Columbus Blue Jackets News Clips July 22, 2020

Columbus Blue Jackets PAGE 02: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets scrimmage: Five takeaways from a simulated game day PAGE 05: Columbus Dispatch: Boone Jenner scores twice, Joonas Korpisalo allows seven goals in Blue Jackets scrimmage PAGE 07: Columbus Dispatch: Liam Foudy could give Columbus Blue Jackets a speedy lift in Toronto PAGE 09: Columbus Dispatch: Season’s delay might have been a blessing for the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson

Cleveland Monsters/Prospects

NHL/Websites PAGE 10: The Athletic: Playoffs or No. 1 pick? For 16 teams, the best option is all about the odds PAGE 13: .ca: NHL Training Camps Day 9: Flyers' Hart exits practice early, Hyman back with Leafs PAGE 16: Sportsnet.ca: NHL teams seek 'somewhat normal' atmosphere in home away from home

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Columbus Dispatch / Blue Jackets scrimmage: Five takeaways from a simulated game day By Brian Hedger – July 22, 2020

This time, they wore their game uniforms and the puck was dropped in the evening. The Blue Jackets also showed up Tuesday morning at Nationwide Arena to be tested for COVID-19, went through a video meeting with the coaching staff and returned hours later for a simulated game held at the OhioHealth Ice Haus. It was an effort to get their body clocks familiar with the game-day routine again, something none of them had experienced since the NHL paused the season March 12 for the pandemic. There were 10 goals scored in a 7-3 victory for the "visiting" team that wore the road uniforms, but there was a lot more than just goals to absorb – inside and outside. As the days tick away to the Jackets’ departure for a quarantine "bubble" in Toronto on Sunday, here are five takeaways from their fourth intra-squad scrimmage: Troublesome trend Is it too early to worry about Joonas Korpisalo’s struggles to stop pucks during a scrimmage Monday and this simulated game? The short answer is, "Yes," because the Jackets are only nine days into camp and it often takes goalies a while to shake off rust formed by months of not seeing pucks shot by NHL players. That said, Korpisalo allowed 13 total goals in the two outings, which ended with his team losing 6-0 Monday and 7-3 in the simulated game setting. The concern level would likely be low during a normal Fall training camp, which is longer and includes up to six preseason games. Korpisalo made some big saves in the first two periods, including a couple of dandies against Emil Bemstrom on a 2-on-1 and a breakaway, but the "road" team lit him up for four goals in the third. Should Korpisalo’s slump continue, Elvis Merzlikins would almost certainly get the nod to start Aug. 2 in Game 1 of the Jackets’ five-game series in the qualifying round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Korpisalo and Merzlikins each excelled as the No. 1 goalie during separate stints in the regular season and coach John Tortorella said both have chance to earn that role against Toronto. Tortorella didn’t speak with reporters Tuesday. Bemstrom’s beauty Emil Bemstrom scored the second of his team’s four goals in the third period and it was one to remember. Drifting near the left point in his defensive zone, the Swedish rookie spotted teammate Devin Shore collect the puck in the opposite face-off circle and perfectly read what happened next. Shore sent a long pass high in the air that landed in the deep in the Blue team’s zone at the other end of the ice. Bemstrom snuck up behind defenseman Seth Jones – one of the NHL’s premier skating defensemen – and managed to get inside position to win the race. All in one motion, Bemstrom flicked a backhand at the net that beat Korpisalo for a 5-3 lead on his first goal in four scrimmages. It’s hard to tell which was better, the shot itself or his skating to just barely beat Jones to the puck.

