyk said. "In a perfect world, you’d like to finish the regular season and play it out as it may and go from there. But if some of those timeframes become a little bit too shortened where we can’t fit that in, it kind of creates a unique opportunity, in my opinion, to maybe try something a little bit unique with the playoff structure.

"I know that’s been talked about in the last couple of years especially is try to maybe add some more teams to it. If we’re in a situation like we are this year, it’s basically a free chance to try something a little bit outside the box maybe and see what might work.

"We’ll cross those bridges when we get there as far as time-wise and when we’re able to start things up and how that might look.”

Sixteen of the NHL's 31 teams qualify for the postseason. Each round features a best-of-seven series. The NHL playoffs have always been 1173131 Philadelphia Flyers Hall With Konecny making such an important jump for the Flyers, he'll

rightfully be the favorite for this award and should even be in Predictions for who wins Flyers' 2019-20 Pelle Lindbergh Memorial consideration for the Bobby Clarke Trophy. Trophy as most improved player However, Oskar Lindblom won't be counted out for most improved. Don't be surprised if some teammates cast their votes for the 23-year-old forward — and those votes would be deserved. By Brooke Destra, Katie Emmer, Taryn Hatcher, Jordan Hall Before being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma during mid-December, March 31, 2020 6:30 PM Lindblom was thriving in his biggest role yet, scoring 11 goals and 18 points through 30 games. He was projected to finish with 30 goals after a

promising rookie season in which he recorded 17 while playing fewer Going End to End today are NBC Sports Philadelphia's Brooke Destra, minutes. Katie Emmer, Taryn Hatcher and Jordan Hall. Lindblom, who continues to undergo treatment, quickly won over The topic: Predicting who wins the Flyers' 2019-20 Pelle Lindbergh Vigneault with his smarts and skill. His improvements were significant Memorial Trophy as most improved player. and evident.

Destra

When it comes to most improved from last season, Travis Konecny is the Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 first that comes to mind. He didn’t have a poor 2018-19 season by any means but when looking back and the leaps and bounds he has made since then, it just makes sense to award him the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy.

Before the season started, I noted that Konecny was the most important puzzle piece for a successful year and he has continued to prove that with every game played.

Konecny bettered his two-way game, cleaned up his puck work in the neutral zone and can be on a line with just about anyone and still find a way to drive play. He’s grown every aspect of his game and now leads the team in points, as well.

Not to mention, he’s also a pest to play against, a ton of fun to watch, made his first All-Star appearance back in January … and he’s only 23 years old.

Emmer

Konecny is the most improved player.

Fans were expecting a breakout season from Konecny and he’s having it. With 61 points through 66 games, he’s already 12 points past his previous career high of 49 points in 82 games last year.

Konecny’s average ice time has gone up by almost two minutes more than last season and he has continued to dominate in his 5-on-5 play, while his presence on the Flyers' power-play units has grown as he leads the team in man advantage assists with 18.

The Flyers' 2015 first-rounder obviously had talent from the start, but this season he really blossomed on the score sheet and grew that confidence Flyers fans had certainly seen hints of before, but now see it on another level.

His confidence could have spiked for many reasons: his offensive success, his coaching staff and new linemates and maybe even that six- year, $33 million contract he inked at the start of the season.

Whatever it was, that confidence is hopefully here to stay. Konecny certainly improved the most this season and I think Flyers fans have plenty to look forward to out of this 23-year-old for the next five-plus years.

Hatcher

The Flyers have quite a few players who have taken the next step in their game this season, but Scott Laughton deserves this one in my opinion.

Statistically speaking, Laughton played 82 games last season, netting 12 goals and tallying 20 assists. After battling through two injuries this year (finger, groin), he’s still managed to pass that goal total with 13 in just 49 games so far in 2019-20. Laughton has also jumped from a minus-11 rating last year to a plus-13. He’s a key piece of the Flyers' significantly improved penalty kill.

Not to mention, when Alain Vigneault has needed to shake up lines, Laughton has been able to find success as a top-six player. But, when called upon to contribute in the bottom six, he’s assumed the role without issue. Laughton still finds ways to distribute the puck well and produce with a different cast of players. 1173132 Philadelphia Flyers

Scott Laughton says thank you to those 'putting their lives on the line' during coronavirus outbreak

By Jordan Hall

March 31, 2020 1:50 PM

With perspective from the players and head coach, let's take an inside look at how the Flyers have built their 2019-20 turnaround. By Jordan Hall

Just like his Flyers teammates, Scott Laughton is staying busy during the suspension of the 2019-20 season amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The 25-year-old forward is in Philadelphia keeping up with personal workouts, including a little bit of yoga with his girlfriend.

Aside from physical fitness, Laughton also dusted off his Xbox and depleted Claude Giroux's confidence in FIFA.

“I just wanted to say, I haven’t picked up an Xbox since junior [hockey]," Laughton said Monday in a video interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia's Taryn Hatcher. "Started playing a little bit during the break, G asked if we wanted to play twice, I mopped him up a little bit and beat him.

"Other than that, I actually picked up a book the other day, started reading a little bit. Not much, watching different shows, binge-watched 'Tiger King.'"

The 2019-20 Flyers are a tight-knit group, which has helped spearhead the team's resurgence after a letdown 2018-19 campaign.

"Everybody’s accepting of their role and doing what is asked of them and doing it with a smile on their face," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday on a conference call. "I think that’s why this group is so close and we were having the success that we were having at the end of the year."

Prior to the league's stoppage on March 12, the Flyers had won nine of their last 10 games and were 19-6-1 since Jan. 8, a stretch in which they were tied with the Bruins for the NHL's most points at 39. With 13 games left on their schedule, the Flyers are one point behind the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals and own the league's sixth-most points at 89.

Understandably, Flyers teammates are buzzing in the group chat during this period of separation.

“I think guys have been writing in the chat a lot, just trying to keep it light," Laughton said. "This is a tough time for everyone, just trying to stay in touch and see what’s going on in the league and what’s going to happen. I think guys are pretty curious about it, especially the way we were playing and going into it.”

As Laughton noted, this is a tough time for everyone. He's appreciative of all those in crucial roles, risking their health for others.

“Philly and everyone around the world have come together at this time," Laughton said. "At the front of it are the healthcare workers and everyone that’s working in the grocery stores and at different stores that you need to get essentials at, so a big thank you to all of them for doing all that for us and putting their lives on the line. It’s been a really special time to see these people put in their work and make sure everyone is healthy and safe.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173133 Philadelphia Flyers face. I think that’s why this group is so close and we were having the success we were having at the end of the year.”

If things are able to resume at some point, who knows what it will look A look at how the Flyers changed expectations, even for themselves like? Yes, Nate Thompson has recovered from his sprained knee, Phil Myers would be cleared to play after his knee cap was fractured and James van Riemsdyk would be set to return from a broken right index finger. Nolan Patrick might even be able to join the fold after dealing with Dave Isaac, NHL Writer migraine disorder. Published 12:07 p.m. ET March 31, 2020 Will they all be able to snap back into the form they were in the second week of March? Will they even have regular-season games to use as a warmup or would so much time have elapsed that the NHL prefers to The Flyers had won nine of their last 10 games before the NHL paused start with the playoffs? its season. Now they're left to wonder if they can continue their journey. There are plenty of unanswered questions, which makes the progress Chuck Fletcher knew that performing major surgery to a roster would that the Flyers have shown that much more frustrating. It very well could mean it would take a while for things to click, especially when those all be for naught. changes included a new coaching staff and system. “We’re fine with anything they put forth” in terms of format for a The scalpel came out last season, in Fletcher’s third month as general completed season, Fletcher said. “To me, the more hockey the better. manager of the Flyers. The first move of significant consequence was Whatever it ends up being, it ends up being. I’m not particularly wed to dealing Wayne Simmonds to the Nashville Predators. After an injury- anything. There’s a lot of ideas out there and creative solutions and it’s a riddled season and another of his body in recovery, Simmonds’ good way to pass the time right now. Until things change and we have emotional departure was a message that no one was truly safe. more information, it’s gonna be hard to know what’s going to happen.

Then he added Kevin Hayes, Matt Niskanen, Justin Braun and Tyler “Obviously I hope that we have the ability to finish up this year. A lot of Pitlick. He opened the door for rookies like Joel Farabee, Nicolas Aube- work was put in and we got through the majority of the regular season. Kubel and Morgan Frost to have an impact. Travis Konecny took a big We’re all competitors. We all want to play. Again, if we’re playing it step forward. Goalie Carter Hart proved he wasn’t just a rookie means that this situation has changed dramatically and we’re in a much sensation. Ivan Provorov returned to form after a down year. better spot.”

And it sure felt like there was about to finally be a payoff before the NHL hit pause on its season on March 12 due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has turned into a global pandemic. Courier-Post LOADED: 04.01.2020

It’s hard not to wonder “what if?” these days, even though there remains a bit of hope that the NHL can resume its season at some point in the summer. The Flyers sit one point back of the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division and looked like a team capable of winning a playoff round for the first time since 2012.

“It took its time to get everybody on the same page and get everyone to be playing their best hockey, which I think was predictable when you make the number of changes we made last offseason,” Fletcher said Monday on a conference call with reporters. “I think as the season progressed, we all got on the same page from a systems standpoint. Our culture grew and the expectations of the group increased. I think we’ve become a pretty good hockey team.”

Initially, the goal was just to get back to the playoffs because there was so much change. Vigneault vowed from early on that a ticket to the postseason would indeed be punched. Winning a playoff round would have been gravy.

Then the teams that “won the offseason,” like the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, turned out to win infrequently and created an opening that the Flyers grew into. They had four win streaks of four or more games and steadily progressed in most individual areas, even if the strategy sometimes varied.

They had won nine of their last 10 games before the season stopped. The bar was definitely raised internally. Expectations turned to being a perennial successful playoff team, which is what Comcast Spectacor chairman Dave Scott has been pining for.

There isn’t much left of the regular season left, so it’s appropriate to look at the current sample size and compare it to last year. The Flyers have allowed, on average, 3.8 fewer shots per game and .64 fewer goals per game while scoring .39 more goals per game. Their power play improved by 3.7 percent and their penalty kill by 3.3 percent.

That alone stands as a pretty good resume for Fletcher as it relates to the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, assuming it gets presented at some point.

The bigger payoff, of course, could come in playoff wins.

“What I like is just the buy-in,” Fletcher said. “Everyone is accepting of their role and what they need to do to help the hockey team win. Whether it’s Claude Giroux or whether it’s Joel Farabee, it runs the gambit from our most experienced guys to our rookies. Everybody is accepting of the role and doing what’s asked of them and doing it with a smile on their 1173134 Philadelphia Flyers Credit Flyers scouts for unearthing a useful bottom-sixer, and general manager Ron Hextall for trusting them enough to offer Bellemare a cheap contract.

The 10 best Flyers free-agent signings of the 2010s 9. Michael Del Zotto

Contract: 1 year, $1.3 million (2014)

Charlie O'Connor GAR during contract: +2.5

Mar 31, 2020 As desperation signings go, this is about as good as it gets. In response to the news that blood clots had been found in defenseman leg and lungs, Hextall snapped up Del Zotto, who was still on the market in early August 2014 after wearing out his welcome with the Back on March 19, with the NHL season’s pause still fresh on everyone’s New York Rangers and Nashville Predators. Del Zotto had talent — his mind, I held a Q&A with The Athletic subscribers. Generally, I can handle 37-point rookie campaign and 10-goal, 41-point junior season proved as most questions about the team, but one from Joseph M. threw me in the much — but he wasn’t exactly a coveted commodity at the time. moment — not because it was impossible to answer, but because it required significant research to get the answer right. The 2014-15 Flyers were far from a juggernaut — they won just 33 games and finished 15 points out of the Eastern Conference’s final “Charlie, where would you rank Kevin Hayes (among the Flyers’) playoff spot — but Del Zotto was still a smart buy. He scored 32 points in offseason acquisitions over the last 10 years?” 64 games, ranked second on the defense in minutes per game and It’s a fascinating question. Hayes, of course, has met all expectations in played in all situations (even strength, power play, penalty kill). He may his first season in Philadelphia, silencing those who felt his seven-year, have been handed a role that exceeded his talents, but he was better $50 million contract qualified as a massive overpay. But where does the suited for it than players like Andrew MacDonald, Luke Schenn, Nick apparent success of the Hayes signing rank among the organization’s Schultz and Nicklas Grossmann, all of whom would have been pushed other moves? Could such a question even be answered with Hayes’ even further up the lineup had Del Zotto not signed. contract not even 15 percent of the way complete? Del Zotto didn’t save the Flyers’ season. But he was well worth the $1.3 The more I researched, the more it became clear the scope of the million cap hit. question had to be limited. How does one compare the Hayes signing — 8. Mark Streit for which the Flyers relinquished nothing but cap space and a fifth-round pick to acquire his soon-to-expire rights from Winnipeg — to a trade that Contract: 4 years, $21 million (2013) brought in Jakub Voracek and but also sent out Jeff Carter? The former is judged solely on whether the new addition played GAR during contract: +9.2 well and justified his contract; the latter mostly boils down to whether the The Streit contract went about as well as the Flyers could have Flyers “won the trade.” reasonably hoped. Desperate for a puck-moving defenseman, GM Paul As a result, I set a ground rule for today’s exercise: It would include only Holmgren opened up the checkbook for Streit in 2013, handing him a free-agent signings since 2010. (Best Flyers trades of the 2010s could be $5.25 million cap hit for the next four seasons. The problem? Streit was a topic for another Charlie’s Countdown.) Signings in the wake of rights 35 when he signed, meaning that he would be under contract through his trades — for example, the Hayes signing — still count for our purposes. age-39 season. In other words, it was a real risk. Entry-level contracts given to drafted prospects don’t count — the smart For the first two seasons of the contract, Streit more than lived up to move was drafting the player in the first place, not signing him — but expectations. Tasked with heavy minutes alongside underwhelming undrafted free-agent signings or imports from Europe were considered. partners — primarily Grossmann and Schultz — Streit carried both to How were the moves graded? First and foremost, signings were judged relative respectability, while racking up 44 and 52 points in back-to-back on how much value they added to the organization over the length of seasons, and serving as the Flyers’ No. 1 defenseman in Year 2. their contract, so a player didn’t receive a massive boost for strong play The final two years of the deal weren’t as pretty. Streit’s 2015-16 season during a subsequent extension. That said, post-contract work still is mostly remembered for a painful-sounding pubic plate detachment counted, in the sense that continued strong play can make the initial injury, and that he lost his job as power-play quarterback to Shayne signing seem even more shrewd in retrospect. Gostisbehere. In the final year of the contract, he slid down the Finally, as a reference point for each of the choices, I’ve included Philadelphia depth chart, missed a month due to an upper-body injury Evolving Hockey’s Goals Above Replacement value-based metric to and ended up in Pittsburgh via Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. It was provide a general idea of the analytical view of our 10 choices. Now, on an inglorious end to his Flyers tenure. to the selections. With the benefit of time, however, the Streit contract doesn’t look too bad. 10. Pierre-Édouard Bellemare Those first two seasons were objectively strong, and even in Year 3, it’s not like Streit’s underlying play at even strength dipped too much — he Contract: 1 year, $600,000 (2014) just lost the PP1 job, so his point totals dropped off accordingly. It wasn’t until the final season of the deal when Streit really started to slip, and Goals Above Replacement provided to Flyers during initial contract: +2.6 even then, he retained enough value to bring back a mid-round draft pick It’s not fair to say that the Flyers dug up Bellemare out of nowhere, but and Valtteri Filppula in a trade. In a more just world, Streit would be 29-year-olds with good-but-not-great stats in the SHL don’t usually earn remembered as one of the thankless heroes of a frustrating era. shots in the NHL. The Flyers took a flier on him anyway, and were 7. Brian Elliott rewarded with 81 games of solid fourth-line work. The front office took note and locked up Bellemare to a two-year extension before the 2014- Contract: 2 years, $5.5 million (2017) 15 season even finished. GAR during contract: +12.8 The initial contract actually looks even better in retrospect, since one of the main complaints lobbed Bellemare’s way — especially at the tail end From the second that Elliott signed a two-year contract in 2017, it felt like of his tenure — was his less-than-stellar advanced-stat profile. Since the deal was meant to serve as a bridge to the Flyers’ high-end goalie leaving Philadelphia, however, he’s become a legitimate even-strength prospects — specifically Carter Hart, who had just concluded a dominant play-driver for Vegas and Colorado, a development that strongly implies Draft+1 season for the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. And that’s exactly what Bellemare’s underwhelming stats with the Flyers can largely be attributed Elliott provided over the contract, before giving way to Hart in the second to extensive time spent alongside Chris VandeVelde, who was last seen half of the deal’s final year. plying his trade in Austria. Was Elliott a high-end goalie in 2017-18 and 2018-19? No, but that’s not Still, even with VandeVelde as his primary linemate, Bellemare potted the price the Flyers paid when they acquired him from the Calgary nine goals in 2014-15 and had his best play-driving year with the Flyers. Flames. They wanted someone who could hold down the fort, and (By Evolving Hockey’s Regularized-Adjusted Plus/Minus model, particularly in Year 1, that’s what they got, as Elliott posted a passable Bellemare had a +0.056 impact on the team’s expected goal differential.) 0.909 save percentage over 43 games and helped the Flyers return to acquisition — including a career season — and then exited the deal the postseason. before things got ugly. That’s asset management in a nutshell.

Injuries prevented this contract from being a slam-dunk win for the Flyers 4. Michael Raffl — from February 2018 through February 2019, he struggled through various issues with his core that stemmed from an injury he’d suffered in Contract: 1 year, $925,000 (2013) Arizona — but when Elliott played and was not overworked by the GAR during contract: +8.5 coaching staff, he generally performed admirably. That solid work earned him a one-year extension last summer to serve as the 1B to Hart, an Raffl’s initial contract is essentially the Bellemare deal on steroids. At the implicit acknowledgement that Elliott had largely lived up to reasonable time, Raffl was an unknown, soon-to-be 25-year-old forward who hadn’t expectations. made it above the Allsvenskan (the second-tier Swedish league). Nevertheless, Holmgren and his scouting department unearthed Raffl, 6. James van Riemsdyk offered him a contract and watched as he quickly established himself as Contract: 5 years, $35 million (2018) an NHL regular.

GAR during contract: +10.0 It’s the unlikelihood of Raffl’s strong rookie season that earns him a place in the top 5, in addition to the fact that he would become a lineup staple Skeptics will likely argue that sixth is way too high for James van over the second half of the 2010s. Raffl may have scored only 22 points Riemsdyk version 2.0; a look at the numbers would instead hint that he in 68 games that season, but his 1.71 Points/60 minutes rate at 5-on-5 should easily rank in the top half of our list. Sixth feels like a fair was second-line caliber, and he proved to be such a good “do-the-little- compromise. things-right” type that head coach Craig Berube ended up sticking him on a line with Giroux and Voracek. Not bad for a player who wasn’t even in Let’s be clear, $7 million is a lofty cap hit for a winger who is more of the best league in Sweden a year before. super-specialist than a top-of-the-lineup stalwart. JvR has historically been most effective as a sheltered third-line scorer who also receives By Goals Above Replacement, Raffl ranked sixth among all Flyers in heavy power-play time, and that’s largely played out during his second 2013-14 with 8.5 goals worth of value added to the team, all while on a stint with Philadelphia. He also missed extensive time due to injury in paltry $925,000 cap hit. The signing brought a player into the fold who 2018-19, which didn’t help his counting stats. remains a useful piece in the organization to this day. It may not have been a high-profile deal at the time, but it paid immediate and long- Still, we’re talking about a player who has provided significant value in lasting dividends. both of his seasons back in the City of Brotherly Love. In Year 1, it was primarily through individual offense, as he scored 27 goals in 66 games 3. Kevin Hayes (a 33.5 goal pace over 82 games). This season, van Riemsdyk’s goal production has dipped, but he’s made up for it by grading out as one of Contract: 7 years, $50 million (2019) the team’s best even-strength play-drivers: He leads all Flyers in impact GAR during contract: -1.0 on expected goal differential (via Evolving Hockey’s RAPM model) and ranks fourth in impact on shot differential (behind only Couturier, Claude Yes, it’s very early into the Hayes contract. There’s time for public Giroux and Travis Konecny). Regardless of what detractors claim, JvR perception of his value to turn and for the deal to become a drag on has been the opposite of a liability under this contract. Philadelphia’s cap situation. And yes, the WAR model doesn’t exactly love his work this season. But talk to anyone in the Flyers organization or Could the deal get ugly at the end? Sure, it’s possible, as van Riemsdyk the fans that follow it, and they’ll tell a similar story: Hayes has been a will be on the verge of turning 34 when it expires. But it’s also possible smashing success thus far, and more than worth his $7.14 million cap hit. JvR has a season or two left in him in which he combines the goal scoring prowess from 2018-19 with the 2019-20 play-driving excellence It’s not just that the Flyers would likely have crumbled without Hayes in — after all, he graded out as a stellar advanced-stat performer during his 2019-20, especially after Nolan Patrick’s migraine disorder further final three seasons in Toronto, so it’s not like the latter came out of weakened the team’s center depth. It’s that he’s solidified the top six by nowhere, and his goal-scoring ability dates back to 2012-13. providing a stabilizing presence in the middle of Line 2. It’s his exceptional penalty killing, which has helped to transform a team The Flyers may not be able to deploy van Riemsdyk like a traditional $7 weakness into a strength. It’s his penchant for clutch goals. And it’s his million player. But that doesn’t mean he can’t end up providing $7 million gregarious personality, which has served to loosen up his teammates worth of value on a yearly basis. and turn the Flyers back into a fun team for diehard fans to follow.

5. Max Talbot When the season paused, Hayes was on pace for a career-high 27 Contract: 5 years, $9 million (2011) goals, and 48.7 points, which would have essentially equaled his best season in New York. Offensively, he’s provided exactly what fans should GAR during contract: +7.4 have reasonably anticipated. It’s his other qualities and contributions that push him into the No. 3 ranking. It’s only fear of the unknown — the next The Flyers couldn’t have played the Max Talbot situation any better. six years of his contract — that keeps him from ranking higher.

When the 27-year-old signed a five-year contract in the summer of 2011, 2. Sergei Bobrovsky it was fair to wonder if a bottom-sixer warranted that commitment, even with a reasonable cap hit ($1.8 million). Talbot answered the skeptics Contract: 3 years, $5.25 million (2010) with the best season of his career: a 19-goal, 34-point campaign in which he performed like an above-average third-liner by the numbers. He also GAR during contract: +27.1 scored three big goals in the Flyers’ first-round playoff upset of his former For a second, forget about the way Bobrovsky’s time in Philadelphia club, the Pittsburgh Penguins. In one season, Talbot went from villain to ended, and that he’d likely sit as an unquestioned No. 1 on this list had hero in Philadelphia, and provided exceptional first-year value. the Flyers’ brain trust simply been patient with their young goalie rather In Year 2, Talbot remained useful but his underlying results dipped, in than panicking and throwing $51 million in the direction of Ilya Bryzgalov, line with the team’s as a whole. The low cap hit made it unlikely that seemingly sounding the death knell for Bobrovsky’s chances of becoming Talbot’s deal would ever become a true albatross for the club, but the starting netminder. suddenly, it was possible it could turn into a negative-value contract. That Instead, remember that the Flyers dug up an undrafted, little-known, 21- fear was extinguished a month into the 2013-14 season, when the Flyers year-old KHL goalie and watched him immediately become their starting shipped Talbot to Colorado in a one-for-one trade for expiring contract netminder in 2010, addressing the team’s biggest roster hole from the Steve Downie. previous season.

Even successful long-term unrestricted free-agent contracts tend to The Bobrovsky signing on its own was nothing short of a coup, the kind follow a certain trajectory — the player provides maximum value in the of discovery that defines a franchise for years to come. Only five first half of the deal (while he’s still close to his age-related prime) and goaltenders were more active over the 2010s than Bobrovsky, and only then steadily tails off in the second half. Essentially, teams reap the seven prevented more goals above expectation, per Evolving Hockey. rewards in the first half and then taste a bit of unpleasant medicine. With And it was the Flyers who found him, gave him his first shot in the NHL Talbot, however, the Flyers were able to enjoy the best of their new and reaped the rewards of his strong rookie season. Of course, Bobrovsky’s uneven playoff work in 2011 drove Ed Snider to mandate the acquisition of an established veteran netminder, a decision that unceremoniously shunted Bobrovsky to the backup role. As a result, the young goalie’s camp told the Flyers he would return to Russia after his initial contract expired rather than re-sign in Philadelphia, necessitating his trade to Columbus. But the saga’s eventual outcome doesn’t change the fact that Bobrovsky stands as one of Philadelphia’s best one-year Band-Aids of the decade, and an undeniable scouting triumph.

1. Jaromir Jagr

Contract: 1 year, $3.3 million (2011)

GAR during contract: +9.9

It’s easy to forget, but when Holmgren signed Jagr to a one-year, $3.3 million contract in the summer of 2011, it felt like a legitimate risk. Jagr was 39, and three seasons removed from his last go-around in the NHL. Sure, he had excelled in the KHL in the interim, and still looked like his old self at the World Championship. But many still viewed the signing with skepticism. Just how much did Jagr have left in the tank?

As it turned out, quite a lot. Jagr slotted in as a first-line winger alongside emerging star center Giroux, and with Jagr’s help, Giroux removed the word “emerging” from that description. In 73 games, the future Hall of Famer racked up 54 points, drove play and set an example for youngsters like Giroux and Voracek of what it took to be a nightly impact player in the NHL.

Contracts like the ones given to Bobrovsky, Raffl and Bellemare were classic low-risk, high-reward moves — if any of them had flamed out and failed to deliver for the Flyers, it wasn’t going to be a fireable offense. But to set aside a not-insignificant portion of the cap space freed up by the trades of franchise pillars and Carter, and give it to a 39- year-old long hated in Philadelphia who had been out of the league for three seasons? Had Jagr looked like a shell of himself in 2011-12, Holmgren would have been ridiculed.

Instead, Flyers fans quickly fell in love with Jagr, to the point where most advocated for the team to bring back the “aging” veteran for at least another season in Orange & Black. As with Bobrovsky, however, the front office failed to properly value Jagr — he left for Dallas, and ended up having another five useful seasons before finally showing his age at 45. Jagr’s longevity proved Holmgren was right to invest in him, but as became a regular occurrence for the Flyers during the 2010s, fans were left wondering “what-if” when he ended up out of the picture.

All statistics courtesy of Evolving Hockey and Natural Stat Trick.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173135 Pittsburgh Penguins

If NHL resumes play, 2 weeks needed for minicamp, Penguins’ Mike Sullivan says

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 4:40 p.m.

Mike Sullivan knows the answer isn’t an easy one, but the Pittsburgh Penguins coach insisted the NHL has “great leadership” that he’s willing to entrust to make the correct decision.

But in Sullivan’s opinion, the league’s players would need “somewhere in the timeframe of two weeks” to ramp back up and get their bodies into appropriate shape for a resumption of play that has been stopped in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I would think (two weeks is sufficient) to give guys an opportunity to get back involved with skating again, to get back involved with physical play and body contact and things that of that nature that are required to play at the intensity level that is demanded of you in the NHL — especially given the fact that when we do return to play that it’s going to be a very high-stakes scenario,” Sullivan said Tuesday during a video call with Pittsburgh media.

The unprecedented nature of the league’s layoff that began March 12 will mean plenty of unknowns for when — or even if — the 2019-20 season restarts. There will be winners and losers, to be sure, based off of the circumstances, and each team will operate under a level playing field as it navigates the situation.

“The timeframe is uncertain,” Sullivan said. “We don’t know how long we are going to be out whenever that return-to-play scenario takes place. But having said that, what I will say is every team is in the same circumstance, and so we are all going to have the same timeframe to try to prepare our teams to compete given the window of time that the league is going to allow for some sort of a mini training camp.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173136 Pittsburgh Penguins All were issues Sullivan hopes began to work themselves out — just before the NHL temporarily ceased play — with one strong game in northern New Jersey.

Mike Sullivan: Win at N.J. showed Penguins were emerging from funk, have momentum Tribune Review LOADED: 04.01.2020

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 4:08 p.m.

There is no good timing, of course, for a pandemic or for the paralyzation of the economy facing the nation. But to coach Mike Sullivan, the pause of the NHL season came at a particularly bad time for his Pittsburgh Penguins.

Twenty-four hours before the league’s final games before the suspension of the season, the Penguins won on the road, beating the New Jersey Devils, 5-2. Although it came after a 2-8-0 stretch, a more optimistic view could be it was their third win over five games in eight days.

That alone doesn’t make the Penguins the Stanley Cup favorites. The three victories, after all, were against three of the four Eastern Conference teams with losing records. But Sullivan insisted he saw plenty he liked that evening in Newark, N.J.

“I believe as a coach,” Sullivan said during a video call with media Tuesday, “that we felt as a coaching staff that we were (turning the corner), that we were starting to come together, that we were staring to find the chemistry again and everyone’s roles and the new guys and how to utilize those guys and try to maximize their contributions to our group. So we really like the direction that we were going. The Jersey game was a great indication of that. It was a real good … win for us.”

Although the Devils are in last place in the Metropolitan Division, Sullivan was quick to note they had been playing their best hockey of the season leading into that March 10 game against the Penguins. New Jersey was on a 10-4-2 run and had lost in regulation only once over its previous nine games.

Over the prior five weeks, the Devils had beaten the St. Louis Blues and the Washington Capitals — both first-place teams — in addition to the NHL’s hottest team, the Philadelphia Flyers.

“So we felt good about that win,” Sullivan said. “I think that was an important one for us, for our own self-confidence and in building some traction moving forward. Just a good feeling to hang on to in the event there is a return-to-play scenario coming here.”

The Penguins controlled more than 59% of the even-strength shot attempts in that game — a figure they topped only once in their 20 previous games, according to hockey-reference.com’s game log. The Penguins hadn’t statistically dominated puck possession to that extent in a victory since a 2-1 overtime win Jan. 17 at the awful Detroit Red Wings.

A deeper dive into the numbers via naturalstattrick.com shows the Penguins were the sixth-worst team in the NHL between Jan. 5 and the Devils game when measured by high-danger scoring chances percentage. Only the Red Wings had fewer high-danger scoring chances in that time, and only the Red Wings, Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers and had a worse ratio of high-danger chances for vs. those against.

Though the Penguins maintained their winning throughout the first half of that stretch of poor statistical play, it began to catch up to them in the 2- 8-0 stretch.

Sullivan gave a list of reasons intended to — in his words – “rationalize” the slump.

“I think there were a lot of circumstances surrounding the bit of adversity that our team went through there before the suspension of play,” he said. “We had a number of returning players coming off the injured list coming back into our lineup. The trade deadline was right at the same time where we were trying to assimilate new players in our lineup. There were certain players that I think we probably played and overtaxed and put them in tough scenarios from that standpoint out of necessity because of the injuries that our team had to endure.” 1173137 Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL player vote: Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ‘most complete player,’ but not best forward

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 12:34 p.m.

The NHL’s players apparently do not consider Sidney Crosby to be the league’s best forward — but they do view him as the game’s most complete player. And if the stakes are highest, they’re still sticking with Sid.

The NHL Players Association on Tuesday released the results of their annual player poll of more than 20 hockey-related questions that was conducted before the league shut down its season in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The NHLPA said almost 600 players responded, and the Penguins are well-represented in the results.

Crosby, as might be expected, is prominent in that. Though he finished as a distant runner-up to the Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (68.4%- 14.9%) in the balloting for NHL’s best forward, Crosby did garner nearly half the vote (45.6%) for “most complete player.” The Boston Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron was second with 25.4%; McDavid was not among the top four.

Crosby also beat out McDavid (second place at 30.5%) and Bergeron (fourth at 3.3%) in voting on the question of, “If you need to win one game, who is the one player (any position) you would want on your team?”

Crosby’s friend and fellow Nova Scotia, Canada, native Nathan MacKinnon finished third both in that question and in “best forward.”

Crosby, incidentally, was the players’ top pick (25.7%) for player who is not on social media but should be.

The only other active Penguins player to appear among the top four in voting in any category was defenseman Justin Schultz, who garnered the third-most votes (4.1%) for “best golfer.”

PPG Paints Arena placed fourth for “arena with… the best visitors’ dressing room,” and former Penguins Hall of Famer (and current owner) Mario Lemieux (9.24%) was third to Wayne Gretzky (31.8%) and Bobby Orr (15.0%) in balloting for “Of all players past and present, who would you pay to see play?” McDavid (7.8%) placed fourth.

Among former Penguins listed, Marc-Andre Fleury was third in voting (8.9%) behind Carey Price (41.6%) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (17.1%) as the NHL’s best goalie. got the fourth-most votes for funniest player.

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173138 Pittsburgh Penguins Riggins rumbling through the Miami Dolphins en route to victory. Not the weird path his Redskins took to get there.

My memory of the 1981 baseball season is Tommy Lasorda celebrating Tim Benz: Jim Rutherford is right about champions having ‘integrity’ in with joy after the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in the World shortened seasons Series. Not the fact that both teams finished a combined 52-52 in that oddly split calendar which featured the first ever forefather to the five- game MLB “Divisional Round” between first-half season winners and second-half season winners. TIM BENZ “We’re in new times,” Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said last Tuesday, March 31, 2020 6:29 a.m. week. “If, in fact, we’re fortunate enough to play for the Cup, whoever wins that Cup is going to feel just the same way about winning it, whatever day they win it, compared to winning it usually in the middle of Tom Glavine. Patrick Kane. Doug Williams. Tim Duncan. June.”

“Who are four men who have never been in my kitchen, Alex?” I agree with Rutherford wholeheartedly on that front. I agree with him now. I’ll agree with him in mid-September if the Penguins are parading Yes, Cliff Clavin. Technically, that is correct. But I’m going to need you to through the city with the Stanley Cup for a sixth time. be more specific. Right into the Heinz Field parking lot before a Steelers game. “Who are four MVPs of their respective sports championship round?” If the NHL goes directly into playoff action, it’ll be after a season that has Also true. But can anyone help Cliff finish “Coronavirus Final Jeopardy”? seen all teams complete between 68 and 71 games of an 82-game If you guessed four players who won the MVPs of the World Series, campaign. Every NBA team is between 63 and 67 of 82. Stanley Cup, Super Bowl and NBA Finals in seasons shortened by labor That’s enough. stoppages… good for you. That’s correct. If the leagues jump right into the playoffs after the lockdowns end, no one It is also abundantly obvious that you’ve had WAY too much time on your will remember how or why the 9th and 10th seeds were left out of the hands to brush up on your sports trivia during social distancing. playoffs. They’ll only remember if the 8th seeds upset the regular-season There is a point to my little exercise there — yes, I did have one. conference champions or not.

In the midst of all the handwringing we are experiencing over what may As should be the case. or may not constitute a “representative champion” for our various sports The point is, these unfortunate historical footnotes don’t supersede the in the wake of what will no doubt be condensed schedules, the passage value of competition, nor the crowning of a champion. of time allows us to eventually forget the circumstances of how those champions were made. Delayed, halted and shortened seasons are unfortunately more frequent than we care to remember. One argument I’ve heard against restarting the NHL and NBA seasons — or desperately trying to cram in as many games as possible for a 2020 What we do care to remember is the actual crowning of the champions. Major League Baseball season — is that if a full regular season isn’t completed, it will taint a championship. I don’t know about you, but this year more than ever, give me as many playoff games, as late as you want. I’ll take ‘em. Or, if a traditional playoff format isn’t completed, why bother? And celebrate whoever wins with glee. Regardless of how they get there. “You want to keep the integrity of what we’re doing intact,” said New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal. “You want to get as many games in as possible to get your true tournament.” Tribune Review LOADED: 04.01.2020 Sure. In 2020, though, that’s not going to be possible. So, in a best-case scenario, the regular seasons are going to have to be truncated or the playoff formats need to be tweaked.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of Kane and the Blackhawks winning that 2013 Stanley Cup, I think of a thrilling finals series that featured two overtime games, a triple overtime game and six straight nail-biting finishes.

I don’t think about the 48-game regular season. Nor, when I think of Duncan’s three Finals MVPs, do I immediately put an asterisk on the first one because it came at the end of a 50-game regular season.

When someone says the name “Doug Williams” to me, the first thing I think of is his MVP performance in Super Bowl XXII, throwing for 340 yards and four touchdowns en route to beating the Denver Broncos 42- 10.

My mind doesn’t race to the fact that the Redskins won three games that year with scab players during the strike to help them get that far.

Glavine’s 1995 Atlanta Braves won 90 times and dominated the National League East by 21 games. The Cleveland Indians were the only team with more victories that season (100). And Atlanta beat them 4-2 in the World Series.

Should it matter that the regular season was “only” 144 games long?

Even in years when the playoff format changed, I don’t spend time dwelling on how that impacted the end result of a given team’s title.

Yes, the strike-shortened 1982 NFL season resulted in just nine regular season games and an eight-team-per-conference postseason tournament. But when I think of that year’s Super Bowl, I think of John 1173139 Pittsburgh Penguins During an interview session last week, Sidney Crosby said he wouldn’t mind picking right back up with postseason play. Sullivan was less committal when asked for his take.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan on 'real heroes,' Jake Guentzel and more “It’s not an easy question to answer, because there’s really no clarity with the timeline,” Sullivan said. “We don’t know how big the window of opportunity is for us as a league.

Staff Report “I do think that the league is thinking all the potential scenarios through. I know that we have great leadership in the league front office. They will

do their best to find that balance of trying to finish the season as best Typically, when coach Mike Sullivan takes his familiar spot at the front of they can and award the Stanley Cup, and at the same time be as fair and the Penguins’ dressing room for interviews, a sign hangs just overhead. equitable as they possibly can.”

The word “Accountability” is spelled out, along with a somewhat creative Sullivan said that if the season does resume, a mini training camp period definition: “A personal choice to demonstrate the ownership necessary would need to last about two weeks for players to regain their timing and for achieving exceptional results.” reacclimate their bodies to a physical game.

Tuesday was far from the typical interview session. But when Sullivan On what went wrong before the season was suspended spoke with reporters in a video conference call, the same message that It feels like a lifetime ago. But there was a time before the world changed usually looms over him was spelled out in a different way, when the that a losing skid was the biggest worry in Pittsburgh. coach encouraged everyone to make the right personal choices when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic and social-distancing guidelines. After climbing to the top of the Metropolitan Division on Feb. 18, the Penguins lost eight of 10 games before finally snapping the skid with a 5- “I think it’s our responsibility as people within our own respective 2 win in New Jersey — the final game before the season was communities to make sure that we do our part in trying to help the suspended. country overcome this challenge,” Sullivan said. “I don’t think any of us should take it lightly. “There were a lot of circumstances surrounding the bit of adversity that our team went through before the suspension of play,” Sullivan said. “We “I’d also like to take a minute to thank the medical teams out there, the had a number of returning players coming off the injured last, coming doctors and nurses, the first responders, the law enforcement and fire back into our lineup. The trade deadline was right at the same time. department, all the people that are on the front lines that are helping to We’re trying to assimilate new players into our lineup. There were certain fight this battle. You are our real heroes. We really appreciate what you players we probably overtaxed and put them in difficult scenarios from are doing at this particular time.” that standpoint out of necessity because of the injuries that we had to Here are some other highlights from the interview, including the possible endure.” return of Jake Guentzel, Sullivan’s opinions on a return-to-play time But Sullivan saw the win in New Jersey as a positive step forward. frame and an update on his driveway pickleball games: “We felt as a coaching staff that we were starting to come together, that On Jake Guentzel we starting to find a chemistry again and everyone’s roles and the new When general manager Jim Rutherford spoke with reporters last week, guys and how to utilize the new guys and maximize their contribution to he expressed optimism that Jake Guentzel might be able to resume his our group. We really liked the direction we were going.” season at some point this year. Sullivan double down on that On what he’s doing to stay busy assessment on Tuesday. An avid reader, Sullivan said he’s been diving into some good books. “You think about the time frame that was laid out after Jake’s surgery,” He’s also been playing pool with his son at night and pickleball on the Sullivan said. “It’s reasonable to think we would get him back. We’re driveway. excited about that potential opportunity.” “If there’s any silver lining in this, sometimes you take for granted your Both the GM and coach pointed out that when Guentzel underwent respective families,” Sullivan said. “When you have an opportunity like shoulder surgery following his Dec. 30 collision with the boards, the we’ve had over the last couple of weeks, I’ve certainly grown an estimates were that he’d miss four to six months. That puts the return appreciation for my family.” somewhere between the end of April and the beginning of July. On getting through a tough time, together The NHL, which on Tuesday extended self-quarantine recommendations for players through April 15, said previously it would comply with Centers Sullivan reiterated several times that he appreciates the work people on for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that restrict gatherings of the “front lines” are doing. He closed the interview session by offering a more than 50 people until the middle of May. piece of coaching encouragement.

So even an absolute best-case scenario means hockey won’t be back “This is certainly a difficult time for everyone,” Sullivan said. “We all until somewhere within the middle of Guentzel’s projected return window acknowledge that. What’s jumped out at me is how impressive the — maybe later. human spirit and the human initiative is. When I look around the country and see how people band together to overcome challenges and work “Knowing Jake the way we know him, he’s a real competitive kid,” together to try to help one another through this crisis, for me, it’s Sullivan said. “We know what this means to him. He loves to compete. inspiring. It’s impressive. And he’s a tough kid.” “We will get through this. We’ll get through this together.” Adding Guentzel, in and of itself, would be a major shot-in-the-arm for the Penguins. He’s an All-Star who was on pace for his second consecutive 40-goal year prior to the injury. But beyond the obvious, Sullivan said he’d expect Guentzel’s return to have a ripple effect on the lineup. Post Gazette LOADED: 04.01.2020

“It makes our top-six stronger,” Sullivan said. “I think it makes our bottom- six stronger by the nature of having a little bit more depth. There are a lot of positive things with the potential return.”

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On a possible return-to-play format

The NHL will have to overcome a number of obstacles in order to resume the season. But if the league does find a way to restart, it will have to balance what’s fair with what’s feasible, given the likely time constraints. 1173140 Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL players poll: Sidney Crosby is league's 'most-complete player'

Staff Report

The NHL Players Association released its annual players poll on Tuesday. Not surprisingly, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was at the top of several voting categories.

Crosby was named by his peers as the league’s “most-complete player,” and “the one player you would want on your team if you needed to win one game." He also was selected as the “player who isn’t on social media but should be” and finished second in “best forward.”

In most-complete player, the Penguins' captain earned the nod on 45.4% of the ballots. He was followed by Boston’s Patrice Bergeron (25.44%), Florida’s Aleksander Barkov (7.5%) and St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly (5.33%).

In “the one player you would want on your team if you needed to win one game,” Crosby captured 44.03% of the vote. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (30.53%) was in second, followed by Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (4.11%) and Bergeron (3.33%).

Crosby, who has tallied 16 goals and 31 assists in 41 games, also finished second behind McDavid in voting for best forward, capturing 15% of the vote.

Penguins past and present were well-represented in several other categories. Mario Lemieux was selected third overall in the category “of all the players past or present, who would you pay to see play?” Defenseman Justin Schultz finished third in best golfer. PPG Paints Arena was fourth in best visitors dressing room.

Elsewhere in the poll, Florida’s Keith Yandle won funniest player, with former Penguin Phil Kessel finishing in fourth. St. Louis Blues David Perron and O’Reilly were voted best bromance in the league. New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban was voted the best follow on social media, with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin finishing second. Tomas “Tuna” Tatar won best nickname.

The Bell Centre in Montreal won best ice. Philadelphia’s Gritty won best mascot. Edmonton’s Rogers Place won best visitors dressing room. Players also voted overwhelmingly (73%) that they’d be in favor of relaxing game-day dress code.

Post Gazette LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173141 Pittsburgh Penguins Evan Rodrigues in the fold, the most obvious spot would seem to be on the third line next to center Jared McCann or Nick Bjugstad.

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK: Hornqvist, who will turn 34 on New Year’s Day Penguins on pause: Even as age and injuries take toll, there's no 2021, is signed through the end of the 2022-23 season on a hefty deal replacing Patric Hornqvist that pays him $5.3 million per season. While he’s still a productive player, it’s fair to wonder if his physical playing style might take its toll sooner than some of the Penguins who don’t make their living getting clobbered in front of the net. Staff Report

Post Gazette LOADED: 04.01.2020 The NHL has “paused” its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s unclear if it will resume. With one eye still on the future, the Post- Gazette is looking back at what each Penguins player did in 2019-20, starting with the captain, No. 87, and counting down by jersey number.

With his skates planted firmly on the edge of the crease, Patric Hornqvist is — in the most endearing sense of the word — a pest.

To opposing goalies, he’s like those Christmas lights in your neighbor’s yard that have been up for months. The gum stuck on the bottom of your shoe. The text message notification that just won’t go away even though, what the heck, all of the text messages are read!

But to Penguins players and their fans, Hornqvist’s willingness to stand in front of the net, create chaos and take punishment makes him almost invaluable. Even as age and injuries take their toll on the 33-year-old, his energy in the locker room is contagious, his enthusiasm obvious.

When Hornqvist missed 17 games this season during two separate stints on injured reserve, the Penguins tried a couple different fill-ins. Zach Aston-Reese and Stefan Noesen did their best Hornqvist impressions. But none of the understudies could quite replicate the energy Hornqvist brings.

This season, the Penguins cast Hornqvist in a variety of roles. He played next to star centers like Sidney Crosby and at different points. Other times, he slid down to a bottom-six role.

He embraced both opportunities and currently stands fourth on the team in goals (17) and seventh in points (32). Had the season continued as planned, Hornqvist would have almost certainly hit the 20-goal mark for the ninth time in his career.

For a player who has won the Stanley Cup twice and racked up more than 700 career games, the most improbable stat about Hornqvist is that, despite his aggravating playing style, he never logged a fighting major ... until this year.

During a Nov. 22 contest, Hornqvist allowed himself to get thrown around by New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson in what was officially his first NHL bout. While he got five for fighting, it was more like a wrestling scrap than a boxing match.

A few weeks later, Hornqvist got his money’s worth. He and Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug came out of the penalty box during an especially chippy game at TD Garden and started throwing haymakers.

Even with his first two official bouts on his card, Hornqvist will never be considered an enforcer. Nor should he. What the bouts did show, however, was that even though Hornqvist might be on the back nine of his career, he still has some fight left.

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DEFINING MOMENT: Officially, Hornqvist’s three-point performance on Feb. 16 wasn’t a hat trick. Try explaining that to the thousands at PPG Paints Arena who chucked their hats on the ice during the Penguins’ 5-1 rout of the Red Wings.

Hornqvist was initially credited for three goals. But only after the game did the official scorer give the first one to Sam Lafferty instead.

STAT THAT STANDS OUT: In the NFL, the last overall pick is called “Mr. Irrelevant.” Drafted by Nashville with the final pick in the 2005 draft, Hornqvist has been anything but. This season he surpassed fellow Swede Kim Johnsson (739 career game) for the most games played by a last overall pick. Hornqvist currently sits at 770 career games.

IF THE SEASON RESUMES: Where will Hornqvist play? The Penguins have utilized the veteran right winger on all four lines at different times this season. But with Jason Zucker, Conor Sheary, Patrick Marleau and 1173142 Pittsburgh Penguins “We would be thrilled to have him back,” Sullivan said. “Jake’s a difference-maker. I think I’m stating the obvious when I say that. The opportunity to get him back into our lineup makes us a more competitive hockey team. It gives us more balance. It helps spread our talent around Mike Sullivan on Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and current life as a our lineup. It makes us more difficult to play against. It strengthens our coach top six and our bottom six. There’s a lot of things. It’s feasible to think we would get him back (if play returns). We are excited about that potential

opportunity. He’s a real competitive kid. I know what this means to him. By Josh Yohe He’s a tough kid. We’ll see how it works out.”

Mar 31, 2020 7 • One feeling of comfort for Sullivan is that Sidney Crosby is his team’s captain.

“It’s real important,” he said. “When I look at our team and how it Few coaches in the history of Pittsburgh sports have won more operates, Sid sets the standard on and off the ice. His work ethic, his frequently than Mike Sullivan. Few have been as eloquent with words. approach to the game, those of us who have the opportunity to watch him every day, we see how hard he works and how invested he is in Sullivan, in his first address to reporters in 20 days, spoke for nearly 30 helping us win games. We have a whole other appreciation for him. He’s minutes Tuesday about the Penguins, how he’s handling coaching duties talking to his teammates all the time. Personally have conversations with when world events are proving far more important than hockey and Sid a couple of times per week. We’re in constant contact so we can several other topics. continue to help one other through this process. Sid sets the standard for Although much of Sullivan’s time talking was geared toward his team, he us with his work ethic, his example, just staying ready. It’s no different in started the media session with a comment about the world’s battle with this circumstance. I know how hard he’s working to keep himself ready. COVID-19. He’s talking to his teammates on a consistent basis to make sure they’re ready. He’s the standard-bearer.” “I want to thank the doctors, nurses, law enforcement, all the people on the front lines,” Sullivan said. “You guys are the real heroes. We really Sullivan often tells his team to control what it can control. That’s still his appreciate what you guys are doing at this particular time.” message to his team, even if the topic is currently a little more important than a hockey game. Sullivan spoke optimistically about his team, how the Penguins are handling the current situation and how he believes they could fare if the “The message is that this is a difficult time for everyone,” he said. “We all 2019-20 season resumes at some point. acknowledge that. What’s jumped out at me is how impressive the human spirit is. To see how people have banned together to work to help The coach admitted, however, that making plans is essentially impossible one another, it’s inspiring. It’s impressive. It’s our responsibility as people right now. within our own communities to make sure we do our part to help our “It’s difficult because of the uncertainty,” he said. “There’s no timeline at country overcome this challenge. I hope we can have a greater this point. It’s hard because of the lack of clarity in terms of any appreciation for one another and grow more of a tolerance for one preparation for a return to play scenario. I’ve been in constant another.” communication with Jim Rutherford, our coaching staff and our players.” Sullivan’s address closed with some humor. The head coach has a Sullivan said the Penguins’ coaches are analyzing the season’s first 69 particular disdain for questions about his next day’s starting goaltender. games while also preparing for a potential return, even though the details He was asked who his starting goaltender will be when the Penguins play and dates of such a return are unknown at this point. again.

“We’ve had certain discussions as a coaching staff, trying to think The coach chuckled. through all of the possible scenarios,” Sullivan said. “We’ve taken this “You guys will all be informed on game day,” he said. time to try and improve ourselves as a coaching staff. As a head coach, I’ve tried to take some time to self reflect and do some reading, and maybe look across other endeavors and other walks of life to see how I The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 can improve as a coach.”

Sullivan, an avid reader, has had time to get acquainted with one of his favorite hobbies during what is typically his busiest time of year. He also said that he’s grateful for the extra family time, calling it a “silver lining.”

Still, his hockey team remains very much on his mind. Sullivan touched on a few topics:

• He believes the Penguins were coming out of their funk and attempted to explain the troubling skid that struck his team in the weeks leading up to the suspension of the season.

“There were a lot of circumstances surrounding the adversity that our team wet through before play was suspended,” he said. “We had a number of returning players coming into our lineup. The trade deadline was right then. We were trying to assimilate new players into our lineup. Certain players, I think we overtaxed and put them in tough scenarios out of necessity because of the injuries our team had to endure. There were a number of circumstances to rationalize why our team went through the adversity it went through. We felt, as a coaching staff, that we were starting to come together and find chemistry with the new guys and trying to utilize them and maximize their contributions to our group. The New Jersey game (on March 10) was a great indication. It was a real good win for us. We felt good about that win. It was important for our self- confidence. It gave us all a good feeling to hang onto if there’s a return to play scenario.”

• Much like Rutherford a week earlier, Sullivan forecasted optimism about Jake Guentzel’s return to the lineup if play does resume at some point this spring or summer. 1173143 San Jose Sharks “Early March felt a lot different than (where) we are today,” Becher said, “and we were all making the best decision we could with the information we had at the time.”

Coronavirus: Sharks president explains decision to play games after Becher said to his knowledge, no one in the organization has tested county urged cancellations positive for COVID-19.

The Sharks have not played a game since March 11 when they were in Chicago and SAP Center has not held an event since the game with the By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Avalanche. The county banned mass gatherings March 9. Area News Group According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the PUBLISHED: March 31, 2020 at 8:01 p.m. | UPDATED: March 31, 2020 incubation period of COVID-19 and other coronaviruses ranges from two at 10:37 p.m. to 14 days.

The Sharks did announce March 12 that a part-time employee at SAP Center did test positive. That person, as of last weekend, was feeling SAN JOSE — Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks Sports & better, according to a Sharks spokesman. Entertainment, said the decision to play NHL games at SAP Center earlier this month after local health officials urged a moratorium on large “If someone on our hockey staff, if someone on our team was going to public gatherings came after he called executives from other Bay Area test positive, they would have done so by now,” Becher said. “The fact sports teams and the league consulted with its own health experts. that no player, no hockey staff, no full time employee in the building has ever seemingly been affected or tested positive is very reassuring that “Most professional sports franchises, including us in the NHL, don’t have we at SAP Center have been safe.” the ability to call off games by themselves,” Becher said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters. “That typically comes from the league that The Senators and Avalanche each announced that two of their players they participate in.” have tested positive for COVID-19. Gord Wilson, the Senators’ radio color analyst, has also tested positive. The Sharks played three games — all before thousands of fans — after the Santa Clara County Public Health Department on March 5 Becher said while he feels for those people, there is no way of knowing recommended all public gatherings of over 1,000 people be canceled or for sure how they contracted the virus. Both the Senators and Avalanche postponed due to growing concerns about the spread of the deadly — on their respective road trips — also played the Los Angeles Kings at coronavirus. Staples Center.

