SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 5/27/2020 Anaheim Ducks Carolina Hurricanes 1174891 Kings and Ducks done for season, but SoCal fans still 1174924 Canes, Rangers to play for shot at the playoffs. What we could get to see playoff hockey know about NHL’s return to play 1174892 NHL unveils return to play plan, with several details to be 1174925 Hurricanes’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team determined format impacts Carolina 1174893 Ducks’ return to play guide: How NHL’s 24-team format impacts Anaheim 1174926 There will be a 24-team playoff if the NHL returns. And Chicago could host games — if it meets the league’s sa 1174894 Arizona Coyotes in playoff field if NHL resumes season 1174927 Blackhawks playoff bound as NHL announces postseason this summer format, outlines timetable 1174895 Coyotes to play Predators in playoff qualifier once NHL 1174928 Blackhawks can soon begin small workouts as NHL plans resumes first move out of coronavirus shutdown 1174896 NHL return-to-play power rankings: New playoff format, 1174929 Bettman announces NHL plan; Chicago a candidate to same favorites at the top host playoff games 1174897 Coyotes return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1174930 Patrick Sharp and Eddie Olczyk preview star-studded format affects Arizona Blackhawks-Oilers series 1174931 Four reasons why the Blackhawks could make a run in 24-team format 1174898 NHL approves playoff plan; Bruins to play in one of two 1174932 Blackhawks 'excited' to be among teams in NHL return to ‘hub’ cities, but no date set for return play plan 1174899 NHL deserves credit for its plan, but will it work? 1174933 Chicago still being considered for NHL conference hub 1174900 How the NHL draft lottery will work under the league’s new when hockey resumes plan 1174934 What Blackhawks' roster could look like against Oilers for 1174901 How the NHL playoff format will work play-in series 1174902 NHL unveils plan for 24-team tournament 1174935 NHL return to play: What is the plan for 1174903 Let's not shed tears for the Bruins getting 'screwed' by playoffs, NHL Draft NHL playoff format 1174936 Why Oilers should fear Patrick Kane, 1174904 Is new format unfair to Bruins? Sure, but hockey is one Blackhawks in NHL 24-team playoff step closer to returning 1174937 Will Blackhawks regret trading Robin Lehner with NHL's 1174905 Stanley Cup odds 2020: Updated betting lines after 24-team playoff? 24-team return format unveiled 1174938 What are NHL's next steps after Gary Bettman announces 1174906 David Pastrnak falls short of milestone, but still makes return-to-play plan Bruins history 1174939 How Blackhawks will be affected by NHL 2020 Draft 1174907 2020 NHL Playoffs: These 10 cities are possibilities for Lottery announcement hubs when play resumes 1174940 What a Blackhawks vs. Oilers play-in series would look 1174908 This Date in Bruins Playoff History: Wayne Gretzky beats like B's in final Oilers game 1174941 Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Connor Murphy 1174909 NHL announces 24-team return format; here's what fans 1174942 Blackhawks’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team need to know format impacts Chicago 1174910 Mark Recchi laughs off Brad Marchand's attempt to play 1174943 ‘A genuine, authentic hate’: An oral history of the 'underdog' role Blackhawks-Canucks rivalry 1174911 Why on Earth did Hurricanes complain about NHL playoff format? Colorado Avalanche 1174912 The Bruins’ return-to-play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1174944 Back to hockey: NHL unveils plans for 24-team playoff format impacts Boston tournament 1174913 The Bruins’ formula to return: Here’s what each player 1174945 Avalanche’s return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team must work on for playoffs format impacts Denver 1174914 Bruins alumni poll: Ex-players shine a light on what really 1174946 NHL announces initial plans of 24-team return to play happened format Columbus Blue Jackets 1174915 Jason Botterill wasn't going anywhere, but 's 1174947 NHL approves 24-team postseason; Blue Jackets get No. explanation defies belief 9 seed 1174916 What's next for Sabres with regular season officially over? 1174948 Blue Jackets players eager to return to ice, but fans will be 1174917 Sabres receive finality, clarity with NHL announcing playoff missed format, lottery 1174949 Blue Jackets’ return to play guide: How NHL’s 24-team 1174918 With bizarre playoff near-miss, Sabres' season finally goes format impacts Columbus on permanent pause 1174919 Sabres’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Buffalo 1174950 Stars gain playoff berth in new NHL format, road to Stanley Cup could go through Dallas 1174951 Stars return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format 1174920 Nenshi: Calgary hub city talks held with NHL impacts Dallas 1174921 Flames will face Jets in play-in series as part of NHL’s planned restart 1174922 Old-timers on TikTok: The making of the 1989 Flames' viral video 1174923 Flames return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Calgary Canadiens 1174952 Where the Detroit Red Wings stand in revamped NHL 1174988 NHL to return for 24-team playoffs but warns Canadian draft lottery quarantine rules may keep games in the U.S. 1174953 No Detroit Red Wings hockey until January? NHL says it's 1174989 Canadiens officially in NHL playoffs, but Alexander possible Romanov can't play 1174954 It has been 1,500 days since Detroit sports' last playoff 1174990 Canadiens’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team win. The outlook is bleak format impacts Montreal 1174955 Niyo: As the sports world tries to reengage, it's time to get 1174991 Roundtable reaction: How the NHL’s Return to Play plan creative impacts the Canadiens 1174956 End of Red Wings' season brings 18.5-percent chance to get No. 1 pick Nashville Predators 1174957 Red Wings' season over, NHL moves ahead with 24-team 1174992 NHL sets format for Stanley Cup Playoffs with Predators playoff facing Coyotes in play-in round 1174958 Red Wings look to June 26 draft lottery with same odds 1174993 Predators forward Ryan Johansen tries to make most of 1174959 Red Wings’ offseason guide: How the NHL’s 24-team dog days of NHL pause format impacts Detroit 1174994 Predators return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1174960 The Red Wings who provided the most bang for the buck format impacts Nashville this season New Jersey Devils 1174995 N.H.L. Announces Plan to Return Straight Into the Playoffs 1174961 It appears Oilers don't have to give Flames third-round 1174996 Coronavirus update: NBA returning with playoffs? MLB pick for James Neal open to deferring salary? NHL back on ice in early June? 1174962 It's official: Oilers in play-in series, Edmonton possible hub 1174997 Coronavirus update: NBA’s target date to return; NHL’s city playoff plan; SEC’s crucial vote 1174963 Former Oilers forward Sam Gagner has no dog in the 1174998 What the NHL's return-to-play plan means for the Devils expanded playoff format fight 1174999 What Devils think about sudden end to their season 1174964 JONES: NHL rinks could see action soon with initial 1175000 Roundtable reaction: Winners and losers of the NHL’s return-to-play initiatives draft lottery solution 1174965 JONES: Has it really been 30 years since the Oilers won 1175001 Devils’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team their last Stanley Cup? format impacts New Jersey 1174966 Oilers return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Edmonton New York Islanders 1174967 Multiple choice: What might an Oilers trade at the 2020 1175002 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman believes Islanders' NHL Draft look like? Belmont arena can meet target open date 1174968 Lowetide: Mike Green’s playoff role and possible future 1175003 NHL's playoff format isn't perfect, but it surely is welcome with the Oilers 1175004 Isles, Rangers included in NHL's return-to-play format leading to playoffs 1175005 Islanders’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1174969 The NHL officially has a return plan. Here’s how the format impacts New York Panthers made new playoff format 1174970 Bettman announces NHL’s return-to-play plan; Panthers would face Islanders in first round of 24-team playoff 1175006 NHL's playoff format isn't perfect, but it surely is welcome 1174971 Panthers’ return-to-play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1175007 Isles, Rangers included in NHL's return-to-play format format impacts Florida leading to playoffs 1175008 Islanders’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team Los Angeles Kings format impacts New York 1174972 Kings and Ducks done for season, but SoCal fans still could get to see playoff hockey Ottawa Senators 1174973 NHL unveils return to play plan, with several details to be 1175009 The Ottawa Senators will have to look towards next year determined with no date in sight 1174974 Kings’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format 1175010 The Ottawa Senators will find out on June 26 if they've impacts L.A. won the draft lottery 1174975 NHL OUTLINES RETURN TO PLAY PLAN; L.A. UNDER 1175011 Senators’ offseason guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format CONSIDERATION AS HUB; JUNE 26 DRAFT LOTTERY affects Ottawa 1175012 Performance review: Assessing D.J. Smith’s first season behind the Sens bench 1174976 Restarted NHL season could play right into Wild's hands 1174977 The NHL's Return Plan: What you need to know 1174978 NHL regular season officially over; Wild makes 1175013 NHL training camps won’t start until July 1 at earliest; postseason Flyers could get top seed in East 1174979 Iowa Wild's Kaapo Kahkonen voted AHL's outstanding 1175014 Important week as NHL finalizes plans to restart season | goaltender On the Fly 1174980 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman expected to announce 1175015 Gov. Murphy says pro sports teams in N.J. ‘can return to return-to-play format this afternoon training and competition’; Sixers and Flyers could be 1174981 Good Marine, beloved TV sports photographer Rich 1175016 NHL commissioner Bettman going through with 24-team Nuessle still remembered playoff attempt 1174982 John Shipley: NHL has a plan to resume play. How quaint. 1175017 New Jersey gives green light for pro sports teams to get 1174983 Twin Cities is one of 10 hubs in running to host NHL back to work playoffs 1175018 Stanley Cup odds 2020: Updated look as NHL releases 1174984 Wild prospect Kaapo Kahkonen named AHL’s best plan to resume play goaltender 1175019 Predictions for Flyers' best lineup to open NHL's 24-team 1174985 Wild among 24 teams included in NHL’s Return to Play Stanley Cup Playoffs plan Plan 1175020 NHL, Flyers fans going crazy after latest news on return- 1174986 Wild’s return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format to-play format impacts Minnesota 1175021 Flyers’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1174987 Bringing sports back: How Minnesota’s pro teams are format impacts Philadelphia preparing a new playbook Canucks 1175022 Penguins offer refunds for canceled games 1175082 Ben Kuzma: GM Benning hopes Wild matchup, delayed 1175023 Penguins A to Z: Finally healthy, Sam Miletic takes a step draft is win-win for Canucks forward 1175083 Canucks return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1175024 NHL’s Gary Bettman outlines return-to-play plan; format impacts Vancouver Penguins-Canadiens matchup set 1175084 ‘A genuine, authentic hate’: An oral history of the 1175025 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins re-sign defenseman Jon Blackhawks-Canucks rivalry Lizotte 1175026 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to announce return to Vegas Golden Knights play format 1175056 No whining allowed: Embrace the big picture of NHL’s 1175027 Unfiltered: Are Penguins in bad spot when NHL resumes?; return Breaking down impact Steelers’ draft picks could make; 1175057 Golden Knights win 2nd Pacific Division title in 3 years 1175028 Tim Benz: Sorry, Penguins fans. A 2020 NHL relaunch 1175058 Nevada sportsbooks to refund some NHL regular-season was never going to be perfect. bets 1175029 Pittsburgh among possible ‘hub’ cities as NHL adopts 1175059 Golden Knights begin process to pay arena employees 24-team playoff format 1175060 Golden Knights will offer credits, refunds to ticket holders 1175030 Penguins’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1175061 Las Vegas under consideration as hub city for NHL restart format impacts Pittsburgh 1175062 Golden Knights to unveil AHL team name, logo Thursday 1175063 Las Vegas under consideration to be NHL hub city 1175065 Commissioner announces NHL reboot plan; Las Vegas 1175031 San Jose Sharks’ season officially ends; What should considered as host Doug Wilson’s priorities be now? 1175066 Golden Knights’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 1175032 Sharks season done as NHL going straight to postseason, 24-team format impacts Vegas if it resumes 1175067 Golden Knights Are Division Winners As NHL 24-Team 1175033 NHL draft lottery: How Sharks will be impacted by league's Playoff Format Plays Out In A Hub City In Each new setup Conference T 1175034 Vegas Knights troll Sharks, LA Kings after making 2019- 1175068 Golden Knights To Reveal Henderson Minor League 20 NHL playoffs Team Name, Logo On Live TV Thursday 1175035 Doug Wilson reacts to Sharks' season ending as NHL prepares to return 1175036 Four things to know about Sharks' offseason after bizarre 1175069 Alex Ovechkin wins ninth ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy; season ends Capitals finish atop Metropolitan again 1175037 Peter DeBoer calls Golden Knights, not Sharks, his most 1175070 NHL ends regular season, will open with 24-team playoff talented team at an undetermined date 1175038 Sharks' biggest takeaways after team's 2019-20 NHL 1175071 NHL commissioner announces restart plan; no dates, hub season comes to end cities finalized 1175039 Sharks' path back to Stanley Cup contention filled with 1175072 Capitals are the class of the Metropolitan Division for fifth major hurdles year in a row 1175040 Sharks' season over as NHL reveals modified Stanley Cup 1175073 Who will the Caps play in their first playoff series? The playoff format round robin, explained. 1175041 Lengthy offseason doesn’t alter Doug Wilson’s plan to 1175074 Alex Ovechkin shares ninth Rocket Richard Trophy, but return Sharks to playoffs Capitals miss some other milestones 1175042 Sharks’ offseason guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format 1175075 NHL hub cities: Complete list of possible cities league will impacts San Jose return to play 1175076 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reveals what the NHL St Louis Blues season will look like when it returns 1175043 Blues win Central Division crown but lose hub city bid on 1175077 What are the biggest decisions facing the Caps as the the same day NHL heads toward resuming play? 1175044 As NHL officially unveils return-to-play format, St. Louis no 1175078 Capitals’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team longer under consideration as hub city format impacts Washington 1175045 The Stanley Cup Final, which began this week in '19, is what I miss about sports today Websites 1175046 Blues’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format 1175085 The Athletic / LeBrun: What comes next after NHL’s impacts St. Louis announcement of Return to Play plan 1175086 The Athletic / Roundtable reaction: Winners and losers of the NHL’s draft lottery solution 1175047 Tampa is not a hub city in NHL’s 24-team return-to-play 1175087 The Athletic / NHL return-to-play power rankings: New format playoff format, same favorites at the top 1175048 Good grief. Are Lightning players really worrying about a 1175088 The Athletic / Explaining the NHL’s Return to Play plan first-round bye? and the new Draft lottery system 1175049 Lightning’s return-to-play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team 1175089 Sportsnet.ca / NHL provides glimmer of hope with clear format impacts Tampa Bay picture of Return to Play Plan 1175050 ‘Lose my (bleeping) number’: Behind the scenes of 1175090 Sportsnet.ca / NHL announces plans for return to play, covering Tampa Bay sports 2020 draft lottery 1175091 Sportsnet.ca / Gary Bettman answers fan questions on Maple Leafs Instagram about NHL's return to play 1175051 Ex-Leaf Doug Gilmour looks back at the Wayne Gretzky 1175092 TSN.CA / NHL outlines 24-team return-to-play format, high stick in 1993 and sees ‘the worst officiated game yo June 26 Draft Lottery 1175052 The Maple Leafs have clinched a playoff spot — or a play-in spot, at least Jets 1175053 The NHL announces its 24-team play-in and playoff 1175079 'We need to learn to live with this virus, including with format, and Toronto could factor in any scenario sports': 's top doc 1175054 With season officially done, Leafs can look ahead to 1175080 Jets to take on Flames in possible NHL play-in series possible return, Columbus series 1175081 Jets return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format 1175055 Maple Leafs return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team impacts Winnipeg format impacts Toronto World Leagues News 1175093 Coronavirus roundup: MLB salary offer disappoints players 1175094 Cricket Australia's response to coronavirus pandemic creates concern for game's future 1175095 Coronavirus: 'Many clubs will collapse', warns Weah 1175096 Texas schools may begin hosting sports workouts, band practices June 8 1175097 World Rugby to consider anti-coronavirus measures 1175098 How coronavirus has and will continue to affect sports 1175099 ‘Like a paid therapist’: Baseball agents’ role broadens during time of uncertainty 1175100 The NHL's coronavirus pause: What the playoff format means for all 31 teams, updates on testing, more 1175101 Rory McIlroy expects Ryder Cup to be cancelled over coronavirus pandemic SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1174891 Anaheim Ducks including the Stanley Cup Final, in the home cities of the competing teams, reiterating, “It depends on what the world looks like.”

What else do we know about the offseason? Next preseason? And when Kings and Ducks done for season, but SoCal fans still could get to see will the Kings and Ducks get together again? playoff hockey There are still many unknowns when it comes to the offseason. The draft has yet to be scheduled but reportedly is being planned for after the By JACK HARRIS STAFF WRITER postseason. A free-agency market that normally opens July 1 undoubtedly will be impacted, as could the salary cap after roughly 15% MAY 26, 20207:21 PM of the season was scrapped.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly addressed concerns about non- playoff teams having extra-long layoffs, hinting to reporters there could The Kings’ and Ducks’ season is over, as the NHL unveiled a 24-team be new offseason rules as a result. restart format Tuesday that excludes the clubs along with the other bottom-seven teams in the standings.

So, with the offseason finally on the horizon, here’s a primer on what LA Times: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Southern California hockey fans can look forward to.

The NHL modified its draft lottery. How does that impact the Ducks’ and Kings’ odds of getting the top pick?

Not at all, actually. As the 27th- and 28th-place teams in the standings, respectively, the Ducks and Kings have the same lottery odds for the No. 1 overall pick as they would in a normal season. The Kings will have a 9.5% chance of the top selection. The Ducks are at 8.5%.

The lottery process, however, received a major makeover, as detailed by commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday. Instead of one lottery drawing with all non-playoff teams, this summer’s lottery potentially will take place in two phases. The first, which will be held June 26, will include all seven teams whose seasons are over, plus eight “placeholder” spots for the teams eliminated in the pre-playoff qualification round.

If any of the top three picks, which will be drawn separately, are awarded to one of those eight “placeholder” spots, there will be a second phase to the lottery at a later date to decide which team (or teams) eliminated in the qualification round will fill each position. Otherwise, the rest of the draft order will be determined by the reverse order of the final regular- season standings.

Even if the Kings are done, could Los Angeles host playoff games this summer?

Bettman identified Los Angeles as one of the 10 cities under consideration for the two “hub” locations that will host games in spectator-less arenas when the season resumes, at the earliest, in July.

“We are honored to be included in consideration as an NHL hub city,” Kings chief operating officer Kelly Cheeseman said. “We know L.A. Live and Staples Center will be well prepared given their collective history of hosting showcase events, so we look forward to the outcome.”

Indeed, Staples Center, which is equipped with a dehumidification system with a built-in air cleanser, and the surrounding L.A. Live complex, which includes ample hotel space plus underground tunnel access to the arena, give the market an advantage. So does the fact that the city isn’t subject to the same 14-day quarantine requirements currently in place in Canada, nor would it create a potential home-ice advantage with the Kings out of the playoffs.

Still, it’s unclear how strong of a contender Los Angeles is compared to the other locations under consideration: Las Vegas, Edmonton, Vancouver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Pittsburgh and Toronto.

Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s hope of hosting spectator-less sporting events as soon as June, the local government still has some of the stricter stay-at-home orders in the U.S. Also, the city offers fewer options for practice rinks than other locations. The Kings’ three-rink training facility in El Segundo is the most logical host site for non-gameday training activities, but is more than 15 miles away from Staples Center. Pickwick Ice Center in Burbank would be another potential option.

Will next season still be held in full? Will fans be allowed to attend?

Bettman reiterated the NHL’s expectation to complete a full 2020-21 season, even if the start of the campaign is delayed until the new year.

It’s too soon to know whether or not fans will be able to return to arenas — in either full or partial capacities — for the start of the schedule, but Bettman told reporters he was hopeful fans would be present. He also left open the possibility of hosting later rounds of this season’s playoffs, 1174892 Anaheim Ducks Also unclear is how far the start of the 2020-21 season, which is still expected to include a full 82-game schedule for each team, will be pushed back. Normally, the NHL regular season begins in early October, NHL unveils return to play plan, with several details to be determined but there has been speculation the 2020-21 schedule might not begin until November or December.

Various players and executives from both the Kings and Ducks By JACK HARRIS STAFF WRITER expressed interest over the last several weeks to finish their current seasons. However, when the NHLPA held a team-by-team vote to MAY 26, 20203:33 PM approve the general concept of the NHL’s 24-team proposal last week, neither club’s players reportedly voted down the measure.

The NHL unveiled its plan to complete the 2019-20 season, confirming a The only teams whose players rejected the format were the Carolina 24-team restart format that wouldn’t include the Kings or Ducks, Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning — teams that will participate in the effectively ending their seasons. modified playoff structure. Those no votes were indicative of a drawn-out debate within the league over a 24-team format that failed to appease all The Return to Play Plan, which received approval from the league and concerns but garnered the most consensus among plans to complete the NHL Players’ Assn. before being announced by Commissioner Gary season. Bettman on Tuesday, calls for the season to restart no sooner than July and move directly into a qualification stage for the postseason, with “I am certain that depending on which team you root for, you can find games set to be held at two yet-to-determined “hub” locations in NHL some element of this package that you might prefer to be done markets. differently,” Bettman said. “But we believe we have constructed an overall plan that includes all teams that, as a practical matter, might have Bettman called the plan “fair to all of the teams, and our best option had a chance to qualify for the playoffs when the season was paused. under the circumstances,” and added that games won’t restart until “the This plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion that would have go-ahead from medical experts and the relevant government authorities run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.” is given.”

The top four teams in each conference, as decided by points percentages when the season was suspended March 12 because of the LA Times: LOADED: 05.27.2020 COVID-19 pandemic, will receive a bye into the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the meantime, they will play a series of round-robin games that will decide their playoff seeding. Teams seeded Nos. 5 to 12 will participate in best-of-five qualifications series to play their way into the 16-team field.

From there, several specifics of the playoff format have yet to be decided. The first and second rounds could be either best-of-five or best- of-seven series, and Bettman said the league has yet to decide whether to use a set bracket or adjust for seeding after every round. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven series and played at one of the hub sites.

Regarding hub locations, Bettman said Los Angeles is one of 10 potential sites being considered. One hub city will host the Western Conference teams while the other hosts the Eastern Conference, though both hubs could be in markets from the same conference, according to Bettman, who added that each club will be limited to bringing no more than 50 club personnel to each hub location.

“We will not set dates, choose sites or begin to play until we know it is appropriate and prudent and approved to do so,” Bettman said.

The roughly 15% of regular-season games that were remaining when the league suspended the season , including 12 games for the Kings and 11 for the Ducks, will be scrapped.

The bottom seven teams in the standings — which also include the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres — will instead turn their attention to a modified NHL draft lottery, which will be held in two phases beginning June 26 and keeps the odds of the Kings (9.5%) and Ducks (8.5%) getting the No. 1 overall pick the same.

“This is a bit complicated,” Bettman said of the new lottery system, which will require a second phase only if one of the top three picks in the draft goes to one of the eight “placeholder” spots being reserved for the eight losers of the best-of-five qualification round. “The format was adopted in order to maintain distribution of lottery-winning odds that were in place entering the 2019-20 season.”

Many other questions remain before play can resume, including the health and safety procedures. So far, the NHL has only released its rules for “Phase 2” of its return protocol, which outlines precautionary steps required to allow players to begin training again in small groups.

Specific plans for staging a three-week training camp period (“Phase 3”), as well as the games themselves (“Phase 4”), have yet to be announced, though neither is expected to begin before July. Those phases won’t begin until the league has secured plans for a “comprehensive system of testing,” Bettman said. 1174893 Anaheim Ducks Getzlaf had 29 assists to lead Anaheim for a 13th consecutive season. Nicolas Deslauriers paced the Ducks with 92 minutes.

What this means to the franchise Ducks’ return to play guide: How NHL’s 24-team format impacts Anaheim The Ducks missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since a three-year postseason drought from 1999 to 2002. It is now the By Eric Stephens longest spell without playoff work for Getzlaf, who has been with them throughout his 15-year career. His 125 contests are the most in franchise May 26, 2020 history.

Players hurt/helped by the end of the season

While other teams waited on the NHL to determine what they would be It helped injured players such as Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, John doing this summer, as the league considered different plans to restart Gibson and Erik Gudbranson, who were all sidelined at the time of the and finish its 2019-20 season, the Ducks proceeded with their offseason stoppage. Some of the club’s hoped-for developing young talents, such away from the ice. as Sam Steel, Troy Terry, Max Comtois, Max Jones and Brendan Guhle, were pinched by the NHL and AHL ceasing play, especially with the Nothing changed for them Tuesday when commissioner Gary Bettman AHL’s Gulls unable to proceed into playoff action. Trade acquisitions laid out the league’s Return to Play plan to ultimately get back on the ice Danton Heinen, Christian Djoos and Sonny Milano could have used more and end the pandemic-interrupted season with the traditional awarding of time to mesh further with their new teammates. the Stanley Cup to its champion. By virtue of its poor winning percentage when play was halted on March 12, Anaheim is not among the 24 teams First order of business in the offseason that will continue playing. Twelve teams in each conference will have the opportunity to go on a playoff run, with the top four participating in a With two picks in the first round of the draft for the second straight round-robin format to determine seeding. The remaining eight spots will season, the Ducks have the opportunity to continue filling their shelves be filled through best-of-five play-in series that will determine the other with high-quality young talent. They must also determine whether first-round teams. venerable goalie Ryan Miller will return for another season and continue backing up Gibson. In addition to signing Miller, there are new contracts The Ducks finished 13th in the Western Conference, and their 29-33-9 due for Milano, Terry and defenseman Jacob Larsson. All are restricted record and .472 points percentage left them well behind 12th-seeded free agents. Chicago, which squeaked in with its 32-30-8 mark and .514 percentage. They can also discuss whether to stick with Rickard Rakell and Josh “While we would have preferred to conclude our season normally and Manson as core pieces and count on them returning to past form, or play 82 games, it became obvious over time that was not practical,” consider what they might get in return through trade. Both are attractive, general manager Bob Murray said in an email to The Athletic. “We given they are in their prime ages and have affordable contracts through appreciate the NHL and NHLPA working together to award the Stanley 2022. Manson has a 12-team, no-trade clause, but Rakell lacks that kind Cup in these unique circumstances. We also want to thank our fans for of protection. their support and patience. We remain excited about our future and can’t wait for the 2020-21 season.” Other offseason priorities

The silver lining is, Anaheim now can plan for a draft lottery that has The Ducks can initiate dialogue with Getzlaf on a new contract. The more of an endgame feel. The first of what could be a two-phased lottery longtime captain and face of the franchise can become an unrestricted will take place June 26. The Ducks have an 8.5 percent chance to land free agent next summer as his current eight-year, $66 million deal the No. 1 overall selection, which most conclude will be junior star Alexis reaches expiration. He has long stated his wish to play in Anaheim his Lafreniere of the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic. entire career and appears quite open to a shorter-term deal.

Players haven’t been able to train, with ice rinks closed to follow the There isn’t a ton of salary cap space for 2020-21, but adding a right- necessary caution toward limiting the spread of the coronavirus, but front shooting defenseman at a reasonable salary and term could be offices could start on their to-do lists. Murray already started by holding addressed if there’s a desire to push the bigger dogs in the Pacific. A exit meetings with individuals and making a few small re-signings of smaller agenda item could be considering whether right wing Kiefer players who can fit into his mix next season. Sherwood, who’ll be a restricted free agent, should be part of their plans. The 25-year-old’s path was largely blocked this season after appearing in Murray has quite an assignment ahead. His team is now completely 50 games as a rookie. removed from its once-held standing as a premier West foe for several years. Transition was the buzzword throughout the Ducks’ season, and it could be in heavy usage again in 2020-21. Murray sold owners Henry The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 and Susan Samueli on a retooling plan that was in serious need of enactment following a brutal showing in a 2018 first-round exit, followed by a free fall in the early part of 2019.

The plan centered around skewing the roster in a younger direction, a process that began last season. Whether it will begin to bear fruit this winter and next spring remains to be seen. Dallas Eakins earned largely positive reviews for his handling of the Ducks in his first season. Now he will be judged on his ability to move the club forward, particularly in getting better seasons out of some underperforming veterans, pushing the development of counted-upon youngsters and improving the team’s offensive attack and special teams.

An important draft is coming for the Ducks, and it could be a game- changing one if luck shines on them in the lottery. But we can now start talking about the Ducks and their future with the knowledge that, as long as progress continues in the fight against halting COVID-19, they will converge on the ice at some over the coming months with games to be played again — hopefully in a noisy, fan-filled arena.

Where they finished the year

The Ducks posted a record of 29-33-9 for 67 points and finished sixth in the Pacific Division and 13th in the Western Conference. Adam Henrique was Anaheim’s leading -scorer (26) and point-producer (43). Ryan 1174894 Arizona Coyotes lottery pool. The catch: no one will know identity of the second-pool teams are at the time of the actual lottery. Those teams will have place holders in the drawing, to be filled in after the qualifying playoff round. Arizona Coyotes in playoff field if NHL resumes season this summer This is to keep intact the original lottery odds as if the usual number of teams had be eliminated from postseason consideration.

Phase 1 of the Draft Lottery will be conducted prior to the Qualifying Richard Morin, Arizona Republic Round on June 26. There will be three draws for the first, second and third overall picks. This is significant for the Coyotes, who traded their Published 2:01 p.m. MT May 26, 2020 | Updated 4:22 p.m. MT May 26, first-round pick to the New Jersey Devils in the Taylor Hall trade but 2020 would retain that pick if it landed in the top three selections.

This where things get a tad funky. There are many moving parts to the NHL's complicated return-to-play If the first-draw winner is a member of the original bottom seven teams in initiative, but the bottom line for the Coyotes is that, should the league the pool, then that team would be afforded the first overall pick. If a team resume play this season, they will have a chance to compete for the from the second pool were to win the draw, which comes at smaller odds, 2019-20 Stanley Cup. that pick would then be determined in Phase 2. However, in announcing a revamped playoff format that would include If all three draws are won by the bottom seven in the pool, there will be eight more teams than usual, Commissioner Gary Bettman said on no need for a Phase 2 in the lottery. If any of the draws are won by a Tuesday that this is not a guarantee that games are coming back. The team in the second pool, a Phase 2 would commence to determine the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association must still figure out health and teams that would acquire the remaining picks. After the top three safety protocols and solve other issues, including where to play. selections are determined, the remaining top 15 picks will be assigned to For all intents and purposes, though, the regular season is over, Bettman the 12 teams that did not win a draw in inverse order of their points said in a video broadcast. If the NHL does resume play, at a date that percentages at the time of the season’s pause. has yet to be determined, it will do so with 24 of the league's 31 teams Seeds and projected matchups proceeding directly to the playoffs. If early proposals hold true, the opening round is expected to consist of Those 24 teams would be the top 12 teams from each conference, as five-game series, with the first team to win three advancing. The determined by the standings at the time play was paused on March 12. matchups are: The Coyotes would be handed the 11th seed in the Western Conference bracket. Eastern Conference

"We are very excited about the NHL's Return to Play plan and are No. 5 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 12 looking forward to competing for the Stanley Cup," Coyotes President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John Chayka said in a No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 11 New York Rangers statement. "We know this has been a very difficult time for our fans, but No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida Panthers we hope that our return to play will provide them with some much-needed entertainment and escapism and bring our community together." No. 8 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 9 Columbus Blue Jackets

The Coyotes would be matched up with the sixth-seeded Nashville Western Conference Predators in what is being referred to as the "qualifying round," which comprises the bottom 16 of the 24 playoff teams. Each series will be a No. 5 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 12 Chicago Blackhawks best-of-five. No. 6 Nashville Predators vs. No. 11 Arizona Coyotes

The other qualifying matchups: In the East it's No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 No. 7 vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild Montreal, No. 6 Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers, No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida and No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Columbus. In No. 8 Calgary Flames vs. No. 9 Winnipeg Jets the West, it would be No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago, No. 7 The top four teams in each conference will play three round-robin games Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota and No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 9 Winnipeg. — one against each of the other top seeds in their conference. This is to The top four teams in each conference ranked by points percentage – determine the top playoff seedings. Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia in the East; St. Louis,

Colorado, Vegas and Dallas in the West – will play separate round-robin tournaments to determine seeding. Arizona Republic LOADED: 05.27.2020 All of those games would be expected to be played without fans in a few locations. The league has not yet determined those sites, though Edmonton, , Columbus, Toronto and Las Vegas were believed to be among the possibilities.

Earlier this week, the league and NHLPA issued extensive protocols once players are allowed to return to their facilities. They include a maximum of six players on the ice at a time, no contact and no coaches for voluntary workouts. Teams at some point would likely hold three-week re-training camps.

“It’s not easy getting everybody on board with all the different countries, the players, the teams that were in the playoffs, teams that may not be in the playoffs and getting that all agreed upon with the union,” Buffalo Sabres owner Kim Pegula told the Associated Press. “For us to even finish the season and award (the Stanley Cup), I know a lot of work went into it. But I know how important it was for our players, our fans, our league to make sure that we conclude it.”

Draft lottery

As complicated as the expanded format will likely prove to be, the revised draft lottery may be even more confusing.

The seven teams that did not qualify for post-season resumption will be immediately entered into the draft lottery. Additionally, the eight teams eliminated from the qualifying round of the playoff format would join the 1174895 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes to play Predators in playoff qualifier once NHL resumes

BY MATT LAYMAN

MAY 26, 2020 AT 1:57 PM

UPDATED: MAY 26, 2020 AT 7:52 PM

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman made the formal announcement Tuesday that the league has identified a return-to-play structure to finish the 2019-20 season.

The Arizona Coyotes, the 11th seed, will play sixth-seeded Nashville in the expanded play-in structure.

The format involves a 24-team tournament and excludes the league’s bottom seven clubs, who will turn their focus to the draft lottery. It does not specify a date to resume play or the location, but Bettman did say the league expected to have two hub cities to host the games.

The top 12 teams in each conference as ranked by points percentage as of March 12 will qualify for the 24-team tournament. The top four teams in each conference will play round-robin tournaments to determine seeding. The rest of the teams will play best-of-five series. After that, a 16-team playoff will commence.

Formal training camps will open no sooner than July 1.

Bettman said the decision is not a guarantee that games are coming back. The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association must still figure out health and safety protocols and solve other issues, including where to play.

Still, ironing out a format represents significant progress since global sports were basically shut down in March as the coronavirus outbreak turned into a pandemic. Bettman has said the goal has always been to play again and award the Stanley Cup, but details remain uncertain and there is no announced timetable of any kind.

“The 2019-20 regular season has been deemed completed,” Bettman said.

“We believe we have constructed an overall plan that includes all teams that as a practical matter might have had a chance of qualifying for the playoffs when the season was paused. And this plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.”

Bettman said a list of candidates from which the league will likely choose its two hub cities has been narrowed to Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

“There are no shortage of candidates that can help us do this,” Bettman said. “Again, the final determination will depend on COVID-19 conditions, testing availability and government regulations.

Each of the two hub cities will have secure arenas, practice facilities, hotels and transportation. Each team will be able to bring about 50 personnel to hub cities, and only a limited number will be allowed at ice level in the arena.

A comprehensive testing system will in place in the hub cities.

The site of the Stanley Cup Final is to be determined, but the expectation is it will be in a hub city.

“The healthy and safety of our players, coaches, essential support staff and our communities are paramount. While nothing is without risk, ensuring healthy and safety has been essential to all of our planning so far and will remain so.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174896 Arizona Coyotes 6. Vegas Golden Knights

Strange season for my preseason Cup pick that included the shocking firing of coach Gerard Gallant. But Pete DeBoer is a playoff-tested coach NHL return-to-play power rankings: New playoff format, same favorites at and this Vegas team is as good as any in the Western Conference and the top now features the best one-two goaltending punch of the 24 teams with newcomer Robin Lehner providing support for future Hall of Famer Marc- Andre Fleury. By Scott Burnside 7. Philadelphia Flyers May 26, 2020 The Flyers had quietly become one of the best teams in the NHL at the pause under the guidance of Alain Vigneault. This will be sophomore netminder Carter Hart’s first experience with playoff hockey at NHL level, And so, at long last, there is a format. A structure. Whether the NHL and no matter what it looks like. its players will be able to turn this 24-team idea into an actual living, breathing enterprise that leads to awarding the Stanley Cup in these 8. Pittsburgh Penguins uncertain times remains to be seen. There’s already some angst in Pittsburgh at the prospect of facing Carey So let’s take what we know for certain and start there. Price and the Habs in the play-in. Montreal is not that good so, frankly there is no excuse for Sidney Crosby et al not to advance. Still, questions When given the all-clear, there will be 24 teams returning to action after a do abound in goal for head coach Mike Sullivan: Tristan Jarry and his lengthy training camp. .921 save percentage or two-time Cup winner Matt Murray? The top four teams by winning percentage in each conference will play in 9. Dallas Stars a mini-round robin, three games, the results of which will establish the top four seeds in each conference in the traditional 16-team field. If The Stars avoid a play-in series by virtue of their fourth-ranked points there’s a tie after the round-robin games, regular-season point percentage in the West and they’ll be one of those teams preferring to percentage will serve as the tie-breaker. forget how they were playing heading into the pause which is to stay they were definitely a bit sideways. Still, this Stars team is built for the Meanwhile, the other 16 teams, eight per conference, will play in best-of- postseason and with Ben Bishop once again playing at a Vezina Trophy five play-in series. The matchups for those series will be 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. level they’ll be a tough out. 11, 7 vs. 10 and 8 vs. 9, based on winning percentage at the pause. 10. Carolina Hurricanes It’s still unclear whether the winners of the play-in will be matched up against the top four teams by seeding or bracket. It’s also to be Another team that should benefit tremendously from the pause in terms determined how long (best of five or best of seven) the first two rounds of of getting top personnel back in the lineup. Norris Trophy hopeful Dougie the playoffs will be. Hamilton, newcomer Sami Vatanen and top netminder Petr Mrazek could all return for the postseason. The problem for the Canes is the same So, we have a plan. Sort of. applies to their play-in opponent, the New York Rangers. And a plan now begets our first Power Rankings heading into what may 11. Edmonton Oilers be the most unusual, compelling playoff race in our lifetime. Earlier return to play models would have seen the Oilers avoid a play-in 1. Boston Bruins (80 percent of first-place votes) round but now they’ll take on the 12th seeded Blackhawks. No reason Only three teams earned first-place votes so not surprising the NHL’s they should be worried except, well, Patrick Kane and best team at the pause comes out on top here. The pause may in fact and Jonathan Toews. So much on the line for the Oilers after last help a veteran Bruins team that went to Game 7 of the 2019 final and season’s stink-a-rama and thus what follows will provide an excellent test now will have fresh legs to go with that chip on their collective shoulders. of the leadership for captain Connor McDavid and Hart Trophy favorite Leon Draisaitl. 2. St. Louis Blues (6 percent of first-place votes) 12. Toronto Maple Leafs We had the defending champion Blues right behind Boston in our own rankings and, like the Bruins, they’ll take advantage of the pause to reset Speaking of having a lot on the line. The talented Leafs will have their their bearings on another long run. Getting Vladimir Tarasenko back into hands full with a Columbus team that knows all about disposing of talent game shape will be a key factor in the Blues’ dreams of a repeat. as witnessed by their sweep of Tampa last April. Time for Auston Matthews to step to the plate (I know, a mixing of the metaphors there) 3. Tampa Bay Lightning (14 percent of first-place votes) and prove he can rise to the occasion for a team that has been one-and- done three straight playoff years. Honestly, this is not a great matchup for The Bolts were one of only two teams that voted against the 24-team a Leafs team that still is wanting on the blue line and lacks overall return to play model and have had to wait a long time to try and wash toughness. away the stain of last April’s first-round sweep at the hands of Columbus. As the second-best team in the Eastern Conference at the pause they’ll 13. New York Islanders have to wait a while longer for meaningful games. The good news is the Lightning were pretty beat up at the time of the pause, especially along Like the Stars, the Islanders were tracking sideways at the pause and it’s the blue line, so should have all hands on deck when their time comes. fair to speculate that had the season gone on as planned that they’d have been outside the playoff bubble when the dust cleared. Now Barry 4. Colorado Avalanche Trotz has to convince the Isles none of that matters as they’ll tangle with another meandering squad in the Panthers. Will anyone ever give The Avs will have a chance to take over the top seed in the Western Thomas Greiss his proper due? Conference in the round-robin section of play – they were two points back of St. Louis with a game in hand at the pause – and after a season 14. Columbus Blue Jackets that saw them play long stretches without key personnel due to injury, they should ice a healthy, dangerous lineup when the puck drops on this The Blue Jackets won’t catch anyone by surprise this spring but that second season. won’t matter to a well-coached, hard-checking team that will be more or less at full strength when the puck drops on the play-in season (Josh 5. Washington Capitals Anderson being the notable absence). Big question? Can Elvis Merzlikins, he of the .923 save percentage, be this year’s Jordan The Caps will return to play with questions about their goaltending Binnington? rotation and whether this will be Braden Holtby’s swan song in Washington as the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner approaches free agency. 15. Winnipeg Jets The Caps still boast a formidable lineup so the big question is can the 2018 Cup champs find that mojo that eluded them last spring in a first- Listen, the Jets still have a very wobbly blue line but they also have a round upset at the hands of Carolina. goaltender likely to win his first Vezina Trophy in Connor Hellebuyck, a gaggle of hard, talented forwards and a veteran coach who won’t be rattled in a short series. Don’t sleep on the Jets, who will face playoffs prior to the pause. And sure, Price and his pedestrian .909 save underachieving Calgary in the play-in. percentage might be the catalyst to an upset of the talented Penguins. But it’s unlikely because this Habs team is still thin up front and only OK 16. Vancouver Canucks on the back end.

The Canucks had fallen from fighting for first in the Pacific to the very As for the seven teams that will not return to play, they now get some edge of the playoff grid at the pause. But Jacob Markstrom will be back clarity about the draft and will know where they are picking after June 26. and healthy although worth noting the Canucks MVP has never played in an NHL playoff game. A rejuvenated Brock Boeser will be looking to 25. Buffalo Sabres erase an injury-plagued season and the Canucks and their potent power play and deep, talented offensive corps stack up well against play-in 26. New Jersey Devils opponent Minnesota. 27. Anaheim Ducks

17. Calgary Flames 28. Los Angeles Kings

Not much love for the Flames among voters. That’s understandable. 29. San Jose Sharks They were the top seed in the West a year ago and sputtered to a first- round exit in five games against Colorado and frankly they don’t match 30. Ottawa Senators up well against Winnipeg. This is a crucial test for the young leadership 31. Detroit Red Wings of a talented but underachieving Flames team.

18. New York Rangers The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 The rebuilding Rangers should be looking at this play-in as found money. They’ll get Chris Kreider back from injury and this will be a great opportunity to test young goaltending prospects Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev in the bright glare of elimination hockey. Unless, of course, head coach David Quinn opts to give Henrik Lundqvist one more shot at postseason glory. Don’t see that happening. Still this play-in series against speedy Carolina should have tons of fireworks.

19. Nashville Predators

The Predators have an opportunity for dark horse glory in this most unusual of circumstances. Healthy, with a chip on their collective shoulders, the Preds were just starting to get into a groove under new head coach John Hynes. Have to believe Juuse Saros gets the nod having started 15 of the Preds’ last 21 games leading up to the pause. With their experience and depth they should have a significant edge on play-in opponent Arizona.

20. Florida Panthers

Love this play-in coaching matchup that pits multiple Jack Adams winner Barry Trotz against three-time Cup winner Joel Quenneville. The problem facing Quenneville is that his biggest issue is beyond his control and that is whether he’s going to get good Sergei Bobrovsky or Bad Bob. If it’s Good Bob the skilled Panthers will be a real handful and not just for the Isles. If not, see ya.

21. Minnesota Wild

The Wild were actually starting to get it together before rookie GM fired Bruce Boudreau and traded skilled winger Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh. But under Dean Evason guys like Kevin Fiala have blossomed and the veteran core will be fresh when the puck drops against Vancouver. Alex Stalock has started one postseason game in his NHL career but he’ll get the nod ahead of veteran Devan Dubnyk barring some sort of calamitous change of direction for the Wild.

22. Arizona Coyotes

The Coyotes are one of those teams that must be looking at this return to play format as a rare second chance after falling out of the traditional playoff picture in the Pacific Division. Darcy Kuemper was on a Vezina Trophy arc before an injury in mid-December. Can Taylor Hall put a middling regular season behind him to help chart a new postseason path for a team that hasn’t been to the postseason since 2012?

23. Chicago Blackhawks

Lots of grumbling from management types and some players that Chicago, and Montreal for that matter, are in the mix for the playoffs. And no question GM Stan Bowman was already looking to next season having moved netminder Robin Lehner to Vegas. But Patrick Kane, having a Hart Trophy-worthy campaign, leads a veteran group that were the catalysts to three Stanley Cups and can’t be taken lightly. Regardless of how they fare against the Oilers this format provides some unexpected experience for a promising group of youngsters that includes Alex DeBrincat and Dominik Kubalik.

24. Montreal Canadiens

We get that Carey Price casts a very long shadow for the 12th seeded Canadiens who, like Chicago, had almost zero chance of getting into the 1174897 Arizona Coyotes Should the Coyotes lose to the Predators in their series, the Coyotes would enter the NHL Draft Lottery.

Does the new format hurt or help? It obviously helps. The Coyotes would Coyotes return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format affects not have been a playoff team if the season had ended at the pause and Arizona the NHL had elected to maintain the 16-team playoff format. Now they have a chance.

By Craig Morgan How the time off impacted the team: The pause helped every team in the NHL from a health standpoint. Leading scorer Conor Garland suffered a May 26, 2020 Grade 2 MCL sprain on March 6 in Calgary that has since healed. Brad Richardson had double core surgery two days after the pause went into

effect. The injury had been bugging him all year, but he should be fine When the Coyotes traded for Phil Kessel in the offseason and Taylor Hall when play resumes. A few other players including Kuemper, backup in December, it was clear that the team’s internal expectations had goalie Antti Raanta, Phil Kessel and Ekman-Larsson also had bumps and shifted out of rebuild mode. The organization and new owner Alex bruises that should be fully healed. Meruelo were ready to publicly embrace playoff aspirations. On the flip side, a couple of key parts of the Coyotes’ young core were “It’s a bet on ourselves,” general manager John Chayka said after hot before the pause put them on ice. Forward Clayton Keller had four acquiring Hall from the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 16. “I think we’re goals and seven points in the final six games before the pause. changing the narrative here. For a long time, it was about existential Defenseman Jakob Chychrun had two goals and seven points in his last issues; we’re trying to survive. I think now everyone understands we’re nine games before the pause. trying to thrive.” Their path to a Stanley Cup: Given the potential changes in the top four When the Coyotes acquired Hall, they sat in first place in the Pacific seeds after their round-robin format, we don’t know the Coyotes’ path to Division and they won Hall’s first game, 3-2 at San Jose, with Hall setting the Stanley Cup. We do know it would be a long one. The Coyotes, like up the game-winning goal by captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson. any play-in team, would need to win an NHL-record five playoff rounds to win the Cup. Any team that accomplishes that won’t have to apologize or The excitement didn’t last long. In Hall’s second game with the Coyotes, abide asterisks. goaltender Darcy Kuemper suffered a groin injury that sidelined the Vezina and Hart Trophy candidate for the next 28 games. By the time he Their chances of winning it all: Remote. Without a dynamic presence at returned on Feb. 24 at Florida, the Coyotes had fallen all the way out of center, and without top-shelf scorers, the Coyotes would need to rely on the playoff picture. the goaltending of Kuemper, their excellent defensive structure and balanced scoring to achieve such a goal. Given where this franchise has The odds of the Coyotes making up the necessary ground to end a been, winning a round would likely be considered a successful seven-year playoff drought over the final 12 games of the regular season conclusion to the season. were long, even if eight of those games were at home, but the NHL’s decision to alter its format in the wake of the COVID-19-induced pause has given the Coyotes a new lease on life; a chance to make amends for The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 that late-season swoon.

Here’s a look at how they arrived here, and what lies ahead.

Where they were when the shutdown began: The Coyotes are in 11th place in the Western Conference standings and fifth place in the Pacific Division, four points behind the second wild card (Nashville). Arizona went 5-5 in the last 10 games before the pause, but there were encouraging signs from a team whose main problem after Kuemper’s return was its ability to finish.

Progression from the start of the year until the 10-game stretch before the NHL paused its season.

It’s impossible to guess how this long layoff will impact the Coyotes or the other 23 teams in the field. The Coyotes don’t care. They’re in the dance, an accomplishment that seemed like a pipedream when the season paused, even if the NHL doesn’t consider this play-in round part of the postseason.

“Any playoff scenario that includes the Arizona Coyotes sounds like a good scenario to us,” Chayka said.

What the new format means: In the 24-team format, the top four teams in each conference will play a round-robin with each other (three games) while the bottom eight teams in each conference face off in a best-of-five, play-in series, No. 5 versus No. 12, No. 6 versus No. 11, etc. The matchups are based on points percentage, not standings, because teams have not played an equal amount of games. The play-in series winners will advance to the round of 16. The length of the first two rounds of the playoffs will either be a best-of-five or best-of-seven format.

While the top four teams in each conference will be ranked by the current standings, their round-robin games matter. If the No. 4 team sweeps the round-robin, there is a chance it could be ranked higher in the playoff seeding.

As for the Coyotes, this format means they will face the Nashville Predators, one of two teams they have defeated in a playoff series (2012). The Coyotes went 1-1 against the Predators this season, beating them 5-2 at Gila River Arena on Oct. 17, and losing 3-2 at Nashville on Dec. 23. The teams were scheduled to meet again on March 28 in Glendale in what would have been an important game. 1174898 Boston Bruins Pittsburgh-Montreal, Carolina-NY Rangers, NY Islanders-Florida, and Toronto-Columbus. In the West, it’s Edmonton-Chicago, Nashville- Arizona, Vancouver-Minnesota, and Calgary-Winnipeg. Those games will NHL approves playoff plan; Bruins to play in one of two ‘hub’ cities, but be played with playoff overtime (sudden death) rules. no date set for return The Stanley Cup Final and conference finals will be best of seven. The league and the players’ union PA were discussing whether Rounds 1 and 2 of the playoffs will be best of five or seven. By Matt Porter Globe Staff The round-robin-for-seeding format means Boston and St. Louis, Updated May 26, 2020, 10:28 p.m. combatants in a Stanley Cup Final that began one year ago Wednesday, could be No. 4 seeds to start the playoffs if they go 0-3 in the round-

robin. We believe the NHL regular season is over, and we’re on to the playoffs. Bruins president could not be reached for comment on the We believe the Bruins will start as favorites, be one of 24 teams day’s news. competing, and they will become uncomfortably familiar with COVID-19 As it is always so, the NHL playoffs are a capricious few months, where a nasal swabs. bounce or bad call can put even the most formidable team on the golf We also believe this: In the coming months, the puck will drop, and the course for the offseason. Just ask Tampa Bay, which earned 128 points Stanley Cup will be lifted. Only twice in the last 100-plus years has the last year and was swept out of the playoffs in Round 1. Cup not been awarded: in 1919 because of a flu pandemic and 2005 And any plan “cannot be perfect,” Bettman said, nearly one year after because of a lockout. elated fans streamed out of TD Garden after the Bruins beat the Blues in Revealing an unprecedented plan for exceptional times, the NHL on Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. “I am certain that depending on what Tuesday became the first of the “big four” pro sports leagues in the team you root for, you can find one element of this package you might United States to publicly outline how it intends to safely allow its athletes prefer to be done differently. to compete amid the pandemic. “This plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion.” It will stop the regular season, which was paused March 12, and conduct It is unclear how the teams would be seeded for the 16-team playoffs. small-group workouts and training camps. Then comes an expanded The NHL prefers a bracket system, Bettman said, though he alluded to playoffs hosted by a pair of to-be-determined cities. With stringent testing the players wanting a re-seed. and social distancing of players — and no fans in attendance — the league hopes to finish the postseason before the fall, and after a break, Testing is part and parcel to the plan. Bettman maintained that the NHL start 2020-21 before January. would not affect the stores of local governments and medical communities. By time of competition, Daly said, the league will test With the 2019-20 regular season over, the Bruins are the Presidents’ players every night and obtain results by the time they report to the rink Trophy winner, and a few players locked up individual awards. the next morning. That means 25,000 to 30,000 tests, with the team and David Pastrnak became co-winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy (most league picking up a tab Bettman estimated at millions of dollars. goals), tying Washington’s Alex Ovechkin with 48 goals. It is the first Bettman said the league will spend “tens of millions of dollars” to resume major award for Pastrnak, 24. He also tied for third in league scoring (95 the season without the benefit of ticket-buying fans. Its TV partners (NBC points), 15 points behind Art Ross Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl of Sports, and Rogers in Canada) will provide a feed for fans to watch. Edmonton. The goaltending tandem of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak won the Jennings Trophy (fewest goals against). Rask, who also led the Boston is not one of the cities under consideration to be a “hub.” Those in league in goals against average (2.12) and was second in save the running include Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, percentage (.929), could win his first Vezina Trophy since 2014. Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Vancouver. Bettman said a decision on hub cities would be made in a few weeks, to Now comes the postseason, at a date to be determined. make the safest decisions possible, and that the league was not married NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly, and to having an East/West or US/Canada setup. NHL Players Association director Donald Fehr, speaking from their He and Daly also put public pressure on the Canadian government, homes via video call, stressed that the return to play will happen only saying the league would not consider playing north of the border unless under the guidance of civil and medical authorities. Contingencies and Canada relaxed its 14-day quarantine for border crossings. hope are parts of the fabric. The season is over for Detroit, Ottawa, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, “This will be a living document,” Fehr said of the plan. Buffalo, and New Jersey, who may go some 10 months without hockey, if Bettman said it’s conceivable that the NHL returns to competition by the the next season doesn’t begin until January. Those seven teams will end of July, but added that “anybody who gives you a date is guessing.” enter a 15-team, two-part lottery. He even conceded the possibility that if conditions improve drastically, While explaining the draft lottery, Bettman paused to apologize that it fans could be allowed to see Stanley Cup Final games, though that does was “a bit complicated — as if what I’ve already told you hasn’t been.” not seem likely today. Phase 1 of the lottery comes prior to the resumption of play. On June 26, “We have a long road in front of us,” Daly said. “Hopefully today is a sign the seven teams and eight placeholder spots — for the eight losing of good things to come.” teams of the play-in — will draw for the top three picks. If the top three The league’s plan was comprehensive. spots are won by the seven non-playoff teams, there will be no Phase 2.

Starting at the top: the Bruins, first in the NHL (44-14-12, 100 points), will If a placeholder spot wins any of the top three spots, there will be a prepare for the playoffs by facing three teams directly behind them in the second lottery with the eight play-in losers to determine the pick(s). That Eastern Conference (Tampa Bay, Washington, and Philadelphia). One will happen after the play-in round. The remaining top 15 picks will be game between each, in a round-robin tournament to determine playoff determined by points percentage. seeding. In the West, St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas, and Dallas will do the Detroit (17-49-5) has the worst record, but Ottawa, which also owns San same. The games will be played with regular-season overtime (3 on 3, Jose’s pick, will have a 25 percent chance at landing the top choice. If and a shootout) rules. Ties will be broken by regular-season points play-in teams win the top three picks, the seven non-playoff teams can percentage. pick no worse than spots 4-10. The No. 1 pick is presumed to be winger Since teams had played an uneven number of games when the league Alexis Lafreniere of the Quebec Major Junior League. halted, the NHL used points percentage, rather than point totals, to The return is on the horizon. Or so it would seem to be. determine positioning. “I think it’s been an important day for sports and the NHL,” Bettman said. The other 16 teams, again divided by conference, will play best-of-five “We hope this is a step back toward normalcy.” series for the remaining eight playoff spots. In the East, the matchups are

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174899 Boston Bruins wrapped up an early-evening Zoom meeting with many of the game’s beat reporters, the number of dead stood at 100,545.

“Before I get into the details,” Bettman cautioned as he rolled out his NHL deserves credit for its plan, but will it work? elaborate plans, “I want to make clear that the health and safety of our players, coaches, and essential support staff in our communities are paramount. While nothing is without risk, ensuring health and safety is By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff essential to all of our planning so far, and will remain so.”

Updated May 26, 2020, 9:20 p.m. All we know for the moment is that the 2019-20 regular season is done and the Bruins finished with the league’s No. 1 record at 44-14-12. They

are the season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner, another feather in the cap of This being prom season, the NHL made it formal Tuesday and issued an coach Bruce Cassidy (now 261-161-66, .682 in his four seasons as unprecedented 24 invitations to its 31 teams to come to the big playoff bench boss). dance it has proposed for sometime during the summer (all dates TBA). Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs on Wednesday or Thursday is expected to Let’s give NHL owners, and more so the rank and file stick carriers, an A- OK the release of the $1.5 million he pledged weeks ago to cover some plus for effort, good intentions, and risk tolerance. Despite the ongoing of the lost wages of approximately 1,500 event staff personnel for pandemic, it was clear that both sides remain eager to resume play in the employees of the Bruins, the Garden, and Sportservice. coming months and have a Stanley Cup champion crowned, perhaps by Each employee will receive the same base compensation, believed to be late September or even into October. upward of $500, and some will receive substantially more, based on In a world where best intentions often can be harder to come by than a seniority and total number of events worked during their tenure. Gordie Howe hat trick, all of that was magnificent to hear, especially on The complexity of the NHL’s lengthy return-to-play plan, released over the 76th day of the league’s pause in play. Be still our broken hockey the weekend, could be found on page No. 21, a chart entitled hearts. “disinfectant checklist form.” All of it, including intensive testing for COVID-19, will be staged at a Per the form, once play resumes (if), here is the detail of what must be league cost of “tens of millions of dollars,” according to commissioner kept scrubbed: Gary Bettman. No small price in hopes of resuscitating an industry for what would be a made-for-TV-only event with no plans to sell a single ▪ Exercise bikes (specifically handles and seats). ticket to a live, seat-occupying, popcorn-munching, beer-drinking customer. ▪ Workout equipment and visiting room weights.

However, it was also clear amid the details of the complex, nearly mind- ▪ Locker stalls (including seats, all areas of the stall, and the tops of the numbing blue print for a grand reopening that it’s still quite possible none stall). of it ever happens. ▪ Change room stalls.

Everything put forth on Tuesday was aspirational. Some of the details, as ▪ Bathrooms, including washroom stalls, toilets, and urinals. mundane as roster size and eligibility, have yet to be finalized. Such is life in a world still handcuffed and hogtied by the coronavirus, which on ▪ Showers. Tuesday claimed its 100,000th victim in the United States. ▪ Medical/training tables (perhaps the most important area). That was the stark, undeniable reality for the NHL, and both Bettman and Donald Fehr, head of the players’ association, acknowledged it with their ▪ Floor fans utilized to circulate air and dry equipment. repeated caveats about health and safety of the work force being their ▪ Doorknobs, tables, counters, and other “frequently touched” surfaces. top priority. They want this to happen. They’ve invested a huge amount of time and effort already in plotting a pathway to return. But it could very ▪ Bench areas. well all go for naught. ▪ Whirlpools, hot tubs. “There is an ongoing ‘if’ question,” noted Fehr, the onetime head of the It is a plan that reflects great effort, detail, and wisdom, cobbled together Major League Baseball Players Association, during his interview with the last 10-plus weeks with no template to follow, no history to offer a NBC Sports Network after Bettman’s announcement. “Can we satisfy the way or warning. In and of itself, it will take a Herculean effort to execute, health and safety of the players and the rest of the staff and everybody with no one knowing if even the magic of television can make it intriguing else that would be involved? And can all the rest of the agreements that to watch when there is no one in the stands. need to be reached be done?" It is indeed prom season, but in 2020 it’s an invisible virus that calls the With that in mind, Bettman, whose face wore the fatigue of a man whose tune and decides if anyone gets to dance. industry was reduced to ash three months earlier, could offer no hard- and-fast deadlines. Everything is fungible right now in the world of vulcanized rubber, and will remain so through the summer and into the fall, given that there is no vaccine or other magic wand to shoo away the Boston Globe LOADED: 05.27.2020 horror of COVID-19.

When do players begin informal skates? No timeline. Most likely on or about the middle of next month. Local health ordinances could dictate.

How about a date for the formal reboot of training camp? Still up in the air. Probably 2-3 weeks after the informal skates commence. Not sure.

When do the playoff games begin? Heck, maybe late July or early August. If things go right, or at least if they don’t go horribly wrong.

And the crowning of a Cup winner? Still working on that, too, but based on the tenor of the late-afternoon announcement, it easily could be the end of September or when Dunkin’ is rolling out those pumpkin lattes.

Overall, the announcement provided excitement, but instilled little or no confidence. These people are not short of want or will. They just can’t predict what sort of wicked this way might come.

Keep in mind, 60 days earlier, only two weeks into the NHL shutdown, the COVID-19 death toll in the US stood at 1,195. By the time Bettman 1174900 Boston Bruins

How the NHL draft lottery will work under the league’s new plan

By Christopher Price Globe Staff

Updated May 26, 2020, 6:32 p.m.

If you have questions about the resumption of the NHL season, just wait until you see the league’s plan for the 2020 NHL Draft lottery.

As part of his return-to-play announcement on Tuesday, commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled the plans for the lottery, a complicated series of steps that will have three draws and as many as two phases, depending on the bounce of the ping-pong balls.

“This is a bit complicated — as if what I told you already hasn’t been,” Bettman said Tuesday after explaining how the postseason picture would look. “And I apologize for that.”

First, the easy part: The initial phase of the lottery will take place on June 26, and be limited to the seven teams that didn’t qualify for the postseason and the eight teams that do not advance from the qualifying round (or the teams that acquired their first-round picks).

The seven teams, ranked in inverse order of their points percentage when the league hit the pause button on the regular season, are: Detroit, Ottawa, San Jose (owned by Ottawa), Los Angeles, Anaheim, New Jersey, and Buffalo. (Ottawa has its own choice, as well as San Jose’s first-round pick.) Because the Red Wings had the worst point percentage, they have the best odds at landing the top pick at 18.5 percent.

The eight “place-holders” represent the qualifying-round teams that do not advance, thus maintaining previously established odds.

The easiest resolution? If a team from the unlucky seven wins the first pick in the first draw, it wins the right to make the first overall selection. However, if the winning team is among the eight “place-holders,” the right to the first overall pick will be determined in the second phase of the lottery.

The draws for the second and third pick are similar:

▪ If the winning team of the second draw is from the group of seven, that team wins the right to the second overall pick. If the winning team of the second draw is from the group of eight, the right to the second overall pick will be determined in the second phase of the lottery.

▪ If the winning team of the third draw is from the group of seven, that team wins the right to the third overall pick in the draft. If the winning team of the third draw is from the group of eight, the right to the third overall pick will be determined in the second phase of the lottery.

If necessary, Phase 2 of the lottery would play out as follows:

▪ It would be conducted between the qualifying round and first round of the playoffs, and involve just the eight teams that do not advance from the qualifying round (or the teams that acquired their first-round picks).

▪ Following each draw in Phase 2, the winning team will be assigned the corresponding selection. If another Phase 2 draw is necessary, that team’s numbered lottery ball will be removed.

In each Phase 2 draw, all participants will have the same odds.

When the first two phases are completed and the top three choices are assigned, the remaining selections in the top 15 will be assigned to the 12 teams that did not win a draw, in inverse order of their points percentages at the time of the season’s pause.

The NHL has used a draft lottery since 1995, and has occasionally tinkered with the system. The league’s latest move came in 2016, when it ruled the top three picks were awarded through the draw. That ensured the team that finished 30th overall was guaranteed only a top-four selection, instead of the second pick being a worst-case scenario.

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How the NHL playoff format will work

By Jim Hoban Globe Staff

Updated May 26, 2020, 6:19 p.m.

The NHL announced its plan to return to play Tuesday. Let’s get right to the heart of the matter: When will the games start and how will the playoffs work?

Commissioner Gary Bettman outlined a four-phase plan that eliminates the remainder of the regular season and heads directly into a playoff format.

▪ The league will return in early June, with the expectation that teams will be permitted to return to home facilities for small-group, voluntary, and on- and off-ice training.

▪ Formal training camps will begin after clearance and guidance from medical and civil authorities, not earlier than the first half of July.

▪ To be determined: Two hub cities will host the new postseason.

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▪ The playoffs: 24 teams qualify, 12 in each conference.

▪ Round robin: Top four teams in each conference play each other once to determine 1-4 seedings. This means the Bruins, leading the NHL in points by a quite a bit, could finish fourth.

▪ Qualifying round: Teams seeded 5 through 12 (based on points percentage) play best-of-fives series to advance to the next round.

▪ The eight remaining teams in each conference play a bracket tournament. Format to be determined.

▪ Conference finals and Stanley Cup Final: Best-of-seven series.

City 1 — Round robin for top seeding

1. Boston Bruins

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

3. Washington Capitals

4. Philadelphia Flyers

City 1 — Qualifying round

5. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 12. Montreal Canadiens

6. Carolina Hurricanes vs. 11. New York Rangers

7. New York Islanders vs. 10. Florida Panthers

8. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. 9. Columbus Blue Jackets

City 2 — Round robin for seeding

1. St. Louis Blues

2. Colorado Avalanche

3. Vegas Golden Knights

4. Dallas Stars

City 2 — Qualifying round

5. Edmonton Oilers vs. 12. Chicago Blackhawks

6. Nashville Predators vs. 11. Arizona Coyotes

7. Vancouver Canucks vs. 10. Minnesota Wild

8. Calgary Flames vs. 9. Winnipeg Jets

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174902 Boston Bruins Giving the league a wide berth to shift plans, Bettman did not give a firm date for the start of any of the remaining phases, saying that information gleaned from Phase 2 will determine how long training camps need to NHL unveils plan for 24-team tournament be. Though the plan is still to play a full schedule in the 2020-21 season, Bettman suggested next season could start as late as January.

The testing will be extensive. The plan is for players to be tested twice a By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald week for the upcoming Phase 2 (small group workouts) and the frequency would increase in Phase 3 (training camp). Individual teams PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 8:36 p.m. | UPDATED: May 26, 2020 at bear the responsibility and cost for Phase 2 and 3 testing. Once the 10:04 p.m. tournament starts at the hub cities, the testing would occur daily, and would be covered by the league. Bettman estimated the league will need 25,000 to 30,000 tests and it will cost “millions.” The coronavirus will have the final say on whether the will be allowed to award the Stanley Cup, but Commissioner What exactly would trigger a shutdown is not clear, but Deputy Gary Bettman unfurled the joint NHL-NHLPA Return to Play play on Commissioner Bill Daly said that a small number of positive tests would Tuesday, his hopes high that a fitting end to the 2019-20 season can be not necessarily end it. found. “The bottom line is that’s a key question and something we’ve been in And, yes, the Bruins are getting screwed a tad, but more on that later. constant communication with our medical advisers on,” said Daly. “Their thought process at this point in time is that one single positive test, Provided the league receives all the appropriate green lights from from depending on the circumstances, should not shut the whole operation the governing health and civic authorities through Phase 2 (limited down. Obviously, we can’t be in a situation where we have an outbreak workouts at team training facilities that are expected to begin in early and that will affect our ability to continue playing. But a single positive June) and Phase 3 (training camps that will begin no earlier than July 1), test or isolated positive tests throughout a two-month tournament should the NHL will play a 24-team tournament, presumably beginning in the not necessarily mean an end to the tournament.” late summer and going into the fall. Meanwhile, there is no ambiguity for the Senators, Sabres, Devils, Red Whether this plan can be taken to fruition remains to be seen, but Wings, Kings, Sharks and Ducks. Their 2019-20 season is officially over. Bettman clearly viewed the unveiling as a momentous occasion. And it’s anyone’s guess when they’ll be playing hockey again.

“It’s been an important day for sports and the NHL in this incredibly unique, difficult and trying time,” said Bettman on a Zoom call with media. “We hope that this is a step back toward normalcy. Obviously, everything Boston Herald LOADED: 05.27.2020 we’re focused on starts with health and safety and everyone’s well-being. But we think we’ve been able to work very collaboratively with the Players Association and players to come up with a framework that is fair, has integrity and should result in a terrific, competitive playoffs.”

Based on points percentage, the top 12 teams from each conference will travel to two separate hub cities that have yet to be determined. The top four teams from each conference will play a three-game round robin series — played under the regular season point system with a five- minute overtime and shootout — to determine the top four seeds while the bottom eight teams will play best-of-five play-in series under playoff rules (i.e. sudden death overtime).

A couple of key points remain to be resolved concerning the format. Once the tournament gets through the round robins and play-in rounds, it has not yet been determined whether the next two rounds will be best-of- five or best-of-seven, though the conference finals and Cup finals will be best-of-seven.

Also, it has not been determined whether the playoffs will continue in a bracket or seeding basis. It was once believed the the Bruins, if they had been the No. 1 seed, would play the winner of the Toronto-Columbus series but that decision has not been reached.

As for the B’s, they had not clinched the top seed in the East, but they were clearly in the driver’s seat. They had an eight-point lead over the the second-placed Lightning with 12 games to play, half of which were to be played against non-playoff teams. Now they’ll have to fight it out with the three best teams in the conference for the best seed. The B’s, who had been in the process of running away with the Presidents Trophy, could start the 16-team playoff with a seed as low as fourth in the east. They won’t be playing for any home ice advantage but it could determine if they have an easier path to the Cup.

“By getting a bye, they’re going to be facing a team that just came out of a competitive series,” explained Bettman. “The concern was they needed to have some competition that might not put them at risk in terms of the playoffs but would give them an opportunity to play some real games and that was the thinking that went into this.”

Ten cities are under consideration to be hub cities. They include three Eastern Conference cities and seven Western Conference cities — Columbus, Toronto and Pittsburgh in the East and Las Vegas, Chicago, Edmonton, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Vancouver in the west. Bettman said that a decision on the two cities — regardless of whether they are in the east or west — will be made in three to four weeks and it will be based on the level of COVID-19 prevalence in the cities at that point. 1174903 Boston Bruins

Let's not shed tears for the Bruins getting 'screwed' by NHL playoff format

By DJ Bean

May 26, 2020 10:51 PM

It seems like everyone around Boston had the same two thoughts when Gary Bettman announced a return-to-play plan that stated the top four teams in each division would play a round robin to determine their seeding:

1. The Bruins are getting screwed here ...

2. ... but whatever. Just give me sports.

Hard agree on the second one. I watched Phil Mickelson babysit Tom Brady's incompetent ass on the golf course all day Sunday. I'll take anything.

I can't really get too worked up about No. 1, though. Yes, the Bruins had a lead of six-to-eight points for the Presidents' Trophy with 12 games to play, so while this is of course a disadvantage, I can't feel that badly for them.

For starters, they can still get the No. 1 seed by finishing with at least a tie for the best record during the round robin against Tompa Bay, Washington and Philly.

Here's the other reason: The Bruins are not allowed to complain about playoff logistics ever again after last year.

Do we not remember all that was handed to them last postseason? They avoided the best team in the second round thanks to the Blue Jackets giving the Lightning one drop of adversity. Then, they got to face a team that didn't know its own goaltending situation in the Eastern Conference finals before getting the freaking Blues in the Cup Final.

That they lost was of course an upset/choke/whatever you want to call it, but that they got there? That seemed like a mere formality with the breaks they got.

NHL announces 24-team return format; here's what you need to know

So while I'm pulling for the Bruins to atone for last postseason, we shouldn't exactly be shedding tears. The road was never going to be as easy as they just had it. It was going to be harder this time no matter what. No matter how they fare in the round robin, they're going to face stiffer competition than they did a year ago, because even with this whacky layoff, no one can possibly expect top teams to fall off immediately the way they did last postseason.

Remember, three of the four first-round matchups in the West last year were upsets, meaning the No. 1, 3 and 4 point-getters in the West were also bounced in the first round. By the time the Bruins got past the Leafs in the first round, they had home ice and lesser opponents the rest of the way.

But back to this year and the now. The Bruins are 3-3-4 combined this season against Tompa, Washington and Philly, netting out to an even 10 points in 10 games. That's the worst record any of these four teams has against the other three. The Lightning are 4-2-2 (1.25 points a game), the Flyers are 5-3-1 (1.22 points a game) and the Capitals are 6-4-0 (1.2 points a game).

So the round robin for seeding will be an extra test that I don't think anyone wanted for the Bruins, but one we'll tolerate because we want hockey back.

And really, it's probably not like anyone thinks they're going to get the No. 4 seed and lose in the following round. It's really just an additional variable that's feared because the Stanley Cup playoffs are already the ultimate anything-can-happen tournament.

But I'll take it. Hockey's trying to come back. We'll all take that.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174904 Boston Bruins Pastrnak becomes first Bruin in 45 years to accomplish this feat

“The theory was, and this was something we had discussed with the players, that they didn’t want to have to play a team that came out of the Is new format unfair to Bruins? Sure, but hockey is one step closer to qualifying series [while being] cold,” said Bettman, who indicated the returning round-robin games would be played with the regular season format and wins/losses would convert to points similar to pool play in the Olympics. “They wanted some real competition. This was our way to do it. This was By Joe Haggerty from the Return to Play Committee that had five players on it, and this made sense to give them a bye, not put them at substantial risk and give May 26, 2020 8:38 PM them some real competition.”

Don’t expect to hear the Bruins complain about the format, however. The encouraging news is the headline here. Let’s make no mistake about They got every break imaginable last season when each of the No. 1 it. The NHL became the first major professional sports league to seeds lost in the first round of the playoffs, had home ice in every round announce an official format to return to play in North America from the and still ended up losing in Game 7 to the St. Louis Blues last spring. The COVID-19 crisis with a 24-team tournament. Bruins know as well as anybody that to hoist the Stanley Cup a hockey The timetable to start the Stanley Cup playoffs is to be determined and team needs to win no matter what format is thrown at them and no matter they haven’t even decided on the location of any hub cities at this point, what opponents they end up facing along the way. so we’re still a long way off from playing any playoff games at all. The And that’s all that really matters. Rather than complaining about the hope is that the players will be skating on their own at NHL facilities next imperfections or unfairness of a format invented because of the COVID- month and that training camps will be opened sometime after July 1. 19 outbreak around the world, the prevailing thought of today should be Get the latest news and analysis on all of your teams from NBC Sports that hockey took one step closer to happening. Boston by downloading the My Teams App

That is a major step forward in the right direction and an encouraging Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 sign that the NHL will be back this summer. All of that is great news for hockey fans, of course, and an optimistic development when it comes to the subject of returning to some kind of quasi-normalcy at some point over the next handful of months.

“Let me assure you that the reason we are doing this is because our fans are telling us in overwhelming numbers they want us to complete the season if it all possible. Our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on NBC Sports Network while announcing the return to play format. “I want to make clear that the health and safety of our players, coaches, essential support staff and our communities are paramount. While nothing is without risk, ensuring health and safety has been central to all of our planning so far and will remain so.”

The NHL hopes to test players on a daily basis by the time they get back to playing actual games this summer, and temperature checks, isolation from others away from the rink and proper social distancing sound like they will become the norm for everybody involved with putting on the games.

Bettman went on to say that NHL training camps wouldn’t open prior to July 1 and that means any playoff games wouldn’t begin until late July/early August at the earliest with a postseason that could push into September. So we’ll have a long time to discuss and dissect everything about this proposed return to play for the NHL, and how it’s potentially going to impact the Boston Bruins.

Latest Stanley Cup title odds: Are Bruins the favorite?

Certainly, the Bruins could complain about being screwed by the new format as they should have been the no-doubt No. 1 seed in the playoffs. They ended the season as the only NHL team with 100 points and they were a lock to win the President’s Trophy while earning home ice during their entire postseason run.

Now the Bruins will be the top Eastern seed at the start of the 24-team tournament, but that could change based on the round-robin warm-up tournament between the B’s, Lightning, Capitals and Flyers while the play-in games are being played. If they theoretically dropped all three games against the other top seeds, then they would drop all the way to the fourth seed and would presumably be relegated to a first round match-up against a loaded, rested Pittsburgh Penguins club.

It would have been defensible if the Bruins had even voted against this format when the NHLPA reps voted on it last week, but instead they accepted it rather than bellyaching like the crybaby Carolina Hurricanes.

The circumstances are quite a turnaround for a Bruins team that was looking at a first round match-up against the No. 8 seed if things had proceeded normally through the end of the regular season. Bettman said it was an inevitable adjustment as the NHL didn’t want to have the top teams sitting around without knocking any rust off prior to engaging in high-intensity playoff games. 1174905 Boston Bruins

Stanley Cup odds 2020: Updated betting lines after 24-team return format unveiled

By Nick Goss

May 26, 2020 5:49 PM

The NHL announced Tuesday a return-to-play plan that will consist of a 24 teams, as well as the format to be used for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It was a positive step for sports fans hoping to see the return of live games this summer.

Given the unique situation surrounding COVID-19, it's difficult (if not impossible) to find a format that benefits all 24 teams fairly. Some teams will benefit more than others, but a return with a different format than normal is still better than the 2019-20 season not resuming at all.

The Stanley Cup currently belongs to the St. Louis Blues, who defeated the Boston Bruins in a hard-fought seven-game 2019 Stanley Cup Final series. These two teams both sit atop their respective conferences and, under the 24-team format, they will automatically earn a berth into the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bruins, Blues and the other top-four teams in each conference will play a round robin format to determine their seeding for the first round.

Boston and St. Louis also are among the betting favorites to win the Stanley Cup following the league's return-to-play announcement.

Here are the latest Stanley Cup odds, via William Hill:

Updated Stanley Cup Winner Odds:

Golden Knights +550

Bruins +550

Lightning +600

Capitals +800

Blues +800

Avalanche +850

Flyers +1200

Penguins +1500

Maple Leafs +2500

Rangers +7500

Blackhawks +10000

The Bruins finished the regular season with the best record and also ranked No. 1 with a plus-53 goal differential. Boston is aiming to become the first team since the 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins to lose in the Stanley Cup Final and come back to win it the following season.

It's impossible to predict how the long layoff will impact these teams, but there are some benefits for the Bruins. They've played a ton of hockey in recent seasons, and the roster as a whole is not a young one. The rest could help, and some of the team's players who were battling injuries before the season was suspended have had extra time to heal. The Bruins' veteran core also has played many years together, and it has loads of playoff experience.

Picking a winner in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is one of the hardest tasks in sports, but if the league is successful in returning to game action, the Bruins will have a great shot to get back to the Stanley Cup Final and win their first championship since 2011.

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David Pastrnak falls short of milestone, but still makes Bruins history

By Dave Green

May 26, 2020 6:00 PM

When the NHL suspended its regular season in mid-March, David Pastrnak's quest for 50 goals was put on hold.

On Tuesday, that quest officially ended when Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that when the league does resume play, it will jump directly to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With 48 goals in 70 games, the 24-year-old budding superstar finishes just shy of the elusive half-century mark, a milestone that no Bruin has reached since Cam Neely in the 1993-94 season.

Overall, five Bruins have scored at least 50 goals in a season: (5 times), Neely (3 times), Rick Middleton, Ken Hodge, and Johnny Bucyk. With a dozen games left in the regular season, Pastrnak easily would have become the sixth Bruin with a 50-goal campaign if the global COVID-19 pandemic hadn't halted the season.

These 10 cities are possibilities to host remainder of NHL season

But Pastrnak was still able to achieve a feat that no Bruin has accomplished since the mid-70s.

His 48 goals are tied with Alex Ovechkin for the most in the NHL this season, meaning the two players will share the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's leading goal-scorer. Pastrnak becomes the first Bruin to lead the league in scoring since Esposito accomplished the feat in six straight seasons, from 1969-70 to 1974-75.

Pastrnak, who also led the league with 20 power-play goals and tied for the league lead with 10 game-winning goals, becomes only the fifth Bruin who played the entire season in Boston to lead the league in goals, joining Esposito, Bronco Horvath (tied with Bobby Hull in 1959-60), Roy Conacher (in 1938-39), and Cooney Weiland (in 1929-30).

The cancellation of the rest of the league's 2019-20 regular season means that the Bruins also won the Presidents' Trophy for the first time since 2013-14 with a league-high 100 points, while the B's goaltending tandem of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak claims the Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the league this season (167 for a 2.39 goals against average).

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2020 NHL Playoffs: These 10 cities are possibilities for hubs when play resumes

By Dave Green

May 26, 2020 4:52 PM

Tuesday afternoon, hockey fans saw a rarity: Gary Bettman talking on television without getting booed.

Of course, nobody else was there when the NHL commissioner announced plans for the league to hold the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but just the news of the sport's planned return should be enough for hockey-starved fans to cheer.

Once safety guidelines allow for play to resume, 12 participating clubs from each conference will report to one of two hub cities where all remaining games will be played.

Commissioner Bettman did not announce which cities would serve as the league's hubs, but he did announce that the league has narrowed the options to the following 10 cities:

Chicago, IL

Columbus, OH

Dallas, TX

Edmonton, AB

Las Vegas, NV

Los Angeles, CA

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

Pittsburgh, PA

Toronto, ON

Vancouver, BC

The decision on which two cities will be selected will depend on "COVID- 19 conditions, testing availability, and government regulations" according to Bettman.

The league has not yet announced dates for the playoffs or the exact format for how the field will be narrowed from 24 teams down to the eventual two teams that will play for the Stanley Cup, but any glimmer of information about hockey's return is great news for a sport that has been on hold for two and a half months.

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This Date in Bruins Playoff History: Wayne Gretzky beats B's in final Oilers game

By Nick Goss

May 26, 2020 2:44 PM

There's been one game played on May 26 in Boston Bruins history, and it was a historic one.

However, the real reason it's memorable has little to do with what happened on the ice and more about what occurred in the months that followed.

The Edmonton Oilers swept the Bruins in the 1988 Stanley Cup Final with a 6-3 Game 5 victory (Game 4 wasn't completed due to a power failure at the Boston Garden) at the Northlands Coliseum. It was a fitting end to a dominant series for the Oilers, who outscored the B's 18-9 in the four games that were completed.

The win clinched Edmonton's fourth Stanley Cup title in five seasons.

Game 5 of the 1988 Cup Final also was Wayne Gretzky's last as an Oilers player -- an idea that, at the time, seemed inconceivable. Gretzky was a Canadian icon and the league's best player, but for a variety of reasons, the Oilers traded him to the Los Angeles Kings on Aug. 9 of that year. The trade was, and remains, one of the most debated and discussed transactions in league history.

So, this matchup between the Oilers and Bruins literally was the end of an era, one that produced perhaps the greatest dynasty in NHL history.

However, the Oilers weren't done winning Stanley Cup titles or beating the Bruins. These teams met again in the Stanley Cup Final two years later, where the Oilers eliminated the Bruins in five games for the franchise's fifth championship.

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NHL announces 24-team return format; here's what fans need to know

By Nick Goss

May 26, 2020 5:06 PM

The NHL is taking concrete steps toward resuming the 2019-20 season and eventually awarding the Stanley Cup.

An important step came Tuesday afternoon when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced a 24-team return-to-play format.

Here are the basics of the 24-team format:

The basics of the @NHL's Return To Play Plan pic.twitter.com/3tNmXqwoQL

— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 26, 2020

A total of 10 cities are being considered for the two hub cities that will host the remainder of the season.

10 cities are being considered for the two hub city spots that will host the Stanley Cup Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/bMLxSCvpRW

— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 26, 2020

Here's the timeline in the return to play plan, per the league:

--Phase 2: Early June

In early June, it is expected that teams will be permitted to return to home facilities for small group, voluntary, and on- and off-ice training.

--Phase 3: Not Earlier than First Half of July

Not earlier than first half of July, formal training camps will begin after guidance from medical and civil authorities.

--Phase 4: Timing TBD

24 teams in 2 “hub” cities will compete in Seeding Round Robins, a Qualifying Round and Conference-based Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Now, let's talk about the playoffs.

The top 12 teams in each conference based on points percentage will resume play.

The top four teams in each conference automatically clinch a berth to the first round of the playoffs and will play round-robin games to determine their playoff seeding for the first round. Regular season overtime/shootout rules will apply to these round robin games, and any ties will be broken by regular season points percentage.

The remaining eight teams in each conference will play in a Best-of-5 qualifying round. The four winners will advance to the first round of the playoffs. These qualifying round games will be played using playoff overtime rules.

Here are some other important playoff details:

--When the qualifying round is over, the remaining rounds will be set up using a bracket format, or each round will be determined by seeding. A decision on which style to use hasn't been made yet.

--The first and second rounds of the playoffs could be a Best-of-5 or a Best-of-7. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be a Best-of- 7.

The 24-team format means the Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings are done for the 2019-20 season.

Given the unique nature of the situation, there isn't one format that would benefit all 31 teams, but what the league announced Tuesday is a pretty good plan toward finishing the season and crowning a champion.

Plenty of other details must be sorted out before games can resume, but this announcement is a positive step.

1174910 Boston Bruins

Mark Recchi laughs off Brad Marchand's attempt to play 'underdog' role

By Joe Haggerty

May 26, 2020 3:45 PM

Mark Recchi has known Brad Marchand for almost 10 years now and saw him in some of his most unvarnished moments as No. 63’s linemate during his rookie, Cup-winning season.

“He was a fireball. A little nuts and once he got close [to the edge] you’d be like ‘OK, back off now… you’re good.’ He was great. He’s such a terrific player and a great kid. It was fun to be a part of that,” said Recchi. “He made the game enjoyable for an old guy. He had all that spunk and he’d get me fired up. It was good. It was easy to rein him in. You just needed to talk him a little bit.”

Marchand said last month that veteran teams — like the Bruins, who have the third-oldest team in the NHL — “are going to struggle” when the league finally starts play back up again.

The Little Ball of Hate’s presumption is that the only teams that will get an advantage will be either A) teams with returning injured players like Steve Stamkos on Tampa Bay or B) high-skill hockey teams with younger skaters like the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Bruins had the fourth-oldest roster at the outset of the 2019-20 season with an average age of 28.5 years old, so naturally Marchand is setting it up as a potential hurdle for the Black and Gold entering the postseason after possibly four months between playing games. Recchi, now an assistant coach with a Penguins team taking part in the play-in round of games, laughed off the Marchand theory as typical gamesmanship from the expert B’s agitator.

“We’re old? Yeah. OK. He’s making them underdogs,” said Recchi, with a big laugh during a Zoom call with Kevin Paul Dupont, James Murphy and yours truly. “They are such pros there. With the group of guys that they have there, they are going to be fine for sure.

"It all depends. I look at our team and our older guys are extremely hard workers and extremely fit, so it’s going to come down to a mental battle at that point. It will be a mental battle of who can push through this, push through playing with no fans in the stands and get excited about playing. I think mentally that’s going to be a huge thing, and the teams that can push through that are going to have a huge advantage for sure.”

Haggerty: NHL hoping to start on-ice practices in June

Here are the Marchand comments for those that missed them the first time around.

“I don’t think [the layoff] is going to help anybody," Marchand said in a virtual town hall with Bruins season-ticket holders. "The only ones it’s going to help is teams with players that had significant injuries. Just look at [Steven] Stamkos, who was injured and guys like that. Now they have the time to regroup and get healthy.

But it’s not going to help any teams that were playing well at the time. Maybe a few days [of rest] might have been good, but when guys are taking a few months, it’s going to hurt everyone.

“You can’t skate, keep your conditioning up or keep up your skills. It’s going to hurt everybody. Everybody is going to be sloppy," Marchand said. "I think the only teams that are going to come back and look good are the really young teams like Toronto or Tampa. The really high-end skilled teams are just going to have the legs and be able to get it back quick. Older teams are going to struggle.”

So is Marchand genuinely concerned about the old legs of the Bruins being ready to bounce back when games presumably start getting played in July, or is he playing possum with a B’s group that will have their eyes on the prize once the hockey season resumes?

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174911 Boston Bruins It feels like pretty weak sauce that Carolina was the one doing the complaining about the format.

But none of those higher seed teams wavered when it came time to vote Why on Earth did Hurricanes complain about NHL playoff format? to return to play and instead did what was best for the league as a whole rather than continuing to haggle on a play-in format that’s never going to be perfect, or without its detractors. By Joe Haggerty To his and Carolina’s credit, Martinook admitted as much while May 26, 2020 9:26 AM discussing the team decision for the Hurricanes.

"It's going to be good for the game. It's going to grow the game. It's going to keep a lot of fan bases in it and we want to do anything we can to keep The Carolina Hurricanes have never been afraid to go their own way in people excited in the times that we're in," said Martinook. "We're not recent years. looking past that. We want the NHL to do the best we can, and we want They did it to fun-loving effect with the postgame Storm Surge the players to help the world and give people something to rally around.” celebrations that spurred Don Cherry into calling them “a bunch of jerks” The Hurricanes might say they were voting “no” for the benefit of and then cleverly used that as a part of their marketing campaign. everyone across the league, but Martinook himself said the play-in format It was Carolina just this past season that vaulted David Ayres into “hurts our odds.” It hurts Carolina’s odds because now the 'Canes are legendary EBUG status when he went from Toronto Marlies Zamboni now forced to win a play-in, best-of-five series to make the final 16-team driver all the way to cult hero after becoming a winning emergency goalie playoff field, and they have to do it against a dangerous Rangers team against the Maple Leafs. that defeated them all four times they met during the regular season.

Along the way they’ve built themselves into a solid Eastern Conference Haggerty: Ranking the top 20 teams in Bruins history hockey club that made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final last How much of it is actually about Carolina players being pissed they now season and were poised to secure a wild card spot when the 2019-20 might have to beat a Blueshirts team in the playoffs that had their number regular season went on pause almost three months ago. during the season? The Hurricanes players would tell you it’s got nothing And that’s where the issues come in with “the bunch of jerks.” to do with their play-in match-up, but this humble hockey writer finds that fairly hard to believe. The Hurricanes were one of only two NHL teams that voted “no” on the return to play proposal that was overwhelmingly approved last week with We’ll never really know for sure as 29 other NHL clubs voted “yes” to the 24 teams qualifying for a postseason that includes a play-in round to get proposal and voted “yes” to getting back to the business of hockey things going. sooner rather than later with a Phase 2 return to the ice expected to happen in the next few weeks. That’s all that really matters now that the It was certainly a vocal, passionate discussion among the player reps on NHLPA vote is in the rear-view mirror and the league has released a 21- last week’s NHLPA call with some preferring a modified “finish the page memo detailing the care it's going to take in returning to play NHL season” option that would have seen the teams all play a handful of games. games to determine the bubble playoff spots in question. The bottom line: We’re not ready to call the Hurricanes “a bunch of jerks” Haggerty: Forget about any asterisk talk for Stanley Cup champ for the way they voted over the weekend. But maybe Grapes wasn’t all that far off the mark when it comes to a Carolina team that proves time The other team to vote “no” was the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had and time again they do things their own way. issues with the intensity of the games the top seeds will be warming up with while the 5-12 seeds play a do-or-die play-in round to determine the final eight playoff teams. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 There’s a legit gripe in there that the top seeds will be mired at a lower compete level once the “real” Stanley Cup playoff rounds commence following the play-in round.

But it sure feels like the Hurricanes are coming at it from a place where they felt like teams like the Panthers, Canadiens and Rangers don’t deserve to be in the postseason at all. Carolina’s player rep for the NHLPA, Jordan Martinook, said as much when talking with reporters this weekend about the NHLPA vote from the Hurricanes.

"For where we were and where our team thought we could get to, it hurts our odds,” said Martinook on a Zoom call with reporters. "It's not like we didn't want to play or anything, it's just that we felt this particular option maybe didn't benefit us and it's not gonna benefit every team. This is just the stance that we took. (This format) doesn’t really benefit the teams that are in 5, 6, 7 and 8 so it kinda hinders those teams. Then it obviously gives a lot to 9, 10, 11 and 12. It didn’t really benefit our team in any way."

What Martinook fails to mention is that the Hurricanes were just two points away from being the “9, 10, 11 or 12” teams themselves when the season went on pause. The Hurricanes were a bubble team in a wild card spot when things went on pause in mid-March, but they were also just a couple of points ahead of the teams they now say are being gifted a playoff spot with a month of regular season games left to play.

Recchi's take on when 2020 Draft should happen

Honestly, teams like the No. 3 seed Penguins, Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars or Calgary Flames have a whole lot more to complain about now that they have been tossed in with the rest of the NHL riff-raff of wild card hopefuls and bubble team invites. It would have been more meaningful if any number of those teams had been the ones raising concerns rather than a wild card bubble team that’s going to benefit greatly with some key injured players now presumably healthy enough to compete. 1174912 Boston Bruins Brandon Carlo (concussion) and Torey Krug (undisclosed) were injured before the shutdown. They have since recovered. The Bruins will not have Kevan Miller, who is recovering from another procedure on his right The Bruins’ return-to-play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts knee. Boston The time off does not help the integration of Kase and Ritchie. The two will have to restart their familiarity program as the Bruins devise their best postseason lineup. By Fluto Shinzawa In theory, Kase should be a good right wing for Krejci. Yet the two May 26, 2020 Czechs had not clicked.

Ritchie, meanwhile, looked a little better with Krejci. Ritchie did not have much of a connection with Charlie Coyle, even though their physicality You could argue that the Bruins want the Stanley Cup more than any and puck-possession games should have led to chemistry. other team. Cassidy was also trying to finalize whether Sean Kuraly was best served They suffered the below-the-belt obliteration of losing in Game 7 last centering the fourth line or playing left wing on the No. 3 threesome. year. The creakiness in the bones of Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Cassidy has always believed a fourth line of Kuraly, flanked by Joakim David Krejci and Tuukka Rask signals the preciousness of every Nordstrom and Chris Wagner, gave him a good matchup unit, thereby remaining kick at the can. The Bruins led the NHL with 100 points when freeing Bergeron and Krejci for more offensive opportunities. But the league closed its doors. General manager Don Sweeney sent away Nordstrom-Kuraly-Wagner was not as consistent as Cassidy wanted. his first-rounder as part of the bounty to acquire Ondrej Kase, who could be the No. 2 right wing Sweeney has chased since assuming command What could go wrong? in 2015. Injuries, of course. It won’t be easy for any team to fight through the Yeah, they want it. break-in period without aches and pains, muscle pulls and assorted dings. The Bruins, like everybody else, would be compromised if bodies But is wanting it enough? Now that the NHL has announced that the start falling. regular season has concluded and that a 24-team playoff will likely take place starting sometime this summer, how well suited are the Bruins to Kase and Ritchie might not integrate. The Bruins have alternatives. If thrive in this new format? Kase doesn’t mesh with Krejci, Anders Bjork and Karson Kuhlman could ride on the second line. If Ritchie is slow to start on the left side, either on Where they were the second or third line, Bjork and Kuraly could play left wing. One of the The Bruins were 44-14-12, less than a week out from an angry, Bruins’ strengths, however, would be balance throughout their lines with emotional and important 5-3 message-sending defeat at the hands of the Kase and Ritchie settled in appropriate slots. Tampa Bay Lightning. Bruins’ path to the Stanley Cup Later in March, they were scheduled for their California swing. They were Rask was running neck-and-neck with Connor Hellebuyck in the Vezina considering leaving some of their veterans behind to rest for a months- race. Rask should be able to resume high-end play. Even if Rask gets long postseason run. It would have given the coaching staff an hurt, the Bruins have a good second option in Jaroslav Halak. opportunity to see how Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic might have helped in the playoffs. One of the Bruins’ strengths is the defense in front of Rask and Halak. The Bruins are allowing a league-low 1.9 goals per 60 minutes of five-on- Rest was not the Bruins’ only priority. They planned to use every game to five play, according to Natural Stat Trick. With Chara and Charlie McAvoy extend the break-in period for Kase and Nick Ritchie. In the Bruins’ final leading the charge as the shutdown duo, the Bruins should be able to pre-shutdown game, the ex-Ducks rode on the No. 2 line with Krejci. keep the puck out of their net. Neither Kase nor Ritchie had settled into an optimal role. Their other go-to weapon was their No. 1 line. Bergeron, Brad Marchand What the new format means and David Pastrnak will not need much time to regain their touch and The Bruins are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference based on timing. Same goes for their No. 1 power-play unit and its go-to setup off points percentage (.714). They will participate in a round-robin the draw. tournament with Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia, the three Chances of winning it all teams that follow in terms of points percentage. The site of the games has yet to be determined. Better than most. Assuming good health and no significant performance dropoff because of the layoff, the Bruins have Cup-winning building The round-robin tournament will determine where the Bruins will be blocks: coaching, experience, depth, goaltending, defense, power play seeded while Teams 5 through 12 participate in the qualifying round. and go-to stars. Does the new format help or hurt?

It hurts the Bruins. The addition of eight more teams introduces the The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 bogey element. A team that would not have originally qualified for the playoffs now has the chance to get hot and upset a stronger opponent like the Bruins.

The Bruins will be playing in the round-robin games while the lower- seeded clubs participate in the qualifying round. As such, they will have the same opportunity to see game action as the lower-ranked teams.

But the games against Tampa, Washington and Philadelphia will not have the same ferocity as those in the qualifying round, where losers go home for the summer. Round-robin games will be subject to regular- season overtime and shootout rules. Not to mention that the Bruins do now run the genuine risk of falling to a lower seed, and facing a stronger opponent than the typical 8th seed they likely would have played had the regular season concluded normally.

The coaching staff will have to prepare for multiple opponents beyond the round-robin tournament. There is no way for Bruce Cassidy and Co. to get a head start on video scouting.

How the time off affected them 1174913 Boston Bruins those round-robin games as sharp and ready as possible in order to re- claim what was already likely theirs.

Here are some points of concern the Bruins will focus on for each player: The Bruins’ formula to return: Here’s what each player must work on for playoffs Brad Marchand: Typically it takes him a few games to get going, especially when it comes to being strong on his stick with the puck. He likes to challenge with the puck and he likes to have it on his stick, so By Joe McDonald he’ll have to find his hands a lot quicker than normal.

May 26, 2020 Patrice Bergeron: Well, it’s Patrice Bergeron, so there’s zero concern with his game. If anything, this time off was critical for his health and he should be recharged. The one area of focus for him will be his success on the faceoff dot. His prowess in this area is important for the team If Bruins players walk through the door at Warrior Ice Arena this summer starting with the puck. looking like well-oiled machines and ready to resume the season, then Bruce Cassidy’s job will be a little bit easier. David Pastrnak: The sharpshooter was two goals shy of 50, and now that Bettman’s return to play plan consists only of a playoff format he won’t But if any players didn’t keep up their strength and conditioning during reach the milestone this season. His biggest focus will be regaining the the hiatus, then it will take at least two weeks for them to regain the level timing on his shot. necessary to compete for a Stanley Cup. After commissioner Gary Bettman announced Tuesday that the NHL hopes to return to play its David Krejci: The focus here will be making sure he’s happy and finding playoffs this summer, with small groups resuming home-facility workouts exactly whom he can play with. Does Jake DeBrusk stay on the left and in June and full training camps likely beginning in the first half of July, this is Ondrej Kase the proper fit on the right side? That’s the biggest has now gone from a hypothetical to a real-world question. Even though question for Krejci. Nick Ritchie could also find himself in the mix on the no dates for the start of the playoffs have been set, the Bruins will now second line. move their preparations for a return to the next level. Jake DeBrusk: The 23-year-old shouldn’t have any issues, but his focus The goal is for the players to be physically ready to compete at a high will be getting his motor going immediately and keeping it up for the level, while not injuring themselves because of all the time off. In fact, remainder of the season. The team will rely on his youth and energy. many NHL teams are studying the effects of the 2011 NFL lockout, one that lasted until July 25 of that year. Ondrej Kase: Cassidy was still trying to figure out where the newcomer fit best at the time of the pause. That evaluation process will ramp up once Due to a shorter training camp, players were getting hurt more frequently games resume. that year. NHL teams have reviewed that scenario and will try to put a plan in place to avoid a similar situation. Nick Ritchie: Ditto for Ritchie. His focus should be to continue getting acclimated with the team’s play in its own end. These Bruins have dealt with a layoff before, albeit on a far smaller scale. But the 10 days off between the Eastern Conference final and the Charlie Coyle: Since Cassidy started giving Coyle more responsibility in Stanley Cup final last spring could also be used as a resource about January, the centerman responded well and was playing his best hockey what it takes to quickly find their legs after an unexpected time off at the of the season. He’s dedicated to his craft, so there’s no concern with him. most important spot on the calendar. He should return well-conditioned, and his game should be solid.

Cassidy and the coaching staff decided to scrimmage during that break, Anders Bjork: This was an opportunity for the winger to become stronger something the coach feels benefits his players. Intrasquad games allow and prep for what will be his first NHL playoff run. Is he ready to do that? players to shake the rust with a lesser chance of getting injured. Is he stronger?

Cassidy and his staff have been working on possible opponents since the Joakim Nordstrom: Due to injuries, the winger could not regain his form start of the league’s hiatus. Each Wednesday they connect via video from last season. Maybe this break did wonders for his body. Getting his conference. timing back and proving he’s healthy will be the focus. If he can play the way he did during the 2019 playoffs, it should bode well for the Bruins’ “We have dedicated more time recently to reviewing all of our systems, fourth line. so it’s like a training camp approach,” Cassidy said. “It’s a complete review of how we play the game.” Sean Kuraly: The centerman has a high motor, so it’ll be important for him to find that aspect of his game quickly and keep it up for the duration. At the time of the pause, the Bruins were leading the NHL with 100 points He was inconsistent in that area earlier in the season. and were building momentum toward the playoffs. With so much time off, it’s possible coaches can begin to overthink and make unnecessary Chris Wagner: He was playing well at the time of the pause, so his focus changes. Cassidy plans on keeping his systems the same moving will be on his puck skills and timing. forward. Par Lindholm: He was also playing well, but with everyone expected to “We’ve had a pretty good regular season. Do you want to start messing be healthy, the versatile forward might need to battle for a spot in the with stuff if you’re going right into the playoffs?” Cassidy said. “You have lineup. to be careful as a coach because you don’t want to come back with a Karson Kuhlman: Proved a season ago he can be inserted into the lineup whole new way of playing when the other stuff worked pretty well for you. at any point, in any role and have success. His focus will be on starting And, guys haven’t played so they’re thinking instead of just playing.” fast.

It’s going to be tough at the start, because teams will have to compete at Anton Blidh: Due to injury, he’s played only seven games this season. their highest levels right away, rather than building up gradually, as His focus will be timing and regaining his fitness level. teams often do during the first 20 games of the regular season. Zdeno Chara: Zero concerns with the captain. He spent the break in “You’ve got to be sharp right out of the gate,” Cassidy said. “So, less is Florida and said he’s been swimming and riding the bike. Typically it more sometimes.” takes bigger players a bit longer to get going, so getting up to speed fast Bettman announced that under the NHL’s plan, the regular season has will be the focus for him. been officially concluded, and that the Bruins will play a round-robin Brandon Carlo: He was playing his best hockey this season, and as tournament against the other top three teams in the Eastern Conference another big body, he’ll need to find his legs quickly. He was dealing with to determine playoff seeding. In one sense, that’s good in that the Bruins an upper-body injury at the time of the pause, so he’ll need to be cleared will receive something of a tune-up before entering elimination games. to return. But in another, it’s a blow to Boston. Playoff seeding matters, and the Bruins are no longer guaranteed the top seed they had essentially Torey Krug: At the time of the pause, he was coming back from a earned before the regular season was put on pause. They’re going to concussion. He recently said he feels good and will be ready to go. want to make sure they win that round-robin tournament and lock themselves back into that top spot, and so the focus will be on arriving for Charlie McAvoy: Another big body, so, just like with Chara and Carlo, McAvoy may need to work a little harder to find his game. Matt Grzelcyk: The smooth-skating defenseman shouldn’t miss a beat. He needs to make sure he’s ready to go back, quickly retrieve pucks and make a play because the opposition’s forecheckers will be honing in on defensemen.

Connor Clifton: Missed two months due to a concussion and returned to the lineup in the last game before the pause. His focus, like all the defensemen, will be to regain his timing and make sure he’s able to retrieve pucks successfully in the defensive zone.

Jeremy Lauzon: The rookie defenseman earned a lineup spot and he needs to pick up right where he left off. The team was feeding off his energy and physicality, and that needs to continue.

John Moore: It’s been a trying season for the veteran defenseman dealing with injuries and at times being a healthy scratch. It’ll be interesting to see how he returns. He could work his way back into the lineup. Having depth on the blue line will be important.

Kevan Miller: He suffered another setback with his knee injury and then had a new surgery two months ago. He’s out for the remainder of this season, and his focus is on getting ready for the fall. He’s set to become a free agent, and his return to Boston is not guaranteed.

Tuukka Rask/Jaroslav Halak: Goalies around the league will be tested early and often. Skaters will regain their shot a lot quicker than goalies will their timing. It’ll take probably two weeks for the masked men to find their games. These guys will probably take their share of bumps and bruises. Given the unique circumstances, Cassidy needs to decide if he’ll go with a true No. 1 the rest of the way, or rotate the tandem?

Reinforcements: The new rules regarding players on the roster will dictate which extra players will be kept. The list is likely to include forwards Jack Studnicka, Trent Frederic and veteran Paul Carey, along with defensemen Jakub Zboril, Steven Kampfer, Urho Vaakanainen and Alexander Petrovic.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174914 Boston Bruins In Florida, it was always an empty building. It was tough to focus, especially with the weather always being nice down there and your mind isn’t always where it’s supposed to be. I did actually love playing there Bruins alumni poll: Ex-players shine a light on what really happened (as a Panther) because it was fun.

Donato: Coliseum in Long Island. Too dark and had trouble picking up pucks off the glass. By Joe McDonald Hodge Jr.: Meadowlands in New Jersey. Zero atmosphere. May 26, 2020 Fraser: Ain’t no bad days/arenas in the NHL.

Henderson: Rexall Place in Edmonton. Rogers Place was needed. It’s always fun to connect, or in some cases re-connect, with former Bruins players. I could sit and listen to their stories all day long. It doesn’t Toivonen: I wasn’t a huge fan of Nassau Coliseum because it was kind of matter if it’s the greatest of all-time telling a story, or a player with only 87 a dump. I’m sure it’s a lot nicer now, but it wasn’t the nicest environment. games of NHL experience. Each one has a different perspective on the Ottawa and Florida, too, so I would say those three. game based on their respective experiences. It’s been especially Which city had the best hockey fans? important during this COVID-19 pandemic to hear familiar stories, along with some new ones from former players. Seidenberg: Boston. Chicago. Minnesota. They all have the most loyal and knowledgeable fans. Even Detroit. It’s hard to pick just one. My favorite is the first answer from Bobby Orr. He was kind enough to spend some time recently with a few members of the Boston media to Donato: Tie between Bruins and Blackhawks. discuss different aspects of his Hall of Fame career. The plan, in conducting this poll of former Bruins players, was to connect with Hodge Jr.: Boston and Toronto. Passionate fan bases. different types of alums across the Bruins spectrum, and I think we Fraser: Montreal. succeeded. The one answer that’s not listed below is former defenseman Dennis Seidenberg telling me he once drove 190 miles-per-hour in a Henderson: Las Vegas Porsche on the German Autobahn. Toivonen: Montreal. Every time they touched the puck it was loud and Along with Orr and Seidenberg, we spoke with Ted Donato, Derek you could sense that in the net. When they crossed the blue line the Sanderson, Johnny Bucyk, Ken Hodge Jr., Jay Henderson, Hannu volume would get higher and higher. You couldn’t talk to your Toivonen and Matt Fraser. (defensemen). If it was a tight game, like Bruins and Canadiens, it was so loud. Chicago can be in that conversation too. Surprisingly, the fans What was the best arena you played in and why? are good in Tampa.

Bobby Orr: I always loved, and they were always tough games, but What city’s fans hated the Bruins the most? Montreal and Toronto. Toronto was near my hometown, and family and friends were at the game. Montreal always had great-skating clubs, so Derek Sanderson: Montreal. I hated Montreal. It was the most difficult those were always tough games. Those were the two cities I enjoyed place to play in the first 10 minutes. Wow. I didn’t think a team could playing in. come out that hard every time. I liked New York. They burned me in effigy one time. They hung me off the top balcony. They actually had a New York was always a hoot. The fans were always great. We had a straw dummy with a Bruins sweater and then somebody lit fire to it and back door where we would sneak out of (Madison Square) Garden and they didn’t realize all the people down below were going to get burned. I’m walking down the street when some fans started hooting and Yeah, New York was good … getting coffee thrown on you, that smarts. hollering. I kind of turned one night, yelling back at them and wouldn’t you know it I run into a pole. That was a great laugh in New York. Seidenberg: Obviously Montreal with the hatred. But, after that (2011) Cup final, even during that series, Vancouver fans hated us the most at Detroit was a small rink. It was kind of egg-shaped and you couldn’t hide that point. anywhere. All the rinks were different, but Montreal and Toronto were fun. Donato: Montreal hates the Bruins the most.

Dennis Seidenberg: Montreal. Every time we went up there it was always Hodge Jr.: Montreal and Philadelphia. a great atmosphere. The stadium was packed and they always had good Fraser: Montreal and Vancouver. music playing for warmups. Every time you went onto the ice you had a pumped-up feeling. The city is nice, too. The rivalry that was going on Henderson: Montreal. when I was playing in Boston was something special. Toivonen: Got to go with the Canadiens again. Vancouver, maybe. In 2011, the series against them was a nail-biter. We were down 2-0 and not playing well and had a tough time getting going. We were lucky to Which former Bruins who is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame most make it through (winning the series in seven games) after we got going. deserves to be?

Ted Donato: Boston Garden; fans right on top of you. Seidenberg: Timmy Thomas. He didn’t have a long career, but he definitely had a dominant career when he was with the Bruins. Ken Hodge Jr.: Montreal Forum because of how close the fans were and all the history in the rafters. Donato: Rick Middleton

Matt Fraser: Chicago. Great atmosphere during the anthem. Montreal. Hodge Jr.: Rick Middleton Great atmosphere and passionate. Henderson: Rick Middleton Jay Henderson: Madison Square Garden because of the history and the Toivonen: I think Timmy’s going to get there. He should get there. The events. only thing that could go against him is how long he played, but he was Hannu Toivonen: Madison Square Garden, before the renovation. It has productive during that time. I sure hope so. He deserves it. so much history and it’s New York. It’s electric. Even growing up as a kid Which ex-Bruin whose number isn’t retired most deserves to have it in Finland I knew what Madison Square Garden was and its history. I retired? liked that place. Seidenberg: I have to go back to Timmy. I’m not a good historian but it What was the worst arena and why? didn’t end well with him in Boston, but he definitely put his time in playing Seidenberg: For me it was Florida and Detroit. I mean, Detroit (Joe Louis for the Bruins and carried the team over several seasons. Arena) was kind of cool and the Red Wings always had a good team, Donato: Gerry Cheevers. He was one of my favorites growing up. especially at the start of my career and we always got shit-kicked. They were such a fast team and it was a tough arena. It just more bad Hodge Jr.: Tie between Al Pedersen (haha) and probably my Dad (Ken memories than anything else. Hodge). Top 10 in Bruins history in points, goals and assists. Henderson: Gerry Cheevers. Donato: Doc Emrick.

Toivonen: I’m going with three goalies: Tiny Thompson and Timmy. And, Hodge Jr.: Bob Wilson. most likely Tuukka. Fraser: Bob Cole. If you could change one rule in the NHL today, what would it be? Henderson: Don Cherry. Seidenberg: I would say the instigator. I don’t think it should be taken out, but definitely adjusted. Who was the biggest spender you played with?

Donato: Get rid of instant replay for offside. Takes too long. Seidenberg: Nathan Horton liked to drive nice cars. He had a Rolls- Royce, Bentley and Ferrari. I don’t know if he was a big spender, or just Hodge Jr.: Move the trapezoid, making goalies unable to play the puck liked cars, but he’s the guy who comes to mind. behind their net and only in the corners. Donato: Tie. Al Iafrate and Mark Messier. Fraser: Score goals with any part of your body, including kicking. Hodge Jr.: Ray Bourque always took care of the young guys. Henderson: Instigator – no question. Fraser: Johnny Boychuk. Toivonen: I would change two: I would get rid of the delay of game (puck out of play rule). Also, I’d like to get rid of one of the TV timeouts. Henderson: Jason Allison.

Who is the best coach in Bruins history? Toivonen: Jumbo (Joe Thornton).

Johnny Bucyk: Harry (Sinden) was a workaholic and a very intelligent Who was you most under-appreciated teammate? hockey person. He’s been very good for me and very good to me. I’ve Sanderson: Ace Bailey. He was fast. Donnie Marcotte should’ve got a lot got no complaints there. He was probably one of the best coaches I ever more attention than he did. You could trust him and you knew exactly played for. what he was capable of and he always did it. Eddie Westfall. Those guys Derek Sanderson: There’s not a finer, smarter hockey man in the history were tremendously talented people that just never got enough credit. of the game. Harry Sinden was a genius. Seidenberg: Chris Kelly. In New York, Casey Cizikas was under- Orr: Harry was one of the best coaches I played for. Harry knew what to appreciated. Every team I was on had one guy who was always under- say and what to do with every player. To me, that’s the key to coaching. appreciated. For me to recall all of them would be kind of tough, but You’ve got your group, figure them out and what do I have to say, and definitely those two guys. what do I have to do to make them play at the top of their games. Harry Donato: Dave Poulin. did an unbelievable job at that. Hodge Jr.: Glenn Wesley. Seidenberg: I’d go with Claude (Julien) because he won a Cup and had tremendous success when he was there. Fraser: Matt Hendricks and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Donato: Harry Sinden. Henderson: Patrice Bergeron.

Hodge Jr.: Milt Schmidt, although I enjoyed playing for . Toivonen: P.J. Axelsson.

Henderson: Pat Burns. Who was the teammate you most would not have wanted to fight?

Toivonen: You could argue the ones that won a Cup. I never had Claude, Seidenberg: Adam McQuaid. When you meet him off the ice he’s the but Mike Sullivan was a heck of a coach. He’s proved himself in nicest guy and you would never think he had a mean bone in him. But Pittsburgh that he’s a really good coach. when he gets mad he just destroys guys.

What happened on the ice in your day that today’s players would be Donato: Stu Grimson (overall) and Lyndon Byers (Bruins teammate). surprised by? Hodge Jr.: Chris “Knuckles” Nilan or Lyndon Byers. Both didn’t have an Seidenberg: I think trash-talking and chirping happened a lot more earlier off switch. in my career. My last couple of seasons players didn’t yell at the Fraser: Luke Gazdic, Shawn Thornton. opposing teams as much. It changed a lot. Henderson: Colton Orr. Donato: Hooking and holding made it a different game. Toivonen: (Colton) Orr or Brendan Walsh. Orr would just knock you out Hodge Jr.: The hooking and holding that went on in our day. and Walshy would just never stop talking about it. Henderson: Wood sticks.

Toivonen: Every generation says that players respected each other The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 more. Is that a myth? I don’t know but I think there was more of, ‘You don’t touch this guy. This guy is off-limits.’ I’m not saying it’s a good thing, or bad thing, but I think it was like that.

Who was the smartest player you played with?

Seidenberg: Patrice Bergeron, Peter Forsberg and Ray Whitney.

Donato: Adam Oates

Hodge Jr.: Craig Janney.

Fraser: Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

Henderson: Patrice Bergeron.

Toivonen: Bergy. He was smart.

Patrice Bergeron was the most-mentioned name when we asked players for their smartest teammate. (Kim Klement / USA Today)

Who’s the best NHL TV announcer you’ve heard?

Seidenberg: Doc Emrick is very good. He calls the big games and has a unique voice. 1174915 Buffalo Sabres

Jason Botterill wasn't going anywhere, but Kim Pegula's explanation defies belief

By Mike Harrington

Published Tue, May 26, 2020|Updated Tue, May 26, 2020

Let's get one thing straight right off the top here: No matter how angry fans are about it – and they have every right to be angry – Jason Botterill wasn't going anywhere.

There isn't one person who covers the Sabres for any outlet in Buffalo who expected the Sabres' general manager to be fired, given how circumstances have transpired. We don't know what would have happened in March, whether the Sabres would have flourished or gone into another collapse like they did last year under Phil Housley, so Botterill might have been saved by the pandemic.

We'll never know. But there has been zero indication that ownership was pondering a change at GM. And the bleeding balance sheets at Pegula Sports and Entertainment have made it clear for weeks that Botterill wasn't in trouble. He's still under contract, and PSE wasn't going to pay yet another executive not to work for the organization.

Team president Kim Pegula confirmed Botterill would be back for his fourth season in what should have been a routine interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday – but she quickly turned it into an abomination that fans won't soon forget.

"I realize, maybe it’s not popular with the fans, but we have to do the things that we feel are right,” Pegula was quoted as saying. “We have a little bit more information than maybe a fan does, some inner workings that we see some positives in.”

She didn't specify what those positives are, but that right there is just the height of arrogance for an organization that has no business having any of it at this point.

"Inner workings that we see some positives in" is going to go down in Sabres history as Kim Pegula's version of Darcy Regier's infamous "suffering" speech.

It's yet another example of how there should be someone with a hockey background running this organization.

All this and he even took his team to the brink of the salary cap when it still hasn't played any meaningful games in March in eight years.

Botterill is scheduled to address reporters Wednesday, his first public comments since the NHL season was paused more than two months ago.

Now, continuity can be good. The Pegulas probably have needed some with these teams, and the Bills are proving the benefit of it. But if your guy isn't getting the job done, it's generally time to cut bait.

There is no other explanation for Kim Pegula's comments other than she thinks the fans are dumb and will just keep flooding through the turnstiles again some day. But who's kidding whom?

Let's not forget the Sabres never missed the playoffs more than three years in a row in the first 40 years of their existence. It's now nine years in a row and counting under Terry and Kim Pegula, who have shockingly run this franchise into the ground and made it an NHL laughingstock. They're the common thread, and not the five coaches, two GMs and other executives they have fired willy-nilly over the years.

"Believe me, I don’t think anyone knows the frustrations more than Terry and I do,” Kim Pegula insisted Tuesday.

Her actions and her words sure are funny ways to show it.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174916 Buffalo Sabres The restructured league calendar may not include a prospect development camp or prospects challenge, both of which have become important pieces in the Sabres' offseason plans.

What's next for Sabres with regular season officially over? Who are the Sabres' unrestricted free agents?

Wayne Simmonds, Michael Frolik, Jimmy Vesey, Zemgus Girgensons, By Lance Lysowski Johan Larsson, Vladimir Sobotka, Matt Hunwick, Scott Wilson, Dalton Smith, Casey Nelson, John Gilmour and Andrew Hammond. Published Tue, May 26, 2020|Updated Tue, May 26, 2020 It's difficult to envision a scenario in which the Sabres retain Frolik, even if the price tag is a fraction of the $4.3 million salary he made this season. He did not contribute on the penalty kill and scored only one Jason Botterill will have another season to execute his plan to bring empty-net goal in 19 games following his trade from Calgary in January. playoff hockey back to Buffalo. Hunwick also will likely depart after complications from a neck injury Sabres owner and president Kim Pegula told the Associated Press on prevented him from playing in 2019-20. Tuesday that Botterill will return as general manager. Although Botterill is Sobotka was a favorite of coach Ralph Krueger and could help on the under contract next season, multiple reports surfaced in February that his penalty kill. Sobotka, though, doesn't contribute much offensively and this job could be in jeopardy. team needs to allocate its resources to forwards who can score goals. Botterill's fourth offseason officially began when the National Hockey Rasmus Asplund is capable of giving Buffalo the same production and League announced Tuesday the Sabres are not part of the 24-team would benefit from additional NHL experience. playoff format that will be used if the 2019-20 season can resume this It's likely that Botterill will want to retain Girgensons and Larsson, but summer. both players earned a raise with their play this season. While those The first prominent date on Botterill's calendar is the June 26 draft lottery, contracts may not make sense for the Sabres, parting with Larsson but the NHL has yet to provide a timeline for the draft or the start of free would further deplete their depth down the middle. There isn't a proven agency. A clearer picture should emerge once the league decides when replacement for either player. It's also possible one or both will want a or if it can award the Stanley Cup. fresh start.

The unprecedented end to the season creates several lingering Simmonds is interested in returning, but the power forward only questions and issues for the Sabres and their fans. appeared in seven games with the Sabres. Did he show enough to earn a short-term contract? Although Vesey performed well at times following When will the NHL hold its lottery and entry draft? a slow start, he scored only nine goals in 64 games and likely will want a raise from the $2.275 million he made in 2019-20. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Tuesday the lottery will be held June 26 and will include seven teams who will not participate in the What’s next for the Sabres with their season over? return-to-play format and eight who lose play-in playoff games. Odds will be determined based on points percentage – the Sabres own the Who are the notable restricted free agents? seventh-best odds to select first overall – and a second lottery will be Sam Reinhart, Dominik Kahun, Victor Olofsson, Curtis Lazar, Brandon held if one of the playoff teams draws one of the top three picks. Montour, Lawrence Pilut, Linus Ullmark, Tage Thompson, Casey The Sabres currently own six draft choices across seven rounds. Their Mittelstadt. third- and sixth-round selections were traded to the Carolina Hurricanes Reinhart likely will want a long-term contract and he deserves one after as part of the Jeff Skinner deal in August 2018. Buffalo also secured an another strong season. The 24-year-old made significant strides with his additional seventh-rounder when former Sabres defenseman Taylor play away from the puck and scored 22 goals, three off his career high, Fedun appeared in 25 games for the Dallas Stars in 2018-19. through 69 games. If the salary cap remains at around $83 million next This will be the fourth top-10 pick for the Sabres since Botterill became season, Reinhart is projected by Evolving-Hockey to receive a contract general manager. Buffalo used its three previous first-round selections on worth $8.9 million per year. Casey Mittelstadt, Rasmus Dahlin and Dylan Cozens. Evolving-Hockey also projects the following approximate average annual What does the announcement mean for unpaid arena employees at values for Sabres restricted free agents: Olofsson ($5.1 million), Montour KeyBank Center? ($4.9 million), Kahun ($2.9 million), Mittelstadt ($1.2 million), Pilut ($836,000), Lazar ($828,000) and Thompson ($815,000). The Sabres stated previously that part-time arena workers will be paid for the final six home games if/when games are canceled. Pegula Sports This doesn't include Ullmark, who should receive a raise from the $1.325 and Entertainment followed through on the same plan with the Rochester million he made this season. Although these are projections, it illustrates Americans, as game-night employees at received their how Botterill could be facing a cap crunch. It may be difficult to afford a paychecks last Friday. strong supporting cast around Reinhart, Jeff Skinner, and Dahlin, who should receive a lucrative long-term contract within the next What will the Sabres do about unused tickets for the final home games? 12 or 13 months.

