SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 1/2/2021 Anaheim Ducks 1197599 Ducks like what they have seen from prospect Trevor 1197626 How heavy a load can Detroit Red Wings' Danny Zegras at World Juniors DeKeyser carry after missing a year? 1197600 How Kevin Shattenkirk is fitting with Ducks’ D-men and the 1197627 Detroit Red Wings training camp live updates: An early ‘spots available’ look at power play groups 1197628 New Red Wing Bobby Ryan impressed by Dylan Larkin's Arizona Coyotes leadership, competitiveness 1197601 The best plays and games of Arizona sports teams in 1197629 Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser says he's fortunate to be 2020 healthy, playing hockey again 1197630 Red Wings training camp Day 1: First observations, early power-play looks 1197602 Bruins reportedly may play outdoor game in February 1197603 Literally and figuratively, Zdeno Chara was a giant gift to Bruins fans 1197631 Oil Spills: Rebuilding Senators better but still bound for 1197604 Bruins heading outdoors to Lake Tahoe Canadian basement 1197605 Brandon Carlo embraces challenges ahead 1197632 How a stint in Sweden prepared Oilers prospect Evan 1197606 The Story Behind Zdeno Chara’s Boston Bruins Exit | Bouchard for NHL camp BHN+ 1197607 Charlie McAvoy is Bruins’ big man now: ‘He’s going to be the leader’ 1197633 Kings veterans Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown showing that 36 is the new 26 1197634 TRAINING CAMP DAY 2 – SCRIMMAGE NOTES, 1197608 Rasmus Dahlin added strength in quest to earn bigger role MCLELLAN PLEASED, 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS with Sabres 1197635 THEY SAID IT – WORLD JUNIORS QUOTES 1197609 Mike Harrington: Even in this bizarro world, it was great to see hockey again 1197610 Former Sabres assistant GM Randy Sexton hired by 1197636 Former NHL GM Randy Sexton joins Wild as senior Minnesota Wild advisor 1197611 Ralph Krueger says 'all's under control' after injured Jack 1197637 Goodbye, 2020. What's ahead for Minnesota sports in Eichel misses practice 2021? 1197612 Buffalo Olympic gold medalist Emily Matheson, NHL player husband expecting baby 1197613 Ralph Krueger's tournament experience valuable for 1197638 Canadiens 2021 preview: Young centres in spotlight for Sabres during short camp retooled Habs 1197614 Sabres and Ralph Krueger get right to business in the first practice of camp Nashville Predators 1197639 What to expect as Predators open camp for 2021 season 1197640 Predators rivalry index: Which Central Division team 1197615 Exciting end to 2020 for Flames prospect Connor Zary should you hate the most? 1197641 Nashville Predators 2020-21 season preview 1197616 A wish for 2021: That we can care more about sports without caring less for one another 1197642 Devils’ Nico Hischier to miss start of camp after suffering 1197617 Blackhawks’ Andrew Shaw, Zack Smith healthy for injury while training training camp 1197618 Where Blackhawks’ contract negotiations stand with Dylan Strome 1197643 Lamoriello: We Have High Hopes for Noah Dobson Avalanche 1197619 Avalanche to play outdoor game Feb. 20 at Lake Tahoe, 1197644 Upcoming N.H.L. Season Will Have Flashes of Other per report Difficult Eras 1197620 Avalanche to play outdoor game at Lake TahoePublished 14 hours ago on January 1, 2021By Scott MacDonald Senators 1197645 The have been thrilled with what they've Columbus Blue Jackets seen from Tim Stuetzle at juniors 1197621 Blue Jackets forward Emil Bemstrom plans to heat up next 1197646 GARRIOCH: Coach D.J. Smith is confident there will be season with more goals, saunas plenty of competition for jobs at Senators' camp 1197622 How we’d run the Blue Jackets: Find a way to get to the next level 1197647 Report: Flyers to play Boston in outdoor game in Lake Tahoe on Feb. 21 1197623 What is the Stars’ response after their run to the Stanley 1197648 Five burning questions facing Flyers as abbreviated Cup Final? training camp begins | Sam Carchidi 1197624 What impact will COVID-19 have on the Stars’ season? 1197649 Sean Couturier recalls past, says fast start is imperative in 1197625 Dallas Stars 2020-21 season preview shortened NHL season 1197650 Flyers playing intriguing new outdoor game this year 1197651 Samuel Morin, forward? Flyers committed to giving position change a real shot Jets 1197652 Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen to miss start of 1197677 return to ice with sights set on swift start to training camp short season 1197653 Minor League Report: Nailers get first win of the season 1197678 Former Kings forward hoping to stick with Jets 1197654 Penguins A to Z: Can Mike Matheson finally realize his 1197679 Jets training camp roster promises intense competition potential? leading into season 1197655 Kasperi Kapanen dealing with immigration issues ahead of Penguins camp 1197656 Countdown to camp: 21 resolutions for successful SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 Penguins season 1197657 Sidney Crosby’s concussion 10 years later and the NHL’s progress since: Yohe 1197658 Identity & Swagger: 3 (Should Be) Penguins New Year Resolutions 1197659 explains how he’ll likely utilize his goalies early in season 1197660 Sharks reportedly not part of NHL's Lake Tahoe outdoor games 1197661 Jumbo's absence not lost on Sharks, their ears in training camp 1197662 Handemark Steps in, Middleton Bulks Up 1197663 SAN JOSE SHARKS Boughner on Vlasic-Karlsson, Why Gambrell Might Have Leg Up for 3C 1197664 Marleau Looks Back, Why Will This Year Be Different for Jones? 1197665 Sheng on Sharks’ Training Camp: Gregor as 3C? Ozzy & Tristen on Barracuda? Tampa Bay Lightning 1197666 How can the Lightning replace Nikita Kucherov and other camp questions answered 1197667 For all the Leafs’ off-season changes, real change will have to come from within 1197668 KOSHAN: Delving into some Leafs questions before the club goes camping 1197669 One question for every Maple Leaf to start the 2021 season 1197680 5 things to know about the Vancouver Canucks' 2020-21 training camp Vegas Golden Knights 1197670 Golden Knights release 40-player training camp roster 1197671 Golden Knights to play outdoor game in Lake Tahoe 1197672 Report: Golden Knights to play outdoors at Lake Tahoe this season 1197673 Top 10 Vegas Golden Knights moments from 2020 1197674 Goodbye Raiders, Hello Golden Knights: Las Vegas Market Pivots From NFL to NHL In January Of New Year 1197675 Laviolette is starting 'fresh' with every player, including Kuznetsov 1197676 Chara isn't coming to Washington to take over: 'This is Alex’s team' Websites 1197681 The Athletic / All the details of NHL’s outdoor games at Lake Tahoe 1197682 Sportsnet.ca / NHL planning two outdoor games at Lake Tahoe for 2021 season 1197683 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers face big questions in net with Smith, Koskinen battling aging curve 1197684 Sportsnet.ca / D.J. Smith pleased with player conditioning as Senators camp opens 1197685 Sportsnet.ca / 3 bold Vancouver Canucks predictions for 2021 1197686 Newhook "probably 50-50" to play vs. Czechs 1197687 USA TODAY / Reports: NHL planning two outdoor games at Lake Tahoe for 2021 season 1197599 Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal and right wing Jacob Perreault, two promising young players who aren’t expected to make the opening night roster.

Dostal and Perreault were teammates on the White team Friday morning Ducks like what they have seen from prospect Trevor Zegras at World at Great Park Ice, with Dostal forming a tandem in with John Gibson Juniors and Perreault skating on a line with left wing Antoine Morand and center Benoit-Olivier Groulx.

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: January 1, 2021 at 2:16 p.m. | Dostal, a 20-year-old native of Brno, Czech Republic, who was the UPDATED: January 1, 2021 at 2:16 p.m. Ducks’ third-round pick (85th overall) in the 2013 draft, was 10-1-0 with a 1.64 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage in 11 games to start the season with Ilves in Finland’s Liiga.

Trevor Zegras received his marching orders from Ducks general Perreault, the 18-year-old son of former NHL player Yanic Perreault, was manager Bob Murray in the form of a motivational phone call earlier this the second of the Ducks’ two first-round picks (27th overall) in the 2020 week. Zegras wasn’t with the Ducks to start training camp in Irvine, but draft. He hasn’t returned to play with the Sarnia Sting of the he was playing with Team USA at the World Junior Championship in Hockey League this season because of the Canadian coronavirus Edmonton. shutdown.

“I reminded him (Wednesday) night that the reason he’s at World Juniors Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.02.2021 starts (Thursday),” Murray said, referring to the Americans’ final preliminary round game against Sweden. “He’s got to help lead that team and get them into the finals. That’s why I sent him there.

“So far, so good.”

Indeed.

Zegras sparked the United States to a 4-0 victory over Sweden with one goal and two assists, giving him a tournament-high 13 points, including a co-leading six goals, in four games. The Americans (3-1) won Group B and advanced to play Slovakia on Saturday in the quarterfinals.

The U.S. could be on a collision course with Team Canada and another Ducks first-round draft pick, defenseman Jamie Drysdale. The Canadians (4-0) won Group A and will face the Czech Republic in a quarterfinal game Saturday. Drysdale has two points, both assists, in four games.

The semifinals are Monday and the championship game is Tuesday.

Zegras, a center who has played left wing during the tournament, was the first of the Ducks’ two first-round picks in 2019, going ninth overall. Drysdale was the first of their two first-round picks in 2020, going sixth. They’re rivals for the moment, but could be teammates sooner rather than later.

The play of Zegras, in particular, has ignited a fire within the Ducks’ fanbase on social media. Clips of his goals and assists are shared on Twitter and elsewhere and speculation about his arrival to the Ducks has run rampant as he has come to lead the U.S. to the elimination round.

Murray and the coaching staff are eager to see what Zegras can do for the Ducks, too.

“He’s a really fun player to watch,” Ducks coach said of Zegras, a 19-year-old native of Bedford, New York. “Some of the things he can do really add value to the game. We compete in a sport, but we are in the entertainment business, and he certainly has been entertaining.”

After one season at Boston University and a strong showing at World Juniors, is Zegras ready to make the leap to the NHL? Ducks right wing Troy Terry wouldn’t rule it out after working out on the ice and in the gym alongside Zegras this fall.

Terry also used a standout performance for Team USA at the World Junior Championship in 2016-17 as a springboard to a regular spot in the Ducks’ lineup last season. Terry was a member of the University of ’s NCAA championship team and played for the U.S. in the 2018 Olympics.

“From the first moment I stepped on the ice with him, you could just see the poise and the confidence and just the skill level that he has,” Terry said of Zegras. “I think one of the things that makes him great is he’s got the ability to make all those plays and he’s super-talented, but sometimes it looks like he doesn’t have a pulse out there because he’s just so calm. … I guess swag is the right word.

“He’s got confidence in himself and that’s what you need as a young guy.”

DOSTAL, PERREAULT SHINE

The Ducks held the first of what could be as many as four scrimmages during their two-week training camp. Eakins praised the play of 1197600 Anaheim Ducks They’re also observant of the world around them. There was an acknowledgment that there is good fortune in playing a game when many others are dealing with far weightier issues. Eakins saw the excitement in his players on Day 1 but also called what they’re doing now a privilege. How Kevin Shattenkirk is fitting with Ducks’ D-men and the ‘spots available’ Getzlaf echoed the feeling. Playing in an empty arena will be an unusual experience. But they’ll be playing and it’s, in his eyes, a “blessing.”

Day 1 had Eakins already starting to set his defense. The signing of By Eric Stephens Jan 1, 2021 Kevin Shattenkirk that gave Murray the top two pairings he has wanted is in place. Shattenkirk skated with Hampus Lindholm, while Cam Fowler

had Josh Manson as his partner. Eight years is an eternity in hockey time and the relevance of what the The third pairing is under construction. It has been a revolving door under Ducks did in 2013 might have zero impact on what they will do now. The their two-year swoon, and it might be that way again in this constricted difference between who they were and who they are is stark. season. Maybe out of preference, maybe out of necessity. But the ideal Except the memory of that shortened season does matter. It is a real usually is having a set pair that can be relied upon and ease the strain on topic. A team that had too many months of stewing over a season that that top four. went very wrong suddenly had to prepare for a 48-game blitz where a A lot of candidates are in camp. For Thursday’s practice and Friday’s bad start would have rendered the season meaningless. intrasquad scrimmage, Eakins had Jacob Larsson skating with Christian That team handled it better than anyone could have imagined. Playoff Djoos, Brendan Guhle with Jani Hakanpaa, Simon Benoit with Josh success didn’t immediately follow but it became the liftoff toward a run of Mahura, and newcomer Kodie Curran with AHL vet Andy Welinski. record regular seasons and postseason appearances, two of which got “There are spots available on defense,” Eakins said. “The other guys are them within an arm’s length of playing for the Stanley Cup. going to have to slug it out.” Ryan Getzlaf remembers. There will be no worries over his top two pairings. Shattenkirk and Fowler “It’s almost thinking about it as a playoff experience,” Getzlaf said have known each other since their Team USA days at world juniors Thursday. “You take one game, you play that game, you take five camp. The two also played together on the 2014 U.S. Olympic team. minutes, you go over what you did wrong and then you forget about it. They spoke about the virtues of playing in Anaheim when the Ducks And you have to be ready to go the next night. pursued Shattenkirk two summers ago, only to see him make an ultimately correct and profitable decision to join Tampa Bay. “We can’t dwell on. We can’t prepare for the future after that. Those kind of things. It’s about getting ready for the next game.” But it makes sense for Eakins to not have the two together on the ice. Shattenkirk and Fowler have built their career on their offensive As the Ducks went through Day 1 of their training camp at Great Park, proclivities and triggering a team’s transition game. Lindholm and the advice from Getzlaf, their longtime captain, was how that 2013 club Manson have largely been the Ducks’ go-to when it comes to the prepared and charged out of the starting gate like a prized thoroughbred. defensive zone and shutting down opponents. Splitting them up will, in theory, have one of each together in the desired lefty-righty setup. “I’m drawing on it the whole time,” Getzlaf said. “This whole preparation, I thought back to what I did at that time. The way our team had to With the Lightning last season, Shattenkirk played with Victor Hedman at approach things. All those kind of things. They go into every meeting times. Hampus Lindholm isn’t Victor Hedman and probably will never be. we’ve had. Every conversation we’re having going forward. Hedman didn’t win his second Norris Trophy but many would rightly argue that the Conn Smythe winner is the best defenseman in the NHL. “Fortunately enough, there’s been a few guys that were part of that (lockout season). They’re able to kind of share what worked, what didn’t But Shattenkirk, who played with Alex Pietrangelo for years, is looking work. And the preparation that goes into starting this season. It’s not like forward to working with his new partner. a normal season. It’s not like a normal training camp. We’re prepared to do things differently and we’re going to be ready for Vegas.” “Hampus and Victor are similar in certain ways,” the 31-year-old defender said. “Hampus covers a lot of ground on the ice. He’s a phenomenal That game at T-Mobile Arena is in exactly two weeks. Everything is skater and has the ability to break pucks out on his own. So, I think for abridged in this season of quirks. They only got three of the seven extra me it’s been a matter of getting that read and knowing when I need to days of camp they asked the NHL for as compensation for being among support him, knowing when I can allow him to do his thing. But for the the seven teams left out of the Return to Play. And to the chagrin of most part, it’s just in the communication side of things. He’s someone second-year coach Dallas Eakins, they won’t have any exhibition games who skates well, and he’s got a lot of great facets in his game. Certainly, to get all the bugs out. he’s someone who’s been in the league for a pretty long time.

If they are truly set on trying to challenge the power teams like Vegas, “We’re just talking through every play in practice. I think the more Colorado and St. Louis in this new-fangled West Division for 2020-21, communication the better. We’re certainly open to feeding off each other they can ill afford to dig a hole that will bury them before they find their and learning how we both play the game as quickly as we can.” shovels. And their schedule will be solely comprised of eight games against those three teams along with their usual rivals L.A., San Jose Even though they won’t play regularly alongside one another at the start, and Arizona. Minnesota is also part of this one-year deal. Shattenkirk finds a ton of value in having Fowler as a teammate. He mentioned how they’ve become friends over the years through their “That’s a good example,” GM Bob Murray said of the comparison to summer golfing excursions with Nick Bonino, who is now with Minnesota. 2013. “Every team is very aware of this. If you get out of the gate really Fowler has been of assistance in getting Shattenkirk acclimated to good, you could get yourself into a really good position really quick. And Southern California, in particular Orange County. that’s what happened that short season. It’s crucial to get into the hunt, even get in for those last playoff spots, to get out of the gate and get “He’s someone who I’ve always admired,” Shattenkirk said. “We came going. into the league in the same year. He’s just a phenomenal hockey player and just an amazing human being as well. He’s one of the nicest people “Our players are aware of that. I’ve heard it. They know. That’s what you’ll ever meet. happened last time. It’s a sprint. Not like a normal season. The earlier you can get out in front, the better.” “We’ve had some great times together. It’s nice to have a familiar face like his in the locker room. Somebody who’s been here for a long time Before they tackle the wins the losses, there was the undertaking of and has a lot of knowledge, both at the rink and in the organization and getting into an operational mode, the joy in finally having games to look away from the arena with helping me get around and get settled in the forward to and the daily reality of preparing for the unexpected. area.”

“There is a lot going on,” Eakins said. “It’s amazing that after all this time The admiration is mutual. More importantly, Fowler sees where you feel so prepared and then you get into it, all the protocols are Shattenkirk will bring more balance to the defense corps and make them obviously very new to us. That’s the biggest thing on our checklist. To do better. our best to keep COVID out of our dressing room.” “Shatty brings a lot to the team,” Fowler said. “He brings a lot of experience. He’s been around a long time. Obviously just won a Stanley Cup. He knows what it takes to win. He’s going to help us on the power play. He’s really smart. Does a lot of things well and knows how to get the puck to the net and make the other guys around him better.

“I think he’ll fit in perfectly here. He’s a good buddy of mine and I’m happy to have him here for the next few years.”

Shattenkirk was a 24-year-old minutes-chomping defenseman on a competitive St. Louis club in 2013. His thinking with this Ducks club is managing this season in small portions. And the division-only schedule is blocked out that way, with games mostly put into two-game tussles against the other seven teams. The Ducks also have a run of five straight against fellow SoCal foe Los Angeles, which could stir up some heat late in the year if both manage to stay in the playoff hunt.

That’s the plan for the Ducks is to remember former coach Bruce Boudreau’s mantra about winning the week.

Plans can work until, as Mike Tyson once famously said, you’re punched in the mouth.

“I think that’s the most important thing that we’re trying to communicate here to players who haven’t been through that,” Shattenkirk said. “Yes, it’s going to be a grind. But we can’t really look at April. We can’t look at May and worry about where we’re going to be in the standings then.

“Everyone talks about an 82-game season, how games early on count and how much they matter. This season it matters even more. It’s important for us to kind of break it down piece by piece. Maybe segment by segment and make sure that we’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves. And really that we’re bouncing back after games.

“If we do have a loss or something that really stings, we’re going to have to play the next night or shortly after. We can’t really hang on to it and hang our heads too much because if we do, we’ll get caught losing a couple more games as a result.”

Those Ducks in 2013 didn’t lose consecutive games in regulation until that high-water 22-3-4 mark. These Ducks don’t see an expiration date on inspiration.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197601 Arizona Coyotes seconds left two days later. Booker had the ball, let time wind down and took a fadeaway shot that went in as time expired.