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"I saw Shoresy put a high flipper (to the other end)," said Bemstrom, who had 10 goals, 10 assists and 20 points in 50 games as a rookie. "I figured I had a lot of speed there and I skated by Jonesy. That doesn’t happen that often, I guess? Then, I just threw a backhand on the net and it went in." After the puck hit the back of the net, Bemstrom got one of the loudest teammate-supplied cheers of the entire camp. Foligno out again Nick Foligno didn’t skate for the second straight day and continues to be listed as "unable to practice," in the team’s daily email updates. That is notable because injured forward Josh Anderson, who’s still recovering from shoulder surgery, is listed as "unfit to play" – the same description other NHL teams have used to describe injured players within the protocols of league’s restart plan. Along with the NHL players association, the NHL is taking a hard-line approach to updating injuries during the postseason – which is taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Players are tested every other day in training camp, which is officially referred to as Phase 3 by the league. The Jackets were tested Tuesday when they arrived for their morning video session, which means they were also tested Sunday. Nothing except the team’s official description is known about the reason Foligno was out Monday and Tuesday. The Jackets’ captain was able to watch the simulated game from in a portion of the stands blocked off for those who have access to the team – such as Tortorella and other coaches. All wore masks, per Phase 3 protocols. Mid-game swap Tortorella wasn’t thrilled with a line Monday by Pierre-Luc Dubois, but the third-year center was kept with rookie left wing Alexandre Texier and right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand to start the simulated game. Dubois scored the first goal of the night to put the Blue team up 1-0 early in the first period, but the line’s effectiveness wore off. They were broken up between the second and third, when Texier and Foudy changed jerseys and flip-flopped teams for the final period. Tortorella did not speak afterward, so no information about the switch was given. Outside looking in As the game started, a group of 30 fans walked up to the exterior windows of the Ice Haus and peered through the glass to watch. Their presence did not go unnoticed, as players began taking note of it during the first intermission. At one point late in the second period, Shore smiled and waved at a young fan prior to lining up for face- off in his own zone – and the fan excitedly waved back. The pandemic prevents fans from watching practices and games inside the Ice Haus and they won’t be allowed inside the NHL’s quarantine "bubbles" in Edmonton or Toronto either. It’s something players will miss, especially during warmups and following victories, so the sight of friendly masked faces looking through the windows Tuesday night – even weathering some rain – was a nice surprise. "It was great to see the really loyal fans out there trying to get a sneak through the windows there," said forward Gustav Nyquist, who scored his third intra-squad scrimmage goal of the camp. "That was great

3 to see, and I think everyone really appreciated that, those guys coming out and supporting us. Standing outside, looking through a window … that’s awesome to see."

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Columbus Dispatch / Boone Jenner scores twice, Joonas Korpisalo allows seven goals in Blue Jackets scrimmage By Adam Jardy – July 22, 2020

Boone Jenner scored two of four unanswered third-period goals for Team White in a 7-3 win in an intrasquad scrimmage at the OhioHealth Ice Haus on Tuesday night. The event, designed to simulate a game-day atmosphere to help prepare for the resumption of league play, saw the Blue Jackets split into two teams for three 25-minute periods with a running clock. And while Nathan Gerbe’s goal with 18:43 left pulled Team Blue even at three, Team White scored four goals in the final 16:10 on Joonas Korpisalo to pull away. After Alexander Wennberg put Team White ahead for good with 16:10 to play, Emil Bemstrom provided more breathing room with a spectacular individual play when he tracked down a lofted pass that traveled most of the length of the ice and bounced at his feet, allowing him to knock it past Korpisalo for a two-goal lead. Jenner added two goals with roughly seven and three minutes left to set the final score. Coach John Tortorella, who watched from the stands, did not participate in postgame interviews. The simulation unofficially got underway at 6:51 p.m., when Steffan Matteau was the first player to take the ice for what amounted to a warmup period of roughly 20 minutes. At 7:09, an abnormally long buzzer brought that to a halt, and the opening faceoff between Boone Jenner of Team White and Pierre- Luc Dubois of Team Blue took place one moment later. A two-line pass sprung Cam Atkinson for a wide-open breakaway on Joonas Korpisalo, and he buried the opportunity that resembled a shootout with 9:14 left in the second period to give Team White a 3-2 lead entering the third period and capping what was a much crisper period of play than the first. Atkinson’s goal answered a blast from Blue forward Kevin Stenlund roughly three minutes earlier that had tied the game at two. Gus Nyquist had opened the period with a goal with 19:29 to play when he one-timed a pass from Riley Nash past Korpisalo to give the Team White a 2-1 lead. Jenner centered a starting line with Nyquist on his left and Atkinson on his right, while Dubois had Alexandre Texier on his left and Oliver Bjorkstrand on his right. Vladislav Gavrikov and David Savard started as defensemen in front of Elvis Merzlikins in white, while Seth Jones and Zach Werenski started on defense in front of Korpisalo on blue. Both goaltenders made early saves – Merzlikins snuffing out a Kole Sherwood breakaway and Korpisalo denying Atkinson a moment later – before Dubois gave the Blue team a 1-0 lead with 18:13 left. With a sudden downpour blanketing the area and the two-dozen-plus fans outside pressed against the glass to stay dry as well as to get a better view, Devin Shore knocked home a rebound with 15:07 left for the White team to tie the game, a score that would hold up through the end of the 25-minute period played with a running clock. Captain and forward Nick Foligno, who did not practice Monday and was listed as "unavailable to practice," was not part of the scrimmage. In his absence, Team White was forced to rotate its lines with