“The first question was, is this a mandate? Can you play? And we said, “My first reaction is more human. I never want that on anybody, let alone ‘Yes, we can, and if we play, we have to make these following a professional hockey player,” Becher said. “And then of course your recommendations,'” Becher said. “(The NHL) said, ‘OK we’d like to mind does wander, could it be related to having played those games? consult with our health authorities as well.’ (We) go back and forth and You’ll never really know. It’s impossible to trace things. People went into ultimately, we made the decision to play.” grocery stores. They’re in Ubers, et cetera, they interact with people.

“The League was in regular communication with the Sharks beginning on “One speculates, but we’ve been told by lots of people, no point in March 5 and through the period that included their home games on speculating. It seems highly unlikely, if it was related to playing at SAP March 7 and 8,” Gary Meagher, the NHL’s executive vice president for Center, that was now more than 20 days ago.” communications, wrote in an email. “Ultimately, the decision to play or not to play any NHL game is a decision that is made by the League office.” San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.01.2020 The Sharks played the Minnesota Wild on March 5, the Ottawa Senators on March 7 and the Colorado Avalanche on March 8.

Other sporting events went on at the same time, with the Golden State Warriors playing home games at Chase Center in San Francisco on March 5, 7 and 10. and the San Jose Earthquakes playing a home game March 7. The NBA suspended its season March 11, and the NHL and MLS suspended their seasons the following day.

The decision to play any games in early March after cases of the coronavirus were discovered in the area came under scrutiny.

In an email to Bay Area News Group earlier this month, Dr. John Swartzberg, a specialist in infectious disease and clinical professor emeritus at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, reiterated what he told other news organizations — that playing those games was a mistake.

“I was publicly vocal that sporting events should shut down weeks ago,” Dr. Swartzberg told The Guardian in a story published March 13.

“I thought it was just irresponsible of the San Jose Sharks and the Golden State Warriors to hold public games with fans. So I think all the advice and now dicta to not have these gatherings is a wise thing to do in the face of a pandemic.”

Becher noted the Sharks did follow another of the county’s recommendations, urging fans that were sick or at high risk to stay away from the downtown arena, and that those attending should take extra precautions with their hygiene.

On March 5, Santa Clara County had 20 confirmed cases of COVID-19. As of late Monday afternoon, the county had 890 confirmed cases and Tuesday, Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody announced two additional COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the countywide total to 30. 1173144 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks add NCAA Division I’s leading scorer to its ranks

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

PUBLISHED: March 31, 2020 at 2:19 p.m. | UPDATED: March 31, 2020 at 3:10 p.m.

SAN JOSE — Forward John Leonard has agreed to turn professional and join the San Jose Sharks, the team announced Tuesday.

Leonard, the Sharks’ sixth round draft choice in 2018, finished his junior season at UMass-Amherst with 37 points, including an NCAA Division !- best 27 goals, in 33 games.

“John is a high-end shooter who is creative with the puck,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement. “He took big steps in both his fitness level and all-around game and became one of the most dominant offensive players in college hockey this season. We are excited to see his continued growth as a member of the Sharks organization.”

The announcement comes a day after the Sharks agreed to terms with defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk, one of the NCAA’s most sought-after free agents. Pasichnuk had 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 36 games for Arizona State this past season and reportedly had as many as 20 teams interested in his services.

“Brinson is an excellent puck moving defenseman with a physical brand of hockey,” Wilson said in a separate statement. “As captain for the Sun Devils program for two seasons under Arizona State Head Coach Greg Powers, he is a great teammate and proven leader. We are happy to have him join our organization.”

Leonard, 21, a former college teammate of Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar at UMass, is a finalist this year for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to college hockey’s top player. Makar won the award last season when UMass advanced to the national championship game.

In three years of college hockey, Leonard, an Amherst, Mass. native, had 105 points (56 goals, 49 assists) in 106 games. He became just the sixth member in the program’s history to reach the 50-goal, 100-point club and the first to reach the milestone as a junior in the Division I Era.

“He’s always scored, and he put up numbers last year, but I think there’s a little more explosion in his skating — he’s taken another step that way,” Sharks assistant general manager Tim Burke told eprinkside.com earlier this year about Leonard. “They’re using him in more situations; he’s playing a full game now. Before, he was just kind of a scorer.

“He’s doing a lot of different things now. I think he’s ready to be a pro.”

Leonard and Pasichnuk could be a important additions to the Sharks in a time of upheaval for the NHL.

Although there is no guarantee they’ll be able to crack the Sharks’ roster next season, their entry-level deals, should they make the big club, might prove welcome if the NHL’s salary cap for 2020-2021 stays flat or even decreases.

With the NHL’s season on pause due to the health crisis surrounding the spread of the coronavirus, teams are incurring significant financial losses — which in turn affects the total amount of hockey related revenue that is split equally between the league and players.

According to CapFriendly.com, the Sharks have over $67 million committed to 14 players for next season. The Sharks also need to sign a second goalie with Aaron Dell set to become an unrestricted free agent. Kevin Labanc, Joel Kellman, Antti Suomela and Jacob Middleton are among the team’s restricted free agents.

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The Latest: Becher defends Sharks' games amid county caution

The Associated Press

Updated 5:58 pm PDT, Tuesday, March 31, 2020

San Jose Sharks President Jonathan Becher says the team made the best decision with the information at the time when it played three home games following a recommendation by the county against large gatherings in early March.

Santa Clara County issued a recommendation on March 5 that mass gatherings should be postponed or canceled to control the spread of the new coronavirus. The recommendation also said that if large gatherings can't be avoided that people who are sick or at high risk shouldn't attend and extra cleaning precautions should be taken.

The Sharks followed the second list of instructions and played three home games before the county banned all large gatherings March 9. The NHL season suspended later that week.

Becher says it's important to remember that "early March felt a lot different than we are today and we were all making the best decision we could with the information we had at the time."

Becher says the team is continuing to pay full and part-time employees and anticipates a financial hit from the suspension of the season. He also said the team has delayed the Tuesday deadline for season-ticket holders to renew their packages.

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Sharks suddenly in better position with draft picks, college signings

By Brian Witt

March 31, 2020 8:42 PM

Given the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we could all use a bit of a pick-me-up right now. It's understandably difficult, but focusing on what bright spots there are will help us get through this unprecedented time.

Taking the glass-half-full approach shouldn't be new to Sharks fans. They had a few months head start before the team's disappointing season was indefinitely paused.

Yes, it was clear early on that it was going to be a tough season in San Jose. The Sharks dropped their first four games of the season, and turned to former captain Patrick Marleau to get back on track. After a strong November, San Jose undid it all with a putrid December, and at that point, it became easy to focus on all of the things the franchise didn't have. The most notable absence was that of hope.

One by one, the Sharks' best players went down with severe season- ending injuries. One of them -- Erik Karlsson -- was like a double punch to the gut. Not only would San Jose not have the benefit of having the former Norris Trophy winner in the lineup, but the cost it took to acquire him -- including the Sharks' unprotected 2020 first-round draft pick -- looked disproportionally painful. Every team in the league would have made that trade for Karlsson -- and signed him to the same eight-year contract extension -- but nearly everything that occurred from that point on was a string of bad luck for San Jose.

There was an upside to losing all of those top players, though. Whatever lingering hopes of a playoff run existed soon went out the window. The Sharks and general manager Doug Wilson could turn their attention to the future, and that's exactly what they did.

In sending Brenden Dillon to the Washington Capitals, Marleau to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Barclay Goodrow to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline, Wilson overhauled the Sharks' cupboard of draft picks in both quality and quantity. He acquired four picks -- including a 2020 first-rounder -- that will fall within the first three rounds, and San Jose now has seven selections in each of the next three drafts.

Those will come in very handy as the Sharks try to get back into contention -- and stay there. Sustained success is built through young, controllable assets, and the draft is the best way to acquire them.

That said, there are always some prospects that fall between the cracks. Brinson Pasichnuk was one such prospect who was never drafted, yet became one of the best players throughout all of NCAA Division I hockey. The Arizona State standout agreed to join the Sharks organization, Wilson announced Tuesday, adding to San Jose's collection of promising young defensemen, including Mario Ferraro and Ryan Merkley.

Shortly after Pasichnuck agreed to join the Sharks, Hobey Baker Award finalist John Leonard did the same. Leonard, San Jose's sixth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, tallied 105 points over 106 career games at UMass Amherst. He had the option of returning to school for his senior season, but had little left to prove at the collegiate level. While he isn't a new prospect to the Sharks' system, it's nonetheless a positive development for San Jose.

Two months ago, the Sharks' future appeared as bleak as it had in nearly two decades. Since then, however, they've taken several steps in the right direction, and there is considerably more reason for hope.

We can all use a little of that right now.

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Sharks' Mario Ferraro moved in with parents for NHL coronavirus pause

By Brodie Brazil

March 31, 2020 7:28 PM

Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro normally would be spending recent nights in five-star hotels around the NHL. But he's back at home these days because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

As in, living with his parents in Toronto.

“Different vibes now, I don’t run the household anymore,” Ferraro joked Monday in a 1-on-1 interview with NBC Sports California. “I told them already, 'If I’m in my room filming a YouTube video, limit the noise, and don’t come knocking on the door.' ”

Ferraro is becoming more well known for the side hustle of producing his YouTube channel, "Youngest of Plugs."

One of his latest uploads turned out to be among his most popular: A specific workout for staying at home, like so many of his fans are right now while social distancing.

“I like making videos, and I like working out,” Ferraro said. “So kind of just put the two and two together. I guess because of what’s going on now in the world, a lot of people are at home and need that entertainment.”

As for his day job, it was quite the bizarre rookie season in San Jose. Ferraro's first pro season included personal success, team struggles, a coaching change and, now, the unthinkable: A suspended NHL season, due to a pandemic.

“I don’t even know if bizarre would cut it,” Ferraro said. “Things that are happening right now are much more important than hockey, or sports in general. But when you do circle back since the beginning of the season and what’s happened, it was tough ups and downs.”

Ferraro ended up playing in 61 of the Sharks' 70 games, and he was one of the few consistent bright spots of their season. There’s high optimism he’ll end up as a top-four defenseman in the near future.

But as for now, he’s like all of us. At home, and a bit scared of what the coronavirus pandemic is about to become around the globe.

“It’s hard to deny that,” Ferarro said. “It’s a scary time. When you think about how it affects not just you, or your family, it affects the whole world. Everybody is going through this.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173148 San Jose Sharks • Regarding the financial impact that the league shutdown will have on the Sharks this season:

“It’s clearly going to be a negative impact. It’s early still for me to give a Sharks exec explains why they played 3 games after the county’s strong projection or a number, regardless of whether the (remaining recommendation regular-season) games get played or not. (Team owner Hasso Plattner) has been transparent in the past that in a normal season without playoffs, the organization’s expenses exceed our revenues. That’s the situation we’re in. It’s always been in his (goal) to put the best possible team that By Kevin Kurz he could on the ice each and every season and absorb the losses. We’ve Mar 31, 2020 always been able to spend to the (salary) cap. It’s clear to me the losses this season will significantly exceed what we initially expected and be the largest it’s been before. I can’t give you a number yet, but it will be a big number.” On March 5, the Sharks organization was among the first in North American sports to be thrown directly into the coronavirus crisis that was Becher said that it’s his understanding that a shutdown due to a just starting to make major headlines from coast to coast. pandemics is not covered by any sort of insurance policy.

On that day, in the hours before the Sharks were set to host the Still, he expects Plattner, who is worth more than $12 billion according to Minnesota Wild, the Santa Clara Public Health Department Forbes, will be willing to spend to the salary cap moving forward. recommended that all gatherings of more than 1,000 people be canceled. The game, along with games against Ottawa on March 7 and Colorado • Bechler also addressed the effects of the Sharks’ poor season and the on March 8, went on as planned. season shutdown on season-ticket renewals.

Since then, the four NHL players known to have tested positive for “They were a little bit slower. We call it pacing year-over-year compared COVID-19 have come from two teams — two players from the Senators to last year, although last year we were doing maybe better than some and two from the Avalanche. All four played against the Sharks at SAP expected, depending on your expectations,” he said. “Clearly, team Center in that early-March period. performance impacted it. Openly, I would have expected a bigger impact than we actually had seen. Certainly, since the COVID thing has broken, It’s impossible to know, of course, how or where those players became it’s slowed to almost a complete standstill, although I’ve been surprised infected. (Additionally, all four players also played the Los Angeles Kings (and) certainly pleased that we’ve seen some people still purchasing and in Staples Center in the same time frame.) It does, though, beg the renewing this week.” question: Should the Sharks have canceled those three games after Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Sara Cody made the It’s “highly unlikely” there will be any price increases for next season, he recommendation? said. Season-ticket renewals went out in late December, so prices were already set. Typically, the deadline for renewals is March 31, but In a conference call on Tuesday, Sharks president Jonathan Becher because of the current circumstances, that has been pushed back. addressed that question. Becher said season-ticket holders will get at least three weeks advance notice before their seat would be available for someone else to purchase. “I’ll start by saying that I have a lot of respect and I know everyone in the organization does for Dr. Sara Cody in the Santa Clara health office and “If we really had shut down season-ticket holders renewals for today we the work that she’s done,” Becher said. “Frankly, she deserves all of our would not have made our goal for next season. I’m still optimistic we’ll be praise for handling an incredibly difficult situation. I think she was the first pretty close once shelter in place restrictions (lift) and people start feeling to make any statement about large gatherings, as far as I know, in the confident about the economy again.” U.S. We are completely supportive of all the measures that she put in place. • On the message from Plattner, who rarely speaks publicly about the team, Becher said: “Only two things he comes back to over and over “Most professional sports franchises, including us in the NHL, don’t have again — health and financial well-being of people. He’s talked about the ability to call off games by themselves. That typically comes from the making sure the players don’t go out to external gyms, even before there leagues that they participate in. So for those specific games when we was a shelter-in-place (order), right after the players came back (from were in recommendation-mode as opposed to mandate-mode, we did their last game in Chicago on March 11). ‘I know they’re going to want to what I think everyone did. We consulted with the NHL. I personally called practice but tell them to stay home.’ Same with staff, before there was a all the other Bay Area teams to see what they were doing, as well. shelter-in-place (order), he said make sure people recognize — he reads a ton. He’s really well versed on stuff, especially late-breaking things. “We implemented their second guidance; they had two series of He’s, like, ‘Make sure people understand that just because you don’t recommendations in that original document. The second guidance was show symptoms doesn’t mean you’re not a carrier. Stay home, limit your for how to handle large gatherings if you were going to have large trips.’ gatherings. We took their guidance and discouraged those that were sick or at higher risk from attending, we encouraged increased hygiene for “Financial stuff, he’s, like, ‘Make sure everyone understands we’re not guests who showed up and frankly, most importantly, we enhanced what doing layoffs and we’re going to pay the part time-workers.’ is already a pretty strict protocol of a cleaning procedure at SAP Center. We made it even more strict, particularly in public-facing areas.” “Keep the family together and safe as much as possible, over and over again. We don’t know how long this is going to go on, we’ll worry later Becher continued: “A couple of days later, as I’m sure you know, the about what the long-term plan is. Get people through the crisis has really county revised what was a recommendation to a mandate. … At that been his primary focus.” point, we changed this updated policy and no events have taken place at SAP Center since March 8. And we’re closed. We won’t reopen until they • It’s impossible to predict when games might resume, although nobody update (the policy). So there were two parts to the recommendation. We in the NHL has closed the door yet on a resumption of the regular did take the part that talked about what to do if you’re having a large season. gathering.” “There has been plenty of planning done at our level and the league Becher said that no Sharks player, member of the hockey staff or full- level. There’s more than just a Plan A and a Plan B. There’s a Plan C, a time employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Members of the Plan D, etc. There are lots of potential outcomes here,” he said. Sharks’ front office have been working from home since March 11, and, “We don’t want to open up the doors and allow fans to come in until it’s of course, the NHL suspended its season on March 12. On that same safe for them to do so. The NHL, as well, wants to make sure that local day, the Sharks announced that a part-time arena employee had tested authorities and federal authorities agree on that. It’s certainly possible, positive for COVID-19. A team spokesman on Tuesday said the person and we see it unfolding right now, that some areas will be hot zones and has recovered. other areas will be less impacted. So it may be safer to play in one venue Becher addressed several topics in the approximately 30-minute call with and less safe to play in another venue. I could imagine that some games local reporters. Here are some highlights: would be played to packed houses and other games would be played with no fans whatsoever assuming we start this season back up at some point.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173149 San Jose Sharks The offensive part of the game always came naturally to Pasichnuk, but he grew as a defender throughout his four years at Arizona State.

“The first two years I really struggled learning how to play defense and Get to know new Sharks prospect — defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk taking care of my own end first,” he said. “I think the defensive side of it really, really improved, and learning that I can’t stand getting scored on again when I’m out there.”

By Kevin Kurz He’s listed at just under 6 feet tall and is believed to be around 205 pounds. Mar 31, 2020 “His physicality is not going to be an issue for him at all. His body is built

for the game,” Powers said. “He’s a machine. He’s strong as it gets, his It didn’t take very long for the Sharks organization to make an impression explosiveness and his burst is absolutely NHL-ready right now. He’s a on Brinson Pasichnuk. specimen.”

After finishing up his junior season at Arizona State, Pasichnuk attended The Athletic’s prospect guru, Corey Pronman, offered this evaluation of the Sharks’ development camp last June. It was his fourth such Pasichnuk last month: experience after he took part in camps with Minnesota, Montreal and Pasnichuk has been a top scoring defenseman in college the past two Arizona in previous summers. seasons. He’s an undersized defenseman but has a lot of tools and is fun “That was my fourth development camp I’d been to, and by far my to watch. His offensive brain is great. He can run a pro power play due to favorite one,” Pasichnuk said in a phone interview Tuesday. “I loved how his vision and he has a hard shot from the point. He’s not that big, but he they treated us there.” competes well. The one thing that may hold him back from being a for- sure NHL player will be that, while he’s a good and elusive skater, he’s On the first day of camp, Pasichnuk had a meeting with Sharks general not a top of the line burner, which isn’t ideal at his size. In terms of pure manager Doug Wilson, scouting director Doug Wilson Jr. and assistant talent, getting him as a free agent is worth it; and if you can build up the general manager Tim Burke. The Sharks executives made it known to skating, he could become a player. the young prospect that they were serious about fostering the relationship, surely with the hopes that the highly regarded blueliner Pasichnuk helped to put the Arizona State hockey program on the map. would eventually join the organization. Rather than attend one of the country’s more established hockey programs, he changed his commitment from Vermont to ASU, which “They showed me that they wanted to get to know me away from the rink, worked its way from a fledgling operation just a few years earlier to not just at the rink. That’s when the relationship really started to take off qualifying for the NCAA Tournament last year. The Sun Devils were set and really showed me that these guys are really good human beings,” to qualify for this year’s tournament, too, ranked 13th in the country at the Pasichnuk said. “That’s such an attractive quality in teams for me. That time that everything was shut down and eventually canceled due to the was huge.” coronavirus pandemic.

Burke, in particular, made sure to seek out Pasichnuk early on. “He gave us credibility. He could have gone anywhere he wanted. He literally could have picked or thrown a dart at 60 schools and whatever “He came up to me and introduced himself and just (was) talking about one it landed on they would have given him a full-ride scholarship,” how he watched me this season and how much he loves me. That was Powers said of the Bonnyville, Alberta native. really cool because it was like the first camp I had been to where on the first night one of the high-end staff members came up to me and actually Pasichnuk figures that going to Arizona State rather than Vermont was showed that they know me and who I am,” Pasichnuk recalled. “Bob the biggest reason he wasn’t selected in his draft year of 2016 despite Boughner introduced himself to me that night, too, so that was really many teams telling him they were interested. The message, in a nutshell, cool. Like I said, that meeting with me, Tim and both Dougs was was that “we don’t know what kind of development he’s going to get (at definitely really something that will stay with me.” ASU) so we don’t want to take a chance on that,” Pasichnuk said.

On Tuesday, the Sharks announced that an agreement was in place for Arizona State didn’t begin playing a full Division I schedule until the 2016- Pasichnuk to join the organization. He’ll officially sign a standard three- 17 season, Pasichnuk’s first. year entry-level deal at some point, when it’s determined by the league if the contract starts in 2019-20, thereby burning a year of eligibility, or Powers said: “When he chose ASU back before we ever really had a 2020-21. game in our first full season as an NCAA program, people questioned him, like, ‘Hey, why are you going there? They haven’t proven to develop “Brinson is an excellent puck moving defenseman with a physical brand anybody or send anybody on in their program, you’re not going to win.’ of hockey,” Wilson said in a statement. And he didn’t care. I think that just speaks volumes to his character and his ability to lead, and wanting to be a trailblazer instead of going and Whenever the NHL gets back to business, the Sharks are going to be on following a long line of tradition. the lookout for quality players to surround what they still consider one of the league’s elite core groups. “He’s just a special kid like that. And for him to keep driving through, because the first two years were really, really hard. We didn’t win a lot. Pasichnuk could be one of them. A left-shot 22-year-old, he was in his There were a lot of long days and long nights when we were trying to second season as captain for Arizona State where he had 37 points build our culture and build our roster to a point where we could have (11g, 26a) in 36 games, placing him third in the NCAA in scoring among success. And all he did was bury his head and keep working harder defensemen. He led all NCAA defensemen with 121 shots on goal, and every day. He never lost sight of what our vision was and that we could added 18 penalty minutes. accomplish it while he was here. Because of his tremendous character “I thought he was the best defenseman in college hockey this past year, and strength, we did it. He was an example for every kid that came and he’s been playing 26-30 minutes a night since he was 18,” said Greg through our program after him.” Powers, the Sun Devils’ head coach. “I have no doubt that San Jose is Currently, the Sharks have two established, NHL-proven left-shot getting an absolute gem with Brinson in every way.” defensemen in Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Radim Simek, although Simek While there were many teams that showed interest in Pasichnuk, there struggled with his consistency this season in his return from a seriously were five that extended a concrete offer and made it clear that they injured right knee late in the 2018-19 season. Mario Ferraro also stayed wanted him, according to a source. in the NHL for the duration of his rookie season, although Ferraro played on the right side for most of the second half. Jake Middleton, who Whether Pasichnuk is ready to jump to the NHL right away will be suffered an ankle injury in March, is a pending restricted free agent with determined at next season’s training camp, but Powers clearly thinks limited upside. very highly of him. The opportunity could be there for Pasichnuk — who looks up to “Every year just got better in every facet of his game,” Powers said. “He Boston’s Torey Krug as a player he tries to emulate — to make it to the does it all. He can defend really well, break it out well, run a power play. NHL sooner than later. He wins battles. He’s a special player.” “I would definitely say I’m a confident guy, but I’m not a cocky guy at all. I never want to think like I could step into the NHL and just dominate this league,” he said. “I know there’s so much to be learned at the next level. It’s not going to be an easy jump. I really hope I get that opportunity to show what I can do in the NHL, and hopefully it goes well.

“But I’m also just kind of going with the flow. I’m grateful for the opportunity to go play pro hockey.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173150 St Louis Blues policy for players, although it gave them the opportunity to fly home — even if it meant to Canada or overseas. Another two weeks of shelter-in- place recently was tacked onto the original two, so the league is basically in a holding pattern. Pietrangelo puts in triple duty during NHL shutdown period “We obviously miss being down there (at Enterprise Center),” Pietrangelo said. “I think all of us miss playing in front of the fans, competing. But being home with kids and being around my wife’s family, grandma and Jim Thomas grandpa — I think it’s just important that we all do our part.”

“Even if you’re healthy, you don’t really know if you’re carrying (the As the NHL approaches three weeks in its self-quarantine mode, the vast virus)," Pietrangelo said. "You gotta protect the people around you, and majority of players undoubtedly are fighting off boredom. other people in the community. So the more we can do our part now, the quicker this all goes away and hopefully we all get back to getting games Not Alex Pietrangelo, Blues defenseman, team captain. And father of and life going back to normal.” triplets.

He can’t wait till hockey resumes, so he can get some rest. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.01.2020 “It’s a little wild over here,” Pietrangelo said Tuesday. “Three kids, two dogs, wife. Trying to stay (inside) as much as we can, trying to be careful _ we’ve got the kids. I’ll tell you what, the kids can do some damage in the house in a two-week span when you keep them inside

“I was laughing last night because I was saying, there’s not enough time in the day. I’m not even working right now and I can’t even find enough time to do something for myself.”

Pietrangelo took part in a video conference Tuesday with Central Division rivals Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks and Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators, put on by the NHL.

Pietrangelo’s wife Jayne gave birth to Evelyn, Oliver and Theodore in July 2018. So the triplets are 20 months old _ fast approaching the Terrible 2’s.

“We do the exact same thing,” Pietrangelo said, referring to the family’s daily routine. “We wake up, eat breakfast, have my morning coffee. So does my wife.

“Today we watched The Good Dinosaur, went upstairs, played a bit. I can hear them running upstairs right now. They’re screaming ‘cause they want to go outside. So they’re gonna go outside and then take a nap. Do the same thing in the afternoon. Wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.”

Pietrangelo, Toews and Josi were all on split screens and could talk and interact with each other, with an NHL moderator leading the discussion and asking questions, many of which were provided by media members but read by the moderator.

At one point, Pietrangelo was asked how he and Jayne spend that hour or so of alone time once the triplets are out for the night.

“I spend my hour cleaning,” Pietrangelo said. “Last night I cleaned and my wife was watching Harry Potter. So that pretty much sum things up around here. And just cartoons. That’s literally all we watch around here. I only need like three channels.”

To which Toews chimed in: “I’m really starting to feel bad for Petro.”

That brought some chuckles, and then Petro responded: “It’s just part of life. It’s all good.”

Toews, by way of comparison, said he has been binge-watching the third season of Ozark (the Netflix series.)

Josi said he’s been watching the Tiger King docu-series, but mainly doing the X-box video gaming thing — Call of Duty, etc.

Pietrangelo says he gets a 2 ½-hour block of time during the afternoon to work out during the kids’ nap time. He’s got a home gym.

“I think the hardest part for me is the unknown of when we’re actually going to start (playing hockey),” he said. “So you’re trying to train as if you’re gonna play, but nobody really knows what’s gonna happen. So you’re not trying to overdo it but you’re trying to take a break.

“It’s more just the timeline we need so we can kind of figure out what’s gonna happen, whether it’s play or not so we can at least have some kind of guidance.”

The NHL suspended play on March 12 due to the coronavirus — the Blues were on the team charter heading back from a game the night before in Anaheim when the announcement was made. The league subsequently announced a two-week self-isolation or shelter-in-place 1173151 St Louis Blues On March 13, the day the Blues would have hosted San Jose, Kelly made his first of two trips to urgent care. When he went back on March 16, not only could he not drive, but he also couldn’t sit upright in his chair at the office. ‘I got lucky’: Blues broadcaster John Kelly is feeling well after COVID-19 scare “I just knew there was something wrong with me,” Kelly said. “It wasn’t just a normal virus or bug. No question, for me to go back again, I just knew that I had to figure out what the heck was going on.”

By Jeremy Rutherford Though still not thinking it was COVID-19, he felt fortunate that the pneumonia diagnosis led to a coronavirus test. But because of a backlog Mar 31, 2020 on the results, it would take more than a week to receive them.

Kelly went home to rest, and “I would get up for maybe a couple hours a On their way to urgent care, Jennifer Kelly knew something was wrong day, and that was it,” he said. with her husband, Blues broadcaster John Kelly, when he allowed her to Jennifer Kelly and their daughters, Megan and Grace, helped take care get behind the wheel of his 2020 Dodge Ram Laramie. of him. “I said, ‘Should I drive?’ and he said, ‘Uh-huh,'” Jennifer said. “I was like, “They are completely ‘daddy’s girls,'” she said. “They were checking on ‘Wow, he must be sick.'” him every 15 minutes, and thank goodness because he really needed It was March 16, and it was Kelly’s second trip to urgent care in four them.” days. The first time, a doctor had checked his vital signs, diagnosed it as Kelly’s other tonic was watching Blues hockey. a virus and said “it should pass,” Kelly recalled. “Yeah, thank goodness Fox Sports Midwest, the NHL Network and Instead, it got worse, and when Kelly went back, a chest X-ray revealed NBCSN have all been replaying Blues games,” he said. “A lot of the that he had double pneumonia, requiring fluids for dehydration, along nights I’d come down and have dinner and the kids and I would watch an with antibiotics and an inhaler. Because of the pneumonia, which some old game, so that was at least two or three hours every day of some doctors believe is a way COVID-19 can present itself, the 59-year-old normalcy and enjoyment. I recorded all the games from the Stanley Cup was given a coronavirus test. final the other day, and we’ve been watching those every night as well.” “I had very little energy, very little appetite, and even water didn’t taste Asked if there was anything that stood out the second time through the good,” Kelly said. “But I didn’t have a fever, and I didn’t have a cough. So Boston series, Kelly said: “I don’t want to say that I forgot, but it refreshed I just thought I had pneumonia, and even the doctor didn’t feel that I had my memory, just how unbelievable (Jordan) Binnington was in Games 5 (COVID-19).” and 7, especially in the first period of both games. And the other thing In 11 days, results would reveal that Kelly did indeed test positive for was, even though Boston had spurts of dominating games, how well the coronavirus, but fortunately, he had significantly recovered by then. He is Blues checked in that series. I honestly don’t think I saw a shift from symptom-free today, but not until after a harrowing road that left him (Ivan) Barbashev where he didn’t hit a player. Those are the two things admittedly scared. that stood out.”

“I got lucky,” Kelly said. “I would certainly encourage everybody to listen The good news continued as Kelly made more improvement early last to the experts and do what they tell you. When the doctors tell you to week, and then the coronavirus results came back on Friday. He take this very seriously and quarantine and do all those other things, it received a call from the doctor, who notified him of the positive test. really hits home because it was real for me and my family. Yeah, it’s the “I was really, really shocked that I had it,” he said. “I thought all along I real thing, as we know.” had pneumonia, which it turns out I did, and I guess coronavirus can There’s no way to pinpoint how or where Kelly contracted COVID-19, but present itself in certain people as pneumonia. That’s how the doctor the Blues were in New York for five days in early March, which was when explained it to me — that they think they’re related.” the first cases were being discovered in a city that has since become a Looking back, the Kellys were thankful they weren’t aware of that sooner. hotbed for the virus. The team left the New York area on March 6, flying to Chicago for a game two days later, but because it was on national TV, “If I would have known on Monday the 16th, when I was diagnosed with Kelly returned to St. Louis. pneumonia, that I had coronavirus, I would have been really scared,” he said. “Because you read stories about people who get pneumonia and “The first time I felt ‘off’ was that Sunday after I got back from New York,” have to go on a ventilator, and some people have died. I’m not saying I he said. “I started to have a little stomach discomfort, but it was nothing was anywhere close to that, but it could have gone the wrong way. I that was really bad, and that only lasted a day. So my uneducated guess, never did go to the hospital, and the medicine they gave me seemed to and we’ll never know, is that more than likely I picked it up in New York kick in right away. But it could have been a drastically different outcome, during that five-day period. But I could have gotten it in St. Louis before I and it’s hard to think about, quite honestly.” left for New York. Who knows?” It was particularly scary after the fact because Jennifer Kelly recently The next week, the Blues’ schedule had been revised because of Jay battled and beat breast cancer, meaning her immune system might have Bouwmeester’s cardiac episode Feb. 11 in Anaheim that forced the made her more susceptible to the virus. In fact, Kelly’s doctor told him postponement of that game. The club hosted Florida on March 9, then that his family members likely did contract it, but they were never tested traveled to Anaheim to play the postponed game on March 11. It was because they didn’t show serious symptoms. going into that game against the Ducks that Kelly felt fatigued. “There’s a decent chance that they’ve all had it and have gotten through “You know, I’ve done games where I felt worse, with the flu and stuff, so I it, but again, we have no way of knowing that,” Kelly said. don’t want to sound like I’m some kind of hero,” said Kelly, who had a couple of extra Gatorades in the booth that night. “I just didn’t have a lot The family remains quarantined, and Kelly, who was told by doctors to of energy and didn’t have much of an appetite. No question I wasn’t stay home for two weeks after the date he first felt symptoms, says he’ll feeling (well). I would say I was 50 percent, roughly.” extend that an extra seven to 10 days.

Kelly got through that game, though, and flew back to St. Louis with the “That date is a little hard to pinpoint in my case because I had pneumonia team on March 12. That day, following the lead of the NBA, the NHL put and I never really had fevers and coughs,” he said. “I’m going to be extra its season on pause. cautious, as my family is, before we go back out in public even a little bit.”

“I knew he wasn’t feeling good, but I just figured he had a cold,” Jennifer Jennifer Kelly said she’s still nervous for her husband. Kelly said. “The fact that he did go to work, I really didn’t feel that he was that sick. When he found out hockey was called off, I told some people, ‘I “He’s getting up there in age, and he had double pneumonia,” she said. can’t tell if he’s really sick or he’s just upset that the Blues aren’t playing “It was really scary, and people need to really take this seriously. It just anymore.'” comes on so quickly. You go from feeling kind of bad to downhill really quickly. I mean, honestly, it could have been so much worse.” Behind the scenes, the Blues were extremely supportive of Kelly, and the fan support was overwhelming, too, after his family convinced him to go public with his diagnosis to promote more awareness.

“(Blues owner) Tom Stillman even called me, and other members of the organization have been concerned,” he said. “It’s really great to know that you have all these people pulling for you and praying for you. We all want to have friends that care about us, and it’s nice to know that I did.”

The man who usually has a microphone in front of him can’t wait for hockey to return, but after experiencing the virus firsthand, he says the sport should be secondary.

“I’m as big a fan as anybody, and we miss cheering for the Blues and watching hockey,” Kelly said. “It’s a really difficult time, but obviously it’s a very serious time. A lot of people are getting sick and some people are dying, so quite honestly, playing hockey right now, or any sport, is really not something that we should be concerned about. Our concern should be with the welfare of everybody; let’s get through this and then we can worry about playing hockey. I certainly wouldn’t wish what I had on anyone — it’s a tough deal — and we all want to get through this as quickly as we can.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173152 Tampa Bay Lightning

In players’ poll, Lightning’s Victor Hedman named top defenseman

Staff Report

The Lightning’s Victor Hedman was selected the top defenseman for a second straight year and Andrei Vasilevskiy was second in the goalie category in the NHL Players’ Association’s annual poll of players released Tuesday.

Hedman got 196 votes, 85 more than Washington’s John Carlson. Montreal’s Carey Price repeated as the league’s top goalie with 214 votes, 127 ahead of Vasilevskiy.

The Lightning’s Pat Maroon finished fourth as best trash talker. For the second straight year, Boston’s Brad Marchand was named both the best and worst trash talker.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid is still regarded as the NHL’s top forward, and Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby was named the most complete player.

The NHLPA said 588 players participated in the 21-question poll, which covered topics involving skills, arenas, teams and off-ice fun. That category ranged from who they considered the league’s best golfer (Dallas’ Joe Pavelski) to the top player to follow on social media (New Jersey’s P.K. Subban).

This is the third consecutive year the NHLPA has conducted the poll.

McDavid was the overwhelming favorite as the league’s top forward. He received 379 of 555 votes, followed by Crosby (83) and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (37).

Crosby finished first in two other categories, including the league’s most complete player. He received 230 of 506 votes, beating out Boston’s Patrice Bergeron (129), Florida’s Aleksander Barkov (38) and St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly (27).

With 224 votes (68 more than McDavid), Crosby also topped the list of who players would want on their team when needing to win one game.

Other categories:

Game-day dress code: Players overwhelmingly favor relaxing the rule requiring a suit and tie. Players voted 411 to 152 in favoring the NBA’s dress-code policy, which requires players wearing “business or conservative attire” when arriving at and leaving a game.

World’s best female player: Canada’s Marie-Philip Poulin got 198 votes to edge out America’s Hilary Knight (180). America’s Kendal Coyne Schofield (77) finished third.

Past or present player that others would pay to see play: Wayne Gretzky was the top vote-getter with 155, followed by Bobby Orr (73), Mario Lemieux (45) and McDavid (38).

Best ice: Montreal’s Bell Centre won for a third consecutive year, followed by Edmonton’s Rogers Place and Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place.

Best mascot: Philadelphia’s Gritty was the runaway winner for a second straight year, followed by Nashville’s Gnash and Arizona’s Howler.

Funniest: Florida defenseman Keith Yandle was the repeat winner.

Bouwmeester improving

Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said teammate is in good health seven weeks after having a cardioverter defibrillator implanted in his chest. Pietrangelo said he and his teammates have been visiting Bouwmeester, who is taking walks through their St. Louis-area neighborhood. Bouwmeester, 36, collapsed on the bench during a game on Feb. 11.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173153 Toronto Maple Leafs “We are trying to keep everyone as educated as possible, trying to support them and are trying to communicate with them as best we can,” Dubas said.

For Kyle Dubas and the rest of the NHL, the road forward isn’t so clear Dubas is working remotely from home – like many of us – and spending time with his wife, Shannon, and their two-and-a-half-year-old son, Leo.

“It occurred to me over the weekend that one of the positive things in this MARTY KLINKENBERG unfortunate and grave situation is that the three of us have been together now [for nearly] three weeks in a row. Once we find a solution to this PUBLISHED MARCH 31, 2020 situation, I don’t think it will be possible to have this much time with our UPDATED 11 HOURS AGO family.

“If there is any silver lining, maybe that is one.”

Kyle Dubas was at home on March 11 watching a Marlies game on television when news broke that Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz had Globe And Mail LOADED: 04.01.2020 tested positive for COVID-19. It was not much later that the NBA announced it would halt operations.

“It was a momentous move that started a chain reaction in sports and society in general that was unlike anything I have ever experienced,” the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager said Tuesday during a conference call with journalists. “What happened was all very surreal.”

The next morning, Toronto’s players arrived at Scotiabank Arena for a customary pregame skate, but were sent home without ever taking the ice. That night’s game against the Nashville Predators was scrubbed in late afternoon when the NHL announced that the regular season was suspended.

Suddenly, everyone was scrambling.

“We were trying to gather information as quickly as possible,” Dubas said. "Players were reaching out. You would have to go back to the 1990s where a season was suspended right in the middle, and that was caused by a labour dispute.

“I don’t think any of us have experience with a health [crisis]. These are unprecedented times.”

The National Hockey League Players’ Association called a strike days before the start of the playoffs in 1992, but it was averted 10 days later. There is no possible short-term solution to the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

Professional sports are frozen in time and, all over the world, people’s lives are turned upside down. The luckiest among us are working at home in isolation; the unfortunate have lost their jobs or have become gravely ill.

“This is an athletics situation, but there are much more important things happening in the world right now,” Dubas said. “I think the league is trying to map out as many situations as possible without getting too far ahead.

"It is so hard to know which way we are going and how we are going to get there.”

The Maple Leafs’ final game of the regular season was originally scheduled for Saturday at home against the Montreal Canadiens. A dozen contests have been scrapped since their last game, a 2-1 victory on March 10 over the Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice.

Players are scattered all over, practising social distancing and isolating with their families.

Dubas said the NHL intends to resume playing, but beyond that the league has yet to have explicit discussions with teams. It is too hard to predict how long COVID-19 will remain prevalent. Commissioner Gary Bettman has said that wants to maintain the integrity of the four-round Stanley Cup tournament, but that could prove to be a challenge.

“I have no idea what it would look like or how it would unfold,” Dubas said. "I think these are unprecedented times and the league is looking at everything. The focus is getting the best read on the situation and arming oneself when you can move forward.

"But for me to guess would be a little bit reckless. It is not at the forefront of my mind and probably not the league’s either. That is taking a back seat to the medical situation right now.”

The Maple Leafs doctors are keeping in contact with players and staff members to advise them how best to protect themselves from the virus. 1173154 Toronto Maple Leafs

Did ex-Leaf Tomas Kaberle just deliver my food? The answer might be yes

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter

Tues., March 31, 2020

Former Maple Leafs defenceman Tomas Kaberle has added delivery man to his resumé while doing his part to promote social distancing.

Kaberle is delivering meals for Toronto’s Quanto Basta, the Italian restaurant co-owned by his wife Julia and her sister Daniela.

“Julia asked me if I would drive. She had to lay people off (because of the virus) and it was a bad day for her,” said the 42-year-old Kaberle, who played 878 games over 12 seasons in Toronto and is the second-highest scoring defenceman in franchise history with 520 points.

“She runs this restaurant like a family, so she asked me if I could do it and I said, ‘For sure.’ All I have to do is stay safe, wash my hands all the time and make sure people got the food.”

The four-time all-star began deliveries a little over two weeks ago, as governments began to shut down non-essential services to fight the spread of the coronavirus. All major sports leagues have postponed or cancelled their seasons, and on Tuesday the NHL extended its quarantine for players and staff to April 15.

While he hasn’t played in the NHL since 2013, Kaberle is still very much a familiar face.

“I leave the food on the porch and people come to the door … Some people do a double take. They say, ‘Hey, are you, uh, so and so?’ and ‘Do I know you from somewhere?’

“They know there’s social distancing, so there’s no autographs. Some of them take pictures from their front porch and it’s a lot of fun. If I can make someone smile, at the end of the day that’s all that matters. It’s the easiest thing for me.”

Like many other restaurateurs, Julia Kaberle turned to takeout orders to keep the business alive. That has allowed her to keep a sous chef and another employee on the payroll.

“The first few days we had Uber (doing deliveries), and we made up a sign on the front window that said: Free delivery,” said Julia, who met Tomas shortly after opening Quanto Basta 10 years ago.

“We have a young girl (who works) here and she said she would do anything, so she began doing some deliveries. Then the orders started picking up, and one day we had three deliveries and she said she couldn’t do all of them. So I asked Tomas and he said, ‘Absolutely.’”

Julia added that Tomas’ Italian cooking skills have improved over the years, from someone who “used to put ketchup on his pasta.”

“I guess we’re the perfect marriage,” she said.

The couple has also invested in another Italian restaurant, Oretta, and is finding ways to help during the pandemic.

“We’re donating a percentage of our sales to Michael Garron Hospital, and Tomas said whatever we get, he’ll it match like 10 times,” Julia said. “We feel blessed that we are able to do what we love to do.”

The Kaberles have three children — Luka, 8; Mikela, 6; Alexsandra, 2 — and are also busy with home schooling. The ex-Leaf makes his deliveries late in the day.

“This isn’t going to end next week, everyone knows that,” said Tomas. “I think the real heroes in this (are) the doctors and the nurses and the people (on the front lines) … The doctors barely get any sleep, they stay in the hospitals and they may not get to see their families because of quarantines. We all want to help and do our parts, and that’s the most important thing.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173155 Toronto Maple Leafs Dubas was asked to look back on March 11, when events in the NBA — and specifically Utah Jazz all-star Rudy Gobert’s positive test for COVID- 19 — seemed to accelerate North America’s understanding of the looming crisis. First things first, but the Maple Leafs are chasing a Russian forward — and making plans for a junior sensation “The decision from the NBA (to suspend the season) was a momentous move. That’s from my perspective as a biased sports person,” Dubas said. “The decision rapidly, right after the diagnosis of Rudy Gobert, sort of set in motion a real chain reaction — not only in sports, but in society. By Dave Feschuk Sports Columnist It was all very surreal because I don’t think any of us have ever Tues., March 31, 2020 experienced anything like that.”

Dubas — a well-read sort who said he’s lately been delving into fiction, reading the novel “Ohio” by Stephen Markley — has the situation in its If not for our current circumstances, the NHL’s regular season would be proper perspective. wrapping up this weekend. “There’s much more important things happening in the world right now A Saturday home game against the Montreal Canadiens would be the (than sports),” Dubas said. “There are a lot of people doing a lot, lot more Maple Leafs’ final tuneup before a first-round playoff matchup scheduled important work in the community, in health care in particular.” to get underway next week. When last Toronto’s NHLers played, three weeks ago on Tuesday, the odds had them going to Tampa Bay. Which is not to say Dubas isn’t focused on ensuring his team weathers this crisis. Even with a return to play too far in the distance to Which means that Kyle Dubas, if not for the worldwide disruption caused productively ponder, the GM said he’s in regular communication with his by the coronavirus, would normally be a busy man — spending long days players and staff, the Leafs keeping close even as they distance. at the rink if he wasn’t on the road, obsessively presiding over the details of post-season planning while observing the team he’s built. “You’ve got European players who are here by themselves in a condo by themselves, so you worry about them a little bit,” he said. “You worry As it is, the general manager of the Leafs is a lot like the rest of us. He’s about whether everybody has the resources they need. And then you spending almost all of his time at home with his wife and their two-year- worry about abiding by the very, very important rules of physical old son. He’s watching “Ozark” and “Homeland,” or “Curb Your distancing, and staying inside and staying at home, and making sure Enthusiasm” and “The Office” when he needs a laugh. From a life that (players) are abiding by that. revolves around pursuing Toronto’s long-sought Stanley Cup, he sees the unprecedented dose of family time as a “big-time silver lining.” “We try to map out as many of the situations that could come as possible without getting too far ahead and lose sight of what may be right in front “I don’t know … that it’ll ever be possible for me — and probably for a lot of us.” of (the media) and others — to have this much time in a row with our families,” Dubas said.

Speaking on a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Dubas said there Toronto Star LOADED: 04.01.2020 have been some hockey matters to deal with, even in the absence of on- ice activity. Scouting has been the focus, with an eye toward preparing for an eventual draft and potential free-agent signings out of Europe. Dubas, to that end, acknowledged reports out of Russia that the Leafs have interest in signing KHL winger Alexander Barabanov, a five-foot-10, 192-pounder who fits Dubas’s preferred template.

“He’s a very strong winger, tremendous playmaking ability, great skill level and ability to make plays under pressure,” Dubas said. “We’ll continue to pursue him as best we can.”

And speaking of looking toward a brighter future — a needed respite from the ongoing grimness — Dubas offered high praise for 2019 second-round draft pick Nick Robertson, he of the 55-goal season in just 46 games with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.

“Looking back and reflecting on it, I think we probably should have given him more of a look in training camp and probably rewarded him with an exhibition game or two to see how he did there,” said Dubas. “But he went back to Peterborough, he had a great attitude … The part of his game we came to admire as the season went on was his play on the defensive side, and especially on the penalty kill — his ability to win the puck back and tear down the ice and produce chances.”

Dubas said the Leafs will give the five-foot-nine forward, who won’t turn 19 until September, “every opportunity” to make the club in the lead-up to the 2020-21 season.

“We’ll put the ball into his court and see what he can do in the fall — we hope,” Dubas said.

As for when we’ll see another hockey game of consequence, Dubas continued to refer to the NHL season as on “pause,” as is the NHL commissioner’s preferred phrasing. But he also said resumption scenarios haven’t been discussed with any substance at the general manager level. While the NBA and England’s Premier League have floated trial balloons about a sequestered return to play — wherein multiple teams would be holed up in a central location and play in a fan- free environment for the purposes of a made-for-TV product — Dubas said he’s heard nothing of the sort emanate from the league office.

“They’ve been clear that the goal at some point is to conclude the season,” he said, “but that’s well in the back seat behind the medical situation at hand … It’s so hard to know which way we’re going and how we’re going to get there.” 1173156 Toronto Maple Leafs Most people thought manager Conn Smythe’s threatened benching of stars such as Turk Broda for being overweight was a publicity stunt to distract from the Grey Cup hoopla going on in Toronto the last week of November. Leafs gag games not just April Fools' Day But after a five-game winless streak, he did pull Broda and put Gilles Mayer in net for this 2-0 loss to Detroit, telling reporters “I’m not running a fat man’s club”. Lance Hornby Broda had to shed a few pounds, a ‘Battle Of The Bulge’, which the city March 31, 2020 6:57 PM EDT followed every day with dietary tips for the roly poly goalie. A few nights later, Broda returned with a 2-0 shutout.

There’s no recognized April Fools’ Day in hockey, though Brian Burke Jan. 30, 1965 used to joke general managers made more mistakes on free agent day Career back-up goalie Jack Norris thought his big day had finally come, a than the rest of the year combined. start against the three-time champion Leafs at the Gardens, no less. The origins of devoting the first of this month for pranks and unscripted Eddie Johnston, who’d played 160 straight games for Boston, was down events across world are hazy. Theories include the disputed calendars in with a bad flu and with no spare on the trip, Norris was flown all the way many European countries in the Middle Ages, some with April 1 as New from the Bruins’ farm team in Los Angeles the night before the match. Year’s, or a passage in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales about a rooster being tricked into thinking March had 32 days, But Norris’s equipment was stolen from the team’s Toronto hotel and the ailing Johnston had to go in anyway. Not long into the game, he was Punking is prevalent throughout the NHL schedule and the Maple Leafs slashed and suffered a broken hand, but endured to finish the 6-1 loss. have certainly been part of many game-night shenanigans in their 102- year franchise history; some funny, some frustrating, if not embarrassing The home-and-home the next night saw Norris in goal, wearing episodes of their own making. Johnston’s equipment, but losing 4-2 to the Leafs.

There could be one unusual occurrence for each day of the Leafs Nation March 24, 1971 year, but we’ve narrowed it to these 20: The Leafs were on a California road trip and a few members of the Jan. 5, 1918 Golden Seals stopped by Toronto’s game day skate in Oakland.

This was the game where nobody came. They noticed an unfamiliar face struggling to keep up. It was actor Art Hindle, who’d been quietly invited along to get immersed in his role of When the Montreal Wanderers rink burned down, it was decided not to Billy Duke for the upcoming Canadian-made movie Face-Off. send the team to Toronto for its scheduled match. But with tickets already sold at Mutual St. Arena, the hosts wanted to cover their legal With no idea who Hindle was or the movie plan, the Seals began obligations. At the appointed puck drop of 8:30 p.m., five players and mocking his poor skill set. Paul Henderson overheard and warned them goalie Hap Holmes came out at the near empty rink, referee Lou Marsh Hindle was a minor league goon who could snap at any moment and dropped the puck, Cy Dennenay skated to an empty net and scored and might be playing that night. The Seals were relieved not to see him in the Toronto departed the ice. lineup.

The Arenas, Canadiens and Senators were left to complete the season. Hindle got so caught up in the role, he stayed out too long with the boys and missed a team flight, resulting in a fine. Feb. 23, 1918 Feb. 26, 1978 Today’s quote-starved fans craving colourful Leafs would’ve loved Ken Randall. Embroiled in dispute with NHL president John Ziegler about refusing to put names on the back of players’ sweaters, owner Harold Ballard came A member of the inaugural Toronto Arenas in 1917-18, who could play up with a devious plan. wing or defence, the Kingston native was already a terror in a couple of leagues before the NHL. He was constantly in trouble for swearing, When his team played the Blackhawks at , the names reckless stick use and other misdeeds, yet his skill and sass helped were there, but in the same blue lettering as Toronto’ away sweaters, make him the franchise’s first captain. making them unreadable. Ballard, who had long claimed he was trying to protect home game program sales, was quite pleased with himself. The With a number of unpaid league fines on his tab before this game against root of the issue was really his resentment of Ziegler telling him what to Ottawa, referee Marsh warned Randall he’d have to cough up $35 on the do in his own building. spot or not play. Randall produced $32 in bills just before the face-off, but out of spite gave Marsh the balance in pennies. After Toronto wore the controversial costumes a second night on Long Island, Ziegler threatened to increase the $10,000 fine, which got the As Marsh struggled to hold and count the 300 coppers, a player bumped frugal Ballard’s attention. The names appeared correctly for a March 1 into him and the coins flew everywhere, causing a delay while the Leafs game against the Flyers, while Gardens’ organist Ralph Fraser played and Senators picked them all off the ice. Bobby Vinton’s ‘Blue On Blue’. March 15, 1932 March 3, 1979 If the foul was warranted, goaltenders in this era had to serve their own Coach ’s many attempts to circumvent NHL rules could fill penalties. volumes, but this night he narrowly escaped national embarrassment Such was the case with , assessed a minor in Boston. And himself. he couldn’t return when the opposition scored, so three Leafs Neilson was fired two days earlier by Ballard, who then found none of his defencemen, Red Horner, Alex Levinsky and King Clancy, went in net hockey office staff wanted the no-win job. When the players asked to and allowed a goal each. Toronto lost 6-2. have Neilson back, Ballard relented — if the coach would go along with a Nov. 24, 1935 gag to wear a paper bag over his head before the home game against the Flyers. He was to remove it just before the face-off. This tale involves the ‘other’ Scotty Bowman, (no relation to the coach), but who also was with the Red Wings, as a defenceman. Exhausted by the whole affair, Neilson said yes, until assistant coach Al Dunford warned he’d come out of the crazy affair looking as silly as Penalized in this game, Bowman hid from the officials while Syd Howe Ballard. Without the bag, Neilson and the Leafs won, but he was soon (no relation to Gordie, but a great player in his own time) went to the box fired for real. instead. The Leafs pointed out the chicanery to the ref and Howe was sent back in to serve another minor. March 28, 1980

Dec. 1, 1949 A lot was happening in this 8-5 loss to the Oilers, including Borje Salming Late in the scoreless game, Healy’s hand was cut by the skate blade of called for closing his hand on a puck in Mike Palmateer’s crease. San Jose’s Bernie Nicholls. The cold, jet-lagged Cousineau was thrust in, but made a few saves to preserve quite possibly the last 0-0 result in Referee Ron Hoggarth awarded a penalty shot to Stan Weir, but in the team history. absence of video review, a Leafs mob went after Hoggarth to argue. As that debate raged, an angry fan got to the gate (the benches were March 21, 2001 unsecured in those days at the Gardens) and released some mice on the ice. Maintenance men were sent out to round up the scurrying rodents to The Leafs staggered into the playoffs in 2000-01, winning only 11 games scoop with shovels (no, they didn’t play Three Blind Mice). Weir patiently in the final two months. This 3-1 loss to the terrible Florida Panthers was skated around during this long delay and eventually scored on too much for one fan, who’d made it to the game and his seat despite a Palmateer. broken leg. In the late stages he fired one of his crutches over the glass.