Top Play: The Booker meme The best plays and games of Arizona sports teams in 2020 Best Play: Obviously that Booker shot had to be the best play of the year. After all, it led to a popular meme. Anything that leads to a meme immediately gets the top spot of play of the year. BY TORRENCE DUNHAM Arizona Coyotes JANUARY 1, 2021 AT 8:23 AM Best Game: Coyotes vs. Predators, Aug. 7

What’s better than overtime in hockey? Qualifying round overtime 2020 was a year the sports world had never seen before and hopefully hockey. The Coyotes found themselves in that position on Aug. 7, when never sees again. While there were months without any action amid the Nashville tied things up at 3 with 31.9 seconds left in the third period. coronavirus pandemic, the year still provided some good moments and games for sports teams in Arizona. Brad Richardson scored the game-winning goal near the start of the overtime period, sending the Coyotes to the First Round of the NHL Here’s a look back at each team’s best game and play over the past 12 Playoffs, where they lost in a series 4-1 to the . months. Top Play: The Raanta skate save Arizona Cardinals Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta made some incredible saves in 2020, but Best Game: Seattle Seahawks vs. Cardinals, Oct. 25 perhaps none better than the one against his old team the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 1. Raanta blocked a shot from Brandon Saad using When the Cardinals were flexed to Sunday Night Football on Oct. 25, the his skate, robbing Saad of a hat trick. team not only got a chance to seen by NFL fans across the country but also put on a good show. Phoenix Rising FC

Trailing 34-24 with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth Best Game: Phoenix Rising FC vs. Reno 1868 FC, Oct. 17 quarter, the Cardinals got an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Seattle on a field goal attempt. It really is too bad the championship was canceled because Phoenix Rising FC in 2020 sure had a flair for the dramatic. After falling behind 2- The call gave Arizona a first down, which later led to a touchdown. 0 in the first half, Phoenix Rising FC came back to the match 2-2 AET, winning the match 5-4 on penalties. Kicker Zane Gonzalez hit a field goal from 44 yards away on the ensuing drive to tie things up with two seconds left in regulation. After Reno missed the fifth spot-kick, striker Rufat Dadashov knocked in the winning shot for Phoenix Rising FC, sending the team to the Western After missing a game-winning chance from 41 yards away, Gonzalez got Conference Final for the second time in three years. a second chance after an Isaiah Simmons interception and hit the game- winning field goal from 48 yards away with 20 seconds left in overtime. Top Play: Forward Junior Flemmings dances through defenders for score

Top Play: The Hail Murray Phoenix Rising forward Junior Flemmings with your official #USL Championship Week 6 Goal of the Week: #RisingTogether Kyler Murray’s Hail Mary throw to DeAndre Hopkins and his catch to beat pic.twitter.com/om7iCTSJ32 the Bills on Nov. 15 is no doubt the top play for the Cardinals in 2020, but it might end up pretty high on the best plays of the decade too for not — Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) August 6, 2020 only the Cardinals but Arizona sports teams in general. Phoenix Rising FC forward Junior Flemmings had a great month on the A truly magical moment in the early history of Hopkins and Murray. pitch in August, being named USL Championship’s August Player of the Month. Arizona Diamondbacks He scored seven goals over six matches, including having been honored Best Game: D-backs vs. San Diego Padres, July 27 with goal of the week in two separate weeks. After back-to-back losses against the Padres to begin the 2020 season, One of these goals on Aug. 1, against El Paso Locomotive FC, was truly the D-backs had a 2-1 lead in the 8th inning disappear on a Greg Garcia spectacular. RBI single. Arizona State Sun Devils Football Arizona got to Padres closer Kirby Yates in the next inning, however, loading the bases and taking the lead on a sacrifice fly from Ketel Marte Best Game: Arizona State vs. Arizona, Dec. 11 and a David Peralta RBI single. Arizona State and Arizona football have played some classic games over Peralta came up big in the bottom of the ninth, making a wonderful over their history. The 2020 matchup on Dec. 11 between the two was far the shoulder catch. That loomed large as the Padres would get a run off from a classic. closer Archie Bradley and had the tieing run at second base when Bradley retired Will Myers to seal the win. The Sun Devils dropped 70 points on the Wildcats in Tucson and led to the firing of Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin. Top Play: D-backs get runner at the plate, win game The win was one of two for Arizona State in the team’s four-game The top play of the season also comes against the Padres. Arizona saw season. a 7-3 9th inning lead turn into a one-run advantage on Aug. 15. Top Play: D.J. Taylor starts ASU off quick in Tucson Jurickson Profar hit a ball into the gap and pinch-runner Jorge Mateo tried to score from first. Starling Marte threw it to Ketel Marte who sent a The best play of the Sun Devils came on the first play of that Wildcats laser to the plate to get Mateo out and win the game. blowout. D.J. Taylor took the opening kickoff from his own endzone and ran it back for a touchdown. A pretty clear indication how the rest of the That was part of a streak where the D-backs won five of six games and game was going to go. momentarily got back into the postseason race. Honorable mention to Jackson He, whose touchdown later in the game Phoenix Suns made him the first Chinese player in FBS history to reach the endzone.

Best Game: Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers, Aug. 4 Arizona State Sun Devils Men’s Basketball

The Suns’ time in the bubble was really a period that will go down in Best Game: Arizona vs. Arizona State, Jan. 25 Arizona history. It showed a change of culture and the emergence of Devin Booker on the national stage. After beating the Dallas Mavericks 117-115 on Aug. 4, the Suns found themselves in a 115-115 tie with 8 While the first meeting between Arizona State and Arizona on the hardwood last season wasn’t very thrilling, the second game between the two on Jan. 25 more than made up for it.

Trailing 43-30 at halftime, the Sun Devils came back and took the lead eight minutes into the second half.

Alonzo Verge Jr. drove into the paint and scored a basket with 11.6 seconds to give ASU the lead. The Sun Devil defense held up on the other end to take the game, 66-65.

Top Play: Remy Martin’s clutch shot gives Arizona State the win over USC

Remy Martin has been part of many highlights during his time wearing the maroon and gold, and his shot on Feb. 8 against USC capped off an instant classic.

Part of what made the highlight so incredible is the ball did a few rotations on the basket before finally going in, leaving everyone in the arena on the edge of their seat.

Arizona Wildcats Football

Best Game: N/A

OK, but for real, it was a tough season for the Arizona Wildcats football team. The Wildcats didn’t win a game in 2020, and haven’t been in the win column since Oct. 2019. Arizona did play well against No. 20 USC on Nov. 14, only losing by four points on the road.

Top Play: Tayvian Cunningham goes 75 yards to tie things up with USC

The best play comes from that same game and made USC sweat for a few minutes after coming back to avoid an upset against Arizona State the week earlier. A 75-yard touchdown by Arizona wide receiver Tayvian Cunningham in the third quarter brought the Wildcats to a 20-20 tie with USC.

Arizona Wildcats Men’s Basketball

Best Game: Arizona vs. Washington, Jan. 30

Coming off a crushing loss to rival Tempe, the Wildcats found themselves in another close game against the Washington Huskies in Seattle. The two teams went back and forth in the second half after Arizona took a 3- lead to halftime. Trailing by 1 point with 44 seconds left, Jemarl Baker Jr. made a shot from beyond the arch to give Arizona the lead. Arizona held on thanks to a costly Washington turnover with 15 seconds left.

Top Play: Jemarl Baker Jr. comes up big for Arizona in Seattle

The same play takes the top spot Arizona highlights in 2020 on the hardwood. The team had a more thrilling shot last season with a buzzer- beater to Pepperdine, but that happened in 2019 so that’s against the rules.

Phoenix Mercury

Best Game: Phoenix Mercury vs. Washington Mystics, Sept. 15

The Phoenix Mercury’s only win in the 2020 playoffs was a thriller as the team beat the reigning champion Washington Mystics 85-84, advancing to the WNBA Second Round. Skylar Diggins-Smith had 24 points in the win while Diana Taurasi added 23.

Phoenix didn’t have the same luck in the next round against the Minnesota Lynx, losing 80-79.

Some people are not surprised when they make remarkable plays. That could be certainly be said about Diggins-Smith. Down three points against the Connecticut Sun on Sept. 9 with 1.5 seconds left, she took the inbound pass and threw the ball up just past midcourt.

It was nothing but net as she tied the game and sent it to overtime.

Her reaction after the basket is just as good as the play itself. Phoenix went on to win 100-95.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197602 Boston Bruins

Bruins reportedly may play outdoor game in February

By Matt Pepin Globe Staff,Updated January 1, 2021, 2:46 p.m.

According to a report by Canada’s Sportsnet Friday, the Bruins and Flyers may face off in an outdoor game near Lake Tahoe in Nevada in February.

The game, which Sportsnet reported would be Feb. 21 on a rink created on the Edgewood Tahoe Resort’s golf course, would be one of two played as part of an NHL “Outdoor Weekend.” The other game, on Feb. 20, would match the Avalanche against the Golden Knights.

The Bruins schedule recently released by the NHL appears to allow for the possibility of an outdoor game well outside the regular travel range planned this season for the realigned East Division. The Bruins play the Devils on Feb. 18 in Boston, the Flyers on Feb. 21, and then the Islanders on Feb. 25 in New York. Much of the Bruins’ 56-game schedule has shorter gaps between games, or more games within a time frame like the Feb. 19-25 range.

The Bruins have played in three NHL Winter Classic outdoor games: 2010 vs. the Flyers at , 2016 vs. the Canadiens at Gillette , and 2019 vs. the Blackhawks at .

According to Sportsnet, fans would not be allowed at either outdoor game.

The NHL has not announced any plans for outdoor games.

Boston Globe LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197603 Boston Bruins Manny Ramirez, who provided the Red Sox with 7½ years of entertainment and hitting genius on the eight-year, $160 million deal he signed before the 2001 season, would rate higher.

Literally and figuratively, Zdeno Chara was a giant gift to Bruins fans It’s sad to see Chara depart. Not because it’s the wrong thing to do — he will be 44 in March, and Bruins general manager Don Sweeney does not get paid to make sentimental decisions — but because he’s one more beloved champion from this golden age of Boston sports to head By Chad Finn Globe Staff,Updated January 1, 2021, 11:43 a.m. elsewhere in recent months.

Mookie Betts is the one that will torment the longest and is the most Upon departure, I can’t stop thinking about the importance of the arrival. unforgivable. Tom Brady, and Rob Gronkowski too, is making New Englanders experience what other fan bases envied for two decades. On I don’t mean to be so coldly classifying about something so emotional, a smaller scale, even the admirable Torey Krug has moved on. but Wednesday’s news that Zdeno Chara — a beast on the ice and an unfailing beauty of a human off it for 14 years in Boston — was signing Chara won’t be unfamiliar, with the Bruins playing the Capitals eight with the Washington Capitals made me think about how blessed the times in this modified season. If only there were the opportunity to give Bruins were that he chose to come here in the first place. him the roaring in-person salute he deserves when he returns to the Garden. Chara joined the Bruins as a free agent on July 1, 2006, signing a five- year, $37.5 million contract after spending the previous four years in He might have to play until age 45 to receive that. It might not be as loud Ottawa, where he developed into a Norris Trophy-caliber defensemen. as it was the night he took the ice with the hardware store in his jaw. But (He began his career with four seasons with the Islanders, having been it will be as heartfelt. drafted there by Mike Milbury based largely off a grainy VHS tape.) Big Z may have departed, but Bruins fans will always be grateful for all of The Bruins, who also spent big for Marc Savard in that pivotal offseason, the good times that came, entirely without coincidence, after his arrival. immediately named Chara captain. But his first season in the black-and- Boston Globe LOADED: 01.02.2021 gold was not a smooth one. Then-coach Dave Lewis was somewhere between hapless and overmatched. Bruins players, including Chara, weren’t put in the best position to succeed.

Chara’s wife, Tatiana, acknowledged during NESN’s tribute program “Chara at 1,000” last winter that there were second thoughts about coming to Boston. “Oh, yes, that first year was difficult,’' she said.

The fit was much better when Claude Julien, who spent most of his own modest playing career as a rough-and-tumble defenseman in the , took over as coach in Chara’s second year. Julien, the ol’ blue liner, knew how to best deploy a force like Chara, whose size (6 feet 9 inches even before putting on his skates) made him a presence unlike any other in the league.

In Chara’s fifth season, the Bruins raised the Stanley Cup, their first since the days of Orr and Espo. The captain’s guttural “Yaahhhhhhhhh!” as he hoisted the trophy practically into the rafters at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena was the sound of pure joy colliding with catharsis. I’ll never forget it.

Chara could seem stoic, and woe was the opponent who found his noggin on the opposite end of Chara’s impossibly long reach. But if we didn’t immediately warm to him, and he to us, in that first season, it wasn’t terribly long before we realized he was the quintessential Bruin: reliable, fearless, good-hearted, a leader to literally look up to.

Has there ever been anyone tougher in Boston sports history? All right, maybe Rocky Marciano, but that’s it. Chara played the final three games of the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals with his jaw shattered in multiple places, later acknowledging his mouth was held together by “two plates, some wires and screws.”

It’s not that I never heard a louder ovation than the one he received at the Garden during introductions before Game 5; I’ve never heard a louder anything. How did the Hockey Gods ever allow them to lose that series, and that game in particular? That one hurts, and it haunts, because Chara deserved that Cup too.

As intimidating as he could be on the ice, Chara had a remarkable ability to make himself approachable to those that needed to lean on him. He eliminated the hazing of rookies, believing it alienated rather than unified. He opened his heart to kids, and if you need to pause here to Google the picture of Chara dressed as a giant pink bunny at Children’s Hospital, beaming and trying to make an ailing child happy, well, go ahead and pause. I’m going to find it now too.

It wasn’t obvious in that first year, but long ago he secured his place as one of the best free-agent signings in Boston sports history. David Ortiz, who kept swinging until he changed Red Sox history, is inarguably the best, but he was a discard from the Twins. No one knew what the Red Sox were getting in 2003.

If we’re talking established players coming to town on superstar salaries and carrying expectations that might suffocate some players, I’d rank Chara as the second-best free-agent signing in Boston sports lore. Only 1197604 Boston Bruins

Bruins heading outdoors to Lake Tahoe

By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: January 1, 2021 at 12:24 p.m. | UPDATED: January 1, 2021 at 4:39 p.m.

The Bruins are apparently getting their outdoor game, but it won’t be at Fenway Park and fans will not be attending.

Though there has been no official word from the league or the Bruins just, the B’s will be one of four teams to play an outdoor game at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, according to Sportsnet in Canada.

The Athletic also confirmed that the B’s will play their Feb. 21 game against the Philadelphia Flyers, listed on the B’s schedule as a home game, at the golf resort. The game had already been announced as an NBC telecast. The Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights will play on February 20.

Though there is a skating facility at the resort, the league will erect its own rink on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes.

As there will be no fans allowed, the “Outdoor Weekend” will be all about the visuals that the stunning mountain setting will create for a national television audience. The event will be limited to about 400 people, including just the teams’ traveling parties and people necessary to work the games.

The B’s had been one of a handful of teams who had been exploring the idea of staging outdoor games in hopes of recouping some lost revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic. As of now, there are no fans allowed at the Garden. The B’s had confirmed that they had inquired with the city and state officials about the feasibility of staging such events at either Fenway or another possible location. But team president Cam Neely later said that it had become clear that the costs of putting together Winter Classic-type game or games would have been prohibitive.

But it looks like the B’s will at least get their dose of fresh air this season.

Boston Herald LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197605 Boston Bruins The owners had been trying to gain some concessions from the players, an effort that was eventually abandoned. Was there a point when he thought the whole thing would go off the rails?

Brandon Carlo embraces challenges ahead “I wouldn’t necessarily say ‘go off the rails.’ We were pretty confident in where we were as a collective group, all of the Players Association, so the nicest part was unity within all of us,” he said. “That made things a lot more clear with how we were going to proceed going forward, so that By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: January 1, 2021 at 4:59 a.m. | was nice. With the negotiations last summer, there were different UPDATED: January 1, 2021 at 5:44 p.m. conversations, different ideas being thrown around a lot more. But this go-round we were really on the same page. I was confident that we were going to take the unified step going forward, which we did and I think it When the Bruins’ season was ended by the Tampa Bay Lightning just a worked out pretty well.” few short months ago, Brandon Carlo could still have been perceived as one of the B’s kids, a part of the next generation. Thus far in his career, Carlo also spent much of the oddly-timed offseason examining what went his defense partner has always been a trusted veteran, first Zdeno Chara wrong for the team, and himself, during bubble play in Toronto. A and then Torey Krug. standout during the B’s run to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, he never quite looked like himself in the bubble. Now all of a sudden, Carlo — with 297 NHL regular season games under his belt — is a graybeard of the B’s defense corps. Only John Moore “It was a unique situation. I’m not sure as a group, we were as mentally (532), a reserve much of last season, and Kevan Miller (324), who is prepared as we needed to be to go on to that situation,” said Carlo. “It attempting to come back from a shattered kneecap, have more service was tough. And having a negative outlook with the situation that we were time than Carlo. handed didn’t benefit us, especially myself. I wasn’t trying to be negative, but at the same time I let those thoughts creep into my mind, so overall I After a Wednesday workout at Warrior Ice Arena, just hours before think just going forward, we’re thinking positively, having fun and enjoying Chara’s signing with the Washington Capitals became official, the ever- the game. Those are the things that have gotten me to this point and thoughtful and introspective Carlo spoke with the Herald. At that hour, he when I’ve played my best hockey, when I’ve enjoyed the game and was still holding out some hope that Chara would return, but the signs of played with confidence. Within the bubble situation, I don’t feel like I was a departure were already there. dong that. It’s unfortunate, but bubble situation or not, guys are going to go through that in their career at different points. I’ve talked to the best Indeed a sea change has occurred on the B’s blue line, and Carlo will be players on our team, Z and (Patrice Bergeron) and about all those things one of the young men tasked with keeping this ship on course. and they’ve had these moments. It’s just about getting on track and “It’s going to be a fun challenge,” the 24-year-old said. “I’m really looking getting to the point where you have confidence and you’re strong within forward to every little thing that comes to us this year. There’s definitely your game. I look forward to that. That’s part of living, re-engaging and going to be some difficult parts. I can tell you around the rink it does feel going through the battle and enjoying the struggle as well. I’ve done a lot a little bit different. With Z not being around, Torey not being around, throughout this summer to regroup and I’m feeling really good.” there are parts of that group that do feel little different, but that’s just me There were plenty of negative aspects to the bubble that a player a could being in the league long enough to experience those changes. I feel have latched on to, but what was it for Carlo? grateful for the position that I’m in.” “I didn’t feel that good with my game at that point. There are parts of you Carlo then added in jest: “And if you could tell me who my D partner is, within yourself that you are trying to find out why. It’s not necessarily the that would be great.” blame game, but maybe you’re think ‘this situation just isn’t for me,’” said That will be TBD. Perhaps it will be draft classmate Jakub Zboril, looking Carlo. “That was just the mindset that wasn’t helping me going forward to to finally get his foot in the NHL door. Jeremy Lauzon, another member regroup for the next game, just being stuck in the situation where I wasn’t of the 2015 class who started to establish himself last season while as joyful an as happy as I typically am. It was hard being away from playing on the his off side on the right, is another possibility. Maybe it will family and friends and hearing that repetitively from guys on our team be Matt Grzelcyk, the closest replica the B’s have to Krug. and guys on other teams and I wasn’t living in the present moment. I think that was my biggest downfall in the time-frame, just focusing too Whoever it is, it will be uncharted territory for Carlo, as it will be for much on the future and the next round. I felt fine throughout the first Charlie McAvoy on whatever the top pairing will be. round and then the second round, we were dragging, we weren’t clicking “Losing Torey obviously sucks. I’ve been friends with him over the past as a group and I think it took a little bit of a toll on us us. And I think we couple of years and grown a sort of comfort level playing with him. It’s can absolutely learn from that.” been nice to have somebody who’s been steady alongside me to really Now Carlo will take those experiences into a brand new Bruin world. just go through everything with, the ups and downs. I really enjoy the way we played together,” said Carlo. “It’ll be interesting. I really have no idea Boston Herald LOADED: what the thought process is for me from the coaches, who I could even be paired with, but I thought about it a little bit. All options are available. But for me, I want to continue to grow in my game, play in the moment. I feel like we have plenty of capable hands going forward, so I’m looking forward to the challenge of stepping up being in a bigger role and maybe now that I have a couple of years of experience helping guys who haven’t had as much go through and navigate some of the little things I’ve learned the past couple of years.”