The team offered credits or refunds to season ticket holders last week. Botterill could clear cap space by trading a defenseman. Under the plan, customers who retain their seats for the 2020-21 season will not have to make a payment until July 22 if they agree to credit their Who are the Sabres' notable trade chips? accounts from the six games. The team is allowing the credit to count as Rasmus Ristolainen and Montour are the two players most likely to be the first payment with no additional money needed. Initial payments for traded. next season had been due May 22. Ristolainen, a 25-year-old defenseman, was solid through the first three Additionally, the Sabres announced Tuesday that fans who purchased months of this season, only to revert to old habits. Ristolainen fits well individual game tickets, group tickets or mini packs for any of the six with how Krueger wants the Sabres to play, but a trade might be remaining home games by credit card at Sabres.com, Tickets.com, necessary because of the salary-cap situation and a surplus at right-shot KeyBankCenter.com, or at the KeyBank Center box office will receive an defense. automatic refund in about 10 days. Although Ristolainen's desire to win is valuable in a dressing room When can fans expect next season to start? lacking playoff experience, the Sabres need to acquire a top-six forward. Bettman stated that next season could begin as late as January. The Any significant trade is unlikely to happen until the draft is held and an NHL is focusing on completing this season before it outlines a plan for event in the fall would allow Botterill to negotiate with any team. 2020-21. A later start date may buy the league enough time for fans to be Ristolainen's inconsistent play may force Botterill to include other assets able to attend games, although the past two months have taught us that in a trade for a valuable scorer. long-term planning is difficult during a pandemic. You'll also hear Montour mentioned in trade rumors when the offseason begins. Montour, 26, was a better fit for Phil Housley's run-and-gun system and was not as effective when playing his off-side this season under Krueger. Montour had only five goals with 13 assists in 54 games. He likely will receive a lower average salary than expected, which could bolster his trade value.

Which prospects under contract should Sabres fans keep an eye on entering next season?

Asplund, Dylan Cozens, Arttu Ruotsalainen, Matej Pekar, Jacob Bryson, Will Borgen, Casey Fitzgerald, Mattias Samuelsson, Jonas Johansson, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Among this group, only Cozens, Ruotsalainen, Asplund and Borgen have a realistic chance at making the Sabres' roster out of camp.

Cozens, the seventh overall draft pick last June, likely will compete to be the team's second-line center after scoring 38 goals with 47 assists for 85 points in 51 games with the 's Lethbridge Hurricanes this season. The 19-year-old also could fill the Sabres' void at right wing.

Ruotsalainen will play with the Sabres or Amerks after spending this season with Ilves of in Finland. Ruotsalainen, a 5-foot-8-inch undrafted center, scored 15 goals with 28 assists for 43 points in 44 games this season. The 22-year-old could be an option for the Sabres' fourth line if Larsson departs in free agency.

Borgen, 23, had a second consecutive strong season in Rochester and would be a nice fit in Krueger's system if there is room on the roster for another right-shot defenseman. Asplund could increase his chances of making the roster by showing an improved scoring touch.

Pekar, Bryson, Fitzgerald and Samuelsson will need time to develop with the Amerks. It will be interesting to see how the Sabres handle Johansson and Luukkonen. The organization may not want to have the two goalies share the net in Rochester next season.

Who are the unsigned Sabres prospects to monitor?

Ryan Johnson, Oskari Laaksonen, Marcus Davidsson, Linus Weissbach, Linus Cronholm, Miska Kukkonen, William Worge Kreu, Erik Portillo, Aaron Huglen, Filip Cederqvist, Lukas Rousek.

Johnson, a 19-year-old defenseman selected with the first-round pick acquired from St. Louis in the Ryan O'Reilly trade, had a strong first season at the University of Minnesota. Although he was not selected to participate in the IIHF World Junior Championship, Johnson showed significant strides as a freshman, particularly away from the puck. He will need time to gain strength before he signs an entry-level contract with the Sabres.

Portillo was named USHL goaltender of the year after posting a .915 save percentage in 27 games with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. The 19- year-old plans to attend the University of Michigan this fall, and he might have taken the biggest step of any Sabres prospect this season. Additionally, Sabres assistant general manager Randy Sexton mentioned on a conference call this month that it's possible Laaksonen will sign his entry-level contract this offseason. Laaksonen would need at least one season in Rochester.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174917 Buffalo Sabres York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida; and No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Columbus. In the West, it would be No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago; No. 6 Nashville vs. No. 11 Arizona; No. 7 Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota; and Sabres receive finality, clarity with NHL announcing playoff format, lottery No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 9 Winnipeg.

What’s next for the Sabres with their season over?

By Lance Lysowski The NHL and NHLPA revealed a 29-page document Monday that details the necessary protocols for the transition from self-quarantine to Phase 2 Published Tue, May 26, 2020|Updated Tue, May 26, 2020 small-group workouts, which could begin in early June. Participation will be voluntary and players are not yet required to return to their respective

club's city. After almost three months of uncertainty amid the coronavirus pandemic, Club training facilities can reopen to a maximum of six players at one the National Hockey League finally has a plan to resume play this time plus a limited number of staff, and this will only be permitted in summer in arenas without fans and it does not involve the Buffalo communities where health officials have agreed that such activities can Sabres. begin. While safety and economic questions need to be addressed before All players traveling to team cities by public transportation such as training camps can open, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled a commercial air must undergo a 14-day self-quarantine, even if local 24-team playoff format Tuesday that will determine the Stanley Cup health regulations don't call for one. The NHL will transition to training champion if the 2019-20 season can be completed. camps if it is able to complete Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan. The Sabres weren't completely excluded from the announcement, The Sabres, though, can proceed with their offseason planning. They though. have been preparing for the possibility of an early draft and the Bettman also revealed the NHL will host a 15-team draft lottery June 26 cancellation of hockey games across the globe allowed them to begin to determine the top three selections. The Sabres will be joined by the six their amateur scouting meetings earlier than usual. Assistant General other teams not participating in the return-to-play plan and the eight Manager Randy Sexton told The Buffalo News earlier this month that, in teams who lose the playoff play-in games. his opinion, a virtual draft was an "absolute certainty."

The latter group will be represented by placeholders at the lottery and The Sabres used video and telephone conference calls to finalize their current point percentage will be used to determine odds. The Sabres prospect rankings, and they culled information to account for the data lost have a 6.5% chance at earning the right to draft first overall. A second from the postponement of the scouting combine, which was scheduled lottery will be held if one of the playoff teams wins the draw to draft in the for June 1-6 in Buffalo's LECOM Harborcenter and KeyBank Center. top three. General Manager Jason Botterill received advice from his Bills counterpart, Brandon Beane, on how to prepare for possible A formal return-to-play plan does not mean hockey's return is imminent. technological and logistical challenges of a virtual draft. The league and the NHL Players' Association will need to negotiate safety protocols, including testing and what restrictions will be placed on players in hub cities and testing. Bettman estimated training camps will Buffalo News LOADED: 05.27.2020 not open before the first half of July, and he emphasized the league will operate under the guidance of medical and civil authorities.

All games will be played in one of two hub cities, the identity of which won't be announced until a later date. The following cities are under consideration to host games: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

The executive board of the NHLPA approved the playoff format by a vote of 29-2, and the plan temporarily replaces the divisional wild-card format the league has used since 2012-13 with two conference tournaments of 12 teams. Expanding the playoffs from 16 to 24 allowed the NHL to include the teams that were on the playoff bubble when the season was paused March 12.

If play resumes this summer, the top four teams in each conference, as determined by their current standings point percentage, would receive a bye. Rather than sitting idle, those teams would play a round-robin tournament to determine seeding for the first round. Seeds 5 through 12 in both conferences would play a best-of-five, play-in series to determine which teams advance to a 16-team Stanley Cup playoff bracket. The NHLPA has yet to decide how many games will be played in the first and second rounds, but it's been determined the conference finals and Stanley Cup will be best-of-seven series. Bettman added the league could complete the bulk of the playoffs in a little over one month.

The announcement officially ends the 50th edition of the Sabres. A season that began with promise – including a 8-1-1 start under coach Ralph Krueger – ended with a ninth consecutive nonplayoff season, one shy of tying the NHL record for longest postseason drought.

In the end, poor special teams and a few late-game collapses prevented Buffalo from earning the final playoff spot over the Montreal Canadiens. The Sabres were three points behind the Canadiens and held two games in hand, but Montreal had the advantage in points percentage.

Based on points percentage, the top four teams in the Eastern Conference are Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia. The top four in the West are defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas.

The first-round matchups in the East would be No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 Montreal; No. 6 Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers; No. 7 New 1174918 Buffalo Sabres for the last playoff berth – without the teams knowing that's what they were playing for.

And nobody could have imagined how important those two games with With bizarre playoff near-miss, Sabres' season finally goes on permanent the Habs could have potentially been had the schedule slotted them pause earlier in the season.

• No visit by Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks, who also might By Mike Harrington have had St. Joe's product Dennis Gilbert on their roster to make his first NHL appearance in his hometown. Published Tue, May 26, 2020|Updated Tue, May 26, 2020 • No visit to Buffalo by the New York Rangers for the second time in three years, after the Blueshirts didn't come in 2017-18 because the Sabres' "home" game against them was played outdoors at Citi Field in Queens So that's it. The record books can finally be written in ink for the Buffalo for the NHL Winter Classic. Sabres' 50th anniversary season. That 30-31-8 ledger will stand forever. • No last chance for the season against Boston (0-3 this year, 0-4-1 in the There's not much to celebrate and one large asterisk that will forever last five). And thus no final shot to do something against the Atlantic make its mark. Division's top two (the Sabres went 0-7 against Boston and Tampa Bay). The NHL's regular season is over, forever put on pause by the • No home-and-home series against Carolina and maybe that's a good coronavirus outbreak with 13 games left on the Sabres' schedule. There thing because the Sabres have lost 10 straight against the Hurricanes (0- has been no shortage of effort by the NHL to study how to get the 189 6-4). This was the first season since the 'Canes headed south from games played to get every team to 82 games in the standings. Hartford in 1997 that all those Buffalo expats didn't get to see the Sabres But as we've heard over and over again during this crisis, the virus will play in either Greensboro or Raleigh. set the timeline. It has simply gotten too unwieldy to try to play regular- • Eichel finishes with 36 goals and 78 points, getting denied a chance at season games while harboring hope of handing out the Stanley Cup at his first 40-goal season and not getting the shot to push for 90 points. some point this summer or fall. Reinhart (22 goals) and Victor Olofsson (20) won't be able to push to 25 There was a certain inevitability here. The ECHL, the USHL, the or even 30 goals. Dahlin (40 points) can't go for 50. Canadian junior leagues as well as most leagues in Europe, canceled There are plenty of other hanging storylines as well. their seasons. The Memorial Cup was wiped out. So was the World Championship in Switzerland. The AHL finally said no mas and won't Linus Ullmark played just one game after returning from an ankle injury award the for the first time since 1936. that cost him nearly five weeks and the Sabres have to put serious thought into their goaltending for next season. Wayne Simmonds played The NHL is the lone holdout searching for a solution. So now the league just seven games, collecting a lone assist, after being acquired at the will press forward hoping to find a way to crown a playoff champion trade deadline. What do you do about Simmonds' contract as an through an expanded 24-team tournament. unrestricted free agent? How much do you have to pay Reinhart as a Until bought the team in 2011, just once in their history restricted free agent? When do you start negotiating with Dahlin about an (2002-04) had the Sabres failed to reach the postseason in three straight extension, and how high might his number go? years. They're on quite the run of the futility with this ownership. Poor Ralph Krueger. He's 0 for 2 trying to coach a full 82-game NHL Assuming the tourney is held and the Stanley Cup is awarded, the schedule. He directed 48 games for Edmonton in the 2013 lockout Sabres' postseason drought will extend to nine seasons and that would campaign and 69 for Buffalo in the 2019-20 pandemic season. be one shy of the NHL's dubious all-time record of 10 set by Florida (2001-11) and Edmonton (2007-16). Everything stopped in its tracks. A pause that became a full stop. And now the Sabres wait for the start of next season, whenever that might be. This is a one-off season where the NHL is expanding the postseason Good luck to them having to potentially wait eight or nine months from 16 to 24 teams – and the Sabres still can't make it. Ouch. They between games with rumors of a start in November or maybe even finish three points behind Montreal with two games in hand that were December for the 2020-21 campaign. Another big negative for this never played and lose out on points percentage, .500 to .493. As it organization. Just add it to the litany of them over the last nine years. turned out, they needed just two points during that agonizing six-game losing streak right after the trade deadline. The Sabres are one of seven teams already eliminated. At this point, out of the playoffs for basically an entire decade, it feels like they're barely Mind-boggling, really. part of the league. Hockey Heaven it is not. Still, no matter the numerical technicalities, this is another year gone As for the here and now, it's on to the draft lottery at some point – again. without a playoff appearance for much of the core of this Sabres team Fellow Atlantic Division teams Ottawa and Detroit have a decent chance and that's a huge black mark. to combine on the top three picks in the draft, which would help to quickly Jeff Skinner, he of 14 goals/23 points/minus-22 rating for a $9 million cap close their gap behind Buffalo and would be the absolute worst-case hit, extends his staggering total of games played without reaching the scenario for the Sabres. postseason to 720 (141 with Buffalo). That's the most of any active player So after a disappointing finish, the Sabres head into an uncertain world in the NHL. as one of the longest offseasons in franchise history awaits. One of these The roll call of career games without any playoff experience continues to years, maybe we won't have to ponder the league's infamous lottery climb for other Sabres as well. It looks like this: Rasmus Ristolainen (493 ping-pong balls anymore. games), Zemgus Girgensons (489), Sam Reinhart (400), Johan Larsson Happy 50th, Blue and Gold. (393), Jack Eichel (354) and Jake McCabe (340). Ugly numbers, especially when you consider four of those six players were first-round draft picks. Buffalo News LOADED: 05.27.2020 It's bad even for the kids. Rasmus Dahlin now has played 141 games without seeing the postseason and Casey Mittelstadt has played 114 in Buffalo and 36 more in Rochester. Mittelstadt figured to have a prominent role in the Amerks' Calder Cup run and won't get that chance either.

So what did we miss with the premature end of the schedule?

• It's the first time in franchise history the Sabres didn't play a game in Montreal. Both meetings in were wiped out, including the game slated to face off just a few hours after the NHL suspended play on March 12. Imagine if the league's pause happened a day later and that game was played. It could have turned into a winner-take-all showdown 1174919 Buffalo Sabres contracts ending and many decisions to be made, but getting Reinhart squared away has to be the priority. The Sabres offense lacks depth when it comes to point producers and Reinhart was second behind Sabres’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Eichel with 50 points and 22 goals. Buffalo The time to get a long-term deal done with Reinhart was likely two years ago when he signed his bridge deal, but now it’s a critical juncture to not get this wrong. By Joe Yerdon Other offseason priorities May 26, 2020 Buffalo’s needs this offseason are going to sound very familiar. They’re in need of an offensive-minded center for the second line. Marcus Johansson was a good soldier by playing center for the first time in seven The good news is the NHL has announced a 24-team format for how the seasons, but it was clear he’s better on the wing. Skinner’s lack of league will proceed when it resumes play. The bad news is the Buffalo scoring can be attributed to not playing with Eichel but also not having a Sabres will not be a part of it, with the team just missing the cut behind center to regularly work with elsewhere in the lineup.. the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Cozens will get as much of a chance as possible to show what he If the disappointment of missing the postseason for the ninth straight year might be able to do, as will Casey Mittelstadt, fresh off his tour in wasn’t enough, missing it with the field expanded by four teams in each Rochester. Yet throwing them in without a means to protect them is how conference is certainly upsetting. There weren’t enough goals and or the past two seasons have been stifled. Adding a veteran center to help penalties killed to prevent Buffalo’s slide down the standings, but now ease the workload for Cozens and/or Mittelstadt would go a long way to that their season is over, it’s time again to look towards an offseason that boosting the offense. If it means trading someone to make it happen, so should bring about another set of changes. be it, but fresh faces and more skill have been a need for some time. Where they finished the year It would also be a good idea for Ralph Krueger and Steve Smith to take a 30-31-8; 68 points; sixth in the Atlantic Division, 13th in the Eastern long look at their plan on the penalty kill. If it weren’t for the Detroit Red Conference Wings, the Sabres PK would have been last in the NHL. The effect it had on goaltending was immense and it stands to reason the wretched PK Since 2013-2014, the Sabres have not finished better than sixth in the cost the Sabres a shot at being part of the league restart. Atlantic. It’s the second straight season they’ve finished sixth. In each of the other five seasons they’ve finished seventh once and last four times. Their .493 winning percentage this season is second-best since 2013- The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 2014; they had a .494 winning percentage in 2015-2016, Jack Eichel’s rookie season. That campaign remains the high-water mark for success since ’13-’14.

What this means to the franchise

It’s yet another year without the playoffs. This one stings a little more considering how great Eichel was this season. He posted a career-high 36 goals and had 78 points in 68 games. Had the final 13 games been played, he almost certainly would have gone over his career high in points (82) and topped 40 goals. The last Sabres players to score 40 were Skinner last season and Thomas Vanek in 2008-2009.

It also means the Sabres will pick in the top-10 of the NHL Draft for the eighth straight season and the pause hasn’t hindered their preparation. The NHL Draft lottery is a bit convoluted, but as it pertains to Buffalo, it’s the same as it would’ve been if the season wasn’t temporarily halted. They’ll have a 6.5 percent chance of winning the first overall pick and the opportunity to select Alexis Lafreniere. They’ll still have a shot to get the second or third picks. If you’re a Murphy’s Law believer, they could still get jumped by up to three teams who lose in the play-in round and slip back to either eighth, ninth, or 10th.

Players hurt/helped by the end of the season

Eichel’s pursuit for big round numbers and further career benchmarks aside, the stoppage hurts the likes of Victor Olofsson, who scored 20 goals despite missing over a month with an ankle injury. His pursuit the Calder Trophy was derailed by the injury, but a big finish could have sparked more conversation. It also hurts Rasmus Dahlin because he won’t have a chance to finish in the top-10 among defensemen for assists and earn a bonus that would have paid him $2 million. That would have put the Sabres salary cap in a real bind next season.

The stoppage helps Jeff Skinner get away from a dismal season where he produced just 14 goals and nine assists and tied a career-worst shooting percentage (7.7). If there’s a positive to take away from that, he’s historically bounced back with much improved offensive seasons in his career. The Sabres have to hope that’s the case going into the second season of his eight-year, $72 million contract.

First order of business in the offseason

GM Jason Botterill – who Kim Pegula said Tuesday will return for a fourth season – has quite a list of offseason tasks ahead of him, the biggest being what kind of contract they’re going to offer Sam Reinhart.

The 24 year-old forward is a restricted free agent who is due for a big raise and a long-term commitment. With the salary cap situation unclear, it may take a while for a deal to get done. The Sabres have a lot of 1174920 Calgary Flames

Nenshi: Calgary hub city talks held with NHL

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia

May 26, 2020 4:50 PM MDT

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said there were talks, albeit briefly, of the city being thrown into the mix of NHL hub locations.

The National Hockey League’s ‘Return to Play’ plan will not involve Calgary, the Scotiabank Saddledome or any of the hotels and surrounding businesses.

But on a media call Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Naheed Nenshi said there were talks, albeit briefly, of the city being thrown into the mix of hub locations that were announced by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, along with the league’s strategy to resume playing.

“While we did have, as a city, some initial conversations with the NHL as Calgary as a potential hub, we just didn’t have the partnership desire to do that within Calgary,” Nenshi said. “Which, in my opinion, is too bad. It would have been nice to be able to have some of that here. If it ends up in Edmonton, I will uncharacteristically say that it’s still good for Alberta.”

Edmonton is among the list of potential hub cities. Within the next few weeks, two locations will be selected out of 10 possibilities. which also include Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

Twenty-four of the NHL’s 31 teams will compete in seeding round robins, a qualifying round, and conference-based Stanley Cup playoffs.

Dates, timing and sites will be determined in the future and are dependent on COVID-19 conditions, testing ability and government regulations.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174921 Calgary Flames

Flames will face Jets in play-in series as part of NHL’s planned restart

Wes Gilbertson

May 26, 2020 4:15 PM MDT

As part of Tuesday’s return-to-play announcement, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed that the Flames and Jets will face off in a best- of-five play-in series, with the winner advancing to the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Earlier this season, they took it outside.

Whenever they’re allowed back inside, the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets will meet again.

As part of Tuesday’s return-to-play announcement, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed that the Flames and Jets will face off in a best- of-five play-in series, with the winner advancing to the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Flames, seeded eighth in the Western Conference thanks to a .564 points percentage (36-27-7), would hold home-ice advantage against the ninth-ranked Jets (37-28-6, .563 percentage), although they’ll be clashing in an empty arena in a hub city. Under the 24-team format, the top four squads in each conference will compete in a round-robin for opening- round seeding.

Bettman revealed that training camps won’t begin any sooner than early July, so fans will still be waiting close to two months before there is any live hockey on their flat screens. The exact timeline will depend on COVID-19 conditions.

“Let me assure you that the reason we are doing this is because our fans have told us in overwhelming numbers that they want to complete the season, if at all possible,” Bettman said Tuesday. “And our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion.”

The Flames and Jets hooked up just once this season and that was way back in October at Mosaic Stadium in Regina for the 2019 Heritage Classic. The Winnipeggers won the outdoor game 2-1 in overtime, with Bryan Little scoring the winner.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174922 Calgary Flames were wondering, the Hat Trick Hop IPA from his family-owned, Montana- based Tamarack Brewing Co. — into his trophy.

Lanny is followed by Jiri Hrdina and then a poolside Doug Gilmour, a Old-timers on TikTok: The making of the 1989 Flames' viral video splashy setting for the guy who scored the winning goal in Game 6 and also sealed it with an empty-netter. (Many think Lanny’s second-period snipe was the clincher, but that’s not the case.) Wes Gilbertson Up next are Brian MacLellan, Dana Murzyn and Bearcat and Al Murray, May 26, 2020 5:10 PM MDT the father-son duo who worked as trainers for the Flames.

The video continues with Gary Suter, who suffered a broken jaw during the opening-round series against the Vancouver Canucks, Patterson, Joe Thirty-one years after they triumphed, they were trending. Nieuwendyk and Jamie Macoun. From victorious to … well … viral, in a good way. The goosebumps moment comes midway courtesy of Rob Ramage, who The Calgary Flames alumni marked the anniversary of their 1989 Stanley raises four fingers and points skyward in a touching tribute to former Cup title with a TikTok video, a mash-up of a bunch of 50- and 60- defence partner Brad McCrimmon. somethings ‘passing’ hockey’s ultimate prize around from their respective “He was a great friend, a great teammate and a great person, and we basements and backyards. were on the ice together for that final buzzer in Montreal,” Ramage said “That was Colin Patterson’s idea and he hounded the guys to get their of McCrimmon, who wore No. 4 for the Flames and was killed in the different videos in, and his daughter Stephanie put it all together. And it Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash in 2011. “We were kind of the elder turned out absolutely awesome,” said Flames franchise legend Lanny statesmen back on the blue-line on that team. I have just a wonderful McDonald, still the most recognizable face — and moustache — from a picture that’s in my office of Brad and I in the locker-room afterwards. We championship squad that featured five eventual Hockey Hall-of-Famers. wore the old Stanfield’s combination underwear underneath — nothing high-tech back then — and we’re drenched in champagne and he had a “TikTok was brand new for me, and I’m sure brand new for a lot of the big divot on his nose and we hadn’t shaved in a couple months, so we guys. But to see how it turned out … It couldn’t have been better. And looked like two bushwhackers. And we’re hugging. It’s a wonderful, wow, it’s just kind of taken off.” wonderful picture.”

31 years have flown by; it seems like just yesterday that we were able to This, most hockey fans would agree, is a wonderful tribute. hoist the #StanleyCup as champions of the #NHL. “That part is really special,” Patterson agreed. “And Rammer just did that. Indeed, the old-timers have been a hit online. There was no, ‘Hey, can you do this for Beast?’ or anything like that. Actually, Tim Hunter had asked me, ‘What are going to do for Beast?’ I Within 24 hours, the original had racked up more than 210,000 views on told him, ‘I’m not sure yet,’ and Tim sent me a picture of a hockey stick — Twitter. When you add the totals from Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, McCrimmon’s stick — with one of the little Cups beside it. So the guys that number grows by another 55,000 … and that doesn’t include clicks were thinking about it. A bunch of guys asked what we were going to do on the many websites that have since shared the content. for Beast and for Bobby Stewart. “It’s really neat to see how people have gravitated to it,” said Patterson, “And then my daughter came up with the idea, when she saw Rammer among those who is determined to help the Flames’ alumni — a group do the four fingers and point up, to bring Brad McCrimmon in holding the that is doing some outstanding work in the community — grow its Cup on the ice. And that looks really, really neat.” following on social media. “My daughter was reading me a few of the comments from the first half hour or so of it, and there were a lot of During the on-ice celebration in 1989, McCrimmon handed the Stanley people from out east, Montreal fans especially, watching it and saying, Cup to Joel Otto, so it’s fitting the Calgary Hitmen assistant coach ‘Hey, congratulations. I didn’t like you guys at the time, but this is great.’ appears next on the video.

“So it’s been really cool, and I’m just happy that it came together for the Then Hakan Loob, who headed home to Sweden — still in the prime of guys. Whether it’s trending or whatever, it was more getting it together for his career — after the championship campaign. the guys, so they can have it too.” Then homegrown goaltender Mike Vernon, one of several to take an The 1989 Flames’ virtual celebration is a spin on the Don’t Rush imaginary swig from the shiny showpiece. Challenge, which became a popular pandemic pastime. Those TikTok collaborations typically feature a group of friends — filmed separately in Then assistant coach Doug Risebrough, Theo Fleury, Hunter, Gary self-isolation — transitioning from bathrobes or lounge wear to more Roberts and Al MacInnis, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner after piling up glamorous get-up, often while pretending to pass a makeup brush or 31 points from the blue-line. another item back and forth. After Rick Wamsley and Mark Hunter, Ric Nattress lays a smooch on his Patterson was quizzing bobsledder Alysia Rissling — both are proud replica. Joe Mullen, who scored a team-high 16 goals that spring, and a supporters of KidSport initiatives in Calgary — via Instagram about how helmeted Jim Peplinski are last (but not least) among the skaters, she created a video that includes several of Canada’s Olympians. followed by skipper Terry Crisp, executive Al Coates and assistant coach Rissling was first to suggest that the Flames’ alumni should take a crack Tom Watt. at something similar. The TikTok is capped by a grinning Cliff Fletcher — the general manager It’s annual tradition that every Stanley Cup winner receives a replica of of that squad is now 84 years young — and a tribute to Stewart, the the trophy, and it occurred to Patterson and his oldest daughter that each former equipment manager who passed last year. member of that banner-raising bunch should still have that 13-inch (Andrew Stachiw, an ace videographer for Calgary Sports & souvenir, engraved with the names of every contributor. Entertainment Corp., added grainy highlights from that special evening to Perhaps, they could virtually pass the hardware around, just like they had create an extended version, set to Cal Kellett’s iconic ‘Red Hot.’ It’s also on the ice at the Montreal Forum on May 25, 1989? must-see material for any Flames fan.)

Patterson, who scored the opening goal in Game 6 against the Habs, “I truly didn’t think I’d get everybody, but we did,” Patterson said. “That emailed instructions in late April and pestered the procrastinators as the shows the type of guys we had on that team. Beyond just great players, anniversary date inched closer. we had great guys, and we were really close. We had a very tight-knit group. And even now, it’s funny to watch the emails fly back and forth — Stephanie, born during the third round of the 1989 playoff run, had the the guys are chirping each other, and that’s part of the fun.” toughest job. The time limit for a TikTok is 60 seconds, and these guys don’t move as fast as they did during their hockey heydays. (No offence, Patterson’s Stanley Cup miniature is perched above the TV in his gents.) basement.

The video starts with McDonald, co-captain of that championship crew, Other guys didn’t have theirs quite as handy. announcing “Here’s to the Cup” and pouring a gulp of beer — in case you Lanny had to place a call to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, where the memento is part of his honouree display. (“They’re redoing for the newest inductees anyway, so I picked it up and it was perfect timing.”)

Nieuwendyk, who won his first of three championship rings with the Flames, had to borrow a replica from a former Dallas Stars teammate who lives down the street. His keepsakes are at another location.

Some of the 1989ers had to submit their video clips twice.

They can blame Gilmour for that — ‘Killer’ was the first to don a Flames jersey for the shoot, and he looked sharp.

Loob had already recorded his clip. And then came a request for a redo.

“That made it even better, I think,” said Loob, again employed by the Flames as their top scout in Europe. “At first, I didn’t really understand what Patter had in mind, but the result was just awesome. For us, as players from that Cup team, I think it was great because you get to see all the guys. And for people from the outside, just to remind them that we won the Cup in 1989, I thought that was great.

“And the amazing thing is that so many people here in Sweden too have reacted in such a positive way. When I retweeted it, it was just like, ‘Boom!’ People liked it so much. I think it’s a big hit, for sure. And probably a lot of comments are coming from people that weren’t that old at that time, but it’s a reminder and they start talking about what they were doing or how they saw what happened in the 1989 run. It just shows that if you do something like that, it stays with you for your whole life.”

That bond remains strong, three-plus decades and one viral video later.

“We’re getting old,” Ramage said with a chuckle. “I can remember Ardell McDonald saying, I think it was at the 25th reunion, ‘Just take a look at our kids … ’ Well, it’s not take a look at our kids anymore. It’s take a look at our grandkids. I’ve got seven of ’em.”

Their grandkids must be impressed.

Because right now, these old-timers are trending.

“Especially in these times … People need a feel-good thing to kind of hold onto,” McDonald said. “Obviously, that was a great feel-good thing for all of Calgary and southern Alberta and for hockey fans everywhere.

“It just is so much fun to watch.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174923 Calgary Flames before the pause, they were by no means a sure thing to make the playoffs with a dozen regular-season games to go. Eight of the team’s final 12 games were at home, which would normally be seen as an Flames return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts advantage. But this year, the Flames actually had a better overall road Calgary record (20-14-3) than home record (16-13-4). The possibility that a berth in the playoffs could have come down to the regular-season finale against the Edmonton Oilers loomed as a juicy future storyline that sadly didn’t pan out. By Eric Duhatschek What the new format means May 26, 2020 The Flames were 13-10-1 overall in the Pacific, though Vegas represents

a nettling obstacle. The Flames are 3-8 lifetime versus Vegas, including The Flames’ position in the standings – and their overall level of play at 0-3 this season and 0-7 in Vegas. As a venue, T-Mobile Arena has not the point where the NHL shut down – had mirrored their entire season to been kind to the Flames. When the Western Conference masses date. They were, in the words of general manager Brad Treliving, somewhere for a play-in round, the Flames better hope that it isn’t in Las consistently inconsistent – a term Treliving used (accurately) to describe Vegas, which is still under consideration. Even Edmonton (an early a wildly up-and-down season thus far. favourite) would probably be preferable. Vancouver also remains a possibility. Bettman did not specify which hub cities would eventually win Consider their final game – a 5-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights – the chance to host the playoff series, noting that it’s still too soon to make which followed a familiar pattern. The Flames got down in the game that determination from a public health perspective. early, battled to get even from a three-goal deficit and then ended up losing on a tie-breaking goal scored with 70 seconds to go in regulation. Does the new format hurt or help?

Prior to that soul-sapping loss, however, they’d won three in a row and The short answer is neither. It’s really neutral. As a team very much on were on a modest 5-1-1 run, fuelled in part by the return of team captain the playoff cusp, the Flames would have needed a decent finish to Mark Giordano following a 10-game injury absence. The Flames loaded officially qualify for the playoffs in the first place. Now they need a decent up on defensive reinforcements at the Feb. 24 trade deadline — performance right out of the gate, off a restart, to qualify for the playoffs. acquiring Erik Gustafsson from the Chicago Blackhawks and Derek So really, six of one, half a dozen of the other. Forbort from the Los Angeles Kings — due to significant injuries to What’s really intriguing is that at this point anyway, there’s still faint hope Giordano and Travis Hamonic. Furthermore, in the loss to Vegas, steady of a possible playoff series between the Flames and the Oilers, the first Noah Hanifin left the game with an undisclosed upper-body injury, the since their epic 1991 encounter. Naturally, both teams will first have to details of which were further muddied and obscured by the suspension of qualify for the postseason by winning their preliminary round series, and play. then keep winning once the real playoffs roll around. But pretty much On Tuesday, commissioner Gary Bettman went on TV across North everyone will remember how the Flames played a series of regular- America to outline the 24-team play-in/playoff format that will be season barn burners against the Oilers this year, the fuse lit largely by deployed when and if the 2019-20 NHL season does restart. Matthew Tkachuk on Calgary’s side and Zack Kassian on Edmonton’s side. According to Bettman, it is still to be determined whether the Bettman issued all the predictable cautions: That nothing would move playoffs will be run in a firm bracket or if teams will reseed after every forward unless and until the league gets the go-ahead from the proper round. That will be determined by the Return To Play committee. medical authorities. But having said that, he also expressed optimism However it plays out, any format that paves the way to an actual playoff that a resumption of play could eventually occur, and that the format they series between the Flames and the Oilers – and a renewal of the Battle settled on, working in conjunction with the players association, could of Alberta – would be a welcome development here. potentially create an unprecedented one-of-a-kind finish to a season that was paused on March 12 because of the coronavirus. How the time off impacted the team

The format — which leaves 24 teams still in contention for the Stanley Most of the players have never spent this much time away from the rink Cup — would see Calgary play the Winnipeg Jets in a best-of-five in their entire careers. With that in mind, here are three storylines to keep preliminary series, as the eight-nine seeds in the Western Conference, an eye on. with the winner advancing to the main 16-team playoff round. A looming goaltending controversy? In some ways, there is something curious and serendipitous about a David Rittich had been the team’s clear No. 1 for most of the season, but possible Flames-Jets series. his results before the pause had been scattered. In 10 appearances Of Calgary’s 12 remaining regular-season games, two were scheduled since Feb. 1, Rittich gave up four or more goals in a game five times. In against the Jets. The only time the two teams had met this season came the meantime, Cam Talbot – the nominal back-up – had recorded three back on Oct. 26 — outdoors at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, on a night consecutive wins, was 5-2 in his last seven games and had a sparkling where the snow was gently falling. Winnipeg won that game, but there 44-save mid-February shutout versus the Anaheim Ducks, the most certainly won’t be any carryover from that match into a play-in series, if stops ever in a shutout in franchise history. It’s hard to imagine any the NHL does get the medical go-ahead to restart the season. scenario – other than an injury to Rittich – in which the Flames start Talbot in the beginning, but they won’t be afraid to make a switch quickly A Flames-Jets series won’t count as an official playoff matchup, but if if it becomes necessary. But Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck was in the you’re wondering where their playoff history stands, Calgary and Vezina Trophy conversation this season. On paper, Winnipeg will be Winnipeg played three times in the past — consecutively in the 1985, given the edge in goal. 1986 and 1987 postseasons. Winnipeg won in 1985 and 1987. Calgary used the win in ’86 as a springboard for a run to the team’s first-ever Red-hot Mikael Backlund Stanley Cup Final. The Flames played Mikael Backlund out of position – shifting him from Bettman revealed on Tuesday that the 2019-20 regular season is now centre to the wing – right up until their January bye week, with decidedly considered officially complete. Two hub cities will be selected out of 10 unfavourable results. During the break, Backlund asked interim coach candidates to host any tournament going forward. Geoff Ward to return to his usual position of centre and after the request was granted Backlund immediately caught fire, posting 22 points in 16 Now that we finally have some clarity as to how the remainder of the games. From Feb. 6 until the pause, Backlund was tied for sixth in NHL 2019-20 season could potentially play out, let’s take a closer look at the scoring. You can expect Backlund to be a pivotal figure in any series Flames to get a better sense of what fans could see when Calgary finally against Winnipeg and its top centre, Mark Scheifele. hits the ice. NHL scoring leaders from Feb.6 Where they were when the shutdown began Mika Zibanejad Officially, the Flames’ record is 36-27-7 in 70 games played, good for a .564 winning percentage. That leaves them third in the Pacific Division, 18 and a playoff team, whether you calculate by points or percentages. But 20 10 depth chart. After such a long rehab, they don’t want to push the envelope on him. It leaves coach Ward with 10 defensive options: 30 Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Hamonic, Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson are the Leon Draisaitl defined top five, with Forbort, Gustafsson, Michael Stone, Oliver Kylington and Valimaki filling out the rest of the depth chart. Defensive 18 insurance is never a bad thing, and if the Flames happen to get on a roll, it could be more valuable as the playoffs move along. 14 Path to the Stanley Cup 13 Nothing about their play this year indicated that the Flames were a 27 Stanley Cup contender, so to cast them as a team of destiny this season Kevin Fiala requires something of a leap of faith. But it has been an adversity-filled season: A November coaching change – from Bill Peters to Ward – after 17 Peters resigned in the wake of a report that he used a racial slur again Akim Aliu in a minor-league game when they were both in the Chicago 12 organization. Brodie having a cardiac episode at a practice that looked 12 frightening at the time (though he recovered fully and was playing some of his best hockey at the pause, with three goals in four games). The 24 normally reliable 1-2 scoring punch of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan were, by their usual standards, having underwhelming Ryan Nugent-Hopkins seasons. On the other hand, last season, a year in which everything went 18 smoothly for Calgary en route to 107 points and a tie for second overall in the league, left them singularly unprepared for playoffs. If the adversity 8 they’ve faced this year hardened them in any way, then who knows? 16 Yes, they’ve been inconsistent all year but the Vegas game just prior to the pause aside, Calgary looked as if they were trending in the right 24 direction finally.

Artemi Panarin Chances of winning it all

18 Slim, probably. Even if they advance to the official 16-team playoff tournament, at least three potential Western Conference opponents 5 (Vegas, St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche) are not great 19 matchups for Calgary. The biggest stumbling block may well be how thin – and thus vulnerable – the Flames are at forward. In a perfect world, 24 they likely would have shopped for depth up front at the deadline, or until the injuries on defence forced an organizational u-turn. If a key forward – Kyle Connor Tkachuk, Backlund, Elias Lindholm, Gaudreau or Monahan – went down, 17 they likely wouldn’t have anyone on the current depth chart who could fill in. Given how daunting the path forward will be, given the proposed 13 format — 24 teams playing a round-robin just to get down to the 16 playoff teams — if the Flames can advance, the depth among the 9 forward ranks is sure to be tested. 22 If rosters are set at around 30, the Flames would likely fill out a taxi Mikael Backlund squad of forwards from a group that includes Alan Quine, Austin Czarnik, Buddy Robinson, Glenn Gawdin and Matthew Phillips. Jon Gillies would 16 likely be chosen as their third goalie.

10 The Stanley Cup playoffs are always something of a marathon – up to four rounds, in what could be a real war of attrition – and with the 12 expanded number of entrants this year, the race is going to be potentially 22 even longer for the ninth-to-24th ranked teams competing in the play-in round. But one team will emerge in the end, as it always does. In an era Nikita Kucherov of parity, where the gap between the contending teams is small to begin 16 with, pretty much every team going in to the tournament is going to think – in this upside-down hockey universe — why not us? 9

13 The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 22

Gabriel Landeskog

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The surplus on defence

The lengthy break has enabled Hamonic, Hanifin (and even Giordano, who was back playing but not at 100 percent) to all get healthy again. Additionally, defenceman Juuso Valimaki, who has missed all season recovering from surgery to repair a training injury from last summer, was skating on his own when the pause was announced and has been able to continue doing so as a rehabbing player. He likely will be available for duty upon the resumption of play, but will probably be pressed into service only if there is a run of injuries to the players ahead of him on the 1174924 Carolina Hurricanes The NHL draft will be held after the playoffs, at a date to be determined.

Bettman stressed that “lots of testing and testing” will be needed for the players, coaches and staffs during the pandemic. The players will be Canes, Rangers to play for shot at the playoffs. What we know about tested each day once competition begins and results known before they NHL’s return to play leave their hotel rooms the next day -- Bettman estimated 25,000 to 30,000 tests could be needed, costing millions of dollars.

BY CHIP ALEXANDER NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said one positive test for COVID-19 would not “shut the whole process down” once the qualifying rounds and MAY 26, 2020 05:49 PM playoffs begin while conceding there could not be an outbreak.

“The health and safety of our players, coaches, essential support staff and our communities are paramount,” Bettman said. “While nothing is NHL commissioner Gary Bettman used the word “complicated” Tuesday without risk, ensuring health and safety has been central to all of our while explaining the details of the league’s format with 24 teams returning planning so far and will remain so. to play and resumption of the 2019-20 season. “The reason we are doing this is because our fans have told us in There are a lot of moving parts and numerous decisions still to be made: overwhelming numbers that they want to complete the season if at all Starting dates, hub cities, lengths of playoff series among them. That’s to possible. And our players and our teams are clear that they want to play be expected as the NHL grapples with how best to get back onto the ice and bring the season to its rightful conclusion.” — safely, carefully and expediently — during a global coronavirus pandemic. The matchup: The NHL announced that the Hurricanes and Rangers would face off in a best-of-five qualifying round, the winner advancing to One thing Hurricanes fans should know: Carolina, which opposed the 24- the 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs. team format, will face the New York Rangers in a best-of-five qualifying round. The Rangers won all four games in the regular-season series. The site: Still to be determined. The NHL is considering 10 cities in picking two host sites. “Obviously these are extraordinary and unprecedented times,” Bettman said. “Any plan for the resumption of play by definition cannot be perfect. The season series: The Rangers won all four games in the regular “ season, outscoring the Canes 17-9.

Bettman said he believed the plan, which he called a “step back toward normalcy,” would produce competitive playoffs and worthy Stanley Cup champion. There could be hockey games, he said, by late July although News Observer LOADED: 05.27.2020 with no fans at the games.

Here’s what else we know after Bettman’s announcement:

▪ The top four seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences will compete in a round-robin series to set their seeding for the opening round of the playoffs.

▪ Sixteen teams, seeded by their point percentage in the regular season, will go through best-of-five qualifying rounds to set the Stanley Cup playoff field. The Canes (38-25-5), as the sixth seed in the East, drew the No. 11 Rangers (37-28-5).

In the Eastern Conference, the top four seeds are the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. The other Eastern qualifying rounds will have: Pittsburgh-Montreal, New York Islanders-Florida and Toronto-Columbus.

In the West, the top four teams are the 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas. The qualifying rounds: Edmonton-Chicago, Nashville-Arizona, Vancouver-Minnesota and Calgary-Winnipeg.

▪ The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be decided in a traditional best-of-seven series, but the length of the first and second rounds of the playoffs has yet to be determined.

▪ Two hub cities will host the games and Raleigh is not in the mix. Bettman named Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver as the 10 candidates as host cities.

One complicating factor, for everything, is a time frame. No dates have been set for the NHL draft, the start of Phase 2 and small groups of players going through voluntary workouts, the start of team training camps and the first actual hockey games. The best guess by the league is the training camps could begin by mid- to late-July.

“We anticipate playing over the summer and into the fall,” Bettman said, noting the 2020-21 season could begin as late as early January 2021.

Bettman said the qualifying rounds and first two rounds of the playoffs could be played in about a month. The plan, he added, was for the 2020- 21 season to played in its entirety.

The NHL draft lottery, which has been set for June 26, could have two phases. If the top three spots in the lottery are won by three of the seven teams not in the 24-team format, there will be no second phase. If a spot is claimed by one of the eight teams losing out in the qualifying rounds, or a “placeholder” team, there would be a second phase. 1174925 Carolina Hurricanes What the new format means

This means welcomed havoc in my Twitter mentions, as the Canes will face their almost comically impossible-to-beat Metro foe in the Rangers. Hurricanes’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts We’ll go much further into depth about this matchup later (what else Carolina would we do with this time?), but the 2019-20 Canes went 0-4 against the team that was two games, two points and three teams behind them in the Metropolitan standings. They were outscored 17-9. A lot of By Sara Civian apprehension might come from the curse of Madison Square Garden — the fact that the Hurricanes lost 17 consecutive games at Madison May 26, 2020 Square Garden until last season — but there are few on this young Canes team even aware of that. Regardless, the curse was reversed and these games won’t happen at MSG. It’ll take plenty of time to pan out all the details, and as we’ve reiterated with every story on the subject at this point — the NHL’s announcement An actually legitimate concern happens to be another running joke with of the approval of a 24-team playoff format Tuesday doesn’t mean the Canes fans. While Henrik Lundqvist won’t necessarily get his storybook 2019-20 Stanley Cup playoffs are an official guarantee. But the league ending, this team has a way of making each and every Rangers and the players are trying to make it happen, and the announcement was goaltender look like a Vezina Trophy contender. a huge step. The Rangers have won 31 of 37 meetings with Carolina since Feb. 22, There are no set dates or destinations, and NHL commissioner Gary 2011. During that time, Lundqvist is 24-4-0 with a 1.73 goals-against Bettman offered an important reminder as to why that is during the average, a .947 save percentage and one shutout. The fact that he isn’t announcement: “We will not set dates (playoffs or draft), choose sites or even a no-brainer in net for this speaks volumes. return to play until we know it is appropriate and prudent to do so.” Does the new format hurt or help? But if they do happen, the NHL and the NHLPA have taken an important Before the Canes voted “no,” I found a Magic 8-Ball simulator on the step in agreeing to a format, even if it wasn’t necessarily the format the internet and asked: “Does the 24-team playoff format hurt or help the Hurricanes hoped for. They were one of two teams to vote “no” on the Carolina Hurricanes?” and I got “Ask again later,” which is exactly what I 24-team return to play proposal. But Canes NHLPA rep Jordan Martinook expected. The Hurricanes were already in a playoff spot by the end of the effectively said it’s better than nothing, and that “everyone on our team season, but just barely clinging to a wild-card spot in the tight Metro. Now wants to come back and play.” they find themselves on an even playing field with a Rangers team that “For 70 games, you put a ton of work and emotions into this and at the had significantly worse odds of qualifying for the playoffs before this. So if end of the year your goal is to win the Stanley Cup,” Martinook said you want to ask yourself if this format helps or hurts the Canes, you have Monday. “Obviously this gives a lot more teams the chance at it. I’m sure to ruminate on a few more questions. every team wants to win it and they’re going to do everything they can to What did the rest of their schedule look like, and how were they trending? win it. I know everybody on our team wants to win it, and wants to come The Canes had the busiest schedule of the entire NHL to finish the back and play … it’s going to be different no matter what, it’ll be season, but coach Rod Brind’Amour had expressed that he wouldn’t something you can tell your kids one day that you got to play this crazy have had it any other way — their fate was in their hands. They were playoff and hopefully after all this we can go back to somewhat riding a three-game win streak showing twinges of last season’s magic. normalcy.” Still, some of the slated opponents were tough: Pittsburgh three times, No one knows exactly what this will end up looking like, but Bettman Boston twice, the Islanders, Toronto, Columbus, St. Louis. If the NHL confirmed a best-of-five play in series would pit the Hurricanes against was postponed before the three-game win streak, I think many would the Rangers. And while a league source indicated Raleigh was initially in agree that this format helps the Canes. But that three-game streak was a the mix as a potential hub city, it wasn’t on the list of the 10 finalists heck of a three-game streak, and featured starting goaltender Petr Bettman announced Tuesday. Mrazek’s return to play, and a huge confidence boost for Trochek.While the Canes have received a bit of a mixed reaction for voting “no” because Let’s dust off the cobwebs, here, and refresh ourselves on the Carolina of their wild-card status and opponents still to come, consider five of Hurricanes … those 14 games were against the Devils (x2), the Sabres (x2) and Ottawa. And for whatever it’s worth, the Hurricanes locker room vibe Where they were at the shutdown changed almost completely on that last trip. Martinook’s assertion that The Hurricanes were finally clicking after some concerning post-trade they “could’ve kept climbing the ladder” is genuine. deadline struggles that continued at the beginning of an absolutely What were the other options on the table? We know the return-to-play crucial road trip, and that momentum is part of the reason they weren’t committee has discussed dozens of options to death, and we also know thrilled about a play-in series. none of the options are going to seem ideal in our new normal. I’m sure “Our team felt like we could have kept climbing and climbing in the at one point the committee discussed just doing a “normal,”16-team standings, I’m not taking anything away from the top teams, but we felt playoff with all the teams that were in at the pause, and that obviously like we could have kept climbing the ladder,” Martinook said. “(This would’ve benefited the Hurricanes more than facing an opponent they format) doesn’t really benefit the teams that are in (the) 5, 6, 7 and 8 don’t necessarily fare well against in a best-of-five play-in series. There (playoff spots).” were probably other scenarios that had the Hurricanes against a different opponent, as well. In the same vein, I’m sure there were options The Canes squeaked into a wild-card spot and seemed to get their minds discussed that either outright excluded the Canes in the playoffs or were right towards the end of that trip, ahead of the busiest end-of-season much less palpable than this one. We’ll probably find out what the other schedule in the NHL. It’s funny how a three-game win streak can change options were eventually, but Martinook made a point to thank the return so much in the Metropolitan Division. But that’s all it took to go from one to play committee for combing through “hundreds” of scenarios, so that of the worst Canes locker room scenes I’d witnessed to blasting “Mambo much we know. No. 5” in Detroit. What are the differences between what would’ve been the “normal” path You saw all the trade-deadline moves and a bit of last season’s magic to the Stanley Cup Final and this one? It’s really impossible to say, and peeking through again, between Brock McGinn blocking 5,000 shots in a that’s where the grey area in this situation that hasn’t yet been answered. row leading to Vincent Trochek’s dramatic first goal as a Hurricane, the Morgan Geekie game(s) and a five-game goal streak for . In conclusion, the Canes are one of those teams on the cusp that will be I’m sure some Canes fans find comfort in the feel-good way the regular fascinating to look back on in retrospect of all this. season ended. At the same time, the story wasn’t over, and now it kind of How the time off impacted them feels like the TV show hasn’t been renewed for the next season so we’re compromising the plot to get some sense of closure. We don’t have to defer to the Magic 8-Ball for this one — the time off helped the Canes. As I’ve previously reported, they welcome back a fully I can promise you two things in this time of uncertainty: The Hurricanes healthy, pre-injury Norris candidate Dougie Hamilton. And while “rust” are officially in the 2019-20 Stanley Cup Playoffs, if that’s what we’re presents an issue for every single playoff team, he’d been carrying much calling this 24-team format. And it will not be boring. of the Canes on his back before his injury — I think time off could have Hamilton recharged. And I definitely do not want to make any promises that Brett Pesce will return in time for the playoffs, especially when we don’t know their start date. But sources indicate his early March shoulder surgery, that had a projected 4-6 months projected recovery time, is going as well as it could possibly be going. So I wouldn’t completely rule him out.

Sources indicate James Reimer and Sami Vatanen will be ready to go, and with colleague Michael Russo’s report that the NHL intends to slide expiring contracts through the end of the playoffs, Vatanen will still be a Hurricane.

It’s a shame that Justin Williams was on a heater of a five-game goal streak at the NHL pause, but don’t we know who he is by now? Knowing how well he executed his return to the NHL, knowing his mentality, and knowing this is almost certainly his last playoff run, I wouldn’t even dare question his ability to get right back at it and make an impact. I also remember how Jordan Staal returned from injury last season and went on a tear — I think a little break will do him good.

Again, though, it will be fascinating to see the techniques teams use when practicing and skating begin again. I think, more than any playoff run in NHL history, every last staff member has the opportunity to make an impact on the players. There’s no doubt in my mind Brind’Amour and his staff will have these guys running through hot coals again in no time.

Their chances of winning it all

As good as anyone else …

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174926 Chicago Blackhawks “We are talking to the Canadian government about it,” Bettman said. “… We’re probably three weeks or more away from having to make a decision.”

There will be a 24-team playoff if the NHL returns. And Chicago could League officials also have to consider each city’s arena, training facilities, host games — if it meets the league’s safety criteria. transportation, hotel space and other factors.

The league’s currently in Phase 1 (of 4), in which players have been By PHIL THOMPSON asked to self-quarantine and hope to enter Phase 2 — in which players organize into small groups for voluntary workouts by early June. CHICAGO TRIBUNE Teams would begin training camp in Phase 3, no earlier than July 1 and MAY 26, 2020 | 11:41 PM under the guidance of medical and public health authorities.

Bettman estimated that camp would begin in mid-July but left open the possibility of shifting the date based on feedback from players about how Chicago and Los Angeles were surprise additions to the list of finalists much time they need to get into form. vying to host the NHL playoffs, but it could be a challenge meeting the league’s criteria for the two cities that will act as hubs. “If it has to slide more, then it will slide,” he said.

The league confirmed Tuesday that 24 teams — including the Chicago Once teams’ three-week training camps are completed, perhaps by late Blackhawks — will qualify for the postseason, which will be greatly July or early August, the league moves into the fourth and final phase: modified because of the coronavirus pandemic. the playoffs.

“We are excited that the Chicago Blackhawks will be among the teams The top four teams from each conference will play a round-robin that will compete for the Stanley Cup, per the National Hockey League’s tournament to determine the seeding. Their regular-season record (by Return to Play Plan announced today, the Hawks said in a statement points percentage) will settle any ties. Tuesday. “That alone is great for our fans, the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. We are also proud that Chicago, including our home Meanwhile, the Hawks and 15 other teams will play in the qualifying arena the United Center, is being considered as one of the two possible round. The Hawks draw Edmonton in a five-game series. hub cities as part of the league’s plan. If the Blackhawks win, their next opponent depends on whether the “Moving forward, we will stay in close communication with the NHL, the league re-seeds the field — as many players have said they prefer — or city of Chicago and state leaders to ensure safety protocols for our sticks with a traditional bracket. players and staff are met. We anticipate a controlled conditioning phase Bettman said he’d likely go with players’ wishes. followed by a formal training camp.” For the Hawks, the team was a long shot as of March 11, the last day of Column: Having the Chicago Blackhawks in the playoffs — no matter games before the NHL shut down, and now they’re playoff-bound. how they got there — is good for hockey »

Commissioner Gary Bettman laid out many of the conditions cities will have to satisfy before two are chosen to host 12 teams each from the Chicago Tribune LOADED: 05.27.2020 Eastern and Western conferences, but the two biggest hurdles will be testing and new cases.

Local authorities likely will have to show signs infection rates are dropping — and the league will be on alert for new waves of the disease — as well as demonstrate they can provide enough daily COVID-19 tests for the players, and that the demand won’t come at the expense of the community.

“The reason there are so many cities still in contention is we didn’t want to be in a situation with things in the world moving so quickly, changing from day to day, we didn’t want to get locked in,” Bettman said. “We don’t want to go to a place where there’s a lot of COVID-19, we don’t want to go to a place where we can’t get the testing we need and where there’d be extensive testing. ... Health and safety is the most important thing, so there must be test available on a wide-scale basis without disrupting any medical needs.

“We could be doing 25,000 to 30,000 tests."

Cook County and Los Angeles County are first and fourth in number of confirmed cases by county (excluding New York City) with more than 73,800 and 47,800, respectively, according to data from their public health agencies.

The two counties have a lower rate of infection per capita than many heavily populated East Coast counties, but they’re more of a hot spot than Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, both of which are in contention to serve as hubs.

Columbus, Dallas, Minneapolis and Tampa are the other American cities in the running, and Canada’s hopes rest with Vancouver, Toronto and Edmonton.

Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford guards the net against the Ducks on March 3, 2020, at the United Center.

However, Bettman said if Canada’s mandatory 14-day quarantine remains in place by the time the season resumes, possibly in mid- to late July, it would be a deal breaker for that country’s hub city candidates. 1174927 Chicago Blackhawks “There has never been any dispute that this can’t go forward unless the health and safety can be protected of everybody involved,” NHL Players Association director Donald Fehr said.

Blackhawks playoff bound as NHL announces postseason format, outlines timetable Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 05.27.2020

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

May 26, 2020, 3:48pm CDT

The Blackhawks’ three-year playoff drought is over.

With an asterisk.

The NHL announced its 2019-20 season-resumption plan in a televised special Tuesday, pulling the plug on the regular season but making official the 24-team playoff format that has been rumored in the last week.

The Hawks, the 12th and last seed in the Western Conference, will play a best-of-five series against the fifth-seeded Oilers in a to-be-announced Western hub city.

The top four teams in each conference will play a round-robin tournament to determine their seeds. The series involving the fifth- through 12th- place teams technically will be a “qualifying round” for the playoffs and will be played with regular-season-style overtime and shootout rules, but also won’t be considered regular-season games and won’t have statistics counted in the regular season.

“The reason we are doing this is because our fans are telling us, in overwhelming numbers, that they want us to finish the season if at all possible,” commissioner Gary Bettman said on NBC Sports Network. “And our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion.”

The Blues, Avalanche, Golden Knights and Stars are the four Western teams automatically advancing past the qualifying round. The other Western qualifying series are Predators-Coyotes, Canucks-Wild and Flames-Jets.

The NHL did not give specific dates for stages of the plan, but Bettman said it would be a “good thing” if training camps start by mid-July and games start by late July or early August.

The league already had announced Monday that players could practice in small groups of up to six people starting in early June.

Bettman also said the NHL plans to play the 2020-21 season in its entirety, but it could start as late as January and continue through the summer if necessary.

In the meantime, the Hawks likely will be happy about drawing the Oilers despite their inferior seed and record.

The Hawks won two of three regular-season meetings against Edmonton, outshooting them all three times, and have a drastic advantage in postseason experience up and down their roster. But the Oilers do have the top two scorers in the league this season in Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.

If the Hawks lose the series, they’ll inherit a low-odds spot in a convoluted draft-lottery format also announced Tuesday.

Additionally, Chicago was listed among 10 cities in the pool from which the NHL will choose its two hub cities in three to four weeks. The others are Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis- St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league will need to test every player every night for COVID-19 once games resume, estimating that will require 25,000 to 30,000 total tests, but that one or two players testing positive won’t necessarily shut down the playoffs.

Chicago’s high-testing availability could work in its favor during host-city consideration in spite of the region’s high coronavirus case count.

Nonetheless, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — which paused the NHL season March 12 — still will determine the ultimate fate of the resumption plan. 1174928 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks can soon begin small workouts as NHL plans first move out of coronavirus shutdown

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

May 25, 2020, 4:15pm CDT

The Blackhawks remain in a complete coronavirus shutdown, but the NHL announced plans Monday that will soon begin to move them out of it.

A lengthy memorandum released by the league outlines rules for the second phase of its “Return to Sport Protocol,” which is now scheduled to begin in early June.

The most prominent changes will be reopening team practice facilities and permitting players to hold small-group workouts together in anticipation of an eventual resumption to the season.

Although those workouts won’t be allowed to exceed six participants and can’t have any coaches or trainers present, they’ll represent the first sign of hockey life since the season was suspended indefinitely March 12.

That means coach Jeremy Colliton won’t be able to call the team together for practices, but a leader like Jonathan Toews or Duncan Keith could, and likely will, start organizing sessions as players slowly migrate back to Chicago.

The memo states that teams still can’t require their players to return from their homes and that a 14-day quarantine period will be required for virtually all returning players. Toews said on a March 31 Zoom call that most of his Hawks teammates had left the city, although he was riding out the pandemic at his Chicago home.

Players also will be tested for the coronavirus twice a week and checked for symptoms and their temperature every day.

The weekend easily was the most eventful stretch yet of the NHL’s shutdown, between the phase progression announcement Monday and the NHL Players Association’s agreement Saturday to a 24-team playoff format this year.

That format would include the Hawks — despite their mediocre 32-30-8 record and low chance of qualifying for the 16-team format when the season stopped — and likely put them in a best-of-five first-round series against the Oilers, whom they’ve beaten twice in three tries this season.

But an overwhelming amount of logistical challenges remain, such as where the playoffs will take place and how players, coaches and staff will be kept safe once they begin.

A Hawks spokesperson, reached Monday, deferred comment on the second phase progression to the league’s announcement.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174929 Chicago Blackhawks The four first-round winners in each conference will play one of the top four seeds. Bettman said the length of second-round series and conference semifinals are to be determined.

Bettman announces NHL plan; Chicago a candidate to host playoff He expects a best-of-seven conference finals and Stanley Cup Finals to games take place in a hub city. But he didn't rule out playing in the cities of the participating teams or even playing with fans in the arena, if circumstances dictate that it is safe to do so. Mike McGraw "We remain focused on the safety of our players, coaches, support staff Follow @McGrawDHBulls and arena personnel," Bettman said. "We will not set dates, choose sites or begin to play until we know it is appropriate and prudent and are Updated approved to do so. 5/26/2020 6:20 PM "Any plan for the resumption of play, by definition, cannot be perfect. But we believe we have constructed an overall plan than includes all teams that, as a practical matter, might have had a chance of qualifying for the The Blackhawks will be part of the Stanley Cup playoffs when and if the playoffs when the season was paused. This plan will produce a worthy NHL season resumes. Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL." Will they get home-ice advantage? That part has yet to be determined.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday announced the plan to restart the season after the long pause due to the coronavirus pandemic. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 The NHL is the first major sports league in the U.S. to announce a plan to resume. The 24-team playoff already was agreed upon with the players union, so that part was no surprise.

The Blackhawks will be the No. 12 seed in the West and face No. 5 Edmonton in a best-of-five, first-round series. This news ends a two-year playoff drought for the Blackhawks. They last played a game on March 11, defeating San Jose 6-2 at the United Center.

While teams No. 5 through 12 in each conference play a first-round series, the top four teams will play a round-robin to determine the top four playoff seeds.

Bettman announced there will be two hub cities where the playoff games will take place. He also announced 10 candidates to be the hub cities, which will be determined at a later date.

Besides Chicago, the other hub-city candidates are Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

Chicago might have an advantage, with likely more hotels within a short distance of the arena than any other city on the list besides Las Vegas.

"The reason there are so many cities still in contention is we didn't want to be in a situation with things in the world moving so quickly, changing from day to day, we didn't want to get locked in," Bettman said on NBCSN. "Because we don't want to go to a place where there's a lot of COVID-19. We don't want to go to a place where we can't get testing we need, and there's going to be extensive testing."

Bettman did say he thinks it's unlikely a Canadian city will be chosen as a hub city, because there is currently a 14-day quarantine required for travelers, but everything is still being discussed.

"We're going to have to take our time; we're probably three weeks or more away from having to make a decision," Bettman said. "We didn't want to be locked into a place and something was going on in that place that might cause us to reconsider. Having options we think will make us safer and better in the long run."

Bettman did not announce any specific dates for the resumption of play, other than the return to formal training camp will begin no earlier than July 1. The length of those camps also have not been determined. NHL players association executive director Donald Fehr estimated players would need around three weeks of training camp.

Bettman said the regular season is effectively over and the seven teams at the bottom of the standings are done playing.

The top four seeds in the East are Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia. The first-round series in the East are No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. Montreal; No. 6 Carolina vs. New York Rangers; No. 7 New York Islanders vs. Florida and No. 8 Toronto vs. Columbus.

The West top seeds are St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas. The other first-round series are No. 6 Nashville vs. Arizona; No. 7 Vancouver vs. Minnesota; and No. 8 Calgary vs. Winnipeg. 1174930 Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Sharp and Eddie Olczyk preview star-studded Blackhawks-Oilers series

By Scott King

May 26, 2020 9:37 PM

After a season in which it seemed likely the Blackhawks would miss the playoffs for a third straight year, all of a sudden under the NHL's 24-team playoff format to resume play, that have a legitimate chance to be in.

Under the format that the NHL is hoping to see put into action by late July, the Hawks, who were 12th in the Western Conference at the time of the NHL pause on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, will take on the Edmonton Oilers, who were 5th in the West, in a best-of-5 play-in series with the winner advancing to the first round of the playoffs.

Former Blackhawks turned analysts Patrick Sharp and Eddie Olczyk weighed in on the matchup on NBC Sports and NBC Sports Chicago after the tournament details were announced by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday.

"When you look at it, with this unchartered territory here, with these players being off as long as they have (been), to come back and maybe you get a team that gets a goaltender extremely hot and all of a sudden gets them through that play-in round," Olczyk said. "Now all of a sudden, you have a legitimate chance, you're in the final eight in the conference.

"To me, this thing is absolutely wide open. It doesn't matter what a team did three months ago, that is out the window."

If a goalie were to get hot during the play-in round, Corey Crawford has a better chance than most. The two-time Stanley Cup champion knows what it's like to play in big games on big stages and has had better numbers this year in net than his likely opposition across the ice, Mike Smith.

A big concern for Chicago will be limiting the offensive production of Edmonton forwards Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, number one and two across the league in points, respectively.

"Two of the top forwards in the game," Sharp said of the scoring threats. "Whenever they're on the ice, you're going to notice it. They're the most dynamic players to watch and whoever they were going to be playing in this matchup in the (play-in), I'd be tuned in to watch just to see some highlights.

"Now you flip it over and you got the Chicago Blackhawks. It's been a while since the Hawks have been in the playoffs but this guy right here, number 88 (Patrick Kane) lives for these big moments. It seems like every time he's in the playoffs he wants that puck on his stick, he wants to be Showtime."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174931 Chicago Blackhawks After a historically bad penalty kill last season, the Blackhawks finished tied for eighth in that department this season with an 82.1 percent kill rate. They went only 4-for-7 on the penalty kill in their three games Four reasons why the Blackhawks could make a run in 24-team format against the Oilers this season, but stymying Draisaitl and McDavid with the man advantage could be the difference in a series that's likely to be high scoring.

By Charlie Roumeliotis 4. Championship pedigree

May 26, 2020 9:00 PM Patrick Kane probably deserves his own bullet point, but the Blackhawks have three Conn Smythe winners on their roster and the Oilers don't

have a single Stanley Cup winner on theirs. That means something when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman outlined the league's return-to-play the stakes get higher in the postseason. plan on Tuesday, which included a 24-team format involving the top 12 While no fans in attendance will certainly take away from the seeds from each conference. And while there are many hurdles to atmosphere, the games will still carry a lot weight and feel like a big deal overcome before play actually resumes, the announcement gave fans to players. And when the lights are shining brightest, that's when players something to be excited about. like Crawford, Kane, Duncan Keith and Jonathan Toews are at their best. If you're a Blackhawks fan, you're thrilled. Their playoff hopes were just about zero prior to the March 12 pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic and now they have a chance at making some noise. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 The top four teams in each conference will compete in a round-robin format to determine their seeding while the bottom eight teams will compete in a five-game play-in series for the final four spots in their respective conferences. That means the No. 12-seeded Blackhawks will square off with the No. 5-seeded Edmonton Oilers for a chance to secure a playoff berth.

Here are four reasons why the Blackhawks could make a run with this format:

1. A healthy lineup

The Blackhawks were one of the most impacted teams this season when it came to man games lost, many of which were key players: Drake Caggiula (concussion), Duncan Keith (groin), Connor Murphy (groin), Brandon Saad (ankle) and Dylan Strome (ankle) were all sidelined for an extended period of time on separate occasions.

But most notably, the Blackhawks had four season-ending injuries: Calvin de Haan (shoulder), Brent Seabrook (shoulder/hips), Andrew Shaw (concussion) and Zack Smith (back). If the NHL returns around late July or early August, you have to wonder whether any of those four players would be medically cleared to finish the season. The Blackhawks aren't a team that can afford not playing at full strength, so this would certainly be a boost.

The Oilers were a healthy group going into the pause. Connor McDavid did not play in one of the three matchups against the Blackhawks this season because of a quad injury, but he recorded 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in nine games upon returning to the lineup.

2. Corey Crawford

You can say this every postseason, but now more than ever goaltending is going to be a major factor in the qualifying round and Stanley Cup Playoffs. The team whose goaltender can get back to performing at a high level the quickest very well might be the team to make a surprise run.

How does a two-time Stanley Cup champion sound?

The Blackhawks couldn't ask for a better situation with Crawford, who was one of the best goaltenders down the stretch. In his last 15 appearances, he went 7-7-1 with a 2.46 goals-against average, .927 save percentage, 7.60 goals saved above average and 9.76 high-danger goals saved above average, which ranked No. 1 among all netminders over that span, according to Natural Stat Trick.

If Crawford can regain that form, that's not good news for the Oilers.

3. A Top 10 penalty kill

While they may be the No. 5 seed in the West, the Oilers weren't a very good 5-on-5 team this season. They had a minus-16 goal differential compared to the Blackhawks' even differential, which is a surprising discrepancy.

Where the Oilers have been lethal is the power play, where they were converting at a 29.5 percent rate. That's a ridiculous number and it's thanks to superstars Leon Draisaitl and McDavid, both of whom ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, among all skaters in scoring.

But the Blackhawks may be able to combat the Oilers' strength. 1174932 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 'excited' to be among teams in NHL return to play plan

By Alex Shapiro

May 26, 2020 9:05 PM

If any team will be revitalized by the NHL’s unprecedented 24-team postseason format, it’s the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks snuck into the final spot of the qualifying round with a .514 points percentage, ahead of only the Montreal Canadiens who earned the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference with a .500 points percentage.

With a long pause since the last games were played, and rosters that were able to get healthy, more than ever it feels like anything can happen in the NHL postseason.

When you have Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Corey Crawford on your roster, and momentum completely reset, it's a game changer.

“We are excited that the Chicago Blackhawks will be among the teams that will compete for the Stanley Cup, per the National Hockey League’s Return to Play Plan announced today,” interim president Danny Wirtz said in a statement. “That alone is great for our fans, the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois.”

Making it more exciting is the fact that when the NHL paused in March, the Blackhawks had a 2.5% chance of earning a postseason berth, according to Hockey Reference’s Playoff Probability Report which simulates the remainder of the regular season.

Wirtz says the Hawks are taking pride in another aspect of the Return to Play Plan too.

“We are also proud that Chicago, including our home arena the United Center, is being considered as one of the two possible hub cities as part of the league’s plan,” Wirtz said. “Moving forward, we will stay in close communication with the NHL, the City of Chicago and state leaders to ensure safety protocols for our players and staff are met. We anticipate a controlled conditioning phase followed by a formal training camp.”

So far the NHL listed 10 possible hub cities, and said two will be chosen at a later date based on various criteria like: number of COVID-19 cases in the area, access to adequate testing, secure hotels and transportation.

In addition, teams will be able to return to their home facilities for “voluntary, small group” training in early June, with formal training camps set to begin no earlier than July 1.

But before that can happen in Chicago, any move will have to get the green light from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

In the state’s “Restore Illinois” Plan, indoor gatherings of 50 or fewer people are allowed in Phase 4. However the state is just now gearing up for Phase 3, in which only gatherings of 10 or fewer people are allowed. For any region of the state to move on from Phase 3 to Phase 4, they will have to maintain a COVID-19 positivity rate of under 20%, while also increasing by no more than 10% over a 14-day period. There will also have to be adequate testing and contact tracing for 90% percent of diagnoses within 24 hours.

Previously, both Pritzker and Lightfoot have said they believe sports (specifically baseball) can return this summer.

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Chicago still being considered for NHL conference hub when hockey resumes

By Slavko Bekovic

May 26, 2020 4:28 PM

Among the many details the NHL announced on Tuesday in its Return To Play plan was the confirmation that the league will use two hub cities to host the new 24-team playoff format. To the surprise of some, Chicago is one of 10 cities under consideration by the league to be a hub city.

The 10 cities under consideration are:

- Chicago, IL

- Columbus, OH

- Dallas, TX

- Edmonton, AB

- Las Vegas, NV

- Los Angeles, CA

- Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

- Pittsburgh, PA

- Toronto, ON

- Vancouver, BC

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that there will be one hub city for the Western Conference and one for the Eastern Conference. Each hub city will require secure hotels, arena, practice facilities and in- market transportation. Teams will be limited to 50 personnel in their respective hub city with limited support staff permitted to enter the event arenas.

The NHL will ultimately select the two hub cities at a later date depending on "COVID-19 conditions, testing ability and government regulations." Bettman did mention that there could be difficulty using Canadian cities as hubs due to additional self-quarantine regulations.

At the moment, the United Center is still being used as a logistics hub "assisting front line food distribution, first responder staging and the collection of critically needed medical supplies.”

However, the city of Chicago does make sense considering its geographical location as well as the amenities needed to accommodate the NHL. Outside of the United Center, the league could use Allstate Arena in Rosement and the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, not to mention the Blackhawks' practice facility, Fifth Third Arena.

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What Blackhawks' roster could look like against Oilers for play-in series

By Scott King

May 26, 2020 2:34 PM

With the play-in series against the Oilers in the NHL's 24-team playoff format approaching, the Blackhawks will definitely have their hands full with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have the first and second most points in the NHL, respectively.

Outside of marquee names like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Corey Crawford, as well as the supporting cast of players like Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome and Connor Murphy, Chicago could use some of the impact players they lost to injury before games halted to give Edmonton a run for their money in the best-of-5 series.

There may be some good news for Hawks fans should play resume in that the duration of the NHL pause — which began on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — may have allowed some of those injured players to heal and rest.

Rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist missed the Hawks final game before the pause on March 11 — a 6-2 victory at the United Center — while in concussion protocol from a hit he took the prior game in St. Louis. The Athletic's Scott Powers reported Boqvist is expected to be ready if and when hockey returns. The young defenseman proved to be a spark plug for the Hawks' offense at times.

Defenseman Calvin de Haan missed the majority of the season after having right-shoulder surgery on Dec. 27. He injured the shoulder on Dec. 10 in Vegas against the Golden Knights. De Haan had a chance to be one of the Hawks' top defenseman all season prior to the injury.

A source told Powers he's expected to be ready by June around the time the NHL is panning to hold small group workouts for teams in preparation of the 24-team playoff. Time may tell if de Haan has rust to shake off if he returns in time for the play-in series.

Also according to Powers, it's likely Drake Caggiula is ready to return, but Andrew Shaw, Brent Seabrook and Zack Smith are not expected to play when the league resumes.

Caggiula sat out the Hawks' last game with a right-hand injury he suffered from a scrap against the Blues the game before. Caggiula could provide the energy, scrappiness, net-front presence and scoring ability that fans had gotten accustomed to seeing Shaw display. Caggiula had 11 points (six goals, five assists) over his last 22 games before the injury.

Shaw last played against the Avalanche in Colorado on Nov. 30 and was placed in concussion protocol on Dec. 3. On Feb. 29 it was announced he was done for the season.

Seabrook will likely require more time than de Haan as the three-time Stanley Cup champ had surgery on both hips and his right shoulder, but is expected to be ready for next season.

Smith missed the Hawks' last 13 games with a back injury. On the odd chance he was ready to go, the Blackhawks could use the veteran center's help in attempting to shut down one of McDavid or Draisaitl.

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NHL return to play: What is the plan for Stanley Cup playoffs, NHL Draft

By Michael Allardyce

May 26, 2020 3:53 PM

The NHL has taken a historic first step toward resuming post-COVID-19 pandemic by unveiling its return-to-play plan. The NHL is the first of the four major U.S. sports leagues to announce a concrete proposal for how the sport will return.

But what exactly was in the plan? Here are the highlights.

First, there is no set date or location. The NHL didn't want to lock in those details in a fluid situation as local and state government regulations evolve. But commissioner Gary Bettman suggested mid-July as the earliest possible return date.

The NHL will have one city host each conference’s side of the bracket, so a total of two hubs. Bettman noted 10 cities are being considered, including Chicago.

Teams will be seeded by points percentage, not total points accrued when the season shut down because not every team has played the same number of games.

Each conference will have 12 teams in the playoff. The top four seeds will play in a Round Robin to determine seeding, with regular season overtime rules. The remaining eight teams will play a best-of-five series to advance to the first round, with playoff overtime rules.

Bettman noted there was a desire to not give the top four seeds in each conference a bye and a presumably big advantage, but also didn't want to disadvantage them too much. Which is where the round robin idea came from, each team playing three games.

The Blackhawks are the 12th seed in the Western Conference and will match up against the fifth seed, the Edmonton Oilers. The top four seeds in the West are, in order: St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas.

Overall seeding will determine how advancing teams will match up against the top four seeds. Bettman noted that the players prefer re- seeding, while the league prefers bracketing. How Qualifying Round winners and the top-four seeds match up is still very much TBD, as will the format. The first and second rounds will either be best-of-5 or best-of- 7 series. The Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-7 series.

Bettman also outlined NHL Draft details, which are a bit more complicated.

There could potentially be two phases, or just one.

Phase 1 of the NHL Draft will happen on June 26, before the qualifying round of the 24-team playoff bracket. In the draw will be the 7 teams that did not qualify for the 24-team tournament, with eight place holding spots for the teams that lose the qualifying round of the tournament.

Phase 1 will determine the top three picks, and if they’re all won by “non- resuming Clubs” than there is no need for a Phase 2.

If a place holder for teams playing in the qualifying round wins one of the first three picks, than there will be another lottery between the Qualifying Round and the First Round. The Phase 1 Draws won by a place holder will be awarded in a lottery of the eight losing teams from the qualifying round. Each team has a 1-in-8 shot at winning.

Got all that?

Bettman also noticed they could conceivably play into the fall, which could impact the 2020-21 season, though the league hopes to avoid it

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Why Edmonton Oilers should fear Patrick Kane, Blackhawks in NHL 24- team playoff

By Slavko Bekovic

May 26, 2020 3:52 PM

For the first time since April 2017, the Chicago Blackhawks are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (kind of). And with the NHL announcing its new 24-team playoff format, it means Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks get to face Edmonton in a best-of-five play-in series...and that should terrify the Oilers.

Before we look ahead to the 2020 playoffs, let’s rewind to the 2017 playoffs.

The Blackhawks won the Central Division that year, amassing 109 points and claiming the top seed in the Western Conference. What did that get them? Swept out of the first round by the Nashville Predators. It was a wake-up call for an aging Chicago team trending in the wrong direction. A sweep at the hands of the eighth seed after losing in the first round in seven games to the rival Blues a year prior.

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews led the Blackhawks with two points apiece in that four-game series against Nashville in which they mustered just three goals. Kane and Toews were the only two Chicago skaters to tally more than a single point.

Since the loss to the Predators, the Blackhawks have been in a tailspin, trying to regain the form that made them NHL.com’s “Franchise of the Decade.” Major changes have been made - with the firing of head coach Joel Quenneville and the release of President/CEO John McDonough - and now uncertainty clouds an organization that has missed the playoffs every year since.

Until now (kind of).

The NHL’s new 24-team playoff format gives Kane and the Blackhawks new life. A 12th seed with a chance to upset the fifth-seeded Oilers. And there is reason for optimism with the Blackhawks.

It’s tough to find an NHL team that Patrick Kane struggles against, considering he’s nearly a point-per-game player (or better) against everyone. But facing Edmonton is especially good news for Kane.

In 43 career regular season games against the Oilers, Kane has put up a whopping 56 points, the fourth most against any opponent in his career. Kane also owns a career-best +17 rating against Edmonton. And all that comes in just 19:34 of average time on ice, the fourth lowest ATOI against any opponent in his career.

And when the lights are brightest in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kane is able to take his game to another level - putting up 123 points in 127 career playoff games, with a Conn Smythe Trophy to boot.

Facing impact players like Kane or Canadiens goaltender Carey Price was one of the main reasons why a best-of-3 play-in format was voted down. For the Edmonton Oilers, facing Kane as many as five times could be just as much of a nightmare.

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Will Blackhawks regret trading Robin Lehner with NHL's 24-team playoff?

By Alex Shapiro

May 26, 2020 2:22 PM

The news hockey fans have dreamed about since COVID-19 forced the shutdown of all pro leagues in North America is finally here. The NHL is making plans to come back, and it’s bringing with it a unique postseason format that will give more teams a shot at the Stanley Cup.

But with the excitement come dozens of questions. Which teams will benefit the most from the break? Which teams will be hurt by the loss in momentum? Would GMs have acted any differently if they could have somehow looked in a crystal ball and foreseen this unprecedented postseason?

That last question is especially relevant for Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks, considering the Hawks turned from a lottery-bound team to play-in series hopefuls.

If you can think back to the before-times, you’ll remember the Blackhawks traded Robin Lehner to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the final moments before the trade deadline. That trade was executed only two and a half weeks before the NHL pause began.

Now with the Blackhawks back in the playoff picture, do they wish they still had Lehner in the crease?

At times this season it seemed Lehner alone kept the team in games. His .920 SV% is tied for 10th-best in the league this season, despite splitting starts with Corey Crawford. In fact, Lehner sports a much better record than Crawford this season-- 19-10-5 vs. 16-20-3-- and he’s done it with three fewer starts.

But the playoffs are a different animal, and if one goalie has proven that he has what it takes to carry a team to a Stanley Cup, it’s Crawford.

He’s a two-time champion who has been downright dominant in the postseason at times. One could argue the Blackhawks don’t win the 2013 Stanley Cup without Crawford, who put up a sparkling 1.84 GAA and .932 SV% throughout the entire postseason run.

Crawford has also shown he can perform at a high level after taking an extended break from hockey.

In the 2018-19 season, Crawford dealt with serious concussion problems and missed over two months of play from the middle of December to late February. But upon returning he finished the season strong, going 8-4-3 with a .919 SV% and a 2.43 GAA. That experience returning to play after so much time off could give Crawford an edge as teams work themselves back into playing shape.

On the other hand, having a second reliable goalie is a valuable asset in the postseason. The Hawks learned that 2015 when Scott Darling came in to anchor the team in the first round while Crawford struggled. Even though Darling didn’t start again after the Blackhawks made it past the Predators, his contributions were invaluable as it bought Crawford time to get back on track.

Will the Hawks miss that flexibility when the skaters take the ice again? Maybe. But for now, Bowman and the Blackhawks are likely just happy to be playing again soon.

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What are NHL's next steps after Gary Bettman announces return-to-play plan

By Charlie Roumeliotis

May 26, 2020 3:45 PM

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman officially announced Tuesday that the league has finalized its return-to-play format, which will feature 24 teams — 12 in each conference — and include a play-in series for the bottom four seeds in the East and West. It's an encouraging first step as the league slowly prepares to make its return.

"Our fans are telling us," Bettman said, "in overwhelming numbers they want us to finish the season if it's possible."

But there are still many obstacles to overcome before play actually resumes.

In a 29-page memo issued Monday, the NHL outlined its plan for Phase 2 — voluntary small-group training activities, both on and off the ice — but was vague on the potential start date — "early June" — and did not share details on how long it could last. It remains a fluid situation, but the goal was to at least put parameters in place and get players prepared to safely make their way back to their respective NHL cities when necessary.

The next major hurdle the NHL and NHL Players' Association faces is ironing out the logistics of hub cities — each conference will be assigned to one location with secure hotels, arena, practice facilities and local transportation — and COVID-19 testing. That presumably must be agreed upon before the league transitions into Phase 3, which is the opening of formal training camps and is not expected to happen before July 1.

"The timing of our entry into Phase 3 will be determined by medical and civil authorities," Bettman said. "While we are anxious to open camps as soon as possible, we don't envision doing so before the first half of July."

The final step is Phase 4, in which the participating clubs will report to the respective hub cities for each conference-based round-robins, qualifying rounds and Stanley Cup Playoffs. Where and when that will occur remains to be determined, but Bettman confirmed Chicago is one of 10 potential cities under consideration as a hub.

Based on the timeline provided, the best-case scenario appears to be a late-July, early-August restart. While it's not guaranteed hockey will return, Tuesday provided some positive news for hockey fans as the NHL officially put a bow on the 2019-20 regular season and moved into the next stages in hopes of awarding the Stanley Cup at some point in the fall.

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How Blackhawks will be affected by NHL 2020 Draft Lottery announcement

By Scott King

May 26, 2020 4:00 PM

On Tuesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that, “The draft lottery will determine which three clubs make the first three selections in the 2020 NHL Draft and it will be conducted in one of two phases depending on the various draws."

The 15 clubs eligible to win the first three overall selections are the seven clubs that do not resume play in the NHL's 24-team playoff and the eight clubs eliminated in the qualifying (play-in) round, which includes the No. 12 Blackhawks vs. the No. 5 Oilers. So, the Hawks have a shot at another Top 3 pick.

Temporary place holders will be designated for the odds the collective group would have had.

Phase 1 of the lottery will be conducted on June 26 before the qualifying round. There will be three separate draws to determine the first, second and third overall picks.

If a Top 3 draw is won by a non-resuming club — a team that did't make it to the 24-team playoff — it receives that pick. A Phase 2 won’t be needed if draws are won by non-resuming clubs. If any of the three draws are won by a resuming club — a team in the play-in round — a Phase 2 of the draft lottery would be conducted before the conference quarterfinals.

The Blackhawks were 23rd in the league out of 31 teams (based on points: 72) at the time of NHL pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 12. They could have a top-ten pick for the third consecutive year.

In last year's lottery, the Blackhawks only had an 8.2 percent chance of landing a Top 3 draft pick with being 12th in draft position but it was their lucky night. They moved up nine spots and got the No. 3 pick for the 2019 NHL Draft.

Chicago selected 6'4 center Kirby Dach third overall in last year's draft on June 21 at in Vancouver. Dach had 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 64 games with the Blackhawks in his rookie campaign this season before the pause.

The Hawks picked defenseman Adam Boqvist at No. 8 overall in 2018. This year he had 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 41 games and a +/- rating of -3 for his debut season before play stopped.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174940 Chicago Blackhawks Edmonton has been a powerhouse on the power play, converting on 29.5% of their man advantages, good for first in the league. The Hawks power play was near last during the 2019-20 regular season, converting What a Blackhawks vs. Oilers play-in series would look like at 15.2%, 28th out of 31 NHL teams.

The Oilers had the second-best penalty kill in the league before play stopped, thwarting 84.4% of the power plays they faced. The Hawks By Scott King weren't too far behind in ninth place, killing 82.1% of their penalties.

May 26, 2020 9:24 AM If Chicago can limit the scoring prowess of Draisaitl and McDavid and step up their special teams, more so their power play — easier said than

done the last couple years — they could upset Edmonton and advance to Let's be honest, the 24-team playoff format giving the Blackhawks a shot the true first round. at making it to the playoffs is a gift. The Hawks, 12th in the Western

Conference when the NHL paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were six points out of a wild card spot with four teams to jump and only 12 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 regular season games remaining.

Now, they're set to take on the West's fifth place Edmonton Oilers in a five-game play-in series when NHL action potentially returns.

The playoff format was recently agreed upon by the NHLPA. There are a few more details to iron out including the start time for teams to begin small group workouts as well as when the play-in series and first playoff round would begin. Locations of hub cities the NHL will use for this unprecedented postseason need to be hashed out as well.

But, things are moving in the right direction. The Hawks are in the mix and know their opponent if, and when, play resumes as North America eases up on coronavirus restrictions.

So do the Blackhawks have a shot?

Let's look at this year's regular season:

The Hawks went 2-1-0 against the Oilers and got the edge with a plus-1 goal differential.

Edmonton sports the NHL's top two points leaders with Leon Draisaitl (110; 43 goals, 67 assists) and Connor McDavid (97; 34 goals, 63 assists). The Oilers haven't produced much offense outside of Draisaitl and McDavid's high level of production. Edmonton is 11th in goals for among the league.

If the Hawks are able to limit Draisaitl and McDavid, which they were able to do a bit this season, that would help their chances of making it past the play-in series and to the first round tremendously.

Jonathan Toews has always been up for the challenge of shutting down the opposition's top center and usually gives his opponent a tough night. The problem with Draisaitl and McDavid is they could play on the same line or be split up.

If Edmonton loads them up on a line together you could see Toews line up with McDavid and Brandon Saad, another strong defensive forward for the Hawks, take Draisaitl. If the two are split up, likely with Draisaitl centering the Oilers second line, Jeremy Colliton might be matching up a Hawks shut-down line with bottom six forwards like David Kampf zeroing in on the NHL's points leader.

The Oilers will be on the lookout for Patrick Kane, as most teams are, who could be alongside Toews on the top line or on the second with Dylan Strome likely centering. Kane was eighth in points at the time of the pause with 84 (33 goals, 51 assists) in 70 games.

Related: Patrick Kane was a reason players voted against a best-of-three series

As tough as things got defensively for the Hawks this season, especially after losing Calvin de Haan and Brent Seabrook to season-ending surgeries, they had fewer goals against (214) than the Oilers (215).

Assuming Mike Smith gets the start in net for Edmonton, Corey Crawford wins the tale of the goalie tape. Not only does Crawford edge out Smith in goals-against average (2.77 to 2.95) and save percentage (.917 to .902) but Crawford got those numbers while battling for starts against Robin Lehner with an often-struggling defense before Lehner was traded at the deadline.

With the Oilers allowing more goals than the Hawks and with Crawford being the better goalie, Chicago could be able to allow fewer pucks in their net than Edmonton.

Probably the biggest challenge with the Oilers will be special teams. 1174941 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 2019-20 season in review: Connor Murphy

By Charlie Roumeliotis

May 26, 2020 6:00 AM

The NHL put its 2019-20 season on pause March 12 due to the COVID- 19 pandemic but remains hopeful to award the Stanley Cup at some point. Although it's unclear if or when it could return, NBC Sports Chicago will recap the season of each Blackhawks player to date in our "season in review" series. Next up is Connor Murphy.

When the Blackhawks traded Niklas Hjalmarsson to the Arizona Coyotes for Connor Murphy, you knew it was going to take a while for the city of Chicago to warm up to Murphy. Hjalmarsson was such a beloved player in this town and Murphy had big shoes to fill.

But as the years have gone by, Murphy has proved to be a valuable piece of the Blackhawks' blue line.

Since the start of the 2018-19 season, the Blackhawks are 13-21-7 when Murphy is out of the lineup and 54-43-13 when he's in. That's a significant contrast and it's because he does a lot of the dirty work.

No Blackhawk was on the ice this season for more defensive zone faceoffs at 5-on-5 than Murphy (317), who also ranks third on the team in ice time on the penalty kill (162:49). And yet, he still set a career high with 19 points in 58 games, surpassing his previous total of 17 during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons in Arizona when he appeared in 78 and 77 games, respectively.

Murphy isn't the flashiest player, but you know what you're going to get from him on a nightly basis and that dependability is important. The Blackhawks have shown more and more trust in Murphy, who's ice time average was 16:22 in Year 1, 19:29 in Year 2 and 21:15 in Year 3, which is a new career high average.

Murphy's biggest challenge in Chicago has been trying to stay healthy. He missed the first two months of last season because of a back injury and another 12 this season on two separate occasions due to a groin injury.

There's no doubting what a difference having Murphy in the lineup makes for the Blackhawks. And it's safe to stay the city of Chicago has officially embraced him as a player.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174942 Chicago Blackhawks could be sharper than the teams that got the “bye” after three months off. Elsewhere in the West, the Predators will play the Coyotes, the Canucks will play the Wild, and the Flames will play the Jets. The next two rounds Blackhawks’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts of the playoffs could be best-of-five or best-of-seven; that’s still to be Chicago determined. But the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final definitely will be best-of-seven series.

Sweet! How do I get tickets? By Mark Lazerus You can’t. There won’t be any fans, and the games might not even be at May 26, 2020 the United Center. Two host cities — one for the Western Conference, one for the Eastern Conference — will host the 24-team tournament.

Chicago is one of the cities under consideration, along with Columbus, The Blackhawks were left for dead in October, when they failed to take Edmonton, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Toronto, advantage of nearly an entire month at home. They were left for dead Vancouver and Pittsburgh. Each team will be permitted to bring no more again in December, when Calvin de Haan, Brent Seabrook and Andrew than 50 personnel to the hub cities. Shaw were all effectively lost for the season. They were left for dead When is this going to happen? again in February, when they lost four of five on a Western Canada road trip and then lost three of their next four after that. And they were left for We don’t know yet. With so many variables and unknowns, and with the dead one last time in March, when the season was abruptly paused and ramifications of the country starting to open up in the past week or two most figured the league would jump right into the postseason, if it yet to be determined, this is all still hypothetical. Formal training camps restarted at all. won’t open before July, but players could start practicing at team facilities in “early June.” The league is willing to push the start of the 2020-21 Well, the Blackhawks are in the playoffs. Sort of. season all the way to December, so an August-September playoff is Call it a play-in, call it a playoff, whatever. The 2019-20 regular season is feasible. The draft itself will not take place until after the postseason is officially over, and the Blackhawks will play in a tournament in which the completed, as sanity prevailed over the league’s desire to give its TV winner will win the Stanley Cup. Strange times, indeed. partners some content during the pandemic.

Quite a bit has happened since the Blackhawks played on that surreal “The schedule of our return to play will be determined both by developing night at the United Center on March 11, when they beat the Sharks 6-2 in circumstances, and the needs of our players,” commissioner Gary an arena jam-packed with high-fiving and hugging fans while the world Bettman said. stopped spinning everywhere else. So before we start breaking down the What about all those guys who were hurt? Blackhawks-Oilers “qualifying round” series, let’s catch up on where things stood, and where things stand now. Well, Seabrook (hip and shoulder surgeries) certainly won’t be available yet, and it’s unclear whether Shaw will ever play again after his latest Wait, why are the Blackhawks in the playoffs? Weren’t they bad? concussion. Zack Smith had back surgery on March 6 and was slated to When last we left them, the Blackhawks were last in the Central Division, be out 3-4 months, so he seems like a long shot. But de Haan is 12th in the Western Conference and 23rd in the league. In the age of expected to play, and that could be huge for a team that was leaning on coronavirus, that’s a postseason team. Since the regular season ended a lot of young defensemen. Before he was hurt, de Haan was playing like about four weeks early, and not all teams had played the same number a legitimate No. 1 defenseman while Duncan Keith was out. A healthy de of games — and, let’s be honest, it didn’t hurt that it got major markets Haan makes the Blackhawks more formidable. Also, forward Drake such as Chicago, New York and Montreal in — the league created a 24- Caggiula and defensemen Adam Boqvist and Lucas Carlsson, who were team format, so no team could cry foul. Anyone within sniffing distance of dealing with minor injuries when the season was paused, should be good the postseason (the Blackhawks were six points out with 12 games left, to go. so it was bleak but not impossible) is in. Who was hot going into the break? Should I be excited about this? Does it matter? Momentum is hard enough to sustain from game to Of course! Many of us never expected to see hockey again this season game, let alone fiscal quarter to fiscal quarter. But since you asked, (and some of us are still skeptical that this ever gets beyond the planning Patrick Kane had five goals in his last five games entering the hiatus, and stages). But if it happens, not only will you get to see the Blackhawks Dominik Kubalik hit the 30-goal mark on what proved to be the last night play, you’ll get to see them play in truly meaningful games for the first of the regular season. Meanwhile, Corey Crawford gave up two or fewer time since they were swept by Nashville in 2017. Take the gift! goals in seven of the nine games since the trade deadline, when Robin Lehner was dealt to Vegas because the Blackhawks had no chance of But wouldn’t it be better to have a shot at the No. 1 pick instead? making the playoffs. Oops.

Well, yeah, maybe, but jeez, Debbie Downer. Try living in the moment. Should I be optimistic?

OK, fine. But still, what about that draft? The Blackhawks have a two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie in Crawford and three Conn Smythe winners on the roster in Jonathan Well, a rather convoluted draft lottery will take place on June 26 and will Toews, Kane and Duncan Keith. Is that enough to go on the run of all include the seven teams left out of the 24-team tournament — Buffalo, runs and win a fourth Stanley Cup? Almost certainly not. Is it enough to New Jersey, Ottawa and Detroit in the East; Anaheim, Los Angeles and get the attention of the Oilers, who have made the playoffs just one time San Jose in the West — as well as the eight teams that lose their in Kane’s and Toews’ careers? You bet. qualifying series (placeholders will be used for those eight teams, since they won’t be determined until later). So the Blackhawks, who would Six days before the season was paused, the Blackhawks jumped out to a have had the ninth-best odds in a normal lottery, can still end up with a 4-1 lead and beat the Oilers 4-3 at the United Center. The Blackhawks top-10 pick — even a top-three pick — if they lose their qualifying series. won both meetings at the United Center this season, while the Oilers won If they win their qualifying series, they’ll be picking in the back half of the in Edmonton. Chicago has the edge in goal, but Edmonton has the best first round. Yes, for a team that’s clearly in a rebuilding stage, a high draft player on the planet in Connor McDavid and perhaps this season’s MVP pick might be more valuable in the long run than a neutral-site playoff in Leon Draisaitl. In all three meetings, the Blackhawks out-attempted appearance. But you’ll either get a high pick or at least two rounds of and out-chanced the Oilers at 5-on-5 play. Where they fell short (of postseason hockey. So while other franchises understandably are course) was on the power play, where they came up empty on all eight unhappy, it’s kind of a win-win for the Blackhawks, right? opportunities.

Look at you, Mr. Brightside. OK, so how is this going to work? No, these Blackhawks haven’t earned the right to be deemed a favorite against anybody this year. But they did hold McDavid pointless in the two The Blackhawks are going to play the Edmonton Oilers in a best-of-five games he played against them this season, and they do have a core that qualifying round, while the Blues, Avalanche, Golden Knights and Stars has earned the right to never be taken lightly. will play a round-robin to determine seeding. So while the lesser teams are playing do-or-die games, the top-four teams will be playing relatively low-pressure games. So whichever teams come out of the play-in round And if someone told you in October — or December, or February, or March — that the Blackhawks would have a realistic chance of winning a playoff series in 2020, would you have waved it off and said, “Nah, I’d rather have a 1-in-20 chance of getting the No. 1 pick in the draft?” Didn’t think so.

So who cares if it’s a play-in or a playoff? Who cares if there’ll be a giant asterisk on this entire endeavor? You get to watch postseason hockey. And you get to watch the Blackhawks play postseason hockey. Take the gift and enjoy the ride. After the last few months, you deserve it.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174943 Chicago Blackhawks Burish: It felt like he threw Bieksa up into the rafters and then he body- slammed him.

Ryan Kesler, Canucks center: I have a vivid memory of “Juice” (Bieksa) ‘A genuine, authentic hate’: An oral history of the Blackhawks-Canucks coming off the ice without any of his top half on. I think his shirt was rivalry ripped into three pieces. So that’s a moment.

Matt Sekeres, Globe and Mail: Kevin doesn’t certainly lack for courage.

Adam Jahns Bieksa: I know I fought Eager and he had 20, 25 pounds on me. I held May 26, 2020 my own. He ended up hitting me with a pretty stiff jab. But I just remember the fact that we all showed up. It was a big positive for us.

Eager: Bieksa, he’s a tough guy, too. He was smart with how he played. Years removed from a contentious multi-season run against each other, He was a good player and he would go after the skilled guys. And that the Blackhawks and Canucks finally agree on something: their legacy. would get me fired up and I’d be going after him. He knew what he was doing out there. But it was nice to get him that one time in the brawl. I got What they had as hated rivals essentially is unrivaled in recent NHL him pretty good. history. And the league might never produce and see anything like it again. Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune: You’ve seen guys do some crazy things. But to see a guy pull a guy’s hair and then Duncan was kind of cool in the “When you look back at those three playoff rounds that we had against dressing room afterward. He just was like, “Yeah, you know, I’ve seen a Vancouver, it was a different brand of hockey,” Blackhawks forward lot of things, but I’ve never got my hair pulled.” Patrick Sharp said. “There were longer breaks in between whistles, a little more slashes and spears and pokes in the back of the legs, lots of Eager: I think the brawl started it all. trash talking. You don’t quite see that in the game today.” The undercard For three seasons from 2008 through 2011, the Hawks and Canucks played 12 times in the regular season and 19 more times in three playoff On Jan. 23, 2010, Andrew Ladd and Kesler dropped the gloves with 1:07 matchups. It was, by far, the best rivalry in hockey. left in the first period and with Vancouver leading 3-0 at home.

In Vancouver, stories about the Canucks’ run at the Stanley Cup were Kesler tackled Ladd to end the fight. But Ladd caught Kesler with a quick aplenty this season as the franchise celebrated its 50-year anniversary, left to his face and taunted him afterward by pointing at the blood on his put Alex Burrows into the ring of honor, and retired the numbers of Henrik face. and Daniel Sedin. Afterward, Kesler sounded off.

In Chicago, the rivalry is remembered differently. “He’s a coward; he’ll always be a coward,” Kesler said, according to the The best way to tell the story is through those who lived it and covered it. Vancouver Sun. “At least he was man enough to hit me when I was The Athletic interviewed 10 players, two radio broadcasters and six looking this time. He cross-checked me in the face (in the playoffs in media members from Chicago and Vancouver. Here is the oral history of 2009) and broke my nose when I wasn’t looking.” the Blackhawks’ rivalry with the Canucks. Kris Versteeg, Blackhawks winger: Ladd-Kesler was such a nice rivalry The battle royale because they were both elite, elite players. They were both tough and the hate was high. On March 29, 2009, the Canucks had a 3-0 lead on the Hawks nearly six minutes into the third period at the United Center. Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks forward: It was a personal rivalry but I think we all had feelings about it. Dustin Byfuglien got loose for a partial breakaway but with a rolling puck. Unable to put a strong shot on goal, Byfuglien sent a left-handed shot Campbell: I think we’ll all agree, there is nothing better than seeing Ryan into the facemask of goalie Roberto Luongo. It incited a large scrum Kesler get hit. which evolved into fights all over the ice. Mike Halford, Vancouver Province: That was like Kesler to a T. He Ben Eager, Blackhawks enforcer: Big Buff, he probably didn’t even feel it. thrived on all the individual battles, getting under guys’ skin. But he goes to the net hard and that’s a big man. He’s so strong. Yeah, Sekeres: Ryan Kesler was an ornery son of a so-so. he popped Luongo. It was kind of calm there for a little bit, that little scrum. Then it just escalated quickly. Farhan Lalji, TSN: Kesler didn’t fight a lot. He was that exact same player that Dave Bolland was that he played the game on the edge — beyond Adam Burish, Blackhawks agitator: I was closest to both the Sedins. the edge. There was just no sense of necessarily moral fiber when Ryan They were the closest guys to me. I’m like these are the right guys to go Kesler played. It was just all about competition and doing everything you after. could do to gain an edge.

Brian Campbell, Blackhawks defenseman: It seemed like there was a Troy Murray, Blackhawks radio analyst: You appreciate as a former major collection of people that did not like each other out on the ice at player what he brought to Vancouver. There was some grit, there was that time. some hatred and he played that way his entire career. He was never a Dave Bolland, Blackhawks center: It was just a big melee. guy that wanted to make friends. He just played the game hard. And Andrew Ladd was the same way. It was two strong characters going Burish: It was everybody grab a guy. together.

Colin Fraser, Blackhawks forward: Certain players (Burrows) were pulling Bieksa: Yeah, he had a little rivalry with Ladd, but I think it was certain players’ hair. (Jonathan) Toews that brought out the best in him.

Eager: It was crazy. Duncs was getting his hair pulled. Jesse Rogers, ESPN Chicago: Got under Ladd’s skin. Got under Toews’ skin. They had some battles as centermen. That was part of his Burish: I remember looking over at Duncan Keith with Burrows and personality which made him a great player as well. But it also made him wanting to get over there but you couldn’t. very hated. Kevin Bieksa, Canucks defenseman: We really didn’t have like a tough John Garrett, Canucks radio analyst: You got a shutdown guy who is also guy on our team for a bunch of years. Our management, they didn’t really a 30-goal guy. And Ryan was that guy. He just loved the challenge of, believe in having an enforcer, just a so-called enforcer. And they had Ben “OK, I’m going to go up against Jonathan Toews. I’m going to be the guy Eager, who was a big, strong guy, one of the tougher guys in the league. that Toews and (Patrick) Kane won’t get any points because I’m going to Eager: Yeah, I got Bieksa and ended up body-slamming him. I landed on be out there and I’m going to be in their face.” my head after that. That hurt when I body-slammed him and my helmet Kesler: Looking at Toews over the faceoff and just wanting to be better came off. than him and wanting to shut him down and wanting to outproduce him, that’s what I loved the most about that rivalry was having the Halford: Bieksa, Burrows and Kesler all came up together. They all assignments of Toews or Kane or anybody I had on the other side that played in the minors together in Manitoba. night and just trying to beat him. Bieksa: Our competitiveness, we just fed off each other. Kuc: Kesler, I would call him Public Enemy No. 1. And there were a couple of guys who I would call 1A and 1B but he was at least No. 1 right Sekeres: Burrows would do research on people and go into their deepest there in that rivalry. darkest and bring that sort of stuff up.

Garrett: He wasn’t Mr. Congeniality, for sure, even among his Halford: It was like a tag team or trio working their way up through the teammates. lower ranks of wrestling and then finally making it to WWE where they honed their gimmick and honed their craft and honed playing the heel. Kesler: When you play against the best, you can either wither and go into That’s exactly what they did. There was no one that was off-limits. There a hole or you can elevate your game, I felt like they helped elevate my was nothing really that was off-limits. game. Garrett: Even in the Olympics in 2010, Kesler and Luongo were Bieksa: Kane was one of the first that was super dynamic, very fast, teammates with the Canucks, and there’s Kesler chirping, “Well, we can would go all the way back and get the puck low and weave his way beat Canada because I know how to score on Roberto Luongo.” And he through. He was the highest-skilled guy in the league for a long time. He was serious about it. That’s the way he presents himself. was a guy that we had special neutral zone forechecks for. When he was on the ice, we had our own set of rules in the zone, the defensive zone, Versteeg: We always liked to hear what we would say, what kind of rise it for when he rolls up high. He was always a guy that I would key on would get out of them. We’d put things in the media just to hear them because he would embarrass you. answer for it. There was a lot of placed words at certain places and times that we wanted to get rises from. I’m sure they did it, too. I remember Sharp: We loved the fact that Laddy stood right up to Kesler, they Bieksa always saying stuff. dropped the gloves and I think Laddy challenged him the very next game and they didn’t fight. So that pumps us up on the bench. It didn’t really Burish: We would laugh about the comments. We would watch what they have much to do with me and Ryan Kesler. It had everything to do with would say and then we would analyze it and say, “Oh we got to them. Andrew Ladd. But as a teammate, I saw it and I respected it. They’re reeling right now.” And I’m sure they said the same about us.

Campbell: When he called Ladd a coward, we basically all laughed. The Lalji: I always joked that Bieksa and Burish were the same guy because whole locker room was laughing and loving the fact that he called him they were both U.S. college guys that think they were smarter than that. everybody else in the room. Like they both think they’ve got a clever comment. You knew they were going to make their way into television at Burish: Once you pissed him off, he was a scary guy. He was like a some point. Brendan Shanahan, old-school kind of a player, where if you pissed him off — wrong guy. He was going to get you and he was tough. When Burish: It felt like the WWE but the punches weren’t fake. The punches those comments were said about him, you could tell that it made him boil. were real. The blood was real. The hits were real. We were enjoying the media attention we were getting — at least I was. Kesler: I still till this day think it was a cheap shot by Ladd that broke my nose and knocked out four of my teeth. But looking back now, you miss Sekeres: I do remember reporters sort of galloping from one room to that. That’s what you miss. You miss the cheap shots. You miss the another quite excited about what they got and what they were going to be feelings you get after getting hit in the face and just wanting to get the able to relay to the opposition. guy back. Kuc: It wasn’t something they’d say in a vacuum. They know that the The sights and the sounds Canucks were going to hear to it. And the Canucks knew that the Blackhawks were going to hear it. You could see it come out on the ice On May 3, 2010, coach Joel Quenneville was looking for a spark in where that intensity level, where even during the anthem, guys are Game 2 after an opening loss against the Canucks. So he inserted Eager eyeballing each other. It’s like here we go. and Burish into the lineup. Burish: If I was them, it was probably frustrating hearing from a fourth-line Late in the first period, Burish poked the puck from defenseman Shane slug like me running my mouth like that. But to me, it was part of the O’Brien at the Canucks’ blue line and the race was on toward Luongo. It game. It was part of getting to guys. was time to give him a facemask full of snow. Sekeres: What I remember is that both buildings — the electricity, the It led to another scrum around Luongo. In the same game, the United crackle, the intensity that you could cut with a knife. Center jumbotron captured Eager and Burish barking at Burrows from the bench. In both instances, the home crowd roared in approval. Bieksa: I remember Vince Vaughn always sitting by our bench just like mean-mugging us and booing us. One time, I grabbed a Gatorade bottle. Burish: We said we were going to do it before the game, too. We told the And there was like a tiny little crack in between the glass and the glass media we were going to do it. And we did it. Now they made the rule that that separated our bench. And I squirted it through there and it splashed you can’t snow the goalie anymore. off the glass and it went all over him and I think he had like a girl or somebody with him. And I remember he just gave me the look and I just Eager: I think Burr got him worse. laughed at him. I just remember him like booing me. He might have given Burish: We were trying to be the first one to him to snow him, to spray me the finger or something like that. him. But we got there at the same time and both got him. Kesler: I know my parents stopped going (to Chicago) because of how Eager: I imagine we weren’t fun to play against. We had little chips on much abuse they got in the stands. It was just a very hostile environment. our shoulders. Other teams probably thought we were just young and They didn’t like us. To be honest, we didn’t like them. It was a tough cocky. And it probably helped us. We were. place to play. I still hate that song that they play.

Sharp: I don’t think Joel was too excited about some of the comments Bieksa: The crowd is all over you and they hate us. It just looks like that were being thrown back in the media. But as far as game play, there Quenneville hates us, too. He’s got that big grumpy look on with that big was about as much verbal trash talk as I’ve been a part of in all of the mustache. It was just a hostile environment. playoff series that I’ve played. Kesler: You could probably say the same about them coming into our Versteeg: The war of words on the ice would be nowhere allowed in building. today’s game. But it was a time when things were allowed to be said. Marian Hossa, Blackhawks forward: It was always interesting going to Fraser: They had Burrows, Bieksa, Kesler. Those guys are competitive Vancouver. I remember pulling up in front of the hotel and right across, players — and they play on the edge and they play hard. We had our they were building maybe another hotel, and they were like workers guys just like them: Bolly, Laddy, Burish, Eager and whomever. They all yelling at us on the bus. They knew the players from the top. They were play on the edge, too. And when you got all these guys that play like that, yelling and calling them names. it can get ugly and it can get heated and it can get dirty. Bolland: I remember after games, people would be throwing beers on the ice at us. Campbell: We’d all like duck and hide. Sharp: The whole focus of that building was on Dustin Byfuglien and that was fine by us. Eager: It’s probably a good thing when you’re getting beers thrown at you. Hossa: I was just glad this guy was on our team.

Campbell: Us as players, that was the best thing in the world to have Murray: The media, the attention that was going on between Luongo and garbage and stuff thrown at you. That was like the greatest thing. The Dustin Byfuglien was incredible. energy and everything that came with it. Halford: It always seemed like Luongo had a hard time getting out of his Eager: Going out for dinner, fans would be giving us the finger. I own head and it obviously didn’t help when a guy like Byfuglien was remember sitting on the bus after the game down in the tunnel and the firmly planted in there. It was definitely a thing where you saw him fans were standing outside. I was talking to some family and friends and struggling with it. they were above just yelling and fingering us, mooning us on the way out. Burish: Maybe they made the mistake of talking about it too much and Sharp: From the airport to the hotel to the fans sitting outside waiting for complaining about Byfuglien being too close to the crease or touching us at both spots, the game rink, you name it. It was just like a violent, Luongo. And once you show your cards in the playoffs and you show that angry attitude about the games. I think that just fueled the anger in the you’re frustrated or you’re bothered, now we’re really going to dig in series. Both teams didn’t like each other. there. They showed their cards a little bit. Dustin would sit and listen and we’d look at him and he would just start laughing. Kesler: That’s the hockey you miss when you reminisce about the years before. Those are the games you miss. Kesler: I got to know him over the years and completely different guy than what he played on the ice. I actually like him. He’s a good dude. The heavyweight title Those are guys you want on your team. Guys that are really good dudes On May 5, 2010 in Vancouver, the Hawks were on the power play in the and you hate playing against them. middle of the second period during Game 3 of their second-round playoff The dragon-slayer goal series against the Canucks. Toews tried to jam a puck through Luongo, which resulted in a melee in the crease. Byfuglien reached the loose On April 26, 2011, defenseman Chris Campoli flipped the puck from the puck and fired it in. Hawks’ zone just over five minutes into overtime of Game 7 of the first- round series against the Canucks. He would later say he was targeting Byfuglien celebrated by raising both arms, skating by the glass and Kane. yelling at the crowd in Rogers Arena. The boos were fierce. It was Byfuglien’s second power-play goal of the game. He would finish with a But it was intercepted by Burrows. He knocked it down with his right hat trick. glove, skated in all alone on goalie Corey Crawford and unleashed a hard shot off a rolling puck for a 2-1 victory at Rogers Arena. Sharp: It seemed like there were a lot of questionable hits. A lot of slashes in the back of the legs. Sticks were coming up high. It was “They’ve slayed the dragon!” Canucks broadcaster John Shorthouse said getting a little feisty out there. And Vancouver took a couple penalties in live. “Alex Burrows! 5:22 into overtime. Game 7 goes to Vancouver. And a row. The crowd was getting unhappy with the parade to the penalty box the Canucks are off to the second round!” for the Canucks. They were already booing. They were already on the officials. The crowd was. And then Byfuglien scores the power-play goal, Sharp: 2011 was an interesting year. Our team had just won the Stanley which adds fuel to the fire and then not only the power-play goal, the Cup and we were in the conference finals a year before. And we kind of celebration, where he pretty much rubs it in the fan’s faces, was just snuck in the playoffs. We lost half of the team for salary cap reasons. awesome. The big trade with Atlanta. Half the team was gone. And there was a different feeling around our group. Bolland: That’s just Buff being Buff. He was showing off, telling the fans, “Hey, look at this.” Bob Verdi, Blackhawks historian: Can you imagine had there been no salary cap that they had been able to keep that team together? They had Hossa: I got the picture in my mind. That series, he was the most to shed a lot of good players. dominant player. Sharp: We snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Eager: He was unbelievable. He was playing with Kane and Toews. He was a force. He’s a good player. He’s tough to stop. He’s not the Bieksa: We’re like holy shit. This is our award for winning the league. meanest guy, which is probably a good thing. But when you’d get him They kind of had our number to that point. just a little fired up, he’s tough to stop. Sharp: All of a sudden we find ourselves down 3-0 in the series before Murray: If you look at Byfuglien as a player, I don’t even know if there is a we can even wake up and realize that we’re playing playoff hockey. player in the history of the game that could skate as good as Byfuglien as Hossa: They thought they had us. Then all of a sudden we start coming big as he was at 250, 60, 70 pounds, whatever he was. Really nobody back. knew exactly what he weighed. Halford: We had Raffi Torres on (the radio) a little while ago and we were Garrett: He was always in Luongo’s face. like asking him what do remember about that (Brent) Seabrook hit? Sekeres: I remember it got to a point late in the series where it almost Because that was another one, too. A huge polarizing moment in that looked like Roberto was looking around to see like, “OK, where’s series. Byfuglien?” It’s almost like a pre-snap in football. That’s where Dustin Sharp: The Brent Seabrook injury had a lot to do with firing us up. was at by the end of the series, his impact as a power forward. Duncan Keith played some great hockey.

Kesler: I remember Buff in front of the net. That’s what I remember. I Bolland: I had a concussion and I came back. We were down 3-0 and I remember him scoring three goals against us in our building. remember I came in and I think I hit someone in the corner. I probably Bieksa: It was a guy that was fun to battle with. I just remember asking should have got an elbow penalty. I hit someone. I think Duncs hit him to fight and cross-checking him in front of the net and couldn’t move someone. And the crowd went crazy. him. I loved that challenge. I’d take runs at him and just barely get a Halford: If you’re looking for a lift and you’re just grasping on the straws, piece of him. And he was starting to come into his own. you could do a lot of worse than getting Dave Bolland in the lineup. I Lalji: Everybody hated everything about Dustin Byfuglien. He became an remember some people shrugging it off, “Oh, whatever, the Canucks are analogy for things you didn’t like. If your wife was pissing you off, you’d up 3-0. They got this one. Bolland isn’t going to make that huge of a say, “Don’t be a Byfuglien.” It was like that with Dustin Byfuglien in difference.” He started piling up points like straight away. He was making Vancouver. things happen straight away.

Halford: It went beyond hockey. It was almost like the equivalent of the Bieksa: It felt like we had control of them and then maybe exhaled a little big kid in the playground who would just annihilate everyone else, like bit. would sit on a small kid and just kind of wailed away at him and kind of Garrett: To me, it was the mental block that the Canucks had developed laughed while he was doing it. playing the Blackhawks. Rogers: I thought when the Hawks got to 3-2, they were going to win. Sharp: Those Sedin twins, they played such like a beautiful game. You Like the curse of the Cubs, the curse of the Canucks was going to knew they were going to pass it back and forth to each other 10 times emerge. They just could not get over the hump. every shift. You knew they were going to have these plays that only they could make. And they also had this calm demeanor about them, Sekeres: There were a couple of phrases that get dropped around this whatever situation. province in regards to the Vancouver Canucks. One is “Canuck luck” — and that’s not a good thing. The other is “impending doom.” My colleague Garrett: It was magical watching them play, the way they handled the Don Taylor on radio always drops the phrase “impending doom” — that puck. there’s a fair portion of the Canucks fan base that is always awaiting this impending doom. Murray: You didn’t know how to defend them because nobody else played that type of game in that little era as well as they did. Bieksa: Going back for Game 7, we felt a little bit better because we did play really well in Game 6 and we had a chance to win that but we’re still Bolland: Q would always give us a player that we kind of matched up nervous because we were up 3-0 and here we are Game 7. against. So I was always matched up against their top player because that’s who I went up against. We’d do a little thing on the player, we’d do Lalji: The two most intense environments I’ve ever been around where a little bio on the guy: height, weight, strengths, weaknesses, plenty of you could actually feel it as a journalist — just the tension in the building things. We’d go around the room and everybody steps up, stands up and — was that Game 7 and then probably gold medal final in 2010 between tells them about the player and what they got to do to win and to play the Canadians and Americans. It had a similar tone to it where the against them hard. Americans scored late to send the game into overtime. Rogers: At some point, I realized that they’re so good those two that you Sekeres: The goaltender is out and you’re short-handed and Jonathan need to do a little bit more. You can’t just play them straight up and that’s Toews finds a way to score an equalizer and send it to overtime, like where Bolland was in some ways the Hawks’ version of Kesler when he “You got to be kidding me?” I think a large part of British Columbia was needed to be. anticipating that the bottom was going to fall out of the Canucks. Versteeg: He was a little rat. Verdi: That building was like a library. Eager: It’s just pretty casual but he’ll chop someone, hook ya, trip ya. The Kuc: That goal when Toews scored, I just thought, “OK, here we go, refs never really picked up on it. It’s kind of like (Chris) Pronger. Pronger they’re going to win another Stanley Cup.” did the same thing but he was a bit bigger. But Bolly was always in there slashing at your wrists or tripping ya. Bolland: We had them in Game 7. I still think if we had won Game 7 we would have been back in the finals against Boston that year. Campbell: It was almost like having a little annoying brother that won’t leave you alone and just kind of punching you and jabbing you at all Halford: When Burrows scored, there was a sense of euphoria but also a times. huge sense of relief. Bieksa: He was a lot smaller than the Sedins. But he was competitive Sharp: That goal that Burrows scored, the roof came off. and he was a little bit dirty, not that I’m clean, but he was dirty with his Bieksa: I’ve always said it’s the best feeling I’ve ever had on the ice after stick and little slew foots here and there, just kind of a chippy guy to play that goal went in. against.

Lalji: That’s the biggest goal in the history of the franchise. Verdi: One of the great shit disturbers of all time.

Verdi: If the Canucks had lost that, I don’t know what would have Campbell: Their line was our so-called checking line. Just talk about happened. They might have burned down that city. people you don’t want to play against. All three of them. Ladd, he could skate and hit. Steeger, he might be more annoying than Bolland in a way. Kesler: That goal for him and for us, it saved us. And then you got Dave, he was a violent player with his stick in a non- penalty way. He was aware of what eyes were on him on the ice. And Sekeres: I have never been in a more jubilant locker room for a first- what I mean, he was aware of what referees’ eyes were doing all the round playoff series. time while playing hockey to see where he could get his shots in. Lalji: If the Canucks lose that series, Alain Vigneault probably gets fired Bolland: I wouldn’t say a lot. I’d just get my stick in around their legs or up at that moment. It affects the Sedins’ future. It affects so many futures. around their crotch where people don’t like to be disturbed. I was just The franchise would have been significantly altered. more in their face a lot more. I know with people when you’re in their Kesler: To finally beat those guys after losing to them the two years in the personal space, people would get fed up with it. Just being on them and I playoffs, it was a very satisfying feeling to be on the other side of that don’t think their coach Alain Vigneault really helped them. I think they handshake line and look those guys in the eyes and know that we got the took a lot of dumb penalties on us and we’d capitalize on a lot of those best of them. moments.

Bieksa: It was three years coming for us to beat out Chicago. It took Lalji: No matter what it took. No matter how dirty it had to be. No matter everything we had but finally did it. how much hooking. No matter how much holding. He was allowed to do it and it would infuriate Canucks fans. The Rat vs. the Twins The lasting legacy On Dec. 12, 2011, Bolland went viral. During a WGN Radio interview with host David Kaplan and while taking questions from fans, Bolland referred On Feb. 12, 2020, the Canucks retired the jerseys of Henrik and Daniel to the Sedins as “sisters” more than once. Sedin — and the Hawks were scheduled.

While said in jest, the reaction showed that “The Rat” still excelled at Early in the third period, Hawks defenseman Connor Murphy landed a angering those in Vancouver after three playoff series in the books. strong, high check on Canucks forward Adam Gaudette.

“When you have comments like Bolland’s, he’s obviously an individual The gloves came off and punches were thrown. It was the second fight of whose IQ is probably the size of a bird seed,” Vigneault told reporters. the game — and it was like the good ol’ days. “And he has a face that only a mother could look at.” Murray: We got back to Vancouver this season and Alex Burrows was Murray: The hatred between the two teams as a whole broke down into introduced in the Sedins’ retirement thing and he was introduced as the the hatred between certain players on the teams. It was the Sedins and guy who slayed the dragon. That’s how much that goal meant to the Dave Bolland. Vancouver Canucks to the city of Vancouver that the Blackhawks were the dragon and this person, Alex Burrows, was the guy that slayed the Sekeres: If Dustin Byfuglien was Public Enemy No. 1, then Dave Bolland dragon. was Public Enemy No. 2. Halford: Willie Mitchell’s hit on Jonathan Toews. That was a big boiling Lalji: We would be asking the twins postgame about Dave Bolland on a point moment. And then Burrows and the hair-pulling. And Keith and the regular basis. They would say that it wasn’t bothering them, but it was hit on Sedin (in 2012). Ben Eager running into the Sedins. You almost bothering them. have to go back and almost re-watch just to remember what series they happened in.

Lalji: It all got personal. And Andrew Ladd’s a guy that people here had an affinity to just because he was part of a number of Blackhawks that are from British Columbia. So we always kind of viewed guys like him and Keith, prior to the elbow on Daniel Sedin, as good BC boys. But they kind of lived that end of the rivalry.

Garrett: Duncan Keith still gets booed every time he’s still in Vancouver.

Hossa: Duncs is one of a kind. He loved that stuff, too.

Bieksa: I just know that it was a combination of respecting how good of a team they were and just hating some of the guys on their team, the way they played. I’m sure they hated all of us, too. That’s what made the rivalry so special. There was a genuine, authentic hate between us.