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Alexander Wennberg, Riley Nash and Jenner at center and Gus Nyquist, Emil Bemstrom, Liam Foudy, Shore and Atkinson on the wings. After the top line, Team Blue’s lines were: Nathan Gerbe-Kevin Stenlund-Eric Robinson Steffan Matteau-Ryan MacInnis-Kole Sherwood

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Columbus Dispatch / Liam Foudy could give Columbus Blue Jackets a speedy lift in Toronto By Brian Hedger – July 22, 2020

There are two big reasons the Blue Jackets invited Liam Foudy to training camp for the restart of the NHL season, and they’re located on his feet. The 20-year-old Foudy’s skates are a blur when deployed fully, the kind of speed the Jackets could use in the qualifying round of the 24-team playoffs. Their opponent in the best-of-five series, the Toronto Maple Leafs, is highly skilled and extremely fast. "I want to give him every opportunity to get in the starting lineup because of his speed," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said of Foudy, who was the team’s No. 1 pick, taken No. 18 overall, in the 2018 draft. "We’re playing a very fast hockey club. We need to get as much speed in our lineup as we possibly can." The Maple Leafs have a wealth of high-end skaters, headlined by John Tavares, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, and they are backed by a lot of high-speed skill. The way to combat such a style will be sticking to the Jackets’ mantra of "staying above the puck" and skating with Toronto to prevent odd-man rushes. Foudy could certainly help, along with fourth-line forward Eric Robinson — a speed demon at left wing — and swift power forward Josh Anderson, who is four-plus months into his recovery from shoulder surgery and was added to the Jackets’ training camp roster on Sunday. Anderson’s availability is unknown for the start of the series Aug. 2 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, but having him in the lineup could be a lift. Meanwhile, Tortorella and his assistants are imploring Foudy to keep the pedal floored in practices and scrimmages. "I want his feet moving all the time," Tortorella said. "He’s a very bright kid. He understands the game away from the puck, which we teach in certain ways to play defense. But the biggest thing for him, to give him the best opportunity to crack the lineup, is to show us that speed all the time." Another scrimmage After a day off Saturday and a pair of 45-minute practices for two groups Sunday, the Blue Jackets held their third scrimmage of camp Monday — after a quick 25-minute practice to start the day at the OhioHealth Ice Haus. Scrimmaging is a key part of this camp, which is shorter than a regular fall camp and solely intended to get the Jackets ready to compete at a playoff level after four-plus idle months. "Most importantly for the players, they get to bang around a little bit," Tortorella said after the first two scrimmages last week. "They get to play in some small areas with some traffic. The first three days were puck-touches, with really no defending at all … so it gives us a chance to look at things (while) playing in a game.

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"These guys haven’t played a lot of games the past few months, so in real time, real game speed, work on our team concept and it gives the coaches a chance to see who can play with whom." The next step would be playing a simulated game, which could happen today. Mum’s the word Tortorella is waiting until the Blue Jackets arrive in Toronto this weekend to offer his thoughts about Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, whom he coached while with Tampa Bay from 2001-03. "I know (the Toronto media) is going to ask me about this, me coaching him, and I’m going to wait for them," Tortorella said Sunday. "I’m going to answer that one time, because I’m not going to talk about the other coach a whole bunch, but I’m not going to disrespect ‘Keefer.’ I will talk about it once in Toronto." Keefe coached the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs’ affiliate in the , before he was promoted Nov. 29 to run the Leafs after Mike Babcock was fired. He had 12 goals and 12 assists in 125 games with the Lightning, which was the extent of his NHL career because of a severe knee injury he suffered in the AHL during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Keefe has spoken with reporters in Toronto about Tortorella, but has said he will refrain from the topic going forward. "I’m going to focus on getting myself and our team ready to compete," Keefe told TSN’s Kristen Shilton. "That’s the greatest way to show someone respect."