Carlo has stayed active in the offseason. With the exception of a trip home to Colorado for Thanksgiving and then the required eight-day quarantine upon returning to Boston, he has spent the last couple of months skating and working out at Warrior.

As the team’s union rep, he kept close tabs on the Return to Play efforts of the PA leadership.

“Those guys did a great job to get us where we are. The message never changed throughout the whole process,” said Carlo. “We just wanted to play as many games as we could and we left it up to the owners from there to decide what they wanted to do with the season. But from (the new CBA) that we made right before the bubble, our goal and objective was to continue along with that deal. I’m really happy that things worked out. Obviously it took a little while, but it’s so nice to finally come to the resolution.” 1197606 Boston Bruins And that’s the key point. The Bruins had to know the terms they were laying out for Chara were going to be untenable for him.

Sweeney said it was “sad” and “unrewarding” to see Chara leave the The Story Behind Zdeno Chara’s Boston Bruins Exit | BHN+ Bruins, but everybody in the B’s front office had to know the 43-year-old was never going to be okay sticking around under those kinds of limited parameters. Instead, it feels like the Bruins were hoping Chara might be persuaded to retire rather than become a part time player for the Black Published 18 hours ago and Gold or pack up and move somewhere else for a shortened 2021 on January 1, 2021 NHL season. The end goal, perhaps, was for Chara to join the Boston Bruins in an off-the-ice capacity in player development or on the By Joe Haggerty coaching staff where his leadership and mentoring would still be utilized.

That still may end up being the long-range goal for both Chara and the Bruins as things have ended amicably as was hoped, and the 43-year No matter how things ended with the Boston Bruins, nobody can take made it clear he’ll always be a part of the Boston Bruins family. Zdeno Chara’s Hall of Fame legacy as a champion, leader and elite competitor away from him. “To all of my teammates throughout the years in Boston, I am so lucky to have a lifetime of memories that I will never forget,” said Chara, in an That’s kind of the point after 14 very distinguished seasons in Boston Instagram post initially announcing his departure from the Bruins. “From where Big Zee wrangled five Norris Trophy finalist nominations, led the the highest highs to the lowest lows, we were always a team, we were Bruins to three Stanley Cup Finals including the 2011 championship, always there for each other and those bonds and friendships will never played in five All-Star Games where he became the NHL’s Hardest Shot be forgotten.” king and led the B’s to the playoffs in 11 of his 14 seasons in Boston. “I will always be a Bruin. I will always love Boston.” So why then did it all have to end with this week’s resolution that saw the 43-year-old Chara sign a one-year, $795,000 contract with the The bottom line for the Bruins with Big Zee was pretty clear, however. Washington Capitals? Chara was not very good in the Toronto bubble last summer with two It’s pretty simple in a cold, hard business kind of way to this humble points and a minus-4 in 13 games while averaging under 20 minutes of hockey writer: The Bruins simply didn’t want Zdeno Chara back. ice time per game. He was a step behind the action, struggled against speedy players and has been pretty clearly having issues with puck Bruins general manager Don Sweeney mapped out a very specific role movement outside the defensive zone for the last few seasons. that Boston envisioned for Chara as an aging captain on a hockey club that badly needed some change after last summer’s five game playoff The Bruins had very real questions about Chara again struggling in this loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Chara was going to take a backseat to compacted season after a very brief 10-day training camp, and then the development of young left shot defensemen like Jakub Zboril, Urho having difficulties with a busy, busy schedule over the next six months. Vaakanainen and Jeremy Lauzon this season. He wasn’t going to be a The belief inside the Bruins organization is that they need a big, fast, top pair defenseman with Charlie McAvoy anymore, and he wasn’t going young and mobile defensive crew like the ones that they’ve lost to in to be topping 20 minutes of ice time anymore either. Tampa Bay and St. Louis in the playoffs over the last few years.

Chara wasn’t going to be play in the eight sets of back-to-back games Evaluating whether former first round picks like Zboril and Vaakanainen during the compacted 56-game regular season schedule and there were can play is part of undergoing that transformation. no guarantees that he wouldn’t be a healthy scratch more often than that. In Chara’s own words, the Bruins were asking him to be a “reserve It’s why the Black and Gold decided they couldn’t have two miniature player” for the Black and Gold this season. defensemen in Torey Krug and Matt Grzelcyk on the same defensive unit, and it’s now why they have made the bold decision to push Chara Sweeney had offered Chara a contract months ago, so it wasn’t the away to Washington. It’s certainly not going to be easy for the Bruins to money or the terms of the contract that led to the 6-foot-9 defenseman’s face a gassed-up Chara eight times next season on a big, mean Capitals exit from Boston. It was all about Chara’s role with the team, and team that already bullied them prior to this transaction, and they will miss understandably so. the kind of toughness and attitude that the 6-foot-9 intimidator brings to the table. “I believe Don Sweeney negotiated in good faith,” said Chara, on a Thursday zoom from Washington were he’s already quarantining in “It’s 6’9 and 250-pounds, it’s fairly unique to our sport. I’m not going to anticipation of Capitals training camp. “I really appreciate the way downplay [his toughness] in any regard. He’s been a physical force on everything was communicated to me. [He] was very open to me. We had and off the ice for our hockey club and we’ll have to have some players a number of conversations. He made it clear what conditions and what assume that mantle. It won’t be over-night and it’ll have to be by role I would be taking with the organization if I would return. committee,” said Sweeney. “We certainly have players that aspire to play more of a physical role and the nature to get an opportunity to provide “I just felt that what was presented to me and what conditions were that to our hockey club. attached to it, I just felt I had more to offer. I respect their decisions and wish them the best. I just felt I could still play regularly and play the “I think it’s part of the identity of our hockey club that needs to be games. I have no issues of them going in a different direction. I just feel continued and I’m sure our players will address it in the manner that we like for me, at this point in my career, it’s better if I continue to play.” need to. We have to have that. We have to maintain that identity as a hockey club and being very, very difficult to play against.” Some Boston Bruins fans are BBQ-ing Don Sweeney for essentially choosing to keep John Moore or Kevan Miller over Chara, but they are Certainly, Chara leaves a big void to fill, but this is something the Boston monumentally missing the point. Bruins have pretty clearly been preparing for this entire offseason.

Chara was the most fearsome shutdown player of his generation and still Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 01.02.2021 a top-level killer, but he’s also a player that’s used to playing big minutes and regularly playing every night. The 43-year-old has never played a seventh defenseman role in his NHL career, never sat for long periods of time and he’s never had to deal with limited minutes and sporadic playing time.

There’s every chance that Chara would have been an extremely poor fit in a seventh defenseman role for the Boston Bruins both on and off the ice. Knowing the competitive, proud Chara like Bruins management very clearly does, it really doesn’t make sense that they ever thought he would accept a severely reduced role for the same team where he’d also been the captain and leader for 14 seasons. 1197607 Boston Bruins “That was what struck all of us on the staff — how much polish he had for a 19-year-old at the time,” Dean said. “That’s when you kind of know you’ve got a special player. It’s one thing to come into our environment and do well. Then see you him 10 days later go up and play in Ottawa Charlie McAvoy is Bruins’ big man now: ‘He’s going to be the leader’ and he’s playing 25 minutes a night in some of those playoff games and playing well, too. Like all good players, 90 percent of it is between the

ears.” By Fluto Shinzawa Jan 1, 2021 Learning on the fly

A year later, Dean joined McAvoy in Boston. As the assistant coach in Charlie McAvoy will be the Bruins’ No. 1 defenseman this season. In this charge of the defense, Dean’s tasks included shaping McAvoy from a regard, nothing has changed. postseason prodigy to a thorough and consistent every-game pro.

Last season, McAvoy led all Bruins with 23:10 of average ice time per Like all rookie defensemen, McAvoy had tendencies that required game. The year before, McAvoy logged a team-high 22:10. Workload refinement. Sometimes, McAvoy lunged at puck carriers during line defines what his coaches want him to do, which is everything. rushes and one-on-one parries. Nimble forwards sidestepped the aggressive maneuver and advanced into more dangerous ice. McAvoy’s “What I really, really like about him is he’s such a complete player at both pivots could be cumbersome, which allowed speedy opponents to clear ends of the ice,” said Bruins assistant coach Kevin Dean. “Which you just him on the outside. don’t see much of.” These were not fatal flaws. If anything, they signaled an abundance of But it’s also different now. The man who logged 2,259:34 of 5-on-5 play exuberance. alongside McAvoy, per Natural Stat Trick, is gone, leaving his shutdown shifts behind. And a spot quarterbacking an elite power play is up for Dean pulled on McAvoy’s leash to practice initial caution. Dean taught his grabs. student to defend rushes within the 44 feet between the dot lines, or what he calls the rink within the rink. Then McAvoy could proceed through the Whatever McAvoy has experienced in the past will not be the same, now Bruins’ three defensive checkpoints: gap, angle, challenge. that Zdeno Chara is off to Washington and Torey Krug is quarterbacking the St. Louis power play. The biggest difference will be the mental “He’s accepting rushes now with good gaps — closing them off, pivoting resolve required to be king of the jungle. and skating with the guy a little bit,” Dean said. “He used to just try to hold the blue line and take a stab at a guy coming at him. He’d break it “The level of responsibility is certainly going to go up,” Dean said of up, which would be great. Or he wouldn’t. Then the guy would be by him McAvoy on Dec. 17, asked of a blue line without Chara. “He’s going to be and he’d be standing still, so to speak. He’s really gotten away from that the leader on the back end. I think he’s ready and willing to make that all-or-nothing play.” transition. He’s going to have to guard against overdoing it. With a lot of players, you put them in leadership positions, they can try too hard and It did not hurt that McAvoy could look to his left for guidance. try to do overdo it. At the end of the day, it’s probably a good thing as Chara and McAvoy are different defenders. McAvoy does not have opposed to going the other way. If (Chara) doesn’t come back and Chara’s reach or stick. Chara cannot skate like McAvoy. Charlie’s playing more minutes, we just have to make sure he’s playing assertive and the way we want him playing. He’s got to play within But both share a dedication to defending. Chara has committed a lifetime himself. Charlie McAvoy playing within himself, we’re not limiting him in to this craft. During their partnership, McAvoy could not help but absorb any way.” Chara’s attitude and professionalism.

That’s because the 23-year-old does not have any limitations. “He plays defense and takes pride in it. I think that’s the greatest thing Zdeno’s done for him,” Dean said. “The other thing is making him a good Instinctive talent pro. Charlie comes to the rink to work hard every day. I remember his Some of the NHL’s best players display their personalities at the rink. In first full year here, my first year here, he was a little bit sketchy in practice life, Patrice Bergeron practices the same kind of thinking and to start. It took him 20 minutes to get kind of warmed up to the point deliberateness that have made him one of his generation’s most where he looked focused and ready. That’s changed. He steps on the ice complete players. David Pastrnak fizzes like a can of Coke on and off the now, he’s ready to go.” ice. McAvoy’s mentor is gone. What the pupil does next is up to him. McAvoy is the same. He is a confident, free-flowing, lively and positive “We don’t want Charlie to change the way he plays in regards to who person. These traits sparkle when he pulls on his No. 73 jersey. Through he’s playing with,” Sweeney said. “I do believe he plays the lion’s share 184 regular-season NHL games and 54 postseason appearances, of the minutes and has puck possession — leads our club in those areas. McAvoy has played an assertive, stress-free and instinctual style that We don’t want that to change. He shouldn’t feel he needs any more expresses his passion for his profession and his hunger to excel. undue pressure on him to change. He just has to go out and play the way “I think that’s why it works so well for him. Because it’s natural,” Dean Charlie’s capable of playing.” said. “I don’t want to say he’s a carefree kid. But he is relatively The next step easygoing, kind of water off a duck’s back. He plays that way. He gets out there. He tries to be creative. If it doesn’t work, he’ll try it again. McAvoy needs a new partner. There could be a BU reunion with Matt Which is good. He’s confident. I think he’s got a lot of confidence in life. Grzelcyk. The sky’s the limit for him.” The No. 1 pairing would assume a new identity. Grzelcyk and McAvoy Dean got a sneak peek of McAvoy’s powers early on. In 2016-17, Dean would emphasize puck pressure, rapid processing and quick movement assumed command of the Providence bench after Bruce Cassidy was all over the ice. McAvoy would command a greater degree of physical promoted to Boston. That spring, after completing his sophomore season confrontation. Grzelcyk’s ability to move the puck would reduce some of at Boston University, McAvoy signed an amateur tryout contract and McAvoy’s retrieval responsibilities and spring him up the ice. reported to Providence. Grzelcyk and McAvoy will contend for more power-play action. It remains Dean liked what he saw: a poised and physical defenseman, eager to to be seen whether Grzelcyk (1:33 average power play time per game assume professional responsibilities. McAvoy had two assists and five last year) or McAvoy (1:21) will fill Krug’s spot, but Sweeney said shots in four games. Providence went 3-1-0. Dean’s video review of one Thursday that they should expect McAvoy’s power play time to rise. of the games confirmed what general manager Don Sweeney called a perfect passing performance: McAvoy was 12 for 12 on successful “We’re going to continue to have him at that level, probably introduce a breakouts. little more of the power play opportunities to him,” Sweeney said.

Dean realized McAvoy was not long for the AHL. The Bruins hastened On the penalty kill, McAvoy will average more shorthanded action (1:49) McAvoy’s original itinerary following injuries to Krug, Brandon Carlo, following the departure of Chara (3:11). Adam McQuaid and Colin Miller. Dean had to say goodbye to his late- year arrival after just four games. “He’s going to have more minutes. That’s going to be a challenge for a young player,” Dean said. “He’s going to have to be in better shape to maintain a high level of play, which I’m sure he will. He’s a good pro. He takes pride in that stuff. He’s just going to have to grow. He’s (23) years old. He’s going to get in better shape. He’s going to get stronger. He’s going to get more experience, which is going to make him better in every situation he plays.”

Already, McAvoy belongs to an exclusive club. You could argue that in his age group, Seth Jones, Colton Parayko and Jaccob Slavin are among the few all-around defensemen who match or exceed McAvoy’s abilities.

For McAvoy, the next step is now.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197608 Buffalo Sabres ranked sixth among all defensemen, and his 1.28 points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 was 11th last season.

Dahlin spent much of the past nine months skating at the facilities of Rasmus Dahlin added strength in quest to earn bigger role with Sabres Frolunda, his former team in Sweden. He opened practice on the second defense pair with Brandon Montour and is expected to remain on the top power play once the Sabres begin special-teams drills.

Lance Lysowski Jan 1, 2021 Updated 8 hrs ago “He is extremely competitive and wants to be a big part of us taking another step,” Krueger said. “I certainly see, with the game pace that

we’re going to be on, sharing the minutes through the lineup whether it’s Rasmus Dahlin does a drill as the Buffalo Sabres have an open practice rolling your D or rolling your forward lines. You’re going to see more of on their first day of training camp at the KeyBank Center, Friday, Jan. 1, that from all teams just as we try to get ourselves up to speed. 2021. "So, yeah, I definitely see his minutes growing. I also see his hunger to As Taylor Hall stood in line during his first training camp practice with the learn the game away from the puck and to take that responsibility Buffalo Sabres, the former Hart Trophy winner marveled at the skill of defensively that they don’t usually have as they grow up when they have one of his newest, and youngest, teammates: Rasmus Dahlin. so much skill, a younger player, his amazing skillset. In many ways, we need him to grow for us to be able to reach our goals.” “I think he makes it look pretty effortless out there,” said Hall through a facemask on a video call with reporters Friday afternoon. “Such a big guy More minutes will mean more responsibility for Dahlin, who received the that can skate that well and can move that well is pretty cool to watch. I second-fewest defensive-zone starts among qualifying Sabres made a comment to someone in line, it must be a requirement as a defensemen last season. He also ranked fifth in 5-on-5 ice time and Swedish hockey player to be able to move so well out there and to open played two fewer minutes per game than his rookie year. your hips up so well and be so agile.” The Sabres want Dahlin to be able to outmuscle opponents in front of the Hall isn’t alone. Upon seeing Dahlin in person for the first time since net, finish checks along the boards and retrieve pucks in the corner – all March, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger was impressed by how the 20-year- aspects that are necessary to defend against top players at even old defenseman used the nine-plus-month offseason to add the strength. necessary muscle to play more minutes in the . The Sabres have only 14 days to prepare for a 56-game season. This Dahlin is now listed at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, a gain of 14 pounds from can be a daunting task for NHL coaches, but Ralph Krueger is uniquely last season. qualified to handle the challenge. The Sabres are counting on Dahlin to take another significant step during Dahlin’s physical gains were evident during the first practice. While his third NHL season. The former first overall draft pick totaled four goals driving to the net during a one-on-one drill, Dahlin used his left arm to with a career-high 36 assists in 59 games in 2019-20, but he experienced fend off Casey Mittelstadt and still managed to fire a shot on goal. Dahlin some growing pains, particularly when defending. Now he’s in line for a also didn’t shy away from throwing body checks during the latter portion bigger role at 5-on-5, Krueger told reporters, and is expected to of practice. quarterback what could be one of the top power plays in the NHL. It was a promising showing at the start of a short training camp, but Nearly 10 months after they were last together on the ice as a team, the Dahlin learned that consistency and patience will be important in his Buffalo Sabres were finally able to reconvene Friday in KeyBank Center. quest to be the NHL’s best. “I think he’s a guy that once you see the power play and 5-on-5, 4-on-4, “Getting more mature, making the right decision out there, can play in 3-on-3 situations, what he can do with the puck, he’s basically a fourth both ends,” said Dahlin. “My main goal is the coaches can trust me forward out there,” added Hall. “It’s going to be really fun to see him take everywhere on the ice. It takes time, but it’s a fun process, for sure.” another step and hopefully cement himself in that upper echelon of defensemen in this league.” Buffalo News LOADED: 01.02.2021 Dahlin experienced an awakening during his first two years with the Sabres. He admits now that he had unrealistic expectations for himself as a rookie and that the climb to the top is a long process requiring physical and mental maturity.

A significant lesson came last November, when Dahlin missed eight games because of a concussion suffered on an illegal hit by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak. Dahlin had never missed significant time because of injury and he was in the process of acclimating to a new coach.

Prior to the concussion, Dahlin was slow to transition to Krueger’s system, particularly in the defensive zone. An emphasis on being responsible away from the puck seemed to impact Dahlin’s performance offensively.

However, Dahlin was outstanding during the second half of the shortened season. His shot quality at 5-on-5 improved significantly from the first half (1.77 expected goals per 60 minutes through Dec. 22) to the second half (2.4 from Dec. 23 through March 11), according to Evolving-Hockey.com. Dahlin’s ability to limit quality chances also improved during the latter time frame.

“Last season, after my concussion, I felt more confident on the ice in both ends of the ice, so, yeah, it comes with time,” said Dahlin. “I felt more mature. … I think that’s going to be even better in the D-zone.”

Less than 20 minutes before their first training camp practice of the season, the Buffalo Sa…

Dahlin, a Calder Trophy finalist for 2018-19, is not yet being mentioned among the league’s top defensemen, but he provided the Sabres with historic production the past two seasons. His 84 points in 114 games are the second-most by a teenage defenseman in NHL history, trailing only (143). Dahlin’s 39 power-play points during that span 1197609 Buffalo Sabres — Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) January 1, 2021 Hall said he arrived on Christmas to start doing some informal skates

with new teammates. The getting-to-know-yous are on fast-forward, just Mike Harrington: Even in this bizarro world, it was great to see hockey like camp and the 56-game season. again "Ideally in a normal offseason if you're a new guy, you come to camp 2-3 weeks ahead of time," Hall said. "By the time camp starts, you feel like you know a lot of the guys right away, but this year is a bit different. It's Jan 1, 2021 Updated 7 hrs ago just a challenge.