This game also became a popular numerical trivia question, why only two Add that to the Leaf sweaters, waffles, and everything else fed-up fans of Wayne Gretzky’s goals counted in this game when No. 99 scored five littered the ice with. In the Gardens era, an angry usher even threw one times? of their famous white hats.

Because the Leafs had their own 99 at the time, forward Wilf Paiement, Nov. 13, 2003 who recorded a hat trick in defeat. Not much scared Darcy Tucker, except a ghost story.

April 1, 1989 The night before a game against the Kings, the Leafs were in the old This goalie gamble actually happened on an April Fools Day and the Biltmore Hotel in L.A., scene of the Black Dahlia murder in the 1940s and Leafs certainly confused fans in St. Louis. supposedly still haunted by the spirit of the aspiring actress, last seen alive in its lobby. The story was casually told to Tucker by mischievous As the seconds ticked towards a 3-3 overtime tie, which most teams teammates as they checked in. would take on the road, coach George Armstrong suddenly called Allan Bester to the bench for a sixth man. It was motivated by the standings on With help from his roomie, Bryan McCabe, Tucker was stalled downstairs the final weekend of regular play. The Leafs needed to pass Chicago, long enough for Tom Fitzgerald and Ed Belfour to hide under his bed and which was two points up and where they were playing next night to end in the closet, respectively. About a half hour after Tucker was tucked in, the schedule, thus a draw versus the Blues meant nothing. Fitzgerald started lightly tugging on the blankets to startle him awake and then Belfour scratched at the door. Tucker jumped so high he almost Yet not only did the Leafs become the first team ever to lose in overtime landed in McCabe’s bed. on an ENG, they fell in OT to the Hawks and were eliminated. Jan. 21, 2013 Oct. 11, 1989 Coming out of the last lockout, the club had an ambitious home opening Doug Carpenter will never forget his first home game as coach of the puck drop that required help from Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield. Leafs. Then in Earth orbit aboard the International Space Station, Hadfield was Many disgruntled fans wanted him to serve the minor penalty given the a big Leafs fan and agreed to be pre-taped letting a puck float team right after the national anthem against the Sabres. weightless, then pretend to throw it downward where retired goalie Felix Potvin would be looking skyward to catch it on live TV and relay it to Toronto submitted a faulty starting lineup, spotted by ex-captain Rick centre ice. Vaive on the Buffalo bench. Vaive noticed that Gary Leeman’s No. 11 had been circled on the sheet, but Vince Damphousse — No. 10 — was There was just one problem. in the circle. “I’m on a spaceship, where am I going to find a puck?,” Hadfield told the Vaive told the Sabres’ coaches, who alerted the officials. Dave Sun, once back on terra firma. “But I told (the network) ‘we’ll figure Andreychuk scored on the ensuing power play to initiate a 7-1 beating. something out’.”

Jan. 3, 1991 Hadfield first tried the ship’s computerized inventory management system entering ‘puck’ and ‘hockey’, but came up empty. The Bloomington Met Center had one of the NHL’s first big-screen colour replay boards, but it riled old-school Leafs’ coach Tom Watt. “Then I thought the Russian crew had food cans about the size of a puck. So I grabbed a black Sharpie (to try and colour one). Then another crew When the North Stars goals were replayed in full glory with broadcast member floated up with a camera lens cap, exactly the right size, flat commentary, an irate Watt declared it “cheerleading” and said by league black. It looked exactly like a puck if held the right way. I just had to make rule the Stars should get a minor penalty. He even carried his protest to sure I didn’t tip it on camera.” the league. Nov. 20, 2014 On March 11, 1992, after a few more Toronto losses there, a fed-up Watt had a plan to pull his team off the ice the first time Minnesota replayed a It’s what happened after this 5-2 home win over Tampa Bay that grabbed goal. The showdown was averted when the Leafs had a 3-0 shutout. everyone’s attention.

April 27, 1996 The victory came after three losses in which the whole character of the club and its accountability to the public was being trashed. But Leafs fans was playing with a significant knee injury as the Leafs’ were quick to forgive of course and applauded the big win at the final opening round series against the Blues reached the elimination stage, horn. Cody Franson and Leo Komarov headed to centre ice for the down 3-2. traditional post-win crowd salute.

The Leafs ordered a custom brace to be rushed in from California for the But captain Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel began calling everyone off the road game and it was duly delivered to the St. Louis Arena early that day. ice and into the room, a collective middle finger to their critics. For a team But the Blues, still sore than Nick Kypreos had run their goalie Grant that had been roasted for its lack of unity, this was a bold move, though it Fuhr earlier in the series, left the brace in their mail room all day and eventually backfired when none of the plotters could get their post-game didn’t hand it over to Leafs trainers to fit Sundin until near game time. story straight. Toronto lost 2-1. Feb. 2, 2019 Nov. 4, 1997 There was hardly a dry eye at SBA when the Leafs pulled this off on The Leafs were playing back-to-back in San Jose and Calgary in an Canadian Forces Night. unfortunate bit of scheduling and thought they were playing it smart by starting back-up Glen Healy and sending Felix Potvin ahead to Calgary The troops were honoured before the game, topped by Cpl. Jeremy to get a full night’s sleep. From across the continent, they summoned Hillson with a video message from his base in Iraq. His wife Jen and Marcel Cousineau from their St. John’s farm team to fill a seat on the children Mason and Dakota were then introduced for the ceremonial bench. face-off with Major-General Omer Lavoie. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and Leafs alternate Morgan Rielly came to centre where Lavoie asked Jen for the puck. She was taken aback, thinking Lavoie must have it and then saw Crosby and Rielly back away.

It was then Jen looked around to see her smiling husband striding along the red carpet with the disc for a tearful surprise reunion.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173157 Toronto Maple Leafs “It’s disappointing that he won’t be able to see how far he could have run it up in regard to chasing 60 goals, but he is one of the more focused and hard-working prospects I have seen in my time in hockey,” Dubas said. “He knows the areas he needs to continue to work on, he has a great Dubas confirms Leafs interest in Barabanov, sees much potential in read on that. I think come training camp, we will give him every Robertson opportunity to potentially make the team and put the ball into his court and see what he can do in the fall, we hope.”

CUP TALKS Terry Koshan The NHL doesn’t want to compromise the integrity of the Stanley Cup March 31, 2020 5:31 PM EDT and when (or how) it would be awarded if the 2020 playoffs are contested at some point.

General manager Kyle Dubas confirmed as much on Tuesday during a Dubas falls in line with the NHL’s stance. conference call with media, describing the 25-year-old as “a playmaking “It’s always something that has been revered in hockey,” Dubas said. winger who also has the ability to finish at the net.” “Keeping the integrity of the tournament style that is there now is Barabanov had 20 points (11 goals and nine assists) in 43 games this important. past season for SKA St. Petersburg, his fifth full season in the “(But) I have no idea what an abbreviated scenario would look like or how Kontinental Hockey League. it would unfold. These are unprecedented times and I am sure the league The Leafs reportedly are one of the front-runners in the race to sign is looking at everything possible to move it ahead once we are medically Barabanov, along with the Arizona Coyotes. Barabanov’s agent, Dan able to do so. Milstein — who also represents Leafs forward Ilya Mikheyev — is “For me to guess on what that would look like would be a little bit interviewing NHL clubs interested in Barabanov this week. reckless on my end because it’s not at the front of our mind right now and “Alex is strong, not tall (5-foot-10, 191 pounds), but he has tremendous not probably with the league either. playmaking ability, great skill level in tight,” Dubas said. “One of the other “I think the focus is on getting the proper read on the situation that can things we like most about him is his ability make plays under pressure best arm everybody to make decisions as we move ahead and be and his ability to win pucks, protect pucks when people come after him. prepared as best as possible when we are able to resume, whenever that “We will continue to pursue him as best we can.” may be.”

In the bigger picture, the National Hockey League’s pause on the season because of the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t had a major impact on the Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.01.2020 Leafs’ ability to go about some of their business, Dubas said, stressing the importance of the ground work done by Jim Paliafito in Europe.

“He has a great read early on who the players are we are probably going to look after,” Dubas said of the Leafs senior director of player evaluation.

“I don’t think the pause has really affected our ability to evaluate and recruit — there’s a change on the recruiting side of it, moving it to a virtual format — but because of the job Jim does, we already have relationships there, so it’s not trying to meet somebody over the phone or meet somebody over a virtual setting, you already have a bit of a relationship.

“There are players that we’re interested in and we’re competing with many other teams to try to (sign them).”

ROBERTSON ROBBED?

If he had another chance to do it again — and by that we mean a decision made at training camp last fall — Dubas would have given Nick Robertson a longer look.

During the 2019-20 season, Robertson was a second-round pick in a first-round pick’s clothing, leading the with 55 goals for the Peterborough Petes after the Leafs drafted him 53rd last June in Vancouver. Robertson’s remarkable production came after he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Leafs last September, though he didn’t really get a sniff in camp before the Leafs sent him back to Peterborough. Robertson also performed well with the United States at the 2020 world junior hockey championship.

“Looking back and reflecting on it, I think we probably should have given him more of a look in training camp and probably rewarded him with an exhibition game or two to see how he did there,” Dubas said. “He went back to Peterborough, he had a great attitude and he was an excellent player for them right away.

“I know the goal-scoring was prolific, but the part his game that we really came to admire during the season was his play on the defensive side and especially on the penalty kill, his ability to win the puck back and then tear down the ice and produce chances.”

Robertson won’t be eligible to play for the Toronto Marlies next season, so it’s another year in junior or a spot with the Leafs.

At the least, one would expect the driven Robertson to put himself in camp in a position to get an audition to start the season in Toronto. 1173158 Toronto Maple Leafs “I think it would be unfair for me to comment about whether it would work or not.”

Dubas said he has not been part of resumption scenarios. Leafs GM Dubas in balancing act, but safety of world comes first “The (NHL) has been clear in their own messaging that the goal is to, at some point, conclude the season, but that is well on the backseat behind the medical situation at hand,” Dubas said. Terry Koshan There’s a silver lining — or, as Kyle Dubas called it, “a big-time silver March 31, 2020 4:47 PM EDT lining” — to isolating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One of the positives, and we’re a family that is fortunate enough to do so, is that the three of us have been together for three weeks in a row,” With the National Hockey League regular season on pause because of the Maple Leafs’ general manager said, referring to his wife Shannon the COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted the world and with no known and son Leo. return to professional sports — never mind regular daily life for anyone — Dubas is hunkered down at home, trying to navigate through “I don’t know that once we’re able to find a solution to get (the unprecedented times. coronavirus) under control, if it will ever be possible for me, and probably for a lot of others, to be able to have this much time in a row with our Dubas is balancing his priorities as GM and his time with wife Shannon family. and son Leo, all the while trying to stay on top of the coronavirus news. “Our little guy is 2 1/2 years old and he is at a great age for developing “There are much more important things happening in the world right now his personality and it has been a lot of fun on that front.” and a lot of people are doing a lot more important work in the community and in health care in particular,” Dubas said on Tuesday during a Dubas said he has been “catching up” on reading and television shows conference call with media. “As it pertains to the team, I think we try to when he has had some down time. His book of choice right now is Ohio, map out any of the situations that could come as possible without trying a work of fiction by Stephen Markley, and among his TV viewings are the to get too far ahead. new season of Ozark, the final season of Homeland, as well as Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office. “We’re just trying to get all of our departments that we control right now operating at the best level and hopefully that will allow us to inform our decisions in whatever method they have to be made once we are able to move forward, not as a sport, but as a society and in the world, once the Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.01.2020 proper actions are taken to get the virus under control at first and then eradicated in the end.

“It’s so hard to know which way we’re going and how we’re going to get there, but first and foremost is the health of all the citizens in all the places that we operate and (also) a tribute to the great work that is being done by medical people along the way.”

On the hockey side, Dubas acknowledged the Leafs have an interest in signing free agent forward Alexander Barabanov out of the KHL.

If he could turn the clock back, Dubas said he would have given Nick Robertson a longer look at camp last fall, including a couple of exhibition games. Robertson didn’t get a true shot despite signing an entry-level contract with the Leafs, and wound up leading the Canadian Hockey League with 55 goals for the Peterborough Petes.

The pause has given Dubas and the management staff time to get things in order with the club’s scouts, even if there is no certainty as to when the 2020 draft will be held.

But as Dubas iterated during the call, what’s paramount for him now is helping to guide the team, whether it’s players or staff members, through the situation that everyone shares with the impact of the coronavirus.

“For me, personally, it gives you some good perspective in terms of, rather than being caught up in the day to day of hockey or small things that are going on in your life, it’s better to spend more time listening to people who have objective expertise in these areas, whether it’s medical or other issues,” Dubas said. “There are people on the medical side in particular who have done an excellent job, and media have done an excellent job, of putting out there the things that are important for our society to abide by and the various risks that we face.

“It’s a situation that a lot of people, very smart people, had warned about for a long time and when those warnings come, it’s easy to say we will be able to control it when it happens and now we’re in this situation.”

Dubas can’t say for certain how the NHL will carry forward once the green light comes to resume, and he didn’t want to speculate. One scenario explored by the NBA is to hold games in one or two locations, once it’s safe to do so, in order to finish the season.

Could Dubas see such situation working for the NHL?

“I have no idea,” Dubas said. “I have not really thought about it and it hasn’t been anything that has been discussed with the teams. In our conversations with the league, their primary focus has been on the health and safety of the players and the staff and of course the fans who would be interacting. 1173159 Toronto Maple Leafs “I think Nick has had a great season,” Dubas said. “He right from the draft on, he had an excellent world junior summer selection camp in Plymouth. And that I think set him up for the season. He was really, really strong for us in the rookie tournament, Traverse City, carried that through training Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas talks pursuing Barabanov, Robertson’s rise camp. I think looking back and reflecting on it I think we probably should and more have given him more of a look in training camp and probably rewarded him with an exhibition game or two to see how he did there.

“But he went back to Peterborough, he had a great attitude and he was By James Mirtle an excellent player for them right away. I know the goal scoring was Mar 31, 2020 prolific. But the part of his game that I think that we really came to admire during the season was his play on the defensive side, and especially on the penalty kill, his ability to win the puck back and then tear down the ice and produce chances and scoring for the Petes. Obviously he played a The Maple Leafs are going to start talking more. huge role in the world junior team as well. Nearly three weeks into this unusual lockdown, with no NHL games in “Disappointing, of course, that he won’t be able to see how far he can run sight, the organization has put a plan in place for regular media it up in regards to chasing 60 goals, but he’s one of the more focused availabilities with staff and players. and hardworking prospects that I’ve seen in my time in hockey. And I Last week, it was president Brendan Shanahan. Today, GM Kyle Dubas. think, you know, he knows the areas that he needs to continue to work On Thursday, alternate captain Morgan Rielly will chat with the press, on. He’s got a great read on that. Come training camp we’ll give him and then head coach Sheldon Keefe is expected next week. every opportunity to potentially make the team and put the ball in his court and see what he can do in the fall. We hope.” The only trouble is, there’s not a whole lot going on, as everyone, everywhere, is sitting in their houses working from home, watching Netflix 3. The Leafs haven’t discussed season-saving scenarios with the NHL and trying to adapt to this new normal. Dubas said no particular formats for when the games come back have Dubas chatted for about 25 minutes, mostly about his thoughts on the been discussed internally, which is probably fair given this will be hashed unprecedented shutdown of the game. Here were the highlights: out at the league level. Perhaps this isn’t a huge concern at this point for the organization, as the Leafs will be “in” for whatever playoff scenario is 1. The Leafs have an eye on KHLer Alexander Barabanov concocted — assuming that we’ll need one, that is.

The soon-to-be 26-year-old SKA St. Petersburg winger has long been “I haven’t really thought about it,” Dubas said when asked about the rumoured to be on Toronto’s players of interest list. His counting stats notion of playing the playoffs in front of no fans in some sort of aren’t overwhelming, but Dubas made it clear some of the intangibles sequestered location. “And it hasn’t been anything that’s been discussed really appeal to the Leafs here. with the team. In our conversations with the league, their primary focus “Well, Alex is a player that we’ve scouted and watched along with many has been on the health and safety of the players and the staff and, then, others over there we’re certainly interested in,” Dubas said. “He’s a of course, the fans who would be interacting (with everyone) as such. So winger. He’s strong. He’s not tall, but he’s a very strong winger, (with) I haven’t heard anything like that. I haven’t really put any thought into it. tremendous playmaking ability, great skill level in tight. But one of the So I think it’d be unfair for me to comment about whether (fan-less other things that we like most about him is his ability to make plays under games) would work or not. pressure and his ability to win pucks, protect pucks when people come “It’s been a great enlightenment for me to see in these times on the daily after him, and he uses his strength to be able to do that. So he’s a the way that (the NHL) operates and the way that Commissioner playmaking winger that also has the ability to finish at the net. We’ll Bettman, Bill Daly and the rest of the staff there have handled this has continue to pursue him as best we can.” been really, really enlightening for me and for us to know that their Dubas added that his staff has continued to chase a number of European primary concern is the health and safety of everybody. And so I don’t and college free agents during the shutdown, thanks to legwork done know about resumption situations like that. I read the NBA thing and the already by the scouting staff. Premier League situation as well, which sounds kind of similar, but I don’t know with regards to hockey … “We’re pretty fortunate on our staff — our director of player evaluation, Jim Paliafito, does a great job for us on the cases in Europe and the “I think (the league’s) been clear in their own messaging that the goal is college players in terms of he’s got a great read early on on who the to at some point conclude the season, but that’s well in the back seat players are that we’re probably going to look at,” Dubas explained. “He behind the medical situation at hand.” does a great job communicating back to the organization and to our 4. The tough situation facing some Leafs players player personnel department to kind of have a look at the players and whether it’s live or break down their video, and then we’re able to, you When the shutdown first came into full view, and it was clear that it would know, he’s able to kind of begin having conversations with them and their last a while, many Leafs players scattered home to different parts of the agents during the year to kind of get a handle on it. world to wait things out. Many others, however, are still in Toronto, and Dubas explained on Tuesday why that can be tough and how they’re “So I don’t think the pause has really affected our ability to evaluate and trying to support everyone in the organization. recruit. We’ve had to change some of the recruiting side of it and move it to a virtual format or FaceTime or Zoom meeting or what have you. But I Hayley Wickenheiser, the Leafs assistant director of player development, think because of the job that Jim does, we’ve already gotten relationships has played a key role in that support system. there. So it’s not trying to meet somebody over the phone or meet “I think the way we try to approach it is just to communicate as often as somebody over a virtual setting. So it hasn’t really impacted it. we can with our players and staff and try to provide as much support as “I think there are players that we’re interested in and we’re competing we can,” Dubas said. “These are very different times, and there’s with many other (NHL) teams to try and gain a commitment. And our different players that are in different situations. You’ve got European hope is that the ability of players that have come over from Europe since players who are here by themselves, in a condo by themselves, and you Jim has been with us to quickly transition to pro hockey in North America worry about them a little bit. And you worry about whether everyone has will be a big help for us and that’s all the credit to Jim and the work that the resources that they need, and then you worry about everybody he does and then the ability of our coaching and development staff to abiding by the very, very important rules of physical distancing and work with them in the summer and get them ready for the fall.” staying inside and staying at home and making sure they’re abiding by that. 2. Nick Robertson will get a chance to stick with the Leafs “So there’s concern from our end that we’re doing our part to educate our The Leafs second-round pick (53rd overall) from last year absolutely staff and players on what we need to be doing in our community, in order torched the OHL this season with 55 goals in 48 games, something that to make sure that we’re kind of setting as best an example as we hasn’t gone unnoticed in Toronto. Still only 18 until September, he has possibly can because of our visibility. And I think we’ve been pretty proud clearly accelerated the timeline for making an impact in the NHL, of the way that our players have handled that. But our medical staff led especially given he’s not eligible to play for the Marlies next season by (team doctor Noah Forman) have been great at answering the questions the players have about the virus itself and its impact on people in the community and why it’s important for us to do our part.

“We’re also fortunate to have on our staff, Hayley Wickenheiser, who is in medical school and has a lot of great insights. The players who’ve been on the ice with her and know Hayley have a great relationship (with her). So she’s a great resource as well. Like I said at the beginning, I’m not qualified to give any sort of insights into these things. But Hayley and Dr. Forman do have those qualifications, as well as some of the infectious disease experts that the league and MLSE have provided for us. So it’s just trying to keep everybody as educated as possible and support them.

“The people who need the support the most who maybe don’t have a family and the people who do have families have a different impact on them as well. So we’re trying to support as best we can and communicate as much as we can. I don’t know how good of a job we’re doing or not, but we’re just trying to get everybody the information they need to best help set up themselves, their family, and for our organization to set as good of an example as we can in the community and beyond.”

5. How exactly has Dubas been running the team from home?

In a typical season, Dubas would be on a plane or in an arena almost every day in the lead up to the end of the regular season. That obviously isn’t happening right now, so how is he staying busy?

“The first priority has been corresponding with MLSE and our other teams as well as the NHL and just monitoring the situation at a high level, meaning the advice that we get from the league and from the experts that work with our company and with the league and how we’re best to proceed and what we’re to advise our staff and players,” Dubas said. “So that’s been the primary focus during this time.

“Beyond that, it’s really just been focused on scouting and player development and getting both of those departments advanced as far as we can during this period, which is obviously unprecedented. We’re trying to use this time we do have to make sure that we’re doing all that we can to set those departments up as best as possible for when we do resume.”

6. The Leafs GM has some TV and book recommendations

We’re all watching and reading more than we normally would at this time in the hockey season. Dubas was asked what is filling his time, in particular, other than working on hockey operations (to the extent he can) and playing with his two-year-old son, Leo, which he admitted has been the one benefit to this shutdown.

“There’s been a lot of work to continue to do, but I’m also trying to catch up on some reading and TV shows that you don’t get a chance to watch and read as much as you’d like to when the season is in full swing and try to catch up on that and keep the mind active and rolling along,” Dubas said.

“We’re watching Ozark, the new season of Ozark. It’s been outstanding. And it’s the final season of Homeland. And it’s been unbelievable in my opinion. I’m not a television expert by any means! But Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office always make their way in and I’m actually reading a fiction book. I don’t read much fiction, but I figured to get the mind working a little bit I’d do that. It’s a book called Ohio by Stephen Markley. Very good. So there you go.”

We can all use a little Larry David these days.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173160 Toronto Maple Leafs : He could score a bit, getting to 20 goals three times as a Leaf. But Ponikarovsky was mostly an inconsistent supporting cast member for mediocre teams after the 2004-05 lockout.

Jonas Siegel’s Top 25 Toronto Maple Leafs of the past 25 years, Part I Clarke MacArthur: A shrewd free agent signing in 2010, MacArthur did his best work on a line with Mikhail Grabovski and Nik Kulemin. He probably cracks the top-35.

By Jonas Siegel Yanic Perreault: An awesome faceoff man, and for two seasons anyway — in which he averaged 21 goals and 49 points — a pretty capable Mar 31, 2020 second line centre behind Mats Sundin.

25. Mikhail Grabovski At best, a pause in the season gives us an opportunity to step back and How would Grabovski’s career have played out had the Leafs not bought look at the big picture. In this case, the very big picture. out his contract in the summer of 2013? How would Leafs history have For us, it’s ranking the top 25 Toronto Maple Leafs of the past 25 years. played out, for that matter? Grabovski was around for five seasons and became a spunky second-line centre who tussled with top lines and First, the ground rules for this fun exercise: produced a fair bit of offence. Over four full seasons — excluding the lockout-shortened 2013 season — Grabovski averaged 21 goals and 48 Peak > longevity (sometimes): We’re trying to identify the best players points. He was a slightly inferior version of what Nazem Kadri ultimately using a combination of peak performance, but also consistency over a became for the franchise. long period of time. For example, 176 games of ’s elite skill (plus more in the playoffs) may be worth more than 413 games of 24. Zach Hyman James van Riemsdyk. Former Leafs coach saw what was here before just about Playoff performance matters: But only to a point. Darcy Tucker owns a everyone. The nightly hustle. The rambunctious forechecking that longer post-season track record than Mitch Marner, but it’s pretty clear procured the puck for more talented linemates to work with. The wily who the better player is. (Hint: It’s not Tucker.) penalty killing. Even those hands have come around, with Hyman stuffing in 21 goals in each of the past two seasons. He’s become a legitimate 25: We’re looking only at the past 25 years, which means the start of the complementary winger for the Leafs top-six. 1995-96 season until now. That means 1993 Doug Gilmour doesn’t count, but 1996 Doug Gilmour does. Same goes for Wendel Clark. Think 23. Sergei Berezin of it like looking back on your favourite albums of the past 25 years. While Pearl Jam’s Vs. (1993) wouldn’t be allowed, No Code, if that’s your Man, was Berezin fun to watch. A little water-bug with a big 94 on the jam, is still on the table. back of a jersey tucked in just so, Berezin was mesmerizing when he got the puck. He netted at least 22 goals in four of his five seasons as a Leaf, No right answers! My rankings will be different than yours. We all have including a team-leading 37 during the 1998-99 season. The only Leafs our own biases and preferences. Nobody’s wrong! to score more goals in one season over the last 25 years? Auston Matthews, and Mats Sundin. Now, to the list (or the preamble anyway)! Toss in 12 goals and 27 points in 40 playoff games — including first- Honourable Mentions: round series-winning goals in 1999 and 2000 — and you could Felix Potvin: The 1995-96 starting point excludes “The Cat’s” early career reasonably argue that Berezin should be even higher. brilliance. But for the three-plus seasons that do count, Potvin put in a Hmmm. heavy workload (69, 74, 67 games played) and even made the All-Star team in 1996. You could argue he should be the third goalie to crack the 22. Frederik Andersen rankings. This season has really killed the vibe around Andersen, but before that, Dion Phaneuf: The Leafs captain through a turbulent period, Phaneuf he delivered a level of stability the Leafs had lacked in net since Ed munched up huge minutes against difficult competition. He struggled at Belfour was around. Like most goalies, Andersen’s in-season times defensively, and coupled with mild offensive production (he topped performances have fluctuated, but he has finished with better than 32 points only once as a Leaf), Phaneuf’s longevity alone isn’t enough to league-average numbers (.918, .918, .917 save percentages) in each of make the Top 25. his first three seasons in Toronto. With three more wins Andersen (136) will pass Curtis Joseph (138) for most by a Leaf goalie in the past 25 Larry Murphy: With 100 points in 151 games, Murphy got a raw deal in years — and fourth-most in franchise history. What Andersen needs to Toronto. But because he was around for only one full season before creep higher on this list is some playoff success. getting booed out of town, he falls just short of making the list. 21. Jake Gardiner Nik Antropov: It never totally came together for the 10th overall pick in 1998. Antropov was skilled for a big man, but due to injuries and Gardiner’s game is mostly about subtlety, but those subtleties — the way inconsistency, he largely fell short of high expectations. he fired darts out of his zone, or Houdini-ed the puck out himself — weren’t appreciated as much as they should have been in Toronto. Or, Tie Domi: In 2016, Domi locked down the No. 93 spot on the Leafs’ own more likely, they were overshadowed by his glaring gaffes. Gardiner was 100 greatest players ranking. But as a mostly fourth-liner who scored in most often driving play in the right direction however, as underlying double-digits only three times, we can find better players. numbers always emphasized. And when you add in an overlooked Jason Blake: He did lead the lowly 2008-09 team in scoring, with 63 durability factor — he played at least 79 games in five of his past six points, and won the Masterton Trophy in his first season as a Leaf. But seasons — you’ve got one of the better defencemen the franchise has no, not a top-25 player. had in the last 25 years. He trails only Tomas Kaberle in games played.

Wendel Clark: Again, if we took earlier years into account, Clark would 20. James van Riemsdyk have a lofty place in these rankings. (He was 15th on the Leafs top-100). For whatever defensive limitations he had, van Riemsdyk was money But he wasn’t around long enough, or productive enough in the era we’re around the net — and among the more productive scorers in the league looking at here (though he did score 30 goals during his one full-ish while with the Leafs. In fact, only 15 players in the league totaled more season), to merit inclusion. than his 154 goals — which were also fifth-most by a Leaf during the 25 Joffrey Lupul: Lupul never could stay healthy enough to make a lasting years we’re looking at here. Doing his best work with Tyler Bozak, mark with the Leafs. He had only one truly triumphant season, but even Kessel, and later, Mitch Marner, Van Riemsdyk scored at least 27 goals that one (2011-12) lasted only 66 games, with 67 points as Phil Kessel’s four times and hit 30 twice, including a career-best 36 in his final season running mate. in Toronto. He was one of the Leafs better players in the 2013 playoff loss to Boston (seven points in seven games).

19. Tyler Bozak Bozak was under-qualified for his earliest role in Toronto — No. 1 centre! Tucker scored 20 goals four times as a Leaf — even with Matthews, — but that says less about Bozak and more about the lack of high-end Berezin and van Riemsdyk for third-most within the franchise during the talent in the organization at the time. A savvy free-agent find from the last 25 years. His wicked one-timer proved useful, particularly on the University of Denver, Bozak was always a useful player thanks to his power play, where he buried 33 goals(!) in the two seasons after the smarts, passing, power-play acumen, and faceoff prowess. Only two 2004-05 lockout — a top-10 mark league-wide. players — Sundin and Kaberle — put up more assists for the franchise during this particular 25-year run. Bozak sits fourth in both games played But numbers don't tell the whole story with Tucker. In fact, look at how his and points in that span. He did much of that work as Kessel’s set-up man career numbers in Toronto, when adjusted for era, compare with van (and spokesman in the media). It was as a more suitably-slotted No. 3 Riemsdyk, who had a much less memorable tenure: centre that he put up a career-best 55 points. Tucker built up steam in the playoffs, certainly, but even there his 18. William Nylander production — 10 goals and 21 points in 58 games — wasn't exactly emphatic. Because he’s mostly lived in the shadow of Marner and Matthews, what Nylander has already accomplished flies under the radar (at least as But he played so passionately until injuries robbed him of that force, and much as that’s possible in Toronto). While it was Marner who broke a 73- at his best — probably the 2001-02 season when he scored 24 goals and year-old franchise rookie record with 42 assists, Nylander wasn’t far off netted 59 points — Tucker brought so much to the table. He was a pest. matching the old mark of 40 with 39 himself. He and Marner both had 61 He talked trash. And he bruised dudes by running them into the boards. points that year, tied for fourth-most ever by Maple Leaf rookies. (Of We don't have possession data from his years, but Tucker feels like the course, it was Matthews who set the new bar with 69 points of his own.) kind of player who may have driven control of the rock with how hard he worked to get it back. Nylander did get his name in the record books by equaling a franchise rookie mark with nine power-play goals. He needs only one more point And he could score in a secondary capacity. And for teams being this season to hit 60 for the third time in his young career. Nylander offensively carried by Sundin, that was a big deal. became a first-time 30-goal scorer at age 23 this season. He doesn’t 13. Alexander Mogilny have the longevity or the playoff resume of some of the other names ahead of him on this list, but that talent — how many Leafs are as equally A free-agent signing in the summer of 2001 (four years, $22 million), skilled at setting others up as they are finishing? — lets him slot inside Mogilny was easily the most electric winger to see time with Mats Sundin the top-20. Another typical Nylander season or two and he’s likely sniffing in Toronto. the top-10. "Without putting up some sort of praise that puts a false perspective on a 17. Doug Gilmour player, this guy is one of the more talented guys I've had the privilege to coach," GM and coach said of Mogilny, according to a Toronto It’s mostly respect that lands this version of Gilmour so high. (I just Star report at the time. couldn’t come around to slotting him behind Bozak, or even Nylander at this point.) This wasn’t Hart Trophy-contending Doug Gilmour, but the Mogilny finished third in team scoring with 57 points in 66 games in 2001- years after, when Gilmour was in his early 30s and slowing down a little. 02, before busting out with 33 goals and 79 points in 73 games the He wasn’t around long for the timeline we’re studying here, but he still put following year. That put him just outside the top-10 in league scoring, and up nearly a point per game in the regular season (132 in 142), and had because he had only 12 penalty minutes, earned him the Lady Byng eight points during a first-round loss to the Blues in 1996. Trophy. The only Leafs in the past 25 years who put together better individual seasons, in terms of points (adjusted or otherwise), have been 16. Dmitry Yushkevich Kessel, Sundin, Matthews, Marner, and Tavares — names you'll be It’s really too bad we don’t have underlying data for this era. How would a seeing in the top-10. tough, nasty dude like Yushkevich have stacked up? What we do know is Come playoff time that year (2003), Mogilny popped five goals in six the Russian defenceman soaked up heavy minutes against serious games, including a hat trick in Game 1 of a first-round loss to the Flyers. competition for some of the Leafs teams went on the deepest post- We shouldn't forget the high-water moments of his post-season a year season runs in the past quarter-century. Yushkevich ate up 23 minutes a earlier: Mogilny scored two goals each in Game 7 wins over the Islanders game during the 1999 run to the Eastern Conference final, and 25 a and Senators. It's his peak performance as a Leaf that earns him his spot game in both 2000 and 2001. He wasn’t afraid of anyone, and as a right on this list. The only Leafs to put up better regular-season points per shoot who could defend with some bite, he profiles as just the kind of game numbers (0.94) than the Russian have been Tavares, Matthews, defenceman the Leafs could use today on one of their top two pairs. Sundin, and Marner.

15. Nazem Kadri 12. Morgan Rielly

Kadri and Bozak had similar runs if you narrow things down to games 11. Bryan McCabe played and production. Kadri played in 561 regular-season games and averaged 0.64 points per game; Bozak suited up in 594 games and Should McCabe be higher on this list? Should Rielly? averaged 0.61 points per game. And while Bozak had the quieter, more Separating the two (not to mention Kaberle) isn't easy. professional tenure, what gives Kadri the edge was his peak. At his best, he was a more effective player on both sides of the puck than his long- It feels like Rielly's best, to this point, tops McCabe's. But it's closer than time teammate. We can zero in on the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons you might think, particularly the seasons in which McCabe (finishing when Kadri scored 32 goals in each and averaged 58 points. And he did fourth) and Rielly (finishing fifth) contended for the Norris Trophy: that while generally chasing around top lines as Babcock’s matchup centre. A defensive liability, Bozak never reached that two-way ability, Rielly has the statistical edge, but there was more scoring in the NHL in nor did he ever score quite like Kadri. 2018-19 than there was in the hooking and holding early 2000s. Regardless, Rielly is the scarier offensive force. McCabe was also more What complicates the Kadri era, are the two glaring playoff blunders about his big shot, while Rielly puts his legs and mind to work driving one which led to suspensions in both 2018 and 2019. There's no getting of the better offences in the league from the back-end. Rielly has a better around how damaging they were. But not many Leafs in the past two- feel for the game, too. McCabe, though, may have been the more plus decades achieved the same two-way effectiveness, so Kadri lands effective defender. If you're choosing between them for a game, a series, in front of an aging Gilmour and the steadier Bozak. or even a season, you're almost certainly going with peak-Rielly, the fifth overall pick from the 2012 draft. 14. Darcy Tucker But McCabe gets the higher ranking here due to his lengthy playoff Not as gifted or productive offensively as some of his other early 2000s resume. Because of how poorly things ended for him with the Leafs, it's Maple Leafs teammates, Tucker was nonetheless the heartbeat of those easy to forget how impactful he was in the earlier years. He suited up in teams, the best squads the franchise has iced in the past 25 years. 51 post-season games (to 20 for Rielly) and he did it while chewing up Tucker played hard. He played with fire. He put his not-so-big (5-foot-10, surf-and-turf-sized proportions night after night each spring: 178 pounds) body on the line. And he had enough skill to be more than a 2001: 23:56/game (11 games) complementary part. 2002: 29:33/game (20) 2003: 27:28/game (seven)

2004: 28:47/game (13)

McCabe munched down almost 53 minutes in triple-OT in Game 2 against the Senators in 2002. The Leafs reached the Eastern Conference final against Carolina that spring.

He was a big dude, at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, and played a heavy game which included a memorable can-opener. And that shot really was a weapon. The only defencemen league-wide to score more than McCabe (83) during his seven seasons in Toronto were Sergei Gonchar (111), (102), Mathieu Schneider (97), and Nicklas Lidstrom (91).

And only Blake and Gonchar netted more on the power play.

In another year or two, with a deep playoff run to his name, Rielly probably ekes past McCabe and likely into the top-10. But for now, McCabe stays in front.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Pt. 2 (Nos. 10-1).

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Golden Knights await decision from prospect Jack Dugan

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal March 31, 2020 - 2:59 PM

For the past few months, Jack Dugan and the Golden Knights gave off the vibe the Providence sophomore was ready to turn pro. But the NHL’s pause because of the coronavirus pandemic has complicated matters. Dugan, who led the NCAA in scoring, is eligible to sign a two-year, entry- level contract with a maximum salary of $925,000 per season plus performance bonuses. Under normal circumstances, he could sign and play an NHL game to burn the first year of that deal, similar to what defensemen Zach Whitecloud and Jimmy Schuldt did when they left college. That would make Dugan a restricted free agent after the 2020-21 season. However, Dugan must wait to see whether this season will resume before he can plot his future. The NHL has prevented teams from signing players to contracts for the 2019-20 season during the pause. If the season is canceled and Dugan signs, his contract would begin with the 2020-21 season. One possible resolution for Dugan and the Knights is to follow the lead of St. Louis prospect Scott Perunovich, who agreed to terms with the Blues on separate two-year, entry-level contracts but has yet to sign. The junior defenseman from Minnesota-Duluth negotiated one deal contingent on the 2019-20 season restarting that would allow him to burn the first year of his deal, and another that wouldn’t kick in until the 2020- 21 season. Should Dugan use his leverage and return to school, the 22-year-old is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t sign with the Knights by June 1, 2021. Brian Bartlett, the Dugan family’s adviser, declined to comment on any scenarios since he has not been hired as Dugan’s agent. Dugan could not be reached for comment. Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a previous interview that signing Dugan is not a pressing matter because of the NHL pause but remains a high priority. “He’s got some things that you can’t teach, some things he does naturally. I’m happy to hear that Jack (said) he has to continue to work on his 200-foot game,” Knights director of player development Wil Nichol said. “The more they’re a 200-foot player and a complete player, they’re going to have the puck more, and that’s what we want.” Dugan, selected in the fifth round in 2017, is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey. The 6-foot-2-inch, 194-pound playmaker projects as a top-nine wing to begin his career if he signs with the Knights. Dugan won the NCAA scoring title with 52 points in 34 games before the remainder of Providence’s season was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. He led the nation in points per game (1.53), assists (42), assists per game (1.24), power-play points (22) and even-strength points (30) on the way to being named first-team All-Hockey East Association. In 75 games at Providence, Dugan has produced 20 goals and 71 assists for 91 points. Along with Dugan, the Knights must sign 2018 draft picks Connor Corcoran, Xavier Bouchard and Jordan Kooy, or they become eligible for the 2020 draft. Corcoran, a 6-2, 192-pound defenseman, posted 19 goals and 54 points in 62 games with Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League and may have done enough to earn an entry-level deal. He also finished in the top three of the OHL coaches poll in three categories: most underrated player, best defensive defenseman and hardest shot. 1173162 Vegas Golden Knights

NHL extends self-isolation period through April 15

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal March 31, 2020 - 12:50 PM

The NHL extended its self-isolation period, keeping team facilities closed to players and staff through April 15, deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed Tuesday. It’s the second time the league has lengthened its quarantine for players and staff after pausing its season March 12. The original end date of March 27 had been pushed back to Monday before this latest extension. No surprise the NHL has again pushed back the period of self-quarantine to April 15. Bill Daly recently said "we’re biting this off in chunks" — meaning they're setting target dates and making decisions as each approaches while consulting the latest available information. The league said previously that world events with the virus will dictate when players can meet in small groups to resume skating and off-ice training. Two players each from the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Commissioner Gary Bettman said last week the league continues to monitor developments with the virus and is in consultation with health officials regarding any decision to resume play. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended an eight- week ban on gatherings of 50 or more people through mid-May. The league hopes to begin a training camp period after 45 days, though that could be in doubt with the latest move.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173163 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights featured heavily in NHL players poll

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal March 31, 2020 - 8:30 am Updated March 31, 2020 - 5:54 PM

The Golden Knights have made quite an impression in three NHL seasons. The Knights were featured prominently in the player and team portions of the NHL Players Association’s annual poll, which was released Tuesday. Five hundred eighty-eight players answered 21 questions anonymously, and the team was mentioned in seven. Knights jerseys, ice honored The Knights did well in the arenas and team portion of the poll, factoring into three of the four questions. They placed second in best visiting locker room with 26.47 percent of the vote, behind the Edmonton Oilers (38.01 percent). They also tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for second in best jersey at 6.83 percent. The Chicago Blackhawks took first in a landslide with 28.25 percent. Also, players said T-Mobile Arena has the best ice in the U.S. The Knights’ rink placed fourth in the category at 8.75 percent, behind Montreal’s Bell Centre (31.75 percent), the Edmonton’s Rogers Place (16.75 percent) and the Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place (11 percent). In the player portion, Marc-Andre Fleury, Ryan Reaves and Nick Cousins received votes. Fleury finished third in best goalie at 8.93 percent, behind Montreal’s Carey Price (41.55 percent) and Tampa Bay’s Andre Vasilevskiy (17.09 percent). Fleury finished fourth last year. Reaves placed third in best trash-talker for the second straight year behind Boston’s Brad Marchand and Los Angeles’ Drew Doughty. Cousins, acquired at the trade deadline, fell out of the top five after placing fifth last year. Cousins was voted the fourth-worst trash-talker for the second straight year. The Knights also had one honoree in the off-ice section. Right wing , an avid Tiger Woods fan who loves to hit the links in his free time, tied for fourth in best golfer.

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Alex Ovechkin and his son Sergei team up for a Capitals simulation game

By Jackie Walsh March 31, 2020 6:03 PM

The only thing better than watching Alex Ovechkin actually play hockey is watching him virtually play with his son Sergei. During the NHL's hiatus, Ovechkin is keeping the family fun going, as this video from his wife's Instagram account shows him playing NHL 20 with his son Seregi on his lap. Ovi and Ovi Jr. are both dialed into the TV screen, which shows the Caps simulation game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In fact, even as the camera pans to their faces, they both only take a quick glance before returning their focus to the action on the ice. With this duo manning the controls, the Caps no doubt secured a virtual win.

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Alex Ovechkin's son, Sergei, is doing film study with him during NHL hiatus

By Jackie Walsh March 31, 2020 5:00 PM

Alex Ovechkin's son Sergei continues to be the star on Instagram that we all need during these tough times. This video from his mom's account confirms that all fans big and small are spending their time at home doing the same thing: rewatching the Caps. Though not all of us get to rewatch great moments with the greats. The adorable video features a very focused Sergei studying his dad doing his thing and scoring an exciting goal. Ovi Jr. even appears to celebrate along with the announcer and the crowd heard in the video as he shakes his hands and moves the screen around. The clip ends with Sergei scrolling through the camera, probably to search for more exciting Ovi videos. We feel you, Sergei, and will gladly join you in watching old Ovi highlights.

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Russians lead the way in Caps' simulated win over Maple Leafs

By J.J. Regan March 31, 2020 8:00 PM

Alex Ovechkin scored twice, Ilya Kovalchuk provided another and Ilya Samsonov did the rest in net on Tuesday to lead the Capitals to a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in an NHL 20 simulated game. Result: Caps 3, Maple Leafs 2 How the Caps won 1. Ovechkin is back Alex Ovechkin did not score in any of the first three games since NBC Sports Washington began broadcasting the NHL 20 simulations beginning on March 24. He finally broke through with a goal Monday against the Buffalo Sabres and the flood gates were open. He scored twice on Tuesday giving him three goals in two games. Evgeny Kuznetsov cut off a breakout pass from Jake Muzzin and set up Ovechkin on the backdoor for Washington's first goal. In the third period, Kuznetsov won a puck battle and the Caps pulled off a nice passing play from Carlson to Wilson to Ovechkin for the one-timer. That goal proved to be the game-winner. 2. Kovalchuk breaks the tie The Caps and Maple Leafs battled to a 1-1 tie through the first period. Kovalchuk made sure the game would not be tied again in the second with a heads-up play to the net. Locked in a board battle in the corner of the offensive zone, the puck was kicked back to Panik near the blue line. For some reason, Kovalchuk was the only player in the corner who wasn't caught watching the puck. He made a quick cut to the middle out of the scrum and Panik returned the puck back to him. Kovalchuk had a step on defenseman Martin Marincin and beat goalie Frederik Andersen glove-side. 3. Ilya Samsonov Washington was the better team in this game, but Toronto is a skilled enough team that they can strike quickly if there is no cushion on the scoreboard. The last several simulated games have been blowout wins for Washington, but this one was not. The Caps needed every last save from Samsonov and he delivered with an outstanding performance.

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With NHL season paused, a ranking of Capitals' best wins of 2019-20: No. 9

By Mark Zaner March 31, 2020 12:00 PM

While we wait for the NHL to hopefully resume its season, NBC Sports Washington is looking back at the 20 best wins of the Capitals' season so far. Mark Zaner, producer for Caps Faceoff Live and Caps Overtime Live, has watched every game. His rankings continue with No. 9, a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 18 that featured a first for Richard Panik, another goal in the office for Alex Ovechkin and the biggest fight of the season. You can re-watch the game tonight on NBC Sports Washington at 8pm. WHAT HAPPENED There was a game and there were the extracurriculars. Let’s start with the game. Just 50 seconds in, the Capitals third line was buzzing. Travis Boyd fed from behind the net to an open Richard Panik. Panik beat John Gibson with a wrister for his first goal of the season. Panik was visibly relieved to get off the schneid. Gibson kept Anaheim in the game until the second period. On a power play, Evgeny Kuznetsov slid a perfect pass to Alex Ovechkin in the faceoff circle. Ovechkin scored from his favorite spot for his 15th of the season. The game took a turn toward the end of the second. Brenden Leipsic blew up Derek Grant behind the cage, who lost the puck to Garnet Hathaway. Hathaway moved the puck to Chandler Stephenson (Stephenson was traded Dec. 2 to Vegas). Stephenson scored easily because three Ducks were behind the net trying to beat up Leipsic. More on the fight in a moment. Washington put the game away 5:44 into the third. Radko Gudas forced a turnover near the Ducks’ crease which was picked up by Jakub Vrana. Vrana took a couple of whacks at the puck before it went in to make it 4- 0. The teams traded goals later in the period, but Anaheim never really threatened. Tom Wilson finished the scoring for the home team and the Capitals cruised to a 5-2 win. The fight. It overshadowed everything else in the game. There was a lot going on at the end of the second period. Leipsic began the melee when he crushed Grant with a big, clean hit. Erik Gudbranson took exception and started throwing punches with the much smaller Leipsic. Hathaway came in to rescue his teammate, which led to another brawl between Hathaway and Gudbranson. After trading punches, the two combatants were separated by an official. Gudbranson threw one more punch, connecting with Hathaway’s face. Hathaway’s responded by spitting on Gudbranson, earning a match penalty. While the fight was going on behind the net, Stephenson scored before officials stopped play. In the grand scheme of things, the game wasn’t that important. Washington blew out an opponent that it should have blown out. The Caps didn’t fool around in November. For a team that’s spent most of the season rallying from deficits, Washington won five games in the month by two goals or more and played from ahead in most of their games. Other than taking four penalties, it was one of the best team efforts the Capitals had all season long. Ovechkin’s goal also got him back on the score sheet after five straight goalless games. The fight and the fallout. Hathaway was ejected from the game and then given a three-game suspension. There is no defending spitting on another player, and Hathaway knew it: “It has no place,” said Hathaway after the game. “It was an emotional play by me. You don't plan any of that stuff in your head and it was a quick reaction and unfortunately the wrong one for me to a [Gudbranson] sucker punch." We were also talking about poor Richard Panik. Fans got on Panik after a slow start to the season…and they’ve never really eased up on him. So Panik finally scores his first goal of the season and he’s completely overshadowed by the brawl and a goal from Ovechkin. 1173168 Washington Capitals

Washington Capitals top 5 hits of the 2019-20 season

By J.J. Regan & Jason Murphy March 31, 2020 12:00 PM

With the NHL hitting pause on the 2019-20 season, NBC Sports Washington is looking back at the highlights from the first 69 games of the regular season. We’ve been counting down the top 20 games of the season and will recap multiple other categories over the coming weeks. Today we look back on the best hits of the season. John Carlson is more of a puck-mover than a hard-nosed, physical defenseman, but he brought it with his hit to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Trevor Moore in the first month of the season. The Maple Leafs are an extremely skilled team, but not very physical and Carlson put that to the test when he stepped up at the defensive blue line and simply plastered him. That hit came after Carlson had already scored twice so yeah, he was feeling it that night. Tom Wilson had the third-most hits in the league when the season went on pause so there are plenty of highlights to choose from amongst his 253 hits. Number 4 on our list is Wilson’s powerful punishment of Alex Wennberg on December 27th. Wennberg was skating across the offensive zone looking to get a shot off and forgot to look up, not a smart move with Wilson on the ice. Wilson delivered the big shoulder-to- shoulder hit and as Locker so eloquently puts it, ka-bonged him to the ice. A great hit, and some on our staff would argue not even Wilson’s best from this game (see this hit on Jakob Lilja). With more than 700 goals, it can be easy to forget just how big and physical a player Alex Ovechkin can be. Jonathan Drouin certainly won’t forget that after this hit. Coming in on the back-check, Ovechkin glided into the defensive zone, turned and collided with Drouin just as he dropped the puck off behind him. As Drouin had turned his body for the drop pass, most of his momentum had ceased. Ovechkin’s however, had not and he came in like a freight train and leveled the Canadiens forward. The hit ultimately did not have the desired effect, however, as Montreal scored four times in the second period and took the win. The road between 698 and 700 for Ovechkin seemed like it took forever (five whole games!) but what it lacked in goals, it made up for in hits. The one that jumps out is from February 17 when Ovi knocked his former teammate Nate Schmidt into the Knights bench. Ovi was hunting Schmidt back down the ice when Schmidt spun back towards the bench. Gr8 got n8 in his sights and promptly sent him for an early line change, knocking him backward into the bench. Better yet was the conversation between the two afterward when Schmidt told Ovi he hadn’t “been hit like that in a while.” The best hit – or in this case, hits – came from a very unlikely source. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Brenden Leipsic delivered not one, but two huge hits against the Anaheim Ducks that ignited a brawl. The Ducks were playing Leipsic physically and he decided that he had enough. He first came in behind the offensive goal line and delivered a shoulder check to the 6-foot-5, 217-pound Erik Gudbranson that knocked Gudbranson down to his knees. That earned Leipsic several cross checks and shoves, but he was not about to back down. On the contrary, that fired him up and when the puck was sent back down behind the goal line just seconds later, Leipsic came in and delivered an even bigger hit to the 6-foot-3, 206-pound Derek Grant that knocked him to the ice and the brawl was on. The hit was so good that no one seemed to notice that Chandler Stephenson had scored on the play until after all the players were finally separated.