Bolland: I had the Leafs that were going to sign me. I had Florida who I went to. I had Dallas or St. Louis also looking at me. But Vancouver came in with a bigger deal than my Florida deal that I eventually took — and it was lucrative. It was a bigger deal than I was going to get. But I had to decline because I could not go to Vancouver and be caught dead coming back to Chicago after that.

Burish: Even now, 10 years later if they say, who is the guy in the league that you hate the most? You could pick four or five guys from the Vancouver Canucks. Those are the first guys that pop to our minds at least my mind and I think most of the other guys. It was those guys that we hated playing against them but I think there was a real deep respect there. And a little bit of fear each game not knowing what was going to happen and you had to buckle up and you had to be ready.

Bolland: I’m not saying we didn’t gear up for any other games we played, but whenever we played Vancouver, there was an extra gear in us that said we hate these guys and we want to beat them and we really don’t give a shit about them.

Kesler: With that hatred, I always had a respect for those guys because they won. They know how to play and they didn’t cheat the game. And I always have respect for guys who don’t cheat the game.

Sharp: I’m glad that I got to run into Bieksa and shake his hand and nod heads and talk about the old days because these are experiences and memories that I’ve had. For a good 10 to 15 years of my life, I didn’t like that guy at all. Then all of sudden, hockey’s over. You can put that stuff aside. I think there’s a mutual respect.

Burish: There’s probably not a group of guys that I’ve played against that I hated more that I would more like to sit down and have beers with.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174944 Colorado Avalanche *Bettman did not provide specifics on when the 2020-21 regular season will resume but hypothetically a two-month playoff tournament that begins July 15 and ends in mid-September would certainly move the next Back to hockey: NHL unveils plans for 24-team playoff tournament regular season into late 2020 or early 2021.

The Avalanche last played March 11, a 3-2 overtime home win over the New York Rangers, and were second in the Central Division (two points By RYAN O’HALLORAN | [email protected] | The Denver behind St. Louis) when the season was suspended. The Avalanche will Post be making its third consecutive playoff appearance.

PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 3:32 p.m. | UPDATED: May 26, 2020 at “We’re doing this because we’re hearing from our fans overwhelmingly 3:52 p.m. that they would like us to conclude the season (and) they want the game back,” Bettman said.

A Denver mother crossed borders so her kids could one day cross a graduation stage. Then came the pandemic. Denver Post: LOADED: 05.27.2020 The NHL became the first North American professional league to unveil a return-to-play plan Tuesday when Commissioner Gary Bettman announced a 24-team playoff format.

Teams seeded Nos. 5-12 in each conference will play a best-of-five qualifying series. At the same time, the top four teams in each conference, including the Avalanche, will play each other in a round-robin format to determine playoff seeding.

“Since March 12, we have been hopeful and optimistic that, while developing all options and alternatives, we could get to this point,” Bettman said on NBCSN. “We believe we have constructed an overall plan that includes all teams that, as a practical matter, might have had a chance to qualify for the playoffs when the season was paused.

“This plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion who will run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.”

Bettman left open the possibility that the first two rounds (following the qualifying round) could be best-of-five. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven.

A rundown of the NHL’s plan:

* The NHL is currently in Phase 1 of its re-boot, which includes allowing a maximum of six players, plus team staffers, in the facility at one time. Phase 2 will be early June, when teams can return to home facilities for voluntary, small-group workouts. Phase 3 will be a formal training camp and will be no earlier than July 1. Phase 4 will be when the playoff teams report to their assigned hub cities.

“While we are anxious to open camps as soon as possible, we don’t envision doing so before the first half of July,” Bettman said.

* Two “hub” cities will be chosen, one for each conference, to host the playoff rounds. The finalists are Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. Bettman said the two cities will not be selected for at least three weeks.

Each “hub” city will have secure hotels, arena, practice facilities and in- market transportation. Teams will be limited to 50 personnel in its traveling party. The two cities will have comprehensive COVID-19 testing.

Bettman said it’s possible the Stanley Cup Final could be played in the two competing markets.

* Matchups for the qualifying round in the Eastern Conference will be No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 Montreal, No. 6 Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers, No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida and No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Columbus.

The Western Conference will be No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago, No. 6 Nashville vs. No. 11 Arizona, No. 7 Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota and No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 9 Winnipeg.

These games will be played with regular-season overtime rules. It is undecided if the league will re-seed after the qualifying round.

Avalanche’s Ian Cole fully supportive of potential NHL return: “Whatever gets us back and playing, I’m 100 percent for”

In the round-robin for the top four teams in each conference, the Avalanche will play St. Louis, Las Vegas and Dallas in the West. Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia will play each other in the East. 1174945 Colorado Avalanche and the Blues. The Avs are 2-2 against the Blues after falling into an 0-2 series hole earlier this season. They have won both contests versus the Golden Knights by a combined score of 13-4 with both affairs being Avalanche’s return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Denver But how the Avalanche have fared against the Stars is a different matter. The Stars have won all four meetings with three of those games being decided by a goal and another two going to overtime and/or a penalty By Ryan S. Clark shootout.

May 26, 2020 Certain details such as the lengths of the first-and second-round playoff series, per Bettman, are still being discussed. He did add how the

Eastern and Western Conference finals along with the Stanley Cup final Rumor became reality Tuesday when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will remain a best-of-7 series. officially announced the league’s Return to Play initiative consisting of a Does the new format help or hurt the Avalanche? Also, how has the time newfound 24-team format in helping determine what club will eventually off impacted them? be crowned Stanley Cup champion in the event play resumes. Remember what was said earlier about a season-defining sequence? Is it plausible that team could be the Colorado Avalanche whenever the Part of that stems from the injuries fourth-year coach Jared Bednar and NHL does eventually restart? his assistants were managing in the latter stages of the regular season. The Avalanche used the first 70 games of the regular season to cement Then again? Injuries and the Avalanche have become practically a the narrative they were a Stanley Cup contender. How they fared in the “wash, rinse and repeat” meme considering only two players — final 12 games would possibly provide more insight into how their third defenseman Samuel Girard and forward Matt Nieto — appeared in every straight postseason campaign would fare. At the time of the pause, they game this season. Andre Burakovsky, Matt Calvert, Philipp Grubauer, had the fourth-best record in the league. They also were grappling with Nazem Kadri and Mikko Rantanen were working toward an eventual the St. Louis Blues for control of the Central Division and Western return when the season was paused. Conference titles. Because being down a second-line 20-goal scoring winger, a bottom-six Much has changed even though nobody in the NHL has played a game forward on pace for 20 goals, a starting goaltender, a bonafide veteran since March 11. Bettman said teams will play in two hub cities that will be second-line center and an All-Star right winger while battling for the top split up by conference at a date and time that will be determined at a later seed in the conference should be enough. point. He listed the potential Western Conference sites as Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Well. About that. Vancouver. Superstar center Nathan MacKinnon sustained a lower-body injury in the Here is a look at the current landscape the Avalanche must navigate second-to-last game before the pause. He was initially ruled out for two going forward: weeks but Bednar stated back in mid-April that every player on roster was healed. Bednar also said it’s plausible winger Colin Wilson could be Where were they when the shutdown began? available. Wilson, who had four points in nine games, picked up a lower- Colorado was at the vanguard of what could have been a rather active body injury in practice and was thought to be out until April at the earliest. intersection of events. The main one being its battle with St. Louis for Possessing a full complement of players could lead Bednar to make Central Division and Western Conference supremacy. St. Louis held a some potentially interesting lineup choices that have already been two-point lead but Colorado had a game in hand with the window to catch outlined. the Blues getting smaller by the day. Another element of the back-and- forth between the two clubs was they were slated to play the final game What would be the Avalanche’s path to winning a third Stanley Cup? of the regular season against each other at Pepsi Center in a contest that What are their chances of winning it all? could have had major ramifications on playoff seeding. Answering those particular questions means asking one of the team Preparing for a showdown also marked another landmark in the club’s itself. recent evolution. Look no further than the last two years when the Avalanche were in a mad dash to capture the final Western Conference How does one go about assessing the Avalanche? Is it Stanley Cup or wild-card spot to reach the postseason. This year, however, has seen bust? Or is there more latitude for a team that was the league’s worst just them transition into fighting for seeding instead of just trying to make the four years ago? playoffs. Each postseason has been one of progress. The 2017-18 first-round exit Going 7-2-1 over their most recent 10 games before the pause further by the Predators in six-games was rectified the next year upon upsetting reflected the severity of attempting to attain home ice-advantage. The the top-seeded Calgary Flames before pushing the San Jose Sharks to Avalanche ended February and opened March on a seven-game winning seven games in a Western Conference semifinal series. Such a streak that was snapped by an overtime loss on a last-second goal to the trajectory suggests the baseline expectation is for the Avalanche to Anaheim Ducks. From there, they went 2-2 in four games held over the return to the second round with the aim of reaching the conference final course of a week and were about to embark on what could have been a for the first time since the 2001-02 season. season-defining sequence. Fending off constant injuries and still being within two points of the Nine of their remaining 12 contests would have come against teams that defending Stanley Cup champions reinforces that belief. So do the were either in a playoff spot or within striking distance of a wild-card moves Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic and his front office staff opening. Six of those games — Minnesota, Nashville (twice), Vancouver made in the offseason. They constructed a second line within a matter of and Winnipeg (twice) — were slated to take place against clubs that days by trading for Burakovsky and Kadri while signing Joonas Donskoi either held one of the two wild-card positions or were within a three-point in free agency. Adding Pierre-Edouard Bellemare provided a fourth-line margin of the final slot. anchor who was a reliable two-way forward. Returning Wilson gave them another option on the wing while Valeri Nichushkin transformed from a What the new format means depth signing and into a trusted top-nine presence.

The plan is for the top four teams in each conference to play a three- It was seeing Colorado Eagles players Pavel Francouz and Ryan Graves game round-robin against each other that will determine the first-round prove they could serve in full-time roles on a surging Stanley Cup seedings. Meanwhile, the next eight teams in those conferences will face contender. Or how star rookie defenseman Cale Makar parlayed his 10- off in a best-of-five play-in series. game playoff cameo success into something sustainable when he was healthy. This all turned into Francouz winning 21 games and being a Here’s what that all means for the Avalanche. They will participate in the stable presence when Philipp Grubauer was either injuries or three-game round-robin because they possessed the second-best record inconsistent. Graves and Makar went from being in their first full NHL in the Western Conference when the NHL suspended play. It also means seasons and worked their way into becoming the Avalanche’s first those games will come against the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights defensive pairing, a role previously held by Girard and Erik Johnson. Those decisions have steered the Avalanche into the Stanley Cup front- runner discussion while simultaneously leading some to believe Sakic could be a heavy favorite to win the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

Arguments have been made that it appears Sakic and his staff have constructed a roster that potentially has everything needed to be a long- term contender that could win a Stanley Cup someday.

But is it possible “someday” could be right now?

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174946 Colorado Avalanche No. 6 Carolina vs No. 11 NY Rangers

No. 7 NY Islanders vs No. 10 Florida

NHL announces initial plans of 24-team return to play format No. 8 Toronto vs No. 9 Columbus

By Aarif Deen milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.27.2020

May 26, 2020

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman officially announced details of the leagues 24-team return to play playoff format on Tuesday — the first of any professional North American league.

The top four teams in each conference will play round-robin games amongst each other and have an automatic bid in the first round of the playoffs while seeds 5-12 will play a best-of-five play-in round to determine the other four participants in each conference. The Avalanche will join St. Louis, Vegas and Dallas as the top four seeds in the western conference.

The NHL has been on pause since March 12 due to COVID-19 concerns. Details on when and where the games will be played have yet to be determined. Although the NHL has limited its options to 10 cities in which two hubs will be selected to host each conference. Rigorous testing will take place on a daily basis in each hub.

“At the pause, we committed to resuming play only when appropriate and prudent,” Bettman said. “We are hopeful the Return To Play Plan will allow us to complete the season and award the Stanley Cup in a manner in which the health and safety of our players, on-ice officials, team staff and associated individuals involved are paramount. Accordingly, an essential component of the Plan is a rigorous, regular schedule of testing.”

Bettman also announced that the regular season has concluded, including all team and player stats. Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon led the team in scoring for the fourth consecutive season accruing 35 goals and 93 points in 69 games. MacKinnon and the Avalanche will play three games before the first round of the playoffs with an opportunity to catch the Blues for the top seed in the west. Colorado trails St. Louis by two points with a game in hand.

“I’m glad we don’t get a bye. I’m glad we’re not sitting around watching teams play,” MacKinnon told TSN’s . “That’s a big layoff. The lower seeds would have a huge advantage so it’s great that we can play some meaningful games against the top teams in the west for seeding.”

Once the round-robin and play-in round is complete, the NHL will either reseed teams based off ranking or go straight into a pre-determined bracket. Bettman did not confirm that the first and second rounds of the playoffs will be a best-of-seven series, introducing the possibility that they could also be a best-of-five before the conference finals, which along with the Stanley Cup Final will be a traditional best-of-seven.

“I think that’s a pretty good format how they’re doing it,” MacKinnon told Dreger. “There’s no perfect way. Everybody had to get creative but it seems like a pretty good place to start.”

The NHL is still in Phase 1 but is expected to transition into Phase 2 by early June. Phase 3, which is a formal training camp will happen no earlier than July.

“While we are anxious to open camps as soon as possible, we don’t envision doing so before the first half of July,” Bettman said.

Bettman also left open the possibility that the Stanley Cup Final could be played in the home cities of the finalists.

Western Conference play-in round:

No. 5 Edmonton vs No. 12 Chicago

No. 6 Nashville vs No. 11 Arizona

No. 7 Vancouver vs No. 10 Minnesota

No. 8 Calgary vs No. 9 Winnipeg

Eastern Conference play-in round:

No. 5 Pittsburgh vs No. 12 Montreal 1174947 Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.27.2020

NHL approves 24-team postseason; Blue Jackets get No. 9 seed

Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch

May 26, 2020 at 7:35 PM

Columbus is in the running to be one of the hub cities in which the games will take place. The league has not decided when the play will begin, likely after July 1. The Jackets will face the No. 8 Toronto Maple Leafs in a five-game series.

The 2019-20 NHL regular season is officially complete, and the Blue Jackets are one of 24 teams to have made the playoffs.

In a Tuesday afternoon news conference, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the league’s plans for the resumption of league play. And while specific dates are not yet known, the qualifying teams and plans for how the league will determine a Stanley Cup champion this season have been set into place against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The top 12 teams in each conference based on points percentage will play at a future date in two hub cities, which will be selected from a group of 10 finalists that includes Columbus.

When the postseason gets underway, the No. 9 seed Blue Jackets will face the No. 8 Toronto Maple Leafs in a five-game series — presuming it is safe to do so.

"This plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion that has run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL," Bettman said. "Our fans are telling us in overwhelming numbers they want us to complete the season if at all possible. Our players are telling us they want to play and to continue their season."

The league and the NHL Players’ Association had been working toward a resumption of league play since the season was suspended March 12. On Friday, the union’s executive board approved the continuation of negotiations toward the 24-team playoff format.

Other candidates for being a hub city are Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

Each of the qualifying teams will be allowed to travel a maximum of 50 people to their hub city.

Bettman’s announcement came one day after the league released a memo detailing its second phase toward restarting the season. Under the new guidelines that are set to go into effect sometime in early June, players will be permitted to participate in non-contact group workouts of up to six players that will include on-ice time but no instruction from coaches.

Players will undergo COVID-19 testing multiple times per week and be subjected to temperature checks upon arrival to team facilities.

The memo also mentioned the final two phases of the plan, a training camp and then the resumption of play, but did not provide details or a timeline for either.

Bettman said Tuesday that the expectation is for Phase 3 to start no earlier than July 1, with the league anticipating that it will play during the summer and into the early fall before crowning a champion.

The top four teams in each conference will begin play with a round-robin first round while the remaining eight teams will play best-of-five series. From there, the league will stage conference-based playoffs based on seeding. Bettman said the qualifying and first two rounds will be completed in roughly a month from their start date.

Bettman also said the plan is for the NHL to play a complete 2020-21 season.

"As we seek some return to normalcy, this is an important day," Bettman said. "We cannot wait for our players to hit the ice again."

1174948 Columbus Blue Jackets it often feels more genuine in hockey. It’s rooted in the culture of the sport, going back to the NHL’s Original Six days.

"We always hear the stories about Gordie Howe and all those guys, and Blue Jackets players eager to return to ice, but fans will be missed how all they wanted to do was just play the game," veteran player agent Rick Curran said. "All they wanted to do was play in front of the fans and compete for the Cup, and I think that, although so many things have Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch changed over the years, the one thing that hasn’t changed is that bond between players and the fans." May 26, 2020 at 6:16 AM Curran, for example, has a friend in Philadelphia who was nearly brought

to tears recently after learning that legendary former Flyers goalie Bernie Here’s a thought worth pondering as the NHL forges ahead with hopes of Parent had moved into a place nearby. finishing its 2019-20 season: If a team wins the Stanley Cup and no fans "He couldn’t believe his good fortune," Curran said. "He couldn’t believe are around to see it, does it really happen? that he would be living in a place with Bernie Parent down the street, Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the NHL to pause the which just shows you the adulation and the relationship between the fans season March 12, we might learn the answer this year. Short of a and players. vaccine or miraculous decline in infections by September, when the "The reason fans have felt that way is because of the players. They’ve Stanley Cup finals is most likely to be held, games will be played in really felt like the players are in this for them." arenas devoid of fans. NHL players have fostered that feeling over the years. It has become a After players bump elbow pads following the final game, there will likely tradition for them to flip pucks over the glass to fans after warmups or be no live booing of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, no flock of even hand them game-used sticks as keepsakes. Fans, meanwhile, have photographers scurrying on the ice, and nobody occupying the seats to crafted homemade signs with messages to their favorite players and watch the winning team parade hockey’s biggest prize around. pressed them against the glass during warmups. Speaking of parades, there almost certainly won't be a corresponding "I can only imagine going out for a warmup and having, literally, nobody Stanley Cup parade attended by thousands, either. in the stands," Savard said. "You have your routines, and with some At least, not until much later. guys, throwing pucks to fans is part of their routine, so it’s definitely going to be different. Playing games in front of people, that’s what makes it "I have thought about that, talking at dinners with people," Pierre-Luc fun." Dubois, the Blue Jackets’ 21-year-old center, said recently. "I mean, to me, for the rest of my life it would just be the Stanley Cup. It’s still a Winning isn’t bad on its own, though, especially if it ends with the Stanley Stanley Cup, and even if you don’t have fans in your memories, maybe Cup. And every NHL player has played inside a largely empty venue at it’s not in the pictures and videos but you’re still going to be with your some point, even if they were just kids when they did it. family. So it wouldn’t be a letdown to win this year’s Cup. It just wouldn’t be the "And then, when it’s safe to go back, even if it’s a year after, I’d hope to same. have a parade. Even if the next year’s Stanley Cup is given to another "If we won, I would definitely hold it high and still be happy," Savard said. team, I’d still hope to have our parade with the fans." "For guys who’ve already won it, it would be a sad one because there’s In the Blue Jackets’ case, it would take five rounds to win the Cup no crowd to cheer you (like before). But I would still be happy to win the instead of the usual four. The NHL is close to gaining full approval for a Cup, you know?" 24-team format to conclude the season, which would pit the Jackets A second later, he added a kicker: "But it would be way more fun to have against the highly skilled Toronto Maple Leafs in a "play-in" best-of-five people in the stands cheering for you." round to determine the traditional playoff field of 16.

Running a five-round gauntlet would be a challenge. Doing so without a single soul cheering from the stands could be even harder, though the Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.27.2020 lack of in-person fan support would apply to all 24 teams.

"It’s definitely not going to be as fun, as players," Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard said. "We feed off the crowd, so I think it’s going to be something that is really weird, that I never thought I would get to experience in the NHL. But I don’t think there’s a way around it right now."

Discussions are taking place about how to make up for the vacant seats with audio-visual technology, an attempt to provide excitement for players in the arena and fans watching on television. But nothing can truly replace the feel of an electrified building.

If anybody knows that, it’s Elvis Merzlikins.

The Blue Jackets rookie goaltender became a star in the Swiss league by drawing energy from cheering crowds, and his best moments in the NHL have occurred on the brightest stages, including his first career shutout, in Las Vegas.

"As everybody knows, I’m trying to steal energy from fans, from the atmosphere and from everything," Merzlikins said last month. "I’m not going to have anybody who I can steal that energy (from), so it’s going to be different.

"But still, we want to play hockey and we really are missing hockey, so maybe we are going to be so happy to play that hockey game that we are not going to realize there (are) no fans."

The bond between hockey players and fans is not a one-way street.

Players aren’t the only ones who will miss their interactions with fans. Autographs and selfies with players are part of all professional sports, but 1174949 Columbus Blue Jackets Power forward Josh Anderson had shoulder surgery in March, so he’s two months into a four-to-six month rehabilitation. It was thought that his season was finished — and possibly his Blue Jackets career, as trade Blue Jackets’ return to play guide: How NHL’s 24-team format impacts rumors are swirling — but if this “restart” drags into August or September, Columbus Anderson could make it back to action.

The only player who can be ruled out is center Brandon Dubinsky, who has missed the entire season and might never play again because of an By Aaron Portzline arthritic wrist.

May 26, 2020 A refresher

When last we saw the Blue Jackets in action — a 2-1 win in Vancouver on March 8 — the makeshift lines and pairs looked like this: They were gutted by losses in free agency last summer, then hammered with an unceasing, unrivaled wave of injuries — a left-right combination F1: Alexander Wennberg-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Emil Bemstrom that would have brought a lesser team to its knees. F2: Gustav Nyquist-Boone Jenner-Nick Foligno When the NHL hit “pause” on the season, the Blue Jackets were holding on to the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, perhaps the most F3: Kevin Stenlund-Riley Nash-Eric Robinson improbable of all the NHL clubs still in the hunt for the postseason. F4: Stefan Matteau-Devin Shore-Jakob Lilja

The Jackets’ 19-2-5 run beginning in early December is still hard to D1: Zach Werenski-Ryan Murray fathom, even given the gift of hindsight. It was propelled by a bunch of minor-league call-ups and helped along by the play of two young D2: Vladislav Gavrikov-David Savard goaltenders who had as many question marks as attributes. D3: Markus Nutivaara -Andrew Peeke We might have witnessed coach ’s best work, the latest proof that few coaches are better at wringing talent out of a roster and Now, plug the healthy bodies into the mix, and you have — on paper nobody is more accomplished at fostering an “us-against-the-world” (computer screen?) — a much more formidable group. mentality in a dressing room. One other name to keep in mind before you make the next step is But it can be said, too, that few teams stand to benefit from the pause forward Liam Foudy, who played two games earlier this season while still quite like the Blue Jackets, who had an NHL-high 419 man-games lost to a member of the London Knights of the OHL. He no longer has to juggle injury. his days, as he’s been told to be ready to play with the Blue Jackets.

With just three wins in their previous 15 games (3-6-6), the Jackets were Foudy is a center by trade, but he’ll likely break into the NHL as a speedy starting to show signs that the injuries were catching up to them. Losing left-winger. Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Joonas Korpisalo and Zach Werenski There’s no telling how exactly Tortorella will configure his lineup, but at different times was one thing, but losing Seth Jones was quite another. here’s a good guess based on historical tendencies …

The last 10 weeks have given many of the Blue Jackets’ long-term F1: Nick Foligno-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Oliver Bjorkstrand injuries a chance to heal, and players who thought their seasons were finished now have a chance to see it through. F2: Gustav Nyquist-Boone Jenner-Cam Atkinson

The Blue Jackets would face Toronto in the play-in round of the 24-team F3: Alexandre Texier-Alexander Wennberg-Emil Bemstrom format approved by the NHL and NHLPA and announced by the league F4: Liam Foudy -Riley Nash-Eric Robinson on Tuesday. D1: Zach Werenski-Seth Jones “We really became an even tighter team through this season,” Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno told The Athletic in April. “We’ve always D2: Vladislav Gavrikov-David Savard been really close, but we added some new guys into the mix this year because of the injuries. Guys came up from (AHL) Cleveland and really D3: Markus Nutivaara-Ryan Murray added to the group. Facing the Leafs “You’d like a chance to finish your business. Who knows where this Quick explainer: The Leafs and Blue Jackets were seventh and eighth in season was going to go, but that’s the fun part. We’d like a chance to the conference standings at the pause. But, as the seedings are based finish it and see what we can do, but I think we know we’re a team that on points per game, they slide to eighth and ninth after getting can do some serious damage.” leapfrogged by the New York Islanders. The biggest, best news The Islanders have 80 points in 68 games (1.18 per game), and the Blue Cam Atkinson, hobbled most of the season by a high ankle injury, was Jackets and Leafs each have 81 points in 70 games (1.16). set to return to the lineup against Pittsburgh on the day the NHL halted The Jackets and Leafs are in a dead heat in the standings, but they the season. One can safely surmise that the additional three months’ rest couldn’t be more different in the way they play the game. can only help with such a nagging injury. The Leafs are an explosive offensive club, ranking third in the NHL at But that’s just the start of the good news on the injury front. 3.39 goals per game. Only Tampa Bay (3.47) and Washington (3.42) Seth Jones, who fractured an ankle Feb. 8, has been skating for over a have scored more goals. month now and is expected to be 100 percent healthy. But the Leafs are also one of the worst defensive clubs in the league. Oliver Bjorkstrand, who fractured an ankle two weeks after Jones, is Only five teams have allowed more goals this season, and only one of expected to be ready, too. those five (Florida) is part of the 24-team format that gets to continue playing. That’s a 40-goal scorer (Atkinson), a perennial Norris Trophy candidate (Jones), and the Blue Jackets’ leading goal scorer (Bjorkstrand) all set to The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, are one of the stingiest clubs in the league return when the season resumes. defensively, allowing 2.61 goals per game. Only Boston (2.39) and Dallas (2.51) have allowed fewer goals. Also, the Blue Jackets expect forward Nathan Gerbe (abdominal surgery) and defenseman Dean Kukan (knee) to be ready, and forward Alexandre The struggle for the Jackets is on the other end of the ice. They average Texier (stress fracture, lower back) is said to be nearing completion of a 2.57 goals per game, ahead of only four teams. long rehab. So, a classic skill vs. checking matchup, right? A best-of-five series, Defenseman Ryan Murray had been in and out of the lineup though, doesn’t leave much time for adjustments or fine-tuning, which could benefit the Leafs. “The offensive side is so natural to the guys,” Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard said. “It wouldn’t be too hard for them to be sharp.

“We would really need to focus on the defensive side and make sure we’re checking. If we haven’t played in a while, it might be hard to have our defensive game be as strong as it was all year. We would use those two weeks of training camp to really prepare and get ready.”

The Leafs and Blue Jackets played twice this season: a 4-1 win by the Leafs on Oct. 4 (opening night) in Nationwide Arena, and a 4-3 overtime win by the Blue Jackets in Toronto on Oct. 21, a game that ended on Gustav Nyquist’s overtime penalty shot game winner.

Does the new format hurt or help?

This format is literally a lifesaver for the Blue Jackets. Any format that would have allowed only the top eight teams in each conference to advance (points percentage, or each team’s record through 68 games) would have excluded them.

So a chance to keep playing is all they wanted. Everything after that is just details.

Burning questions

• The Blue Jackets used the downtime to negotiate and sign contract extensions with goaltenders Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins. Both are now signed through 2021-22, but nobody expects both to stay in Columbus that long. Which player will get the chance to open these playoffs? Does Tortorella plan to keep both active or play the hot hand? If one goaltender plays exceedingly well and carries that club, is that the first indication of whom they keep? It will be fascinating to watch this develop.

• Anderson has had an awful season (one goal in 26 games), and it has felt all season as if the relationship between the player and the club is fractured. If Anderson heals and is able to play for the Blue Jackets late this summer, it would be a huge boost. (Remember how he made an impact on that first-round upset of Tampa Bay last spring?) But it remains to be seen whether Anderson will ever play for the Blue Jackets again. He’s an RFA this coming offseason and he owns arbitration rights, which means one way or another — accept his qualifying offer or get a contract through arbitration — he can be an unrestricted free agent one year from now. Will he want to play without an extension in place? Will he negotiate a contract of more than two years?

• What role does Foudy play? He’s not a polished finisher yet, but he can stretch any defense because of his blinding speed. On a team that’s starved for skill and speed, he might see an active role.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174950 Dallas Stars Obviously, our American Airlines Center speaks for itself. So, we check all the boxes. We’re excited to be in on it, and hopefully we’ll get selected.

Stars gain playoff berth in new NHL format, road to Stanley Cup could go “I don’t know how they’ll ultimately select the two. I know what the criteria through Dallas was and, like I said, we meet it. We check every box. So if they don’t select Dallas, it’ll just be they wanted to play it somewhere else, I guess. There’s no reason why we wouldn’t be selected for this.” By Matthew DeFranks The hub cities will have “secure hotels, arena, practice facilities and in- 8:51 PM on May 26, 2020 market transportation,” Bettman said. Bettman said each team would be limited to 50 people in a hub city, with a small number of support staff

permitted at the event level. All season, the Stars searched for an X beside their name, hunting for a “For various reasons, we are also not announcing at this time which two playoff berth. Now, they have one. cities will serve as our hubs,” said Bettman, who later said the NHL would As a result of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s announcement likely make a decision on hubs in three or four weeks. “Things are Tuesday outlining the league’s return-to-play guidelines, the Stars evolving rapidly and when we decide on locations, we want it to be on the emerged as big winners of the format. The NHL is planning to resume its best available information at the time that we need to make that season with a 24-team playoff format in which Dallas would not only determination. ... The final determination will depend on COVID-19 receive a berth into the first round of the playoffs, but also it could conditions, testing availability and government regulations.” improve its seeding in a round-robin tournament before the postseason On Monday, the NHL released a 22-page memo outlining how the league starts. would implement Phase 2, or small-group workouts at team facilities. Bettman did not announce a date for the resumption of games. Those would not begin until early June and are limited to six players per session. Bettman also said that Phase 3, or training camp, would not “Obviously, we anticipate playing over the summer and into the early fall,” begin until the second half of July. Bettman said. “At this time, we are not fixing dates because the schedule of our return to play will be determined both by developing circumstances The league also announced a draft lottery that would include the seven and the needs of our players.” teams that will not be returning to play and the eight teams eliminated in the qualifying round. The top four teams in each conference by points percentage — Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia in the East and St. Louis, Alberts said the league had not communicated what the new format Colorado, Vegas and Dallas in the West — have qualified for the first would mean for television broadcasts. Typically, a team’s regional round of the playoffs. Each conference will hold a round-robin among television partner also broadcasts the first round of the playoffs in those teams to determine seeding. addition to NBC or NBC Sports.

Bettman said regular-season points percentage will be used as a While the NHL’s announcement Tuesday was a good sign, it does not tiebreaker for the round-robin standings, meaning the Stars could not win immediately impact the Stars’ furloughs, Alberts said. The announcement a tiebreaker over the Blues, Avalanche or Golden Knights. Otherwise, does “expedite the conversation” of returning Stars employees to work, there is no advantage for regular-season performance, and any of the though. four teams could finish at the top. On May 14, Alberts announced a second round of furloughs that affected Should the Stars jump all the way to No. 1, they would jump the Blues, most of the Stars business staff through July 3. who led Dallas by 12 points in the standings. The worst they could do is With the regular season complete, Alberts said anyone who would like a No. 4, which is where they already are. refund for tickets purchased can request one and will receive one. For The remaining eight teams in each conference will play a best-of-5 series season ticket holders, that means through a sales representative. Should in the qualifying round to move into the first round and play one of the top season ticket holders not request a refund, it will count as credit for next four teams in the conference. Bettman said the NHL has not decided season. For single-game purchases through DallasStars.com, fans would whether the league would use a fixed-matchup bracket to determine have to request a refund through Ticketmaster. round-by-round matchups, or whether it would re-seed after each round.

With Bettman’s announcement, the Stars were one of eight teams in the Dallas Morning News LOADED: 05.27.2020 league to clinch a playoff spot. It marks the first time since 2008 that the franchise made the postseason in consecutive seasons. This season, the Stars overcame a 1-7-1 start to the season, the firing of coach Jim Montgomery, the euphoria of the Winter Classic and a season-ending six-game losing streak to qualify.

The Stars entered the NHL’s suspension on March 12 in fourth place in the Western Conference, with a four-point clutch on a playoff spot. Now, the round-robin offers the Stars the ability to move up in seeding in the West.

The Stars could also be playing at home during the postseason.

Bettman named Dallas as one of 10 cities still under consideration as a hub city. The others were Chicago, Columbus, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. One hub city will host the Eastern Conference teams, while another will host the Western Conference teams.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, however, said the league could also move the host team to the other hub in order to even the playing field among all teams.

Stars president Brad Alberts said the team had a Zoom meeting with the league about a month ago to go over the criteria for being a host city.

“We have everything that they’re looking for,” Alberts said. “The fact that we have eight rinks with 16 sheets of ice. Every team can have their own sheet of ice. We’ve got plenty of practice areas for everyone. We’ve got great hotels that are close to the arena that can host the teams. 1174951 Dallas Stars The Stars coaching staff has held meetings throughout the stoppage about what went right and what didn’t during the season. Those conversations could lead to an alteration in deployment when it comes to Stars return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Dallas forward usage.

Their path to a Stanley Cup:

By Sean Shapiro In all likelihood, Dallas will have to get past the Blues in the second round. St. Louis has been their nemesis in recent years: In 2016 and May 26, 2020 2019, the Blues bounced Dallas in a Game 7, and the defending Stanley Cup champions have a mental edge against Dallas in big games. Simply

put, even in regular-season tilts, the Stars have faltered in big games Thirteen weeks have passed since the Dallas Stars won a game. against their division rival.

After defeating the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 25 in Raleigh, Dallas lost In order for Dallas to be a legit contender, they’ll either need to get over six straight and the NHL shuttered during a global pandemic. the St. Louis hex or have another team knock the Blues out for them.

Now, with the NHL officially announcing a 24-team return-to-play format Their chances of winning it all: on Tuesday afternoon, the Stars are getting a fresh start as one of the Dallas isn’t a favorite, but they are a contender because of their strong top four teams in the Western Conference if the plan is seen to fruition. goaltending and the improved chances of getting the best version of The losing streak may still be fresh for some fans, but for players and Benn in this tournament. Benn’s physical style doesn’t hold up well over coaches it’s been such a long break that any negative momentum is long an 82-game season anymore, but being well-rested coming in this could gone. bring out the best version of Benn we’ve seen since 2016. Where they were when the shutdown began: Many of the Stars’ offseason moves were designed around having The Stars were in a free fall when the NHL shuttered, as that six-game players for a playoff finish. No one has experience in this type of losing streak was accompanied by a huge inability to score. It was tournament, but there is potential for a player like Joe Pavelski or Corey reminiscent of the start of the season, when Dallas had fallen flat out of Perry to have a larger impact than they had in the regular season. the gate with a 1-7-1 start and looked destined for the draft lottery in

October. The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 Despite the slow start and slow finish, the Stars remained solidly entrenched as a top-three team in the Central Division thanks to their play in between those dry spells. Dallas could have been a contender for the Central Division title, and they were in February, but streakiness kept them from remaining a consistent threat to the St. Louis Blues at the top of the division.

Dallas was a soft-shooting offensive team throughout the season, but the frustrations hit another level during their skid, as they scored four combined goals in their final four games, which included back-to-back shutouts at the hands of the Nashville Predators and Juuse Saros.

What the new format means:

Dallas gets a bye past the play-in round, so that’s a positive for the Stars.

Dallas will play in a four-team round-robin with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights to determine the top four seeds. There is no systemic advantage based on regular-season performance; all four teams have an equal chance of winning the top seed.

The Stars’ first-round opponent is fluid based on both how the round- robin tournament plays out and on format factors that still have to be finalized. The NHL hasn’t determined yet if there will be a bracket or a re- seeded setup, meaning Dallas could play any team ranked fifth through 12th in the first round; which is still to be determined as a best-of-five or best-of-seven.

This format means the Stars are in, but the rest is up in the air.

Does the new format hurt or help?

Avoiding the play-in round helps the Stars; it’s one less opportunity to be eliminated. They’ll still have to get past St. Louis at some point, which has been a hurdle Dallas hasn’t handled well in this era.

How the time off impacted the team:

Stars captain Jamie Benn said back in April that the stoppage came at the most ideal time for a team because of the skid and how they needed to recalibrate. There weren’t any major injuries for Dallas, but there were minor nicks and health concerns – Alexander Radulov for example, had missed time recently due to illness.

Those minor things have improved with time, while the bigger question will be how Stars interim coach Rick Bowness has used the time away to assess his team. Two of the Stars’ top offensive threats, Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz, were getting limited ice time before the stoppage, while Bowness has admitted the Stars need to score more if they are going to compete. 1174952 Detroit Red Wings

Where the Detroit Red Wings stand in revamped NHL draft lottery

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 5:38 p.m. ET May 26, 2020 | Updated 10:13 p.m. ET May 26, 2020

The Detroit Red Wings have some clarity as they move forward with their rebuild — if the NHL resumes playing this summer.

They still have the best odds of winning the right to draft forward Alexis Lafrenière, the jewel of this year’s draft.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman held a televised news conference Tuesday to announce details regarding the 2020 draft lottery. Fifteen clubs are eligible to win the first three overall selections: The seven teams that will not be part of the 24-team playoff format — the Wings, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres — plus the eight clubs eliminated in the qualifying round of the playoffs.

If Wings get No. 2 pick: Steve Yzerman looks to Germany again

The Wings (17-49-5) were guaranteed a last-place finish when the NHL paused the season March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. They have the same odds — 18.5% — of winning the first pick as if the season had been completed.

The Senators have the second-best odds, at 13.5%, plus the third-best odds, at 11.5%, because they own San Jose's pick.

Basically, the seven non-playoff teams have the same odds as in previous years.

The procedure potentially will need two phases. The first lottery will be held June 26. There will be three separate draws to determine each of the first, second and third overall selections. Each drawing will include the seven non-playoff teams, and place-holders for the eight teams that will be eliminated in the qualifying round (assigned letters A through H).

If Wings get No. 3 pick: Wings won't resist appeal of Quinton Byfield

If a draw is won by a non-playoff club, the pick belongs to that club (or, if it has been part of a trade, to the trade-partner club).

If all three draws are won by non-playoff teams, there will not be a Phase 2 of the lottery.

If, however, any of the three picks end up in the possession of a place holder, there will be a Phase 2 lottery conducted between the qualifying round and the first round of the playoffs.

In that event, the assignment of the remaining top three selections will be determined through draws including only the clubs eliminated, with each having identical odds (12.5%).

In theory, a team like the Edmonton Oilers, who earned 89 points — 50 more than the Wings — in the now-concluded regular season, could wind up with the No. 1 overall pick if they are eliminated in the qualifying round of the playoffs.

Once the top three picks are determined, the remaining clubs will be slated in reverse order of the 2019-20 points percentage.

A date for the draft has yet to be announced.

In explaining the lottery, Bettman said the format was adopted “in order to maintain the distribution of lottery winning odds that were in place entering the 2019-20 season. … Teams that do not resume play have the same odds of claiming one of the top three selections as they would have had” if the schedule had been completed.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174953 Detroit Red Wings

No Detroit Red Wings hockey until January? NHL says it's possible

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 4:42 p.m. ET May 26, 2020 | Updated 7:40 p.m. ET May 26, 2020

It could be 10 months before the Detroit Red Wings play again.

That was part of what emerged Tuesday as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman laid out a scenario for the NHL to resume the 2019-20 season, 11 weeks after it was paused because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Wings, whose 17-49-5 record on March 12 guaranteed a last-place finish, will not be called upon to play the 11 games remaining on their schedule, as the NHL will proceed directly to a 24-team, two-city playoff format.

During an evening Zoom call with reporters, Bettman said the league wants to play 2020-21 in its entirety, even if staging the 2020 playoffs means pushing next season until “the start of January.”

The Wings were eliminated from playoff contention Feb. 21. They, along with the Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres will not play again until the 2020-21 season.

Under the revised playoff format, the top four teams in each conference will play for first-round seeding.

The remaining eight teams in each conference will play a best-of-five series to advance to the first round.

The format and length of the first and second rounds have yet to be determined, but the conference finals and the Stanley Cup finals will be best-of-seven.

Twelve teams from the Eastern Conference will be assigned to a hub city, and the other 12, from the West, will be assigned to the other hub city.

Bettman listed a handful of cities up for consideration as a hub city, including Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Toronto, but Detroit was not one of them. He declined to announce hubs or dates until "it is prudent."

It is the fourth straight season the Wings have missed the playoffs. General manager Steve Yzerman has not been made available to the media since the Feb. 24 trade deadline. In addition to finalizing plans for his second draft since taking charge of the rebuild, offseason planning includes the future of coach Jeff Blashill, and signing restricted free agents including Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi and Robby Fabbri.

Bettman emphasized the league will not return to play until medical authorities have deemed it safe to do so. “Let me reiterate,” he said, “while we are hopeful, it is our goal that we will be able to resume play and award the Stanley Cup, we intend to do so within a time frame that will enable us to get back to a full calendar for the 2020-21 season."

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174954 Detroit Red Wings Tigers general manager Al Avila took over in the second half of 2015, overseeing 4½ seasons; Lions GM Bob Quinn has been in charge since 2016 (four seasons); Pistons senior adviser Ed Stefanski has had two years on the job, and Wings GM Steve Yzerman is one year in. It has been 1,500 days since Detroit sports' last playoff win. The outlook is bleak But summer might bring better news, and of course, it won't be happening on the field, ice or court: The Red Wings will enter the NHL lottery with the best odds — 18.5% — of winning the No. 1 overall pick, and the Pistons are fifth with a 10.5% shot at winning the NBA lottery. Marlowe Alter, Detroit Free Press So, forget championships, who do you think will be the next Detroit team Published 6:02 a.m. ET May 26, 2020 | Updated 10:33 a.m. ET May 26, to win a playoff game or, God forbid, advance to the next round? 2020

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.27.2020 Five top prospects in the 2020 NBA draft who could help the talent- depleted Detroit Pistons. Wochit

Tuesday marks another milestone in the fall from grace of Detroit sports:

It has been 1,500 days since any of the city's core four professional teams of the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons won a playoff game.

And the outlook is bleak, with all of the franchises at some stage of a rebuild (vote in our poll at the bottom of the story).

Detroit has lost 10 straight postseason games since its most recent playoff win, on April 17, 2016, by the Red Wings, when Petr Mrazek pitched a 2-0 shutout in Game 3 vs. Tampa Bay at Joe Louis Arena (R.I.P.) in the first round. The Wings lost the next two games and the series, and haven't been to the playoffs since.

Petr Mrazek celebrates a 2-0 win over Tampa Bay, April 17, 2016 in Detroit.

The Pistons were swept as an eighth seed in 2016 (by Cleveland) and 2019 (by Milwaukee), and own an NBA-record 14-game playoff losing streak, dating to 2008 in a series vs. Boston.

The Lions last made the playoffs Jan. 7, 2017, losing 26-6 in Seattle. We know their history: They've been rebuilding for more than 60 years, with one playoff win since 1957, and the NFL's second-longest playoff winless drought (1991), behind Cincinnati (1990) — more than 10,000 days since their last playoff win.

And the Tigers haven't been to the postseason since 2014, swept by Baltimore in three games.

But they do have Detroit's most recent playoff series win: The 2013 team won the American League Division Series in Oakland in a winner-take-all Game 5.

The Tigers and Red Wings both finished with the worst record in the league in their most recent season; the Lions were third-worst, and the Pistons fifth-worst:

• Lions, 3-12-1, .219 win percentage, No. 3 pick in 2020

• Tigers, 47-114, .292 win percentage, No. 1 pick in 2020

• Pistons, 20-46, .303 win percentage

• Red Wings, 17-49-5, .315 win percentage

As for championships, the city's last title came by way of the 2008 Red Wings, who bested Pittsburgh in six games.

The last time Detroit went championship-less in a decade before the 2010s was the 1970s, and the current drought is the longest for the Motor City's core four since a 16-year stretch from 1968 to 1984.

The other three- or four-sport cities with title droughts longer than Detroit’s 12 years are Tampa Bay (16), Phoenix (19), Atlanta (25) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (29).

The 2012 Tigers are the last team to play for a championship, losing the World Series 4-0 to San Francisco. Their last title came 35 seasons ago in 1984 — after Washington's win last season, only seven MLB franchises sport longer title droughts — but don't worry. Cleveland is by far the worst, with a 71-year drought dating to 1948.

Coaching and front-office turnover have been plentiful, with Wings coach Jeff Blashill the city's longest-tenured coach at five seasons (2015- present). The other three coaches are all two years in. 1174955 Detroit Red Wings Christmas Day now, I think really allows us to take more of the focus as the NFL starts to wind down their season and it allows us to go into the summer, post-NFL — and post-NHL for that matter — and really have that period of time to ourselves.” Niyo: As the sports world tries to reengage, it's time to get creative That was the case for NASCAR, too, as it revved its engines and reaped some rewards for being the first U.S. sport to return to action this spring, first with its simulated iRacing series that drew surprising TV ratings and John Niyo, The Detroit News then with a fan-less restart at Darlington Raceway after a 10-week hiatus. Published 11:01 p.m. ET May 26, 2020 | Updated 5:19 a.m. ET May 27, And now NASCAR officials are making up for lost time — and revenue — 2020 with a condensed schedule that also includes prime-time racing on weeknights, something stock-car fans haven’t seen since the mid-1980s. Will it stick?

They often make it sound like they’re reinventing the wheel, these “As long as the TV ratings are good,” said Kevin Harvick, who won that commissioners and owners and league executives. And for once, maybe first race back at Darlington two weeks ago. “That's what drives our sport, it’s not much of an exaggeration. the amount of people watching TV. If the TV ratings are good, it's good for everybody.” Just listening to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman describe his league’s revised format for its draft lottery on Tuesday probably sent some of you And if you ask Denny Hamlin, who won the rain-shortened Toyota 500 into concussion protocol. last Wednesday, “Everything needs to copy-and-paste. Certainly, I think, there's an opportunity for us to own the summer where there's less sports “This is a bit complicated, as if what I’ve already told you hasn’t been,” going on. Bettman said after he’d unveiled the NHL’s plans for deciding a Stanley Cup champion. “And I apologize for that.” Kevin Harvick (4) makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday in Darlington, S.C. But apologies aside — and the league definitely didn’t do the Red Wings any favors, by the way — here’s the bottom line: If necessity is the “I mean, NASCAR has a great fan base as it is, no matter what's on TV. mother of all inventions, maybe this pandemic will help sports reinvent But I think the fans and a lot of people have spoken about midweek themselves in ways fans ultimately can appreciate. races. It's unfortunate that we're in the position that we are, that it's forced our hand to do it. But I'm really happy that we've got the That’s the hope, anyway, spurred by just a few of the made-for-TV opportunity now to be on a bigger stage on our own during prime-time on events we’ve already seen as professional leagues and broadcast a weeknight.” partners are forced to get creative to produce live sports programming for the masses these days. For now, at least.

It worked for the NFL, which plowed ahead with its offseason and then Major League Baseball is busy trying to find a way to return later this received rave reviews — from inside the league and out — for its summer and reclaim its territory, with a more regional schedule and an successful virtual draft in April. expanded postseason. So are the NHL and the NBA, as those two leagues try to finish the 2019-20 season and give TV rights-holders a Or take Sunday’s celebrity golf showcase, as another example. The real playoff payday that was contractually promised. Among the return-to-play benefit of “The Match 2,” featuring Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom proposals that’ve been discussed in both leagues are some ideas that Brady and Peyton Manning, was the $20 million it raised for charity, are long-overdue for implementation. And others that are worth a look, at obviously. But the unexpected benefits are still out there if the PGA Tour least. — and other sports entities that surely were watching — are willing to think outside the box, as it seems some are. The NHL’s plan includes an expanded playoff field with a play-in round featuring best-of-five series, before embarking on a more-traditional Much of what we saw Sunday at Medalist Golf Club will be hard to Stanley Cup playoffs. That’ll bring more major-market teams into the mix replicate, of course. Putting together a foursome of Hall of Famers — this year, and perhaps a few wrinkles that’ll be worth considering in the with 20 major championship wins and eight Super Bowl rings between future, including a return to reseeding between rounds. them — sending them out on a private course in a downpour with live microphones, and piping in on-course commentary from Charles Barkley, The NBA, meanwhile, has some intriguing options on the table, including Justin Thomas and other sports stars, produced some pants-splitting fun. a 20-team playoff proposal that would feature a World Cup-style group But it wasn’t a real competition — Tiger and Phil were even wearing stage before advancing to three rounds of traditional best-of-seven shorts (gasp!) — and nobody’s job was at stake. series. With the league focused on playing all the remaining games at one location — Disney’s sports complex in Orlando — it also paves the Still, in the absence of other live sporting events, the match also way for a format many have lobbied for in the past, seeding playoff teams produced some huge television ratings, averaging 5.8 million viewers on 1 through 16 without consideration of conferences. Travel was often cited a holiday weekend and making it the most most-watched golf telecast in as a reason not to go that route, but now that won’t be an issue. the history of cable TV. The charity event also was the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter all day — mostly at Brady’s expense as he sprayed shots Frankly, with so many obstacles in the way and so few expectations, it all over the front nine and sulked about it like one of the guys on your golf actually makes it easier to give some of these ideas a shot. Especially trip. with no fans in the stands to worry about, and plenty of worries about how many will be there when they are allowed back. “It was a little awkward, I’m not gonna lie,” Manning laughed, as he recapped how it all played out in an interview on "The Rich Eisen Show" “I want to change things around,” Cuban said. “You know me, I’m a Tuesday. mover and a shaker. I want to experiment. … I think we’ve got to change it up some. We can’t just go the old tried-and-true way.” But the truth is, when it comes to the games people play — and watch — all bets are off at the moment. Which is all the more reason why the folks They can’t, and it appears they won’t. If it doesn’t work, so be it. As in charge need to gamble a little. Even as they try to cut their losses, Cuban explained Tuesday, “We’ll test it out first. We’ll see how the whether that means pushing the envelope with in-game eavesdropping market responds.” But based on the early returns, they might be and behind-the-scenes access — the PGA Tour has a golden opportunity surprised what they find. there when it resumes play next month and makes its way to Detroit for the Rocket Mortgage Classic over the July 4th weekend — or throwing out some of the old playbooks when it comes to scheduling and the like. Detroit News LOADED: 05.27.2020 That seems like close to a sure thing for the NBA, which can use a delayed finish to the 2019-20 season to push back the start of next season — and future ones — from late October to late December.

“Historically, over the summer you have fewer households using television, but the game has changed dramatically,” Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told NBC Sports on Tuesday. “And so starting 1174956 Detroit Red Wings The Wings also have 12 restricted free agents to deal with this offseason, including forwards Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi and Robby Fabbri.

Draft lottery odds End of Red Wings' season brings 18.5-percent chance to get No. 1 pick 1. Detroit Red Wings: .275 points percentage, 18.5% chance

2. Ottawa Senators: .437, 13.5% Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 3. *Ottawa Senators: .437, 11.5% Published 9:25 p.m. ET May 26, 2020 | Updated 5:07 a.m. ET May 27, 4. Los Angeles Kings: .457, 9.5% 2020 5. Anaheim Ducks: .472, 8.5%

6. **New Jersey Devils: .493, 7.5% ••Detroit — From the Red Wings’ perspective, Tuesday’s NHL news pretty much mirrored the Wings’ season — not great. 7. ** Buffalo Sabres: .493, 6.5%

As expected, the NHL announced a Return to Play Plan that will see 24 8. Team A: 6.0% teams — the top 12 in the two conferences based on winning percentage — return for four rounds of playoffs and the awarding of the Stanley Cup. 9. Team B: 5.0%

With that announcement, the Wings — with the NHL’s worst record — 10. Team C: 3.5% along with six other teams saw their regular season end and offseason 11. Team D: 3.0% begin. 12. Team E: 2.5% The NHL paused March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. 13. Team F: 2.0% With no season to come back to, general manager Steve Yzerman can now fully concentrate on the Entry Draft and the future of coach Jeff 14. Team G: 1.5% Blashill. 15. Team H: 1.0% Of most importance Tuesday for the Wings, in terms of NHL news, were the details of the draft lottery to be held June 26. ►Note: Teams A-H to be determined after qualifying round of NHL playoffs. And that also was mildly disappointing for the Wings. ►* Acquired in a trade with San Jose, which had .450 points percentage. There was rampant speculation earlier in the month about instituting a different lottery format, which for the Wings, would have given them an ►** Buffalo ranked higher than New Jersey on the basis of higher over 50% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick — and at worst getting regulation/OT win percentage. the No. 2 overall selection.

But that plan was scrapped, along accelerating the draft to early June — Detroit News LOADED: 05.27.2020 although the lottery was modified slightly from its current format.

The Wings still have an 18.5% of winning the lottery, but Ottawa has a 25% given it has the second-worst record (13.5%) and San Jose’s pick (the Sharks had the third-worst record, and an 11.5% chance of winning the lottery).

The Wings have a 16.5% chance of drafting second and a 14.4% chance at drafting third.

The eight teams that lose in the in the first-round play-in round will also take part in the lottery. The NHL will use placeholders for those teams in the June 26 lottery, designating them as teams A-H.

Bettman said there will be three draws, as usual, on June 26 and if they’re won by teams that aren’t competing in the play-in round, there will not be a need for a second phase to the lottery.

But if at least one play-in team wins one of the draws June 26, there will be a second phase of the lottery between the play-in round and round two of the playoffs.

The top pick is expected to be forward Alexis Lafreniere, a prolific offensive player out of the Quebec major junior league.

Forwards Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle, and defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Jake Sanderson, are the other projected top several picks.

After the Red Wings and Ottawa, Los Angeles (9.5%), Anaheim (8.5%), the New Jersey Devils (7.5%) and Buffalo (6.5%) are the lottery teams.

As for Blashill, the Wings have a team option to bring him back, which would be the second year on a two-year contract.

Yzerman has been supportive of Blashill’s work this season, despite the team’s 17-49-5 record.

But Yzerman could decide to bring in his own hired head coach — Blashill was hired by previous GM Ken Holland — especially with an accomplished list of head coaches available this offseason without jobs.

Former Yzerman teammates, Gerard Gallant and Lane Lambert, are two of the potential coaches who could intrigue Yzerman, although both could receive offers elsewhere 1174957 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' season over, NHL moves ahead with 24-team playoff

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News

Published 1:15 p.m. ET May 26, 2020 | Updated 5:28 a.m. ET May 27, 2020

Detroit — The Red Wings' regular season is done and they can now prepare for the draft lottery.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Tuesday the league will return sometime after July to a 24-team playoff format — the top 12 teams from each of the Eastern and Western conferences playing in two hub cities that are yet to be determined.

Bettman set no exact dates for a return.

The NHL paused its season March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the 24-team format, there will be an opening-round, best-of-five play-in round, followed by three following rounds capped by the Stanley Cup Finals. The second round has yet to be determined whether it'll be a best-of-five or best-of-seven series, although the final two rounds will be best-of-seven.

The Wings had the NHL’s worst record — 17-49-5 — and were the lone NHL team mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Detroit, Ottawa, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, New Jersey and Buffalo are the seven teams staying home under the 24-team playoff tournament.

With no regular season to resume, general manager Steve Yzerman can now officially prepare for the offseason and issues to tackle, with the future of coach Jeff Blashill chief among them.

As for the draft lottery, it will take place June 26, the date of the original Entry Draft was expected to take place.

To be sure, it's a complicated process.

The first, second, and third overall picks will be up for grabs on June 26 with the seven lottery teams and eight teams currently identified as Teams A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H (teams who are in the first round play- in).

The lottery odds are the same as prior years, with the Wings holding an 18.5% chance of landing the first pick. But Ottawa has a 25% chance overall holding their own (second-worst record) and San Jose's (third- worst record) picks.

Assigning teams to the letters will come in a Phase 2 lottery after the qualifying round but before the playoffs.

If the winner of the No. 1 pick comes from a team other than the seven draft lottery teams, the No. 1 pick will be awarded in the Phase 2 lottery.

Detroit News LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174958 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings look to June 26 draft lottery with same odds

Updated May 26, 2020; Posted May 26, 2020

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

The NHL draft will not take place until after the playoffs, which might not be until October.

But the Detroit Red Wings will know in one month whether they have landed Alexis Lafreniere.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed Tuesday that the first of possibly two phases of the draft lottery will take place on June 26.

Bettman, while announcing the league’s return to play plan, also said the draft will not take place until after the expanded 24-team playoff concludes.

With the announcement, the Red Wings are officially done for the 2019- 20 season. They finished 17-49-5 (39 points), with 11 games canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Red Wings maintain the 18.5 percent chance of winning the lottery they had after clinching last place overall before the NHL season was paused on March 12.

Bettman said the lottery will consist of three draws as usual.

Ottawa has the best chance of winning the lottery at 24 percent based on its 30th place finish (13.5 percent) and owning San Jose’s top pick (11.5 percent).

The chances for the other clubs not participating in the play-in round or playoffs are as follows: Los Angeles (9.5 percent), Anaheim (8.5 percent), New Jersey (7.5 percent) and Buffalo (6.5 percent).

The eight teams that lose in the best-of-five play-in round, which Bettman said will not begin before July 1, will also take part in the lottery. Since those teams are undetermined, the NHL will use placeholders for the initial phase of the draft (designating them as teams A-H).

If the three draws are won by teams that are not taking place in the play- in round, there will be no need for a second phase of the lottery. If a play- in team wins at least one of the draws, there will be a second phase of the lottery at a date to be determined.

The Red Wings have a 16.5 percent chance of drafting second, a 14.4 percent chance of picking third and a 50.6 percent chance of dropping to fourth, according to tankathon.com. They can select no lower than fourth.

The team that wins the lottery is expected to select Lafreniere, the high- scoring winger from Rimouski of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Many draft analysts rate center Quinton Byfield of Sudbury (OHL) and winger Tim Stuetzle of Mannheim (Germany) as the second- and third- top prospects.

Michigan Live LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174959 Detroit Red Wings In all likelihood, the only players really “helped” by this are those whose bodies needed a physical reset after a grueling season. That’s not insignificant, but they’ve already had that reset for the last two-plus months. Now, everything they do will be geared toward next season. Red Wings’ offseason guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Detroit If that means potentially not playing a game until December, that’s a ton of time between contests.

Preparing for the draft is the most important job the Red Wings have this By Max Bultman offseason, but chronologically speaking, the first order of business is an official decision behind the bench. May 26, 2020 Craig Custance reported in January that the Red Wings have seven days

after the conclusion of the regular season to decide whether to pick up The NHL has its plan for a return-to-play format this summer. But the Jeff Blashill’s option for 2020-21. If they do not, they would pay a Red Wings aren’t part of it. $300,000 buyout.

The league officially announced its plan Tuesday, based around a 24- GM Steve Yzerman has indicated a coaching change is not imminent. team setup that formally ends the season for the league’s bottom-seven After the Feb. 24 trade deadline, he said he did not plan to make any clubs in the standings. That means the Red Wings, who had clinched last decision until the season ended, but that “as of right now I don’t plan to place even before the league suspended its season in March due to the make a change.” COVID-19 pandemic, are done for the season. “It’s unfair to judge Jeff Blashill on our team’s record,” he said. “Really. It The fact the Red Wings won’t return at all this season, even if just for a is.” training camp and a handful of games, has significant implications. That’s Considering the roster with which Blashill was working, there’s certainly particularly true if the 2020-21 season is delayed from its usual October truth in that. At the same time, the team is coming off one of the worst start. seasons in recent league memory, and has finished in the NHL’s bottom Here’s where the Red Wings stand amid these latest developments. six the last four years. That’s the situation Yzerman will be parsing.

The Red Wings had 39 standings points in 71 games when the league hit Nailing the draft is of the utmost importance, since the Red Wings should pause, putting them on pace for 45 for the season. Anything fewer than be making their highest pick in 30 years. 48 points in an 82-game season would have been a record in the salary- The draft lottery — which the league announced Tuesday could include cap era, “surpassing” the 2016-17 Colorado Avalanche. (The 2012-13 one or two phases, depending on the results of the first phase — looms Florida Panthers finished with 36 points, but did so in a lockout-shortened large over their rebuilding effort. The most important date for the Red 48-game season.) Wings is the first draw, scheduled for June 26, prior to the resumption of To most observers, this Red Wings season will nonetheless stand as the play. If Detroit is going to win a top-three pick, it will be then. worst of the salary cap era. But there will now always be at least some A second drawing would occur only if any of the top-three picks are won question as to what would have happened in the final 11 games. Detroit by one of the league’s placeholder spots, in which case the teams had won two of its last three before the stoppage. involved in the play-in round would have an additional drawing to decide Most important to the long-term of the Red Wings, though: Their last- who gets that pick. place finish puts them near the top of the draft lottery, with an 18.5 There’s also free agency, both internal and external. Last year was fairly percent chance of landing the first overall pick. Ottawa, which also owns quiet in that regard for the franchise, but now it has two core pieces in San Jose’s first-round pick, has a combined 25 percent chance at picking Mantha and Bertuzzi in need of new contracts. They were both among first overall. the team’s top three scorers this season, with Mantha on pace for a The lack of a playoff berth means nothing, since that was already the career season had he not missed significant time due to injury. If the two expectation. But as 24 other teams get an opportunity to play and train sign long-term deals, those contracts figure to be important pieces of together, and build chemistry, Detroit gets less time to bring along young Detroit’s cap puzzle for years to come. players like Filip Zadina and Moritz Seider. That shouldn’t be discounted Externally, the Red Wings will likely need a new backup goalie behind in all of this. Jonathan Bernier, and could potentially add elsewhere in the lineup, too. While it’s easy to say the Red Wings’ players could still train together A veteran defenseman stands out among their potential needs, with informally even the potential opportunity to get together in small groups is Ericsson and Daley coming off the books and a number of young not the same as a formal training camp or practice schedule. It also blueliners moving through the system. means no NHL games for those young players, for whom every rep There’s also the matter of prepping players for what will be an matters extra. (Though for some, the cancellation of the AHL season may unprecedented kind of offseason. be more impactful in that regard.) So even with the season now officially over, the work is just getting In contractual terms, the NHL plan also guarantees Moritz Seider’s and started for the Red Wings. Joe Veleno’s entry-level contracts will slide a year.

Few players will be helped by this. While it does end the miserable feeling of losing that dominated much of this season, it also means no The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 chance to go into the summer on any kind of high note, like the team did last year. And for some individuals, it has major implications for this offseason.

Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Robby Fabbri all had fairly considerable stakes for their next contracts as restricted free agents, and they’re just three of the Red Wings’ numerous pending free agents this offseason. For players like Madison Bowey, Dmytro Timashov, Brendan Perlini, Adam Erne and Christoffer Ehn, those 11 games were the final chance to show they should be back as RFAs. Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley, meanwhile, lose the chance to have any kind of positive send-off with the franchise.

Goaltender Jimmy Howard also misses out on the chance to salvage anything from what has been a tough season all-around. He, too, may have unwittingly played his last game as a Red Wing as a result of this. 1174960 Detroit Red Wings playing exactly at this level (though uncertainty over next season’s salary cap makes it a bit harder to project).

Either way, though, those two players represent a sizable chunk of all the The Red Wings who provided the most bang for the buck this season “bang” the franchise is getting from its current roster.

Considering their cap numbers, it’s not shocking to see Frans Nielsen and Justin Abdelkader bringing up the bottom of this list. But that doesn’t By Max Bultman make it any less problematic, considering they have two and three years more remaining on their contracts, respectively. May 26, 2020 Less of an issue, but even more eye-catching, is Brendan Perlini’s tough

showing despite a very low cap hit. Perlini’s contract is up after this There are few places to look for a silver lining in the Red Wings’ 2019-20 season, and numbers like that certainly don’t help his case for a season. They spent almost the entire year at the bottom of the NHL qualifying offer. standings, and finished there by a clear margin. Some of their most Valtteri Filppula, meanwhile, remains the Red Wings’ second-line center exciting players missed significant time with injury. And the draft, going into the offseason. And while he has only one more year left on his supposed to be the prime source of excitement for the franchise amid all contract, the significant negative value he’s generating, even without that losing, still has no definitive timeline. factoring in his $3 million deal, should be a big red flag for the Red The same applies to the team’s cap sheet, where even some of the good Wings. His contract is not a long-term problem considering the rebuilding news comes with an asterisk. However, as the offseason starts coming state of the franchise, but if the team wants to meaningfully improve next into view, it’s important to break down the roster from a cap perspective, season, second-line center is one of the most obvious places to start. analyzing where the franchise is finding bang for its buck. Especially Finally, the most surprising outcome of the bunch: Technically, Robby since the team has plenty of roster decisions to make in the coming Fabbri graded out in the red despite a cap hit under $1 million. It’s just by months. a hair, but for the team’s fourth-leading scorer this season (and a player Today, we’ll look at the Red Wings’ roster from a purely bottom-line expected to be back in the top six next year on a new contract) it’s perspective, checking in how much value each skater created this nonetheless concerning, especially since he was one of the franchise’s season compared to how much money he earned (and how much cap main success stories. space he occupied). That is best accomplished by using Dom The explanation is likely related to Fabbri’s on-ice numbers at even Luszczyszyn’s Game Score Value Added, an offshoot of the Game Score strength. Detroit’s expected goals percentage was below 43 percent, and model he introduced to hockey in 2016. You can read about the model’s its shot share was below 45 percent, with Fabbri on the ice at 5-on-5, latest here. according to Natural Stat Trick. Both of those were below the team’s Essentially, once we have a player’s GSVA (or in this case, his GSVA/82, overall averages for the season. which is GSVA over an 82-game season), we can compare it to the It’s worth noting that Fabbri did still grade out with net-positive value by GSVA/82 that should mathematically be expected for his specific salary Evolving-Hockey‘s Goals Against Replacement metric, but even there, (listed as xWIN), and see how much (if any) surplus value he generated his even-strength defensive component was a dismal negative-4.7, the by subtracting the xWIN from GSVA/82. second-worst impact on the team. I probably don’t need to tell you that the picture isn’t particularly sunny for Because of the offensive impact he made, especially in terms of goal- this year’s Red Wings. scoring, it’s probably still fair to count Fabbri among the team’s For some context, on the top end of the GSVA scale, an elite player successes for this season. But defense looks like an area he’ll need to would be expected to have a GSVA/82 above 3, and a first-line player take some strides in. He’s up for his next contract this summer as well. would typically be between 1.8 and 3. The Red Wings do have a couple Defensemen of players in that range. A below-replacement-level player, on the other hand, is anyone below zero in the GSVA/82 column. There’s more than a If you thought the last section was tough to read, this one won’t get any few of those here, too. easier. Not only did none of the Red Wings’ primary defensemen grade out with surplus value this season, but most of them graded out deep into It should be noted, of course, that no single stat is perfect. Any one the negatives. And yes, that somehow includes Filip Hronek on a number can only tell us so much. $714,166 cap hit. But here’s how the Red Wings look when comparing their GSVA to their Patrik Nemeth’s -0.01 difference in value can essentially be read as cap hits for 2019-20. (Note: Any .01 discrepancies are due to rounding.) neutral, especially considering his GSVA/82 is positive and the team is in Forwards no way hampered by his $3 million cap hit, but the rest of the picture is pretty bleak. There may also be some crossover effects here, with Let’s start with the good news: The players the Red Wings most need to exceptionally poor play by the team hurting everyone’s individual be contributing surplus value did so this season. numbers. But it’s hard to give anyone too much of a pass for that.

Anthony Mantha, in fact, generated quite a lot: By GSVA/82, he grades For Hronek, who scored nine goals and was averaging around a half- out like an elite-level forward. Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi were quite point per game most of the season, on-ice expected goals percentage effective, too, though Bertuzzi’s $1.4 million cap hit certainly helped him looks like a likely culprit: Detroit generated just 42.48 percent of the 5-on- in the “difference” column. The same goes for Filip Zadina, who had a 5 expected goals while he was on the ice. That’s concerning, though it’ll solid showing in limited action this year, but was also playing on a cheap, be interesting to see what kind of rebound he has next season. In his first entry-level contract. full NHL season this year, Hronek played 23:54 per game, which ranked 18th among all NHL skaters. But even those positive numbers have a downside for the Red Wings: Of the four players who generated positive surplus value this season, two In that context, with a suboptimal supporting cast, it can’t be considered already need new contracts this summer. too shocking that his outcomes graded out this way.

That said, Bertuzzi’s and Mantha’s numbers are promising enough for Dennis Cholowski’s tough season shows up in these numbers, too, the Red Wings to still expect future surplus value from both, especially in though interestingly as an improvement over three players who ended up Mantha’s case. For context, Buffalo center Jack Eichel had a GSVA/82 of with more NHL games than him. Madison Bowey, a restricted free agent 3.41 this year, and, even on a $10 million cap hit, he managed to this summer, also came in with a tough number on a low cap hit. He will generate more value than expected at that price, according to Dom’s be one of the team’s most interesting decisions this offseason, in part model. because of the difference between negative outcomes like this, and the offensive flashes he showed at times this season. Bertuzzi seems like a solid bet to stay in the positive as well: If you figure that Larkin’s xWin matches Bertuzzi’s GSVA/82 almost exactly, then The Red Wings will shed the worst value contract of the 21 skaters listed Bertuzzi would just need to come in somewhere under Larkin’s cap in this article when Trevor Daley’s contract officially expires, which is a number to continue to be a surplus-value player, assuming he continues plus, but that alone won’t fix much unless Detroit also gets quick progress from its younger defensemen.

The bottom line in all of this is hardly a surprise: The Red Wings, who may have just had the worst season of the salary cap era, did not generate much bang for their buck this season.

If there’s any silver lining, it’s that the players who did manage to do so are both young and central pieces of the rebuilding core.

But much like the rest of the season, that’s about where the positives end.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174961 Edmonton Oilers 31 teams a chance to use all the necessary tools to build a team in the off-season.”

The Oilers could trade Jesse Puljujarvi’s rights for a 2020 draft pick. They It appears Oilers don't have to give Flames third-round pick for James might look to move Kris Russell’s contract which has one year left at $4 Neal million for a draft pick, provided they retained some salary. Maybe they decide to trade the rights to fellow defenceman Matt Benning, their underrated restricted free-agent, because they don’t want to qualify him at $1.9 million feeling Evan Bouchard could take his spot at lower money. Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal

May 26, 2020 6:58 PM MDT Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020

The playoffs haven’t started for the Edmonton Oilers but maybe they already have a small victory off the ice.

With the NHL deciding that the regular-season is over, Leon Draisaitl is the 2019-2020 scoring champion and James Neal’s 19 goals and not 21 should mean the Oilers get to keep their third-round 2020 draft pick and not hand it over to Calgary Flames as part of last summer’s Milan Lucic trade.

Capital MAYBE.

“That is my understanding that the (regular) season is over,” said Oilers general manager Ken Holland. “My understanding in the deal we made was the numbers were black and white, they were firm (21 goals for Neal). And you’re to look at the final stats. But because it’s a unique year, I’m not sure how everybody else is looking at it. I haven’t officially been told that.”

The Flames presumably would like Neal’s goals pro-rated with the Oilers still having 11 games to play but the NHL isn’t pro-rating Alex Ovechkin’s 48 to say he would have had 50.

“I don’t know how they’re handling player bonuses, like if a player on an entry-level contract needs 20 goals and only has, say, 18, what happens?. There’s still a lot unknown, let’s leave it at that,” said Holland.

Oilers have the 20th pick in the draft as of points percentage at the close of play March 11. They don’t have a second-round 2020 selection which was given to Detroit for Andreas Athanasiou. They don’t have a fourth in 2020 after acquiring Mike Green from the Red Wings, and that could be a third in 2021 if the Oilers reach the final four in the playoffs. That would be fine. Next year’s story.

But if they don’t retain their third in the Lucic/Neal deal, that’s a long time between calling another player’s name from first to the fifth round whenever the virtual draft is held sometime after the 24-team playoff ends, which could be in September if playoffs start, say, Aug. 1.

The fifth-seeded Oilers will be meeting Chicago (12th seeded) in the best-of-five play-in series. If they lose, they’re in the draft lottery. The eight play-in losers automatically go in the 15-team lottery with the seven teams (Detroit, Ottawa, Buffalo, New Jersey, Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose). They could win it, but their chances are on average, three per cent.

“The first seven teams have the same odds they normally would (draft lottery) and the play-in losers get (weaker) odds. It appears they’ve done a good job under difficult circumstances,” said Holland.

“Obviously the goal is to go on a playoff run and ultimately be the last team standing and be the Stanley Cup champion and be declared the best team. The importance for us is playing big games in the playoffs to grow individually and as a team.

“If you do lose the play-in series at least you know it’s a level playing field for all of those teams so they’ll pick in the top 15 or eventually get a pick 1, 2 or 3 after the lottery.”

After the success of the NFL’s virtual draft which got big TV numbers, the NHL was keen for the same thing in June with fans craving a hockey fix. But the GMs would rather have the draft at the end of the season because they can make hockey trades—players for picks or vice-versa. And the NHL listened.

“It’s an important time (draft after playoffs) for all teams, it’s when you build your team … it’s the off-season. What’s the salary cap going to be? We thought it might go to $84 million to $88 million (before the stoppage because o COVID-19). I don’t see that now. Is it staying the same ($81.5 million)? At the end of the day, some teams are looking to move some players, to do things with their salary cap,” said Holland. “This gives all 1174962 Edmonton Oilers Their odds would have been better had they played out the rest of the season than they will be in a five-game series with Chicago, which went 2-1 against the Oilers this year, but the Oilers still had to play their way in. It's official: Oilers in play-in series, Edmonton possible hub city “Obviously these are extraordinary and unprecedented times, and any plan for the resumption of play cannot be perfect,” said Bettman. “I am certain that, depending on which team you root for, you can find some Robert Tychkowski element of this package that you might prefer to be done differently. But May 26, 2020 9:24 PM MDT we believe we have constructed an overall plan that includes all teams that might have had a chance of qualifying for the playoffs when the season was paused. And this plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion.” TRAIKOS: It's flimsy and complicated, but the NHL has a plan and hopes to use ... For the purposes of statistics and awards, Bettman said the 2019-20 regular season is officially over, meaning Leon Draisaitl will become the Commissioner Gary Bettman made it official — as official as you can second Oiler in three years win the Art Ross trophy. make things at the tail end of a pandemic, anyway — by confirming and outlining the NHL’s 24-team playoff tournament. It also means that the Calgary Flames don’t get a third round draft pick that was conditional on James Neal scoring 21 goals this year (he In a state of the union address Tuesday afternoon, Bettman laid out the finishes with 19). format and rough schedule for the league’s return to play strategy, which the league hopes will begin with training camps in mid to late July and Many believe this is all happening so owners and players can stop over end with a Stanley Cup champion being crowned in early fall. $1 billion worth of financial bleeding that would result if there were no playoffs, but Bettman insisted money isn’t the primary reason they are “As we seek some return to normalcy, this is an important day,” Bettman pushing this through. said in his virtual address. “Since March 12, we have been hopeful and optimistic that by developing all options and alternatives we could get to “The reason we are doing this is because our fans are telling us in this point. There is light at the end of the tunnel.” overwhelming numbers that they want us to complete the season,” he said. “And the players want to bring the season to a rightful conclusion. Bettman also said the NHL hasn’t decided which two cities will serve as The economic consequences (of not playing) are terrible, but finishing host hubs, but did say Edmonton is one of the seven teams in the the season is more about finishing the season.” running out west, along with Vancouver, Chicago, Minneapolis-St.Paul, Dallas, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

He says the final decision, expected in three or four weeks, will be based Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020 on a variety of issues, with cases of COVID-19 in each city, the ability to test players and government cooperation, being high on the list. Edmonton has fewer than 60 active cases.

“We are not announcing at this time which two cities will serve as our hubs because things are evolving rapidly,” said Bettman.

“We don’t know what the world is going to look like in two or three weeks. We want to be in a position to make the best decision at the time and not lock ourselves into a place where maybe it won’t look so when we’re getting everybody ready to convene.

“Right now we believe all of the cities have the capability to do what we need done.”

The NHL can’t hammer out any firm dates yet because the future of COVID-19 in North America is still very much a mystery, but players are expected to begin Phase II (reporting to their practice facilities and skating in small groups) in mid June. The league hopes Phase III (actual training camps) could begin in the second half of July.

The fourth and final phase will be teams reporting to their Hub City and resuming play.

“At this time we are not fixing dates because the schedule of our return to play will be determined by developing circumstances and the needs of our players,” said Bettman, adding the league is prepared to play into October and start next season in December, if necessary.

“There’s a new normal out there in this world and we have to be adaptable. We’re in an era where all of us are dealing with things we’ve never had to deal with before. All of the major leagues in North America are going through the same thing.”

As expected, the format involves the top four teams in the each conference (based on winning percentage) competing in round robin to determine final seedings at the top. The bottom eight teams in each conference will be involved in best-of-five play-in series to determine who advances to the first round of the playoffs.

That would put the Edmonton Oilers in a best-of-five series with the Chicago Blackhawks.

It’s a little unfair, but it’s far from the gross injustice some people make it out to be. The Oilers were five point points clear of the playoff cutline on March 12, but there were still 11 games to go and Vancouver had two games in hand. There was a chance Edmonton wouldn’t make it. 1174963 Edmonton Oilers weather in July and August if the playoffs happen (then). Checks a lot of boxes.”

Hockey’s not going to be the same as it was. No hugging around goals, Former Oilers forward Sam Gagner has no dog in the expanded playoff no handshake line. No face massages in scrums. format fight “I can see the end of handshake lines (down the road). I don’t think I would miss it … it’s just what everyone does. I think players will adjust. I don’t think it’ll be an issue if that (tradition) leaves,” he said. “Hugging Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal after goals will be a tough one (to police). I don’t know, do you give guys penalties? You’re always excited to score. I don’t know that’ll work. May 26, 2020 11:04 AM MDT Maybe it’ll be the Ryan Johansen celebration (OT winner last fall for Nashville) where you just skate right off (ice).”

When you talk to Sam Gagner about the 24-team NHL playoff scenario, there’s a big shrug because he finished the season with the woeful Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Detroit Red Wings.

Their fan base cares only about the draft lottery and whether they win it to get first dibs on winger Alexis Lafreniere than who’ll be lifting the Stanley Cup after the NHLPA’s executive board voted 29-2 on the expanded list of teams.

Since, Gagner’s Red Wings were the NHL’s worst team at the pause on March 12, they had no dog in the fight over the vote and it was a rubber- stamp for them.Does 24 teams rather than 16 in a playoff format seem too many for Gagner?

“I wish they went with 31,” laughed Gagner, who played six games for Detroit before the stoppage, averaging 15 minutes a game. “I’m certainly jealous if it (playoffs) ends up happening … personally I’d love to have a chance at the playoffs whether it’s in April or July.

“It’s (playoffs) never going to be perfect. You’re not going to please everybody and the league’s doing the best they can to preserve the integrity of a normal playoff year and create as much revenue as they can given everything that’s happened. Not everybody loves it but as long as there’s a chance the league gets back to playing and everyone’s safe.”

So, Gagner, at his house here with wife Rachel and their three kids for the last two and a half months, isn’t wondering where he’ll be skating during phase 2 of the NHL re-opening early next month where six players can be on the ice at one time at team facilities. Gagner was traded in late February, along with two second-round picks, for Andreas Athanasiou.

“If I was on a team that was one of 24 considered to be in the playoffs I’d probably be looking for ways to skate,” said Gagner. “If I was in that predicament, I would find a way.”

But he’s not. The Red Wings had 39 points in 71 games at the NHL pause. They’re not part of the playoff picture, along with Ottawa, New Jersey, Buffalo, Anaheim, San Jose and Los Angeles. Gagner might not play a game for eight months if the 2020-2021 season were to start in November.

“Is it any different than the lockout years where you wouldn’t be back until January?” asked Gagner, who says he’ll watch the playoffs on TV. “I often watch with the volume off (TV) so I don’t think it (no fan noise in the building) will have any bearing.”

Only six guys in a rink in phase 2 seems surreal, no contact, disinfecting the areas where the players congregate.

“The whole world is in a surreal set of circumstances. The hockey aspect feels different but hockey players are a small part of what’s happening worldwide,” he said. “There’s still enough time … if things don’t totally open up (team training camps) until July, that’s six weeks away to ease yourself into it. That’s the point of phase 2, less intensity before you have to ramp things back up.”

The idea of two hub cities housing 12 teams apiece in isolation is a mouthful to get your head around but that’s what the NHL will probably come up with. Edmonton is certainly on the short list along with Vancouver; Vegas is the leading U.S. locale because of all the hotel space so close to T-Mobile Arena.

“If you had asked me two months about the idea, it would have seemed odd but if you can keep everybody safe, you think outside the box,” said Gagner, who certainly feels Edmonton is safe.

“I’m not a health expert but the COVID numbers are a lot lower here than in other places. You’d be able to quarantine players pretty well and the rink and facilities are obviously state of the art and first-class. It’s nice 1174964 Edmonton Oilers There are no lack of rules and regulations involved in Phase 2. On the ice, players will have to remain six feet apart with no physical contact and be required to shower at home.

JONES: NHL rinks could see action soon with initial return-to-play Prohibited from entering the team facilities during Phase 2 will be media, initiatives coaches and management, agents, massage therapists, chiropractors, player-performance personnel, family members or anybody else other than the Zamboni driver.

Terry Jones The five or six-player pods must be maintained through the entire duration of Phase 2, complete with daily testing just to gain admission to May 26, 2020 9:26 PM MDT the facility.

The document reveals that there will be a requirement for each player TRAIKOS: It's flimsy and complicated, but the NHL has a plan and hopes taking part to be tested 48 hours prior to reporting to each facility and to to use ... be tested twice a week.

One of the most interesting items in the 21-page Phase 2 document of One glance at the document and it’s obvious the work that has gone into the Return To Play project issued by both the NHL and NHLPA on it and the input from health authorities. Monday was this: Before a guy can even skate, he must have a swab inserted four Players are being informed that they can use an NHL facility in the area centimetres up his nose. And daily, at the door, will be temperature and where they reside even if they don’t play for that NHL team. symptom checks.

When it comes to Edmonton, that could be a bunch of interesting The player skating opportunity would be voluntary and the instructions for combinations of six-pack gatherings. dressing room sterilization and keeping players from each pod separated is substantial. And if Rogers Place becomes an NHL hub, there will be no lack of them returning from training camps with their teams to set up for up to two You can imagine how many pages the document might be for training months of playoff games here. camps in Phase 3 and actual games in Phase 4.

Consider the list. Reports suggest Phase 2 could kick in as early as next week, but there would be no time outline past that or decisions on hub cities or interaction From the area are: Jay Bouwmeester (St. Louis), Kevin Connauton with player families, the extent the players would be restricted to their (Colorado), Kirby Dach (Chicago), Deryk Engelland (Vegas), Taylor hotels and the answers to about a hundred questions the playoff players Fedun (Dallas), Nick Holden (Vegas), Tyson Jost (Colorado), Bryan Little will need to have answered. (Winnipeg), Colton Parayko (St. Louis), Jared Spurgeon (Minnesota) and Carson Soucy (Minnesota). There are a lot of devils in the details to be dealt with before you see a puck dropped. It kind of makes you wonder if this will all be worth it. And that’s just the Western Conference. A half dozen or so positive tests and everybody goes home. From the Eastern Conference, there would be a similarly long list.

Edmonton-and-area products include: Nicolas Aube-Kubel (Philadelphia), Johnny Boychuk (N.Y. Islanders), Jake DeBrusk (Boston), Brendan Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Gallagher (Montreal), Carter Hart (Philadelphia), Braden Holtby (Washington), Brett Kulak (Montreal), Riley Nash (Columbus), Mark Pysyk (Florida) and Colton Sceviour (Florida).

You could probably add a couple more pods of local players who will be brought up from the minors to be Black Aces for the 24 teams in the playoffs.

And what about the 25 guys from ? Their COVID-19 numbers on the flatlands are even lower than in Edmonton, where the city of 1.3 million was down to six positive tests from 5,756 tests in the last nine days with only 55 remaining active cases, five citizens remaining in hospital and one remaining in intensive care.

It might make a whole lot of sense to any of those guys who went home to Saskatchewan for the pause to stay away from some of their U.S.- based cities with their still escalating situations and abundance of COVIDiots ignoring social distancing.

And what about the 182 active Ontario-born players in the NHL, not all of whom are in the playoffs, one of whom is emergency back-up goaltender David Ayers?

If they all decided to make use of the Maple Leafs facilities, you’d have to put everybody on a round-the-clock schedule.

It’s normal for Edmonton-area players to prepare for training camps in camps arranged by Perry Pearn. But the teams may frown on it heading directly into the playoffs. Then again, it’s another case to be made for Edmonton to be made a hub city.

The NHL players from here wouldn’t even have to cross paths with an Oiler if the home team used the ice at Rogers Place, which is now being put back in with anticipation of being required soon, and the players from other teams could use the practice rink that is a built-in part of the facility.

Whatever, it’s not a problem the Golden Knights would have with all those players in the league from Nevada. 1174965 Edmonton Oilers minutes and 37 seconds of Stanley Cup hockey, Klima scored the winner.

Klima, obtained with Murphy and Graves in a trade with Detroit for Jimmy JONES: Has it really been 30 years since the Oilers won their last Carson, didn’t get on the ice until well into the third period. I remember, Stanley Cup? when it was over, having asked the happy hero when exactly he figured he might have taken his last shift before that.

“About 10 o’clock. Maybe nine o’clock,” he said. “I don’t care about Terry Jones having my name on a game but I care about having my name on the Stanley Cup.” May 26, 2020 3:00 AM MDT Jari Kurri pretty much insured that would happen in Game 2. The Oilers

didn’t practice the next day. They couldn’t have managed even if they’d When I first came to Edmonton to begin a career writing sports in this wanted to. city, it was 1967 and only a few months after the Toronto Maple Leafs “It’s going to take two days for our equipment to dry,” said Steve Smith. had won the Stanley Cup. “We all wore a couple of different sweaters. We all changed underwear Five years later, the Journal decided to put this large lad on the and socks at least three times. Everybody’s gloves were just sopping Edmonton Eskimos beat and assigned me to a special project a couple wet. It was tough to hang onto your stick.” months before training camp. Kurri scored playoff goals 92, 93 and 94 of his career and added a pair of They wanted me to immerse myself in Eskimos history and figured the assists on his 30th birthday in a 7-2 win. best way to do that was to assign me to produce a four-part series to fill And, yes, the other day, he just had his 60th birthday. the entire front sports page of broadsheet on consecutive Saturday’s about the legendary 1954-55-56 Grey Cup championship team. Funny how it works. I remember those two nights in Boston vividly, not to mention the night the lights went out there two years earlier. But for the For a month, I interviewed damn near every one of these ‘old’ guys who life of me, I can’t remember much about Game 3 and 4 in Edmonton were the glory of their times. except that the Oilers lost one and had to go back to Boston. Fast-forward to 2020. I remember Craig Simpson scored the Stanley Cup winner in a 4-1 win to It was 30 years ago this week, May 24, 1990, the Edmonton Oilers won put it away. But I particularly remember a quote from Charlie Huddy. their most recent Stanley Cup, and fifth in a span of seven seasons. How With a minute left Messier said the hell with it, and threw his gloves in the can those guys now be the ‘old guys,’ a full decade older than the ‘old air on the bench and started hugging people while, at the other end of the guys’ from the football team I interviewed back then? bench, Lowe, Gregg and Huddy looked at each other and started How can it be 30 years ago? laughing.

How can Randy Gregg be 64? I asked Huddy what that was all about.

How can Kevin Lowe be 61? “Somebody said we’ve got 15 Stanley Cups between the three of us. I couldn’t help but sit there thinking I turned a mediocre career into a pretty How can Jari Kurri and Charlie Huddy be 60? good one.”

How can Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson be 59? That couldn’t have been 30 years ago.

How can it be 30 years ago that Petr Klima came off the bench and scored the winner in triple overtime and the Oilers won their only Stanley Cup without Wayne Gretzky, and the only one that they ever won on the Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.27.2020 road?

New captain Mark Messier carried the Oilers on his back to get past the Chicago Blackhawks after eventual Conn Smythe-winning goaltender Bill Ranford, replacing the injured Grant Fuhr, had come up huge to inspire a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to get past the Winnipeg Jets back in the first round and get the Oilers back in the Stanley Cup final 11 months after Peter Pocklington sold Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings.

Edmonton had only been in the league for 11 years and this was their sixth final.

Funny the way it worked. Going back for their sixth final in a span of eight seasons to these guys seemed more like the first one than any of the others to follow.

“This year is extra special,” Messier had said upon arrival in Boston.

“It’s so unbelievable. These kids came so far, so fast,” he said of The Kid Line of Martin Gelinas, Adam Graves and Joe Murphy, who had only played three games together before the playoffs. “They’re seasoned veterans now. That’s what’s so great. That’s what going through three series can do for a player.

“And Billy … Billy Ranford found out that all he has to do is be Billy Ranford.”

We thought we were there to cover the Stanley Cup playoffs, not the Boston Marathon. But Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final 30 years ago will always be remembered as the Boston Marathon.

And you knew right then that Petr Klima’s name would live on in history for the game he didn’t play, yet managed to score the winning goal.

It was the longest game in the history of the Stanley Cup final. At 1:23 a.m., with 4:47 left on the clock in the third overtime period, after 115 1174966 Edmonton Oilers other hand, might be able to play, which would at least give Chicago a veteran top four (with Duncan Keith, Connor Murphy and Olli Maatta).

The Blackhawks’ biggest strengths remain players who have won with Oilers return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts them in the past: Keith, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Corey Crawford Edmonton and Brandon Saad, as well as newcomer Alex DeBrincat. This is a team in transition, though, one which had been prepared to give tryouts to young players over the remainder of the season. Those tryouts will now take place under far greater pressure. By Jonathan Willis Assuming the Oilers get past Chicago, a first-round date with the May 26, 2020 9 weakest of the four Western teams will follow. As it stands, that’s Dallas. Two of the three games between the Stars and Oilers this year went to overtime, with each team picking up a single win; the other game was a The Oilers’ path to playoff hockey is set. 2-1 Edmonton victory in which Mikko Koskinen made 34 saves.

After months of speculation, the NHL will not be bringing back all 31 How the time off impacted the team teams to play out a rump of a regular season, nor will they dive straight into a 16-team playoff. Instead, we’ll see a hybrid system, with the top The conference format and lack of a first-round bye is a significant four teams in each conference by points percentage jumping straight to negative for Edmonton. Other aspects of this long in-season pause will the playoffs and eight others competing in a play-in round for the right to tend to favour the Oilers. join them. The first item is health. Mike Green, hurt just two games after coming It’s a format with pros and cons from an Edmonton perspective, with the over at the deadline, will be healthy. So will Joakim Nygard, whose speed largest negative for the Oilers the shift from a divisional setup to a in a bottom-six role has been valuable. Edmonton should be able to enter conference system. action with a completely recuperated roster.

If the NHL had carried over its standard divisional approach to the The Oilers are also going to have an advantage they wouldn’t have playoffs, with or without wild cards, Edmonton’s second place finish in the received over the course of a normal season. They loaded up at the Pacific would have given it a bye through the first round. Instead, the deadline, adding Green, Athanasiou and Ennis. One of the drawbacks to Oilers slip behind Dallas, the gap between the two teams the difference retooling midseason is that players have to try and find their way in the of a single win. midst of a stretch drive. Now, Edmonton’s going to have a mini-camp in which to integrate those players and reconfigure its lineup. The conference format is arguably better than the NHL’s standard divisional approach, but no team is hurt more by the abrupt midseason The third point is that in 2019-20 Edmonton leaned on its top players decision to abandon divisions than the Oilers are. Much has been made more than almost any other team. of the fact that the Penguins will have to compete in a play-in round, but Draisaitl was first in average ice time among forwards, McDavid third and they’re the third-best team in their division and would have had to do so Nugent-Hopkins 18th. Oscar Klefbom’s 25.4 minutes per game ranked even in playoffs structured along divisional lines. fifth among defencemen, with Darnell Nurse narrowly outside the top 20 Edmonton is the only team that will now have to play an extra play-in at the position. All of those players will be rested rather than run down round because of the change. Dallas is the only team to get a bye. Much once the NHL season resumes. as when the Oilers had to pay compensation for hiring (the previously Every NHL team will be healthy and rested but the combination of an fired!) Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan, this is an example of the team active trade deadline and a top-heavy lineup should mean the Oilers get taking the full hit from a short-term NHL rule change. more out of the pause than most of their rivals. Where they were when the shutdown began The path to a Stanley Cup Things were going rather well for Edmonton when everything suddenly With little danger of falling out of the postseason, the addition of a play-in stopped. The Oilers had a 16-8-5 record from Jan. 1 on, recording the round will be an extra obstacle for Edmonton to overcome. That it will be sixth-best point percentage in the NHL over that span. five games instead of the chancier three, and that the opponent will be an No single thing drove the change, but it’s hard to overlook the fact that undermanned Chicago team makes life a little easier for the Oilers, but the Oilers began playing their best hockey once coach Dave Tippett this format disproportionately favours the top four teams in the separated Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl, at centre on a conference. line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at left wing and the freshly recalled Kailer That extra matchup – and given the parity in the league Edmonton can’t Yamamoto on the right side, was playing his best hockey of the season. afford to look past it – is an unpleasant wrinkle, but if the Oilers advance McDavid’s line hadn’t found the range but the trade deadline additions of anything seems possible. In the West, only Colorado had a substantially Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Ennis had given Edmonton some options better record than Edmonton in the 2020 portion of the season, and the on the wings. extra time to incorporate those trade deadline wingers will only make the Oilers’ 1-2 punch up front more dangerous. There were also high hopes for a first-round series against Calgary. The Flames were also playing exceptional hockey (16-10-2 in 2020) and the As it is, the Oilers won five of their 11 games against the top four teams two clubs played a series of wildly entertaining games against each in the West this season. An improved Edmonton team could go into a other. Ranked second and third in the Pacific and separated by just four seven-game series with any of them and stand a reasonable chance of points, it felt almost inevitable. winning four games.

Now that looming clash will now have to wait until both the play-in and Beating Chicago, knocking off two of those four Western powers in first rounds are concluded, if it happens at all. successive series and then topping the champion in a viciously competitive East is a lot to ask. The picture is much the same across the What the new format means board for any of the 16 teams stuck playing a preliminary round; the smart money is on the eight teams that won’t face that extra chance at Edmonton won’t get a first-round bye under a conference format but it will elimination. draw the weakest of the 12 teams in the West: Chicago. Even so, there’s a lot about Edmonton to like. Already extremely good at The Blackhawks were sellers at the deadline. Defenceman Erik the break, they’ve rested, refitted and are in prime condition to compete Gustafsson, who had averaged 20:40 per game, was shipped to Calgary. for the Stanley Cup. They also parted with Robin Lehner, flipping one half of their strong goaltending tandem to Vegas for Malcolm Subban and futures.

The injury news isn’t great for Chicago, either. Andrew Shaw, Zack Smith The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 and Brent Seabrook are all on recovery timelines that will likely keep them out of a play-in series against Edmonton. Calvin de Haan, on the 1174967 Edmonton Oilers number. Based on Holland’s history, adding more picks is going to be a priority.

The Oilers are slated to select 20th if the NHL holds the draft before Multiple choice: What might an Oilers trade at the 2020 NHL Draft look resuming the season. If they go back to the traditional post-playoff timing, like? as now appears likely, there’s a lot more wiggle room involved. Trade- down possibilities at the present time include the following:

Ottawa (currently 21st, courtesy of the Islanders and also 33rd). The By Jonathan Willis Sens have four second-round picks and two third-round selections. Moving up one slot may not appeal, but if a bigger gap opens up May 26, 2020 between the Oilers’ pick and the Islanders’ pick they’re a real possibility. Alternatively, how tempting is the possibility of walking out of the draft with four first-round selections? They gave Carolina a third-rounder to A year ago, the Oilers owned seven selections in the 2020 NHL Draft. move up from the No. 37 to No. 44 pick in 2019. Trades have since stripped them down to as little as four. Acquiring more picks is an obvious priority for the team’s management. How can that be N.Y. Rangers (currently 23rd). The Rangers have multiple third-rounders, done? and paid to move up and draft K’Andre Miller in this range back in 2018.

It’s worthwhile to point out first that the picks were not traded away Vegas (currently 24th). The Golden Knights have two third-round carelessly. selections, and in 2019 traded the No. 48 and No. 82 selections to San Jose for the No. 41 pick. Normally the cost to move up here is a second- Edmonton spent two second-rounders (in 2020 and 2021) on Andreas rounder, but one of their third-rounders originally belonged to New Athanasiou, a team-controlled 25-year-old who scored 30 goals in 2018- Jersey, so at least it’s fairly early in the third round. 19. Athanasiou’s an imperfect player and it’s reasonable to have doubts about his game, but by the same measure this wasn’t a short-term Philadelphia (currently 26th). The Flyers made trades to move up and gamble and it was placed on a player with real offensive upside. down in the 2019 draft, so they aren’t shy about this sort of thing. They don’t have extra picks, but do own a late second-round selection. The Oilers may (or may not) end up trading their third-round pick to Calgary as part of the James Neal deal, depending on how the NHL Los Angeles (currently 35th). This would be a big leap, but the Kings chooses to interpret the conditions on that trade. If they lose it, turning have three second-round picks along with a pair of selections in both the Milan Lucic into a 20-goal man will still have been worth doing. third and fourth rounds. An extra first-rounder might look tempting to a rebuilding team with a lot of selections, and L.A. spent a pair of picks to Finally, the team’s fourth round pick was moved in a rental deal with move up to the second round in 2019 so it fits recent organizational Detroit for Mike Green. Green skated 19:42 in his second game for the philosophy. Oilers, and appeared set to play a major role for the coaching staff, something which may still occur if and when NHL play resumes. As While the details in each case vary somewhat and playoff results could rentals go, a sub-100 pick for a defencemen logging those kinds of muddy the picture still further, this sort of trade is a very strong minutes is a value investment. possibility. Moving down and adding a second-round pick is a deal that Holland makes frequently and has often benefited from in the past; However justified the trades involving those picks were, though, it’s still exactly nobody should be surprised if he takes the same tack on draft important to get some back so as to stock a healthy development day. system. There are myriad ways to do this, but general manager Ken Holland’s history and the Oilers’ team dynamics suggest two obvious Trading Jesse Puljujarvi ones. If there were to be a June draft, Puljujarvi would be a rare asset: an NHL- Trading down for picks ready player available in trade. That now seems unlikely to happen, meaning he won’t be the only game in town, but he’s still an attractive This site looked at Holland’s record in the lead-up to the 2019 draft and trade piece: barely 22, a fourth overall pick and coming off a season in came to an inevitable conclusion: he likes to add picks by trading down. which he scored 24 times and recorded 53 points in 56 games (along His Red Wings had a first-round pick in 12 cap-era drafts; five times he with a plus-30 rating, for all the limited value of that statistic). traded down to add more selections. A draft following the season could feature an assortment of bidders, but Those five trades were as follow: the ones that stand out are the half-dozen teams with 10-plus picks: the Canadiens, Senators, Kings, Red Wings, Rangers and Maple Leafs. 2006: Detroit traded the No. 29 pick (Chris Summers) and the No. 152 pick (Jordan Bendfeld) to Arizona for the No. 41 pick (Cory Emmerton) Ottawa gets mentioned a lot as a trade possibility, but they probably and the No. 47 pick (Shawn Matthias). make more sense in a pick-for-picks trade than they do a Puljujarvi deal. Their AHL team this season was absurdly young up front and the Sens 2009: Detroit traded the No. 29 pick (Carter Ashton) to Tampa Bay for are going to have to integrate a boatload of good forward prospects as it the No. 32 pick (Landon Ferraro) and the No. 75 pick (Andrej Nestrasil). is. It’s hardly the ideal environment in which to add one more maybe. 2011: Detroit traded the No. 24 pick (Matt Puempel) to Ottawa for the No. The Kings, too, may be safely crossed off the list, given the already long 35 pick (Tomas Jurco) and the No. 48 pick (Xavier Ouellet). and unproductive relationship between Puljujarvi and Los Angeles coach 2013: Detroit traded the No. 18 pick (Mirco Mueller) to San Jose for the Todd McLellan. The same is true for Toronto, though for different No. 20 pick (Anthony Mantha) and the No. 58 pick (Tyler Bertuzzi). reasons: only one of their 10 picks is in the first three rounds.

2016: Detroit traded the No. 16 pick (Jakob Chychrun) and Pavel Montreal has plenty of room for a young forward or two. Its right wing Datsyuk’s cap hit to Arizona for the No. 20 pick (Dennis Cholowski), the depth chart is in good shape between Brendan Gallagher and Joel No. 53 pick (Filip Hronek) and Joe Vitale’s cap hit. Armia, but both will be unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2021 and having someone under longer-term control is a good idea. On balance, picking in bulk has been a good strategy for Holland. In a lot of these trades, the best selection was one of the lower picks coming Detroit arguably has even more room for forward help, though if general back the other way, which shows the tiny gaps between true pick value at manager Steve Yzerman had really wanted Puljujarvi he presumably this level. could have worked it out as part of the Andreas Athanasiou deal at the deadline. Two of those 10 picks this year are Edmonton selections. There’s something else in there, too. Between 2006 and 2016, years in which the Red Wings were always trying to win, the team never made New York and Edmonton have been frequently linked in rumour, in no fewer than five selections at the draft, and they averaged seven. Keeping small part because 2017 seventh overall selection Lias Andersson left a full stock of draft picks on hand was always a priority. the team at midseason to go play in Sweden (where he had 12 points in 15 games). Like Puljujarvi, there has been some depreciation since draft As it stands right now, the Oilers could have as few as four picks at the day, but it’s still tempting to project the intelligent centre as a future third- draft. That number could go as high as six, but four or five is the likeliest line pivot, something the Oilers could surely use. The possibility of dealing Puljujarvi and simultaneously trading down in the first round could leave the Oilers with an abundance rather than scarcity of picks. It’s also possible that moving down in the first round will make it easier for Edmonton to trade Puljujarvi for a more immediate return, such as a prospect who has already made strides since draft day.

Whatever approach the team takes, Edmonton will have some enticing trade possibilities at the 2020 draft.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174968 Edmonton Oilers In Year 1 with Detroit, Green played about 24 percent of his minutes (third pair) against elites and the numbers were solid. His offence (35 points) faded but the season was productive. Men playing ahead of him on the depth chart included Danny DeKeyser (42 percent vs. elites), Kyle Lowetide: Mike Green’s playoff role and possible future with the Oilers Quincey (40.7), Ericsson (37.6) and Kronwall (36.6).

Green took on far more of the load against elites in the 2016-17 season. He and DeKeyser posted similar numbers as Detroit got only 39 percent By Allan Mitchell of the shot share with those two men on the ice against elite competition. May 26, 2020 He was on the second pairing in 2017-18 and performed well enough to keep the job. The following year he spent a portion of the season in that role. Green was on the second pair in 2019-20 and remained there until The Detroit Red Wings last won the Stanley Cup in 2008, marking the his trade. third time general manager Ken Holland was the architect of a championship team. Those Red Wings deployed a defensive group that Green’s future was positively ancient but delivered a plus-73 goal differential on what After arriving in Edmonton, Dave Tippett used Green in a feature role could be described as a button-down defence crew. against elites and also deployed him on the penalty kill, suggesting to me The regulars ranged from Brett Lebda, a spry 25 at the time, through both coach and general manager believe there’s plenty left in the tank. Chris Chelios, who was 45 and universally thought to be on the backside Just two games, so a giant sample size warning but out of the box Green of his career — but no one could be sure. was playing a major role.

Holland as a general manager increased the talent pool available to his In two of Green’s final three seasons with the Red Wings, he held the team by trusting veterans while other organizations shopped feverishly in second pairing job enough to face elites more than 32 percent of the the department of youth. For Holland and Detroit, the bias against old time. In his final season, his performance was above average relative to defencemen meant fewer shoppers to overcome when pursuing free his fellow Detroit defencemen. agents or players in trade. The playoffs to come could improve Green’s bargaining position with the On July 2, 2007, Detroit signed 33-year old Brian Rafalski to a five-year, Oilers and if both sides can make the money work the veteran could be $30 million contract that would add another veteran to the club’s starting around for much of the remaining portion of Connor McDavid’s contract. six. News reports at the time had one other team offering a longer deal That’s what Holland’s history tells us. for more money, but Holland got his man and the replacement for his Green’s playoff role could include special team minutes and second own departed free agent (Mathieu Schneider, 37). pairing work on the right side against the Blackhawks. Tippett has The Stanley Cup team in 2008 didn’t just employ older defencemen, the several options but a healthy veteran playing on his strong side is difficult greybeards played big minutes. Via Natural Stat Trick, here are their to overlook. regular season numbers, with age listed and sorted by time on ice per Evan Bouchard on the third pairing is extremely likely next season, as game: early as opening night. Slow playing youth on defence is commendable The big minutes were chewed up by Lidstrom and Rafalski, Stuart helped but talent like Bouchard’s can help win games. after coming over at the deadline and Kronwall had a fine season as part What about Dmitri Samorukov? Philip Broberg? Filip Berglund? of the second pairing. Lilja and Lebda were underwater in goal differential but when the top two pairings are outscoring opponents 5-on-5 by getting During Holland’s time as general manager, legend has it drafted 6.5 goals out of 10, then the third pair isn’t as much of an issue. Chelios defencemen arrived well into entry-level deals (three years in length) or played just over half the season and was productive with those minutes. later. Is that true?

The Holland trend of employing defencemen age 30-plus continued Jiri Fischer, Niklas Kronwall and Dennis Cholowski saw NHL action through his final season with the Red Wings. In 2018-19, Mike Green during the first year of entry deals. Brendan Smith arrived late in the was 32 and there were three regulars who were older (Kronwall, second year of his first contract. Jonathan Ericsson came from the back Jonathan Ericsson, Trevor Daley). of the draft and arrived in the second year of his entry deal.

How does that impact the Oilers? What about Green? With a general Nick Jensen arrived well into his second contract. He is the only drafted manager in no hurry, what does that say about the kids on the farm and defenceman in the pool who reflects Holland’s slow play reputation. matriculating through the system? Let’s have a look. What does it all mean? Green’s past Holland’s belief in aging defencemen isn’t tied to a bias against young Green’s skills have eroded but he remains a good skater and puck blue and the Red Wings didn’t punish the kids by making them toil for mover. He was still getting two minutes a game on the power play in years on the farm. When they’re NHL-ready, the prospects move up. Detroit but the results in the last two seasons suggest he may not receive a 5-on-4 push in his next NHL city. His 5-on-5 shot and goal differentials What does that mean for Green? He can skate, has veteran savvy and were solid previous to 2019-20, when every Red Wings player saw his we know Holland will not hesitate to sign players at this age to free agent possession and goal stats step into an elevator shaft. deals. A strong performance in the coming playoffs may make the decision easier but even now it’s my belief there’s a reasonable chance One thing I believe we can say with some confidence: If Edmonton signs Green signs with Edmonton. Green, the veteran will need to be capable of playing second pairing minutes at least some of the time. What does that mean for Bouchard? He may start the season in Bakersfield and it’s possible the 2018 No. 10 pick spends an extended How well does Green play against the NHL’s best? Puck IQ is most period in the AHL, but he’s close and when Bouchard arrives it’ll be for a helpful when these questions arise, giving us information on deployment long time. That third pairing spot on the right side is his likely landing as a percentage of overall ice time and performance against the spot. toughest competition. Puck IQ even measures the quality of shots and gives us an idea about how individual defencemen are performing. I expect Holland will run the 2020-21 right side with Adam Larsson, Ethan Here’s Green since 2014, keep in mind that third pair options often play Bear and one of Matt Benning, Green or Bouchard. The only true 25 percent or less against elites: keepers are the youngsters (Bear and Bouchard) and the team doesn’t have anyone to replace a healthy Larsson. That’s the play here and can This offers us an outstanding look into Green’s usage before and during be accommodated by Bouchard starting the season in the minors and his time in Detroit. In 2014-15, his final season with the Washington awaiting a slump or injury. Capitals and last season posting over 40 points, Green played sheltered minutes while Brooks Orpik and John Carlson played the elites most Holland’s own history suggests Green is a player of interest. A cull is often. coming.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174969 Florida Panthers points of a playoff spot in the West. Each conference’s postseason will include two teams which didn’t control their own destiny at the time play was suspended.

The NHL officially has a return plan. Here’s how the Panthers made new “We believe we have constructed an overall plan that includes all teams playoff format that, as a practical matter, might have had a chance of qualifying for the playoffs when the season was paused,” Bettman said, “and this plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion, who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.” BY DAVID WILSON The NHL is the first major sports league to formally announce a return-to- MAY 26, 2020 04:41 PM play plan amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, the league announced it is ready to start moving into Phase 2 of its restart plan, which would allow teams to reconvene at team facilities for small, The NHL officially has a plan in place to resume and conclude its season, voluntary group workouts of up to six players. While it didn’t put a specific and the Florida Panthers will be involved. target date in a memo circulated to teams, the NHL is aiming for early June to begin Phase 2. The NHL plans to finish the season at two central locations with an expanded playoff field of 24 teams, meaning the Panthers, who were on WHAT ABOUT THE DRAFT? the outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture when the season halted in March because of the COVID-19 outbreak, will get to play in The expanded playoff format doesn’t mean there are only seven teams in postseason competition for the first time since 2016. Commissioner Gary the NHL Entry Draft lottery. Florida still has a chance at snagging a top Bettman announced the league’s plans Tuesday, just a few days after pick in the 2020 NHL Draft if it doesn’t get past the qualifying round. the NHL Players Association overwhelmingly voted to wrap up the This year, the lottery will potentially be conducted two phases with 15 current season with an expanded postseason field. teams ultimately making up the lottery. The first phase will happen in No dates have been determined yet, but Bettman said he hopes Phase 3 June before play resumes with the three draws taking place to determine of the return-to-play plan — the start of training camps — will begin in the top three picks. The seven teams whose seasons are done will be July, which would put a start date in late July or early August. Bettman joined by eight placeholder slots, representing the eight teams who will estimated the cost of the return-to-play venture at “10s of millions of eventually be knocked out in the qualifying round. dollars.” If the three draws are all won by the bottom seven teams, there will be no “Obviously, we anticipate playing over the summer and into the early fall,” second phase. If one of the eight placeholders wins any of the three Bettman said in a video detailing the NHL’s return-to-play plan. “At this draws, the pick will be awarded in the second phase of the lottery, which time, we are not fixing dates because the schedule of our return to play will happen after the qualifying round. The rest of the top-15 picks will be will be determined both by developing circumstances and the needs of determined by points percentage at the time of the league’s pause in the players.” March.

Florida (35-26-8) sat three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Atlantic Division when the season Miami Herald LOADED: 05.27.2020 ended, although the Panthers had played one fewer game. Florida also sat three points behind both the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets for the two Wild Card berths, with one fewer game played than the Blue Jackets and one more played than the Hurricanes. The New York Islanders and New York Rangers both sat ahead of the Panthers the Wild Card race, too.

Florida will meet the Islanders in the first round of the expanded 24-team postseason tournament. The Panthers and the other 11 East teams will all play at one site, while the 12 playoff teams from the Western Conference will play at a separate site. Teams will be limited to bringing 50 personnel to the sites, which will be named at a later date. Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Vancouver, Las Vegas and Minneapolis-St. Paul in Minnesota are all under consideration. Bettman said choices will be narrowed down in the next three or four weeks.

Testing will ramp up once teams arrive in the host cities. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said players will be tested every evening. Bettman said the league might need 25,000-30,000 tests. The NHL will shoulder the cost of tests in hub cities, but teams will pay for tests during training camps and other workouts. Rosters will also be expanded, although the exact number has yet to be determined.

“It’s expensive,” Daly said on a video conference, “but we think it’s really a foundational element of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

The top four teams in each conference will have a bye into the second round, while the bottom eight teams will compete in best-of-five qualifying-round series to fill out a more traditional eight-team conference bracket. In the new format, Florida is the No. 10 seed — based on points per game played and seeded without divisional concerns — and the Islanders are the No. 6 seed. The NHL has not yet determined whether the next two rounds — considered the first and second rounds — will be best-of-five or best-of-seven series, but the conference finals and Stanley Cup Finals will both be best-of-seven series. The league has not decided whether it will reseed after the qualifying round or simply stick with a bracket format.

Although only the Detroit Red Wings had been eliminated from playoff contention this season, the restart plan will exclude four other teams from the East and three from the West. Every team within 10 points of a playoff spot in the East will be included, as will every team within six 1174970 Florida Panthers incentives of winning and qualifying for the next round against one of the conference’s top-four teams or losing and entering the draft lottery.

“Obviously these are extraordinary and unprecedented times," Bettman Bettman announces NHL’s return-to-play plan; Panthers would face said. "But we believe that we have constructed an overall plan that Islanders in first round of 24-team playoff includes all teams that as a practical matter might have had a chance of qualifying for the playoffs when the season was paused. And this plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup Champion, who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.” By MAX MARCOVITCH

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Sun Sentinel LOADED: 05.27.2020 MAY 26, 2020 | 5:51 PM

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman formally announced a plan for the NHL to return to the ice Tuesday, featuring a 24-team expanded playoff format that would include the Florida Panthers. Bettman’s announcement comes on the heels of the NHL Players Association’s approval of the plan late last week.

Under this plan, which still features some hurdles before coming to fruition, the league would forgo the remainder of the regular-season schedule, jumping right into an expanded playoff. The regular season was initially placed on pause on March 12 amid the coronavius pandemic.

“Let me assure you that the reason we are doing this is because our fans are telling us in overwhelming numbers that they want us to complete the season, if at all possible,” Bettman said. “And our players and our teams are clear that they want to play to bring this season to its rightful conclusion.”

The Panthers would be the 10th-seed in the Eastern Conference, matched up against the seventh-seeded New York Islanders in a best-of- five qualifying round series. The top-four teams in each conference would earn a bye, squaring off in a round-robin tournament to determine seeding and regain competitive playing shape.

The last time the Panthers qualified for the playoffs, after winning the Atlantic Division in 2015-16, they were bounced by the Islanders in six games, capped by a 2-1 double-overtime loss. The Islanders also took all three matchups between the teams this season.

Still, the announcement offers a possible lifeline to Florida, who would otherwise be shifting its attention toward offseason matters. It would be just the sixth playoff appearance in franchise history, with only one of those appearances featuring at least one series win. Though the Panthers almost certainly won’t get to play in front of their home fans — or likely any fans at all — playoff hockey would be playoff hockey all the same.

Bettman said each conference would play in one hub city, though the specific locations have yet to be determined. He listed a host of potential hubs, including Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Vancouver and Las Vegas. Each hub city would implement a “comprehensive system of testing" and include practice facilities, hotels and transportation.

In an interview on NBC Sports, Bettman later left open the possibility of playing the later playoff rounds in the teams’ home cities and/or including fans, in the event circumstances allowed it.

In terms of timing, Bettman outlined a phasing system that began when the season was suspended. Phase 2 would begin in early June, with clubs returning to their home facilities for voluntary, small-group workouts. Phase 3 would involve opening training camps, a step he said the league could not envision happening "before the first half of July”. Phase 4 would see teams gathering in their hub cities for a resumption of play, a process that would likely go through the summer and early fall. All of this, he was sure to reiterate, remains fluid as circumstances could change.

“At this time, we are not fixing dates because the schedule for our return to play will be determined both by developing circumstances and the needs of our players,” he said.

Bettman’s announcement also included formal details regarding the NHL draft. The draft lottery, which normally features the 15 non-playoff teams, will include the seven teams who do not qualify under the 24-team format and the eight teams who lose in the qualifying rounds. That would have major ramifications for those first-round matchups, weighing the 1174971 Florida Panthers especially compared to what it was at the end of the year there. We sort of switched modes and became a defensive-minded team.”

The Panthers get a playoff rematch against the Islanders, the team that Panthers’ return-to-play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts knocked Florida out of the first round in 2016. Florida That year, the Panthers had the most successful regular season in their history. Florida won 47 games, earned 103 points and won the Atlantic Division by six points over Tampa Bay yet was beaten in six games by By George Richards the Islanders.

May 26, 2020 In this best-of-five matchup, the Panthers face a team they have not fared too well against of late — but at least John Tavares is in Toronto

and won’t torment the Panthers this time around. SUNRISE, Fla. — Despite what happened in February, the Florida In 2016, three of the six games went to overtime, and New York won all Panthers have made the playoffs. of them. Tavares scored five goals with nine points in the series and led Sort of. the Islanders to the decisive Game 6 win by tying that game late in regulation, then winning it in double-overtime. It may have taken an extended field of 24 teams, but for just the sixth time in franchise history, the Panthers have a chance to play for the Although Tavares is gone, goalie Thomas Greiss is not. Stanley Cup. Four years ago against the Panthers, Greiss was terrific as he made 40 Of course, had the NHL season continued under normal circumstances or more saves in three of the games (including 47 of 48 faced in Game 5) — which, we all know, did not happen — the Panthers could have made and ended the series with a .944 save percentage. the postseason on their own. Since that series, Greiss has continued to succeed against Florida. Over On the night of their final game before the league shut down, the the past four seasons, he is 4-1-0 against the Panthers with saves on Panthers had closed to within a point of the playoffs both as a wild card 147 of 154 shots faced (.955). He is 2-0 against Florida this season. and for third in the Atlantic Division. By the time the NHL put its season Semyon Varlamov has made most of the starts for the Islanders this on pause March 12, the Panthers found themselves three points out of season and he, too, has found success against the Panthers. In 12 the playoffs with 13 games left to play. career starts against Florida, Varlamov (who came to the Islanders as a And here we are. free agent from Colorado this summer) has won eight of them.

On Tuesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the 2019-20 Since last March, New York has won all four games against the Panthers regular season is now complete and teams will now move onto the including all three this season. The Panthers got points in two of those postseason. four losses (0-2-2).

The Panthers go into this 24-team dance as one of eight play-in teams in The Panthers and Islanders have not faced each other since Dec. 12, the Eastern Conference. when the Isles won 3-1 in Sunrise.

Of the 12 teams from the East, Florida is seeded 10th and will open up Things have not gone so well for the Islanders since the two teams last with a best-of-five-game series against the No. 7 New York Islanders. met. New York struggled going into the break as it not only lost a playoff spot within the Metropolitan but had also fallen behind Carolina and The winner advances to face the No. 2-seeded team in the best-of-seven Columbus in the wild-card race. quarterfinal round. Still, New York had 14 games remaining and its point-percentage of .588 On March 9, the Panthers visited the defending Stanley Cup champions ranked 11th in the league. Florida (13 games left) was tied with Nashville and pulled out a 2-1 victory in St. Louis. Backup goalie Chris Driedger for 15th at .561. made his third consecutive start coming off a groin injury. The Islanders went into the hiatus in free fall, losing seven consecutive The Panthers went 8-10-2 with Driedger on the shelf, but they were 2-0-1 games and winning just two of their final 10. upon his return and snapped an eight-game home losing streak on March 7 against Montreal before beating the Blues on the road. Although Things may have only gotten worse had the season continued: Their final it’s a small sample size, the Panthers felt they had turned a corner and game March 10 in Vancouver was the first of four road games with stops were back to where they had been before a disastrous February. in Calgary, Edmonton and Pittsburgh remaining. In their final 14 games, the Islanders were to play eight teams who were holding a playoff spot. On March 12, the Panthers were going for their third consecutive win in Dallas. That morning, the team started packing its stuff for a flight home So, while it appeared Florida was working toward a playoff spot and may instead. (or may not) have made it had the season continued, the Islanders looked like a team in danger of sliding further down in the standings. “We just started playing as well as we did before the All-Star break,” captain Sasha Barkov said in April. “We were feeling pretty good, playing By making the playoffs under this format, the Islanders could just be a with confidence.” team with nothing to lose.

When the standings were put on ice, the Panthers had earned 78 points The numbers in 69 games and sat in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, three Goals for: Panthers 3.30 per game (sixth in the NHL); Islanders 2.78 points behind Toronto for third in the Atlantic Division as well as three (22nd) back of both Columbus and Carolina for one of the two wild-card spots. Goals against: Panthers 3.25 (t-28th); Islanders 2.79 (ninth) By the time the break came, the Panthers appeared to be a team that had figured things out. All of a sudden, Florida was playing a very Power play: Panthers 21.3% (10th); Islanders 17.3% (24th) defensive-focused game. Penalty kill: Panthers 78.5% (20th); Islanders 80.7% (15th) In their final three games against Boston (2-1 OT loss), Montreal (4-1 win) and St. Louis, the Panthers blocked a total of 52 shots and had 13 Does the new format hurt or help? takeaways in each of those contests. The Panthers wanted to make the playoffs — no matter what or how. “The timing (of the hiatus) was unfortunate,” Driedger said earlier this Here is their chance to show what they’ve got. month. “I felt we were starting to get going as a team. Talk about buying In a short five-game series, Florida is going to have to be ready to go in? Look at the blocked shots in those three games. They were off the from the jump. This is not a team that has shown it can be at its best after charts. a long time off. “It’s funny because the team earlier in the year was just all offense — scoring, scoring, scoring. And the defense was slipping a little bit, Remember, the Panthers went into their 10-day All-Star break riding a six-game winning streak. Upon their return, they were smoked 4-0 in Montreal on Feb. 1 and won just five of 16 in February. The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020

The Islanders won four of six coming out of their break before hitting the skids.

“We have to be ready to be able to give ourselves a chance,’’ Keith Yandle said last month. “We’re right in the thick of things. We’re going to be playing for our playoff lives when we get back at it.”

According to Bettman, training camps will not start until July at the earliest. The 24 teams left will be split into two groups of 12 (by conference) and be housed and play in to-be-determined hub cities.

The cities under consideration to host the NHL’s return to play: Columbus, Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. The conference championship series and the Stanley Cup Finals will also be held in one place, and that site will be determined at a later date.

How the time off has impacted the Panthers

The Panthers were a relatively healthy bunch going into the hiatus but, like everyone else, they had nicks and bruises which should be healed up by now.

The only players who had been out for an extended period were Brian Boyle (since Feb. 1) and Dryden Hunt (lower-body injury Feb. 22). Boyle is expected to be ready. Hunt’s condition is unknown.

Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had been bothered by what appeared to be a groin injury, and he had been out the previous four games. He was close to returning when the shutdown occurred, and he says he is ready to go now.

Defenseman Riley Stillman also got hurt against the Canadiens on March 7 and missed the game in St. Louis. Stillman has said he will be ready when camp reopens.

With expanded rosters expected, the Panthers will likely add a number of top prospects from their AHL team. Newly acquired defenseman Chase Priskie and top forward Owen Tippett should be among them.