Mike Harrington The Sabres have only 14 days to prepare for a 56-game season. This can be a daunting task for NHL coaches, but Ralph Krueger is uniquely

qualified to handle the challenge. Nearly 10 months after they were last together on the ice as a team, the Hall, of course, knows Krueger and assistant coach Steve Smith and Buffalo Sabres were finally able to reconvene Friday in KeyBank Center. video coach Myles Fee well from their days together in Edmonton, so It was a weird day. It's going to be a weird season. But seeing actual that helps his transition. He even recognized some of Krueger's drills. hockey after all this time was a great way to start 2021. "I didn't quite remember how to do them. They weren't second nature to There were no fans enjoying close-up views of training camp and they me, but a lot of the philosophies are the exact same," Hall said. "Our won't be at games either, maybe for the whole season. The players can't meetings are fast and to the point and our practices are as well. They're gather en masse in their locker room or video room or break bread built with pace, filled with quickness and high quality. I think he's a big together. There's only one space that can be their happy place. quality over quantity guy and I think that's a great trait."

"What I felt was an explosion of energy and an unbelievable happiness There will be competition like any camp, but Krueger took a new on the ice," coach Ralph Krueger said. approach of largely putting his team together from day one, rather than splitting groups in half. Victor Olofsson was at right wing on the top line. "Everyone is smiling. Everyone is having so much fun at the rink right Sam Reinhart was with Jeff Skinner and Eric Staal. Dahlin paired with now," said defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. "For me, I was super excited to Brandon Montour. get everything going (with Thursday's physicals and testing) And today we have our first practice, a lot of laughs. We had a lot of fun out there." There's your first/2nd line RW answers for now. https://t.co/FPbskGATwW The hockey felt the same, even if it looked a little different. The new royal blue practice outfits were a fresh burst of color that leaves us in can't-wait — Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) January 1, 2021 mode to see the actual game jerseys on the ice. Most of the guys slated to be in Rochester skated on their own nearly Less than 20 minutes before their first training camp practice of the three hours after the first session ended. Protocols that demand season, the Buffalo Sa… sanitizing cause that kind of break in 2021.

Antennas went up ominously when the team announced the absences of "We made the decision to go with a team-like feeling right off the hop," Jack Eichel (upper body) and Linus Ullmark (immigration/quarantine) a Krueger said. "We don't have time to play with potential pairs and lines. few minutes before hitting the ice. Krueger insisted everything was under And let's start going and looking at Day One as, 'Let's get ready to play control and there was no reason to panic. Not a great start. Let's see how right now.' " this plays out. "The Sabres got a raw deal. Just when they're trying to avoid equaling Among several newcomers, most media eyes stayed locked on Taylor the NHL record of 10 consecutive years out of the playoffs," writes Mike Hall. On one of his first forays to the net, he went bar-down to score with Harrington. a clank that reverberated through the empty building. Poor Jonas Hall is used to playing in Edmonton and Arizona, where travel can be Johansson. The kid probably only heard the shot whizzing by him. arduous. In the East Division, the Sabres will never leave the Eastern There were all the Covid-19 precautions you would expect, such as time zone. Bizarro for sure. health screenings and temperature checks. To account for social But if all this is what it is going to take to have a hockey season outside a distancing, team video sessions during practice are being done at the bubble, so be it. Zamboni end of the rink behind the glass, with the seats in Sections 109- 112 rolled back to create space. "It's a change. I knew that coming in and I had a lot of time to prepare for it," Hall said. "You're never going to start a training camp on Jan. 1 again, Players have to first skate to the bench and grab a facemask off a board so I'm putting a smile on my face and just going through it." that has the masks in slots by uniform number. "It feels like there's new rules every day," Dahlin said. "You've got to Sabres first day of training camp wear a mask all around the rink. We can't sit close to each other. So for Sabres staff wears masks and there is a holder for each of the players sure it's very weird, but you've just got to deal with it. I just play hockey. masks in the bench area during the first day of training camp at KeyBank There's no issues at all, just a little weird for the beginning." Center, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Weird, yes. But very 2021. Sharon Cantillon Buffalo News LOADED: 01.02.2021 Reporters who normally watch practice from behind the benches are now on the penalty box side of the arena. There's no visiting the locker rooms this season, with all interviews done on the cumbersome Zoom platform.

You're doing these interviews in the 100 level food court area, which is shuttered and taunting you. I was in front of Classic Burger and Cruncholi and staring dead on at Simply Pierogi and Salsarita's. No fair.

The press box upstairs still has the seating chart from the last game, March 9 against Washington. That's a whole different world ago. Eerie.

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Time Stood Still: First trip into press box in nearly 10 months. On the wall remains seating chart from March 9 — last time we were all here. In a different world. Sobering. #Sabres pic.twitter.com/evQhUoksnv 1197610 Buffalo Sabres

Former Sabres assistant GM Randy Sexton hired by Minnesota Wild

Lance Lysowski Jan 1, 2021 Updated 7 hrs ago

Randy Sexton, one of two former assistant general managers with the Buffalo Sabres under Jason Botterill, was hired by the Minnesota Wild as a senior advisor Friday.

Sexton, who also served as general manager for the , was one of 22 hockey operations employees fired by the Sabres in June. He had two years left on his contract and was among Botterill's first hires three years earlier. Sexton will now advise Wild general Manager .

Sexton received a two-year contract extension from the Sabres in February.

In addition to building the Amerks, Sexton ran the Sabres' amateur scouting and assisted Botterill in all aspects of hockey operations. The two worked together with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where Sexton spent seven seasons prior to coming to Buffalo.

In Sexton's three seasons with the organization, the Amerks made consecutive playoff appearances and were on track for a third when the season was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. During that span, Rochester compiled a 116-65-33 regular-season record.

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197611 Buffalo Sabres Randy Sexton, one of two former assistant general managers with the Buffalo Sabres under Jason Botterill, was hired by the Minnesota Wild as a senior advisor Friday.

Ralph Krueger says 'all's under control' after injured Jack Eichel misses Sexton, who also served as general manager for the Rochester practice Americans, was one of 22 hockey operations employees fired by the Sabres in June. He had two years left on his contract and was among Botterill's first hires three years earlier. Sexton will now advise Wild general Manager Bill Guerin. Mike Harrington , Lance Lysowski Jan 1, 2021 Updated 7 hrs ago Sexton received a two-year contract extension from the Sabres last

February. Less than 20 minutes before their first training camp practice of the Buffalo News LOADED: 01.02.2021 season, the Buffalo Sabres started the new year by announcing some bad news: Their captain is injured.

Jack Eichel missed Friday's practice with an upper-body injury sustained in training and is listed as day to day. Eichel, the team's No. 1 center, is expected to be on a line with newcomer Taylor Hall.

"All's under control," coach Ralph Krueger said after Friday's session. "Jack's day to day, he will be fine. We we are being just cautious in the process. But we expect Jack here next couple of days."

Meanwhile, goaltender Linus Ullmark missed the practice while he is quarantining due to an immigration issue. The team said it expects Ullmark, its likely No. 1 goalie, to be on the ice "in the coming days."

"He's had a tremendous preparation," Krueger said. "There was a stall in the immigration process but he's in Buffalo and we just need to follow the proper processes. But it's part of the advantage of having a few days extra.

"It's important that we integrate people, whether it's Jack when he's right, or Linus. We expected possible complications and we had one there but everybody is in a good space, and we're interacting with them. And we're communicating with them as we are with everybody. So no need for panic for sure."

With Eichel out, Casey Mittelstadt and tryout center Riley Sheahan skated on the top line between Hall and Victor Olofsson. The Sabres return to the ice Saturday at 10 a.m. All sessions are closed to the public this year.

Olofsson’s move

Olofsson’s move to right wing appears to be permanent. The 25-year-old skated there Friday and seemed to be a perfect fit with Hall, as the two connected on a number of impressive plays during practice.

Hall set up Olofsson for multiple one-timer goals, as the two seemed to develop instant chemistry. Olofsson played right wing briefly late last season, but he has spent the bulk of his first two professional seasons in North America on the left side. Krueger expressed confidence that this will be a seamless transition for Olofsson, who scored 20 goals as a rookie despite missing 15 games with an ankle injury.

“In our systems, players interchange in their positions quite a bit, so for a player as intelligent as Oli it’s not going to be an issue at all,” said Krueger. “In the d-zone, yes, sometimes you’re challenged with rims, but his skill level and you can see his foot speed is back to where it was before he had his ankle injury last year and I just think the interchanging that will be possible with Taylor Hall will put them both in one-timer scoring positions. A couple times today Oli nailed a few under the crossbar and we’re hoping to see a little more of that 5 on 5 with him coming down the right wall.”

Day two

The Sabres’ second training camp practice will again feature two groups, with the first taking the ice from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the second from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The second group features two goalies (Dustin Tokarski and Michael Houser) and the following 10 skaters: Rasmus Asplund, Brandon Biro, Steven Fogarty, Brett Murray, Andrew Oglevie, C.J. Smith, Will Borgen, Jacob Bryson, Casey Fitzgerald and Mattias Samuelsson.

Rochester coach Seth Appert is running each practice for the second group. All training camp practices are closed to the public.

Sexton joins Wild 1197612 Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Olympic gold medalist Emily Matheson, NHL player husband expecting baby

Dec 31, 2020 Updated 17 hrs ago

By James P. McCoy / Buffalo News

Olympic gold medalist Emily (Pfalzer) Matheson and husband, Mike, who plays for the , announced Thursday on social media that she is pregnant.

"2020 has been full of changes and challenges, but it has also given us our greatest blessing," Emily wrote on Instgram. "Baby Matheson coming June 2021! We can’t wait to meet our little boy "

Emily Matheson, a Nichols graduate, won gold in 2018 in South Korea and has been a fixture with Team USA. The defenseman has won four gold medals in the world championships and gold at the Under-18 worlds.

She also is a former captain of the Buffalo Beauts. As a member of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association, she did not play last season when its members boycotted the National Women's Hockey League. Mike was the 23rd overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft by the Panthers.

The Mathesons made their baby announcement with a cute photo, tying together their hockey careers. Seated behind a pile of skates, Emily is holding up her Team USA jersey with the No. 8, and "Mommy" in the nameplate. Mike is holding up a jersey with his No. 5, and "Daddy" in the nameplate.

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197613 Buffalo Sabres "I think first, it's important to not have too many expectations on what you think things are going to be like, because I find that in a situation like this, and a world we're living in, there's obviously going to be a lot of curveballs thrown at us throughout the season," Eichel said. "So for me, I Ralph Krueger's tournament experience valuable for Sabres during short think you have expectations on getting your body in shape to play, and camp try to develop chemistry with your team, and try and prepare as much as you can for the season."

The Sabres’ coaching staff does not want any player to be surprised with Lance Lysowski Jan 1, 2021 Updated 7 hrs ago how he will be used when camp begins. Krueger deployed this strategy in , as each national team player was labeled green or red. A green player was given a more offensive role, while red players were An excitable tone was evident in Ralph Krueger’s voice as he fielded defensive-minded and typically used on the penalty kill. questions over a videoconference call Tuesday. The 61-year-old is deep into preparations for his second year as coach of the Buffalo Sabres and, Such labels aren’t used within NHL teams, but Krueger is clear with his again, he won’t be afforded an 82-game season. expectations. He carried this practice over to the Oilers during his one season as head coach in 2012-13 by calling his players to build trust and The coronavirus pandemic forced the National Hockey League to shorten eliminate the element of surprise before training camp. Communication and truncate its schedule, including training camp. Instead of the was vital in 2013 because there were only 10 days between the approval customary three to four weeks of practices, the Sabres are among the of a collective bargaining agreement and the start of the regular season. seven nonplayoff teams that will have only 14 days to prepare for a 56- game season. The Oilers were in playoff contention until they lost nine of 10 games late in the 48-game season. This can be a daunting task for NHL coaches because rosters need to be trimmed and strategies need to be implemented. Krueger is uniquely “Ralphie is all about communication,” said former Oilers forward Eric qualified to handle the challenge. Belanger. “You know where you stand. … The new generation of players needs to know what’s going on. They need to know everything, and Krueger ran short training camps during his 13 years as coach of Ralphie is so good at doing that. Even if it’s a tough decision, he’s going Switzerland’s national team from 1997 to 2010, as well as with Team to be positive. Players want to play for a coach like that. They don’t want Europe at the in 2016 and ahead of the 2013 any (nonsense) anymore, and Ralphie is good at that.” lockout-shortened season for the Edmonton Oilers. Krueger’s previous international and NHL camps featured players who “I think this is exactly what skill a national team coach needs, because in were typically fresh off their season with a professional team in Europe or Switzerland, normally the best players out of the playoff finals come in 10 were at the end of a normal summer of training. Many on the Sabres’ days before the tournament starts,” said Raeto Raffainer, who played for roster have not played a game since March 9. Krueger at international tournaments and is now general manager of HC Davos in the top Swiss league. “You can’t go too much into details of There are benefits to the break, Krueger noted. Athletes are more power play and penalty kill, but everybody knew his role already before dedicated to physical training than ever before – he pointed to Dahlin’s they came in. He is a good communicator in the sense that everyone added strength as one example of using the extra time wisely – but no knows their role and you have short, short time to get ready. Fifteen offseason workout can simulate the physical grind of an NHL game. years ago, Ralph was very well-organized, and I assume he still is.” Krueger’s camp will feature only two intrasquad scrimmages and no When the Sabres begin on-ice workouts Friday in KeyBank Center, the preseason games before the Sabres play 10 games in 18 days during players and coaches will face significant challenges that weren’t present January. Intrasquad games are scheduled for Monday and Jan. 9. in previous seasons. There will be Covid-19 testing, an inability to hold “You need to be creative,” Krueger said. “We all know this is going to be large team meetings in conference rooms and off-ice workouts must be a season where flexibility, spontaneity and an open mind are going to be accomplished in small groups. really important because we do not know exactly what the rules will be in Dressing rooms will be sanitized after the first of two practice groups exit two weeks, four weeks or six weeks. So, what we need to do is keep the the building. There will be nine on-ice sessions between Friday and windows small. And within those windows, you need to drive for the pace opening night against the Washington Capitals on Jan. 14. and for the style of play that you want right off the hop, no matter how the players feel the pain.” However, Krueger will benefit from this being his second season and many of his core players are returning, most notably Jack Eichel, It's also unrealistic to expect even the most experienced coach to Rasmus Dahlin, Sam Reinhart, Jeff Skinner and Victor Olofsson. Krueger accomplish everything in one short training camp. The key will be how to won’t have to establish a new culture and most players are familiar with adjust game-to-game when the season begins and that process may be how he wants the Sabres to play with and without the puck. The entire easier given the nature of the schedule. coaching staff also remained intact from last season. The NHL pivoted to strictly intradivisional play this season, meaning the There was turnover this offseason, though, as the roster for the first Sabres will face their seven new East Division opponents eight times game could feature as many as six players who were not on the team in apiece. Lessons will need to be culled following each game and 2019-20, including Taylor Hall, Eric Staal and Cody Eakin. Eichel told adjustments have to be made quickly. Krueger is accustomed to this reporters during a video call Wednesday that he hasn't had the process from his time coaching Switzerland at the Winter Olympics and opportunity to meet some of his new teammates. IIHF World Championships.

“You want to get your new players completely up to speed and The field of competition is smaller in those tournaments than the 31-team understanding principles and tactics, and the way the coaches have NHL, so Krueger knows how to hone in on the tendencies of a small expectations that they’ll play, so that’ll be a focus,” Sabres General group of opponents. Manager Kevyn Adams said of the short camp. “But we also haven’t “The key for national team coaches is when you have the first game, played hockey in a number of months, so there’s going to be a need for when you have the second game, that you take and learn the most out of Ralph and the coaches to really get the guys ramped up quickly to those games and grow throughout the tournament,” Raffainer said. “This compete. The other part is, I always felt as a player, you work so hard in will be key as well for every NHL organization because you don’t have the offseason and you’re ready to go, and the first exhibition game you’re too much time to go too deep into the playbook. Ralph was a master for 20 seconds into your first shift and you feel like you’ve never played us in Switzerland with doing that.” before because your legs are burning and your lungs are burning. The players have to feel that a little bit.” Buffalo News LOADED: 01.02.2021 Technology will help Krueger hold efficient meetings, and he plans to have additional virtual sessions with newcomers to go over systems such as power play and penalty kill. The foundation of his offseason work began months ago with lengthy phone and video conversations with players to address potential areas of improvement and, most important, roles. 1197614 Buffalo Sabres No one – no one! – was more excited to be in the arena than Skinner. His voice echoed through the empty building throughout the two-hour skate.

Sabres and Ralph Krueger get right to business in the first practice of He cheered for teammates’ goals. He glided slowly, triumphantly behind camp the net with his arms raised after burying his own shot. He let out a loud, “Oh, shit!” when Reinhart clanged an opportunity off the crossbar.

The 28-year-old has clearly put last season’s tough times behind him. By John Vogl Jan 1, 2021 “He takes a lot of pride in his preparation and how hard he works in the offseason,” said Hall, who has shared a trainer with Skinner for four summers. “I see the dedication that he has and the amount of joy that he BUFFALO, N.Y. – It was clear from the start this was different. As the has playing hockey, so it was great to see him out here in Sabres colors.” Sabres ended their nine-month slumber, they paused at the bench to remove their masks before skating laps. While cruising past the Zamboni It’s been clear since September’s trade that Staal would be the No. 2 entrance, they glanced at the makeshift, socially distanced meeting center. He’s in the middle of another loaded line with a 40-goal guy on space set up at the edge of the rink. his left and a perennial 20-goal scorer on the right.

But something else changed on the opening day of training camp. There Krueger made an effort to balance his lines last season, but opening day was no mix of roster players, prospects and long shots, which is how showed he might load up the top six this year. coaches usually ease into a new season. Zemgus Girgensons-Cody Eakin-Kyle Okposo This time, Ralph Krueger wasn’t messing around. While Skinner was the fun one, Girgensons was far and away the most The Sabres’ first skate looked like an opening-night lineup. Nearly all the determined player. He owned the physical one-on-one drills and stood big names made an immediate impact. Taylor Hall sidled up for a chat out during line rushes. Armed with a three-year extension, Girgensons with Eric Staal. Jeff Skinner exchanged jokes with Sam Reinhart. confidently asserted himself as the motor to the checking line. Rasmus Dahlin and Rasmus Ristolainen took turns on the blue line. Eakin is in line for a major role, taking over for departed Johan Larsson. Aside from Jack Eichel, who missed the skate with an upper-body injury Krueger leaned heavily on this line last year, giving Larsson the sixth- that doesn’t sound serious, the guys who’ll face Washington on Jan. 14 most minutes among forwards. Plenty of eyes will be on Eakin to see if were the guys who opened the 2021 practice sessions. he can be a defensive stalwart who adds offense.

“We don’t have time to play with potential pairs and lines,” coach Ralph Okposo, who has three years left on a deal paying $6 million annually, Krueger said in KeyBank Center. “Let’s start going and looking at Day 1 seems firmly entrenched in his spot. as, ‘Let’s get ready to play right now.’ Tage Thompson-Curtis Lazar-Tobias Rieder “There is a clear pathway that we see as the best way for us to get our starting lineup ready for the Washington game on the 14th.” This is where the competition really begins.

Oh, sure, there will be surprises during camp. The youngsters in the The first session also featured centers Arttu Ruotsalainen and Riley second group will have two intrasquad scrimmages to make an impact Sheahan, who rotated into drills, so Lazar is not a lock despite a nice and skip past experienced guys. Dylan Cozens will arrive from World finish to last season. And when Cozens arrives in time for the Jan. 9 Juniors and alter the lines. scrimmage, he could either replace Rieder or slot next to Staal, which would push Reinhart to this line. But Krueger’s decision to get right to it said a lot about his mindset and the team’s makeup. Rieder’s track to the starting lineup comes via the penalty kill. He’s a specialist for a team that badly needs one. Let’s dive in, starting with the forward lines. “We’ve really done some exciting things there to bring in specialists,” Taylor Hall-Jack Eichel-Victor Olofsson Krueger said. “We’ve got depth pushing hard on the specialists.”