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What should the NHL look like when the season resumes? Caps GM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 weighs in on the possibilities

By J.J. Regan March 31, 2020 6:00 AM

The NHL season has been paused for two weeks and, with no real timetable for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, no one knows when the season could resume. Whenever it does, there is no question that the season format will have to be tweaked in some way to account for the special circumstances. Because of that, just what the season should look like when play resumes has become a major topic of discussion in hockey circles. Alex Ovechkin said on Thursday that he would like to see the league jump straight into the playoffs. On Monday, Caps general manager Brian MacLellan weighed in. "Fair to me would be all teams play the same number of games, both home and away," he said on a conference call, "So depending on the time you have when we come back or if we come back, you could set the schedule at 72, 74 games, close to possible of home and away if you could even those out and then kind of go from there after that." For MacLellan, the biggest issues are the quality of play in the playoffs and the readiness of the players for that high-intensity hockey. “I think ideally if time permitted, you would like a few games, but I would also be OK with jumping in the playoffs. I think for the benefit of the quality of play and the players’ health, ideally you’re playing a few games before you enter the playoffs.” "It's going to be a challenge," he added. "We're going to end up being at least two months off, and to come in at various levels of conditioning -- some of it out of the players' hands -- it's going to be a hard thing to accomplish, to get players into game shape and send them into a playoff- type situation almost immediately." One issue is that even when the coronavirus is under control, that doesn't mean the threat is totally gone. Unless there is a vaccine, should the NHL return this season certain precautions will have to be taken when the players return to begin practicing. MacLellan said the team is discussing the possibility of small group skates and what precautions the team can take at its practice facility, MedStar Capitals Iceplex, to help prevent any of the players from contracting the virus. "We've talked about that scenario taking place where we get on the other side of the virus curve and there's beginnings of you can have small groups," MacLellan said. "Could we structure something at [Medstar Capitals Iceplex] where we're bringing in three, four guys at a time? How do we handle sanitizing the training room, the equipment room? We've gone through these scenarios to be prepared if that becomes the case. If they say in June, OK you can start doing this, as an organization we want to be prepared for it. So that is a possibility and we're discussing it internally." These are issues that must be discussed because the NHL is adamant that the Stanley Cup be awarded this year and that means probably playing hockey deep into the summer. "I think depending on how the country, the world handles the virus, I think there is a possibility of playing end of June, July, August," MacLellan said. "I think the league is prepared, they've asked for building dates in August so I'm assuming it's a serious consideration on their part." Just what that hockey will look like, however, is anyone's guess. There are still too many questions and too many unknowns about the league's possible return for there to be any definitive playoff format for the 2019- 20 season. Until there is some clarity on when play may resume and how much time there will be for the remainder of the current season, then everyone remains in the dark. "There's no set answer to it because I don't know how much time we're going to have," MacLellan said. "If we have eight weeks, do we have ten weeks, do we have more than 10 weeks? Depending on that time frame and if that's even legitimate at the time, you would have to set your schedule there. So could you shorten a series? Could you shorten the end of the schedule? I think all those options are on the table and I think 1173170 Washington Capitals

Beltway March Madness: Elite 8 set in race for top athlete from area pro teams

By Gregory Lee Jr. Mar 31, 2020

The first one seed finally fell in the Beltway Madness Tournament. Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer No. 5 Eddie Murray took down No. 1 Elvin Hayes in the BW Parkway Region with 56.5 percent of the vote. Murray will face No. 2 Ray Lewis in the region final. The remaining three regions will have the top seeds competing against each other. Here’s our bracket. Have fun. And argue. You can vote here for the Elite 8 participate.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173171 Washington Capitals tough one to answer. When we come back, I think we have to fix issues that need to be addressed and that were being addressed at the end.”

6. From a planning standpoint, MacLellan said he and the rest of the front Capitals GM on planning for free agency, draft and playoffs without a office staff are doing the best they can considering there’s so much that timeline isn’t known at the moment. When will the season resume? If it does, what form will it take? If it doesn’t, how much will that impact next year’s salary cap? Will the cap stay the same? Will it drop? Until there is some certainty, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to engage meaningfully in contract By Tarik El-Bashir talks with the agents who represent Capitals players on expiring deals, Mar 31, 2020 much less begin planning for free agency. “It is difficult,” MacLellan said. “We talk over all the possible scenarios and you try to prepare mentally for anything, (like) what happens to the Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan fielded questions from cap? Does the cap go down because the revenues are going to reporters on Monday, 18 days after the NHL announced it would pause decrease? Do they artificially keep it where it’s at? So, the answer to the season in response to the spread of COVID-19. those questions puts us on pause. Your (unrestricted free agent) negotiations, how do we proceed given both those scenarios? Those are He addressed a wide array of topics, ranging from how trainers are just open-ended questions and we discuss them, but we don’t come up keeping players in shape to how the front office is planning for the draft with any answers.” and free agency despite an uncertain timeline. He added: “If we did (play) through August, could we have a couple Here are the top takeaways from the 20-minute call: months off and start back up in November? There’s so many questions, 1. Like everyone else, MacLellan was stunned by how quickly everything even questions we haven’t even considered, that will pop up given came to a stop on March 12. whatever the result is at the end of this. Again, the league has been very open for anybody asking questions or giving recommendations. All we “It’s amazing how your life just comes to a halt and all the things you do can do is try and prepare for different scenarios we see coming and do day-to-day it doesn’t matter anymore,” MacLellan said. “And all of the the best that we can do.” sudden there’s a big picture, there’s a reality going on and all of the little things you’re worried about on a daily basis don’t really matter much. So, 7. Draft prep has also taken a hit. Last week, the league postponed the all of a sudden you have time and you’re doing stuff around the house. annual scouting combine and the June draft. High-level tournaments the You’re touching base with family more. You’re doing more family things. Caps’ amateur scouts had planned to attend to get another look at top It’s a change in lifestyle and it’s a change in priorities.” prospects were also scuttled. 2. MacLellan confirmed that no Capitals’ player has tested positive for “Can we do some phone interviews? What can we do on the video side COVID-19 or shown any symptoms. League-wide, there have been four of it?” MacLellan said of the questions being posed internally. “We’re reported positive tests – two on the Senators and a pair on the looking for ways that we can stay engaged.” Avalanche. 8. The big unknown is whether there will be more hockey this season. If “Nothing on a player,” MacLellan said, adding that head athletic trainer there is, MacLellan said he’d prefer that the league play an abbreviated Jason Serbus remains in close contact with the players. “We’ve had no regular season before starting a playoff tournament. The Caps have symptoms, no sickness or complaints. We’re pretty much checking in played 69 games and lead the Metropolitan Division by one point over daily with players to see if they’re exhibiting any (symptoms).” the Flyers. 3. Fourteen Caps opted to remain in the Washington area during the “Fair to me would be all teams play the same number of games, both indefinite stoppage, though nine decided to head home to be their home and away,” MacLellan said. “So depending on the time you have families. when we come back, or if we come back, you can set the schedule at 72, 74 games, as close to possible of home and away if you can even those “In the beginning, we recommended everybody stay close to home base out. And then kind of go from there after that.” because of the uncertainty,” MacLellan said. “We wanted them to be around our training staff, our doctors in case anything came up. As it’s MacLellan’s tone throughout sounded hopeful but realistic about the gone on longer … it made sense to let people go.” chances of the league resuming play. 4. Strength and conditioning coach Mark Nemish has been in close “There’s no set answer to it because I don’t know how much time we’re communication with the players and has used video to help them work going to have,” MacLellan said when asked what he’d consider a fair out while they’re away from the team’s Arlington, Virginia, practice postseason. “Do we have eight weeks? Do we have 10 weeks? Do we facility, MacLellan said. One problem, though, is that not everyone has a have more than 10 weeks? Depending on that time frame – and if that’s home gym like captain Alex Ovechkin. even legitimate at the time – you would have to set your schedule there. Could you shorten a series? Could you shorten the end of the schedule? “He’s tried to change it up and different ways they can maintain I think all those options are on the table. I think it’s just how the virus conditioning without going to a public gym,” MacLellan said of Nemish, plays out and how we handle it and how much time we would have to get who has worked for the Caps since 2007 and has been in the NHL for a season in, if we could get a season in at the end.” nearly two decades. “Some guys have different equipment. Some guys have bikes. Some guys have treadmills. Some guys don’t have anything. (Nemish) has sent YouTube videos of exercises they can use … and The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 tried to monitor and give creative ways to work out to all of our players.” Even with the home workouts, MacLellan acknowledged that it’s going to be tough to keep the players in game shape without access to ice. “It’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “We’re going to end up being at least two months off. And to come in at various levels of conditioning – some of it out of the players’ hands – that’s going to be a hard thing to accomplish, to get players in game shape and send them into a playoff- type situation almost immediately. It’s going to be a hard thing to accomplish.” 5. After a blistering start to the season, the Caps cooled considerably around Christmas and were a decidedly mediocre 8-9-3 in the 20 games leading up to the hiatus. Asked if the pause might be beneficial given his team’s uneven play down the stretch, MacLellan hedged. “I don’t think we’ve been happy with the way we’ve played since probably the end of December,” MacLellan said. “In my mind, there was a slight uptick near the end, the last few games. But overall, there’s a sense of frustration and a sense that we should be playing a lot better than we were the past period of time. Whether the break helps or hurts, that’s a 1173172 Winnipeg Jets In that sense, they're just like all of us right now, trying to make the best of a bad situation. And the NHL may have caught lightning in a bottle, as a result. Laugh scored by Blake Wheeler, assisted by Jamie Benn; time of the Call it my Canadian bias, but I'm a firm believer the NHL has the most fun... exciting product of the four major pro sports leagues. But they don't hold a candle to the NBA, NFL or MLB when it comes to marketing their stars, especially in plenty of markets south of the border where they can use all the help they can get. By: Mike McIntyre For whatever reason, hockey culture has traditionally frowned upon Posted: 03/31/2020 7:00 PM athletes being perceived as being "bigger than the game," and those with big voices or platforms are often frowned upon by others. For an example, see the vitriol that is often hurled towards P.K. Subban, who is Who knew these guys were actual human beings, and not just cliché- often called a showoff, or egomaniac or much, much worse. spewing robots as bland as week-old bologna? As much as we'd all like to be talking playoff races and the quest for the I'm talking about National Hockey League players and perhaps the one Stanley Cup getting underway next week, the unfortunate reality is none silver lining to the current season being on indefinite pause due to the of that is happening any time soon. But that doesn't mean all is lost, or COVID-19 pandemic. Like all those leaves you neglected to rake last fall the sport has to go entirely dark. now being exposed by the rapid snow melt, we're seeing some fun personalities suddenly emerging as the NHL tries to keep itself relevant But now, far away from the rinks and the heat of battle, we're getting a in the public eye by hosting daily video conferences. chance to see players in a more personal environment, which includes having their children join them on camera, playful jabs and friendly trash- You won't find any of the "Giving it 110 per cent" and "getting pucks talking at each other and sharing juicy morsels of info such as what deep" tripe we've become so accustomed to hearing in these hot-stove teammates would be the best, and worst, to be quarantined with. sessions. "Great guy but lazy and tired all of the time. A little bit of a slob. On the No, we're getting Anaheim forward showing off the chicken airplane, his chair is gross and there is crap everywhere. From what I’ve coop he's building while his nine-year-old son hijacks the family golf cart heard, it’s pizza boxes all over the place," Parise said of fellow Wild and takes it for a joyride; "that's not ideal at the moment," the veteran forward Jordan Greenway. cracked during last week's call. No kidding. To quote one of my all-time favourite Seinfeld clips: "That's gold, Jerry! Other highlights included Boston defenceman Zdeno Chara ripping on Gold!" Parise also revealed his choice to be locked up with for the long Tuukka Rask's unfortunate flatulence issues, and Blake Wheeler and term would be Kevin Fiala. Jamie Benn engaging in some fun verbal jousting as they took a trip down memory lane and pulled back the curtain on their on-ice "My wife probably does, too," he said of the prospect of being locked shenanigans. down with Fiala. Yikes! Parise also noted his daughter, for a pre- shutdown school assignment, picked Fiala as her favourite sports hero. "I know me and Wheels, I think I ask him to fight every game we play," Double yikes! the Dallas Stars captain said during Tuesday's entertaining Zoom call involving the Central Division foes, which also included Colorado's As much as we'd all like to be talking playoff races and the quest for the Gabriel Landeskog and Minnesota's Zach Parise. Selected members of Stanley Cup getting underway next week, the unfortunate reality is none the media, including me and Free Press colleague Jason Bell, were of that is happening any time soon. But that doesn't mean all is lost, or invited to submit questions and participate. the sport has to go entirely dark. "There was one game, I think we lined up against each other 20 times It was refreshing to see these athletes let their guard down, especially at and he asked me to fight 20 times. It was the third period of a tie game, a time when fans are looking for a little levity to the daily doom and gloom or whatever, and he’s like, ‘Are we going?’" said Wheeler. of the news cycle. I hope the NHL, along with individual team PR departments, is paying attention to how well these played out and what a "Those are the things you miss about the game. Sort of that adrenaline good look it is for all involved. The NHL is the only league doing this sort going into it. I know I’m telling Benny 15 times not tonight. Maybe we’ll go of thing so far, and for that it should be commended. one of these days. It’s great. It’s what I love about the job. It’s what gets you going." For now, the Zoom sessions are over, with one player from all 31 teams joining in so far. But it would be foolish not to continue given how well the Of course, the only scrapping going on right now is between Wheeler's first round went. There's a rather captive audience out there just looking bored children at home, as the Jets captain described the daily conflicts for a distraction. And I suspect there's plenty more entertaining he and his wife, Sam, are forced to referee between seven-year-old son personalities waiting to be uncovered. Louie and four-year-old daughter Leni.

Winnipeg Jets' Blake Wheeler, seen here with his four year old daughter Leni, during a video conference call. The NHL has hosted daily calls to Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.01.2020 help maintain interest during the pandemic and provide audiences insight into player personalities. (NHL) Winnipeg Jets' Blake Wheeler, seen here with his four year old daughter Leni, during a video conference call. The NHL has hosted daily calls to help maintain interest during the pandemic and provide audiences insight into player personalities. (NHL) For the guy who launched the "stay in the fight" motto for the Jets this season and should have been preparing for the final three regular- season games this week in Calgary, Colorado and Arizona, I'm pretty sure this isn't what Wheeler had in mind. But such is the current state of the world, with players forced to adapt to the new normal, which includes taking on increased parental duties at home, bingeing on Netflix shows — Tiger King and Ozark were the two mentioned most often Tuesday — and staring at their significant others in stunned silence at the end of another long day while reaching for the nearest bottle of wine. "We opened the wine at five and I fell asleep watching Tiger King at 8:30," Parise said of his Monday evening. "Five o'clock cocktail hour is starting to creep into the threes," added Wheeler. 1173173 Winnipeg Jets After defeating the Oilers, the Jets were rerouted to the capital instead of continuing on to Calgary and Vancouver, and teammates went their separate ways but have stayed in touch. Wheeler longs for return to work "Just checking in with guys to see how everyone's doing. You get the odd picture or whatever to break up the day. We tried a team FaceTime at one point and it was a mess, so we haven't done it again," Wheeler said. "So far, everyone's doing pretty good." By: Jason Bell In each of the video conferences arranged by the league, players have Posted: 03/31/2020 5:41 PM | Last Modified: 03/31/2020 10:03 PM | had to fess up on which teammate they'd rather or rather not be stuck Updates | Comments: 2 with during quarantine. "My next door neighbour in Winnipeg is (Jets defenceman) Luca Sbisa Blake Wheeler has quickly discovered how demanding life is when the and he’s the man. We’ve kind of over the fence, whether it’s having a household is playing at full strength. beer or whatever, kept each other company a little bit," Wheeler said, without hesitation. "Least guy? Jack Roslovic. His apartment hasn’t been The Winnipeg Jets captain said Tuesday being a full-time dad to three cleaned and I don’t think he’s cooked in it either. Rosie is the best, I love youngsters with serious cabin fever has proven to be downright hanging out with Rosie, but an extended stay might be a little long. exhausting. "Kind of a wild card and (Jets centre Mark Scheifele) isn’t going to like Not that he doesn’t love it, he’s just not used to it. this but he could be a tough one, too. Our rooms are pretty close on the road all the time. And whenever I’m going down to get a pre-game snack "We're full-time teachers, nannies. It's a full-day job. I'm more tired now or bring my suitcase down to the bus, Scheifs is typically in the shower at than I was a few weeks ago. We're cooking and cleaning and trying to that time and he’s always blasting High School Musical or Taylor Swift. teach. We're keeping it together," said Wheeler, who is housebound in Just the worst music. So, that could probably get old after a while." Winnipeg with his wife, Sam, their sons, Louie, 7, and Mase, 2, and daughter, Leni, 4. At the end of the call, the 12-year veteran took time to praise the effort of Manitoba medical professionals and encouraged people to continue "We're full–time teachers, nannies. It's a full–day job. I'm more tired now social distancing. than I was a few weeks ago." "The most important thing, and especially here in Winnipeg where it's There are no road trips on the horizon for the playmaking winger while starting to get nicer out. We've been locked inside all winter, so you have the NHL season is suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and there to fight the urge to get out and do things as you normally would. The are few options to escape. people up here have done a really good job of taking this seriously right The Wheelers are heeding the advice of medical professionals and are from the get-go," Wheeler said. hunkered down to stay healthy. But all that togetherness comes with no "Sam and I have some friends that are doctors or in the medical field and shortage of challenges, said the 33-year-old Plymouth, Minn., product. the amount of work they have, it's around the clock. Obviously, we can't "(Louie and Leni) pretty much fight all day. There's not a lot of playing thank them enough for everything they're doing here." together. It's a battle. Mase, since he's been born, didn't want anything to do with me until like a month ago. Now that I'm here all the time, he's starting to realize I am his dad. He's tough, the terrible twos... big Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.01.2020 personality. So, it's definitely interesting seeing what my wife, Sam, is dealing with on a daily basis," Wheeler said. He joined three other stars from the Central Division, Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars, Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild and Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, for an intriguing and animated 35-minute video conference with reporters. The Wheelers have an elaborate gym in their house, the perfect getaway an hour a day. "We kind of give each other an hour a day. I find half the time I'm just laying on the ground in silence to try and figure things out. Just trying to stay ready just in case you get the call that things are going to come back," said Wheeler. The Jets have been grounded since March 12 when the NHL followed the NBA's lead and hit the pause button on the 2019-20 regular season. The night before, Wheeler scored his 22nd goal of the season and picked up his 43rd assist on a Kyle Connor tally as Winnipeg doubled up on the host Edmonton Oilers 4-2 for its fourth consecutive victory. The Jets are 37-28-6 and occupy the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference. In hot pursuit prior to the forced hiatus were the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks, both just two points back with a pair of games in hand, while the Wild were three points back with two games in hand. Wheeler said the squad found its groove right before the league took a break. "We dealt with a lot this year. Injuries were a big part of that. We were kind of playing short-handed a lot of the year, and I think finally toward the end there we were starting to get healthy. Our goalie was playing out of his mind. (Connor Hellebuyck) gave us a chance to hang in there and stay within striking distance of the wild card. We were starting to string some wins together, so it was nice to have a full lineup and see what type of team we had," he said. "I think we were trending in the right direction. I know our March schedule wasn't heavy (nine games in the final 20 days of the month) but we were going to have some tough games to play and some big games against teams that were either right in front of us or even with us in the standings. Regardless of if we ended up making the playoffs, we gave ourselves an opportunity and we had something to play for. That was exciting." 1173174 Winnipeg Jets For Wheeler, who he’d pick to be with is simple. “My next-door neighbor in Winnipeg is Luca Sbisa and he’s the man,”

Wheeler said. “We’ve kind of over the fence, whether it’s having a beer or Jets' Wheeler adjusting to life as full-time dad, teacher whatever, we’ve kept each other company a little bit.” Jack Roslovic, meanwhile, would be on Wheeler’s no-quarantine list. Scott Billeck “His apartment hasn’t been cleaned and I don’t think he’s cooked in it either,” Wheeler said. “Rosie is the best, I love hanging out with Rosie March 31, 2020 5:57 PM CDT but an extended stay might be a little long.” And then Wheeler dropped a bit of a bomb, saying that despite working so well together on the ice, he and Mark Scheifele probably wouldn’t do If you think being the captain of a National Hockey League team amid a so well together if they had to be locked down. tightly contested playoff race was exhausting, Blake Wheeler has news for you. “For whatever reason, I think because of our last names (alphabetically), our rooms are pretty close on the road all the time,” Wheeler said. “And “I’m more tired now than I think I was a few weeks ago,” Wheeler said whenever I’m going down to get a pre-game snack or bring my suitcase during a Central Division conference call on Tuesday. down to the bus, Scheifs is typically in the shower at that time and he’s Speaking with the media alongside Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog, always blasting High School Musical or Taylor Swift. Just the worst Minnesota’s Zach Parise and Dallas’s Jamie Benn, Wheeler said being at music. So that could probably get old after a while.” home hunkered down in Winnipeg at the moment due to the COVID-19 On the current season, Wheeler said the Jets left it knowing regardless of crisis is a full-time job. whether or not they made the postseason, they put themselves in a “We’re full-time teachers, nannies,” Wheeler said of himself and wife position to fight for it. Sam, who have three children — seven-year-old Louie (who made an “We’ve dealt with a lot this year, injuries were a bit part of that,” Wheeler appearance on the video conference), four-year-old Leni and two-year- said. “So, we were playing shorthanded for a lot of the year and finally, old Mase — to contend with every day. “We’re just cooking and cleaning towards the end there, we were starting to get healthy. Our D was and trying to teach and we’re keeping it together.” healthy again, some of our guys up front got healthy and our goalie was Keeping it together means Wheeler, who’s chucked his knuckles around playing out of his mind. (Connor Hellebuyck) gave us a chance to hang in on the ice in the past, has to prevent that sort of thing between two of his there and stay within striking distance of the wild card. We were starting three children. to string some wins together. “My seven-year-old (son) and my four-year-old daughter pretty much “It was nice to have a full lineup and to see what type of team we had. fight all day,” Wheeler said. “It’s a battle.” We were trending in the right direction. I know our March schedule wasn’t heavy in terms of (number of) games, but we were going to have some So, too, Wheeler said, is the fight to get his newest son to recognize that tough games to play and some big games, against teams that were he’s daddy. either right in front of us or even with us in the standings.” “Mase, since he’s been born, he doesn’t want anything to do with me Before the end of the call, each player signed off with a message to their really,” Wheeler said. “Now that I’m here all the time he’s starting to own fanbase. realize I’m his dad. So he’s tough. The terrible twos, he’s turning three in June. Big personality. It’s interesting seeing what Sam, my wife, is “The most important thing, and especially here in Winnipeg where it’s dealing with on a daily basis. There’s no road trips coming up soon. starting to get nicer out, we’ve been locked inside all winter so you have We’re hunkered down.” to fight the urge to get out and do things as you normally would,” Wheeler said. The Jets haven’t played since a 4-2 win at the Edmonton Oilers on March 11. On March 12, the 2019-20 season was put on indefinite hiatus. Wheeler said from what he’s seen, people in the province have done a really good job of taking the COVID-19 crisis seriously from the onset. During one part of the call, a little banter was encouraged between the four division rivals. And he wanted to thank the medical community. Parise told Benn and Landeskog that he didn’t miss playing against two “Sam and I have some friends that are doctors or in the medical field and guys who can “both KO you if you have your head down.” the amount of work they have — it’s around the clock,” Wheeler said. “Obviously, we can’t thank them enough for everything they’re doing Benn defended himself, saying he plays hard and the right way. here. We’ve just got to take care of each other, and people take it seriously. The earlier on, the shorter it’s going to last. The more you can Then Wheeler chimed in. flatten the curve in the shortest amount of time, and then you can “There was one game, I think we lined up against each other 20 times hopefully get back to a normal routine. But for the time being, just take and he asked me to fight 20 times,” Wheeler said of Benn. “It was the care of one another and enjoy the time we do have with our families and third period of a tie game or whatever and he’s like, ‘are we going?’” hopefully, we can get back on the ice sooner than later.” The two have never fought. Not yet, said the call’s moderator. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.01.2020 “You’ve got it,” Wheeler replied. “I don’t think I had ever met you until last summer in Toronto,” Benn told Wheeler. “We had a good laugh and a couple of cold ones over it and I think I came out of the gates hot again this year and asked him to go one more time.” “I got lucky because I was playing centre for a little while, so I got a (break),” Wheeler said. “The unique thing about whenever we face all three of you guys, I’m facing off against all three of you for the entire game. I always know that against you three guys that every shift is going to be against you. So, there have been some tough nights, you know what I mean? It’s a good thing because it brings out the best in you, but if you don’t have your best, it’s going to be a tough night. Those are the things you miss about the game. Sort of that adrenaline going into it. I know I’m telling Benny 15 times no tonight. Maybe we’ll go one of these days. It’s great. It’s what I love about the job. It’s what gets you going.” In what’s become a theme in these video conference calls, players have been asked who they would prefer to be roomed with during quarantine and who they wouldn’t. 1173175 Winnipeg Jets As the call moved along, there was a portion of the discussion that involved each of the four players going around the horn to discuss what each didn’t miss about not having to play against one another. Jets captain Blake Wheeler weighs in on life at home without hockey This was a mutual admiration society moment, as Parise spoke of how Wheeler always seemed to rack up points against the Wild and how that ticked him off. By Ken Wiebe Landeskog discussed Wheeler’s world-class playmaking, lamenting all the while about how the Avalanche seem to struggle to defend against Mar 31, 2020 the Jets’ power play – even during a season when it hasn’t been quite as lethal as the prior two. Blake Wheeler smiled at the camera with his hat turned backwards, his Benn and Wheeler had the funniest exchange of the bunch, as the Stars game face stored away for another day when it might come in handy. captain was joking about how he always asks his counterpart to fight. The captain of the Winnipeg Jets was relaxed and let his personality Wheeler interjected to inform those listening that not only does Benn ask shine through as he was joined on a conference call with Zach Parise of him to drop the gloves every game, one time he literally asked him each the Minnesota Wild, Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche and time they lined up beside one another for a faceoff throughout the entire Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars. game. These are strange times for players, reporters and readers, but in an “There was one game, I think we lined up against each other 20 times effort to provide a bit of content, the NHL has been rolling out a number and he asked me to fight 20 times,” said Wheeler. “It was the third period of prominent players for a series of discussions with members of the of a tie game or whatever and he’s like, ‘are we going?’” media. The answer was still an emphatic no, though you got the feeling Wheeler As the pause to this NHL season extends into its third week, it’s clear the appreciated the dogged approach Benn was taking. players welcome a return to something closer to normalcy – even if that As is so often the case when a rival meets the other person off the ice means spending nearly 40 minutes providing answers to questions from and nothing is at stake, it turns out Wheeler and Benn get along quite a moderator, including several submitted by a group of reporters. well. The two met socially last summer in Toronto, which prompted When you’re the captain of an NHL team, especially one in a Canadian further discussion over a beverage. market, taking questions nearly every day and sometimes twice a day “We had a good laugh and a couple of cold ones over it,” Benn recalled. can get to be a bit taxing. “I think I came out of the gates hot again this year and asked him to go Now in his ninth season with the Jets and fourth as captain, Wheeler one more time.” remains a thoughtful and articulate interview when the right questions are Wheeler has yet to accept the offer, though he mentioned it still could posed or if the mood is right. happen one day. But the 33-year old from Minnesota can occasionally be abrupt with his This is usually the best time of the season for players, a time when the answers, especially when he doesn’t care for the nature of the question. playoff push is in full force. This downtime has been a not-so-subtle After spending the past two weeks and change practising social reminder of what makes hockey so enjoyable for players like Wheeler. distancing at his home in Winnipeg, Wheeler was showing the benefits of The competition and the opportunity to go head-to-head with the other having an extended break from the media. He genuinely seemed to be team’s best players and to see who is going to come out on top. enjoying the distraction from what has become his new daily routine. “It’s what I love about the job,” said Wheeler. “It’s what gets you going.” “We’re full-time teachers, nannies. It’s a full day job,” said Wheeler. “I’m Wheeler spoke with immense pride about the way the Jets were playing more tired now than I think I was a few weeks ago. We’re just cooking prior to the pause. How goalie Connor Hellebuyck was playing at a and cleaning and trying to teach and we’re keeping it together.” Vezina-type level and a return to health and a trade had the defence Keeping it together is a clear win during these strange and challenging corps looking as good as it had all season. times we are all living in. By stringing together an impressive stretch since coming back from the Wheeler and his wife Sam are enjoying their unscheduled family time, player break, the Jets held the first wild card berth in the Western but you can add referee to the job description these days as well. Conference. It was still unclear if the late surge was going to be enough or if the Jets were going to be able to hold off the teams with games in “My 7-year old (Louie) and my 4-year-old daughter (Leni) pretty much hand. fight all day. It’s a battle,” said Wheeler. “Mase, since he’s been born, he doesn’t want anything to do with me really. Now that I’m here all the time One thing was abundantly clear, though. In a season where the he’s starting to realize I’m his dad. So he’s tough. The terrible twos, he’s obstacles were plentiful, the Jets found a way to stay relevant and give turning 3 in June. Big personality. It’s interesting seeing what Sam, my themselves a chance. wife, is dealing with on a daily basis. There’s no road trips coming up “It was nice to have a full lineup and to see what type of team we had. soon. We’re hunkered down.” We were trending in the right direction,” said Wheeler. “Regardless of The appreciation for what their partner deals with when players are on whether or not we were going to make the playoffs, we gave ourselves the road for half the season has never been higher. an opportunity and we had something to play for. That was exciting.” When the kids have been put down for bed, the Wheelers have been Before he signed off, Wheeler offered a message to folks in Manitoba among those binge-watching “Tiger King” and “Ozark.” and provided a stick tap to all of the medical professionals on the frontlines who are doing their best to ensure folks stay healthy and safe. They’ve also been able to find time to spell off one another to make time to work out and get a break from the action. “The most important thing, and especially here in Winnipeg where it’s starting to get nicer out. We’ve been locked inside all winter so you have “My wife kicked me out of one of our garage stalls last year so we put a to fight the urge to get out and do things as you normally would. The little gym in this fall. Between that we have a Peloton here, too,” said people up here have done a really good job of taking this seriously right Wheeler. “We kind of loaded up some stuff in the last year here. So yeah, from the get-go,” said Wheeler. “Sam and I have some friends that are just more having an hour to get away from all the duties you have around doctors or in the medical field and the amount of work they have, it’s the house. around the clock. Obviously, we can’t thank them enough for everything they’re doing here. “We kind of give each other an hour a day to do what it is. I find half the time I’m just laying on the ground trying to figure things out. Just trying to “We’ve just got to take care of each other, and (have) people take it stay ready just in case you get the call that things are going to come seriously. The more you can flatten the curve in the shortest amount of back.” time, and then you can hopefully get back to a normal routine. But for the time being, just take care of one another and enjoy the time we do have When that call might eventually come is anyone’s guess at this point, but with our families and hopefully we can get back on the ice sooner than it’s not likely to come before July – depending on when the pandemic is later.” actually under control and it’s safe to return to action.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173176 Winnipeg Jets His message hits home. Feraz goes to school that day and his friends are all talking about the

news. The story builds for weeks and then months — Sheraz was right, A tiny village in India, a father, a son and a shared love of the Winnipeg the Jets are really in danger of leaving Winnipeg. Jets When Feraz talks to his dad about it, Waris Shere — the reason all the Sheres are Jets fans — says: “You can do something about this.” By Murat Ates So Feraz sits down in front of the family’s pre-Pentium desktop computer and types. Mar 31, 2020 My name is Feraz Shere and I am 10 years old.

I am one of the hundreds of people that don’t want the Winnipeg Jets to The children’s voices are growing louder as the sun sets on this remote leave. Winnipeg would absolutely not be the same without them. Indian village. I think that if the team wants a new arena they should get it, not just They are chanting, focused. move to another city. Their fists pump. The older, taller kids hold painted signs in front of the We have thousands of Jets’ fans in Winnipeg. If the Jets move we will all crowd while the youngest and smallest reach their hands into the air and be disappointed. Sometimes the Jets don’t play too well, but it is still jump. They are frenzied, chanting — screaming at the top of their lungs exciting to watch. — while dressed in what would pass for summer clothes in Winnipeg. When the Winnipeg Free Press prints Feraz’s letter, he becomes a “GO JETS GO!” schoolyard celebrity. His homeroom teacher singles him out. His classmates applaud. A few of the boys are dressed in T-shirts — others sport long sleeves, hoods or polo shirts. The girls wear loose-fitting pants called salwar and The Jets stay in Winnipeg for the 1995-96 season and even qualify for tunics called kameez, with lightweight scarves called dupatta draped the playoffs. around their shoulders. Some cover their hair. For Feraz, this means more time watching hockey with his brother, his “GO JETS GO!” cousins Omar and Shakir Shere, his friends Furhan and Rayhan Azmat, and — of course — his dad. The grass is yellow-green underneath sandal-clad feet. Waris Shere was born in Katauna, in the Indian province of Bihar. “GO JETS GO!” Waris was a brilliant child who grew up in a family that prioritized The Waris Shere Coaching Center in Katauna, India, is beautiful and education. He excelled in secondary school before earning an brightly lit, even as December reaches its end. Then, in front of the engineering degree at Aligarh Muslim University, a prominent university crowd, you finally see Feraz Shere — Waris Shere’s son — the man in India. This allowed him to pursue a master’s degree in a land of more leading the frenzied chants. opportunity, and he moved to Aachen, Germany. As Waris Shere grew Like his father, Feraz is of Indian descent. Like his father, Katauna is his progressively more educated, the opportunities available to him — and ancestral home: Generations of Sheres walked and worked this land until the support he was able to offer his family as a result — grew immensely. Waris’ engineering education helped him forge his own path. The school For Waris, those options included staying in Europe, where postwar he is chanting in front of is his father’s act of love. boomer opportunities bloomed, returning to India, or starting a new home But Feraz was born in Winnipeg — some 12,000 kilometres away. elsewhere in the world. Spring, 1993. Feraz sits at his dining room table. He is 9 years old. “Of course, he ended up choosing Canada,” says Feraz. “He got on a ship, arrived on the shores of Canada and didn’t know a soul.” In front of him, there is a bowl of Weetabix — the same cereal Feraz eats every morning before school. His university-aged brother, Sheraz, sits to Stints in Toronto and Waterloo proved unsatisfying. Waris wanted to get his right. The boys’ mother, Parvin, is in the kitchen making lunch for into the centre of Canada so he opened a map and pored over the Feraz to take to school. Canadian geography until his fingers landed on Winnipeg. Good, he thought. It’s in the middle. I can get to either coast from there. And it feels “Listen, Feraz,” Sheraz says, sternly. “I want to talk to you about good to be in the middle of things. something.” Waris landed in Winnipeg without money. His first job was with MTS, “What?” back when it was an independent Manitoban company, and he worked there until his education and training helped him land a job at Red River “The Jets might leave Winnipeg.” College, where he taught mathematics. He worked the majority of his “What do you mean?” professional career at Red River College, grew progressively more interested in politics, taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and “They’re having issues with money. The arena’s small and, well … it’s all University of Manitoba, published several books on international affairs, about economics.” was invited to meet Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and committed his extracurricular life to writing about human rights. Feraz has no idea what his brother is talking about. Economics? The Jets are from Winnipeg. They are the Winnipeg Jets. They can’t leave. It just He knew where he came from — a small village in India where most wouldn’t make sense. children don’t receive post-secondary education — and where he ended up. He knew that education was the single biggest driver of that change But Sheraz is being unusually serious. and he valued that education in his wife, Parvin — a published poet, visual artist and a scholar in her own right. The two of them worked to Feraz puts down his spoon. He looks at his older brother. pass that value on to their daughter, Sahba, and their sons, Sheraz and “The Jets might leave Winnipeg,” Sheraz says again. Feraz. At this, Feraz loses control, bawling so loudly that his mother rushes in Along the way, a predictably Canadian thing happened: Waris fell in love from the kitchen to see if he’s been hurt. She looks to Feraz for an with hockey and the WHA’s Winnipeg Jets. explanation but all he can do is cry. She turns to his older brother. Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg and Morris Lukowich became “Why is he crying?” she asks. his heroes. The Winnipeg whiteout became his home. He explains the business about the Jets. In his quest to start a Canadian life in Winnipeg — “the middle of everything” — Waris discovered hockey, the sport some say is at the “Oh my God, that’s ridiculous,” she says, laughing, but then she sees that middle of Winnipeg‘s everything. her young son’s pain is serious. Feraz was 12 years old when Winnipeg lost to Detroit in the 1996 Stanley “Look, Mom,” Sheraz explains. “I completely get it. Part of me wants to Cup playoffs. cry, too. We’re losing something that’s really special to us. It’s almost like losing a family member.” Winnipeg had already staved off elimination on the road in Game 5 with goals from Darrin Shannon, Dave Manson and Alex Zhamnov. Down 3-1 to Detroit with series elimination and relocation to Arizona on the line, the “People on Yonge Street are like, ‘What the hell is wrong with that guy?’ Jets returned home for Game 6 and one last whiteout. Because I literally just started screaming and I was jumping up and down on Yonge Street.” Feraz watched this game in his cousins’ living room with the entire Winnipeg contingent of his extended family and their closest family He spent the rest of that day watching TSN and refreshing Twitter and friends. every major sports website. He spent it on the phone with his family, his close friends, and — of course — his dad. They did not get to enjoy the afternoon. “We got the Jets back and I mean, it was just surreal,” he said. “You feel Vyacheslov Kozlov scored just 3:46 into the first period with a wrist shot outside yourself, where you can’t believe what you’re experiencing. And it over Nikolai Khabibulin’s glove. He scored again on a first period power takes you several hours to fully comprehend exactly what’s going on play and Steve Yzerman made it 3-0 Red Wings less than two minutes because it’s literally, literally a dream come true. I had dreams of the Jets after that. coming back. I had dreams and I would call my brother and tell him I was Huddled together in the living room — Feraz close to the TV, his cousins in the whiteout last night and I was watching the Jets. He always said, on the couch, parents on chairs off to the side, family friends sitting ‘Yeah, man. Well, you know … maybe one day.’” cross-legged on the floor — the Shere family was left to watch the end in That night, Feraz went to a sports bar in downtown Toronto with every dread-filled silence. Winnipeg connection he had in the city — jersey on, dream realized. “No one said a word to anyone else,” Feraz says. “It was just silence the On Oct. 9, he was in Winnipeg for the first Jets 2.0 game, against entire time. Leading up to the last buzzer, people were just …” Montreal, with his brother, his cousins and a few friends. He also got to His voice trails off. The pain endures. see his parents, who were as happy as he was. “It’s hard to make people understand this comparison, but I’ve been Feraz, Sheraz, and their dad, Waris Shere. through loss before so I don’t have any problems saying it: It’s like losing Waris was right. Feraz’s scholarship to Toronto did lead him to bigger a family member,” he says. “It’s really hard. … You cherish something so opportunities. Today he is an executive director of private capital markets much and you know it’s falling out of your grasp and you won’t see them at a large investment bank in New York, where he also met his wife, again. It was a bad, bad feeling.” Israa — a converted Maple Leafs fan. And back in 2013, when he landed When the final buzzer sounded, Feraz’s dad broke the silence. his first job on Wall Street, Feraz’s parents were ecstatic. “We had some incredible memories with them,” Waris said. “And we’ll Waris and Parvin each had their own way of staying in touch as Feraz’s never forget those.” dream job took him far from home. But for Feraz, it was too hard to understand. He stayed quiet until he got Parvin preferred to communicate by phone. For Waris, it was emails. home at the end of the night. Alone in his bedroom, he could finally cry. My dearest Feraz: His letter hadn’t worked. His team was gone. His dad’s team was gone. We hope all is well. Any plans for the week-end? But one image stood out: Tonight Jets are playing Philadelphia at home. We miss you. “OUR JETS WILL FLY -4- EVER” How is the work progressing? All is fine here. Have a very For more than a decade, just listening to the “Hockey Night in Canada” productive day. theme song would take Feraz back to his original pain — with the same intensity, in the same magnitude. He would deflect it by thinking about Lots of love, the sign. Papa He graduated from Shaftesbury High School in 2001, the same year that won his first and only Stanley Cup for the Colorado Every day at 9 a.m., Waris would send Feraz an email about whatever Avalanche. He couldn’t get worked up about it. In 2004, when so many of the Jets had done, were doing, or were about to do. his friends jumped on the “C of Red” Calgary Flames bandwagon, Feraz My dearest Feraz: couldn’t get worked up about it. Ditto 2006, when his friends cheered for Edmonton, 2007 when they cheered for Ottawa, and 2011 when they Outstanding victory — Jets beating Toronto in Toronto 4-2. cheered for Vancouver. Instead of getting worked up about hockey teams that were not the Winnipeg Jets, he focused on his studies and then his Lots of love, career. Papa Both of Feraz’s parents unequivocally supported his dream of post- It was Waris’ way of keeping the family together, even with all three of his secondary education. Still, there was one divide. children living in different cities. “My mom wanted me to stay in Winnipeg,” Feraz says. “She wanted me My dear Shazoo & Feraz: to go to the University of Manitoba and, up until the last minute, I was set to go to the University of Manitoba. I had all my courses picked. I had my Jets played a great game last night. Tomorrow Jets will schedule. And then, at the last minute, a shift occurred.” play Vancouver Canucks. I am happy both of you will watch the The shift was Feraz’s father thinking 10 years down the line. game together. Feraz, enjoy your stay with Ruby and Lena “You know,” Waris began, “You have an offer from the University of Toronto. You have a scholarship there. And I think that’s going to open a and take lots of pictures. lot of doors for you in terms of your career — especially if you’re thinking about finance.” Lots of love, His advice paid off: Feraz earned a University of Toronto joint degree in Papa finance and chemical engineering and now works as an investment “He was without fail,” says Feraz. “It was just like clockwork. He would banker on Wall Street in New York. always end up emailing me and telling me: ‘The Jets are playing tonight But his dad’s long-term thinking also took Feraz a long way from home at this time. I hope they win.’ for one of the best days of his life. Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, was an off day for the Jets. The prospect- On Tuesday, May 31, 2011, Feraz was walking down Yonge Street in heavy team had lost a preseason game 3-2 the night before against Toronto with a friend from school when his phone rang. It was his cousin Edmonton. T.J. Galiardi and Matt Halischuk scored Winnipeg’s goals. Omar. His dad’s email arrived on schedule. Feraz was at his desk in New York. “Where are you right now?” Omar asked. Just before noon, his phone rang. It was his cousin Omar. That’s a little odd, Feraz thought. He and Omar usually texted. He’d call Omar back “Just heading back home.” Feraz replied. later in the day. “Go to TSN right fucking now.” Two minutes later, his phone rang again. This time it was his brother. When Feraz realized what had happened, he lost all control. “Something’s wrong with Papa,” Sheraz said. “What do you mean?” at an accounting firm in the city, and then is hopefully making a real salary and can support her little brothers and sisters who are going to “I’m not sure what’s going on,” said Sheraz. “But Dad’s on his way to the school. To me, the cascade effect of that is massive — and that’s the hospital.” power of what one scholarship might be able to do. So there are these Feraz got up from his desk and rushed into a side room. small, incremental changes in life that can add to really, really big outcomes.” “Well, what’s the problem?” he asked. The scholarships, like the Coaching Centre, are in Waris Shere’s name. “I don’t know. But Mom called Sahba and she was hysterical. They’re on His name is printed in big letters at the top of the classroom wall. their way to the hospital right now. Feraz, I think you should book a flight to Winnipeg. This sounds a little serious.” Naturally, the kids ask about him. Feraz sat still, in silence, in a small room beside the frenzied Wall Street Who was he? What’s his background? How did he make it from Katauna office. He allowed a moment of paralysis to seize him. to Canada? When he stood up to return to his desk, his phone rang again. It was One of Feraz’s uncles lives in Katauna and handles these questions as Sheraz. well as general administration of the school. He knows Waris’ life story as well as anyone. “Papa had a heart attack,” he said, “But he’s alive and he’s on his way to the hospital. Book that trip to Winnipeg.” Still, Feraz monitors his uncle’s teachings very closely. Feraz sprinted out the door, down the elevator and out onto 6th Avenue. “I told my uncle, ‘You better tell them that they are diehard Winnipeg Jets His mind was racing — yes his dad was older, but this was not expected. fans.’ And then he communicated that to the kids. By default, they all sort Maybe everything will be OK. of immediately started cheering for the Winnipeg Jets — that’s their team. I really pushed my uncle to remind them that — don’t just tell them On his way home, Feraz called his mom at the hospital. A family friend that he’s from Winnipeg, but tell them the other things that are important picked up and warned him that his mom wasn’t quite right — she didn’t to him as a person. Being a Canadian. Being a Winnipegger. The things want to talk to anyone. Feraz insisted: Just put her on the phone. that made Winnipeg special to him.” She was in shock, he would later learn, but his mom tried to reassure The Sheres taught the kids at the school about through the Feraz that everything would be OK. As a wave of relief washed over him, lens of Waris Shere. They don’t skate or even have ice, but they use their the doctor took the phone. computers to keep in touch with what is happening in the NHL. Feraz and his mom have started donating clothing — Jets sweaters, Jets hoodies “I’m sorry,” he said. “Your dad died 20 minutes ago.” and jerseys. Waris was 78 years old. His chief interest was peace. His passions in life Feraz went back to his father’s village in December of last year. When he were his children, human rights and the Winnipeg Jets. visited, he asked a few children to name their favourite player. The last major charitable act of Waris’ life was to donate money to a “Patrik Laine,” they said. school in Katauna — the village where he was born. His goal? More success stories like his own. “Good answer,” said Feraz, “But I’m worried about the salary cap on his next deal.” “For kids born in that village, there’s not a lot of them that make it out,” says Feraz. “Those that do make it out end up getting jobs but most of “What’s a salary cap?” them don’t. They stay in the village and work on the farm and live off the land with no other skills. The goal of the school is to change that.” It might be safe to assume they have the same understanding of economics as Feraz did when he was a boy. The Sir Syed School was built in Katauna while Waris was still alive. His hope was for increased access to education, better high school He says he’ll teach them about the salary cap in due time. Analytics? graduation rates among Katauna’s youth, and more post-secondary He’ll get to it. education and training. He was able to visit once in person, meeting the As long as they know: “Go Jets Go.” children at their school, but did not live to see them graduate.

Feraz met the surprise of his father’s death with anger. The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 When his anger passed, he allowed himself to mourn. While mourning, he made a discovery — and a decision. “I remember stumbling across a couple of old photos of my dad in India with my brother. They were in Katauna and my dad was handing out candy to a bunch of kids in the village. I saw that photograph and I just couldn’t stop thinking: ‘It’s amazing that, after his whole life that took him all of the way to Winnipeg, he made it back to the village where he was born. And he went there to help these kids.'” Waris Shere in Katauna. Feraz was moved by the photograph and started trying to think of ways to build upon his father’s legacy. Various ideas came to mind — local ideas like a scholarship at Red River College or the University of Manitoba, and faraway ideas, too. “What struck me was the thought that he could help the very community in which he was born. Maybe the school could help the kids build a better life for themselves. Maybe, one day, they could ultimately end up in a place like Winnipeg and build a life there like my dad. Maybe they could earn a real salary and use it to take care of their family back home. That’s where the idea for the Coaching Centre was spawned.” The Waris Shere Coaching Centre is an addition to the Sir Syed school built with money raised by Feraz and his mom, sister, and brother — with plenty of help from their cousins and extended family. It was built in 2015 to supplement the main school with a second full-time teacher, a part- time teacher, and more school supplies. Children are educated in Hindi and English to broaden their opportunities in post-secondary study. The school is private but free to attend — subsidized primarily by Feraz’s family — but university is not. That’s where the scholarships come in. “When they’re given a scholarship, then they can make it out of the village,” says Feraz. “For example, one of the girls we gave a scholarship to last year is now studying accounting in the city. She can then get a job 1173177 Vancouver Canucks the championship series at home, the Canucks began to fall apart, losing all three games in Boston.

Then came Game 7 at home against the Bruins in a homer series. They Steve Simmons: Canucks of 2011 the best team never to win the Stanley outshot Boston 37-21, outhit Boston 47-29, and were looking to score Cup first in the clinching game. The team that scored first won each of the first six games.

Daniel Sedin, who had succeeded his brother, Henrik, as NHL scoring STEVE SIMMONS champion, was in perfect position to put the Canucks ahead early in Game 7. All he had to do was shoot at an empty net. The puck bounced March 31, 2020 5:58 PM PDT over his stick. “If that goal goes in, who knows what happens?” said Laurence Gilman, now the assistant general manager of the Maple Leafs, then the assistant GM of the Canucks, where he worked most of has coached in more games than anyone else in National his years under general manager Mike Gillis. Hockey League history, but one game, more than any other, haunts him to this day. Sedin led the NHL in scoring. Brother Henrik finished fourth. No Bruin was in the Top 40 in scoring that season. Boston won Game 7 by a 4-0 Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. June 15, 2011: The night the city score. The score seemed nothing like the game itself. burned and the Vancouver Canucks lost the Stanley Cup. “What I learned that year, and it’s stuck with me, is that the best team On that night the Canucks became the best team never to win the Cup. doesn’t always win,” said Gilman. “It’s the team playing the best at that time, that wins. And that wasn’t us. In fairness, better teams have lost in the playoffs, as recently as last year with the Tampa Bay Lightning not winning a single post-season game. “It haunts me to this day. It lives with me every day. It is without a doubt the most crushing defeat I’ve experienced in my professional career of Along the way, there were some great Red Wings teams that didn’t win some 25 years. It’s left a bad taste in my mouth. and some amazing Washington Capitals teams that didn’t win, but the Wings came back and won Cups and the Capitals eventually won theirs. “You can think things should have been different. You can think about all And of course, there was Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins losing to the that, but what sticks with me is this profound feeling of sadness. It should rookie Ken Dryden and the Montreal Canadiens in the great upset of have happened for our organization, for our players, for our city. 1971, but they came back a year later to win again. “I worked in Vancouver for a long period of time. There is a part of the With the Canucks. it was different. psyche of the sports fan there that the gods are always conspiring against them and things don’t work out. The mentality goes back to the It was one and done for Vancouver. One chance for a championship. first days of the franchise, losing the first pick to Buffalo of the draft This was their shot — after five seasons of dominant hockey. This was ( over ). their shot — and they couldn’t finish. “What sticks with me now is, we had a chance to break through, to be the “It hurts to this day,” said Bowness, now the head coach with the Dallas first Canadian team since 1993 to win the Cup. That would have been Stars, then an assistant coach under Alain Vigneault with the Canucks. huge in Vancouver, huge in Canada.” “It hurts very much. There’s a lot of pain involved with looking back. They played seven games against Boston and scored eight goals. The Sometimes, when the Stanley Cup is being presented, I have to force highest scoring team in hockey couldn’t score when it mattered. Goalie myself to watch. I don’t want to see it. That (year) stays with me every never played better than he did those two weeks. day of my hockey life. “People forget how well Luongo played at home,” said Gilman. “He had “You see, we had such a great team, and maybe more important, we had two shutouts at home and was great in the other win at home. If we shut such great guys, such great chemistry, great coaching, everybody got out Boston in Game 7, he would have become the first goalie in Stanley along, everything you’d want. I’d never been on a team like that before Cup history to have three shutouts in a Stanley Cup Final.” and I’ve never been on a team like that since. He didn’t. Brad Marchand, just becoming a star, and Patrice Bergeron, “That’s been a very painful thing to live through. We had a good team already a star, scored two goals each in the win for the Bruins in Game 7. and we knew we had a good team. It’s not just me, it’s everybody. You Had this season been completed, Bruins might have been favoured to look around now and you realize it’s over. The twins (Daniel and Henrik win again. Both Marchand and Bergeron remain as major stars in today’s Sedin) are retired. Kevin Bieksa is retired. is retired. Alex NHL. The only Canucks still around in any meaningful way in the NHL Burrows is retired. (Roberto) Luongo is retired. Most of that team doesn’t are Alex Edler and then part-timer Chris Tanev. play anymore. That was our best chance. That was our shot. The one thing still difficult for Bowness to reconcile, how poorly the “I feel bad for every one of those players. They’ll carry this around with Canucks played in Boston. “For whatever reason, we didn’t play well in them. They all know it’s the best team they ever played on …” Boston,” he said. “We played Vancouver Canucks hockey at home but A team like the 2011 Canucks doesn’t come around often. The way they couldn’t do it on the road. Boston got a lot from its fourth line (Greg controlled everything. They finished first in the NHL in wins and points. Campbell, Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille). We didn’t seem to have First in goals scored. First in goals against. First in faceoffs won. First in an answer for that.” power play. Third in penalty kill at a remarkable 85.6 per cent. When Gillis travelled to the NHL Awards after the season as a nominee First in a Western Conference that featured the defending champion for the general manager of the year award, he made sure his assistants Chicago Blackhawks, future champion Los Angeles, along with San Jose Gilman and Lorne Henning came along with him for the event. And after with 107 points and three other teams with 99 points. On a soccer he won the award, Gillis made certain that Gilman and Henning posed for equivalent, the West those years was the hockey group of death. photographs with him and the trophy. They were a team, right to the end. And 2011 was supposed to be the Canucks year. The club went up three Just a few steps away stood Thomas, winner of the Vezina Trophy and games to nothing on nemesis Chicago in Round 1 of the playoffs, and winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy and beside him, Norris Trophy somehow lost the next three games to send the series to a nervous finalist, Zdeno Chara. “We were excited to be there,” said Gilman, “and seventh game. Game 7 was sent to overtime on a Jonathan Toews then you look over and there was Thomas and Chara. It felt just a little bit short-handed goal and then Burrows came out of the penalty box in extra awkward.” time to score a typically sloppy series winner. The Canucks have not won a playoff series since beating San Jose to There are many hockey people who swear that you need to be face to advance to the 2011 Final. They’ve played only 15 playoff games since face with disaster before you can find your way to a championship. That the season that almost was, winning just three of them. The glory days, win was the Canucks’ moment, the sign they were headed somewhere. short at they might have been, will never be forgotten, and never stop They then beat Nashville in six games and the Sharks in five to advance hurting. as favourites to win the Cup. They had their scare. The celebration was to be next. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.01.2020 It just never happened. Defenceman Dan Hamhuis got hurt in Game 2 of the Final. And then defenceman Aaron Rome got suspended. “That’s two of our top five,” said Bowness. And after winning the first two games of 1173178 Vancouver Canucks your normal life too. That’s what I was trying to do. I wasn’t spilling team secrets on Twitter, but I wanted to show a bit more of my life.