The winner of this series will face the No. 2 seed and, right now, that’s Tampa Bay. The Lightning were one of the hottest teams in the league in the second half of the season before cooling off (3-6-1) before the break.

The Panthers would have faced the Lightning in the Eastern semifinal had they beaten the Islanders in 2016. Instead, the Lightning dispatched New York in five.

Florida and Tampa Bay have never met in the playoffs before.

To get past the Islanders and make a run at a championship, the Panthers are going to need strong goaltending from Bobrovsky — the assumed starter when things get going again — and bring the type of defensive play they showed in their final three games.

Coach Joel Quenneville’s team held an emotional meeting before the game against Boston on March 5, and it appeared his message was received. The Panthers would not be successful moving forward by playing a run-and-shoot style. The players bought in then. They will need to buy into that again.

As good as anyone else’s, right?

The Panthers brought in Bobrovsky last summer for exactly this time of year. We didn’t get to see what Bob could do in March and April, but we will get to see him on the playoff stage this summer.

If Bobrovsky plays the way he did for Columbus in the postseason last year, the Panthers have a shot.

Furthermore, with the addition of centers Erik Haula and Lucas Wallmark, Florida can roll four solid forward lines and play the type of defensive hockey needed to win in the postseason.

If the Panthers go back to their old tricks and allow opposing players to get in front of their goalie while turning the puck over deep in their zone, they will not last long in this or any playoff format.

But if they tighten things up, keep the dangerous shots away from their goalie and let their offensive players control the pace in the zone, Florida just might be OK. 1174972 Los Angeles Kings left open the possibility of hosting later rounds of this season’s playoffs, including the Stanley Cup Final, in the home cities of the competing teams, reiterating, “It depends on what the world looks like.”

Kings and Ducks done for season, but SoCal fans still could get to see What else do we know about the offseason? Next preseason? And when playoff hockey will the Kings and Ducks get together again?

There are still many unknowns when it comes to the offseason. The draft has yet to be scheduled but reportedly is being planned for after the By JACK HARRIS STAFF WRITER postseason. A free-agency market that normally opens July 1 undoubtedly will be impacted, as could the salary cap after roughly 15% MAY 26, 20207:21 PM of the season was scrapped.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly addressed concerns about non- The Kings’ and Ducks’ season is over, as the NHL unveiled a 24-team playoff teams having extra-long layoffs, hinting to reporters there could restart format Tuesday that excludes the clubs along with the other be new offseason rules as a result. bottom-seven teams in the standings.

So, with the offseason finally on the horizon, here’s a primer on what LA Times: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Southern California hockey fans can look forward to.

The NHL modified its draft lottery. How does that impact the Ducks’ and Kings’ odds of getting the top pick?

Not at all, actually. As the 27th- and 28th-place teams in the standings, respectively, the Ducks and Kings have the same lottery odds for the No. 1 overall pick as they would in a normal season. The Kings will have a 9.5% chance of the top selection. The Ducks are at 8.5%.

The lottery process, however, received a major makeover, as detailed by commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday. Instead of one lottery drawing with all non-playoff teams, this summer’s lottery potentially will take place in two phases. The first, which will be held June 26, will include all seven teams whose seasons are over, plus eight “placeholder” spots for the teams eliminated in the pre-playoff qualification round.

If any of the top three picks, which will be drawn separately, are awarded to one of those eight “placeholder” spots, there will be a second phase to the lottery at a later date to decide which team (or teams) eliminated in the qualification round will fill each position. Otherwise, the rest of the draft order will be determined by the reverse order of the final regular- season standings.

Even if the Kings are done, could Los Angeles host playoff games this summer?

Bettman identified Los Angeles as one of the 10 cities under consideration for the two “hub” locations that will host games in spectator-less arenas when the season resumes, at the earliest, in July.

“We are honored to be included in consideration as an NHL hub city,” Kings chief operating officer Kelly Cheeseman said. “We know L.A. Live and Staples Center will be well prepared given their collective history of hosting showcase events, so we look forward to the outcome.”

Indeed, Staples Center, which is equipped with a dehumidification system with a built-in air cleanser, and the surrounding L.A. Live complex, which includes ample hotel space plus underground tunnel access to the arena, give the market an advantage. So does the fact that the city isn’t subject to the same 14-day quarantine requirements currently in place in Canada, nor would it create a potential home-ice advantage with the Kings out of the playoffs.

Still, it’s unclear how strong of a contender Los Angeles is compared to the other locations under consideration: Las Vegas, Edmonton, Vancouver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Pittsburgh and Toronto.

Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s hope of hosting spectator-less sporting events as soon as June, the local government still has some of the stricter stay-at-home orders in the U.S. Also, the city offers fewer options for practice rinks than other locations. The Kings’ three-rink training facility in El Segundo is the most logical host site for non-gameday training activities, but is more than 15 miles away from Staples Center. Pickwick Ice Center in Burbank would be another potential option.

Will next season still be held in full? Will fans be allowed to attend?

Bettman reiterated the NHL’s expectation to complete a full 2020-21 season, even if the start of the campaign is delayed until the new year.

It’s too soon to know whether or not fans will be able to return to arenas — in either full or partial capacities — for the start of the schedule, but Bettman told reporters he was hopeful fans would be present. He also 1174973 Los Angeles Kings Also unclear is how far the start of the 2020-21 season, which is still expected to include a full 82-game schedule for each team, will be pushed back. Normally, the NHL regular season begins in early October, but there has been speculation the 2020-21 schedule might not begin NHL unveils return to play plan, with several details to be determined until November or December.

Various players and executives from both the Kings and Ducks expressed interest over the last several weeks to finish their current By JACK HARRIS STAFF WRITER seasons. However, when the NHLPA held a team-by-team vote to MAY 26, 20203:33 PM approve the general concept of the NHL’s 24-team proposal last week, neither club’s players reportedly voted down the measure.

The only teams whose players rejected the format were the Carolina The NHL unveiled its plan to complete the 2019-20 season, confirming a Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning — teams that will participate in the 24-team restart format that wouldn’t include the Kings or Ducks, modified playoff structure. Those no votes were indicative of a drawn-out effectively ending their seasons. debate within the league over a 24-team format that failed to appease all concerns but garnered the most consensus among plans to complete the The Return to Play Plan, which received approval from the league and season. NHL Players’ Assn. before being announced by Commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday, calls for the season to restart no sooner than July “I am certain that depending on which team you root for, you can find and move directly into a qualification stage for the postseason, with some element of this package that you might prefer to be done games set to be held at two yet-to-determined “hub” locations in NHL differently,” Bettman said. “But we believe we have constructed an markets. overall plan that includes all teams that, as a practical matter, might have had a chance to qualify for the playoffs when the season was paused. Bettman called the plan “fair to all of the teams, and our best option This plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion that would have under the circumstances,” and added that games won’t restart until “the run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.” go-ahead from medical experts and the relevant government authorities is given.”

The top four teams in each conference, as decided by points LA Times: LOADED: 05.27.2020 percentages when the season was suspended March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will receive a bye into the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the meantime, they will play a series of round-robin games that will decide their playoff seeding. Teams seeded Nos. 5 to 12 will participate in best-of-five qualifications series to play their way into the 16-team field.

From there, several specifics of the playoff format have yet to be decided. The first and second rounds could be either best-of-five or best- of-seven series, and Bettman said the league has yet to decide whether to use a set bracket or adjust for seeding after every round. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven series and played at one of the hub sites.

Regarding hub locations, Bettman said Los Angeles is one of 10 potential sites being considered. One hub city will host the Western Conference teams while the other hosts the Eastern Conference, though both hubs could be in markets from the same conference, according to Bettman, who added that each club will be limited to bringing no more than 50 club personnel to each hub location.

“We will not set dates, choose sites or begin to play until we know it is appropriate and prudent and approved to do so,” Bettman said.

The roughly 15% of regular-season games that were remaining when the league suspended the season , including 12 games for the Kings and 11 for the Ducks, will be scrapped.

The bottom seven teams in the standings — which also include the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres — will instead turn their attention to a modified NHL draft lottery, which will be held in two phases beginning June 26 and keeps the odds of the Kings (9.5%) and Ducks (8.5%) getting the No. 1 overall pick the same.

“This is a bit complicated,” Bettman said of the new lottery system, which will require a second phase only if one of the top three picks in the draft goes to one of the eight “placeholder” spots being reserved for the eight losers of the best-of-five qualification round. “The format was adopted in order to maintain distribution of lottery-winning odds that were in place entering the 2019-20 season.”

Many other questions remain before play can resume, including the health and safety procedures. So far, the NHL has only released its rules for “Phase 2” of its return protocol, which outlines precautionary steps required to allow players to begin training again in small groups.

Specific plans for staging a three-week training camp period (“Phase 3”), as well as the games themselves (“Phase 4”), have yet to be announced, though neither is expected to begin before July. Those phases won’t begin until the league has secured plans for a “comprehensive system of testing,” Bettman said. 1174974 Los Angeles Kings meaningful games. How much will that hurt/slow the development of the Kings’ prospects?

Players hurt/helped by the end of the season Kings’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts L.A. Gabriel Vilardi had already lost valuable developmental time because of back issues that kept him out for most of the 2018-19 season. This was his first full professional season, and he was just starting to find his way, By Lisa Dillman with seven points in 10 games, when games were halted. The pause didn’t do rookie defenseman Mikey Anderson any favors, either. May 26, 2020 Internally, the Kings liked what they saw from the 20-year-old, but it was a small sample size (six games). There are others falling into the what-if category — call-ups from Ontario denied by the premature end of the Who wants to play a few more rounds of Tankathon? season. We’ll never know what might have been.

It’s on to the NHL Draft Lottery for the Kings, who, along with six other On the other end of the spectrum, the long break could end up helping teams, didn’t make the cut for the league’s Return to Play plan that was several veterans who have logged heavy mileage in their careers — announced on Tuesday. With their season officially ended, they can now namely Dustin Brown, Kopitar and Drew Doughty. Brown and Kopitar focus on their next order of business and the first phase of the draft have each appeared in 73 playoff games, and Doughty in 72 games, lottery on June 26. Los Angeles has a 9.5 percent chance of winning the dating to 2012. On top of that, they represented their respective countries No. 1 overall pick. At worst, the Kings could fall from fourth to seventh. in the Olympics in 2014. In other words, they’ve played a lot of hockey.

Also, Staples Center could conceivably feature NHL hockey this summer The extended period off the ice will give their bodies extra time to heal, and fall. L.A., with a tight network of hotels and facilities in downtown, is with an important boost of rejuvenation at this stage of their careers. Hall one of 10 cities under consideration for the league’s two sites for of Famer Teemu Selanne has often said the 2004-05 NHL lockout ended tournament play, but Los Angeles County remains a region of concern in up prolonging his career when he was able to have knee surgery and regard to the spread of the coronavirus. recover because the season was wiped out.

“We are honored to be included in consideration as an NHL hub city,” First order of business in the offseason Kings chief operating officer Kelly Cheeseman said in a statement. “We know LA Live and Staples Center will be well-prepared given their Just like the Kings had a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C when it came to collective history of hosting showcase events, so we look forward to the being ready for a possible return to play, they should have a myriad of outcome.” scenarios to weigh when it comes to free agency.

Still, a lot can change between now and the time the NHL makes a Should they stay the course with The Plan — as we’ve jokingly called it decision, which probably won’t be for another three or four weeks, — or go all in? Or should they opt for something in between? according to league commissioner Gary Bettman. It will come down to an organizational decision and, of course, the salary- The record will reflect that the Kings ended their season on a high note, cap ceiling for next season. This past season it was $81.5 million. with seven straight victories. But when a team is already out of playoff At least now, the Kings have the option of being aggressive earlier than contention, it’s easy to be seduced by the strides that have been made. expected because they have the cap space, and not every team is in The Kings’ coaching staff and hockey-operations group certainly won’t be such an advantageous position. Even if they decide against making a big enamored. When everybody starts over and goes back to square one in splash, there could be a strategic add. General manager Rob Blake the regular season, that’s when the hard part starts. Kings coach Todd spoke about the need to bolster the left side of the defense. McLellan has plenty of marathon analogies at the ready to describe the So, shopping opportunities may beckon. task ahead. Other offseason priorities On the plus side, the Kings were able to integrate McLellan’s system after a rough first half of the season. There won’t be the long necessary The to-do list is substantially shorter than last offseason when the Kings period of having to teach the system to veterans when the team gathers hired McLellan and he rounded out his staff by bringing on Trent Yawney for training camp. And the Kings are finally in a better place with their as an assistant. The Kings did not renew the contract of assistant general salary cap. manager Michael Futa. It seems unlikely they will fill the spot with someone from outside the organization. Or they could promote one of So there are more reasons for optimism than you might otherwise think Blake’s lieutenants — Nelson Emerson, currently the director of player for a 28th-place team. personnel — or leave the AGM spot vacant. Where they finished the year The other question has to do with consultant Ron Hextall. Does he The Kings looked like they were going to end up in the same place in the emerge with a bigger role in L.A. if he doesn’t end up with a GM job overall standings as last season — second to last. But on the final night elsewhere? of hockey before the season’s pause, they rallied in the third period From a player personnel standpoint, the Kings have three pending against Ottawa, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes to win 3-2. The unrestricted free agents — forward Trevor Lewis and defensemen Ben Kings moved past the Senators and the Sharks, going from 30th to 28th. Hutton and Joakim Ryan. The three restricted free agents are Captain Anze Kopitar led the Kings in scoring for the 12th time in the past defenseman Sean Walker and forwards Austin Wagner and Nikolai 13 seasons with 62 points (21 goals, 41 assists) in 70 games. Forward Prokhorkin. Blake Lizotte was their leading rookie scorer with 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 65 games.

What this means to the franchise The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 It’s all about the draft. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic ranked the Kings’ prospect pool No. 1 in February, calling it a clear-cut decision. The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 could become even wider with the Kings nicely positioned to add another quality prospect, even if they fall to No. 7 in the worst-case lottery scenario.

At best, the Kings could land a franchise-changing player in Alexis Lafreniere if they win the top overall selection.

Players already have been off the ice for a long period, probably the longest since they started playing hockey as kids. If the next season starts as late as January, it could be almost 10 months without 1174975 Los Angeles Kings * Clubs entered: The seven teams that do not return to play, ranked in inverse order of their points percentage at the time of the regular-season pause, and eight “place-holders” to represent the to-be-determined Qualifying Round teams that will not advance, thus maintaining NHL OUTLINES RETURN TO PLAY PLAN; L.A. UNDER previously-established odds. CONSIDERATION AS HUB; JUNE 26 DRAFT LOTTERY Team / P% / Odds

1. Detroit Red Wings .275 18.5% JON ROSEN 2. Ottawa Senators .437 13.5% MAY 26, 2020 3. Ottawa Senators* .437 11.5%

4. Los Angeles Kings .457 9.5% National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman provided definition to the league’s plan to resume play later this summer in a nationally 5. Anaheim Ducks .472 8.5% televised address Tuesday afternoon. 6. New Jersey Devils .493** 7.5% The key takeaways for LA Kings fans: 7. Buffalo Sabres .493** 6.5% – The Kings’ season is officially over 8. Team A n/a 6.0% – Voting on league awards will consider current statistics 9. Team B n/a 5.0% – The Kings will learn where they’ll draft on June 26 (Phase 1 of the draft 10. Team C n/a 3.5% lottery) 11. Team D n/a 3.0% – They have a 9.5% of winning the first overall pick 12. Team E n/a 2.5% – Los Angeles is under consideration as one of two “hub” cities 13. Team F n/a 2.0% Some details of the Return To Play Plan remain fluid, such as the hub cities and dates and whether first and second round series will be best- 14. Team G n/a 1.5% of-five or best-of-seven formats. More logistics will fall into place as players return to their club’s training facility in Phase 2 (early June) and 15. Team H n/a 1.0% Phase 3 (early July). This isn’t any confirmation that hockey will return * Acquired in a trade with San Jose Sharks (.450 points percentage) later this summer, but rather the agreed-upon structure of play if/when play resumes. Lots to come as we breathe this in. ** Buffalo Sabres ranked higher than New Jersey Devils on the basis of higher regulation/OT win percentage (Buffalo, .406 ROW%; New Jersey, “We are honored to be included in consideration as an NHL hub city,” .348 ROW%) said Kelly Cheeseman, Chief Operating Officer for the LA Kings. “We know LA Live and Staples Center will be well prepared given their First Draw collective history of hosting showcase events, so we look forward to the outcome.” * If the winning team of the First Draw is from the #1-7 group, that team wins the right to the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. TIMELINE * If the winning team of the First Draw is from the #8-15 group, the right Regular Season to the first overall pick will be determined in Phase 2 of the Draft Lottery.

* The 2019-20 regular season is declared concluded through games of * After the First Draw, the winning team (from either the #1-7 group or the March 11. The 189 games originally scheduled from March 12 – April 4 #8-15 group) will no longer be eligible for the Second or Third Draws. All will not be played. number combinations originally assigned to this team will become “Re- Draw Combinations” for the Second and Third Draws. The remaining * 24 teams will resume play: the top 12 in each Conference on the basis teams’ odds will increase on a proportionate basis for the Second Draw of points percentage at the pause (through games of March 11). based on which team wins the First Draw.

* Since the League’s pause on March 12, the League has been in Phase Second Draw 1 with teams having been instructed to self-isolate as much as possible. * If the winning team of the Second Draw is from among the #1-7 group, Phase 2 – Early June that team wins the right to the second overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

* In early June, it is expected that teams will be permitted to return to * If the winning team of the Second Draw is from the #8-15 group, the home facilities for small group, voluntary, and on- and off-ice training. right to the second overall pick will be determined in Phase 2 of the Draft Phase 3 – Not Earlier than First Half of July Lottery.

* Not earlier than first half of July, formal training camps will begin after * After the Second Draw, the winning team (from either the #1-7 group or guidance from medical and civil authorities. the #8-15 group) will no longer be eligible for the Third Draw. All number combinations originally assigned to this team will become “Re-Draw Phase 4 – Timing TBD Combinations” for the Third Draw. The remaining teams’ odds will increase on a proportionate basis for the Third Draw based on which * 24 teams in 2 “hub” cities will compete in Seeding Round Robins, a team wins the Second Draw. Qualifying Round and Conference-based Stanley Cup Playoffs. Third Draw DRAFT LOTTERY * If the winning team of the Third Draw is from among the #1-7 group The NHL Draft Lottery will determine the order for the first 15 selections above, that team wins the right to the third overall pick in the 2020 NHL of the 2020 NHL Draft. The picks will be awarded to the seven teams that Draft. do not resume play and the eight teams that do not advance from the Qualifying Round (or the teams that acquired their first-round picks). * If the winning team of the Third Draw is from the #8-15 group, the right to the third overall pick will be determined in Phase 2 of the Draft Lottery. Phase 1 If All Three Draws Are Won by Teams in #1-7 Group . . . * Phase 1 of the Draft Lottery will be conducted prior to the Qualifying Round on Friday, June 26. * The winning teams receive the respective top three selections in the 2020 NHL Draft. The remaining four teams in the #1-7 group not selected * Three draws: First Draw (first overall pick), Second Draw (second in the three draws are assigned NHL Draft positions 4 through 7 in overall pick) and Third Draw (third overall pick). inverse order of their points percentage at the time of the regular-season #5 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #12 Montreal Canadiens pause. The next eight Draft positions (8 through 15) will be assigned to the eight teams that do not advance from the Qualifying Round, in #6 Carolina Hurricanes vs. #11 New York Rangers inverse order of their points percentage at the time of the regular-season #7 New York Islanders vs. #10 Florida Panthers pause. In these circumstances, Phase 2 of the Draft Lottery would not be necessary. #8 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. #9 Columbus Blue Jackets

If Any of the Three Draws Are Won by Teams in the #8-15 Group . . . City 2

* The Draws for the corresponding selections will be conducted during Team / Conf. Rank / P% Phase 2 among only the eight Qualifying Round teams that failed to 1. St. Louis Blues .662 advance. 2. Colorado Avalanche .657 Phase 2 3. Vegas Golden Knights .606 * Phase 2 of the Draft Lottery, if necessary, will be conducted between the Qualifying Round and First Round. 4. Dallas Stars .594

* Phase 2 participants: the eight teams that do not advance from the 5. Edmonton Oilers .585 Qualifying Round (or the teams that acquired their first-round picks). 6. Nashville Predators .565 * Following each Phase 2 draw, the winning team will be assigned the corresponding Top 3 selection and, if another Phase 2 draw is 7. Vancouver Canucks .565 necessary, that team’s numbered lottery ball will be removed. 8. Calgary Flames .564 * When all Phase 1 and Phase 2 draws are completed and the Top 3 9. Winnipeg Jets .563 selections in the 2020 NHL Draft assigned, the remaining selections in the Top 15 will be assigned to the 12 teams that did not win a draw in 10. Minnesota Wild .558 inverse order of their points percentages at the time of the season’s pause. 11. Arizona Coyotes .529

* In each Phase 2 draw, all participants will have the same odds. 12. Chicago Blackhawks .514

COMPETITIVE FORMAT City 2 – Round Robin for Seeding in First Round

* In each Conference, teams are seeded by points percentage. 1. St. Louis Blues

Round Robin: The top 4 teams play for First Round seeding (regular- 2. Colorado Avalanche season overtime rules in effect) 3. Vegas Golden Knights Qualifying Round: The remaining 8 teams play best-of-5 series to 4. Dallas Stars advance to the First Round (playoff overtime rules in effect) City 2 – Best-of-5 Qualifying Round First Round and Second Round: Format (seeding vs. bracket) and series lengths to be determined #5 Edmonton Oilers vs. #12 Chicago Blackhawks

Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final: Best-of-7 series #6 Nashville Predators vs. #11 Arizona Coyotes

* The winners from the Qualifying Round play the top 4 seeds in the First #7 Vancouver Canucks vs. #10 Minnesota Wild Round. Individual First Round series matchups remain to be determined. #8 Calgary Flames vs. #9 Winnipeg Jets City 1 HUB CITIES UNDER CONSIDERATION Team / Points Percentage * The 2 “hub” cities will be selected from among the following: 1. Boston Bruins 714 – Chicago, IL 2. Tampa Bay Lightning .657 – Columbus, OH 3. Washington Capitals .652 – Dallas, TX 4. Philadelphia Flyers .645 – Edmonton, AB 5. Pittsburgh Penguins .623 – Las Vegas, NV 6. Carolina Hurricanes .596 – Los Angeles, CA 7. New York Islanders .588 – Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN 8. Toronto Maple Leafs .579 – Pittsburgh, PA 9. Columbus Blue Jackets .579 – Toronto, ON 10. Florida Panthers .565 – Vancouver, BC 11. New York Rangers .564 * Each Conference is assigned a “hub” city with secure hotels, arena, 12. Montreal Canadiens .500 practice facilities and in-market transportation.

City 1 – Round Robin for Seeding in First Round * Teams will be limited to 50 personnel in the “hub” city with only a small number of support staff permitted to enter the event areas. 1. Boston Bruins * Timing and sites will be determined at a future date and will be 2. Tampa Bay Lightning dependent on COVID-19 conditions, testing ability and government 3. Washington Capitals regulations.

4. Philadelphia Flyers

City 1 – Best-of-5 Qualifying Round LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174976 Minnesota Wild the area, and there are plenty of high-quality, high-vacancy hotels available.

Guerin called this “the biggest, best hockey market in the country.” Restarted NHL season could play right into Wild's hands Not that he would pander.

And if the Wild has to play on the road, Guerin doesn’t sound like the MAY 26, 2020 — 11:54PM kind of guy who’s going to whine.

JIM SOUHAN “I don’t think it’s that difficult,” he said. “You just pack an extra suit and a few extra things and let’s go. We’ll be there for a little bit longer than a JIM SOUHAN @SOUHANSTRIB normal road trip, but we’ve all done it. It’s a matter of accepting what it is and realizing what you’re going through. To me it’s exciting. I just think

it’s such a unique opportunity that it could be great.” For the first time since 2003, Minnesota has a chance to host an NHL For now, assuming the NHL safeguards player health, this could be a conference final. promising time for a rising Wild team. Who knows? The Wild might even play in it.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed plans for a Stanley Covid Star Tribune LOADED: 05.27.2020 Cup on Tuesday. The Wild has qualified for a 24-team playoff, and Minnesota is one of 10 areas vying to be one of the two hub cities that would play host to games.

The next time a sports announcer uses the phrase “if the season ended today” you might want to pay more attention.

The NHL regular season officially ended Tuesday, May 26, 2 ½ months after the Wild played its last game. The league tournament will begin on a date to be determined, with little details like, “How can this ever work?” to be figured out, or not, sometime in the near future.

Before a game is played, there will be hurdles and possible setbacks or scares but, for the moment, let’s contemplate a near-future featuring actual hockey, perhaps played at Xcel Energy Center.

This format could benefit the Wild.

Of course, it already has.

Had the NHL stuck to the traditional 16-game bracket, the Wild would have been out. Instead, it will get to play a best-of-five series against Vancouver, perhaps while playing on home ice.

The Wild finished the regular season playing well, with the players responding to interim head coach Dean Evason and Kevin Fiala proving he has the makeup of a star.

The Wild’s older legs, belonging to Mikko Koivu, Ryan Suter, Zach Parise and Eric Staal, will be rested. While the top seeds will play a round-robin tournament to determine seeding, those games probably won’t feature the do-or-don’t fever of elimination rounds.

So if the Wild beats Vancouver, it could have an edge over its next opponent in terms of mental readiness and physical sharpness.

If the Wild played at home, it would miss the fan aspect of home-ice advantage, but its players would be more comfortable than the visitors in the clubhouse and off the ice. Visiting teams will stay in hotels for the entire series.

And while empty stands aren’t ideal, Wild General Manager Bill Guerin said on a Zoom conference call he believes the players will have no trouble ramping up to playoff intensity.

“That will be different, but every time you look at something different you want to pick it apart and say, ‘It won’t be as good,’ ” Guerin said. “But when that puck drops, there’s something inside these athletes, and that switch flips.”

There could even be a benefit to empty stands. Maybe we’d more clearly hear the banter among opponents, and coaches, and the refs. I’d rather hear that than typical fan reactions any day, in any sport.

The NHL always is looking for a better way to market itself to casual American sports fans. Instead of a glowing puck, the NHL could feature flying beeps. The most creative cusser wins a Zamboni.

“It’s a good day today,” Guerin said. “Hockey’s going to be back in the near future.”

Guerin made the logical point that the Twin Cities would be an ideal hub. Xcel Energy Center features six locker rooms, and the Tria Rink is walking distance away. Rumor has it that there are plenty of other rinks in 1174977 Minnesota Wild 1. Boston 2. Tampa Bay

3. Washington The NHL's Return Plan: What you need to know 4. Philadelphia

Eastern Conference qualifying round Staff Report #5 Pittsburgh vs. #12 Montreal MAY 26, 2020 — 7:34PM #6 Carolina vs. #11 N. Y. Rangers

#7 N.Y. Islanders vs. #10 Florida NHL’s Return to Play Plan #8 Toronto vs. #9 Columbus Regular season final standings and playoff seedings Western Conference Eastern Conference (with win percentage) first round byes 1. Boston (.714) 1. St. Louis 2. Tampa Bay (.657) 2. Colorado 3. Washington (.652) 3. Vegas 4. Philadelphia (.645) 4. Dallas 5. Pittsburgh (.623) Western Conference qualifying round 6. Carolina (596) #5 Edmonton vs. #12 Chicago 7. New York Islanders (.588) #6 Nashville vs. #11 Arizona 8. Toronto (.579) #7 Vancouver vs. #10 Wild 9. Columbus (.579) #8 Calgary vs. #9 Winnipeg 10. Florida (.565)

11. New York Rangers (.564) Star Tribune LOADED: 05.27.2020 12. Montreal (.500)

Western Conference:

1. St. Louis (.662)

3. Colorado (.657)

3. Vegas (.606)

4. Dallas (.594)

5. Edmonton (.585)

6. Nashville (.565)

7. Vancouver (.565)

8. Calgary (.564)

9. Winnipeg (.563)

10. Wild (.558)

11. Arizona (.529)

12. Chicago (.514)

Postseason

• Training camps will not begin until July at the earliest. There will be two hubs, one in the east and one in the west, to house teams for play. Each team can travel 50 personnel to host city. Personnel will be tested for COVID-19. The regular season is over; top 12 teams in each conference make the 24-team tournament. Top four teams in each conference get a bye, and will play a round robin for seeding purposes. Teams 5-12 will have best-of-five play-in series to determine a 16-team Stanley Cup playoff field.

• Hub city candidates: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Vancouver.

Tournament

• First and second round format seeding and length of series is to be determined.

• Conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-7 series.

Eastern Conference first round byes 1174978 Minnesota Wild selection will be dependent on COVID-19 conditions, testing ability and government regulations.

Rigorous and regular testing is key to the plan, Bettman said, and he NHL regular season officially over; Wild makes postseason stressed the importance of the health and safety of players, coaches and essential staff.

The league hopes all 24 teams will have the ability to test their players at By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune least twice a week when team facilities open for training, and testing would increase when clubs progress to a training camp. MAY 26, 2020 — 11:46PM By the time games potentially return, players will be tested every evening

and results will be available the next morning before they leave their The NHL regular season is officially over, but the Wild is still alive. hotel room.

Despite sitting shy of a playoff spot when the league was shut down by Teams will initially bear the cost of testing, Deputy Commissioner Bill the coronavirus pandemic, the Wild will compete for the Stanley Cup if Daly said, but the league will foot the bill once the season returns. The the season resumes later this summer. cost is projected to be millions of dollars, and “one single positive test, depending on the circumstance, should not necessarily shut the whole The league would play games at two hub sites, and the Twin Cities is operation down,” Daly said. among 10 candidates. While specific timing for when the season could start back up is unclear, “I’m so glad we’re in the mix and we have an opportunity,” Wild General the end of July or August seems to be the earliest. That timeline would Manager Bill Guerin said. “It’s great.” push the 2020-21 season’s start to December or even January; the league plans to play that season in full and, hopefully, with fans in After months of limbo while the league has been on hiatus, the Wild attendance. gained clarity on its fate Tuesday when the NHL announced the team is included in its “return to play plan” — the most significant indication the After reopening team facilities for voluntary, small-group workouts league is committed to putting a bow on a season that came to a capped at six players per session, the league is scheduled to transition to standstill March 12. a formal training camp of at least a few weeks that will begin no earlier than the first half of July. Earlier this week, the NHL detailed its approach for potentially reopening team facilities to players in early June; and last Friday the executive Guerin said he didn’t know how many Wild players planned to participate board of the NHL Players’ Association signed off on a 24-team format in the voluntary workouts, and he also hadn’t heard of any players flying that the NHL formally unveiled in a televised announcement by back to Minnesota. About half the roster had been staying outside the Commissioner Gary Bettman. state, including in Canada and Europe.

The Wild, if play resumes, would open the NHL postseason tournament “I would assume everybody wants to get back in there and start working with a best-of-five play-in series against Vancouver. out,” Guerin said. “… [But] we can’t force guys to do it, so it’s going to be on their own time.” “We hope that this is a step back toward normalcy,” Bettman said. Daly said players have been deemed essential personnel by the When given clearance by medical and government officials, the NHL will government, so they won’t have an issue returning to the U.S. commence with the top 12 teams from each conference based on points percentage at the time play stopped, when roughly 85% of the regular But before teams would reconvene for camp, the NHL will start the draft season had been completed. lottery on June 26 for the seven teams not returning to play and eight placeholders representing the teams that are eliminated in the qualifying The top four teams from each conference will participate in a round robin round. to determine first-round seeding, and the remaining eight teams will square off against each other in a best-of-five series to advance to the There will be a draw for each of the first three picks. If any of these draws playoffs. Whether matchups for the first and second rounds are are won by a team playing in the qualifying round, that pick will be determined by seeding or a bracket and the length of each series has yet decided in the second phase of the draft lottery between the qualifying to be determined. round and the first round of the playoffs. Only the eight teams that didn’t advance past the qualifying round will be included in this selection The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be a traditional, best-of- process. seven series. The remaining picks will be determined by the inverse order of teams’ “I’m excited about it,” Guerin said. “It’ll be different. It’ll be new, and the points percentages at the time of the season’s pause. Minnesota Wild are involved in it. There’s really not much to be upset about or negative about.” All these developments signaled progress in behind-the-scenes talks that have featured a Return to Play Committee that includes some of the On an impressive 15-7-1 run that helped lift the team back into NHL’s most prominent players, but obstacles still exist. contention after a rocky start to the season, the Wild was only one point back of a wild-card berth when the league suspended play; it had 77 Aside from ironing out details in the playoff format and finalizing the points from a 35-27-7 record through 69 games. logistics of the hub cities — a possibly thorny debate since some NHLers, like Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, have objected to being isolated Under the revised seeding, the Wild is 10th in the Western Conference from their families — the threat of the pandemic is still real and could and would face No. 7 Vancouver. The Wild won the season series 2-1, keep the league dark. with the last game a 4-3 shootout win in Vancouver on Feb. 19 that was interim coach Dean Evason’s first victory. Without knowing, though, what’s ahead, the league is focusing on what it can control and that’s figuring out how it can get back on the ice when it “They’re a good team,” Guerin said of the Canucks, who went 36-27-6. gets the green light. “They’re young. They’re talented. They’re fast. They’re exciting to watch. Hey, look, I’m excited for it.” “There are always going to be hurdles with something like this,” Guerin said. “We really never know what’s going to change tomorrow, but I think Each conference will be assigned a hub site, and Minneapolis/St. Paul is today was a great step. It gives us hope that this could actually happen. in consideration to be named one. So are Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. “There’s a ton of work still left to be done. There are a lot of questions that are still going to have to be answered. But, all in all, a positive day “It’d be great,” Guerin said of the Twin Cities. “It’s the biggest, best and just excited to get some news like this.” hockey market in the country.”

Teams will be limited to 50 personnel in each hub city, and only a small number of support staff will be allowed to enter the event areas. Sites will Star Tribune LOADED: 05.27.2020 likely be determined in three to four weeks, Bettman said, and their 1174979 Minnesota Wild

Iowa Wild's Kaapo Kahkonen voted AHL's outstanding goaltender

By Sarah McLellan

MAY 26, 2020 — 2:22PM

The Iowa Wild’s Kaapo Kahkonen has been recognized as the ’s outstanding goaltender for the 2019-20 season, winning the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award.

This award is voted on by coaches, players and members of the media in each of the league’s 31 cities.

Also named a 2019-20 First Team All-Star last week, Kahkonen helped Iowa to the best regular-season record in franchise history by going 25-6- 3. His 25 victories and seven shutouts ranked first in the AHL, and his goals-against average (2.07) and save percentage (.927) were fourth. Kahkonen finished the season on a 10-1-1 run in which he posted a 1.16 goals-against average, .961 save percentage and five shutouts.

A native of Helsinki, Finland, the 23-year-old also made his NHL debut during the season with the Wild and went 3-1-1 with a 2.96 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. Kahkonen, who was drafted in the fourth round in 2014 by the Wild, is 42-20-11. He’s the first goalie since (1997-99) to lead the AHL in shutouts in consecutive seasons.

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174980 Minnesota Wild Amid these guidelines and regular cleaning and disinfecting, the NHL isn’t expecting entire teams to quarantine should an isolated case, or cases, of COVID-19 occur.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman expected to announce return-to-play format this afternoon Star Tribune LOADED: 05.27.2020

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

MAY 26, 2020 — 3:34PM

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is expected to announce the league’s return to play format this afternoon.

Bettman is set to make a televised address at 3:30 p.m.about what hockey would look like if the NHL can resume the season this summer. That means a 24-team straight-to-playoffs format with the league’s other seven teams having their seasons ended.

Bettman's annoucement will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

The Players’ Association voted last week to approve the 24-team format proposed by the Return to Play committee. It involves the top four teams in each conference playing a mini-tournament for seeding, while the other 16 face off in best-of-five series to set the field.

The Wild would be among the 24 teams in the field. Before the regular season was suspended by the pandemic, the team was one point out of a berth in the tradition 16-team Stanley Cup field.

There is still no timetable for the resumption of game action or when players can return to team facilities for voluntary workouts.

While the NHL hasn’t decided exactly when players will be allowed to train at team facilities or how long this phase of the process will last, it has outlined the protocol that will be in place.

In a 22-page memo released Monday, the NHL announced small-group activities on and off the ice will be voluntary and individualized and these workouts will only be allowed in areas where health authorities have approved such gatherings.

A maximum of six players will be permitted inside the facility at one time, along with a limited number of team staff members. These six players will remain in the same small group so that any infection or exposure that might occur will be contained within that group.

All personnel must be 6 feet apart while inside and outside of the facility. Players must wear face coverings when entering and leaving the facility and inside where social distancing isn’t possible. Face coverings aren’t required when players are on the ice or exercising.

Activities must allow for appropriate social distancing, such as player- only, noncontact skating sessions or weight training that doesn’t require a spotter. Coaches and other team employees won’t be allowed on the ice.

Players from other clubs who are staying near another team’s facility may request access to skate and weight train.

Those who participate in these activities will not be permitted to skate or work out at any public facility or other location and may not organize any outside group skates.

Before reporting to a facility, players will self-administer symptom and temperature checks at home, and another check will be conducted at the entrance of the facility.

Each team will determine if excess testing is available in its area so as not to take away resources from health care workers, vulnerable populations and symptomatic individuals. If accessible, testing will be performed 48 hours before personnel returns to the facility and, if possible, on an ongoing basis during training.

If testing isn’t obtainable, personnel must self-quarantine for 14 days before entering the facility or prove that they have already self- quarantined for the previous 14 days in the team’s home area. Players who return to the club’s market by public transportation, like commercial air travel, will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days before entering the team’s facility. 1174981 Minnesota Wild facial injuries, hands and arms, but the problem was my legs. They were torn up badly.’’

Nuessle arrived quickly from the platform. He radioed for a corpsman and Good Marine, beloved TV sports photographer Rich Nuessle still went to work trying to halt the blood that was “pouring out of me,’’ remembered Havens said. “Dick used everything we had — bandages, uniform pieces — to try to block the bleeding.’’

How long before a corpsman arrived? MAY 26, 2020 — 8:52AM “Probably a few minutes, but it seemed like forever,’’ Havens said. PATRICK REUSSE “There’s no doubt, if he hadn’t responded quickly … I would’ve bled out.

“Dick Nuessle saved my life.’’

The breakdown of this country’s high school graduates in the 1960s Nuessle returned from his two-year enlistment in early-winter 1969. Jim, probably wasn’t much different from ensuing decades. You had the high the third Nuessle brother after Walter and Rich, said: “There was snow achievers setting goals for their futures, and you had the disciplined on the ground. When Rich got off the plane, the first thing he said, teenagers who followed rules. happily, was, ‘Boo koo snow.’ ”

And you had the rest of us, testing the parameters for what could be Goodbye, Vietnam; hello, Minnesota. gotten away with, and relying on getting lucky by stumbling into a job we liked. Nuessle loved sports. He wanted to get a job in sports. He took some classes aimed at journalism at the University of Minnesota. He also The major difference between the 1960s and today was this: There signed up for a ski trip. He was D- in skiing, but A+ in chalet. wasn’t technology to monitor youthful misdeeds, meaning you could get away with unsophisticated skulduggery. As the group was leaving for home, Terri Gellerman walked on a bus and saw the only remaining seat was next to Nuessle. The over-and-under on Mike Tittle was part of the Class of ’67 at St. Paul Central, and his closest Rich saying, “This seat is saved,’’ to others was 12 ½. running mates included Rich Nuessle, Bill Hazen, Doug Heltne, Marty Jensen and Jim Varco, all Central, and Bill Kronschnabel, a Cretin kid “Terri had caught his eye for sure,’’ Tittle said. “Rich got Terri’s number with an aptitude for slipping the family station wagon out of the garage for by giving her a couple of raffle tickets we were selling for our fastpitch nocturnal cruising with friends. softball team, and saying he needed her name and number in case she won.’’ “Central gave us these small ID cards with a photo of the individual on them, which was very convenient,’’ Tittle said. “We typed in our names Terri and Rich were married in August 1971. and dates of birth, laminated them, then went to Menomonie [Wis.] and He was a staple in the Twin Cities sports media from the mid-’70s to the presented ourselves as Stout State students of legal drinking age.’’ early ’90s. If you were in that circle and failed to have a wacky adventure Tittle paused and said: “The worst ideas we had usually came from with Rich, you had to be in quarantine. Rich.’’ Said Jim Gilleland, Nuessle’s sports reporter at Channel 9: “I loved that There was a young woman named Kathy in Central’s Class of ’67. She guy. Drove me crazy because at 1 o’clock in the morning, he still wasn’t was admired for her smarts, personality and attractiveness and received ready to call it a night. He also got me into sports betting, which I gave up considerable lobbying for dates, including from Nuessle. after N.C. State beat Houston in the Final Four, but I loved him.’’

“We were walking to our car at 1:30 in the morning in downtown Said Jeff Passolt, Nuessle’s sports reporter for Rich’s early years at Menomonie and there was a big sign stretched from two trees,’’ Tittle Channel 11: “I could write a book. Seriously. You know who also loved said. “All it read was, ‘Vote KATHY.’ She was a Stout student running for him — players, guys like Kent Hrbek. Herbie would be ready for an homecoming queen.’’ interview and say, ‘Let’s wait for Richie.’

Nuessle said he needed that sign. “When the Twins won the ALCS in Detroit in 1987, [clubhouse manager] Jim Wiesner let us in the back door of that tiny visitors clubhouse, “Next thing I know, I’m climbing 15 feet up one tree and 15 feet up the because of Richie. We were the first TV crew in there, ahead of NBC.’’ other to cut down the sign,’’ Tittle said. “And then at 3 in the morning, we’re tying it to trees across the sidewalk in Central High Kathy’s front There was another side to Nuessle, sadly. yard. “He was always a drinker,’’ Terri said. “Whatever gathering, we were “I don’t think Richie got a date, but Kathy got a good laugh.’’ always the last to leave. He didn’t sleep, either. He told me, ‘I feel this heaviness.’ Rich couldn’t explain it, but then he was diagnosed with Tittle was an outstanding football and basketball player. Nuessle was a PTSD.’’ determined hockey player. That whole Central crew was composed of athletes, despite missing a few curfews. Post-traumatic stress disorder. The horrors of war, the horror of Vietnam.

Graduation was followed by the reality of the time: Tittle, Nuessle and Nuessle spent three months in a PTSD treatment facility in Tomah, Wis. Hazen all ended up in the military. By 1968, Tittle was with Army infantry, “He had a weekend pass to come home,’’ Terri said. “Instead, he went to the Big Red One, in the southern portion of South Vietnam. Rent-A-Wreck, drove to the airport and flew to Las Vegas.’’ “Rich was up north, near the Cambodian border,’’ Tittle said. “No picnic Jim Nuessle, the kid brother, said: “I think Rich’s idea was he’d go to either way, but I think the Marines were into it more frequently than we Vegas, win big money and come home a hero. Our dad, Jerry, was great were in the South.’’ at gambling. He was in World War II, and he won so much playing poker An Hoa Combat Base was a large facility for Marines — not far from a with the other soldiers that it paid for our house. major Viet Cong base that was across the Vu Gia River. “Rich also loved to gamble. He just wasn’t that good at it.’’ “Fifth Marines, First Battalion, four-Marine crews to operate the 106 Rich’s three sons — Jeremy, Steve and Dan — were sheltered from their [millimeter] recoilless rifle,’’ Jerry Havens said. “That was the duty for dad’s demons as much as possible by Terri. About the only Vietnam Dick and me. We also spent a lot of time on bridge security.’’ story they ever heard from Dad was his being chased through a village In St. Paul, he was Rich; to fellow Marines, he was Dick Nuessle. by a rampaging water buffalo.

On Oct. 9, 1968, Havens and Nuessle were on an observation platform, Nuessle lost his job at KARE-11 after multiple drunken driving incidents looking for potential enemy movement. Havens decided to do some in the early ’90s. Terri divorced him a couple of years later; a “saint’’ for checking on foot. staying so long, said Gilleland, Passolt, Tittle, son Steve and others.

“I stepped on a booby trap,’’ he said. “It was attached to a grenade that Tittle said: “Rich loved his job, he loved Terri, and Vietnam — the stuff he was wedged out of sight. I actually saw it go off two feet behind me. I had didn’t talk about — was always there, clutching at him.’’ On Nov. 24, 1999, Rich Nuessle, age 50, went to the garage of a condo that he owned and died by suicide. His body was found the next morning. Thanksgiving.

Jerry Havens never again saw Nuessle after that October day in Vietnam, when he almost lost his legs and his life to a Viet Cong booby trap.

“We talked on the phone a few times,’’ Havens said. “I knew he was struggling with PTSD. I had a brother George, a great brother, who was in Vietnam and also died from suicide in 1983.’’ Jerry and his wife, Linda, have driven from their home in Woodstock, Ill. — 50 miles northwest of Chicago — to the Twin Cities in the fall for two decades. The motive is to be at Fort Snelling on Oct. 9 and to spend time at the grave of Cpl. Richard P. Nuessle, USMC.

“I’ve had a tremendous life with Linda and our family for over 50 years,’’ Havens said. “I wouldn’t have had that without this good Marine.’’

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174982 Minnesota Wild But by the time hockey, basketball, baseball and soccer get their plans together, this place might look even worse. That’s where it appears we’re headed. We might be done with the coronavirus, but the coronvirus isn’t done with us. John Shipley: NHL has a plan to resume play. How quaint.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.27.2020 By JOHN SHIPLEY | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 7:24 p.m. | UPDATED: May 27, 2020 at 12:57 a.m.

It was mid-March when sports came to a halt, first with the NBA, and then quickly college basketball, the NHL, Major League Baseball and MLS. When the shock wore off, we furrowed our brows and wondered how sports could possibly come back online in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

We assumed, anyway, it would be the wake. And some of us assumed that when sports did find a way to play again, it would be too soon, that a circumspect public wouldn’t be interested in ersatz, made-for-TV postseasons played in empty arenas. That was before a significant percentage of North Americans decided they are done with coronavirus, and that therefore the pandemic is over for large swaths of the continent.

America is ready to celebrate.

The NHL on Tuesday became the first of the major North American leagues to to announce plans for resuming its 2019-20 season and promised to do so with care and caution that feels a little old-fashioned. The league will announce a start date, Commissioner Gary Bettman said, “When appropriate and prudent.”

Appropriate and prudent? Did you not see how we spent our Memorial Day weekend?

We have transitioned to the greatness of the post-prudent phase of the pandemic responsible for more than 98,000 American deaths through Monday. When the NHL shut down March 12, the death toll was 40. Despite a curve moving inexorably upward, and leading the world in deaths and lab-confirmed cases by a large margin, the U.S. is reopening with insouciant vigor.

Meat-packing plants, prisons and Great Clips are spiking numbers throughout small-town America, yet a capacity crowd of more than 4,000 packed into the bleachers to watch auto racing in Altamahaw, N.C., on Saturday. In Missouri, hundreds spent the day recreating in a tepid chlorine-and-urine soup.

The Ozarks video that went viral is particularly fascinating. Already studied like the Zapruder film, it reveals hidden delights, like one of those archaic townscapes by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Oh, look, there’s two dudes pushing one another. Ooh, a couple making out!

These people won’t think pro sports shouldn’t resume; they’ll be angry they won’t be invited to attend. What’s sitting elbow to elbow in a baseball stadium when you’ve gotten drunk in a pool packed beyond capacity?

Social distancing is out, face masks are passé. We’re out spitting and coughing on people now.

Into this chaos steps Bettman with a plan, bless his big, bleeding heart.

“The safety of our players, coaches, central support staff and our communities are paramount,” he said Monday.

This is no doubt a great comfort to those who will be working during the 24-team postseason tournament the NHL has concocted, but as a PR talking point isn’t really necessary. In a media market this politically polarized, it will be construed as rote nonsense by the woke and priggish sensitivity for the know-nothings.

Just let it roll, Gary. Whatever the precautions you take, this 24-team postseason tournament played in empty arenas will be safer than Lake of the Ozarks or Daytona Beach. By a long shot.

Sports were the first reasonable party in the Age of Coronavirus, the first to shut down business until it was safe to return. After a long, mentally and economically painful 14 weeks, the timing should be right and maybe is because, whatever — we’re done. 1174983 Minnesota Wild

Twin Cities is one of 10 hubs in running to host NHL playoffs

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 6:07 p.m. | UPDATED: May 26, 2020 at 6:31 p.m.

After weeks of speculation, the Twin Cities officially has been confirmed as a potential location for the playoffs if the NHL season resumes at some point this summer.

That much was set in stone Tuesday when commissioner Gary Bettman delivered a a 15-minute announcement regarding the NHL’s cumbersome Return to Play Plan.

As of Tuesday, the league was still considering 10 locations to be hub cities for the playoffs. In addition to the Twin Cities, other contenders are Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. Two hub cities will be selected with conference occupying one hub city for the duration of the playoffs.

Many things will go into the final decision, including the infection rate in the respective city, access to practice rinks and hotel accommodations, among various other criteria.

Another consideration is some players expressing initial concerns about being away from family for too long.

“Guys with kids at home aren’t interested in shacking up somewhere for four months and being away from them,” Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk said last month. “I know myself personally, I’m not interested in packing up and going away for that length of time away from my family. I can’t imagine that anybody else would. And I think it sounds like the NHL is sensitive to that and understands that.”

As for Wild general manager Bill Guerin, he thinks the Twin Cities would be a great option to play games. Games would be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, with other area rinks being used for practices.

“It’s the biggest and best hockey market in the country,” Guerin said. “There are rinks all over the place. We’ve got a great arena and a great practice rink. There are hotels. It just matches up. I’m obviously biased, but I think it’d be a perfect fit.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174984 Minnesota Wild

Wild prospect Kaapo Kahkonen named AHL’s best goaltender

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 2:53 p.m. | UPDATED: May 26, 2020 at 2:54 p.m.

Wild prospect Kaapo Kahkonen turned some heads during his cup of coffee in the NHL this season, proving he might have what it takes to take over for veteran Devan Dubnyk in the net at some point.

That said, Kahkonen’s most impressive work was done in the minors, as he dominated between the pipes to lead the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League to the best record in franchise history.

For his efforts, the 23-year-old Kahkonen on Tuesday earned the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award, which annually goes to the AHL’s best goaltender.

A fourth-round draft pick in 2014, Kahkonen led the AHL in wins this season, finishing with a 25-6-3 record, a 2.07 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. He also boasted 3-1-1 record, 2.96 goals- against average and .913 save percentage while playing for the Minnesota Wild.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174985 Minnesota Wild or begin to play until we know it’s appropriate and prudent and we are approved to do so.”

Perhaps the most confusing part of the Return to Play Plan is the NHL Wild among 24 teams included in NHL’s Return to Play Plan Draft Lottery, which will be conducted on June 26. It will include the seven teams that did not make the postseason, plus the eight the teams eliminated in the qualifying round.

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press “We believe we have conducted an overall plan that includes all teams that as a practical matter might have had a chance of qualifying for the PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 12:26 p.m. | UPDATED: May 26, 2020 at playoffs when the season was paused,” Bettman said. “This plan will 6:20 p.m. produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.”

It’s official: The Minnesota Wild have made the postseason. Whether or It seems fitting that unprecedented times have called for unprecedented not they make the playoffs is to be determined. measures.

That distinction was laid out Tuesday afternoon as commissioner Gary “I think we all understand how unique this year is and how crazy it’s Bettman announced the league’s cumbersome Return to Play Plan, been,” Guerin said. “We just kind of have to roll with it a little bit. I’m emphasizing that the 2019-20 regular season officially has come to a excited about it. It’ll be different, new, and the Minnesota Wild are close. involved in it. There’s really not much to be upset about or negative about.” That means that if the NHL returns at some point this summer — and that is still at question at this point as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread — the league will jump right into a a 24-team format Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.27.2020 for the postseason featuring the top 12 teams in the Eastern and Western conferences ranked by percentage points.

“As we seek some return to normalcy, this is an important day, particularly for NHL fans,” Bettman said. “We have been hopeful and optimistic that by developing all options and alternatives that we can get to this point.”

According to Bettman, the playoffs will be conducted in two hub cities that will be announced at a later date, and the Twin Cities is on the short list of 10 contenders. Each NHL team would be permitted to travel with a maximum of 50 personnel to their respective hub city.

There will be “comprehensive testing” in place in each hub city, and deputy commissioner Bill Daly said medical experts have told the league that a single positive coronavirus test would not necessarily shut down playoffs.

The top four seeds in each conference automatically will make the playoffs, and the remaining eight teams will play a best-of-five series in what the NHL is calling a qualifying round. Technically, the teams competing in the play-in series are not in the playoffs.

This announcement is good news for the Wild because before the 2019- 20 regular season was suspended indefinitely on March 12, they were one point out of a the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Instead, the Wild are now preparing for a best-of-five series against the Vancouver Canucks, whom they went 2-1-0 against during the regular season. Whichever team wins the best-of-five series will will advance to the first round of the playoffs to take on one the top four seeds in the Western Conference.

That opening matchup in particular excites Wild general manager Bill Guerin as he continues his first year at the helm.

“I know there’s some history there, and back in the day there were some great playoff series between the two teams,” Guerin said. “They are a good team. They are young, talented, fast, exciting to watch. I’m excited for it, and I’m so glad we are in the mix.”

That said, there are still a lot of things that need to happen before the NHL is back on the ice.

As of Tuesday, the NHL is still in Phase 1 of the Return to Play Plan, which involved players entering self-quarantine.

The next step, Phase 2, allows players to return to local practice facilities for voluntary workouts. In a memo released Monday, the NHL outlined what that would look like, targeting early June as the start date, and making clear that these voluntary workouts would be limited to six players at a time.

According to Bettman, Phase 3 will be the opening of formal training camps, which won’t happen until after July 1 at the earliest, and Phase 4 will be the resumption of games.

“We remain focused on the safety of our players, coaches, support staff and arena personnel,” Bettman said. “We will not set dates, choose sites 1174986 Minnesota Wild What the new format means: They’d play the Canucks in a play-in. We went to Thomas Drance, The Athletic’s Canucks beat writer, for a

scouting report, and he said, “If you’re watching this iteration of the Wild’s return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Vancouver Canucks play hockey, expect a lot of chances. Both ways. Minnesota The Canucks are the definition of ‘high event.’ Dangerous up front and lethal on the power play, the Canucks can fill the net. They also surrendered shots, scoring chances and expected goals against at a bottom-five rate in the NHL — even if their goals against totals don’t quite By Michael Russo reflect that because of Jacob Markstrom’s sparkling form this past May 26, 2020 season. The Canucks are potent offensively with bad defense and stellar goaltending.”

J.T. Miller led the Canucks at the break with 72 points and was tied with Well, we may get to see Mikko Koivu don a Wild uniform one last time. Elias Pettersson for the team lead with 27 goals. Brock Boeser, the pride of Burnsville, had 16 goals and 45 points. Defenseman Quinn Hughes We may get to see the completion of what was a magnificent final five- led all NHL rookies with 53 points. Markstrom, a potential pending free week stretch of Kevin Fiala’s season. agent, was 23-16-4 with a 2.75 goals-against average and .918 save And, we may get to see interim coach Dean Evason given the percentage. opportunity to make one final statement that he deserves to be named “Gosh, it feels like such a long time ago that we played them. It’s hard to the full-time Wild coach beyond this season. remember,” Parise said. “That last one in Vancouver was the most recent While there’s still a long way to go for the NHL’s return-to-play plan to one, and it was a good hockey game, pretty back and forth, overtime, become reality, the league and players are at least going to try to make it shootout and everything. But I think we’ve played ‘em in good games. happen after Tuesday announcing a 24-team format for a return by They’re a tough team. They’re a hard-working team. I think they’re really conference to two hub cities later this summer. well-coached. And they’ve got some really, really good players up front. It would be a really good matchup for us. It would be a tough one.” The Twin Cities remain one of 10 contenders to become a hub city. Does the new format help? Yes. For one, if the league came back with The top four seeds in each conference will automatically make the the top eight teams in each conference, the Wild wouldn’t have had a playoffs. The eight teams ranked fifth through 12th in each conference chance to make the playoffs. Secondly, after more than four months off, will pair up and play a best-of-five qualifying round to determine the other who could even guess which teams return and can pick up right where playoff spots. they left off? A best-of-five against the Canucks absolutely gives the Wild This would put the 10th-place Wild up against the seventh-place a shot at making the playoffs, and with a chip and a chair in this type of Vancouver Canucks to make the playoffs. environment, anybody could get hot and shock the league.

Training camp would start no sooner than July 1. Also, four months of rest may invigorate the Wild’s nine 30-plus-year-old players. “Without finishing the regular season, I’m not sure you’re gonna satisfy everybody with any one format,” Wild veteran Zach Parise said Tuesday. The only other facet that affects the Wild is commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the eight teams eliminated in the qualifying round will “I’m sure there’s going to be differing opinions, but everyone’s doing their enter the draft lottery. That means if Pittsburgh is eliminated by Montreal best to make it as fair and make as most sense as possible. I don’t know in the “play-in,” the 2020 first-round pick the Wild were set to receive from what the best solution would have been. I really don’t know … outside of the Jason Zucker trade could be deferred to 2021. playing the rest of the season. So it’s a challenge either way. If you forgot who’s on the team … Here were the forward lines from last “For us, fortunately, I think we knew one way or another we were going to practice, March 11: be a part of however they decided to come back unless they went right to the playoffs. So for us, it gives us a chance to stay alive and make the Jordan Greenway-Eric Staal-Kevin Fiala playoffs. That’s what we’re looking for from a playing standpoint.” Zach Parise-Joel Eriksson Ek-Luke Kunin

The Wild actually should match up quite well against the Canucks (ignore Marcus Foligno-Alex Galchenyuk-Mats Zuccarello the first-round Canucks sweep over the Wild during Dom Luszczyszyn’s simulation last month). Ryan Donato/Victor Rask-Mikko Koivu-Ryan Hartman

The Wild, 5-2 against Vancouver in the past seven meetings, went 2-1 Defense pairs: against the Canucks this season and delivered Evason his first head- Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon coaching victory in a shootout at Vancouver on Feb. 19 with his three children in attendance. Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba

Fiala scored the first goal of the “Evason era” instants into the game and Brad Hunt-Greg Pateryn Alex Galchenyuk played the role of hero by tying the game late in regulation with his first goal in his fourth game with the Wild, then *Defenseman Carson Soucy is healthy and should return from his wrist cinching things with a pretty shootout dagger. injury sustained Feb. 21 at Edmonton. That would likely make Hunt or Pateryn an extra. Wild refresher Goalies: Where they were at the shutdown: The Wild had won eight of their last 11 games, including two of three in California. Alex Stalock

Fiala, who scored 14 goals and 12 assists in his final 18 games, scored Devan Dubnyk the OT winner in the Wild’s final game March 8 in Anaheim after also Potential Iowa Wild players elevated to an expanded roster: Forwards scoring in regulation. Mats Zuccarello also scored in the game, and Gerry Mayhew, Nico Sturm, Sam Anas, Kyle Rau, Luke Johnson and J.T. Victor Rask and Galchenyuk each scored in the third period to help the Brown; defensemen Brennan Menell, Louie Belpedio and Matt Wild rally from a 3-2 deficit before the Ducks forced overtime. Bartkowski; goalies Kaapo Kahkonen and Mat Robson. At the time of the March 12 pause on the afternoon of the day they were Kahkonen, who led the AHL with 25 wins and 7 shutouts, was named the to face the Vegas Golden Knights at home, the Wild were one point and AHL’s Goalie of the Year on Tuesday. Last week, Kahkonen, Anas and six-hundredths of a point (.564 vs. .558) in points percentage out of a Menell were named First Team All-Stars and Mayhew a Second Team playoff spot. All-Star. Anas led the league in scoring and assists, Mayhew in goals and Minnesota’s 69 games played were tied for fewest in the West, but Menell finished second in scoring from a defenseman. nevertheless, the Wild needed the NHL and NHLPA to agree to an Rekindled storylines expanded return format in order to have a shot at making the playoffs. • Fiala was turning into a star right in front of our eyes and was on a 64- goal, 118-point pace from Feb. 4-March 8. Talking from Sweden a few weeks ago, Fiala said he was hoping to pick up right where he left off and be ahead of many NHL players because he was in a position where he could skate daily in a country that wasn’t under a stay-at-home order. Fiala soared to become the Wild’s points leader at the pause with 54 points.

• One of the biggest shames if the league isn’t able to return is that this could be how Koivu finishes his NHL career. Drafted in 2001 and a Wild player since 2005, Koivu is the Wild’s all-time leader in games played and points. He was in a fourth-line role at the time of the pause, but Koivu was also playing his best hockey and seemed to have a load off after declining to waive his no-move clause at the trade deadline. He had two goals and six points in his final eight games.

• Similarly, Parise was red-hot after the stress of the trade deadline passed him by. Remember, he was nearly traded to the New York Islanders only to have things fall apart at the last minute. He had four goals and nine points in his final seven games. Parise led the Wild with 25 goals.

• Goaltending remains the Wild’s biggest issue. Alex Stalock essentially became the Wild’s No. 1 down the stretch, superseding longtime starter Devan Dubnyk. Stalock went 11-4-1 in his last 16 appearances with a 2.25 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. The Wild rank 29th in the NHL with an .897 save percentage, so this would be the biggest concern going up against a shot-volume Canucks team.

• The Wild’s top-4 on the blue line is as good as it gets in the NHL. Ryan Suter was one of the highest-scoring defensemen in the NHL since mid- November, racking up 39 points in his final 49 games. Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon were in the midst of strong seasons, while Matt Dumba was starting to improve after a very slow start to a rebound following a season-ending torn pectoral muscle in 2018-19.

• Oh, and unsigned Kirill Kaprizov probably won’t get to debut this summer if you haven’t read The Athletic’s 45 stories on the subject.

• Evason is striving to become the Wild’s full-time coach beyond this season.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174987 Minnesota Wild high-priced players looking for guidance is a shared experience to which few can relate.

“For me, it’s a safe haven,” St. Peter said. “These jobs, and particularly Bringing sports back: How Minnesota’s pro teams are preparing a new (when) you’re dealing with this type of crisis, it can be a lonely spot. playbook There aren’t a lot of shoulders to cry on. In our group, we’re all facing very similar challenges and trying to do it from a leadership position. We can, frankly, let our guards down.”

The Athletic Minnesota staff “It really is a mechanism to lean on one another for advice for support, for some counsel, for some healthy debate,” Casson said. “We’ve had good May 26, 2020 healthy debate, which has led us to a closer-knit relationship with one another.”

The doors on U.S. Bank Stadium are engineering marvels, five walls of It didn’t take long into the group’s first meeting for everyone involved to glass that are each 55 feet wide and stand between 75 and 95 feet tall. come to the conclusion that it needed to become a regular thing. The An enormous hydraulic system enables them to be the largest pivoting shared experiences combined with the unique perspectives from the glass doors in the world, opening the stadium to downtown Minneapolis. different sports led Casson to call it “one of the things I look forward to most.” For the first four years of its existence, it was up to the stadium operators whether the doors would swing open to allow the warm summer night to Together, they are examining every corner of their industry in an effort to wash over a concert audience or the crisp autumn breeze to waft over help public health officials and Governor Tim Walz chart a course for the 66,000 Vikings fans. As the building approaches its fourth birthday in re-opening of large-scale gatherings like concerts and games at the July, it has no control over when those doors will open again. biggest venues in the Twin Cities. The group is discussing everything from attendance to additional health measures — like masks, The NFL stadium, and every other sports arena in the Twin Cities and temperature checks and how to conduct bag searches — that may or beyond, has been shuttered since March by the COVID-19 outbreak. The may not be required when play resumes. Vikings haven’t lost a game yet to the closure, but several concerts and other big events at the stadium have been canceled or suspended. Like “We believe we’ll form the blueprint for the return to professional sports restaurants, schools and businesses big and small across the world, and collegiate sports and really the return of large gatherings in the state professional sports have been put on hold by the coronavirus in a way of Minnesota,” St. Peter said. “That’s the big reason we’ve created that is that they never have been before. to provide a path forward for all of us.”

The virus has put normalcy in a straitjacket and flushed large-scale Majka serves as the de-facto chairman, sending out the agendas and gatherings down the toilet. Faced with total upheaval to their fans, their organizing the meetings from week to week. Wright is working closely business and their way of life, the leaders of six Twin Cities professional with the Minnesota Department of Health and the governor’s office. St. franchises have formed a coalition aimed at helping the teams weather Peter works on a task force that is looking at how Minnesota will attract the onslaught and, eventually, emerge to restore some sense of major sporting events in the future. Miller and Casson are co-chairs of a togetherness for a shaken community. For the first time ever, the task force looking at the safety of venues in the Twin Cities, for fans, executive leaders for the Vikings, Twins, Wild, Timberwolves/Lynx and teams and everyone else that will be in an arena on game day. Minnesota United have been holding weekly video conference calls that The group also has conversations about everything surrounding the have been part strategy session and part support group as they grapple game, from local broadcasts to community initiatives to social distancing with a problem that few could see coming. in bathrooms and concession lines as they try to find some sort of “We’re in the middle of the most challenging time of our careers,” Wild consistency in the environments that fans will experience whenever they president Matt Majka said, “and we’re leaning hard on each other.” are allowed to come back to watch their favorite teams. It includes representatives from the governor’s office to keep dialogue and The idea for all of the teams in town to pool their knowledge and their information flowing to leaders who will be responsible for enacting any resources came to Majka very early in the outbreak. The Wild were policies. playing in San Jose on March 5 when the city’s mayor first said that large gatherings were likely to be suspended in an effort to curb the spread of “There have been discussions about ticket policies that I wouldn’t bounce the virus. Coincidentally, Minnesota United landed in town on the same off anybody else but I’ll bounce it off of these guys, employment matters day in preparation for a game on March 7 against the Earthquakes. in where we are in terms of retention of our staff, things of that nature,” Minnesota United CEO Chris Wright and Majka were on the phone as the St. Peter said. “That part of it, the personal part of it, the level of support gravity of the situation started to come into focus. The Wild beat the and candid feedback is invaluable and for me has been the most Sharks on that Thursday, United defeated the Earthquakes on a meaningful part of these discussions.” Saturday, left for home on a Sunday and San Jose was essentially shut Casson, Wright, St. Peter and Majka all have deep roots in the Twin down on that Monday. Cities and have known each other for years. Miller just arrived from the A few days later, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for Toronto Blue Jays in September. He had always planned on reaching out COVID-19 while his team was in Oklahoma City to play the Thunder, to his counterparts with the other pro sports in town, but coming on board prompting the NBA to suspend play. The rest of the leagues soon with the Vikings after the season had started meant Miller was hard- followed. pressed for time as he tried to get settled in.

Faced with a problem so sweeping in scope and unpredictable in nature, He took a Polar Plunge with his fellow CEOs this winter, but the Majka proposed to the group that they put their heads together to first pandemic is what has really had him diving into the deep end of figure out how to proceed in a lockdown and, eventually, help chart a relationship building. course to relaunch sports in the Twin Cities. “I think you’re always trying to find people who have some level of Majka, Wright, Vikings COO Andrew Miller, Twins CEO Dave St. Peter understanding of the experiences you’re going through,” Miller said. and Timberwolves/Lynx CEO Ethan Casson have met every Wednesday “There are definitely times where as leaders of organizations like ours, for the past two months to compare notes, exchange information and you’re not able to as easily find that peer group. This is a very natural assemble plans for the numerous return-to-play scenarios that could peer group.” unfold over the next several months. The optimism has been building over the last few weeks for professional “None of us have ever been through this as leaders. None of us has ever sports to return to play. The NBA and NHL are exploring neutral sites for been a part of this in any organization we’ve ever been with,” Miller said. their teams to gather in an effort to limit exposure to the virus in hopes of “It’s just trying to get information and learn from each other in how to a July launch. Major League Baseball is negotiating with its players’ proceed.” union on the parameters surrounding a return on a similar timeline. With the Bundesliga in Germany opening this weekend, there is a growing They may play in different venues, have different season-ticket holders push for MLS to get back on the pitch, and high-ranking officials in the and be at various stages of their seasons, but being at the top of some of NFL have said the league plans to play in the fall as scheduled. the most popular businesses in Minnesota with passionate fan bases and Whether fans are allowed into the venues hosting these games remains guidelines and experience so as to limit confusion or conflict along the to be seen, but barring some kind of downturn when it comes to the virus, way. it appears that we will at least have live sports back on television again this summer. “Our job in the end is to deliver something that makes sense for professional sports in this marketplace that gives everybody the sense “I’m really optimistic that we can play,” said Wright, whose Loons won that we have thought it through, that we’re providing a safe environment their first two games before play was suspended. “I just don’t know for our fans to return to support our respective teams,” Wright said. whether or not it will be with fans. I think we’ve all got to concentrate as well on not only the immediate future, but also what this new normal “This is about putting the fans’ fears of safety and security at ease,” becomes inside all of our stadiums.” Majka said. “It probably will be a different environment, but I don’t view that as a bad thing. I really don’t.” In so many ways, pro sports have a big target on their backs, and the novel coronavirus is drilling it right in the bullseye. Arenas are meant to In March, all five bosses witnessed how sports provided an emphatic be packed, with thousands of seats measured out to the precise height warning sign to the country that this coronavirus was to be taken and width that will allow teams to maximize the number of fans that can seriously. The decision to suspend leagues sent shockwaves through fit into an arena, ballpark or stadium. Personal space is nonexistent when communities. Now they believe that sports can set the example for a fan walks through those doors and shuffles through the mass of responsible re-opening as well. humanity to find his or her seat. “We spend a lot of time on just determining what the future is going to Think about how many times you inadvertently bump into someone while look like and how we plan ahead for that,” Casson said. “We know the waiting in a long concession line or on your way to a stadium bathroom. importance of sports. We know that sports represents healing. I think How about the germs exchanged with the person who pats you on the we’re just proactively working together to determine how we can back after Dalvin Cook scores a touchdown? potentially be part of the solution in bringing that back at some point.”

It’s crowded. It’s hot. But that is also part of the fun that has to be Getting sports back, on television at minimum, would be a welcome sight addressed before stadiums can reopen. This group is trying to facilitate for so many Americans who are struggling right now. Having their favorite those conversations. team to watch may not get back a job that was lost or heal a sick relative, but it would be a distraction from the difficulties they are facing. Few “A lot of different things that are an exciting and inherent part of a entities in culture today bind such a wide swath of the public as sports sporting experience are not necessarily conducive to the right social teams do, and there is a responsibility in that which is not lost on the distancing and health and hygiene that’s important today,” Miller said. leaders trying to shepherd their teams back. “Right now we’re all trying to figure out, what does that experience look like? How can we make it something that fans are going to be excited to “We’re all so passionate about sports and fully believe in the power that come back to?” sports has to bring people together,” Miller said. “In this particular situation that’s obviously one of the challenges is bringing people The unpredictability of the virus means the bosses are having to plan out together. We believe that sports has the ability to bring people back and a number of different scenarios. There have been discussions about through challenging times. Through our country’s history that’s been games with no fans. Miller said the Vikings are exploring the idea of shown time and time again. The five of us all believe that sports in having some fans in the building whenever they are able to resume Minnesota can really be a catalyst for bringing our community back to its games. Wright said United has mapped out Allianz Field and determined feet.” that, under the social distancing guidelines in place today, they might be able to allow 3,900 fans into the 19,400-seat stadium. There is still so much work to be done. Through it all, a bond has formed. Any petty rivalries that may have existed between teams that were “I’m not saying that that is the way that it will happen. That might competing for a fan’s attention, and money, in a crowded sports market happen,” Wright said. “Then what is the next iteration of that, to ultimately are nowhere to be found as they confront an enemy that is wreaking returning to a full stadium of fans? We’re on a journey here and every havoc on the American way of life. There is fellowship in the struggle, so step of this way we have to protect every person involved with our club much so that there are plans to continue the meetings even after the starting with our players and our coaching staff to our part-time staff to pandemic subsides. our full-time staff, but most importantly to all of the fans that will ultimately visit us again at Allianz Field.” “We’ve developed a real support system to talk about some really difficult and challenging things,” Casson said. “There’s not a lot of people to call Miller and Casson said it was too early to share many of the details from to be able to have that type of candid conversation.” what they have been discussing in their task force meetings on venue safety. There are too many variables in play at this point for them to be Collectively, the group remains confident that someday down the road, ready to articulate what the fan experience will look like when play arenas will be full again. Fans will roar and players will raise their level of resumes, if there is a fan experience at all. Right now they are focused play because of the adrenaline derived from the din. Until that day on eight specific categories, including entering and exiting a venue, fan comes, the five fast friends will be meeting, talking, planning and services, ticketing and safety and cleanliness. collaborating in an effort to get to that point as quickly and safely as possible. Additional measures like masks and temperature readings upon stadium entry will likely be dictated by public health officials. Those giant doors, and all of the smaller ones on arenas across the Twin Cities, will open again. The idea is for the entire group to be ready with information, resources and analysis if and when the governor’s office turns to them for “When I hang up every week, I feel better because I’ve been talking with consultation on re-opening, with the priority being developing a plan that folks that are walking in my shoes, and it doesn’t feel so lonely,” Majka keeps everyone — players, coaches, fans, media, team employees, said, “and the support that I feel from those guys helps me through stadium workers — as safe as possible. another week, and I’m really grateful for that.”

“I think there will be a period of time where in each one of those categories we could make recommendations, suggestions, consensus The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 around each of those different things,” Casson said. “In some cases it might be very different in one building than another depending on outdoor facilities versus indoor facilities. But if we can really focus and drill down on those areas, we think there’s a return-to-play playbook that ultimately we can establish that came from that presidents’ forum.”

One thing that is certain amid all the uncertainty is that, at least in the short term, the fan experience will be markedly different than it was before COVID-19. The new normal will likely be different at Target Field and Allianz Field, two outdoor venues, than it will be at the Target Center, Xcel Energy Center and U.S. Bank Stadium, which are largely indoor facilities. But the hope of the group is that there will be some uniformity in 1174988 Montreal Canadiens the first two rounds of the playoffs will be best-of-seven series, as is the convention, or perhaps best-of-five.

The qualifying-round matchups in Hub City No. 1 (East) will be Montreal NHL to return for 24-team playoffs but warns Canadian quarantine rules vs. Pittsburgh, Toronto vs. Columbus, New York Islanders vs. Florida, may keep games in the U.S. and Carolina vs. New York Rangers. Hub City No. 2 (West) matchups will feature Edmonton vs. Chicago, Winnipeg vs. Calgary, Vancouver vs. Minnesota, and Nashville vs. Arizona.

SIMON HOUPT Bettman made the announcement online and on the TV networks that serves as the NHL’s broadcast partners: NBCSN and the NHL Network PUBLISHED MAY 26, 2020 in the United States, as well as Rogers Sportsnet and TVA Sports in UPDATED MAY 26, 2020 Canada.

He confirmed the 2019-20 season has officially concluded, blunting the faint hopes of some of its top stars that they could reach certain The NHL announced Tuesday that it intends to return to the ice for a milestones, such as Boston’s David Pastrnak and Washington’s special 24-team Stanley Cup tournament after a months-long pause, but Alexander Ovechkin, who each had 48 goals, or Toronto’s Auston refused to give a hard timeline, cautioning that any action would be Matthews, who finishes with 47. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl wins the Art unlikely until at least the end of July or early August. Ross scoring trophy, with 110 points, becoming the first German-born player to get the honour. “Anybody who gives you a date is guessing,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said during a press conference, explaining the league will take After his announcement, Bettman appeared for an exclusive interview on its cues from government and public health officials. Rogers Sportsnet’s afternoon drive-time radio and TV show Tim & Sid, where he suggested the league’s push to complete the season was less In making the move, the NHL becomes the first major league in North about the dire state of the NHL’s economics than the desire to help America to unveil a return-to-play plan after sports were halted in the hockey fans recover “a sense of normalcy.” middle of March because of the widening COVID-19 pandemic. “If what we’re doing helps people feel a little more normal again and The confirmation of the 24-team format means that six Canadian teams helps bring us back together – you know, it’s one of the things that we remain in the hunt for the Stanley Cup, the most since the spring of 1993, think sports does, it brings people together, it helps them heal from when six were still standing at the end of the full regular season. Only the difficult times – but the money is not the … driver here. I mean, yes, the Ottawa Senators are out. economic consequences of this are terrible, but finishing the season is Bettman confirmed the playoffs will proceed in two hub cities, one each more about finishing the season than it is about the economics – by a playing host to the Eastern and Western Conference teams, with games long shot.” staged for TV cameras but no fans in the stands. The cities will be chosen, likely within the next month, from a list of 10, including Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, and seven U.S. cities, and will depend in Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.27.2020 part on how widespread COVID-19 is in each locale.

However, during the same news conference, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly warned that unless the Canadian government relaxes its requirement for incoming travellers to self-isolate for 14 days, “we won’t be in a position to use any of the Canadian cities as a hub city.” He said the U.S. acting director of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, had recently “signed an order that made professional athletes essential,” to enable them to travel into the country.

On Tuesday, British Columbia Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters the province should not bend its rules for NHL players.

Other stumbling blocks are still unresolved, including the fate of players who may feel wary of returning to play because of family complications or their own underlying health conditions. Bettman noted that some players have diabetes, and others have asthma, both of which could prove dangerous complicating factors for someone contracting COVID-19.

The league envisions it will be at least early June before teams will be permitted to return to their home facilities for small group training. Formal training camps could begin in the first half of July, with a puck drop anticipated perhaps three weeks after that. Players would be tested every night for COVID-19 once play begins, with results every morning before they depart their hotels for the rinks.

Still, hockey boosters were thrilled with the return-to-play scenario outlined by Bettman, even if, he acknowledged, any proposed format will leave some fans a little sour, especially of teams that were at the top of the standings when the league halted play on March 12.

And he insisted the plan "will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.”

Under the format, the top four teams in each conference will get a bye into the official first round but will play a round robin of three games each to determine their seedings. (Ties in the final standings of that round- robin will be broken by regular-season points percentage.) Those teams are Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington, and Philadelphia in the East; St. Louis, Colorado, Las Vegas, and Dallas in the West.

The remaining eight teams in each conference will face off in a best-of- five qualifying round series, to determine the final four teams that will advance to the official first round. It has not yet been determined whether 1174989 Montreal Canadiens At first glance, that doesn’t seem fair to the Boston Bruins or St. Louis Blues, who battled to claim first place in their conferences during the regular season, which is now officially over. But the round-robin format offers the teams a chance to play a couple of meaningful games so they Canadiens officially in NHL playoffs, but Alexander Romanov can't play don’t go into the second round cold.

There will be television coverage of all games, but the commentators may be working remotely and no ink-stained wretches from the print Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette media will get anywhere near the players. Publishing date:8 hours ago Bettman also outlined plans for the draft lottery, which will be held on June 26. The seven teams that aren’t in the playoffs have the best odds of winning the No. 1 pick in the Alexis Lafrenière sweepstakes and Russian defenceman Alexander Romanov won’t be in the Canadiens’ there’s a possibility the Canadiens won’t be in the lottery. lineup when they face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2020 NHL playoffs this summer. In a normal year, the Canadiens’ dismal regular-season record would assure them of a top-10 pick. But if they upset the Penguins in the NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Tuesday that teams will be able qualifying round of the playoffs, the Canadiens would end up with the No. to take advantage of expanded rosters, but added there was no room for 16 pick. players like Romanov, who signed with the Canadiens on May 8 after the expiration of his KHL contract with CSKA Moscow.

“We didn’t feel it was right to allow a team to fill up with ringers,” Daly Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.27.2020 said.

The Canadiens selected Romanov in the second round (38th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Gary Bettman and Daly joined the media on a teleconference Tuesday after the NHL commissioner went on television to reveal the league’s plans for a 24-team playoff, starting with a qualifying round that includes the Canadiens, who finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 31- 31-9 record.

Bettman offered what could best be described as a general outline for the playoffs because there are so many variables that will determine when and where the games will be played.

The 24 teams will be based at two central locations and we can tell you that Montreal, which has borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, isn’t one of them.

Bettman said the list of possible sites has been narrowed down to 10 cities. The Canadian cities on the list are Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton. Other cities under consideration are Chicago, Columbus, Las Vegas, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Pittsburgh.

“Any of those cities are capable of hosting the playoffs, but we don’t want to announce a site today because the situation is fluid,” Bettman said. “We’ll be in a better position to make a decision in three weeks, when we have an idea of the situation as regards the virus and any government restrictions.”

One stumbling block is the current Canadian requirement that visitors from outside the country go into quarantine for 14 days. Bettman said if that requirement remains in place the Canadian cities are a no-go.

Each team will be limited to 50 personnel, including players and coaches, and there will be testing and more testing. Bettman said the NHL expects to conduct between 25,000 and 30,000 tests at a cost of $1 million.

Bettman did offer a road map of what will happen en route to the 24-team playoff. He said the NHL is now moving out of Phase 1, which required all players and team personnel to self-isolate, and moving on to Phase 2, which will allow small groups of players to hit the ice as early as next week.

Before that happens, the Canadiens will need the OK from Quebec Premier François Legault, who is also a fan. The Canadiens will hope they don’t have to wait as long as the Impact. MLS gave teams the green light for individual workouts earlier this month and 19 teams hit the pitch before the Impact finally got provincial government approval on Monday.

Bettman expects Phase 3, which will be training camps, to begin in July with the playoffs starting in late July or early August. That would produce a Stanley Cup champion by early October with a full 2020-21 season starting as late as January.

There was one surprise in the playoff format that will start with the Canadiens playing the Penguins in a best-of-five series. The top four teams in each conference will receive a bye in the first round, but won’t be idle as they await their second-round opponents. The top four teams will compete in a round-robin to determine the seedings for the next round. 1174990 Montreal Canadiens According to the formula the league has settled on, he’ll have all the freedom he could hope for to make whatever moves he deems appropriate.

Canadiens’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts In the Canadiens’ overall position, any scenario that sees them fall in the Montreal draft order or limit their ability to make significant moves at the draft would make this 24-team format a net loss. It’s ironic because in the eyes of many, the NHL is doing the Canadiens a favour by expanding the field of teams who will have the privilege of resuming their season. But that By Marc Antoine Godin favour could wind up being a great disservice to them. May 26, 2020 But until we know that side of it, hey, who would say no to a chance to make the playoffs?

From the Canadiens’ perspective, coming back to play this summer with The opponent a chance to make the playoffs can be seen in one of two ways. As the bottom seed in the tournament, the Canadiens would draw the First, as an unexpected opportunity for the players to get a fresh start Pittsburgh Penguins in the best-of-five play-in round. and prove they are more competitive then they demonstrated over their With 86 points in 69 games this season, the Penguins are the NHL’s best 71 games in the regular season. It is a shot at redemption that the team forced to play their way into the playoffs. It is not exactly an ideal players will happily accept, setting aside certain concerns already voiced opponent for Montreal, even if their only playoff meeting in 20 years went by Phillip Danault and others of being away from their families for a long quite well (if you haven’t read our long read on the 2009-10 season, you period. Any chance to play for the Stanley Cup, even if it was found in a shouldn’t miss it). box of Cracker Jack, will motivate people who thrive on competition. Over the last 10 regular-season games between the two teams, the In the front office, however, some would have likely preferred a solution Penguins have scored an average of 3.6 goals per game. That’s a lot of which, playoffs or no playoffs, would maximize the Canadiens’ chances goals. Having said, Carey Price had three solid games against the to have a high draft pick. There is a dose of realism that needs to be Penguins this season, sporting a .929 save percentage. That was injected into the situation – a cold evaluation of what this team is and enough for the Penguins to express a certain level of concern over what what it needs. Price could do against them. However, Price has not exactly established But how can anyone fault the players for embracing a chance to prove a precedent of stealing playoff series on his own. the doubters wrong, to prove they are better than we think they are? Winger Jake Guentzel, who suffered what was labeled as a season- The format presented by the NHL represents a small win for the ending shoulder injury in December, would be healthy for the Penguins. Canadiens in that taking part in the play-in round does not necessary With 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games, he was on pace for a career preclude them from winning one of the top-three picks in the draft lottery. season. He has nine points in eight career games against the Canadiens. But whether they get lucky or they simply want to keep their hypothetical The impact of the break on the Canadiens pick at No. 8, the fact remains they can’t beat the Pittsburgh Penguins if they want to stay in the top-10. Like almost every other team, the Canadiens will benefit from a rested, healthy group. Only Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who suffered a spleen injury that Where they were when everything stopped prevents him from contact for months, will not be available. Tomas Tatar, It is counterintuitive to think of the Canadiens as a potential playoff team who missed the last four games before the pause, has been healthy when we look at their season: two eight-game winless streaks, another enough to play for some time now. Victor Mete, who had been out since one of five games and they had lost five of their last seven games when mid-February with a fractured foot, would salvage a season that was over the season was suspended. They were swept by the hapless Detroit Red for him. Wings and were 11 points out of the final playoff spot. In fact, for the bulk However, it’s the return of Jonathan Drouin that represents the of 2020, the Canadiens had a better chance of winning the lottery and Canadiens’ most interesting case. picking first overall in the draft than they did to qualify for the postseason. Drouin was supposed to return to the lineup the night the NHL went dark. In Tampa Bay on March 3, Claude Julien iced a lineup that included eight After recovering from a wrist injury for months – one that will benefit from players who had also played for the AHL’s Laval Rocket this season. the additional rest – Drouin came back in February and quickly injured Running on fumes, the Canadiens were a team seeking motivation, with his ankle, which he tried to play through until it became obvious to zero sense of urgency in any of their games. If the NHL can resume the everyone that it served no purpose. season, this would surely change. This represents an opportunity for him to skate at full health and Does the new format help or hurt the Canadiens? recapture the same level of play that he displayed at the beginning of the The Canadiens will have balls in the draft lottery drum on June 26, and if season, which now seems like a distant memory. We have often written one of the combinations that wins a top-3 pick happens to belong to one that the Drouin we saw in the first 19 games of the season would be an of the teams who qualified for the postseason play-in round, the hockey incredible asset for the Canadiens if that was the player he became on a world will have to wait until that round is concluded before knowing which consistent basis. Not having to wait until the winter to see if he can do team the pick will be awarded to. that could help Drouin’s future and establish his spot in the hierarchy of the team. If the Canadiens manage to weave their way into the final 16-team playoff, and are then eliminated in either the first or second round, well It will also be interesting to see the impact of the layoff on Nick Suzuki, that would be the worst possible outcome. That said, the lottery process who had gone pointless in nine straight games and, according to Julien, unveiled by Gary Bettman has the merit of pushing the draft itself until had hit a wall. With Kotkaniemi absent and Nate Thompson traded at the after the playoffs. Common sense won out. deadline, we could see Suzuki and Max Domi both at centre, as they were when play was suspended. Given the Canadiens’ see-saw performance in 2019-20, it became clear basically from early January on that the club should turn its focus and Let’s attempt to answer this seriously. After all, a hockey man we are all energies toward the 2020 draft. A June selection, which still seemed to very familiar with has often said “once you reach the playoffs, you never be in the cards a few weeks ago, would have been an unmitigated fiasco know.” for the Canadiens; it’s highly likely there would have been no draft day But first, let’s hear from Shea Weber. trades under that scenario. “You look at any year in the playoffs, we’ve had eight seeds win before,” The club has accumulated a ton of picks and will be in a strong position, Weber told TSN 1040 in Vancouver. “This is a little bit more so than that, relative to other teams, to leverage its financial wiggle room in a stagnant but at the same time, there’s no momentum right now. The teams haven’t cap environment. All signs point to the high likelihood of adding a been playing for a couple of months. It’s like we’re all starting fresh. It’s significant asset to help the team in both the short and medium run. But the start of a year. How many times has a young team started for any of that to happen, Marc Bergevin has to be allowed to make unbelievably? (After) first 10-12 games they fall off and don’t make the trades. playoffs. But at this stage, if the team clicks at the right time and your goalie gets hot – and I think we have one of the best goalies in the world – and next thing you know you’re two, three rounds deep, you’ve got the momentum, ball’s rolling and you just, you never know.”

It’s true the current setup would be more like a start to the season. While the Canadiens made a habit under Michel Therrien of storming out of the gates, that hasn’t been the case under Julien. But there won’t be much of a choice under this setup. Play is generally more open early in the season and if the Canadiens can find some semblance of a defensive structure, their speed should help them under these circumstances.

The Canadiens are a pretty young team up front and, heading into a playoff-type scenario, the fact those young players are not nursing the normal physical and mental strains of a long regular season could play in their favour. The playoffs are normally where battle-tested veterans shine, but that might be less the case this year.

Any path to an improbable Cup run would need to avoid injury landmines. The 24-team format will be condensed as much as possible, creating fertile ground for injuries. After trading away Ilya Kovalchuk, Marco Scandella, Nate Thompson and Nick Cousins, the Canadiens won’t have the same depth as a team that was a buyer at the trade deadline. The bottom line, Montreal can not afford an injury to an important player.

Suzuki and Domi will likely play a big role in the team’s chances, the former because of his difference-making talent and the latter because we suspect he has the personality to elevate his game when the stakes are high. Domi’s simply never had a chance to show it.

We can add Drouin’s name to those two to demonstrate the extent to which the Canadiens would need to diversify their attack to compete with the Penguins. The line of Tatar, Danault and Gallagher has gotten the job done against the Penguins over the last two years, but it is not difficult to see how their defensive responsibilities would hurt their production in a playoff series. You can call it the Plekanec Syndrome.

And saying everything starts with how Price plays in goal would be too obvious to even mention.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174991 Montreal Canadiens Draft picks may not be fun for the ticket and CH-themed merch buying public, but this team is not a free agent or a trade away from being a serious Stanley Cup contender.

Roundtable reaction: How the NHL’s Return to Play plan impacts the Marc Bergevin has committed to building through the draft, and if Canadiens Montreal is to have a realistic hope of climbing the Cup mountain in the Price/Weber window, they need to add an impact scorer on the wing, and ideally another on the blue line.

Staff Report There are several of those available in the top 10 of this year’s draft.

By The Athletic Montreal Is there any harm in the Canadiens losing a play-in series and drafting in the eighth slot they currently occupy? None whatsoever. May 26, 2020 But as stated previously, the draft lotto ticket is slightly less valuable than

it was yesterday. Also, there’s a non-zero chance they’ll win. That would The NHL announced their return to play plan Tuesday afternoon, but turn the eighth pick into a 16th pick, at best. Not remotely the same more importantly, as far as the Canadiens are concerned, they ballpark prospect-wise. announced their plan for the draft lottery. There are a couple of ways this could go. One of them ain’t great. Here is the abridged version: the Canadiens will be one of eight Eastern Marc Dumont: While there’s no denying having a non-zero chance at Conference teams that will take part in a best-of-five play-in series to drafting a potential superstar like Alexis Lafrernière presents a high- reach the 16-team field in the playoffs. The Canadiens, as the 12th-best reward scenario for the Canadiens, we must not ignore the entire point team in the conference, will face the fifth-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in behind building through the draft is to get a chance to win the Stanley the play-in round. Cup, the ultimate reward. The Canadiens aren’t contenders, yet, but The winners of the play-in series, or, in other words, the teams that reach there are several reasons why a playoff play-in represents a perfect the playoffs, will not take part in the draft lottery. opportunity for the team to take the next step.

For the seven teams not taking part in the expanded tournament, they It would also present Bergevin with an opportunity to put his entire team will go directly to a lottery that will be held on June 26, before the to the test in a meaningful situation. He’s repeated on several occasions postseason tournament is held. That lottery will have eight teams, that certain players get you to the playoffs, while others get you through labelled by a letter, that could win one of the top three picks in the 2020 the playoffs, but unfortunately, his team has fallen short in the last few draft. If all three of the top picks are won by teams that are in the bottom years. It’s an underserved, unprecedented and completely uncanny way seven, then the lottery is over. If not, if one or more of the play-in teams of going about it, but it presents a unique opportunity for a team that’s win any of those picks, a second lottery will be held between the play-in struggling with its identity. If they truly are built for a playoff run, they will round and the first round of the playoffs. finally have their chance to prove it. Alternatively, a decisive loss could finally help convince Bergevin that Stanley Cup windows are, in fact, a Still with us? Good. thing and he needs to focus on a proper rebuild rather which involves liquidating his aging stars. At that point, each of the eight teams that lose those play-in series would have equal odds of winning the available pick in a second lottery held And finally, it would be a nice reward for the fans, who, in recent years, only among those teams. So, it is possible that the play-in series will be have unfortunately become accustomed to a lack of playoff hockey in held with the knowledge that the No. 1 pick in the draft will be up for Montreal. The current format gives them a taste of playoff action, with a grabs to the teams that lose. relatively safe guarantee of a high-end draft pick and an outside chance of drafting first overall. It’s as close as it gets to a win-win for the From a Canadiens perspective, going on points percentage, they would Canadiens and most importantly, their fans. be in line to pick No. 8 if the lottery changed nothing. If they beat the Penguins and get knocked out prior to the conference finals, they would Don’t forget, the last time the Canadiens beat the Penguins in the pick 16th. If they reach the conference finals, they would pick 28th. If they playoffs, they were ranked 19th in the league, behind three Western reached the Stanley Cup Final, they would pick 30th. If they won the Conference teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs. There’s no such Cup, they would pick 31st. thing as deserve in sports. But there is a laundry list of fantastic stories born from seizing an opportunity, however unlikely it may be. But at that point, it’s fair to assume no one in Montreal would care about draft positioning. The NHL tends to be a tame league. This is whacky but it’s far from boring. So that’s a brief summary of what Gary Bettman presented Tuesday. Here’s what our staff at The Athletic Montreal thinks about how it impacts Bring on the chaos. the Canadiens. Arpon Basu: So, this is not quite as bad as anticipated. Sean Gordon: The old Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes used to say of passing the ball that there are three possible outcomes and two of But the fact remains the Canadiens will be highly incentivized to lose them are bad. their best-of-five play-in series with the Penguins, no matter what happens in phase one of the draft lottery. Assuming one of the top-three He wasn’t a fan. picks in the draft remain available to the eight play-in losers, then that incentive only goes higher. The aphorism applies to the NHL’s proposed season-ending tournament as far as the Canadiens are concerned. I know. I’m a buzzkill, and I would not blame anyone for calling me that in the comments. Go ahead. I deserve it. It’s very on-brand for the league to come up with an unnecessarily complicated lottery system; as I understand the best case scenario, Because the possibility of making the playoffs for a team that was where the Canadiens lose the play-in series and finish 24th, their odds of ostensibly out of contention for months prior to the suspension of the winning the draft lottery have been chopped roughly in half. season has several good sides to it. It provides a city that has been ravaged by this pandemic something to look forward to, a welcome It’s not the end of the world given they were six percent to begin with. distraction, especially if the Canadiens can pull off the upset and get past And it’s probably fair for Montreal to pay a price to play, given their Pittsburgh. It also provides the team with an opportunity to play a season would otherwise be over. tournament with a rested Carey Price and Shea Weber, both of whom Just to establish some good faith bona fides, I am on the record as are very concerned about their respective windows to win. someone who believes Montreal can beat Pittsburgh three times in five All of that matters. games in July. But from a grander, team-building perspective, the Canadiens securing a It would be exciting if they did! But it would be the worst possible result top-10 pick in this draft is more valuable, because creating a team that for the Canadiens’ medium- and long-term future. can compete in a sustainable way, year after year, depends on securing more talent. Specifically, depth of talent.

If this season showed anything, it was how quickly everything fell apart with just two injuries, how fragile the team’s early success was. The solution to that issue is depth of talent, and adding more high-end prospects to their organizational mix in the hopes one or, if they’re lucky, two of them turn into very special players.

Beating the Penguins in the play-in would make it much more difficult for the Canadiens to do that. And the fact is, the Canadiens have a better than decent chance of beating the Penguins in that series.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174992 Nashville Predators The Preds and Coyotes split their earlier meetings this season, with the home teams winning each: The Coyotes (a 5-2 score) on Oct. 17 and the Preds (3-2) on Dec. 23. They were scheduled to play again March 28 in Phoenix, one of 13 postponed — and now canceled — Preds’ games NHL sets format for Stanley Cup Playoffs with Predators facing Coyotes that would have closed their regular season. in play-in round The Predators won their final three games before the season was halted, sweeping Dallas before winning at Montreal.

Gentry Estes, Nashville Tennessean “I thought we were really starting to turn the corner,” defenseman said recently. “We'd worked our way back into a playoff spot. I think Published 3:59 p.m. CT May 26, 2020 | Updated 4:40 p.m. CT May 26, the guys really started to embrace the grind of the end of the season. It's 2020 unfortunate we had to stop. I feel like we had the momentum going. Hopefully, if we do restart, we can kind of pick up where we left off.”

Much of a relatively mediocre 2019-20 season for the Predators, The bottom three teams in the Western Conference standings and the coaching change and all, revolved around earning a playoff berth that bottom four teams in the Eastern Conference would miss the playoffs, was far from assured. and their 2019-20 seasons would be over.

Well, they’re in.

And so are 23 other teams, courtesy of a revamped playoffs format Tennessean LOADED: 05.27.2020 announced Tuesday by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman in the hopes of being able to finish the season – at dates and sites yet to be determined – and award a Stanley Cup after the hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nashville is not one of 10 cities the NHL is considering as one of two sites to host playoff games – one "hub" for the Eastern Conference and another for the Western Conference.

The 24-team playoff format – the "best option under the circumstances," Bettman said — was approved Friday night by a vote of the NHL Players' Association. Seeding teams by points percentage, the format has four top teams in each conference receiving byes and playinground-robin style to determine seeding, and 16 other teams — including the Predators — opening with a best-of-five series to reach the Round of 16.

As the Western Conference’s No. 6 seed, the Predators would open against the No. 11 seed Arizona Coyotes.

The NHL did not announce dates or locations for the resumption of play. It'll be July 1 at the earliest for formal training camps to open for teams, Bettman said. The NHL announced Monday that it plans to reopen team facilities in early June for restricted, voluntary on-ice and off-ice training for players.

"Obviously, we anticipate playing over the summer and into the early fall," Bettman said.

Possible host cities named were Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

Full opening-round NHL matchups would be as follows:

Eastern Conference

No. 5 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 12 Montreal Canadiens

No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 11 New York Rangers

No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida Panthers

No. 8 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 9 Columbus Blue Jackets

Western Conference

No. 5 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 12 Chicago Blackhawks

No. 6 Nashville Predators vs. No. 11 Arizona Coyotes

No. 7 Vancouver Canucks vs. No. 10 Minnesota Wild

No. 8 Calgary Flames vs. No. 9 Winnipeg Jets

The Boston Bruins (No. 1), Tampa Bay Lightning (No. 2), Washington Capitals (No. 3) and Philadelphia Flyers (No. 4) would receive first-round byes and play round-robin games in the East, while the St. Louis Blues (No. 1), Colorado Avalanche (No. 2), Vegas Golden Knights (No. 3) and Dallas Stars (No. 4) would get byes and play round-robin games in the West.

Round of 16 and quarterfinal series could be best-of-five or best-of-seven (that had yet to be determined, Bettman said), while conference finals and the Stanley Cup Finals would be best-of-seven. 1174993 Nashville Predators

Predators forward Ryan Johansen tries to make most of dog days of NHL pause

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean

Published 5:00 a.m. CT May 26, 2020

Ryan Johansen's dog is having his day.

Or days.

The Predators forward's bulldog, Dozer, has been taking swimming lessons while the NHL season has been on pause since March 12 in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"He's staying afloat, so that's good," Johansen said Thursday during a video conference call. "He's causing a little bit of trouble, but not too much. He's been getting a lot of quality dad time."

Johansen has had other company, too. His brother Lucas, who plays for the AHL's , drove to Nashville to stay with Johansen after that league canceled its season.

The two have been working out together in hopes that hockey returns sometime this summer.

"Just working on staying in shape and being as game-ready as possible out of a garage," Johansen said. "So when something does get figured out we're ready to go. But you almost don't even know what to say, what to think.

"It's so unique and confusing in a lot of ways, but I guess my biggest thing is I want it to be as normal as possible before we get going."

Johansen understands "normal" won't be possible. That playing in empty arenas is likely. That not everybody will be happy with the format.

That players could be quarantined and tested for COVID-19.

"That's an ongoing thing," he said. "Lots of conversations trying to get an idea of where the whole league and all the players are at. I think it's going to come down to a voting system, make sure everyone's on the same page."

Johansen, who has 14 goals and 22 assists, was in the midst of his worst season with the Predators but remained optimistic about the team's trajectory when the pause occurred.

The Predators had won three in a row and held the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. He said they were "playing a lot better brand of hockey," something he thinks would continue if the season resumes.

"I think our group will still be really hungry as soon as it starts," he said. "We're not focusing on anything other than how we finished off and how we were coming together. We all feel good about ourselves."

Johansen also proved his chirping game hasn't rusted. He responded to Roman Josi's statement from late March saying he'd most like to quarantine with Nick Bonino and least like to quarantine with Johansen.

"I don't know if you want to hear my response to that," Johansen said with a laugh. "Bonino, he's a fun cat. He's got all these great jokes. I was a little disappointed in (Josi). We exchanged a few (confidential) texts after that.

"Those boys like to give me a hard time once in awhile. I'm all right with being picked on a little bit."

Tennessean LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174994 Nashville Predators Yes and no. The Predators had won six of nine to improve to 16-11-1 under coach John Hynes, the third-best record in the conference since Hynes replaced Peter Laviolette on Jan. 7. They appeared to be much more cohesive and resilient on the ice. Predators return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Nashville Statistically, however, the Predators regressed in some areas, particularly on offense. The team largely owed its success to starting goaltender Juuse Saros.

By Adam Vingan Wait, “starting goaltender Juuse Saros”?

May 26, 2020 Yes, that is correct. Saros was in net for 15 of the Predators’ final 21 games and was performing like one of the best goaltenders in the league

when the season went on hiatus. Remember hockey? It might be back, in pod form. In those 15 starts, Saros had a .938 save percentage. From Jan. 7 to Technically, they are being referred to as “hubs,” not pods. But you get March 12, Saros saved 17.6 goals above average in all situations, the idea. second-most in the league over that span, according to Sportlogiq.

Anyway, the NHL on Tuesday announced that if the 2019-20 season is Overall, the Predators went from having one of the worst-performing able to restart, then it will hold a 24-team tournament to determine a tandems under Laviolette to one of the best under Hynes. That tends to Stanley Cup champion. That, of course, is a big “if.” improve a team’s outlook.

It has been 11 weeks since the Predators last played, so here is a Which players might benefit most from the layoff? refresher — in case you have forgotten what hockey is: Three come to mind. Pekka Rinne said in April that the break “was good Explain this newfangled playoff format. for me to slow down and have a breather and regroup” after struggling for most of the season. Rinne has started each of the Predators’ 89 playoff Here is the gist of it: games since 2010, and although that streak could be coming to an end, he still has an important role. Twelve teams from each conference will participate and be ordered by points percentage. In a recent conversation with colleague Joe Rexrode, Ryan Johansen said of his unproductive season, “This is an experience I haven’t had The top four teams in each conference will automatically advance to the since I was a young player, and it ate me up.” Johansen, according to first round and play each other to determine seeding. Evolving Hockey, was below replacement level this season, which is The remaining eight teams in each conference will play in best-of-five, unflattering for an $8 million player. A revitalized Johansen would qualifying series. increase the Predators’ chances of winning.

The games will be held in two hub cities, one for each conference. The toll that injuries took on Viktor Arvidsson was evident. Stripped of his speed, Arvidsson, who had 15 goals in 57 games, was much less Great. Who would the Predators play? threatening off the rush. The break could help him return to form.

Rude. Which Predators players left Nashville, and how will they get back here?

Based on the format unveiled Tuesday, the sixth-seeded Predators are Several players returned to their home countries, including Ellis, Saros, slated to meet the 11th-seeded Arizona Coyotes in a qualifying series. Mattias Ekholm, Calle Jarnkrok, Dante Fabbro and Korbinian Holzer. From there, it is anybody’s guess. The league is still determining the first- and second-round formats. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security relaxed travel restrictions for professional athletes and their families. Colleague Sean How would the expanded field impact the Predators’ chances? Shapiro wrote about how immigration might affect the league’s plan to The most obvious disadvantage of being in the play-in round is that the resume the season. Predators will have to win five series to claim the Stanley Cup instead of the usual four. The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 The Coyotes have been known to give the Predators trouble, especially at Gila River Arena. Fortunately for them, there will be no games in Arizona and therefore no unauthorized excursions to Scottsdale.

When would the season restart?

It is expected that players will be allowed to return to training facilities and work out in small groups in “early June.” Training camps would not open “earlier than (the) first half of July.”

Also, Nashville is not one of the 10 cities being considered as a hub.

How were the Predators doing before the season was paused?

The Predators’ last game before the league halted play was a 4-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on March 10. Their 78 standings points had them in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

“I honestly felt the team was turning the corner,” Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said recently. “We were in close games. I think we were 4-0 versus St. Louis. We had just beat Dallas twice in a row. The teams that we had somewhat struggled with, we were starting to — I feel, anyway — feel better about ourselves in those situations. Those were big games for us to win.

“I thought we were really starting to turn the corner. We worked our way back into a playoff spot. I think the guys really started to embrace the grind of the end of the season. It’s unfortunate we had to stop. I feel like we had the momentum going.”

Is that true? 1174995 New Jersey Devils Bettman said that the league and the players union had not decided whether the second round would be best-of-five or best-of-seven and that the two factions were still discussing whether to reseed after the rounds or to maintain a bracket-style format. N.H.L. Announces Plan to Return Straight Into the Playoffs The conference finals and the Stanley Cup finals will be best-of-seven, as usual, and will most likely be played in the two hub cities. But Bettman said that if conditions change, the venues might, too. By David Waldstein Seven teams — the Devils, the Buffalo Sabres, the Anaheim Ducks, the May 26, 2020 Los Angeles Kings, the San Jose Sharks, the Ottawa Senators and the Detroit Red Wings — did not qualify for the playoffs. Their seasons ended immediately, each with a dozen or so games unplayed, and they More than two and a half months after shutting down because of the will be entered into the draft lottery along with the eight teams that lose in coronavirus outbreak, the National Hockey League became the largest the first round. North American professional sports league to announce definitive plans for a return. How can I protect myself while flying?

Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the N.H.L., announced on Tuesday If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect that 24 teams would return, if and when medically cleared, for a unique yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your playoff tournament in two hub cities. Official training camps would face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University resume no earlier than July 1, and the season would conclude with the found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a presentation of the Stanley Cup to the 2019-2020 champion in the early window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with autumn. The regular season was officially declared complete. potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard “We remain focused on the safety of our players, coaches, support staff surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the and arena personnel,” Bettman said. “We will not set dates, choose sites remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard or begin to play until we know it is appropriate and prudent and are and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. approved to do so.” (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) The N.H.L. issued a memo on Monday that detailed testing and safety protocols for what it termed Phase 2, voluntary practices at team facilities What are the symptoms of coronavirus? that would begin in early June, if local shutdown ordinances have been lifted. Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with On Tuesday, Bettman outlined the next stages: the opening of training those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy camps for all players, coaches and medical staff, and the start of a sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle conference-based playoff. The hub cities, one hosting the Eastern pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell Conference and one the Western Conference, will be chosen from a list as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after that includes Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Edmonton, Alberta; Las exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many Vegas; Los Angeles; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Pittsburgh; Vancouver; and as 14 days. Toronto. Bettman did not say whether fans would be allowed to attend the games, which would be broadcast on television. How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?

Bettman said that teams would be allowed to bring back 50 employees, Over 38 million people have filed for unemployment since March. One in including players, coaches, medical staff and club officials, all of whom five who were working in February reported losing a job or being will be tested for the coronavirus throughout the process. furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly The players union, led by Donald Fehr, cautioned that though it had concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers agreed with the league on the announced plans, there could be changes living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 before play is resumed, including to health and safety protocols that were percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said. designed in conjunction with medical experts and the union. Some remaining financial matters will be addressed in talks between now and Is ‘Covid toe’ a symptom of the disease? the beginning of the playoffs. There is an uptick in people reporting symptoms of chilblains, which are “If they need to be amended over time, we will amend them,” Fehr said. painful red or purple lesions that typically appear in the winter on fingers “This is a living document, and we have to make sure that logistically, we or toes. The lesions are emerging as yet another symptom of infection can actually implement the steps.” with the new coronavirus. Chilblains are caused by inflammation in small blood vessels in reaction to cold or damp conditions, but they are usually When hockey resumes, the playoff will follow the format approved last common in the coldest winter months. Federal health officials do not week by the executive board of the N.H.L. Players’ Association, include toe lesions in the list of coronavirus symptoms, but some expanding the field to 24 teams from 16. The teams qualified based on dermatologists are pushing for a change, saying so-called Covid toe their points percentages at the time the season was suspended. should be sufficient grounds for testing.

The top four teams in each conference will receive a first-round bye. Can I go to the park? They are the Boston Bruins, the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers in the East, and the St. Louis Blues, Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and the Colorado Avalanche, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, in the West. rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea. Latest Updates: Coronavirus Outbreak in the U.S. How do I take my temperature? An emergency program’s slow start leaves millions of hungry children waiting. Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep Biden, urging face masks, calls Trump a ‘fool’ for not wearing one. an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are California is in ‘economic free fall’ after its early shutdown. other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 During the first round, those teams will play a conference-based round complications. robin — three games each — to determine their seedings, one through Should I wear a mask? four. The remaining 16 teams will commence best-of-five series to determine which eight of them will advance to the second round. The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.

What should I do if I feel sick?

If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

How do I get tested?

If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.

How can I help?

Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities.

For teams like the Rangers, who would have been eliminated from the playoffs in the traditional, 16-team format, the plan provides new life. As the East’s No. 11 seed, the Rangers will play the No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. The No. 7 Islanders will play the No. 10 Florida Panthers.

The last N.H.L. games were played on March 11, the same night that Rudy Gobert of the National Basketball Association’s Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus while his team was in Oklahoma City to play the Thunder. That game was canceled, and most sports leagues’ events, including Major League Baseball’s spring training, shut down the next day.

Some sports have trickled back already, including NASCAR, and soccer and baseball in some countries. The PGA Tour announced plans to resume play on June 11 without fans in attendance and with testing procedures for golfers and caddies.

The is scheduled to start as planned in September, but the major American sports leagues that would have been in season now — men’s and women’s professional basketball and soccer, and M.L.B. — have faced daunting challenges in efforts to reach agreement with their players unions on safety measures and logistics.

The National Women’s Soccer League announced plans to return to training camp this month and end the season with a monthlong tournament in Salt Lake City. Members of the United States Women’s National Team have said that, because of health concerns, they may not participate in the N.W.S.L. tournament.

The M.L.B. and the N.B.A. are in negotiations with their players unions and medical experts to determine a way for them to come back, too. Some basketball teams have opened their practice facilities for players to train on a limited basis. The N.F.L. is in its off-season, and it is in the early stages of designing protocols for players, coaches and trainers to gather for mini-training camps in June.

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Coronavirus update: NBA returning with playoffs? MLB open to deferring salary? NHL back on ice in early June?

Updated May 26, 2020; Posted May 26, 2020

By Mike Rosenstein

Wednesday will mark 11 weeks since the NBA suspended its season following Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert testing positive for the coronavirus. The NHL and MLB hit the pause button the next day.

Here’s the latest as the NBA, NHL and MLB look to resume their seasons amid the COVID-19 crisis.

NBA

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports when play resumes, the league could go straight to the playoffs by eliminating conference play and seeding the contenders from 1 to 16. The NBA is reported to be negotiating a return with all of the teams playing at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

MLB

MLB owners are set to propose a new restart plan to the players’ union as early as Tuesday. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich report the new deal could include deferring players’ salary for 2020.

NHL

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the league is targeting early June for reopening facilities and allowing small team workouts.

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 5.5 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. More than 1.6 million patients have been in the U.S.

New York leads all states with 362,000 cases of the coronavirus. New Jersey is second with 155,000 positive tests for COVID-19.

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Coronavirus update: NBA’s target date to return; NHL’s playoff plan; SEC’s crucial vote

Updated May 22, 2020; Posted May 22, 2020

By Mike Rosenstein

UPDATE (1:58 p.m.): ESPN reports the SEC will allow athletes to begin “using facilities on campus for voluntary workouts June 8 under strict supervision of designated university personnel and safety guidelines developed by each university.”

More than ten weeks ago, the NBA, NHL and MLB suspended their seasons because of the coronavirus pandemic.

As the calendar approaches Memorial Day, each league is mapping out its return amid the COVID-19 crisis. Here are the latest developments:

NBA

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports “Orlando’s Walt Disney World Resort is on track to win the bid to become the NBA’s playing site to resume the 2019-20 season, with hope emerging of games tipping off by mid-July.”

Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddle tweeted Thursday he heard games could resume on July 15.

The NBA suspended its season on March 11 after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus.

NHL

ESPN reports “the NHL Players’ Association’s executive board started voting Thursday on a proposed 24-team, conference-based playoff format for a potential restart to the 2019-20 season this summer. Results of the voting could be available as early as Friday night.”

According to the report, the playoffs would be conference-based, with the top four teams receiving byes in the first round, which would be best-of- five series.

The NHL suspended its season on March 12.

ESPN reports SEC presidents and chancellors will vote Friday "on whether to allow their schools to open athletic facilities to athletes for voluntary workouts in June.”

On Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Council voted to approve voluntary athletic activities in football and men’s and women’s basketball beginning June 1.

According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 5.1 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, including almost 1.6 million in the U.S.

Star Ledger LOADED: 05.27.2020 1174998 New Jersey Devils charge of a rebuild and with former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall in Arizona.

"There was so much excitement last summer with the buildup to the start What the NHL's return-to-play plan means for the Devils of the season and October was a disappointment," Fitzgerald said. "We got caught behind the 8-ball and weren't winning any games and that got us in the wrong direction."

Sean Farrell, NorthJersey.com

Published 4:00 a.m. ET May 27, 2020 Bergen Record LOADED: 05.27.2020

GM hit a snag in its production of medical face masks when it came to sanitizing them. That's when the Red Wings and two other NHL teams stepped in. Wochit

The NHL has made it official. The Devils won't be coming back this season.

That news was revealed on Tuesday when commissioner Gary Bettman announced a plan to go straight to a 24-team playoff instead of picking up in the regular season. It leaves the Devils as one of seven teams on the outside looking in after a last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. This marks the seventh time in eight years that New Jersey has missed the playoffs.

"We respect the league's decision on this," Devils interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "It is what it is. We could never control when we were going to come back to play, whether we were part of that group or not part of that group."

"The draft is going to happen in some shape or form so we've been preparing for that since the middle of March, really. It's been keeping our guys busy."

Under the current format, the Devils (28-29-12) only needed two more points to beat out the Montreal Canadiens for the 12th and final spot in the Eastern Conference.

Instead, Fitzgerald and his team will turn their attention to the NHL Draft Lottery on June 26. The Devils have a 7.5 percent chance to land the top pick for the third time in four years – a percentage that remained constant in spite of the new playoff format.

NHL: NY Rangers in playoffs: What the 24-team tournament format means for them

New Jersey also has two other conditional first-round picks: one each from the Arizona Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks. The Coyotes' pick is top-three protected.

"We're all excited about the draft and what it's going to add to our organization," Fitzgerald said. "So we're prepared. We're preparing hard and we'll be ready for the draft and we're excited for what happens in the lottery and to see where we end up."

Fitzgerald is waiting to hear from the league if the new play-in round is considered an official playoff round, which could determine if the Canucks' pick is for this year or next. The Canucks are seventh in the Western Conference and face Minnesota for a spot in the traditional round of 16.

"Either way, we're excited to have another first-round pick, whether that's this year or next," Fitzgerald said.

Whoever the Devils select may have to wait a while before suiting up.

With training camps not expected to start before early July, Bettman anticipates this season going "over the summer and into the early fall." Fitzgerald said he's talked with the other general managers whose teams are not in the playoffs about dealing with a long hiatus. However, it appears that the Devils can participate in team workouts during the league's "Phase 2" this summer.

"(Our players) would have to go through the same protocol as the league mandated for the 24 teams," Fitzgerald said. "If guys are comfortable enough to come back to New Jersey and want to settle in and feel comfortable in their own little nest...absolutely."

The NHL's Return to Play decision closed the book on a Devils' season that once looked promising. They captured the league's attention with the arrival of No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes and the stunning draft-day trade for P.K. Subban. But the year ends with an interim coach and GM in 1174999 New Jersey Devils

What Devils think about sudden end to their season

Staff Report

By Associated Press

May 27, 2020 | 3:13am

The New Jersey Devils’ season came to an end on Tuesday after the NHL abandoned the rest of the regular season and announced plans to head straight into the playoffs with 24 teams.

Only seven teams were left out of the postseason under the plan commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled to resume the season later this summer. It has been paused on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Devils had a 28-29-12 record in a regular season that saw both coach John Hynes and general manager fired.

“It is disappointing being left out,” interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald said in a video conference call Tuesday. “But you know what? We we respect the league’s decision on this. And, you know, it is what it is.”

Fitzgerald said management has not informed either him and interim coach Alain Nadreddine whether they would be retained in their current roles next season. He said the team will continue to prepare for the draft, which probably won’t be held until after the playoffs end.

The postseason may last the entire summer, provided there are no setbacks.

A lottery will be held June 26 to determine the top three picks. They Devils have the second best record among the seven teams who did not qualify. They could draft anywhere from first to ninth.

New Jersey has had the No. 1 overall pick twice in the last three years, taking centers Nico Hischer and Jack Hughes.

New Jersey may also get Arizona and Vancouver’s first-round draft picks. They would get Arizona’s if the Coyotes don’t get a top-three pick. They would get Vancouver’s first-round pick if they make the playoffs.

Arizona and Vancouver are among the 16 teams that have to play in a best-of-5 series to qualify for the final 16. Whether that counts as making the playoffs remains to be determined.

“I have read tweets that it’s not going to be considered the playoffs,” Fitzgerald said. “So like I said before, I think the league’s going to a hard job and to accommodate 31 teams and their liking. Not every team is happy. Not every team. We all accept what’s going on here.”

The Devils had only themselves to blame for missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. They got off to a bad start and never recovered.

“It just tells you there’s any lessons when the puck drops October, whatever Game 1, you’re gonna be ready to play and every game counts,” Fitzgerald said.

Under the league plan, teams can start training in July. Fitzgerland say the Devils will be allowed to bring some players in during that time. He plans to have exit interview remotely in the next month.

New York Post LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175000 New Jersey Devils ERIC DUHATSCHEK: What interests me about this formula is what happens outside of the top seven because the NHL has created a delicious scenario here in which all the teams competing in the play-in round now are going to have a direct rooting interest in the outcome of Roundtable reaction: Winners and losers of the NHL’s draft lottery the June 26 draft lottery. solution Ideally, those teams – 16 in all – will quietly be cheering that a scenario develops like it did the year the Philadelphia Flyers jumped to No. 2 in the draft lottery to secure Nolan Patrick, or the Carolina Hurricanes By The Athletic NHL Staff jumped to No. 2 to draft Andrei Svechnikov, or the Dallas Stars jumped to May 26, 2020 No. 3 to draft Miro Heiskanen.

If it happens that an NHL logo comes up as the winner of any of the three rounds in the draft lottery, suddenly all the teams involved in the play-in OK, so it wasn’t a tournament to determine the draft order. Which, if you round have a 12.5 percent chance to move up in the top three. like chaos, was one of the best ideas to come out of the NHL’s brainstorming portion of its pause. But the NHL’s draft lottery plan is And if, heaven forbid, if it happened twice, then suddenly the odds jump certainly something. It’s convoluted. It has multiple phases. NHL to 25 percent that you can get a really nice consolation prize if you commissioner Gary Bettman even gave a bit of a warning before happen to lose out in the play-in round to determine the actual 16-team explaining it in his return video announcement, saying, “this is a bit playoff field. complicated … and I apologize for that.” COREY MASISAK: The NHL’s unique draft lottery could be a net positive It’s complicated but it also settled a few issues. for the New Jersey Devils, but no other team has traded for more conditional picks and even interim GM Tom Fitzgerald said Tuesday First, the basics: night that he’s still waiting for clarification on them.

1. There are 15 teams in the draft lottery. The seven teams done playing This lottery plan does still allow the Devils the chance to land a top-three will participate in Phase 1 on June 26. There will be three drawings for pick. It could also lead to New Jersey landing another pick in the 8-10 the top three picks. If it’s three non-playoff teams, we’re all set! But of range, depending on what happens with the Coyotes in both the course, it won’t be. So chances are, it’s on to Phase 2. qualification round and the lottery. Arizona’s pick, as of Tuesday, could still land in 26 of the 31 spots in the 2020 first round. 2. Phase 2 of the lottery would be held after the qualifying round and before the start of the 16-team playoffs. The eight teams eliminated, with What happens with two picks from Arizona (including a potential first- equal odds, conduct a drawing to determine who gets the spot (spots?) rounder in 2021), Vancouver’s first in 2020 or 2021 and a third- or fourth- won by the placeholder in Phase 1. So a team like, say, the Edmonton round choice in 2020 from Carolina all hinge in part on if the NHL defines Oilers could compete in the play-in round and also win the No. 1 overall the play-in round as playoff games or not. So the Devils could benefit, or pick. it could hurt them. For now, it’s more waiting.