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Columbus Dispatch / Season’s delay might have been a blessing for the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson By Brian Hedger – July 22, 2020

On the day the NHL paused its season because of the coronavirus pandemic, Cam Atkinson was eager to return from his second extended absence related to a high-ankle sprain. It would have been a home game against the on March 12, when Atkinson was hoping to help the Blue Jackets secure a playoff spot in their final 12 games. More than four months later, he has gained some retrospective clarity. “All of a sudden (you’re going) from pretty high to pretty low, knowing that the season was being (postponed), Atkinson said. ”But in a way, looking back, I don’t know if I was actually ready. “My adrenaline was going at the time, but I’m really glad I’ve gotten this time to heal up properly. I sometimes still feel it from time to time — nothing like what it was, but these injuries are no joke. Who knows what would’ve happened had the season continued and whatnot, but I’m ready to rock and roll now.” That’s good news for the Jackets, who may need Atkinson to log big minutes during a five-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the qualifying round of the NHL’s adopted 24-team playoff format. Atkinson has skated with fellow winger Gustav Nyquist and center Alexander Wennberg during the two- week training camp to prepare for the postseason, and they have the look of a “top six” trio. Whether they click and stay together could depend largely on Atkinson, who struggled through a frustrating slump to start the season and then suffered the ankle injury shortly after his scoring touch returned. “In this type of situation, where you just wipe everything clean, you come into the situation after having four months off, I think he’s approached it the right way,” coach John Tortorella said of Atkinson, who followed up a career-high 41 goals in 2018-19 with 12 goals in 44 games this season. “It’s a big time for him to get his game back in order … for me, for the team and more importantly, for him, I think, in his mind, just to get back to playing the way he can play. And that’s with energy.” It’s tough, however, for anyone to sustain energy on a bad wheel. This was the second high-ankle sprain of Atkinson’s career, one in each leg, so he knows better than anybody how long the injury can take to heal. It’s a nagging, frustrating affliction and isn’t particularly kind to guys who need to stop and start on a dime while wearing skates. Atkinson may still feel a twinge now and again, seven months from the initial injury on Dec. 9 against Washington, but it’s a lot better now than it was in March. And that’s exactly what the Blue Jackets hope to see from him as they prepare for the restart. “That’s what I think was missing in his game, just the energy and the quickness and the on-the-puck type game,” Tortorella said. “I think he’s going to be ready to do that.”

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The Athletic / Playoffs or No. 1 pick? For 16 teams, the best option is all about the odds By Corey Pronman and Dom Luszczyszyn – July 22, 2020

As a result of Placeholder Team E winning Phase 1 of the 2020 NHL Draft lottery, one of the eight teams that loses in the qualifying round will select first-overall in October. Once you get past your favorite conspiracy theory, the result is one of the most interesting moments in high-level pro sports, where losing a playoff round potentially has major benefits to an organization. This creates a real question about which path is best for each franchise. For the 16 teams battling to make the first round of the postseason, are they better off trying to advance and make a bid for the Stanley Cup or take the 12.5 percent odds to get the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft? Two important notes before we start. First, we will assume every team would pick Rimouski left winger Alexis Lafreniere with the first-overall pick. Second, we are aware no player or coach will ever try to lose, they all want to win. That is not the purpose of this exercise. The point is to show the potential long- term impact of losing in the qualifying round compared to the team’s current position in the playoff tournament. Playoff Odds Given that every losing team in the qualifying round will have a 12.5 percent chance to pick first-overall, the first question is what were the odds for each team to win the Stanley Cup in 2020 should it win the qualifying round? What immediately stands out is the best odds to win a championship, Toronto at 7.1 percent, is lower than any team’s chance at getting Lafreniere should it be eligible for the Phase 2 lottery. That said, getting the No. 1 pick is no guarantee at a future Stanley Cup win, whereas a Stanley Cup win is a Stanley Cup win. What’s clear initially is there are a few teams in the qualifying round that, should they get through, have a reasonable chance to go the distance – Toronto and Pittsburgh especially, with Nashville and Carolina not far behind. After those four, though, you see a lot of longshots to make a run, so the No. 1 pick seems like a much more realistic outcome even if the odds aren’t great. Pittsburgh for example is twice as likely to win the No. 1 pick if it loses its qualifying round series as it is to win the Stanley Cup if it advances to the first round of the playoffs. For a team like Florida, it has 25 times the chance of winning the first-overall pick as winning the Stanley Cup. Those are two distinct situations. Value of current pick A team has two outcomes if it loses in the qualifying round. It could win the No. 1 overall pick or be slotted in one of the No. 9-15 picks in inverse order of regular season points percentage of the eight teams that lose in the qualifying round and do not win the No. 1 pick. (Trade conditions also factor in for some teams.) So the pick a team would get if it both loses in the qualifying round and loses the Phase 2 lottery is a significant variable in answering which path is better for the franchise. For most teams, the equivalent pick value for its first-round pick, accounting for the 12.5 percent chance to win No. 1 compared to its current slot, is roughly the same with some difference on the margins.