Right, here’s an example. I was doing some research this morning and One-on-one with Eddie Lack: On retirement, Bill Peters and being a fan found a story about your search for a Christmas ham… favourite in Vancouver Yeah, exactly, and stuff like that can rub some older players the wrong way sometimes. But when I think about some of the Vancouver journalists, guys like you and Wyatt Arndt, you guys seem to be By Thomas Drance appreciated by the readers. And for athletes, that translates to you — as an athlete — looking good too, if there’s a give that sort of happens for Mar 31, 2020 the fun articles. It helps grow the game too. So like with the Christmas ham. I think it was something like the twins Five years ago, former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Eddie Lack led and Alex Edler made me go to Ikea, because I was the youngest Swede Vancouver to the playoffs and the club hasn’t been back since. on the team. So I was supposed to go buy Christmas stuff for the Swedes on the team. And there was only one ham left, so obviously During that 2014-15 season, Lack appeared in 23 of Vancouver’s final 25 Henrik Sedin, the captain, got it. games. He stopped .925 percent of all shots faced down that stretch, and out-performed his expected goals against number by 8.5 goals in that You mentioned in an interview with Rob Williams of Daily Hive yesterday time frame. that you thought your openness helped you in your career in some ways, but maybe hurt you a bit later on. Reading between the lines, I’m It was the apex of Lack’s career and he was dealt to the Carolina assuming you mean Carolina. Do you think that’s part of why players are Hurricanes that summer. a bit more guarded publicly, to avoid any potential down side? The Carolina experience didn’t work out for Lack, who never retrieved the Yeah, I think so. I actually tried. I tried to be a more retracted guy, before form he found in his first two NHL campaigns with the Canucks. As hip games and stuff. Some people don’t like the happy-happy, easy going issues mounted, Lack underwent surgery last winter, but hadn’t entirely guy. They just want to bunker down, and as soon as they wake up on written off the possibility that he might still try to come back. game days they can’t talk to anyone. That wasn’t me. That is, until he formally announced his retirement this past Monday. I tried to change, but it made me feel unlike myself. And when I’m not being myself, I’m not happy. And that’s going to translate into my game. On Tuesday afternoon, Lack joined The Athletic Vancouver to discuss his plans for retirement, his affable nature, why he resonated as a fan I listened to your Sportsnet 650 hit yesterday and you talked about Jacob favourite in Vancouver, why NHL players are reticent to share their Markstrom being more guarded in public than he is with his friends and personalities with fans and the media, his experience with Bill Peters and teammates. You’ve been around Marky since you were a tandem over in the Hurricanes, and his epic taco date with cardboard Ryan Kesler. Sweden for Brynas. What have you seen from him — as an observer, as a former teammate — in terms of his development as a player and as a You were naturally willing to share a lot of yourself with Canucks fans, person? which seemed to be why the market responded to you the way it did: you were a guy who could laugh at yourself and enjoy tacos and video Well, he’s always been an awesome goalie, he’s always had the games. I think that made you relatable and made you seem like a normal athleticism for it. He’s always had the style, the ability to be an elite guy. What made you so willing to share that side of yourself with the goalie. media, on social media and with fans? When he came to Florida and stuff, and had to move away from home When I first started with social media, I definitely didn’t understand it, but and just try to figure life out by himself, I think it just took him some time. I just went with it. When I first got Twitter, I was answering everyone. It He came over to North America when he was about 20 years old and it became like my full-time job! But I’m like that guy, when I see text took him a good four or five years to figure life out, figure out living by messages or e-mail waiting, I have to answer it. Twitter, for sure, took himself. When we played in Sweden, he lived in the same town as his that part of me to an extreme! mom and dad, he could go home whenever he wanted to eat dinner or see his brothers and sisters. The fans seemed to embrace me from the start. It started in Winnipeg and then when the farm team was in Chicago. When we came up Sometimes when you’re a Swede who comes over alone to North through Abbotsford, the “Eddie!” chants would be going. It was a great America, sometimes it takes a bit of time to figure it out. The goaltending atmosphere from what I can remember. I’m not sure I know why, but that part has always been there for him, he’s always been elite in my eyes. I relationship has been really nice for me and good for both sides. just think the other stuff took him a bit of time to figure it out. I was careful about making time for fans, making sure to sign autographs, One of the all-time great Canucks “what ifs” is that after your first and always stopping after games to talk too. It was actually Kevin Bieksa Canucks season, management changed, and if it hadn’t, I suspect the who told me in my first year, “Yeah, sign autographs, because soon no team would’ve rolled with a tandem of you and Markstrom for the 2014- one is going to want it. So you better do it now!” I took that to heart. 15 season. How do you think you would’ve done as a partnership in that season? What stands out to me is the tacos and the video games though. I always thought the extent to which you came across as a normal dude was a big Looking back at it, Marky came in towards the end of the 2013-14 season part of what made you a fan favourite. Do you think I’m onto something? and I played like 23 straight games or something. No, that makes total sense. If we’d come in the next season with him and I, I think it would’ve been more like a 50-50 split between the two of us. That was around the time I actually talked to a friend of mine, who is from Vancouver, and he told when he was figuring everything out, when he started to feel like he was me, “I think the reason people liked you is that you were so relatable.” at home over in North America. I think it would’ve worked out great, we Like, I was the average Joe that made it, right? for sure would’ve pushed each other in a healthy way. But, yeah, for only playing in Vancouver for two years and five years You’ve talked about your plans in retirement, now that you’ve officially when you count the minor league days, the following from fans was kind retired, and suggested that you’ve decided to focus on real estate of amazing to be honest. primarily rather than hockey-related pursuits — though you’ll still continue It’s a pretty uncommon thing for NHL players to interact that way with to coach part-time — but you’ve suggested that the priority is personal media and fans. Taking time to sign autographs is one thing — NHL growth. What does your ideal retirement life look like? players are respectful and good about that. But there’s a lot of “average Real estate has just been fun for me now, to start with. I’m really happy Joes who made it” in the NHL, but your average NHL player seems pretty with it. I wake up in the morning and I’m happy, I’m excited to go to work. reluctant to share his personality, relative to how you approached it. That’s my main focus right now and that’s going to keep being my focus I think it’s a locker room thing, to be honest. here. It’s an old school mentality, and it’s still there, passed from generation to The reason why I started with ASU was to keep a foothold in the game. generation. The old school generation didn’t really share anything with Because without it, I would really miss hockey and miss cheering for the anyone. There’s a notion of being against the social media wave, with boys. Don’t forget, I’ve been sitting for like 60-70 percent of my games on this idea that whatever happens in the locker room should stay in the the NHL on the bench, so I’m used to cheering people on! locker room. And I agree! But at some point you have to share parts of But it’s just about keeping something within the game, because I loved When you think back to that 2015 playoff series against the Flames, and the game for so long. I just didn’t want to commit all my time to it, if that it’s 3-2 Calgary going into Game 6. You lose in Game 5 and Ryan Miller makes sense. ends up starting that night and was still dinged up. How do you remember the leadup to that game, and what was your reaction on the You retired officially yesterday, but you’ve been off the ice for a year bench that night? recuperating from surgery. What’s the adjustment been like? And when you woke up this morning, as a retired player officially, did it feel I remember that I got pulled, and I knew right away that I wasn’t going to different? start in Game 6. I knew my leash was very short. Do I think that I deserved a bit of a longer leash? Maybe, but I knew as soon as I got Yeah, it did. pulled for a fact, that I wouldn’t play the next game. I stopped skating in something like late October or early November. And I wanted to finish what we started with that whole run to the playoffs, the three weeks ago I went on the ice with the ASU team for our last practice 25 games leading up to the playoffs and everything. I wanted to finish before the whole world shutdown. I thought I’d show these guys what I’ve what we started, but that loss wasn’t on Miller anyway. We probably got. And man, my body was just aching and sore. I couldn’t push from would’ve lost with me in net. side-to-side, and I just thought, “This has made the decision a whole lot easier!” Do you have an all-time favourite Canucks teammate? What’s really sad is that before the surgery I had about 15 months ago, I friggin’ love Chris Tanev. We started together, rooming in Winnipeg deep in my mind I had a feeling that it might be it, but I didn’t know. I had before he got called up. He was there for the playoff run in 2011 and from a feeling that it was maybe my last game playing, because the nerve the start, he was just such a fun guy to be around. damage I had built up throughout the years, that’s the one thing that doesn’t go away. All goalies love Tanev because he blocks like 15 percent of shots when he’s on the ice… So I had a feeling, but I wanted to give myself a real honest chance to get back. Probably 10 months out from surgery was when I knew it Yeah, not counting the twins, he is the smartest hockey player on the ice wasn’t going to work anymore. That’s when I started getting into real in terms of knowing where to be that I’ve ever played with. estate and from that, I’ve been very content with the decision because I When you went to Carolina, you were playing with Cam Ward who was a knew I did everything I could to get back. pretty unconventional goaltender, and I assume the technical side was I worked with Lu in Florida, so I saw his last two seasons up close. And pretty different than the three-quarters depth, classic Melanson that last year especially, I could tell. Just how sore he was all the time… percentage game style that you played in Vancouver. Do you think that technical aspect made the adjustment more difficult for you? Yeah, that’s the biggest thing. You wake up in the morning and it’s game day, and you’re like, “Am I going to be able to play today?” You’re always Yeah, looking back at it, I think so. thinking about what you have to do, just to give yourself a chance to play. But to be fair too, the style that we were playing in Carolina also, it didn’t The stress on that, it becomes not worth it. benefit goalies. You saw 19-22 shots a night and most of them were At a certain point life is just bigger than that… Grade A chances. You didn’t get any of the easy shots you get, and that I saw more of in Vancouver. That’s why, looking back at the criticism that I know, exactly. And I went through it for 3-4 years. Which is why, before Cam Ward got in his years there too, I thought it was very unfair to him. the surgery, I told myself that if I wasn’t 100 percent, to the point where I Especially because he went through that entire rebuild and still put up could compete without thinking about it, that I wasn’t coming back. solid numbers! Six years ago, you sent a tweet in which you were having tacos with I really think the numbers in Carolina are a bit misleading to be honest, cardboard Ryan Kesler. Where’d you get the cardboard cut out? How did but they are what they are. You look at Scott Darling too, he came in it come together? What types of tacos did you make? I need the full there right after he won a Cup with Chicago. He posted similar numbers blow-by-blow of how that image came together… to me and Wardo. That style was just hard to play goalie behind, I think. If I’m not mistaken, I had a sponsorship with the Formula Four company, Definitely a long run of goalies who struggled there… which was an oxygen water company. So I went to their store for a photoshoot, and they had this big Ryan Kesler cardboard there. So I just Oh my God, so many! Now these last couple of years when Rod told them, “Sorry guys, but I’m taking this with me.” Brind’amour came in there, they tightened up a bit. I’m not sure if I invited him for dinner that night and he couldn’t make it, Did you pull a Paul Pierce, in fact, during the Heritage Classic? or maybe he’d been traded already. Right, yeah he’d been traded, and I No. Not to burst everyone’s bubble, but no. just missed having dinners with him. So I put the cardboard up! So lies and slander from Lu? Did you and Ryan often eat tacos? Lies and slander, for sure. But what else do you expect from Lu! No, I don’t think we ever had tacos together to be completely honest! Obviously there was the notorious Bill Peters “make a save” blow up But my wife and his wife get along really well too, so after games, we video, which looks different to people now based on what we’ve learned used to grab dinners together. over the past five to six months. Do you think in any way the experiences Do you have a best Ryan Kesler resting bitch face story? you had in Carolina or that experience specifically have impacted the passion you have for coaching? (Laughing) Oh my God. I have a bunch of Ryan Kesler stories, but none I want to tell. No, I don’t think so. Kesler was sometimes a little bit grumpy around the rink, but he knew it. And I don’t want to say I got treated really badly in Carolina or anything, The Kesler we saw outside of the rink was a way more pleasant person because I really didn’t. There were some episodes and some things that to be around. have now come to light, and those things definitely didn’t help any player feel good or safe in that locker room. When you think back to your two years in Vancouver, is there a small handful of moments — like a top three — that really stick out to you? I don’t think I lost like my passion for the game or anything there. I think the only reason I’m not playing right now, because I still love the game, is The first one is, for sure, the night where we played the Los Angeles strictly because of my hip and how bad it’s been for years. That really Kings and we beat them in a shootout and it pretty much clinched the took my passion away — I can’t say anything else did. playoffs for us. That’s number one for sure. My mom was over from Sweden to watch it and it was just so much fun. And when you think about your style of teaching and coaching at Arizona State now. Did you learn — whether it was what not to do, or creating an Number two would probably be that playoff win that we had at home — environment more conducive to learning — from that experience? that was super cool. Game 2 against the Calgary Flames. Yeah, and with goalie coaching now, it’s very detailed. I almost think it’s And then, Rollie Melanson would always tell me, especially before my too detail oriented right now. first home game, he repeatedly said, “You’re always going to remember your first home game, Eddie! You’re always going to remember it, for the Like most kids that are coming up, they almost look like robots with the rest of your life!” And I ended up getting a shutout against Carolina that way that they’re moving. My biggest thing is that I have a few staples that night. That’s definitely in the top three as well. I work with my goalies on that are non-negotiable, but when it comes to them playing their style or expressing themselves, that’s completely up to them. I definitely learned that throughout the years. The biggest thing for me, with Carolina and everything, is I was just thinking a little bit too much. With Rollie, it was simple. We worked extremely hard in practice so when the games came we were ready, but he really dumbed the position down for me, which let me express my goaltending skills on the ice in games. That’s what I’m trying to do with my goalies now.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173179 Vancouver Canucks come out of a board battle or loose puck situation without winning possession.

Don’t be surprised if Podkolzin eventually becomes one of Vancouver’s Vasili Podkolzin’s breakout season in the KHL has him looking ready for top defensive forwards — he just has all the mental and physical tools to NHL be an expert puck retriever and responsible own zone player. What gives him such impressive underlying numbers and the chance to be a two-way ace at the NHL level is how well he pushes play up the ice, By Harman Dayal particularly on breakouts. The Moscow native does a good job of assessing oncoming pressure and then making a decision — often Mar 31, 2020 showcasing the ability to either skate the puck from zone to zone himself or make crafty little passes to hit his linemates in space. Elias Pettersson. Quinn Hughes. Brock Boeser. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s deployed as a matchup forward in a few years. When I think back to the gaping hole on right-wing this season These are a few of the young players forming the nucleus that will lead next to and Tanner Pearson’s shutdown line, I can’t help but and ultimately define the next decade of Canucks hockey. For as think how well a version of Podkolzin in his early 20s would have fit. promising as this mini-core is, however, it’s a group that the organization will need to add to as it chases its first Stanley Cup. Coming back from world juniors, Podkolzin was united with Russian under-20 teammates Ivan Morozov and Kirill Marchenko on a sheltered One of the top prospects that could one day join that exclusive group is scoring line in the bottom-six. last year’s 10th overall pick, Vasili Podkolzin. Regular minutes and an opportunity with skilled players is what Podkolzin Both hope and expectations are high for the 18-year-old Russian winger needed because he doesn’t have the type of flashy, game-breaking skill and in his first season as Canucks property, there were plenty of ups and set that you might see in someone like Nils Höglander. He doesn’t own downs. In the first half, he struggled to carve out a role for SKA St. the dynamic skill or world-class creativity required to manufacture space Petersburg’s KHL team, averaging less than six minutes per game and for himself when the defence is already set and would instead be much going pointless through his first 19 games. more effective as the secondary offensive creator on a line. But as the calendar flipped to 2020, so too turned another chapter in For Podkolzin, there are a couple of ways he predominantly creates Podkolzin’s season. offence. The rush stands out as one of them as he loves to drive wide and take the puck to the net — watch how he’s able to turn this 1-on-4 Through his final 17 KHL games, Podkolzin garnered three goals and rush into a great scoring chance. eight assists for 11 points as he earned a regular spot in SKA’s lineup. Those may not sound like impressive results on the surface, but consider Early in the season, Podkolzin found it harder to create rush chances in that he averaged less than 13 minutes per night on the fourth-line and the KHL than he did at previous lower levels, but towards the end, you received little power-play time (all but two of his points came at even- saw more layers of deception. strength). In the goal below, for instance, watch how he faked the release for a shot Let’s dive into some tape to catch up with Podkolzin’s progress. and almost sent a pass through the defender’s legs to a teammate before recovering and scoring himself. The first thing you notice when you watch Podkolzin play is that he’s already got NHL calibre two-way ability. It didn’t work out exactly like he had planned on that play, but that sort of creativity is something you saw more a little more often as Podkolzin’s If the Canucks wanted him to play in the NHL this fall (they can’t because confidence rose and it’s what he’ll need to continue adding to his he’s got one year left on his KHL deal), I have no doubt that he would be offensive arsenal. ready to slide into a bottom-six energy role. There are just no major holes in his game that would hold him back — he doesn’t need to get stronger He’s got a raw skill set that still needs honing to fully maximize, but he or become more responsible defensively like most young forwards at his has tools to be a rush offence driver when you consider his blend of age need to. That’s not to say playing in the NHL next season would power, speed, above-average awareness and deft hands. necessarily be the best thing for his development because a bottom-six role wouldn’t foster his offensive growth, but it’s a testament to how Perhaps the most underrated part of Podkolzin’s toolkit is his vision and polished his play away from the puck is. playmaking. Again, he’s not going to set up a chance out of thin air when he’s constrained for time and space, but he consistently shows a knack Podkolzin’s stated goal is to be one of Russia’s best defensive players for making clever no-look passes when a teammate is open. and there’s no question he’s already an advanced two-way driver. This one leads to an assist. According to data from EliteProspects, Podkolzin helped SKA control 54.8 percent of possession when he was on the ice. That would be This no-look sauce leads to as good a chance as you’ll see. impressive on its own, but Podkolzin has helped dominate the inside on This one isn’t no-look but shows once again how underrated Podkolzin is each end of the rink — driving a monster 73.1 percent share of scoring at finding his teammates in dangerous scoring areas. chances and 69.3 percent of expected goals. I wouldn’t expect Podkolzin to be a huge point-producer at the NHL level, In watching video, Podkolzin reads the play well when the other team is but he still projects to be a solid complementary scorer in the top-six. trying to break out or transition up ice — taking the most direct routes to rapidly close space and disrupt the rush. He’s constantly forcing When you couple that outlook with his high two-way ceiling and turnovers in the offensive zone but is rarely ever beat clean on the combination of speed, skill and size, you have a very unique package — forecheck himself. the type that would be well worth the 10th overall pick the Canucks used in 2019. The best forecheckers don’t just work hard, they work smart and Podkolzin exemplifies both qualities. He’s not just aimlessly skating a million miles an hour like a chicken with its head cut off — if he senses an opportunity he’ll pounce, but if not, he’ll hold his ground in the neutral The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 zone and stay above the play. A sequence such as the one below shows you why he’s almost always on the right side of the puck. None of the forwards on his team are applying pressure after they lose the puck and instead of leaving his man behind and chasing the puck, Podkolzin stays above the play and shadows his man. The puck is chipped through the neutral zone and now Podkolzin is in a position to box out the weak side winger from getting the puck. This might seem like a very ordinary play to a casual viewer, but it’s the type of astute detail that personifies his excellent positioning. He’s physical and mean, backchecks ferociously, and you’ll see him diving for loose pucks and to block shots. Oh, and it’s rare to see him 1173180 Websites His message hits home. Feraz goes to school that day and his friends are all talking about the

news. The story builds for weeks and then months — Sheraz was right, The Athletic / A tiny village in India, a father, a son and a shared love of the Jets are really in danger of leaving Winnipeg. the Winnipeg Jets When Feraz talks to his dad about it, Waris Shere — the reason all the Sheres are Jets fans — says: “You can do something about this.” By Murat Ates So Feraz sits down in front of the family’s pre-Pentium desktop computer and types. Mar 31, 2020 My name is Feraz Shere and I am 10 years old.

I am one of the hundreds of people that don’t want the Winnipeg Jets to The children’s voices are growing louder as the sun sets on this remote leave. Winnipeg would absolutely not be the same without them. Indian village. I think that if the team wants a new arena they should get it, not just They are chanting, focused. move to another city. Their fists pump. The older, taller kids hold painted signs in front of the We have thousands of Jets’ fans in Winnipeg. If the Jets move we will all crowd while the youngest and smallest reach their hands into the air and be disappointed. Sometimes the Jets don’t play too well, but it is still jump. They are frenzied, chanting — screaming at the top of their lungs exciting to watch. — while dressed in what would pass for summer clothes in Winnipeg. It will be unfair to the team and the fans if they move. They should stay “GO JETS GO!” right where they belong, right here in Winnipeg. A few of the boys are dressed in T-shirts — others sport long sleeves, — Feraz Shere hoods or polo shirts. The girls wear loose-fitting pants called salwar and tunics called kameez, with lightweight scarves called dupatta draped When the Winnipeg Free Press prints Feraz’s letter, he becomes a around their shoulders. Some cover their hair. schoolyard celebrity. His homeroom teacher singles him out. His classmates applaud. “GO JETS GO!” The Jets stay in Winnipeg for the 1995-96 season and even qualify for The grass is yellow-green underneath sandal-clad feet. the playoffs. “GO JETS GO!” For Feraz, this means more time watching hockey with his brother, his cousins Omar and Shakir Shere, his friends Furhan and Rayhan Azmat, The Waris Shere Coaching Center in Katauna, India, is beautiful and and — of course — his dad. brightly lit, even as December reaches its end. Then, in front of the crowd, you finally see Feraz Shere — Waris Shere’s son — the man Waris Shere was born in Katauna, in the Indian province of Bihar. leading the frenzied chants. Waris was a brilliant child who grew up in a family that prioritized Like his father, Feraz is of Indian descent. Like his father, Katauna is his education. He excelled in secondary school before earning an ancestral home: Generations of Sheres walked and worked this land until engineering degree at Aligarh Muslim University, a prominent university Waris’ engineering education helped him forge his own path. The school in India. This allowed him to pursue a master’s degree in a land of more he is chanting in front of is his father’s act of love. opportunity, and he moved to Aachen, Germany. As Waris Shere grew progressively more educated, the opportunities available to him — and But Feraz was born in Winnipeg — some 12,000 kilometres away. the support he was able to offer his family as a result — grew immensely. Spring, 1993. Feraz sits at his dining room table. He is 9 years old. For Waris, those options included staying in Europe, where postwar In front of him, there is a bowl of Weetabix — the same cereal Feraz eats boomer opportunities bloomed, returning to India, or starting a new home every morning before school. His university-aged brother, Sheraz, sits to elsewhere in the world. his right. The boys’ mother, Parvin, is in the kitchen making lunch for “Of course, he ended up choosing Canada,” says Feraz. “He got on a Feraz to take to school. ship, arrived on the shores of Canada and didn’t know a soul.” “Listen, Feraz,” Sheraz says, sternly. “I want to talk to you about Stints in Toronto and Waterloo proved unsatisfying. Waris wanted to get something.” into the centre of Canada so he opened a map and pored over the “What?” Canadian geography until his fingers landed on Winnipeg. Good, he thought. It’s in the middle. I can get to either coast from there. And it feels “The Jets might leave Winnipeg.” good to be in the middle of things. “What do you mean?” Waris landed in Winnipeg without money. His first job was with MTS, back when it was an independent Manitoban company, and he worked “They’re having issues with money. The arena’s small and, well … it’s all there until his education and training helped him land a job at Red River about economics.” College, where he taught mathematics. He worked the majority of his Feraz has no idea what his brother is talking about. Economics? The Jets professional career at Red River College, grew progressively more are from Winnipeg. They are the Winnipeg Jets. They can’t leave. It just interested in politics, taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and wouldn’t make sense. University of Manitoba, published several books on international affairs, was invited to meet Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and committed his But Sheraz is being unusually serious. extracurricular life to writing about human rights. Feraz puts down his spoon. He looks at his older brother. He knew where he came from — a small village in India where most children don’t receive post-secondary education — and where he ended “The Jets might leave Winnipeg,” Sheraz says again. up. He knew that education was the single biggest driver of that change and he valued that education in his wife, Parvin — a published poet, At this, Feraz loses control, bawling so loudly that his mother rushes in visual artist and a scholar in her own right. The two of them worked to from the kitchen to see if he’s been hurt. She looks to Feraz for an pass that value on to their daughter, Sahba, and their sons, Sheraz and explanation but all he can do is cry. She turns to his older brother. Feraz. “Why is he crying?” she asks. Along the way, a predictably Canadian thing happened: Waris fell in love He explains the business about the Jets. with hockey and the WHA’s Winnipeg Jets. “Oh my God, that’s ridiculous,” she says, laughing, but then she sees that Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg and Morris Lukowich became her young son’s pain is serious. his heroes. The Winnipeg whiteout became his home. “Look, Mom,” Sheraz explains. “I completely get it. Part of me wants to In his quest to start a Canadian life in Winnipeg — “the middle of cry, too. We’re losing something that’s really special to us. It’s almost like everything” — Waris discovered hockey, the sport some say is at the losing a family member.” middle of Winnipeg‘s everything. Feraz was 12 years old when Winnipeg lost to Detroit in the 1996 Stanley “Just heading back home.” Feraz replied. Cup playoffs. “Go to TSN right fucking now.” Winnipeg had already staved off elimination on the road in Game 5 with goals from Darrin Shannon, Dave Manson and Alex Zhamnov. Down 3-1 When Feraz realized what had happened, he lost all control. to Detroit with series elimination and relocation to Arizona on the line, the “People on Yonge Street are like, ‘What the hell is wrong with that guy?’ Jets returned home for Game 6 and one last whiteout. Because I literally just started screaming and I was jumping up and down Feraz watched this game in his cousins’ living room with the entire on Yonge Street.” Winnipeg contingent of his extended family and their closest family He spent the rest of that day watching TSN and refreshing Twitter and friends. every major sports website. He spent it on the phone with his family, his They did not get to enjoy the afternoon. close friends, and — of course — his dad. Vyacheslov Kozlov scored just 3:46 into the first period with a wrist shot “We got the Jets back and I mean, it was just surreal,” he said. “You feel over Nikolai Khabibulin’s glove. He scored again on a first period power outside yourself, where you can’t believe what you’re experiencing. And it play and Steve Yzerman made it 3-0 Red Wings less than two minutes takes you several hours to fully comprehend exactly what’s going on after that. because it’s literally, literally a dream come true. I had dreams of the Jets coming back. I had dreams and I would call my brother and tell him I was Huddled together in the living room — Feraz close to the TV, his cousins in the whiteout last night and I was watching the Jets. He always said, on the couch, parents on chairs off to the side, family friends sitting ‘Yeah, man. Well, you know … maybe one day.’” cross-legged on the floor — the Shere family was left to watch the end in dread-filled silence. That night, Feraz went to a sports bar in downtown Toronto with every Winnipeg connection he had in the city — jersey on, dream realized. “No one said a word to anyone else,” Feraz says. “It was just silence the entire time. Leading up to the last buzzer, people were just …” On Oct. 9, he was in Winnipeg for the first Jets 2.0 game, against Montreal, with his brother, his cousins and a few friends. He also got to His voice trails off. The pain endures. see his parents, who were as happy as he was. “It’s hard to make people understand this comparison, but I’ve been Feraz, Sheraz, and their dad, Waris Shere. through loss before so I don’t have any problems saying it: It’s like losing a family member,” he says. “It’s really hard. … You cherish something so Waris was right. Feraz’s scholarship to Toronto did lead him to bigger much and you know it’s falling out of your grasp and you won’t see them opportunities. Today he is an executive director of private capital markets again. It was a bad, bad feeling.” at a large investment bank in New York, where he also met his wife, Israa — a converted Maple Leafs fan. And back in 2013, when he landed When the final buzzer sounded, Feraz’s dad broke the silence. his first job on Wall Street, Feraz’s parents were ecstatic. “We had some incredible memories with them,” Waris said. “And we’ll Waris and Parvin each had their own way of staying in touch as Feraz’s never forget those.” dream job took him far from home. But for Feraz, it was too hard to understand. He stayed quiet until he got Parvin preferred to communicate by phone. For Waris, it was emails. home at the end of the night. Alone in his bedroom, he could finally cry. My dearest Feraz: His letter hadn’t worked. His team was gone. His dad’s team was gone. We hope all is well. Any plans for the week-end? But one image stood out: Tonight Jets are playing Philadelphia at home. We miss you. “OUR JETS WILL FLY -4- EVER” How is the work progressing? All is fine here. Have a very For more than a decade, just listening to the “Hockey Night in Canada” theme song would take Feraz back to his original pain — with the same productive day. intensity, in the same magnitude. He would deflect it by thinking about Lots of love, the sign. Papa He graduated from Shaftesbury High School in 2001, the same year that Ray Bourque won his first and only Stanley Cup for the Colorado Every day at 9 a.m., Waris would send Feraz an email about whatever Avalanche. He couldn’t get worked up about it. In 2004, when so many of the Jets had done, were doing, or were about to do. his friends jumped on the “C of Red” Calgary Flames bandwagon, Feraz couldn’t get worked up about it. Ditto 2006, when his friends cheered for My dearest Feraz: Edmonton, 2007 when they cheered for Ottawa, and 2011 when they Outstanding victory — Jets beating Toronto in Toronto 4-2. cheered for Vancouver. Instead of getting worked up about hockey teams that were not the Winnipeg Jets, he focused on his studies and then his Lots of love, career. Papa Both of Feraz’s parents unequivocally supported his dream of post- secondary education. Still, there was one divide. It was Waris’ way of keeping the family together, even with all three of his children living in different cities. “My mom wanted me to stay in Winnipeg,” Feraz says. “She wanted me to go to the University of Manitoba and, up until the last minute, I was set My dear Shazoo & Feraz: to go to the University of Manitoba. I had all my courses picked. I had my schedule. And then, at the last minute, a shift occurred.” Jets played a great game last night. Tomorrow Jets will The shift was Feraz’s father thinking 10 years down the line. play Vancouver Canucks. I am happy both of you will watch the “You know,” Waris began, “You have an offer from the University of game together. Feraz, enjoy your stay with Ruby and Lena Toronto. You have a scholarship there. And I think that’s going to open a and take lots of pictures. lot of doors for you in terms of your career — especially if you’re thinking about finance.” Lots of love, His advice paid off: Feraz earned a University of Toronto joint degree in Papa finance and chemical engineering and now works as an investment banker on Wall Street in New York. “He was without fail,” says Feraz. “It was just like clockwork. He would always end up emailing me and telling me: ‘The Jets are playing tonight But his dad’s long-term thinking also took Feraz a long way from home at this time. I hope they win.’ for one of the best days of his life. Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, was an off day for the Jets. The prospect- On Tuesday, May 31, 2011, Feraz was walking down Yonge Street in heavy team had lost a preseason game 3-2 the night before against Toronto with a friend from school when his phone rang. It was his cousin Edmonton. T.J. Galiardi and Matt Halischuk scored Winnipeg’s goals. Omar. His dad’s email arrived on schedule. Feraz was at his desk in New York. “Where are you right now?” Omar asked. Just before noon, his phone rang. It was his cousin Omar. That’s a little odd, Feraz thought. He and Omar usually texted. He’d call Omar back and English to broaden their opportunities in post-secondary study. The later in the day. school is private but free to attend — subsidized primarily by Feraz’s family — but university is not. That’s where the scholarships come in. Two minutes later, his phone rang again. This time it was his brother. “When they’re given a scholarship, then they can make it out of the “Something’s wrong with Papa,” Sheraz said. village,” says Feraz. “For example, one of the girls we gave a scholarship “What do you mean?” to last year is now studying accounting in the city. She can then get a job at an accounting firm in the city, and then is hopefully making a real “I’m not sure what’s going on,” said Sheraz. “But Dad’s on his way to the salary and can support her little brothers and sisters who are going to hospital.” school. To me, the cascade effect of that is massive — and that’s the power of what one scholarship might be able to do. So there are these Feraz got up from his desk and rushed into a side room. small, incremental changes in life that can add to really, really big outcomes.” “Well, what’s the problem?” he asked. The scholarships, like the Coaching Centre, are in Waris Shere’s name. “I don’t know. But Mom called Sahba and she was hysterical. They’re on His name is printed in big letters at the top of the classroom wall. their way to the hospital right now. Feraz, I think you should book a flight to Winnipeg. This sounds a little serious.” Naturally, the kids ask about him. Feraz sat still, in silence, in a small room beside the frenzied Wall Street Who was he? What’s his background? How did he make it from Katauna office. He allowed a moment of paralysis to seize him. to Canada? When he stood up to return to his desk, his phone rang again. It was One of Feraz’s uncles lives in Katauna and handles these questions as Sheraz. well as general administration of the school. He knows Waris’ life story as well as anyone. “Papa had a heart attack,” he said, “But he’s alive and he’s on his way to the hospital. Book that trip to Winnipeg.” Still, Feraz monitors his uncle’s teachings very closely. Feraz sprinted out the door, down the elevator and out onto 6th Avenue. “I told my uncle, ‘You better tell them that they are diehard Winnipeg Jets His mind was racing — yes his dad was older, but this was not expected. fans.’ And then he communicated that to the kids. By default, they all sort Maybe everything will be OK. of immediately started cheering for the Winnipeg Jets — that’s their team. I really pushed my uncle to remind them that — don’t just tell them On his way home, Feraz called his mom at the hospital. A family friend that he’s from Winnipeg, but tell them the other things that are important picked up and warned him that his mom wasn’t quite right — she didn’t to him as a person. Being a Canadian. Being a Winnipegger. The things want to talk to anyone. Feraz insisted: Just put her on the phone. that made Winnipeg special to him.” She was in shock, he would later learn, but his mom tried to reassure The Sheres taught the kids at the school about ice hockey through the Feraz that everything would be OK. As a wave of relief washed over him, lens of Waris Shere. They don’t skate or even have ice, but they use their the doctor took the phone. computers to keep in touch with what is happening in the NHL. Feraz and “I’m sorry,” he said. “Your dad died 20 minutes ago.” his mom have started donating clothing — Jets sweaters, Jets hoodies and jerseys. Waris was 78 years old. His chief interest was peace. His passions in life were his children, human rights and the Winnipeg Jets. Feraz went back to his father’s village in December of last year. When he visited, he asked a few children to name their favourite player. The last major charitable act of Waris’ life was to donate money to a school in Katauna — the village where he was born. His goal? More “Patrik Laine,” they said. success stories like his own. “Good answer,” said Feraz, “But I’m worried about the salary cap on his “For kids born in that village, there’s not a lot of them that make it out,” next deal.” says Feraz. “Those that do make it out end up getting jobs but most of “What’s a salary cap?” them don’t. They stay in the village and work on the farm and live off the land with no other skills. The goal of the school is to change that.” It might be safe to assume they have the same understanding of economics as Feraz did when he was a boy. The Sir Syed School was built in Katauna while Waris was still alive. His hope was for increased access to education, better high school He says he’ll teach them about the salary cap in due time. Analytics? graduation rates among Katauna’s youth, and more post-secondary He’ll get to it. education and training. He was able to visit once in person, meeting the children at their school, but did not live to see them graduate. As long as they know: “Go Jets Go.” Feraz met the surprise of his father’s death with anger. When his anger passed, he allowed himself to mourn. While mourning, The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 he made a discovery — and a decision. “I remember stumbling across a couple of old photos of my dad in India with my brother. They were in Katauna and my dad was handing out candy to a bunch of kids in the village. I saw that photograph and I just couldn’t stop thinking: ‘It’s amazing that, after his whole life that took him all of the way to Winnipeg, he made it back to the village where he was born. And he went there to help these kids.'” Waris Shere in Katauna. Feraz was moved by the photograph and started trying to think of ways to build upon his father’s legacy. Various ideas came to mind — local ideas like a scholarship at Red River College or the University of Manitoba, and faraway ideas, too. “What struck me was the thought that he could help the very community in which he was born. Maybe the school could help the kids build a better life for themselves. Maybe, one day, they could ultimately end up in a place like Winnipeg and build a life there like my dad. Maybe they could earn a real salary and use it to take care of their family back home. That’s where the idea for the Coaching Centre was spawned.” The Waris Shere Coaching Centre is an addition to the Sir Syed school built with money raised by Feraz and his mom, sister, and brother — with plenty of help from their cousins and extended family. It was built in 2015 to supplement the main school with a second full-time teacher, a part- time teacher, and more school supplies. Children are educated in Hindi 1173181 Websites Boom) Geoffrion, credited with inventing the slap shot and a two-time winner. – Dillman

6: Toe Blake The Athletic / The best players to wear every jersey number in NHL There wasn’t as much competition at No. 6 as there was for some of the history more traditional numbers. From the past: , Babe Seibert and Bun Cook. From the present: Shea Weber. But our choice was Toe Blake, a key member of Montreal’s famed Punch Line. For many people, The Athletic NHL Staff Blake’s greatest fame came as a coach because he presided over eight Stanley Cup championships. But he also made the first All-Star team Mar 31, 2020 three times, won the Hart Trophy in 1939 and played on three Stanley Cup teams before retiring. – Duhatschek No NHL number is more iconic than No. 99. Even if you’ve never 7: Phil Esposito watched a hockey game, you know Wayne Gretzky’s number. This has always been an interesting number since it’s traditionally been But when asked to name the greatest NHL player to wear every number, available to both forwards and defensemen. Esposito gets the nod here, we knew it would require more than one person’s input – no matter how although Howie Morenz and Ted Lindsay also got votes. (By the way, the great that person (pun intended). Bruins retiring Esposito’s No. 7 by having Ray Bourque reveal his new No. 77 remains one of the coolest moments ever.) – Sean McIndoe We put together a panel and asked them all to name the best player to wear every number. That left us with 57 unanimous choices. 8: Alex Ovechkin Then for every number where a player didn’t receive a majority of votes, With all due respect to Teemu Selanne, there’s a reason that Ovechkin is the group battled it out. “The Great 8.” On track to one day break Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, there should already be no dispute about who the greatest goal scorer How do their numbers compare? Who won more awards and ever is given each player’s respective era. It’s Ovi. – Dom Luszczyszyn championships? How long did the player wear the number? And were those his best seasons? 9: Gordie Howe The results are here for you to enjoy – and debate. Let us know who Feb. 6, 2015, Saskatoon, Sask. – A tribute to a living legend. The would make your list. grandiose event was billed as the final public appearance of the province’s signature hockey hero. Howe, 86, was suffering greatly from 00: John Davidson dementia but was flown in and feted by a cast of superstars from Wayne Gretzky to Bobby and Brett Hull. Mr. Hockey, indeed. – Nugent-Bowman John Davidson and Martin Biron are the only players to don the 00. And with the NHL rulebook now stating that, “Sweater numbers such as 00, ½ 10: Guy Lafleur (fractions), .05 (decimals), 101 (three-digit) are not permitted,” that will likely remain the case. – Sarah Goldstein Guy Lafleur was a near-unanimous choice here, a six-time first-team All- Star, twice a Hart trophy winner and the heartbeat of the Canadiens from 0: Neil Sheehy 1975 on. Six Stanley Cups and better than a point-a-game player in the playoffs. In the running: , the brilliant Red Wings left As the only player to wear 0 since the 1950-51 season, there wasn’t winger who served as captain for 12 years; and the great Dale much competition for the defenseman who played 379 regular-season Hawerchuk, who won the 1982 Calder Trophy and had to play most of games for three franchises. It is worth noting that, while records from the his career in the shadow of Wayne Gretzky. – Dillman earlier days of the league are notoriously bad, some sources list Habs goalie Paul Bibeault as having worn zero on at least a few occasions. – 11: Mark Messier Goldstein The only player to captain two franchises to a Stanley Cup 1: Jacques Plante championship, Messier is regarded as one of the best leaders in team sports. He’s one of just five players to win at least six titles without With so many great goaltenders to choose from, this number generated playing for the Canadiens. The stats aren’t so bad either. Messier is third plenty of debate, but it was Plante who took top honors. The man who in career points (1,887) and second in games played (1,756). – Nugent- popularized the goalie mask won the Stanley Cup six times, the Vezina Bowman Trophy seven times and the Hart Trophy in 1962. Terry Sawchuk, Glenn Hall and Johnny Bower were the others to receive votes. – Daniel 12: Jarome Iginla Nugent-Bowman We were all over the map on No. 12 because it belonged to so many 2: Doug Harvey great players of the past, including Dickie Moore, Yvan Cournoyer, Sid Abel and others. But ultimately we settled on Iginla, who was the Just as No. 1 was forever the default number for starting goalies, the No. dominant power forward of his generation and led Calgary to the 2004 2 usually went to the team’s top defenseman, so lots of options here. Stanley Cup final. – Eric Duhatschek Harvey was considered the greatest defenseman in history before Bobby Orr arrived on the scene, and thus was our choice. But players from The Red Wings drafted in the sixth round in 1998. USA generations that date back to and Lester Patrick to Brad TODAY Sports Park and Al MacInnis all wore No. 2 – and wore it well. – Eric Duhatschek 13: Pavel Datsyuk 3: Few players in league history have been as transcendent with and without the puck as Datsyuk, who earned three straight Selke trophies You can go deep into the history books and find everyone from Sprague while playing at a near point-per-game pace for his career. He was the Cleghorn to to Joe Hall who’ve worn No. 3, but the quiet embodiment of puck-possession hockey, a two-way force whose 200-foot and effective Hall of Famer Pierre Pilote was the near-unanimous choice, game nudges him slightly ahead of Mats Sundin. – Luszczyszyn a three-time Norris Trophy winner and five-time first team All-Star who was a puck-control dynamo before it became the way of the NHL world. – 14: Dave Keon Duhatschek Keon was our unanimous choice. Though he played 22 professional 4: Bobby Orr seasons in the NHL and WHA, he was primarily known for his achievements in Toronto where he won the Calder, two Lady Byngs, one The hardest part isn’t typing in the name Bobby Orr, the greatest Conn Smythe and four Stanley Cups. – Duhatschek defenseman in NHL history, but having to leave out the likes of Jean Beliveau, Red Kelly, Art Ross, Scott Stevens, Bill Gadsby, Hap Day and 15: Milt Schmidt so many others of a bygone era. – Lisa Dillman Pretty much came down to Schmidt and Bert Olmstead, who won five 5: Nicklas Lidstrom Stanley Cups for Montreal and was a daunting physical presence on a series of ultra-skilled Canadiens teams. Schmidt won two Stanley Cups Lidstrom won the Norris Trophy seven times, which is why he gets the for Boston, was a first-team All-Star three times, won a scoring title in nod over Denis Potvin, the heart-and-soul of the Islanders’ dynasty who 1940, and then 11 years later won his first and only Hart Trophy. – won the Norris Trophy three times and was first runner-up twice – once Duhatschek to Orr and once to Randy Carlyle!? A stick tap also to Bernie (Boom 16: Marcel Dionne Wayne Gretzky in points scored (986) in the decade spanning 1979-80 to 1988-89. – Duhatschek A bare-knuckled brawl right to the end, and not because Bobby Clarke slashed the rest of the competition across the ankles. You have the 27: Pocket Rocket, Henri Richard, with the most Stanley Cup wins in history. You have Brett Hull, No. 4 all-time in goals. In the end, Dionne won out A lot of good options here, from Darryl Sittler to , but narrowly: No. 6 all-time in points, No. 5 all-time in goals and No. 10 all- ultimately Niedermayer got the nod because his smooth-skating style time in assists. Too many good options, frankly. – Dillman translated to playoff success in both New Jersey and Anaheim. – Dillman 17: Jari Kurri 28: Steve Larmer Kurri was Finland’s first NHL superstar. He was an essential piece on five Claude Giroux has been a postseason all-star and Hart finalist, but the Oilers Stanley Cup-winning teams. Kurri led the league with 68 goals in voters went with Larmer’s larger body of work in a split decision. – 1985-86 and is one of only 20 players to score at least 600 of them in his McIndoe career. Kurri sits at 601. – Nugent-Bowman 29: Ken Dryden 18: Serge Savard This wasn’t really considered a top-tier goalie’s number until Dryden This came down to Savard vs. Savard, Denis or Serge? The case for popularized it in the ’70s, and a generation of netminders followed his Denis: 1,388 career points in 1,196 games, plus better than a point a lead. Nathan MacKinnon and Leon Draisaitl are working to reclaim it for game playoff producer (175 in 169). The stat line isn’t as gaudy for forwards, but for now Dryden owns its legacy. – McIndoe Serge, but it’s hard to argue with seven Stanley Cups and the 1969 Conn 30: Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Strong, skilled, the lynchpin of Montreal’s Big Three (with Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson). – The winningest goalie in NHL history (691 in regular season), Brodeur Duhatschek also holds the league records for shutouts (125), games played (1,266) and, yes, losses (397) in a 22-year career – 21 of which were spent in 19: Steve Yzerman New Jersey. Arguably the best goalie ever, Brodeur is a Hall of Famer, The margins differentiating Yzerman and Joe Sakic are so razor-thin that the best puck-handler (an NHL record three goals scored) and the father deciding who’s best is probably a matter of opinion. Both players won a of the trapezoid with three Stanley Cups and four Vezina Trophies. – Hart Trophy and were named league MVP once by their peers. Where Carpiniello Yzerman has the edge is in Stanley Cups (3-2), goals (692-625) and 31: Grant Fuhr points (1,755-1,641) – albeit in more games (1,514-1,378). – Nugent- Bowman Known for making the big save at the right time, Fuhr served as the last line of defense for the high-flying 1980s Oilers. He won the 1987-88 20: Vezina Trophy, appearing in 75 games. That paled in comparison to his Robitaille’s main competition comes from a curious source – fellow Hall NHL-record 79 games with the 1995-96 Blues. Billy Smith, back stopper of Famer Ed Belfour, who happens to be, you know, a goalie. Belfour has of the 1980s Islanders dynasty, was a close second here. – Nugent- 484 career NHL wins (fourth all-time), but Robitaille was the dominant left Bowman wing of his generation and is 12th all-time in goals (668). – Dillman 32: Dale Hunter 21: A battle between Dale Hunter and Claude Lemieux? Don’t turn your back A close vote among Mikita, and Borje Salming, which on this number. – McIndoe made it a particularly difficult apples-to-oranges comparison. Mikita was 33: the first player in history to win the Art Ross, Hart and Lady Byng trophies, and he did it two years in a row (1967, 1968). He was a six-time The iconic No. 33 that hangs in the rafters at the Bell Center in Montreal first-team All-Star at center, won the 1961 Stanley Cup with Chicago and came to Roy, the winningest goaltender of all time, because his preferred received the for contributions to U.S. hockey in No. 30 was already in use with the Canadiens. C’est la vie. No. 33 turned 1976. – Duhatschek out to be pretty fortuitous for Roy, the Canadiens and the Avalanche with whom he won two Stanley Cups. – Scott Burnside 22: Mike Bossy 34: Miikka Kiprusoff Little debate here. Bossy was the second player after The Rocket to score 50 goals in 50 games. He held the rookie goal-scoring record for John Vanbiesbrouck also wore No. 34, but Kiprusoff ultimately got the 25 years before Teemu Selanne came along, In a career short-circuited nod, retiring as the Flames’ all-time leader in wins (305), shutouts (41) by back issues, he scored 50 goals in a single season nine times and 60 and minutes played (33,779). Many nights he made a bad Flames team goals in a single season five times. – Eric Duhatschek look pretty good. – Eric Duhatschek 23: Bob Gainey 35: Tony Esposito When the Frank J. Selke Award was born, honoring the best defensive Upon being claimed off waivers from Montreal, Esposito – a right-handed forward in the NHL, Gainey won it the first four seasons it existed, 1977- catcher – became the first NHL goalie to wear No. 35, and spent the next 78 through 1980-81. He also won four Stanley Cups with the Canadiens 15 seasons building a Hall of Fame resume for the Blackhawks, winning and later a fifth, lifting the Cup following his final NHL game in 1986. – 423 games (418 with Chicago), a Calder Trophy and three Vezina Rick Carpiniello Trophies. He is 10th all-time in wins. – Carpiniello 24: Chris Chelios 36: John Gibson Many believe Chelios is the greatest U.S. born player in history, a three- Gibson has saved 77 goals above expected over the past five years, 26 time Norris Trophy winner who qualified for the NHL playoffs a record 24 more than the next best goalie. He’s had a legitimate claim as one of the times and holds the record for most career playoff games (266). That league’s best goalies and his elite level of play at his peak is unmatched gives Chelios the edge over other worthy names such as Doug Wilson by any other player to wear No. 36. – Luszczyszyn and Bernie Federko. – Dillman 37: Patrice Bergeron 25: The Corsi King himself, Bergeron’s two-way dominance brought Nieuwendyk got the nod over Jacques Lemaire in a discussion that legitimacy to the growing analytics movement that showcased his elite focused on their respective contrasting styles. Lemaire was the defensive play-driving ability. His four Selke Trophies are tied for most all-time with conscience of a line that often featured Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt. Bob Gainey, and he’s been nominated in eight consecutive years – an Nieuwendyk was a puck-tipping, drive-to-the-net dynamo that scored 51 NHL record. – Luszczyszyn goals in each of his first two seasons and is one of only 10 players to win the Stanley Cup with three different teams (Calgary, Dallas and New 38: Pavol Demitra Jersey). – Duhatschek Bittersweet to pen this note about the late Slovak hero who died along 26: Peter Stastny with 43 other people aboard the team charter in 2011. We’ll remember his star turn at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, Some very good 26s (like Mats Naslund and Patrik Elias) but only one Demitra’s third Olympics, where he was named to the all-tournament great one. Stastny, the 1981 Calder Trophy winner, was second only to team. – Burnside 39: Dominik Hasek Campbell won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2012, the first defenseman since Red Kelly in 1954 to earn the honor. Still, his hit on R.J. Umberger in the Hasek started his career wearing No. 31 and No. 34 in Chicago before 2006 playoffs remains one of the most devastating hits we’ve ever seen. claiming his iconic number in Buffalo. Only two other Hall of Famers have – Burnside worn it – Clark Gillies at the end of his career and Doug Gilmour near the beginning – so this was an easy call. – McIndoe 52: Adam Foote 40: One of the great stay-at-home defensemen of his generation, Foote not only won two Stanley Cups with the Avs in 1996 and 2001, he won an Alex Tanguay was a solid second choice for No. 40, but he couldn’t Olympic gold medal in 2002 and a World Cup of Hockey in 2004. He was match Zetterberg’s impressive resume during the Red Wings’ remarkable also the last active NHL player from the . – Burnside 21st-century playoff run. Most notable: The 2008 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in a year when he led the postseason in goals and points. 53: Jeff Skinner – Dillman Caught fire right out of the gate as an 18-year-old, firing off a 31-goal, 63- 41: Jason Allison point season to win the Calder Trophy in 2011. Since then he’s been one of the league’s premier scorers, lighting the lamp 40 times last season, This turns out to be another battleground between forwards and goalies. but he’s been unable to surpass the 63 points he earned that year, Jocelyn Thibault and Jaroslav Halak both got votes, and Mike Smith and matching it twice. – Luszczyszyn Craig Anderson at least have a case. But Allison holds them all off in a close ballot. – McIndoe 54: Adam McQuaid 42: David Backes Only 56 players have worn this number. Some used it as a placeholder before moving on to more desired digits. Others, callups, never got that Did you know that the longtime St. Louis Blues captain had his number chance. McQuaid not only kept the number, he stuck with it for his entire retired by his former high school, Spring Lake Park High School in 512-game career with the Bruins, Rangers and Blue Jackets. – Nugent- Minnesota? And that he wore No. 5 there? Nope? That’s OK because Bowman he’ll always be No. 42 for us. – Burnside 55: Larry Murphy 43: Martin Biron This has evolved into a defenseman’s number, and Murphy takes a close Having the unenviable task of replacing the traded Dominik Hasek as vote over Sergei Gonchar even though Murphy wore No. 55 for only the Buffalo’s No. 1 goalie, Biron spent half of his 16-year career with the second half of his career. – McIndoe Sabres. Biron made his NHL debut in an emergency – after three goalies were injured – at the age of 18, the fourth-youngest goalie to play an 56: Sergei Zubov NHL game at that time. Biron also briefly wore No. 00, only the second player to do so. – Carpiniello It’s a legendary number if you’re an NFL linebacker. If you’re a hockey player, not so much, as Zubov takes this one in a walk. – McIndoe 44: 57: David Perron Only seven defensemen have won the Hart Trophy – Herb Gardiner, Eddie Shore, , Tom Anderson, Babe Pratt, Bobby Orr was the only other real candidate here, but Perron, after and Pronger. There was a 28-year gap between Orr’s third and final MVP winning the Cup last year in St. Louis and helping Vegas get to the final in 1972 and Pronger’s win in 2000. No blueliner has claimed the award the year before, got the nod. – Dillman since. Pronger led three different teams to the Stanley Cup final, winning 58: once. – Nugent-Bowman The standout Pittsburgh defender and three-time Stanley Cup champion 45: Sami Vatanen wore No. 58 in junior and kept it all the way through his NHL career. Brendan Morrow was a close runner-up as the heart and soul of the very Good chance it ends up hanging from the rafters in Pittsburgh when his good Dallas teams of the late 1990s and early 2000s, but Vatanen ended playing days are done. – Burnside up as the choice, someone who can anchor a power play, kill a penalty 59: Roman Josi and provide reliable 5-on-5 minutes. – Dillman The Nashville captain and Norris Trophy hopeful wore No. 90 before 46: David Krejci coming to North America – it’s his birth year – but was handed No. 59 The right-handed center and two-time Olympian was a key piece for the when he came across and it suits him just fine. – Burnside Bruins when they ended a 39-year Stanley Cup drought in 2011. Krejci Jose Theodore led the NHL in goals (12), points (23) and game-winners (4) during the playoff run, and again led all playoff scorers in 2013. – Carpiniello 60: Jose Theodore 47: Torey Krug The former Hart Trophy winner wanted a number that was different and also because all the good goalie numbers in Montreal were retired or Since 2013-14 when Krug played his first full season, the Bruins have the about to be retired. Mission accomplished as Theodore stands shoulder league’s best power play at 22.4 percent. Credit Krug for a lot of that as to shoulder with some of the best in Montreal’s history. – Burnside he’s arguably one of the league’s best quarterbacks and is seventh in points among defensemen since he came into the league. – Luszczyszyn 61: 48: Daniel Briere As near as we can figure, the longtime Columbus captain who had to retire too early due to concussion issues wanted No. 16 in junior. It The clutch playoff performer ended up wearing No. 48 after coming to wasn’t available so they reversed the order. He likely deserves to see his Buffalo and discovering his first two choices, Nos. 14 and 8, were No. 61 hanging high in Columbus one day. – Burnside unavailable. Luckily he didn’t go for No. 148. – Burnside 62: Carl Hagelin 49: Brian Savage Tight between Hagelin, the legendary speedster and key contributor on Savage earned the dubious moniker of Mr. October for his propensity to the Penguins 2016 championship team (16 points in 24 playoff games), light the lamp in the NHL’s first month and then cooling off. Savage and Paul Stastny, who before switching to No. 26 with Vegas wore No. scored 44 times in 87 games (better than every second outing) before 62. Hagelin’s longevity tipped the scales. – Dillman the calendar flipped to November. He had 192 total goals in 674 career contests (only slightly greater than one in four). – Nugent-Bowman Love him or hate him, Brad Marchand’s No. 63 doesn’t go unnoticed on the ice. USA Today Sports 50: Corey Crawford 63: Brad Marchand A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks, Crawford has a 2.28 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 87 career Marchand explained that when he got to Boston he preferred No. 17 but playoff games. Crawford has won 30 or more games six times and won wasn’t going to pry that away from Milan Lucic, so he got No. 63 and it the Jennings Trophy twice. Crawford had an eight-game winning streak stuck. “Any number in the NHL is a good number, so it worked out,” as a rookie. – Carpiniello Marchand explained to The Athletic’s Joe MacDonald. – Burnside 51: Brian Campbell 64: Mikael Granlund Not much competition at such an obscure number, but Granlund still gets 76: PK Subban bonus points for making it onto a Finnish stamp for his excellent lacrosse goal in a semifinal win against Russia at the 2011 world championships. An unsurprising unanimous choice as Subban has made No. 76 his own. – Luszczyszyn He was at the peak of his powers in 2012-13, when he won his first and only Norris Trophy, scoring 38 points in 42 games. One of the game’s 65: Erik Karlsson brightest on the ice during the past decade and arguably the best personality off it. – Luszczyszyn Until Karlsson came along, Mark Napier would have been the choice here. But Karlsson won two Norris Trophies and made four All-Star 77: Ray Bourque teams in his Ottawa Senators days and, in 2016, had the distinction of leading the league in assists (66), even though he played defense. – At different times, both Phil Esposito and Paul Coffey also wore No. 77, Dillman but the number is primarily associated with Bourque (who also wore No. 7 at one time). Bourque holds the NHL record for career goals, assists 66: Mario Lemieux and points by a defenseman, and made the NHL’s first team an incredible 13 times. Oh, and there were also the five Norris Trophies, a I feel like we forget how ballsy it was for Lemieux to pick this number as a Calder Trophy to begin his career in 1980 and a Stanley Cup to end it in teenager and basically stake his claim as the next Wayne Gretzky, even 2001. – Dillman as Gretzky was rewriting the record book. Lemieux called his shot right out of the gate. Then he lived up to it – and maybe more. – McIndoe 78: Pierre-Edouard Bellemare 67: Max Pacioretty Only fourteen players have ever worn No. 78 since the 1950-51 season, according to Hockey Reference, none for more than four seasons. In our Rickard Rakell of the Ducks may eventually figure in this discussion, but voting, Bellemare edged out the unproductive Ottawa years of Pavol for now, it’s Pacioretty by a landslide – five times a 30-plus goal scorer Demitra. – McIndoe with Montreal and in the midst of a renaissance bounce-back season in Vegas. – Dillman 79: Andrei Markov 68: Jaromir Jagr The defenseman, a sixth-round pick, played 990 NHL games in 16 seasons, all with the Canadiens, for whom he was a long-time alternate One of the greatest players of all time chose No. 68 in honor of his captain. He scored 119 goals and 572 points in the NHL. – Carpiniello grandfather, who died in prison for opposing communist rule and in honor of the Prague Spring of 1968 when Soviet forces stormed into 80: Nik Antropov Czechoslovakia. – Burnside Antropov had plenty of talent, always flashing the capability to be a big, 69: Andrew Desjardins dominant center, but could never stay fully healthy to realize his full potential. – Luszczyszyn Only two players have ever worn the number and Desjardins earns it for playing more than Mel Angelstad’s two games. Desjardins played 93 81: Marian Hossa games for the Sharks before switching over to the less nice No. 10. – Luszczyszyn Hossa was clearly a better all-around player than his main competition, Phil Kessel. But remember, Hossa wore No. 81 only in Detroit and 70: Braden Holtby Chicago, so it’s at least a little bit tougher call than you might think. Or not, because Hossa swept our voting. – McIndoe A Vezina Trophy winner, William Jennings Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion, Holtby is the greatest goalie in franchise history. But 82: Martin Straka perhaps a better question given Holtby’s uncertain status as a potential unrestricted free agent is what logo will be on the front of his No. 70 next The speedy center scored 257 goals and 717 points in 954 NHL games, season? – Burnside twice scoring 30 or more goals, and putting up career highs of 68 assists and 95 points backing up Mario Lemieux, who had returned to the Evgeni Malkin’s resume includes three Stanley Cups and a Hart Trophy. Penguins in 2000-01. Straka also won gold at the 1998 Olympics and the USA Today Sports 2005 world championships. – Carpiniello 71: Evgeni Malkin 83: Ales Hemsky This had traditionally been the number for guys who wanted No. 17 but Edmonton made the playoffs just once in Hemsky’s 11 seasons there. He found it was already taken. That was reportedly the case for Malkin, who made the most of it. Hemsky had 17 points as the Oilers reached Game wanted to honor Valeri Kharlamov and wound up making No. 71 his own. 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup final. He scored six times that spring; two – McIndoe goals came in the third period of Game 6 to knock the mighty Red Wings out in the opening round. – Nugent-Bowman 72: Sergei Bobrovsky 84: Mikhail Grabovski Bobrovsky has had a season to forget in 2019-20, but before that he was arguably one of the league’s best goalies for much of the past decade, The only player to wear No. 84 for more than four seasons, Grabovski culminating in two Vezina Trophy wins. – Luszczyszyn made a name for himself playing in the league’s biggest market, peaking with a couple of 50-plus-point seasons with the Maple Leafs before 73: Michael Ryder injuries derailed his career. – Luszczyszyn We’ll always remember Boston coach Claude Julien referring to Ryder, 85: Petr Klima one of the few Newfoundland natives in the NHL, by his dressing room nickname “Easy” during the Bruins’ 2011 Stanley Cup run. Ryder hated Klima is best known for his winning goal in Game 1 of 1990 Stanley Cup that nickname, but he has a Stanley Cup ring and near-immortality as the final. The Oilers forward scored at 15:13 of the third overtime period to best of the best when it comes to wearing jersey No. 73. – Burnside give the Oilers a 3-2 victory, ending the longest game in Cup final history. Klima’s marker helped the Oilers secure their fifth title in seven years – John Carlson helped the Capitals win the Cup in 2018. USA TODAY and the franchise’s last. – Nugent-Bowman Sports 86: Nikita Kucherov 74: John Carlson He was introduced to the hockey world as one of Tampa Bay’s “Triplets” With apologies to Jay McKee and Jaccob Slavin, not a tough call on this but has since soared higher than either of his linemates. Before the rarely seen number. But here’s a fun fact you may not know: One Hall of pause, he was on pace for his third straight 100-point season after hitting Famer has worn this number, Paul Coffey, for all of 18 games in Boston. 128 last season to win the Hart Trophy. Only McDavid has more points – McIndoe over the last few seasons. – Luszczyszyn 75: Hal Gill 87: Sidney Crosby Aside from a stint as a rookie, Gill donned No. 75 for only the last five No debate. No controversy. No one comes close. Future Hall of Famer, seasons of his 1,108-game career. He wore the number with the three-time Stanley Cup champion and may well go down in history as Canadiens, Predators and briefly with the Flyers after spending 11 years one of the top five to ever play in the NHL. – Duhatschek in Boston, Toronto and Pittsburgh – where he won a Stanley Cup in 2009. Vegas winger Ryan Reaves was also considered. – Nugent- 88: Eric Lindros Bowman Trivia: Joe Sakic also wore No. 88 briefly, but he dropped it quickly, leaving really only Lindros as a legitimate contender here. The Big E was the most dominant physical player in the game soon after he made his NHL debut in 1992. And even though injuries limited him to 760 games, he still averaged more than a point a game in both his regular-season and playoff careers. – Dillman 89: Alexander Mogilny The skilled Russian was selected 89th overall in the 1988 draft and began his superlative NHL career in 1989, hence his number. One of the driest wits we’ve come across, his merits as a Hall of Famer continue to be hotly debated in some circles. – Burnside 90: Ryan O’Reilly O’Reilly was actually born in 1991. But wearing No. 91 would mean facing off with names like , John Tavares, and Sergei Fedorov, while No. 90 just means beating out Joe Juneau. Good call, Ryan. – McIndoe 91: Sergei Fedorov No doubt in my mind that if Scotty Bowman had used him full time on the blue line, Fedorov would have won the Norris Trophy. He was that good. Flamboyant, enigmatic, one of the best of all time regardless of where he lined up. – Burnside 92: Rick Tocchet There was lots of debate here. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and 2018 playoff scoring leader Evgeni Kuznetsov received votes, as did longtime setup man Michael Nylander. It was Tocchet, one the NHL’s most revered power forwards, who edged ahead. Tocchet wore the number for just six of 18 seasons but had 440 goals and 952 points in 1,144 career games. – Nugent-Bowman 93: Doug Gilmour Gilmour wore No. 9 for the 1987-88 Blues and No. 39 after getting traded to Calgary because Lanny McDonald had a prior claim to No. 9. He then switched to No. 93 in Toronto where he turned a bad team into a much better one. – Duhatschek 94: Ryan Smyth Smyth was the face of the Oilers between the post-Cup years and the Connor McDavid era. He’s second on the franchise’s games-played list behind only Kevin Lowe. Smyth carved out an impressive career, recording 386 goals and 842 points in 1,270 games with the Oilers, Islanders, Avalanche and Kings. – Nugent-Bowman 95: Matt Duchene Duchene is in the midst of a very solid NHL career, which makes him an easy choice here. – Duhatschek 96: Tomas Holmstrom Holmstrom, a four-time Stanley Cup winner, once told the story about how he picked No. 96. It was the year he’d come to North America from Sweden and, coach Scotty Bowman warned him, it’d be the year he’d head home unless he played better. – Burnside With just 351 NHL games under his belt, Connor McDavid has already proved he is a generational talent. USA Today Sports 97: Connor McDavid McDavid won the Hart Trophy once, and the Ted Lindsay Award and Art Ross Trophy each twice before he turned 22. He finished first, first, second and second in the scoring race over the last four seasons (including 2019-20). McDavid is one of the greatest offensive talents the NHL has ever seen – and he’s only just getting started. – Nugent- Bowman 98: Mikhail Sergachev Born in 1998, wears No. 98. Pretty simple for the skilled young Tampa defender. His trade to the Lightning in 2017 ranks as one of the most lopsided in recent memory and one that may haunt the Canadiens for years. – Burnside 99: Wayne Gretzky Poor Wilf Paiement never gets the credit he deserves. The Great One’s number was retired league-wide in 2000, after he retired from the NHL in 1999. – Goldstein