Casey Mittelstadt served as a placeholder in Eichel’s absence, but this is The 6-foot-7 Thompson towered over the practice crowd. He hopes his where the captain will land when he returns. He’ll have a former MVP on game stands out during the next two weeks after missing nearly all of last his left and a sniper on his right. season with a shoulder injury.

“I’m excited to be here,” Hall said after debuting in his royal blue practice Rasmus Asplund-Steven Fogarty-Andrew Oglevie sweater. “You see on the ice right away how much skill there is, how much speed that we have as a group.” Brett Murray-Brandon Biro-C.J. Smith

Olofsson gets the first shot at playing in paradise. If all goes as planned, Krueger sat out the second practice session, handing the reins to Amerks Eichel and Hall will drain defenders through puck possession and feed coach Seth Appert. While these six forwards will have to stand out to Olofsson for goals. It’s a move from left wing to right for Olofsson, and it replace a player from the opening session, it’s possible. Asplund played allows the left-handed shooter to tee up one-timers. 27 games last season and Oglevie led Rochester in goals.

It’s already happening in practice. “The blue group needs to put pressure on the gold group and they need to push,” Krueger said. “We will break up the groups for the intrasquad “You can see his foot speed’s back to where it was before he had his game (Monday) and have more equal matchups, but this is the way we’re ankle injury last year,” said Krueger, referring to a January ailment that starting. caused Olofsson to miss 15 games. “The interchanging that will be possible with Taylor Hall will put them both in one-timer scoring positions. “After the first practice, I’m feeling comfortable.” I don’t know if you saw a couple of times today, Ollie nailed a few under BECAUSE THE SABRES’ MEETING ROOM DOESN’T ALLOW FOR the crossbar. We’re hoping to see a little more of that five-on-five with ADEQUATE SOCIAL DISTANCING, THEY’VE SET UP A MEETING him coming down the right wall.” ROOM NEAR THE ZAMBONI ENTRANCE AT THE END OF THE RINK. As for Eichel, the Sabres announced he suffered an upper-body injury MEDIA HAS TO CLEAR THE BOWL DURING THE MEETINGS. while training and is day-to-day. HTTPS://T.CO/WU4MCJ79KJ “All is under control,” Krueger said. “He will be fine. We are being just — JOHN VOGL (@BUFFALOVOGL) JANUARY 1, 2021 cautious in the process. We expect Jack here in the next couple of days.” The defensive breakdown also made it obvious who was feeling good The center led one of the NHL’s most lethal lines last season. He is about opening night and who had work to do. primed to be in the middle of a better one. Jake McCabe-Rasmus Ristolainen Jeff Skinner-Eric Staal-Sam Reinhart Midway through practice, a hard check shook the glass. It was, of course, The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 Ristolainen throwing his body around. The team remains light on physicality, but the eighth-year pro is unquestionably the leader of that category.

The question remains whether he can lead the defense. New general manager Kevyn Adams revamped the forward group but left the goalies and blue line intact, which is obvious by this first combination. It could have been 2015 instead of New Year’s Day 2021.

“This will be Year 7 of pro hockey and this will be my fourth GM I’ve been working with,” McCabe said. “I guess I’ve been doing something right along the way to keep sticking around here, so I just continue to show up to the rink with a good attitude and be a leader on and off the ice.”

Rasmus Dahlin-Brandon Montour

And the official weigh-in for Dahlin is …

207 pounds.

The 6-foot-3 defenseman was 193 last year.

“When I reflected on the last season, I wanted to put on some weight in the gym, get some more muscles,” Dahlin said. “That was my main focus.”

Though Dahlin and Montour opened as the No. 2 unit, they have the potential to become Buffalo’s No. 1 pair. Dahlin put up historic offensive numbers as a teenager, and the 20-year-old is determined to show Krueger he can be a two-way threat.

“Especially since we don’t have any exhibition games or anything, practice every day is super important and everyone is dialed in,” Dahlin said. “My main goal is that the coaches can trust me everywhere on the ice.”

Just like skating with Eichel and Hall is a bonus for Olofsson, being paired with Dahlin boosts Montour’s standing. It’s been less than two years since Buffalo shipped out a first-round pick and prospect Brendan Guhle for Montour, and the pending unrestricted free agent can rebuild his stock next to Dahlin.

Colin Miller-Henri Jokiharju

The right-handed Miller shifts left to join Jokiharju, making the top six full of players who skated in Buffalo last season. Miller made his mark as an offensive defenseman in Vegas, so playing with Jokiharju could allow for more opportunities.

Matt Irwin-Brandon Davidson

The Sabres signed the NHL veterans for depth, which is exactly where they started camp. They’ve proved they can jump into the lineup for slumping or injured players, so Krueger put them with the top group.

Jacob Bryson-Will Borgen

Mattias Samuelsson-Casey Fitzgerald

Being excluded from the opening session could be a huge motivator for Borgen, though his placement was not entirely unexpected since Krueger was valuing NHL experience. There remains a logjam on the right side, but Borgen has the talent to push past Davidson and contend for a spot.

It will take a lot for the other three to unseat a regular and avoid Rochester.

While the Sabres’ defense group has legitimate second- and third-pair players, the team will need one duo to ascend to top-pair status.

The goaltending depth will shake out during the two scrimmages, but presumed starter Linus Ullmark missed opening day while quarantining following an immigration issue.

It’s one of those unexpected things that will pop up in the COVID-19 era, just like team meetings where fans usually sit, assistant coaches skating with face masks and interviews conducted via Zoom.

But for the Sabres who took the ice Friday, they immediately knew where they stood. They might be standing in the same place on opening night.

“I feel that 13 days of preparation is more than enough to get everybody on the same page, buying into the game we need to play,” Krueger said. “They will get it very quickly what the game is here in Buffalo that we need to play.” 1197615 Calgary Flames Already, Zary says he’s begun to feel at home in the Flames organization. He’s been to Calgary to work out after getting drafted and has chatted with a couple of the guys already on the team. He’ll likely be skating with them at training camp in the next little while. Exciting end to 2020 for Flames prospect Connor Zary Having fellow Flames prospect Jakob Pelletier on Team Canada doesn’t hurt, either. They’d previously played together at the 2019 under-18 world championships in Sweden, and the good news for Flames fans is Daniel Austin Zary’s got nothing but good things to say about Pelletier, who may wind Publishing date:Jan 02, 2021 up being his teammate for many, many years.

“Yeah, Pellts is awesome,” Zary said. “He’s hilarious, I love the guy. I was with him in Sweden last summer and got another opportunity to play For many of us, 2020 was memorable for all the wrong reasons. with him at the juniors and it’s been awesome. We’ve got a good friendship and it’s pretty sweet.” At least Connor Zary finished off the year with a day he’ll never forget, though, and in the best possible way. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 01.02.2021 Not only did the 19-year-old do his part on the ice in helping Team Canada knock off Finland at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, he also happened to put pen-to-paper on an entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames.

Yeah, it was a pretty good day.

“I think two of the biggest things you dream of as a kid are playing in the world juniors and playing in the NHL. Obviously, I got to play in the world juniors yesterday and got to take one of the biggest steps towards playing in the NHL by signing that contract,” Zary said. “It was a really exciting day for me and my family.”

There’s an understandable excitement in Zary’s voice when he talks about playing for Team Canada and what the future may hold with the Flames, although he’s far more focused on the immediate task ahead of him at the world juniors than whatever comes afterwards.

That’s almost definitely going to involve attending training camp with the Flames, something GM Brad Treliving suggested was likely to happen in an interview Thursday.

The Flames’ first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft (24th overall) shouldn’t be expected to stick around with the club this season. Zary’s offered a tantalizing glimpse of the versatility he brings at the world juniors, though, and that’s something Treliving suggested will be important as he looks to crack the roster down the road.

The Flames see Zary as a centre but he’s been playing mostly on the wing for his country, and the Saskatoon native said he’s just been trying to add to his skillset and soak in as much knowledge as he can.

“When you go from junior into this tournament and further on, hopefully into a pro career, the level of hockey just gets better, so it’s bringing yourself to understand different roles and knowing different things,” Zary said. “Even if you end up playing a skilled role at the next level, you can still take into consideration all these things you’ve learned and put them into your game to make you better overall.

“I think that’s definitely something I’ve embraced by being here. Everyone here is obviously an unbelievable player and every forward is a first- round pick, so you’re going to have to do different things and some things you’re going to be used to and they’re normal, and some things you’re not going to be used to, so I think just for me to be adaptable and show what I can bring to the table to everyone here.”

Through four games with Canada, Zary has picked up two assists. That doesn’t really illustrate the offensive arsenal he’s displayed through three seasons with the Kamloops Blazers.

In only 57 games for the Blazers before the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly ended the WHL season last year, Zary scored 38 goals and added 48 assists.

His offensive prowess may not immediately translate to similar numbers in the NHL, but he’s hoping to be able to contribute sooner rather than later and will go into his summer training program this year hoping to make Flames management think long and hard about keeping him around.

For now, though, Zary’s focus is firmly on helping Canada win gold at the world juniors. He doesn’t know where he’ll be playing this winter when the tournament’s over, so he’s controlling what he can control and taking things day-by-day. That might sound cliché, but it’s also pretty smart for a guy in Zary’s position. 1197616 Chicago Blackhawks Russa is a clunker. Which brings us to the Cubs, who should have a chance to win a rather terrible division even if a stripped-down version of themselves does a good bit of clunking.

A wish for 2021: That we can care more about sports without caring less What’s even more exciting than any of the above? The possibility that for one another 2021 will bring us all back together, literally, in person. That we’ll share a ballpark, a stadium, an arena. We don’t have to say hello if you’d rather not. We don’t have to smile and smile back. Hell, you can call me an idiot if you’d like. By Steve Greenberg Jan 1, 2021, 7:57pm CST But it’ll be so damn good to see you.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.02.2021 Houston Astros v Milwaukee Brewers

This is a column about idiots.

You, and me.

But mostly me, because I write about sports for a living and, even more idiotic than that, have done so throughout a pandemic that just keeps killing people. But then again also you, because you’ve watched sports and read about them throughout this very same pandemic and its very same unflinching cruelty.

Unless, that is, you haven’t watched at all but merely like to find people who write about sports and call them idiots (the more publicly, the better) because they’re so clueless and insensitive that they continue doing their work rather than wrestling with pain, anger and fright 24/7. In that case, you’re an idiot for failing to realize that a person can do more than one thing at a time: in this case, work and wrestle.

So it turns out we’re all idiots in one way or another, and I’m certain of this because I’ve also spent nearly 10 months of a pandemic witnessing absolutely everybody insulting others and being insulted themselves. About politics, masks, freedom, empathy, hate, love, sports — you name it. Whatever we’re insulting one another about, it all sounds the same because we say the same things.

“You’re an idiot,” we all say.

God, 2020 was hard.

Maybe 2021 can be easier? One way it could be is if we all stop calling one another idiots all the time, though that might be too much to hope for. Short of that, here’s my own plan: I’m going to watch and write about sports and try to do those things without feeling like such a, well, you know. An idiot. Believe me, I’ve struggled with that — on a regular basis — since March.

So let me start afresh with this: I’m excited. Still wrestling with all sorts of feelings on the pandemic front, sure, but no longer where sports is concerned. I have a job to do, after all, and part of it is to be excited or at least try to be. Pretending to be was a move out of the 2020 playbook, no good to me now.

I’m excited to watch the Bears attempt to beat the Packers, which probably won’t happen, and get into the playoffs, which might happen, and then go from there, when “anything could happen,” as they say, even though these are the Bears, and I’m pretty sure only something catastrophic would happen.

Excited to see what the Bears do with quarterback Mitch Trubisky, coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.

And what the Bulls do with a chance to grow under a new coach, Billy Donovan, and with new direction coming from VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas.

And for Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews to come back healthy and strong and resume his wonderful career, even if that might mean skating for a last-place team.

I’m excited to watch Illinois — a Final Four-caliber team — chase the dreams it couldn’t last March. Northwestern has an interesting team, too, with every bit as much going for it at this point in the season as the NCAA Tournament squad of 2016-17 had.

Excited to have the chance to do better at following the Sky, the Red Stars, the Fire and other teams that know all too well about fighting for oxygen in the media, and to tell some of their stories.

Excited for baseball, of course, and the storylines galore that the season will bring. If this version of Tony La Russa is anything like the previous versions of La Russa, the White Sox just might blow the doors off the American League. It could be they do that even if this version of La 1197617 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks’ Andrew Shaw, Zack Smith healthy for training camp

By Ben Pope Jan 1, 2021, 11:56am CST

Two of the Blackhawks’ question marks this fall will be in training camp after all.

Andrew Shaw — who hasn’t played since Nov. 30, 2019, following a concussion — is excited and feeling fully healthy entering camp, general manager Stan Bowman told NBC Sports Chicago on Wednesday.

And Zack Smith — who hasn’t played since Feb. 12 due to a hand injury and back surgery a few weeks later — is also healthy and plans to be in camp, his agent said Friday.

While the Hawks’ forward lineup has been gutted by Alex Nylander and Kirby Dach’s recent surgeries, which will keep each of them out at least four months, and Jonathan Toews’ unknown illness with no timetable, at least Shaw and Smith will be present.

Camp officially starts Sunday and on-ice sessions at Fifth Third Arena start Monday.

Shaw has been plagued by concussions throughout his career and issued a statement over the summer that he’d skip the NHL restart and playoffs in order to fully recover. Smith also didn’t participate in the playoffs.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197618 Chicago Blackhawks in Bowman’s vision and that not everything that occurred in recent years had been his fault. Wirtz essentially wiped the slate clean for Bowman and gave him full control by making him president of hockey operations. It was also significant that the structure was changed and Al MacIsaac Where Blackhawks’ contract negotiations stand with Dylan Strome began reporting to Bowman. While Bowman will continue to take in everyone’s opinions, it will be his final say in the end. It wasn’t entirely

like that before. By Scott Powers Jan 1, 2021 Strome’s contract will be Bowman’s first major decision in his new role. Bowman signed Soderberg, but he was someone the Blackhawks had talked about before and he’s just a one-year, cheap deal — just like with The Blackhawks and Dylan Strome need each other right now. Wallmark, Mattias Janmark and Nikita Zadorov. The assumption is at least Zadorov will be there longer, but Bowman could move on from all Anyone can see that. four players next season if he wanted. This is the type of offseason the The Blackhawks will be without Jonathan Toews indefinitely due to an Blackhawks should have had last year, but it continues to make sense unknown illness and Kirby Dach potentially for the season due to a now. recent wrist injury. Toews and Dach were expected to the Blackhawks’ With Strome’s contract, Bowman doesn’t want to put himself in a tough No. 1 and 2 centers. Dach was even possibly going to see the most 5-on- spot as in the past. Bowman came into the offseason with a number 5 ice time among the centers, just like in the playoffs. range for Strome’s deal in mind and has wanted to stick to it. Sure, the Without them, the Blackhawks have two major holes to fill. Carl Blackhawks could use Strome and plan to give him a significant role this Soderberg may fill one, but it’s unrealistic for him to carry what Toews season, but they also know this season isn’t likely going anywhere. If and Dach were going to and Soderberg may be better suited for the expectations were higher, Bowman would probably increase his offer and wing. Lucas Wallmark and David Kampf will likely take bottom-6 center finalize the contract. But because they’re not, Bowman is sticking to his spots. Pius Suter is another possibility. He played center prior to last guns and isn’t in a rush to get it done. Bowman talked to NBC Sports season in Switzerland, but he was signed with wing in mind. Ryan Chicago earlier this week about the negotiations. Carpenter and Andrew Shaw are other possibilities, but they’re likely As of Friday morning, neither side had agreed on a deal. The wings, too. Blackhawks had made an offer, Strome’s side countered and a Strome is the obvious fit. He was the Blackhawks’ No. 2 center before compromise hadn’t been found yet. The sides are believed to be closer Dach took on a larger role. He’s often centered a top-6 line since being than before. But it’s still possible Strome won’t report to camp come acquired from Arizona. Even in the playoffs last season, Strome actually Sunday. The Blackhawks are prepared for that possibility. played 30 more seconds of 5-on-5 ice time than Toews. Strome is undoubtedly weighing his options. Should he wait for his If Dach and Toews were healthy, Strome was probably going to get a lot desired number or is it worth agreeing to a lesser amount and being at of ice time anyway. But with them out, Strome’s opportunity can camp from the start? He is in Chicago, so he can get to camp quickly. obviously be much greater. His ice time could surge. He could be back The Blackhawks and Strome are expected to eventually get a deal done. on the top power-play unit. He could play in key situations. How soon? We shall see. It’d be a chance for Strome to really show the Blackhawks and everyone The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 else the player he can be. Strome has had positive stretches over the last two seasons, but he has believed he’s capable of more. Between an ankle injury, being moved to the wing and being a healthy scratch last season, Strome was displeased with aspects of last year. He’s viewed this season as a rebound opportunity.

As much as Strome needs the Blackhawks now to prove his worth, the Blackhawks also need him to carry some of what Dach and Toews are leaving behind. Strome wouldn’t be expected to replace them, but he can help ease their absences. It’d also be an opportunity for the Blackhawks to further assess Strome and whether he fits into their long-term plans. At 23, he’s the ideal age to be a piece of their rebuild.

So, what’s the holdup? Well, money, of course.

Strome had hoped this offseason to get a healthy pay increase off his entry-level contract. That hope was probably greater before the pandemic, but he still sought something to feel as if he was being valued. He had little leverage because he wasn’t arbitration-eligible and there is the flat cap to figure in, but Strome has shown he can produce consistently and is one of the game’s better playmakers. Over the last two seasons, he’s 26th in the league in primary assists per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 play. His linemates tend to score more goals with him on the ice. It’s not unheard of for a player without arbitration rights to get a healthy bump.

The Blackhawks and general manager Stan Bowman value Strome. But Bowman also entered this offseason wanting to be financially responsible and not overpay anyone. There are ways to weaponize cap space in the short term and he’d like to keep some available this year. Bowman is also looking to the future when contracts for Dach, Adam Boqvist, Alex Nylander and others come up. Nylander’s season-ending surgery does eliminate his contract concern.

Bowman hasn’t publicly said he’s made contract mistakes in the past, but he has to be aware of them. He has overpaid for players, and it’s cost the Blackhawks to retain some quality players and bring in others. That blame will always fall on Bowman, but there were others who had input in those deals.

When Danny Wirtz came in as interim president, he audited the hockey side. He did his own research, talked to people and decided he believed 1197619 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche to play outdoor game Feb. 20 at Lake Tahoe, per report

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: January 1, 2021 at 12:52 p.m. | UPDATED: January 1, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.

In what is scheduled as an Avalanche home game, the team will play the Vegas Golden Knights in an outdoor game Feb. 20 in Lake Tahoe, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Friday morning.

The game will be televised by NBC and part of a two-game event hosted by Edgewood Tahoe Resort, also featuring a Feb. 21 game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins.

The NHL, Avalanche absorbed a big open-ice hit with COVID-19

“The NHL, searching for something different in a season where fan involvement will be extremely limited, scouted several locations for a scenic event,” Friedman wrote. “Fans will not be in attendance, with the number of people limited to about 400 — basically the teams’ traveling parties and whoever is needed to work. It will give television different opportunities to broadcast the games, such as drone cameras.”

The Feb. 20 game is part of a two-game series between the Avs and Golden Knights. They are also scheduled to meet Feb. 22 at in Denver.