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Since the lowest any team could pick if it lost in the qualifying round is 15th-overall and each team has a 12.5 percent chance to pick first, the equivalent pick values are all rather high. Its pick value, the goals saved versus average (GSVA) over the first seven seasons, is also roughly the same. Three clubs have significant differences in this regard: Carolina, Toronto and the New York Islanders. The Maple Leafs traded their first-round pick to Carolina but it was top-10 protected. The Islanders traded their first-round pick to Ottawa, but it was top-three protected. The Hurricanes give the lowest of their two first-round picks to the Rangers, and don’t have a first-round pick if Toronto wins the Phase 2 lottery. The Penguins traded their first-round pick, but it was lottery protected. The main takeaway from this is a lot of teams are in a position to add significant value by way of a first- round draft pick if they lose in the qualifying round, but several teams are in weaker positions to add value by way of a first-round pick. In particular, Toronto and Carolina have strong playoff odds and have much weaker incentives to add value by the draft. The Islanders have the worst of both worlds, being without a first-round pick if they don’t win No. 1 overall and having poor playoff odds. Value of Alexis Lafreniere First-overall picks vary in value. The differences between Connor McDavid, Aaron Ekblad, Auston Matthews and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are significant. For the purposes of this column, we assumed Lafreniere’s career would develop like the career of Taylor Hall, who was selected first in 2010, although we presumed Lafreniere would have better health. Hall has been a star winger in the league for a long time, touching the top tier of the league in a couple of seasons, including an MVP season, but not consistently. We felt that was a realistic projection for Lafreniere. This is not a stylistic comparison, but rather a statistical projection comparable. With that projection in mind, we then asked how would a Taylor Hall level player change the Stanley Cup odds for a team over a seven-year span? How Lafreniere Changes Future Cup Odds Lafreniere adds value to a stronger club. Typically, quality teams don’t have the opportunity to pick first- overall, but contenders – who for the purposes of this discussion we will qualify Carolina, Nashville, Pittsburgh and Toronto – will have a 12.5 percent chance to draft first-overall if they lose in the qualifying round. It’s worth noting that, given the seven-year timeline, the other 12 teams may jump into that tier in a future season, especially with the help of Lafreniere, who has the capability to push a team into a higher tier. Looking at the Stanley Cup odds for those respective teams at the time of the pause, Pittsburgh’s and Toronto’s odds move from 6 percent to 10 percent using the average odds over the first seven seasons of having Lafreniere, tying them for the fourth-best Stanley Cup odds in the league. Carolina goes from 3 percent to 7 percent, giving them the sixth-best odds in the league, and Nashville from 2 percent to 6 percent. The reason why there is an outsized effect of getting a top player like Lafreniere for a good team is the same reason it’s smart for a top team to go all-in at the trade deadline. Every marginal win a team adds when it is already at the top of the talent curve has a much larger impact on its championship odds than an average team given how close most teams are in talent. For an average team like , which finished 15th in points percentage, it increases its cup odds from 1 percent to 4 percent, tied for the ninth-best Cup odds. For a team with no mathematical chance of winning the Cup at the pause – like Chicago, Florida, Montreal and Winnipeg – it gives them a 3 percent chance of winning, the 10th-best Cup odds.