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173182 Websites “I wanted to get it as spooky as I could because of the context,” Poster said. “We didn’t have a whole lot of time to do rigging and stuff. Some of it had to be done on a lower-budget, quick technical set-up. We did what we could and got out of there.” The Athletic / Wayne Gretzky, the Hanson Brothers and the hockey influences on “Strange Brew” Steve De Jarnatt was initially hired to direct the movie. He had some ideas for the script. One idea was to play on a scene from another famous movie that had recently hit theatres. In “The Shining,” starring Jack Nicholson, the elevator doors at a haunted hotel unleash a river of By Sean Fitz-Gerald blood into the hallway. Mar 31, 2020 De Jarnatt wanted to try something similar with the McKenzie brothers — except that when the doors opened, they unleashed a river of beer. (It did not make the final cut. In hindsight, De Jarnatt said, the scene probably David L. Snyder, the film and television production designer raised in would have been too expensive, anyway.) Buffalo, N.Y., went on a tour of Canadian breweries. It was for his work on “Strange Brew,” a film based on the fictional beer-drinking heroism of He had another idea, too. Bob and Doug McKenzie, and for a while, it felt like he signed onto a “I wanted to write the Hansons into it,” De Jarnatt said. “It would just be a documentary. throwaway bit, from ‘Slap Shot.’” “Every time we’d go to a brewery,” he said, “I’d noticed the people who The Hanson brothers? worked there would drink beer during the day like water.” “They would be with the mental patients in there, somehow,” he said. “I Rick Moranis (Bob) and Dave Thomas (Doug) created the McKenzie remember thinking that would be a great crossover thing.” brothers as characters on SCTV, a tongue-in-cheek protest of regulatory rules governing Canadian content. They wore toques and guzzled beer, Snyder, the production designer, had to create hundreds of beer boxes called each other hosers and rhapsodized about back bacon. for the hockey scenes. All of the major Canadian breweries backed away from the movie before filming began. It was reported they had issues with They cemented their status as a North American phenomenon with the the idea of having a live mouse appear in a beer bottle. release of their comedy album in 1981 (“The Great White North”), and filming began on their movie a year later. The studio sent Snyder and a So the boxes Snyder made were from the fictional Elsinore brewery. colleague to research at one of the major breweries, where they were They were supposed to look like cases of 24, but they were really only greeted one morning with a long line of samples to taste — from the big facades. In the outtakes, Snyder said players from the Junior B team brands to special labels. would sometimes crash into the boxes, and they flattened like big cardboard whoopee cushions. “We were so drunk we had to call the studio and tell them to send a car with two people,” Snyder said with a laugh. “One to take us back to the The uniforms were a challenge, too. They were all made by hand, and hotel, and the other one to take the car that we drove.” they were delicate. There were crates of spare parts on set, and two crew members basically became full-time mechanics. When a piece of Beer is a star of the movie they created, but another slice of Canadian equipment needed repairs, filming would have to shift to a close-up life plays a key supporting role: Hockey. somewhere else until everything was fixed. The game factors into wardrobe decisions and set design. When Bob “It was cold,” Snyder said with a laugh. “The entire crew had to have and Doug film their own movie-within-a-movie — a post-apocalyptic cold-weather gear — which most people on the crew had, except for the science-fiction parody — Bob wears a hockey helmet and a jock (outside Yanks. They got gear for us, so we wouldn’t freeze to death.” his pants). A side window in their beat-up van is covered with NHL stickers. A framed portrait of Paul Henderson scoring the winning goal in Snyder said there had been discussion of another Canadian joining the the 1972 Summit Series hangs in the family’s kitchen. production, at one point. And in the middle of it all, the movie features what is almost certainly the “Wayne Gretzky was going to be in the movie, but he couldn’t because of most bizarre scrimmage that has ever been captured on film. his schedule,” he said. “I remember that well.” Bob and Doug try to get a free case of beer. They slip a live mouse into Gretzky wanted to be in the movie, Snyder heard, “because it was Bob an empty beer bottle and take it into the store, demanding compensation. and Doug.” When that fails, they wind up at the brewery, where they fall into jobs as beer inspectors on the production line. Patrick McMahon grew up in Trail, B.C., where he played hockey until work called him away to the United States. He is an acquaintance of TSN It is no regular brewery, though. The facility has been overtaken by an analyst , who is also from Trail, and still follows the game evil brewmeister (the late Max von Sydow) who has placed mind-control closely. McMahon had been working in the entertainment industry for chemicals into the beer in a bid to take over the world. years before he signed on as editor for “Strange Brew.” How does he test his plan? It was the first time he got to go home for work. Hockey. He brought his skates. The brewery is connected to the Royal Canadian Institute for the “I look back on it as the most fun I’ve ever had on a film set,” McMahon Mentally Insane, and the brewmeister has enlisted the patients to help said. “Rick and Dave were at the height of their popularity. They were so roll out his evil plan. He forces them to drink the beer and, once under his famous that if they walked down the street in Toronto, it was like The sway, the patients are split into two hockey teams. Beatles. Their equipment is made of plastic — they look like Stormtroopers from “They were really, really popular. I just loved them.” “Star Wars,” which was released five years earlier — and whenever the players collide, they sound like crumpling beer cans. Their movements “I laughed for four months straight,” said Poster. “There wasn’t a day that are dictated by the notes being played on an organ controlled by one of those guys didn’t have fun and make us laugh. It was just wonderful.” the brewmeister’s accomplices. The studio released the film in August 1983, just as most children were There are no referees. A white puck drops from the ceiling, but it is never preparing to return to school. It delivered a modest return on investment seen again. for the company despite its difficult release date. (“This movie was shot in 3-B,” Bob says in the first few minutes, “three beers and it looks good, “It was supposed to be this psychedelic game where they can control eh?”) them and have them attack based on their various musical cues and things,” Poster said. “It’s a completely farcical idea.” Snyder had worked on “Blade Runner,” and would become art director for “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” a few years later. He made plenty of trips Bob and Doug were enlisted as goaltenders. The rest of the skaters were into Southern Ontario while growing up in Buffalo (“It was my trip to from a Junior B hockey team from the Toronto area. They skated around Europe, basically”), and saw the fan following Bob and Doug developed a local arena made to look like a storage room deep inside the brewery, even before the movie was released. where cases of beer were stacked on wooden pallets and placed around the ice. Before filming began, Snyder said he was part of a fact-finding mission to Oktoberfest, in Kitchener, Ont., with Poster and Moranis. It counted as research to prepare for one of the final scenes in the film, as Bob and Doug (and their dog, Hosehead) try to save the world. They wandered the grounds. They took pictures and made note of what everyone was wearing. “All of a sudden, for fun, Rick decided to put on his toque,” Snyder said. “It was like Beatlemania.” They had to be escorted off the grounds for their own safety. “It was a huge mob scene,” he said with a chuckle. “When they found out someone from Bob and Doug was there, they went crazy.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173183 Websites Last week, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr joined me and Scott Burnside on the “Two-Man Advantage” podcast. I thought he made a telling comment near the end when we asked him whether the level of cooperation we are currently seeing during this crisis between the NHL The Athletic / LeBrun: Once pandemic is over, NHL and NHLPA must and NHLPA could pave the way for something once CBA talks resume. find long-term labour peace “I hope it all impacts it positively. We’ll have to see,” Fehr said Wednesday. “The old joke about labour relations is that you’re in a marriage but you can’t get a divorce and sometimes what that means is By Pierre LeBrun that you can feel free a little bit to fight harder because you know the Mar 31, 2020 other party’s still going to be there when you’re done. On the other hand, when you go through trying and difficult times maybe it can create bonds that weren’t there before.” As was the case with 9/11, sports will act as a healing agent whenever There are all kinds of ideas floating out there in terms of short- and long- we come out of this COVID-19 hell. term solutions, suggestions such as freezing the salary cap for a few years, and the escrow rate, etc. The return of games will indicate a return to normalcy, although the “new normal” out of this will probably be different for the rest of our lives. I asked a number of people on both sides (player agents and team executives) about these ideas (freezing the cap and escrow rate) within But eventually, whenever that is, the games will return. the framework of a long-term CBA extension. The question that nobody can answer is what kind of damage pro sports This response came from another prominent player agent who requested will suffer as a result. anonymity: Let’s stick with the league I cover, the NHL. “There are several key issues to focus on in this analysis,” he began in This was supposed to be a $5 billion year in revenues for the NHL. That’s an email. “One, if we don’t play NHL hockey again this season, we will obviously no longer going to be the case, regardless of season lose approximately $1 billion in HRR and the 14 percent escrow resumption or not. withholding will not be sufficient to get the owners’ share to 50 percent. So that will need to be addressed. At the same time, we have a new CBA What does that number look like the next time the league has a full negotiation underway. What makes the most sense is a solution that season? How much lower will that number be? merges these two realities into a longer-term agreement. What I don’t see is a transition rule coming out of a worst-case cancelled season Sponsorship/advertising will take a major hit. Some NHL teams depend scenario where the players are taking a 30 percent escrow hit to start greatly on that. Many North American ticket buyers will need to make life next season. decisions and going to hockey games may not be affordable for quite a while. And how comfortable will people be in getting back into large “I can envision a new CBA with a six-year term that features a set upper gatherings? limit of $81.5 million with a fixed escrow of 10 percent until the $500 million due to the league is equalized. It may take 2-3 seasons for that The business will suffer for a few years, that’s undeniable. That’s going to money to be returned to the owners, consider it a deferred payment. As a affect both NHL team owners and players, partners in a 50-50 split of trade-off, perhaps the players agree to receive the AAV of a contract hockey-related revenue as part of the current collective bargaining going forward (until the owners are made whole) to avoid front-loaded agreement. cash over cap issues. The players paid 14 percent escrow this season. Normally some of that “It’s in everyone’s interest to maintain stability within the system to would be returned to them once revenue figures were finalized. It’s hard prepare for Seattle’s entry to the NHL and a new U.S. broadcast rights to see how they’ll get any of that back given that they’ve continued to get deal. The goals need to be focused on maximizing revenue streams paid while the season has been paused. They will have easily taken up while giving both sides a way to come out of this in a way that addresses more than their 50 percent share of the pie. their realistic financial viability.” And they’re going to face higher escrow rates next year, perhaps even The idea of flattening out the player contracts makes sense from a point exorbitant rates, based on the lower than expected revenue figures of view of massaging the escrow pain for players. Not to mention the fact coming out of this world health/economic crisis and depending on what it’s something I think the league/owners would have wanted to address in the NHL and NHL Players’ Association decide to do with the salary cap. the next CBA anyway. No more front-loaded deals with big signing bonuses, that the cash payouts year to year mirror the AAV. As some point, and the time has not come yet, the NHL and NHLPA will undertake “transition rules” negotiations, everything from the salary cap Again, we’re just spit-balling here. But these are the types of ideas that to escrow to critical dates in the calendar (free agency, etc) will need to need discussing. be ironed out in a one-off agreement of sorts. This agent’s idea is to freeze the cap at the current $81.5 million, which a What I’m wondering is whether those transition rules discussions actually few other people have also suggested to me. Others will tell you to give it pave the way for something bigger. a small bump up to $84 million to take into account extensions that have already been signed. Others will point to the declining revenues over the In talking to people all over the hockey industry over the past week, next year or two and suggest lowering the current cap number to player agents and team executives, there’s one growing sentiment at something that helps lower the escrow pain for players. least some share and I agree with: The NHL and NHLPA need to find long-term CBA stability out of this to mitigate these turbulent times. The problem of course in lowering the cap too much is that it will cause some cap-challenged teams to be forced into contract buyouts all over “If there is no (season) resumption then yes there will need to be a the place. I mean, if the cap was lowered to $65 million or $70 million for complex negotiation about moving forward,” veteran player agent J.P. example, to reflect lowered HRR, that would be Armageddon for some Barry of CAA Sports said. “The fact that we are currently in the middle of teams. And disappointing for some players who would be jettisoned off CBA extension negotiations is probably fortunate timing. Different options teams they don’t want to leave. could include a possible longer CBA term that would include working with the cap over the next few years to address the escrow situation. I’m All of which is why the NHL and NHLPA, whenever the transition rules optimistic that the current relationship between the parties will result in a discussion occurs, will need to pick a salary-cap number that makes creative solution.” sense for everyone involved. Imagine. Labour peace. For once. Which again leads to the bigger-picture idea of coming up with solutions that are further reaching than just next year. A new long-term CBA could The CBA is set to expire Sept. 15, 2022. There have been on-again, off- help in stabilizing the business through what will be turbulent times in the again CBA extension talks over the past year, on hold now for obvious short term. reasons, but they will resume at some point. The business cannot afford any kind of stoppage in two years. This is a league that had stoppages in Easier said than done, of course, between two parties who have only 1992 (players’ strike), 1994 (owners’ lockout), 2004 (lockout) and 2012 known season interruptions as a way to negotiate new CBAs over the (lockout). past three decades. It cannot happen this time around. But given the real-life crisis in front of all of us, if there was ever surely a time for the NHL and NHLPA to find labour peace, it is now. The business will need stability to build itself back from this damage. Really, they have no choice.

The Athletic LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173184 Websites under pressure and his ability to win pucks, protect pucks, when people come after him and use his strength to be able to do that.”

There are also high hopes for prospect Nick Robertson, who had 55 Sportsnet.ca / How Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is handling hockey's goals in 46 games for the Peterborough Petes when the Ontario Hockey Twilight Zone League season was cancelled earlier this month. Robertson won’t turn 19 until September and is ineligible to play in the American Hockey League next season. That means the five-foot-nine Chris Johnston | @reporterchris winger will either have to suit up for the Leafs or be returned to the OHL. March 31, 2020, 4:25 PM “He’s one of the more focused and hard-working prospects that I’ve seen in my time in hockey. He knows the areas that he needs to continue to work on — he’s got a great read on that,” said Dubas. “I think come TORONTO — Under normal circumstances, Kyle Dubas lives the kind of training camp, we’ll give him every opportunity to potentially make the fast-paced, knowledge-thirsty lifestyle needed to become a NHL general team and put the ball into his court and see what he can do in the fall. manager in your early 30’s. “We hope.” Today? That’s assuming life has returned to something that looks like normal by He’s not so different than you and I. then. The Toronto Maple Leafs GM is finding some levity in the time of COVID- 19 by watching Season 3 of Ozark and finishing up the Homeland series. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 He’s even decided to pick up the kind of book you’d rarely find in his hands: The novel Ohio, by Stephen Markley. “I don’t read much fiction, but I figured to get the mind working a little bit I’d do that,” said Dubas, who typically devours all the relevant non-fiction he can find. It dawned on him over the weekend how unusual it is to be heading into his third straight week at home with wife Shannon and two-and-a-half- year-old son Leo. Consider that among the silver linings to be found amid a global pandemic that’s thrown the future of the NHL season into question and brought life to a standstill. “Once we’re able to find a solution and a vaccine and be able to get this under control … [I don’t know that it’s ever possible] to be able to have this much time in a row with our family,” Dubas said Tuesday on a conference call. What doesn’t seem to be of top concern to the 34-year-old is the fate of the 2019-20 season. File that under big-picture problems he has no control over. Dubas has instead busied himself during the NHL pause by keeping the lines of communication open with Leafs players to make sure they have all the information and resources necessary during this period of self-quarantine that’s now been extended through April 15. He’s also devoted time to helping the scouting and player development departments function as well as possible during a period where no high level of hockey is being played anywhere in the world and the date and location of the 2020 entry draft remains ‘TBD.’ The idea is to be ready to react no matter what happens next. “It’s so hard to know which way we’re going and how we’re going to get there,” said Dubas. This is hockey’s Twilight Zone. Front offices are essentially caught between where they’re going and where they’ve already been. There’s sincere hope at the top levels of the league that we’ll still see a playoffs and Stanley Cup awarded at some point, and yet teams are already entering the pseudo-off-season — with the ability to sign free agents from Europe and the NCAA, plus their own draft picks from prior years. As for the potential resumption of the paused season, Dubas indicated he’s been part of no discussions with the league about what that may look like. He’s aware that the NBA is at least considering the possibility of sequestering teams in one location to limit their exposure to the novel coronavirus and get the playoffs in, but isn’t sure if a similar approach could work for the NHL. “I haven’t really thought about it,” said Dubas. “It hasn’t been anything that’s been discussed with the teams.” The book may already be closed on his 2019-20 Leafs — an up-and- down 36-25-9 outfit when the season was halted on March 12. Dubas has no choice but to cast at least one eye forward to next year. He’s involved in ongoing discussions with a number of European-based free agents, including 25-year-old Russian winger Alexander Barabanov, who has long been coveted by the Leafs. “He’s not tall, but he’s a very strong winger. Tremendous playmaking ability, great skill level in tight,” Dubas said of Barabanov. “But I think that one of the other things we like most about him is his ability to make plays 1173185 Websites like they have ownership in something, you are more prepared to buy in. We felt we made improvements in what we wanted to do there.”

A good example of how his open-door policy paid off came when Mikael Sportsnet.ca / Future of Flames' Geoff Ward undecided, but choice is Backlund suggested after the all-star break that the experiment of him obvious playing on the wing should end. His move back to the middle of the second line made him one of the hottest players in the league, scoring 10 times and adding 11 assists in Eric Francis | @EricFrancis 15 games. March 31, 2020, 4:39 PM His comfort with Ward opened the door for that success. Well-liked and respected by the players, Ward’s experience as a former Stanley Cup winner in Boston gives him credibility. A former coach of the Brad Treliving insists he has yet to make a decision on whether he’ll year and league champion in Germany in the midst of his 13 years of remove the interim tag on Geoff Ward’s coaching title. NHL experience, the former school teacher came a close second to Glen “Not at this point,” the Flames general manager said Tuesday. Gulutzan two coaching hires ago for Treliving. “That’s not to be taken either way. We were in the middle of the last On that note, if for some reason Treliving isn’t convinced Ward is the month of our season and all of sudden it stopped, like running a 100- man moving forward, the GM would be looking to hire the team’s fifth metre dash in an 80-metre gym. That’s certainly an issue that’s got to be coach over the past six years. Not ideal. addressed at some point. I don’t know when it is, but we have to work on Treliving said it himself – this team has long needed stability at the these other files and get clarification on whether the season is coming coaching position. back.” Ward seems perfectly suited to provide just that, with his calm, measured At some point the answer has to be affirmative, giving Ward the luxury of approach. An intelligent, respectful front man whose daily pressers planning his family’s future. include thoughtful, detailed explanations for media and the fans, Ward is Ward deserves as much. the right person for the job. There really is no other choice for Treliving. Those who are quick to suggest the Flames should consider dipping into a deep pool of established winners on the coaching sideline – Peter Sign up for NHL newsletters Laviolette, Bruce Boudreau, Gerard Gallant and Mike Babcock – should be reminded the Flames ownership group has never been interested in Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to paying top dollar for proven coaching commodities. your inbox! Especially given the rising cost of top coaches and the plight of the local Now may not be the time to make such an announcement, given the economy, there’s little chance that philosophy will change. suspended animation the league finds itself in. Ward, who got a bump in pay when thrust into the top job, has one year But make no mistake, it should happen. left on his deal and would come at an extremely affordable price, if If indeed this season is ultimately scrapped due to an extended COVID- extended. 19 battle, clarifying Ward’s status should be one of Treliving’s first orders With pending coaching vacancies in Detroit and his former club in New of business. Jersey, among others, you better believe Ward would sure like to know After all, the numbers don’t lie. what his coaching fate is. When word of Bill Peters’ racial transgressions surfaced on Nov. 25, the “That’s not up to me,” Ward, 58, said in the midst of packing boxes for a Flames sat 26th in the league in points percentage at 12-12-4. move to downsize his family’s Calgary residence. From the time Ward was promoted from associate coach to interim boss, “That’s up to management and the owners, and I’m sure the players will the Flames went 24-15-3 despite a whirlwind of speculation and have some input on that as well. I’m sure Tree will touch base with the uncertainty that hovered over the franchise. players to see if they felt I was effective or not. It’s out of my control. Based on the things that have happened since the coaching change, Ward helped insulate the team and steer the lads through uncharted they’ll have to make a call on how effective we were.” waters with an unthinkable run of seven straight wins, turning an awful start into a hunt for a playoff race. The answer is obvious. He did so with a radically different approach than the one Peters took, by The rationale behind waiting this long to lift the interim tag revolved empowering players to take ownership of the program, gathering their around Treliving’s desire to see how the team would fare down the input and working with them to shape everything from their system and stretch and in the playoffs before being absolutely sure Ward was his guy lines to their schedule. moving forward. The players responded favourably, playing at a .616 clip (8th in the It’s quite likely Treliving won’t have that luxury, meaning he’ll have to go league) that would have landed the club at 101 points over an 82-game with what he’s seen so far, which has been exemplary. schedule. Treliving said it’s not like he’s been evaluating Ward on a daily basis, but In that time, the team’s offence went from 30th (2.37 goals per game) to just hasn’t taken time to stand back and evaluate the big picture — as 10th (3.26). he’ll do whenever the season ends. Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey At that point, it will become abundantly clear there’s only one move to world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what make: erase the word interim and ensure Ward is locked up in Calgary. they think about it. They tightened up defensively and saw their power play go from 22nd in Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 their first 27 games, to third over the balance of the year, connecting at a 25.2 per cent rate. The work of Martin Gelinas and the addition of Ray Edwards had lots to do with the power play’s resurgence, as the coaching staff found better ways to get more from a previously underachieving group. “We just really tried to foster an environment where there was a lot of communication from the players and all the staff,” Ward said of an approach that has helped the Flames land third in the Pacific division right now. “We wanted to see if we could empower our guys a little bit more, so we got some more accountability and commitment. We believe if people feel 1173186 Websites JovoCop just seemed tailored to big games, able to deliver a physical wallop while getting up the ice and backing down from no one — kind of like Kevin Bieksa, only bigger and faster. Reinhart was a tough choice, not because he wasn’t worthy, but played only two seasons with the Sportsnet.ca / Canucks all-time Dream Team for Game 7 of Stanley Cup Canucks at the end of his career. But until Quinn Hughes came along, he Final was the best power-play quarterback the team ever had. (Hughes might make this team next year, but we need to see a Game 1 first).

Third pairing: Willie Mitchell and Alex Edler Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet As with the third line, these players should actually be higher on the March 31, 2020, 4:39 PM depth chart, but we’re not leaving out a samurai-like Mitchell in a winner- take-all Game 7 (if only the Canucks had him in 2011). And Edler is simply one of the best all-around defencemen in franchise history, and VANCOUVER – Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Who you going to elevates physically at playoff time. call? Goalies The Ghostbusters won’t help. We’re looking for the greatest players in franchise history for the ultimate Game 7, a clutch Dream Team. Starter: Roberto Luongo So with everything on the line for the Canucks, who are you going to Backup: Kirk McLean call? Luongo was among the culpable in the 2011 Final when he bombed with But before you take the most talented 12 forwards and top six the most ill-timed attempt at humour in recent memory, but is still the best defencemen from the last five decades, my boss says the idea is to goalie the Canucks have had and delivered some of his best choose by role – so talent up the lineup, gritty players at the bottom of it. performances under pressure (see Team Canada in 2010). McLean Yes, Canada made the same mistake at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano. could easily start, too, and made the biggest playoff save in franchise history before Bure beat the Calgary Flames in Game 7 OT in 1994. The boss is also far away in Toronto, and I noticed colleague Luke Fox stacked the Maple Leafs — Frank Mahovlich on the third line, Doug Healthy scratches Gilmour and Wendel Clark on the fourth — so we’re going to bend the Greg Adams, Geoff Courtnall, Bieksa rules just slightly. Besides, you know how long NHL fans on West Coast have been waiting for a Stanley Cup? Not as long as people in Southern Coaching staff Ontario. Ba-da-bing. Head coach: Alain Vigneault For the record, the Canucks are 6-5 all-time in Game 7s. Alas, two of those losses were for the Stanley Cup. But none of those Vancouver Assistant coaches: Pat Quinn, Roger Neilson teams were as good as this one. Forwards Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 First line: Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Trevor Linden We thought it sensible to begin with the best left-winger, best centre and second-best right-winger in franchise history. No Canuck has played as many playoff games as Linden (118), and in his prime he’s a great fit with the Sedins because someone has to stay third-man high, and that isn’t going to be Pavel Bure. Linden will win and recover pucks so Daniel and Henrik can perform their Sedinery as the Canucks’ greatest players. Second line: Markus Naslund, Thomas Gradin, Pavel Bure Even as the sixth-leading scorer all-time, Gradin remains underappreciated for how good he was at both ends of the ice in the late 1970s and early ’80s. He’ll get pucks to Naslund and Bure, who is free to blow past opposition defencemen and make Mike Vernon look silly. Naslund can finish and make plays, and his ability to skate on both wings gives him a top-six spot on this dream team. Third line: Todd Bertuzzi, Ryan Kesler, Stan Smyl Here is where we take some artistic licence because these guys all played higher in the lineup. But imagine the pain and misery of going against these three. Kesler is a big-game player and one of the National Hockey League’s greatest shutdown centres of the last 20 years. And no defenceman ever looked forward to retrieving a dump-in when Smyl or Bertuzzi was coming at him. You’d rather sleep shirtless on an anthill during mosquito season than play against this line. Fourth line: Alex Burrows, Manny Malhotra, Jannik Hansen We could have Don Lever, Elias Pettersson and Tony Tanti here, but we’re adhering to the rules and going with three guys whose skillsets made them elite role players. Burrows and Hansen are two of the most relentless workers in team history. Neither took a shift off, and Malhotra was a smart, experienced leader who could dominate on faceoffs, kill penalties and match up against anyone — the perfect fourth-line centre. Defence First pairing: Mattias Ohlund and Jyrki Lumme We love this combination of workhorses — big, mobile and skilled defenders who always troubled the opposition. Ohlund was a formidable warrior who handled the puck and punished the other teams’ forwards physically, while Lumme could dance around opponents, run a power play and skate all over the ice. Second pairing: Ed Jovanovski and Paul Reinhart 1173187 Websites near the top of the Pacific. Give them credit: This is a pretty good team with one of the best cores in the league.

“I think Ken put it best when he said, ‘We want to be playing meaningful Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' Tippett laments team's lost progress amid season games in March,’” Tippett said of Holland’s introductory press conference pause last May. “My expectations were high coming in. When you have players like McDavid, Draisaitl, (Oscar) Klefbom, Nuge (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins), you’ve got good, core players and you should be able to find a way to earn a playoff spot. Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec “I liked the way our team continued to kind of trend up even after we had March 31, 2020, 5:45 PM some down times. We found ways to rebound and found ways to grab it and when you go through some of that adversity, it helps you moving forward. I like where we are.” EDMONTON — The Oilers haven’t experienced a lot of post-seasons the past 15 years, but you can’t deny that they’ve built a pretty good team up It’s been as positive a season here in Edmonton as we’ve seen in a here for the 2019-20 season. Fast, exciting, tons of promise. while, when you consider that this was about to be just their second playoff appearance in 14 seasons. So to finally have a team that is poised to make the playoffs and possibly even win a round or two, and then to lose out on that due to COVID-19 They’ve had some adversity, these fans. And just when think the sun is — while realizing where NHL hockey slots into the world order right now starting to shine? — it stings up here in the province that spring forgot. They wake up to 10 centimetres of snow. “You get to those (regular season) games where the intensity level is there, the pressure to win is there and those are all things you put in that memory bank,” began Oilers head coach Dave Tippett. “Then you get to Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 a playoff series, and you have one opponent. You’ve got to make adjustments — not just in-game but game-to-game. You have ways of finding advantages over a team when you’re playing them night after night, and those are things that are different from your regular NHL schedule. “You get into that playoff series and you’ve got to find ways to win, and sometimes those ways are different every night.” Tippett was speaking over Zoom from his place in sunny Arizona, to a group of media in Edmonton, where it was minus-10 Celsius with a fresh 8-10 centimetres of snow on the ground. Tuesday night was supposed to be Game 81 of the Oilers’ season — a head-to-head matchup here between Edmonton and the Vegas Golden Knights. It could have been a Round 2 preview, with Edmonton trailing Vegas by six points with 11 games to play. Then on Saturday, the Oilers would travel to Calgary for a Hockey Night in Canada game that — had the standings held — would have been the first of a possible eight in a row against the Flames. How awesome would these two games, followed by a Battle of Alberta in Round 1, have been? And how valuable would it be for guys like McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ethan Bear, Kailer Yamamoto and the rest of a team that finally looks like it could be a Cup contender for some time to come? “Those are experiences that players go through, especially young players, that they can put in the memory bank,” Tippett said. “As you continue to go through those scenarios, you build up more of that knowledge about what it takes to win in those scenarios. “I’ve talked to a bunch of people over the last few weeks. St. Louis went through it a bunch of times and then finally it just clicked in and now they are a very confident group. They think if they come back, they have a chance to compete for a second Cup because they have that knowledge in place, that they’ve gone through. Those are things that teams need to learn, not just our team. “There have been teams over the history of the league that they go through those experiences and then they break through. We’d like to have some those experiences. Hopefully we get our kick at the cat to break through.” It’s ironic that an organization that has self-destructed like this one — hiring and firing coaches and general managers like the Cleveland Browns for the past 15 years — finally rights its ship just in time for a historic pandemic. “It’s frustrating for me,” Tippett added on the radio show Oilers Now on Monday. “You’re hoping to get that experience of having that game where you clinch a playoff spot. Having that ability to prepare for a hard playoff opponent. All those little lessons that you learned from a team standpoint. It’s really frustrating that you’re going to miss some of those lessons, possibly. “We felt like we made some really good strides this year, but those are lessons that you’d really like to learn.” As a pundit who did not pick the Oilers to make the playoffs in their first season under Tippett and GM Ken Holland, it turns out that each of them pushed the right buttons here to produce a team that spent the season 1173188 Websites "There are players that we’re interested in and we’re competing with many other teams to try to gain recruitment. And our hope is that the ability of the players that have come over from Europe since Jim been with us to quickly transition to pro hockey in North America will be a big Sportsnet.ca / Why Maple Leafs are competing for free agent Alexander help for us." Barabanov

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox March 31, 2020, 3:26 PM

The Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to secure themselves an Ilya Mikheyev 2.0. Alexander Barabanov is a skilled, undrafted winger out of the Kontinental Hockey League who had contributed three points for contender SKA St. Petersburg’s playoff run before the KHL’s post-season and his contractual obligations to the Russian league came to a screeching halt just four games into the playoffs. As a free agent with multiple pursuers on this side of the pond (John Chayka’s Arizona Coyotes are reportedly interested as well), Barabanov is open to leaving his hometown of St. Petersburg and joining the NHL in 2020-21. He has become a target of Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas, and the executive is rapidly gaining a reputation for luring inexpensive, overlooked UFAs out of Europe. "Alex is a player that we’ve scouted and watched. He, along with many others over there, we’re certainly interested in," Dubas confirmed over a phone conference Tuesday. "We’ll continue to pursue him as best we can." The 25-year-old Barabanov has been slipping through defenders the way he slipped right through the 2012 draft. He is a serial winner who has hoisted two Gagarin Cups with SKA (2015, 2017), captured 2018 Winter Games gold with the Olympic Athletes of Russia, and has three bronze medals with the Russian national team (2014 world juniors, 2017 and 2019 world championships). Barabanov scored 27 goals and put up 66 points over his past two seasons with SKA (101 games played) and projects to a third-line NHLer. He also fits the Dubas mold in that he’s not exactly the largest body on the ice (five-foot-10, 191 pounds) but makes up for his slight build in oversized skill and determination. His highlights are GIF-worthy. "He’s a very strong winger. Tremendous play-making ability, skill level in tight. But one of the other things that we like most about him is his ability to make plays under pressure and his ability to win pucks, protect pucks when people come after him, and [he] uses his strength to be able to do that," Dubas said. "So, he’s a play-making winger that also has the ability to finish at the net." The Maple Leafs’ star-heavy salary-cap structure is such that they depend on filling in their depth positions with emerging players on entry- level contracts or free-agent gems like 2019-20 Russian rookie Mikheyev, who turned heads and earned his teammates’ respect with 23- point showing in 39 games. Toronto’s senior director of player evaluations, Jim Paliafito, takes the lead in recruiting European pros and college players. Dubas is quick to shift all the credit to Paliafito, who has also secured the services of free agents Nikita Zaitsev, Calle Rosen, Igor Ozhiganov and Par Lindholm in recent years. All but Ozhiganov are still on NHL rosters. "He’s got a great read early on, on who the players are that we’re probably going to look after. He does a great job communicating back to the organization and to our player personnel department, and have a look at the players, whether it’s live or break down their video, and then he’s able to begin having conversations with them and their agents during the year to kind of get a handle on it," Dubas explained from home quarantine. The sudden cancellation of the KHL season and scouting trips over the Atlantic, Dubas figures, has not hindered the club’s ability to evaluate foreign talent. "We’ve had to change some of the recruiting side of it and move into a virtual format or FaceTime or Zoom meeting or what have you. But because of the job that Jim does, we’ve already gotten relationships there. So, it’s not trying to meet somebody over the phone or meet somebody over a virtual setting; you’ve already got a bit of a relationship there," Dubas said. 1173189 Websites If you want a sense for how in-tune Madigan is with his players, off the top of his head he precisely notes he played Harris an average of 27:07 per game this past season. Sportsnet.ca / Five intriguing Canadiens prospects: Struble, Harris 'will That’s a lot for any player, let alone a sophomore, but Madigan felt the be good NHL players' five-foot-11, 185-pounder took so many strides forward between seasons that it only made sense to rely on him as much.