Would it be easier just to get it done in one drawing after the playoffs? COREY PRONMAN: I like the idea of having the lottery in June, as it’s Sure, but this gives teams done playing something to look forward to something to engage the league and the fans of teams who will be during what could be a looooong layoff. dormant for an extended period of time, plus it allows the top couple of prospects to know which organization they need to work with over the “They have their ability to engage with their fan base on something course of the summer and fall. during their long pause between games,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said of those seven teams. “We thought the draft lottery was a I’m not so sure on the logic of making the lottery overly complicated to chance to create excitement and engage with their fanbase.” compensate for the No. 8-15 slots, which under the 2019 system the first pick draw came out to a 25 percent chance combined between all the So here we are. There’s a lot going on. To sort through it, we invited a teams of winning. The simple solution would have been three draws for panel of writers from The Athletic to share some thoughts, observations the bottom seven teams, especially since the other teams get a chance and opinions about the new draft lottery setup. to make the playoffs. Let’s dive in: HAILEY SALVIAN: This format means the Senators will have the best MAX BULTMAN: The Detroit Red Wings ultimately land in the place they combined odds (25 percent) at winning the lottery, as they own San were always most likely to end up: near the top of the lottery, with an Jose’s pick and their own. However, Ottawa can now drop as low as No. 18.5 percent shot at the first overall pick and a 49 percent chance of 5 and No. 6. So can you really blame Senators fans for feeling like this is picking in the top three. That’s the same as it was the day the season the “worst case scenario” compared to the previous draft and lottery was suspended. From that standpoint, they don’t lose any ground — proposal? although it’s certainly a far cry from the odds floated a few weeks ago. Personally, I don’t hate this idea. It gives fans (and us media) something Detroit is, however, quite adversely affected by not getting to play again to look forward to. My one issue with this format is around the Phase 2 until the next season, whenever that may be. That means no games or part. I’m fine with the losing teams from the qualifying round being meaningful competition for any of its young players or prospects, while included in the lottery as a consolation prize of sorts. But I don’t think other teams have training camps and playoff hockey reps coming their they should be eligible to move up to first-overall. I would have preferred way. That aspect is as damaging as anything else about this Return to to see a maximum move up rule like in last month’s proposal. Because I Play format for Detroit — though certainly it will feel toughest for Red can’t imagine the turmoil in Ottawa if a team like Toronto or Montreal Wings fans, who just endured one of the most miserable seasons of the wins the lottery and the Senators drop out of the top-four. salary cap era, if a team participating in the NHL’s postseason (whether SCOTT WHEELER: From a practicality standpoint, I don’t hate the way you want to call it a playoff or play-in) jumps them via one of the the NHL has decided to go about this. It accomplishes two things: placeholder spots. 1. It gives the seven NHL fan bases that are facing 10 (11?) months CRAIG CUSTANCE: There were certainly people unhappy with the without games something to chew on while the rest of the league has its notion that moving the draft to June would have given the teams at the fun in the playoffs. bottom of the standings better odds of winning the lottery. Said one NHL executive of the lottery plan attached to the June draft memo: “(Steve 2. It gives the scouts and managers for those seven clubs a sooner Yzerman’s) team is getting an absurd benefit as it stands.” That’s no resolution. If I’m Ottawa or Detroit, I don’t want to wait until September or longer the case. This brings the odds closer to what they were before all October before being able to narrow my focus on the players I’m this hit and that seemed like an important consideration for teams when considering. weighing in on the lottery. Instead, this becomes one of the rare times it’s good to be in the middle of the pack in the NHL. Those are the winners Is it too convoluted? Yes. Is the average fan going to understand the new here. You get a crack at the Stanley Cup and, if that flames out, there odds and the layers that come with them? No. Do middle-of-the-pack might be a shot at the top pick waiting for you. teams get an unfair advantage with the lottery and the play-in format as win-win options? Yes. But June 26 gives people a set date to look forward to and will quench the thirst for some fan bases and organizations, and we can’t lose sight of those things. I think that’s a win. Here’s hoping all three top picks are won by bottom-seven teams so that we can be done with it in one night and move on.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175001 New Jersey Devils Arizona’s 2020 first-round pick If the Coyotes lose their qualifying round against Nashville, the pick could

end up at No. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13, pending the results of the Devils’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts New lottery (or lotteries). Jersey If Arizona loses to Nashville, and then wins a top-3 pick in the second phase of the lottery, the Coyotes keep the pick and New Jersey gets an unprotected 2021 selection. If Arizona beats Nashville and qualifies for By Corey Masisak the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Devils will get the 2020 first, which will be no lower than No. 16 overall. May 26, 2020 Arizona’s pick ends up at No. 8: If the Coyotes lose to Nashville,

Montreal and Chicago win the play-in round and no team outside the These are uncertain times for everyone, but no NHL team faces more bottom seven wins a top-three pick in the first lottery phase. questions this offseason than the Devils. Arizona’s pick ends up at No. 9: If the Coyotes lose to Nashville, For the first time in months, there is some clarity — the Devils’ offseason Montreal or Chicago wins the play-in round and no team outside the begins now. bottom seven wins a top-three pick in the first lottery phase.

The NHL announced its plans Tuesday for completing the 2019-20 Arizona’s pick ends up at No. 10: If the Coyotes lose to Nashville, season, and it does not include the Devils. The league will return with 24 Montreal and Chicago lose the play-in round and no team outside the teams, with 16 of them competing in a best-of-five qualifying round bottom seven wins a top-three pick in the first lottery phase. before a traditional 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs. Arizona’s pick ends up at No. 11: If the Coyotes lose to Nashville, “It is disappointing being left out, but we respect the league’s decision on Montreal and Chicago lose the play-in round and one team that isn’t this,” Devils interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. “It is what it is. Arizona wins a second-phase lottery selection. We could never control when we were coming back to play or whether Arizona’s pick ends up at No. 12: If the Coyotes lose to Nashville, we’d be part of that group. We didn’t know, but the draft was going to Montreal and Chicago lose the play-in round and two teams that aren’t happen in some shape or form, so we’ve been preparing for that since Arizona win a second-phase lottery selection. the middle of March, really.” Arizona’s pick ends up at No. 13: If the Coyotes lose to Nashville, That could allow the Devils to fulfill a couple of critical tasks and take the Montreal and Chicago lose the play-in round and three teams that aren’t next steps they believe will move them closer to being a consistent Arizona win a second-phase lottery selection. playoff team and a Stanley Cup contender. Arizona’s pick ends up at No. 16-31: If the Coyotes beat the Predators. The NHL also announced its plan for the 2020 draft, which could The playoffs will determine what exactly the pick becomes. significantly affect the Devils’ future. The 2020 draft lottery is unique and could end up including multiple phases. Vancouver’s 2020 first-round pick

Here are the details: If the Canucks lose their qualifying round series against the Wild, they will keep their 2020 first and the Devils will receive an unprotected 2021 The 2020 NHL draft will not happen until the Stanley Cup Playoffs are first-round selection. concluded. If Vancouver beats Minnesota, the Devils will receive the Canucks’ 2020 The first phase of the lottery will happen before the qualifying round on first-round pick. It will be somewhere between 16 and 27 if the Canucks June 26 and include the bottom seven teams plus placeholders (Team A, lose in the first two rounds, or between 28 and 31 if they reach the Team B, etc) for the eight losers. It will determine the top three picks in Western Conference Final. the draft. Arizona’s 2021 conditional third-round pick Odds for those drawings are the same as in recent lotteries, which means the Devils have a 7.5 percent chance to land the No. 1 pick and a There is no language in the NHL’s release about whether the qualifying 23.3 percent chance to end up with one of the top three selections. round counts as a “winning a playoff round,” but given that the league has differentiated it from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the answer is If a placeholder team wins any of the top-three choices, a second phase probably no. of the lottery will be held between the end of the qualifying round and the beginning of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The eight teams that lose in the So if the Coyotes beat the Predators and win their opening playoff round play-in round will be sorted by regular-season points percentage, and against one of the top-four seeds, the Devils’ pick in 2021 would be one, two or three drawings will take place depending on how many non- upgraded to a second-rounder. bottom seven placeholder teams won top-three picks in the first phase. If the Coyotes beat the Predators and win their first-round series and What the draft rules mean for New Jersey Taylor Hall re-signs before next season, New Jersey would get Arizona’s first-round pick in 2021. Let’s start with this: There was no information about conditional picks in the NHL’s return to play announcement. So everything we know about If the Coyotes lose to the Predators, the third-round pick in 2021 can only the five picks the Devils could own (with conditions) is subject to change. be upgraded to a second — and only if Hall signs with Arizona.

We also don’t know if the qualifying round will count as an official playoff Carolina’s conditional 2020 pick round for the purposes of the conditional picks. If they do count, we will update the story accordingly. Here are the conditions from the Sami Vatanen trade:

“They did not define that particular item (if the qualification round counts New Jersey receives a 2020 fourth-round pick if Vatanen plays in five as a playoff round),” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a question I have for the league. regular-season games this season. The league has a hard job to accommodate 31 teams and their liking. The pick upgrades to a 2020 third-round pick if Vatanen plays in 12 Not every team is happy, but we all accept what is going on here and regular-season games this season, or if Carolina makes the playoffs and respect the league’s decision on what is going on here.” he plays in 70 percent of their playoff games. That said, let’s assume the conditional picks will be conveyed strictly Big question: Does the qualifying round count as “regular-season based on the rules the NHL laid out on Tuesday. Here is where each of games?” If so, the Hurricanes could lose in five games, and if Vatanen the Devils’ picks could end up: plays in all of them, the Devils would get a 2020 fourth-round pick. New Jersey’s 2020 first-round pick If Carolina wins its play-in round against the Rangers, then Vatanen The Devils’ own pick could end up at No. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 or 9. The odds needs to play in 70 percent of the Hurricanes’ playoff games for the are the same as if the pandemic never happened. Devils to get a third-round choice. If Carolina loses the play-in round in fewer than five games, or if Vatanen Kyle Palmieri missed out on a chance to score 30 goals for the second doesn’t play in all five games, or if they make the playoffs and Vatanen time in his career, finishing with 25 in 65 games. Travis Zajac is nine doesn’t play in at least 70 percent of the games, the Devils will not games shy of 1,000 for his career; his family was set to attend his receive a draft choice to complete the trade. milestone game in late March.

Buffalo’s conditional 2021 fifth-round pick Dakota Mermis, a 26-year-old defenseman who shined for the Devils in a second-pairing role for 10 games before the shutdown, was the surprise The Sabres cannot make the playoffs, so the pick from the Wayne of the season. He’s a UFA this offseason, and 20 or more strong NHL Simmonds trade will be a 2021 fifth-round selection. games might have improved his chances of getting a one-way contract Now that we know the Devils will not play any more games this season, next season. it’s a good time to look back at what transpired before the coronavirus Players helped by the NHL’s plan pandemic halted the sports world in mid-March and what the Devils are facing during an important offseason. Hughes’ rookie season did not go the way he expected, but there were flashes of his extraordinary talent. His priority this offseason should be to Where they finished the year bulk up. An extended offseason, where he might not play a game for New Jersey finishes the season 26th in the league standings, and last in seven or eight months, could help accelerate his physical maturation. the Metropolitan Division, with 68 points in 69 games. The Devils missed Beyond Hughes, the Devils have plenty of young players who could the playoffs for the second straight season and the seventh time in eight benefit from extra time in the weight room and working on their games. A years since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. longer offseason (and fewer games on the odometer) could also help Another season with the club languishing near the bottom of the veterans like Schneider, Zajac and P.K. Subban at the start of next standings by November led to a series of franchise-altering changes. season. Coach John Hynes was fired in early December after a 9-13-4 start. If the 2020-21 season starts late because the timeline gets pushed back, Taylor Hall, the first Hart Trophy winner in franchise history 18 months Will Butcher would have more time to rehab and fulfill a “normal” prior, was traded two weeks later. offseason after undergoing season-ending thumb surgery.

General manager Ray Shero was dismissed Jan. 12 after four-and-a-half First order of business seasons in charge. Interim GM Tom Fitzgerald traded captain Andy Greene, Sami Vatanen, Blake Coleman, Wayne Simmonds and Louis Five NHL teams currently employ interim coaches, but only one also has Domingue by the deadline. an interim GM. The Devils have to choose who will lead the next phase of the rebuilding effort. Fitzgerald earned plenty of praise for how he The Devils lost the first five games of interim coach Alain Nasreddine’s handled the trade deadline and has had five months to show how he tenure, then went 19-12-7 from Dec. 14 until the shutdown. would run the organization’s day-to-day operations.

What this means to the franchise The GM will then need to decide on a head coach. Whether the choice is The Devils began a full-scale rebuild when Shero and Hynes arrived Nasreddine or a new hire, the Devils will have more decisions to make to before the 2015-16 season. Reaching the playoffs in their third year was fill out the rest of the coaching staff. a surprise, and the step back the following year was softened by winning Other offseason priorities the draft lottery and landing the No. 1 pick for the second time in three years. Once the Devils finalize their coaching staff and hockey operations, a critical offseason for the roster awaits. The Devils could have three first- This season has made it clear that there will not be a linear progression round picks at the 2020 draft and more cap space than nearly every team to the rebuild. Shero had a universally-praised offseason and the Devils in the league. were expected to contend for a playoff spot, but a litany of issues that started with blowing several leads and poor goaltending early in the New Jersey’s biggest need is more high-end talent, regardless of the season left the club facing another lost year by Thanksgiving. position. Fitzgerald has said that if he remains the GM, he wants to add players closer in age to Hischier and Hughes who can grow with them, New Jersey has two young players with franchise-leading potential: while also ensuring the young players have enough “men” on the roster centers Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. The most promising to help them develop at this level. development during the 2019-20 season was that of Mackenzie Blackwood, who took another big step toward becoming the club’s The Devils have to decide what they want to do in net. That could include starting goaltender of the present and future. sticking with Blackwood and Schneider as a tandem, adding a third goaltender to compete with Schneider or buying out Schneider’s contract Beyond those three players, there are a lot of question marks. It starts and adding a replacement. with who will be making the decisions and who will be coaching the players. The Devils have many young players in a pipeline that Shero The Devils need one or two more top-four defensemen and multiple top- rebuilt from the worst in the league, but it’s still not flush with high-end six wings to play next to Hischier and Hughes before they can be prospects. considered a consistent playoff team and potential Cup contender. Accumulating more high-end young players in the draft or via trades will Fourteen Devils played at least 30 games and averaged 15 minutes or be a top priority, but adding a veteran on the wing and on defense could more of ice time this season. Five of those players are no longer on the also be a part of the game plan. roster, and three more are unrestricted free agents after next season. Kevin Rooney is the only regular still on the roster who is a UFA, but the How well the Devils fare at the 2020 NHL Draft, which could include three Devils have several RFAs who need new contracts, including Blackwood, first-round selections, and how the other young prospects develop, will Anderson, Jesper Bratt, Micro Mueller and John Hayden. Palmieri, Zajac determine if the end of the rebuilding project is near or if multiple years of and Nikita Gusev will all be UFAs after next season and eligible to sign pain are still to come. new contracts. If they don’t sign, they could be in the same position as Players hurt by the NHL’s plan Hall, Vatanen and Greene were this year.

Goaltender Cory Schneider was sent to Binghamton for the second straight season, but just like in 2018-19, he returned and played well The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 toward the end. Compared to the stretch of 14 games last year, he had only four this year. He likely missed out on five or six starts to further build the case that he has put his issues behind him and to get his save percentage back above .900.

The trades had opened roster spots and created more playing time for some of the young players who hope to nail down full-time jobs next season. Players like Joey Anderson, Janne Kuokkanen, Nick Merkley and Michael McLeod missed out on opportunities to strengthen their resume at the NHL level because of the shutdown. 1175002 New York Islanders

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman believes Islanders' Belmont arena can meet target open date

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated May 26, 2020 8:31 PM

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman believes the Islanders’ new arena at Belmont Park can still be completed on or close to its target date of October 2021.

Construction was halted on March 27 because of the COVID-19 pandemic but is expected to resume on Wednesday with New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s announcement on Tuesday that Long Island can begin Phase 1 reopening.

Bettman, speaking on a teleconference on Tuesday, said it was his understanding, “they have either resumed construction or they’re about to.”

“The building is proceeding and, I’m told, it will be on time or close to on time,” Bettman said. “So, that shouldn’t be an issue.”

Construction, along with limited retail sales, manufacturing, wholesale trade and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting are included as businesses that can re-open in Phase 1.

The work on the Belmont Park arena was deemed non-essential when it was halted.

Cuomo, speaking at the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan after ringing the opening bell, said, “Long Island will open tomorrow,” though he did not specifically mention the Belmont Park arena project.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said via her Twitter account on Sunday that “construction at Belmont resumes in Phase 1.”

The Islanders have targeted the start of the 2021-22 NHL regular season to open their new home. And, while it’s still unclear exactly how this two- month delay in construction will affect that timeline, team officials have expressed confidence throughout the forced work stoppage that the project could still be completed on time.

A mild winter did help the construction schedule.

The building will seat 17,113 for hockey and is the focal point of a $1.3 billion project that also includes a 250-room hotel and 350,000 square feet of retail. New York Arena Partners - a joint venture between Islanders principal owner Scott Malkin, Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke - is privately funding the project.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175003 New York Islanders No fans, of course, with two “hub” cities to be determined, one of which might well be Las Vegas and neither of which will be New York.

Half Hollow Hills High’s own Gary Bettman called the plan “our best NHL's playoff format isn't perfect, but it surely is welcome option under the circumstances,” then tried to explain things further while his dog and 3-year-old grandson weighed in from the work-from-home background. (We’ve all been there, Mr. Commissioner.)

Staff Report “This plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL,” Bettman said, Updated May 26, 2020 6:18 PM correctly.

Soon thereafter NBC analysts were breaking down the two 5 vs. 12 The NHL remains a long way from dropping a puck in a game that matchups, an echo of a long-ago world where there was an NCAA counts, but it took a major step in that direction on Tuesday by Tournament to discuss, and the promise of a new world where we get to announcing a road map to that happy place. talk about actual sports again.

To celebrate, let’s do something unusual for these past 2 ½ months and Is the NHL plan weird? Yes. Is it less than ideal? Yes. Is it something talk not about logistical nuances, health issues, international travel and everyone hopes never will happen again? Yes. other complications that will consume the league and its fans in the But is it OK, all things considered? Yes. Drop the puck. coming weeks.

Let’s talk instead, just for a change of pace, about . . . sports stuff. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Specifically: Are we OK with a format in which 24 of the 31 teams are invited to the playoffs, including a funky first round en route to identifying the Final 16?

In a word: yes.

Save the handwringing over a tainted “COVID Cup” champion for someone not old enough to remember four of six NHL teams reaching the playoffs, and later 16 of 21.

And this: An Original Six format in which, bizarrely, the semifinals featured the first-place team against the third-place team and second place against fourth place.

And the fact that regularly in recent years the current format produced second-round matchups featuring teams whose high-ranking, regular- season points totals suggested they should have met later in the postseason.

It is fair in baseball and football to insist on a postseason format that honors the importance of the regular season.

Traditionally in those sports, the playoffs are a reward for regular-season prowess, and opening that door too widely ruins things.

Hockey is different. More than any other sport, its playoff tournament historically has been a separate entity from its regular season, a postseason free-for-all whose intensity and unpredictability are part of the point.

Here is a complete list of teams in the past 15 full, non-work-stoppage NHL seasons that have won the Presidents’ Trophy for most regular- season points and gone on to win the Stanley Cup: the 2007-08 Red Wings.

Back to 2020: Did we mention there is a pandemic going on? Complaining about inviting eight teams that would not have made the playoff field otherwise seems a little nitpicky, no?

And remember, three of those eight happen to be the Rangers, Blackhawks and Canadiens, valuable Original Six brand names for television purposes.

As for the Islanders, there is no guarantee they would have made the postseason in a 16-team format. They would have if one goes by points per game played; they would not have if one goes by raw points.

It is much better this way. Fun, even.

The plan calls for the top four seeds in each conference to get byes but play a three-game round robin to determine seeding.

Seeds five through 12 in each conference would play best-of-five play-in series. (The Islanders face the Panthers and the Rangers get the Hurricanes.)

After that, still no word on whether the first two rounds would be best-of- five or -seven, and whether there will be reseeding or a firm bracket. (The vote here is best-of-five and reseeding, but I don’t get a vote, for some reason.) 1175004 New York Islanders All of the games are expected to be played without fans in the buildings. And, quite likely, most of the media.

“From a TV standpoint, we’ll probably create an international feed for Isles, Rangers included in NHL's return-to-play format leading to playoffs everybody,” Bettman said. “There’s not going to be a lot of people on the event floor near the players when we do this. We’ve got to keep the players safe and healthy to see this through.”

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Updated May 27, 2020 12:15 AM

Gary Bettman called it an “important day for sports and the NHL.” It certainly will be if the return-to-play details the commissioner outlined on Tuesday eventually come to fruition.

“We hope this is a step back toward normalcy,” Bettman said in a teleconference with the media. “We think we’ve been able to work very collaboratively with the Players’ Association.”

To resume a season halted on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bettman outlined a 24-team format based on points percentages, with the clubs divided evenly by conference into two hub cities for games.

The seventh-seeded Islanders will face the No. 10 Florida Panthers and the No. 11 Rangers will face the No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes in a best-of- five play-in series. The top four seeds in each conference will play a round-robin series to determine the final standings and the first-round playoff matchups.

Bettman said no decision has been made on whether a playoff bracket will be used or teams will be reseeded.

There is no set date yet for the resumption of play. Bettman said proper training camps will not begin until at least July, meaning games might not resume until August. That, of course, will significantly push back the start of the 2020-21 season, but Bettman said the NHL is committed to playing it in its 82-game entirety.

“There’s no magic to starting in October,” Bettman said. “We could start in January if we had to. We’ll get through this season and we’ll make sure there’s enough of a pause between this season and next and then we’ll start up again. We prepared to delay the start of the 20-21 season.”

Bettman said the hub city sites might not be chosen for three or four weeks. Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver are the candidates.

Bettman added that each team will be allowed to bring 50 personnel — all inclusive — to a hub city.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the players will be tested daily for the coronavirus once they are in the hub cities. Bettman estimated that 25,000 to 30,000 tests could be administered before the Stanley Cup is awarded, costing “millions.”

Daly added that the NHL must avoid an illness outbreak in the hub cities.

“We’ve been in constant communication with our medical advisers,'' he said. “Their thought process is one single positive test should not necessarily shut the whole operation down.”

On Monday, the NHL and the NHLPA released a memo sent to its 31 teams setting early June as a target date for reopening team facilities to small-group workouts. Six players, without coaches, will be allowed into a team facility at one time to skate or do off-ice training.

That is Phase 2 of the NHL’s plan to return to play. Phase 3 is organized training camps and Phase 4 is the resumption of play.

Bettman also announced a multi-phase draft lottery, to start on June 26, that will include the seven teams that will not return to play as well as the eight qualifying-round losers.

As for statistics, he declared the 2019-20 NHL regular season “completed.”

Bettman said the length of the first- and second-round playoff series has not been determined yet but added that the Stanley Cup Final will be played as a best-of-seven. He mentioned the Cup Final could be played at a different, third hub city. 1175005 New York Islanders Pageau trade. So, the difference between surrendering a pick that’s somewhere between 8-15 and a pick that’s in the back half of the first round is that series with Florida.

Islanders’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Of course, the Islanders have a chance to win the lottery and select star- New York in-the-making Alexis Lafreniere, but a lot has to go right (wrong, first, then right) for that to happen.

Who’s back for the Isles? By Arthur Staple Possibly everyone from an injured list that was rather long. Casey May 26, 2020 Cizikas will return after missing the last 15 games due to a skate cut on his leg; Johnny Boychuk missed the last three games before the pause

due to a scary skate cut on his eyelid and will also be back. Cal The Islanders will be in the playoffs — if and when they resume. What Clutterbuck had missed three months with a skate cut to his wrist and they do with the rest of their time in the unique, 24-team postseason had played four of the five games before the pause, so the break will tournament rests on a lot of unknowns. have helped his recovery.

The main one is this: Can a team that spent the bulk of 2019-20 riding a Adam Pelech is the big question mark. He suffered a ruptured Achilles’ wave of mediocrity come back together after four idle months and play tendon during an off-ice soccer game prior to the team’s Jan. 2 game better, more cohesive hockey? and that injury normally requires a six-month recovery. Six months will be right around the projected start of the new training camps, so one One positive for the Islanders is their coach. Barry Trotz knows how to wonders if Pelech would give the camp a try to see if he can be ready to use the offseason well, evidenced by both of his Islander teams having play after three weeks of conditioning and drills. strong starts to their seasons. This restart is different but will end up looking more like a typical September than April, with months away and Given the mediocre results over the final month before the pause (2-7-4), several weeks of training camp to get the Isles’ bodies and minds up to no one was playing particularly well. Pageau had been struggling mightily speed. Trotz’s Isles started 2019-20 at 16-3-2, including a 15-0-2 run that after scoring goals in each of his first two games as an Islander; he may set a franchise record for consecutive games without a regulation loss. feel more at home with a training camp.

“Everybody in the league is chasing the same thing,” Matt Martin said last Semyon Varlamov had an inconsistent first season in the Islanders’ net, week. “Knowing Lou (Lamoriello) and Trotzy, they’ll have us ready to go with a .914 save percentage and 5.56 goals saved above average, both by the time the puck drops.” middling numbers for goalies with at least 30 starts. Prized prospect Ilya Sorokin is unlikely to be permitted to sign a contract for the remainder of Let’s refresh our memories on where the Islanders are as the return-to- 2019-20, so it’ll almost certainly be Varlamov in net when the Islanders play format has become official: and Panthers face off. The Isles need Varlamov at his best.

Where were we? Can the Isles win it all?

The Isles went into the pandemic hiatus on an 0-3-4 skid, a slide that In a normal season, you’d say almost certainly not. They were a poor, started at the trade deadline when Lamoriello surrendered his first- and inconsistent team for the vast majority of the season, their defense and second-round picks for J-G Pageau. They lost in a shootout in Vancouver goaltending slipped in 2019-20 from the heights both reached in 2018-19 two days before the pause, but that might have been their best game in and their offense didn’t pick up the slack. Their power play was still weeks. Even at 19-20-8 since the 17-game point streak ended, Trotz subpar and they were on pace for fewer than 200 power plays for an 82- liked where his team was at when the lockdown came. game season, the fewest by any team in the 82-game era. There just wasn’t enough strength in any aspect of their game to make you think the Where are we? Islanders could bull their way through a conference that includes the The Islanders, despite all that .500 play, are still the No. 7 seed in the 12- Capitals, Penguins, Hurricanes, Bruins, Lightning and Leafs. team Eastern Conference ranking by points percentage. They would face But that was before the world turned upside down. Now, it’s a clean slate the No. 10 Panthers, whom they haven’t seen since December. The for all 24 teams, with possibly full health and renewed commitment to the Islanders won all three of their regular-season meetings, allowing the Isles’ core principles. It will still be a daunting task, but the field is wide high-scoring Panthers just four goals in three games and holding a 6-1 open for any team that’s mentally prepared to hit the ice in full stride. points edge. Why not the Isles? Florida, in its first season under Joel Quenneville and with Sergei

Bobrovsky in net, would not have made the traditional, 16-team tournament, even though the Panthers finished with 78 points in 69 The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 games to the Isles’ 80 in 68. The Panthers also altered their makeup pretty significantly at the deadline by sending Vincent Trocheck to the Hurricanes for four players, including Erik Haula.

The two teams met in the first round in 2016, when the Isles won a series for the first time in 23 years on John Tavares’ double-overtime goal in Game 6. A lot has changed for both teams since then.

Does this format help the Islanders?

Most definitely. They went from squeaking in via points percentage and a likely second wild-card matchup with the Cup favorite Bruins to a winnable best-of-five against Florida. This Panthers team has just as many flaws and has struggled defensively most of the season.

If the Islanders were to advance, the second-seeded Lightning could be the matchup, depending on whether these are firm brackets or there’s reseeding — or some other wrinkle. That’s a much tougher test, but they’d have to have hit a groove to advance past Florida, so momentum could work in their favor.

How does the draft lottery proposal affect the Islanders?

Let’s just say there’s even more incentive for them to beat the Panthers. Under the two-phase lottery, the Islanders could be one of the eight play- in losers picking somewhere in the top 15 — and if that pick isn’t in the top three, their first-rounder transfers to the Senators as part of the 1175006 New York Rangers No fans, of course, with two “hub” cities to be determined, one of which might well be Las Vegas and neither of which will be New York.

Half Hollow Hills High’s own Gary Bettman called the plan “our best NHL's playoff format isn't perfect, but it surely is welcome option under the circumstances,” then tried to explain things further while his dog and 3-year-old grandson weighed in from the work-from-home background. (We’ve all been there, Mr. Commissioner.)

Staff Report “This plan will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL,” Bettman said, Updated May 26, 2020 6:18 PM correctly.

Soon thereafter NBC analysts were breaking down the two 5 vs. 12 The NHL remains a long way from dropping a puck in a game that matchups, an echo of a long-ago world where there was an NCAA counts, but it took a major step in that direction on Tuesday by Tournament to discuss, and the promise of a new world where we get to announcing a road map to that happy place. talk about actual sports again.

To celebrate, let’s do something unusual for these past 2 ½ months and Is the NHL plan weird? Yes. Is it less than ideal? Yes. Is it something talk not about logistical nuances, health issues, international travel and everyone hopes never will happen again? Yes. other complications that will consume the league and its fans in the But is it OK, all things considered? Yes. Drop the puck. coming weeks.

Let’s talk instead, just for a change of pace, about . . . sports stuff. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Specifically: Are we OK with a format in which 24 of the 31 teams are invited to the playoffs, including a funky first round en route to identifying the Final 16?

In a word: yes.

Save the handwringing over a tainted “COVID Cup” champion for someone not old enough to remember four of six NHL teams reaching the playoffs, and later 16 of 21.

And this: An Original Six format in which, bizarrely, the semifinals featured the first-place team against the third-place team and second place against fourth place.

And the fact that regularly in recent years the current format produced second-round matchups featuring teams whose high-ranking, regular- season points totals suggested they should have met later in the postseason.

It is fair in baseball and football to insist on a postseason format that honors the importance of the regular season.

Traditionally in those sports, the playoffs are a reward for regular-season prowess, and opening that door too widely ruins things.

Hockey is different. More than any other sport, its playoff tournament historically has been a separate entity from its regular season, a postseason free-for-all whose intensity and unpredictability are part of the point.

Here is a complete list of teams in the past 15 full, non-work-stoppage NHL seasons that have won the Presidents’ Trophy for most regular- season points and gone on to win the Stanley Cup: the 2007-08 Red Wings.

Back to 2020: Did we mention there is a pandemic going on? Complaining about inviting eight teams that would not have made the playoff field otherwise seems a little nitpicky, no?

And remember, three of those eight happen to be the Rangers, Blackhawks and Canadiens, valuable Original Six brand names for television purposes.

As for the Islanders, there is no guarantee they would have made the postseason in a 16-team format. They would have if one goes by points per game played; they would not have if one goes by raw points.

It is much better this way. Fun, even.

The plan calls for the top four seeds in each conference to get byes but play a three-game round robin to determine seeding.

Seeds five through 12 in each conference would play best-of-five play-in series. (The Islanders face the Panthers and the Rangers get the Hurricanes.)

After that, still no word on whether the first two rounds would be best-of- five or -seven, and whether there will be reseeding or a firm bracket. (The vote here is best-of-five and reseeding, but I don’t get a vote, for some reason.) 1175007 New York Rangers All of the games are expected to be played without fans in the buildings. And, quite likely, most of the media.

“From a TV standpoint, we’ll probably create an international feed for Isles, Rangers included in NHL's return-to-play format leading to playoffs everybody,” Bettman said. “There’s not going to be a lot of people on the event floor near the players when we do this. We’ve got to keep the players safe and healthy to see this through.”

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.27.2020 Updated May 27, 2020 12:15 AM

Gary Bettman called it an “important day for sports and the NHL.” It certainly will be if the return-to-play details the commissioner outlined on Tuesday eventually come to fruition.

“We hope this is a step back toward normalcy,” Bettman said in a teleconference with the media. “We think we’ve been able to work very collaboratively with the Players’ Association.”

To resume a season halted on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bettman outlined a 24-team format based on points percentages, with the clubs divided evenly by conference into two hub cities for games.

The seventh-seeded Islanders will face the No. 10 Florida Panthers and the No. 11 Rangers will face the No. 6 Carolina Hurricanes in a best-of- five play-in series. The top four seeds in each conference will play a round-robin series to determine the final standings and the first-round playoff matchups.

Bettman said no decision has been made on whether a playoff bracket will be used or teams will be reseeded.

There is no set date yet for the resumption of play. Bettman said proper training camps will not begin until at least July, meaning games might not resume until August. That, of course, will significantly push back the start of the 2020-21 season, but Bettman said the NHL is committed to playing it in its 82-game entirety.

“There’s no magic to starting in October,” Bettman said. “We could start in January if we had to. We’ll get through this season and we’ll make sure there’s enough of a pause between this season and next and then we’ll start up again. We prepared to delay the start of the 20-21 season.”

Bettman said the hub city sites might not be chosen for three or four weeks. Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver are the candidates.

Bettman added that each team will be allowed to bring 50 personnel — all inclusive — to a hub city.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the players will be tested daily for the coronavirus once they are in the hub cities. Bettman estimated that 25,000 to 30,000 tests could be administered before the Stanley Cup is awarded, costing “millions.”

Daly added that the NHL must avoid an illness outbreak in the hub cities.

“We’ve been in constant communication with our medical advisers,'' he said. “Their thought process is one single positive test should not necessarily shut the whole operation down.”

On Monday, the NHL and the NHLPA released a memo sent to its 31 teams setting early June as a target date for reopening team facilities to small-group workouts. Six players, without coaches, will be allowed into a team facility at one time to skate or do off-ice training.

That is Phase 2 of the NHL’s plan to return to play. Phase 3 is organized training camps and Phase 4 is the resumption of play.

Bettman also announced a multi-phase draft lottery, to start on June 26, that will include the seven teams that will not return to play as well as the eight qualifying-round losers.

As for statistics, he declared the 2019-20 NHL regular season “completed.”

Bettman said the length of the first- and second-round playoff series has not been determined yet but added that the Stanley Cup Final will be played as a best-of-seven. He mentioned the Cup Final could be played at a different, third hub city. 1175008 New York Rangers Pageau trade. So, the difference between surrendering a pick that’s somewhere between 8-15 and a pick that’s in the back half of the first round is that series with Florida.

Islanders’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Of course, the Islanders have a chance to win the lottery and select star- New York in-the-making Alexis Lafreniere, but a lot has to go right (wrong, first, then right) for that to happen.

Who’s back for the Isles? By Arthur Staple Possibly everyone from an injured list that was rather long. Casey May 26, 2020 Cizikas will return after missing the last 15 games due to a skate cut on his leg; Johnny Boychuk missed the last three games before the pause

due to a scary skate cut on his eyelid and will also be back. Cal The Islanders will be in the playoffs — if and when they resume. What Clutterbuck had missed three months with a skate cut to his wrist and they do with the rest of their time in the unique, 24-team postseason had played four of the five games before the pause, so the break will tournament rests on a lot of unknowns. have helped his recovery.

The main one is this: Can a team that spent the bulk of 2019-20 riding a Adam Pelech is the big question mark. He suffered a ruptured Achilles’ wave of mediocrity come back together after four idle months and play tendon during an off-ice soccer game prior to the team’s Jan. 2 game better, more cohesive hockey? and that injury normally requires a six-month recovery. Six months will be right around the projected start of the new training camps, so one One positive for the Islanders is their coach. Barry Trotz knows how to wonders if Pelech would give the camp a try to see if he can be ready to use the offseason well, evidenced by both of his Islander teams having play after three weeks of conditioning and drills. strong starts to their seasons. This restart is different but will end up looking more like a typical September than April, with months away and Given the mediocre results over the final month before the pause (2-7-4), several weeks of training camp to get the Isles’ bodies and minds up to no one was playing particularly well. Pageau had been struggling mightily speed. Trotz’s Isles started 2019-20 at 16-3-2, including a 15-0-2 run that after scoring goals in each of his first two games as an Islander; he may set a franchise record for consecutive games without a regulation loss. feel more at home with a training camp.

“Everybody in the league is chasing the same thing,” Matt Martin said last Semyon Varlamov had an inconsistent first season in the Islanders’ net, week. “Knowing Lou (Lamoriello) and Trotzy, they’ll have us ready to go with a .914 save percentage and 5.56 goals saved above average, both by the time the puck drops.” middling numbers for goalies with at least 30 starts. Prized prospect Ilya Sorokin is unlikely to be permitted to sign a contract for the remainder of Let’s refresh our memories on where the Islanders are as the return-to- 2019-20, so it’ll almost certainly be Varlamov in net when the Islanders play format has become official: and Panthers face off. The Isles need Varlamov at his best.

Where were we? Can the Isles win it all?

The Isles went into the pandemic hiatus on an 0-3-4 skid, a slide that In a normal season, you’d say almost certainly not. They were a poor, started at the trade deadline when Lamoriello surrendered his first- and inconsistent team for the vast majority of the season, their defense and second-round picks for J-G Pageau. They lost in a shootout in Vancouver goaltending slipped in 2019-20 from the heights both reached in 2018-19 two days before the pause, but that might have been their best game in and their offense didn’t pick up the slack. Their power play was still weeks. Even at 19-20-8 since the 17-game point streak ended, Trotz subpar and they were on pace for fewer than 200 power plays for an 82- liked where his team was at when the lockdown came. game season, the fewest by any team in the 82-game era. There just wasn’t enough strength in any aspect of their game to make you think the Where are we? Islanders could bull their way through a conference that includes the The Islanders, despite all that .500 play, are still the No. 7 seed in the 12- Capitals, Penguins, Hurricanes, Bruins, Lightning and Leafs. team Eastern Conference ranking by points percentage. They would face But that was before the world turned upside down. Now, it’s a clean slate the No. 10 Panthers, whom they haven’t seen since December. The for all 24 teams, with possibly full health and renewed commitment to the Islanders won all three of their regular-season meetings, allowing the Isles’ core principles. It will still be a daunting task, but the field is wide high-scoring Panthers just four goals in three games and holding a 6-1 open for any team that’s mentally prepared to hit the ice in full stride. points edge. Why not the Isles? Florida, in its first season under Joel Quenneville and with Sergei

Bobrovsky in net, would not have made the traditional, 16-team tournament, even though the Panthers finished with 78 points in 69 The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 games to the Isles’ 80 in 68. The Panthers also altered their makeup pretty significantly at the deadline by sending Vincent Trocheck to the Hurricanes for four players, including Erik Haula.

The two teams met in the first round in 2016, when the Isles won a series for the first time in 23 years on John Tavares’ double-overtime goal in Game 6. A lot has changed for both teams since then.

Does this format help the Islanders?

Most definitely. They went from squeaking in via points percentage and a likely second wild-card matchup with the Cup favorite Bruins to a winnable best-of-five against Florida. This Panthers team has just as many flaws and has struggled defensively most of the season.

If the Islanders were to advance, the second-seeded Lightning could be the matchup, depending on whether these are firm brackets or there’s reseeding — or some other wrinkle. That’s a much tougher test, but they’d have to have hit a groove to advance past Florida, so momentum could work in their favor.

How does the draft lottery proposal affect the Islanders?

Let’s just say there’s even more incentive for them to beat the Panthers. Under the two-phase lottery, the Islanders could be one of the eight play- in losers picking somewhere in the top 15 — and if that pick isn’t in the top three, their first-rounder transfers to the Senators as part of the 1175009 Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators will have to look towards next year with no date in sight

Bruce Garrioch

The Ottawa Senators can finally, officially turn the page on the 2019-20 campaign.

But, who knows when they’ll write the next chapter because when next season will start is still up for a debate.

While there has been speculation the league will have a mid-December start to the 2020-21 season, there’s zero guarantee that’s going to happen if you listened to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman during his news conference on Tuesday announcing the plan for a return to play from the pause that got underway March 12.

Yes, the league is willing to play in two hub cities during the summer with no fans in the stands for the sake of national television and to try to cut down on the $1.1 billion dollar loss if the league doesn’t resume, but the NHL wants desperately to start next season with fans in the stands even if it means proper physical distancing measures have to be put in place.

Bettman suggested the league is willing to wait until Jan. 1, 2021 if necessary.

“Could we start (next season) with the Winter Classic? Anything’s possible,” Bettman said.

Later in a Zoom call with reporters, Bettman said the league is willing to push back the start of next year as long as it takes.

“We believe 2020-21 will be played in its entirety,” said Bettman. “There’s no magic to starting in October. Our buildings and markets can handle it. We can start in November or December and we could start in the beginning of January if we had to. We’re going to get through this season and then we’re going to make sure there’s enough of a pause after this season.

“And, then we’ll start up again. We’ll start working on that in the next couple of months.”

Though owner Eugene Melnyk, general manager Pierre Dorion, and coach D.J. Smith were hopeful the club would be able to finish its season by suiting up this summer, the reality is it made zero sense to bring back all 31 teams which is why only 24 will take part in the summer.

The NHL wants badly to return and would be pointless to have teams sitting outside the playoffs return.

“We hope that this is a step towards normalcy,” Bettman said. “Today represents an important step in the process but we have a long road ahead of us. Hopefully today is a sign of good things to come.”

Bettman said the league looked at every possible scenario and the 24 teams was the best option.

“We considered a lot of options,” said Bettman.

Teams like Ottawa that get a lengthy break may be allowed to start earlier than the rest of the teams in training camp next season.

“We’re dealing with a lot of issues and we’re going to be sensitive to issues competitively,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly. “Our hockey operations are focused on that, we’re going to focus with the players on that and there may very well be different off-season rules because we’ve never been in this type of situation before. Unique situations sometimes necessitate unique measures.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175010 Ottawa Senators If any draw is won by the seven non-resuming clubs, that club or the club to which that first-round pick was traded, gets that selection. Should any of the three draws be won by a non-resuming club, we will conduct a Phase 2.” The Ottawa Senators will find out on June 26 if they've won the draft lottery The league came up with this scenario because there was concern expressed among the general managers that a team could not only win the lottery, it could then go on to win the Stanley Cup in the summer. To try to alleviate those concerns, Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Bruce Garrioch Daly felt this was the best solution.

This system means no team can get into the post-season during the Circle June 26 on your calendar Ottawa Senators’ fans. play-in round and then win the lottery. If the Islanders lose during the play-in round the Senators could also get a pick in the 10-to-12 range Get ready to gather around the television for the much-anticipated draft after dealing Jean-Gabriel Pageau there at the trade deadline. lottery on that night to find out where the balls will fall for the Senators, who have three picks in the first round of the annual crapshoot. Even if the Senators don’t get the No. 1 overall selection, they’re still going to get some strong talent with those two picks, which should land Then, the virtual draft itself won’t be held until after the regular season is somewhere in the top six or seven. Forwards Quinton Byfield of the completed, the good news is the Senators will retain their combined 25% Sudbury Wolves and Tim Stuetzle of Germany are both highly-rated and odds of winning the lottery. they’re going to be difference-makers that could play in the league next season. With league confirming Tuesday the club’s regular season is over because only 24 teams will play through the summer to determine a With seven picks in the first two rounds and 13 overall, you could argue Stanley Cup champion, the league will hold three lotteries on June 26 to this is one of the most important drafts in the history of the club and there determine the first three picks in the draft. Those lotteries will include the will be no shortage of anticipation what’s going to happen less than a seven teams that will see their season conclude and eight unnamed month from now. teams that will be involved in the play-in round in July. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.27.2020 The first lottery will determined No. 1, the second to decide No. 2 and the third for the No. 3 pick. If none of the unidentified teams win the lottery then there won’t be a need for a second one and winning percentage is being used to assign the lottery odds.

While there was no perfect solution for the lottery, the Senators will have plenty of reasons to smile because the NHL has decided on a lottery that will be weighted in their favour. The Senators are going to maintain the strong odds they have with their own selection at 13.5% and the 11.5% opportunity for the first pick with the selection they own from the San Jose Sharks.

No, this may not be the perfect solution for Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk, general manager Pierre Dorion and chief scout Trent Mann, but it’s believed they’re satisfied because it’s as good as it going to get and it means the club has retained its combined odds for the top pick, which is expected to be highly-touted forward Alexis Lafreniere of the Rimouski Oceanic, who is the top-ranked prospect.

“Today’s announcement by the NHL provides the Ottawa Senators with clarity and allows us to set our sights firmly on the NHL Entry Draft, one that we believe will be the most transformational in our Club’s history. We are well positioned to select some of the most exciting young players in what is widely perceived to be one of the deepest drafts in years,” said Melnyk in a statement.

“For hockey fans, the Ottawa Senators are pleased the NHL has a firm plan for the return of hockey and that the Stanley Cup may be raised this year. A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to make this happen, and I want to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to ensure our great game can continue in these unprecedented times.”

The Detroit Red Wings have the top odds in the lottery at 18.5% while the Los Angeles Kings (9.5%) are No. 4, Anaheim Ducks (8.5%), New Jersey Devils (7.5%) and Buffalo (6.5%) which means the non-playoff teams have a 75.5% odds off winning the No. 1 pick overall. The other eight teams that participate in the play-in round will have a total 24.5% chance between them.

However, under this scenario those picks won’t be assigned until the play-in round has been completed.

This system assures the Senators they’ll have two picks in the top six and the other eight teams will be identified as A, B, C D, E, F, G and H.

“The eight qualifying round clubs that don’t enter the playoffs will enter the draft lottery,” said commissioner Gary Bettman at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. “At the time of the first phase draws, we won’t know which teams will advance from the qualifying rounds so we’ve designated temporary placeholders with the odds that the collective group would have had.

“Phase 1 draws will be conducted prior to the round-robin and the qualifying round. The three separate draws will include the seven non- resuming clubs and eight placeholder teams that haven’t yet won a draw. 1175011 Ottawa Senators (25 percent) and gain the guarantee to not drop outside the top four picks.

With the new lottery rules, Ottawa will have the best combined odds at Senators’ offseason guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format affects winning the lottery (still 25 percent) by virtue of owning their own pick Ottawa (13.5 percent) and San Jose’s (11.5 percent). However, they could drop down as far as picks No. 5 and No. 6.

If the Senators are going to win one, or two, of the top three picks, it will By Hailey Salvian May 26, 2020 be during the Phase 1 lottery on June 26. The Phase 2 draw would only happen if one of the top-three picks are won by one of the placeholder

spots. The worst-case scenario for the Senators here would be dropping The Ottawa Senators’ season is officially over. down to picks five and six, and seeing a team such as Toronto, Pittsburgh or Montreal jump up to a top-three spot. Compared to the After months of speculation, the league has released its return to play proposal made by the league last month, this isn’t the best lottery plan. And, unsurprisingly, the Senators are not included. scenario. But still, the Senators will maintain a 1-in-4 chance at drafting Alexis Lafreniere. Tuesday afternoon, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that if it is safe to do so, the league will resume play with a modified format in Additionally, having the season cut short shouldn’t be discounted here. which 24 teams will compete in two hub cities beginning later this summer. Senators players and staff have told reporters on numerous occasions since the season was put on hold that they hoped to return to finish out The announcement follows the approval of the plan by the NHL’s board the season for the fanbase. of governors and the NHL Players’ Association. Thomas Chabot, on a Zoom call last month, spoke about wanting to get The plan includes the top 12 teams from each conference based on “back on the ice and with the guys in the locker room.” points percentage when the NHL season was suspended on March 12. Head coach D.J. Smith, on a similar call, added he wanted to “get joking The remaining seven teams — the Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, with the guys” again, and more importantly “get back to work.” Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Senators — will not be returning to play and will enter the draft “We want to finish on the right note, we want to finish with the message lottery. of how we’re going to work right to the very end to the very last buzzer and give the fans what they deserve,” Smith said in April. “We finished The lottery will include the bottom seven teams, as well as the eight (the schedule) with Pittsburgh and we would love to have played one last teams who do not make it through the qualifying round of the modified hard game for them at the end of the season on the way out.” Stanley Cup playoffs. As such, the lottery could include two different phases. The Senators won’t get to play any final games for fans. Or continue to grow their locker room culture. And they won’t get to “get back to work,” Phase 1 will be feature the bottom seven teams plus “placeholder” spots as Smith would have hoped. Which is probably the biggest loss for the for the eight losing teams. This round will take place on June 26, which organization. would come before any games are played. For a young roster like Ottawa’s, any game and practice time is an asset The odds for phase 1 will be the same as in past years. If the bottom 7 for the future. Players like Chabot, Brady Tkachuk, and Marcus Hogberg teams win all three of the top spots in the draft, there will be no phase 2. could have played more games to hone their skills in real game In this case, the other four teams will line up 4-7 in inverse order of their scenarios. They won’t get to play those games, or gather as a team for regular season point percentage. practice to work on their systems, or skills or learn from their coaches and peers. Now, if one of the placeholder spots win one, two, or all three of the top picks, there will be phase 2 of the lottery, which will happen after the It’s a small number of games and training sessions in the grand scheme qualifying round and before the first round of the playoffs. of their careers, but with the new season plans, they won’t get to practice or play with their team until the fall or winter at best. Whether or not they Once the top three picks have been awarded in either Phase 1 or Phase can train with their regular groups — with Matt Nichol or Gary Roberts, 2, the remaining 12 spots will be assigned to the teams that did not win a for example — could also be up in the air depending on COVID draw, based on inverse order of their regular-season points percentage restrictions. at the time of the season’s pause. Some reports have suggested that the start of the 2020-21 season could The odds for all 15 teams as as follows: be pushed back as far as Jan. 1. This is still largely unknown and not lottery odds confirmed, but there could be close to 10 months between the Senators’ last game and the next time they lace up their skates for an NHL contest. TSN’s Bob McKenzie lays everything out quite nicely too. Players hurt by the end of season Over the last few weeks, The Athletic has written about what the end of the season could mean for the Senators. But now that it’s a reality, let’s The prospects revisit the implications. One of the ripple effects of COVID-19 and the NHL season being Where the Senators finished the year suspended is that all of the top prospect’s seasons are over too.

The 2019-20 season will go down in the books as a 25-34-12 campaign University of North Dakota won’t get to make their run to the for the Senators. Good for 30th overall out of 31 teams. championship, which has already impacted the Senators. Both Jacob- Bernard Docker and Shane Pinto are returning to college instead of What this means to the franchise going pro, citing “unfinished business” with their team. That’s two The lack of a playoff berth doesn’t really mean anything, given that was prospects who won’t be in Belleville next year. already the expectation. As such, the draft lottery announcement is the The AHL officially cancelled the remainder of play this month, ending biggest takeaway for the Senators. what could have been a deep playoff run for the Belleville Senators. This This announcement is less ideal than last month’s reported proposal of a is a big hit for the organization. reversion to the old draft lottery system, in which just one lottery winner is Prospects such as Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, Alex Formenton, selected and any lottery winning team could move up a maximum of four Logan Brown, Erik Brannstrom, and more, led Belleville to the top spot in spots. This scenario had plenty of positives for the Senators, which we the North Division and third in the Eastern Conference before the broke down last month. suspension of play. Norris and Formenton were putting together For example, the Detroit Red Wings had the best odds at winning the No. impressive rookie campaigns and ranked first and second in rookie 1 overall pick, but the Senators would have had the second-best odds points and rookie scoring. They were both named to the AHL All-Rookie Team. While Norris was named an AHL First Team All-Star and hit, he tracked pucks and he played the game the way coach D.J. Smith Batherson made the Second Team. wants his players to play. But 11 games isn’t a large sample size, and seeing him a few more times would have been helpful. The players and coaches thought their group could “do something special.” And since the Senators won’t return for the regular season, no Meanwhile Chris Tierney and Connor Brown lost chances to play for prospects will benefit from being called up for the expected expanded raises and solidify their place on the roster. Both have shown this season rosters. These are important development opportunities lost for the that they can be reliable options in the Senators lineup, but how much do prospects. they deserve? If Brown could have played a few more games and hit 20 goals, that’s decent leverage for a pay bump. But now their stats will stay The final stretch of AHL games and playoffs could have been a key put. measuring stick to see if prospects like Norris, Batherson and, Formenton could be ready for the NHL. Coach Troy Mann says the last In total, the Senators have 10 RFAs in the organization from the NHL (7) 20 games of the AHL season are the hardest you can play. He pointed and AHL (3) combined. They also have six UFAs at the NHL level, most to last season when Batherson was their top scorer, but in the final 13 notably Mark Borowiecki, Anderson, and Ron Hainsey. games, he scored one goal. Anderson is already likely on his way out. But there has been speculation Having the AHL season back, or players called up would have helped of a Hainsey return, and GM Pierre Dorion has said he wants to make better inform the organization as to when prospects would be ready for Borowiecki “a Senator for life.” Realistically, the Senators know what they the NHL. So, the players lose development opportunities, but the have in the veteran duo, although Borowiecki could have returned to play organization loses scouting opportunities, too. after months of rehab on his ankle and could have played himself up to a raise. Craig Anderson But still, the stakes are much higher for the RFAs who have officially lost The COVID-19 pandemic may have ended Craig Anderson’s decade- a chunk of time to boost their stats. long tenure with the Senators. Mikkel Boedker His final game may very well be the 3-2 loss in Los Angeles on the day hockey hit pause. Anderson likely won’t get a chance for a final goodbye The COVID-19 pandemic and the Senators omission from the return-to- at the Canadian Tire Centre. play plan has seemingly ended Boedker’s NHL career.

And he’s not exactly going out on his own terms. He was set to be a UFA this summer when his four-year, $16-million contract expired. Boedker was seldom used in the Senator’s lineup this Anderson, 39, spent the season sharing the crease with first Anders season, as he finished the year with 20 games and two goals. His time Nilsson, and (since December) Marcus Hogberg. Heading into this with the Senators was expected to end this summer. And now he has season, the final year of a two-year $4.5 million deal, the writing was signed overseas. pretty much on the wall. It was announced that Boedker had signed a two-year deal to play with Hogberg is on a one-way deal next season, and Nilsson will be in the HC Lugano in the Swiss league Tuesday morning before the Senators final year of his two-year deal ($2.6 million a season). It is expected that had officially gotten word that their season would be over. the Swedish duo will make up the goalie tandem next season. That has been the plan for the Senators for a few years now, which leaves Boedker was a true professional in Ottawa this year, despite his minimal Anderson as the odd man out. role. He never complained and always had a smile on his face. With the season over, he won’t get to play out his final few games, or get to really On a video conference call in April, Anderson was asked what memories reunite with his team. stand out from us decade in Ottawa. He said there were many, but the most prominent was his emotional return against Edmonton on Oct. 30, If this ultimately was his final season in the NHL, he will leave the league 2016, after being away from the team to support his wife, Nicholle, with 709 games played, 118 goals and 327 points. through her cancer treatment. Anderson backstopped a 2-0 shutout. The first order of business in the offseason If his tenure is over, he will leave the Senators as the franchise leader in games played among goaltenders (435) and wins (202). As stated above, the Senators have several pending UFAs and RFAs, and making decisions on those contracts is going to be key for GM Pierre All that being said, Anderson doesn’t sound like he’s quite ready to retire, Dorion. despite the potential end of his Senators career. Currently there are 10 RFAs between Ottawa and Belleville and six UFAs “We’ll cross the bridge as far as future plans down the road but as of right on NHL contracts. The Senators have only nine NHL roster players now I am missing the game like crazy,” Anderson said on the video call. signed for next season and 25 standard player contracts, so there is a lot “I want to be on the ice, I want to be there competing with my teammates, to be done this summer. But they also have a lot of flexibility. so right now that would be the way I’m leaning, that I want to compete. And continue to do what I love every day.” Several of the player contracts are prospects like Norris, Batherson, and Formenton, who could earn roster spots next season, but if they aren’t Free Agents ready, then Dorion and co. will need to find reliable NHL-ready replacements. Either in their current crop of free agents or shopping in Ottawa had 11 regular season games left, and with those cancelled, and free agency — or with a franchise-altering draft selection. by not being involved in the return-to-play plan, many restricted and unrestricted free agents have lost a final opportunity to further fight for a The first order of business here would be deciding on who says and who new contract or more money. goes. And who deserves a raise.

Take Anthony Duclair, for example. He scored 21 goals before I’ve said before that I expect most, if not all, of the RFAs to be extended Christmas, then scored only two before the suspension in play, one was qualifying offers. Duclair, Tierney, and Brown are the key RFAs to bring on an empty net. His next deal is going to be one of the more intriguing back as reliable depth pieces. The trio has likely earned raises, but how negotiations this offseason. How much money did he lose on his 21 much? And how much term? That will need to be sorted out this game scoring drought? And how much could he have picked back up in summer. the remaining games? We don’t get to find out the answer to the latter question now. As for the UFAs, most won’t be returning, and Boedker is already gone. But the organization will need to decide on bringing back Hainsey and If you look at the whole picture, Duclair had a massive turnaround year Borowiecki and sorting out their blue line for next season. with 23 goals and 40 points in 66 games. He seemed to find his home in Ottawa, and he will likely be part of the team’s future, but the term and The organization has several top defensive prospects, but most of them money are not clear. aren’t ready for the NHL yet. So what are they going to do in the interim?

There’s also Jayce Hawryluk, who joined the Senators after being As it stands right now, the Senators have the following defencemen claimed off waivers from Florida. In 11 games with the Senators, he signed to NHL deals for 2020-21: scored two goals and seven points. He was one of many players trying Thomas Chabot – ??? out for the team of the future, and he looked like an excellent fit. He could Christian Wolanin – Artyom Zub

Mike Reilly – Nikita Zaitsev

If Hainsey is brought back, he would fit on the pairing with Chabot as he did last year and provide that steady veteran presence Smith likes. If Borowiecki is brought back, what would his role be? As a seventh defenceman? Or would that be Reilly?

Other offseason priorities

Once free agency opens, and Brady Tkachuk enters the final year of his entry-level contract, the Senators can sign Tkachuk to an extension.

Locking him into a long-term contract should be one of the organization’s top priorities.

The Senators acted early with Colin White and Chabot and got them into big deals, which gave fans some much-needed optimism at the time and highlighted the young stars’ commitment to the rebuild. Doing the same with Tkachuk would be an even bigger step in the right direction. He’s a fan-favourite, and many see him as the future captain.

Signing him early would also be a pre-emptive strike to ward off any potential offer-sheets next summer.

While the Senators won’t be playing out the rest of the year, there is a lot of work that needs to be done.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175012 Ottawa Senators motivating guys today than there was years ago, and I think it’s for the better.”

Smith played 45 games in the NHL and 388 games in the AHL. His Performance review: Assessing D.J. Smith’s first season behind the understanding of the professional game — and the life of a professional Sens bench player — has helped him relate to his players.

In an interview with The Athletic Toronto during the 2017-18 season, Matt Martin said Smith “just gets it” and that “he can see when guys are not in By Hailey Salvian May 26, 2020 the right place mentally and struggling and can offer that helping hand because he’s been there before.”

The coaching style that made him popular in Toronto has continued with Just over a year ago, when D.J. Smith was hired as the Ottawa Senators’ the Senators. head coach, general manager Pierre Dorion made a proclamation. Take Borowiecki, for example. The local product says since Smith arrived “He’s the right man for this job,” he said. in Ottawa, he has “gone out of his way” to connect with him and other Smith, 42, had spent the previous four seasons as Mike Babcock’s players and make them feel supported. In December, before a heated assistant in Toronto. And he had just won his first NHL head coaching rematch between the Senators and Flyers, media reported stories about job, beating out at least six other candidates, including such big names the Flyers wanting redemption for a Borowiecki hit that resulted in a as Jacques Martin and Patrick Roy. Dorion and assistant general concussion for Travis Konecny. Smith, who was a fighter during his manager Peter MacTavish were reportedly blown away with Smith’s professional career, called Borowiecki before his pregame nap to help interview. clear his mind and reassure him that he did not have to answer any bell. It left an impression. Nobody could top him. “I feel comfortable with (D.J. and the coaches), I trust them, they trust me “It wasn’t an easy decision. There were seven guys who could have had in a lot of different situations,” he said in a sit-down with The Athletic in this job,” Dorion acknowledged at the time. “But at the end of the day, we January. “They have been using me more, and I think in turn it just builds went with what we felt was the best decision, and I went with my gut and your confidence and, in this league, I think that’s everything.” D.J. Smith was our choice.” The game has changed. Any coach who can’t communicate with players In Smith’s first season as an NHL head coach, he led the Senators to a risks losing the room and won’t get very far. 25-34-12 record and a 30th overall ranking in the league. But those numbers don’t tell the whole story. That’s one place the Senators, and Smith, don’t need to worry about.

At this point in the organization’s rebuild, there is not much emphasis on Early impact winning. Of course, the coaches and players want to win, but Smith’s Arriving from Toronto, Smith put his stamp on the Senators before the measure of success was different. team could step on the ice. In his short time in the NHL, Smith has become a favourite among When free agency opened July 1, the Senators signed unrestricted free players and has consistently shown he can optimize their performance. agents Tyler Ennis and Ron Hainsey, who both spent the previous He is widely viewed as a coach of the future, one who opts for open season with Smith in Toronto. The Senators also acquired former Leafs communication with players rather than an old-school, tough-love style. Connor Brown and defenceman Nikita Zaitsev in exchange for Cody And as a young coach, he can grow with the group of prospects in Ceci, Ben Harpur and Aaron Luchuk. Many assumed Smith’s familiarity Ottawa. with the players played a role in the moves. The results are beginning to show. Smith helped several players take the On Day 1 of training camp, Ennis said in an interview that his relationship next step in their development and hit career-high numbers in the 2019- with Smith was “everything” when he considered where to sign. 20 season. The culture in Ottawa’s dressing room is changing and the team, despite its record, is showing signs of becoming more competitive. “There was just a lot of talk and mulling over a lot of different stuff (including staying in Toronto), but ultimately my decision was to come An evaluation of Smith’s rookie year is somewhat incomplete, as the here and play with D.J. and help this Ottawa organization,” he said. “I season has likely been cut short. But we still have plenty of key points to think you can ask anyone that’s still in Toronto, anyone that’s been in assess over the past 12 months for Smith. The early verdict: Dorion’s Toronto or played for D.J., they will probably say the same things I said “right man for the job” proclamation was on the money — at least so far. — that he works very hard, he’s fun to work for, he’s got great energy. Coaching style Those things for me, (coming here to play for him) was a no-brainer.”

Dating to his time as the head coach of the Oshawa Generals, the Leafs For a rebuilding club coming off several difficult seasons (on and off the and now in Ottawa, Smith’s coaching style has endeared him to his ice), having a coach who can make players actually want to play in players. Ottawa cannot be overstated. It starts with Ennis and should grow if the rebuild continues progressing. Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said Smith is “one of the best coaches I’ve ever had.” Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki said, “I would put Not to mention, all four players proved valuable to the Senators in my face in front of a slap shot for D.J., that’s how much I respect him.” different ways.

Relationships between players and coaches aren’t always smooth. But at Hainsey was a steady veteran presence in the locker room who Smith every level Smith has coached, he has earned the trust of his players said was able to teach the young players “how to be pros.” Ennis was through open communication and understanding the life of a professional one of the more consistent forwards, playing up and down the lineup hockey player as a former player himself. before being traded at the deadline to his hometown Edmonton Oilers. Zaitsev struggled at times this season but was one of Smith’s go-to Smith still demands a lot from his players, but he knows the old tactics players on the penalty kill and in shut-down situations. Brown re- from tough-as-nails coaches won’t necessarily work to motivate today’s established himself as an offensive threat and a reliable two-way forward. top players. Smith also brought in one of his former Oshawa Generals, Scott “I would say when I played junior there was that ‘yell at me and I’ll play Sabourin. harder’ mentality … (now) everything has changed,” Smith said in November. “I still think you can be hard on guys, but you’ve got to make Sabourin had a great story, from seven years in the AHL to a one-year sure their mental well-being is the utmost. I don’t believe you are going to deal with his hometown team. That signing was also a major source of get anything out of the player unless he feels mentally that he’s all in with contention among fans this season. you. Sabourin is a bit of a throwback player. He’s a fourth-liner, with decent “You have to show some general interest in their career. They are really hands, who can fight, hit and protect the young players. But as the smart players today. There is so much money involved for these guys Senators’ depth was tested because of injuries and prospects being sent that they have to take care of themselves first. There’s different ways of back to the minors, some fans and media pointed to the contract spot Sabourin was taking up — the Senators sat at 48/50 contracts most of injuries. However, by January and with Nilsson out with concussion the year — which put them into trade situations rather than plucking a issues, Hogberg was regularly starting over Anderson, including at least similar player off waivers. one stretch of three consecutive starts that included a back-to-back.

An early example of this is yet another demonstration of Smith Smith’s decision to start Hogberg in back-to-back games versus Detroit influencing a move. and Montreal over a healthy Anderson was significant, and it pointed to a changing of the guard in the crease. The coach was playing the hot hand Two games into the season, the Senators traded Nick Ebert and a 2021 and giving the heir apparent in net as many NHL reps as possible. The fourth-round pick for Vladislav Namestnikov from the New York Rangers. move was also a reminder that another significant goodbye in the difficult According to a source close to the situation, trade talks between the rebuild was on the horizon. Senators and Rangers picked up when Smith was hired. The source said it was Smith, who was an associate coach for the OHL Windsor Spitfires The Senators wanted to know whether Hogberg could be an everyday while Namestnikov played for the London Knights in 2010-11, who NHL goalie. And in playing him down the stretch of the season, Smith wanted Namestnikov. was able to see Hogberg prove he can do just that.

Like Ennis, Namestnikov was traded at the deadline but provided quality The ‘watershed week’ scoring and depth on the team. The last week of November was what many called a “watershed week” in Smith certainly showed he tends to lean on players with whom he has a hockey with revelations that brought to light some brutal truths about the past connection. But when you’ve coached in organizations with a lot of culture in the game. talent, is that really a bad thing? Especially when you can get them to commit to joining your club. Smith had insight into the Mike Babcock and Akim Aliu incidents that made headlines earlier in the season. Personnel choices Smith was an assistant coach in Toronto when Babcock reportedly made Bobby Ryan Mitch Marner rank his teammates from most hardworking to least. And he was in his first coaching job as an assistant with the OHL’s Windsor Less than one month into the season, Smith made one of his bolder Spitfires in 2005, when two hazing incidents involving Aliu occurred. decisions. Smith was asked by the media about the Aliu incident. His response He made Bobby Ryan a healthy scratch for only the second time in his showed how the Aliu incident influenced him as a head coach and how career for performance-related reasons. There was confusion and even he works with his young players. some outrage over the decision, but Smith made the message clear: If you practice hard and you work hard, you’ll get in the lineup. “It wasn’t acceptable then, and it’s not acceptable now,” Smith said. “When I went to Oshawa, my first year I made sure that there were no Smith further explained that he wanted to see Ryan produce offensively rookies even doing bus (duty) anymore (rookies loading and unloading on the power play and at five-on-five. And if Ryan wasn’t scoring, he the team bus). My thought behind it was if the kids don’t feel comfortable wanted to see him drive play and make some plays for his teammates. In coming to the rink, you’re not going to get anything out of them and the first 10 games, Ryan had struggled. He hadn’t scored since opening therefore your team is not going to have success. night and had tallied only three assists for four points in 10 games. “I tried to break the cycle there. There would be no rookie anything, so That night, the Senators played one of their most complete games at that that by the time the kids were 19 years old and I had Cole Cassels and point of the season to defeat the San Jose Sharks. Players such as Hunter Smith and these guys, that when they were in their third year, that Logan Brown, Nick Paul and Filip Chlapik played in the game, which they would take care of the young guys and that would break the cycle, showed Smith’s commitment to getting NHL reps for prospects. and I still believe that’s going on in Oshawa.”

Smith consistently preached the importance of hard work, and in Bruins prospect Jack Studnicka, who spent 3 1/2 seasons in Oshawa scratching Ryan, he was holding him accountable. Those hard decisions after Smith left, said Smith “has set the standard” with the Generals. will be important in the years to come as the prospects improve and start to push veterans like Ryan out of the lineup. “To this day, there’s really no rookies,” Studnicka said. “Everyone is treated the same. He’s just such a good hockey guy.” Scott Sabourin While there is still a lot to do when it comes to hockey culture, Smith has Fans in Ottawa are familiar with coaches exhibiting a preference for shown that he wants to be part of the solution. players who have previously played for them. Player improvements For example, the use of such players as Tom Pyatt, Gabriel Dumont and Chris DiDomenico helped foster resentment for the way former coach In Toronto, Morgan Rielly said Smith made him a better defenceman. In Guy Boucher handled his roster. To a lesser extent, fans voiced a similar Ottawa, several players flourished with Smith as a coach. feeling with Sabourin. Shortly after being named head coach in Ottawa, Smith started making His playing style brought something other forwards lacked, but one could improvements, first with a call to Borowiecki. argue that he often played ahead of more talented alternatives. Take Ryan being scratched, although Smith explained he did not want Ryan “I want you to play. I want you to be valuable to this team,” Borowiecki on the fourth line. As the season went on and prospects were called up, recalled his coach telling him. “I like your game and what you can bring Sabourin’s ice time went down. He was also a healthy scratch for several aside from fighting.” games. In the past, Borowiecki’s role was to throw hits, kill penalties and fight. I don’t have a problem with the way Smith used Sabourin. I think he And that’s what he did. But after his call with Smith, Borowiecki started played his role well and served a purpose. Sabourin was a fourth-line running in an effort to slim down and improve his fitness as he prepared player who could go in and bring energy to the lineup and fill a roster spot to play more minutes. He worked on his shot and had a career year while the Senators’ top prospects could spend time in Belleville playing under Smith’s guidance. In 53 games, he scored seven goals and 18 more meaningful minutes in larger roles. points.

Goaltending Smith also worked with Thomas Chabot, whom he pushed to improve his defensive play. From the start of the season, Smith said he wanted to deploy his goaltenders with a 50-50 split. “We know about his offence,” Smith said. “But I kind of challenged him to be a little bit better defensively, and I thought he was outstanding and he He did that for the most part, first with Anders Nilsson and Craig showed me that he can be a guy that can take those big minutes and Anderson. Smith was careful not to make one of his goalies sit too long play against the best players.” while also opting to play the hot hand. For the most part, he did that well. Anthony Duclair is another obvious example of a player who improved in When Marcus Hogberg got called up because of injuries, Smith Smith’s system. With a coach willing to push him, but not bench him, continued the 50-50 split between the young Swede and whichever Duclair went from “not knowing how to play,” as Columbus coach John veteran was healthy at the time, as both Anderson and Nilsson battled Tortorella said, to an NHL All-Star and a career-high 23 goals. Mike Reilly also benefited from a change of scenery and a coach who gave him ample opportunity to succeed. He went from sitting in the press box in Montreal to a lineup regular who played in all situations in Ottawa.

It didn’t take long for Smith’s reputation for helping players find their game to spread.

When Jayce Hawryluk was claimed off waivers from Florida before the trade deadline, he said he “heard a lot of good things about D.J.” Matthew Peca, who was traded to Ottawa at the deadline, said he was told he would love his new coach and that he’d be given every opportunity to succeed.

Smith has said many times that his top priority is the development of his young players. He has certainly achieved that this season up and down the lineup. And if his players, current and future, can continue to improve, the Senators should be able to take the next step in their rebuild.

Team culture

When asked about how he would assess his first year as a head coach, Smith said what he was most proud of is the team’s identity on and off the ice.

“If you came to a game, I could say that you know you’d leave and you’d say you were entertained with how hard we worked,” he said on a video call last month. “We forechecked, and we chased pucks, and we scored, and we fought, and I think the culture changed.”

Over the course of the year, Smith tried to change what it means to be an Ottawa Senator. To him, it means working hard and putting the team first. That culture change was one of the biggest things he wanted to accomplish this year.

“I think if you asked the other teams in the league they would say the Ottawa Senators play hard every night. And that I can be proud (of),” Smith said. “And as our skills get better, and as these younger kids get a little bit older, you maintain that competitiveness and work ethic, the wins will come with it.”

It’s unclear whether Smith will be the coach to lead the Senators to postseason success. But as the past 12 months have shown, he is the right coach to lead a young team through the early rebuilding years.

His personnel decisions could be debated, sure. But in a year when wins and losses don’t matter, do fourth-line minutes matter? Smith’s track record with player development is the biggest takeaway here.

In his first season in Ottawa, Smith has shown he prioritizes prospect development and can get the best out of his players in a respectful way. With so many young and promising prospects in the organization, having a coach who can connect with those players and develop them into reliable NHL players will be invaluable.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175013 Philadelphia Flyers “We hope this is a step back toward normalcy,” Bettman said of the NHL’s planned return.

The commissioner said after play-in games are finished, it has not been NHL training camps won’t start until July 1 at earliest; Flyers could get decided if the teams will be reseeded, which is the players’ choice. top seed in East The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven series. The length of the first two playoff rounds, Bettman said, has not been decided yet; they will be either best-of-five or best-of-seven series. by Sam Carchidi It should take a little over a month to play the play-in round and the first two playoff rounds, Bettman said.

NHL training camps won’t start until July 1 at earliest; Flyers could get As for Phase 2 of what the NHL calls a four-part return-to-play plan, only top seed in East six players will be allowed to be on the ice at the same time and they will not be permitted to have contact. The Flyers’ training facility is the Skate Nearly 11 weeks after the NHL suspended its season because of the Zone in Voorhees. coronavirus outbreak, commissioner Gary Bettman gave a fuzzy outline on the league’s return-to-play plan Tuesday. National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman outlined his league's plans Tuesday. Bettman did not give precise dates on when voluntary small-group workouts could begin, or when training camps would start, or when the No coaches will be allowed on the ice, but they can observe the players, season would resume. the NHL said.

The league did reveal that the top four teams in each conference that Players would be tested for the coronavirus two days before they return play in a round-robin tournament before the playoffs will each be to small-group sessions, and they will be tested twice each week. In competing for the No. 1 seed. addition, their temperatures will be checked daily. Teams will assume the costs of testing until games are held, which is when the NHL will be In other words, the Flyers, fourth-seeded in the Eastern Conference, responsible for the bills. Bettman said the NHL may do between 25,000 could become the No. 1 seed if they win the mini-tourney -- despite and 30,000 tests. collecting 11 fewer regular-season points than Boston. Phase 3 is training camp, which is expected to last three weeks, and The round-robin is for seeding purposes only, and the top four East Phase 4 is the resumption of the season. teams are Boston (100 points), Tampa Bay (92), Washington (90), and the Flyers (89). On Friday, the NHL Players’ Association’s executive committee overwhelmingly approved a 24-team format for when the league returns. If the Flyers remained at No. 4 and the NHL used a seeding format, they The vote was 29-2, and the Flyers voted in favor of the plan. would face the Pittsburgh-Montreal play-in winner in the first round of the playoffs. The Flyers (41-28-7) had won nine of their last 10 games and were the league’s hottest team when the season was halted. They had advanced Small-group workouts will begin in early June, and a 24-team tournament into second place in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the will be used when the season restarts. After a play-in round, 16 teams Capitals (41-28-8). will compete for the Stanley Cup. Teams had from 11 to 14 games remaining when the season was “We anticipate playing over the summer and into the fall,” Bettman said, stopped. adding “things are evolving rapidly.” Bettman said the regular season has been completed, so final stats and Said Bettman: “Fans are telling us in overwhelming numbers they want to awards will be based on what has already transpired. complete the season.” As for next season, Bettman said the NHL plans to play a full 82-game The NHL plans to make as much as $500 million in TV revenue if the schedule. Next season could start as late as January, he said. playoffs are completed, according to reports. Here are the best-of-five play-in matchups: Bettman reiterated that the season wouldn’t continue until medical experts said it was safe. EAST

Bettman said that “anybody who gives you a date [to resume the season] Pittsburgh (5) vs. Montreal (12); Carolina (6) vs. Rangers (11); Islanders is guessing,” but added that late July or early August were possible. (7) vs. Florida (10); Toronto (8) vs. Columbus (9).

In another matter, Bettman said the NHL draft, originally scheduled to be Top seeds before round-robin tourney: Boston, Tampa, Washington, held June 26-27 in Montreal, will take place after the playoffs. The draft Flyers. lottery will be held June 26 and it will determine the order of the top three picks. Fifteen teams can win one of those picks: the seven that are not WEST playing in the tournament, and the eight teams eliminated in play-in Edmonton (5) vs. Chicago (12); Nashville (6) vs. Arizona (11); Vancouver rounds. (7) vs. Minnesota (10); Calgary (8) vs. Winnipeg (9). As had already been made public, Bettman said 24 teams -- 12 from Top seeds before round-robin tourney: St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas, each conference, based on points percentage -- will compete in the Dallas. NHL’s tournament, and each conference will be assigned a still-to-be- named hub city. Each club can bring 50 personnel members to the Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.27.2020 games.

The plan, Bettman said, will produce a “worthy Stanley Cup champion."

Philadelphia is not being considered as a hub city. The cities under consideration include Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas (the West favorite), Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Vancouver.

The NHL is considering not allowing teams to play in their own hub city, thereby removing any perceived advantage, according to Bill Daly, the league’s deputy commissioner.

Bettman said a formal training camp can begin no earlier than July 1, and probably later. That means the 24-team tourney can’t start until late July or early August. 1175014 Philadelphia Flyers That’s Phase 2 of the NHL’s return-to-play plan. Phase 3 is a three-week training camp, followed by Phase 4, which is the restart of the season.

Assuming the season resumes and the Flyers remain as the Eastern Important week as NHL finalizes plans to restart season | On the Fly Conference’ s No. 4 seed, they would play the Pittsburgh-Montreal winner in the first round of the playoffs.

If, however, the Flyers advance to the No. 3 seed, they would meet the by Sam Carchidi, Rangers-Carolina winner in the opening round.

The longer the NHL waits to restart things, the chances will increase that that the Stanley Cup Final will be competing for viewers with Major Happy Tuesday, folks. Hope you had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend League Baseball’s pennant races and NFL games – not to mention the during these unprecedented times. NBA. This is an important week because the NHL and the players’ union could Right now, America is starved for sports. In a couple months, however, come to an agreement on a few issues and announce plans to restart the we may go from having no live sports to having the NHL, NBA, MLB and season, which was suspended March 12 because of the coronavirus the NFL games all being televised at the same time. outbreak. The Flyers' Jake Voracek (right) and Boston's Patrice Bergeron battle for The league will soon release the date when teams can go to their training the puck at the Wells Fargo Center on March 10. This was the last game facilities for small-group workouts. They also could announce when both teams played before the season was suspended. The Bruins three-week training camps will be held and when the season can restart. snapped the Flyers' nine-game winning streak, 2-0. You’re signed up to get this newsletter in your inbox twice a week during The Flyers' Jake Voracek (right) and Boston's Patrice Bergeron battle for the Flyers season, and once a week while the season is suspended. If the puck at the Wells Fargo Center on March 10. This was the last game you like what you’re reading, tell your friends it’s free to sign up here. I both teams played before the season was suspended. The Bruins want to know what you think, what we should add, and what you want to snapped the Flyers' nine-game winning streak, 2-0. read, so send me feedback by email ([email protected]) or on Twitter (@broadstbull). Thank you for reading. Things to know

— Sam Carchidi ([email protected]) Reggie Leach, a one-time Flyers star and a recovering alcoholic, is making a difference in kids’ lives. Difficult road for some NHL releases plans for small-group on-ice sessions to be held in early It doesn’t appear the league will restart until at least mid-July. And the June. teams not in the top four in each conference will have a much more difficult road to the Stanley Cup championship. Those teams will have to By an overwhelming vote on a 24-team proposal, the NHL’s players’ win five rounds instead of four to win the title. union takes a step toward returning.

It also means the champion probably won’t be crowned until late In our 10-part series on the top playoff wins in Flyers history, relive September. Or later. (That would cause the 2020-21 season to push Simon Gagne’s goal that finished off an epic 2010 comeback in Boston. back its start to, say, December.) The key to the Game 7 comeback, Gagne said, was coach Peter Laviolette’s timeout when the Flyers fell into a 3-0 first-period hole. The Flyers are currently seeded No. 4 in the East, so they would only have to win the usual four rounds to capture their first Stanley Cup since In a coronavirus world, we are learning just how much we miss sports, 1975. writes Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski.

Teams voted overwhelmingly – a 29-2 landslide -- to go with a 24-team Family issues tourney. After play-in games, there will be a 16-team field competing for the Cup. It’s not automatic that the league and players’ union will get their act together on issues that still must be resolved before the season returns. The Flyers were among the 29 teams in favor of the plan. Carolina and Tampa Bay voted against it. Health and safety concerns, deciding on whether teams will be reseeded after play-in games are held, and determining the length of the first In a conference call with reporters, Carolina’s player representative, playoff series after play-in games are among the items needing a Jordan Martinook, said his team wants to return and finish the season, resolution before there’s an agreement on returning to play. but the Hurricanes don’t like having to go through a play-in round to get into the playoffs. Another concern for players: Being quarantined from their families for a long time. “It hurts our odds,” he said. “That’s a big thing,” said left winger James van Riemsdyk, who, as the Carolina is seeded sixth and will face 11th-seeded Rangers, who would Flyers’ player representative, is a member of the NHLPA’s executive not have qualified for the tourney if the regular season were declared committee. “No one wants to be away from their family for months on finished. end. I know everyone is aware of that who’s on this committee.”

Alex Killorn, the Lightning’s player representative, said his team was Added van Riemsdyk: "I know that no one is asking us to be without against the format because it “didn’t think it was fair that certain teams seeing our family for too long of a stretch.” that probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs“ would now have a chance in a best-of-five play-in series. “My team also felt it was unfair that the Van Riemsdyk’s wife, Lauren, delivered their first child, Scarlett Everly, teams with a bye would not be as well prepared for a playoff series as May 2 in Minnesota. the teams that had already played basically a playoff series to get into Important Dates: the playoffs.” Tuesday: Twenty-five years ago, the Flyers finished a second-round The top four teams in the East are Boston, Tampa, Washington and the sweep of the defending Stanley Cup champion Rangers . Defenseman Flyers, and they actually won’t get a bye. They will play each other a Karl Dykhuis scored a pair of goals to trigger a 4-1 win at Madison round-robin tourney for seeding purposes, but those games probably Square Garden. won’t have the intensity of the win-or-go-home series that the non-top- four teams will play. Wednesday: Forty-five years from this date, the Flyers showed their first Stanley Cup wasn’t a fluke. They won their second straight Cup by You can analyze the 24-team format as much as you want, and there will beating host Buffalo, 2-0, in Game 6 as Bob Kelly and Bill Clement always be those who think it’s inequitable. But a 29-2 vote is scored third-period goals and Bernie Parent was flawless in the nets. overwhelming. It’s time to move on. Time for teams to start small-group skating sessions, perhaps as soon as this week. From the mailbag Tyler Pitlick, Justin Braun and Brian Elliott’s contracts were about to expire July 1 (AHL goalie Alex Lyon as well). Will their expiration dates be automatically moved back or will they be offered an extension to their contracts with the same pay?

From @GaryStachowicz via Twitter

Answer: Thanks for your very good question, Gary. This is one of the many questions the NHL cannot answer at this point. Logic says the expiration date will be pushed back until after the season ends, but it is one of the items that will have to be negotiated by the NHL and the players’ union. My guess is that the free-agent period will start two weeks after the Stanley Cup playoffs end. If the playoffs aren’t held, then the July 1 date figures to stay intact.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175015 Philadelphia Flyers

Gov. Murphy says pro sports teams in N.J. ‘can return to training and competition’; Sixers and Flyers could begin practicing soon

by Keith Pompey,

All signs point to the 76ers being able to reopen their Camden practice facility soon.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that all professional sports teams in the state can return to training and competition “if their leagues choose to move in that direction” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Flyers’ practice facility also is in South Jersey.

“I recognize that, obviously, not all of our sports are back,” Murphy said Tuesday during his press conference. "And we continue our work with all of our stakeholders, including if not especially youth sports leagues, to hopefully see their resumption in the near future.

“But where professional teams are concerned, and with the facilities and resources they have to meet the demands of public health, we felt we could take that step forward.”

NBA practice facilities reopened for individual on-court workouts on May 8 in some cities, but the 76ers have not been among the teams that unlocked their gym doors. Only teams in cities and states in which local governments have eased restrictions on facilities were allowed to open. As of last week, 17 of the league’s 30 teams allowed players to start working out at the team facilities.

UPDATE: Professional sports teams in NJ may return to training and even competition – if their leagues choose to move in that direction. We have been in constant discussions with teams about necessary protocols to protect the health and safety of players, coaches, and personnel. pic.twitter.com/yMrCFtSyqY

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 26, 2020

On Friday, Murphy signed an executive order increasing the capacity limit to outdoor recreational gatherings from 10 to 25 people. The limit on indoor gatherings remains at 10 people. Also on Friday, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said the United States will exempt some foreign athletes who compete in professional sporting events in the United States from the entry bans imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball, NHL, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, ATP, and WTA are covered by the exemption.

The NBA suspended its season on March 11 and practice facilities were closed March 20. The league is having serious discussions with The Walt Disney Company about resuming the 2019-20 season in late July at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., as a single site to host games without fans.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league owners will discuss the resumption plans during Friday’s board of governors meeting.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175016 Philadelphia Flyers allow us to complete the season and award the Stanley Cup in a manner in which the health and safety of our players, on-ice officials, team staff and associated individuals involved are paramount."

NHL commissioner Bettman going through with 24-team playoff attempt The plan for this so-called postseason calls for team facilities to open perhaps as early as next week for voluntary and limited workouts, something dubbed "Phase Two."

By Rob Parent Real practices could commence sometime in mid-late July with a "Phase Three" training camp at the club facilities. Games would then be ready to

commence afterward, probably sometime in August, though no date has Gary Bettman's combover was looking a little long, Bill Daly's clean been set for that. Ideally, the playoff would be a two-month exercise in shaven pate a touch spotty. Like the widely spread sports league they hockey joy. control, however, they could easily be forgiven for a few loose ends There will be a "round-robin" mini-tournament in both conferences during an ongoing coronavirus siege. between the top four teams to determine seedings, while lower seeded Presenting the NHL's "Return To Play" sketch plan could hardly be teams will be determined via a best-of-five "qualifying round" tournament. considered a clean-cut vocation, of course, but you got the feeling that Once the 16 surviving playoff seeds are determined, the first two playoff considering politics, death toll counts and everyone's shared case of rounds might be best-of-five formats, though conference championships antsiness, what league commissioner Bettman and deputy commish Daly and the Stanley Cup Finals would both remain best-of-seven playoffs. presented on a Zoom chat with the North American hockey media Tuesday was an example of the best anyone could do. All games will be played without fans in the stands. Media coverage will be extremely limited, though television coverage seems likely for many or "It's an important day for sports and the NHL," Bettman said at the top of even all games in one form or another. the video chat. "...We hope this is a step toward normalcy." All of that, however, is subject to the great unknown: The virus itself. In Actually, it seems more of a step toward trying to squeeze some the name of safety, the NHL is investing what Bettman called "millions" of television contract money out of a 2019-20 season that was promising for dollars alone in virus testing for its players. the rejuvenated Flyers, exciting for top league scorers and Edmonton Oilers teammates Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, and ultimately a "Our hope is that by the time we open Phase Two ... most if not all of the lost one due to a pandemic that has hit North America harder than 24 teams coming back to play will have the ability to test their players anywhere else in the world. prior to engaging in Phase Two," Daly said. "And our Phase Two protocol specifically specifies testing at least twice weekly and perhaps more." It's a disappointment for the fans, players and team and league officials. It's a black hole for a league ownership group that once thought it Bettman added that the current estimate throughout the process of economically necessary to trash a whole season for the greater good of a attempting to get a 2020 Stanley Cup winner is "between 25,000 to beneficial collective bargaining agreement with the once-underpaid 35,000 tests." players. That would add to the cost of the playoffs themselves. With no gate "Fortunately, our franchises have never been stronger," Bettman said. revenue, Bettman said the league will absorb expenses "in the tens of "Our franchises have never been better owned. ... My guess is most millions." owners in all sports are probably not as wealthy as they were 12 weeks ago, but I believe based on our condition, while it may be painful with As for other hurdles, Daly said the league "reached an understanding" some substantial losses in the short term and the intermediate term, we with the Canadian government that both American and European players will get through this." can cross the Canadian border in joining their teams for camps and games. He added that "the one issue that we continue to work actively on If the curve and the numbers and the odds continue to twist in a generally is the mandatory federal quarantine that's in place in Canada for all favorable arc, Bettman indicated that in about three to four weeks, the people who travel into Canada ... we don't have a resolution there but it's league will attempt to see through a 24-team format to a 2019-20 Stanley an ongoing dialogue for sure." Cup playoff. All those games will be held in two cities, one "hub" in the West, one in the East. Asked if the whole process could be shut down if there is even one person testing positive for COVID-19, Daly said the league's medical Reportedly, the East city candidates are down to Pittsburgh, Columbus consultants advise, "One single positive test, depending on the and Toronto, though Bettman indicated restrictions still in place with the circumstance, should not necessarily shut the whole operation down. Canadian government could make it difficult to have playoff games staged in Toronto. "Obviously we can't be in a situation where we have an outbreak, that (would) affect our ability to continue playing," he said. "But a single The western cities under consideration are Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, positive test or isolated positive tests throughout a two-month tournament Las Vegas (ding-ding-ding), Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and should not necessarily mean an end to the tournament." Vancouver. Of course, with no fans and media invited, does it matter where the games are held? Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.27.2020

Teams would hole up in nearly hotels during the playoffs, not allowed to have traveling parties of more than 50 players, coaches, support staff, et. al., and essentially no one else would be permitted to enter the arenas.

What fun.

The NHL called a halt to its season on March 12, the Flyers having just 13 regular season games remaining at that point. Bettman said Tuesday that the regular season is now officially at an end. All of six of the league's 31 teams will be forced to wait for 2020-21, a season that Bettman said will be played in full, but admitted could be pushed back to a November, or maybe December or even Jan. 1 start.

There are ongoing discussions Bettman added, that the late start next season would then impact the beginning of the 2021-22 season, with a starting date in November, and that could become a permanent starting month for the future.

So this fan-less playoff better be worth it.

"At the pause, we committed to resuming play only when appropriate and prudent," Bettman said. "We are hopeful the Return To Play Plan will 1175017 Philadelphia Flyers “The specific data point for me is the ability, given the facilities, the commitment, the paid nature, the full-time nature of professional sports, not just the athletes, men and women, but the folks in their milieu, the ones that maintain the facilities and maintain the health realities,” Murphy New Jersey gives green light for pro sports teams to get back to work said at his press briefing Tuesday. “That’s the most compelling piece of this, as opposed to a youth sports reality, which is a much more, we all

know, it’s less rigid or more causal than a professional reality. but I hope By Matthew DeGeorge we can get there sooner rather than later.”

“We’ve been working closely with both the leagues as well as the teams that have a presence in this state to determine what the appropriate The road back to professional sports involves a complicated dance, policies are, and they’ve been great partners,” added chief counsel Matt between leagues and the areas they call home, in the ongoing COVID-19 Platkin. pandemic. Tuesday marked a significant step on the latter front. With New Jersey open for sports business and Pennsylvania presumably New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that the state would allow on the path toward it, the ball is in the leagues’ courts. MLS and the NBA professional sports franchises and leagues to operate in the state, paving have stated their preferences, though each is still weighing the possibility the way for the Flyers and 76ers, both of whom have practice facilities of bubble leagues, coincidentally both in the Orlando, Fla., area. The there, to return to action. NHL finally cajoled its ownership and players’ association into a plan, while MLB remains in the test balloon phase while owners and players “Professional sports teams in NJ may return to training and even snipe at each other over wages. The Phillies, who appear to still be in competition – if their leagues choose to move in that direction,” Murphy operation, have not announced anything about a possible return. tweeted Tuesday morning. “We have been in constant discussions with teams about necessary protocols to protect the health and safety of Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 players, coaches, and personnel.”

The decision clears one hurdle; the other is if leagues give the OK to resume training. The NBA did as of May 8, allowing NBA teams to return for activities under certain conditions.

With both keys able to turn now, the Sixers can launch practices immediately. From a team statement: “Following today’s announcement by Governor Murphy, the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey will begin a phased reopening tomorrow for voluntary, individual workouts. Players and essential staff will adhere to strict safeguards in accordance with NBA guidelines.”

The Flyers, whose training is based at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, refrained from a similar statement. It wasn’t until later in the day that the NHL released its return-to-play plan, which amid its nearly 2,000 words and mathematical formulas declared, ever so tentatively, that, “in early June, it is expected that teams will be permitted to return to home facilities for small group, voluntary, and on- and off-ice training.” Full training camps won't convened before July 1.

Many franchises have been able to call a truce in preparing for the season to return: If no one is back to practicing due to pandemic-related restrictions, then no one loses ground. In the NBA, though, teams had been coming back piecemeal for the last several weeks, with the 76ers on the latter end of those cleared to resume. So they’re now playing catch-up.

The Philadelphia Union felt that pressure. MLS, which was halted two weeks into its season in March, cleared players to return for individual workouts May 6. Only a handful of teams were in a position, whether because of their local public-health outlook or the adaptability of their facilities, to resume then. But so pressing was the need to not lose more ground that the Union maneuvered to use the 76ers Fieldhouse in Wilmington, Del., to resume workouts May 18.

The Pennsylvania portion of the greater Philadelphia area remains slow to emerge from coronavirus lockdowns. Much of the state has entered the second phase – the “yellow phase” – of a three-phase recovery set forth by Gov. Tom Wolf. Philadelphia and its surrounding counties (including Delco, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks) remain in the “red phase” until June 5. They are among the 18 counties that are the last to emerge from the “red phase.” By that date, the entire state will have at least advanced to the “yellow phase.”

The “red phase” allowed, “life sustaining businesses only.” The “yellow phase” requires continued closures of schools and indoor recreation or health facilities. Gatherings of more than 25 people are prohibited in the name of “aggressive mitigation.” But businesses are allowed greater latitude to resume in-person operations. Most moderate- and high- contact sports at the youth level will likely remain restricted, though the exact determinations are hazy.

From the way that Murphy described it in New Jersey, the idea is that social interactions are still cut down by making maintaining remote work whenever feasible. But being a professional athlete is not one of those instances. Murphy felt secure in the precautions that professional teams could adopt in resuming operations. 1175018 Philadelphia Flyers

Stanley Cup odds 2020: Updated look as NHL releases plan to resume play

By Michael Gatti May 26, 2020 6:10 PM

It looks like hockey is on its way back, and before the players resume formal practices the sportsbooks wasted no time releasing odds on which team will take home Lord Stanley’s Cup In 2020.

For bettors in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, FOX Bet and FanDuel lists the orange and black at 11-1 ($100 bet pays $1,100). These numbers are right around what the Flyers were listed at right before the coronavirus pandemic caused the sports world to come to a screeching halt. The Flyers have the seventh-best odds to win the Cup behind Boston, St. Louis, Colorado, Tampa Bay, Vegas and Washington.

According to the Superbook in Las Vegas, the Flyers are listed at 12-1 ($100 bet will win $1,200) to be crowned champions. The Flyers opened up at odds of 25-1 last May.

Back on Halloween, the Flyers’ odds reached as high as 50-1 to win the title. Over the course of the year, the odds have gone up and down like the Sea Serpent roller coaster on Wildwood’s boardwalk. In early February, their odds rose again to around 40-1 before a winter hot streak.

In case you were wondering, the "Play Gloria" St. Louis Blues opened at 40-1 to win the Cup a season ago. That season ended with a mini Mummers celebration down in South Philadelphia. Let’s hope we have something to celebrate come this fall, even if it means we still have to social distance and not celebrate in grand fashion down Broad Street.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175019 Philadelphia Flyers James van Riemsdyk-Scott Laughton-Tyler Pitlick A healthy van Riemsdyk changes the whole dynamic for the Flyers, who

are 22-5-0 when he records a point. Predictions for Flyers' best lineup to open NHL's 24-team Stanley Cup The goal-scoring winger gives the Flyers bottom-six offensive punch, a Playoffs plan guy who is always a threat to swing the complexion of a game with a two- goal, three-point kind of effort. Featuring that on a third line is a big-time luxury. By Jordan Hall May 26, 2020 10:40 PM With more responsibility and talent around him, Laughton has had a terrific season (career-high 13 goals and plus-13 rating in only 49 games). Pitlick staying with the third unit permits him to play his natural An inside look at how Flyers have built 2019-20 turnaround right winger position, while Grant can play fourth-line center to keep Raffl With perspective from the players and head coach, let's take an inside on the wing, as well. look at how the Flyers have built their 2019-20 turnaround. By Jordan This third line also presents a tough-to-play-against look, a group that Hall can win shifts and free up opportunities for the top six. As Flyers fans know well, their team was on a nice roll before the NHL Fourth line had to suspend the 2019-20 season because of the coronavirus outbreak. Michael Raffl-Derek Grant-Nicolas Aube-Kubel

The unprecedented stoppage brought a halt to the Flyers' 2019-20 Grant provides the Flyers a ton of flexibility. He can play third-line center resurgence, a regular season that had the makings to be the or right winger if needed. After being acquired at the Feb. 24 trade organization's best in nine years. deadline, Grant registered five points (one goal, four assists) in seven games with the Flyers. Well, in a different way, it turns out the Flyers might get a shot to finish what they started. On Tuesday, the NHL and NHLPA announced the With the 30-year-old Grant at center, Raffl, a reliable fourth-liner, isn't process to its 24-team return-to-play model. forced to play down the middle and Aube-Kubel, a 24-year-old rookie, can play in his regular right winger spot. If the league is able to reach its goal of resuming the season in hopes to award the Stanley Cup, the Flyers are in solid position for a run. Their This makes Thompson the odd man out but good insurance for the work prior to the hiatus — winners in nine of their final 10 games and Flyers as he has played 62 playoff games in his career. going 19-6-1 since Jan. 8 — guarantees them a bye and top-four seed. First defensive pair To boot, the Flyers are much healthier now (as are most teams) compared to when the NHL suspended the season March 12. At that Ivan Provorov-Matt Niskanen time, the Flyers were pushing forward without James van Riemsdyk A no-brainer here as Provorov and Niskanen have been terrific as the (broken right index finger), Philippe Myers (fractured patella in right knee) Flyers' top pair. and Nate Thompson (left knee sprain). All three are ready to play if/when the season picks back up. The 23-year-old Provorov and 33-year-old Niskanen do everything for the Flyers, from even strength to the power play and penalty kill. With that noted, let's break down the Flyers' best lineup for a Game 1 scenario. They'll play big minutes, per usual, in the playoffs. Niskanen's experience of 125 career postseason games and a Stanley Cup title should be a First line benefit to the younger blueliners. Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek Second defensive pair Hard to argue with this group. Travis Sanheim-Philippe Myers Couturier brings out the best in Giroux and Voracek, while the club's A healthy Myers is tough to sit, at least at the start of the playoffs. The mainstay wingers know exactly how to feed off their do-it-all pivot. 23-year-old had shown promise and poise alongside Sanheim as the This season, Voracek really started cooking when he jumped onto Flyers turned it on in January. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Myers had 16 Couturier's wing. Since Nov. 23, just after the two were put together, points (four goals, 12 assists) and a plus-17 rating in 50 games this Couturier put up 44 points (16 goals, 28 assists) and a plus-23 rating in season, while he was also helping kill penalties. 47 games, while Voracek recorded 43 points (eight goals, 35 assists) and It won't be surprising, though, if Vigneault gives Myers a relatively short a plus-17 mark during the stretch. leash in a best-of-seven series. At times, the rookie has tried to do too “Coots is one of the best defensive forwards putting up huge offensive much and can be hard on himself. numbers," Voracek said in November. “He knows what to do to make the Shayne Gostisbehere, a pretty good option to have on deck, will be ready other top lines miserable.” to play. Vigneault has always liked Gostisbehere's potential in his Second line system.

Joel Farabee-Kevin Hayes-Travis Konecny "The best and the toughest offense to defend is when you have that second wave, when you have your Ds being a part of the attack," Head coach Alain Vigneault likes to accentuate the strengths of his Vigneault said in November. "He’s a smart player, he knows when it’s younger players by placing them in spots where they can best show time for him to jump up. those strengths. "His defensive play has been fine, he’s battled, he’s competed, I like his Down the stretch, the Flyers started putting more and more on Farabee's 1-on-1s. He’s got to play to his strengths, he’s aware of that." plate and the 20-year-old rookie proved he could handle it. Third defensive pair Playing with Hayes and Konecny gives Farabee a greater chance to produce offensively and build confidence. If he's not scoring, his overall Robert Hagg-Justin Braun game doesn't tend to slip, which makes this line such a good spot for the Hagg has earned his spot in the lineup to open the playoffs. He plays a 2018 first-round pick. simple third-pair style, blocks shots and made the Flyers better as they “The thing with Joel is his game is so much more advanced than the climbed the standings. Post-Christmas, the 25-year-old notched 10 other kids away from the puck and defensively," general manager Chuck points (three goals, seven assists) and a plus-17 rating in 28 games. Fletcher said in January. "He's one of our best forwards in terms of puck Over a similar span, Braun was one of the team's best defensemen. management and game management.” Since Dec. 23, the 33-year-old veteran of 84 postseason appearances Third line had 14 points and a plus-11 rating in 26 games. There's no real reason why this shouldn't be the club's third pairing to begin a series.

Goalies

Carter Hart

Brian Elliott

The clear No. 1 and No. 2 for the Flyers, a tandem that worked very well during the regular season.

The Flyers will be ready to ride the 21-year-old Hart, while the 35-year- old Elliott (45 career postseason games on his résumé) is a more than dependable backup to spell the youngster when needed.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175020 Philadelphia Flyers — Lexie (@lexie_kline) May 26, 2020 Flyers winning the cup this year, everyone get out of the way!

— kyle meagher (@Flepodcast1) May 26, 2020 NHL, Flyers fans going crazy after latest news on return-to-play format Hi.

The Flyers are a Top 4 NHL team. pic.twitter.com/kCMlr7CyBY By Brooke Destra May 26, 2020 5:30 PM — Marc Farzetta (@MarcFarzetta) May 26, 2020

Well I for one am FLYERED UP. #CupCrazy It’s a wonderful day in the world of hockey. — Natalie Egenolf (@NatalieEgenolf) May 26, 2020 Tuesday afternoon, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman elaborated on some of the best news fans have heard in a long time … hockey is most THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS ARE OFFICIALLY IN THE PLAYOFFS!!! likely returning. While a detailed layout of the league’s Phase 2 had already been released earlier in the week, this is the first time Bettman, WE WANT THE CUP! himself, spoke about the subject. WE WANT THE CUP!

There is a tentative timeline in place for such things to begin — but WE WANT THE CUP! everything seems more tangible now than ever. WE WANT THE CUP! #Flyers #StanleyCup #FlyOrDie If there had never been a stoppage in play during March and the season pic.twitter.com/9kE12Prjmo progressed normally, only two teams would have been left in the race for the Stanley Cup. Now, with a promising future and the approved 24-team — Justin Lever (@JustinLever3) May 26, 2020 playoff format, we’re looking ahead to summer hockey. Flyers one of the top teams in the NHL pic.twitter.com/vIXx9YkwCV Which honestly doesn’t seem too bad, right? — Nick (@Frost48__) May 26, 2020 We know there are many more steps that need to be put in place before the playoffs do take off, but that doesn’t mean the excitement is going to pic.twitter.com/O2zlxXTwkr dwindle. In fact, this has been one of the most optimistic days on social — Tim Riday (@TimRiday) May 26, 2020 media since the league was put on hold 76 days ago — especially with Flyers fans. Hang on Flyers fans, I have a feeling we're about to have one crazy summer! Here are some of the best instant reactions to Bettman’s press conference — feelings you are probably all experiencing now, as well. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 This is the most surreal playoff clinching day in Flyers history

— jsaquella (@jsaquella) May 26, 2020

Me all quarantine without hockey vs me learning the Flyers are in the playoffs and back in business later this summer pic.twitter.com/nWNtxnuklS

— Kyle P (@Kyle_Phillippi) May 26, 2020

I saw the Flyers logo in the top 4 and I got the feeling back instantly. LETS GO.

— Rich Elles (@RichardElles) May 26, 2020

Flyers chose the best season to be a top four conference team in March.

— Spencer Chorney (@SpencerChorney) May 26, 2020

Flyers stanley cup back on

— the german moses (@steviehand) May 26, 2020

ITS HAPPENING!!!!!!

Time to break out my @KevinPHayes12 sweater #Flyers #NHL pic.twitter.com/nvf93PTpuj

— Ben (@Thenuge72) May 26, 2020

Hopefully, everyone is ready to face the #Flyers in the postseason. Waited 45 years for the best opportunity to win the whole thing. pic.twitter.com/XHMl4MGZZn

— Whiz Kid (@avery_merrick) May 26, 2020

HOCKEY IS BACK #FLYERS #LFG @NHLFlyers pic.twitter.com/bQK4bKuwrN

— Joann (@JoannHutch1976) May 26, 2020

Best of both worlds for the Flyers, they get a bye into the field of 16 and also can better their seeding through the round robin while not being able to drop any lower than 4th. #TheOrangeandTheBlack

— Derek DeMaria (@thedeem10) May 26, 2020 flyers playoff hockey in July pic.twitter.com/3G9wyCq2QC 1175021 Philadelphia Flyers What the new format means So, if the regular season is over, and the Flyers were comfortably in a

playoff spot at the pause, they should know whom they’ll face in their Flyers’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts first-round matchup, right? Philadelphia Not exactly.

The agreed-upon format does lock Philadelphia into the postseason, By Charlie O'Connor May 26, 2020 should it occur. But that was never in question — of course a team second in its division and fourth in the conference was going to participate in whatever playoff format the league cooked up. What was in question was how the format would impact the Flyers and their potential For the first time since the NHL paused its season on March 12, there’s path to a Cup. And that’s … still in question. concrete reason for optimism that the Philadelphia Flyers might actually have a chance to take a run at Lord Stanley’s Cup this year. Here’s what we know: The tournament will involve 24 teams, 12 from each conference. The top four in each conference are exempt from the On Friday, the NHL Players’ Association authorized further negotiations “first round,” which the league is referring to as a play-in round for the with the NHL on the framework of a 24-team return to play format. Then, true 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs. In that play-in round, the fifth-seeded on Tuesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the team will face the 12th seed, No. 6 will face No. 11, and so on. The parameters of the league’s chosen format. winners of those five-game series would move on to what will resemble a Essentially, if the league is able to overcome the many remaining more traditional 16-team “Round 1” of the playoffs, and the rest of the obstacles created by the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL’s return would tournament would progress, by and large, via a normal NHL postseason come in the form of a 24-team tournament that will conclude with one format. team crowned champion and awarded the Cup. The regular season is The Flyers have the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference by officially over. points percentage, and therefore are locked into receiving a “bye” for the The league and players still need to agree on multiple other points of play-in round. However, their potential Round 1 opponent — and even contention, such as safety, finances and timing. In addition, Bettman their exact seeding in Round 1 — is still unknown. announced the earliest training camps will begin is July 1, so competitive If Philadelphia ends up with the fourth seed in the East, many have games are still weeks, if not months, away — even in a best-case theorized it would face the winner of the conference’s No. 5 versus No. scenario. But as a result of last week’s vote and Tuesday’s 12 matchup in this setup — the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Montreal announcement, the public knows — in loose terms — what a return Canadiens. But it’s far from a lock. would look like if it happens. First, a final decision hasn’t been made on whether the 16-team playoffs With a strong record (41-21-7) that ranks sixth in the league by points will follow a strict bracket-style structure or if reseeding will occur. In a percentage, the Flyers would obviously participate in the tournament. But strict bracket, the fourth-seeded Flyers would play the winner of where would they stand at the start? What would the 24-team structure Pittsburgh-Montreal regardless of which team wins. In a reseed structure, look like? What specifics still need to be hammered out by the NHL and however, the Flyers — as the lowest-seeded East team with a play-in NHLPA? And most importantly for Flyers fans: Would their club have a round bye — would face the highest-seeded play-in round winner. So if realistic chance of winning a title under these parameters? the 12th-seed Canadiens sprang the upset, Philadelphia wouldn’t play Our guide will get you up to speed. Let’s look at the key questions. them, because Montreal would be the “worst” team remaining in the playoffs; the conference’s No. 1 seed would face them. The Flyers would Where they were before the shutdown instead be matched up against the highest-seeded team that won in the play-in round. The Flyers weren’t merely playing well when the season was paused. They legitimately looked like one of the best teams. Second, the Flyers aren’t even necessarily locked in as the No. 4 seed. Due to concerns from the top teams that exemption from the play-in It wasn’t just the nine-game winning streak that nearly led directly into the round — meant to serve as a reward for strong regular-season play — stoppage. The Flyers were steamrolling opponents on a nightly basis, could actually put them at a disadvantage given the months without and not only teams at the bottom of the standings, either. They spent competitive hockey, the tournament will include a three-game, round- most of February and March methodically taking apart every Eastern robin-style set of games for the clubs with play-in byes. The initial goal, of Conference playoff bubble team they faced — Florida, Columbus, the course, was to give those teams some competitive games to ensure New York Rangers — and defeated the Metropolitan Division-leading they’re back in hockey shape when the real tournament starts. But Washington Capitals twice on the road by a combined score of 12-4. Bettman confirmed Tuesday the round-robin will impact the Nos. 1 In fact, the Flyers were primed to blow past the Capitals in the standings through 4 seeding of those clubs for Round 1 as well and would be when the season ground to a halt — at 89 standings points, they were played under regular-season overtime and shootout rules. one behind Washington at the pause. Unfortunately for the Flyers, they So depending upon their record in the round-robin tournament against won’t have a chance to complete the pass and win the division in the the top three teams in the East — Boston, Tampa Bay and Washington traditional sense, even if the return-to-play plan comes to fruition. Per the — it’s plausible the Flyers could begin the 16-team tournament as the agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA, the usual 82-game regular first, second, third or fourth seed. All of the seeds will be up for grabs, season will not be completed, meaning, in classic terms, the Flyers came with minimal edge given to the teams with superior regular-season up just short in their attempt to win an unlikely Metro crown. records. According to Bettman, the only advantage given to higher- That doesn’t change the fact no team in the Metro was playing better seeded teams in the round-robin is they would hold the tiebreaker in the than the Flyers at the pause. They had posted a stellar 14-4-1 record event of equal records with a lower-seeded club after the three-game since returning from their late-January bye week (a 125-point full-season sprint. pace), and their underlying numbers hinted the surge was no fluke. To recap: The Flyers are guaranteed to bypass the play-in round of the During that stretch, Philadelphia ranked seventh best in the league in new format. Their exact seeding in Round 1 of the “official” Stanley Cup five-on-five shot-attempt differential (52.73 percent) and fourth best by playoffs will be determined by how they perform in a three-game round- Evolving-Hockey’s expected goals model (54.88 percent). robin mini-tournament with Tampa Bay, Boston, and Washington. And it’s Add in Carter Hart’s 0.934 save percentage in 11 games since coming still unclear whether the matchups in the 16-team tournament will be back from injury in February, and that Claude Giroux’s offense had decided by a straight bracket, or if all teams will be reseeded after the returned in full force (18 points in 15 games) after being placed back on play-in round is complete. Sean Couturier’s line at even strength and on the left side of the top In other words, the Flyers will get three games against the East’s best to power play formation, and you have a team that was firing on all earn the highest possible seed they can for the real playoffs. Beyond cylinders. that, only time will tell. Kevin Hayes celebrates a goal with Derek Grant and Nicolas Aubé- Does the new format hurt or help the Flyers? Kubel. (Geoff Burke / USA Today) This is uncharted territory for every team. No one knows the impact four The Flyers, like most teams, find themselves in a far better position with to five months without meaningful games — and for most players, injuries today as compared to where they might have stood in early April, multiple months off the ice — will have on each club and its players. And when the playoffs were originally scheduled to start. that’s not even accounting for the unanswered questions about the playoff format. At the pause, the Flyers were missing six players due to injuries or off-ice medical issues: Philippe Myers (right knee patella fracture), James van But let’s look at how this specific structure might impact the Flyers Riemsdyk (fractured right finger), Nate Thompson (knee sprain), Samuel anyway. Does the new format put Philadelphia in better position to make Morin (ACL tear), Nolan Patrick (migraine disorder), Oskar Lindblom a run as compared to a normal playoff setup? (Ewing’s sarcoma).

At first glance, the Flyers’ guaranteed bye seems a significant advantage. Myers and Thompson would have been cleared for the usual start to the After all, it’s objectively easier to win four rounds in a tournament than playoffs, and the extra time off has surely helped them return to as close five (which play-in teams will have to do). For instance, it certainly to 100 percent health as possible. They’ll be good to go in any return to increases the gap in Cup-winning likelihood between the Flyers (who play scenario. have a bye) and the Penguins (who don’t). Van Riemsdyk was a different story. At the time of his injury, the Flyers Does the creation of a play-in round increase the Flyers’ chances of left the door open a crack for JvR to possibly return for Game 1 of the winning it all compared to a normal 16-team tournament, though? That’s first round. But on April 10, they announced van Riemsdyk was still one murkier. to two weeks away from being cleared for action. On May 20, van Riemsdyk estimated he had felt good enough to go “probably for a Technically, the introduction of a play-in round doesn’t do much to couple weeks, maybe a little longer now.” If the playoffs had begun, it’s increase Philadelphia’s chances, even with a bye week. It just decreases possible van Riemsdyk would have accelerated his timeline. But his the chances for the teams that would usually be seeded Nos. 5 through effectiveness might have been limited, and even then, it sounds like he 8, by handing some of their championship-win-likelihood percentage would have been a long shot to help out in Round 1. Expect him to be points to teams seeded 9 through 12, who normally wouldn’t make the ready for a midsummer postseason run. playoffs. A silver lining of the pause: The Flyers get JvR back healthy for the That may seem counterintuitive, at first, but think about it. The Flyers still playoffs. (Eric Hartline / USA Today) have to win four playoff rounds in this format to secure the Cup — just as they would in a normal year. They merely avoid having their chances Morin continues to progress in his rehabilitation, but he’s not a realistic gashed by the NHL’s desire to get big-market clubs such as Montreal candidate to rejoin the club until the start of the 2020-21 season — and Chicago (who would’ve been on the outside looking in with a 16- whenever that happens. In any case, it was always unlikely the Flyers team or even 20-team format) into the tournament. would consider dropping a player coming off a second ACL tear in the same knee — who hasn’t even clearly asserted himself as an everyday Now, one could conclude the Flyers will benefit from being better rested NHL player yet — into the playoffs cold. in Round 1 than their opponent, who will be coming off a potentially grueling play-in war. That’s a reasonable theory. However, it’s not like the All of the recent news about Lindblom’s cancer treatments has been Flyers will be off the ice entirely, due to the round-robin games between positive, and while he still has a long road ahead in his battle with the bye teams, and injuries could happen during those games as well. Ewing’s sarcoma and his attempt to restart his career, there are reasons for optimism about his long-term health. However, it’s safe to assume Then, there’s the broader concern about the bye, which worried Tampa Lindblom won’t be making a dramatic return to the lineup during the Bay so much its players voted against the 24-team format proposal. playoffs. Some fear inferior (on paper) opponents coming off a play-in series will be operating at “playoff hockey” levels more than the bye teams, leading Then, there’s Patrick, who was making progress toward overcoming his to upsets and nullifying any supposed advantage the bye might provide. migraine disorder and returning to the ice in the weeks leading up to the pause. However, he was not cleared for contact as of April 10. In I lean more toward the “bye will be an advantage” side over the “bye is addition, his attempts to work himself back into game shape and learn actually bad” position. The negative of having to win five playoff rounds how to best balance management of his migraine issues with daily on-ice rather than four is just too significant, and the added randomness that activities were abruptly halted when the league shut down. A playoff comes with the play-in rounds being best-of-five (rather than the usual return for Patrick can’t be ruled out, but it’s probably best for the Flyers best-of-seven) means there’s a non-zero chance the bottom half of the not to count on it. eight-team Eastern Conference bracket will be weaker than in a typical year. Imagine if Montreal and Florida knock out Pittsburgh and Toronto in How will the time off impact the Flyers overall? the play-in round — suddenly, two teams with more than enough talent to go on Cup runs are out of the mix, making the paths of the East’s top four Injury timelines are straightforward — a player either can or can’t return teams far easier. to action. The Flyers will be better and deeper on paper with Myers, van Riemsdyk and Thompson available than they were on March 12 when all Overall, however, the play-in format isn’t likely to give the Flyers a three were on the shelf. significantly better chance of winning it all as opposed to the traditional structure. They just avoid watching their chances get severely damaged But will the Flyers be able to replicate their fantastic pre-pause form after by it. more than four months without a competitive game? That’s a far tougher question to answer. The introduction of a three-game round-robin, on the other hand, does have the potential to significantly help the Flyers’ seeding and matchups. During the pause, Flyers players expressed cautious optimism regarding their ability to come back rolling if the season and playoffs could be held. When the season was paused, the Flyers had a decent chance of It makes sense — they are a confident, talented bunch that had bought passing the Capitals and winning the Metro. (Again, they trailed into first-year head coach Alain Vigneault’s system. It’s not like their Washington by just one point.) But there was little chance they were depth at forward and defense has disappeared. (In fact, it’s even better going to overtake Boston for the top seed in the conference, as they than when they last played.) It’s not like Hart is no longer a phenomenal, trailed the Bruins by 11 points with only a handful of games to play. Now, young netminder. It’s not like Vigneault’s tactics will stop being effective if however, they could theoretically jump to the conference’s top seed for executed properly. All the factors that made the Flyers such a fearsome the 16-team playoffs merely by winning all three of the round-robin foe in February and March will still exist in July. games. That would, at least in theory, make for easier matchups throughout the playoffs. That said, the Flyers were playing really good hockey when play screeched to a halt. It’s easy to argue that during that month-and-a-half Since they enter the round-robin as the East’s fourth seed, there’s no hot stretch, they exemplified the idea of a team being better than the sum downside for the Flyers. If they struggle in their games against the of its parts. And that type of “magic” might be difficult to recreate. Former Lightning, Bruins and Capitals — who cares? They were projected to be Flyers goalie Brian Boucher expressed those concerns during an the fourth seed anyway. But if they move up, that would mean avoiding interview with The Athletic earlier this month. formidable foes like Pittsburgh in Round 1, a legitimate reward. Can Sean Couturier and company keep rolling? (Eric Hartline / USA How did the time off impact the injured players? Today) Philadelphia could pick up right where it left off. And maybe the team has another, even higher gear to reach when back at full health.

But at the pause, things were playing out in close-to-ideal fashion for the Flyers. They were operating at peak powers. They were outplaying Washington. Pittsburgh was looking like a shell of itself. The Wells Fargo Center was getting back to its loud, raucous ways. Something special appeared to be brewing, in more ways than one, just in time for playoff hockey’s return to Philadelphia.

Now, all of those factors can essentially be thrown out the window. There’s no guarantee the Flyers will be as sharp as they were back in March. Their opponents will also be far healthier. And home-ice advantage will be meaningless with no fans in the stands and the strong likelihood playoff games won’t even be played in Philadelphia due to local health restrictions.

The Flyers would still be viewed as a formidable foe because they are a very good team. But it’s a total unknown as to whether they’ll be able to replicate the circumstances that turned them into one of the NHL’s best clubs in the weeks leading up to the pause, and that uncertainty has to be viewed as a negative — especially if you believe they were likely to keep rolling had the season gone on uninterrupted.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175022 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins offer refunds for canceled games

SETH RORABAUGH | Wednesday, May 27, 2020 12:18 a.m.

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With the NHL cancelling the remainder of the 2019-20 regular season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Penguins formally announced on Tuesday they are offering a series of options for the six home games they had remaining on their schedule.

Season tickets holders are able to request a refund or put the money from those six games towards a ticket package for the 2020-21 season.

The same applies to any tickets purchase individually or as part of a group.

Tickets purchased through the NHL’s Ticket Exchange, the league’s in- house resale marketplace, will be automatically refunded within 30 days of cancellation.

Any purchase through a third-party resale site such as StubHub or SeatGeek will be subject to the refund policies of those companies.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175023 Pittsburgh Penguins Sam Lafferty would appear to be candidates to graduate from part-time to full-time NHL status.

That would allow Miletic to become among the top forwards in Wilkes- Penguins A to Z: Finally healthy, Sam Miletic takes a step forward Barre/Scranton to considered for a potential recall in the event of an injury or absence.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.27.2020 SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 5:37 p.m.

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While the NHL is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 55 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Sam Miletic

Position: Left winger

Shoots: Left

Age: 23

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 196 pounds

2019-20 AHL statistics: 62 games, 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists)

Contract: Final year of a three-year entry contract with a salary cap hit of $710,000. Pending restricted free agent this offseason.

Acquired: Undrafted free agent signing, Sept. 25, 2017

This season: On the surface, Sam Miletic’s second professional season didn’t look as good as hit first.

Mainly just because of his base numbers. He scored less in more games in 2019-20 than he did during the 2018-19 season when he put up 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in only 49 games.

But the simple fact that Miletic played so many more games this season, even with a pandemic that halted the AHL season in mid-March, is a triumph. A shoulder injury limited him considerably throughout this first pro season.

Fully healed, Miletic, who appeared in 62 of a possible 63 games, was asked to take on a more prominent role in 2019-20 and emerged as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lone representative for that league’s All-Star game in January.

Entering the season, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s roster was stocked with reliable veterans such as Andrew Agozzino, Joseph Blandisi and Stefan Noesen. But eventually, those steadying presences each departed via waivers or trades, allowing Miletic to emerge as a top-six forward and become a regular part of the team’s power-play.

(Video courtesy Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)

By the time the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins played their final game of the season March 11, Miletic was manning the left wing of the second line with established AHL stars Phllip Varone at center and Riley Barber on right wing.

Despite that optimal deployment, Miletic only produced one goal in his final 27 games of the season.

The future: Miletic appears to be a safe bet to get a new contract from the Penguins during the offseason, whenever that is. The organization still controls his NHL rights and, by most accounts, his progress in 2019- 20 satisfied management.

A prolific scorer as a junior — he recorded 92 points (32 goals, 66 assists) in 63 games during his final junior season of 2017-18 split between the ’s London Knights and Ontario IceDogs — Miletic has the skill and skating ability to be an NHL player.

But he probably is not talented enough to be a top-six forward at the NHL level. He appears to realize that and has devoted much of his energy this season towards refining his defensive game.

With NHL wingers such as Patrick Marleau and Conor Sheary facing pending unrestricted free agency this offseason, Anthony Angello and 1175024 Pittsburgh Penguins • 6. Carolina Hurricanes vs. 11. New York Rangers, • 7. New York Islanders vs. 10. Florida Panthers,

• 8. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. 9. Columbus Blue Jackets NHL’s Gary Bettman outlines return-to-play plan; Penguins-Canadiens matchup set City 2: Round robin for seeding in first round

1. St. Louis Blues, 2. Colorado Avalanche, 3. Vegas Golden Knights, 4. Dallas Stars SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 5:23 p.m. City 2: Best-of-five qualifying round

• 5. Edmonton Oilers vs. 12. Chicago Blackhawks Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. • 6. Nashville Predators vs. 11. Arizona Coyotes

The NHL has a plan. Now, it just needs to find a way to implement it. •7. Vancouver Canucks vs. 10. Minnesota Wild

On Tuesday, Gary Bettman became the first commissioner of a major •8. Calgary Flames vs. 9. Winnipeg Jets North American league to announce a detailed return-to-play plan. It involves 24 teams — 12 from each conference — in a playoff to complete • Each hub city must have secure hotels, arena, practice facilities and in- the 2019-20 season that has been on hold since March 12 because of market transportation. the coronavirus pandemic. • Teams will be limited to 50 personnel in the hub city and a small The top four teams in each conference would square off in a round-robin number of support staff permitted to enter the event areas. tournament to determine the highest four seeds, and the bottom eight NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said to prevent any competitive teams would play in a qualifying round with best-of-five series. advantage, any team whose city is a hub could be moved to a different The league’s plan has the Pittsburgh Penguins facing the Montreal hub. Canadiens in a qualifying round to advance to the first round of the • Timing and sites will be determined at a future date and will depend on playoffs. medical conditions, testing ability and government regulations.