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In every case, the addition of a prospect the caliber of Lafreniere has a very significant impact on a team’s future. He will not single-handedly turn around a franchise or make it a Stanley Cup favorite, very few individuals are capable of that in hockey. However, he is projected to have a significant difference on the caliber of a team within a few years. After the results of Phase 1 of the lottery, we polled 1,300 fans from the teams participating in the qualifying round and asked what result they would prefer. On average, 61 percent preferred a qualifying round victory, but that answer varied by team (with varying sample sizes per team). Conclusion Going into the qualifying round, teams are in different situations when it comes to the benefits of moving into the postseason or getting a 12.5 percent shot at the first-overall pick. Organizations like the Penguins, Maple Leafs and, maybe, Predators are close to being top teams in the league, and you only get so many shots to make a run at the Stanley Cup. Even though they would be catapulted to near the top of the league by adding Lafreniere, Flags Fly Forever and given that their odds at a Cup are not dramatically lower than actually winning the No. 1 pick, the benefits for them are clearly in making the run, especially for a team like Toronto, which won’t get a high first-round pick if it loses the lottery. For a lot of the other teams, such as the Blackhawks, Panthers, Wild, Canadiens, Rangers and Jets, who are closely bunched in the qualifying round, the short-term odds of them actually winning a round of playoff hockey, let alone a championship, are very low. Therefore the odds of winning the No. 1 pick are magnitudes higher, as are the benefits of having Lafreniere turn a lot of them from Cup longshots to legitimately good teams. These teams will generally have high draft picks if they don’t win No. 1, as well. There are a few teams in more unclear spots in terms of the incentives. Carolina has a good roster, not elite, but it could make playoff noise. Adding Lafreniere could vault it to true contender status and there is a scenario where it would end up without a first-round pick – if it loses the qualifying series, and Toronto also loses and wins the lottery. The Islanders aren’t a top team, and if they don’t win the lottery they won’t pick until the third round.

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Sportsnet.ca / NHL Training Camps Day 9: Flyers' Hart exits practice early, Hyman back with Leafs By Emily Sadler – July 22, 2020

From players fit and unfit to some teams’ questions in net, we’ve rounded up news and notes from around the league as 24 clubs’ training camps continued on Day 9. Romanov is Toronto-bound The first member of the Montreal Canadiens to land in the NHL’s Eastern Conference hub city ahead of Phase 4 will also be the newest member of the Canadiens, as Russian defenceman Alexander Romanov is Toronto-bound after signing his entry-level deal with the Habs on July 13. It makes sense that Romanov is bypassing Montreal for now, as this way he’ll get a head start on the NHL’s mandatory quarantine and testing protocols and be able to join the Canadiens sooner once they landed in the NHL bubble, too. Though he’s not eligible to actually play when the Canadiens resume competition in August against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 20-year-old will gain valuable experience being around and practising with the NHL club. Romanov was flying alongside Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who signed his entry-level pact with New York the same day Romanov inked his. It’s unclear, however, if Sorokin is also headed straight to Toronto or if he’ll land in New York first. We’re learning more about Toronto’s “secure zone” Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston has been sharing some updates about Toronto’s bubble set-up and how the hub city might look from the outside and within. Pastrnak, Kase, McAvoy still out for Bruins The Bruins saw a lot of players return to the ice on Monday after several were deemed unfit to play over the weekend, but they were still without forwards David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase and defenceman Charlie McAvoy Tuesday. Pastrnak made his Phase 3 debut last Wednesday, but hasn’t appeared since. McAvoy was absent for the first time Monday, and remained “unfit” on Tuesday. Hart exits practice early Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart exited Tuesday’s practice a little early — a bit of a concerning development for the Metropolitan club, who saw their young netminder seize the starter’s gig this season. Hart left partway through the first half of Tuesday morning’s scrimmage, and didn’t return for the second. Because of the NHL’s strict protocols about commenting on players’ health, it’s likely we won’t learn much about Hart’s status. The Flyers have a reliable backup in veteran netminder Brian Elliott. The team also brought two other goalies into camp: Alex Lyon and Kirill Ustimenko. Hyman returns to Leafs’ lineup Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman returned to practice on Tuesday after a brief absence from