"The tangible jump, I would say, was that there was so much more poise Eric Engels | @EricEngels and patience to his game," he said. "As a freshman, he played a lot of minutes for us. He was 20 minutes a game as a freshman. But he’s come March 31, 2020, 2:06 PM back as a sophomore knowing he was going to play a lot more, and he knew how to manage the game and situations better. So, he incorporated more patience to his game — knowing when to carry the puck, when to There are few people more qualified to know whether or not a college support the rush versus lead the rush. His overall disposition on the ice prospect has an NHL future than Jim Madigan. and his overall patience and game management improved very much from his freshman to his sophomore year. And if you were evaluating him So when the 58-year-old coach of Northeastern University says that as a freshman, you’d know he was very good. But with another year Jordan Harris and Jayden Struble are no-doubters, he’s got my undivided under his belt, more was expected of him and he rose to those attention. expectations." Not that he had trouble capturing it throughout the entirety of a 35-minute If Harris did — with three goals and 21 points in 33 games after putting conversation last Friday. Madigan, a native Montrealer who’s been a part up 13 points in 39 games as a freshman — it had much to do with his of Northeastern’s hockey program since 1981 and its head coach since natural ability as a skater. 2011, is one of the most insightful and charismatic interviews I’ve had in 13 years of covering hockey. "He’s got elite feet," Madigan repeats on multiple occasions throughout our conversation. He’s the ultimate student of the game — having been around it his whole life and having built enduring friendships with some of its most influential His fixation on Struble’s inherited qualities comes as no surprise. people — and he colours conversation with the accent of an adopted New Englander, with his quips landing like Chris Nilan’s right crosses, The boisterous freshman went to the 2019 combine and shredded every each one of them knocking you back. test he submitted to — finishing first among all prospects in the Wingate test (a sprint on the bike to measure anaerobic fitness), first in the bench- Madigan’s zest for his work, and his devotion to his players, comes press test, first in the grip-strength test, and first in the standing long- through with every word he speaks. Even with hundreds of miles jump test. separating us, it’s palpable. "Struble, physically, is a specimen," Madigan says. "He’s six-foot-and-a- Take this bit about former Northeastern goaltender and current top half, he’s 200 pounds, and he’s chiseled. And he’s physically mean. He prospect of the Montreal Canadiens Cayden Primeau for example: "More has an edge to his game that you don’t see players have now. He than anything, we were just pleased and proud and happy for him. The doesn’t mind being a prick, and he’ll back it up. two games he played in the NHL this season… the game he won at the Bell Centre we all watched live and we couldn’t have been happier for "I don’t want him to get in a fight with (Washington Capitals heavyweight) him. It was like watching your own child, you know." Tom Wilson, but he’ll fight. He’s going to be challenged with the way he plays and he knows it. He’ll have to learn how to be a good fighter, but Madigan said this with tangible feeling, and in spite of the fact that he he’s a tough kid who has a blend of offence and defence. He’s not as wasn’t initially a proponent of the former seventh-round pick in 2017 good as Jordan Harris defensively, and that’s where he needs work, but leaving Northeastern to sign with the Canadiens after his second season. he’s got a tremendous stick." "I thought he was young and goaltenders mature at a later age, and the About that last part, Madigan sneers at the oft-shared perception that Montreal situation was with Carey Price still having seven or eight years Struble’s defensive game and his raw abilities can’t be moulded. left on a pretty big deal," he explained. "So I thought he could still get better and improve in college." "I know last year, going into the draft, you heard things like, ‘He takes stupid penalties, he’s unstructured in a negative way, and hockey sense But then there’s this: "Saying that, I was thrilled when he made his is questionable, and is he coachable?’" he said. "He’s more than decision," Madigan said. "Because he wants to be a pro, and he’s got coachable. those bloodlines from his dad. He’s an awesome kid, he works hard, and we knew he was going to have success. It wasn’t because we didn’t think "Did we have to be mindful of him not being able to control his emotions? that. He’s had success at every stage, at every level. This year was the Yeah, no doubt. I think we had one situation this year where he couldn’t same going up another level. control his emotions. Did he get a couple of over-aggressive penalties or a couple of careless stick penalties? Yeah. "We knew he’d have that success." "But is he coachable? (Expletive) yeah! He’s very coachable." A lot of people weren’t sure, but Madigan and his associates were. It’s that same conviction that drives his comments about Harris and Struble, Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey a pair of New England kids who both man the left side of Northeastern’s world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what blue line. they think about it. The former is a third-round pick of the Canadiens in 2018, and the latter Madigan lauds Struble’s commitment to his teammates. He says the a 2019 second-round selection Montreal assistant general manager players love him, and that his willingness to stand up for them is a Trevor Timmins described as "a natural athlete, and a hockey player." "calling card of his." Both Harris and Struble have committed to the D1 program for next And then there’s this key piece that the coach feels will enable Struble to season, and both are looking to take huge strides forward in their play over 20 minutes a game as a sophomore this season, and allow him development. to inevitably graduate to the NHL. Madigan estimates Harris will soon arrive on the NHL scene and "We’re going to work on structure with him. We’ve already done a lot of eventually develop into a top-four defenceman — certainly on the basis work on it," Madigan says. "That just means he needs to have more of his sound defence and his fluidity, but also on the strength of his patience to his game. That’s just learning how to defend at the college character. level when he was coming from prep school, where he was just physically more mature and stronger than anyone and could just bully "High-end character," Madigan says. "He just does all the right things. them off the puck and he didn’t have any structure to his game. That’s He’s a mature kid. He’s a serious kid. He’s a focused kid. He’s a very what we worked on a lot with him this year. quiet kid. There’s a confidence to him. There’s humility to him. He’s not a kid who’s ever going to have diarrhea of the mouth, because that’s not "Is there a ways to go for him still? Yeah. He only played 21 games this him. He’s not going to be up there yelling and screaming. year because of his injury. And he had an injury coming into this season because he got hurt in Canadiens development camp. And then he had a "But he is so driven to be good. He works at his game on and off the ice. high-ankle sprain here in the 24th game, against Maine. He’s got tremendous character. He comes from a father that played the game as a goaltender at the collegiate level, so he’s been around hockey "But he’s come a long way here with structure and with patience. Those a long time, and Jordan is just a delight and a joy to coach." are two things he’s going to have to continue working on and he knows it. We’ve talked to him about it and he’s open to it. He’s open to getting better, and he wants it. He wants to be a hockey player." Will Struble, who produced three goals and 10 points in 21 games this season, be one at the highest level? "Without a doubt," says Madigan. "Both he and Jordan Harris will be good NHL players." Three other prospects of interest for the Canadiens Cole Caufield, NCAA, Wisconsin Badgers, RW GP: 36 | G: 19 | A: 17 | P: 36 The 15th overall pick in 2019 is headed back to Wisconsin for a second season, but that’s not to suggest he had anything short of a remarkable freshman year. Caufield’s numbers speak for themselves, and now is the time for him to round out his game and continue adding strength and muscle to his five- foot-seven, 162-pound frame. Alexander Romanov, KHL, CSKA Moscow, D GP: 43 | G: 0 I A: 7 | P:7 The 20-year-old is all but surely leaving the KHL for the NHL this spring, and the sense is that he’ll be given a job to lose come 2020-21 training camp. The Canadiens know they aren’t getting high-octane offence from the 38th overall pick in 2018, but they’re excited about the poise, the physicality and the hockey sense Romanov has exuded in two seasons with the Russian league’s best hockey team. Mattias Norlinder, SWE-1 Allsvenskan, Modo, D GP: 34 | G: 7 | A:11 | P:18 It was an eye-popping season for the left-handed defenceman who was drafted 64th overall by the Canadiens in 2019. As a result, he was named the top junior in Sweden’s second-tier pro league — an honour once bestowed upon NHL stars William Karlsson and Filip Forsberg.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173190 Websites Perhaps one reason we were all a little slow to catch on to Kubalik’s talent this season was the standout performance of Buffalo Sabres winger — and fellow seventh-round pick — Victor Olofsson out of the gates. The Swedish winger put up a remarkable six goals in his first Sportsnet.ca / Calder Trophy Tier List: Hughes vs. Makar too close to call seven games this year and though his pace was slowed by injury and a team dip in the standings, he’s currently sitting third in goals and points on the club, with his 11 power-play goals tying him for the team lead with Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler captain Jack Eichel in that category. March 31, 2020, 11:26 AM Had Adam Fox’s rookie season not been shared with defencemen Makar and Hughes, the Rangers rookie would likely have gotten a much bigger spotlight. The 22-year-old rearguard out of Harvard has been the team’s best defender most nights, and his production (8 goals, 34 assists, 42 Hockey fans have been lucky to witness some strong performances from points — tallied while average almost two points less than his western the sport’s newest members this season, with a pair of defenders leading peers) from the blue line all season has made Rangers GM Jeff Gorton the way all year. look like a genius for trading two second-round picks to Carolina to land With so much up in the air with the NHL’s current season suspension, we him last April. take a look back at the best rookie performances of 2019-20 as it stands The Long Shots now, and how their performances stack up among their peers in determining who should take home the as the John Marino, Martin Necas top rookie of the year. Though his game doesn’t have the flash of his fellow rookie rearguards, It’s been a two-horse race all season, and that’s where we’ll start. John Marino has been a steady, reliable presence on Pittsburgh’s blue line all season — all for the low price of a conditional sixth-round pick (to The Favourites Edmonton). Marino’s 20 assists and 26 points this year won’t top any Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes lists, but his mobility and elite puck-moving should have Penguins fans excited for what’s to come. No surprises here. The two rearguards have been leading the race all year, with Makar the frontrunner through most of the season. The 21- Martin Necas has been steadily earning the trust of his coaching staff all year-old Calgary native and Colorado’s fourth overall draft pick in 2017 season after a few trial runs in years past. His fast-paced game makes has been the favourite to land the award since before 2019-20 even him a perfect fit for the Hurricanes’ core, and his 16 goals rank him third started, thanks to his strong debut showing in the post-season for the among teammates while sitting fourth among the league’s rookies is a Avalanche last spring, and his elite performance all year has only strong sign of what’s to come. bolstered his case. Makar’s 50 points through 57 games is a single- season franchise record for most points from a rookie rearguard, and places him second behind just Nathan MacKinnon for most points this Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 year. The Avalanche have been bitten by the injury bug on several occasions this season, and while Makar, too, has missed 13 games, his play all year is a major reason why the club with hopes of contending sits second in the Central at the time of the league’s suspension. While Makar has led the way, Hughes has looked like the wire-to-wire runner-up. Not anymore. The Canucks might just find themselves with a Calder winner for the second straight year, as Hughes has continued to heat up over the course of 2019-20 and down the stretch. The 20-year- old was leading all rookies in assists (45), points (53) and power-play points (25) through 68 games before the league halted play, thanks in large part to a red-hot February that saw him tally 15 points in 13 February contests. He’s third in assists among defenders league-wide, and fourth in points. He stepped into a leading role on a surprising Canucks team that’s poised for big things soon, driving play from the blue line like a veteran and averaging big-time minutes: 21:53 per game, second behind just Alex Edler’s mark (22:37). It won’t be long before Makar and Hughes will be Norris finalists, too. Had A Shot Mackenzie Blackwood, Dominik Kubalik, Victor Olofsson, Adam Fox While much of the focus has been on the blue line in this year’s rookie class, a handful of first-year netminders have put up strong performances. Stick taps to Washington’s Ilya Samsonov, Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko, and Columbus’s Elvis Merzlikins for giving the league a glimpse of the bright future in many teams’ creases, but the best goalie in this year’s rookie class is Mackenzie Blackwood. New Jersey’s season didn’t exactly unfold as planned, but disappointed Devils fans can take solace in the silver lining that is the 23-year-old goalie. He took over the crease in less-than ideal circumstances and still came out with a winning record (22-14-8) on a team that has won just 28 games this year, and is a crucial building block as they restart their rebuild — one that also prominently features No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes. Chicago’s Dominik Kubalik has been quietly preparing his application for Calder finalist, too. The Blackhawks’ secret weapon leads all rookies in goals (30) and sits third in points (46) behind Hughes and Makar. Kubalik, who joined the Blackhawks in January 2019 when the club sent a fifth-round pick L.A.’s way in exchange for the seventh-rounder from 2013, will be an interesting case to watch when it comes to his next contract. At 24, he signed a one-year entry-level deal with Chicago before making the opening night roster and proving he belongs in the big leagues after spending last season in the Swiss league. 1173191 Websites Perhaps the most impressive voting result that shows the power of McDavid in the hockey landscape can be found in a category in which McDavid didn’t win, but rather placed fourth. But considering who’s in front of him, it’s pretty much as good as first. Sportsnet.ca / NHLPA player poll takeaways: Crosby-McDavid debate alive and well Players were asked “Of all players, past or present, who would you pay to see play?” The top three are canonized in hockey lore: Wayne Gretzky, unsurprisingly, got the most votes, with 32.8 per cent of players wishing they could watch The Great One in action; Bobby Orr was Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler second (15.4 per cent) followed by Mario Lemieux (9.5). March 31, 2020, 11:26 AM Eight per cent (that’s 38 votes) of today’s NHLers said they’d pay to watch McDavid play — the only current player to rank on the list. To sit fourth behind those three, as voted by your peers, has to feel pretty cool. The NHLPA released the results of its annual players’ poll on Tuesday, giving everyone a glimpse into the minds of those who play the game. 7. Brad Marchand is, fittingly, both loved and hated (but mostly loved) In total, 588 players participated anonymously in the 2019-20 edition. The Bruins pest, who has made an art form out of getting under (Not everyone chose to answer each question.) opponents’ skin, took home two awards that kind of hammer home his polarizing presence on the ice. Marchand earned the most votes for Questions ranged from skills to social media, friendships to mascots. being both the best trash talker (25.7 per cent of votes) and the worst Here are 10 takeaways from the poll results. trash-talker (11). Drew Doughty wasn’t far behind him, ranking in second place in both categories. 1. The game could get more fashion-forward 8. These guys love love As we see more players bring a little more personality into their game- day wardrobes, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to see that 73 per cent of Ask anyone who’s played, and he’ll tell you it’s the bonds formed in at the players would “be in favour of relaxing game-day dress code, similar to rink that make this game so special. There wasn’t a clear winner in the the NBA.” “best bromance/friendship in the league” category — probably because everyone was just voting for his own buddy. The bond between David Players were also asked about which way they’d like to “see players Perron and Ryan O’Reilly on the Blues was voted best bromance (6.5 showcase their personalities on the ice,” to which 43.6 per cent said per cent) with /Brent Burns, Auston Matthews/Mitch Marner, skates would be a good vehicle to do so. However, just 53 per cent of Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin, and Brad Marchand/Patrice Bergeron all players voted for more on-ice expression while 47 per cent voted against getting between three and five per cent of votes, as well as this it. suspicious entry: … somehow, Matthew Tkachuk and Drew Doughty also 2. Poulin earns top spot among women, but it’s close made its way into that vote… hm. When asked who is the best women’s hockey player in the world, 40 per 9. Players want more Crosby cent of voters said Team Canada captain (and all-time clutch golden goal Sidney Crosby isn’t on social media, but 26 per cent of his peers say he scorer) Marie-Philip Poulin is worthy of the top spot. should be. (Joe Thornton is second place here, and we have to agree But it’s a close race — Team USA power forward Hilary Knight is right with that one. More beard pics!) behind her with 36.3 per cent of votes (just 18 ballots back of Poulin). Of the players who are online, 13.7 per cent said P.K. Subban is the best U.S. captain and NHL All-Star Kendall Coyne Schofield ranks third (15.6 follow. Alex Ovechkin gets a second-place nod here. per cent), while another name, Team USA’s Emily Matheson, emerged in fourth place as a write-in candidate— seven players wrote her name on 10. Gritty is king of the creatures the ballot. When it comes to the best mascot in the game, there’s really no contest Looking at these results, it’s no surprise the women’s Canada-USA — the Philadelphia Flyers have the best one by a landslide. rivalry is the best in the game today. Gritty got 69.5 per cent of votes, miles ahead of Nashville’s Gnash and 3. Carey Price still on top Arizona’s Howler, who both got 2.8 per cent of votes. The 2019-20 campaign hasn’t been kind to Price, but that hasn’t affected his standing among his voting peers. A majority 41.7 per cent of NHLers said he’s the best goalie in the league, followed by Andrei Vasilevskiy (17 Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 per cent), Marc-Andre Fleury (nine per cent) and Sergei Bobrovsky (5.7). 4. Hedman at the head of his class With so many elite defensemen in the game, the Norris Trophy race is a tight one every year. If it were up to his peers, Victor Hedman would take the award — the Lightning rearguard was voted the league’s best defender by 37.8 per cent of players polled. John Carlson, who hit career highs in goals (15), assists (60) and points (75) through 69 games this season, ranked second with 21.4 per cent of votes. Nashville’s Roman Josi earned nine per cent of votes while Drew Doughty and Brent Burns tied for fourth with 6.6 per cent each. 5. The Crosby vs. McDavid debate is still alive and well Connor McDavid was voted best forward by a landslide, with 68.3 per cent of votes compared to Crosby’s 15 in second place. (Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov were third and fourth, respectively.) Crosby, however, got the edge when it comes to clutch play: 44 per cent of players said he’s the guy (any position) they want on their team “if you need to win one game.” McDavid ranked second in those votes, with 30.6 per cent choosing him in a one-game-wins-all scenario, followed by MacKinnon (4.1 per cent of votes) and Patrice Bergeron (3.3). Crosby is also still considered the NHL’s most complete player, earning almost half the votes in that category. McDavid didn’t rank there (though it’s probably only a matter of time, right?) The other three “most complete” players are perennial Selke Award nominees Bergeron (25.5 per cent of votes), Aleksander Barkov (7.5) and Ryan O’Reilly (5.3). 6. McDavid among the all-time greats 1173192 Websites Hull added another 11 goals in 13 post-season contests but the Blues were eliminated by the North Stars in the second round.

According to Hockey-Reference’s era-adjusted statistics algorithm, Hull’s Sportsnet.ca / Remember When? Brett Hull scores 86th goal in Hart 86-goal campaign is the most impressive season in NHL history from a Trophy season goal-scoring point of view just ahead of Alex Ovechkin’s 65-goal effort in 2007-08.

“I don’t think the numbers do it justice,” Oates said of Hull. “He was just a Mike Johnston | @MikeyJ_MMA fantastic hockey player and we had great chemistry. The year he scored 86 goals, I can’t tell you how good that was.” March 31, 2020, 10:35 AM

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 With nearly every sports organization on the planet on pause at the moment as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, we feel it’s an opportune time to reminisce about some special moments in sports history On this day in 1991, Brett Hull recorded his 86th goal of the season with the St. Louis Blues. It remains the greatest goal-scoring performance in NHL history from a player not named Wayne Gretzky. Hull accomplished the feat in the second period of his team’s regular season finale after taking a stretch pass from defenceman Paul Cavallini and slapping a wobbling puck from the top of the circle between the legs of goalie Brian Hayward who was a good 15 feet out of his net cutting down the angle. The Blues ended up winning the game and finishing the season second in both the Norris Division and Conference. Gretzky’s 92 goals in 1981-82 is the all-time record. The Great One’s 87- goal campaign in 1983-84 ranks second overall and is tops from a goals- per-game standpoint. The night before netting his 86th, Hull had tied Mario Lemieux’s mark of 85 that the Penguins icon hit two years prior. Those three forwards are the only players to ever score more than 80 goals in a single season. There have been 14 instances of a player reaching 70 goals and this trio makes up more than half the list with Gretzky doing it four times, Hull thrice and Lemieux twice. Phil Esposito, Alexander Mogilny, Teemu Selanne, Jarri Kurri and Bernie Nicholls round out the list. Hull was a sixth-round selection of the Calgary Flames but traded to the Blues during his rookie season. Hull scored 41 in his sophomore season in St. Louis before a remarkable three-year stretch during which he potted 228 goals in 231 games en route to earning three consecutive goal titles. Oh and FYI, not one of those 228 goals was an empty-netter. Not. One. Many of Hull’s goals in his early career with the Blues were set up by Adam Oates, one of hockey’s elite playmakers. “To be able to play with a guy that loved to set up a goal as much or more than score a goal, how can you ask for anything more than that?” Hull told NHL.com back in 2012 prior to Oates being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. “He was so smart, so hockey smart, that he saw things in where to go and how to beat guys that I didn’t even fathom — and I thought I knew the game. He saw what everybody was doing, on our team and on their team. It was a treat to play with him.” Hull and Oates (a classic fantasy hockey team name by the way) finished 1990-91 second and third in scoring, respectively, behind none other than Gretzky. Oates had 115 points and his 90 assists were second only to Gretzky’s 122. Astoundingly, Oates did that in a mere 61 games played, while Hull added 45 assists to finish with 131 points and ended up winning the Hart Trophy as well as the Lester B. Pearson Award. Hull finished second to Gretzky in Lady Byng voting with only 22 penalty minutes on the season compared to Gretzky’s 16 PIMs. Hull also had a league-leading 29 power-play goals that year on his team’s top unit alongside Oates. “Adam mastered the power play in the way that nobody else did,” Hull said. “He played down low on his right side and it worked. He’d get one look at the net, the defenceman would have to turn his stick to the net, and that left a perfect lane for him to pass it to me.” The son of Blackhawks and Jets legend Bobby Hull had 26 multi-goal games that year, including four hat-tricks, but never scored more than three in a single game. Hull scored his 50th goal in his 49th game of the season and his best stretch was a one-month run from Jan. 22 to Feb. 23 during which he scored in 13 consecutive games, amassing 22 goals and 37 points as the Blues went 10-3. 1173193 Websites The goal secured Ottawa’s first playoff series win in the modern history of the franchise, a massive upset over the favoured Devils in six games. New Jersey was the top seed in the East with 107 points while the Senators were 8th with 83. Sportsnet.ca / The biggest goals in Senators history: OT magic and Alfredsson's redemption I love this goal for its simplicity and teamwork. With the Devils desperately pressing, watch No. 20, Magnus Arvedson (The ‘Machine’) utterly sacrifice his body along the boards to chip the puck out over the line to Shaun Van Allen. “Vanner” could have shot the puck into the net Wayne Scanlan himself but selflessly passed on a two-on-one over to the defenceman March 31, 2020, 3:30 PM Kravchuk who had an even better look. The building shook with fan- made thunder as Ottawa’s playoff goal song rang out: Blur – Song 2.

Six overtime goals, 2017 playoff run Even for a relatively younger franchise like the Ottawa Senators, there are too many big goals to count. OK, we cheated on this one just because we can. In the entire playoff history of the Senators, they have never had a run of overtime moments So, when the boss suggested a piece on the Five Biggest Goals in quite like 2017 — a franchise best SIX overtime goals in one spring. Senators history, it was rather daunting. Still, it was also the moment I They only have 22 playoff OT goals total. So we are entering those six was glad not to be writing about the Montreal Canadiens five biggest goals as a single entry. Fans will know these by heart: goals. It would be tough enough to narrow down five each from Rocket Richard or Jean Beliveau or Guy Lafleur. Dion Phaneuf, Game 2 OT vs. Boston Bruins, April 15, 2017: A slapper from the point off a Mark Stone pass to beat the Bruins in Game 2 of the And yet a 28-year-old franchise like Ottawa has already been involved in quarterfinal series. Boston had won Game 1, 2-1, so this bounce back 27 Stanley Cup playoff series and scored more than 20 playoff overtime win was massive. goals. This, along with so many big regular season goals. Bobby Ryan, Game 3 OT vs. Boston Bruins, April 17, 2017: Just two It would be easy to come up with a vastly different list. But here we go: nights later, a rejuvenated Bobby Ryan scored a power play beauty, off a brilliant deep pass from Erik Karlsson, then a drop from Ryan to Kyle Steve Duchesne vs. Buffalo Sabres, April 12, 1997 Turris, and back to Ryan for the tip-in and a 2-1 series lead for the After getting the proverbial sand kicked into their faces for four straight Senators. Ryan went on to score six playoff goals in this run, and 15 seasons, the Senators earned some respect off this single, life-giving points in 19 games. goal in Game 82 that launched them into the modern era Stanley Cup Clarke MacArthur, Game 6 OT vs. Boston Bruins, April 23, 2017: This playoffs for the first time. To this day, it gets replayed on air enough that one delivered chills. MacArthur, one of the most beloved Senators, was every fan knows the punch line call of play-by-play man Dave Schreiber, back from a terrible concussion that had robbed him of nearly the entire “Steve Du-du-du-du-du-chesne!! Ottawa leads 1-0!” regular season (he played the last four games). Now he scores the series Late in the third period Alexei Yashin made the play with his terrific work winner in OT, against the Bruins team that had embarrassed MacArthur’s in the Buffalo zone, spinning and finding Duchesne, who sweeps the Toronto Maple Leafs team in 2013, when the Leafs blew a 4-1 lead in puck past Dominik Hasek. The photo of Senators goalie Ron Tugnutt, Game 7. This was MacArthur’s last hurrah as a player. Concussion who tossed the shutout, leaping into the air as the Senators qualified for issues ended his playing career following the 2017 playoff run. their first playoff is an iconic team image. Many of us would say Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Game 2, 2OT vs. New York Rangers, April 29, home rink was never louder than on this night. Although Ottawa went on 2017: The chicken parm game. Pageau, grumbling that he was stuffed to lose a heartbreaker in overtime of Game 7 to this same Sabres team, from two chicken parmesan brunch servings prior to this matinee event, the franchise was an expansion laughingstock no more. went out and scored FOUR goals including the double overtime winner to Daniel Alfredsson Game 5 OT vs. Buffalo Sabres, May 19, 2007 secure a 2-0 series lead over the Rangers. The Canadian Tire Centre erupted at goal No. 4 by No. 44, high to the glove side of Henrik This goal, a simple flick of the Alfie wrist in a one-on-two situation, really Lundqvist as a wild 6-5 game ended and Pageau reinforced his place as packed a punch. Not only did it lift the Senators into their first Stanley a local hero. This same checking centre scored a playoff hat trick against Cup Final, it also redeemed the Senators captain, who had been the Canadiens in 2013. victimized in the 2006 playoffs by these same Sabres, on an overtime goal by Jason Pominville. Side note: Senators colour analyst Gord Wilson will never forget the team reaction to Pageau’s fourth goal — right up there with the celebration of From the moment Alfredsson scored this goal the perception of No. 11 Alfredsson’s OT winner against the Sabres in 2007. was forever changed. He grew into an iconic figure in Ottawa, even though the Senators fell short of their goal in the final against Anaheim. Kyle Turris, Game 5 OT vs. New York Rangers, May 6, 2017: Turris got his own rebound to beat the Rangers in overtime, giving Ottawa a 3-2 A side note: the late Bryan Murray, Ottawa’s head coach at this juncture, series lead. Turris also scored an OT winner vs New York in 2012. Turris, was never sold on Ryan Miller as a big game goalie. “He always gives up the franchise leader in playoff overtime goals with three, scored 12 of his one bad goal,” Murray used to say. Murray said it before and after he let 14 career playoff goals with Ottawa. With the victory, the Senators were in Alfredsson’s goal, low to the glove side. He said it again when Sidney one win away from going to the conference final and five of their first Crosby scored the so-called ‘Golden Goal’ in the 2010 Olympics, low, seven wins were in overtime. five-hole on Miller. Credit where it is due — both those goals came off the sticks of the shooter in a flash, surprising the goalie. Bobby Ryan, Game 1 OT vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, May 13, 2017: By his own admission, Ryan had been through a difficult season in 2016-17. His Neil Brady vs. Montreal Canadiens, Oct. 8, 1992 25 points in 62 games represented the lowest production of his career to that point. But the playoffs were a complete turn of the page, a six-goal, This was where and when it all began, opening night for the rebirth of 15-point spring that was Ryan’s most productive playoff since 2007-08 Ottawa’s NHL franchise. when he was with AHL Portland. This overtime winner — his second of the spring — to open the Eastern Conference Final was a thing of Ottawa Citizen sports editor Graham Parley already had a headline beauty, Ryan out-racing Olli Maata to burst in alone and then fire a sketched out, suitable for the Senators Centurion theme and an expected backhand inside the far post to beat Marc-Andre Fleury. Live by the OT loss to the Habs: ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ As the night wore on, and goal and die by it — the Penguins won the series with a double-overtime it became clear the Senators were going to stun the mighty Canadiens goal by Chris Kunitz in Game 7. (5-3 final), Parley, changing on the fly, altered his headline: ‘Maybe Rome was built in a day.’ Honorable Mentions Brady’s goal was a worthy entry into history, a power play tap-in following Any of several more could crack the Top Five. Sadly, three of the a series of passes in the Habs zone. I love the roar of the crowd here, following culminated in series defeats. impressive considering capacity in the tiny Civic Centre was just 10,449. They were loud and proud of their brand new team. Matt Carkner, Game 5 3OT vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, April 22, 2010: Ottawa reporters at Mellon Arena were working the overtime from down Igor Kravchuk vs. New Jersey Devils, May 2, 1998 in the press workroom, off a delayed TV broadcast and could hear the collective groan through the building, several seconds before we saw the Call me crazy for including an empty-net goal in the top five. This one is actual goal. worth it even just for Dean Brown’s memorable call in the broadcast booth of the Corel Centre in Ottawa: “Igor Kravchuk! — empty netter! — Chris Phillips, Game 6 OT vs. the New Jersey Devils, May 21, 2003: This drives the nail through the Devils’ heart!!” glorious goal, with the usually defensive-minded Phillips driving to the net to clean up after a Marian Hossa rush, should have meant more in the end. But the Senators couldn’t close the deal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final on home ice and the Devils went on to win the Cup over the Ducks. Kyle Turris, Game 4 OT vs. Montreal Canadiens, May 7, 2013: After good old Cory Conacher scored late to force extra time, Turris scored the game winner with a floating screen shot through Peter Budaj. Mike Fisher, Game 6 OT vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, April 18, 2004: This monstrous win on home ice motivated new Senators owner Eugene Melnyk to declare: “We’re gonna kill ‘em” (in Game 7). Alas, Patrick Lalime had a tough night and Ottawa lost Game 7 in Toronto 4-1. Two days later Jacques Martin was fired as head coach. Dany Heatley vs. New York Rangers, April 18, 2006: With a little over six minutes left in Game 82 of the regular season, Heatley scored goal No. 50 on the season, on the power play. It was the first time a Senators player had scored 50 in a campaign and Heatley repeated the feat the next season.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173194 Websites relationship [with her] so she's a great resource as well. I'm not qualified to give any insights on these things, but Hayley and Dr. Forman do have those qualifications as well as some of the infectious disease experts that the league and MLSE have provided for us. So, it's just trying to keep TSN.CA / Dubas on Robertson’s role, recruiting Barabanov and a silver everyone as educated as possible and support them.” lining to season pause 5. SILVER LINING

Dubas noted that the season pause has allowed him to spend more Mark Masters continuous time with his wife and young son, which is a rarity considering how busy the hockey world can be.

"I don't know if it would be possible for me, and probably for a lot of you For the first time since the NHL season was paused on March 12 due to and others, to have this much time in a row with our families. So, our little the COVID-19 pandemic, Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas held guy is two and a half years old and at a great age for developing his a media session on Tuesday. personality and it has been a lot of fun on that front. So, trying to take Here are five takeaways from the conference call with reporters. advantage of all the time I have with he and Shannon has been one of the silver linings, a big-time silver lining, to this entire situation." 1. ROBERTSON'S CHANCE Dubas has also always enjoyed catching up on some television shows as After scoring 55 goals in 46 games with the Peterborough Petes, winger a way to unwind. Nick Robertson will get every opportunity to crack the Leafs roster. "We're watching Ozark, the new season of Ozark. It's been outstanding, "Nick's had a great season right from the draft on. He had an excellent and then the final season of Homeland, and it's been unbelievable, in my World Junior summer selection camp in Plymouth, and that set him up for opinion, (but) I'm not a television expert by any means. And then Curb the season. He was really strong for us at the rookie tournament in Your Enthusiasm and The Office always make their way in. And I'm Traverse City and carried that through training camp. I think, looking back actually reading a fiction book. I don't read much fiction, but I figured to and reflecting on it, we probably should've given him more of a look in get the mind working a little bit I'd do that. It's a book called, Ohio by training camp and probably rewarded him with an exhibition game or two Stephen Markley.” to see how he did there. But he went back to Peterborough and had a great attitude and he was an excellent player for them right away. The Leafs have announced that a series of conference calls with players and staff will take place in the days ahead. Alternate captain Morgan "I know the goal scoring was prolific, but the part of his game that we Rielly is set to speak to reporters on Thursday, with head coach Sheldon really came to admire during the season was his play on the defensive Keefe on the schedule for next week. side and especially on the penalty kill, his ability to win the puck back and then tear down the ice and produce chances and scoring for the Petes. And he played a huge role on the World Junior team as well. TSN.CA LOADED: 04.01.2020 Disappointing, of course, that he won't be able to see how far he could've run it up in regards to chasing 60 goals. He's one of the more focused and hardworking prospects I've seen in my time in hockey and I think he knows the areas he needs to continue to work on. He's got a great read on that, and, come training camp, we'll give him every opportunity to potentially make the team and put the ball into his court and see what he can do in the fall." 2. PUSHING FOR BARABANOV It's no secret, the Leafs are pushing hard to sign free agent Alexander Barabanov, who posted 20 points in 43 games with St. Petersburg SKA this season. TSN insider has reported that the Leafs and Coyotes are the frontrunners to sign the 25-year-old KHL winger. Dubas explained exactly why the Leafs like Barabanov. "He's strong. He's not tall (5-foot-10), but he's a very strong winger. Tremendous playmaking ability, great skill level in tight. But one of the other things we like most about him is his ability to make plays under pressure and his ability to win pucks, protect pucks when people come after him and use his strength to be able to do that. So, he's a playmaking winger who also has the ability to finish at the net and we'll continue to pursue him as best we can." Alexander Barabanov’s agent, Dan Milstein will begin interviewing interested NHL teams today. Toronto and Arizona remain the frontrunners at this stage. Both clubs have been working on the Russian forward for almost two years. 3. FOCUS ON SCOUTING, DEVELOPMENT The focus right now is, of course, on corresponding with stakeholders about the pandemic and the fallout, but that doesn't mean hockey-related work isn't happening. Dubas identified two specific areas the organization can zero in on. "It's really been a focus on scouting and player development and getting both of those departments to advance as far as we can during this period, which is obviously unprecedented. So, we're trying to use the time we do have to make sure we're doing all that we can to set those departments up as best as possible for when we do resume." 4. WICK'S ROLE There are so many unknowns and so many questions regarding the virus and the Leafs are doing their best to provide as much support and information to their players. Dubas said they are leaning on the team's medical staff, led by Dr. Noah Forman, and also Hayley Wickenheiser, the team's assistant director of player development. "She's in medical school and has a lot of great insights into it and the players who have been on the ice with her and know Hayley have a great 1173195 Websites the most electrifying offensive players in the league, their defensive numbers dampen their overall effectiveness.

TSN.CA / Yost: Who rules the NHL’s 3-on-3 format? TSN.CA LOADED: 04.01.2020

Travis Yost

When the National Hockey League introduced a comprehensive 3-on-3 overtime system five years ago, it was met with intrigue and curiosity. The league’s goal was to reduce the frequency of the shootout, and it has succeeded on that front. The format has been so fruitful that there have been calls to increase the length of overtime – perhaps as high as eight minutes – to all but eliminate shootouts from the regular season. In the process, the league also found a way to make the end of games much more captivating. The NHL’s current overtime format usually produces a blistering five-minute (or less) stretch of play where each team’s most capable offensive players, generally speaking, trade high- quality chances. Skill, speed, and space are on full display, and there is a daunting amount of pressure on goaltenders to keep pucks out of the net. As 3-on-3 has become a staple in the NHL, teams have become more sophisticated about strategy and personnel deployment. Remember the inaugural season of 3-on-3 overtime where teams were regularly dressing two defencemen and a forward? It wasn’t that long ago, but it feels like an entirely different era of hockey. With more data available, we have a better understanding of the teams and players who have been more successful in the 3-on-3 format. If we sample the last three years of data, for example, we see that the Tampa Bay Lightning (surprise) have absolutely punished teams, while the Buffalo Sabres and Colorado Avalanche have struggled: There is some commonality between how well a team has driven goal differential in even-strength situations versus 3-on-3 situations, but there are also curious outliers. The Avalanche are obvious statistical outliers here, largely because their defensive numbers (11.1 goals against per 60 minutes) are by far the ugliest in the league. Could this be randomness? Some of it, sure – we are only talking about a couple of hundred minutes per team. But this is also a Colorado team that has been competitive in every season covered here, and its star players – names like Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and Matt Duchene/Tyson Barrie before their trades – are all comfortably in the negative. In fact, MacKinnon’s -8.5 goals against per 60 minutes in 3-on-3 play is the single worst number for any regular skater in the league. Meanwhile, his +0.8 goals per 60 minutes in even-strength play is one of the best numbers in the league over the same interval. You can count on one hand the players you would take over MacKinnon today. But it’s also fair to wonder why MacKinnon appears less effective in 3-on-3 play – a format that offers a big advantage to superior skaters like himself. While MacKinnon is bringing up the rear at an individual level, there are a number of players around the league with outstanding goal differentials. Here is the leaderboard for all players with at least 50 minutes of ice time: I think this shows that limited data can still be meaningful data – the 3-on- 3 leaderboard when it comes to net goal differential is comprised of mostly high-end players, with names like Tyler Seguin, Mark Scheifele, and Mathew Barzal at the top of the list. All three have nine points over the last three seasons there, which sits inside of the top 20 league- wide. (Artemi Panarin, who sits fifth overall in net goal differential, has twelve points to his credit – good for second place across the league.) Lastly, it’s worth pointing out that a handful of the league’s best 3-on-3 scorers haven’t been as effective as you would think in terms of adding wins to the standings. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl actually leads the NHL with 14 points; Connor McDavid and his 11 points are good for fourth overall. But like the aforementioned MacKinnon, these guys have seen a rash of goals against to deflate their on-ice goal differentials. Only six skaters in the league have seen more goals against than Draisaitl and McDavid at 3-on-3. While there’s no doubt they are two of 1173196 Websites B (Knight) = 180 (36.3%) C (Coyne Schofield) = 77 (15.6%)

Matheson = 7 (1.4%) TSN.CA / Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby continue to dominate annual NHLPA poll Total = 495 Who is the best forward? Frank Seravalli McDavid = 379 (68.3%) Crosby = 83 (15%) The debate over the National Hockey League’s best player has boiled MacKinnon = 37 (6.7%) down to two – and only two •– players over the past couple years: Connor or Sid? Kucherov = 16 (2.9%) The latest NHLPA Player Poll, which anonymously polled 588 players Total = 555 from all 31 teams during the 2019-20 season, reflected that split. Who is the best defenceman? Connor McDavid was voted the best forward, with nearly 70 per cent of Hedman = 196 (37.8%) the vote, but Sidney Crosby was picked as both the most complete player and player counted on most by his peers to win one game. Carlson = 111 (21.4%) But the player most likely to win the Hart Trophy this season – if one is Josi = 47 (9%) awarded – didn’t receive a plurality of votes from NHL players in any of those three categories. Doughty = 34 (6.6%) That would be Leon Draisaitl. Burns = 34 (6.6%) Draisaitl, 24, was 13 points clear of McDavid in this season’s scoring Total = 519 race with 43 goals and a league-leading 67 assists for 110 points. The argument about the benefit of playing McDavid is moot this season – Who is the best goalie? aside from power-play time, Draisaitl has driven his own scoring line and Price = 214 (41.7%) turned the playoff-bound Oilers into a two-line threat. Vasilevskiy = 87 (17%) And it’s not just about this season. Last year, Draisaitl became just the seventh player in the salary cap era to collect 50 goals and 100-plus Fleury = 46 (9%) points. He was on track to match that 50-goal season this year. Bobrovsky = 29 (5.7%) McDavid was voted best forward (68 per cent), followed by Crosby (15), Nathan MacKinnon (7) and Nikita Kucherov (3). Total = 513 Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman, the 2018 Norris Trophy winner, was If you need to win one game, who is the one player (any position) you selected as the best defenceman. Montreal’s Carey Price was voted the would want on your team? best goaltender, following two years being selected as the one Crosby = 224 (44%) goaltender most difficult to play against •– even though his numbers have been near league average over the past three seasons. McDavid = 156 (30.6%) Boston Bruins agitator Brad Marchand was somehow voted the best and MacKinnon = 21 (4.1%) worst trash talker in the NHL, while Florida’s Keith Yandle – who has shown his personality a bit publicly on the Barstool Sports’ Spittin’ Bergeron = 17 (3.3%) Chiclets podcast – was chosen as the funniest player in the league. Total = 510 Montreal’s Tomas “Tuna” Tatar won best nickname for the second year Who is the most complete player? in a row, while Dallas’ Joe Pavelski – a scratch handicap – was selected as the best golfer. He might be second in all of hockey to NHL referee Crosby = 230 (45.4%) Garrett Rank, the first Canadian since 1977 to win the prestigious Western Amateur tournament last year, joining a list that includes Tiger Bergeron = 129 (25.5%) Woods and Jack Nicklaus. Barkov = 38 (7.5%) Here are the full results of the 2019-20 NHLPA Player Poll, the definitive poll conducted among players each season: O’Reilly = 27 (5.3%) Would you be in favour of relaxing game-day dress code, similar to the Total = 506 NBA? Who is the game’s best trash-talker? Yes = 411 (73%) Marchand = 88 (25.7%) No = 152 (27%) Doughty = 46 (13.4%) Total = 562 Reaves = 38 (11.1%) Which way would you most like to see players showcase their Maroon = 13 (3.8%) personalities on the ice? a. custom skate designs b. custom helmet designs c. neither d. Other Total = 343 Yes = 53% Who is the game’s worst trash-talker? Skates = 43.6% Marchand = 35 (11%) Sticks = 4.8% Doughty = 22 (6.9%) Helmets = 3.3% Subban = 22 (6.9%) No = 47% Cousins = 18 (5.6%) Total = 529 Total = 320 Who is the best female hockey player in the world? a. Marie-Philip Poulin Of all players past or present, who would you pay to see play? b. Hilary Knight c. Kendall Coyne Schofield d. Other Gretzky = 155 (32.8%) A (Poulin) = 198 (40%) Orr = 73 (15.4%) Which team has the best jersey? Lemieux = 45 (9.5%) Blackhawks = 124 (28.3%) McDavid = 38 (8%) Maple Leafs = 30 (6.8%) Total = 485 Knights = 30 (6.8%) Who is the funniest player in the NHL? Rangers = 28 (6.4%) Yandle = 57 (18%) Total = 438 Doughty = 23 (7.2%) Which arena has the best ice? Marchand = 18 (5.7%) Bell Centre = 127 (31.8%) Kessel = 15 (4.7%) Rogers Place = 67 (16.8%) Total = 317 Bell MTS Place = 44 (11%) Best bromance/friendship in the league? T-Mobile = 35 (8.8%) Perron/O’Reilly = 14 (6.5%) Total = 399 Thornton/Burns = 11 (5.1%) Who is the best NHL team mascot? Matthews/Marner = 10 (4.6%) Gritty = 273 (69.5%) Tkachuk/Doughty = 8 (3.7%) Gnash = 11 (2.8%) Benn/Seguin = 8 (3.7%) Howler = 11 (2.8%) Marchand/Bergeron = 8 (3.7%) Bailey = 10 (2.5%) Total = 216 Total = 393 Which player is the best follow on social media? Subban = 28 (13.7%) TSN.CA LOADED: 04.01.2020 Ovechkin = 13 (8.8%) Marchand = 9 (4.4%) Domi = 9 (4.4%) Total = 205 Which player isn’t on social media but should be? Crosby = 47 (26%) Thornton = 13 (7.2%) Ennis = 10 (5.5%) Bouwmeester = 7 (3.9%) Total = 181 Who has the best nickname (include player & nickname)? Tomas “Tuna” Tatar = 21 (8.1%) David “Pasta” Pastrnak = 19 (7.3%) Artemi “Breadman” Panarin = 15 (5.8%) Christian “Stinky” Fischer = 7 (2.7%) Total = 259 Who is the best golfer among players? Pavelski = 54 (16%) Bozak = 19 (5.6%) Schultz = 14 (4.1%) Clutterbuck = 13 (3.8%) Stone = 13 (3.8%) McKegg = 13 (3.8%) Total = 339 Best visitors’ dressing room? Oilers = 168 (38%) Knights = 117 (26.5%) Red Wings = 104 (23.6%) Penguins = 30 (6.8%) Total = 442 1173197 World Leagues News

Coronavirus: NBA, NBPA reportedly discussing deal to withhold portion of paychecks in case games are canceled

Jack Maloney

Due to the continued spread of the coronavirus, the NBA is nowhere near resuming play. There have been discussions about far-fetched schemes that include playing in the Bahamas or another centralized location, but nothing like that is imminent, and even if the league does end up finishing the 2019-20 season, it will likely be shortened in some way. While no official decisions have been made, the league and the players are preparing for the likely scenario where regular season games have to be canceled. Part of that process is figuring out the money. No games, no fans and no broadcasts mean much less revenue and less pay. The two sides are currently holding discussions for the possibility of the league holding 25 percent of the players' remaining salaries for this season in an escrow, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN: The NBA continues to be hopeful that there will be a resumption of some part of the regular season and playoffs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but the uncertainty surrounding the league's ability to fulfill its full 82-game regular season will ultimately be a financial cost that's shared among owners and players. The Collective Bargaining Agreement maintains that players lose approximately 1 percent of salary per cancelled game based on a Force Majeure provision, which covers several catastrophic circumstances, including epidemics and pandemics. Once there's a cancellation of games, the Force Majeure is automatically triggered under the language of the CBA. The main reason the two sides are trying to work this out ahead of time is because it will be simpler for everyone involved. If they don't come to an agreement to alter the payment schedule, players would continue getting paid in full. However, if games officially get canceled at a later date, the collective bargaining agreement states that players would have to pay that money back. Understandably, no one at the league office wants to go through the legal headache of recouping money from players, and the players aren't going to want to send back money that's already in their bank accounts. As of now, the league has committed to paying players in full through their April 1 paychecks. There are some other hurdles to clear, including what to do about players on shortened pay schedules, but those are secondary to an actual agreement on whether or not the players will allow some of their money to be withheld upfront. CBS Sports LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173198 World Leagues News their respective stadiums and cities. Whether teams play with or without fans, the league could shorten the season by some degree while keeping a competitive and equitable slate for all 32 teams. The NFL needs backup plans for the 2020 schedule due to coronavirus, Recall the 1998-99 NBA season that was shortened from 82 games to a and here are two 50-game schedule due to a strike. Nonconference games were the first on the chopping block for the NBA, and the same would happen with the NFL. Each NFL team plays four nonconference games and 12 within by Jonathan Jones Mar 31, 2020 at 6:10 pm ET • 4 min read their own conference, and I could see those four being the first to go in a truncated season.

(The season couldn't get too short, though. The league would have to The first round of the 2020 NFL Draft will still be conducted April 23. For protect the six divisional games plus the four games against teams in a now, the spring league meeting will still take place on May 19 in Marina division within their conference. The two games against teams from the Del Ray, Calif. And, for now and for what is likely the next month-plus, other two divisions based on division seeding would be next on the the NFL regular season will begin on Thursday, Sept. 10. chopping block, taking the 12-game season to 10 games.) During a global pandemic, North America's greatest sports league is still The league can use the same tiebreaker formula to determine not officially discussing contingency plans for the start of its season. postseason seedings since all games would be within the conference. It would essentially be the old AFL vs. NFL from the late 1960s, with the "All of our discussions," said NFL general counsel Jeff Pash on a champion from each conference having the ability to face each other just conference call Tuesday, "all of our focus, has been on a normal, once all year in the title game. traditional season, starting on time, playing in front of fans, in our regular stadiums and going through a full 16-game regular season and a full set League officials did not want to guess on a "drop dead" date, meaning of playoffs. That's our focus." the date they'd have to decide whether games would be played or not. It's reasonable to assume as long as federal or state mandates against The league is not being defiant or arrogant. It's simply making a practical public gatherings do not extend into August, there's no motivation for the point. NFL to begin changing its stance on the start of the season. If our collective efforts to flatten the curve work, if there is no longer a risk And this point, we'll all be thankful if we can safely assemble in stadiums of a second spike in cases, and especially if there's a vaccine by late come September. summer, the NFL season can reasonably take place as scheduled. CBS Sports LOADED: 04.01.2020 "That's our expectation," Pash said. "Am I certain? I'm not certain I'll be here tomorrow. But I'm planning on it. And the same thing. We're planning on having the full season. That's what we talked about." There are plenty other issues for the league to work through before deciding what to do with a season that's still more than 23 weeks away from beginning. The NFL continues to work out the kinks of April's draft, with EVP of football operations Troy Vincent telling media the competition committee is considering emergency bonus time for teams hoping to conduct a trade in the draft but hampered by potential logistical issues being outside their team facilities. The league is also working through how its clubs can use virtual meetings like Zoom that are both competitively equitable and adhere to CBA regulations on time at "work." Things like the aforementioned spring meeting in May don't have to be deeply considered just yet since the in- person meeting can easily be translated to a teleconference just as the league did with team owners and presidents this week. People I've spoken to around the league are already expecting OTAs to be wiped out entirely. One coach mentioned to me last week that teams could wind up having three or so weeks of training camp followed closely by the start of the regular season. What encourages the league, at least for now, is that models indicate "how the curve has trended down and tailed off in other countries" and how that can be applied here. Team owners and players are both motivated by collective billions to have the entire season played like normal. Once the league starts publicly talking about contingencies, money starts flying out of the window. If the 2020 season isn't business as usual for the NFL, there are two main alternatives I could see. Playing in empty stadiums With the need to fulfill TV contracts and if bringing together 70,000 people in one place for three-plus hours remains a bad idea with COVID- 19 hanging over us, the league would possibly opt to play games in empty stadiums. By that point, I hope, there would be enough tests available to regularly test players, staff and officials without the NFL owning a disproportionate amount of tests. The pro is obvious here: the games would be played as scheduled. The cons are trying, though. Teams would lose out on ticket revenue. Fans would be stripped of their experiences. Season-ticket holders would be tied up in knots with prepayments. Home teams would lose the biggest element of home-field advantage. But the games could be played without adding logistical headaches to a process that already takes three-or-so months to schedule a season. Shortening the season Sliding a 16-game regular season and full set of playoffs back a month or two would create too many logistical issues for 32 individual clubs and 1173199 World Leagues News Sports Medicine Associates. “It’s hard for us to stay open during these times, but we have made a commitment to doing that for our community.”

With high schools and colleges shut down and travel to ski resorts all but Coronavirus ban on elective surgery tough on athletes, sports medicine eliminated, Schmidt and his associates have lost the bulk of their patient docs load this time of year. But that doesn’t mean sports injuries aren’t happening. Tom Orsborn March 31, 2020 Updated: March 31, 2020 6:04 p.m. “People are still doing their cross-fit workouts, triathletes are still out there on their bikes, and runners are still running, so you are still going to see acute injuries,” said Dr. Paul Saenz, also a founding partner of Sports Medicine Associates and a Spurs team doctor. Warren track and field athlete TaShayna Church-Roberts never has been a fan of the high jump. “What we don’t want to do right now is overload our emergency rooms, so we’ve made it a point to try to get the word out through social media “It was the one event I said I would never do,” said the 16-year-old that we are open. That not only helps sustain our practice, but it helps sophomore, who was vying this spring for a spot on the varsity as a keep the urgent cares or emergency rooms from being overburdened.” discus thrower and shot putter. Schmidt, Roggia and Saenz said they are following all the guidelines for But there she was a few weeks ago, giving the high jump a try in practice coronavirus prevention outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and for the good of the team. Prevention and the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. The list of precautions included having their offices electrostatically disinfected and “We don’t have a lot of jumpers, and I thought I might be good at it,” she screening potential patients over the phone for COVID-19 symptoms. said. And for those who are quarantined or just don’t want to venture out of Unfortunately for Church-Roberts, that wasn’t the case. At least not on their homes for any reason, there are still ways to get treatment. that day. “We can improvise and use telemedicine for people who can’t come in or “I twisted and landed the wrong way and ended up tearing my ACL and shouldn’t come in,” Saenz said. my meniscus,” she said. Sports medicine doctors are anticipating a flurry of injuries amid the The timing of the injury to Church-Roberts’ left knee couldn’t have been pandemic, with weekend warriors ramping up their outdoor pursuits as worse. Reacting to the need for Texas health care facilities to save the weather gets warmer, an annual rite of spring. resources for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered hospitals March 22 to postpone all medically unnecessary “And with so many people on remote work or on quarantine, that season surgeries and other procedures. has started earlier than normal,” Roggia said. “If you go outside now, you see people biking and running and doing all these things that maybe they Abbott’s directive left Church-Roberts and many other injured athletes aren’t so prepared to do.” with uncertain futures. With schools and organized sports on hiatus, many prep and college “It is pushing my recovery date back further, and I am constantly thinking athletes are also at risk of suffering injuries while doing at-home workouts that around this time next year I am not going to be ready for track,” said without the supervision of their school’s athletic trainers. Church-Roberts, who likely will face at least least nine months of rehab after she finally has surgery. “Some of these kids are getting workouts off YouTube and trying to do home gym things without monitoring, and it can be detrimental long- Church-Roberts understands the need for the temporary ban on elective term,” Roggia said. surgery during the coronavirus pandemic, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a source of anxiety for her. Church-Roberts is eager for the day when she can start rehab. When she finally does start the long climb back, she’ll be successful, predicted “It’s impacting my mental health because I was looking forward to getting Warren’s girls track and field coach Brandi Bode. the procedure done, recovering, and getting back to track,” she said. “And I have a lot of pain in my hip and my knee.” “Shay has great energy and a good, positive attitude,” Bode said. “I have no doubt she will rehab better than anybody. When Shay puts her mind Her doctor is renowned orthopedic surgeon David Schmidt, longtime to something, she gets it done.” team physician for the Spurs, UTSA, Trinity University and several high schools. Schmidt said Church-Roberts isn’t alone in fearing a long delay But for now, the waiting is the hardest part. could hamper her recovery. “I know a lot of people say, ‘Oh, well, I don’t think people should get “It’s tough for athletes who have been injured,” he said. “I saw a couple of these surgeries done right now because it’s not life-threatening,’” Church- college kids that need to get their ACL fixed, and depending on how long Roberts said. “And I do feel that some procedures are minor. But I am this lasts, they may lose an entire season.” looking at a torn knee, and that’s very serious.” It isn’t just athletes who have been effected by the elective surgery San Antonio Express LOADED: 04.01.2020 prohibition. Schmidt estimated he was performing 15-20 surgeries a week before the ban. “There is only one thing worse than an athlete who can’t work out, and that’s a surgeon who can’t operate,” he said. The ban isn’t the only reason Schmidt has a lot of time on his hands. He says some potential patients wrongly believe that Sports Medicine Associates of San Antonio, which Schmidt helped found in 2004, is closed because of the pandemic. But all four of its clinics remain open, including the one next to the Spurs’ practice facility on the Northwest Side. “We are open,” Schmidt said.“You can get X-rays, MRIs, physical therapy. Obviously, if you have an ACL or something like that, you have to delay your surgery. But if you have patellar tendonitis or an ankle sprain or something like that, you can at least get treatment.” Although San Antonio and Bexar County are under a stay-at-home order imposed by Mayor Ron Nirenberg and County Judge Nelson Wolff, it does not apply to people in need of health care. And Schmidt and his colleagues say those with athletic injuries need to seek treatment from sports medicine specialists rather than heading to hospitals and urgent care facilities overburdened with coronavirus care. “We are trying to get that message out pretty strongly — don’t go to urgent care,” said Dr. Adam Roggia, who heads physical therapy at 1173200 World Leagues News SEE ALSO A-Rod and Pete Alonso are also obsessed with 'Tiger King' March mercifully ends with sports, world unrecognizable We fill the time any way we can: doom-surfing on Twitter, binge-watching “Tiger King” and other cultural necessities, making Zoom stock shoot through the roof — hungry for nice days when we can sit, appropriately By Mike VaccaroMarch 31, 2020 | 7:05PM distanced, in the outdoors and let the sun’s healing rays make us feel normal, however temporarily.

Sports fans make do. There are old games on YouTube and elsewhere. A dejected Mets fan stands on line outside a testing facility for Covid-19 April 1 is the 35th anniversary of Villanova 66, Georgetown 64, and at Elmhurst Hospital, instead of being at Opening Day at Citi Field. there’s been plenty of discussion about that game since CBS re-aired it Sunday. A dejected Mets fan stands on line outside a testing facility for Covid-19 at Elmhurst Hospital, instead of being at Opening Day at Citi On Tuesday, your humble narrator may or may not have reactivated his Field.Richard Harbus dormant William Hill account in order to wager a double-sawbuck on Shakhter Soligorsk over Yunost Minsk in a Belarus Extraliga hockey On March 1, there were two stories that dominated much of the news game (and your humble narrator may have lost that $20 when Yunost cycle. There was much buzz attached to Joe Biden’s stunning political scored an overtime goal, causing a groan and a cry of “Same old resurrection after winning the South Carolina primary. There was hope Soligorsk!”). surrounding an agreement signed between the U.S. and the Taliban to end America’s longest war, which on that Sunday had lasted for 6,720 On April 1, we all do what we can. Smartly, I hope. And safely, I pray. days. NY POST LOADED: 04.01.2020 On March 1, there were a total of 62 reported cases of COVID-19 in the United States. On March 1, Galen Rupp was celebrating having become one of the first Americans to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, winning the men’s marathon trials in Atlanta in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 20 seconds. Aliphine Tuliamuk won the women’s portion of the race in 2:27:23. On March 1, a resident in a nursing home in Kirkland, Wash., became the second American to die of COVID-19. On March 1, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Jacob deGrom looked razor sharp in throwing three shutout innings of one-hit ball at the Nationals. Michael Conforto hit a home run — it would be a few days later when he threw a wrench in the Mets’ springtime optimism when it was revealed he tweaked his oblique in that same game. That seemed like dreadful news at the time. In Lakeland, a 27-year-old journeyman named Rosell Herrera hit two homers for the Yankees, who were bracing for the next day, when Aaron Judge would have more tests on his ailing shoulder. Everything changed in MarchNew York Post back page March 13 On March 1, our world was the same world we’d ever known, the only world we’d ever known. Restaurants and saloons were crowded. Folks in Florida frolicked on the beach without a care in the world. People boarded airplanes and, undoubtedly, groused that there never seem to be any empty seats anymore. People planned vacations, and weddings, and baptisms, and bar mitzvahs, and funerals. On March 1, sports fans were allowed to live well within the blissful bubble to which we’ve grown accustomed. They strategized about fantasy-baseball drafts. If you lived in New Jersey and had a hunch and some money burning a hole in your pocket, you clicked on your MGM or FanDuel accounts and gambled to your heart’s content on NBA, NHL, MLS, college hoops, an endless buffet table of options. You raged — I mean, raged — about the Houston Astros if you were a fan of any of the other 29 teams in Major League Baseball (or just a believer in fair play). If you wanted to take a break from the Astros, you set your furies on Rob Manfred and the various controversies littering the commissioner’s office. You fretted about the Islanders’ collapse, rejoiced in the Rangers’ surge. If you had tickets to see the Knicks at the Garden — they had games with the Rockets and Jazz that week — maybe you wondered if you’d be able to join your fellow sufferers in a chorus or two of “Sell the team!” before any of the Garden security folks heard you. If you were a Mets fan grown tired of present ownership, you gamed out with fellow believers how Steve Cohen could still possibly ride in on a white horse and save the day. That was March 1, all of it. Wednesday, finally — mercifully — the calendar flips to April 1. History will forever insist that March 2020 occupied just the standard 31 days of the calendar, but you know better. You know that after a lifetime of sad, wistful lamenting that time speeds by so quickly, the past 31 days, for all of us, have felt like a year unto itself. A decade, maybe. On April 1, there are more than 3,000 American deaths from COVID-19, the count surpassing the terrible carnage of Sept. 11. There are more than 175,000 people afflicted with the virus. Life as we know it has been turned upside-down, and it’s going to stay that way until May 1, maybe June 1, likely longer, possibly much longer. 1173201 World Leagues News - The men's and women's Champions League finals and Europa League final originally scheduled for May have been postponed.