Denver Post: LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197620 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche to play outdoor game at Lake TahoePublished 14 hours ago on January 1, 2021By Scott MacDonald

Lake Tahoe

Reports surfaced this morning from trusted NHL insider Elliotte Friedman that the league is planning two outdoor games Lake Tahoe this season, one of which would include the Avalanche pitted against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Colorado Hockey Now, through an NHL source, can confirm: the Avs will take on Vegas on February 20 in the first of the two-game NHL outdoor spectacle at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort golf course, home of the annual American Century Celebrity Golf Championship Tournament. The marquee matchup between the Avalanche and Golden Knights would take place on the 20th, while the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers would play the second game the following day on the 21st.

Currently on the Avalanche schedule, the Avs were set to take on the Golden Knights at Ball Arena on February 20th for the third game of four- game set. The Avs are already scheduled to be in Vegas for a two-game road trip on the 14th and 16th, but it looks like Colorado may now be extending their Nevada stay through the 20th. This is part of a larger four-game set between Vegas and the Avalanche, which is set to wrap up on February 22nd at Ball Arena.

Much like their in-arena spectacles, the league will not permit fans to be in attendance, despite it being an outdoors, open-air event. The capacity will reportedly be limited to 400 people, which is reportedly expected to be just enough people for the team, their staff and broadcast crews. No word on whether or not media will be permitted to attend, although, I’d be surprised if media is not allowed.

*Update: A limited number of media are expected to be allowed to cover the game.

The Avs will take on the Golden Knights a total of eight times this year as rivals in the newly-formed “West Division.” Training camp begins Sunday for the Avalanche. Puck drops on Jan. 13 against the St. Louis Blues at Ball Arena. Follow Colorado Hockey Now all season long as we deliver the very best of Colorado Avalanche coverage.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197621 Columbus Blue Jackets “He’s got a lethal shot,” captain Nick Foligno said. “He’s just got to find a way to get it off. I think that’s where you saw him fight it last year. He was either getting it off just to get it off, not knowing where it was going, or he wasn’t getting it off at all because he was trying to pick a spot. I think he’s Blue Jackets forward Emil Bemstrom plans to heat up next season with going to figure out how to blend those two things and hopefully have a lot more goals, saunas of success.”

Bemstrom is eager to get back into an NHL game and has big goals in mind for the upcoming season, which for the Blue Jackets begins Jan. Brian Hedger 14.

“I know I’m a shooter,” he said. “I have to look at players that score goals Emil Bemstrom had a good rookie season with the Blue Jackets, but it … like, let’s say (Oliver) Bjorkstrand or (Alex) Ovechkin or those type of ended in frustration in the playoffs. guys. I have to study them. I want to be a player like them, who shoots a lot and helps the team offensively. I just want to be a threat all the time in They’d set it up perfectly. the (offensive) zone.”

Working the puck around during a 5-on-3 advantage, the Blue Jackets He’d also like more sauna time. nearly took a 1-0 lead in Game 3 of a first-round rematch this past summer against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Emil Bemstrom, a rookie with “The one in the locker room fits me good,” Bemstrom said, referring to a a booming one-timer, sent a pass to Seth Jones and then readied himself sauna used most by Finnish goalie Joonas Korpisalo. “I’m all good with for a return feed. that one. No one ever uses it, though … just Korpi sometimes. I’ll have to join him, I guess.” When it arrived, goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy was caught out of position, and the left side of the net was wide open. It looked like a sure goal but The goalie and the goal scorer. Has a nice ring to it. turned into a painful lesson for Bemstrom — whose shot rang off the left Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.02.2021 goal post in a game the Blue Jackets lost 3-2 to fall behind 2-1 in the series.

“It’s been a problem of Bemmer’s, really, all year long as far as hitting the net … but this is part of it,” coach John Tortorella said the next day. “It’s part of growing up, understanding what it is to play on this stage and to make those important plays at key times. So, it’s a good experience for him.”

It was also tough to forget.

The sight of his shot missing by inches was seared into his memory, and there wasn’t another opportunity to erase it during the series — which the Lightning won in five games on the way to winning the Stanley Cup. Bemstrom was scratched for the final two games, replaced by fellow Swedish rookie Kevin Stenlund, and he didn’t move past what happened until the offseason.

“I needed to let that go,” said Bemstrom, who reset himself while playing for HIFK in Finland on a loan agreement. “It stuck with me for maybe a couple days and, obviously, I was scratched. That hurt a little bit, but it happens, even with the best players. So, you just have to keep the mindset up and keep grinding.”

That meant spending some time in Finland this offseason, where Bemstrom had only visited for international tournaments. Rather than rejoining Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League, which wasn’t accepting players from other leagues, Bemstrom restored his scoring touch in Helsinki while playing for a team that Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen once ran.

“We encouraged all the young guys to find a place to play this offseason, especially the Europeans,” said Kekalainen, who helped arrange Bemstrom’s placement with HIFK. “He took advantage of a good opportunity, and from everything I’ve heard, he had a good time and enjoyed it. He played pretty well, too.”

That’s putting it mildly on both accounts.

Bemstrom thrived with HIFK, racking up 17 points on nine goals and eight assists in 16 games, and he enjoyed living in Helsinki — where he indulged in the Finnish custom of using saunas for rejuvenation.

“It’s a sauna every day, basically,” said Bemstrom, who returned to Sweden after his loan agreement and will soon return to Columbus to prepare for the 2020-21 season. “They do one every day there, after practices or games. I enjoyed it. The more I did it, the more I liked it. You just feel so rested after it.”

Helsinki was good for his hockey career, too.

The larger European ice surfaces helped Bemstrom regain his confidence as a goal scorer, and he applied some new skills gained as an NHL rookie. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic that prompted the NHL to pause last season for about four months, Bemstrom had 10 goals and 10 assists to help the Jackets stay in playoff contention — including five goals in eight games before the break. 1197622 Columbus Blue Jackets Essentially, everything rests on a few players taking another step. That will dictate Columbus’ ceiling, and how high it goes will dictate how much more help the supporting cast needs. Columbus is stronger than meets the eye. — Dom Luszczyszyn How we’d run the Blue Jackets: Find a way to get to the next level The prospect pipeline

Who is on the verge of getting here? By The Athletic NHL Staff Jan 1, 2021 Kirill Marchenko, Liam Foudy and Yegor Chinakhov are the top prospects. Foudy looks NHL-ready to start next season. Marchenko will arrive when his KHL contract expires after the 2021-22 season. As an extension of the NHL Future Power Rankings, which look ahead to Chinakhov’s KHL contract expires after this season, but he may need how teams will stack up three seasons from now, we are diving into what another year or so in the KHL or AHL. each team can expect and what moves it can make to produce the best outcome. How good will they be when they get here?

The Athletic will break down what each team needs to do to, or should Marchenko and Foudy project as top-six forwards, with Marchenko do, to take the next step toward contention. James Mirtle will give advice having the most potential of any player in the organization to possibly based on the salary cap situation. Dom Luszczyszyn will dive into the become a top-of-the-lineup type. Chinakhov projects as a third-line analytics and look at what each team has on his Stanley Cup checklist. forward. Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman will answer four key questions about the team’s prospects and Eric Duhatschek will propose a game plan for What positions do they play, and do we have excesses or deficiencies? the general manager. Then the local beat writer will put it all in The Blue Jackets have decent depth at forward, but a lot of their top perspective with a reality check. forward prospects are tied up in KHL contracts. They lack depth at The cap situation defense and goaltender in their pipeline.

Columbus doesn’t have a player making more than $5.875 million, which What does our prospect pool tell us about where we are in a competitive is a feat in today’s NHL. cycle?

After signing Pierre-Luc Dubois to a modest bridge deal this week, it still Columbus has some players coming, but other than Foudy, when they has $4 million in cap space to play with, giving it more flexibility than arrive is unclear. What that shows is what it has are the main pieces it most playoff-contending teams. will need to win with. — Corey Pronman

But the Blue Jackets can also place Brandon Dubinsky on long-term The game plan injured reserve and free up a further $6 million, which makes them Landing an impact scoring forward to take some of the pressure off interesting players for some of the remaining free agents and trade Dubois is the No. 1 priority, because the young players coming through targets. Landing another scoring winger makes a lot of sense, given the system up front all look as if they have NHL upside (Foudy, they’re relatively set down the middle after adding Max Domi and Mikko Alexandre Texier, Emil Bemstrom). On the other hand, it’s unlikely any of Koivu. them can have the impact Artemi Panarin had before he bolted for New If either goaltender emerges as a stud, and they can find some more York. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has been unafraid to take big scoring, the Blue Jackets could surprise. swings. His gambles at the trade deadline two years ago were bold and he made one of the canniest deals of the last decade by landing Jones Where things become even more unsettled is in 2021-22, when six for Ryan Johansen. I expect he’ll be angling hard to acquire someone players who are pending unrestricted free agents could all be gone, like from Winnipeg if or when he becomes available, or to freeing up more than $20 million to makeover the lineup. pursue something else along those lines. Last year, the Blue Jackets were a hard out most nights because of their great attention to defense, One thing Columbus has done really well is avoid giving out unnecessary but a game-breaker can make a massive difference on a team trying to term. It’s not moored to any anchors, which should put it in position to win 2-1 or 3-2 every night. Naturally, whoever lands in Columbus needs remain competitive as long as it has goaltending, Seth Jones, Zach to adjust to the coaching stylings of John Tortorella, so not every player Werenski and Dubois to build around. — James Mirtle is necessarily going to be a fit on a team with whom fit really matters. But The analytics if St. Louis were ever to get to the point where it feels it has to move someone like Jaden Schwartz because it cannot fit his contract demands The Stanley Cup Checklist is based on research done earlier this year under its cap, that’s a play the Blue Jackets should make — for a forward looking at the average value for players at every position from the past who starred in the playoff run a couple of years back and probably has 10 Cup champions. It’s based on the best of the best each year, making the ability to seamlessly join in with what the Blue Jackets are already it a high bar to clear, and it means no team will have every box checked trying to accomplish. — Eric Duhatschek off, but the more holes a team has filled, the closer it is to being a Cup contender. A name in a specific box means he’s in the right ballpark for The reality check projected value compared to past Cup winners, with some on the lower It’s hard to argue with the overarching points made, that the Blue Jackets end and some on the higher end. Using an age curve, we made note of are perennial overachievers because of their hyper-competitive core. If what each team already has signed for each of the next three seasons. we’ve learned anything the last few years, it’s that you’d better not Columbus has a lot of depth and checks a surprising amount of boxes on underestimate them. the Cup checklist, but what it is missing is probably the most important: But, as constructed, it’s hard to take them seriously as anything more elite offensive talent. It is an elite defensive team and that’s where much than an early out in the Stanley Cup playoffs. of the roster gets its value, but the Blue Jackets lack the dynamic offense that will take them to the next level. Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand are Kekalainen shot for the moon at the trade deadline two years ago, and their best forwards and the question is whether they can take the team to he made enough bold trades even before then (Marian Gaborik? Jones? that next level. Brandon Saad?) to prove he’s not afraid to swing for the fences.

Earlier this year, I wrote that one of Dubois’ top comparables is The Blue Jackets have made the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, Aleksander Barkov. If that is where he’s heading, the Blue Jackets are in meaning these are truly the glory days for their fans. But it’s starting to a very good spot — but he needs help. Can Bjorkstrand get to that level? feel like the team is stuck in perpetual OK-ness. I’m a little more skeptical about that. It’s really hard to overstate how important the coming months are and The other thing is that Jones and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, the other how crucial it is for Kekalainen to quickly show he has the chops to build two “elite” assets, are only on the low end. Jones was at his best in 2017- a championship contender, not just a playoff qualifier. 18 and though he has a reputation for being a high-performing defender, his results don’t appear to line up with that. Having him perform at a Jones will be an unrestricted free agent in two years. His belief that he Norris Trophy level would give Columbus a big boost as well. can win a Stanley Cup in Columbus will likely play a big role in his willingness to re-sign with the Blue Jackets. Nick Foligno is the longest-serving captain in franchise history, a blood- and-guts player who has become a beloved figure in the city. It won’t feel right if he leaves without ever having a playoff run.

Tortorella is heading into the final season of his contract with the Blue Jackets. The coach and the club have been good for each other — Tortorella has brought credibility and true accountability to the organization, while the Blue Jackets have helped Tortorella reestablish himself after a disastrous one-year stay in Vancouver. But it remains to be seen if the marriage lasts beyond this season.

The Blue Jackets also have a potential problem brewing with Dubois, who, over the course of being a restricted free agent this summer, has made it clear to certain teams that he’d welcome a trade from the Blue Jackets. Dubois signed a two-year contract with the Jackets to ensure he’s in Columbus for the start of training camp, and they may still hold out hope he’ll change his tune.

But it’s the kind of distraction that’s been all too familiar in Columbus after the exits of Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky following the 2018-19 season.

Kekalainen cleared out plenty of salary (and defensive depth) during the offseason, giving the Blue Jackets a rare commodity, especially in these COVID-19 days. Unimpressed by the free market, Kekalainen appears to be waiting for a deal with one of the teams in salary cap hell.

But “trickle-down” doesn’t work in hockey, either.

It seems pretty clear Kekalainen will need to be bolder than he’s ever been to get the Blue Jackets up and over the hump.

He has traded draft picks. He has traded middling prospects (Sonny Milano and Vitaly Abramov). He has traded prominent players from the previous management group (Ryan Johansen, Derick Brassard and John Moore).

But Kekalainen has been reluctant, as many GMs are, to part with the prominent players who have been drafted and developed under their watch. It is that type of roster-rocking, seismic-shift trade — think Ryan O’Reilly’s trade from Buffalo to St. Louis — that carries a ton of risk and the potential for great reward.

You have to admire the way Kekalainen has built the organization. In a recent survey with more than 1,500 respondents, Kekalainen was picked by 97.8 percent as the best GM in franchise history (ahead of Scott Howson and Doug MacLean).

But the most difficult step to make is the one from good to great. The Blue Jackets are good. How does Kekalainen get them to great? — Aaron Portzline

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197623 Dallas Stars

What is the Stars’ response after their run to the Stanley Cup Final?

By Matthew DeFranks

7:00 AM on Jan 1, 2021 CST

Time to see what the Stars can do for an encore.

Months after falling in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay, the Stars will have another shot at the Cup when the NHL season begins Jan. 13. Dallas will open training camp Jan. 3, and play a 56- game regular season schedule in the reworked Central Division, which will include normal division rivals Chicago and Nashville, along with Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, Columbus and Detroit.

With the season on the horizon, let’s take a look at 10 questions facing the Stars. This is the 10th and final installment.

1. What is the Stars’ response after their run to the Stanley Cup Final?

Depending on your point of view, you can be optimistic or pessimistic about how the Stanley Cup Final run will affect the Stars this season.

It could be that the Stars came within two wins of lifting the Stanley Cup, and will return almost the exact same lineup. They re-signed the goaltender who led them there, and he’ll be the starter at the beginning of the season. They brought back their interim head coach on a permanent basis. The only new addition is a third-pairing defenseman.

In a season with a drastically reduced training camp and without preseason games, familiarity could help the Stars get off to a fast start. And that fast start could help them in a 56-game regular season that is 28 games shorter than a typical regular season. They are used to the daily coronavirus tests and have played more games in front of zero fans (in the Edmonton bubble) than any team in the league.

Plus, no team has won more playoff games than the Stars in the past two seasons. Without injuries against Tampa Bay, might the Stars be talking about defending their Stanley Cup championship?

All those factors could help the Stars come off a Western Conference championship and remain a Stanley Cup contender.

The other side of the argument is that the run to the Cup Final is a one- year aberration. The Stars benefitted from injuries to Colorado to dispatch the Avs, and used a Game 4 miracle to turn the series against Calgary.

Dallas’ starting goalie will miss half of the season, and Anton Khudobin has never been a full-time No. 1 goalie in the NHL. The Stars leading scorer is out until early April and questions about the Dallas offense remain.

It’s also been historically difficult for Stanley Cup finalists to return the very next year. Since the NHL/WHA merger in 1979, only two teams have lost the Stanley Cup and returned to the Final the following year. Both teams won the Cup. They were the 2008-09 Penguins and the 1983-84 Oilers. Those teams employed Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky.

Like most things in the sport, the reality probably lies somewhere between the extremes. The Stars won’t be perfect, nor did they survive on luck in the playoffs. But either way, are the Stars motivated by the close call or hungover from the playoff run?

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197624 Dallas Stars

What impact will COVID-19 have on the Stars’ season?

By Matthew DeFranks

9:30 AM on Dec 31, 2020 CST

Time to see what the Stars can do for an encore.

Months after falling in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay, the Stars will have another shot at the Cup when the NHL season begins Jan. 13. Dallas will open training camp Jan. 3, and play a 56- game regular season schedule in the reworked Central Division, which will include normal division rivals Chicago and Nashville, along with Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, Columbus and Detroit.

With the season on the horizon, let’s take a look at 10 questions facing the Stars. This is the ninth installment.

2. What impact does COVID-19 have on the Stars’ season?

This question isn’t unique to the Stars this season, but it is one of the biggest unknowns for the organization.

As seen in MLB and the NFL, different teams have been affected differently by the coronavirus. The Marlins were the first team in baseball to have a major outbreak, which forced them to overhaul their roster and fight a condensed schedule. The Broncos had to play a game without a quarterback on their roster.

No one knows how the NHL will be affected by playing in front of fans in home arenas and traveling around the country. It’s possible that a team must fight through situations like the Marlins or Broncos, and that could theoretically be the Stars.

There is also the effect COVID-19 has on other teams that could change the Stars’ schedule down the line thanks to postponements and rescheduling. When the NHL schedule came out last week, the Stars were fortunate to have only seven back-to-backs, but that could potentially change if coronavirus numbers change during the season and force alterations.

Might the trade market be devalued because of the league’s quarantine requirements? The Stars could be in a position to add a player (or two?) at the trade deadline, but the price could be depressed because the delay in getting a player on the roster would take at least one week.

The newly-formed taxi squad will change the way teams manage the salary cap, and will also provide a handful of ready-to-play replacements that travel and practice with the team. The divisions have already been realigned and Dallas’ new division figures to be easier than its old one.

Then, of course, there’s the big question of how the Stars manage their finances to continue to spend to the salary cap. The organization missed out on millions of dollars during the postseason run because they were unable to cash in on ticket revenue from home games. Now, the team plans to have 5,000 fans at home games, which will help generate revenue, but will assuredly not make the Stars whole.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197625 Dallas Stars fewer games than Bishop) which ranks sixth league-wide. His .926 save percentage is only a shade under Bishop’s .927. The duo ranks first and third in that regard, and while that’s partially on the defense in front of them, it’s also very much because of their own ability too. Dallas Stars 2020-21 season preview Khudobin is a major reason the team was able to soldier on through the postseason without Bishop and it’s because the drop-off between the two really isn’t that substantial. Though Khudobin “only” had a .916 save By Dom Luszczyszyn Jan 1, 2021 percentage in the playoffs, he still saved almost 10 goals above expected in just 24 games which is an incredible rate. Interestingly, his goals saved above average was actually zero, a large disconnect that points to a Welcome to heartbreak, Dallas. porous Stars’ defense. That’s seriously off-brand for this team, but may in fact be what drove the team to such lofty heights. It’s been 20 years since the team won its first Stanley Cup and last year was the closest the Stars have been since. It’s been a long journey with During the regular season, Khudobin’s expected save percentage was the current core and to come so close only to fall short stings. With the .923 while Bishop’s was .916. Those were the third- and 16th-highest age of the team’s core, getting back won’t be easy. The team got some marks in the league and point towards a generally sheltered environment real bad news shortly after losing the Stanley Cup that only makes it for the team’s goalies. A total team buy-in to defense makes the shots harder. The team’s two best players, Tyler Seguin and Ben Bishop, will the goalies face much less dangerous and makes their jobs a helluva lot likely be sidelined until March and miss a sizeable chunk of the season. easier. Both goalies still outperform those lofty expectations which is what makes Dallas so difficult to score on. That’s been the case for the Those two pieces are obviously difficult to replace and the Stars are a top past few seasons, but what’s interesting is that it absolutely wasn’t during 10 team when fully healthy. Without, they’re a lot closer to average and the playoffs. Khudobin’s expected save percentage dropped all the way their playoff chances take a pretty big hit as a result. down to .904, one of the lowest marks among playoff goalies and a figure The Projection that would’ve ranked 56th during the regular season out of 62 goalies.