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on-ice activities with the club. Hyman skated over the weekend, but was deemed “unfit” to practice with the team. He’s back in Tuesday after the team’s off-day Monday, suiting up alongside Auston Matthews — with a new winger opposite him. Matthews and Mitch Marner don’t often play on the same line — Matthews has gelled well with William Nylander, while John Tavares often centres Marner — but when they do it’s seriously fun to watch. The two stars have been quick to strike chemistry, and have spoken about how fun it is to play alongside each other. It’s clear head coach Sheldon Keefe has been toying with possible line changes, preparing players for all situations. We saw him ice a dream trio of Marner, Matthews and Tavares over the weekend — a not- so-secret weapon he can bring out if the team needs a jump-start in competition. Freddie looks ready One more note from Leafs camp: This save from goalie Frederik Andersen is just one of the billion reasons we can’t wait for NHL action to return in August. Bouwmeester won’t be with Blues in Edmonton When the St. Louis Blues land in the Western Conference hub city of Edmonton, they won’t have veteran defenceman Jay Bouwmeester with them. Bouwmeester suffered a cardiac episode during the first period of a game on Feb. 11 against the Anaheim Ducks. Early in his recovery, he announced that he wouldn’t be suiting up for the remainder of the season or playoffs — a decision that applies to the return-to-play, too. Bouwmeester is actually from Edmonton, but he’ll remain outside the bubble. While he’ll be watching from a distance like the rest of us, the team will no doubt be playing hard for him as it attempts to repeat as champs. Rask says finger splint is nothing to worry about A few eagle-eyed reporters noticed a small splint binding Rask’s middle and ring fingers of his left hand during his virtual media availability upon being named a Vezina Trophy finalist last week. Asked about it on Tuesday, Rask said he fractured the finger while doing box jumps a few weeks ago but had no concerns about it. “I’m not worried about it,” he told reporters. “It’ll be all set once we start playing.” Wild ready to show up in… well, they’ll be matching No suits required in the summer hockey bubble means we could see some pretty awesome outfits as players are free to show off their own personal style while reporting to the rink for games. Or, in the case of the Minnesota Wild, we could see a lot of polos. Toews “unfit” for Tuesday’s practice Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was ruled “unfit to participate” in Tuesday’s practice. The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus pointed out that Toews left yesterday’s practice early: Crawford sidelined, but Chicago’s not ruling him out just yet The biggest storyline throughout the Blackhawks’ camp so far has been the absence of starting goalie Corey Crawford. The veteran has yet to suit up this training camp, and didn’t participate in the team’s voluntary skates or workouts as part of Phase 2 last month.

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But that doesn’t mean he won’t still be able to hit the crease when the Blackhawks take on the in August. Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said Tuesday that the team is still “hopeful” Crawford will be able to join the team before it takes off for Edmonton this Sunday. “We’ll be able to give you a better idea toward the weekend,” Bowman told reporters. “It’s something we’re still shooting for, but I don’t have any definitive comment. We’re still hoping that’s the case.” He said “nothing’s been ruled out” at this point, and that the organization is taking a day-to-day approach when it comes to who’s available. “We still have a fair amount of time until Aug. 1 and the first game. We’re not thinking that far ahead right now. We’re really here day to day,” Bowman said. “Right now he’s not here, so we’re focused on the other four goalies. If and when Corey’s ready, we’ll have that conversation. I think it’s best to stick with where we are today and not jump too far ahead.” Without Crawford, Chicago has four goalies vying for the starter’s gig: Malcolm Subban, Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins. Because of strict safety measures in place in the NHL “bubble” site, it won’t be easy for players to join teams mid-competition, making it all the more important to determine Crawford’s status before the club heads north to Edmonton. “My understanding is, players who go to Edmonton when you leave this Sunday, that’s your group,” Bowman said. “The big issue is bringing players in who are not in the bubble. You try to make as many strides as we can to keep the environment closed, so you don’t want players coming in from outside. If you have 10 guys get hurt in the first round, six weeks into the playoffs, they’ll probably have to revisit that. But that’s not the plan right now.”