The plan also calls for two hub cities — one each for the Eastern and Whether the first and second rounds are best-of-five or best-of-seven Western conferences — to serve as sites for the entire qualifying and series has yet to be determined. The conference and Stanley Cup Final round-robin rounds. Bettman identified Pittsburgh as a potential hub city. will be best-of-seven. The league and players must also decide whether Also named were Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, the playoffs will have hard brackets or will be reseeded as they progress. Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Toronto and Vancouver. Bettman also addressed the NHL Draft lottery, which is a complex Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto’s office issued a statement after the return- process. to-play plan was revealed. In basic terms, the first 15 picks of the draft will be awarded to the seven “The city supports the NHL getting back to business safely,” it read. “Our teams that did not qualify for the playoffs as well as the eight teams that focus is on resuming activities in a way that is safe for fans, players, don’t advance from the qualifying round. residents and all personnel.” After that, there is a series of draws and tiebreakers that will determine Bettman pointed out this is merely a plan, and everything is contingent on the order of the first round. jurisdictions permitting play. This is largely irrelevant to the Penguins, as they traded their first-round “Although we are anxious to get back on the ice, we will not do anything pick in this year’s draft to the Minnesota Wild as part of the trade that until we are assured by medical professionals and the relevant landed forward Jason Zucker in February. government authorities that is safe and prudent to do so,” Bettman said during a video address that was broadcast on NBC Sports and NHL Testing for coronavirus will be paramount to the plan and will be Network. conducted daily once play resumes. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly offered few details but suggested a positive test would not have dire No target dates were offered, but Bettman suggested training camps ramifications for the tournament. could operate “no earlier than July 1.” Considering the NHLPA has asked for such camps to last three weeks, the playoffs could not begin until late “Our medical advisers (believe) that a single positive test, depending on July under this plan, and the Stanley Cup could be awarded as late as the circumstance, should not necessarily shut the whole operation down,” October. Daly said. “Obviously, we can’t be in a situation where we have an outbreak that will affect our ability to play. But a single positive test, On Monday, the NHL offered details on how players could resume throughout a two-month tournament, should not necessarily mean an end skating in small group by “early June.” for the tournament.”

Some of the important details from Tuesday’s announcement: Bettman suggested the league could conduct upwards of 25,000 to • The regular season is officially over. The final 189 regular-season 30,000 tests throughout the playoffs at the cost of several millions. games on the schedule will not be played. As far as how this impacts the league beyond this season, Bettman • Teams in the postseason will be seeded based on point percentage as suggested the 2020-21 season could be played in its entirety while of the final regular-season games played March 11. As a result, the potentially starting in November, December or even January. Bettman Penguins (.623 point percentage) are the fifth seed in the Eastern added he is hopeful fans would be allowed in buildings by that point. Conference and will play the 12th-seeded Canadiens. Tribune Review LOADED: 05.27.2020 • The winners of the qualifying round would face the teams from the round-robin tournament in the first round.

• The teams in these rounds are:

City 1: Round robin for seeding in first round

1. Boston Bruins, 2. Tampa Bay Lightning, 3. Washington Capitals , 4. Philadelphia Flyers

City 1: Best-of-five qualifying round

• 5. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 12. Montreal Canadiens 1175025 Pittsburgh Penguins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins re-sign defenseman Jon Lizotte

SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 3:06 p.m.

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The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins re-signed defenseman Jon Lizotte to an American Hockey League contract for the 2020-21 season.

Making his professional debut, the undrafted Lizotte, 25, appeared in 59 AHL games this season and recorded 17 assists. Much of his season was spent as a defensive partner with fellow first-year pro Pierre-Olivier Joseph, one of the top prospects in the organization. By the time the AHL’s season came to a halt in mid-March, Lizotte and Joseph were the team’s top defensive duo.

A native of Grand Forks, N.D., Lizotte, a left-handed shot, previously played four seasons for St. Cloud State before joining Wilkes- Barre/Scranton on an amateur tryout contract at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175026 Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to announce return to play format

SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 1:12 p.m.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is scheduled to make a formal announcement at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday regarding the league’s “Return to Play” plan to resume the 2019-20 season which has been on hiatus since March 12 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Bettman is expected to announce the league and NHLPA have formally agreed on a 24-team postseason format that will potentially be staged later this summer. Under the proposed plan, the top four teams in each conference would play a mini-tournament for seeding. The remainder of the field would begin a best-of-five series for the opening round.

The No. 5-seeded Penguins would play No. 12 Montreal under this proposal.

A formal announcement that this plan will actually be implemented might still be weeks or even months away.

On Monday, the league announced protocol for allowing a limited number of players to resume skating in NHL facilities beginning in early June. There was no word on when a formal training camp with full rosters or a resumption of play could be enacted.

Bettman’s announcement is scheduled to be televised on NBC Sports as well as NBC Network as well as various online outlets such as the league’s official Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175027 Pittsburgh Penguins

Unfiltered: Are Penguins in bad spot when NHL resumes?; Breaking down impact Steelers’ draft picks could make; MLB hurting itself

TRIBUNE-REVIEW | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 11:30 a.m.

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What will the resumption of the NHL look like? And did the Penguins draw the short straw?

Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss the league’s return-to-play proposal in which the Penguins would play a playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens and former league MVP goalie Carey Price.

Is that fair? Tim and Mark have varying opinions.

In NFL news, the guys discuss the league proposal that would have incentivized teams hiring minority coaches and general managers and whether it was ever a good idea. Mark says the idea is not bad, indicating that incentivizing the hiring of minorities may be one of the only ways to make league owners do that.

Tim and Mark discuss this year’s Steelers draft class and whether their third- and seventh-round draft picks have the clearest path to getting on the field this year and what the defensive lineup could look like.

They also discuss rules changes, including overtime. Should the NFL move to the overtime format used in the NCAA?

Other topics on the table include whether MLB is at risk of alienating itself in what’s amounting to a labor dispute, what the guys watched on TV over the holiday weekend, ESPN’s Lance Armstrong documentary and more.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175028 Pittsburgh Penguins team in the league and the last club to qualify. Despite that reality, Price has pitched four shutouts on the season. No other goalie has more than six (Connor Hellebuyck).

Tim Benz: Sorry, Penguins fans. A 2020 NHL relaunch was never going During his career, Price is 13-14-5 against the Pens. His save to be perfect. percentage is .907. And his goals-against average is 2.95. The Washington Capitals are the only other opponent (9-15-5/.894/3.27) in the East that have put up better numbers against him.

TIM BENZ | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 6:37 a.m. This year, Price is 1-1-1 against the Pens, allowing seven goals on 98 shots (.929/2.32).

The smarter way to do it — my original plan —would’ve been to Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, automatically qualify the top three teams in each division based on points Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. percentage. After all, that’s been the arbitrary format since 2014. Let’s get this out of the way right now, Penguins fans. Then I would’ve had seeds seven through 10 square off for the two wild- From everything we are hearing about the return-to-play format for the card spots and resume the postseason as normal from there. NHL, it does put the screws to your favorite team. It may result in the That strikes me as being more fair. And, honestly, the fewer teams Pens being eliminated during a play-in round. This despite finishing the involved, the safer this whole reboot would be in the first place. pre-pandemic regular season in a Metropolitan Division automatic- qualifier spot. Yet — if we are going off of points percentage as the determining factor — getting 12 teams per conference was necessary to squeeze in the Now is the part where we have to flash back to mid-March and remember Canadiens, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks. Those are how so many of us said, “There won’t be a perfect road map to reboot three high-profile, large-market, “Original Six” franchises. from the coronavirus shutdown.” We all knew someone along the line was going to get a raw deal. Don’t kid yourself. That’s why this is happening. If the 11th and 12th place teams in the East were Buffalo and the New Jersey Devils and if That’s just too bad. We all understood whatever system was invented to the Blackhawks were last in the West, I bet things would’ve been capped get the league out of this mess was going to be unfair in some way to at 20 teams. some teams. So that’s why we are doing this exercise now. Let’s get it out of our Well, at least, I was saying that. system. Complain now — and not later — if Price spins three gems in a Now it appears that the local club in Black and Gold is one of those row and sends the Penguins packing in the first week of the restarted teams. So we can either complain about it or just be happy hockey may series. be on the path back at some point this summer. Unfair. Unjust. Impractical. Biased. Unbalanced. Describe the new Your choice. system as you like, and let’s move on. But let’s do it before a result goes against the Penguins. Because once the puck drops, this is what the Come to think of it, those two things aren’t mutually exclusive, are they? NHLPA and the owners agreed to do. Actually, we can do both! Nothing is perfect right now. Nothing is as it should be. In hockey. Or in So let’s do the complaining part first. Then move onto the whole “sucking life. But it’s best for everybody to just shelve the angst and deal with it if it up for the greater good” angle. we can see an on-ice product soon.

As of Memorial Day weekend, the NHL and the players’ association To the credit of Penguins fans, I’ve gotten the sense this has been the appeared to be moving forward with a plan to get teams back to attitude of most so far, agitated though they may be by this idea. competition this summer. An imperfect plan is better than none at all. In order to do so, 24 teams would be part of the restart. The bottom seven clubs won’t return. Just ask Major League Baseball.

The top four teams (based on points percentage) from each conference Tribune Review LOADED: 05.27.2020 — regardless of division — would get byes through the first round of the playoffs. They would play a mini round-robin among themselves. That means the top four from the Eastern Conference would play each other once, as would the top four from the Western Conference.

Presumably, these would be glorified exhibition games just to get in shape while the other playoff series were starting up — unless there was some sort of reseeding, cash prize or improved draft compensation attached to the winner of each conference’s round-robin.

Meanwhile, Nos. 5 through 12 would play each other in first-round matchups. The fifth seed would get the 12th seed. The sixth would battle the 11th. Seven vs. 10. And eight against nine.

That’s how the Penguins get jobbed. They’ll have to play a first-round series as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference against the Montreal Canadiens. Even though the teams are separated by 15 points and seven spots in the standings.

Montreal also boasts seven-time All-Star goaltender and former Hart Trophy winner Carey Price.

It’s likely going to be a short series, too. These first-round contests are assumed to be best-of-five competitions. A good goalie is more likely to steal a series the shorter it is.

Granted, this has not been Price’s best year. He is 31st in save percentage at .909 among qualifying goalies. His goals against average of 2.79 is 32nd.

Keep in mind, though, Price has also faced the second-most shots in hockey in 2020. That’s part of the reason Montreal is currently the 24th 1175029 Pittsburgh Penguins Instead, it’s better to look at the process in phases. In early June, the NHL plans to enter Phase 2, during which players can participate in voluntary, player-run skates of six players or fewer.

Pittsburgh among possible ‘hub’ cities as NHL adopts 24-team playoff Phase 3, a formal training camp period, won’t begin until July at the format earliest. The league is deferring to players when it decides how long training camps will be. Most players estimate it would take about three weeks of full training camp to become game ready. So Phase 4 — a full return to play — won’t come until late July or early August at the absolute Mike DeFabo earliest.

Testing The NHL took its first public step toward a possible return Tuesday Testing is a key piece of the return. A memo sent to teams on Sunday afternoon when commissioner Gary Bettman announced a finalized 24- explained that players will be tested about 48 hours before Phase 2 team playoff format. begins and then about twice a week as training continues. NHL deputy The commissioner also provided information on the 2020 NHL Draft commissioner Bill Daly said testing will ramp up as the postseason Lottery, gave a rough timeline for a return and revealed that 10 “hub continues. Eventually, Daly expects "rigorous daily testing once in hub cities” are still in contention to host playoff games. Pittsburgh is among cities." In total, Bettman expects as many as 25,000-30,000 tests will be the cities being considered. done, which will cost the league millions of dollars.

The basics of the 24-team format "At this point in time, one single positive test, depending on the circumstance, should not necessarily shut the whole operation down,” The 2019-20 NHL regular season is effectively over. When play resumes, Daly said. the league plans to move directly into a 24-team, conference-based format. This is the same proposal the NHL Players Association agreed The NHL said that it would not test asymptotic players if it means upon Friday. symptomatic individuals in the community can’t get a test. That’s part of the reason the NHL is waiting to finalize hub cities. The top 12 teams in each conference will qualify, based on points percentage when the NHL suspended its season March 12. Seeds five Impact on next season through 12 will play in a five-game “qualifying round.” Meanwhile, the top Bettman said the NHL is prepared to delay the start of the 2020-21 four teams in each conference will earn a bye to the "first round" of 16 season for a couple months. The league wants to award a Stanley Cup teams. But they will compete in a handful of round-robin games to and then give players an appropriate offseason before jumping back into determine the seeding and to stay sharp while the other teams are next year’s regular season. playing in a qualifying round. "There’s no magic to be starting in October,” he said. “We could start in What does this mean for the Penguins? November. We could start in December. We could start in the beginning They will be the No. 5 seed and start the postseason in the qualifying of January if we have to." round against No. 12 Montreal. Should the Penguins advance, they Bettman said his hope is to have a 2021 season that’s "full in all ways,” currently would be slated to play the No. 4 team in the Eastern including with fans. He couched that aspiration by saying the virus itself Conference. The opponent could be Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington or and government regulations may force the league to adapt. Philadelphia, based on the results of the round robin. Draft lottery Still to be determined The draft lottery was one of the more complicated issues addressed by A number of details still need to be finalized, including the length of each Bettman. The seven teams that will not compete in the qualifying round, series. The conference finals and Stanley Cup final will be played in plus the eight teams that are eliminated in the qualifying round, will have standard seven-game series format. But after the qualifying round, it’s a ping pong ball in the mix. still to be determined if the “first round” (round of 16) and the “second round” (round of eight) will be best-of-five or best-of-seven series. The draft lottery is slated for June 26, during which the league will determine which teams earn the top three picks in the 2020 draft. If any Another detail that needs to be finalized is whether the format will be a of those picks are won by a team competing in the “qualifying round,” straight bracket or if the league will re-seed teams to account for possible there will be a second phase of the draft lottery once the play-in round is upsets in the qualifying round. The league prefers a straight bracket for a complete. number of reasons but said it will take into consideration what the players want. This lottery format maintains distribution of lottery-wining odds for teams at the bottom of the league. The seven teams that will not resume play Hub cities have the same odds as if the 2019-20 season had been complete. At least initially, the league plans to utilize two hub cities — one for the As of now, this doesn’t impact the Penguins. They currently aren’t 12 Eastern Conference teams and one for the 12 Western Conference scheduled to pick until the third round. However, if they lose in the teams. The commissioner said the league has not finalized which cities qualifying round, the first-round pick the Penguins sent to Minnesota in will be used because “things are rapidly evolving” and “we want it to be the Jason Zucker trade could be deferred to 2021, because it is lottery based on the best-available information at the time.” protected for 2020. Besides Pittsburgh, the other cities in contention to host include Chicago, “As we seek some return to normalcy, this is an important day — Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. particularly for NHL fans,” Bettman said. “Since March 12, we have been Paul, Toronto and Vancouver. hopeful and optimistic that by developing all options and alternatives, we In a conference call with reporters, Bettman said he anticipates a can get to this point. I know I join sports fans everywhere when I say, we decision on hub cities in about three-four weeks. The cities will ultimately can’t wait for our players to hit the ice again.” be chosen based on “COVID-19 conditions, testing availability and Post Gazette LOADED: 05.27.2020 government regulations.”

Timeline for return

Bettman said it's possible the NHL can start playing games by the end of July or beginning of August. But he's stressing this is a moving target.

"There’s a reason we’re not giving you dates now,” he said. “Anyone who is giving you a date is guessing." 1175030 Pittsburgh Penguins Playoff history This means nothing, but if you’re a Penguins fan, you won’t like this part.

The Penguins and Canadiens have met twice in the postseason. On both Penguins’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts occasions — in 1998 and in 2010 — the Penguins were were substantial Pittsburgh favorites.

And on both occasions, the Canadiens won.

By Josh Yohe May 26, 2020 In 1998, the Penguins had a surprisingly good season immediately following Mario Lemieux’s first retirement. They deployed a more defensive style and still showcased the NHL’s leading scorer in Jaromir Jagr. However, the Penguins never looked themselves and lost in six, The Penguins looked like a fading Stanley Cup contender when sports getting blanked by Andy Moog in Game 6 in Montreal. were shut down more than two months ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Penguins and Canadiens met again in 2010 and a shocking upset followed. Jaroslav Halak and the Canadiens won in Game 7 in Now? How they will fare is anyone’s guess, but the break figures to help Pittsburgh, shutting down Civic Arena. The Eastern Conference wasn’t them more than most teams. good that season and the top-seeded Capitals lost in the first round, “I don’t know what to expect because this is new to all of us,” Jim which seemingly paved the way for a cakewalk to a third straight Stanley Rutherford said. “No one really knows what to expect. But I feel good Cup Final appearance for the Penguins. But it was not to be. about the team that we have assembled. We weren’t playing well before Does the format help the Penguins? the stoppage, but in the last couple of days before the shutdown, I was starting to see some things I wanted to see. I believe we were coming out No, not particularly. It could be argued that the Penguins will be aided by of it.” having a few games of high importance under their belts before playing their “first round opponent,” who would only have round robin — and not NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the unprecedented elimination games — to prepare for the first round. But they have to get postseason bracket Tuesday and said also Pittsburgh is one of 10 there first. finalists to be one of two host cities for the games. The Penguins aren’t in an enviable position even if the Canadiens have Here’s a review of where the Penguins have been, what their place on no right being in the postseason. This format could very well even the the NHL landscape looked like when sports were abruptly brought to a playing field and, given Matt Murray’s inconsistency this season, it could halt on March 12, and what to expect moving forward. easily be argued that the Canadiens have the edge in goal with Price. When the shutdown began How the time off impacted the Penguins The Penguins learned that their season was at least temporarily shut This is the good news. Oh, no one can really predict such things, but the down on the afternoon of March 12 while sitting in their hotel in Penguins should be aided by two very substantial realities. Columbus. They were preparing to play a game that evening before no fans in Nationwide Arena. Ohio was one of the first states to eliminate First and foremost, Jake Guentzel is back. It was believed that he large gatherings of crowds as the pandemic showed signs of infection in wouldn’t have been able to return to the Penguins’ lineup until the large amounts of people. Still, the Penguins and Blue Jackets were set to conference finals at the very earliest because of a major shoulder injury play that evening until the league followed suit with the NBA and others he sustained on Dec. 30. Of course, that was basing his return on the by shutting everything down. normal NHL schedule. These are different times and Guentzel is now believed to be fully prepared to join the Penguins when they play in their “Seems like a long time ago now,” Mike Sullivan said recently. first postseason game. He’s one of the NHL’s best wingers and one of How the Penguins were playing the Penguins’ best players. His return is a big deal.

Not particularly well. At all. The Penguins lost eight of 11 games before Also, the time off should have helped simply because that losing streak is the shutdown. All three of those victories came against non-playoff teams essentially a thing of the past. Yes, it was a concern. And yes, it in Ottawa, Buffalo and New Jersey. In the 11 games before the prevented them from going straight into the traditional postseason. But it shutdown, they were out-scored by a whopping 42-28 margin. doesn’t really mean anything now in terms of how the Penguins will perform. Their troubles actually began during a victory. On Feb. 18, the Penguins jumped to a 5-0 lead against the Maple Leafs at PPG Paints Arena. It Thus, this delay probably helps the Penguins as much as any NHL team. was a staggeringly impressive performance, as the Penguins simply The path to a championship toyed with one of the NHL’s better teams. Now comes the hard part. Potentially, the really hard part. However, in the second half of that game, the Maple Leafs started to dominate the Penguins. Sure, the Penguins won that game, 5-2. But they First, the Penguins must eliminate Price and the Canadiens. Then, they’ll were reeling by the end of the game and, frankly, never showed much in face the bear that is the Eastern Conference’s best teams. the way of a recovery during the following three weeks. The Bruins, Lightning, Capitals and Flyers are all elite and the Penguins The Penguins currently find themselves in third place in the Metropolitan could play any of them. If the league bases the round robin tournament Division, their late plunge placing them below the Capitals and Flyers in exclusively on ranking the top four teams, the Penguins will play the team the standings. This was costly. The Penguins now have the fifth-best that struggled the most in that limited tournament because they must play record in the Eastern Conference and, as a result, will have some work to the No. 4 seed if they are victorious against the Canadiens. They know do merely to reach the traditional postseason. they’d play one of the top four teams in the “first round,” which will either be a best of five or a best of seven series. The opposition Anything can happen in any postseason, let alone this tournament. The Penguins will play the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-five series, Upsets — major upsets — seem like a probability in this format. Still, the the winner reaching the “first round” of the playoffs. Eastern Conference is brutal and the road to a championship looks While the Canadiens aren’t a particularly good team and, in fact, were somewhat daunting. sellers before the NHL trade deadline, they do showcase Carey Price, Their odds of adding a sixth Stanley Cup who always is capable of stealing a series. They also gave the Penguins fits this season. The teams split two meetings in Pittsburgh with the The Penguins’ path looks extremely difficult, yes. Then again, I’d imagine Canadiens this season while Brandon Tanev’s overtime-winner absolutely no one wants to play them, either. highlighted their only appearance in Quebec. In the Eastern Conference, the Penguins are the X-factor, the great The Penguins will enter the series as a considerable favorite, but unknown. Before play was stopped, they were playing horribly. Matt projecting how any of these series will go is a dangerous game. Murray was having a below-average season, and Tristan Jarry had cooled a bit. The Penguins’ best players — Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang — are in their 30s, and many have theorized that it could be more difficult for older players to quickly locate their timing in such a peculiar setup.

Then again, on paper, the Penguins remain positively frightening. They have Crosby and Malkin down the middle. Now they have Guentzel and Jason Zucker on the left side. Bryan Rust has played at an all-star level on the right side; Conor Sheary always plays well with Crosby, and Patric Hornqvist has enjoyed a resurgence. The likes of Jared McCann and Patrick Marleau make the Penguins deep on their top three lines and in Zach Aston-Reese, Tanev and Teddy Blueger, the Penguins deploy one of hockey’s best fourth lines.

Brian Dumoulin and John Marino are now healthy and well-rested.

So, what does it all mean? The Penguins have a puncher’s chance to break through the Eastern Conference. No one should want to play them. They’re talented, fresh and exceedingly deep at forward.

They aren’t the favorites. The Bruins and Lightning deserve that distinction. But the Penguins are worth watching and, with the talent on hand, the return of Guentzel and Crosby’s history of elevating his game when the NHL is in the spotlight, it wouldn’t be a shock were they to make a run.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175031 San Jose Sharks “I’d rather have that than apathy with people that didn’t care.” For the postseason, the top four teams in each conference ranked by

points percentage — Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia San Jose Sharks’ season officially ends; What should Doug Wilson’s in the East and St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas in the West — will priorities be now? play separate round-robin tournaments to determine seeding.

The remaining 16 teams will be seeded by conference, setting up best- of-five series in the East of No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 Montreal, No. 6 By CURTIS PASHELKA PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 3:21 p.m. | Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers, No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. UPDATED: May 26, 2020 at 6:41 p.m. 10 Florida and No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Columbus. In the West, it would be No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago, No. 6 Nashville vs. No. 11

Arizona, No. 7 Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota and No. 8 Calgary vs. Commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday declared the NHL’s regular No. 9 Winnipeg. season to be over, officially starting a critical — and lengthy — Sharks The NHL also announced that there may be potentially two draft lotteries offseason that general manager Doug Wilson hopes to use to get his to determine the top 15 selections. The lottery will be held June 26, with team back into the playoffs next year. another scheduled later depending on which of the remaining eight In a televised announcement, Bettman said the NHL, if able to resume teams qualify for the 16-team playoff. The Sharks do not own their first play after it paused its season more than two months ago, will go straight round selection this year, having dealt it to the Ottawa Senators in Sept. into the playoffs with 24 teams. That leaves out the Sharks, who ended 2018 in the trade that bought Karlsson to San Jose. the year with a 29-36-5 record to finish 15th in the Western Conference San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.27.2020 and miss the playoffs for just the second time in the last 16 seasons.

The 2020-2021 regular season may not begin until December or January, Bettman said, meaning the Sharks could go nine or 10 months before they play another meaningful game. The NHL paused its season March 12, a day after the Sharks played what turned out to be their last game of the 2019-2020 season.

“We actually look at it, in a way, that we can probably use this to our benefit,” Wilson said Tuesday afternoon. “It’s trying to find that balance of getting healthy, getting rested, but also realizing that this is going to be a different training cycle.”

Wilson’s lengthy to-do list includes a decision on whether he’ll make Bob Boughner the Sharks’ permanent head coach. Wilson earlier this spring called Boughner the front runner for the job, and it does not appear that mindset has changed.

“We’re committed to putting the best staff together, to get this team ready to come out of the gates next year,” said Wilson, who added that he does not have a timeline to finalize the decision, “and Bob certainly has the inroads on that.”

Challenged by injuries to key players such as Erik Karlsson, Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl, Boughner’s Sharks went 14-20-3 after Pete DeBoer was fired Dec. 11.

“I think he came in and did a very good job,” Wilson said of Boughner. “Our team was certainly playing the right way, then getting the injuries with Erik, Logan and Tommy going out makes it really difficult.”

Wilson also has to address an offense that averaged just 2.57 goals per game, fourth-worst in the NHL.

Officially, Timo Meier finished as the Sharks’ leader with 49 points (22 goals. 27 assists), and Evander Kane led the team with 26 goals. Couture and Hertl finished tied for third on the team in goals with 16 each, despite missing a combined 40 games.

Asked what his top priorities are for the offseason, Wilson mentioned the need to have a “great” draft this year with three picks in the first two rounds. But Wilson also said, “we need to add, if you ask me, probably forwards.

“We’ve got some young forwards that are coming. We’ve got five top-six guys that have all showed that they can score 30 goals in this league.

“The first thing this team needs is to be connected, playing the right way right from day one, and come in and have that focus right out of the gate. Do we need to add some pieces? Sure we do.”

Wilson was asked about comments goalie Martin Jones made to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman earlier this month. Jones said of the Sharks, “When it started to spiral, we went our own ways instead of coming together. It’s something that will be addressed moving forward.”

“Jonesy’s thoughts were very accurate,” Wilson said. “When you’ve got really talented players with high expectations, and then they get frustrated, that’s going to happen. I view it as a good thing. What happens is, you get caught in between, trying to do too much, caring too much, getting frustrated. 1175032 San Jose Sharks finish the season and award (the Stanley Cup), I know a lot of work went into it. But I know how important it was for our players, our fans, our league to make sure that we conclude it.”

Sharks season done as NHL going straight to postseason, if it resumes In the end, San Jose winds up going 29-36-5 for a conference-low 63 points. The Kings and Ducks were the only other teams with fewer than NHL increases playoff teams from 16 to 24, but Sharks still won’t qualify 70 points in the West. if any games return San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.27.2020

By JON BECKER | PUBLISHED: May 26, 2020 at 2:29 p.m. | UPDATED: May 26, 2020 at 3:05 p.m.

The Sharks’ disappointing season is officially over after the NHL announced Tuesday it is abandoning the rest of the regular season and going straight into the playoffs, if it is able to resume play.

Commissioner Gary Bettmann said the league will increase its playoff teams from 16 to 24, but the Sharks have the worst record in the Western Conference and will be among the seven teams whose seasons are done. This marks just the second time in 17 seasons, and first since 2015, when the Sharks failed to make the postseason.

“While we are disappointed that the San Jose Sharks will not be able to complete our 2019-20 season, we understand and respect the decision made by the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement. “We are already well into our extensive season review process and will use this opportunity to build on what we have already started to ensure our club is ready for the start of the 2020-21 season.”

Sharks president Jonathan Becher said the team will accelerate the process of working to provide credits or refunds to fans for games at SAP Center that were postponed due to the pandemic.

Still, Bettman said the decision is not a guarantee that any games will resume. The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association must still figure out health and safety protocols and solve other issues, including where to play.

Nonetheless, ironing out a format represents significant progress since global sports were basically shut down in March as the coronavirus outbreak turned into a pandemic. Bettman has said the goal has always been to play again and award the Stanley Cup, but details remain uncertain and there is no announced timetable of any kind.

Earlier this week, the league and NHLPA issued extensive protocols once players are allowed to return to their facilities. They include a maximum of six players on the ice at a time, no contact and no coaches for voluntary workouts. Teams at some point would likely hold three-week re-training camps.

Instead of limiting the Cup chase to the usual 16 teams that qualify for the playoffs, the league and players agreed to expand the field to 24 of its 31 teams because of the unusual circumstances.

That means the likes of the Montreal Canadiens are still alive despite being nine points out of a playoff spot when hockey was halted March 12. But not all teams will have the same path to hockey’s storied trophy.

The top four teams in each conference ranked by points percentage — Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia in the East and St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas in the West — will play separate round-robin tournaments to determine seeding.

The remaining 16 teams will be seeded by conference, setting up best- of-five series in the East of No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 Montreal, No. 6 Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers, No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida and No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Columbus. In the West, it would be No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago, No. 6 Nashville vs. No. 11 Arizona, No. 7 Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota and No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 9 Winnipeg.

Those games are expected to be played without fans in a few locations. The league has not yet determined those sites, though Edmonton, Alberta, Columbus, Ohio, Toronto and Las Vegas were believed to be among the possibilities.

“It’s not easy getting everybody on board with all the different countries, the players, the teams that were in the playoffs, teams that may not be in the playoffs and getting that all agreed upon with the union,” Buffalo Sabres owner Kim Pegula told The Associated Press. “For us to even 1175033 San Jose Sharks

NHL draft lottery: How Sharks will be impacted by league's new setup

By Brian Witt May 26, 2020 4:17 PM

Twenty-four NHL teams can now turn their full attention to the restarting of the currently-paused season. The Sharks are not one of them.

Having slipped into last place in the Western Conference just prior to the indefinite pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, San Jose did not qualify for the expanded postseason structure NHL commissioner Gary Bettman described Tuesday. The Sharks' season, as well as those of the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres, are now over.

Which means, it's time to turn their attention to the offseason.

San Jose general manager Doug Wilson has his work cut out for him. The Sharks finished the abbreviated 2019-20 campaign with their worst points percentage in his 16-year tenure at the helm. There are some obvious needs that must be addressed. Of course, they won't be able to utilize their own first-round draft pick -- which they gave up in the trade to acquire Erik Karlsson -- in order to do so.

Bettman announced that the first phase of the 2020 NHL Draft lottery will be held on Friday, June 26, and really, there is no change as far as San Jose is concerned. As the team with the third-worst points percentage, the Sharks' first-round pick (owned by Ottawa) will have the same odds of landing first overall -- 11.5 percent -- as it would have anyway. Obviously, though, no matter where it ends up, the selection will belong to the Senators.

15 teams in total will be included in the lottery, which is the same as prior years. The seven teams that didn't qualify for the expanded playoffs will be joined by the eight teams that lose in the qualifying round. It's fairly complex, but as it relates to the Sharks, their first-round pick automatically will fall within the top six overall selections. Ottawa's own first-round pick is guaranteed to fall within the top five, and combined with San Jose's first-rounder, there is a great chance the Senators will have two picks in the top five, if not the top three.

That's tremendous for Ottawa, and might make things look even bleaker for the Sharks. But, the fact of the matter is, we've known San Jose wouldn't have its own first-rounder for quite some time now, and more importantly, it was the right decision to make. Hindsight is 20/20 and it's easy to question it now, but players like Karlsson are not a dime a dozen. He is on the shortlist of the best defensemen in the NHL, and the package San Jose gave up for him -- even including the 2020 first- rounder -- absolutely was worth it. You make that trade 100 times out of 100, and the same goes for the extension, too.

So, yes, the Sharks likely will miss out on a chance to acquire one of the top overall talents in the upcoming draft, but that can't be viewed in a vacuum. Not to mention, San Jose actually does own a first-round pick in the draft, which they acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Barclay Goodrow at the trade deadline.

The Lightning had the second-best points percentage in the Eastern Conference when the season was paused, so it is impossible that their first-round selection will fall within the first 15 overall picks, as they're not subject to the qualifying round. The earlier Tampa Bay gets eliminated, however, the earlier their first-rounder -- owned by the Sharks -- will fall in the first round.

So, Sharks fans, rather than waste energy lamenting the first-rounder San Jose doesn't have, google Karlsson highlights and root against the Lightning. That ought to make you feel a little better.

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Vegas Knights troll Sharks, LA Kings after making 2019-20 NHL playoffs

By Ali Thanawalla May 26, 2020 2:47 PM

You don't kick a team when they are down.

Clearly, the Vegas Golden Knights didn't get that memo.

During the NHL's Return To Play announcement Tuesday, the Golden Knights sent out a tweet directed at the Sharks and Los Angeles Kings, two of their Pacific Division rivals. pretty exciting to be in the top 77.4% of the league and qualify for this year's playoffs!!!! cc: @SanJoseSharks & @LAKings

— y-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) May 26, 2020

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said that 24 of the 31 teams will qualify for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. Seven teams, including the Sharks and Kings, will not resume playing and will prepare for the NHL draft lottery and the 2020-21 season.

When the NHL was paused on March 12 due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the Sharks held the worst record in the Western Conference.

Adding insult to injury, the Sharks won't even get to keep their lottery draft pick as it will go to the Ottawa Senators as part of the Erik Karlsson trade.

While the Sharks and Kings sit at home, Vegas will be one of the top four seeds in the Western Conference, and will play in a round-robin tournament with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars to determine seeding.

Sharks fans didn't need another reason to root against the Golden Knights, but Vegas gave it to them.

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Doug Wilson reacts to Sharks' season ending as NHL prepares to return

By Josh Schrock May 26, 2020 2:21 PM

On Tuesday, the Sharks' disappointing season officially ended.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the league would go straight to the playoffs when it returns, with a modified 24-team format after the league suspended its season in March due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Sharks were 29-36-5 when the season was suspended and in last place in the Western Conference.

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson understands why the decision to end the regular season was made given the current state of the public health crisis.

"While we are disappointed that the San Jose Sharks will not be able to complete our 2019-20 season, we understand and respect the decision made by the NHL and the NHL Players' Association. We are already well into our extensive season review process and will use this opportunity to build on what we have already started to ensure our club is ready for the start of the 2020-21 season," Wilson said in a statement.

The Sharks now will face a long offseason in which they must try to quickly rebuild in order to get back to Stanley Cup contention. The Sharks will face a number of questions this offseason, and how they answer them will go along way in propelling them back to the top of the Western Conference.

When the 2020-21 season will start still is up in the air. The public health crisis will determine when it can be played and what that will look like.

For now, the Sharks will put a bow on a disappointing season and head into a long offseason with many questions to answer.

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Four things to know about Sharks' offseason after bizarre season ends

By Brodie Brazil May 26, 2020 2:00 PM

It was an all-around bizarre season for the Sharks, culminating with an anticlimactic finish on March 11 in Chicago, their 70th game. That was more than two months ago.

Now that the NHL and its players have drawn out a 24-team straight-to- playoff format, the Sharks and six other clubs have been officially eliminated from contention and can begin “normal” summer operations.

Here are four things to consider during what already is guaranteed to be the longest offseason in franchise history.

Sharks will be avoiding calculated risks, on several levels

While the NHL is taking ultimate precautions in hub cities to keep participants healthy, it’s one less health risk San Jose’s players and staff (and their families) would have to face amidst the pandemic.

Additionally, a large majority of NHL players haven’t had any access to ice in more than two months, and are about to endure a very expedited training camp. Several skaters had detailed risk factors involved with returning to game action so quickly, which is something the Sharks won’t experience.

Players are about to get the reset they hoped for

This past Sharks season was a grind, physically and mentally, as much as any other campaign in team history. Although many players had expressed the craving for their sport to return and complete the season, they also realized it was relatively pointless with a dozen games remaining and zero chance of playoff contention.

Having the opportunity now for bodies and minds to recuperate for an extended period might benefit San Jose much as any other club in the league.

There is not just one problem, and one turn-key solution

The agenda for general manager Doug Wilson would be much more simple this summer to remedy a singular pressing issue, rather than several contributing factors which persisted last season. There were glaring defensive miscues and issues, especially before Bob Boughner took over as interim coach.

There are related questions about how a goalie tandem will shape up moving forward, with Aaron Dell set to become a free agent. It’s also fair to speculate how the next layer of pipeline talent can contribute next season, given the Sharks' lack of tested depth in the 2019-20 campaign.

Ultimately, it’s important to watch the Sharks evolve on many fronts, rather than assuming that one “move” they make this summer will be the only difference-maker required.

Sharks can now move forward on coaching situation

If you read the room, it seems like Bob Boughner already would have been appointed permanent head coach under normal circumstances. Now the Sharks can act on that … or surprise us all by going in a different direction.

Regardless, this move and announcing permanency of a corresponding coaching staff will add the kind of stability San Jose hasn’t had in almost six months. That will be a tangible benefit in the ability to start laying the groundwork for future seasons.

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Peter DeBoer calls Golden Knights, not Sharks, his most talented team

By Dalton Johnson May 26, 2020 11:06 AM

That's one way to keep the rivalry alive while sports remain on pause.

Former Sharks coach Peter DeBoer already has declared the Vegas Golden Knights are the best team he has ever coached.

"It's the most talented team I've had in my coaching career," DeBoer said on The Chirp with Darren Millard podcast. "It seems like a great combination of talent and character and leadership."

DeBoer was fired by the Sharks this season on Dec. 11 when San Jose was just 15-16-2. He was hired just over a month later by the Sharks' biggest rivals, the Golden Knights, on Jan. 15. Vegas started off 4-3-2 under DeBoer but then won eight straight and were 15-5-2 under him after the coaching change.

The Golden Knights (39-24-8) were first in the Pacific Division when the NHL season was paused March 12 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19 pandemic).

"I'm a big believer that everything that happens in hockey happens for a reason," DeBoer said. "One door closing, the way my career has gone, another door opens with a better opportunity. For me, as tough as it was to leave San Jose 33 games after going to the [Western Conference Final] the year before, the Vegas situation is an opportunity of a lifetime."

DeBoer coached the Sharks for four-plus seasons and had a 198-129-34 regular-season record. San Jose reached the playoffs every year under DeBoer and even made the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, his first year as the Sharks' head coach.

The Sharks also had some epic matches with Vegas during DeBoer's tenure. San Jose pulled off an epic comeback to beat the Golden Knights in seven games last season in the first round of the playoffs.

"I got the Vegas job … and had to address a group of men who hated my guts for the last three years," DeBoer joked.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175038 San Jose Sharks

Sharks' biggest takeaways after team's 2019-20 NHL season comes to end

By Brodie Brazil May 26, 2020 2:00 PM

Seventy-six days after the Sharks last played a game, the 2019-20 NHL season officially came to an end for them and six other teams.

During recent weeks, NBC Sports California has been able to FaceTime video chat with a majority of players on the roster to gain better perspectives on where this group has been, where they stand, and where things could be headed.

Here are five defining quotes which stood out:

On big-picture takeaways from 2019-20 season

“We need to get back to playing responsible. There’s got to be an emphasis put on accountability, and playing as a team and family, and for each other. Sometimes we got away from that last year. Not throwing any blame around, but there was a lot of turmoil.”

Bob Boughner, Interim Head Coach (April 15, 2020)

On believing the core group is still the right group

“Coming into that team, if you look at the roster, we shouldn’t be where we are. I think everybody understands that. It’s an off year. They’ve been going deep into the playoffs for years and years. Trying to understand we still have that identity, and the right players on this team to get us back to a playoff hunt and competitive, that’s something [general manager] Doug [Wilson] is really focusing on.”

Stefan Noesen (March 31, 2020)

On the Sharks’ continued defensive struggles

“It’s never just the goalie. It’s the players in front of the goalie and the system. If you go back to last year [2019], Sharks were the only team that made the playoffs with a negative goal differential. The signs were already there last year, they just weren’t adhering and playing the way Pete DeBoer wanted them to play.”

Randy Hahn (March 19, 2020)

On Joe Thornton’s future in the NHL

“I look at this selfishly for Jumbo, hoping that he does come back for us next year. It saves an extra twelve games on the legs and that body. I know he’s going to get a little bit older, but saving some time will help us if he comes back. Which we’re all hoping he does.”

Logan Couture (March 18, 2020)

On using struggles as motivation moving forward

“It’s easy to put it behind and focus on the next year. I’ll look back on 2014-15 [missing the playoffs], and then the next year go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. If you look at that and build off that, you know the guys came in next year with something to prove. We’re not that type of team to miss the playoffs. I don’t see why it can’t happen again.”

Marc-Edouard Vlasic (March 27, 2020)

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175039 San Jose Sharks forwards (and a re-signed Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton) to fill depth-forward roles on the cheap, but cap space could disappear quickly if Wilson hits the free-agent or trade markets to fill holes on the wing and in net. Sharks' path back to Stanley Cup contention filled with major hurdles Sharks owner Hasso Plattner believes in Wilson’s ability to pull it off. Plattner doesn’t say much, making his January endorsement of Wilson especially telling. The general manager undoubtedly is in a better By Marcus White May 26, 2020 1:48 PM position now than he was then after restocking the Sharks’ draft-pick cupboard and signing European and collegiate free agents who could, if all goes right, address big needs at low prices. The Sharks’ season officially is over. Wilson has his work cut out for him, though. Now that the Sharks' season Now comes the hard part. officially is over, it’s only just getting started.

San Jose general manager Doug Wilson surely has been preparing Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 already, but now he can truly turn the page. The Sharks played their last game on March 11, and they won’t play again until whenever the 2020- 21 season begins.

During that time, Wilson will face the most critical offseason since taking the reins in 2003. He made over a team that finished second-to-last in the Western Conference into a Conference finalist during his first year, but the to-do list is far more daunting after the Sharks finished with their worst points percentage since.

If the Sharks are going to avoid the first streak of playoff misses during his tenure, Wilson will have to, among other things:

Hire a coach

Find a solution (or two) in net

Add scoring depth on the wing

Supplement an aging, expensive core with NHL-ready youth

Do each of the last four things under a flat salary cap

Those are challenging tasks for any general manager, let alone one grappling with an ever-changing reality formed by the continually evolving consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wilson believes some of the solutions already are in place. He admitted in April that interim bench boss Bob Boughner has the “upper hand” to make his job permanent. Wilson also thinks the Sharks have the right foundation in place, and prospects capable of taking the next step.

He also has the benefit of experience. The Sharks made the playoffs after missing them prior to his first season at the organizational helm, and they made the Stanley Cup final the year after the first playoff miss that happened during his tenure.

This is going to be a heavier lift.

For one, Wilson had a clean slate in the crease the last time around, and he acquired Martin Jones to replace the departed Antti Niemi. Jones’ contract and trade protection -- as well as the Sharks’ relative lack of draft capital -- will make a similar transition much harder.

In both 2003 and 2015, Wilson also had a high pick at his disposal. The Sharks got back into the first round after trading Barclay Goodrow to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the Lightning’s pick is going to be in the 20s (at best). San Jose picked No. 6 overall in 2003 (Milan Michalek) and No. 9 overall in 2015 (Timo Meier). Only Michalek played in the first season after he was drafted, but both players turned into key contributors who helped the Sharks remain in contention beyond then.

It’s certainly possible the Sharks can use the Lightning’s pick to find another player in that vein, but Wilson also will have to contend with salary-cap uncertainty. The cap rose $2.4 million in 2015, and that additional space helped the Sharks trade for Jones and sign veterans Paul Martin and Joel Ward as free agents. It might not rise at all next season, with games set to be played in front of empty arenas for the foreseeable future.

The Sharks could have nearly $18 million in space under a flat salary cap, if none of the crop of young forwards who played this season are penciled in for opening-night roster spots. But San Jose only has five forwards with more than a season’s worth of NHL games under their belts signed past this season.

Wilson will need to sign or acquire another goalie -- whether it’s pending free agent Aaron Dell or someone else -- and add at least a couple of defensemen, too. He can potentially rely on those aforementioned 1175040 San Jose Sharks

Sharks' season over as NHL reveals modified Stanley Cup playoff format

By Marcus White May 26, 2020 1:33 PM

Hockey is coming back, but the Sharks are not.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Tuesday that the league will progress straight to the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a modified 24-team format in its return to the ice after suspending the season in March due to the coronavirus. Twelve teams from each conference will qualify for the expanded postseason, with games played in two hub cities, which will be announced at a later date.

Commissioner Gary Bettman shares details on the NHL’s Return to Play Plan. https://t.co/ZH7153tpZ0

— NHL (@NHL) May 26, 2020

San Jose's streak of four consecutive playoff appearances officially ended with the NHL's announcement. The Sharks were last in the Pacific Division and Western Conference at the time of the season's suspension. With the season now, over they officially own the franchise's worst points percentage (.450) since 2002-03.

The Sharks entered the season with high expectations after finishing two wins shy of the Stanley Cup Final in 2019. Veterans Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist left in free agency while Justin Braun was traded, but San Jose expected to contend after re-signing defenseman Erik Karlsson to an eight-year contract extension last June.

But coach Peter DeBoer was fired after a 15-16-2 start, and the Sharks finished the season just 14-20-3 under interim coach Bob Boughner. The Sharks struggled to score and keep the puck out of their own net all season, with a rotating cast of rookies unable to replace Pavelski, Donskoi and Nyquist's departed offense and other veterans unable to replicate their production from the last season.

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in April that Boughner has the "upper hand" to return behind the bench next season, but it's unclear when that will be. The NHL and the NHL Players Association agreed to a playoff format, but a timeline to finish the season -- and, thus, start next season -- is yet to be established.

Now, the Sharks can officially turn the page on a forgettable season, and Wilson now can shift his attention revamping the roster in order to achieve his stated goal of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2021.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175041 San Jose Sharks healthy and get that elite-level fitness that great players have and that he’s been able to have in the past. This extra time for him will be very beneficial.”

Lengthy offseason doesn’t alter Doug Wilson’s plan to return Sharks to Wilson later added: “To have an Erik Karlsson be 100 percent coming in, playoffs in the prime of his career, to play the way that he’s going to be — he’s a driving force for us.”

He’d better be. By Kevin Kurz May 26, 2020 But what about the rest of the roster? Wilson and owner Hasso Plattner have both mentioned that the team quickly rebounded after the last time it missed the playoffs in 2014-15, advancing to the 2016 Stanley Cup There are conspicuous reasons why the Sharks failed to achieve the Final after adding some pieces in the offseason. modest task of qualifying for a potential 24-team Stanley Cup playoff later this summer. Not enough scoring punch, too many defensive miscues, But that comparison is at least slightly disingenuous. The 2014-15 team and porous goaltending all resulted in the Sharks finishing the regular wasn’t built to compete. After the infamous reverse sweep at the hands season last in the Western Conference. of the Kings in 2014, Wilson did nothing the following offseason because he wanted to preserve cap space — and, perhaps, get a shot at No. 1 The season officially ended Tuesday with an announcement by NHL overall pick Connor McDavid in the subsequent draft. In hindsight, it’s not commissioner Gary Bettman, who laid out the league’s return-to-play a stretch to suggest that the Sharks’ 2014-15 season was a discreet tank plan that hopefully results in the crowning of a Stanley Cup champion. job in which they could scapegoat Todd McLellan after it was over. A less obvious reason, though, is that the team was never quite on the In the summer of 2015, the Sharks had plenty of salary-cap space and same page mentally. Interim coach Bob Boughner said as much in an added respected veterans Joel Ward and Paul Martin, who were both interview on March 19 when he mentioned the team’s lack of cohesion as tremendously effective in the short term. They changed their goalie, too, being an issue, and goaltender Martin Jones echoed that recently to trading for Jones, whose best season with the Sharks remains that first Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. one in which looked like a true, long-term No. 1 solution. “When it started to spiral, we went our own ways instead of coming Wilson did admit that roster alterations will have to be made. together,” Jones said. “It’s something that will be addressed moving forward.” “There’s a lot of different ways a team can change. One is just through the experience we just went through, making sure that we get off to a Jones — who also took responsibility for his own lackluster play — was better start. The big one obviously is being healthy. So no, our plans correct in his assessment about the team’s concerning lack of chemistry, have not changed. They haven’t changed since the day we took over in general manager Doug Wilson said on a conference call with the local 2003 — making the playoffs is something that is the minimum media Tuesday afternoon. requirement. “Jonesy’s thoughts were very accurate,” Wilson said. “I think when you’ve “We’ve gone through this before. We think we have the bones of a good got really talented players with high expectations, and then they get hockey team. There is some experiential learning that we went through frustrated, that’s going to happen. I view it as a good thing. What this season. It’s two years in a row that we got off to slow starts and in happens is, you get caught between trying to do too much, caring too this league of parity I don’t think you can do that. But having said that, much, getting frustrated — I’d rather have that than apathy, where people there are some things that are going to have to be added or changed, or didn’t care. grow.” “What you have to do is collectively you say, OK, that didn’t work. Now One bit of good news for the Sharks on Tuesday is that the NHL Draft will let’s pull it all together. When you see players trying to do too much on not be held until the 2019-20 season concludes. That means Wilson the ice … maybe it was part of the phase we’re going through, the could explore player trades before or during the event, something that evolution of leadership and guys stepping up (into bigger) roles. When wouldn’t have been possible had the league held the draft in June, as you try and do too much, sometimes you end up doing too little. And we had been considered earlier this month. didn’t play as well. We weren’t as well connected as a team. Strategically, tactically, but also as a group.” The general manager has hinted more than once that he could end up packaging the late first-round pick the Sharks received from Tampa Bay The fact that the Sharks might not play another game until the end of the for Barclay Goodrow with something else that could land them a useful calendar year, or perhaps even longer, won’t change Wilson’s approach player who can play now, rather than a prospect who would likely be at to the lengthy offseason. The front office plans on returning to the least two years away from having an impact. playoffs after missing out for just the second time in the 16 seasons with Wilson at the helm. Any way you look at it, Wilson has his work cut out in the many months ahead. If he doesn’t get it fixed, another slow start in 2020-21 could cost Hoping that the Sharks play more as a team than as individuals seems him his job. like it should be fixable. After all, Boughner did seem to have them playing a more together brand of hockey after taking over in December, When asked how he views the state of the organization in terms of his before injuries to Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and Erik Karlsson ruined own status, Wilson said: “I don’t look at it that way. My job is to do what’s any chances the club had of making a second-half push. right for the organization, not do what’s right for me. The team always comes first. We’ve been very fortunate to have very successful teams for While Boughner’s status remains unclear, Wilson gave him another vote a long period of time. The key is to bounce back, and to be honest in of confidence Tuesday, saying that the coach walked into a tough your evaluation. position but did a “very good job.” Wilson also mentioned other coaches like Bruce Cassidy, Mike Sullivan and Craig Berube all thriving in their “There’s things that we could have done differently and things that we second stints behind the bench, which is the position Boughner is in, too, would have done differently. We do not take missing the playoffs lightly, after serving as the head coach in Florida for two seasons. Signs and we’re not a team that’s going to go into this long, protracted rebuild.” continue to point to him remaining as the full-time head coach, although potentially with a different staff of assistants. The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020

But what about the roster? It was evident throughout the call that Wilson expects Karlsson to be healthier, and therefore much better next season, when he’ll be in just the second season of his eight-year contract extension. Karlsson has been wildly inconsistent since a groin injury in January 2019 required surgery last summer. In 56 games this season, he posted 40 points (6g, 34a) in with a minus-15 rating. Karlsson turns 30 years old on May 31.

“I think in Erik’s case, it’s going to be health,” Wilson said. “The one benefit he’s going to have is he’s going to have all the time now to get 1175042 San Jose Sharks managed to get back into the first round just before the trade deadline when they dealt Barclay Goodrow to Tampa Bay, which owns the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Still, not having what will likely be a top-three pick after this season surely stings. The Sharks’ Sharks’ offseason guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts San selection has an 11.5 percent chance of becoming the number one Jose overall pick in the draft.

Regardless, general manager Doug Wilson has said he plans to quickly return the Sharks to prominence, expressing his confidence in the team’s By Kevin Kurz May 26, 2020 core players. Frankly, he doesn’t have much of a choice — so many of the Sharks’ key pieces are locked up on expensive, long-term deals, so the only real play Wilson has is trying to re-tool on the fly. He’ll probably The Sharks’ season is officially over. On Tuesday afternoon, NHL have to move at least one or two veteran players out, but a complete commissioner Gary Bettman revealed the league’s return-to-play plan, roster overhaul is almost certainly impossible. which includes the top 24 teams at the time everything was paused on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sharks owner Hasso Plattner gave Wilson a vote of confidence in January, so the general manager’s seat isn’t yet hot at the moment. But if “While we are disappointed that the San Jose Sharks will not be able to the Sharks struggle again through the early part of next season, it most complete our 2019-20 season, we understand and respect the decision certainly will be. made by the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement. “We are already well into our Players hurt/helped by the end of the season extensive season review process and will use this opportunity to build on Jones again struggled between the pipes this season, with an .896 save what we have already started to ensure our club is ready for the start of percentage and 3.00 goals-against average. In the month leading up to the 2020-21 season.” the shutdown, though, his game was trending in the right direction after The most succinct way to summarize the Sharks’ season is that they he took a backseat to Dell for about six weeks and focused on resetting were probably the most disappointing team in the NHL, finishing with the his game in practice with goalie coach Evgeni Nabokov. After Feb. 14, league’s third-worst winning percentage (29-36-5, .450). After reaching Jones posted a 2.02 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in the Western Conference final last season and bowing out to the eventual eight games. It was arguably his best regular-season stretch in two champion St. Louis Blues, the Sharks promptly re-signed star years. defenseman Erik Karlsson to a long-term extension and fully expected to Was the turnaround just a blip on the radar, or did Jones truly manage to compete for a Stanley Cup again. They looked disjointed and uninspired return to his previous level of play? Hard to say. through the first three months, though, resulting in a coaching change from Pete DeBoer to Bob Boughner on Dec. 11. Injuries, combined with a The Sharks also could have used the final dozen games to get a better lack of young talent, assured that the club would never find its footing look at some of their young players that will have to find a way to after the turn of the New Year. contribute next season. Noah Gregor was perhaps the only young forward prospect who showed he could be ready for the NHL on a full- Neither the Sharks nor their fans will be shedding any tears that the team time basis (other than Joel Kellman, who, at 26, isn’t particularly young). won’t get to play out the final dozen games of what can only be described But others such as Alex True, Joachim Blichfeld, Lean Bergmann and as a miserable season in just about every way. Maxim Letunov could have gotten more playing time over the final few Where they finished the year weeks, too, to show the front office what they can (or can’t) do.

The Sharks’ final game of the season, an eerie, 6-2 loss in Chicago on Assuming the Stanley Cup playoffs proceed as scheduled, likely resulting March 11, dropped them to last overall in the Western Conference — the in a later start to the 2020-21 season, one player who could benefit is first time they will finish in the conference basement since 1996-97. Their Hertl. The Sharks’ lone All-Star this season suffered a torn ACL and MCL minus-44 goal differential was also the worst mark in the West, better in his left knee and had surgery in early February. than only Ottawa and Detroit. First order of business in the offseason It’s difficult to find any experienced players on the Sharks’ roster who Define Boughner’s status. The head coach still has the interim label actually met expectations; certainly no one exceeded them. Timo Meier attached to his title, although there have been indications since the led the Sharks with 49 points, and Evander Kane’s 26 goals paced the shutdown that Wilson was leaning toward making Boughner the team’s club, but those two key forwards were missing in action for much of the full-time bench boss. From there, Boughner and Wilson will have to put a first half. Karlsson (40 points in 56 games) and Brent Burns (45 points in staff together that may or may not include assistants Nabokov, Roy 70 games) were streaky both offensively and defensively, while forwards Sommer and Mike Ricci (the Sharks could easily reassign any of those like Tomas Hertl (36 points in 48 games), Kevin Labanc (33 points in 70 guys to their previous posts in player development). games) and Marcus Sorensen (seven goals in 66 games) regressed from the prior season. And, of course, the goaltending was poor, as Martin The possibility still exists, too, that Wilson could pursue one of the many Jones and Aaron Dell combined for a league-worst .901 save coaching free agents like Peter Laviolette, Gerard Gallant, Bruce percentage. Boudreau or Mike Babcock. But the team has seemingly been reluctant to bring in any voices from outside the organization over the past few Still, much of the blame lies with the front office, which allowed forwards years, so keeping Boughner seems to be the likeliest outcome. Joe Pavelski, Gus Nyquist and (to a lesser extent) Joonas Donskoi to depart in the offseason without replacing them, hoping that at least one Other offseason priorities or two prospects in the system would step up. It didn’t happen. The Sharks were terribly thin up front, and a rotation of forwards from the AHL The Sharks don’t have any high-profile pending unrestricted free agents, Barracuda was mostly fruitless, as years of questionable decisions in the although Dell has potentially played his last game in teal. Forward Stefan early rounds of the draft and the trading away of other high-round picks Noesen could also be brought back cheaply for some depth on the fourth finally caught up with them. They finished tied for 27th with just 2.57 line. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau (now in Pittsburgh) will again be goals-per game. unrestricted free agents, and at this point should be considered more likely to return than not. There was also a lack of team cohesion. The captain for the previous four seasons, Pavelski’s presence in the dressing room was sorely Instead of focusing on keeping his own players, though, Wilson will have missed, and there were a number of indications on and off the ice that to figure out a way to make some needed changes and improvements to the Sharks were just never on the same page or willing to put in enough the roster, as bringing back a similar group and hoping for different work to win consistently. results would be nonsensical. Making just a few moves on the periphery won’t cut it for a team that just endured a last-place season. What this means to the franchise The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 Adding insult to injury is that the Sharks don’t have their first-round pick due to the Karlsson trade just before the start of the 2018-19 season. The Ottawa Senators own it instead and could end up drafting a franchise-altering player if the draft lottery goes their way. The Sharks 1175043 St Louis Blues “Everyone in hockey works for the opportunity to compete for the Cup, and this format will ensure the 2019-20 Stanley Cup winner will be a deserving champion.”

Blues win Central Division crown but lose hub city bid on the same day The top 12 teams in the Eastern Conference, ranked by regular-season points percentage, have qualified for postseason play and will be assigned to what the league called Hub City 1. The top 12 teams in the West, again ranked by regular-season points percentage, will go to Hub Jim Thomas City 2.

The top four qualifiers in each conference will play a round-robin event to St. Louis will not be a hub city. But it’s looking more and more like the determine playoff seeding. So the Blues could slip to as low as the No. 4 Blues will get a chance to defend their Stanley Cup. seed if they finish last in the Western round-robin behind Colorado, Vegas and Dallas. On what Gary Bettman called “an important day, particularly for NHL fans” the NHL commissioner officially announced Tuesday the league’s While round-robin play takes place in each conference, the bottom eight 24-team playoff format, provided lots of new details on the postseason seeds in each conference will take part in what the league is calling the plan, potential hub cities, COVID-19 testing, and even the draft lottery “qualifying” round. The winners of those best-of-five series advance in process. the playoffs; the losers go home.

The return to play remains an “if-and-when” proposition due to ongoing The conference final and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven affairs; uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic, but the “when” is becoming a it has yet to be determined whether the first and second rounds will be stronger possibility following Tuesday’s developments. best-of-five or best-of-seven series. Also to be determined is whether the field is bracketed or re-seeded after the qualifying round and round-robin On a videoconference with members of the media early Tuesday play. evening, Bettman said postseason play could begin as early as late July or early August under an optimum scenario. Speaking of hub cities, the NHL has narrowed its list of candidate cities to 10, and St. Louis did not make the cut. “It’s conceivable that we’re playing at the end of July, could be the beginning of August, and then playing into September,“ Bettman said. Two weeks ago, Blues president and CEO of business operations Chris “So somewhere around that time frame. It may be that things open up Zimmerman told the Post-Dispatch: “We have shown interest and have quicker. provided the league with different scenarios and insights around our buildings, and how and why we think we’d be a fantastic hub city in the “Players get back sooner. They feel they’re in shape. (Or) that they don’t event that that happens.” want a prolonged training camp. And that, we’re gonna take our guidance from the players on; then it’ll accelerate a little bit. The NHL obviously felt otherwise. The 10 remaining candidate cities are: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, “But I think realistically, if we’re in training camp in mid-July that would be Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. a good thing. If we could be playing by the end of July, the beginning of August, that could be a good thing, too.” Zimmerman did not comment immediately Tuesday on the St. Louis snub. Even so, Bettman cautioned against getting locked into a precise timetable. Bettman said the host cities will provide a secure environment health- wise in terms of arenas, practice facilities, hotels and transportation. A “Anybody that gives you a date is guessing,” he said. “And we think we’d final decision on the two hub cities is expected in three to four weeks. rather take a more holistic approach to doing this.” But without fans in the stands, any home-ice advantage will be minimal. But one thing is certain: Bettman declared the 2019-20 regular season And according to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, it has yet to be over in terms of standings, record-keeping, and consideration for the decided if a playoff team from a hub city will even get to play in its various NHL individual awards. hometown. (It could be shipped to the other hub city.)

So Ryan O’Reilly finishes as the Blues’ scoring leader for the second “Obviously we’ve talked about that, and actually I’ve heard arguments on year in a row, this time with 61 points on 12 goals and 49 assists. David both sides of that equation,” Daly said Tuesday. “I can’t tell you that that Perron and Brayden Schenn share the team goal-scoring title with 25 has been finally decided, but particularly given the fact that there’s no apiece. Goalie Jordan Binnington finishes with a 30-13-7 record, a 2.56 fans in the stands, we certainly see some merit to moving the club to a goals against average and a save percentage of .912. different market so that any perceived advantages associated with being in a home market are eliminated.” And Blues fans might want to congratulate their team on winning the 10th division championship in franchise history. With a record of 42-19-10, the Each team will be allowed a personnel maximum of 50 in the hub city, Blues finished with 94 points to win the Central Division — their first and a very limited number of support staff will have access to the arena division title since the 2014-15 season. event level for games. Players will be tested daily for the coronavirus once they arrive at the hub city. They finished just two points ahead of Stan Kroenke’s Colorado Avalanche, who finished 42-20-8 for 92 points. As for the draft lottery, Bettman said, “it’s a bit complicated, and I apologize for that.” Just think, if the Blues had rescheduled what proved to be their final regular-season game (March 11 against Anaheim) even one day later, Phase 1 of the lottery will take place on June 26 and involve the seven the Avalanche would be division champs. teams that are not participating in the postseason (actually six teams since San Jose previously traded its first-round pick to Ottawa). The The Avs would’ve won the tiebreaker under that scenario, because they other eight lottery spots will be assigned to unnamed placeholders on had played one fewer game than St. Louis when the season was June 26. suspended March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. If the June 26 lottery awards the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 overall picks to That Anaheim game originally was scheduled for Feb. 11, but was non-playoff teams, there will be no need for a Phase 2. But if any of the postponed in the first period that night after defenseman Jay top 3 picks on June 26 do not go to non-playoff participants, Phase 2 of Bouwmeester collapsed on the bench due to a cardiac episode. the draft will be held after the qualifying round involving the eight teams Of course, the Blues have their eyes on a much bigger prize than a that lost those series. division title. They want the Cup. Again. This is all of no concern to the Blues, who will advance to the round of 16 “We appreciate the difficulty the NHL and the NHLPA has in coming up in the playoffs by virtue of their top-four playoff seeding and thus are not with a format that works for everyone,” general manager Doug Armstrong eligible for the draft lottery. The draft itself will take place after the told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday. “With that backdrop we are hopeful playoffs. and excited with the possibility to defend the Stanley Cup. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175044 St Louis Blues City 1. The top 12 teams from the West, again ranked by regular-season points percentage, will be assigned to Hub City 2.

Seeds Nos. 5-12 in each conference will take part in what the league is As NHL officially unveils return-to-play format, St. Louis no longer under calling the qualifying round, with the winners advancing and the losers consideration as hub city going home. These will be best-of-five series. With Bettman’s remarks Tuesday the lineup for the qualifying round is now official:

Eastern Conference Jim Thomas No. 5 seed Pittsburgh vs. 12. Montreal

6. Carolina vs. 11. New York Rangers In unveiling what is now the NHL’s official plan for resuming play this season, commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday that 10 cities are 7. New York Islanders vs. 10. Florida under consideration to be among two hub cities for the league’s 24-team 8. Toronto vs. 9. Columbus postseason. Western Conference St. Louis is not among the 10. The 10 potential hub cities are Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. 5. Edmonton vs. 12. Chicago Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. 6. Nashville vs. 11 Arizona “We have shown interest and have provided the league with different scenarios and insights around our buildings and how and why we think 7. Vancouver vs. 10. Minnesota we’d be a fantastic hub city in the event that that happens,” Blues 8. Calgary vs. 9. Winnipeg president and CEO of business operations Chris Zimmerman told the Post-Dispatch two weeks ago. While the qualifying round takes place, the top four seeds in each conference will take part in round-robin play _ where each team plays The NHL obviously felt otherwise. Zimmerman did not comment one game against each of the other three teams _ to determine playoff immediately Tuesday. seeding. Under this scenario, the Blues could end up as low as the No. 4 Bettman said the host cities will provide a secure environment health- seed in the West. wise in terms of arenas, practice facilities, hotels and transportation. A But entering round-robin play the top four seeds are as follows in each final decision on the two hub cities is expected in three to four weeks. conference:

Each team will be allowed a personnel maximum of 50, and a very Eastern Conference limited number of support staff will have access to the arena event level for games. Players will be tested daily for the coronavirus once they 1. Boston; 2. Tampa Bay; 3. Washington; 4. Philadelphia arrive at the hub city. Western Conference While outlining the return to play format, Bettman confirmed most of the particulars of the 24-team plan approved by the NHL Players Association 1. Blues; 2. Colorado; 3. Vegas; 4. Dallas last Friday but added additional details. Bettman said it has been decided that the conference finals and the “Obviously these are extraordinary and unprecedented times,” Bettman Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven series. The series length of the said. “Any plan for the resumption of play by definition cannot be perfect. first and second rounds is to be determined. Also yet to be determined is And I am certain that depending on which team you root for, you can find whether the playoffs will be bracketed or reseeded after each round. some element of this package that you might prefer to be done The qualifying round as well as the first two rounds of the playoffs are differently. expected to take one month to complete.

“But we believe we have constructed an overall plan that includes all “Let me assure you that the reason we are doing this is because our fans teams that as a practical matter might have had a chance of qualifying for are telling us in overwhelming numbers that they want us to complete the the playoffs when the season was paused. This plan will produce a worth season if at all possible,” Bettman said. “And our players and our teams Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful unique to the NHL.” conclusion.

As such, he declared the NHL regular season officially over for the 2019- “Although we are anxious to get back on the ice, we will not do anything 20 campaign. The Blues thus finish the regular season as Central until we are assured by medical professionals and the relevant Division champions and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, government authorities that it is safe and prudent to do so.” although that seeding could change depending on how St. Louis fares in the round-robin competition against the other top three seeds in the DRAFT LOTTERY West: Colorado, Vegas and Dallas. For the bottom seven teams in the overall standings, their season is over. Bettman also provided the beginning of a timeline for return to play. Detroit, Ottawa, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, New Jersey and Buffalo are done. Next stop the NHL draft lottery, Phase 1 of the lottery is Phase 2, or the start of small-group workouts, will start in early June. June 26. (San Jose’s pick was previously traded to Ottawa, so the Phase 3, or the start of training camp, will start no earlier than the first Sharks won’t take part in the lottery.) half of July As Bettman put it, the draft lottery “is a bit complicated, and I apologize As for Phase 4, the start of the postseason, that remains to be for that.” determined pending in part on developments in the ongoing coronavirus If the drawings in Phase 1 for the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 overall picks all pandemic. go to teams that did not make the 24-team postseason format, there will “The final determination will depend on COVID-19 conditions, testing be no Phase 2. But if that’s not the case, a Phase 2 draft lottery will take availability and government regulation,” Bettman said. place after the completion of the qualifying round for the eight teams that lost their qualifying-round series. But he did say that under optimum conditions, the playoffs could begin in late July or early August. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.27.2020

There are still tons of details to be decided, but if the NHL returns to play, the format is now set.

The 24-team postseason format will consist of 12 teams per conference. The top 12 teams from the Eastern Conference, ranked by regular- season points percentage, will be assigned to what Bettman called Hub 1175045 St Louis Blues • From Ben Frederickson: Three times at the Blues parade on Saturday, Pietrangelo made a miracle.

First came 20-year-old Harrison Schmidt. He had tried to play hockey in The Stanley Cup Final, which began this week in '19, is what I miss about the Special Olympics last season, but skating was hard for him. Still, he sports today loves Pietrangelo so much he came to the parade wearing the captain’s jersey backward, as if he wanted to be able to look down and see the name. Pietrangelo saw Harrison and came over to ask a question. “Want to walk with me?” Harrison’s family could not believe it, but there went Benjamin Hochman Harrison, through the gate and up Market Street, with Pietrangelo, to lift the Cup.

During these uncertain times, columnist Benjamin Hochman shares what The second was Bobby Reidelberger. Pietrangelo invited him onto the he misses about sports. Here is his latest: route from the crowd and pushed his wheelchair toward 8th and Market, where Maroon was displaying Stanley. Reidelberger touched it and Andy Bernard, a former paper salesman at a Pennsylvania office, was began to weep. Pietrangelo hugged him, then handed him a Busch Light. interviewed for a documentary. He told the cameras: “I wish there was a way to know you're in ‘the good old days,’ before you've actually left The third was David Mellitz. He has Spina bifida and uses a wheelchair. them.” Pietrangelo didn’t know this part, but the reason Mellitz became a Blues fan in the first place was because the team visited him in the children’s Even when we were experiencing the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, knowing it hospital in the late 1970’s. They left him a poster. Pietrangelo helped him was history-in-the-making, you couldn’t fully appreciate what those days lift the Cup. meant to you. Or, would mean to you. Well, now, a year later, with a global pandemic that has shut down sports, you definitely do. • From Jim Thomas, in Calahoo, Alberta:

The 2019 Stanley Cup Final were the best of days. You cheered and One of the highlights came when Stan Arcand Jr. of the Alexander screamed and danced and prayed and cussed and cried . . . during the Reserve performed an honor song for Berube, keeping rhythm on a wins and the losses. ceremonial drum. Chief Kurt Burnstick, of the Alexander First Nation, was there as well — in full headdress. With hockey (and the world) paused, I think back to the Stanley Cup Final, and I miss it — miss the experiences of 2019 and miss the 2020 Arcand Jr. wrote the song himself, and said he had performed it only a experience that could've occurred this week. Of course, it’s quite possible few times. the National Hockey League will salvage the season, resuscitate the “This song was meant to bring emotion out in people,” he said. “Our song season. But right now, there isn't hockey. And it’s fair to think that your is a form of prayer. You pray to a higher power. We do it through various Blues — first in the Western Conference when the season stopped, and mediums, through our ceremonies, through daily prayer. star player Vladimir Tarasenko set to return — would still be playing hockey right now. “We use it to honor accomplishments and people who have done great things for themselves and for their families.” The Stanley Cup Final provided St. Louis with a new sports adventure, pretty special for a fan base that had already experienced so much that Later in the evening, it was time to drink from Lord Stanley’s Cup. With sports had to offer, notably multiple World Series and Super Bowls. some help from his friends, Berube poured can after can of Bud Light into the Cup. The crowd gathered around in gleeful anticipation. If the The Blues-Bruins games of the Cup Final were chapters, each with their morning was like a visit to Santa Claus, this was communion from the own storylines, protagonists and, yes, antagonists (and while this column Holy Grail, with Berube doing the pouring. space will make reference to Brad Marchand and helmet-less Torey Krug, it’s fair to point out that a mirrored column in Boston could His uncle Wilfred Berube, who everyone calls “Greasegun,” gave up reference a few Blues as villains, too). drinking when he was 24. But this was the Stanley Cup, after all, won with his nephew as coach. So at age 77, he drank from the Cup — his Watching those games, that level of hockey, it was as if every collision or first taste of alcohol since before the Blues existed. transition could be game-changing. Is this the moment that’ll lead to a goal? The intensity of each play was palpable. • One more from Boston, Game 5: Jordan Binnington stood in a quiet TD Garden hallway plastered with posterboards, decorated with well-wishes And in any sporting event, someone is going to make a big play. But for the Bruins by sweet schoolchildren whose souls this man had when the big plays happened on hockey’s grandest stage, they became crushed. instantly iconic. Carl Gunnarsson. Jordan Binnington. Alex Pietrangelo. Jordan Binnington, again. Alex Pietrangelo, again. He had just stopped 38 of 39 Boston shots, won Game 5 on the road and said live on ESPN, when asked what makes him nervous, that “when you I miss what the Stanley Cup Final did to routines. It took regular routines, find out, you let me know.” And now, the Blues goalie was here, all alone, shook them up in a shot maker, which poured out a whole new routine. asked to put it all in perspective. Days were planned around the Blues and Blues games. And the seven games were watched in memorable — and personal — places, from a “I’m a loyal guy,” Binnington said softy, talking about both St. Louis and best friend’s living room to a boisterous sports bar to your parents’ home the Blues. “The fan base is incredible. I love being part of a team. As a to Enterprise Center to even Busch Stadium. goalie, you just try to be there for when the team needs you, and trust them to do their job – and they’ve been incredible. I’m happy I could be of • The night before Game 5, on the quiet, narrow streets of Boston’s old help for them. … We have each other’s backs.” Italian area, noise spilled out of one of the North End restaurants. Just what was going on in there? As you walked closer, you began to make St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.27.2020 out the sound. Could it be? Yep, it was “Gloria.” And inside, there was Blues legend Bernie Federko, the Hall of Famer, a great grin across his famous face. He was responsible for the request – talked the owner into it – and Federko and some other Blues folks soaked it all in.

• From Tom Timmermann: Gunnarsson had almost scored in the third period, putting a shot off the post. In the break between the third period and overtime, Gunnarsson ran into coach Craig Berube in the locker room bathroom and told him he just needed one more chance.

"(Berube) just came in and said, 'Good job,' and told the story," captain Alex Pietrangelo said. "You don't hear that story very often. That's not a place to have a conversation, but I guess it works. It's a good story. I don't know if he's making it up because that's a great story.

"Just needed one more chance and he got it and he scored." 1175046 St Louis Blues or included empty-net goals. The Blues’ plus-32 goal differential is second in the Western Conference and fifth in the NHL.

What the new format means Blues’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts St. The Blues will be in the Western Conference with the 12 teams that had Louis the highest points percentage at the time of the pause. The Blues led the conference with a .662 points percentage, followed by Colorado (.657), Vegas (.606), Dallas (.594), Edmonton (.585), Nashville (.565), By Jeremy Rutherford May 26, 2020 Vancouver (.565), Calgary (.564), Winnipeg (.563), Minnesota (.558), Arizona (.529) and Chicago (.514).

The top four teams and the bottom eight teams will initially play in The Blues are one step closer to having a chance to defend the Stanley separate fields. Cup. The top four teams, who are guaranteed to be among the final 16 teams, The NHL announced Tuesday what the NHL Players’ Association will play three round-robin games against each other. The NHL and the confirmed last week: that the union had approved the league’s 24-team NHLPA originally discussed a plan in which the top four would receive a “Return to Play” plan. (The vote was 29-2 in favor of it, with the Tampa bye, but those teams did not want to have the challenge of coming back Bay Lightning and the Carolina Hurricanes the lone dissenters.) from a four-month layoff and playing their first series against a team that “Before I get into the details, I want to make clear that the health and had just played. The league has added a competitive element to the safety of our players, coaches and essential support staff in our round robin in that those games will help determine the seeding of the communities are paramount,” commissioner Gary Bettman said. “While top four teams for the first round. nothing is without risk, ensuring health and safety has been central to all Meanwhile, the bottom eight will face each other in a best-of-five play-in of our planning so far and will remain so. Let me assure you that the series. Here’s how that will look: No. 5 Edmonton versus No. 12 Chicago; reason we are doing this is because our fans are telling us in No. 6 Nashville versus No. 11 Arizona; No. 7 Vancouver versus No. 10 overwhelming numbers that they want us to complete the season, if at all Minnesota; and No. 8 Calgary versus No. 9. Winnipeg. possible. And our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion. The top four seeds will then face the winner of those play-in series. It hasn’t been determined yet whether the first two rounds (after the play-in “Although we are anxious to get back on the ice, we won’t do anything series) will be five- or seven-game series, but Bettman did confirm that until we are assured by medical professionals and the relevant the conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final will be seven-game government authorities that it is safe and prudent to do so.” series. The next step will be Phase 2, which the league already announced on In order to get you prepped for the Blues’ round-robin opponents, here’s Monday, allowing small groups of players to practice on the ice together a look at how the Blues fared against Colorado, Vegas and Dallas this at team facilities. Those workouts could begin in early June, and, of season. course, there will be plenty of protocols to follow. Then comes Phase 3, or training camp, which won’t begin earlier than July 1. Versus Colorado (2-2)

The NHL did not announce any timetable for the resumption and will Oct. 21: Blues 3, Avalanche 1. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two continue to monitor the phases before making any such determination. assists, ending the Blues’ early-season, four-game slide (0-2-2) and Along the way, there will be many other concerns, such as testing and giving the Avs their first regulation loss in eight games. players being quarantined in hub cities, and even trimming down the list of those cities from the 10 announced Tuesday to just two. St. Louis, by Dec. 16: Blues 5, Avalanche 2. David Perron had a hat trick, scoring his the way, will not be among them. team-high 13th, 14th and 15th goals of the season, and the Blues handed the Avs their first regulation loss in 10 games. POTENTIAL HUB CITIES … Jan. 2: Avalanche 7, Blues 3. Jordan Binnington allowed seven goals on WEST: CHICAGO, DALLAS, EDMONTON, LAS VEGAS, LOS 41 shots and was pulled, and the Blues’ penalty kill gave up three goals ANGELES, MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL AND VANCOUVER. on five power plays.

EAST: COLUMBUS, PITTSBURGH AND TORONTO. Jan. 18: Avalanche 7, Blues 3. Binnington was chased again after allowing four goals on 11 shots, as the Blues lost their final game before — JEREMY RUTHERFORD (@JPRUTHERFORD) MAY 26, 2020 the All-Star break. But if you’re a Blues fan who has been waiting and wondering since mid- Versus Vegas (1-0-2) March how the Blues would fare, the champs skating again is at least cause for optimism. Dec. 12: Blues 4, Golden Knights 2. Oskar Sundqvist had a goal and an assist in his return to the lineup after missing six games with a lower- Yet, seven months after the Blues raised their Stanley Cup banner to the body injury, and the Blues avoided a season-high four-game losing rafters at Enterprise Center, the potential conclusion to the 2019-20 streak. season will look far different than anyone envisioned. Before we get into the new format, let’s back up a few months and provide a refresher. Jan. 4: Golden Knights 5, Blues 4 (OT). The Blues led 3-0 just 17 minutes into the game, but the Golden Knights scored four unanswered Where the Blues stood when the shutdown began goals and Chandler Stephenson won it for them in overtime. The shutdown came the day after the Blues’ 4-2 win in Anaheim on Feb. 13: Golden Knights 6, Blues 5 (OT). Zach Sanford scored four goals March 12, allowing them to maintain the top spot in the Western and Binnington made 46 saves, but in the Blues’ first game following Jay Conference with 94 points. They were two points ahead of Colorado, and Bouwmeester’s cardiac episode, they gave up a 4-2 lead and lost on it was shaping up to be quite a showdown, with the Blues 10-2 in their Jonathan Marchessault’s OT goal. last 12 games and the Avalanche 9-2-1 in their last 12. Versus Dallas (4-0-1) One difference, however, was the Blues were set to get top-line forward Vladimir Tarasenko back after a five-month absence because of shoulder Oct. 5: Blues 3, Stars 2. The Blues successfully challenged a Stars goal surgery, while the Avs’ Nathan MacKinnon was expected to miss a few that would have created a 3-1 deficit early in the third period, then scored weeks with a lower-body injury. The Western Conference crown and twice to pick up their first win of the season. Central Division title could have come down to the regular-season finale between the two teams April 4 in Colorado. Nov. 29: Blues 3, Stars 1. The Stars tied the score at 1 late in the third period, but 18 seconds later, Ryan O’Reilly put the Blues back ahead and Whether the Blues came out on top or not, it would have been a Ivan Barbashev added an empty-netter. spectacular regular season as the Blues never truly experienced a Stanley Cup hangover. Yes, they did go 2-7-3 from Jan. 15 to Feb. 16, Feb. 8: Stars 3, Blues 2 (OT). Colton Parayko scored twice, giving him but each of the seven regulation losses were either decided by one goal four goals in his last three games, but the Blues coughed up another 2-0 lead and lost on Roope Hintz’s OT goal. Feb. 21: Blues 5, Stars 1. The Blues’ long shutout streak finally came to the Blues would have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. Even if they did, an end at 178 minutes, 38 seconds, but they won in lopsided fashion it’s hard to fathom that it would have measured up to the dream season without Alex Pietrangelo, who was sick, and Tyler Bozak, who was with all of the amazing memories. injured. In addition, who could ever forget the fan reaction at Enterprise Center Feb. 29: Blues 4, Stars 3 (SO). The Stars pulled their goalie for an extra after Maroon scored? Well, with the new format, that reaction won’t be attacker and John Klingberg scored with 19 seconds left in regulation, but possible because the game will be returning in a limited number of pod O’Reilly netted the shootout clincher for the Blues’ seventh consecutive cities with no fans in the seats. Certainly, the absence of a loud crowd win. will affect all the teams, but for Stanley Cup contenders with a distinct home advantage like the Blues, they won’t have the same advantage Does the new format hurt or help the Blues? they had a year ago when city-wide support that was a half-century in the If the NHL would have kept the usual playoff format and used points making helped pushed them into the Final against Boston. percentage to determine the matchups, the Blues would have been the Their chances of winning it all top team in the Western Conference and played Calgary, the second wild card, in the first round of the playoffs. They were 3-0 against the Flames Despite everything that has happened in the past few months, and this season, with two of the wins coming via overtime and a shootout. everything that still must be decided, one still has to like the Blues’ chances. They are built to win, and like all of the teams, they are rested. Under the new format, if the Blues hold on to the top spot in the Western Some people have been critical of the format, suggesting the Stanley Conference, they could face the winner of the five-game series between Cup will come with an asterisk this season, but many players and people No. 8 Calgary and No. 9 Winnipeg if the NHL uses a bracket for each who have been around the NHL insist that it may be the hardest year conference. Or they could meet the club with the lowest remaining seed, ever to be crowned the champion because of the circumstances. The if the league chooses to seed the conferences. There has been bottom line is this: Tuesday’s news may be for naught if health concerns speculation, but obviously no confirmation yet on the possibility of the were to trend in the other direction and the league and the players can’t league re-seeding after each round. come to a resolution on some of the terms. But as it stands today, it Where the plan potentially hurts the Blues, however, is if they fail to hold appears the Blues will finally get a chance to see if they can come out on on to the No. 1 seed that they worked all season to earn. Realistically, top again, and that’s all they can ask for. the only teams that had a chance of taking the top spot away from them The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 in the final three weeks of the regular season were Colorado, which was two points back with 12 games to play, and Vegas, which was eight points back with 11 games to play. Now they could see it vanish in the round robin.

Furthermore, those games could have an impact on the Blues physically if they were to lose somebody to injury and confidence-wise if they don’t play well. True, they weren’t guaranteed to win the conference or the division had the season played out, and if they want to keep that perch, there are no excuses. But if they go 0-3, become the No. 4 seed and face No. 5 Edmonton in their opening series, the feeling about the format could quickly seem a lot different.

Has the time off impacted the team?

Many teams are going to be healthier as a result of having three months off, and some will get key players back into the lineup, such as MacKinnon in Colorado and Seth Jones in Columbus. The Blues are not alone in welcoming Tarasenko back and seeing Sundqvist at 100 percent, but this is where the break really benefits them.

Tarasenko has been out since October, and while the Blues fared better than expected without him, the return of their perennial scoring leader can’t be overstated. He would have been pushing a five-month recovery period coming back in March, so the extra time off allowed him more time to heal. And while Sundqvist was back in the lineup after missing seven games with a sore shoulder, he was still nursing the injury and had been skipping some practices. He’s now much closer to the player who has helped the Blues go 37-12-8 when he’s in the lineup this season, and 5- 7-2 when he’s not.

As far as the impact on the Blues overall, it’s simple — every team is going to have cobwebs. The long layoff, however, could help the team from two aspects. One, along with Boston, the Blues had played the most of any team over the past 17 months, and while they were clicking pretty well when the league halted play, it might have eventually caught up to them. Two, after winning the Stanley Cup last season, the Blues are an experienced, mature team that shouldn’t have as hard a time as some picking up where they left off.

Their path to a Stanley Cup

Obviously, the Blues’ path to repeating as Stanley Cup champs will look different than in 2018-19. Once they’re through the round robin, they will still have the possibility of playing four seven-game series like last season, but the NHL may reseed the eight teams left in both conferences after each round instead of using a bracket. The league said it hasn’t made that determination yet, and that could have huge implications.

For example: Who could ever forget the Blues’ conference semifinal series against Dallas last season, when Pat Maroon scored the clincher in double overtime of Game 7? Well, if the NHL had reseeded a year ago, the Blues would have played Colorado and San Jose would have met Dallas in the second round. If that was the case, who knows whether 1175047 Tampa Bay Lightning UP NEXT:Good grief. Are Lightning players really worrying about a first- round bye?

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 Tampa is not a hub city in NHL’s 24-team return-to-play format

DIANA C. NEARHOS

Of 10 possible hosts being considered, Tampa doesn’t make the cut. Also, the playoffs may go into early fall.

If the Lightning win the Stanley Cup this year, they will do so without playing a single playoff game in Tampa.

Only two teams might have the opportunity for a home playoff game — and possibly none — according to the format commissioner Gary Bettman announced on Tuesday, upsetting nearly 100 years of the Stanley Cup playoffs being played on home ice.

Bettman gave specifics for the league’s much-discussed 24-team format, including the two-hub city plan. Tampa, which was on the original list of possibilities, did not make the list of 10 host sites being considered.

Bettman did give a slight indication on timing, the crux of which was: not soon. The league is aiming to have small groups skating at NHL rinks starting in early July. It does not expect to start training camps before July. The playoffs will take place “over the summer and into the early fall.”

RELATED: Lightning reportedly one of two to vote against the 24-team format

The NHL isn’t ready to name its hub cities or the date for its return, given developing circumstances around the coronavirus pandemic. At this time, Bettman could only say the league hopes to resume.

He presented a plan he said “we believe is fair to all of the teams and our best option under the circumstances.”

The top 12 teams from each conference, according to points percentage, will meet in a hub city for Phase 4, which features a play-in and the playoffs. The qualifying round is considered the completion of the regular season, but it does not count toward records or regular-season awards.

The top four teams (Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference) will play a round robin to determine seeding, while the remaining eight teams will play best-of-five series to determine playoff entry.

Playoffs

Once the top eight are determined, the playoffs will look like what fans have come to know and love: four rounds of play, with the Stanley Cup awarded at the end.

The league and players association still need to figure out how the seeding will work coming out of the qualifying round, as well as the early series lengths. The first two rounds could be best-of-five.

The conference finals and Stanley Cup final will remain best-of-seven series.

Draft lottery

While the playoffs will be familiar in format, the draft lottery will be anything but. The seven teams who are done playing are automatically given the best odds.

Detroit, which finished worst in the league, has 18.5-percent odds at the top pick, No. 7 Buffalo 6.5 percent — the same it would have had in a normal season. The lottery will decide the top three picks, again like a typical year.

Where it differs is teams 8 through 15 — the four teams from each conference eliminated in the qualifying round.

The initial lottery draw, scheduled for June 26, will take place before the final playoff teams are set, so placeholders will be used. If any of those teams are drawn for any of the top three picks, phase two of the lottery will be held between the play-in and the first round of the playoffs. In that draw, all remaining eight teams will be given equal odds. 1175048 Tampa Bay Lightning The Lightning should be walking into the postseason with the swagger of hard cases instead of candy stripers.

Even with an abbreviated season, the Lightning have won 105 games the Good grief. Are Lightning players really worrying about a first-round bye? past two years. No other team has cracked 95. And it’s no fluke. Tampa Bay has won more regular season games than any team in the NHL since 2012-13.

JOHN ROMANO The problem, during that same time, is Tampa Bay is only seventh in playoff victories.

Is there a case to be made that the Lightning are not built for the For a hockey team, the Lightning sure seem like a sensitive bunch. postseason? I suppose, although the core of this team was two victories They contemplate, they calculate, they fret. Instead of kicking down the away from winning a Stanley Cup not that long ago. door, they pirouette around the vestibule. Maybe it’s just time for the Lightning to stop analyzing themselves. Stop Tampa Bay was one of two teams to vote against the NHL’s 24-team worrying about worst-case scenarios. Just drop the freaking puck and get playoff plan because, apparently, Lightning players were worried a bye to it. would not properly prepare them for the rigors of postseason hockey as UP NEXT:NHL hoping to move to Phase 2 of return-to-play protocol in well as those lucky stiffs in the first round. early June Say what? Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 The Lightning should be more ready for the postseason than any team in NHL history. They should have been living, breathing and spitting ready for the playoffs since getting slapped out in the first round by Columbus 407 days ago.

Maybe I’m reading too much into the Lightning’s complaint about the playoff plan, but it sure feels like a team looking for an excuse. It’s as if they’ve blamed last year’s pratfall on clinching too early and not being as sharp as Columbus, and now they’re worried about it again in 2020.

I’m no psychiatrist, but that strikes me as a self-fulfilling-prophecy type of thinking.

Let’s face it, there was never going to be a perfect solution for the NHL to restart the season after the pandemic. Too much time had passed to finish the regular season, so expanding the playoff field for teams on the bubble and giving byes to the top teams seemed like an equitable solution.

Heck, even the seven teams barred from the playoffs understood that and voted for the plan.

Mind you, this wasn’t a question of being wary of playing in the summer of coronavirus, which would be entirely justified. Except Alex Killorn, the team’s union representative, made it clear that Lightning players were eager to get back on the ice.

This was simply an issue of a perceived competitive imbalance.

Killorn first brought up concerns about the first-round bye in a conference call with reporters last week, then confirmed it to Joe Smith of The Athletic that the expanded playoff field and the bye were sticking points among Tampa Bay players.

“They didn’t feel it was fair that certain teams that probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs would have a chance to make the playoffs in a best-of- five series," Killorn said. “My team also felt it was unfair that the teams with a bye would not be as well prepared for a playoff series as the teams that had already basically played a playoff series to get into the playoffs."

First of all, the alternative would not have been ideal, either. Let’s say every team had a first-round matchup. Do you think going from a three- month layoff immediately into playoff games might produce more fluke results than normal? At least the Lightning get to ease their way back into action with round-robin games against other top teams that might then be used to reseed for the next round.

Honestly, the details of the plan are not as disconcerting as the Lightning’s reaction to them. You would hope to have seen more confidence from this group. More arrogance. More of a bring-it-on mentality.

Yet this team that got run out of the playoffs last year by a more aggressive and bold opponent is now voluntarily revisiting that old plot line?

These guys are too good for this silliness. They have a world-class goaltender. Award winners and future Hall of Famers. They have a coach with a near-unprecedented winning percentage. 1175049 Tampa Bay Lightning Barclay Goodrow at the trade deadline, was still trying to mesh at the time of the pause, having lost two straight (and six out of 10). But they had beaten the Bruins (in TD Garden) in a galvanizing, “bad-blood”-filled battle the weekend before. They also were dealing with several injuries, Lightning’s return-to-play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts with Stamkos and Rutta out and Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh Tampa Bay getting banged up the previous week.

“I really liked our group,” Cooper said. “It was just going to take some time for all of us to come together. We had a bunch of new guys, some By Joe Smith May 26, 2020 guys hurt. We were a little bit of a patchwork team for a while, just trying to get new personalities in there and put guys in roles to see where they fit. I really liked a lot of the things we saw, and with the prospect of TAMPA, Fla. — There was a thought in the back of many Lightning having our injured players getting that much closer to coming back, it was players’ minds that this could have been another lost season. really exciting.”

After several deep playoff runs ended in heartbreak — and last year’s What the new format means: The format means the Lightning are historic team was stunned in a first-round sweep — Tampa Bay had to officially in the playoffs but will have to play a three-game round-robin feel especially worried by the fact that the coronavirus pandemic put this with the other top Eastern Conference teams (Boston, Washington and season in jeopardy. Yet they tried to remain optimistic. Philadelphia) to determine their seeding for the first round against an unknown opponent. Bettman said Tuesday the league hasn’t decided if “You just hope and you pray that there’s some scenario where we can the first and second rounds will be best-of-five- or best-of-seven-game finish the season,” defenseman Ryan McDonagh said in late March. “And series, nor do they know if the playoffs will be bracketed or re-seeded. we get a chance to go out as a group and as a team and see what we can accomplish. We’re really excited with our year, we added some good Does the new format hurt or help? The Lightning’s NHLPA player rep guys and wanted to see how far this team can go.” Alex Killorn pointed out that some of the top teams will have “somewhat of a disadvantage” too as the Lightning’s opponent would be coming in Now, it appears the Lightning will have that opportunity. after playing a legitimate playoff series, whereas Tampa Bay was just On Tuesday, the NHL announced a 24-team return-to-play format. There playing for seeding. The Lightning were one of two teams in NHLPA to are a lot of details still to be sorted out. But under this unique scenario, vote “no” on the return to play proposal. Tampa Bay is one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference “I brought the format to my team,” Killorn said. “They didn’t feel it was fair (based on points percentage) and will play a three-game round-robin that certain teams that probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs would against the other top three teams (Boston, Washington, and have a chance to make the playoffs in a best-of-five series. My team also Philadelphia) to determine seeding for the opening round of the 16-team felt it was unfair that the teams with a bye would not be as well prepared field. The other bubble playoff teams in the East will be competing in a for a playoff series as the teams that had already basically played a best-of-five-game “play-in” round (N.Y. Islanders vs. Florida, Toronto vs. playoff series to get into the playoffs. Columbus, Carolina vs. N.Y. Rangers, Pittsburgh vs. Montreal). That will determine Tampa Bay’s first-round opponent. “This was not my opinion alone. As the PA rep I have a duty to represent the voice of my entire team. I don’t want people to think that we don’t When will all of this take place? Commissioner Gary Bettman said want to play. Everyone on our team wants to play. In saying that, we are training camps can’t open until sometime in the first half of July, with the fine with the vote the PA took and we are ready with it going forward.” camp lasting three weeks, so that means the play-in rounds and round- robin games won’t start until late July. So the real playoffs would start in How the time off impacted the team: Like many teams, the Lightning will August, and that’s the best-case scenario. have benefitted by getting their injured players healthy. Captain Steven Stamkos, who underwent core surgery in early March, would have been The Lightning will play in one of two hub cities, which have yet to be doubtful for the first round of the playoffs had they started on schedule in determined, though Tampa is no longer under consideration. The finalists mid-April. Stamkos, who has been skating three times a week at Amalie are Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Arena with other injured players, is expected to be ready to go when Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. training camp begins, according to Cooper. And Stamkos may be in What we do know, however, is at least the Lightning will be healthy, with better shape having been able to work out, skate and shoot while his captain Steven Stamkos (core surgery) and defenseman Jan Rutta teammates have been working out at home. Cooper mentioned the (lower body) among the several banged-up players ready to participate in Lightning’s blue line had also been banged up at the time of the a training camp in July. The NHL approved a Phase 2 where players can shutdown, so Rutta, McDonagh and Hedman will all be at full strength start working out in groups of six at team facilities at the beginning of when the season resumes. June. Path to a Stanley Cup: The Lightning will have to fight for their seeding We’ve learned a lot about the Lightning during this pause. They got first, but assuming they get out of the first round, they’ll probably still creative with their workouts, which I tried to emulate. They enjoyed being have to go through Boston and/or former champ Washington just to get full-time dads. Wing Alex Killorn became an influencer on social media. out of the East. It’s impossible to tell how each of the contenders will Coach Jon Cooper picked up bicycling, Anthony Cirelli tried cooking and have been impacted by the two-month shutdown, but you can bet the defenseman Mikhail Sergachev enjoyed more fishing. McDonagh learned Lightning will feel like they have a second chance at finishing their about his new neighbor in Davis Islands: Tom Brady. season of redemption in a special way.

They’ll all be back together soon, starting with small group practices at Chances of winning it all: If these playoffs go as well as The Athletic’s either Amalie Arena or TGH Sportsplex (or both), then a three-week simulated version, the Lightning will be in good shape (having beaten training camp before what they hope is a long playoff run. Vegas for the Cup on Earth 2). There’s a reason Tampa Bay has been one of the favorites throughout the season, and this group seems Cooper has said that he believes this team is mentally and physically mentally and physically tougher (see the win in Boston in March), buoyed tougher than last year’s version. by the additions of Coleman, Goodrow and defenseman Zach Bogosian. “The only difference with this group is the new guys,” Cooper said. This doesn’t mean Tampa Bay is guaranteed a Cup, with the team and “They’re getting our system, but this group was really going along. I liked its fans scarred from playoff heartbreak the past five years. But I wouldn’t the direction, what team we were becoming. It was a pretty unified group, be betting against them. everyone knowing what they had to do. There’s just the matter of getting The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 the new guys and old guys back together.

“I just think our mentality was a little bit different. Last year, we had more of a feeling of, ‘Oh, we’re bulletproof.’ And this year, we don’t feel like that at all. There was an urgency level to this team that’s heightened.”

Where they were when the shutdown began: The Lightning (43-21-6) were second in the Eastern Conference with 92 points, behind only the Bruins (100). Tampa Bay, which had acquired Blake Coleman and 1175050 Tampa Bay Lightning entirely) due to injury. We get an official injury report in the late afternoon, which shows who didn’t practice, whether they were limited and what their injury is. A coach may or may not elaborate on the severity of an injury, sometimes conceding he’s out for multiple weeks, other times ‘Lose my (bleeping) number’: Behind the scenes of covering Tampa Bay keeping quiet to make an opponent prepare for the possibility of him sports being healthy and part of the game plan on Sunday.

There’s a fine line for what we can and cannot report based on what we see at practice. As a general rule, if you see that the starting middle Joe Smith, Greg Auman and Josh Tolentino May 26, 2020 linebacker had his foot in a boot, that’s fair game and something opponents would be aware of later from the injury report. If you write that they worked extensively in a certain defensive look — lots of dime Sports journalism has been in a weird spot the last few months. packages, for instance — you might get a text from someone with the team who’s unhappy that you shared so much. Most of us are smart With leagues shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve been enough not to disclose specific details, like: “The Bucs worked on a new stretching our creativity for stories. We’re writing on sports memorabilia, fake punt, where Johnny Holder rolled to his right and threw to a wide- tapping into nostalgic moments, trying athletes’ quarantine workouts and open Larry Gunner down the right sideline.” even doing a Stanley Cup playoff simulation on “Earth 2.” Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians speaks at a news conference prior Heck, we even have a #lets-get-weird Slack channel for story pitches. to his team’s game in London last October. (Kirby Lee / USA Today) But now that it appears that baseball and hockey, among others, are Tolentino: I think baseball beat reporting gets the upper hand concerning making progress on a return-to-play scenario, it got us thinking about all daily access. Not only are there games literally every day, but the player the favorite parts of our jobs, the kinds of things that we used to take for access in baseball is unmatched. Baseball reporters are provided granted that we now miss. With our colleagues at The Athletic St. Louis clubhouse access twice a day (both pre- and postgame), and we spend recently offering a glimpse behind the scenes, we wanted to share with about an hour inside the room before the game. This part of the day is you some of our favorite stories about covering the Lightning, Bucs and crucial, especially while traveling with the team on the road. Rays. For baseball players, the clubhouse is considered a sacred place where What’s a game day like for us? What’s the dynamic between journalists they’re able to retreat and take it easy. Players are often in a relaxed and athletes, and are there ever conflicts that pop up? I (Lightning writer mood and can be found lounging on couches, playing cards or ping- Joe Smith) tackled those and more topics with Rays writer Josh Tolentino pong, jamming out to their favorite tunes — just being themselves. This and Bucs writer Greg Auman. If you have any more questions, drop them environment provides them a space where they’re typically more willing in the comments section below, and we’ll get to them. to chat about a variety of topics, both on and off the record. Smith: What I’ve found interesting is how different each beat is on a day- This dynamic doesn’t only happen in the clubhouse, though. We also see to-day basis, in terms of access and rhythm of the day. In a baseball these players on the field and inside the dugout during batting practice clubhouse, you feel like you’re in their living room as they are lounging, and warmups. If you miss a certain player during clubhouse time, it’s not playing cards and watching TV. You spend more time standing around the end of the world because there’s a good chance you’ll catch him than interviewing people. For the NFL, I know there’s only a small grabbing a drink of water in the dugout in between rounds of BP. Some window and a ton of reporters. In hockey, there are typically fewer media, players, like former Rays outfielder Tommy Pham, even prefer to chat out especially in markets like Tampa where you feel you can have a one-on- on the field instead of inside the clubhouse. While we all have jobs to do, one. How about we start with what a day looks like on your beat. it’s important to put the player in a situation where he’s comfortable Auman: Covering the Bucs means a careful schedule of coordinated speaking. It doesn’t happen all the time, but when there’s an opportunity, access during a game week. Tuesday is generally a day off for players, especially when we’re trying to chase a certain angle, it’s always a good so there’s usually no access to players or coaches that day. If Monday is thing to try to meet them on their terms. a day to look back on the game that just happened, by Wednesday, Baseball players tend to be more receptive to and friendly with the media you’re usually looking fully forward to the next game and the storylines than, say, football players given the frequency of games and the laid- that come with it. back feel of the sport. Combine all of the above and you’ve got a great NFL teams have an open locker room on Monday, Wednesday and situation as a beat reporter. This atmosphere allows us to build better Thursday, and that’s a 45-minute window where reporters are allowed in relationships with the athletes and tell their unique stories to our readers the locker room and are free to interview anyone in there. Usually, the and fans. starting quarterback takes his questions at the podium once a week, and Smith: I’ve always felt that hockey players are the most accommodating, typically the most prominent players hold court on a specific day of the down-to-earth athletes to deal with (for the most part). There are plenty of week, with a scrum of reporters getting in all their questions at once. great people and interviews in the other sports — I have plenty of Much like an open clubhouse in baseball, you’ll have a dozen or so examples from my time with the Rays, like James Shields, J.P. Howell reporters hanging out, waiting to see who’s there and available for and Ben Zobrist — but hockey players just seem to “get it.” I think part of questions. A bigger player like Lavonte David or Mike Evans will draw a it is the culture they grew up in, with it taking a community and a ton of large semicircle around his locker: TV cameras, radio microphones and family sacrifice for all the travel in junior and the expenses to make it to print/online reporters taking video on cellphones. You rarely need more the pro level. than five minutes or so for such an interview. If you’re writing something But it’s also the fact that the NHL isn’t the most popular sport, so maybe specific about a player, you can usually get them on the side after the players feel like they have to sell the game a bit. The access helps. other reporters are done, but this can depend on the player and what There are typically fewer media, especially in Tampa, where you can kind of relationship you have with them. have a one-on-one conversation or make small talk with a player after Some players avoid open locker room pretty consistently. That’s certainly each morning skate when the room is typically open for 20-plus minutes. their right, and some guys just don’t like doing interviews. If you’re doing Players will chat as they take off their skates and pads before heading a more in-depth feature and need a player, the Bucs are pretty good into a changing room or weight room. The head coach talks after each about asking for a window where you can sit down with someone, and morning skate and practice and then postgame. you’ll generally get better answers in that private setup than with a bunch You wonder why certain players are quoted postgame? The regular of cameras in their face. The Bucs have a shorter walkthrough practice group of media — myself, the Times’ Diana Nearhos, NHL.com’s Corey on Fridays, and we usually can get a player or two on Fridays as they Long and the Lightning’s Bryan Burns — will agree on a group of 3-4 come off the field, especially if they haven’t talked during the week. players we’d like to speak with after the game. The Lightning PR staff Practices are also set up very carefully. By policy, we’re allowed to see brings them out one at a time for a scrum in the dressing room. the first half-hour of practices during the season, and the team is careful We usually ask for players who had a big impact on the game, were part not to show too much in that window — lots of stretching, players working of the day’s big news, or could provide perspective on something that in position drills, very little that would show you a functional depth chart. happened. There doesn’t seem to be such a wall put up between hockey Much of that half-hour for us is just checking on who’s there and not players and members of the media, depending on the athlete, as I’ve there, setting up potential news if a player isn’t practicing (or missing been grateful that guys like Luke Witkowski have allowed me to go written or a tough interview. Greg and Josh, do you have any memorable fishing with him, and Yanni Gourde had me over his house for a story on examples of such a conflict? his first Christmas as a father. Brian Boyle did the same when he was with the Lightning, and I feel it really gives fans a window into their Auman: I’ve been fortunate in that I haven’t had that many personalities. confrontations. I can remember a basketball coach dropping f-bombs during a cellphone conversation as I watched my son’s Little League Tolentino: How do you guys go about navigating relationships with baseball practice. Most everybody who covered the Bucs when Warren coaches and the front office? I feel like those relationships can be very Sapp was there has some kind of Sapp story, and one time when I was different from the ones that you develop with players? For example, the helping out on Bucs coverage while with the St. Petersburg Times, Sapp Rays’ brain trust is made up of a very smart and mostly young group that was convinced I was someone else. He got up from the stool at his lives off industry advancements and analytics. At times, it may feel hard locker and said he couldn’t believe I would come all the way over from to relate to them and you need to instead rely on intellectual conversation Daytona Beach like nothing had happened. I told him that I wasn’t from rather than straight baseball talk to help drive the relationship. Is it like Daytona, showed him my credential, but he insisted he knew who I was. that with the Lightning or Bucs? Good times.

Auman: This is a good question. I feel like Josh and Joe have a little For the most part, for all the losses I’ve covered with the Bucs, players advantage because they’ve been able to work with the same are still fairly well-behaved. You’ll definitely have guys who don’t want to coach/manager for so long on their beats. Last year was my seventh talk after a loss, but it’s usually just a polite no when you approach them season covering the Bucs, and I’m on my fourth head coach. That means in the locker room. Lots of fun stories on the beat of more colorful not just new coaches but new assistants, so you’re starting to build trust interactions back when guys like Aqib Talib were on the roster, for sure. again from scratch in some cases. I’ve had the same GM since 2014 in Jason Licht, and I feel like there’s a good relationship there. He knows Smith: I’ve been pretty lucky, too. There haven’t been too many how I operate, I know for the most part how he works, and you build confrontations. What I’ve always tried to do as a beat writer is to be fair, relationships with people all over the building. The Bucs have a great PR even when you have to be critical. And I always made sure I was there in staff, and there’s a good trust there as well where I can pitch ideas on the locker room the next day after a negative piece just in case there stories, and they’ll do what they can to help make them happen. A team were some players or coaches who took issue. is so much more than just the players on the field, so it can help a lot I do remember, however, after a Lightning game in Columbus, I got a text when you know trainers and equipment guys and other support staff by from Yzerman with a screenshot of one of my tweets and a message to name. Some of the best stories on a team might be people that fans “Call me.” Now, my tweet might have had a little edge to it, but I didn’t don’t know or wouldn’t recognize on TV. think it was that bad. I wrote after a Columbus turnover led to a Tampa With players, I think it’s really important to humanize them so fans get to Bay goal that the Blue Jackets tried “a Lightning-like blind back pass.” know them beyond their stats. I’m in a weird place now where I’m older Yzerman did not like it, and we had a phone call about it, but we were than all the players I cover — I’ve got Brady by like two years — and fine afterward. It reminded me how careful we need to be on social even some of the coaches. I like that there are always common things we media. Don’t tweet anything you wouldn’t feel comfortable writing in your can talk about, whether it’s veteran players with kids and marriage and story or saying to a source face to face. work/life balance, talking to guys about food and restaurants or things we Believe it or not, I also have a Warren Sapp story. I was helping our Bucs all know like TV and movies and other sports where they’re fans. You writers at the Times years ago when Sapp was going to be inducted into strike up a conversation with a new player, and it’s fun how quickly you the Hall of Fame. My assignment was to do a story on Sapp’s hometown can find a mutual friend, a coach someone played for, a common thread of Plymouth, Fla. He always said he was from “dirt,” so I went to explore that helps build a bond down the road. his earlier influences. Interestingly enough, Sapp was in town that day, Smith: When I took over as the Lightning beat writer in 2014, the first GM too, and when he heard I was on campus at his old high school talking to I covered was Steve Yzerman. Now it could seem a bit intimidating former coaches and teachers, he gave me a call and an earful. “Stop considering his iconic stature in the game (and my hometown of Detroit), what you’re doing.” Sapp didn’t know me, was probably anxious about but I found Yzerman very approachable and, for the most part, what I was doing, but I felt the story turned out pretty well. accommodating over the years. He wouldn’t give you scoops, and the But my most memorable confrontation, if you’d call it that, came on the staff around him knew full well there would be trouble if there were any Rays beat in 2010. I was the backup to Rays writer Marc Topkin and was leaks. But I always appreciated that Yzerman took care of the local beat covering a Sunday day game at Tropicana Field. There was big news writers by being available if we needed him on a certain subject. He that day, as outfielder Pat Burrell had been designated for assignment, didn’t cozy up to a national writer where we’d end up seeing breaking ending his disappointing tenure with the team after having signed for two Lightning news on TSN or ESPN. years and $16 million to be “Pat the Bat” in the middle of the order. I was You start to build relationships with small interactions on team planes or writing the story on Burrell getting cut and had to make the always-tough at practices, where I’d ask him about his three daughters (one of whom call to the veteran to see if he had any comment. I reached Burrell was attending the University of Michigan, where I went) or his passion for initially, introduced myself and started a question, but then the phone cut Premier League Soccer. You build trust in being fair with the work that out. I thought it was just a bad connection, but when I tried to text back, I you do covering the team. You certainly quote players more than you do got an unforgettable response. executives in this job, and the dynamic is a little different with the players “Lose my fucking number.” being younger and you generally having more access to them. But I’ve found the executives with the Lightning, including new GM Julien A simple “No comment” would have been nice. BriseBois, to be accessible, even if it’s an off-the-record check-in. Tolentino: Similarly, I’ve been fortunate to not have that many tough BriseBois typically has interview requests go through PR more than confrontations. One particularly tense moment that sticks out, though, Yzerman did, and that is each person’s preference. was during one of my first days on the Rays beat when I walked into the Former Lightning GM Steve Yzerman (left) and current GM Julien clubhouse at Charlotte Sports Park and former outfielder Tommy Pham BriseBois during a news conference Sept. 11, 2018, in Tampa. (Scott waved me over to his locker. Pham and I had a minor disagreement over Audette / Tampa Bay Lightning) a tweet I had sent out earlier that day discussing his arbitration. Nothing was done maliciously, but he made a fair point and I kept his thoughts in But I’ve found approaching him or other scouts and executives with the the back of my mind moving forward. That initial interaction with Pham, team to be fairly smooth, even if you’re not necessarily quoting them on however, ended up being quite a positive thing. every interaction (one of my favorite interviews, however, was a sitdown with owner Jeff Vinik in the living room of his South Tampa home last As the season progressed, Pham opened up more and more with me. summer). As with players, you don’t want every discussion with them to Our relationship blossomed. We shared similar interests in music and be when you need something from them. There should be some give and fashion, and I felt like we got to the point where we could relate to each take. As Greg said, one of the most interesting aspects of our jobs is other. These types of relationships with players allowed me to pursue being able to personalize and humanize these athletes, and getting them some unique story angles, like when Pham and I visited the Negro to open up and share their stories doesn’t happen automatically. League Baseball Museum together during a road trip in Kansas City.

I know there are going to be conflicts in this job with people we cover, Baseball is different since there are games nearly every day. No matter whether it’s a player or exec who’s upset with something critical we’ve what happens the night before, players arrive at the stadium the following day with a renewed mindset, and that gives us reporters, too, a fresh Game No. 162 when Evan Longoria homered to lift the Rays into the start. Of course, the Rays were pretty good last year and winning does wild-card game (somehow writing a Longoria sidebar in 15 minutes to help brighten the mood, but when you’re dealing with elite athletes who beat deadline after the champagne-soaked clubhouse scene). are among the best/most competitive in the world, running into confrontation is almost inevitable. It’s a big part of this job that keeps us To me, there’s nothing better than covering a team on a long playoff run, on our toes. all the stories, the flights, the late nights and early mornings. It makes for something special when you’re given a front-row seat. That’s why I Rays outfielder Tommy Pham talks with reporters before Game 5 of the enjoyed the Lightning’s run to the 2015 Stanley Cup final and a couple of 2019 ALDS against the Astros. (Troy Taormina / USA Today) other Eastern Conference Game 7s.

Auman: To wrap this up, what’s been your best experience on the beat? I’ve been really fortunate, getting to cover Stanley Cup finals, a Super Bowl, a World Series and Frozen and Final Fours. But some of the best Tolentino: There were plenty of highlights during last year’s 96-win memories are those stories where you really get to provide a window into season by the Rays, but the peaks were obviously the club’s iconic wins the world of a reader’s favorite player, like my trip to Victor Hedman’s in Toronto and Oakland, when Tampa Bay clinched a postseason spot hometown of “Ovik” in Sweden or fishing for tarpon with Luke Witkowski. for the first time since 2013 and then later advanced to the AL Division Getting paid to go on the beautiful bay water in St. Petersburg and catch Series. fish?

There’s nothing quite like being inside the clubhouse while players and No wonder they call it a dream job. coaches are dousing each other in champagne and beer. As I prepared for the team’s final series of the regular season against Toronto, I asked The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 several veteran reporters for advice on how to cover a postseason- clinching club, and many of them said “wear it,” in reference to the champagne being poured onto you and the burning sensation in your eyes that follows. During those two bottle-popping celebrations, I was among those doused several times by different players, and it burned every time. The biggest thrill is capturing those moments — both inside your head and on a soaked recorder — in real time. It was a big party for the team, but it’s the adrenaline rush that follows while typing up your story that makes this job the absolute best.

The Athletic also encourages us to pursue unique, one-of-a-kind stories. For me, a lot of that has revolved around one-on-one time with players. Some of my favorite stories over the past year include flying cross- country to Blake Snell’s hometown in Washington state, riding from Bradenton to Port Charlotte in Charlie Morton’s Mercedes-Benz, sitting in the stands with Mike Brosseau’s best friends during his MLB debut and visiting top two-way prospect Brendan McKay in the minors just a month before his own big-league debut.

Auman: Best moments on the beat? Seven years covering the Bucs has meant four head coaches and zero playoff games, but there have certainly been fun moments. When the Bucs were working to hire a head coach in January 2016, I took a bit of a gamble and went to a local high school gym where Dirk Koetter’s younger son had a basketball game scheduled. Koetter was coming off hip surgery and walking very gingerly, but at halftime when he went outside for a walk, I approached him and he laughed and we talked for a few minutes as he did a lap outside. Even in that context, Koetter was very careful not to say too much about the job and where he stood, but it established that I’d take an extra step to try to get things right on the beat. When Koetter got the job and the Bucs held a big press conference, Koetter mentioned our interaction from the podium. As a reporter, you don’t like to be part of the story, but it was a funny anecdote at least.

When Ryan Fitzpatrick stepped in as starter during Jameis Winston’s suspension at the start of the 2018 season, there was a hilarious viral- video moment where Fitzpatrick borrowed DeSean Jackson’s jacket and gold chains and sunglasses for his postgame presser after the Bucs beat the Eagles. Fitzpatrick has a great sense of humor to begin with, and him deadpanning while dressed that way was really funny as it unfolded. Then DeSean came in from the locker room, shirtless, and Fitzpatrick said he could only take a few more questions because he had to give Jackson his stuff back. Just a really fun moment to take in, so it was cool to be able to weave that into the craziness of Fitzmagic as part of their 2- 0 start that season.

There haven’t been a ton of meaningful games to cover since I’ve been on the beat full-time, but I got to help out at the end of the 2002 season, even going to Philadelphia and then spending a week in San Diego covering the Super Bowl. That’s always going to be a highlight: that feeling of covering the biggest thing going on in sports at any given moment. I went up in a blimp for a story a few days before the game, talked to comedian Steve Martin, just lots of little things like that in addition to covering the biggest game and moments in a franchise’s history. I’m always grateful for that.

Smith: To be part of the improbable 2008 run to the World Series my “rookie” year on the Rays beat is something I’ll never forget. All the personalities, the brawls, the baseball history. I remember standing in the auxiliary press box at Tropicana Field (the party deck) and feeling the rafters shake during the national anthem. I also covered the infamous 1175051 Toronto Maple Leafs game,’ ” Gilmour said. “I’m in the backyard having a cocktail going, ‘Oh my god. Come on. Replay that again. Fast forward, run it back. Come on — that’s not a call.’”

Ex-Leaf Doug Gilmour looks back at the Wayne Gretzky high stick in The result of that series has left Leafs fans with some one of the great 1993 and sees ‘the worst officiated game you can imagine’ what-ifs in franchise lore. What if Bob McKenzie, then of the Star and now a TSN insider, hadn’t written a Game 5 column about how Gretzky looked to be skating “with a piano on his back”? Teammates of the notoriously media-conscious Gretzky, after all, will tell you they openly By Dave Feschuk Sports Columnist Tue., May 26, 2020timer8 min. read celebrated when they read criticism they knew would spur No. 99 to raise his level of play.

Our occasional series, Hindsight In 2020, digs into some of the most As Gretzky would tell his agent, Mike Barnett, in the lead-up to a Game 7 significant moves and moments in Toronto sports history: hirings and in which he scored a hat trick: “The piano man still has one more tune left firings, trades and non-trades, things you knew a little bit about or didn’t to play.” know at all. This week, Wayne Gretzky, the high stick and the end of the What if the NHL didn’t have such a severe punishment for high sticks that Maple Leafs’ 1993 playoff run ... drew blood in those 1993 playoffs? Clark, to this day, believes Gretzky It is 27 years since the most infamous non-call in Maple Leafs history, but would have been whistled for the high stick if it wouldn’t have come everyone remembers the lasting Images from overtime of Game 6 of the attached to a non-negotiable game misconduct, as per the rule book of 1993 Campbell Conference final. the era.

Doug Gilmour obviously had blood on his chin. Kerry Fraser and his “The penalty would have been called under today’s rules (in which a linesmen clearly had blind spots. Wayne Gretzky, instead of being rightly blood-drawing high stick gets a double-minor penalty),” Clark said. “I ejected for a high stick, scored the winner that set up a Game 7 believe that all three officials knew what happened on the ice. But you’re heartbreak at Maple Leaf Gardens and unleashed a torrent of bitterness kicking he best player in the game out. And that’s a tough one.” that still lingers. Wayne Gretzky's Game 7 hat trick against the Maple Leafs in 1993 came And as much as the story of Toronto’s near miss has been told and retold after his high stick on Doug Gilmour went uncalled in Game 6 and he through the decades, it took the coronavirus for Gilmour to do something scored the overtime winner to force the deciding game. he’d never done before: That is, watch Game 6. And to Gilmour’s point, never mind the missed high stick. What if Glenn “I’ve seen the high stick many times, obviously. But I’d never watched Andersen hadn’t been called for boarding Rob Blake with 13 seconds that full game,” Gilmour said recently. remaining in regulation? Though the non-call on Gretzky is the eternal hot button, both Clark and Gilmour look back on the Anderson penalty as It was in the early days of the pandemic lockdown that Gilmour, the the true game-changer. It allowed the Kings to begin overtime on the leading scorer and double-shifting linchpin of that well-remembered Leafs power play — a man advantage on which they seized to series-extending era, sat down for one of the most heavily dissected matches in the effect. Anderson has since claimed he was used as a scapegoat by pantheon of Toronto sports as it was replayed on Sportsnet. That is not teammates in the dressing room in the wake of Game 6. something every key participant can say they’ve done. Wendel Clark, Gilmour’s beloved teammate who scored a hat trick that went for naught “I know they were blaming me. They were looking for an excuse,” he was on the night in question, said he has still never seen Game 6 in full and quoted as saying in Damien Cox’s book, “The Last Good Year.” has no intention of ever seeking it out. All these years later, both Gilmour and Clark shake their heads at the “I don’t watch the old stuff,” Clark said. “I played my sport. I played it as memory of that call. hard as I could. If it worked out, great. If it didn’t, that’s life. I don’t dwell “If I’m reffing, I let the teams decide it in overtime,” Clark said. “But that’s on anything.” neither here nor there. If we were good enough, we would have won Kelly Hrudey, the Los Angeles goaltender of record who’s now a “Hockey Game 7.” Night in Canada” staple, said he was “surprised” that Gilmour could bring Still, even those who’ll acknowledge that Game 6 wasn’t one of the finer himself to lay his eyes on such a heartbreaking defeat. displays of big-game officiating in living memory will insist that “He’s a far greater man than I am. I can watch those games because we Anderson’s hit from behind on Blake was a misdeed worthy of its won. But I still can’t watch the (ensuing Cup final) series versus Montreal punishment. because we didn’t,” Hrudey said. “It’s still too raw and painful for me, so “You can fault Kerry all you want for a lot of the game, or most of the I’m surprised Doug Gilmour could do that.” game, but that particular play was a penalty,” Hrudey said. “That was not And yet Gilmour watched. And perhaps not surprisingly, sitting alone in a good play by Glenn.” front of a TV mounted poolside in his Toronto backyard, Gilmour Perhaps in part because Toronto hasn’t come closer to a post-1967 admitted he was rankled by what he saw. Stanley Cup before or since, the series ended with bad feelings. Gretzky “You know what? Truthfully, that had to be the worst officiated game you was great, sure, sending L.A. to its first Stanley Cup final by playing what can imagine,” Gilmour said. “Not even the high stick, but all the other he has often described as the best game of his incomparable career. penalties (Fraser) missed. What a joke. I can’t wait to see him one day Gretzky’s team won Game 7, 5-4. But the Kings still remember a distinct and tell him, ‘OK, you missed the high stick. That’s fine. But what a bad lack of post-series sportsmanship in the streets of a city not often known game you reffed.’ ” for incivility.

For many years before he’d actually watched Game 6, Gilmour had “It was a nasty feeling around the Gardens that night. Everyone else was urged Maple Leaf fans to let bygones by bygones — to cease and desist mad and angry, scowls on their faces, a lot of yelling and screaming,” with their hostilities toward the officials who presided over a game in said , a Maple Leafs defenceman in the early 1980s who which the Kings, playing in the Los Angeles Forum, scored four of their coached the Kings during their Gretzky-led run. “I think Leaf fans thought five goals on the power play, including the overtime decider. Fraser and this was the year to exorcise the demons. They had a really good team. his family, after all, have endured copious abuse from the get-go, They had home ice in the playoffs. So they felt it really was their time. everything from property damage to verbal tirades. And the 67-year-old And when they lost, it was one of those, ‘Here we go again.’ ” Fraser, who hung up his NHL stripes in 2010 and has since been Not that there weren’t classless gestures from the other side’s supporters diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, has repeatedly fallen on his sword, in the course of the classic tête-à-tête. Earlier in the series, Kings fans, at for years acknowledging the missed high stick and faithfully re-explaining the urging of an L.A. radio station, made fun of Leafs coach Pat Burns’ it to anyone who asked. girth by sending doughnuts to his Santa Monica hotel. At one count 13 But Gilmour said watching the game made him finally see it through the dozen had arrived. After Game 7, though, Melrose remembers eyes of the Toronto faithful who’ve had a difficult time letting it rest. disgruntled Toronto fans attempting to pelt the Kings with projectiles as they exited the arena en route to a bus parked only a few steps across a “I’m just like everybody else. I’m a hockey fan. I lived it. I played it. But sidewalk. Hrudey, in a recent interview, said he was “disgusted” with the I’m sitting there thinking, ‘This is getting me frustrated, just watching this behaviour of Toronto fans on that night 27 years ago, although he declined to elaborate on the specifics.