The Stars’ chances of making the playoffs in the Central Division sit at 66 That stems from Dallas making a conscious choice to open things up and percent to start the season, 12 percentage points less than with a full, play much faster. It took teams by surprise and allowed the Stars to healthy lineup. They would be neck-and-neck with Carolina in a battle for unlock a lot more offensive upside. At five-on-five they ranked 30th with second otherwise. 1.96 goals-per-60 during the regular season, but that shot up to 2.43 during the playoffs which is made even more impressive by the fact The two injuries hurt, but the team is still in very good shape without average scoring dropped from 2.47 to 2.16. those players. The Central looks to be a very competitive division (and I’m still not sure why the Stars preferred it over the West Division), but With the goaltending available to the Stars, that feels like the right choice the Stars sit at the top of the middle group. They aren’t quite at the level to make. This team used to run-and-gun with the best of them only to get of Carolina or Tampa Bay, but the Stars can control their own destiny by burned by subpar goaltending. That’s why they completely shifted to this taking care of business against some decent but flawed teams beneath stingier style only to see the offense completely dry up. With two of the them. league’s best in between the pipes, the Stars can afford to loosen things up and trade chances knowing the guy on their side has a much better If the team does make the postseason, the odds will be stacked against chance of bailing them out. They probably don’t need to fully double them making a return to the final though. To be fair, the odds were down on defense when it’s already a strength because of goaltending. stacked against them last year too and they found a way with timely I’m not saying to fully abandon the team’s identity, but there’s a balance scoring to go with their stingy defense, but doing that all again will be a to be struck, one that was on full display during the playoffs. challenge. The team is on the elder side of the league which means a natural decline is to be expected and they were a bit fortunate during last Of course, Bishop’s injury this year puts a wrinkle into everything. It year’s run too. Plus, divisional playoffs mean getting through Tampa Bay means until March, the Stars will have to ride Khudobin rather than utilize who remains one of the league’s best teams, even without Nikita their usual tandem strategy. Part of what makes Dallas’ goaltending so Kucherov. effective is that the team uses both goalies a fair amount to keep both sharp and Bishop well-rested. That usage has a measured effect come It’s a daunting path, but that’s not unfamiliar territory for these Stars who playoff time and may influence the elite results both goalies possess over finally learned what it takes to win in the playoffs last season. There may the last couple of seasons. It’s an advantage the team won’t have to start have been some luck on the way, sure, but there always is for either the season and it remains to be seen whether Khudobin can handle such team that makes it to the final. They earned every inch each game and a heavy workload. With a compressed schedule, third-stringer Jake have the horses capable of winning playoff hockey. The roster may not Oettinger will see some time, which is far from ideal. seem all that imposing when looking at player point totals, but there’s a fair bit of talent here in spite of that. This team won’t be an easy out. Goaltending is the team’s main source of strength, but the defense in front of it is no joke either and that starts with a top 10 back-end led by The Roster Miro Heiskanen and John Klingberg. The Stars are one of nine teams For clarity, each player’s projected win value shown is over a full 82- with two defensemen in the top 30 among GSVA, and there’s a very game pace to better visualize each player’s expected true talent level. good argument to be made that both are underrated here. The team’s simulated record accounts for injuries and expected time Heiskanen was amazing in the playoffs, plain and simple, but his missed using a games played projection. emergence towards and into the elite tier shouldn’t have been all that Dallas’ bread and butter is team defense from the net out. Scoring on the surprising — he was already on that path during the season. For those Stars is an accomplishment thanks to their deep blue line led by two star that only pay attention to point totals, Heiskanen’s 42-point pace last year defensemen and of course the team’s elite goaltending. wasn’t much to write home about, but it’s important to take into account factors that suppress those totals: the forwards he plays with, the team’s Most teams would be in absolute shambles with their starting goaltender style of play and the lack of power-play time with the top unit. out, especially a team whose entire identity is built around having such a strong presence in between the pipes. Bishop is rated as one of the It’s a shame that many still lean on point totals to measure value, even league’s best goalies by this model after two strong back-to-back for defenders, because Heiskanen’s game goes far beyond that. He seasons. He saved 22 goals above expected in 2018-19, the second- plays the toughest minutes and still manages a 54 percent expected best mark in the league, and followed that up with almost five goals goals rate and even stronger 56 percent actual goals rate, both of which saved last season which still ranked in the league’s top 15. Those 27 were driven by magnificent defensive numbers. With usage taken into combined goals saved over the last two seasons rank first in the league account, Heiskanen had the third-largest defensive impact in the league and only three other goalies are above 15. With a starter’s workload, last season behind only Jonas Brodin and Charlie McAvoy. That, along Bishop would be worth around three wins. with his decent albeit not so flashy point totals, was enough to be worth 2.4 wins last season, a 2.9-win pace that ranked in the league’s top 10. Dallas isn’t most teams though and that’s because, as you’ll notice By GSVA, Heiskanen was considered to be more valuable than Norris above, the team’s backup goaltender Anton Khudobin is … also elite. runner-up John Carlson last year and it was all because of his defensive Over the last two seasons he’s saved 14 goals above expected (in 19 play. In order to earn league-wide notoriety, he still needed that missing Seguin is the team’s best forward, but even he wasn’t excused from the offensive element though and it arrived fully formed in the playoffs. That’s Stars’ grinding style. Seguin has never really been elite in transition, but when people started paying attention to the smooth-skating defenseman as recently as two years ago he was at least solidly above average at who flashed his end-to-end ability on a nightly basis. He was in the 99th carrying the puck into the offensive zone and out of the defensive zone. percentile for zone entries among defenders last season, so it wasn’t Last year he was in the 30th percentile in terms of zone entry percentage really anything new, but now it was on a national stage and he was and volume and the team itself only has one forward who was above getting the results to go along with it. Heiskanen led the team with a 54 average at both last season: Denis Gurianov. percent expected goals rate and was best on both sides of the puck, but it was the 26 points in 27 games that most will remember. That, I’m not sure if that’s a product of the talent on the team (maybe Seguin combined with his impeccable defense was worth 1.39 wins during the isn’t capable of it anymore and really is a neutral zone passenger), but it postseason, or a 4.55-win pace. feels like a choice being made that naturally suppresses offense. Teams generate more chances off controlled entries compared to uncontrolled All that fawning and yet Heiskanen is only projected to be worth 2.2 wins, and it explains why the team struggled to score so much last season. At a shade below the elite tier. No need to be paranoid about me hating five-on-five, Seguin led the team in points-per-60 with 1.5 which was the your favorite team — we all know that’s not right. The reason Heiskanen 226th-best mark in the league. That means every single forward scored isn’t rated better is two-fold: he only has two seasons under his belt and at a below-average third-line rate last year or worse. his main value comes from defense. The lack of sample size means Heiskanen is regressed a bit more than most (though an age curve does For Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alex Radulov it was a massive departure take care of that) and that his first season still holds a fair amount of from previous seasons where at least those three were at a top-line rate. weight. On the defenseman front, offense is far easier to predict so It wasn’t a huge surprise that the rest of Dallas’s forward group couldn’t defensive value also gets regressed further as a hedge in case the player score, but those three? That’s tough. All three struggled to finish with can’t repeat it. With Heiskanen, there isn’t much doubt though. He’ll shooting percentages of 5.6 percent for Seguin, 7.1 percent for Benn, surely climb the defensemen leaderboards as the season progresses. and 7.9 percent for Radulov at five-on-five. That led to fewer goals and He’s a top 10 defenseman in my books. assists to go around. In the previous two seasons, the trio were at 8.9 percent, 13.6 percent, and 10.8 percent respectively. Klingberg used to be that himself before last season and the year prior, but saw his play take a bit of a dip on the surface last season. In the two In those two years, the Stars could count on that line to get 60 percent of seasons prior he was a consistent 60-point defenseman who could the goals and 54 percent of the expected goals. They were a truly elite generate offense at five-on-five and be an elite power-play quarterback. line, but last year only Radulov was able to replicate those numbers — Dallas could count on outscoring teams by a 57-to-58 percent ratio while entirely because of great goaltending luck. Seguin and Benn were both getting a majority of the chance share too. Last year all that changed handily outscored at 45 percent. It’s why the line ranks closer to average where he dropped to a 45-point pace, a 46 percent goal rate and a barely now (though replacing Seguin with Joe Pavelski also doesn’t help), and above average expected goals rate that was negative relative to the that’s even after accounting for a bounce-back. team. His GSVA rating plummeted as a result. The trio’s strong expected goals rate was still present though last season A lot of that might be circumstantial though. On a per-minute basis his with Benn and Radulov leading the team at 56 and 55 percent. With that five-on-five point rate has been down for two straight seasons, but that’s in mind, a lot of the effect could be chalked up to bad luck more than also a result of a low on-ice shooting percentage which can probably be anything, though that would also be the usual hand-waving non- chalked up to the forwards he played with. That translates over to the explanation. Better data can help illuminate some of the root causes goal percentage too, which feels mostly driven by bad luck both ways. driving that drop and that’s something we’re privy to thanks to the tireless On the power play, his points-per-60 was as high as the year prior, the efforts of Corey Sznajder’s tracking project. only difference was Dallas deciding to run two power-play units — As most hockey fans know, getting the goalie moving is the key to despite Klingberg’s being much more prolific at scoring than Heiskanen’s. scoring goals and pre-shot movement has become a major focus for At his usual 70 percent power-play usage, he would’ve played 53 extra teams in recent seasons. The best scorers produce because they’re seconds per game and scored roughly five more points last season. That generally better at creating those chances and in previous seasons all would’ve put him at a more respectable 52-point pace which would’ve three could be counted on for around two high danger passes per 60. been second on the team. Last season, Benn remained as effective as ever in that regard, but As for Klingberg’s ability to influence expected goals, there’s not much in Seguin dropped to 1.20 (down from 1.63 and 2.39 the two years prior, a his transition stats suggesting a major shift and he was still arguably the worrying trend) and Radulov completely fell off the map. In 2018-19 he best breakout defenseman in the league. He led the league in controlled was the main driver at 2.44 high danger passes per 60 and was among zone exits, doing so with a very high controlled rate (46 percent) and the the league’s top players. Last year he was among the worst with a pitiful lowest failed exit rate on the team. Considering the sheer volume of exits, 0.25 per 60 rate. There’s your problem and explains why Radulov’s that’s a major feat, as he had four controlled exits for every one failure. primary assist rate dropped to 0.45 per 60. That was the second-best mark in the entire league. It was the same issue for newcomer Joe Pavelski who was a bit Something that did change though was Klingberg becoming a little more disappointing in his first regular season before turning it on in the playoffs conservative when entering the zone. He’s consistently done so with a 60 (though to his credit he was still the same strong play-driver he’s always percent success rate, but with the team in general shifting even more been at 55 percent expected and actual goals). He went from scoring at towards dump-and-chase hockey, Klingberg became less involved in the a first-line rate in San Jose at 2.01 points-per-60 to less than half of that entry scheme. His entry rate has dropped from 8.8 per 60 to 8.3 all the in Dallas. His individual expected goals rate dropped by 33 percent and way down to 6.3 this past season. He’s the team’s best offensive driver his goal-scoring followed as his shooting percentage dropped from 16 from the back-end and should be afforded more freedom to showcase it. percent to 5.8 percent. His primary assist rate was also cut in half, a byproduct of a massive drop in high danger passes from 1.76 in his last Part of what made Dallas so successful during the playoffs is that the year with the Sharks to 0.24 last year. Stars let their two horses run wild and free, more than usual anyway. It’s a strategy they should maintain for this season, especially with two I’m not totally sure what to make of that. They’re both older players so it decent safeties as partners for both studs. Jamie Oleksiak and Esa might be age-related, but it might also be a stylistic choice from the Lindell fill those roles and both grade out as top-four defensemen, coaching staff. It’s something they’ll both need to be better at this coming allowing their partners to freelance as necessary. The model is very high season. on Oleksiak’s defensive impact and he was a revelation next to For Benn, Radulov and Pavelski, the playoffs provided plenty of optimism Heiskanen. The duo had a stunning 62 percent expected goals rate that their offense could be reignited. Benn scored 2.46 points-per-60 to together, the highest of any pair that played over 200 minutes. It’s much lead the Stars while the other two were both above two, usually the less sold on Lindell though. Stars fans swear by him so I’ll just take their barrier for a first-line rate. I’m a bit skeptical given the shooting word for it, but it’s not something the numbers bear out. percentages of the latter two, but that may just be regression after an Everything looks good for Dallas up until this point, the point where we unlucky shooting year prior. start discussing the team’s forwards. It’s … not great. There’s some Relatively speaking, the team’s most impressive forward in the playoffs defensive upside throughout which is nice, but the offense just isn’t there. might have been Gurianov though who was second on the team to Without Seguin, it’s difficult to see the Stars scoring as much as they Pavelski with nine goals in 27 games. The 2015 No. 12 pick has taken need to. his time to make the NHL, but really made a name for himself in his first full season finishing second on the team in points-per-60 and first in goals-per-60. His 1.07 goals-per-60 ranked 46th in the league, all driven by his ability to create chances. He was 23rd in individual expected goals per 60.

With the lack of goal-scoring ability on the team, it always seemed strange that Gurianov didn’t get much ice-time and it’s imperative to the Stars’ offense that he sees a bigger role going forward. He and Roope Hintz, the team’s second-most efficient scorer, could form the makings of a decent second line. It’s worth noting that both players also had a strong impact at five-on-five last year with on-ice ratios that were in line with the team’s best forwards. Both had a 54 percent expected goals rate and an actual goals rate to match.

Aside from those six (including Seguin), there really isn’t a lot to love from Dallas’ forward corps — and even those six are a noticeable step below a majority of team’s best six. Especially when comparing to other contenders.

The lack of a true elite forward is difficult to get past and it’s why Dallas is on the lower end of the top 10 rather than the higher end. With Seguin out, that problem only gets bigger to start the season and the age of the team’s best forwards means it’s only going to get worse too. Unless Gurianov takes a massive step, there likely isn’t anyone coming that can be the go-to guy on offense once those guys decline either.

But some of the issues feel like specific choices the team has made to double down on its biggest strength. The Stars will continue to be difficult to score on with their strong defense and elite goaltending and as long as that holds true they’ll be among the league’s better teams. To be among the very best though, it feels like there’s a better balance to be struck between offense and defense, one they were close to finding in the playoffs. They didn’t look all that out of place next to Colorado, Vegas or Tampa Bay either. If they can find that balance and maintain it, plus survive their key injuries, the Stars will have a decent shot at avenging last season’s heartbreak.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021

1197626 Detroit Red Wings

How heavy a load can Detroit Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser carry after missing a year?

Helene St. James

As long a layoff as the Detroit Red Wings have had as an organization, Danny DeKeyser’s dates back more than a year.

Friday marked the first time he took part in an official practice since October 2019. In the eighth game of the season the Wings’ leader in minutes played hurt his back, leading to back surgery that rendered him out for the season.

He missed hockey, and the Wings missed him.

Much can happen in the less than two weeks before the Wings open a 56-slate on Jan. 14, but based on the first day of camp, DeKeyser looked good.

He felt it, too.

“I feel really good,” DeKeyser said Friday. “It’s been a long time, but I put in a lot of hard work this past year. I feel like I have to get back up to speed a little bit, especially when you have been out as long as I have been.

“That will be the biggest thing with me, getting back to that pace.”

ANTHONY MANTHA:'We want to finish it this year'

The Wings do have the advantage of pairing him with Filip Hronek; the two clicked when they played together in 2018-19. Jeff Blashill had the two together Friday, and also utilized DeKeyser as a point man on the first power play unit.

“I think for sure it’s huge if you have a little chemistry with somebody when you’re coming back from such a long layoff,” DeKeyser said. “Me and Blash had a little conversation just to make sure we are on the same page, how I am doing to start the year, how I am feeling.

“That will be based on how some of my minutes are going for some of the games. But anytime you have chemistry with somebody when you’re coming back, it definitely makes you more comfortable to play.”

Blashill described DeKeyser as “moving pretty good. He felt confident. I think that’s the most important thing, is how he feels.

“A healthy DeKeyser is a huge thing for us. He’s been one of our top D over the last number of years. He can eat minutes, play against the other team’s best players, break you out of your zone so you have the puck way more so you don’t have to defend nearly as much. He’s a capable power play player as well.

“I think having a healthy DeKeyser is a big piece to us being able to have success. So it was certainly encouraging that he was out there today.”

DeKeyser reached out to former Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey, who also underwent back surgery. Quincey assuaged DeKeyser that a comeback was realistic.

“I think going into this year, my outlook on things is a little different, just because I am 30 and I’ll be 31 in March. I’m not a young kid any more. It’s harder for older guys to play in this league. But I am just happy to be around the rink again.

“I mean, I am sure all these guys are because they’ve been out for 10 months, but for me in particular, I feel lucky to be here today.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197627 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings training camp live updates: An early look at power play groups

HELENE ST. JAMES

Happy New Year — and happy first day of Detroit Red Wings training camp.

Forty Red Wings players started Friday, aiming to be in the lineup when the team opens the pandemic shortened season Jan. 14 with a home against the . It will be the Wings' first game at Little Caesars Arena since they hosted the Hurricanes on March 10, two days before the NHL shut down.

Beyond daily practices, there are scrimmages scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 8 and 10.

Players have been divided into Team White and Team Red, split between 23 forwards, 12 defensemen and five goaltenders.

Prior to the start of the season, the roster will have to be trimmed to 23 players. There will also be a taxi squad consisting of four-to-six players.

A very limited number of media are allowed to watch. All interviews will be conducted via Zoom, so there will be no contact between media and team personnel.

Media are wearing masks and observing social distancing mandates. I’ll be updating this story throughout the day with observations from Day 1.

Goaltender Jonathan Bernier and Thomas Greiss were the first players on the ice, doing warm-up drills. Skaters came out around 10 a.m.

The first group were most of the NHLers: Dylan Larkin skating with Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi. Valtteri Filppula took some shifts with newcomer Vladislav Namestnikov. FIlip Zadina and Bobby Ryan were also part of the group.

It's not surprising coach Jeff Blashill has his NHLers together — the Wings have two weeks to prepare, and lots of new faces in Namestnikov, Ryan, Greiss and defensemen Troy Stecher, Jon Merrill and Marc Staal (all of whom also in the first group). Merrill and Stecher are paired up, Staal is with Patrik Nemeth, and Filip Hronek with Danny DeKeyser.

Younger players such as Michael Rasmussen, Dennis Cholowski and Evgeny Svechnikov were in the second group — along with, notably, veteran forward Frans Nielsen, who is coming off a terrible season.

The second group came out for a scrimmage, while some of the players from the first group were not out for the second practice segment of the day. That allowed for special teams play, with Ryan slotting in with Larkin, Mantha, Bertuzzi and DeKeyser (playing the point). Ryan brings that right-handed shot presence the Wings have missed. Sam Gagner would slot on to the second unit, but he was not on the ice so that unit was is comprised of Namestnikov, Zadina and Hronek, with Rasmussen and Givani Smith filling in for Gagner and Robby Fabbri.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197628 Detroit Red Wings But Svechnikov is focusing more on doing his job and helping the Wings, despite no exhibition games and a shortened training camp.

Svechnikov worked extensively with his brother Andrei Svechnikov New Red Wing Bobby Ryan impressed by Dylan Larkin's leadership, (Carolina) during the summer to increase stamina and endurance. competitiveness "I'm excited about taking another step forward," Svechnikov said. "I've worked hard, a lot, and I want to take another step forward."