- All elite games in England, including the Premier League, Football Sports events around the world hit by the coronavirus pandemic League and Women's Super League, were suspended until April 30 but the current season can be extended indefinitely. Reuters | Mar 30, 2020, 08:18 IST - Germany's Bundesliga and second division will pause at least until April 2 while the cup semi-finals, scheduled for late next month, have been postponed. The COVID-19 virus, which originated from Wuhan in China last - South America's two biggest club competitions, the Copa Libertadores December, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health and Copa Sudamericana, were suspended until at least May 5. Organisation and forced postponement or cancellation of sports events across the world. - The CAF postponed two rounds of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (March 25-31). Here's the list of major sports events that have been hit by the coronavirus: - CONCACAF suspended all competitions, including the Champions League and men's Olympic qualifiers. NEWS IN BRIEF - The top two tiers of French football -- Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 -- were EXPLORE BRIEFS suspended. Only 479 days to go: Tokyo resets the clock on Olympics - All matches in Spain's top two divisions were postponed for two weeks. Within hours of Olympic organisers confirming that the rescheduled - US Major League Soccer suspended its season. Games would start on July 23 next year, Tokyo's main countdown clock had been reset to show that 479 days remain until the opening ceremony - All soccer in the Netherlands was suspended until the end of March. of the sporting event is held. The digital clock in front of the iconic Tokyo - Asian and South American qualifying matches for 2022 World Cup station was erected in the run-up to the $12 billion Games. postponed. Laxman's 281 among Chappell's all-time great knocks against spin - Spain's Copa del Rey final between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid shared a marathon 376-run stand to (April 18) was postponed. engineer an unforgettable win for India against Australia. Ian Chappell - New seasons in the Chinese, Japanese and South Korean leagues was simply in awe of Laxman's batting as the wristy Indian batsman were postponed. toyed with Shane Warne. Thanks to Laxman and Rahul Dravid (180), India went on to win the game against Australia after following-on. - A four-team event in Doha featuring Croatia, Portugal, Belgium and Switzerland (March 26-30) was cancelled. OLYMPICS - Asian Champions League: Matches involving Chinese clubs The International Olympic Committee and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Guangzhou Evergrande, Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai SIPG were Abe concluded the Tokyo 2020 Olympics must be postponed and held no postponed. The start of the knockout rounds was moved back to later than the summer of 2021. September. OLYMPIC TRIALS - The Asian Football Confederation postponed all AFC Cup 2020 - US trials for wrestling (April 4-5) were postponed. matches scheduled for March and April. - US Rowing postponed its team trials. - The Brazilian football Confederation suspended all national competitions until further notice. - US diving trials (April 3-5) were postponed. All USA Diving events postponed for next 30 days. - The state championships of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the two biggest in Brazil, were suspended. COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT - All events organised by the Russian Football Union, including Russian The Court of Arbitration for Sport said all cases were being put on hold Premier League fixtures, between March 17-April 10 were cancelled. until May. No in-person hearings will be held before May 1. - The CAF postponed the African Nations Championship, a national team NORTH AMERICA tournament for home-based players only (Cameroon; April 4–25). - The NBA suspended its season. - The Turkish Super Lig, among the last to continue playing matches, was suspended after players complained. Basketball and volleyball - The NHL suspended its season. leagues in the country were also suspended. - The MLB further delayed its 2020 season's opening day of March 26 March 24 after CDC calls for gatherings of 50 or more people to be cancelled or postponed for eight weeks. OTHER SPORTS - Boston Marathon organisers postpone the race from April 20 to Sept. ATHLETICS 14. - The Diamond League postponed its first five meetings of the 2020 - The National Hockey League told players, including those from outside season due to be held in April and May in Qatar, China, Stockholm, North America, that they can return home and should self-quarantine Naples and Rabat. through March 27, lengthening the period the NHL had said it was pausing its season. - The World Athletics Indoor Championships (Nanjing, March 13-15) were postponed. They will be held in the same city from March 19-21, FOOTBALL 2021. - Aleksander Ceferin, the head of European soccer's governing body - The Paris and Barcelona marathons were postponed. UEFA, said that the current season could be "lost" if it is unable to re- start by the end of June. - The London marathon (April 26), was postponed to Oct. 4. - Euro 2020 was postponed. Europe's flagship tournament will now be - The Penn Relays (April 23-25), were cancelled for the first time in the staged from June 11 to July 11, 2021. event's 125-year history. The Mt. SAC Relays and Florida Relays, also scheduled for April, and the March Texas Relays, were all cancelled. - This year's Copa America, originally scheduled for June-July in Colombia and Argentina, was postponed to June 11-July 11, 2021. - Kenya's athletics authority ordered the closure of training camps and clubs, hampering athletes' preparations for the Olympics. - FIFA has agreed to delay the first edition of its revamped Club World Cup due to be held in 2021. AUSTRALIAN RULES - UEFA put all club and national team competitions for men and women on hold until further notice. The Australian Football League's attempt to forge on with the season - The Honda LPGA Thailand event and the HSBC Women's World despite the virus outbreak lasted one round before it was shut down on Championship in Singapore were cancelled. March 22. - The next three LPGA Tour events scheduled for Arizona and California BADMINTON were postponed. The Badminton World Federation cancelled the last five tournaments in - The European Tour has either postponed or cancelled events the qualification period for the Olympics, making the All England Open scheduled between March and May. played from March 11-15 the final event to count towards qualification. HORSE RACING BASEBALL - The Grand National festival (April 2-4) was cancelled, the Jockey Club - The final qualification tournament in Taiwan for the Olympics was put said. back from April to June 17-21, while the March 22-26 qualification event in Arizona was postponed. - The Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in North American horse racing's Triple Crown (May 2) was postponed to Sept. 5. - Japan's professional league postponed the start of the season. - The Dubai World Cup, one of the world's richest horse races and a BASKETBALL premier annual sporting event in the United Arab Emirates, will not go ahead this year. Euroleague Basketball suspended all 2019-20 EuroLeague, EuroCup and Euroleague Next Generation Tournament games. MOTORSPORT BOXING - Formula One cancelled the opening race in Australia on March 15 and the showcase Monaco Grand Prix in May has also been scrapped. A - The European, American and final world qualifying boxing tournaments further six rounds have been postponed. for the Tokyo Olympics were suspended on March 16. The European qualifier in London that was underway and due to run to March 24, ended - Formula One expects to run a shortened season of 15-18 grands prix after the evening session on March 17. once racing resumes, down from its original calendar of a record 22 races. - Anthony Joshua's world heavyweight title defence against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur's stadium on June 20 could be - The first five rounds of the MotoGP season -- Qatar, Thailand, Texas, postponed if Spurs need the stadium to complete this season's Premier Argentina and Spain -- will not go ahead as scheduled. League fixtures. - NASCAR postponed all race events through May 3, including races at CRICKET the Atlanta Motor Speedway (March 15) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (March 22), but intends to run all 36 races this season. - The last two games of Australia's three-match one-day international series against New Zealand in Sydney and Hobart were cancelled. - The Le Mans 24 hours race was postponed from June 13-14 to Sept. 19-20. - Australia and New Zealand's limited-overs tours were postponed. - The annual 24 Hours Motos, initially postponed from April to - The start of the Indian Premier League T20 tournament (March 29) was September, is now scheduled to take place on Aug. 29–30. postponed until April 15. - The Indianapolis 500, one of the world's biggest single-day sporting - The boards of India and South Africa agreed to reschedule a three- events with an estimated crowd topping 350,000, has been postponed match ODI series to a later date. until Aug. 23. - England's two-match test series in Sri Lanka scheduled to start on - The fifth and sixth rounds of the world rally championship in Portugal March 19 was postponed. (May 21-24) and Italy (June 4-7) have been postponed. - New South Wales were named Australia's Sheffield Shield champions NETBALL after the competition's final round was called off. The Super Netball season in Australia, originally scheduled to start on - Cricket Ireland and the Bangladesh Cricket Board agreed to postpone May 3, has been postponed and will not begin before June 30. three one-day internationals and four Twenty20 games between the teams scheduled for Belfast and England in May. ROWING CYCLING - Two World Rowing Cups and the European Olympic Qualification Regatta, all scheduled for Italy, were cancelled. - Cycling's governing body plans to retroactively use March 3 as the cut- off point for Olympic qualification in mountain bike, BMX Racing and - The annual University Boat Race, set for March 29 on the River BMX Freestyle. Thames in London, was cancelled. - The final two stages of the UAE Tour were cancelled after two Italian RUGBY participants tested positive. - Four Six Nations matches were postponed. - The Paris-Nice cycling race ended a day early after the eighth stage into Nice was cancelled. - Rugby Europe announced a suspension of all its matches and tournaments from March 13-April 15. - The Giro d'Italia, scheduled to start in Budapest, Hungary on May 9, was postponed. - France's rugby federation suspended all its competitions. - The Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Tour de Yorkshire - The European rugby season was suspended after European Race men's and women's races have been postponed. Professional Club Rugby postponed Champions Cup and Challenge Cup quarter-final matches (April 3-5). - All cycling races up to the end of April have already been cancelled and riders in France and Spain, where many are based, have been explicitly - The semi-final and final of this season's Champions Cup and Challenge told they cannot train outside. Cup tournaments, which were due to take place in Marseille in May, have been postponed. GOLF - England's Rugby Football Union and Wales' governing body confirmed - The year's first major, the Masters, was postponed from April 9-12 to the end of the 2019-20 season for all league, cup and county rugby, but "some later date". the English Premiership has been excluded. - The second major, the May 14-17 PGA Championship, was postponed, - The English Rugby Football League and Super League suspended all with hopes of rescheduling in the summer. fixtures until April 3. - The US Open, originally scheduled to be played June 18-21 in New - Super Rugby suspended its season. York, has been postponed. - Japan's Top League is cancelling the remaining 42 matches of the - The Players Championship in Florida was cancelled after the first season. round. The PGA Tour also scrapped all events until at least May 10. SNOOKER The World Snooker Championship in Sheffield (April 18-May 4) at the Crucible Theatre, will be re-arranged for July or August. SWIMMING The 2020 European Aquatics Championships that was scheduled to take place from May 11-24 in Budapest, Hungary, has been postponed to August. TABLE TENNIS The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has suspended all planned events and activities involving international travel until June 30. TENNIS - The French Open was postponed until Sept. 20-Oct. 4. - The ATP and WTA suspended the season through to June 7, affecting the claycourt swing. Tournaments in Madrid, Rome, Munich, Estoril, Geneva, Lyon, Strasbourg and Rabat will be hit. - The Fed Cup finals (Budapest; April 14-19) were postponed. WINTER SPORTS - The International Ski Federation cancelled the final races of the men's Alpine skiing World Cup. - The World Cup finals in Cortina were cancelled along with the last three women's races in Are. - The women's world ice hockey championships in Canada were cancelled. - The Ice Hockey World Championship scheduled for Switzerland in May was cancelled. - The speed skating world championships in Seoul were postponed until at least October. - The March 16-22 world figure skating championships in Montreal were cancelled. - The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) has cancelled the remainder of its season after temporarily suspending its playoffs. LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173202 World Leagues News

Youth sports also feeling impact of coronavirus

AUSTIN HOUGH THE GOSHEN NEWS 10 hrs ago

GOSHEN — All sports have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This includes local youth leagues, like Goshen Youth Soccer Organization (GYSO) and Goshen Little League (GLL). GYSO President Geof Landis said signups had already began for the league on March 1, but they suspended those in the middle of the month due to the virus. The season was expected to start April 13, but that won’t be happening. “We know that if we can have a season, it will start in May,” Landis said. “We have not made a decision yet (if the season will happen).” Goshen Little League has suspended all operations until May 11. Amber Smith is the Player-Agent for the organization. She helps, among other things, help put the teams together for the summer. While Smith can help assemble some of the teams, others in the league are drafted by coaches. Those have to wait until the season comes back. “If we get to start, it’s probably going to be sped-up,” Smith said. “Have the coaches’ meetings and the draft super quickly.” Smith said Goshen is following protocols set by Little League Baseball and Softball. “We at Goshen Little League are definitely abiding by Little League’s advice and tentatively planning for the season to begin on May 11,” Smith said. Landis isn’t sure if a season will be played or not. Since they’re not contracted to one specific park, their season depends on if the fields at Goshen College will be usable this spring. Landis said he would be meeting with GC officials this week to discuss the organization’s plan for using the fields this summer. “We are fortunate in that, unlike Little League, we don’t own any property,” Landis said. “We utilize space at Goshen College, and have been there ever since we’ve been there since we started in 1984. So, we’re fortunate that we don’t have some expenses that other organizations have.” Smith did mention GLL still has to pay for field maintenance even during the shutdown. The program will still actually be doing their annual spring cleanup of the fields on April 11, but all other fundraisers planned for the spring had to be canceled. “At the end of the day, financially, we’re not really sure where it’s going to put us because we incur charges to keep the park maintained, even if we don’t have a season,” Smith said. “At this point, we’re kind of like everyone else, going day-by-day. Taking it one day at a time and rolling with the punches.” Both Landis and Smith know it’s the right decision to suspend operations right now, even if it’s a difficult choice. “It’s hard because we want to see kids playing soccer; I mean, that’s why we do this,” Landis said. “It’s tough not knowing, but the thing is we understand it’s what we have to do right now. We don’t want to endanger a whole lot of people just because we want to play soccer. And we won’t. We’ll take guidance from the schools, from the College, from the health department and then we’ll decide what to do.” “The biggest thing for us is to just make our community safe by doing what’s recommended,” Smith added. “People have been great; they’ve been really patient with us. They’ve been very understanding and appreciated the updates we’ve been giving them because we have been pretty transparent on our Facebook page.” Goshen News LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173203 World Leagues News difficult economic conditions.” FIFA has to work out who is most in need of its cash and how football entities can quickly receive it.

“The football community around the world is experiencing, to a greater or FIFA Says It Has 'Duty' to Support Clubs, Associations Hit Financially lesser extent, serious financial problems on account of the coronavirus Due to Coronavirus outbreak,” FIFA said. “This threatens to disrupt and impair the ability of FIFA’s member associations and other football organizations such as leagues and clubs to develop, finance and run football activities at all Associated Press levels of the game, including professional, non-professional, youth and grassroots.”

LOADED: 04.01.2020 As the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic ripple across world football, FIFA sees a “duty” to offer a lifeline from its vast cash reserves. Talks are underway about how the governing body’s support fund will be distributed, with the global players’ union appealing for cash to be targeted at the smaller markets, rather than the elite end of the game. No part of the world’s biggest sport has been untouched by the rapid spread of the COVID-19 disease as games have been wiped out across professional leagues. Barcelona and Juventus players have taken pay cuts, former Slovakian champion Zilina is entering liquidation and staff were being furloughed across the game worldwide, including Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez and hundreds of his federation colleagues. Now FIFA is trying to show why it has amassed reserves it last reported at $2.745 billion, to help soccer when it is most in need. “FIFA is in a strong financial situation and it’s our duty to do the utmost to help them in their hour of need,” world football’s governing body said in a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday. “FIFA is working on possibilities to provide assistance to the football community around the world after making a comprehensive assessment of the financial impact this pandemic will have on football.” FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his vice presidents first agreed two weeks ago to explore a “support fund,” and now talks are being expanded across the six regional confederations and member associations to determine the mechanism to distribute the cash. It should be aimed at the most vulnerable in smaller soccer markets, according to FIFPro general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, who represents 65,000 members in national player unions worldwide. “There is an urgency difference ... we need to safeguard the weakest links in this pyramid,” Baer-Hoffmann said. “We will see very many individuals whose livelihoods depend on these smaller clubs. ... Once clubs are gone, we won’t get them back.” Even at the top of the game, cutbacks unimaginable even a month ago are being implemented. Tottenham, which reached the Champions League final last season, announced Tuesday that 550 non-playing staff were having salaries reduced by 20% for the next two months or being furloughed under a government scheme to protect jobs. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy urged coach Jose Mourinho and his players to do “their bit for the football ecosystem” as the bodies representing manager and players in England discuss the need to accept reduced pay across the Premier League. “We may be the eighth largest club in the world by revenue according to the Deloitte survey,” Levy said, “but all that historical data is totally irrelevant as this virus has no boundaries.” The biggest moneymaker in the game, Barcelona, has had to slash salaries of players — including Lionel Messi — by 70% to save nearly 16 million euros ($17 million) a month. Spain has been one of the hardest-hit countries by the pandemic, with nearly 95,000 cases of infections and more than 8,100 deaths. Having expected revenue to exceed 1 billion euros this season for the first time, Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu is now braced for more austere times. “We will change models and the way we do things,” Bartomeu said. “We will have to adapt and be a pioneer.” In Italy, where the season was halted three weeks ago, Juventus is making savings of 90 million euros after Cristiano Ronaldo and his Juventus teammates agreed to forgo four months worth of wages along with coach Maurizio Sarri. It is unlikely teams like Juventus will be asking FIFA for cash — but the governing body expects a “considerable number” to face “extremely 1173204 World Leagues News

China orders major sports to remain suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak

ASSOCIATED PRESS |

BEIJING — China’s government on Tuesday ordered all major sports events to remain suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak, meaning the country’s basketball league will have to push back its planned restart. The CBA had hoped to resume play in mid-April but was denied government approval to do so. Instead, China's General Administration of Sport issued a statement saying any large sporting events that draw crowds "are temporarily not being resumed." The agency did not give a timeline for when the suspensions may be lifted, but said it will "make timely adjustments according to the epidemic prevention and control situation." The teams in the Chinese basketball league won't be starting up again as planned. The teams in the Chinese basketball league won't be starting up again as planned.(Cooper Neill) The CBA has been suspended since Jan. 24 because of the spread of COVID-19. The league is reportedly considering a proposal to bring all 20 teams to one or two cities and play the remainder of the regular season in empty arenas. All teams have 16 regular-season games left on their schedules. The southern city of Dongguan and coastal city of Qingdao have both been discussed as possible locations for the games, which would take place in a strictly controlled environment under the supervision of health professionals. In anticipation of a possible restart, teams have already started recalling foreign players, including Jeremy Lin, who has been under a mandatory 14-day quarantine since returning to Beijing on March 19. The CBA was previously under pressure to restart and finish the season before the Chinese national team was scheduled to participate in an Olympic qualifying tournament starting June 23. However, the decision last week to postpone the Tokyo Olympics until next year gives the league more leeway. But the CBA's handling of the situation will be of great interest to other sports leagues around the world — including the NBA — who are currently suspended and figuring out how best to proceed in a safe way during the pandemic. China has lifted some of the controls that locked downs tens of millions of people for two months as it tries to revive the world’s second-largest economy after declaring victory over the outbreak. LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173205 World Leagues News

Fanatics sees parts of its business fall 100% with sports on hold due to coronavirus

Daniel Roberts

Fanatics, the privately-held sports apparel company valued at $4.5 billion, is the official retailer of licensed merchandise for all the major U.S. sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and PGA Tour. But there are no sports right now, as all the major leagues have put their seasons on hold due to coronavirus. “That's a pretty bad ingredient for near-term business,” says Fanatics executive chairman Michael Rubin, who is also a co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers. Fanatics operates around 50 merchandise stands at different stadiums, and has a wholesale business that supplies product to brick-and mortar retail stores. That segment makes up a third of Fanatics’ business, and that segment is down 100%, since stadiums are closed and stores are closed. Online sales, which typically represent two thirds of Fanatics’ business (it’s mostly an e-commerce company, which is why it’s seen as a tech unicorn), are down 30% to 40%, whereas online sales had been trending up 20% pre-coronavirus. “So, glass half-full, there are still customers buying licensed sports products from their favorite teams, at maybe a 40% lower rate than they would have been buying,” Rubin said on Yahoo Finance on Monday. The “glass half-empty” view, Rubin says, is that a third of the business is down 100% and two-thirds is down 30% to 40% from the previous rate. Still, Fanatics made news last week for quickly converting its factory in Easton, Pa., where it manufactures official MLB jerseys, into a hub for making coronavirus masks and gowns for hospital workers. The masks and gowns are made out of jersey material, and Fanatics worked closely with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to make the change, which included halting production of MLB jerseys. Fanatics isn’t the only sports apparel brand using its manufacturing capabilities to help hospital workers: Nike, Under Armour, New Balance, and Bauer are all doing the same. And Fanatics is hardly the only sports industry company feeling the sales hit from coronavirus. Leagues will see the pinch of lost revenue, as will team owners, league sponsors, TV advertisers, broadcasters, merchandisers, and media outlets that cover sports. Buffalo-based hat brand New Era is furloughing 70% of its employees. Maven, the parent company of Sports Illustrated and financial blog The Street, laid off 9% of it workforce on Monday, which included several Sports Illustrated journalists. DAZN, the European sports streaming platform that has UFC and boxing rights in the U.S. and many more live sports rights outside the U.S., told employees this week it will have to furlough people imminently, according to Sports Business Journal. The entire industry has ground to a halt as coronavirus freezes live sports, and it’s unclear where every company will be financially when the dust settles after quarantining. — Yahoo Finance LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173206 World Leagues News pressure, cancer and depression. This advice is even more relevant during a pandemic.

"Sports are beneficial for your health, even now," Professor Jonas Coronavirus: Are outdoor sports healthy exercise or a dangerous risk? Schmidt-Chanasit told DW. The virologist from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg warns of "high-stress situations that could lead to a heart attack or a stroke" for those in self- Sporting activities outside in the fresh air are good for our health. But is isolation at home refraining from any kind of physical exertion. that also the case during the coronavirus pandemic? Join DW down by the River Rhine for the latest advice for fitness freaks and sports lovers. Christian Drosten from Berlin's Charité Hostpital warns of further dangers in a podcast for the German public radio and television broadcaster NDR. He says: "It is important that people can do sports. Many find that sports provide mental stability when they put on their running shoes every two Picture the scene. It's a sunny afternoon in the German city of Bonn. A or three days and go out for a jog for half an hour or an hour." gentle wind blows over the River Rhine, creating ripples that reflect the glorious spring sun. For once, there is barely a ship to be seen traversing But aren't outdoor sports risky? this great waterway, one of the busiest stretches in the world. The fact that some states now prohibit outdoor sports suggests there On the banks, however, there is a lot more going on. The Rhine may be a risk arising from them. It's true that sporting activities often lead Promenade is a hive of activity: walkers with buggies, inline skaters, to social contact – which should be avoided at all costs at this moment in joggers and cyclists jostle for position on the thin strip of asphalt that time. What's more, people breathe more deeply during exercise in order follows the river's course. Some are alone, some are accompanied by a to supply their muscles with much-needed oxygen. So is the cyclist or companion, others are out with the entire family. jogger panting a few meters away a virus risk? In the vast majority of cases, no. Most are following the advice of the authorities and keeping their distance from others, but sometimes there are just too many people and "No one is at risk when jogging or taking a walk in the park alone. There simply not enough space. On some stretches of the promenade, social is no danger at all," reassures Schmidt-Chanasit. The danger starts only distancing is all but impossible. when a large group of people spend a long time together in one place. Passing other people is no problem as long as the required distance is Scenes such as these are being replicated throughout Germany maintained, according to the Hamburg virologist. Also important: don't whenever the sun comes out. Parks and green spaces in major urban touch anything that many other people touch. For example, workout centers are bustling as if the coronavirus pandemic was never a thing. equipment in the park. And be sure to wash your hands after exercise. While there are no longer any larger groups sitting together or barbecuing in the sun, as was common before the crisis, there are still a Should I wear a breathing mask during sports? lot of people out and about in public spaces. If you've ever tried it, you would know: sports with a respirator mask is The mild spring temperatures are proving too tempting and many want to about as much fun as jogging while trying to hold your breath. If you need take a break from working at home and stretch their legs or have some a lot of oxygen and you're sweating, a face mask will quickly limit your timeout from looking after the kids at home. And getting some exercise in performance. But is this protection even necessary when doing outdoor the fresh air is supposed to be healthy, right? sports? Am I still allowed to do sports outside? "No," says the virologist Schmidt-Chanasit. "That would be over the top. There are no clouds of infection floating around outside in the park." If That depends on where you live. Around the world, the rules concerning you're out in the fresh air and avoid large crowds, you don't need a mask, social distancing are varied. In Spain, Italy, India and Israel, no one is he says. allowed to venture outside at all, even if you want to go out for a run all on your own. Police are on the lookout for rogue runners or cyclists and The situation is different when the law requires people to wear a mask. promptly send them back home together with a fine for flouting the For example, people in Slovakia and Vietnam must cover their mouths lockdown. and noses with masks in public, including when engaged in outdoor sports. Some countries or regions, like Belgium and the German state of Bavaria, allow residents to exercise on their own provided they don't Where should I do sport now? venture out too far away from home. Restrictions like that have got people's creative juices flowing. One Belgian cyclist from Kortrijk went on In a nutshell: at home or in places where there are only a few people. A an epic 200-kilometer two-wheeled trek without even leaving the city by fitness course on YouTube, jogging in the empty, early-morning city or cycling down nearly every single street and lane. mountain biking in the forest are still possible and indeed advisable in regions where there is no strict curfew. In the opinion of almost all France and the United Kingdom have similar restrictions in place. In the virologists, the essence of the measures being taken against coronavirus UK, one form of exercise a day is allowed – for example, a run, walk or is avoiding direct contact – not avoiding exercise. cycle – alone or with members of your immediate household. In France, people are allowed to go out and exercise, but they have to remain within It's a problem though when everyone does the same thing. Dozens of a small radius of their homes. individual athletes find themselves on narrow paths and there's no space for the necessary distance – as we observed by the River Rhine in Bonn. In other countries, such as Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany, exercise is seen as a means of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and Scenes like that have prompted a response from politicians. "At the remains permitted. In Germany, a maximum of two people are allowed to moment, it's still a risk if too many people get together and go jogging, train together as long as they maintain a safe distance. even if they originally started out from home on their own," warns Dagmar Freitag, a political from the Social Democrats who chairs the Group activities, on the other hand, are banned in many countries. Going sports committee in the German parliament. to the gym, playing with the local sports team or taking part in a fun run at the weekend are seen as high-risk activities and strictly forbidden. In "In the interest of those who aren't in such robust health, we would all do New York, an epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, well to follow the current restrictions. Nobody gets ill just because they go residents have only been advised – not ordered – to avoid contact sports jogging a little less often for four weeks," Freitag said in an interview with like basketball. DW, pointed out that people in Germany still enjoy a relatively large amount of freedom compared to other countries. Should I put sports on hold for the moment? Now it's up to everyone to act responsibly in the interests of society as a No. Sports and other physical activities are important to maintaining a whole. strong immune system. Doctors say that people with strong natural defenses have a better chance of developing only mild symptoms if they LOADED: 04.01.2020 happen to contract the virus. And since there is yet no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19, the body's own defences have to defeat it on their own. But sports can help it win this battle. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that adults should do at least 150 – or, better still, 300 – minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity each week in order to help combat the threat of heart disease, diabetes, high-blood 1173207 World Leagues News some criteria for selecting patients, we easily could be accused of bias for non-medical reasons and lose the public trust."

Dr. ElAttrache told Schulman the Kerlan-Jobe Institute is performing Dr. James Andrews halts Tommy John surgery during coronavirus approximately 90 percent fewer Tommy John surgeries during the pandemic; Sale's surgeon explains decision pandemic and all potential surgeries must be approved by an internal panel, with the most time-sensitive procedures given the most consideration. Mike Axisa Sale is in the first year of a five-year, $145 million contract signed last spring. He could have delayed his surgery a few weeks and not been hurt financially, though it would have made him less likely to pitch next Major League Baseball, like many sports leagues around the world, has season. Syndergaard, meanwhile, is on a one-year contract worth $9.7 been shut down indefinitely because of the growing threat that is the million. He will not be eligible for free agency until after 2021. His huge novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Spring training has been suspended and payday hasn't arrived yet. Opening Day has been pushed back to at least mid-May, and that remains subject to change as the situation develops. Tommy John surgery typically peaks in spring training as players increase their throwing following the offseason. Fourteen players had Several states and counties have banned elective surgeries on a Tommy John surgery in February and March this year, including big temporary basis to lessen the burden on our health care system during names like Sale, Syndergaard, and Luis Severino. Last year 11 players the pandemic. As a result, famed surgeon Dr. James Andrews had Tommy John surgery in February and March, and the year before it announced his facility, the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports was 22. Medicine in Pensacola, Florida, has temporarily stopped performing Tommy John surgeries. CBS Sports LOADED: 04.01.2020 Alex Speier of the Boston Globe passes on the news: "We are not performing any non-urgent or non-emergent procedures, including Tommy John surgery, in compliance with the governor's executive order," the spokesperson wrote. "We are adhering to these restrictions and all such cases are suspended at this time." On March 20, Florida governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order banning "any medically unnecessary, non-urgent or non-emergency procedure or surgery which, if delayed, does not place a patient's immediate health, safety or wellbeing at risk, or will, if delayed, not contribute to the worsening of a serious or life-threatening medical condition." Tommy John surgery is still being performed at other facilities, however. Red Sox lefty Chris Sale had his elbow rebuilt Monday by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. Los Angeles County has issued a recommendation against elective surgeries but has not yet banned them outright. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told reporters, including MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo, the club received assurances Sale's surgery would not interfere with the fight against COVID-19. From Cotillo: "It was important to all of us to do this in a way that would not place any undue burden on anyone suffering due to coronavirus," said Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. "I spoke to Dr. ElAttrache personally to make sure that was the case here and he is just as mindful of the considerations that go along with surgery at a time like this. We are obviously appreciative that he was able to the procedure but also that he took the time to discuss those considerations with us." ... "We know this is not life and death and that there are people who are suffering in situations that are life and death," Bloom said. "That's why it's important to us to make sure that we weren't putting any burden on the health system that would be a negative for people who are battling the coronavirus or any other ailment. It certainly is something we all know is necessary for his livelihood but we're aware it's apples and oranges when you talk about this versus something that is life-threatening." Mets righty Noah Syndergaard had his Tommy John surgery on March 26. It was performed by Dr. David Altchek, the team's medical director, at the Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach after Florida issued its ban on elective surgeries. The doctor determines what is an elective surgery, however, and Dr. Altchek declared Syndergaard's procedure essential. In an interview with Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, Dr. ElAttrache defended performing Tommy John surgery during the pandemic, saying it is essential to the player's career and livelihood. Here's what Dr. ElAttrache told Schulman: "I know that I'm going to get criticized for taking care of these kinds of guys, but it's essential to their livelihoods," ElAttrache said. "If you have somebody's career at stake and they lose two seasons instead of one, I would say that is not a nonessential or unimportant elective procedure." ... "We're trying to select players so we don't overtax the system," ElAttrache said. "We have to have some criteria. We don't want it to be arbitrary. We want the public to trust what we're doing. If we didn't have 1173208 World Leagues News

How could sports resume? The good, bad and downright crazy ideas

Eddie Timanus

Here’s what we know won’t happen once sports can be played again: The calendar will not just be picked up where it left off for any sport. That just won’t be possible for any number of reasons. So what will things look like? That remains highly speculative, since we’re not even to the point of a hypothetical timetable for the resumption of activities yet as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. But that certainly hasn’t stopped people from coming up with ideas. At this point, just about anything is being considered, though some proposals might seem more off-the-wall than others. Here’s a quick sampling of notions being floated for the restart of various sports leagues – some that could actually happen, some not so much. NFL in a bubble – As social distancing drags deeper and deeper into football’s offseason, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk said the NFL might need to be prepared for a scenario in which all the league’s 32 teams convene at an isolated facility, certified to be free of the coronavirus with everyone entering being tested. That would allow for the full televised schedule to be played without fans in attendance. Such a facility would need at least 15 regulation-sized fields and a whole lot of training facilities for each individual team. It would be a logistical nightmare, but it’s also not altogether out of the question. NBA tournament at a Vegas casino – The NBA, at the epicenter of the cancelation of sports in North America from the outset, would very much like to bring its 2019-20 season to some sort of conclusion. The remaining schedule in full isn’t likely to be played out, but one suggestion that has gained some traction is for a few of the top teams to convene for a college-style tournament at a single site. Las Vegas, which will be in desperate need of events once restrictions are lifted, has been floated as a home for such an event. Even if fans still can’t gather, there are a lot of open indoor spaces along the strip. 24-team Stanley Cup playoff – That sort of format wouldn’t be practical for the NHL, of course, as it’s much harder to convert a large floor space into an ice rink. Again, what remained of the schedule isn’t likely to be played, so the league and teams are putting forth any and all ideas to provide a satisfactory finish. One proposal that could gain traction is for a 24-team playoff with very short series, say best-of-three, in the early rounds with a final series to be contested possibly in the early fall. That’s contingent on being cleared to resume team activities by sometime in the summer, of course, and even that would result in a compressed calendar for the following year. Neutral-site World Series – A full 162-game baseball slate is also looking increasingly unlikely, and even a reduced schedule is going to spill over into some cold-weather months the longer the delay lasts. In that event, the World Series and perhaps some earlier rounds of the playoffs as well might need to be relocated to a neutral venue, either in a warm-weather locale or a city with an indoor stadium. Advancing the college football schedule – Most scenarios involving what might be an altered college football season feature either a truncated schedule or a postponed start. But Sports Business Journal reported an alternative might emerge, moving up the season into July, August and September. The rationale for this is that in case there’s a resurgence of the virus in the autumn months as some epidemiologists are predicting, the season can be contested before another shutdown takes place. This seems extremely unlikely on many fronts, however, since there is still no word on when school facilities will be reopened and the hot summer months aren’t especially conducive to football. USA TODAY LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173209 World Leagues News

Sports Illustrated Layoffs A Sign Of Coronavirus’ Effect On Sports Media

Daniel Marcus

It’s no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has crippled certain sectors of the economy, leaving millions of people unemployed in its wake. As has been noted far and wide, the sports world—and the live entertainment industry writ-large—has been hit especially hard as virtually all traditional sports with the exception of horse racing, have been put on an indefinite hiatus until we know it’s safe and practicable for them to resume play. Among the people who could ill afford another economic blow are sports media professionals as they are left with nothing new to write, opine, talk, or craft picante takes about. Unfortunately, layoffs are nothing new for the sports media industry, which has seen dramatic shifts and realignments but with the first high profile COVID-19 related round of firings announced by Sports Illustrated, more tough times may lie ahead. Sports Illustrated itself has gone through a number of different re- organizations over the past few years following the initial acquisition of Time, Inc. by Meredith Corp several years ago, which made it clear pretty early on that it was not particularly interested in sports as a vertical. The lack of interest in sports prompted Meredith to sell Sports Illustrated and its intellectual property to Authentic Brands Group, which in a deft and swift corporate jiu-jitsu move sold the editorial part of the business to Maven, a Seattle-based startup that also owns other digital content brands such as Jim Cramer’s “The Street”. This isn’t the first spate of aggressive layoffs Maven has made within the context of Sports Illustrated as this comes on the heels of an initial wave of layoffs made in October in which the parent company slashed the staff by about 40%. Maven’s CEO, James Hickman, sent out a company-wide memo yesterday in which he indicated that in spite of strong traffic and viewership numbers, pullbacks from advertisers and sponsors across the industry will cause a $30 million revenue short-fall, which prompted the staffing cuts across the company, which included a 6% reduction of the SI editorial staff. Although the contraction and consolidation of the sports media space has been happening for years, a crisis with the macroeconomic implications of the coronavirus pandemic are testing already-tenuous advertising- driven business models. It may seem counter-intuitive that during a time where people theoretically have more time and a need than ever for content and entertainment, cuts like these continue to happen. However, reduction in revenues from these upstream businesses that advertising- based content businesses rely on for their very existence has caused advertising budgets to shrink proportionally hurting all of those downstream businesses like Sports Illustrated and Maven. The bright side is that the staffs of major sports media brands recognized their precarious long-term prospects and the decision to unionize, which provides for additional leverage and long-term benefits (including severance) to help cushion the blow. Not every content business is built the same, what might deal a significant blow to one may present an opportunity for another. It’s possible that the Sports Illustrated layoffs are a harbinger of things to come but it’s also possible that they are merely a unique isolated case. Only time will tell but odds the ripple effects of Coronavirus in sports are likely to continue until we see begin to get some clarity on when life gets back to normal - hopefully sooner rather than later. forbes.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173210 World Leagues News sports’ biggest showcases by squeezing them into basically a three- month window.

We know the Masters, PGA Championship, LPGA majors ANA Coronavirus Florida: If life gets back to normal, sports calendar could be Inspiration and the Evian Championship, Boston Marathon, French jam packed later this year Open, Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Indianapolis 500 have been postponed. Tom D'Angelo @tomdangelo44 >> Florida coronavirus statistics made simple Wimbledon will join them this week and expect the Belmont Stakes, U.S. Open and possibly British Open added to the list. With postponements of so many major events, baseball being pushed back and the upcoming football seasons on the horizon, the fall could be Some of these events have been rescheduled. Many continue to search as busy a time as we have ever seen if we can stop the spread of for a way to fit them into the calendar. Nearly all are planning to be held. COVID-19 The Kentucky Derby will be Sept. 5, the Boston Marathon Sept. 14, the * French Open Sept. 20-Oct. 4. The Evian has been rescheduled for Aug. 6-9 and the ANA Inspiration has moved to Sept. 10-13. TO OUR READERS: This content is being provided for free as a public service to our readers during the coronavirus outbreak. Please support Still to be determined are the PGA majors (for sure two, likely three, local journalism by subscribing to The Palm Beach Post. If you want maybe all four); Indianapolis 500 and final two legs of the Triple Crown, breaking coronavirus news directly in your inbox, sign up for our Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, which traditionally follow the Coronavirus Newsletter. Kentucky Derby. * Wimbledon could announce this week it will be canceled and not rescheduled in 2020. Moving into April (and don’t we wish we all could wake up Wednesday, find out this was just some cruel April Fools joke and life was back to Rescheduling the golf majors will be problematic with events set for every normal) typically signals a transition to the spring portion of the sports weekend through the end of the season, including the FedEx Cup calendar. playoffs in August and the Ryder Cup in late September, although the Ryder Cup may be sacrificed if it means squeezing in all four majors. The But this is as far from typical as any of us have seen in our lifetime. Masters could be held in October or early November, which likely would mean the PGA Championship in San Francisco could be played in early We should be buzzing about the Final Four, talking about the upsets and August or September and the U.S. Open in September if it is postponed. buzzer beaters along the way. Would there have been a Cinderella in Atlanta this weekend? Maybe East Tennessee State? Northern Iowa? Some of the lesser tournaments undoubtedly will be sacrificed. Liberty? What No. 1 seeds – Gonzaga, Kansas, Dayton, Baylor – would have been upset? Could FSU had made it to the Final Four as a No.2 Wherever these events land, sports fans will have difficult decisions to seed? make with major events butting heads along with the NFL, college football and baseball postseason. That means not only competing for the We should be entering the first full week of the Major League Baseball fans’ dollars, which for many will be squeezed in these difficult economic season and starting the meter on the number of times Astros batters times brought on by the pandemic, but networks competing for viewers have been hit by pitchers, or how many games Giancarlo Stanton will and having to make decisions on which outlets to air events. miss because of injuries. Now, let’s hope we all have such problems and these are the most Golfers should be taking their final warmup swings this week for next difficult decisions we have to make this fall … and with vodka an option week’s Masters, which would have been a tribute to Tiger Woods’ to be used only as intended. dramatic victory at Augusta a year ago, whether or not Tiger’s cranky back allowed him to play. All eyes would have been on Rory McIlroy to The Palm Beach Post LOADED: 04.01.2020 see if the No. 1 golfer in the world could complete the career grand slam. And Brooks Koepka, whose game had slipped recently, as he chases a fifth major. The NHL should be starting its postseason this weekend, which would have meant the end to another disappointing Panthers season and a decline in shaving cream and razor sales in NHL cities. The NBA’s postseason should be two weeks behind the NHL’s with the rejuvenated Heat showing our other professional franchises how you rebuild without tanking, returning to the playoffs and confident enough to believe they can make a run toward the Finals.

But none of that will happen - at least not this month and never for March Madness in 2020 - not with the coronavirus pandemic putting sports, and life, into a global timeout. That is, with the exception of the Belarus Premier League, which plays on after the country’s president told his people to wash their hands with vodka to poison the virus. Belarusians definition of "rubbing alcohol." Events across the country have been lost, some canceled for 2020, others hoping to be pushed back to later in the year. But that only happens if the spread of COVID-19 slows dramatically. And that only happens if we take guidelines and recommendations seriously to do our part. And if we do, if we are lucky enough to return to life as close to normal as possible sometime this summer, be ready for the busiest, most jam- packed sports schedule we likely will see in our lifetime. Your weekends in the fall may consists of more than deciding whether to watch the Dolphins-Bills or Rays-Twins in the ALCS. We could have the NBA and NHL seasons running into the start of NFL and college football training camps and baseball being played into late November. And although golf, tennis, auto racing and others have a long lists of events that have been canceled, each is attempting to preserve their 1173211 World Leagues News

Coronavirus update: Doomsday scenario predicted for sports in 2020, including NFL

By Mike Rosenstein

Sports fans aren’t going to like what ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy said about the coronavirus pandemic. The former New York Knicks head coach appeared on a Portland, Ore. radio show on Monday. When asked about the impact of COVID-19 on the sports world, here was his answer: “I don’t think we’re going to play NBA basketball again this year. I don’t see Major League Baseball happening and I see the NFL and college football starting late.” Van Gundy expanded on his thought process per the Boston Globe: “Until we start developing a herd immunity to it, we come up with a protocol to treat it, or a vaccine becomes available, I don’t see games being played. ... I understand how you can start again, but what’s the plan if the next person gets sick, like another Rudy Gobert-type of situation, we’re going to play through it? We’re going to cancel it again? That to me is why I don’t see any of these things taking place. ... I have no idea how (the NBA) can pull off the season, and I have no idea what’s going to happen, and I hope next season isn’t impacted." The NBA suspended its season almost three weeks ago, when Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was diagnosed with the coronavirus. A total of 10 active players have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The NHL and MLB quickly followed suit, as did the NCAA, which canceled all winter and spring championships, including March Madness and on-campus spring football programs. The NFL canceled its annual meeting in Florida but is proceeding with the NFL Draft next month. However fans will not be in attendance and teams won’t be able to use their facilities. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ordered all 32 teams to close their headquarters, leaving the offseason workout program in the air. In addition, the NFL regular-season schedule is not expected to be released until May at the earliest. Traditionally, it comes out the week before the NFL Draft. Van Gundy is not alone in his prediction. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said last week he would" be shocked if we have NFL football this fall, if we have college football. I’ll be so surprised if that happens." njadvancemedia.com. LOADED: 04.01.2020 1173212 World Leagues News best odds were on “fantastic,” “incredible,” “amazing” and “tremendous,” while “not our fault” was near the bottom.

Along those same lines, BetOnline was offering odds on whether the Sports betting without sports? Adapting to the age of coronavirus U.S. presidential election will actually take place on Nov. 3, 2020 due to the virus. “No” is getting three-to-one odds, while “yes” is a one-in-five shot. Trump remains the favorite to win, with Mike Pence and Andrew By William Thornton | [email protected] Cuomo drawing 50-to-1 odds. There were also odds last week for matches in Wrestlemania 36, and prop bets on who would be the first character to die on Netflix’s “Ozark.” It’s been more than two weeks since American sports shut down in the wake of the coronavirus, which means that a significant - and largely Fuhrman said, outside of creativity, what bookmakers are trying to illegal - business in Alabama has gone dormant: sports betting. maintain is a sense of optimism. The biggest question is whether college and pro football will actually take place in the fall, either with a regular or Unless you want to bet on the adjectives President Trump uses in his abbreviated schedule. Right now Fuhrman said he’s preparing for the daily news conference, or feel like digging into the details of Japanese NFL Draft, scheduled for late April, and fine tuning numbers for college sumo wrestling. football season without having any spring practice stats to look over. Birmingham is regularly mentioned nationally as a hotbed of off-the- And he’s trying not to think about the effect if the extreme coronavirus books gambling, mainly but not solely fed by college and professional measures should stretch further into the fall. football. March Madness is usually second only to the Super Bowl for the volume of sports betting nationally, and it didn’t happen for the first time “Sure it would be great to have the NBA, NHL, and Major League since the 1930s. Baseball firing on all cylinders sooner rather than later, golf and NASCAR, too, ” Fuhrman said. “But the main thing is, can we get a full Consider this - estimates had about 47 million Americans betting on last 17-week schedule for the NFL? If those two sports - college and pro year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, to the tune of $8.5 billion. football - were potentially impacted, that would be a massive blow to the industry and I don’t think anyone really wants to consider those That absence of activity and commerce has hit many a bettor and possibilities.” bookmaker equally hard. The American Gaming Association, a group which lobbies for lifting gambling restrictions, estimates up to $150 billion al.com LOADED: 04.01.2020 is wagered illegally on sports every year, with most wagers placed on NFL and college football games. Lance Taylor is a long-time WJOX radio personality in Birmingham who has his own betting subscriber site, Lance’s Lock, and does weekly appearances on nationally syndicated Fox Radio, as well as stations in Austin and Memphis. He says “you can’t swing a dead cat in Birmingham without hitting a bookie.” Taylor got his start betting while in high school. Like other gamblers, his refers to his bookie in conversation as “my guy.” He can’t remember anything comparable to the current period. The sports hiatus following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 brought sports to a halt for less than two weeks. “The 15th was the last day you were able to wager anything,” Taylor said. “It’s the first time in my lifetime being involved in sports gambling where everything has gone silent. Outside of Ultimate Fighting Championship coming back in April, we’re looking at another two or more full months of nothing to wager on.” Like many other facets of society interrupted by the pandemic, sports and sports betting is looking at an uncertain timeline to resume. Normally, this would be one of the hottest times of the year, with the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, Major League Baseball, the NBA and a host of other events. “One layer of it is that sports is such an escape,” Taylor said. “But another is that guy who is not even a sports fan, who just loves to gamble.” As of last week, MLB clubs were looking at perhaps resuming spring training in late May. The NBA could continue, without fans, sometime in June. But all of these are estimates based on the very fluid dynamics of the moment. Alabamians who usually place wagers on sporting events this time of year may feel like the last vulture at the roadside carcass. The pickings are very slim. Todd Fuhrman has been covering sports gambling nationally for about seven years. He hosts the show, “Lock It In” on FS1, a podcast called “Bet the Board” and is regularly heard on Fox Sports Radio. He said losing March’s volume of sports betting in Las Vegas books totaled half a billion dollars, 70 percent of which would have been March Madness. The lack of domestic sports has forced some bookmakers to get creative. “They’ve had to find some of the secondary soccer leagues out there,” Fuhrman said. “For example, one book out here takes bets on Belarusian soccer, and the Nicaraguan Premier League, something that they never would have offered previously.” Another book, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was taking bets on sumo wrestling, while there was heavy action on Australian rules football until it too was suspended by the outbreak. Still more creative bets were being offering up at SportsBettingDime, which established odds on the over/under of what words President Donald Trump would repeat in his daily coronavirus press briefings. The 1173213 World Leagues News Commissioner Rob Manfred has an agenda, and this year might give him his opportunity.

Manfred and the owners want to cut back on the money they spend on Coronavirus may lead to permanent changes to our beloved sports minor league ball and development. That’s starting now. MLB and the MLB Players Association reportedly reached an agreement Column by Tom Shatel World-Herald staff writer Mar 31, 2020 Updated on some issues last week. That included the MLB draft, which will still 13 hrs ago take place this year between June 10 and July 20 (though it’s not clear where).

According to the agreement, MLB has the option to cut the draft down to You got a minute? How about a couple of months? five rounds — or up to 10. Five is the likely number. Either way, that’s down from 40 rounds in previous drafts. On Sunday nights, I take questions on my Twitter feed. The answers come out here. The No. 1 topic on everyone’s mind: Will there be a That’s a lot of high school and college players without a place to go. Well, football season? except back to college, unless they’re seniors. The winner: college baseball. There is no shortage of experts who have written off college football for 2020. I get it. But what’s the hurry? As one agent told Baseball America, shortening the draft paves the way for the 42-team contraction of minor league teams. And moving Next week will be different from this week, which is different from last development to the colleges. week. Check back in April. Or May. The virus is in charge here. It’s the first step in pushing the draft to August. And, perhaps, allowing What’s for sure is that there will be fallout from this sports year — or lack NCAA baseball to move its season into the summer. thereof — and how we do sports in the future. Another possible ramification: If MLB does play a shortened season, with This year will take us outside the box — and it might leave us there. For a lot of seven-inning doubleheaders, you might hear a call to go to instance: seven-inning games. College football: Don’t laugh. I’m a so-called baseball purist and I don’t rule anything out. The season could start in May and that wouldn’t be a bad thing. A World What if the season begins next February and goes through May? Spring Series in December would. football that counts. Baseball is fighting an image that games take too long. If fans take to Why would that happen? There are 6.5 billion reasons. That’s how much seven-inning games, who knows? revenue this sport means — and 80% of FBS athletic budgets are tied to that revenue. At least it would cut Yankees-Red Sox games down to three hours. And this: Senior players who have next fall canceled will want another NFL: year of eligibility — and likely get it. But the complication of keeping them on the scholarship list and adding new recruits in 2021 could be a The NFL is the 400-pound gorilla of sports. It does what it wants. But if financial backbreaker for a lot of athletic departments. there’s no season this fall, would the NFL try to play a shortened season beginning in November or December and go into March? Anything’s So, let players play next spring — before the NFL draft. Which could get possible here. The NFL is a sport people follow year-round. moved back. NCAA hoops: Then maybe you move the 2021 fall season to mid-September — which used to be the starting line, long ago. After losing March Madness, next season should be untouched. But who knows? If it means college hoops doesn’t start games until December, Crazy? How about games this fall in empty stadiums? If it’s safe for the that would be OK. Actually, preferred. players, you bet. We love our Saturday game days. But college football is like every sport: It’s a TV show. Inventory that brings in big bucks. OK, on with some more questions. As long as those games are on TV, you bet the A.D.s are going to want From Otis: How drastic is the financial fallout from the NCAA cutting its those checks coming in. And you bet we will be watching in a living room (basketball tournament) payment and potentially not having a college or a garage tailgate or a sports bar and loving it. football season next fall? Will schools be forced to shut down or drop down from D-I? Or, 6 feet apart. Will that still be going on next fall? The virus had no comment. It will be tough. Real tough. There may be staff and even sports cut in some areas. Some schools (i.e., Big Ten, SEC and ACC) will be able to The impact of that possibility is if fans would decide they don’t handle it better than others. In that way, it’s a little like decisions that necessarily have to be at a game to enjoy it. There go the future everyday folks will have to make this year. What you hope is it’s a attendance trends. situation where you tighten your belt in the short term and are able to start recovering next year. NBA: From FriedYo: Would players perform the same in games played in near- Whether or not LeBron James and Co. are back in business this year, empty stadiums? the NBA schedule is something to watch. Depends on the player. Most players feed off the crowds. The lack of Say the league comes back in the summer, in a shortened form, and home-field advantage would be interesting. It would remind me of when crowns a champ in August. That’s a short turnaround to training camp in we used to watch Husker scrimmages in Memorial Stadium. The September, right? competitiveness always came out on the field. Eventually it’s still football. Wrong. You start the next season on Christmas Day and then play into Instincts and adrenaline take over. the following July or August — right before the NFL starts. From Aaron: If Frank Solich were still coaching the Huskers, how many Why? The NBA would get out of the way of the NFL from October to championships would he have? December and into the more vacant months of late spring and early This one has layers. I think NU would have won a couple of more Big 12 summer. And as an old baseball fan, that’s hard to write. But true. titles but no national title. However, with a couple of more Big 12 crowns, I like that idea. There are some honchos in the NBA who want it to would that have kept Nebraska in the Big 12? Possibly. eventually happen. This year might give them the opening. I know this: If Solich lasted this long, that meant he improved his Subscribe to The World-Herald and get unlimited access to sports recruiting and had a veteran staff. If NU were in the Big Ten, he would coverage at just 99 cents for the first month have had the program in a much better place to succeed. Subscribe to The World-Herald and get unlimited access to sports And from Isolationalist Bob: With possible revenue issues ahead, does coverage at just 99 cents for the first month that mean $5 Busch Lights at Husker football games? MLB: Every school is going to have to take a hard look at this revenue stream. And, as I’ve said, Oklahoma began selling beer at home football games last fall, and OU and Nebraska have always been connected in many ways. Could I see it here? Yes. Do I think it’s necessary? No. But I’m not in charge of paying the bills. » One more and I’m outta here: A year without college football? Not good. But you want to talk tough? Try having a high school senior with no prom or graduation ceremony. That’s an entirely different level. The fun and games have been stopped — for now. Arenas have been silenced and shut down. Athletes sent to the bench. A March madness unlike anything before it shook the sports world on Thursday due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. The NCAA canceled its men's and women's tournaments, Major League Baseball pushed back opening day at least two weeks, and the National Hockey League followed the NBA's lead to suspend play by putting its season on ice. The NFL, tennis, soccer, golf and auto racing have also altered their schedules because of the virus, which has even caused Broadway to go dark for the next month. From coast to coast, North American sports fans grappled with the unprecedented developments and this new abnormal while wondering when they would again get to cheer for their favorite teams and players. It's now a waiting game. Omaha.com LOADED: 04.01.2020