“I was disappointed (in Leaf fans),” Hrudey said. “As Canadians, we’re better than that.”

“I think (Kings forward) Luc (Robitaille) got hit in the head with an egg,” said Mike Donnelly, the L.A. forward who scored the third-period goal that put the Kings ahead for good in Game 7. “They were throwing stuff at us, screaming, angry. There was a lot of emotion. I’d never seen anything like that before.”

Said Melrose: “It was, ‘Run to the bus as fast as you can and get protected.’ It was crazy. They were shaking the bus. We were getting out of there before one of us did something stupid or one of them did something stupid.”

In a city where the Maple Leafs haven’t won a playoff series since 2004, Gilmour said he still regularly meets fans who feel a need to vent their frustrations about a result that’s nearly 30 years in the rear-view.

“When I go places or do banquets, people just want to talk about 1993,” Gilmour said.

Now that Gilmour has actually watched Game 6 — he’s yet to view Game 7 but figures he’ll eventually get to it — it’s possible he is more inclined to share in their disgruntlement.

“I can’t just blame Kerry. I have to blame the other two (linesmen Ron Finn and Kevin Collins),” Gilmour said. “I always joke, if I could go back before I retired, if I had one more game to play, I’d go back on the ice, mess up Kerry’s hair, and then go off and say goodbye. But it’s over and done with. And I always say, we had Game 7 at home. The best player in the world beat us, unfortunately.’ But it’s fun to watch. There’s good times, bad times. But you’re reliving memories.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175052 Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs have clinched a playoff spot — or a play-in spot, at least

By Kevin McGran

The Maple Leafs will play the Columbus Blue Jackets in a best-of-five series to the reach the round of 16 of the NHL playoffs, according to a plan released by the league Monday.

It is the first time the two teams will have met in any kind of post-season play. The Leafs took three of a possible four points from Columbus in the regular season. Both games were in October, when Mike Babcock was still the Leafs’ head coach.

The winner of the play-in series will move on to the round of 16, officially the first round of the playoffs. If the league opts to go with a playoff bracket, the opponent would be the Eastern Conference’s top seed. That will be determined in a round robin among the top four teams for the regular season. It remains possible the league could reseed teams after the play-in round.

The loser of Leafs-Blue Jackets series could also end up with a top-three draft pick. The bottom seven teams, whose seasons are done, will have the odds weighted in their favour in the June 26 draft lottery for the top three picks. They will be joined by eight placeholders, which will eventually be filled by the losers of the eight play-in series. If a placeholder wins one or more of the top three selections, another draw will be held prior to the conference final to determine who fills the placeholder pick or picks.

The Leafs have traded their first-round pick to the Carolina Hurricanes, but there’s a condition on it. If the Leafs end up picking in the top 10 — now a possibility — the Leafs can retain their 2020 pick, and give Carolina a 2021 first-rounder instead.

Toronto Star LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175053 Toronto Maple Leafs Hub cities Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton are the Canadian cities vying to be

one of the two hubs that will hold the playoffs. The Eastern Conference The NHL announces its 24-team play-in and playoff format, and Toronto teams will go to one hub. The Western Conference teams will go to the could factor in any scenario other. One of those hubs will host the Cup final.

If Toronto ends up becoming a hub city, the Leafs could play in the other hub. That would avoid having fans gather outside the By Kevin McGran Staff Reporter Tue., May 26, 2020 for Leafs games, a danger during the pandemic.

“We certainly see some merit to moving the club to a different market, so that any perceived advantages associated with being in a home market The Maple Leafs will play the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of are eliminated,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly, speaking on the the NHL playoffs, which is now called a qualifying round. same call. Toronto is in the running to host the Stanley Cup final as a hub city. The situation might be unavoidable for the Stanley Cup final, if a team And the Leafs could — and we’re serious here — end up with the first makes it and its city is the host market. overall pick in the NHL draft. But the quarantining situation could preclude any of the Canadian cities There was a lot to digest as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman formalized from becoming hubs. The Canadian government currently requires the league’s plans to return to action, officially ending the regular season anyone crossing a border to self-quarantine for 14 days. If that guideline that was cut short on March 12 by the coronavirus pandemic and remains strict, “we won’t be in a position to use any of the Canadian introducing a 24-team tournament for the league championship. cities as a hub city,” Daly said. “We’re faced with having to find a solution to that. Hopefully we can.” The first thing to remember is that nothing is set in stone and that no NHL games will go ahead — even games with no fans — if local health Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul and authorities and local governments prevent teams from gathering on the Pittsburgh are also vying to be hubs. ice. “We don’t need to make a decision today,” Bettman said. “We’ll probably “Obviously, everything we’re focused on starts with health and safety and need to make one in three to four weeks. And at that point, we will be people’s well being,” Bettman said in a video conference call via Zoom. able to better evaluate how COVID-19 is in a particular place.” “But we think we’ve been able to work very collaboratively with the (NHL) Crossing borders Players’ Association and the players to come up with a framework that is fair and has integrity and should result in a terrific competitive playoffs Daly said players returning to their NHL cities for training camp should and, ultimately, the awarding of the best trophy in all of sports.” not have any issues crossing the border into either Canada or the United States. Those coming into Canada, however, will have to self-isolate for Bettman and the NHL offered up some hope that, somewhere around 14 days. mid-July, training camps would open and that sometime in the fall the Stanley Cup would be awarded. And somewhere along the way, the draft “The acting director of Homeland Security, in the last three days I — with a convoluted formula to determine the first three picks — will take believe, signed an order that made professional athletes essential place. personnel and allows them to travel into the United States,” Daly said. “We’ve reached an understanding with Canadian government that “It’s been an important day for sports, and for the NHL,” Bettman said. “In players can cross the Canadian border, as well. The one issue that we this incredibly unique, difficult and trying time, we hope that this was a continue to work actively on is the mandatory federal quarantine.” step back toward normalcy.” The starting point Maple Leafs-Blue Jackets Bettman chose not to give specific dates for any return or anything that The Leafs will play Columbus in a best-of-five series to qualify for the might follow. The most specific he got was suggesting the Cup could be NHL’s round of 16. It’s the first time the two teams will have met in any awarded in the “fall.” kind of post-season plays. The Leafs took three of a possible four points from Columbus in the regular season. Both games were in October, “If we’re in training camp, mid-July that would be a good thing,” he said. when Mike Babcock was still Toronto’s head coach. “And if we could be playing by the end of July, beginning of August, that would be a good thing too, but if it has to slide more then it’ll slide. The winner of the play-in series will move on to the round of 16, officially There’s a reason that we’re not giving you dates now, because anybody the first round of the playoffs. If the league opts to go with a playoff who gives you a date is guessing. And we think we’d rather take a more bracket, the opponent would be the Eastern Conference’s top seed. That holistic approach to doing this.” will be determined in a round robin among the top four teams for the regular season. It remains possible the league could reseed teams after Positive tests each round based on the regular-season standings rather. If a player or two tests positive, the NHL won’t necessarily shut “The issue is really going to be whether or not we go into brackets, or we everything down. They will follow the advice of the medical community. reseed,” Bettman said. “We prefer, as a general matter, brackets for a whole host of reasons. We told the players who have been debating it “One single positive test, depending on the circumstance, should not internally, if they have a preference, we’re happy to abide by it.” necessarily shut the whole operation down,” Daly said. “Obviously we can’t be in a situation where we have an outbreak. That will affect our The draft lottery ability to continue playing, but a single positive test or isolated positive tests, throughout a two-month tournament, should not necessarily mean The lottery for the first three draft picks will be held June 26, well before an end to the tournament.’ even training camps resume. The seven teams not returning will have the best odds for winning the lottery, starting with the last-place Detroit Red Toronto Star LOADED: 05.27.2020 Wings who have an 18.5 per cent chance of getting the top pick.

But the league wants 15 teams in the lottery, so it will add eight unnamed placeholders for the eight teams that will be eliminated in the qualifying round. If a placeholder wins any of the lottery picks, another lottery will be held to determine which of the eliminated teams is that lucky placeholder.

So if the Leafs end up losing to Columbus, and a placeholder wins the lottery, and the Leafs win the draw to be that placeholder, the top pick could land at Toronto’s feet. The Leafs have traded their first overall pick to Carolina this year, but would be able to retain that pick if it’s in the top 10. Carolina would then get the Leafs’ first-rounder in 2021. 1175054 Toronto Maple Leafs Both teams would be close to full health, and for Toronto, getting defenceman Jake Muzzin and forward Ilya Mikheyev, who were injured when the season was paused, back for the penalty-kill would be crucial.

With season officially done, Leafs can look ahead to possible return, The Leafs and Jackets were to play each other on March 21 for the third Columbus series and final time of the season. They met twice, with each team winning once, but not since Oct. 21.

Individually, the Leafs had some good things going for them when play Terry Koshan was halted. Matthews was Matthews; Marner wound up with 67 points in 59 games, and captain John Tavares finished with 60 points in 63

games, giving him 148 in 145 in his first two seasons with Toronto. Rick Vaive’s Maple Leafs record is safe. William Nylander and Zach Hyman shone, and Rasmus Sandin was taking steps on the blue line. For now. The final dozen games, record-wise, summed up the Leafs’ season to a With the news — which was expected — on Tuesday afternoon that the degree. There were inconsistencies as they went 6-5-1, winning their 2019-20 National Hockey League regular season is over, Auston final game against Tampa Bay after going 0-2-1 on a three-game trip Matthews’ charge for the Leafs’ franchise goal-scoring mark will have to through California that produced only three goals. wait until the 2020-21 season. We buy into what many players have said during the past two months — Vaive’s 54 goals in 1981-82 will remain the most in team history. that teams that are the youngest and most-skilled would have the best shot out of the gate. The Leafs would glide effortlessly into that category. When the NHL went on pause on March 12, Matthews had 47 goals in 70 games, with 50 a true probability and a shot at Vaive’s record perhaps a Now let’s keep our fingers crossed that the NHL positives revealed on little more difficult. Tuesday become reality in the coming months.

Matthews will score 50 at some point, and we would bet he eventually Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.27.2020 breaks Vaive’s record. And not that Matthews would require it, but he can take solace in the fact he led the Leafs in scoring with 80 points, the first time since he was an NHL rookie in 2016-17 that he finished a season as the Leafs’ scoring champ. In the two seasons in between, Mitch Marner led the Leafs in scoring. Count on one of the two finishing atop the Leafs for the foreseeable future.

Anyway, the confirmation of the conclusion of the regular season was one of several highlights in NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s return-to- play announcements from the comfort of his own home on Tuesday. In a following interview on the Tim & Sid Show on Sportsnet, Bettman said there’s “light at the end of the tunnel” for the NHL as it puts plans in place to return in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

It’s expected the NHL will begin Phase 2 of the return to play in early June, with players moving back to their home facilities for voluntary, small-group, on- and off-ice training.

Phase 3, if the green light is given by medical and civil authorities, would include formal training camps, but not earlier than the first half of July.

Phase 4 would include what players and fans have been pining for since the NHL went on pause on March 12: The competition for the Stanley Cup with 12 teams in two hub cities, of which Toronto remains one of 10 in contention.

Bettman stressed the health and safety of players and club personnel was paramount, and the timing for the start of Phase 4 is to be determined.

Of course, the plans to return to play are at the whim of the coronavirus. It could be that we don’t see the NHL again until the start of the 2020-21 season, and there’s no certainty as to when that would be.

Let’s assume the NHL’s plans fall into place as the league hopes, even if there are moving dates on the calendar.

Toronto ended the season with a record of 36-25-9 for 81 points, including going 27-15-5 under Sheldon Keefe after the firing of Mike Babcock last November.

The Leafs, seeded eighth in the Eastern Conference based on points percentage, indeed, would play the ninth-seed Columbus Blue Jackets in the play-in qualifying round, with the best-of-five representing the first post-season matchup of the teams.

To put it simply, the series would pit the Leafs’ high-octane offence (their 3.39 goals a game was third in the NHL) against the Blue Jackets’ stifling, nose-to-the-grindstone defence (their 2.61 goals-against a game tied for third-fewest in the NHL).

We wouldn’t want to take anything away from Keefe, but the Jackets would have an edge behind the bench in coach John Tortorella, considering his NHL experience compared to Keefe (1,327), but we would take Frederik Andersen over Elvis Merzlikins or Joonas Korpisalo in goal. 1175055 Toronto Maple Leafs The Leafs could use the boost. Pierre Engvall had one goal in his past 26 games, while Kerfoot had just a single goal himself over 21 games. Kasperi Kapanen had three goals over his past 27 games. Add Robertson, who led the OHL with 55 goals, and Sheldon Keefe can trot Maple Leafs return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts out an alluring forward group that looks something like this: Toronto William Nylander Auston Matthews Zach Hyman

Ilya Mikheyev John Tavares Mitch Marner By James Mirtle and Jonas Siegel May 26, 2020 Nick Robertson Alex Kerfoot

Kasperi Kapanen Hockey is one step closer to coming back. Kyle Clifford Pierre Engvall Jason Spezza With that, we thought it would be helpful to refresh your memory on the state of the Maple Leafs heading into the pause and their prospects for a It might not matter now after such a long layoff, but Frederik Andersen Stanley Cup if the NHL does in fact resume the 2019-20 season later this was having his sturdiest stretch in months when the season came to a summer. halt, going 5-1-1 with a .931 save percentage in his past seven starts.

Where they were when the shutdown began: The Leafs put together one Maybe the most intriguing question at the time of the pause, beyond the of their better performances in months in the last game before the pause, usual consistency drama, was how the top two lines would shake out. a thorough 2-1 win over the Lightning in which Morgan Rielly returned After months together, Marner and Auston Matthews were finally split up from an eight-week absence due to a broken foot. — with Marner rejoining Tavares against Tampa and William Nylander reconnecting with Matthews. Which direction does Keefe turn now? Before that? More of the Jekyll and Hyde play that defined their 2019-20 season. A three-game trip in California in early March ended with a single Their path to a Stanley Cup: point (0-2-1) and three goals scored — total. “People are just gonna start 1. Beat Columbus in a five-game play-in series and get on us,” Mitch Marner said after the third loss in Anaheim, preaching calm while sounding anything but. “We’re a team. We know 2. Face either Boston/Tampa/Washington or Philadelphia in a best of five what to say to each other to get ourselves going.” or best of seven in Round 1

All that scuffling left the Leafs only just hanging on to the third playoff 3. Potentially face two more of those four teams in Rounds 2 and 3 position in the Atlantic Division – three points ahead of Florida with the Panthers having a game in hand – before the season stopped. According 4. If they survive that gauntlet, the Leafs would get a Western to our calculations, Toronto had an 80 percent chance of finishing third in Conference opponent in an undisclosed location for a best-of-seven the Atlantic and an 86 percent chance of making the playoffs when the Stanley Cup Final shutdown began. It’s not going to be easy, that’s for sure.

What the new format means: Bettman confirmed on Tuesday the Leafs Their chances of winning it all: “I think we’ve got as good a chance as would face the Columbus Blue Jackets in the play-in round before the full anybody,” Barrie said on a conference call earlier this month. “With the 16-team playoff would begin. With the top-four Eastern Conference skill on our team, and we’re a fairly young team — if anybody can come teams receiving a bye, and the next eight ranked one through eight, the out of this thing ready to rock, it’s gonna be us.” Leafs would be the No. 8 seed and the Blue Jackets the No. 9. A best-of- five series would determine who moved on to face one of the top four He’s not wrong. Most of the reasons that gave the Leafs justifiable hope clubs: Boston, Tampa, Washington or Philadelphia. It’s not clear yet of contending for a Cup in 2020 remain. Their skill level is up there with whether that series would be a best of five or seven. The conference any team in hockey. No team, in fact, scored more (3.5 goals per game) finals and the Stanley Cup Final will be a best of seven. after Keefe took over the bench in late November.

Does the new format hurt or help? Few teams league-wide would be We’ve yet to see how the new coach could impact a playoff series or affected as negatively as the Leafs under this new format. Toronto goes what kind of destruction new-and-improved versions of Matthews and from having an 86 percent chance of playing in Round 1 to needing to Nylander can impose. Despite his difficult season, Andersen feels like the win a toss-up play-in series against Columbus, a team that had an kind of goalie capable of delivering five rounds of stability in net while identical record (81 points in 70 games) when the season was halted. Rielly, Barrie and Dermott all have game-changing ability on the back end. Speed and skill has won it all before. (See: The Pittsburgh Penguins Making matters worse, the Blue Jackets were really beat up all season – in 2016 and 2017.) leading the NHL in man-games lost with more than 400 – and would be far healthier by this theoretical July play-in than they had been for most of And, yet, all the simmering concerns of the regular season — which the season. largely led to the firing of Mike Babcock back in November — remain: the wobbly, inattentive defensive play and the inability to sustain well- What the Leafs would lose the most in this arrangement would be the rounded performances over more than a game or two. Winning the whole protection that the divisional playoff format had given them, as earning tournament, without better defensive structure and more consistency — third in the Atlantic was a relatively easy task compared to the dogfight in a format that challenges the Leafs — feels all but impossible. that the Metropolitan Division was among its top seven teams. Toronto has had a weird season, almost from the beginning. Is this weird How the time off impacted the team: There’s good news here as the year for the NHL when they finally put it all together? Leafs will be as healthy as they’ve been all season when things resume. Andreas Johnsson is the only injured man at the moment, done for the Bonus question: What happens to the Leafs first-round pick? The NHL’s year after knee surgery. Sidelined before the break, Jake Muzzin will be new lottery format is incredibly complicated. But it will allow teams that back from a broken knuckle on his right hand and Ilya Mikheyev will get lose in the play-in tournament to potentially land the No. 1 overall pick — his first taste of game action since his right wrist was sliced at the end of or otherwise move up. December. Toronto dealt its first-rounder to Carolina in the Patrick Marleau trade last In other words, the Leafs will be adding their best defensive defenceman June. But the pick was top-10 protected, which means if the Leafs and a much-needed winger for the top six. That has a huge ripple effect somehow end up winning the lottery and picking higher than 11th overall, on the rest of the lineup. Muzzin and Justin Holl can resume top-line they will defer the traded pick to the 2021 draft. duty. Rielly and Cody Ceci can counter more suitable second- and third- line competition, and Travis Dermott – playing the best hockey of his The Leafs were almost guaranteed to give up their 2020 first-rounder career before the pause – can eat up minutes on the third pair with Tyson given their place in the standings before the shutdown. Now picking in Barrie. That’s before Rasmus Sandin factors in, too. the top 10 is back on the table as an option, given the new format.

Meanwhile, Mikheyev should slot in on John Tavares’ wing, allowing Alex A small silver lining if they fail to beat the Blue Jackets in the play-in Kerfoot to drop down and take the third-line centre spot. It’s possible 18- series. year-old Nick Robertson even joins him there. The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020

1175056 Vegas Golden Knights In this way, any asterisk will define one of the lowest points in our nation’s history and not any single team.

Answers to come No whining allowed: Embrace the big picture of NHL’s return It’s the same for the Knights winning the Pacific Division before all games were played. Do they hang a banner or not? It’s one of those insignificant details left for a much later time. By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal May 26, 2020 - 6:39 PM So much is still to be decided. When will Phase 2 of players returning to team facilities begin? How long after would a shortened training camp commence? Does late July seem a reasonable time to begin the Don’t criticize specific matchups. Don’t fret about the potential of re- playoffs? seeding teams. Don’t go nuts about an asterisk. Stop looking at the minute details or you’re sure to miss the big picture. Which two cities will be chosen as hubs, of which Las Vegas seems a favorite as one for its vast number of hotel rooms and the fact The NHL on Tuesday became the first major professional sports league coronavirus cases are trending downward across Southern Nevada. How to specifically outline how it intends to return to competition in this time of would the league rightly ensure Vegas isn’t afforded a competitive pandemic. It officially ended a regular season that was paused on March advantage if T-Mobile is designated as a playoff site? 12 due to COVID-19, meaning the most exciting playoffs in all of sports will highlight hockey’s return if and when health and safety protocols Answers to all of it will come over the next several weeks. For now, there allow for it. is at least a glimmer of hope that some level of normalcy might soon return to sports. Good for the NHL that it was first to provide such That, and those T-Mobile Arena workers awaiting checks for postponed optimism. games will finally be paid. Get those folks their money. So don’t criticize, don’t fret, don’t whine. I know it’s a bigger upset than anything Leicester City pulled off, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for once deserves more cheers than boos. As awful as the short term has been for so many, having a bigger and So does the league’s owners and players. Hockey has done what the brighter picture to embrace isn’t a bad thing. NBA and Major League Baseball haven’t so far. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.27.2020 Major League Soccer also hasn’t announced a return to play format, but that’s probably being held up due to its commissioner (Don Garber) acting the part of clown while threatening employees with disciplinary action — including termination and fines up to $1 million — for leaking information to the media.

Hockey is looking smarter and smarter.

Better than nothing

The NHL isn’t back. Not yet. But there is at least a determined pathway by which to crown a champion. It’s not a perfect solution because there was never going to be one in such distressing times.

No matter your opinion of a 24-team modified playoff to be held in two hub cities, isn’t it better than the alternative?

Do fans want a somewhat defective Stanley Cup tournament or none at all?

At last count, more than 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the vise that is the coronavirus clamped its movable jaws firmly into our lives.

Remember. Big picture.

Where the Golden Knights eventually find themselves in the Western Conference bracket and who they might play in the first round means as much as the color of your socks.

Some need reminding. Knights coach Pete DeBoer earlier stated he wasn’t sure how fair things would be if a conference’s top seeds sat on the sidelines and received byes into the main draw while others competed in a playoff setting.

That’s not an issue now. As one of four top seeds in the West, the Knights will play a round-robin against the Blues, Avalanche and Stars to help determine slots 1-4 in the main bracket.

Here’s an idea for DeBoer’s team: Attack those games with a playoff intensity. Prepare at your highest level for the real thing. And by all means, don’t complain about anything.

That also goes for how the team crowned champion is viewed now and in the future.

An asterisk in sports usually indicates a record or title is somehow tainted. The Spurs winning an NBA championship in the lockout- shortened season of 1998-99. The Astros and their World Series crown of cheating. The Patriots and, well, lots of stuff.

But this is different. Much larger in scope. Decades from now, the 2019- 20 seasons of all sports will be remembered for the coronavirus. It will always be the main storyline, no matter who hoists a Stanley Cup or Larry O’Brien Trophy and so on. 1175057 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights win 2nd Pacific Division title in 3 years

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

They didn’t get to celebrate or see a “Y” next to their name in the standings, but the Golden Knights are division champions for the second time in their three years.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman declared the regular season complete Tuesday, with the Knights (39-24-8, 86 points) leading the Pacific Division by three points over Edmonton. The Knights also finished with the best points percentage in the division.

”It’s a big accomplishment for our group,” defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “We were playing really well down the stretch, and I hoped that we would continue to play that well down the stretch. I think for the organization and for our fans, it’s a really cool place for us to be at.

“When you play at the end of the year, you see how much our team conquered some adversity this year, and for us to be here right now, it seems as though a lot of hard work down the stretch has paid off for our group.”

The Knights lost four straight and were out of a playoff position Jan. 15 when coach Gerard Gallant was fired, but the team rebounded under Pete DeBoer.

The Knights went 8-2 in their last 10 games to move into first place before the season was paused March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

That run included a pivotal 3-2 overtime victory at Edmonton on March 9 that enabled the Knights to maintain their grip on the division lead in what turned out to be their final regular-season game.

DeBoer has advanced to the Stanley Cup Final with two franchises, but it is his first division title in 12 seasons as an NHL coach.

The Knights won the division in their inaugural season and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Despite Vegas finishing first in the Pacific, wagers on the Knights to win the division are still pending at multiple Las Vegas sportsbooks. The books are waiting for the NHL to officially recognize the division champions or the wagers will be refunded.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175058 Vegas Golden Knights “We didn’t have a lot of action on that,” he said. “There was more money on the over than the under. It looks like bettors will catch a break there.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.27.2020 Nevada sportsbooks to refund some NHL regular-season bets

By Todd Dewey Las Vegas Review-Journal May 26, 2020 - 6:30 PM Updated May 26, 2020 - 6:44 PM

Bettors who wagered on the Golden Knights to surpass their season point total at Las Vegas sportsbooks probably caught a lucky break Tuesday when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman declared that the 2019- 20 regular season is over.

But gamblers who bet on Vegas to win the Pacific Division title might be dealt a bad beat.

Every Las Vegas sportsbook contacted by the Review-Journal — Westgate, William Hill, Circa Sports, South Point, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, Golden Nugget — reported that they will refund all wagers on regular-season point totals because of house rules requiring 81 or 82 games played for action.

The Knights, who finished with 86 points (39-24-8) in 71 games, were on pace to go under their point total of 102½ when the NHL suspended its season March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Vegas needed 17 points in its final 11 games — the equivalent of an 8-2-1 record — to top its point total.

“They were going to go under their point total, but were in good position to win their division,” Westgate vice president of risk Ed Salmons said. “They were three points up on Edmonton with 11 games to go, though (Max) Pacioretty and (Mark) Stone were out with injuries at the time the games were shut down.”

The Knights were preseason even-money favorites at the Westgate to win their division and -700 favorites to make the playoffs. But the Westgate, per house rules requiring 82 games be played for action, also will refund wagers on division winners, playoff yes/no props and player props.

MGM Resorts also refunded bets on division winners. But other books, including Caesars Entertainment and William Hill, planned on waiting to grade division wagers until the NHL officially named its division champions.

“We’re trying to get the full official statement from the NHL on division winners. The NHL has to recognize them as the division champions,” William Hill sportsbook director Nick Bogdanovich said. “They didn’t address the division champions, specifically.”

The division-leading Knights, St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals proclaimed themselves division champions Tuesday on their Twitter pages. But Caesars director of trading Jeff Davis said division wagers are still pending.

“Given the way the playoffs are set up, my gut feeling is that the league is not going to ‘crown’ division champs this year,” he said in an email. “Likely all refunded. This is just my opinion.”

Caesars initially graded its yes/no playoff props, with 24 teams cashing yes in the NHL’s expanded 24-team postseason. But Davis said those wagers since have been ungraded and are still pending.

“The league is now saying that there is still 16 playoff teams,” he said.

The Knights are one of four teams in the Western Conference to receive a bye and will play round-robin games against St. Louis, Colorado and Dallas to determine the top four seeds.

Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia are the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The other eight playoff teams will advance from best-of-five play-in series.

All conference and Stanley Cup futures bets are still live at Las Vegas books. The Knights are 6-1 co-favorites with the Bruins and Lightning at the Westgate and Caesars to win the Cup.

Bogdanovich said the betting handle was minimal on Vegas’ point total. 1175059 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights begin process to pay arena employees

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights will begin the process of distributing payments to part-time employees at T-Mobile Arena for the four regular-season home games that will not be played.

The organization released a statement Tuesday after the NHL finalized a 24-team return-to-play format featuring games in two hub cities without fans in arenas.

“Since our initial pledge in March to support arena hourly on-call workers and part-time Golden Knights staff with a minimum of $500,000, we have been actively working with all the entities involved to ensure that individuals are accounted for,” the statement said. “As noted from the outset of our commitment, the situation is complex with the number of parties, employees and third party vendors involved and the fact that the majority of the workers are not Golden Knights employees.

“We appreciate everyone’s continued patience throughout this process. We will share all information regarding distribution timing and logistics soon.”

The Golden Knights organization pledged a minimum of $500,000 to assist part-time arena staff and its own part-time employees whose jobs were affected when the NHL season was paused March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The contributions, which included a $100,000 donation from goalie Marc- Andre Fleury, were to be distributed for regular-season games not played or rescheduled.

The Knights were scheduled to play home games against Dallas (March 17), Detroit (March 21), Vancouver (March 23) and Arizona (March 25).

The funds from the Knights will benefit hourly, on-call staff at T-Mobile Arena along with third-party vendors, service providers, food and beverage employees, retail associates, medical staff, event personnel, production and cleaning operations.

In addition, the team’s part-time game staff will receive support, including interns, in-arena hosts, the public-address announcer, Vegas Vivas!, Golden Belles, Knights Guard, Knight Line, the Golden Knight, DJ and music director, camera operators, control room crew, Battle Wagon driver, Villain and Watchman, and the drivers of the ice resurfacers.

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Golden Knights will offer credits, refunds to ticket holders

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights will offer credit or refund options to ticket holders for the four regular-season home games at T-Mobile Arena that will not be played.

“Thank you for your patience, loyalty and support during these unprecedented times,” the team said in a statement. “Earlier today, Commissioner Bettman held a press conference announcing the next steps in resuming the 2019-20 season & playoffs. As a result of the announcement, our final 4 regular season home games have been cancelled.

“Ticket holders to one of our last four remaining home games will receive additional email communication by the end of the week regarding next steps, including information on account credits and/or refunds. Our Membership Services team is here to assist and serve you, however, reply times maybe delayed due to high demand.”

The NHL paused its season March 12 because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Bettman said Tuesday the league will resume using a 24-team postseason format that will take place in two hub cities.

The Knights were scheduled to play home games against Dallas (March 17), Detroit (March 21), Vancouver (March 23) and Arizona (March 25).

Bettman announced Tuesday an expanded 24-team postseason format in two hub cities that draws the curtain on the 2019-20 regular season. Las Vegas is one of the cities under consideration to be selected.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175061 Vegas Golden Knights

Las Vegas under consideration as hub city for NHL restart

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

Las Vegas is one of the cities under consideration to be a host city when the NHL season resumes.

Commissioner Gary Bettman made the announcement during a televised news conference Tuesday to reveal the league’s return-to-play plan.

Chicago, Columbus (Ohio), Dallas, Edmonton (Alberta), Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul (Minnesota), Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver (British Columbia) are also in the running.

Las Vegas is the ideal setup, with several hotels on the Strip to accommodate players and staff. The city hosted the NHL Awards every year but one since 2009 along with the expansion draft in 2017 and has a longstanding working relationship with the league.

T-Mobile Arena is equipped with multiple locker rooms, a requirement for the NHL to host multiple games each day, Bettman said.

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Golden Knights to unveil AHL team name, logo Thursday

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights’ new American Hockey League team, which had its Henderson arena approved last week, will soon get a name and logo.

Both will be unveiled at 7 p.m. Thursday as part of a one-hour special on KSNV-TV, Channel 3. The announcement also will be livestreamed via the team’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Twitch platforms.

The name “Silver Knights” remains the betting favorite after Knights owner Bill Foley confirmed to the Review-Journal in February that his group submitted a trademark application to keep it as an option.

“It’s right at the top of the list,” Foley said in February.

Foley is expected to appear on the special, as are Henderson Mayor Debra March and Knights prospect Ben Jones.

The announcement will bring the organization another step closer to its dream of having a local AHL affiliate. The process was started Feb. 6 when the Knights purchased the San Antonio Rampage with the intention of moving them to the Las Vegas Valley.

“Three short years ago, we were gearing up to unveil the NHL’s newest franchise: The Vegas Golden Knights,” Knights president Kerry Bubolz said in a statement. “Today, we’re more than excited to find ourselves back where we started as we prepare to launch our new AHL franchise in Henderson. We had hoped to celebrate the day with our fans in person, but with the health and safety of our community at the forefront of our decision-making, we have decided to take a virtual approach.”

The AHL team is expected to play at Orleans Arena while its arena is being built. The rink, which will replace the Henderson Pavilion at Green Valley and Paseo Verde parkways, will cost $80 million — with the Knights and the city each paying for half — and seat 6,000. The team is expected to move in July 2022.

The arena was approved by the Henderson City Council 4-1 on May 19 despite vocal opposition from some who live in the area.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175063 Vegas Golden Knights Bettman estimated the league could administer 25,000 to 30,000 tests for COVID-19 once players and staff arrive at the hub cities at a cost of “millions of dollars.”

Las Vegas under consideration to be NHL hub city “Obviously we can’t be in a situation where we have an outbreak, and that will affect our ability to continue playing,” Daly said, “but a single positive test or isolated positive tests throughout a two‑month tournament should not necessarily mean an end to the tournament.” By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.27.2020

The NHL hasn’t decided where it will set up shop if the season resumes. But Las Vegas is one of the cities under consideration.

Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed the 10 potential hubs for the league’s return-to-play plan on Tuesday, and Las Vegas made the cut.

“It’d be great if Vegas is one of them,” Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt said. “It’d be great for the city, not only just for us because you’re back here, but it’s good for the city. We have the capacity, we have the star amenities, the hotels the rinks. Hopefully that’s something they lean towards.”

The league, which was paused March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic, announced a 24-team postseason format that will be played in two hub cities.

Chicago, Columbus (Ohio), Dallas, Edmonton (Alberta), Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul (Minnesota), Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver (British Columbia) are also in the running.

Las Vegas holds a longstanding working relationship with the league and has several hotels on the Strip to accommodate players and staff.

T-Mobile Arena is equipped with multiple locker rooms, which would allow the NHL to have more than one game there each day.

However, if Las Vegas is selected as one of the hubs, there’s no guarantee that the Knights would play in their home arena.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly noted that the league is considering moving clubs to prevent them from playing in their home market.

“We don’t need to make a decision today. We’ll probably need to make one in three to four weeks, and at that point we would be able to better evaluate how COVID‑19 is in a particular place,” Bettman said. “We need to make sure that there’s enough testing available, and we’ll be needing lots and lots of testing, but we don’t want it to interfere with the medical needs of the community. That has to come first.”

Bettman provided more details of the 24-team expanded postseason, including details of the round robin involving the Knights.

The Knights are one of four teams in the Western Conference to receive a bye and will play round-robin games against St. Louis, Colorado and Dallas to determine the top four seeds.

Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia are the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The first-place finisher in the round robin will receive the top seed, meaning the Knights could move up from the No. 3 spot despite being eight points behind St. Louis in the overall standings at the pause.

“The percentages are more in our favor (to earn the top seed),” Schmidt said. “We’re not trying to climb uphill against a team that’s a lot further ahead of us. It’s hard, but you can’t please everybody.”

The Return to Play Committee is still discussing whether the playoffs will reseed or use a bracket format after the qualifying round, meaning the Knights’ opponent for the conference quarterfinals remains undetermined.

The qualifying round will be best-of-five series, but the length of the conference quarterfinals and semifinals has not been determined. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven.

Bettman did not release a start date for the 24-team postseason but said it’s conceivable games could start in late July. Training camps (Phase Three) will not begin before July 1 and could last two to three weeks.

The NHL sent a memo over the holiday weekend to teams and players outlining the framework for Phase Two, which would allow small group workouts at team facilities. The 21-page document indicated the league is “targeting a date in early June.” 1175064 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights to unveil AHL team name, logo on Thursday

By Justin Emerson

The Golden Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate has a practice facility, plans for a home arena and on Thursday will get a name and logo.

The Golden Knights will unveil the details of the Henderson squad’s identity at 7 p.m. Thursday as part of a one-hour special on KSNV-TV News 3 Las Vegas.

The event will also be streamed on the team’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Twitch.

“We had hoped to celebrate the day with our fans in person, but with the health and safety of our community at the forefront of our decision- making, we have decided to take a virtual approach,” Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz said in a statement. “We have no doubt this team will leave a mark on our city just as the Golden Knights have done and we can’t wait for the journey to start.”

The live stream will be hosted by Golden Knights on-air personalities Daren Millard, Gary Lawless and Stormy Buonantony and will feature guests such as team owner Bill Foley, Henderson Mayor Debra March and Golden Knights prospect Ben Jones.

The only confirmed details about the team name is that it will include “Henderson,” as Foley announced at the State of the City address in February.

The process of moving an AHL team to the valley came together quickly. The Golden Knights announced on Feb. 6 they had purchased the AHL San Antonio Rampage with the intent of moving it to the arena next season. They received approval at the end of February.

The team will practice at and be headquartered at Lifeguard Arena Arena in Henderson, a facility downtown that is expected to be completed in the next five months.

The team has also announced plans to renovate the Henderson Pavilion into the Henderson Event Center, which will serve as the arena for home games. That was approved by the Henderson City Council last week. The team and city will split the costs of the $84 million facility.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175065 Vegas Golden Knights Once teams reach their postseason hubs, the league will take over testing. Players will be tested every night with the hopes of having results by the morning.

Commissioner announces NHL reboot plan; Las Vegas considered as A positive test would not automatically force the league to restart again, host Daly said, though an outbreak would.

The thought process of NHL medical advisors is that "one single positive test, depending on the circumstance, should not necessarily shut the By Justin Emerson whole operation down," Daly said. "Obviously we can't be in the situation where we have an outbreak, and that will affect our ability to continue

playing." The NHL has a formal plan for what hockey will look like if and when it The NHL said it expects expanded rosters. But the Golden Knights’ returns. It involves the Golden Knights as division champions, a chance roster won't include its latest signee. Vegas agreed to terms with draftee to be the top seed and a chance for Las Vegas to host games. Jack Dugan this month but did not specify which year the contract will NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced today the league’s plan for begin. returning to play, which includes the decision that the 2019-20 regular Under normal circumstances, Dugan would have been eligible to sign an season is over, that two cities will host playoff games and that the top entry-level contract and play in the postseason — it’s what Colorado’s four teams in each conference will play each other in meaningful games. Cale Makar did last season — but Daly said teams are not permitted to The season was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic. add new players.

Bettman did not announce a date for the return of games but said formal LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 05.27.2020 training camps will not begin before July 1. He said it’s conceivable games could start as soon as late July.

"Our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion," Bettman said. "At this time, we are not fixing dates because the schedule of our return to play will be determined both by developing circumstances and the needs of the players."

Because the season is over, the Golden Knights will enter the record books as 2019-20 Pacific Division champions, their second title in three years as a franchise.

The biggest on-ice news for Vegas is that while seeds Nos. 5-12 will compete in a play-in series, the top four seeds in each conference will receive a bye, including the Golden Knights. But they’ll still be playing important games.

The Golden Knights will play the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars in a round robin during the play-in series to determine seeding for the Round of 16. The Golden Knights are currently the No. 3 seed but could move up or down depending on how the round robin goes.

The round robin will be played under regular season standings rules, with two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. Whichever team has the most points will be the top seed, with ties broken by regular season points percentage.

Vegas went 3-4 against those three teams this year, with no wins in regulation and a minus-10 goal differential.

The play-in series will be best-of-five, and the conference championships and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven. It is still unknown how long the Round of 16 or Round of 8 series will be.

The two conferences will all be sequestered in hub cities. The league is considering 10 cities to host the playoffs, and Bettman confirmed Las Vegas is one of them. As of now, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has not yet approved the return of live sports to the state.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league wants to eliminate the perception of home-ice advantage. It’s possible if a city with a playoff team is chosen, that team will be sent to the opposite hub.

For example, if Las Vegas and Pittsburgh are selected as hubs, the league could opt to have the Eastern Conference teams in Las Vegas and the Western Conference teams in Toronto so the Golden Knights and Penguins are not playing at home.

"We certainly see some merit to moving the club to a different market," Daly said.

Added Bettman: "If a team happens to be its own market, the players I don't think should be planning on going home. They'll be staying in the same conditions as everybody else is."

The issue of coronavirus testing is another concern. Under guidelines provided Monday, when teams return to their facilities, they will be responsible for testing players and bearing the costs of those tests. In that stage, players will be tested two days before they enter and twice a week after that. 1175066 Vegas Golden Knights determine the final playoff seeding and serve to get players back into game-shape, so they aren’t caught flat-footed in the first round against a team that is fresh off a five-game series. How those three games will determine each of the top four seeds is still yet to be determined. Golden Knights’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Vegas The league also hasn’t decided whether or not teams will be re-seeded after the opening play-in round, so determining a potential first-round opponent for the Golden Knights is complicated. If they remain the No. 3 seed and there isn’t re-seeding after the play-in round, they would face By Jesse Granger May 26, 2020 the winner of Predators vs. Coyotes – two teams they fared relatively well against, going 2-1-0 against each this season. In their most recent matchups, Vegas shut Nashville out 3-0 on Feb. 1, and topped Arizona Hockey is back – well, at least a format is in place for the league to 4-1 on Dec. 28. return. The NHL and NHLPA agreed on a 24-team format to resume the 2019-20 NHL season, announced Tuesday afternoon by commissioner However, because the Golden Knights could end up seeded anywhere Gary Bettman. This isn’t quite an agreement to restart the season, but it between first and fourth, there are eight potential first-round matchups. cements a plan for hockey when and if they are able to resume play. Here’s a quick breakdown for each of the eight potential first-round The tournament format consists of 12 teams from each conference, with opponents: the top four teams playing a round robin against each other, while the Nashville — This wouldn’t be a bad matchup for Vegas. In its most recent bottom eight compete in a best-of-five play-in series. The Golden Knights meeting, Vegas dominated Nashville in a 3-0 victory at Bridgestone are currently third in the Western Conference by points percentage, so Arena, outshooting the Predators 39-19. they will start with games against the Blues, Avalanche and Stars, while they await the winners of the play-in series. The Predators can score with anyone and would prefer a high-event game with tons of action. They scored the seventh-most even strength The play-in round will consist of best-of-five series between the bottom goals per 60 minutes this season, led by star defenseman Roman Josi. eight seeds in each conference. The next two rounds could be best-of- The likely-Norris trophy candidate leads the team with 65 points this five or best-of-seven series, but the league has not finalized that as of season, followed by dynamic forwards Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene and now. They have confirmed that the conference finals, and the Stanley Ryan Johansen. Similar to Vegas, Nashville boasts a deep group of Cup Final will all be best-of-seven series. forwards that extends to a dangerous bottom-six that includes Nick The tournament concept is different from any postseason in NHL history, Bonino, Craig Smith, Kyle Turris and Viktor Arvidsson. so here’s a dive into what the Golden Knights’ path to the Stanley Cup Nashville’s biggest weakness at times this season has strangely been its would look like, as well as where things stood when the NHL paused and goaltending. Recent Vezina Trophy-winner Pekka Rinne struggled how the layoff impacted Vegas. mightily with a sub-.900 save percentage this year, and he’ll be looking to Where were we again? turn that around after the layoff.

In case you forgot — which is completely understandable considering Arizona — The Golden Knights know the Coyotes well. Their Pacific how long we’ve gone without hockey — the Golden Knights were one of Division foes play only four hours southeast of them, and they’ve the hottest teams in the NHL down the stretch. engaged in some close battles this season.

When the league paused on March 12, Vegas had won 11 of its last 13 In their most recent matchup, Vegas controlled the Coyotes to a 4-1 win games to extend its lead in the Pacific Division to three points over on Dec. 28, but prior to that the Golden Knights struggled to produce Edmonton. Through 71 games the Golden Knights held a 39-24-8 record, offense against the smothering Coyotes defense. Arizona has enjoyed good enough for third place in the Western Conference behind St. Louis superb goaltending for most of this season. Darcy Kuemper has the and Colorado. NHL’s third-highest save percentage amongst goalies with at least 20 starts, and he ranks fourth in goals saved above average with a Vegas went 14-4-1 after the All-Star break, tied for the second-best whopping 16.65. If not for his midseason injury, the Coyotes could be record in the league in that timeframe. Perhaps even more impressive much higher than the No. 11 seed. was the quality of competition during that hot streak. The Golden Knights played 15 of their final 19 games against teams that qualified for the This potential series would likely be full of competitive, low-scoring NHL’s 24-team tournament, and went an exemplary 11-3-1 in those games. games. Edmonton — Connor McDavid has yet to qualify for the playoffs since the All of that was under newly-appointed head coach Peter DeBoer. He took Golden Knights entered the NHL. His first playoff action in three years over on Jan. 15, and led Vegas to a 15-5-2 record. will be electric, and containing him and Leon Draisaitl will obviously be important if the Golden Knights draw the Oilers in the first round. “I felt we’ve been playing really well under Peter (DeBoer),” GM Kelly McCrimmon said in a recent Q&A with The Athletic. “Supporting the puck Early in the 2019-20 season, on Nov. 23, the Oilers dominated Vegas on well, and breaking the puck out well. Probably that puck support has led its home ice. McDavid had two goals, Draisaitl had three assists, and the to a faster team game, and really doing a good job defensively. Playing a Oilers looked like the faster and more skilled team. That changed over real solid style of game that I think lends itself to being consistent, which the last two meetings, as the Golden Knights held McDavid and Draisaitl is what we’ve seen.” pointless to win both games. The matchup between Edmonton’s highly- skilled forwards and the defensive prowess of Mark Stone, William Max Pacioretty is in the midst of a career year, leading the Golden Karlsson and Reilly Smith would be a fun one to watch in the first round. Knights in goals (32) and points (66). The 31-year-old winger has 307 shots on goal (third-most in the NHL), and also leads Vegas with a plus- Chicago — The Golden Knights have dominated the Blackhawks since 18 rating while on the ice. their inception with an all-time record of 8-1-0. Vegas has outscored Chicago a whopping 40-24 in those games. In 22 games under DeBoer, Vegas improved its goals per game from 2.98 to 3.41, while decreasing goals allowed per game from 3.00 to 2.69. This year has been more competitive, with the teams splitting the first two It will be interesting to see how that momentum carries over after nearly games of the regular season. However, in their most recent meeting three months off. Vegas blitzed Chicago 5-1 in a dominant home performance. The Blackhawks are always dangerous, with a lineup full of skilled players What the new format means with playoff pedigree, but Vegas is a better overall team at the moment.

The Golden Knights are the third seed in the Western Conference, Vancouver — Only one team in the NHL has yet to beat the Golden meaning they’ll play a round robin against the other teams in the top four Knights in regulation. Vegas is an outstanding 8-0-2 against its in the West, while the bottom seeds play best-of-five series (No. 5 vs. No. northwestern Pacific division foes and has dominated most of the 12, No. 6 vs. No. 11, No. 7 vs. No. 8 and No. 9 vs. No. 10). meetings between the teams over the past three seasons.

That means the Golden Knights’ first three games back will be against St. This season the teams split their two matchups, with Vancouver winning Louis, Colorado and Dallas in some order. These games will help 5-4 in overtime and the Golden Knights winning 6-3 in Las Vegas. While the Canucks certainly have the skill to keep pace with Vegas’ deep “I know we had some injuries going into the pause, and we’re fortunate forward group, they haven’t shown the ability to match Vegas’ physicality enough that they’ll be healthy enough when and if we resume,” to this point. The Golden Knights have looked bigger and stronger during McCrimmon said. “That’s one of the real interesting aspects about a these matchups, which bodes well for a seven-game series. return to play is that all the teams are going to have had ample time for most injuries to have healed.” Minnesota — If there’s one team the Golden Knights would probably prefer to dodge in the first round, it’s the Wild. Vegas’ worst record Add forward Alex Tuch to that list as well. The 24-year-old winger battled against any team in the league is its 2-6-0 mark against Minnesota. Even multiple injuries throughout the season, including a setback during in the middle of its best stretch of the season — a 14-4-1 run from late recovery just before the stoppage. The time off has allowed him to January to early March — the Golden Knights suffered one of their most recover fully and is a welcome addition to Vegas’ bottom-six. discouraging losses of the season, a 4-0 drubbing in St. Paul. “It has helped. Especially being injured right before this happened,” Tuch The Wild play a tight-checking game where they crowd the neutral zone said. “It’s given me the time to rehab properly without pushing myself too to prevent the Golden Knights from entering the offensive zone with any hard to try to get back into the lineup.” sort of speed. It’s worked to this point, as Vegas scored only three goals in two games this season and has averaged only 1.88 per game all-time So the benefits of the pause are a fully-healthy Golden Knights lineup for against Minnesota. Despite this problematic stylistic matchup, the Golden the first time this season. What are the drawbacks? Knights are still the more talented team and would be heavily favored in The most glaring negative for the Golden Knights is that three months off this matchup. may be enough to cool off the hot streak they were on prior to the pause. Calgary — Vegas dominated the season series with the Flames, going 3- Not only for the team, but for individual players who were in a rhythm 0-0 with wins by a score of 6-2, 6-0 and 5-3. And while there won’t be when hockey stopped. That includes Pacioretty (19 points in 19 games any home ice advantage under the NHL’s proposed format, it’s worth prior), Stone (17 points in 13 games), Reilly Smith (15 points in 19 noting that Calgary has an all-time record of 0-6-0 at T-Mobile Arena. games) and Shea Theodore (15 points in 19 games).

After a slow start to the season, the Flames played much better in the Maybe the most interesting thing about the NHL’s restart is it’s entirely New Year, going 16-10-2 to climb back into playoff contention. They’re unknown how each player, and team, will play out of the long pause. All- led by a dynamic top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias in-all, I think the Golden Knights benefit from it. Lindholm, but that doesn’t even include Calgary’s top scorer — Matthew Path to the Stanley Cup Tkachuk. The offense is certainly formidable, but the Flames have struggled immensely to stop the Golden Knights. Goaltenders David As mentioned above, the Golden Knights’ path to lifting Lord Stanley’s Rittich and Cam Talbot have combined for a .837 save percentage in Cup is looking slightly more difficult than expected. It’s tough to project three games against Vegas. an actual path right now, considering all of the moving parts with the round-robin amongst the top-four seeds, and the play-in games between Winnipeg – While Vegas has scored in bunches against the Flames, it’s the bottom-eight. been the exact opposite against the Jets. Winnipeg held the Golden Knights to only three total goals in two meetings this season, and won If the higher seeds win every series the Golden Knights’ path would both contests. Winnipeg’s defense hasn’t necessarily been great, but require going through one of the bottom-eight seeds, then through two of Vezina Trophy-candidate Connor Hellebuyck has more than made up for Dallas, Colorado and St. Louis. it. However, projecting a road to the Cup based on all of the favorites The Jets get offense from up and down their lineup, led by their potent winning is probably not all that smart, considering how the NHL playoffs top line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler, who have usually go. With the added uncertainty of the new playoff format, and combined for 89 goals this season. Winnipeg is also the only potential players who haven’t been on the ice for months, it would be shocking if first-round opponent that Vegas has played before in the playoffs. The there isn’t some chaos in the bracket. Golden Knights topped Winnipeg 4-1 in the 2018 Western Conference Regardless of results, Vegas will have to beat some really good teams to Finals. advance in each round, which is how it should be. How does the new format impact Vegas? Golden Knights’ Cup chances The new format will almost certainly make Vegas’ path to the Stanley With a fully healthy lineup to begin the tournament, the Golden Knights Cup final more difficult. Under normal circumstances the Golden Knights should be considered amongst the group of favorites to win the 2019-20 would only need to beat Pacific Division teams (and potentially a wild Stanley Cup. card) in order to advance to the Western Conference finals. That’s great for Vegas, which is 15-6-2 against the division this season. There are a handful of teams who are primed for a long postseason run. St. Louis, Colorado and Dallas are all strong contenders in the West. The normal playoff format also meant the Golden Knights would only Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia stand out have to play one of the other top-three teams in the conference, because in the extremely-competitive Eastern Conference. St. Louis, Colorado and Dallas would battle each other on the Central Division side of the bracket. Under the 24-team format, Vegas could Injuries along the way will certainly play a factor, especially considering potentially have to go through both Colorado and St. Louis to advance to no one knows how the players’ bodies may react to the layoff. But the the Cup final. That’s bad news for the Golden Knights, who are 0-2-0 Golden Knights check many of the boxes for a lengthy run, with one of against the Avalanche with two blowout losses this season, and have the deepest forward units in the league, strong team defense and two never beaten the Blues in regulation. strong goaltenders after adding Robin Lehner at the trade deadline.

Did the time off help? Vegas’ well-balanced attack shows in the stats, especially in the final 19 games of the regular season, after the All-Star break. Here are Vegas’ For a handful of teams who were ravaged by injuries prior to the even strength numbers, per 60 minutes: season’s pause, having the last few months off may have actually helped. Record

The Golden Knights are one of those teams, as they saw their two points 14-4-1 leaders Stone and Pacioretty go down with serious injuries just before the pause. Stone was injured in the Golden Knights’ win over Edmonton 2nd on Feb. 26, and was listed as week-to-week with a lower body injury. Shot attempts for There was a chance he could’ve missed the start to the playoffs, but he’s now 100 percent healthy. 63.98

The team also announced Pacioretty was week-to-week with a lower- 1st body injury on March 11, but he’s expected to be fully healthy by the time hockey resumes, as well. Shot attempts against 46.65 1st

Shots on goal for

34.66

1st

Shots on goal against

24.37

1st

Scoring chances for

31.61

1st

Scoring chances against

21.26

1st

High danger chances for

13.9

1st

High danger chances against

8.32

2nd

Goals for

2.92

5th

Goals against

2.03

7th

If the Golden Knights can pick up where they left off, they’ll be in great shape. They controlled possession better than any team in the league, and that led to consistent play down the stretch.

This will all be new. To everyone. Who knows how the teams will come out of the gates. The NHL’s playoffs may end up being even more chaotic than usual. Maybe the top seeds find their legs early and we’ll get chalk throughout the bracket. Regardless, it feels good to finally have hockey on the horizon.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175067 Vegas Golden Knights * Each Conference is assigned a “hub” city with secure hotels, arena, practice facilities and in-market transportation.

* Teams will be limited to 50 personnel in the “hub” city with only a small Golden Knights Are Division Winners As NHL 24-Team Playoff Format number of support staff permitted to enter the event areas. Plays Out In A Hub City In Each Conference This Summer * Timing and sites will be determined at a future date and will be dependent on COVID-19 conditions, testing ability and government regulations. By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com Competitive Format

* In each Conference, teams seeded by points percentage. It’s game on for the NHL in the age of COVID-19 — at some unknown time later this summer, with the Vegas Golden Knights winning the Round Robin: The top 4 teams play for First Round seeding (regular- Pacific Division. season overtime rules in effect)

The VGK will play a round-robin series for seeding in the Western Qualifying Round: The remaining 8 teams play best-of-5 series to Conference as the NHL season is done. advance to the First Round (playoff overtime rules in effect)

The NHL shut down play March 12. On Tuesday afternoon, NHL First Round and Second Round: Format (seeding vs. bracket) and series Commissioner Gary Bettman outlined the game plan for the return of lengths to be determined play. Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final: Best-of-7 series NHL Commish Gary Bettman * The winners from the Qualifying Round play the top 4 seeds in the First Las Vegas is one of 10 NHL cities vying to be a conference host city. As Round. Individual First Round series matchups remain to be determined. Bettman put it, “Things are evolving rapidly.” The two hubs could be City 1 picked in a few weeks in June. The interesting thing about Los Angeles and Las Vegas is that Anschutz Entertainment Group (LA Kings owner Team AEG) owns the Staples Center in downtown LA and a piece of T-Mobile Arena on the Strip in Vegas. Conf. Rank

Las Vegas has a strong hotel and hospitality infrastructure and is likely a P% strong contender to be a hub. But the one potential problem for the Las Boston Bruins Vegas market as a potential NHL conference hub is the limited number of ice rinks available for practice sessions for the teams. 1

Here’s a summary of the “Return to Play Plan”: .714

Regular Season Tampa Bay Lightning

* The 2019-20 regular season is declared concluded through games of 2 March 11. The 189 games originally scheduled from March 12 – April 4 will not be played. .657

* 24 teams will resume play: the top 12 in each Conference on the basis Washington Capitals of points percentage at the pause (through games of March 11). 3

Timeline .652

* Since the League’s pause on March 12, the League has been in Phase Philadelphia Flyers 1 with teams having been instructed to self-isolate as much as possible. 4 Phase 2 – Early June .645 * In early June, it is expected that teams will be permitted to return to home facilities for small group, voluntary, and on- and off-ice training. Pittsburgh Penguins

Phase 3 – Not Earlier than First Half of July 5

* Not earlier than first half of July, formal training camps will begin after .623 guidance from medical and civil authorities. Carolina Hurricanes Phase 4 – Timing TBD 6 * 24 teams in 2 “hub” cities will compete in Seeding Round Robins, a Qualifying Round and Conference-based Stanley Cup Playoffs. .596

* The 2 “hub” cities will be selected from among the following: New York Islanders

– Chicago, IL 7

– Columbus, OH .588

– Dallas, TX Toronto Maple Leafs

– Edmonton, AB 8

– Las Vegas, NV .579

– Los Angeles, CA Columbus Blue Jackets

– Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN 9

– Pittsburgh, PA .579

– Toronto, ON Florida Panthers

– Vancouver, BC 10 .565 Minnesota Wild

New York Rangers 10

11 .558

.564 Arizona Coyotes

Montreal Canadiens 11

12 .529

.500 Chicago Blackhawks

Hub City 1 – Round Robin for Seeding in First Round 12

1. Boston Bruins .514

2. Tampa Bay Lightning Hub City 2 – Round Robin for Seeding in First Round

3. Washington Capitals 1. St. Louis Blues

4. Philadelphia Flyers 2. Colorado Avalanche

City 1 – Best-of-5 Qualifying Round 3. Vegas Golden Knights

#5 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #12 Montreal Canadiens 4. Dallas Stars

#6 Carolina Hurricanes vs. #11 New York Rangers City 2 – Best-of-5 Qualifying Round

#7 New York Islanders vs. #10 Florida Panthers #5 Edmonton Oilers vs. #12 Chicago Blackhawks

#8 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. #9 Columbus Blue Jackets #6 Nashville Predators vs. #11 Arizona Coyotes

City 2 #7 Vancouver Canucks vs. #10 Minnesota Wild

Team #8 Calgary Flames vs. #9 Winnipeg Jets

Conf. Rank *

P% Also from the Golden Knights to fans:

St. Louis Blues “Ticket holders to one of our last four remaining home games will receive additional email communication by the end of the week regarding next 1 steps, including information on account credits and/or refunds. Our .662 Membership Services team is here to assist and serve you, however, reply times maybe delayed due to high demand.” Colorado Avalanche LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 2

.657

Vegas Golden Knights

3

.606

Dallas Stars

4

.594

Edmonton Oilers

5

.585

Nashville Predators

6

.565

Vancouver Canucks

7

.565

Calgary Flames

8

.564

Winnipeg Jets

9

.563 1175068 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights To Reveal Henderson Minor League Team Name, Logo On Live TV Thursday

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

With the city of Henderson on board to provide $42 million to rebuild a venue to house the Vegas Golden Knights’ new minor league team, now the VGK will be revealing its American Hockey League team name and logo Thursday on a local TV station.

Most fans believe the Knights’ Triple A minor league team will be called the Henderson Silver Knights, but the team wants to make it official with the announcement on KSNV-NBC News 3 Las Vegas at 7 p.m. Thursday.

It goes to show the popularity of the Golden Knights — they’re unveiling a minor league team name and logo on a local TV station. The press release did not say whether Channel 3 is paying the Knights to have the minor league team announcement on its Las Vegas station.

The Henderson City Council voted, 4-1, a week ago to approve spending $42 million on rehabbing the Henderson Pavilion into a 6,000-seat arena to house the American Hockey League club and local community, cultural and music events.

Here’s the location and details:

The Golden Knights bought the AHL franchise in San Antonio and want to use the minor league club as its Triple A team. Some players were ping-ponging between Las Vegas and Chicago as the Knights were sending players back and forth to their AHL Chicago Wolves team. Now, players can drive a half-hour between the VGK headquarters and training center in Summerlin and the new Henderson training center being built in that city’s downtown area.

While the Henderson Pavilion gets rehabbed into a small arena, the Henderson minor league team will play its AHL games at Orleans Arena, which used to host the East Coast Hockey League Las Vegas Wranglers.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175069 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin wins ninth ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy; Capitals finish atop Metropolitan again

Samantha Pell May 26, 2020 at 7:07 PM EDT

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top goal scorer, for the ninth time. He tied with Boston’s David Pastrnak for the league lead at 48 goals apiece.

With NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announcing Tuesday that the 2019-20 regular season is considered complete while detailing the league’s return-to-play plan with a 24-team playoff, Ovechkin has now officially led the league in goals — or shared the lead — in seven of the past eight seasons.

Bettman made it clear that for the purposes of “record keeping and NHL awards, the 2019-20 regular season has been deemed to be completed.” However, NHL Players Association Executive Director Donald Fehr told ESPN that there has been no collectively bargained decision on where statistics from the new “qualification round” of the playoffs are going to be counted.

Assuming the NHL does not change its plans, this is the first time the award has been shared since the 2009-10 season, when Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos split the honor. Pastrnak, the first Bruins player to win the award since it was introduced in 1999, scored his 48 goals in 70 games; Ovechkin got his in 68. Ovechkin is the only player to win the award more than twice.

NHL ends regular season, will open with 24-team playoff at an undetermined date

The 34-year-old had four hat tricks this season, including his first natural hat trick Feb. 4 in a 4-2 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Kings. On Feb. 22, the Russian became the eighth NHL player to score 700 career goals, and he did it in the second-fewest games (1,144). Ovechkin has 706 career goals to rank eighth all time; Wayne Gretzky’s record looms at 894.

With the regular season complete, the Capitals finished atop the Metropolitan Division with 90 points, one clear of the Philadelphia Flyers. This is the first time in franchise history that the Capitals have won five straight division titles.

Also, the Capitals’ John Carlson finished with the most points (75) among NHL defensemen. Carlson’s total is a career high, but he fell six points shy of Larry Murphy’s franchise record of 81 set in 1986-87.

Washington Post LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175070 Washington Capitals Bettman also outlined tentative plans for players to return to training facilities, which the league calls Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan, and formal training camps (Phase 3). Aimed for early June, Phase 2 allows for small-group, voluntary and on- and off-ice training at team facilities. NHL ends regular season, will open with 24-team playoff at an The workouts will be voluntary, and just six players will be allowed at the undetermined date team facility at a time. No coaches are allowed during on-ice work.

Phase 3, the formal training camps, will not begin earlier than the first half of July, and only after guidance from medical and civil authorities. Samantha Pell May 26, 2020 at 7:37 PM EDT The league also announced its plans for the draft lottery, set for June 26,

which is complicated by the eight additional teams in the playoffs. The The NHL on Tuesday unveiled the format under which it intends to return first phase will consist of three drawings and be limited to the seven to play from the pause caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, teams that did not qualify for the expanded postseason, with odds ending its regular season and expanding its postseason to 24 teams, but determined by regular season point percentage. Additionally, the eight it does not have firm dates for when the Stanley Cup playoffs would losing teams from the qualifying round will be represented in the first begin. phase of the draft lottery as unassigned picks.

Tuesday’s announcement by Commissioner Gary Bettman does not Washington Post LOADED: 05.27.2020 ensure the league will return this season. The league and the NHL Players’ Association must still iron out health and safety protocols and other issues. But Bettman did acknowledge that a single positive test, depending on the circumstances, “should not necessarily” halt postseason play.

“Obviously we can’t be in a situation where we have an outbreak that will affect our ability to play,” he said. "But a single positive test, throughout a two-month tournament, should not necessarily mean an end for the tournament.”

The league would test players daily, Bettman said. The commissioner said the NHL could conduct around 25,000 to 30,000 tests when play resumes.

No return-to-play dates were announced; Bettman said the NHL could start holding games in late July or early August, but the league is staying open to change.

“There’s a reason we’re not giving you dates now,” he said. “Anyone who is giving you a date is guessing.”

Bettman said the league anticipates playing games without fans. He said he hopes fans will be back in arenas for the 2020-21 season.

Under the league’s plan, the 189 regular season games remaining when play was suspended March 12 have been canceled, and 24 teams would compete in a modified and expanded playoffs that will take place in two hub cities that have not been determined. Bettman said the league would decide within three to four weeks on the hub cities; in the running are Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league would not be in a position to play in any Canadian cities without a relaxation of the country’s 14-day self- quarantine regulations.

The 24-team format would have the top four teams in each conference (based on points percentage) playing a round robin against one another to determine seeding, while the remaining 16 teams would play best-of- five series in a qualifying round to advance to the first round. The format and series lengths for the first and second rounds have yet to be determined. Conference finals and the Stanley Cup finals would be the standard best-of-seven series.

In the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals would be in the round robin with the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers. In the West, the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars would be in the round robin. The qualifying-round matchups in the East would be the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. the Montreal Canadiens; the Carolina Hurricanes vs. the New York Rangers; the New York Islanders vs. the Florida Panthers; and the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets. In the West, it would be the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Chicago Blackhawks; the Nashville Predators vs. the Arizona Coyotes; the Vancouver Canucks vs. the Minnesota Wild; and the Calgary Flames vs. the Winnipeg Jets.

Playoff byes and matchups. pic.twitter.com/Q6OlH4Y8Mf

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) May 26, 2020

The playoff plan was proposed by the NHL’s Board of Governors and approved Friday by the NHLPA. 1175071 Washington Capitals positive test or isolated positive tests throughout a two-month tournament should not necessarily mean an end to the tournament.”

Bettman said the league is prepared to delay the start of the 2020-21 NHL commissioner announces restart plan; no dates, hub cities finalized season by “a couple of months” to provide enough time off after the season ends, but the NHL believes it will fit in a normal 82-game season next year.

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Tuesday, May 26, 2020 The seven teams that did not qualify for the playoffs — Detroit, Ottawa, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, New Jersey and Buffalo — were

automatically entered into a modified version of the draft lottery. (Ottawa The NHL ended its regular season and finalized a plan for 24 teams to owns the Sharks’ first-round pick, as well.) The draft will be held after the compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs later this summer when hockey is season rather than its original date in June. allowed to resume. The regular season is officially over for record-keeping purposes — The league and players’ association agreed to the restart plan this week, meaning Alex Ovechkin earned a record ninth Maurice “Rocket” Richard making the NHL the first of the “big four” North American sports leagues Trophy for leading the league in goals. Ovechkin scored 48 goals in to formalize some details of how its sport will resume during the 2019-20, tying with Boston’s David Pastrnak. coronavirus pandemic. The Capitals won the Metropolitan Division for the fifth year in a row with Official restart dates and the two hub cities have not been decided. In a a record of 41-20-8 (90 points), one point ahead of the Flyers. live televised announcement, commissioner Gary Bettman said the The Eastern Conference qualifying round matchups will be Pittsburgh vs. league will hold off on those decisions to ensure they make the best Montreal, Carolina vs. the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders decision given public health information at the time. But the third phase of vs. Florida and Toronto vs. Columbus. In the Western Conference, St. the league’s reopening, in which teams would return for training camp, Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas will play a round robin and the other will not start earlier than July 1. matchups will be Edmonton vs. Chicago, Nashville vs. Arizona, “There’s a reason that we’re not giving you dates now, because anyone Vancouver vs. Minnesota and Calgary vs. Winnipeg. who gives you a date is guessing,” Bettman later told reporters. “And we Washington Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 think we’d rather take a more holistic approach to doing this.”

Teams will be limited to 50 personnel in their hub city. The NHL will arrange “secure” arenas, practice facilities, hotels and modes of transportation, and COVID-19 testing will be conducted every day.

The 10 markets under consideration to be hub cities are Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Edmonton; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Pittsburgh; Toronto; and Vancouver. The hub cities, which might be selected in the next three to four weeks, will each host one conference.

In the playoff format, the top four teams from each conference based on point percentage will play a round-robin tournament to determine their seeding. That means the Washington Capitals will face the Boston Bruins, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Philadelphia Flyers to decide what playoff seed they will receive.

The fifth-through-12th ranked teams in each conference will play a best- of-five series in a knockout round — No. 5 versus No. 12, No. 6 versus No. 11 and so on — to determine who will advance to face the top four teams. The NHL has not decided whether it will be a locked-in bracket or whether they will reseed the opponents in each round; Bettman said the league prefers a bracket, while the players are more in favor of reseeding.

From there, it will proceed as the Stanley Cup Playoffs traditionally do, but with some potential modifications. Depending on the time available later this summer, the NHL may choose to make the first and second rounds best-of-five series rather than best-of-seven. But the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will remain best-of-seven.

The round robin for the top teams was installed as a way to give those teams meaningful hockey to play while waiting for the qualifying round to be completed.

“The theory is, we wanted those four teams not to be disadvantaged by the bye but not have a tremendous amount at risk,” Bettman told NBC Sports Network, “because they did qualify with the best records in the regular season to the point at which it was played.”

Bettman said the league believes that the format “will produce a worthy Stanley Cup champion who will have run the postseason gauntlet that is unique to the NHL.”

When the league moves into Phase 4 of restarting — the competition phase — the NHL will test players and staff daily, every evening. Bettman estimated the league could perform 25,000 to 30,000 tests.

And one player or employee contracting COVID-19 would not halt everything right away, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said.

“Obviously we can’t be in the situation where we have an outbreak, and that will affect our ability to continue playing,” Daly said. “But a single 1175072 Washington Capitals

Capitals are the class of the Metropolitan Division for fifth year in a row

By Brian McNally May 26, 2020 8:21 PM

You know what’s fun? Winning Metropolitan Division titles.

No, it’s not as good as the big prize. The Capitals will never top their 2018 Stanley Cup championship. But winning a competitive division against their biggest rivals five years in a row? Pretty, pretty good.

Washington took its fifth in a row officially on Tuesday when the NHL announced that the regular season had concluded thanks to the ongoing coronavirus. The Capitals just outlasted the Philadelphia Flyers with 90 standings points to 89. The difference over 69 games? One extra Caps game going into overtime for a single point.

Credit to the Flyers for making a late run. No one was playing better in the NHL than Philadelphia just before the season was halted. Whether that carries over into the Stanley Cup Playoffs remains to be seen.

But the Capitals should take pride in that streak. It’s hard to do in an age of parity. They play in a division where the Pittsburgh Penguins won two Stanley Cups in the previous four seasons. The two teams slugged it out three times in the second round. That’s the luck of the draw, and so four straight division titles -- and two Presidents’ Trophies -- meant just one Cup for Washington.

It’s also rare to dominate a division the way the Capitals have for five years. The Anaheim Ducks won the Pacific Division title every year from 2013 to 2017. Prior to that, the Detroit Red Wings won the Central Division an astounding eight times from 2001 to 2009. It doesn’t get you a championship -- Washington won the expired Southeast Division from 2008 to 2011 -- but it does mean you played great hockey year after year.

And to do it in the reconstituted Patrick Division, where long-time rivals like the Penguins, Flyers, Rangers, Islanders and Devils joined with newer rivals Carolina and Columbus, makes it even sweeter. Add another banner to the rafters at Capital One Arena. The Caps are the class of the Metropolitan Division yet again.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175073 Washington Capitals

Who will the Caps play in their first playoff series? The round robin, explained.

By J.J. Regan May 26, 2020 6:49 PM

Before the season pause, the Caps were in danger of falling down the standings. Now they could claim the top spot in the east.

When the NHL paused its season on March 12, the Capitals held just a one-point lead in the Metropolitan Division and trailed the conference- leading Boston Bruins by 10 points.

The Bruins held an almost insurmountable lead atop the conference and the Philadelphia Flyers were one of the hottest teams in the league. At that point, Washington looked more likely to drop in the standings than to climb. With the NHL’s new 24-team playoff format for the 2019-20 season, however, the Caps will have three games to possibly claim the top spot in the east.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced on Tuesday the league’s return to play plan including the 24-team playoff format.

Washington, as one of the top four teams in the conference, will get a bye to the first round of the playoffs and not have to play in the play-in round. Instead, the Caps will play a round-robin tournament against the other top seeds in the conference: Boston, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. The winner of that round robin will determine the seeds for the playoffs.

The inclusion of a round-robin has some fans a bit confused as it is not something seen in a normal season so let’s break it down.

First off, you can throw out the current seeding for the top four teams. The regular season records determined who the top four teams are, but that is it. They no longer matter. The round robin is a clean slate for those four teams. Washington will play each of the other teams once and regular season rules will apply. That means there will not be continuous overtime in a tie game, but instead it will go to five minutes of three-on- three followed by a shootout.

What this means is that Boston, despite being the presumptive Presidents’ Trophy winner, could fall all the way down to the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. The Caps, meanwhile, could claim the top spot in the conference with a strong showing in the round robin.

Why did the NHL do this? Bettman went into this in a video conference with the media after the initial announcement. Basically, this is an acknowledgment that the top teams need to play competitive games before playing against a team that had to win a playoff series just to get there.

What will be the reward for earning the top seed? It is not yet clear.

It has not yet been determined if the teams will be reseeded after the play-in round or if the playoff will be a bracket throughout. This could be significant depending on the upsets we see in the play-in round. For example, a bracket would set up for the No. 4 team to play the winner of the series between the No. 5 Pittsburgh Penguins and the No. 12 Montreal Canadiens. If Montreal pulls off the upset as the lowest seed, that would give the No. 4 seed the best matchup on paper in the next round while the No. 1 seed would be playing either the No. 8 or 9 seed.

As one of the top seeds, the Caps will finish no lower than No. 4 in the conference but could potentially finish No. 1.

But we are still a long way off from determining who Washington will play in their first playoff series.

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Alex Ovechkin shares ninth Rocket Richard Trophy, but Capitals miss some other milestones

By Brian McNally May 26, 2020 6:33 PM

The Capitals will hopefully be back on the ice this summer for the Stanley Cup playoffs after Tuesday’s return-to-play announcement by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Remember where we left off on March 12 before the ongoing coronavirus pandemic halted play?

Alex Ovechkin had 48 goals and with 13 games to go he seemed a lock to reach 50 for the ninth time in his career. That would have tied him with Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most 50-goal seasons in NHL history.

That won’t happen now. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman declared the regular season over on Tuesday as he laid out his plans for what the league hopes to do if it can get players safely back on the ice.

But if Ovechkin will fall just shy of 50 goals, he can console himself with yet another Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goal scorer. He will share that honor this year with Boston’s David Pastrnak, who also finishes with 48 goals.

It is the first time players have shared a Rocket since 2009-10 when Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos each had 51 goals. Three players tied for it in 2003-04. That trio was Rick Nash, and now- Capitals forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who was then with the , who now play in Winnipeg. In other words, it was a long time ago.

Of course, nothing is sinple in these pandemic times. Later on Tuesday, NHLPA chief Donald Fehr told ESPN's Greg Wyshinski that stats from the "qualification" round could still be collectively bargained and those three games would count. Interesting. But for now, Ovechkin and Pastrnak have done what they are supposed to do to win - or share - the Rocket Richard Trophy. Keep an eye on this in the coming weeks.

Don’t give Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak that Rocket Richard Trophy yet. NHLPA executive director Don Fehr tells ESPN that there’s been no collectively bargained decision on where statistics from the “qualification round” are going to be counted. NHL... https://t.co/IDmGactKbW

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) May 26, 2020

Ovechkin remains two goals away from tying longtime Capitals forward Mike Gartner for No. 7 on the all-time goals list. Gartner has 708. Ovechkin sits at 706. That will have to wait until next year. Phil Esposito (717), Marcel Dionne (731) and even Brett Hull (741) could all be within reach.

Meanwhile, Ovechkin was far from the only Caps’ player pushing for a milestone only to come up short with the regular season ended prematurely. John Carlson won’t reach the hallowed 90-point mark for a defenseman. Carlson hit the break with 75 points, which was 10 more than anyone at the position. He still had a decent shot to get there with 13 games left.

Hall-of-Famer Ray Bourque was the last NHL defenseman to hit 90 points in a season 26 years ago with the Boston Bruins in 1993-94. Carlson remains a favorite for the Norris Trophy. Wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize.

The Capitals had other players posting career years, too. Tom Wilson has 44 points to set a new personal best and his 21 goals were just one short of his single-season high.

Jakub Vrana, in his age 23-24 season, hit his career-best mark with 25 goals. Lars Eller had 16 goals, which was two shy of his career best (18). He also needed just one more point to reach 40 for the first time.

Maybe the most intriguing number out there? Braden Holtby is currently tied with Olie Kolzig at 35, but he might never get another chance to make that record his own. His contract expires at the end of the season. 1175075 Washington Capitals

NHL hub cities: Complete list of possible cities league will return to play

By NBC Sports Washington May 26, 2020 5:21 PM

Though we don't know exactly when this will be, when the NHL moves to "Phase 4" of its return to hockey it will have 24 teams in two hub cities competing in a modified postseason. So what are the possible cities? According to the NHL, it will be two of these:

- Chicago, IL

- Columbus, OH

- Dallas, TX

- Edmonton, AB

- Las Vegas, NV

- Los Angeles, CA

- Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

- Pittsburgh, PA

- Toronto, ON

- Vancouver, BC

The decision will be made at a later date, according to the league, depending on COVID-19 conditions, testing abilities and local regulations.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reveals what the NHL season will look like when it returns

By J.J. Regan May 26, 2020 4:30 PM

Gary Bettman laid out the league’s return to play plan on Tuesday, detailing the format of a 24-team playoff and the draft lottery. There still remains no timetable for a return and there are lots of hurdles and things left to be negotiated, but we now know what the season will look like when it does resume.

How will seeding work?

As expected, 24 teams will make the playoffs, 12 from each conference according to points percentage. Each conference will play in a designated hub city which have not yet been determined. The top four seeds in both conferences will receive a bye. That includes the Capitals who rank third in the East. Those four teams will play a round-robin against one another to determine seeding. These games will be played by regular season rules.

The bye-in series will be best of five and are now set: Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia will receive byes in the Eastern Conference.

No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 Montreal

No. 6 Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers

No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida

No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Columbus

St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas will receive byes in the Western Conference.

No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago

No. 6 Nashville vs. No. 11 Arizona

No. 7 Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota

No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 9 Winnipeg

Whether the teams will be reseeded each round or the playoffs will be conducted in a bracket is yet to be decided. Bettman also said the Stanley Cup Final and Conference Finals will be best-of-seven series, but it has not been determined the length of series prior to those rounds.

The 2019-20 regular season is officially complete. Bettman said the league hopes for Phase 2, players returning to team facilities for voluntary training, to begin in early June. Phase 3, training camps, will most likely begin sometime in July. Bettman would not give a timetable for Phase 4, the resumption of the season.

Bettman made clear that, despite this announcement, the NHL would not return until government and medical authorities authorize it.

In addition, the NHL announced it plans to hold the draft lottery on June 26. The draft lottery will consist of the seven teams that did not reach the playoffs plus the eight teams that lose in the buy-in round. Three teams will be drawn to determine the first, second and third picks.

The draft lottery will take place before those final eight teams are determined.

Because of that, if a buy-in team is selected for any of those three picks, there will be a second draft lottery in which every one of those final eight teams will be given equal odds to be selected for the given pick.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175077 Washington Capitals When the Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins met for the first time this season on Feb. 2, Ilya Samsonov got the start. That was a reflection of where the goalie competition stood at that time with Samsonov putting together a stellar rookie season and Braden Holtby struggling. Holtby What are the biggest decisions facing the Caps as the NHL heads toward seemed to right the ship somewhat, however, and heading into the pause resuming play? there was little question that he had retaken his spot atop the goalie depth chart.

But that was before the pause. How will both goalies look when they By J.J. Regan May 26, 2020 4:18 PM return to play?

Reirden will not have much time to assess his goalie tandem before Gary Bettman laid out the league’s return to play plan on Tuesday having to decide who will start in the playoffs. While Holtby should be the bringing us all one step closer to hockey. presumed No. 1 going in, the fact that Samsonov was able to overtake him at some point this season is a good indication that Holtby may have While we still do not know exactly when the league will return from its a short leash if he begins to struggle again. pause, it certainly is clear that the NHL is trending more toward an eventual return. That means it is time to turn our eyes towards the Where will Holtby play next season? biggest questions facing the Capitals when they return to finish the 2019- Every team and every player has been affected by the NHL’s pause to 20 season. the season, but the players who may perhaps be the most affected are Though the Caps will enter the playoffs as one of the top four seeds in the big name, big money free agents like Holtby. the conference, their place in the standings comes largely form a Holtby is in a tough spot. At 30 years old and with his numbers declining, fantastic start to the season. Since Dec. 23, Washington ranked 22nd in Holtby’s next contract was likely to be his last big one. With his expected the NHL with only 33 points and the team seemed to be struggling replacement, Samsonov, already playing well in limited NHL starts, with significantly. the team’s tight cap situation and with an expansion draft looming which After a pause of several months, how the team played before the pause would prevent Washington from providing Holtby with a no-movement does not matter significantly. Too much time has passed to say any clause, there seemed to be little chance Holtby would remain with the momentum - or lack thereof - will carry over once the teams take the ice Caps. again. Having said that, the 69 games that Washington did play before But the league now faces an uncertain salary cap situation will mean the season paused showed a number of key questions the team will face there will be fewer suitors and less money available for Holtby in the free once it returns to play. agent market. Here are the biggest decisions facing the team and some of its players Will it make sense for Holtby to return to Washington on a one-year deal when play resumes. despite the fact that he will be 31, his numbers continue to decline and What is the best defensive lineup? he will almost certainly come into next season as the No. 2 behind Samsonov? Would Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan entertain For most of the season, this question has been largely who will be the that possibility? Or will there be enough money left out there in free right defenseman on the second defensive pair? Given the team’s overall agency for Holtby to move on? defensive struggles, however, it is more accurate to label the blueline as a whole a question mark for Washington. This is not a decision that will need to be made until after the season, but it is absolutely something that will be weighing on his mind as the team The second pair is obviously the biggest weakness for the team as returns to play. neither Nick Jensen nor Radko Gudas was able to stake their claim to the spot on the right. Jensen did seem to be playing better before the Is the championship window still open? season was paused, but it is anyone’s guess how he or that pair -- with With the additions of Dillon and Ilya Kovalchuk, MacLellan has shown Dmitry Orlov presumably playing on the left -- will look coming out of the that he is all-in on a Cup run this season. But what about beyond this pause. season? Brenden Dillon, a deadline acquisition, has played 10 games with the Alex Ovechkin is 34, Nicklas Backstrom is 32, T.J. Oshie is 33, John Caps. He will get three more exhibition games and that’s it, then it’s time Carlson is 30, Holtby is 30 and may not even be back next season. The for the postseason. Is that enough for him to solidify his spot on the top fact is that the championship window is not going to be open forever and defensive pair alongside John Carlson? the Caps do not have enough talent in the pipeline to expect this team to Michal Kempny has struggled significantly all season long and the reset simply reload and continue on as Cup contenders once those top players that the season pause could provide may be exactly what he needs to begin to noticeably decline. turn things around. If not, however, then the third pair becomes a It is going to be very hard to judge the Caps based on what happens in question mark as well. Kempny and Radko Gudas did not play well at all the postseason given the unusual circumstances, but the fact is in the handful of games in which they were paired together and either MacLellan must evaluate this team and how likely it is to continue to one of them could see their role taken by Jonas Siegenthaler, who has compete in the near future. Will a quick exit mean it is time for a reboot or been one of the team’s top penalty killers this season. is there enough left in the tank for another run beyond this season? That How does the team fix the struggling power play? is the tough question MacLellan will have to answer.

Given the scoring talent this team boasts, there is no reason for it not to How will players manage the health risks? rank in the top half of the league on the power play, but the extra man One thing that will weigh heavily on the minds of every player and team had become a significant hole for Washington's offense over the course staff member involved in the resumption of play will be the risk of being of the season. It ranks 17th on the power play overall at 19.4%, but since exposed to COVID-19 and then bringing it home to their families. No one Dec. 23, that rate fell to 17% which ranks just 24th in the NHL over that wants to be isolated from their loved ones for several months, but span everyone will have to decide just how cautious they are going to be. That’s not good enough. This is especially true of Reirden whose son, Travis, suffers from In season, we saw only minor adjustments being made as head coach common variable immunodeficiency. Bringing the coronavirus home Todd Reirden tried to fix the power play, but it felt like the team was just could put Reirden’s son at serious risk. How will Reirden handle being at grasping at straws. With plenty of time to analyze and diagnose the the rink when training camp resumes? How will Oshie, Jensen or problem, Reirden will need to bring solutions for the extra man unit with Backstrom handle the risks with newborns at home? This question is him when training camp resumes. certainly not limited to the Caps, but it is the biggest question facing everyone as the league continues heading towards the resumption of the Who is the No. 1 goalie? season.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175078 Washington Capitals How did the time off impact the team?: All of the players were available to suit up at the time of the stoppage, but that doesn’t mean everyone was operating at full-strength. Disappointed by a first-round defeat in the 2019 postseason, the 2018 champs returned to the rink in October, Capitals’ return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts eager to prove to everyone that they were still were a top team. And, for Washington a while, they did. In fact, on Dec. 21, the team sat atop the NHL standings, five points clear of St. Louis. That hot start came at a cost,

however. By the time of the stoppage, the Caps had the look of an older, By Tarik El-Bashir May 26, 2020 heavier team that was running on fumes. It’s possible the break will end up helping Ovi and Co. more than any other club.

How will they line up?: At the time of the stoppage, the forward lineup WASHINGTON – Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are one step closer to was relatively set. Ilya Kovalchuk’s arrival at the trade deadline had returning. provided a much-needed offensive boost for the bottom six and, in general, brought better balance across the four lines. The much-discussed 24-team format for hockey’s potential resumption of the 2019-20 season was approved by the NHL and the players’ Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Tom Wilson association. Jakub Vrana-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J. Oshie Of course, there still are a myriad of critical issues to be decided such as testing and the hub cities before the first game can be played. But the Carl Hagelin-Lars Eller-Ilya Kovalchuk first item has now been checked off the list. Richard Panik-Nic Dowd-Garnet Hathaway If you’ve been paying attention to the drip, drip, drip of news over the That’s how the forwards lined up before the break and how they’ll likely past couple of weeks, you probably were expecting this and may already look when the season resumes. have a good feel for the Return to Play plan. If not, you’ve got some catching up to do, which is the purpose of this primer. The same could not be said for the team’s struggling defense. Coach Todd Reirden was still tinkering with the pairs, and that tinkering could Where they were when the shutdown began: Washington owned a one- continue. Here’s how the defense lined up to start the game in Buffalo: point lead over Philadelphia in the tough Metro Division, but all was not well. Following the Caps’ 3-2 shootout loss to the 25th-ranked Sabres on Brenden Dillon-John Carlson March 8 – their last game before the stoppage – the usually reserved Braden Holtby sounded off, saying, “This time of year, we want to be Dmitry Orlov-Nick Jensen getting to the next level, and we’re staying average. That’s not a recipe Michal Kempny-Jonas Siegenthaler for the success we want to have.” By the end of that game, Reirden had put the pairs in a blender. Two The defeat in Buffalo marked the end of a 1-0-2 road trip. In their 15 days later, the season was put on pause, but it’s believed the pairs would games prior to the stoppage, the Caps had gone 5-7-3, an unspectacular have looked different vs. the Red Wings. It’ll be interesting to see how stretch that featured some concerning defeats. Reirden pairs his blueliners coming out of the stoppage and whether What the new 24-team format means: Washington ranks third among the Radko Gudas, who looked fatigued in late February before completely top four teams in the East based on points percentage, sitting behind falling out of favor, finds his way back into the mix. Boston and Tampa Bay, and ahead of Philadelphia. When the season Their path to a Stanley Cup: As their 2018 run underscored, a successful resumes, those four teams will play a round robin against each other championship run depends on health, production from throughout the (three games) with a chance to improve their playoff seeding. Meanwhile, lineup and goaltending. When the round robin begins, the Caps will have the bottom eight teams in the East will face off in a best-of-five play-in two of those three ingredients. They’ll be healthy and rested. Meanwhile, series – No. 5 vs. No. 12, No. 6 vs. No. 11, etc. After that, the top four the addition of Kovalchuk added some punch to the bottom six by seeds from each conference and the eight clubs that advance from the pushing Panik to the fourth line and an unproductive Brendan Leipsic out play-in round will move on to the traditional 16-team playoff bracket. of the lineup entirely. Does the new format hurt or help?: The short answer is, it all depends. The one question mark? Goaltending. Holtby (.897 save percentage) has The thing to pay attention to is where the Caps finish in the round robin struggled on-and-off all season but appeared to have the inside track as seeding and whom they draw in the round of 16. In the regular season, Reirden considered his playoff starter. In fact, Holtby had gone 4-1-2 Washington went 2-1-0 vs. Boston, 3-0-0 vs. Tampa Bay and 1-3-0 vs. before the break. Rookie Ilya Samsonov, meanwhile, was showing signs Philadelphia. of wearing down in February and March, going 1-4-0 in that span. Since we don’t know where the Caps are going to end up in terms of Although the rest probably did Samsonov some good, all indications are seeding and it has not been decided whether the first round will be a set that it’ll be Holtby’s net to lose. bracket or re-seeding after the play-in round, here’s how Washington Their chances of winning it all: Good, and possibly very good. From a fared during the regular season against all eight teams in the play-in physical standpoint, the Caps should be in a better space when play round: Carolina, 2-1-1; Columbus, 1-2-0; Florida, 2-0-0; Pittsburgh, 2-1-0; resumes. From a mental point of view, the group’s collective urgency Montreal, 1-1-1; New York Islanders, 2-2-0; New York Rangers, 1-1-1; figures to be at an all-time high. Ovechkin is 34, T.J. Oshie is 33, Nicklas and Toronto, 2-0-0. Backstrom is 32. In all, 13 players on the roster are 29 or older. Holtby, A couple more things to chew on when contemplating potential first- meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent. And there’s not much in the round matchups: prospect pipeline. They know that their best chance of lifting the Stanley Cup for a second time is this year or next. Since last year’s opening round series between the Caps and Canes, who pulled off the upset in seven games, there’s been some bad blood The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 between the clubs. Avoiding a grudge match in the first round wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Although the Caps exorcised their postseason demons against the Penguins in 2018, Washington vs. Pittsburgh is typically a long, emotionally-draining and physically-demanding series that takes a chunk out of both teams, even the winner. Steering clear Sidney Crosby and Co. right off the bat wouldn’t hurt, either.

Islanders coach Barry Trotz knows the Caps as well as anyone who’s not on Washington’s payroll. While that might not matter a whole lot in the regular season, it could make a difference in a playoffs series where every matchup and detail matters. 1175079 Winnipeg Jets “We do need to find a way to live with this virus,” Roussin said. “It’s not just going to disappear, so we’re just going to have to get on with our lives and deal with this virus.”

'We need to learn to live with this virus, including with sports': Manitoba's Public safety, for Roussin, is paramount. top doc It’s something he and other medical officials in other jurisdictions have ensured in one form: no fans in buildings for the foreseeable future. In Manitoba, that means none until at least September. Scott Billeck Quebec, where the Montreal Canadiens are based, has similar protocols, as do other provinces that house NHL teams.

For some, it seems asinine to even consider a return to sports at the Taking the fans out of the picture, the focus of safety shifts to the players, moment. For others, they’re feening for it. coaches, training staff, etc., and all of their families as well.

What makes the most sense differs from person to person, but what does “Extra caution is going to be needed on things like screening for a medical expert say about it? The Winnipeg Sun asked the man guiding symptoms, appropriate testing, hand hygiene, is going to be essential,” the province’s battle against COVID-19 what he thinks in a one-on-one, he said. wide-ranging interview on the subject of returning to sports. Roussin said you will never see zero-risk. Everything that has to be done Is the risk worth taking, especially in contact sports? to ensure as much mitigation as possible of that risk has to be done in an informed manner, he said. The answer, is yes — with caveats. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was quoted recently as saying if one “It’s a balance,” said Manitoba’s top doctor Dr. Brent Roussin during a or two players became infected with the virus, it wouldn’t necessarily phone conversation on Monday. “Depending on the jurisdiction and throw an entire team into self-isolation. depending on what the numbers look like, I think that these type of activities, there’s certainly some promise on seeing them again.” It’s possible, Roussin said, given the bubble format. But again, it really depends on the plan and the extreme precautions taken. Roussin has run a pretty air-tight ship since the first cases of COVID-19 presented in Manitoba in early March. Positive cases would require several precautions, including the quarantine of afflicted players, and thorough contact tracing to see who Since then, the province’s test-positive ratio hovers under 1% and the else may have come into contact to limit any further outbreak. province has just 292 cases of the virus. “It would depend on the nature of the case and when the symptoms Places like Alberta have seen 24 times as many cases. Ontario, one of developed and just how much close contact there was,” Roussin said. Canada’s hardest-hit jurisdictions, has seen 88 times more cases than their westerly neighbours. Wearing proper PPE, things like full-face shields and other measures could limit that exposure. Manitoba has been top of the class when it comes to managing the spread of the virus and flattening the curve. Credit to the good doctor “But it’s hard to say unless you’re in those specifics,” he said. “What himself, the people of the province, and luck for that. they’ll need to do is have these plans worked out right from the beginning. But regardless of flat curves and low numbers, how can it make sense for sports that send bodily fluids flying all over the place to resume play in “What are people consenting to within that bubble should there be a case such unknown times. that develops?”

The passing of such fluids is a part of the game we rarely see. Usually, it Roussin doesn’t feel that planning a return to sport while a global only becomes public when a guy spits on or licks an opponent. But it pandemic rages on is mutually exclusive, either. happens often. In fact, if ensuring the health of the public can be maintained, he feels From collisions between players to scrums in front of the net, sweat, there could be tangible benefits of a return to sport. saliva and sometimes even blood find their way onto others. “This might be a good step. A lot of people have been spending these And given the way COVID-19 travels from one person to another, contact past several months living with this virus,” he said. “Getting back to some sports like hockey or football can be the trading space COVID-19 needs sort of normalcy, getting back to some entertainment, if we can do so in a to spread like wildfire if not kept in check. safe manner, I do think there’s value in that.”

That sort of fluid transfer is part of the risk that, largely — and not without Like mental health? a fundamental change or changes to the game itself — can’t be fully mitigated. “For sure, yeah,” he said. “I think there are mental health benefits for people seeing some remnants of normalcy. Certainly, there are economic You can test and quarantine and bubble everyone and their mothers, too. benefits as well. You’ve probably heard me say, ‘There’s way more to But one slip up somewhere along the line and you have the beginnings of health than just this virus.’ a cluster, if not a full-blown outbreak. “We need to find ways to start living with it.” It’s a risk that the NHL knows well. In the first few pages of their NHL phased return to sport protocol memo sent out on Monday that outlines THE HARD WORK IS YET TO COME their Phase two plans, there’s one line that sticks out: While the NHL’s plan for Phase 2 of their return-to-play program was set “This Protocol, while very comprehensive, cannot mitigate all risk. A forth by the NHL and the NHLPA on Monday, and with the return-to-play range of clinical scenarios exist, from very mild to fatal outcome,” it 24-team playoff format now official, the hard work has only begun when it reads. comes to actually getting players back on the ice in a meaningful way.

The majority of cases fall within the former. The latter often involves older While ironing out who should and shouldn’t be allowed to compete for the age groups and particularly those with underlying medical conditions. Stanley Cup this season played out over several days of discussions, there are far more important things that will likely lead to more intense But the risk still remains. negotiations.

And a question, too, persists: During a global pandemic, should sports Those are likely to include subjects such as stringent testing and leagues of any sort be positioning themselves for a return to work when sanitation protocols, hub city locations who will and won’t be allowed into so many unknowns exist with a virus that’s killed over 100,000 alone in the bubbles. There have already been voiced concerns by some players the U.S., the world’s COVID-19 epicenter, and a country where 77% of about the possibility of being away from their families for an extended the NHL’s 31 teams are based? period of time. There’s simply no reason for the players to accept anything other than the safest setting for them to play.

And if there is an outbreak, what assurances will they have that it is contained, that proper contact tracing and testing is done, and care is provided and readily available? Will there be expanded insurance for players?

While selecting an ideal format was met with only marginal opposition — just two teams of the NHL’s 31 opposed the plan — getting everyone on board in the name of safety may prove far more difficult.

And one wonders, no matter what the NHL and the NHLPA decide, should any return-to-play format be voluntary for players, coaches and other team staffers alike?

If that were an option, would it be fair to suspend or penalize a player in any way for choosing their health over, arguably, a needless return to play during a global pandemic?

Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed this partially on Tuesday, suggesting that players with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. He did suggest that those who are able-bodied would be expected to play.

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Jets to take on Flames in possible NHL play-in series

Paul Friesen

The Winnipeg Jets will play the Calgary Flames in a best-of-five, play-in series prior to the Stanley Cup Playoffs sometime this summer – if the NHL’s return-to-play plan comes to fruition.

League commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday outlined an ambitious plan that will see training camps open in the first half of July, at the earliest, followed by 24 teams beginning a playoff tournament at two hub cities which have yet to be determined.

The top four teams in each conference, based on the standings as they finished in March, would play each other in a round-robin to determine the top four seeds for the first round of the playoffs.

Those games would be played with regular-season overtime and shootout rules. Ties in the standings would be broken by regular-season standings, based on points percentage.

The next eight teams in each conference would play best-of-five qualifying-round series, the winners advancing to the first round. Those games would use playoff overtime rules.

The ninth-ranked Jets would take on the eighth-ranked Flames in the Western Conference hub city.

After that, it’s conference-based playoffs involving eight teams in each hub city. But the matchups, and whether it’s a seeding format or a bracket, are still under discussion.

Bettman said 10 cities remain in the running for hub-city status, including Western Conference centres Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Vancouver.

The other cities in the running are Toronto, Pittsburgh and Columbus.

Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final, probably based in one of the two hub cities, will be best-of-seven.

Bettman says the qualifying round and first two rounds can get played in “little over a month.”

“Let me assure you that the reason we are doing this is because our fans are telling us in overwhelming numbers that they want us to complete the season if at all possible,” Bettman said in an address carried on national television and NHL.com. “And our players and our teams are clear that they want to pay and bring the season to its rightful conclusion. Although we are anxious to get back on the ice, we will not do anything until we are assured by medical professionals and the relevant government authorities that it is safe and prudent to do so.”

Bettman singled out some of the players who helped put the return-to- play plan in place, including the Jets’ Mark Scheifele, who was part of the joint return-to-play committee.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.27.2020 1175081 Winnipeg Jets As mentioned, Winnipeg will face Calgary in the best-of-five play-in series.

It’s the first time the two teams have met in the playoffs since a Smythe Jets return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts Division battle in 1987. The Jets captured that series in six games, Winnipeg including a decisive 6-1 victory in the clincher, before getting swept by the eventual champion Oilers in Round 2.

The Jets and Flames met just once this season and that came in the By Murat Ates and Ken Wiebe May 26, 2020 2019 Heritage Classic at Mosaic Stadium in Regina in late October.

Winnipeg won the outdoor game in overtime on a goal from veteran centre Bryan Little. The story of the Jets’ season was already an epic. Now, with the Stanley Cup at stake, Winnipeg will finally get to write its own ending. The final two meetings, both scheduled for Calgary, are among the 11 games on Winnipeg’s regular season schedule that will be scrapped. The season began with an exodus of talent, the absence of a franchise icon and controversial comments by a brash young star. It continued with Both teams look a lot different than they did in October, with the Jets a cavalcade of injuries, a decimated defence and a goaltending adding defenceman Dylan DeMelo and centre Cody Eakin and the performance worthy of leaguewide attention. Flames picking up blueliners Erik Gustafsson and Derek Forbort.

The captain and the coach kept the team focused. The patchwork The Flames were playing well under interim head coach Geoff Ward, defence corps built belief and “stayed in the fight.” Now, in what will who replaced Bill Peters earlier this season. They’re led in goals by the presumably be the safe, isolated midst of a pandemic, the Jets are one of versatile Elias Lindholm, in assists by Johnny Gaudreau and points by 24 teams set to compete for the Stanley Cup. Matthew Tkachuk.

Yes, there are some caveats. On the back end, Flames captain Mark Giordano is the reigning Norris Trophy winner and anchors a group that includes St. Malo product Travis The NHL, like most of the world, is at the mercy of public health. The Hamonic, T.J. Brodie, Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson. approval of a playoff format is not the same thing as the drop of a puck and the opening of NHL arenas. It is simply one of several necessary The biggest question mark for the Flames is in goal, where David Rittich steps between the season as we know it – paused, formless, incomplete has gone through an up-and-down season but Cam Talbot has provided – and the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. There is still time for the a safety net with his strong play. script to change. Does the new format hurt or help? And no, the games won’t take place at a raucous Bell MTS Place, teeming with fans whose roar consistently reaches well over 100 A wide-open Western Conference with 12 seeds would have some decibels. Instead, the best-of-five play-ins and the four rounds of Stanley appeal for the Jets, since the Central Division features two of the best Cup playoffs will be held in two yet-to-be-decided hub cities. teams in the NHL in the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche, who Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Las Vegas, Chicago, were battling tooth and nail for first place in the conference and still had a Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, shot at the Presidents’ Trophy. Toronto and Vancouver as possibilities. However, even if the Jets were able to advance through the series with Much is unknown, but we do know Winnipeg’s path into the playoffs and the Flames, they’d likely be facing a date with the Blues (though, as Gary beyond. Bettman announced Tuesday, the league is still deciding between reseeding after each round or sticking to a fixed tournament bracket). The Jets are the Western Conference’s ninth-ranked team (by points percentage) and will face the eighth-ranked Calgary Flames in a best-of- You can be sure the Jets would welcome a rematch from last spring’s five play-in series. Win that and the Jets will move on. Lose and the Jets opening-round matchup against the eventual Stanley Cup champion. But will be one of 15 teams included in what could become a two-stage draft while the Jets would be thankful for the opportunity to compete for the lottery – the bottom seven teams plus the eight play-in losers. title, the new format is going to be more challenging, especially under the circumstances. Will the Jets be fully healthy when training camps open on or sometime after July 1? What does the new format mean to their chances? And Having said that, even if the Jets had been able to secure the first wild what might that path look like? card through the regular season under the regular format, they would have faced an incredibly stiff test in the first round from the Vegas These are just a few of the most important questions facing the Jets. And Golden Knights. those are the answers we’ll investigate. The Golden Knights were playing well down the stretch and loaded up Fire up that fanaticism, Jets fans. Your team’s most dramatic season in before the trade deadline by acquiring goalie Robin Lehner, defenceman memory may finally get the conclusion that it deserves. Alec Martinez and forward Nick Cousins, and they’re set to receive a boost from the return of injured forwards Mark Stone and Alex Tuch. Where were they when the shutdown began How the time off impacted the team At the time of the pause, the Jets were coming off an impressive 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers that propelled them back above the The biggest question coming out of the break for the Jets surrounds how playoff line, jumping into the first wild-card position in the conference the time off will impact Connor Hellebuyck, who was playing at a Vezina based on points. Trophy level prior to the break.

Furthermore, the Jets – 37-28-6 through 71 games – were playing some The undisputed team MVP has put together two Vezina quality seasons of their best hockey of the campaign, sporting a record of 6-3-1 during over the last three campaigns. You can be sure he’s been working hard the past 10 games. to remain as sharp as possible, though without being able to be on the ice, it’s tough for anyone to maintain that incredibly high level of play. That allowed Winnipeg to pull within two points of the Dallas Stars for third place in the Central Division. There’s been a lot of talk about the Carey Price effect the Montreal Canadiens might enjoy during a battle with the Pittsburgh Penguins – This was a stark turnaround for a team that lost four in a row going into and for good reason – but provided Hellebuyck gets his level back up the All-Star break. during training camp, the Jets are the type of team that could get on a roll A 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in the first game out of the break was a with elite-level goaltending. painful one for a reeling squad, but it also included a template of how Hellebuyck had won four consecutive games going into the pause and they would need to play in order to remain in the playoff chase. allowed only five goals during that span. What the new format means Offensively, Kyle Connor had eight goals and 10 points during his previous seven games to move him into a tie for the team points lead with Mark Scheifele (73). Jets captain Blake Wheeler was riding a six-game point streak and had And for a team that has overcome injuries, absences, off-ice distractions, collected at least a point in 11 of his previous 12 games. long shifts in their own zone and the departure of a franchise icon and is still in it, that shot is all the Jets can ask for. Scheifele had one goal and three points in his previous five games after putting together a six-game point streak (five goals, 11 points). Do you believe in fairy tales, Winnipeg?

On the flip side, Jack Roslovic was limited to only two assists in his past The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 10 games – following a steady stretch of offensive production in the previous nine outings (three goals, eight points) in what had already been a career campaign for goals, assists and points.

The Jets were getting closer to full health, except for Little, who was believed to be lost for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a perforated eardrum.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice has indicated that Little’s health has been improving, though what impact he might be able to have isn’t fully known until he gets back on the ice with the group.

The Jets defence corps dealt with several injuries throughout the season and will be the healthiest they’ve been all season. That could bring ample competition for the last spot in the lineup for a group that includes Nathan Beaulieu, Luca Sbisa, Sami Niku and Carl Dahlstrom.

Their path to the Stanley Cup

Let’s say the Jets torch Calgary in the best-of-five play-in round.

The league’s initial proposal was to stick to a fixed bracket but it is now debating reseeding after each round. While this could change, a fixed bracket would mean Winnipeg’s path to the Stanley Cup final could include all of St. Louis, Dallas and Colorado.

That is a terrifying path.

St. Louis has been the NHL’s best team since January 2019 and Jets fans know the Blues’ suffocating, unending pressure all too well after last year’s playoffs. The Blues beat a deeper Jets team with a better record in six games, exposing critical mistakes and playing an elite game in all three zones on their way to winning the Cup. They were the top team in the Western Conference the day the season was paused, have a goaltender almost as good as Hellebuyck and play a suffocating game at 5-on-5.

That said, the Jets played St. Louis hard this season, posting a 2-1-1 record and outscoring the Blues 15-11.

It’s possible that Colorado passes St. Louis to take the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed during the round-robin games played among the Blues, Avalanche, Golden Knights and Stars. Colorado might be an even more difficult matchup than St. Louis, given the Avalanche have scored more goals while allowing less in one fewer game than the Blues. Both teams are well clear of the Jets in shot attempt percentage, expected goals percentage and goal differential.

Make no mistake: the Jets’ path to the Cup would take the proverbial slaying of multiple Western Conference giants.

But, given the alternatives – a cancelled season or perhaps a playoff format that cut them out altogether – Winnipeg would take this fight 10 times out of 10.

Their chances of winning it all

For Jets fans, this is probably a never tell me the odds moment.

So we won’t.

It is clear, however, that Winnipeg is up against it in a big way.

Their first matchup will be a spirited, no-holds-barred affair with Calgary. Based on the regular season as we knew it way back when, it should be very close. And sure, any team’s goaltender can get hot at the right time but you have to like Hellebuyck’s odds of being that guy a lot more than Rittich’s or Talbot’s.

After that, Winnipeg is facing a steady stream of juggernauts with a roster that doesn’t stack up to the conference’s best.

But this is already the most spectacularly twisting and turning Jets storyline of the 2.0 era – maybe ever. Whether you attribute the team’s success to a goaltending performance for the ages, the Jets’ stay in the fight mentality or sheer blind luck, they still have a shot. 1175082 Vancouver Canucks “We’re going to have to phone around and see what that entails and go from there,” added Benning. “It’s going to depend on how players perform when they get back. Maybe we’re in a position to move a player out because we’ve got some depth to re-acquire that second-round pick. Ben Kuzma: GM Benning hopes Wild matchup, delayed draft is win-win for Canucks “And if we don’t, we could still end up with a pretty good player in the third round.”

The Canucks haven’t gone without a pick in the first two rounds since Ben Kuzma 2010.

They didn’t pick until the fourth round that year — having surrendered a first to Florida, a second to Columbus and a third to Carolina in previous "It’s going to depend on how players perform when they get back. Maybe transactions — and they also didn’t select well. we’re in a position to move a player out because we’ve got some depth to re-acquire that second-round pick." — Vancouver Canucks GM Jim The Canucks didn’t miss out when the Panthers took winger Quinton Benning Howden (97 NHL games), the Blue Jackets selected winger Petr Straka (three NHL games) or when the Hurricanes grabbed defenceman Austin Jim Benning was pretty good at math in high school. Levi (zero NHL games). “It wasn’t my favourite subject, but one I enjoyed,” the Vancouver However, the Canucks really swung and missed with their four picks. Canucks general manager said Tuesday. Scouts will tell you three players from any draft, who play for you or That could come in handy if Benning wants to wade through the another NHL club, constituted a great draft. That means 2010 was poor. complicated NHL lottery draft computations. The Canucks selected Patrick McNally in the fourth round, Adam Polasek The lottery could go a number of ways for seven non-playoff clubs and in the fifth, Alex Friesen in the sixth and Sawyer Hannay in the seventh the eight that don’t advance out of best-of-five, qualifying rounds to set round. the 16-team Stanley Cup tournament field. The first phase goes June 26, They combined for one NHL game and that was Friesen in 2015-16. before the qualifying round. Meanwhile, the lead-up to the 2020 draft has been different. “I could figure it out — that’s easy enough,” added Benning. No draft combine or final look at European prospects at the world under- The first draw of the initial phase determines the club selecting first. The 18 championship. That has been replaced by video and meetings and second draw sets the club picking second and the third will determine the Zoom calls with prospects. team selecting third. If a club that’s not in the bottom seven wins any of the first three drawings, then a second phase of the draft lottery will be As many as eight members of the Canucks’ hockey operations held with the eight teams eliminated after the opening qualifying round — department quizzes a prospect. It’s a more staid and hollow process and before the 16-team playoffs. because those face-to-face interviews at the combine usually reveal the most. What Benning really wants is for the Canucks to take the next development step by defeating the Minnesota Wild in the qualifier to “Usually, you kind of get to know them better and figure out what makes advance to the playoffs for the first time in five years. Losing will drop the them tick and what’s important to them,” said Benning. “This (Zoom) is a Canucks into the draft lottery and push the conditional first-round pick for good substitute for not being able to do that at a combine. But I still enjoy J.T. Miller to 2021. That’s not the plan. when you can sit down with a kid and you look him in the eye and he looks at you and you get a good feel of what he’s all about. “We put ourselves in a position to be in this playdown and it’s important for our young guys to have that experience,” Benning said of advancing “It’s harder on a Zoom call to get that back-and-forth interaction because to the post-season based on points percentage. “That’s our goal, to be as they’re not in the same room. It’s more business like, They’re at their successful as we can be. home, so from the personal side, it’s a little bit more business like.”

“But it’s going to be different because players have been off so long. And OVERTIME — Vancouver remains in hub city consideration along with those who can get going early, can have success.” Las Vegas, Edmonton, Columbus, Toronto, Dallas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Los Angeles for two sites to host 12-team A season placed on pause March 12 by the novel coronavirus outbreak conference playdowns. Las Vegas and Columbus may be favoured also works for the Canucks on another crucial front. because of Canada’s health edict that states players returning from With the draft date pushed back to conclusion of the playoffs, Benning abroad need to self-isolate an additional 14 days. could benefit from working a trade to try and recoup a second-round Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.27.2020 2020 pick in the Tyler Toffoli acquisition. A draft before the end of the season wouldn’t allow trades because rosters were frozen after the trade deadline.

In Benning’s world, it could be a win-win scenario.

Win and get into the 16-team playoffs and win back a draft pick. There’s an obvious comfort level in both — especially if he can recover a pick — because a projected flat salary cap next season of US$81.5 million is going to tax teams.

They may not be able to re-sign top free agents and may look for cheaper solutions.

“We’ll now see how it’s going to play out with the playdowns and we have time to make decisions,” said Benning. “This gives us time to get back in the game to recover draft picks and sign some of the UFA guys.

“We’ll have to see where the cap ends up, but this (playing) will give us a better idea where we’re at.”

The easiest way to be cap compliant is to shed salary via a trade. Benning has an excess of wingers and that’s usually the currency to recover a second-round pick. And you really learn the true value of a player with how he does or doesn’t perform in the post-season. That’s a bonus. 1175083 Vancouver Canucks Jacques Lemaire-coached Minnesota team that then-Canucks general manager Brian Burke described as “a cult.”

The winner will face the No. 2 seed that comes out of the round robin Canucks return to play guide: How the NHL’s 24-team format impacts games between the top four teams in the West. Vancouver Does the new format hurt or help?

In the immediate future, this format probably helps the Canucks. By Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance May 26, 2020 The Canucks were reeling at the pause and facing a tough stretch run where they probably needed to take 16 points from their last 13 games to secure themselves a playoff position. We don’t know when, we don’t know how and we don’t know where, but in some form, at some point, in an empty building, maybe even in an Now, the Canucks have to win three of five games against the Wild. empty building near you, Vancouver Canucks hockey is on its way back. Minnesota poses some challenges, but Vancouver will be favoured.

The NHL rolled out its 24-team return to play format on Tuesday If we look at this through a wide lens, though, one might argue that the afternoon, the first major sign of progress since games were indefinitely format itself — and in particular, the fact that it will now occur prior to the postponed — and ultimately cancelled — on March 12. Major logistical 2020 NHL draft — is something of a negative for Vancouver. hurdles still loom: from testing capacity to the location of the NHL hub All of a sudden, once again, the fate of the Canucks’ conditional first- cities. This is just a first step. round pick — dealt to Tampa Bay in exchange for J.T. Miller and sent to Investigating those critical questions will occupy the weeks ahead, but the Devils in a subsequent transaction — will hang in the balance today’s news primarily offers us an opportunity to fantasize about the pending the outcome of the play-in round. Canucks playing postseason hockey — even as we note how much work There are reasons to prefer deferring the pick, but there are also remains before that possibility becomes reality. significant risks, particularly as the pick wouldn’t be lottery protected for And we’re here to guide you through some of the pressing issues the the 2020-21 season. Canucks in particular face as the puck of hope drops anew on the 2019- The draft lottery thing 20 NHL season. When the NHL was prepared to hold the 2020 NHL Entry Draft prior to Where they were when the shutdown began any resumption of play scenarios, it looked like the Canucks were locked The Canucks were on the verge of entering a defining stretch. in to surrendering a pick in the late teens.

The six-point playoff cushion they had accumulated exactly a month prior Now, not only could they still forfeit the conditional first-round pick dealt to the NHL’s pause — at a heady time when they led the Pacific Division for Miller in 2021, but they could actually still win the lottery in 2020. and were fourth in the Western Conference — had all but vanished. A 1- The lottery is complicated, but it’s essentially a two-stage process. The 3-0 trip through the East in late February, capped off by a catastrophic first three picks will be decided by weighted lottery odds as per usual, third-period collapse against the Blue Jackets, had eliminated any margin with the seven teams that are eliminated from playoff contention under for error. the NHL’s 24-team format and eight placeholders all included in the initial The Canucks were without their MVP and No. 1 goalie Jacob Markstrom, lottery. and while the top line continued producing, the depth scoring had dried If any of the top-three selections are awarded — based on the luck of the up. A March 4 loss to the Coyotes upon returning home was a massive lottery balls — to a placeholder team, a secondary lottery will be held that swing game and brought their playoff foes back into the hunt. includes the eight teams that lose out on a playoff berth in the play-in Brock Boeser’s return sparked the team to a much-needed overtime round. victory over the Islanders in the final game before the shutdown and Team tank can rejoice, for not only are the Canucks still in the thick of the Thatcher Demko was settling in to give the team more competent play lottery — pending the outcome of their five-game series against the Wild between the pipes, but the path forward was only set to become more — but the Canucks could potentially win the lottery for the first time in difficult. franchise history without the team’s name actually being included in the Vancouver was on the road at the time of the pause getting ready to kick first draw. off a crucial three-games-in-four-nights stretch beginning with a rematch Considering this club’s luck over the past decade, and really dating back against the Coyotes. Next up: a trip to Denver for the second leg of a to Gilbert Perreault, if it’s ever going to happen for the Canucks, it would back-to-back against the high-flying Avalanche at elevation before happen like this, right? returning home to play another critical swing game against the Jets. The 2020 NHL Entry Draft thing Every game from that point on felt like a must-win. It was a smart attempt by the NHL to try and hold the draft in early June. Six of the Canucks’ final 13 games would have been against teams That plan, since abandoned, represents a missed opportunity for the directly competing with them for a playoff berth in a race that would have league. gone down to the wire. Momentum certainly wasn’t on the club’s side as they had dropped seven of their last 11 games prior to the shutdown. No, the NHL Draft wouldn’t have engaged the sports-watching public like the NFL version. Still, it was a unique opportunity to be in the news, sell What the new format means the sport and build the profile of some of hockey’s best incoming young The format means that, should the myriad remaining issues find a talents in a content-starved marketplace. solution, the Canucks will face the Wild in a best-of-five series to Hockey people working for NHL teams largely despised the idea. It determine which team will move on to the round of 16. limited their ability to utilize the draft to reset their teams through trading The Wild play structurally sound defence but don’t really fill the net and player assets and posed a variety of preparedness challenges for teams have leaky goaltending. The Canucks are the opposite, as they struggle that hadn’t proactively used their time during the pause to prepare. to limit quality scoring chances against but have a dynamic offensive The Canucks — with a large video staff and a progressive handle on game and stellar goaltending, particularly with Markstrom likely to be utilizing video scouting — were relatively well poised to handle an early healthy for the start of the play-in. June draft process. On the other hand, considering the club’s cap This is a series that already played out on Earth2, with the Canucks situation and the team’s need to do a variety of creative things to taking the series in four straight. upgrade their defence corps, the ability of the club to move players opens up a variety of welcome options. It’s also a rematch of the 2003 playoff series, in which the West Coast Express era team blew their best shot at a deep run, coughing up a 3-1 Regardless of the ultimate outcome of the Canucks’ play-in series lead in the series and a lead in Game 7 against a super-disciplined against the Wild, the Canucks will be better positioned to be aggressive at the draft now that it’s set to occur following the conclusion of the And the Canucks’ best players are young — Elias Pettersson and Quinn season. Hughes in particular. That could be an advantage for the Canucks and similarly young teams. Might these types of younger players be better If Vancouver loses in the play-in round, then they’ll maintain their first- suited to stave off any soft tissue injuries that seem all but inevitable in round pick. Depending on where they’re slotted there are a variety of the wake of such unprecedented midseason downtime? intriguing prospects likely to be available in the mid-teens to bolster their prospect pool There’s one other curious note that bears monitoring. While Travis Green has coached some undermanned Canucks teams, for whatever reason, If the Canucks defeat the Wild and qualify for the round of 16, they’ll Vancouver has come out of the gates at a red-hot pace in three forfeit their first-round pick to New Jersey. In that case, they’re looking at consecutive seasons before succumbing to the gravity of the lack of waiting around until the third round to select a player. This is the situation depth and talent on the roster. that’s probably most impacted by the draft taking place after the season. In gaining the ability to trade player assets on the teleconference draft Canucks in Travis Green's tenure floor, the Canucks can now more aggressively pursue moving up in the draft to snag a prospect they like in the late first round or, more likely, Overall second round 233

Expect the club to actively explore those options. 102-103-28

The other factor that bears watching is the Judd Brackett thing. As we 232 covered earlier this month, holding the draft prior to the conclusion of the season provided a relatively clean solution for the Canucks and their 0.99 director of amateur scouting — whose contract is set to expire on June 81.2 30 and who is unlikely to remain with the organization beyond this league year. October

The NHL has politely requested that teams honour staff contracts 37 through the conclusion of the league year, but ultimately it’s up to the teams and the individuals. The Brackett situation is complicated and has 22-12-3 become even more complicated over the past three weeks. 47 With the draft moving to its traditional spot at the back-end of the league 1.27 year, will the Canucks’ director of amateur scouting — who has continued through all of this to be an active leader of the club’s 2020 NHL 104.1 draft preparations — still be around to oversee it? November-April The hub city shortlist 196 Vancouver — with its flat curve, plentiful hotel capacity and multitude of available practice sheets — remains among 10 markets under official 80-91-25 consideration, Gary Bettman confirmed on Tuesday. He also confirmed 185 that the NHL is going to go with a two-hub-city model, one hub for the Eastern Conference bracket and another for the Western Conference: 0.94

The Canucks are eager to serve as a hub city for the Phase 4 return to 77.1 play scenarios. One wonders if the club’s recent habit of hot starts might translate and “Things are evolving rapidly and when we decide on locations, we want help them get up to speed quickly when and if action resumes. to based on the best available information at the time we need to make that determination,” Bettman said of waiting to announce the specific Their path to a Stanley Cup location of the NHL hub cities. The NHL hasn’t yet determined whether they will reseed teams after the “We need to be in a position to do a lot of testing without doing anything play-in round or go to a bracket formation. to disrupt medical needs — we need to be doing an unbelievable amount Reseeding would leave Vancouver’s path past Minnesota unknown as it of testing,” Bettman later told Sportsnet’s Tim and Sid, elaborating on his would depend on the other teams that advance. A bracket formation point during a brief question and answer period that followed his scenario, on the other hand, would see the winner of the Canucks vs presentation. Wild play-in round face off against the second seed in the Western “We want to be in a place that doesn’t have a lot of COVID-19 and we Conference. Using points percentage, the Avalanche are currently the also have governmental issues we have to deal with as to whether or not, second seed in the West. when we move everyone to a hub city, if there are going to be There’s a catch, though. government requirements we can’t live with like a quarantine for two weeks.” THE NHL RETURN-TO-PLAY FORMAT CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION ALLOWS FOR SOME JOCKEYING AMONG THE TOP- The provincial government of British Columbia has demonstrated a clear FOUR TEAMS IN EACH CONFERENCE (BOS/TB/WASH/PHI … enthusiasm for the project, but those needs — and particularly the STL/COL/VGK/DAL). IT WOULD SEE THEM PLAY EACH OTHER — avoidance of a two-week quarantine — do not match up currently with THREE GAMES, IN-CONFERENCE — WITH THE OUTCOMES Canadian law regarding 14-day self-quarantine for incoming Canadians. HELPING DETERMINE SEEDING.

There’s a lot of reasons to like Vancouver’s chances, but considering the — CHRIS JOHNSTON (@REPORTERCHRIS) MAY 21, 2020 logistical nightmare and the risks to the community of taking on this project, the priority has to be the public health of Vancouverites and While the top four teams from each conference receive byes for the play- British Columbians as opposed to accommodating what works best for in round, they will be competing against one another in a round robin and the NHL. those games will allow for change among the top-four seeding. In other words, it’s not necessarily a guarantee that Colorado would still be the How the time off impacted the team second seed in the West after the round-robin. But again, Vancouver would only play the second seed under a bracket scenario — the league could also reseed teams after the play-in round, which would leave the First off, a variety of injured players, most importantly Markstrom, will be Canucks’ path beyond the Wild to be determined. healthy. Forwards Micheal Ferland and Josh Leivo are expected to be back in the lineup by then too, although their status isn’t quite so clear. Their chances of winning it all

Some of the club’s veteran players, most importantly Alex Edler, will be rested. Under this 24-team format, colleague Dom Luszczyszyn projects the Canucks with a one percent chance of winning the Stanley Cup. It’s still a long shot for them to win it all.