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Sportsnet.ca / NHL teams seek 'somewhat normal' atmosphere in home away from home By Eric Francis – July 22, 2020

Just before the Flames open their five-game qualifying series with the Winnipeg Jets, the lads in red will be welcomed to the ice at Rogers Place by an enthusiastic introduction from Saddledome stadium announcer, Beesley. With Flames organist Willy Joosen providing the backdrop, Canadian star will subsequently belt out the national anthem, as he has the past six years in Calgary. None of the three Saddledome staples will actually be in Edmonton, as the trio recorded their respective parts from home studios during the NHL’s pause. While “O Canada” is played, there will obviously be no interruption from Jets fans, who’ve carved out a clever little niche by screaming “True North” during that part of every Canadian anthem around the league. After all, there will be no fans in the building. So why do it? “The NHL’s ultimate goal is to create an environment for the players that is somewhat normal,” explained Steve Edgar, manager of game presentation for the Flames’ parent company. “The NHL has been in close contact with the clubs on the game presentation side and they basically gave us a one-sheeter on the content they’d like to get from the home team. Like everything in this COVID world, it’s pretty unchartered (sic) waters.” Even though games are all being played in either Edmonton or Toronto, every matchup will have a designated home team (Flames for the first two, and Jets for the second two), and the goal is for the host to enjoy as many nuances from its own building as possible. “We’ve sent them our goal song (AC/DC’s “TNT”), win song (Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”), the warmup playlist, warmup videos, video for time outs, organ music – things that are unique for each team that are transferable,” Edgar said before being asked if the Dome’s famous fire bursts will be ignited after goals. “Some things can’t be transferred — we can’t ship the fireballs to Edmonton.” They can’t ship there either, meaning any appearances from the Flames mascot will be relegated to videos shown on the Jumbotron. The task for game night producers in Edmonton will be to execute game productions as close to Edgar’s instructions as possible. That means Johnny Gaudreau goals will be followed by Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and Sam Bennett snipes punctuated by Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” Not everyone has a goal song, but all the players are accustomed to the sights, sounds and flow Edgar has provided as a backdrop for many years. Without fans in the stands to provide the ultimate – and most important – backdrop, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not it will work. But it’s worth trying, especially if it adds a tiny semblance of normalcy for TV viewers as well.

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In games three and four, the sights and sounds from Winnipeg’s Bell MTS Place will ring out as a more familiar production for Jets fans. To help add to the authenticity and emotion of the content, the Flames reached out to season ticket holders with an invitation to submit everything from “Go Flames Go” chants to various goal celebrations. “I give our fans tons of credit – some of them were very creative,” Edgar said. “It has certainly been fun to see our fans’ responses and how excited they are to be part of this once-in- a-lifetime opportunity. I had one mother call me and tell me how much it meant for her autistic son to be able to put together a video. That sort of connection is really what being a fan is all about.” The Flames got a tiny taste of what it might sound and look like Sunday night during their intra-squad game, which included Beesley’s introduction and goal announcements echoing through the empty rink. “I know the guys enjoyed it,” interim coach Geoff Ward said with a grin. “The great thing about Beesley being involved is that this is exactly what we’re going to see at the hub. It’s going to be exactly like it was (Sunday) night. It gives us a chance to get used to it.” That was news to most of the players, including Cam Talbot. “I had no idea about any of that until you said it,” the Flames goalie said of the home comforts they’ll be privy to for select games in Edmonton. “I’ve never played a hockey game in front of an empty building. It’s all very abnormal. We practice in one and you can hear everything in there – a puck goes off my pad and it echoes. “It’s going to be weird – the fans are what make the game that much more exciting. It’s going to be hard to recreate normalcy even if you have the organist and anthem singer.” Even Canyon admitted it was odd recording “O Canada” in his basement studio, saddened by the inability to be part of the live action, with the roar of the crowd encouraging big hits, rousing comebacks and maybe even the odd goalie fight. “I don’t think that will be the case again, in the playoffs,” Talbot, who famously took on Edmonton’s towering earlier this year, said with a laugh. “If so, I’ll pick someone smaller this time.” As much as the game day and stadium accoutrements are designed for the players to feel at home, they should also resonate with TV viewers who will be able to hear plenty of familiar sounds in the broadcast’s background. “The hockey fan in me is fascinated to find out,” Edgar said of how it will all look and sound on TV. “On a normal NHL broadcast you can still hear the music and PA announcer. Who knows, they might show more on TV. It will be interesting to see.”

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