But combine good goaltending and a hot streak with a few sprinkles of luck and variance and it’s possible for an underdog team like Vancouver to make it deep into the postseason. And with an upper-echelon netminder in Markstrom, as well as elite talents like Pettersson, Hughes and Miller, the Canucks do have stars that can take over a series.

Can they pull off the unlikely and knock off a top contender four times after winning a play-in series, though? History isn’t exactly in the club’s favour.

IN 18 PLAYOFFS, 1 TEAM SEEDED LOWER THAN 10TH HAS WON THE CUP. ONE. OUT OF 108. PIC.TWITTER.COM/B9MDBD1HE8

— NOBODY (@PETBUGS13) APRIL 25, 2019

After accounting for last spring’s results, only twice has a team seeded lower than 10th (leaguewide seeding, using regular season standings) won the Stanley Cup in the last 19 years: the 2012 Los Angeles Kings and the 2019 St. Louis Blues.

The 2012 Kings possessed excellent shot metrics that suggested they were a substantially better squad than they had shown during the regular season and then swung a major trade at the deadline for Jeff Carter. St. Louis, meanwhile, only barely qualifies by this rubric as they were tied in points for the 10th seed, were projected as a legit contender before the season started and found a different level when Jordan Binnington emerged as a bona fide star goaltender out of nowhere.

So while Cinderella teams of Vancouver’s profile can occasionally go deep, it’s rare for them to become champions.

The fact that the Canucks may get a chance to compete for a Cup is exciting. Now we’ll wait to see how it’s done and whether it can be done safely.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175084 Vancouver Canucks Burish: It felt like he threw Bieksa up into the rafters and then he body- slammed him.

Ryan Kesler, Canucks center: I have a vivid memory of “Juice” (Bieksa) ‘A genuine, authentic hate’: An oral history of the Blackhawks-Canucks coming off the ice without any of his top half on. I think his shirt was rivalry ripped into three pieces. So that’s a moment.

Matt Sekeres, Globe and Mail: Kevin doesn’t certainly lack for courage.

Adam Jahns May 26, 2020 Bieksa: I know I fought Eager and he had 20, 25 pounds on me. I held my own. He ended up hitting me with a pretty stiff jab. But I just remember the fact that we all showed up. It was a big positive for us.

Years removed from a contentious multi-season run against each other, Eager: Bieksa, he’s a tough guy, too. He was smart with how he played. the Blackhawks and Canucks finally agree on something: their legacy. He was a good player and he would go after the skilled guys. And that would get me fired up and I’d be going after him. He knew what he was What they had as hated rivals essentially is unrivaled in recent NHL doing out there. But it was nice to get him that one time in the brawl. I got history. And the league might never produce and see anything like it him pretty good. again. Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune: You’ve seen guys do some crazy things. But “When you look back at those three playoff rounds that we had against to see a guy pull a guy’s hair and then Duncan was kind of cool in the Vancouver, it was a different brand of hockey,” Blackhawks forward dressing room afterward. He just was like, “Yeah, you know, I’ve seen a Patrick Sharp said. “There were longer breaks in between whistles, a lot of things, but I’ve never got my hair pulled.” little more slashes and spears and pokes in the back of the legs, lots of trash talking. You don’t quite see that in the game today.” Eager: I think the brawl started it all.

For three seasons from 2008 through 2011, the Hawks and Canucks The undercard played 12 times in the regular season and 19 more times in three playoff matchups. It was, by far, the best rivalry in hockey. On Jan. 23, 2010, Andrew Ladd and Kesler dropped the gloves with 1:07 left in the first period and with Vancouver leading 3-0 at home. In Vancouver, stories about the Canucks’ run at the Stanley Cup were aplenty this season as the franchise celebrated its 50-year anniversary, Kesler tackled Ladd to end the fight. But Ladd caught Kesler with a quick put Alex Burrows into the ring of honor, and retired the numbers of Henrik left to his face and taunted him afterward by pointing at the blood on his and Daniel Sedin. face.

In Chicago, the rivalry is remembered differently. Afterward, Kesler sounded off.

The best way to tell the story is through those who lived it and covered it. “He’s a coward; he’ll always be a coward,” Kesler said, according to the The Athletic interviewed 10 players, two radio broadcasters and six Vancouver Sun. “At least he was man enough to hit me when I was media members from Chicago and Vancouver. Here is the oral history of looking this time. He cross-checked me in the face (in the playoffs in the Blackhawks’ rivalry with the Canucks. 2009) and broke my nose when I wasn’t looking.”

The battle royale Kris Versteeg, Blackhawks winger: Ladd-Kesler was such a nice rivalry because they were both elite, elite players. They were both tough and the On March 29, 2009, the Canucks had a 3-0 lead on the Hawks nearly six hate was high. minutes into the third period at the United Center. Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks forward: It was a personal rivalry but I think Dustin Byfuglien got loose for a partial breakaway but with a rolling puck. we all had feelings about it. Unable to put a strong shot on goal, Byfuglien sent a left-handed shot into the facemask of goalie Roberto Luongo. It incited a large scrum Campbell: I think we’ll all agree, there is nothing better than seeing Ryan which evolved into fights all over the ice. Kesler get hit.

Ben Eager, Blackhawks enforcer: Big Buff, he probably didn’t even feel it. Mike Halford, Vancouver Province: That was like Kesler to a T. He But he goes to the net hard and that’s a big man. He’s so strong. Yeah, thrived on all the individual battles, getting under guys’ skin. he popped Luongo. It was kind of calm there for a little bit, that little Sekeres: Ryan Kesler was an ornery son of a so-so. scrum. Then it just escalated quickly. Farhan Lalji, TSN: Kesler didn’t fight a lot. He was that exact same player Adam Burish, Blackhawks agitator: I was closest to both the Sedins. that Dave Bolland was that he played the game on the edge — beyond They were the closest guys to me. I’m like these are the right guys to go the edge. There was just no sense of necessarily moral fiber when Ryan after. Kesler played. It was just all about competition and doing everything you Brian Campbell, Blackhawks defenseman: It seemed like there was a could do to gain an edge. major collection of people that did not like each other out on the ice at Troy Murray, Blackhawks radio analyst: You appreciate as a former that time. player what he brought to Vancouver. There was some grit, there was Dave Bolland, Blackhawks center: It was just a big melee. some hatred and he played that way his entire career. He was never a guy that wanted to make friends. He just played the game hard. And Burish: It was everybody grab a guy. Andrew Ladd was the same way. It was two strong characters going together. Colin Fraser, Blackhawks forward: Certain players (Burrows) were pulling certain players’ hair. Bieksa: Yeah, he had a little rivalry with Ladd, but I think it was (Jonathan) Toews that brought out the best in him. Eager: It was crazy. Duncs was getting his hair pulled. Jesse Rogers, ESPN Chicago: Got under Ladd’s skin. Got under Toews’ Burish: I remember looking over at Duncan Keith with Burrows and skin. They had some battles as centermen. That was part of his wanting to get over there but you couldn’t. personality which made him a great player as well. But it also made him Kevin Bieksa, Canucks defenseman: We really didn’t have like a tough very hated. guy on our team for a bunch of years. Our management, they didn’t really John Garrett, Canucks radio analyst: You got a shutdown guy who is also believe in having an enforcer, just a so-called enforcer. And they had Ben a 30-goal guy. And Ryan was that guy. He just loved the challenge of, Eager, who was a big, strong guy, one of the tougher guys in the league. “OK, I’m going to go up against Jonathan Toews. I’m going to be the guy Eager: Yeah, I got Bieksa and ended up body-slamming him. I landed on that Toews and (Patrick) Kane won’t get any points because I’m going to my head after that. That hurt when I body-slammed him and my helmet be out there and I’m going to be in their face.” came off. Kesler: Looking at Toews over the faceoff and just wanting to be better than him and wanting to shut him down and wanting to outproduce him, that’s what I loved the most about that rivalry was having the Halford: Bieksa, Burrows and Kesler all came up together. They all assignments of Toews or Kane or anybody I had on the other side that played in the minors together in Manitoba. night and just trying to beat him. Bieksa: Our competitiveness, we just fed off each other. Kuc: Kesler, I would call him Public Enemy No. 1. And there were a couple of guys who I would call 1A and 1B but he was at least No. 1 right Sekeres: Burrows would do research on people and go into their deepest there in that rivalry. darkest and bring that sort of stuff up.

Garrett: He wasn’t Mr. Congeniality, for sure, even among his Halford: It was like a tag team or trio working their way up through the teammates. lower ranks of wrestling and then finally making it to WWE where they honed their gimmick and honed their craft and honed playing the heel. Kesler: When you play against the best, you can either wither and go into That’s exactly what they did. There was no one that was off-limits. There a hole or you can elevate your game, I felt like they helped elevate my was nothing really that was off-limits. game. Garrett: Even in the Olympics in 2010, Kesler and Luongo were Bieksa: Kane was one of the first that was super dynamic, very fast, teammates with the Canucks, and there’s Kesler chirping, “Well, we can would go all the way back and get the puck low and weave his way beat Canada because I know how to score on Roberto Luongo.” And he through. He was the highest-skilled guy in the league for a long time. He was serious about it. That’s the way he presents himself. was a guy that we had special neutral zone forechecks for. When he was on the ice, we had our own set of rules in the zone, the defensive zone, Versteeg: We always liked to hear what we would say, what kind of rise it for when he rolls up high. He was always a guy that I would key on would get out of them. We’d put things in the media just to hear them because he would embarrass you. answer for it. There was a lot of placed words at certain places and times that we wanted to get rises from. I’m sure they did it, too. I remember Sharp: We loved the fact that Laddy stood right up to Kesler, they Bieksa always saying stuff. dropped the gloves and I think Laddy challenged him the very next game and they didn’t fight. So that pumps us up on the bench. It didn’t really Burish: We would laugh about the comments. We would watch what they have much to do with me and Ryan Kesler. It had everything to do with would say and then we would analyze it and say, “Oh we got to them. Andrew Ladd. But as a teammate, I saw it and I respected it. They’re reeling right now.” And I’m sure they said the same about us.

Campbell: When he called Ladd a coward, we basically all laughed. The Lalji: I always joked that Bieksa and Burish were the same guy because whole locker room was laughing and loving the fact that he called him they were both U.S. college guys that think they were smarter than that. everybody else in the room. Like they both think they’ve got a clever comment. You knew they were going to make their way into television at Burish: Once you pissed him off, he was a scary guy. He was like a some point. Brendan Shanahan, old-school kind of a player, where if you pissed him off — wrong guy. He was going to get you and he was tough. When Burish: It felt like the WWE but the punches weren’t fake. The punches those comments were said about him, you could tell that it made him boil. were real. The blood was real. The hits were real. We were enjoying the media attention we were getting — at least I was. Kesler: I still till this day think it was a cheap shot by Ladd that broke my nose and knocked out four of my teeth. But looking back now, you miss Sekeres: I do remember reporters sort of galloping from one room to that. That’s what you miss. You miss the cheap shots. You miss the another quite excited about what they got and what they were going to be feelings you get after getting hit in the face and just wanting to get the able to relay to the opposition. guy back. Kuc: It wasn’t something they’d say in a vacuum. They know that the The sights and the sounds Canucks were going to hear to it. And the Canucks knew that the Blackhawks were going to hear it. You could see it come out on the ice On May 3, 2010, coach Joel Quenneville was looking for a spark in where that intensity level, where even during the anthem, guys are Game 2 after an opening loss against the Canucks. So he inserted Eager eyeballing each other. It’s like here we go. and Burish into the lineup. Burish: If I was them, it was probably frustrating hearing from a fourth-line Late in the first period, Burish poked the puck from defenseman Shane slug like me running my mouth like that. But to me, it was part of the O’Brien at the Canucks’ blue line and the race was on toward Luongo. It game. It was part of getting to guys. was time to give him a facemask full of snow. Sekeres: What I remember is that both buildings — the electricity, the It led to another scrum around Luongo. In the same game, the United crackle, the intensity that you could cut with a knife. Center jumbotron captured Eager and Burish barking at Burrows from the bench. In both instances, the home crowd roared in approval. Bieksa: I remember Vince Vaughn always sitting by our bench just like mean-mugging us and booing us. One time, I grabbed a Gatorade bottle. Burish: We said we were going to do it before the game, too. We told the And there was like a tiny little crack in between the glass and the glass media we were going to do it. And we did it. Now they made the rule that that separated our bench. And I squirted it through there and it splashed you can’t snow the goalie anymore. off the glass and it went all over him and I think he had like a girl or somebody with him. And I remember he just gave me the look and I just Eager: I think Burr got him worse. laughed at him. I just remember him like booing me. He might have given Burish: We were trying to be the first one to him to snow him, to spray me the finger or something like that. him. But we got there at the same time and both got him. Kesler: I know my parents stopped going (to Chicago) because of how Eager: I imagine we weren’t fun to play against. We had little chips on much abuse they got in the stands. It was just a very hostile environment. our shoulders. Other teams probably thought we were just young and They didn’t like us. To be honest, we didn’t like them. It was a tough cocky. And it probably helped us. We were. place to play. I still hate that song that they play.

Sharp: I don’t think Joel was too excited about some of the comments Bieksa: The crowd is all over you and they hate us. It just looks like that were being thrown back in the media. But as far as game play, there Quenneville hates us, too. He’s got that big grumpy look on with that big was about as much verbal trash talk as I’ve been a part of in all of the mustache. It was just a hostile environment. playoff series that I’ve played. Kesler: You could probably say the same about them coming into our Versteeg: The war of words on the ice would be nowhere allowed in building. today’s game. But it was a time when things were allowed to be said. Marian Hossa, Blackhawks forward: It was always interesting going to Fraser: They had Burrows, Bieksa, Kesler. Those guys are competitive Vancouver. I remember pulling up in front of the hotel and right across, players — and they play on the edge and they play hard. We had our they were building maybe another hotel, and they were like workers guys just like them: Bolly, Laddy, Burish, Eager and whomever. They all yelling at us on the bus. They knew the players from the top. They were play on the edge, too. And when you got all these guys that play like that, yelling and calling them names. it can get ugly and it can get heated and it can get dirty. Bolland: I remember after games, people would be throwing beers on the ice at us. Campbell: We’d all like duck and hide. Sharp: The whole focus of that building was on Dustin Byfuglien and that was fine by us. Eager: It’s probably a good thing when you’re getting beers thrown at you. Hossa: I was just glad this guy was on our team.

Campbell: Us as players, that was the best thing in the world to have Murray: The media, the attention that was going on between Luongo and garbage and stuff thrown at you. That was like the greatest thing. The Dustin Byfuglien was incredible. energy and everything that came with it. Halford: It always seemed like Luongo had a hard time getting out of his Eager: Going out for dinner, fans would be giving us the finger. I own head and it obviously didn’t help when a guy like Byfuglien was remember sitting on the bus after the game down in the tunnel and the firmly planted in there. It was definitely a thing where you saw him fans were standing outside. I was talking to some family and friends and struggling with it. they were above just yelling and fingering us, mooning us on the way out. Burish: Maybe they made the mistake of talking about it too much and Sharp: From the airport to the hotel to the fans sitting outside waiting for complaining about Byfuglien being too close to the crease or touching us at both spots, the game rink, you name it. It was just like a violent, Luongo. And once you show your cards in the playoffs and you show that angry attitude about the games. I think that just fueled the anger in the you’re frustrated or you’re bothered, now we’re really going to dig in series. Both teams didn’t like each other. there. They showed their cards a little bit. Dustin would sit and listen and we’d look at him and he would just start laughing. Kesler: That’s the hockey you miss when you reminisce about the years before. Those are the games you miss. Kesler: I got to know him over the years and completely different guy than what he played on the ice. I actually like him. He’s a good dude. The heavyweight title Those are guys you want on your team. Guys that are really good dudes On May 5, 2010 in Vancouver, the Hawks were on the power play in the and you hate playing against them. middle of the second period during Game 3 of their second-round playoff The dragon-slayer goal series against the Canucks. Toews tried to jam a puck through Luongo, which resulted in a melee in the crease. Byfuglien reached the loose On April 26, 2011, defenseman Chris Campoli flipped the puck from the puck and fired it in. Hawks’ zone just over five minutes into overtime of Game 7 of the first- round series against the Canucks. He would later say he was targeting Byfuglien celebrated by raising both arms, skating by the glass and Kane. yelling at the crowd in Rogers Arena. The boos were fierce. It was Byfuglien’s second power-play goal of the game. He would finish with a But it was intercepted by Burrows. He knocked it down with his right hat trick. glove, skated in all alone on goalie Corey Crawford and unleashed a hard shot off a rolling puck for a 2-1 victory at Rogers Arena. Sharp: It seemed like there were a lot of questionable hits. A lot of slashes in the back of the legs. Sticks were coming up high. It was “They’ve slayed the dragon!” Canucks broadcaster John Shorthouse said getting a little feisty out there. And Vancouver took a couple penalties in live. “Alex Burrows! 5:22 into overtime. Game 7 goes to Vancouver. And a row. The crowd was getting unhappy with the parade to the penalty box the Canucks are off to the second round!” for the Canucks. They were already booing. They were already on the officials. The crowd was. And then Byfuglien scores the power-play goal, Sharp: 2011 was an interesting year. Our team had just won the Stanley which adds fuel to the fire and then not only the power-play goal, the Cup and we were in the conference finals a year before. And we kind of celebration, where he pretty much rubs it in the fan’s faces, was just snuck in the playoffs. We lost half of the team for salary cap reasons. awesome. The big trade with Atlanta. Half the team was gone. And there was a different feeling around our group. Bolland: That’s just Buff being Buff. He was showing off, telling the fans, “Hey, look at this.” Bob Verdi, Blackhawks historian: Can you imagine had there been no salary cap that they had been able to keep that team together? They had Hossa: I got the picture in my mind. That series, he was the most to shed a lot of good players. dominant player. Sharp: We snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. Eager: He was unbelievable. He was playing with Kane and Toews. He was a force. He’s a good player. He’s tough to stop. He’s not the Bieksa: We’re like holy shit. This is our award for winning the league. meanest guy, which is probably a good thing. But when you’d get him They kind of had our number to that point. just a little fired up, he’s tough to stop. Sharp: All of a sudden we find ourselves down 3-0 in the series before Murray: If you look at Byfuglien as a player, I don’t even know if there is a we can even wake up and realize that we’re playing playoff hockey. player in the history of the game that could skate as good as Byfuglien as Hossa: They thought they had us. Then all of a sudden we start coming big as he was at 250, 60, 70 pounds, whatever he was. Really nobody back. knew exactly what he weighed. Halford: We had Raffi Torres on (the radio) a little while ago and we were Garrett: He was always in Luongo’s face. like asking him what do remember about that (Brent) Seabrook hit? Sekeres: I remember it got to a point late in the series where it almost Because that was another one, too. A huge polarizing moment in that looked like Roberto was looking around to see like, “OK, where’s series. Byfuglien?” It’s almost like a pre-snap in football. That’s where Dustin Sharp: The Brent Seabrook injury had a lot to do with firing us up. was at by the end of the series, his impact as a power forward. Duncan Keith played some great hockey.

Kesler: I remember Buff in front of the net. That’s what I remember. I Bolland: I had a concussion and I came back. We were down 3-0 and I remember him scoring three goals against us in our building. remember I came in and I think I hit someone in the corner. I probably Bieksa: It was a guy that was fun to battle with. I just remember asking should have got an elbow penalty. I hit someone. I think Duncs hit him to fight and cross-checking him in front of the net and couldn’t move someone. And the crowd went crazy. him. I loved that challenge. I’d take runs at him and just barely get a Halford: If you’re looking for a lift and you’re just grasping on the straws, piece of him. And he was starting to come into his own. you could do a lot of worse than getting Dave Bolland in the lineup. I Lalji: Everybody hated everything about Dustin Byfuglien. He became an remember some people shrugging it off, “Oh, whatever, the Canucks are analogy for things you didn’t like. If your wife was pissing you off, you’d up 3-0. They got this one. Bolland isn’t going to make that huge of a say, “Don’t be a Byfuglien.” It was like that with Dustin Byfuglien in difference.” He started piling up points like straight away. He was making Vancouver. things happen straight away.

Halford: It went beyond hockey. It was almost like the equivalent of the Bieksa: It felt like we had control of them and then maybe exhaled a little big kid in the playground who would just annihilate everyone else, like bit. would sit on a small kid and just kind of wailed away at him and kind of Garrett: To me, it was the mental block that the Canucks had developed laughed while he was doing it. playing the Blackhawks. Rogers: I thought when the Hawks got to 3-2, they were going to win. Sharp: Those Sedin twins, they played such like a beautiful game. You Like the curse of the Cubs, the curse of the Canucks was going to knew they were going to pass it back and forth to each other 10 times emerge. They just could not get over the hump. every shift. You knew they were going to have these plays that only they could make. And they also had this calm demeanor about them, Sekeres: There were a couple of phrases that get dropped around this whatever situation. province in regards to the Vancouver Canucks. One is “Canuck luck” — and that’s not a good thing. The other is “impending doom.” My colleague Garrett: It was magical watching them play, the way they handled the Don Taylor on radio always drops the phrase “impending doom” — that puck. there’s a fair portion of the Canucks fan base that is always awaiting this impending doom. Murray: You didn’t know how to defend them because nobody else played that type of game in that little era as well as they did. Bieksa: Going back for Game 7, we felt a little bit better because we did play really well in Game 6 and we had a chance to win that but we’re still Bolland: Q would always give us a player that we kind of matched up nervous because we were up 3-0 and here we are Game 7. against. So I was always matched up against their top player because that’s who I went up against. We’d do a little thing on the player, we’d do Lalji: The two most intense environments I’ve ever been around where a little bio on the guy: height, weight, strengths, weaknesses, plenty of you could actually feel it as a journalist — just the tension in the building things. We’d go around the room and everybody steps up, stands up and — was that Game 7 and then probably gold medal final in 2010 between tells them about the player and what they got to do to win and to play the Canadians and Americans. It had a similar tone to it where the against them hard. Americans scored late to send the game into overtime. Rogers: At some point, I realized that they’re so good those two that you Sekeres: The goaltender is out and you’re short-handed and Jonathan need to do a little bit more. You can’t just play them straight up and that’s Toews finds a way to score an equalizer and send it to overtime, like where Bolland was in some ways the Hawks’ version of Kesler when he “You got to be kidding me?” I think a large part of British Columbia was needed to be. anticipating that the bottom was going to fall out of the Canucks. Versteeg: He was a little rat. Verdi: That building was like a library. Eager: It’s just pretty casual but he’ll chop someone, hook ya, trip ya. The Kuc: That goal when Toews scored, I just thought, “OK, here we go, refs never really picked up on it. It’s kind of like (Chris) Pronger. Pronger they’re going to win another Stanley Cup.” did the same thing but he was a bit bigger. But Bolly was always in there slashing at your wrists or tripping ya. Bolland: We had them in Game 7. I still think if we had won Game 7 we would have been back in the finals against Boston that year. Campbell: It was almost like having a little annoying brother that won’t leave you alone and just kind of punching you and jabbing you at all Halford: When Burrows scored, there was a sense of euphoria but also a times. huge sense of relief. Bieksa: He was a lot smaller than the Sedins. But he was competitive Sharp: That goal that Burrows scored, the roof came off. and he was a little bit dirty, not that I’m clean, but he was dirty with his Bieksa: I’ve always said it’s the best feeling I’ve ever had on the ice after stick and little slew foots here and there, just kind of a chippy guy to play that goal went in. against.

Lalji: That’s the biggest goal in the history of the franchise. Verdi: One of the great shit disturbers of all time.

Verdi: If the Canucks had lost that, I don’t know what would have Campbell: Their line was our so-called checking line. Just talk about happened. They might have burned down that city. people you don’t want to play against. All three of them. Ladd, he could skate and hit. Steeger, he might be more annoying than Bolland in a way. Kesler: That goal for him and for us, it saved us. And then you got Dave, he was a violent player with his stick in a non- penalty way. He was aware of what eyes were on him on the ice. And Sekeres: I have never been in a more jubilant locker room for a first- what I mean, he was aware of what referees’ eyes were doing all the round playoff series. time while playing hockey to see where he could get his shots in. Lalji: If the Canucks lose that series, Alain Vigneault probably gets fired Bolland: I wouldn’t say a lot. I’d just get my stick in around their legs or up at that moment. It affects the Sedins’ future. It affects so many futures. around their crotch where people don’t like to be disturbed. I was just The franchise would have been significantly altered. more in their face a lot more. I know with people when you’re in their Kesler: To finally beat those guys after losing to them the two years in the personal space, people would get fed up with it. Just being on them and I playoffs, it was a very satisfying feeling to be on the other side of that don’t think their coach Alain Vigneault really helped them. I think they handshake line and look those guys in the eyes and know that we got the took a lot of dumb penalties on us and we’d capitalize on a lot of those best of them. moments.

Bieksa: It was three years coming for us to beat out Chicago. It took Lalji: No matter what it took. No matter how dirty it had to be. No matter everything we had but finally did it. how much hooking. No matter how much holding. He was allowed to do it and it would infuriate Canucks fans. The Rat vs. the Twins The lasting legacy On Dec. 12, 2011, Bolland went viral. During a WGN Radio interview with host David Kaplan and while taking questions from fans, Bolland referred On Feb. 12, 2020, the Canucks retired the jerseys of Henrik and Daniel to the Sedins as “sisters” more than once. Sedin — and the Hawks were scheduled.

While said in jest, the reaction showed that “The Rat” still excelled at Early in the third period, Hawks defenseman Connor Murphy landed a angering those in Vancouver after three playoff series in the books. strong, high check on Canucks forward Adam Gaudette.

“When you have comments like Bolland’s, he’s obviously an individual The gloves came off and punches were thrown. It was the second fight of whose IQ is probably the size of a bird seed,” Vigneault told reporters. the game — and it was like the good ol’ days. “And he has a face that only a mother could look at.” Murray: We got back to Vancouver this season and Alex Burrows was Murray: The hatred between the two teams as a whole broke down into introduced in the Sedins’ retirement thing and he was introduced as the the hatred between certain players on the teams. It was the Sedins and guy who slayed the dragon. That’s how much that goal meant to the Dave Bolland. Vancouver Canucks to the city of Vancouver that the Blackhawks were the dragon and this person, Alex Burrows, was the guy that slayed the Sekeres: If Dustin Byfuglien was Public Enemy No. 1, then Dave Bolland dragon. was Public Enemy No. 2. Halford: Willie Mitchell’s hit on Jonathan Toews. That was a big boiling Lalji: We would be asking the twins postgame about Dave Bolland on a point moment. And then Burrows and the hair-pulling. And Keith and the regular basis. They would say that it wasn’t bothering them, but it was hit on Sedin (in 2012). Ben Eager running into the Sedins. You almost bothering them. have to go back and almost re-watch just to remember what series they happened in.

Lalji: It all got personal. And Andrew Ladd’s a guy that people here had an affinity to just because he was part of a number of Blackhawks that are from British Columbia. So we always kind of viewed guys like him and Keith, prior to the elbow on Daniel Sedin, as good BC boys. But they kind of lived that end of the rivalry.

Garrett: Duncan Keith still gets booed every time he’s still in Vancouver.

Hossa: Duncs is one of a kind. He loved that stuff, too.

Bieksa: I just know that it was a combination of respecting how good of a team they were and just hating some of the guys on their team, the way they played. I’m sure they hated all of us, too. That’s what made the rivalry so special. There was a genuine, authentic hate between us.

Bolland: I had the Leafs that were going to sign me. I had Florida who I went to. I had Dallas or St. Louis also looking at me. But Vancouver came in with a bigger deal than my Florida deal that I eventually took — and it was lucrative. It was a bigger deal than I was going to get. But I had to decline because I could not go to Vancouver and be caught dead coming back to Chicago after that.

Burish: Even now, 10 years later if they say, who is the guy in the league that you hate the most? You could pick four or five guys from the Vancouver Canucks. Those are the first guys that pop to our minds at least my mind and I think most of the other guys. It was those guys that we hated playing against them but I think there was a real deep respect there. And a little bit of fear each game not knowing what was going to happen and you had to buckle up and you had to be ready.

Bolland: I’m not saying we didn’t gear up for any other games we played, but whenever we played Vancouver, there was an extra gear in us that said we hate these guys and we want to beat them and we really don’t give a shit about them.

Kesler: With that hatred, I always had a respect for those guys because they won. They know how to play and they didn’t cheat the game. And I always have respect for guys who don’t cheat the game.

Sharp: I’m glad that I got to run into Bieksa and shake his hand and nod heads and talk about the old days because these are experiences and memories that I’ve had. For a good 10 to 15 years of my life, I didn’t like that guy at all. Then all of sudden, hockey’s over. You can put that stuff aside. I think there’s a mutual respect.

Burish: There’s probably not a group of guys that I’ve played against that I hated more that I would more like to sit down and have beers with.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175085 Websites While the NHLPA Executive Board’s vote last week on the format itself apparently involved some rather pointed questions on the call (although the vote ended up 29-2), the hub cities package of protocols and details I believe will be the real crux of the matter as far as whether the players The Athletic / LeBrun: What comes next after NHL’s announcement of will sign off on Return to Play. Return to Play plan “First of all, you’ve got a group of 700-odd players, you would expect every possible opinion to be aired and aired seriously,” Fehr said. “And players’ individual circumstances, whether it’s their own health, the health By Pierre LeBrun May 26, 2020 of their family members, other things they have to do, obviously are going to weigh in on it. Secondly, we raised the issue of separation (from their families). The NHL was responsive to that. In Phase 2, there’s no On Day 76 since the NHL paused its season, there was finally tangible enforced separation, Phase 3 during training camp, there isn’t an proof of plans to resume it. enforced separation. When we get to real competition (Phase 4), there may have to be one, if the doctors and the health care people say it’s the But it’s far from done. far and away better thing to do. And hopefully it won’t be very long that And the players will have a mighty say in all of it. As well they should. we’ll be involved in doing that.

The 24-team format announced Tuesday is just Step 1 in what remains a “We have to do the best we can,” added Fehr. “Everybody here challenging process to see games this season. understands that we’re in a world in which things have to be done differently if they’re going to be done at all. You just want to minimize the There’s still so much to figure out, Donald Fehr, the veteran executive inconvenience. If it gets to the point where in order to do this the director of the NHL Players’ Association, said Tuesday evening after the separation is too long, players will tell us that and we’ll make different dust settled on a format that had no dates attached to it. arrangements and so on. But I don’t expect that to be an issue at this This was really the message Tuesday: if there is hockey this season, stage.” here’s what it’s going to look like. But don’t ask us when exactly or if for Of note, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly in his media Zoom call sure it’s going to happen. Tuesday evening stipulated that if Canadian authorities stay rigid on the And that’s OK. In these unparalleled times, you couldn’t ask the NHL and need for people arriving in the country to be quarantined for 14 days, that NHLPA to do more just yet. the league would not pick a Canadian hub city.

Now, let’s see if the NHL and NHLPA can ultimately pull it off. I hope they But in the meantime, even the format itself still has open issues that need can, who doesn’t want hockey back? But let’s also be realistic about the to be resolved over the next few days. challenges ahead. Like whether the first two rounds of the actual, 16-team playoffs will be a “Here’s the situation in a nutshell: we couldn’t be in a place in which best-of-five or best-of-seven series (the conference finals and Stanley somebody said on July 16, ‘OK, you can start playing in 10 days’ and Cup Final will definitely be best of seven, the play-in series are best of have no plans, and no reservations and players not ready and all the rest five). of it,” Fehr told The Athletic. “That would mean giving up any possibility Also whether teams will be reseeded or not after the play-in round. The that we were going to go forward. And nobody thought that was a good players want to reseed (which I also favour), the league prefers to go idea. So what we wanted to try and do is negotiate a framework to say, ‘If bracket style. we can do it, this is how.’ But what really grabbed my attention Tuesday is the lack of clarity on “And now we’re going to figure out all the pieces,” Fehr added. “But whether there’s 24 teams in the playoffs or 16. there’s a lot of pieces that we need to get done, and you have to do it one after another. It’s like walking down the street. Keep taking steps or Yes, 24 teams are going to return to play. But there’s been mixed else you don’t get there.” messaging on what the play-in round constitutes. Bettman said Tuesday during his address that the regular season is over. But a few league It’s already been an exhaustive process (Fehr has been on 3-5 calls a sources said that doesn’t necessarily mean the play-in round is day with players and staff since mid-March) and they’re maybe halfway considered playoffs, one source suggesting those play-ins will ultimately through it. They’ve got a format — although there are still a few open be considered a unique set of games. Not regular season, but not issues with it — and they’ve got a Phase 2 agreement for small group playoffs either. workouts at NHL team facilities, but they don’t know when exactly that can start across the league other than hoping it’s sometime in early June. As another league source said, the play-in is “the qualifier before the playoffs.” Next comes finding resolution in negotiations to hammer out details, guidelines and protocols for Phase 3 (training camps in first part of July) But in truth, it’s yet another open issue to be ironed out between the NHL and Phase 4 (resumption of games likely late July/early August). and NHLPA.

If you thought the 29-page NHL-NHLPA agreement for Phase 2 was All Fehr would say on that matter is that the playoff definition still needed something, wait until you see the fine print on playing hockey games in to be determined between both sides. the summer in two hub cities living in a bubble with widespread COVID- It’s not a meaningless matter. There are players with playoff bonuses in 19 testing will look like. their contracts. There are some head coaches and GMs who get The hub cities selection and subsequent safety protocols loom large in all bonuses for making the playoffs. Does being in the 24-team tournament of this. Players have raised concerns about living in a bubble for two qualify as that? Not decided yet. months. And finally, there’s the CBA. I’ve mentioned this a few times since the “Let me put it this way: we’ve got to negotiate Phase 3 protocols, which is season pause in March, but the only way to help mitigate the economic training camp, and then Phase 4 which is the hub cities,” Fehr said. “And damage this pandemic is going to rain down on the NHL business over obviously the Executive Board (31 player reps) is going to have to weigh the next few years — in the form of major escrow pain for the players and in on those before anything final can be done.” financial pressure on the owners — is for both sides to negotiate a CBA extension out of this. The league is going to want to make life in the bubble hubs as good as possible for players while also wanting to maintain a bubble to help limit “As you know we were negotiating (before the pandemic hit),” Fehr said. the NHL tournament’s footprint in each city. “One of the things we have to work through are the economic consequences of this, some of which are known or known within a Bettman on Tuesday listed Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las specific error range; some of which are not known. We don’t know what Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and the future is going to bring. So if it’s possible to wrap everything else into Vancouver as current markets bidding to be one of those two hub cities. an extension that would cover all these things, and all the contingencies, He also said the league would need to decide within the next 3-4 weeks that’d be great. I’m just not yet in a position to hazard a guess as to which two hub cities they would go with. whether it’s going to be likely.” Just to clarify, I asked Fehr if those CBA talks have indeed been happening of late.

“Well, what we’re doing obviously to the extent we’re talking about the economics, about the economic importance of this stretching over time, not over a period of months,” Fehr said.

Translation: a new CBA could help massage the economic pain both for players’ escrow perhaps with payments deferred or spread out over years while also giving allowances to the league and owners with some items that could help their situation. So perhaps a CBA extension in all of this which would help both sides get through the worst of it.

That’s the macro.

The here and now is about taking a breath now that the 24-team format is in the books, but getting right back at it in negotiations via the Return to Play Committee tackling the rest of the hurdles that remain before we see puck drop this summer.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175086 Websites delicious scenario here in which all the teams competing in the play-in round now are going to have a direct rooting interest in the outcome of the June 26 draft lottery.

The Athletic / Roundtable reaction: Winners and losers of the NHL’s draft Ideally, those teams – 16 in all – will quietly be cheering that a scenario lottery solution develops like it did the year the Philadelphia Flyers jumped to No. 2 in the draft lottery to secure Nolan Patrick, or the Carolina Hurricanes jumped to No. 2 to draft Andrei Svechnikov, or the Dallas Stars jumped to No. 3 to draft Miro Heiskanen. By The Athletic NHL Staff May 26, 2020 If it happens that an NHL logo comes up as the winner of any of the three

rounds in the draft lottery, suddenly all the teams involved in the play-in OK, so it wasn’t a tournament to determine the draft order. Which, if you round have a 12.5 percent chance to move up in the top three. like chaos, was one of the best ideas to come out of the NHL’s And if, heaven forbid, if it happened twice, then suddenly the odds jump brainstorming portion of its pause. But the NHL’s draft lottery plan is to 25 percent that you can get a really nice consolation prize if you certainly something. It’s convoluted. It has multiple phases. NHL happen to lose out in the play-in round to determine the actual 16-team commissioner Gary Bettman even gave a bit of a warning before playoff field. explaining it in his return video announcement, saying, “this is a bit complicated … and I apologize for that.” COREY MASISAK: The NHL’s unique draft lottery could be a net positive for the New Jersey Devils, but no other team has traded for more It’s complicated but it also settled a few issues. conditional picks and even interim GM Tom Fitzgerald said Tuesday First, the basics: night that he’s still waiting for clarification on them.

1. There are 15 teams in the draft lottery. The seven teams done playing This lottery plan does still allow the Devils the chance to land a top-three will participate in Phase 1 on June 26. There will be three drawings for pick. It could also lead to New Jersey landing another pick in the 8-10 the top three picks. If it’s three non-playoff teams, we’re all set! But of range, depending on what happens with the Coyotes in both the course, it won’t be. So chances are, it’s on to Phase 2. qualification round and the lottery. Arizona’s pick, as of Tuesday, could still land in 26 of the 31 spots in the 2020 first round. 2. Phase 2 of the lottery would be held after the qualifying round and before the start of the 16-team playoffs. The eight teams eliminated, with What happens with two picks from Arizona (including a potential first- equal odds, conduct a drawing to determine who gets the spot (spots?) rounder in 2021), Vancouver’s first in 2020 or 2021 and a third- or fourth- won by the placeholder in Phase 1. So a team like, say, the Edmonton round choice in 2020 from Carolina all hinge in part on if the NHL defines Oilers could compete in the play-in round and also win the No. 1 overall the play-in round as playoff games or not. So the Devils could benefit, or pick. it could hurt them. For now, it’s more waiting.

Would it be easier just to get it done in one drawing after the playoffs? COREY PRONMAN: I like the idea of having the lottery in June, as it’s Sure, but this gives teams done playing something to look forward to something to engage the league and the fans of teams who will be during what could be a looooong layoff. dormant for an extended period of time, plus it allows the top couple of prospects to know which organization they need to work with over the “They have their ability to engage with their fan base on something course of the summer and fall. during their long pause between games,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said of those seven teams. “We thought the draft lottery was a I’m not so sure on the logic of making the lottery overly complicated to chance to create excitement and engage with their fanbase.” compensate for the No. 8-15 slots, which under the 2019 system the first pick draw came out to a 25 percent chance combined between all the So here we are. There’s a lot going on. To sort through it, we invited a teams of winning. The simple solution would have been three draws for panel of writers from The Athletic to share some thoughts, observations the bottom seven teams, especially since the other teams get a chance and opinions about the new draft lottery setup. to make the playoffs.

Let’s dive in: HAILEY SALVIAN: This format means the Senators will have the best combined odds (25 percent) at winning the lottery, as they own San MAX BULTMAN: The Detroit Red Wings ultimately land in the place they Jose’s pick and their own. However, Ottawa can now drop as low as No. were always most likely to end up: near the top of the lottery, with an 5 and No. 6. So can you really blame Senators fans for feeling like this is 18.5 percent shot at the first overall pick and a 49 percent chance of the “worst case scenario” compared to the previous draft and lottery picking in the top three. That’s the same as it was the day the season proposal? was suspended. From that standpoint, they don’t lose any ground — although it’s certainly a far cry from the odds floated a few weeks ago. Personally, I don’t hate this idea. It gives fans (and us media) something to look forward to. My one issue with this format is around the Phase 2 Detroit is, however, quite adversely affected by not getting to play again part. I’m fine with the losing teams from the qualifying round being until the next season, whenever that may be. That means no games or included in the lottery as a consolation prize of sorts. But I don’t think meaningful competition for any of its young players or prospects, while they should be eligible to move up to first-overall. I would have preferred other teams have training camps and playoff hockey reps coming their to see a maximum move up rule like in last month’s proposal. Because I way. That aspect is as damaging as anything else about this Return to can’t imagine the turmoil in Ottawa if a team like Toronto or Montreal Play format for Detroit — though certainly it will feel toughest for Red wins the lottery and the Senators drop out of the top-four. Wings fans, who just endured one of the most miserable seasons of the salary cap era, if a team participating in the NHL’s postseason (whether SCOTT WHEELER: From a practicality standpoint, I don’t hate the way you want to call it a playoff or play-in) jumps them via one of the the NHL has decided to go about this. It accomplishes two things: placeholder spots. 1. It gives the seven NHL fan bases that are facing 10 (11?) months CRAIG CUSTANCE: There were certainly people unhappy with the without games something to chew on while the rest of the league has its notion that moving the draft to June would have given the teams at the fun in the playoffs. bottom of the standings better odds of winning the lottery. Said one NHL executive of the lottery plan attached to the June draft memo: “(Steve 2. It gives the scouts and managers for those seven clubs a sooner Yzerman’s) team is getting an absurd benefit as it stands.” That’s no resolution. If I’m Ottawa or Detroit, I don’t want to wait until September or longer the case. This brings the odds closer to what they were before all October before being able to narrow my focus on the players I’m this hit and that seemed like an important consideration for teams when considering. weighing in on the lottery. Instead, this becomes one of the rare times it’s Is it too convoluted? Yes. Is the average fan going to understand the new good to be in the middle of the pack in the NHL. Those are the winners odds and the layers that come with them? No. Do middle-of-the-pack here. You get a crack at the Stanley Cup and, if that flames out, there teams get an unfair advantage with the lottery and the play-in format as might be a shot at the top pick waiting for you. win-win options? Yes. But June 26 gives people a set date to look ERIC DUHATSCHEK: What interests me about this formula is what forward to and will quench the thirst for some fan bases and happens outside of the top seven because the NHL has created a organizations, and we can’t lose sight of those things. I think that’s a win. Here’s hoping all three top picks are won by bottom-seven teams so that we can be done with it in one night and move on.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175087 Websites Strange season for my preseason Cup pick that included the shocking firing of coach Gerard Gallant. But Pete DeBoer is a playoff-tested coach and this Vegas team is as good as any in the Western Conference and now features the best one-two goaltending punch of the 24 teams with The Athletic / NHL return-to-play power rankings: New playoff format, newcomer Robin Lehner providing support for future Hall of Famer Marc- same favorites at the top Andre Fleury.

7. Philadelphia Flyers

By Scott Burnside May 26, 2020 The Flyers had quietly become one of the best teams in the NHL at the pause under the guidance of Alain Vigneault. This will be sophomore

netminder Carter Hart’s first experience with playoff hockey at NHL level, And so, at long last, there is a format. A structure. Whether the NHL and no matter what it looks like. its players will be able to turn this 24-team idea into an actual living, 8. Pittsburgh Penguins breathing enterprise that leads to awarding the Stanley Cup in these uncertain times remains to be seen. There’s already some angst in Pittsburgh at the prospect of facing Carey Price and the Habs in the play-in. Montreal is not that good so, frankly So let’s take what we know for certain and start there. there is no excuse for Sidney Crosby et al not to advance. Still, questions When given the all-clear, there will be 24 teams returning to action after a do abound in goal for head coach Mike Sullivan: Tristan Jarry and his lengthy training camp. .921 save percentage or two-time Cup winner Matt Murray?

The top four teams by winning percentage in each conference will play in 9. Dallas Stars a mini-round robin, three games, the results of which will establish the The Stars avoid a play-in series by virtue of their fourth-ranked points top four seeds in each conference in the traditional 16-team field. If percentage in the West and they’ll be one of those teams preferring to there’s a tie after the round-robin games, regular-season point forget how they were playing heading into the pause which is to stay they percentage will serve as the tie-breaker. were definitely a bit sideways. Still, this Stars team is built for the Meanwhile, the other 16 teams, eight per conference, will play in best-of- postseason and with Ben Bishop once again playing at a Vezina Trophy five play-in series. The matchups for those series will be 5 vs. 12, 6 vs. level they’ll be a tough out. 11, 7 vs. 10 and 8 vs. 9, based on winning percentage at the pause. 10. Carolina Hurricanes It’s still unclear whether the winners of the play-in will be matched up Another team that should benefit tremendously from the pause in terms against the top four teams by seeding or bracket. It’s also to be of getting top personnel back in the lineup. Norris Trophy hopeful Dougie determined how long (best of five or best of seven) the first two rounds of Hamilton, newcomer Sami Vatanen and top netminder Petr Mrazek could the playoffs will be. all return for the postseason. The problem for the Canes is the same So, we have a plan. Sort of. applies to their play-in opponent, the New York Rangers.

And a plan now begets our first Power Rankings heading into what may 11. Edmonton Oilers be the most unusual, compelling playoff race in our lifetime. Earlier return to play models would have seen the Oilers avoid a play-in 1. Boston Bruins (80 percent of first-place votes) round but now they’ll take on the 12th seeded Blackhawks. No reason they should be worried except, well, Patrick Kane and Corey Crawford Only three teams earned first-place votes so not surprising the NHL’s and Jonathan Toews. So much on the line for the Oilers after last best team at the pause comes out on top here. The pause may in fact season’s stink-a-rama and thus what follows will provide an excellent test help a veteran Bruins team that went to Game 7 of the 2019 final and of the leadership for captain Connor McDavid and Hart Trophy favorite now will have fresh legs to go with that chip on their collective shoulders. Leon Draisaitl.

2. St. Louis Blues (6 percent of first-place votes) 12. Toronto Maple Leafs

We had the defending champion Blues right behind Boston in our own Speaking of having a lot on the line. The talented Leafs will have their rankings and, like the Bruins, they’ll take advantage of the pause to reset hands full with a Columbus team that knows all about disposing of talent their bearings on another long run. Getting Vladimir Tarasenko back into as witnessed by their sweep of Tampa last April. Time for Auston game shape will be a key factor in the Blues’ dreams of a repeat. Matthews to step to the plate (I know, a mixing of the metaphors there) and prove he can rise to the occasion for a team that has been one-and- 3. Tampa Bay Lightning (14 percent of first-place votes) done three straight playoff years. Honestly, this is not a great matchup for The Bolts were one of only two teams that voted against the 24-team a Leafs team that still is wanting on the blue line and lacks overall return to play model and have had to wait a long time to try and wash toughness. away the stain of last April’s first-round sweep at the hands of Columbus. 13. New York Islanders As the second-best team in the Eastern Conference at the pause they’ll have to wait a while longer for meaningful games. The good news is the Like the Stars, the Islanders were tracking sideways at the pause and it’s Lightning were pretty beat up at the time of the pause, especially along fair to speculate that had the season gone on as planned that they’d the blue line, so should have all hands on deck when their time comes. have been outside the playoff bubble when the dust cleared. Now Barry Trotz has to convince the Isles none of that matters as they’ll tangle with 4. Colorado Avalanche another meandering squad in the Panthers. Will anyone ever give The Avs will have a chance to take over the top seed in the Western Thomas Greiss his proper due? Conference in the round-robin section of play – they were two points 14. Columbus Blue Jackets back of St. Louis with a game in hand at the pause – and after a season that saw them play long stretches without key personnel due to injury, The Blue Jackets won’t catch anyone by surprise this spring but that they should ice a healthy, dangerous lineup when the puck drops on this won’t matter to a well-coached, hard-checking team that will be more or second season. less at full strength when the puck drops on the play-in season (Josh Anderson being the notable absence). Big question? Can Elvis 5. Washington Capitals Merzlikins, he of the .923 save percentage, be this year’s Jordan The Caps will return to play with questions about their goaltending Binnington? rotation and whether this will be Braden Holtby’s swan song in 15. Winnipeg Jets Washington as the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner approaches free agency. The Caps still boast a formidable lineup so the big question is can the Listen, the Jets still have a very wobbly blue line but they also have a 2018 Cup champs find that mojo that eluded them last spring in a first- goaltender likely to win his first Vezina Trophy in Connor Hellebuyck, a round upset at the hands of Carolina. gaggle of hard, talented forwards and a veteran coach who won’t be rattled in a short series. Don’t sleep on the Jets, who will face 6. Vegas Golden Knights underachieving Calgary in the play-in. 16. Vancouver Canucks But it’s unlikely because this Habs team is still thin up front and only OK on the back end. The Canucks had fallen from fighting for first in the Pacific to the very edge of the playoff grid at the pause. But Jacob Markstrom will be back As for the seven teams that will not return to play, they now get some and healthy although worth noting the Canucks MVP has never played in clarity about the draft and will know where they are picking after June 26. an NHL playoff game. A rejuvenated Brock Boeser will be looking to erase an injury-plagued season and the Canucks and their potent power 25. Buffalo Sabres play and deep, talented offensive corps stack up well against play-in 26. New Jersey Devils opponent Minnesota. 27. Anaheim Ducks 17. Calgary Flames 28. Los Angeles Kings Not much love for the Flames among voters. That’s understandable. They were the top seed in the West a year ago and sputtered to a first- 29. San Jose Sharks round exit in five games against Colorado and frankly they don’t match 30. Ottawa Senators up well against Winnipeg. This is a crucial test for the young leadership of a talented but underachieving Flames team. 31. Detroit Red Wings

18. New York Rangers The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 The rebuilding Rangers should be looking at this play-in as found money. They’ll get Chris Kreider back from injury and this will be a great opportunity to test young goaltending prospects Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev in the bright glare of elimination hockey. Unless, of course, head coach David Quinn opts to give Henrik Lundqvist one more shot at postseason glory. Don’t see that happening. Still this play-in series against speedy Carolina should have tons of fireworks.

19. Nashville Predators

The Predators have an opportunity for dark horse glory in this most unusual of circumstances. Healthy, with a chip on their collective shoulders, the Preds were just starting to get into a groove under new head coach John Hynes. Have to believe Juuse Saros gets the nod having started 15 of the Preds’ last 21 games leading up to the pause. With their experience and depth they should have a significant edge on play-in opponent Arizona.

20. Florida Panthers

Love this play-in coaching matchup that pits multiple Jack Adams winner Barry Trotz against three-time Cup winner Joel Quenneville. The problem facing Quenneville is that his biggest issue is beyond his control and that is whether he’s going to get good Sergei Bobrovsky or Bad Bob. If it’s Good Bob the skilled Panthers will be a real handful and not just for the Isles. If not, see ya.

21. Minnesota Wild

The Wild were actually starting to get it together before rookie GM Bill Guerin fired Bruce Boudreau and traded skilled winger Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh. But under Dean Evason guys like Kevin Fiala have blossomed and the veteran core will be fresh when the puck drops against Vancouver. Alex Stalock has started one postseason game in his NHL career but he’ll get the nod ahead of veteran Devan Dubnyk barring some sort of calamitous change of direction for the Wild.

22. Arizona Coyotes

The Coyotes are one of those teams that must be looking at this return to play format as a rare second chance after falling out of the traditional playoff picture in the Pacific Division. Darcy Kuemper was on a Vezina Trophy arc before an injury in mid-December. Can Taylor Hall put a middling regular season behind him to help chart a new postseason path for a team that hasn’t been to the postseason since 2012?

23. Chicago Blackhawks

Lots of grumbling from management types and some players that Chicago, and Montreal for that matter, are in the mix for the playoffs. And no question GM Stan Bowman was already looking to next season having moved netminder Robin Lehner to Vegas. But Patrick Kane, having a Hart Trophy-worthy campaign, leads a veteran group that were the catalysts to three Stanley Cups and can’t be taken lightly. Regardless of how they fare against the Oilers this format provides some unexpected experience for a promising group of youngsters that includes Alex DeBrincat and Dominik Kubalik.

24. Montreal Canadiens

We get that Carey Price casts a very long shadow for the 12th seeded Canadiens who, like Chicago, had almost zero chance of getting into the playoffs prior to the pause. And sure, Price and his pedestrian .909 save percentage might be the catalyst to an upset of the talented Penguins. 1175088 Websites Phase 2, which is voluntary small group workouts at team facilities, begins in early June, so it’s expected that training camps (Phase 3) will not begin before mid-July.

The Athletic / Explaining the NHL’s Return to Play plan and the new Draft The resumption of play (Phase 4) will be in two hub cities, with 12 teams lottery system from each conference in each city. Those cities will be selected at a later date based on COVID-19 numbers, testing ability and government regulations. The NHL expects to pick the two cities in the next three-to- four weeks. By Scott Burnside May 26, 2020 The cities under consideration are: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas,

Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, For the first time since the NHL paused its schedule on March 12 there Toronto and Vancouver. was actual news regarding a possible resumption of the 2019-20 season The 2019-20 regular season is considered complete with 189 games that as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed plans for a 24-team will not be played. The league expects it will play a full 82-game regular format and explained a new format for the 2020 NHL Draft lottery. season in 2020-21. The Return to Play play will have a best-of-five play-in round among the NHL Draft Lottery Rules No. 5-12 seeds in each conference, while the top four seeds in each conference play a round robin. As for the draft lottery, the first 15 picks in the 2020 draft will go to the seven teams that do not continue to play this season, as well as the eight The draft lottery will potentially take part in two phases with the seven losing teams in the play-in round. teams not returning to play and the eight losers from the play-in round all having a chance to win the first-overall pick. Phase 1 of the lottery will involve the bottom seven teams plus placeholder spots for the eight teams that lose in the qualifying round (or Here are the key points of Bettman’s address dubbed the Return To Play the teams that have acquired the picks belonging to these teams). The Plan. first lottery will take place on June 26, prior to the resumption of play. The top 12 teams by points percentage in each conference will resume There will be a drawing for the top three selections. If all three spots are play when it’s determined it is prudent to do so later this summer. The won by teams that don’t return to play, there will not be a Phase 2 of the seven teams not returning are Detroit, Ottawa, San Jose, Los Angeles, lottery. Anaheim, New Jersey and Buffalo. If a placeholder spot wins any of the top three picks, there will be a The top four teams in each conference will get an automatic bid into the second lottery with the eight teams that lose in the play-in round to first round of the playoffs, but they will play a three-game round robin to determine which team gets the pick or picks. This lottery will happen after determine seeding in the opening round of the playoffs. Those games will the play-in round and before the first round of the playoffs. employ regular season rules, including overtime and shootouts. If there is a tie after the round robin, regular season point percentage will serve as The remaining top 15 draft picks will go to the remaining bottom seven the tie-breaker. teams and the eight teams that lose in the play-in round in inverse order of their points percentage at the time of the pause. The No. 5-12 seeds in each conference will play a best-of-five play-in round using traditional playoff rules (i.e. playing each game until a winner The bottom seven teams would line up, at worst, with picks No. 4-10 if is declared). the placeholder spots won all three of the top picks.

The winners of those play-in rounds will play the top four teams in each The odds for winning the No. 1 pick are: conference, although the Return To Play committee has yet to determine whether those matchups will be based on seeding or bracket formula. 1. Detroit Red Wings

The length of the first two round of the playoffs has also yet to be 0.275 determined and could be best-of-five or best-of-seven. 18.50% The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be a best-of-seven. 2. Ottawa Senators The standings and play-in matchups are: 0.437 NHL's Return to Play Format 13.50% 1. Bruins 3. Ottawa Senators* 1. Blues 0.437 2. Lightning 11.50% 2. Avalanche 4. Los Angeles Kings 3. Capitals 0.457 3. Golden Knights 9.50% 4. Flyers 5. Anaheim Ducks 4. Stars 0.472 5. Penguins vs. 12. Canadiens 8.50% 5. Oilers vs. 12. Blackhawks 6. New Jersey Devils 6. Hurricanes vs. 11. Rangers .493** 6. Predators vs. 11. Coyotes 7.50% 7. Islanders vs. 10. Panthers 7. Buffalo Sabres 7. Canucks vs. 10. Wild .493** 8. Maple Leafs vs. 9. Blue Jackets 6.50% 8. Flames vs. 9. Jets 8. Team A n/a

6.00%

9. Team B n/a

5.00%

10. Team C n/a

3.50%

11. Team D n/a

3.00%

12. Team E n/a

2.50%

13. Team F n/a

2.00%

14. Team G n/a

1.50%

15. Team H n/a

1.00%

* Acquired in a trade with San Jose Sharks (.450 points percentage)

** Buffalo Sabres ranked higher than New Jersey Devils on the basis of higher regulation/OT win percentage (Buffalo, .406 ROW%; New Jersey, .348 ROW%)

The Athletic LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175089 Websites It’s an example of the kind of creative decision-making that will continue to be needed to complete this strangest of seasons by the end of September.

Sportsnet.ca / NHL provides glimmer of hope with clear picture of Return Bettman speaks like a man confident he’ll find a way. He even managed to Play Plan to sound undaunted by the stark economic challenges at hand — which include the millions needed for testing and “tens of millions” required to set up shop in hub cities for months on end for games that won’t generate any gate revenue. Chris Johnston | May 26, 2020, 5:15 PM The health and safety of players and staff will drive decisions. Teams will

be limited to bringing 50 personnel into the hub, which includes From out of the uncertain fog that has hung over the NHL for the last 11 expanded rosters of 28 skaters and as many goaltenders as each wish to weeks you could finally make out some light. carry.

In detailing how his league intends to emerge from the COVID-19 pause “There aren’t going to be a lot of people on the event floor coming to crown a Stanley Cup champion, commissioner Gary Bettman offered a anywhere close to the players once we do this,” said Bettman. “I glimmer of hope to anyone invested in seeing that happen. It’s not understand that everybody has a job to do, but we’ve got to keep the something his North American-based counterparts have yet been able to players safe and healthy if we’re going to be able to see this through. do and there was a decidedly optimistic tone to the NHL’s message “The more people that they can have contact with, the greater the risk despite it being delivered without ironclad guarantees, promises or even becomes.” timelines. Where you could really find hope Tuesday was not just in the plan “We hope that this is a step back toward normalcy,” Bettman said already taking shape, but in the way the outstanding issues were framed. Tuesday. The NHL seems to be taking a clear-eyed approach to a monumental Should it be deemed safe to do so, the new normal will see 24 teams task. It’s shown a real willingness to take cues from the players during brought back to two hub cities featuring tightly controlled protective this pause and still has work to do to make them comfortable with the bubbles built around team staff and players. It will include nightly tests hub city setups, among many other issues. before bed so that any positive results will be discovered prior to the individual leaving his hotel room the following morning — one of many Yet even with the long road ahead, they see a reward off in the distance. planned safeguards to prevent an outbreak that might derail the whole tournament. “I look forward to the greatest privilege of all,” said Bettman. “Presenting the most storied and coveted trophy in all of sports to the captain of the There’s an unmistakable determination to navigate any issues that arise 2019-20 Stanley Cup champions.” here, which is an encouraging sign in itself with so many remaining. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.27.2020 Players signed off on the framework for the resumption-of-play format last Friday, but there are details still to be worked out with the league. Whether a bracket or seeding will be used following the play-in portion, and whether the first two playoff rounds are contested as best-of-fives or best-of-sevens, are among the items still carrying a “TBD.”

The same goes for where these games will be played, although the NHL has narrowed its focus to 10 potential locations that include Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto. None of those Canadian cities will be picked if the government doesn’t lift a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the country, according to deputy commissioner Bill Daly, and the dialogue on that issue is ongoing.

Las Vegas is considered a favourite to be selected as one hub while Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Pittsburgh are also under consideration.

Bettman intends to use all of the time at his disposal — be it waiting another three weeks to ensure he has up-to-date information before finalizing the hub locations, or wisely refusing to set firm deadlines.

Instead, he’s traced an outline around how the return-to-play might go. The league hopes to open team facilities for voluntary small-group workouts next week and won’t progress to mandatory training camps before July 1. The players will be given the final say on how much time they need to get back into playing shape, according to the commissioner, but there’s a conceivable scenario where games resume roughly two months from now.

“I think realistically if we’re in training camp mid-July, that would be a good thing, and if we can be playing by the end of July or the beginning of August, that would be a good thing, too,” said Bettman. “But if it has to slide more, then it’ll slide. There’s a reason that we’re not giving you dates now because anybody who gives you a date is guessing, and we think we’d rather take a more holistic approach to doing this.”

Unprecedented times have resulted in unprecedented measures.

How else to explain a draft lottery that could actually include multiple phases? The first will be conducted June 26 with the top three picks up for grabs among the seven teams whose season is officially over — Ottawa holds a 25 per cent chance at landing No. 1 — plus the eight losers of play-in series that won’t have been played by then.

A placeholder will be used to represent that group and if it wins the first-, second- or third-overall pick then a second lottery is required this summer. 1175090 Websites Bettman also shared the NHL’s plan for how the draft lottery will be conducted.

There will be 15 clubs eligible to win the first-overall selection: the seven Sportsnet.ca / NHL announces plans for return to play, 2020 draft lottery teams who will not resume play and the eight teams that are eliminated in the best-of-five qualifying round. The draft lottery, however, will be conducted in one or two phases, depending on how the first phase plays out on June 26. Sportsnet Staff | @Sportsnet May 26, 2020, 4:47 PM “The seven clubs that did not resume play and the eight qualifying round

clubs that do not advance into the playoffs will enter the draft lottery,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has outlined the league’s plan to Bettman said. “At the time of the first phase draws we won’t know which return with a 24-team playoff format and how the 2020 draft lottery will eight teams won’t advance from the qualifying round, so we have work. designated temporary placeholders with the odds that the collective group would have had.” “When the go-ahead from medical experts and the relevant government authorities is given, 24 of our 31 teams will resume play,” said Bettman If each of the top three selections are won by teams not returning to play, on Tuesday in an exclusive announcement on Tim & Sid. there will be no need for a second phase of the lottery. Those seven teams will have the same odds of getting a top-three pick as they would As reported by Elliotte Friedman and Chris Johnston, the NHL plans to have in normal circumstances. The eight placeholders teams will start employ a 24-team playoff system with order of finish determined by each with approximately a three per cent chance of getting the first overall team’s points percentage as of March 11, when the NHL season was pick. paused. The top four teams in each conference will claim an automatic berth in the first round of the playoffs and not have to compete in the However, if any of the three draws are won by a placeholder team, a play-in round. They will, however, play a three-game intra-conference Phase 2 lottery will take place before the conference quarterfinal begins. round robin to determine Round 1 seeding. Regular-season overtime In this lottery, only the eight teams eliminated in the qualifying round will rules will apply to these games. be involved and each of them will have the same odds to move into the top three (12.5 per cent). The remaining eight teams in each conference will play a best-of-five “qualifying round” series to determine which teams advance to the first When the top three is decided, the remainder of the first round will be round of the playoffs. These games will be played with playoff overtime slotted in reverse order of their 2019-20 points percentage. The draft rules. itself will now be conducted after the conclusion of the playoffs, but no date has yet been set for the event. For purposes of record-keeping and awards, Bettman noted the 2019-20 regular season is considered to be over. With the NHL draft now locked in after the 2019-20 season — in October, potentially — some prospects could conceivably start playing in It has not yet been determined if the winners of the qualifying round will Europe again before it happens. be re-seeded for the playoffs, or if this will follow a bracket tournament- style format. Bettman also indicated that the Return To Play Committee — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 26, 2020 is still discussing if the first and second round of the playoffs will be best- “The health and safety of our players, coaches, essential support staff of-five or best-of-seven, but confirmed the conference final and Stanley and our communities are paramount,” Bettman said. “While nothing is Cup Final will be best-of-seven. without risk, ensuring health and safety has been central to all of our Bettman also confirmed that the qualifying round series would be as planning so far and will remain so.” follows: Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.27.2020 Eastern Conference

• 5) Pittsburgh vs. 12) Montreal

• 6) Carolina vs. 11) Rangers

• 7) Islanders vs. 10) Florida

• 8) Toronto vs. 9) Columbus

Western Conference

• 5) Edmonton vs. 12) Chicago

• 6) Nashville vs. 11) Arizona

• 7) Vancouver vs. 10) Minnesota

• 8) Calgary vs. 9) Winnipeg

While the NHL hopes to move into Phase 2 of its return to play policy (allowing for small group workouts) as early as next week, Bettman acknowledged it was too early to set hard dates for next steps. He did, however, indicate Phase 3 (opening of training camps) wouldn’t open before July 1 and that he envisions the league playing into the early fall.

“At this time we are not fixing dates because the schedule of our return to play will be determined both by developing circumstances and the needs of our players.”

The commissioner also said decisions on which two cities would be selected as hubs to complete a season have not yet been determined, but he did list the following destinations as being under consideration: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

“The final determinations will depend on COVID-19 conditions, testing availability and government regulations,” he said. 1175091 Websites Bettman also held a Q&A session along with deputy commissioner Bill Daly for members of the media on Tuesday. Here are a few items covered in the session that didn’t come up in the fan Q&A:

Sportsnet.ca / Gary Bettman answers fan questions on Instagram about Will Canada’s mandate for a two-week quarantine when entering the NHL's return to play country affect whether a Canadian city is chosen as a hub city?

Bill Daly: “If we’re not able to (change) the interpretation of the quarantine consistent with our players’ ability to travel in and not have to do a strict Sportsnet Staff | May 26, 2020, 11:33 PM self-quarantine in a hotel room, we won’t be in a position to use any of the Canadian cities as a hub city. So we’re faced with having to find a

solution to that. Hopefully we can.” After more than two months with little more than a list of unknowns What will be the process be for testing, and how many tests will be regarding when or how the NHL might be able to resume its 2019-20 needed? campaign in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced its Return to Play Plan on Tuesday. Bettman: “If you’re looking for a number, we could be doing 25,000- 30,000 tests. … And our medical advisers and some of the attendant The comprehensive proposal covers the particulars of how the league’s medical advisers tell us that by the time we’re doing this over the summer 24-team playoff will work, the tentative timeline for its phased return to that will be a relatively insignificant number of tests relative to the number play and the plan for the 2020 NHL Draft lottery. of tests that will be available.” After the announcement Tuesday afternoon, commissioner Gary Bettman What went into the decision to wait until after the season is completed to opened the floor to fan questions via the NHL’s Instagram account. hold the 2020 NHL Draft? Here’s what was covered during the commissioner’s Instagram Q&A: Daly: “…We brought (the option of an early draft) to the clubs and there Would you find it fair if a team not originally in the post-season wins the was not a strong consensus one way or the other, quite frankly, on Stanley Cup under the new format? whether we should do it. And, certainly, the people who were opposed to Gary Bettman: “The nature of the competition is such that the cream it felt strongly about being opposed to it. Some of the factors, probably always rises to the top, and the gauntlet that our teams will have to run to the most significant one we gave the most weight to, was the lack of the win the Cup will make sure that any team that wins the Cup will have ability to use the draft as an opportunity, as a jumping-off place for earned it.” forming your next year’s roster, resetting in the off-season like many clubs do, the inability to have a trade associated with active players in What happens if a player, or players, test positive for COVID-19 during and around the draft.” the playoffs? Will the playoffs be cancelled? Will players who signed contracts after the season was paused on March Bettman: “Our medical people are telling us that they don’t think one 12 be eligible to play this season? positive test will interfere with the competition — that player would have to isolate, but we’re going to have to be guided by the medical people as Daly: “This is something that we’re going to have to ultimately resolve to what the appropriate response is if we have multiple positive tests.” with the (NHL) Players’ Association like so many other contractual issues, but the league’s position right now and our position with our clubs Do the Bruins win the Presidents’ Trophy? since the start of the pause is no club is entitled to sign (a player to) a current-year contract. They are free to sign future-year contracts, so for Bettman: “I think that’s a fair assumption on your part.” the 2020-21 season and beyond (that’s) perfectly fair game. But it would What has been the hardest part of the lockdown on the league, and on be our position, particularly given the advanced date and given the fact you? that a lot of the players might now be able to play the balance of the season, it may be unfair to let them play the balance of the season.” Bettman: “We’re, by nature, socially interactive people. This is a socially interactive society, and the separation and the lack of normalcy and the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.27.2020 illness and death, the unemployment — this is just a calamity on every level.”

How will the league figure out where to play?

Bettman: “We’re looking at a number of cities — we need a modern state-of-the-art building, one of ours. It has to be in a place that doesn’t have a lot of COVID-19, and there has to be an availability of testing in numerous quantities that won’t affect the medical needs of that community.”

When is the earliest we can see a game?

Bettman: “Perhaps in July we’ll be in a position to open training camps and then get ready to resume competition. Everything we’re doing is focused on the health and well-being of our players, our other personnel, and the communities in which we play, so there isn’t a rush.”

Will fans attend the games?

Bettman: “I think it would be pretty unlikely. Based on everything we know … we’ll be concluding the 19-20 season in buildings without fans. I wish it would be to the contrary, but I think that’s the reality of what we’re focused on.”

How will the 2020-21 season be affected by this new plan?

Bettman: “Next season’s start date, I think, in light of everything that’s going on, can be fluid — if we’re going to be playing over the summer and into the fall, I don’t think there’s any magic in starting in October. We can start in November, we can start in December. I think we can be flexible, and we intend to be.”

What do you think about people booing you?

Bettman: “They do that? Since when?” 1175092 Websites Bettman also said that it remains possible for the Conference Final and Stanley Cup Final to be played in the cities of the teams that are competing.

TSN.CA / NHL outlines 24-team return-to-play format, June 26 Draft > Three of the NHL’s 10 hub city candidates are in Canada. Will Canada Lottery be home to one of the host cities?

The current federal 14-day mandatory quarantine for all persons entering Canada is presenting a roadblock. Frank Seravalli “We would certainly like to have a city in Canada,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “We’re in discussions with the Canadian government at this point in time on that issue. If we’re not able to resolve or solve that Exactly 75 days after pause was pressed on the season, the NHL issue, I think it effectively eliminates our ability to come to a Canadian became the first major North American pro sports league to unveil its city as one of our hub cities.” formal return-to-play plan on Tuesday. Bettman said the NHL has three or four weeks to decide on hub cities. There is no guarantee the NHL makes it back to complete this season, That may be enough time to find a creative solution or see restrictions but there is a plan. Bettman outlined the 24-team format, details on the loosened in that time, something that the NHL would certainly be Draft Lottery, and the official conclusion of the 2019-20 regular season. interested in given the costs to resume play and a favourable Canadian “We hope this is a step back towards normalcy,” NHL commissioner Gary dollar exchange rate for the league. Bettman said. > Would teams be barred from playing in their own hub city? Here is all of that information and more boiled down into some FAQs: To be determined. Without fans in the stands, there may not be much of > When will the NHL return to the ice? a “home-ice advantage,” but the league is sensitive to potential competitive advantages of using their home base. For the first time, Bettman revealed a best-case timeline. He said training camps will begin “not earlier than the first half of July.” “We certainly see some merit to moving the club to a different market,” Daly said, “so any perceived advantages associated with being in a Players have asked for a three-week training camp. If that request home market are eliminated.” remains intact after they begin training in small groups next month, then the earliest the puck can drop is in late July or early August. Added Bettman: “If a team happens to be the home market, I don’t think the players should be planning on [staying at] home. They’ll be staying in “We view this more as a continuum than absolute dates, because anyone the same [hotel] conditions that everybody else is.” that is giving you dates is guessing,” Bettman said. “It’s conceivable that we’re playing at the end of July. Maybe things open up quicker. If it has > What will the Draft Lottery look like? to slide more, then it will slide.” Tuesday was good news for the Ottawa Senators, who will have a > What is the 24-team format? combined 25 per cent shot at the No. 1 pick and Alexis Lafreniere when the Draft Lottery is held on June 26. The top 12 teams in each conference will compete in either a seeding round-robin or a qualifying (“play-in”) round to determine the 16 teams The Draft Lottery rules are complicated. But all 15 non-playoff teams - that will ultimately compete for the Stanley Cup. including the eight teams that lose in the qualifying round tournament - will have a chance at the first, second and third overall picks. The top four teams in each conference will play for first-round seeding using regular season overtime rules. Since the eight teams who lose in qualifying are involved, a second phase of the Draft Lottery may be required. If one of those eight teams The remaining eight teams in each conference will play a best-of-five wins one of the first three lotteries, a second lottery will be held - with series to advance to the first round of the playoffs, using overtime rules. equal odds assigned to each team - to determine which one of those teams will win the pick. The format of the first and second rounds of the playoffs is still to be determined. The NHL and NHL Players’ Association are negotiating on The NHL said that the Draft itself will take place after the Stanley Cup is whether it will be best-of-five or best-of-seven series, plus whether it will awarded. be a bracket format or seeding. The NHL said it nixed the idea of a Draft in June because it gave the The Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final will both be the usual best- most weight to teams who said it would limit their ability to “use the draft of-seven series. as a jumping-off place for performing a roster reset” because it limited their “trade market associated with active players.” > How will the top four seeds be determined? > What about those seven teams whose seasons are finished? The top four teams will play a three-game round robin that will determine their seeding and first-round matchup. The lights have been turned out on the 2019-20 season for Ottawa, Detroit, Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, New Jersey and Buffalo. It’s It will be possible, Bettman conceded, that the current No. 4 seed the first time all three California teams have been shut out of the playoffs Philadelphia Flyers end up as the No. 1 seed in the East to begin the since 1996. playoffs - even though they finished 11 points behind the Boston Bruins, the best team in the East - and the entire league - in the regular season. In Buffalo, a ninth straight season outside of the playoffs might mean that the Sabres potentially go nine months without playing, since Bettman Only in the event of a round-robin tiebreaker will regular season points confirmed that next season may not begin until January. percentage impact the seeding. This format came as a result of top-four teams not wanting to be at a disadvantage with a bye. For GM Jason Botterill, whom owner Kim Pegula confirmed on Tuesday is returning for a fourth season, and the other six GMs, that might present “They needed some games that mattered, to not be coming in against a a stiff challenge. team that just played a competitive series,” Bettman said. “The benefit and the curse of a bye, I suppose.” There will be the excitement of the Draft Lottery, then perhaps a long lull until next season. > Where will these games be played? Daly said that the NHL might develop a different type of off-season plan Each conference will be assigned a “hub” city that is designed to operate for those seven teams - whether it’s allowing them to open training camp as a bubble for players and team personnel, with secure hotels, arena, earlier than the 24 teams that have played, or even potentially playing practice facilities and in-market transportation. exhibition games among themselves. The two hub cities will be selected from 10 candidates: Chicago, “We’re dealing with a lot of issues now, but we’re going to be sensitive to Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, issues like the [long off-season] competitively,” Daly said. “There may Minneapolis/St.Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto or Vancouver. very well be different off-season rules because we’ve never been in this type of situation before - and unique situations sometimes necessitate “Our medical advisers and independent medical advisers tell us that by unique measures. We’ll see how to approach that.” the time we’re doing this over the summer, that will be a relatively insignificant number of tests relative to the number of tests that will be > What does that mean for the 2019-20 regular season and statistics? [publicly] available.”

The 2019-20 regular season has been completed for all record-keeping Bettman estimated the cost of testing alone at “millions of dollars” and purposes. That means that the Boston Bruins have captured the the total cost to return to play in “tens of millions of dollars.” Presidents' Trophy with 100 points; Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak will share the Rocket Richard Trophy with 48 goals; and Leon Draisaitl > What might a playoff schedule look like? will be the league’s scoring champion and Art Ross winner with 110 points. Expect a March Madness-style of schedule, at least in the first few weeks of the NHL’s return to play, with games at all hours of the afternoon and Ovechkin was robbed of the chance of a ninth career 50-goal season, but late into the night. this is his ninth Rocket Richard. This is the first time the Richard Trophy will be shared since 2009-10, when Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos “I think the fact that with no travel associated at all that we can safely split it. schedule some back-to-back [games],” Daly said. “We’re not going to overload these playoffs with back-to-backs, but I think it’s certainly It has not yet been determined how the round-robin or play-in round stats reasonable in the first several rounds of the playoffs, maybe even in the will be kept. The NHL made it clear on Tuesday that those games will not conference finals.” count as playoff games. Daly said one of the objectives from the NHLPA was to “make it as quick > When will the 2020-21 season begin? as possible” for the players who may be isolated from their families. If the players are willing to play the first two rounds in a best-of-five format Bettman reiterated that the NHL is planning for a 2020-21 season that is instead of the traditional best-of-seven, Daly said it would shave more “full in all ways,” one that includes 82 games and fans in arenas. than a week off the schedule.

“Our hope and expectation is we’re going to be doing it from the start, Daly said: “We felt from an overall health perspective, the sooner we can which will be later with people in the building,” Bettman said. “There is no go in and get out, the better.” magic to starting in October.” Like so many facets of the NHL’s return to play format, that, too, remains Bettman even hinted that the NHL could start next season with the up in the air. Winter Classic, played on New Year’s Day, if necessary. TSN.CA LOADED: 05.27.2020 > Does that mean the unique 2020-21 season could begin a new way of life for the NHL schedule as we currently know it? World Leagues News

Bettman did not rule that out.

“That experience may give us some more information and data points to One college football program’s road map to a COVID-19 season make decisions going forward,” Bettman said. “There have been a number of our colleagues who have over the years suggested we should start in October. What we’re learning through this time, which is not quite Iowa State has started to answer two of the biggest questions facing the normal, is that there may be some flexibility in terms of the timing with Gators, Seminoles, Bulls and everyone else about 2020. which we schedule the season. We’re about to learn.” As college football deals with the uncertainty of the upcoming season > What has been the financial toll of COVID-19 on the NHL? (including whether it will happen), Iowa State has provided the most Bettman admitted that the pandemic has had a “severe” impact on detailed outline of what its return to play will look like this fall in the business. By returning to play, sources indicate the NHL and NHLPA COVID-19 era. have the potential to recoup approximately $400 to $450 million in gross In an open letter to the fan base, athletic director Jamie Pollard revenue out of a possible $1.15 billion loss. addressed the two biggest questions surrounding the sport: Will there be “There has been no revenue coming in and expenses are still there,” a season, and will fans be allowed to go to games? Bettman said. Pollard’s answer to the first question? “As of today, we fully anticipate Bettman conceded that NHL owners are “probably not as wealthy as they playing football in Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5,” Pollard were 12 weeks ago,” but vowed hockey “will come back as strong, if not wrote. stronger.” That’s not a surprise; most administrators are publicly saying that they, > How will COVID-19 testing work for players? too, expect an on-time start to the season.

Daly said the NHL’s testing will ramp up considerably as the league But his answers to the second question were more interesting. moves from players skating in small groups to training camp to players Pollard wrote that Iowa State is expecting to allow only 30,000 spectators arriving in their hub city. into its stadium. That’s about half its capacity (61,500).

To start, players will be tested at least twice per week when returning to Pollard also gave some insight into the obvious next question: Which team facilities. When competing, players will be tested daily. Daly said 30,000 spectators will be allowed in? players will be tested “each evening,” with notification of a positive result “before they leave their hotel room in the morning.” Iowa State has about 22,000 season ticket renewals so far, which leaves 8,000 left. Pollard wrote that fans have until June 12 to renew their > Will a player testing positive for COVID-19 derail the NHL’s season tickets and make their donation to the Cyclone Club, otherwise tournament? they won’t be able to attend a game in person “unless it is later decided No, according to the NHL. that we can safely exceed the 50% capacity restriction.”

“One single positive test, depending on the test, should not necessarily Given the likely restrictions, the Cyclones don’t expect to sell single- shut the whole operation down,” Daly said. “We can’t be in a situation game tickets. But they’re also being flexible to season ticket holders who where we have an outbreak, that will affect our ability to continue playing. don’t want to attend this year. They’ll still get the ability to reclaim their seats in 2021, and they’ll be able to get refunds or defer their tickets to “But a single positive test - or isolated positive tests throughout a two- next year if they don’t feel comfortable attending. month tournament - should not necessarily mean an end to the tournament.” Why do the decisions of a Big 12 school matter in Florida? Because all other schools, including Florida, Florida State, USF and Miami, are trying Bettman said that the NHL will require 25,000 to 30,000 tests to return to to answer these same questions themselves. play. He reiterated that those tests cannot come at the expense of public supply, but does not believe that will be an issue. It is possible, if not likely, that different schools make different decisions, based on the specific public health, athletic and administrative issues at each campus. Miami’s president said last week that he expects the Hurricanes to play in empty stadiums. The Gators and Seminoles and Bulls might decide differently. And Iowa State’s plans may change in the coming weeks based on the pandemic and our knowledge of the novel coronavirus.

But one school finally took the step of turning hypotheticals into a substantive outline. We’ll see if any other programs follow the Cyclones’ template.

We’re working hard to bring you the latest news on the coronavirus in Florida. This effort takes a lot of resources to gather and update. If you haven’t already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription.

UP NEXT:Third Hillsborough transit employee tests positive for COVID- 19

Matt Baker - Colleges and Recruiting Reporter

MATT BAKER

Colleges and Recruiting Reporter

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175093 World Leagues News The Pac-12 Conference will allow voluntary workouts on campus for all sports beginning June 15, subject to the decision of each school and where allowed by local and state guidelines. The decision was made by the presidents and chancellors of the conference schools and followed Coronavirus roundup: MLB salary offer disappoints players the announcement last week by the NCAA that schools can reopen for voluntary activities beginning next Monday.

Murphy gives three teams conditional OK From wire reports 8 hrs ago New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy tweeted Tuesday that as long as the NFL’s

Giants and Jets and the NHL’s Devils follow health and medical NEW YORK — A rookie at the major league minimum would make a protocols, they could open training camps or even hold competition. higher percentage of his salary than multimillionaire stars like Mike Trout The NFL’s preseason and training camps wouldn’t begin until or Gerrit Cole under a sliding-scale proposal by big league teams that midsummer — teams are doing virtual workouts in place of the usual on- players found “extremely disappointing.” field activities. Major League Baseball made the proposal to the players’ union on The Devils’ season, however, is done as they didn’t make the league’s Tuesday during a digital meeting rather than the 50-50 revenue-sharing 24-team playoff plan for resuming play. plan that owners initially approved for their negotiators on May 11, two sources familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. Elsewhere

In addition, the union said “the sides also remain far apart on health and Auto racing: Formula 1 carmaker McLaren said 1,200 jobs will be lost safety protocols” aimed at starting the COVID-19 pandemic-delayed across its entire group’s operations because of the pandemic. It was not season around the Fourth of July. immediately clear how the cuts would affect the group’s F1 operation. The sport has yet to start its 2020 season. “We made a proposal to the union that is completely consistent with the economic realities facing our sport,” MLB said. “We look forward to a Tennis: World TeamTennis said it is planning to allow up to 500 responsive proposal from the MLBPA.” spectators at outdoor matches during its three-week season from July 12 to Aug. 2 at a resort in West Virginia. The revenue-sharing plan earlier this month was met with hostility from the union the day owners gave their negotiators the go-ahead. That plan All tennis events sanctioned by the ATP, WTA and International Tennis was not presented to players when talks began the next day. Federation are on hold at least until late July.

During that session, MLB gave the union a presentation claiming billions But the WTT is not affiliated with those tours and does not need to abide of dollars of anticipated losses and held off making a proposal for two by their decisions. weeks. The WTT says it is increasing its prize money to $5 million. That is $1.5 Salaries in the major leagues range from $563,500 at the minimum to million more than for its 2019 season. $36 million each for Trout, the three-time MVP outfielder on the Los Angeles Angels, and Cole, the pitcher signed by the New York Yankees The league is bringing all nine of its teams to one site at The Greenbrier as a free agent. in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., instead of having matches around the United States. According to a study by the AP, 369 of 899 players have salaries of $600,000 or less, according to the rosters frozen in March. LOADED: 05.27.2020

Under MLB’s proposal, the playoffs would expand from 10 teams to 14 and players would receive more money if the postseason is played. Usually, salaries are earned during the regular season only and players receive money from the postseason pool, a maximum of about $382,000 last year for a full share on World Series champion Washington.

Players agreed March 26 to a deal in which they would receive prorated shares of their salaries based on what percentage of each team’s 162- game schedule is played. In exchange, players were guaranteed that if no games are played they would receive service time for 2020 matching what they accrued earned in 2019.

MLB told the union on May 12 it hoped to play a season with an 82-game schedule that would have teams play 13 games against each division rival and six against every club in the corresponding division in the other league: AL East vs. NL East, for example.

Conferences, networks to wait on start times

College football conferences and television networks agreed to hold off on announcing start times for early-season games.

CBS Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports and their affiliated networks typically announce early game times for the Football Bowl Subdivision conferences on June 1.

The two sides decided to wait a few weeks for the 2020 season as sports such as the NHL and NBA work toward returning after shutting down because of the pandemic.

The college football season is scheduled to begin with a handful of games on Aug. 29 and a full slate of games the following week.

Meanwhile,, Oklahoma football will be back in session for voluntary workouts on July 1, athletics director Joe Castiglione said.

Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley has emphasized being patient throughout this process, saying earlier this month that college football only gets “one shot” to return to play. 1175094 World Leagues News Line chart showing Australia's current Covid-19 growth factor of 0.97 as of May 12, 2020

Find out more Cricket Australia's response to coronavirus pandemic creates concern for The disenchantment with the job and program cuts follows CA moving game's future early to reduce costs, fearing a loss of revenue due to the coronavirus crisis.

By national sport reporter David Mark But some are wondering whether CA was spooked by the uncertainty of the pandemic and a stock market downturn after the organisation invested millions in shares.

There are growing fears cost-cutting measures undertaken by Cricket "It seems odd, it seems like there's a little bit of panic," Clark said. Australia (CA) are jeopardising the future of the game. CA chief executive Kevin Roberts said his organisation was not immune Key points: to the social, economic, and operational impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Jobs and programs have been axed as part of Cricket Australia's response to the coronavirus pandemic "Cricket needs to adapt to manage impacts that have already occurred, while preparing for changes necessary in a time of uncertainty," he said. Stuart Clark said the impact of cuts made to Cricket Australia programs might be felt in "10 years' time" CA determined to come out 'stronger'

CA's insistence that state associations accept 25 per cent cuts to their CA had already postponed Bangladesh's tour, when a fear of India's grants has already resulted in more than 100 job losses around the lucrative tour being cancelled next summer prompted Roberts to look at a country. This is on top of the 200 staff members stood down by CA. potential revenue reduction of up to 75 per cent, before eventually planning for a 25 per cent cut. Many of the states have taken the axe to grassroots and junior programs. That resulted in the organisation standing down 200 staff until July on 20 Retired Australian Test player and experienced sports administrator, per cent pay. Stuart Clark, said those cuts would be felt at the highest level of the men's and women's game. An Australian cricket executive stands in front of a photo portrait of Ricky Ponting. "By cutting further, it won't be felt in the next year or two, but it might be felt in 10 years' time," he said. Kevin Roberts says cricket has been forced to adapt to sport's changing environment.(AAP: Darren England) Coronavirus update: Follow all the latest news in our daily wrap. Roberts has indicated some of those people will get their jobs back when Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc said community cricket was "a huge the stand-down ends in July, but in the meantime they have been left part of the game in Australia". hanging. "Obviously, that's where we've all come from as international cricketers Coronavirus questions answered and elite cricketers," he said. An illustration of a cell on an orange background with the word "We've come from the junior clubs to the grade clubs, obviously up to 'coronacast' overlayed. international cricket." Breaking down the latest news and research to understand how the Cricket Victoria has cut 36 per cent of its staff — more than 55 positions world is living through an epidemic, this is the ABC's Coronacast — with a spokesman conceding there will be a "significant impact on podcast. community cricket". "The sport industry has been deeply affected and we are all working Queensland Cricket let go of 32 staff members this week, following the through this to ensure we come out at the other end stronger, even if 23 in South Australia and 20 in Tasmania already cut. leaner," Roberts said. Western Australian Cricket Association chief executive Christina Roberts even approached Woolworths to ask whether it could take on Matthews has warned of impending cuts for the game in her state. any CA staff, a move Clark described as "embarrassing". Can your boss make you take leave during the pandemic? "I can't believe he did that," Clark said. That leaves Cricket New South Wales holding out as the one state not "I'm still in shock." prepared to bow to CA's demands. The move blindsided staff and took some of the sheen off CA's Cricket New South Wales chief executive Lee Germon said his restructure in the aftermath of the 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South organisation was working closely with CA. Africa. "We all want what is in the best interests of Australian cricket," he said. Clark said CA deserved praise for how it responded to the controversy Alyssa Healy (left) rubs the head of bowler Annabel Sutherland as two years ago. Rachael Haynes (back to camera) rushes in to join them. "You have to give CA credit for how they rebranded that Australian Cricket Australia and the states are determined that the national teams cricket team," Clark said. maintain their international standing.(AAP: Scott Barbour) "Justin Langer, the players, they've done a really good job in getting the Starc applauded Cricket New South Wales' resistance. Australian public to want to follow the Australian cricket team. Kevin Roberts has obviously been part of that." "Full credit to the New South Wales board in trying to — I guess at this stage — hang on to all their staff and their grassroots at the moment," India captain Virat Kohli and Australia captain Tim Paine shake hands at Starc said. the SCG after the Test series between their teams.

But Clark said CA and the state associations were losing sight of the Cricket Australia is hopeful Virat Kohli (left) and India will tour next health of the entire game. summer.(AP: Rick Rycroft)

"All they're really concerned about is having the next Australian player, But Clark said the planning for the worse-case scenario of India not whereas there's a whole heap of levels of cricket that need to be filled touring was premature. with people that actually have skills that are learnt at a junior age," he "Your big-ticket item is the Indian series because you sell the TV rights said. back into India and you make truckloads of money out of it," he said. "Those skills aren't being taught anymore." Roberts recently said the chance of India touring Australia was "nine out of 10", leading many to ask why CA went so hard, so early.

"Cricket hasn't lost any games yet in this country," Starc said.

"Obviously Bangladesh has been postponed, but there's no cricket lost yet, so it's going to be an interesting few weeks with state contracting and us all returning to training. So I guess we're going to see what staff we've got."

The International Cricket Council will meet on Thursday night to discuss the global schedule, including the men's T20 World Cup, which is due to be played in Australia in October and November.

It seems the Board of Control for Cricket in India will push for the Indian Premier League to be played at that time. It would mean the T20 World Cup could be pushed back until next February and March.

ABC NEWS LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175095 World Leagues News However, the competitions director of the Confederation of African Football, Samson Adamu, feels that the priority is to continue addressing key challenges.

Coronavirus: 'Many clubs will collapse', warns Weah "Of course there are ways to rethink, but we have to focus on issues that were there before Covid-19," said Adamu. "We still have a big deficit of infrastructure in Africa, facilities are not up to standard, so the problem is still there, but it will be harder. By Steve Vickers "We need to develop coaches and youth football, and to be playing

matches before we are innovative. Football is the biggest sport in the The future of African sport after coronavirus is "bleak" and there is no world because of its simplicity, there's no point in reinventing the wheel. guarantee it will recover, Liberian president and former World Footballer The continental club competitions remain our biggest drivers, though Of The Year George Weah has warned. health is the priority and we're in no hurry to restart."

Sport across the continent has been suspended - as in most places There was also discussion on the value that could be unlocked in around the world - due to the pandemic. traditional African sports - Senegal's Presidential Advisor on Youth and Sports, Ndongo N'Diaye highlighted the huge interest in Senegalese But in countries where it is restarting, it is doing so behind closed doors wrestling as a model that others can follow. or with minimal crowds. "It's basically the main sport in Senegal, the stars are as popular as And Weah told a special conference for Africa Sports Ventures Group Sadio Mane, everyone in Senegal has their favourite wrestler and we that this, coupled with a likely large drop-off in sponsorship as companies have no less than 25,000 fans for a big night of wrestling," said N'Diaye. reduce spending in the wake of coronavirus-inflicted losses, poses a huge threat not just to individual sporting clubs right across the continent, "We have more than 30,000 youngsters involved in the sport, in 2016 the but also the very league structures in which they exist. prize money for fights was over $16m. There's big potential for the sport that we need to work on, and there are many other traditional sports "The lifeblood of sports consists mainly of attendance fees and here." sponsorships - where these no longer exist, many clubs will collapse and many leagues will close permanently," said President Weah. Athletes were also given an opportunity to talk about their current challenges and the way forward. LJ Van Zyl, winner of three golds in the "It is my considered opinion that the future of sports in Africa after Covid- 400m hurdles at the African Championships, stressed a feeling that there 19 is bleak, and is not guaranteed to recover. There will be an urgent should be more events on the continent. need to resuscitate football and other games. "The Shanghai Diamond League will take place in September. It would "Health and recovery of our economies take absolute priority, however it normally cost me about $800 to get there, but now it could cost me three is important that the global funding being raised should recognise the times as much to travel," Van Zyl said. social importance of sport." "So it makes no financial sense, and the implications for athletes will be The online event, in collaboration with Unesco, featured presentations enormous. Student athletes won't be able to afford it, getting sponsorship from experts, athletes, administrators, marketers and government will be harder. officials aimed at dealing with the aftermath of coronavirus. "We only have one Diamond League meeting in Africa, in Morocco, so Some of the suggestions worked on included a stronger digital presence, why can't we have one in southern Africa, or east Africa? And we must new partnerships in social development, the inclusion of some of Africa's have more African local competition with decent prize money." traditional sports in the mainstream, staging more events on the continent. The new Basketball Africa League, which was to start in March, was mentioned as a concept that can take sport on the continent forward. As internet use has risen in countries in lockdown around the world, it was argued that African sport, and football in particular, has yet to exploit And while a tough road is surely ahead for African sport, Nigeria football the digital world. great Segun "Mathematical" Odegbami gave a reason to be optimistic.

African sports media consultant Gary Rathbone, recently appointed as "Sport is a 700-billion dollar business, and we haven't scratched the head of sport at the South African Broadcasting Corporation, said he surface of the business of football in Africa," he said. believes that social media can bring clubs much-needed income to clubs "Covid-19 gives us a chance to rethink." as they try and get back into playing again. BBC Sport Africa LOADED: 05.27.2020 "There's an opportunity for many leagues and many sports federations to start engaging with their consumers via the digital space," said Rathbone.

"In many American sports, big international leagues, Formula One, consumers can subscribe directly to content without paying for a TV subscription, and there's an opportunity here on the continent now if federations can start doing that.

"There are around 300 million people with smartphones across sub- Saharan Africa. If you look at big football clubs in Africa so many of them are not exploiting the digital space on social media. It's a huge opportunity to monetise the content that they have with advertisers or subscription fees.

"If a club has a million fans and say a quarter of them subscribe for just 50 cents a month, that's $125,000 a month - much greater than any broadcast TV revenue that they might have got. "

Social development specialist Rachel Aron said she believes that sport can play a part in the continent's rebuilding process, while benefiting from new sponsors at the same time.

"The sports industry can contribute to promoting and advancing Africa's social development. It must continue to leverage on existing partnerships, but should also strive to develop new strategic partners - governments, civil society, community-based organisations," said Aron. 1175096 World Leagues News

Texas schools may begin hosting sports workouts, band practices June 8

Student-athletes and musicians in grades seven through 12 will soon be able to return to campus for practice.

Independent school districts across Texas will be allowed to hold strength-and-conditioning workouts and band practices starting June 8, according to a May 22 press release from the University Interscholastic League, the sanctioning body for academic, athletic and arts competitions in Texas middle and high schools.

The UIL released separate criteria for student-athletes and marching bands. Individual ISDs will ultimately decide whether to start practices, according to the UIL.

“We are cautiously optimistic about beginning summer strength and conditioning programs and marching band practices that safely allow students to get back to working with their coaches and directors in preparation for the 2020-2021 school year,” UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt said in a press release. “We must do so carefully, deliberately and with an understanding that major adjustments are needed to ensure safety.”

The student-athlete programs, which include strength, conditioning and “sport specific” workouts, and band practices will be allowed to take place on school campuses.

The UIL recommends that ISDs “follow all local and state requirements” and stay abreast of local coronavirus concerns by frequenting the Texas Department of State Health Services dashboard.

“Students and staff must self-screen every day for COVID-19 symptoms for themselves and family members,” the UIL said in a statement. “Schools should consider taking the temperature of each student each day at the start of the session, if possible.”

No sharing of food or water is allowed, according to UIL, and students should remain with the same group each day “to minimize the number of students and staff that must isolate if a case is confirmed.” Access to showers and locker rooms is not allowed.

For sports-related activities, schools are required to have at least one staff member per 20 students “to ensure appropriate social distancing, hygiene and safety measures are implemented.”

Although there is no required ratio of staff to students, band member groups must not exceed 15.

Attending workouts and practices should be optional, but “attendance records shall be kept,” according to UIL.

LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175097 World Leagues News

World Rugby to consider anti-coronavirus measures

By Chris Jones

World Rugby's executive committee will consider recommendations this week that could help significantly reduce the risk of coronavirus in the sport.

Measures such as limiting face-to-face contact, reducing time in scrums and hygiene procedures will be reviewed.

However, radical changes to the laws, such as eliminating scrums completely, would not apply to the elite game.

Any guidance from World Rugby would also be open to interpretation and implementation by individual unions.

This would be based on their government's advice and the prevalence of the virus in their territory.

Research conducted by rugby's top medical authorities has found that the sport's high-risk event exposure might be lower than widely expected.

While guidelines from the World Health Organization state that people are at a high risk of catching the virus if they spend 15 minutes cumulatively within one metre of an infected person, the average contact exposure time for second rows - the position in most regular contact with the opposition - is roughly 13.5 cumulative minutes.

Outside backs' high transmission risk time can cumulatively be as low as a minute-and-a-half, with the offside line offering a level of social distancing for those in certain positions.

But while there is no necessity to implement any law or behavioural change under WHO guidance, World Rugby - the game's governing body - has taken steps to help mitigate the risk to players at both the elite and community level.

This could see a clampdown on the number of scrum resets and stricter enforcements over high tackles - which often lead to face-to-face contact - as well as time spent in rucks and mauls.

Among the hygiene measures being considered are the changing and washing of the ball, regular use of hand sanitiser before, during and after matches, changing shirts and head-gear at half-time, and limiting the time teams spend at a ground before a match.

While there are no plans yet to restart the community game in any territory, New Zealand rugby is set to launch an internal competition in the middle of June, while the Pro 14 is aiming to resume derby matches from 22 August.

The English Premiership has yet to map out their return to action, but hopes to resume training in June.

Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast the players are becoming increasingly frustrated by the current limbo.

"I think I speak for most of the players, we seem to be in the dark," Care said.

"The question is going to be: Do players and staff and coaches put themselves at risk. I know for a fact there are a lot of lads who have pregnant wives - do they come into training? No they can't.

"Would anyone who lives with someone elderly and vulnerable come into training? No they can't.

"There will be a lot of people who will choose not to [come into training]. There will have to be some testing and some assurance that you won't put people at risk and bring this disease home."

BBC LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175098 World Leagues News

How coronavirus has and will continue to affect sports

BY JOEL ROBINSON | CONTRIBUTING WRITER MAY 26, 2020 - 10:00 AM

Two months ago we were gearing up for March Madness and the heat of high school baseball season. Two months ago high school seniors had spring break plans and visions of walking across a stage to collect a diploma. The novel coronavirus took that away, not just in Louisiana, but in the entire world.

In Louisiana, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Phase 1 has been enacted for the state, and many are beginning to get back to a slightly new normal. However, the time lost to this disease will not soon be forgotten. Normally around this time we would look back on what has happened over the past half of the year. This time though, we have to look back at what didn’t happen in these past two months.

It almost seems silly to look at what the world has not been able to do over the past few months through the small lens of sports, but one cannot deny the effect that COVID-19 had on the sporting world. Everything was just canceled. From the Summer Olympics in Tokyo to local T-ball, there is not a single mainstream sport with a season safe from the far-reaching effects of the coronavirus.

Looking through the particular lens of this column, that, of course, includes high school sports like basketball, baseball, softball, track, field and others.

Thankfully, both boys and girls basketball managed to finish up their seasons before the coronavirus hit the state, but other sports were simply not safe. For those seniors for whom this season was their last, I am deeply sorry. Even though you did not get to finish your seasons, look back on the time you did get to play with a smile.

While many, including myself, cling to the illusion that everything, including sports, will be back to normal come this fall, the effects of COVID-19 will not just stop on a dime. While we will likely have high school sports in the fall, it’s equally likely that these will go ahead with limited attendance or none at all. The scenario in which nobody will get to attend sporting events is highly unlikely, but it is something that must be prepared for. Higher-level organizations, such as Ohio State, have proposed models that would allow a strict number of fans to attend football games in the fall while keeping everyone socially distanced. Hopefully these same kinds of models can be arranged by teams’ respective high schools for all fall sports, but there is no doubt that the next year’s sporting events will look a whole lot different from we are used to.

Until then, stay safe. We will all get through this together.

The Advocate, LOADED: 05.27.2020 1175099 World Leagues News day earlier that no one had yet called off the season. The assurances didn’t stem the tide of questions.

“There were families and players reaching out to make sure, is there ‘Like a paid therapist’: Baseball agents’ role broadens during time of something different than what we heard yesterday?” Horwits said. uncertainty MLB had already moved to eliminate 42 minor league teams in 2021, which would cut some 1,000 players. Those vying for the remaining roster spots — and the accompanying salaries that are expected to By MARIA TORRESSTAFF WRITER range, at minimum, from $400 per week in rookie and short-season leagues to $700 per week in triple A — are not only worried about

missing their paychecks this summer. They’re worried about never Sixty-seven pages of safety protocols sat on a desk in Andy Mota’s playing professional baseball again. South Florida home a week ago. The document, crafted by Major League “These dreams are being crushed because of things they have no control Baseball to explain in extreme detail how the league can avoid the over,” Hamill said. “That’s really the most difficult thing to have to explain spread of the novel coronavirus during a potential abbreviated season, to somebody, that he didn’t do anything wrong. There’s nothing [he] did required careful reading. and there’s nothing [he] could have done.” Yet Mota couldn’t help letting his mind wander, thinking about players in It’s no less difficult for players trying to break into the sport. In response distress. In addition to his major league clientele, he manages 25 minor to the pandemic, MLB’s annual draft of amateur players was shortened to leaguers, a group coming to grips with the likelihood its 2020 season will five rounds from its usual 40 and a $20,000 limit was placed on the not be staged. bonuses teams can offer undrafted free agents. The decision has One of his clients, a 20-year-old who signed as an international free jeopardized hundreds of career paths. Agents had to adjust in kind — agent for more than $600,000 about three years ago, recently concluded from advising draft prospects on how to stay in shape for a potential he would need to sell the home he purchased for his mother in the minor league debut to helping them decide if staying in school would Dominican Republic. The weekly $400 check MLB has sent to minor increase the likelihood of a large payout in the future. league players since April 8 will cease May 31. He has not been paid “That’s the stuff we’re dealing with,” Mota said. “Keeping our guys regular wages since last season ended in early September. If he doesn’t informed, No. 1, , and trying to encourage them to stay positive.” play this summer, he will not receive a salary again until next April. Agents have essentially taken on the role of administrative assistants, The player, who Mota declined to identify out of respect for the delicate parsing out to their clients information gathered from various experts, nature of the situation, told his agent, “I don’t even know how I’m going to including health officials. Scott Boras has set up video conferences eat.” between Mayo Clinic employees and his clients. Dodgers Indians Spring Baseball Boras, perhaps the most prominent baseball agent, has also publicly DODGERS advocated for players. His Twitter feed boasts a long list of his radio appearances. He tells team owners what he thinks they should do in Unusual times will make for an unusual MLB draft for Dodgers, other each public address. clubs Astro The Grouch “It’s heartbreaking to have to tell the minor league players they might not play in 2020,” said Mota, a senior vice president of baseball at DODGERS Wasserman and the son of former Dodgers player and coach Manny Dodgers fans: This is a bang-up Astros bobblehead Mota. “Imagine a Dominican kid. This is his job, to play for five months and make $1,500 a month [in season]. That’s his income for the year.” Even without wading into the public forum, however, baseball agents have had no issue staying active. Three months ago, Mota and other agents were prepping their major league clients for arbitration hearings. They were traveling from Florida to It just may not be obvious. Hamill’s young daughter, thrown off by her Arizona, bouncing around spring training sites, to spend time with minor dad’s persistent presence this spring, wondered if he no longer had and major leaguers about to embark on a new season. baseball friends to keep him away from their Hermosa Beach home.

Now? “Baseball friends” have kept Hamill quite busy. One of his clients, Anaheim native Michael Lorenzen of the Cincinnati Reds, started a home “I’m kind of like a paid therapist,” said Ryan Hamill, a player workout video series called “Zen Den” on Instagram. Another client, representative for Creative Artists Agency. Lucas Giolito of the Chicago White Sox, spent weeks participating in Hamill has spent his 15 years as an agent talking players off all sorts of MLB’s virtual video game tournament before losing in the finals. emotional ledges. So have his counterparts at other firms. Serious matters have taken up much more of Hamill’s time. He spent The coronavirus pandemic complicated that duty. It spawned a set of some 12 hours fielding calls last Monday, when members of the MLB concerns that encompasses more than a player’s career arc. Players Assn. held a 3½-hour video conference call to go over the league’s 67-page health and safety proposal. The most contentious issues — deciding where to play, receiving fair compensation and ensuring the league can prevent a coronavirus “When those guys are on the field, they’re not calling me,” Hamill said. outbreak if a partial season is negotiated — have been deliberated in “They might text me when they come out of the game after either a bad public. Fear of becoming infected with the virus has tinged the or good outing, from the clubhouse, but they’re not calling me all day long conversations. saying, ‘Hey, what’s going on with the new proposal by the MLB? What’s going on with the MLBPA?’” “They want to play the game,” said Danny Horwits, a baseball agent for 32 years. “They love the game. It’s their livelihood, the way they earn Los Angeles Times LOADED: 05.27.2020 their money. So they obviously want to go out and play. But at the same time, they want to make sure they’re healthy, their families are healthy. And they want to make sure they’re able to see their families and their children and their wives.”

“These dreams are being crushed because of things they have no control over. That’s really the most difficult thing to have to explain to somebody, that he didn’t do anything wrong.”

Keeping clients informed is key. Squelching social media misinformation is often necessary. In early May, a rumor spread across Twitter alleging the minor league season had officially been canceled. Horwits, who is president of the Beverly Hills Sports Council, had informed his clients a 1175100 World Leagues News The top four teams would essentially play some form of a round-robin tournament that would reseed them before the round of 16.

One important caveat: This was not a vote on whether to return to the ice The NHL's coronavirus pause: What the playoff format means for all 31 to complete the 2019-20 season, but rather a format for if that happens. teams, updates on testing, more The decision to actually return would require an entirely different conversation about locations, accommodations, testing and safety measures.

Emily KaplanGreg Wyshynski Did everyone agree on the 24-team format?

Kaplan: Not everybody. A player who was on the NHLPA executive board's calls told me there was a pretty lively debate and said "some It has been 75 days since the NHL hit the pause button on the 2019-20 guys brought up good points against this format." season because of the coronavirus pandemic. As the cancellations and postponements around the world of sports continue, there have also Of the 31-player vote (one representative for every team), 29 voted for been continuous nuggets of new information regarding the potential and two voted against. Jordan Martinook, the player rep for the Carolina resumption of the season, the draft, the playoffs and how it all affects Hurricanes, and Alex Killorn, the player rep for the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2020-21. both confirmed they voted against.

As players, executives and fans continue to adjust to the new normal, we "For where we were and where our team thought we could get to, it hurts will provide updates every week, answering all the burning questions our odds," Martinook explained on a Zoom call with reporters on Monday. about the various angles of the NHL's relation to the pandemic. Although In the proposed format, the Canes -- who were nearly a lock to make the on-ice action remains on the shelf, there have been some intriguing playoffs before the pause -- will have to face off against the New York developments since last week's update, including a specific, 24-team Rangers, who went 4-0 against them this season. Martinook noted "it's playoff format for if the league resumes play, which was approved by not like we don't want to play," and he added that his team is fully both the NHL and NHL Players' Association. Get caught up on it all here: prepared to move forward.

Has there been an update on when the league will return to play? Our educated guess for the Hurricanes: They would have preferred a 24- team round-robin format that would have more greatly weighed regular- Emily Kaplan: This week brought some progress. On Tuesday, NHL season achievement, rather than this play-in format. The Hurricanes commissioner Gary Bettman gave a news conference during which he amassed 81 points in 68 games. They had the fifth-best points outlined the return to play format (see below) and gave some clarity on percentage (.596) in the Eastern Conference. They were a wild-card where the league stands. team in the previously agreed-upon playoff format. Now they would have For all intents and purposes, the 2019-20 regular season is now to win a five-game series against a non-playoff team in order to make the complete. The Boston Bruins are your Presidents' Trophy winners. Leon round of 16. Draisaitl took home the Art Ross with 110 points, becoming the first The Lightning, meanwhile, weren't crazy about being one of four teams German-born player to win that honor. Alex Ovechkin and David with a "bye" to get to the 16-team field. Tampa Bay had the second-best Pastrnak share the goal-scoring title, with 48 apiece. (Ovechkin falls two record in the NHL, with 92 points at the pause. goals short of his ninth 50-goal season, which would have tied Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky for most all time.) "[My teammates] didn't feel it was fair that certain teams that probably wouldn't have made the playoffs would have a chance to make the The Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim playoffs in a best-of-five series," Killorn told The Athletic. "My team also Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils won't felt it was unfair that the teams with a bye would not be as well prepared take the ice again this season, and they're automatically entered into the for a playoff series as the teams that had already basically played a draft lottery. playoff series to get into the playoffs." For the rest of the 24 teams? Training camps won't begin until at least Killorn added: "I don't know how competitive the games will be going July, according to Bettman. Training camps should last roughly three forward where the teams at the bottom will be playing playoff games right weeks. Given the new schedule, Bettman suggested the 2020-21 season away and [would be] potentially more prepared for the real playoffs." Like could start even later than imagined -- perhaps as late as January. Martinook, Killorn wanted to stress that his team was fine with the "Could we start with the Winter Classic?" Bettman said on an decision and looking forward to resuming. appearance on the Tim & Sid show on CJCL-AM Sportsnet 590 following The player on the executive board whom I spoke to said he thinks the his news conference. "Anything is possible." group ultimately voted to approve the format because "it's best for What's the latest on the format of the playoff tournament? hockey right now. What's best for our sport is getting back on the ice."

Greg Wyshynski: By a 29-2 vote, the executive board of the NHLPA What are the current matchups under the 'return to play' format, and what approved a 24-team "return to play" format for the restart of the 2019-20 could change about them? season, and the NHL announced its approval of the format on Tuesday. Wyshynski: The No. 5 through No. 12 matchups are set, based on The format was born out of the joint NHL/NHLPA "return to play" standings points percentage at the time of the pause. Here's what that committee that has been meeting on conference calls each week for the looks like for the 24 teams: past month or so. Eastern Conference The approved playoff plan would temporarily replace the divisional wild- card format the league has used since 2012-13 with two conference Top seeds: Boston Bruins (1), Tampa Bay Lightning (2), Washington tournaments of 12 teams. Expanding the Stanley Cup playoffs from 16 to Capitals (3), Philadelphia Flyers (4) 24 teams has been favored by the NHL as an equitable solution for teams that were on the playoff bubble when the season was paused. Play-in series: Pittsburgh Penguins (5) vs. Montreal Canadiens (12)

Under the plan, the top four seeds in each conference, as determined by Carolina Hurricanes (6) vs. New York Rangers (11) their standings points percentage when the regular season was paused New York Islanders (7) vs. Florida Panthers (10) on March 12, would receive byes through a round of best-of-five, play-in series featuring seeds 5 through 12. Those play-in series would Toronto Maple Leafs (8) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (9) determine which teams advance to a traditional 16-team Stanley Cup playoff bracket. The length of the first- and second-round series in the Western Conference 16-team tourney are to be determined, but Bettman indicated that the Top seeds: St. Louis Blues (1), Colorado Avalanche (2), Vegas Golden conference finals and Stanley Cup Final would be best-of-seven series. Knights (3), Dallas Stars (4).

Those top four teams in each conference won't sit idly by. The format Play-in series: Edmonton Oilers (5) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (12) calls for these teams to face one another to remain sharp ahead of the next round of the playoffs -- which had been a concern from the players. Nashville Predators (6) vs. Arizona Coyotes (11) Vancouver Canucks (7) vs. Minnesota Wild (10) Here's what is permitted in Phase 2:

Calgary Flames (8) vs. Winnipeg Jets (9) Player-only, non-contact skates

Now, there are two bits of business yet to be decided in this "return to Weight training that doesn't require the need for a spotter play" format. The first, as we mentioned, is what kind of impact the round-robin among the top seeds will have on final seeding. This is Cardio, resistance or endurance training important because, as it stands, the 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs Rehab treatment for players with ongoing injuries remain bracketed under the initial proposal. The winner of the No. 5 vs. No. 12 series would play the No. 4 seed; the winner of the No. 6 vs. No. And here's who is not allowed at the facilities during Phase 2: 11 series would play the No. 3 seed; the winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 10 The media series would play the No. 2 seed; and the winner of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 series would face the top seed. Player agents

In other words: If the Canadiens upset the Penguins in a five-game Massage therapists series, the Bruins would still have to face the Maple Leafs or Blue Jackets in the opening round of the 16-team tournament rather than the Chiropractors No. 12 seed in the conference, which would play the Flyers. (Assuming Player-performance personnel the top seeds remain where they are.) Family members Which brings us to the other bit of business: There was strong sentiment in the NHLPA that the playoffs should be reseeded rather than bracketed Which players will participate in Phase 2? due to the expansion of the field. The NHL has been steadfast in its support of a playoff bracket since shifting to the wild card in 2013. This Kaplan: The NHL emphasized that participation in Phase 2 is "strictly was one of the only lingering requests from the players after their vote to voluntary" and teams should not require players to return to their playing approve. cities yet. Remember, Bettman revealed last week that 17% of players are currently outside North America. According to the NHL memo, clubs Under the proposed format, the Hurricanes and Rangers would square should help facilitate travel arrangements for players "to the extent off in a series. James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports permitted." Players will be reimbursed travel expenses to get to their playing cities, up to $1,500, and players who don't live in their playing How many sites would be needed for this return to play format? cities full time will be provided hotel accommodations as well as a rental Wyshynski: The NHL is now focused on two hub cities for the restart. It car. was previously looking at four sites when the format was going to be "The accommodations must be of the same high quality provided to division-based, but with a conference format, that has changed. players during the regular season," the memo reads, adding that "family- Las Vegas remains a front-runner for one of the sites -- and given its appropriate accommodation" will be provided as well if the player accommodations capacity and the location of T-Mobile Arena, it could chooses to bring his family. end up being the site of the NHL's championship rounds, too. Bettman The memo is clear: Players who participate in Phase 2 cannot work out said on Tuesday that there are 10 hub cities in consideration: Chicago; or skate at any public facilities, and they cannot organize group skates Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Edmonton, Alberta; Los Angeles; outside of the training sessions organized by teams. Minneapolis/St. Paul; Pittsburgh; Toronto; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Las Vegas. The NHL will likely name the hub cities in the next three Another wrinkle: Let's say a player has been taking shelter in place in or four weeks. Minnesota, but he doesn't play for the Minnesota Wild. He may go to the Wild's facility, according to the memo, and the Wild should "take all Where can we watch these games? reasonable measures to accommodate such requests." In this Wyshynski: We should reiterate that these games will be held inside hypothetical scenario, the Wild could reject the request but would have to empty arenas at "hub" sites. The expectation is that NHL games with alert the NHL and NHLPA for them to review. fans in the building won't happen until the 2020-21 season. As for where How is testing going to work in Phase 2? to watch the games, sources told ESPN that the majority of play-in rounds will likely be aired on local regional sports networks as a way to Kaplan: First, let's note the quarantine protocols. If a player travels back satisfy contractual requirements that haven't yet been met. For some to his home city via public transportation -- like a commercial flight or a teams, that minimum threshold is 70 games. This is one reason the NHL, train -- he must serve a 14-day self-quarantine period before he can behind the scenes, is not referring to the play-in round as a "playoff" participate in Phase 2. The team's medical personnel can also impose round. the 14-day self-quarantine for anyone traveling from a "high-risk environment." As has been previously reported, the NHL could use the "virtual boards" it had at the All-Star Game this season to display local advertising on As for testing, everyone participating in Phase 2 will be administered a respective local feeds to satisfy those contractual obligations as well. laboratory-based reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) test 48 hours before they can participate. The NHL is maintaining Governors in multiple states -- including New York and New Jersey, most its stance that it doesn't want to step in front of medical or community recently -- have given the thumbs-up for teams returning to facilities. needs, so it says this should be done only if it is "feasible in each club's Where does the NHL stand? local market" to test asymptomatic people. If tests are available in the Kaplan: In a memo circulated to teams over the weekend, the NHL market, everyone participating in Phase 2 will be tested "at least twice announced it was ready to move to Phase 2, which would allow small weekly" afterward. In addition, players are told to self-conduct groups to train at team facilities. The NHL didn't put an exact date on temperature and symptom tests daily, which will be logged. when Phase 2 will go into effect, though it said it was targeting early The league also says it's consulting with the NHLPA and will provide a June. In the memo, the league said it will continue to "monitor remote educational session for anyone participating in Phase 2 to alert developments in each of the club's markets, and may adjust the overall them of potential risks, as well as safety protocols. timing if appropriate." As for what happens if there's a positive test? According to the memo, Listen to ESPN On Ice "the player shall be deemed to have sustained an illness arising out of Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski take you around the NHL with the the course of his employment as a hockey player for such period as he latest news, big questions and special guests every episode. Listen here may be removed from training, practice or play, and his condition shall be » treated as a hockey-related injury for all purposes under the collective bargaining agreement, unless it is established, based on the facts at The new protocols allow for a maximum of six players to train at the team issue, that the player contracted COVID-19 or the resulting or related facilities at once. On-ice sessions are for players only, with no coaches or illness outside the course of his employment as a hockey player." other team personnel allowed on the ice. Players must wear face coverings at all times, except when they are exercising or on the ice. What other safety protocols is the NHL implementing for Phase 2? Kaplan: The NHL's memo about Phase 2 is 29 pages long, so let's just And it would be OK, because the "X-Men" series isn't Marvel Cinematic say there are plenty. Each team is supposed to appoint a hygiene officer Universe canon.) to implement all procedures. Just to understand the level of specificity, here is a handful of items to note: espn.com/LOADED: 05.27.2020

Players are encouraged to shower at home whenever possible.

Players must leave workout clothing and equipment at the facility so that teams can handle the cleaning and laundering.

Players must wear footwear at all times in team facilities.

There is no sharing of towels; all towels will be considered single-use.

Clubs will be required to supply player-specific water bottles, labeled with each player's name, number or both.

Clubs also must make hand sanitizer available in the medical room, equipment room, main entry to player bench, coaches' room, strength and conditioning area, laundry room and dressing rooms.

Proper cleaning of team facilities must be completed before any of the facilities are open, between small-group training sessions, and at the end of each day.

As well as reminders to sanitize and wash hands often, players are advised to "continue to avoid handshakes, high-fives and fist bumps, even with individuals and teammates you know well."

What's the latest on the draft?

Kaplan: Bettman announced that the draft will take place after the completion of the playoffs, so teams are no longer in limbo. (The NHL had tried to push the draft out in early June, before the season resumed again, but the league office got significant pushback from general managers, preventing it from going through with that.)

The procedures for the draft lottery are a bit more complicated this year. It's going to be done in two phases. The seven teams that did not qualify for the expanded 24-team format (Devils, Ducks, Kings, Red Wings, Sabres, Sharks and Senators) are automatically qualified for the lottery and the right to pick Alexis Lafreniere No. 1 overall. That's going to be Phase 1, and will be completed on June 26.

"At the time of the first-phase draws, we won't know which eight teams won't advance from the qualifying round," Bettman said. "So we have designated temporary placeholders with the odds that the collective group would have had."

The eight placeholder teams will start with a roughly 3% chance of landing the first overall pick, and will be represented by letters A through H.

If each of the top three selections is won by one of the seven non-playoff teams, there won't be a Phase 2. But if any of the three draws is won by a placeholder team, we'll get a Phase 2 lottery before the 16-team playoff tournament begins. In this second lottery, only the eight teams eliminated in the qualifying round will be involved, and each of them will have the same odds to move into the top three (12.5%).

So in one hypothetical, if the Red Wings win the lottery for pick No. 1 and the Devils get pick No. 2, but pick No. 3 goes to "Team E," that mystery team will be chosen from a pool of the "play-in round" losing clubs during the second lottery round.

And as always, what's your latest pop culture addiction this week?

Kaplan: I started a quarantine book club with my good friend Joan Niesen and Isabelle Khurshudyan, aka everyone's favorite ex-hockey reporter. I just began reading our first book, "The Great Believers," by Rebecca Makkai. I'm only 50 pages in, so review to come later. I'm also considering watching "The Americans" from the beginning; if anyone has opinions whether that's a good or bad idea, I'll take them.

Wyshynski: My wife and I started playing chess on the iPad. I was never good at it, and that combined with rust from not playing in some time has led to several instances in which I've missed clear checkmate opportunities to her benefit. I've started rewatching the final season of "Battlestar Galactica," to find out if I still find it as crushingly disappointing as I did when I viewed it in real time.

Comics-wise, I just did a reread of "Batman: Hush" and the Spider-Man arc "Kraven's Last Hunt," which both hold up well. (FWIW, Hugh Jackman would make an incredible Kraven in a live-action version of this. 1175101 World Leagues News

Rory McIlroy expects Ryder Cup to be cancelled over coronavirus pandemic

The biennial tournament is currently scheduled to be played from September 25

Rory McIlroy, golf's world No 1, is expecting this year's Ryder Cup to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The biennial tournament, which pits the best golfers from the United States against those from Europe, is currently scheduled for September 25-27 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, where Europe will be looking to retain the trophy won in 2018.

A host of major 2020 sporting events have been cancelled because of coronavirus, including golf's British Open, while the US Masters and US PGA Championship have been postponed, and McIlroy thinks the Ryder Cup will suffer the same fate.

"My personal hunch is that I don't see how it is going to happen, so I do not think that it will happen," McIlroy told BBC Sport NI.

"I think the majority of players would like to see it pushed back until 2021 so that they can play in front of crowds and have the atmosphere that makes the Ryder Cup so special.

"The players are the ones that make the Ryder Cup. If they are not on board with it and don't want to play then there is no Ryder Cup.

"I see it being pushed back until 2021 and, honestly, I think that will be the right call."

The PGA Tour is set to resume on June 11, with McIlroy confirming he will play the first three dates.

The 31-year-old Northern Irishman also said he would have no problem with returning to the European Tour later in the year.

"It's a tough one. There are a lot of things up in the air, but if there are some big events in autumn time, then I can," McIlroy said.

"Maybe if Wentworth gets moved to October, which they are thinking of, then I could see myself going over and playing that event.

"I was just as disappointed as everyone else that the Open got cancelled this year. I think it would have been a good date in September if we were able to play it.

"I wouldn't have concerns about travelling to Europe. I think if you stick to the guidelines then I don't see any reason why we should feel scared to travel." thenational.ae/LOADED: 05.27.2020