TED KULFAN Opening lines

There is likely to be a lot of shuttling players in and out, and injuries sure to crop up, but here are Blashill's first line combinations and defensive Detroit – When the Red Wings finally get around to naming a captain, it’ll pairings during Friday's practice. be a shock if it’s not Dylan Larkin. Forwards: Bertuzzi-Larkin-Anthony Mantha; Filip Zadina-Fabbri-Ryan; The Waterford native has seemed to carry that role for the past couple of and Vladislav Namestnikov-Valtteri Filppula-Sam Gagner; with Darren seasons, really, without actually wearing the "C" on his jersey. Helm-Luke Glendening-Adam Erne comprising the fourth line.

But just in case there are doubters, or anybody out there who doesn’t feel Defense: Danny DeKeyser with Filip Hronek; Marc Staal alongside Patrik like Larkin has the necessary leadership traits, here’s another example, Nemeth; and newcomers Jon Merrill and Troy Stecher. courtesy of newcomer Bobby Ryan. Goaltenders: Jonathan Bernier and Thomas Greiss joined that first team The veteran forward was thinking about going to play Arcadia Bluffs Golf in the morning workouts. Club in northern Michigan and called Larkin about the area around there. The second team, later on the ice, included forwards Svechnikov, Frans They had the conversation, but then 20 minutes later, Larkin called back Nielsen, Michael Rasmussen, Givani Smith, Taro Hirose and Matthias and said a group of eight, including Tyler Bertuzzi and Robby Fabbri, Brome, and defensemen Alex Biega, Dennis Cholowski and Gustav among others, would be joining Ryan. Lindstrom.

“Larks didn’t have to do that, and he came back and said, ‘I’m taking Detroit News LOADED: 01.02.2021 you,’” Ryan said. “The eight went down there and played and those are the little things that add up.”

Ryan has also been impressed with what Larkin does on the ice, especially the competitiveness that Larkin shows each day.

“I knew his skill level, I just didn’t know the compete level,” Ryan said. “I knew he was a little jerk to play against, but the compete level in every drill, every 3-on-3 game we’ve been playing, his intensity is overwhelming – and that’s a great thing to see.

“That’s a heck of an asset to have, that compete level.”

The anecdotes didn’t surprise coach Jeff Blashill.

“Dylan is a great person, and he has great attributes that the winners always have,” Blashill said. “He’s highly competitive every day and works extraordinarily hard and has the inner drive to be at any level.

“And he’s a real good person.”

First day

Blashill was generally pleased with the conditioning and timing of day one of training camp.

The coaching staff will be implementing different parts of their system, and different “big picture” things will be introduced during the first few days, along with how the Wings will want to play.

Three intra-squad scrimmages interspersed during the final week will get the Wings back into game-type of atmosphere, along with help in player evaluation.

“Usually you have a three-week stretch with exhibition games and now it’s a two-week camp and you have to ramp up to be as ready as you can be without any games,” Blashill said. “You have a balance of guys in practice and not getting guys hurt, but getting them ready for that game action.”

There will be some rust to knock off for the majority of the Wings’ roster, which hasn’t played in 10 months.

“We’ve tried to assimilate as much as you can (with scrimmages leading into camp) but you just can’t assimilate the speed and contact, or how you factor all those things in,” Ryan said. “But those are correctable things you can get back.”

Svech ready

Evgeny Svechnikov is in yet another battle to make the opening night roster and begin an NHL career that has been slowed by major knee surgery two years ago.

The 2015 first-round draft pick is not waiver-exempt anymore, so if Svechnikov is put on waivers, he well may be claimed by another team. 1197629 Detroit Red Wings DeKeyser’s health and availability will be important ingredients for any Wings’ success.

“He’s been one of our top (defensemen) over the last number of years,” Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser says he's fortunate to be healthy, playing Blashill said. “He can eat minutes, play against the other team’s best hockey again players, break you out of your zone so you have the puck way more and you don’t have to defend nearly as much. He can add offense by jumping in the play on the rush.”

TED KULFAN Detroit News LOADED: 01.02.2021

Detroit – In a way it was like the first day of school, and getting the same jittery feeling the night before.

Danny DeKeyser, who missed nearly all last season, was filled with anticipation all Thursday night.

“Up at 5:30 in the morning,” said DeKeyser Friday after the Red Wings’ first official practice of training camp. “I couldn’t sleep. I was excited to come to the locker room.

“I had jitters a little bit but it was a good thing.”

DeKeyser only played eight games last season before going down with a herniated disc.

DeKeyser hasn’t played an actual game since October 2019, well over a calendar year. Except for coming in for rehab at Little Caesars Arena and watching games from the locker room, he's been away from the typical NHL everyday environment, due to the injury and the pandemic.

That’s a big reason Friday’s practice felt so good. DeKeyser was appreciative of what was around him.

“Going into this year, my outlook has changed a little bit,” DeKeyser said. “I’ll be 31 in March and I’m not a young kid anymore. It’s harder to play in this league for older guys. Thirty-five seems like the new 42. Back in the day, in the '90s, they played until they were in their early 40s. (But) today’s game is just so fast and sometimes your body just breaks down.

“I have a different outlook this year. A little bit more jump in my step. A lot of the guys, I’m sure, feel the same way being out for 10 months. For me in particular, I feel lucky to be out here.”

DeKeyser was working with Filip Hronek as a defensive partner during most drills and even worked with the top power-play unit.

The most important thing, for DeKeyser and for the Wings, was that DeKeyser felt healthy and more than able to return to the lineup for the Jan. 14 start of the schedule.

“I felt great, just great to be back out there and be able to play again,” said DeKeyser, who reached out to former teammate Kyle Quincey for advice on his back surgery, Quincey having had a similar procedure. “It was a good, uptempo practice. It felt like forever (not playing). It was good be out there and zip the puck around.

“It was fun.”

Given the speed of today’s NHL, that will be DeKeyser’s toughest adjustment going forward.

“I just have to get back to the speed ... the game is real fast and me having been out as long as I have, I have to get back to that pace,” DeKeyser said. “It’s been a long time.

“When I’m in there I feel I can help the team. Last year didn’t go the way I wanted, pretty much being out all year. I just have to try to stay fresh and healthy and take care of the body, with all the games we’re going to play again.”

Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser talks about the first day of practice and recovering from back surgery.

Coach Jeff Blashill likes the idea of DeKeyser being reunited with Hronek.

“We don’t have anything set in stone with our (defense) pairs but when DK and Fil have played together, they’ve had some chemistry and done a good job together,” Blashill said. “They’re two of our best defensemen and I would expect them to get a good amount of minutes as we get into the season.

"As we start the year, I’m going to be cautious with Danny’s minutes, ease him in a little bit.” 1197630 Detroit Red Wings DeKeyser’s minutes early, easing him back in from back surgery. Make of that what you will when it comes to projecting the pairings.

The power play Red Wings training camp Day 1: First observations, early power-play Detroit spent some time working on the power play Friday, with a first unit looks composed of DeKeyser up top, Mantha and Larkin on the right and left flanks, Bertuzzi in the “bumper” spot in the slot and Ryan at the net.

By Max Bultman Jan 1, 2021 Like all of this, that’s likely a fluid dynamic. But Blashill did say DeKeyser will compete for a power-play spot, and that’s where he was Friday.

Ryan, meanwhile, said the net front is “not my normal spot,” but added The Red Wings paraded onto their practice ice at 9:59 a.m. Friday — one that he’s played many positions on the power play over the years and the minute before the listed 10 a.m. start time but still not a minute too soon. only one he doesn’t feel good at is the bumper role. He talked about it It’s a new year, and now, officially, a new hockey season. with Dan Bylsma when he came on board, and so the net front was where he started. Detroit’s first day on the ice was split between two different practice groups and featured mostly small-area games and drills, not exactly the “I’ve done it in the past a little bit in Ottawa, I’m comfortable down there,” stuff that decides roster spots. But there were nonetheless insights to he said. “It’s kind of that small ice stuff where you can make plays to the glean from the groupings, and first impressions made in those small-area guy in the middle, and really be a release point for Larks and Mantha on games especially. the wall, as well as those net-front battles, getting in front, taking the eyes away on the goalie to try and get those guys the shots that they have.” Here’s what stood out on Day 1: He added he’s worked on it since he’s been in Detroit, taking reps after The ‘roster’ group each skate, and said he’s getting more comfortable there. Technically, the Red Wings’ different skating groups were broken up into “Really, when you get a chance to be on that unit, I would have played teams “Red” and “White.” But Friday morning’s first group (Team Red) anywhere — I would have tried the middle,” Ryan said. “It wouldn’t have featured a collection of 18 skaters widely expected to make the roster in gone very well, but I would have given it a shot.” some capacity. The other power-play unit the Red Wings practiced with Friday does not Forwards: Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Zadina, seem likely to start the season, as it featured multiple second-session Bobby Ryan, Robby Fabbri, Vladislav Namestnikov, Sam Gagner, players who joined the first group for special-teams work. That group had Valtteri Filppula, Luke Glendening, Darren Helm, Adam Erne Gustav Lindstrom up top, with Zadina and Namestnikov on the flanks, Defense: Filip Hronek, Danny DeKeyser, Patrik Nemeth, Jon Merrill, Troy Evgeny Svechnikov in the middle and Michael Rasmussen and Givani Stecher, Marc Staal Smith taking turns at the net front.

Now, having 18 skaters (plus two goalies) is three fewer players than will Zadina and Namestnikov certainly should stick on the power play, but it’s make the 23-man opening night roster, so more names than those will also highly likely Hronek and Robby Fabbri will be part of Detroit’s power- make the cut. But the fact these 18 were all together on Day 1 feels like a play plans, so perhaps there was just some auditioning going on among bit of a tell as to their collective standing in the roster hunt. Absent from the younger players who stepped in. that collection of players, though, was Frans Nielsen, who skated with the Early impressions second group. Certainly there are two weeks of camp to come, and I’m not going to make any proclamations based on one day. But that felt This was the first formal practice for these players in nearly 10 months, notable for the veteran Nielsen. so I’m not going to go over the top on any first impressions here. By and large, almost everyone looked about how you’d remember them. Jeff Blashill said Friday there was nothing set in stone when it comes to the roster and it would be a disservice to players’ hard work in the But a few things that caught my eye from the first group: Hronek looked offseason for there to be. There will be time for players to make particularly crisp. That shouldn’t be a surprise considering he’s been statements over the next two weeks. Certainly, that will especially apply playing all fall in the Czech Republic, but he looked the part Friday. to the fringes of the roster and is why that first grouping shouldn’t be Gagner and Namestnikov also caught my attention a couple of times, taken as a lock for the lineup despite having the traditional 12 forwards including when playing together, and if that does wind up being the Red and six defensemen. At the same time, it doesn’t have to be set in stone Wings’ third line, those two could help bring some more offense to a to be notable as a first-day grouping. bottom six that badly needs it.

Going a step further on that note — and stick with me here — within DeKeyser was one of the most interesting storylines heading into this “Team Red,” players were also sorted into red and white jerseys, which camp because on top of the 10 months off, he’s also coming off back don’t particularly matter except for that they may offer some hints as to surgery and hasn’t played since last October. He said afterward he felt potential early line combinations. Based on that, the early camp forward “really good” and that the biggest thing for him will be getting back to the lines would appear to look something like this (with the caveat that there pace of NHL hockey. I thought he looked a bit stiff at times in Friday’s weren’t many full-line drills to check them against): practice, which certainly would be understandable (or, frankly, could be my eyes telling me what my brain expects to see after so much time off). Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha Blashill, for what it’s worth, said he thought DeKeyser moved “pretty Zadina-Fabbri-Ryan good.” Regardless, the most important thing for Detroit is that DeKeyser felt good, and it sounds like he did. Namestnikov-Filppula-Gagner* “A healthy DeKeyser is a huge thing for us,” Blashill said. “He’s been one Helm-Glendening-Erne of our top ‘D’ over the last number of years. … He’s a guy who can eat minutes, play against the other team’s best players, break you out of your *All three of Namestnikov, Filppula and Gagner can play center, so it’s zone so you have the puck way more so you don’t have to defend nearly not clear who could be expected to line up down the middle among those as much. He can add offense by jumping in the play on the rush. … I three. think having a healthy DeKeyser’s a big piece to us being able to have Early defense pairings were a bit tougher to suss out: There were three success.” players wearing each jersey color, which didn’t lend as well to spotting Media availabilities from the first group overlapped with Group 2’s skate, obvious combinations. DeKeyser, Hronek and Nemeth wore red. so I only saw the tail of end of that practice, which featured most of the Stecher, Staal and Merrill wore white. younger players. But Svechnikov caught my eye in a couple of small- Afterward, Blashill acknowledged the chemistry between DeKeyser and area game moments and looked fluid in his skating. Hronek (likely Detroit’s best D pair when both are healthy) and said he’d Last spring, he and Blashill had a talk about Svechnikov improving his expect the two to get a “good amount of minutes as (they) get into the endurance, and so Svechnikov went to work on that this offseason, in season.” But he also mentioned that he wants to be careful with addition to strengthening his lower body. Asked whether his knee was now feeling 100 percent, Svechnikov responded, “110 percent.”

It’s an important camp for him, and Svechnikov talked about going “one rep at a time” in his attempts to make the roster. His health and conditioning, certainly, will be crucial for that.

“I’m just very excited to take another step forward,” he said. “I know I put so much work this offseason (and summer), I’m excited about that, to take another step forward.”

It’ll be particularly interesting in the coming days to see how consistent the personnel groups stay. But the real roster and lineup intrigue should start around the time scrimmages begin, early next week. Those could be players like Svechnikov’s best opportunities to make statements.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197631 Edmonton Oilers

Oil Spills: Rebuilding Senators better but still bound for Canadian basement

Craig Ellingson

Publishing date:Jan 01, 2021

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, left, hits Ottawa Senators forward Vladislav Namestnikov during NHL action at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Dec. 4, 2019.

Ah, the rebuild. That’s where the Ottawa Senators are at these days.

It’s something that’s very familiar to Edmonton Oilers fans young and old. That 1993-94 Oilers season, let me tell ya, oof. And the decade (plus) of darkness … pass me the Alka Seltzer; make it a double.

It’s not as though the Sens haven’t been in this spot before, of course. They joined the NHL in 1992 and posted one of the worst NHL records ever their first year (to be expected; their expansion cousins Tampa Bay were dreadful, too) but things didn’t really take off with their wagon hitched to Alexander Daigle.

It just takes the right player to get things going, right?

After a few painful seasons, a few more draft picks — including all-time Sens great Daniel Alfredsson — they finally gained traction and became an Eastern juggernaut by the end of the 20th century, making the Stanley Cup final in 2007. Following that run, the torch was passed to the next bunch led by defenceman Erik Karlsson. His Sens squad made it all the way to the East Conference final four years ago.

And now, following a whole lot of trading the past few years, their latest overhaul.

Ottawa, rightly so, would be predicted to finish last in the NHL’s all- Canadian North Division.

The Senators are grooming the young likes of Brady Tkachuk at forward and Thomas Chabot on defence to take on the big roles while shoring up their roster with more veteran presence via recent trades. Their farm team is fully stocked.

They have some very good, promising pieces, but right now, they’re not at the same level as the rest of their Canadian brethren.

And while the Sens are the most unproven of the all-Canadian bunch at this point, it’s not as though teams like the Oilers can’t get caught taking a seemingly lighter-weight opponent for granted any given game.

I talk to NHL beat writers Jim Matheson, Rob Tychkowski and Derek Van Diest about how the Oilers stack up against these budding Sens and how contests against Ottawa could be trap games for them and any other North Division squad.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197632 Edmonton Oilers Bouchard, for his part, hopes that eventuality begins with the 2020-21 season – and believes the chance to play in Sweden will have him ready for the shortened training camps that are about to begin.

How a stint in Sweden prepared Oilers prospect Evan Bouchard for NHL “It’s a crazy thing because you can train all summer and you think you’re camp in shape, but nothing really replicates game shape,” he said. “So, getting the chance to play 23 or 24 games is really going to help me. And the competition level was really good. It’s going to really help me, coming into camp, and running with it. I really have to take advantage of a By Eric Duhatschek Jan 1, 2021 shorter camp.”

It’s a sentiment shared by Gagner. For two years, between 2009 and 2011, Dave Gagner was director of “I said to Evan: There’s no way you can train as hard as you’re going to player development for the Vancouver Canucks at the same time as compete in a game,” said Gagner. “When you compete, you get to a level Mikael Samuelsson played for the team. Both men were part of the that’s uncomfortable in training. A lot of the guys who went over to Canucks’ dramatic run to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final in Europe in the lockout found that out when they came back. It was easier 2011. In that time, Gagner got to know and appreciate Samuelsson – as to pick it up because they were pushed. Hopefully, this pushed Evan to a player, but more importantly, as a person. the point where he’s ready to go.” “I trust Mikael,” said Gagner. “He cares about people. He’s one of those, Dozens of NHL prospects ended up spending the better part of the fall of ‘you’d send him your own son’ kind of people.” 2020 in Europe, prepping for the start of the new season, but the majority Gagner did something a little like that when the start of the 2020-21 NHL of them were Europeans playing in their native countries. According to season was put on pause because of COVID-19. Samuelsson, however, it was the presence of players such as Bouchard that helped stimulate interest in the league, even if fans knew it was just Now director of player development for the Orr Hockey Group, Gagner a temporary thing. faced the task of placing some of the agency’s younger clients in Europe, where they could continue their development at a time when North “As the GM here, we discussed that,” Samuelsson said. “Are we going to American options were limited. bring import players in, or not? And they decided on four. Four was the number for every team. I was saying, ‘leave that up to every team.’ That’s Ultimately, that’s how Evan Bouchard, the Edmonton Oilers’ 2018 first- my opinion. Because it created such a big excitement. It’s what people in rounder and one of their top emerging prospects, landed in Sodertalje to Sweden were talking about. play for a team currently managed by Samuelsson in the Allsvensken, Sweden’s de facto second division. “The lockout years, 04-05, and 12-13, those two seasons – when players like (Sheldon) Souray, (Zdeno) Chara and all those guys, Alfie (Daniel “When I worked for Vancouver, I spent a lot of time in Sweden and I got Alfredsson), that’s memories. And why do we play the game? We want to to see the Allsvensken level of hockey and it’s not much different in my see the players play on a daily basis, but also to bring memories. And mind than the elite league,” said Gagner. “Guys play with a lot of pace. that’s what this does – it creates memories. For sure, people will It’s hard. It pushes you. So, I was all for it – to get Evan playing and remember Evan here. And if he helped a 10-year-old kid who was learning. watching him and thinking, ‘you can play the game like this.’ Yeah, you can. So, I don’t see any downside to bring good players into the league. “Plus, I think going to Europe helps you grow as a person, not just as a hockey player. It matures you. It gives you a better perspective on a lot of “Everyone remembers the lockout seasons, which brought the players things.” over here. And everyone will remember the COVID season.”

When Bouchard was first presented with the option of playing in Europe, For Bouchard, playing on the larger, international-sized ice surface was with North America mostly shut down, he didn’t know what to make of it – one of the bigger adjustments – because of the additional width and how and wasn’t even sure where he was actually heading. it affects positioning.

“Honestly, I’d never heard of Sodertalje and it took me a couple of tries to “It’s a lot different,” said Bouchard. “My first or second game, they were get the spelling right, just so I could find out where it was,” Bouchard coming down on us and it was a two-on-two and the puck goes cross-ice said. and I think, ‘a couple of steps and I’ll get him.’ But on the big ice, it’s that much tougher and you have to really adjust. You can’t really play in the But once he talked it over with both Gagner and former NHL defenceman middle of the ice. You have to play closer to the guy because to close on Dave Manson, who coaches in the Oilers’ minor-league system, him is that much harder on the big ice. Bouchard was all-in. “But I think it really helped my game. Going over there, I really wanted to “Everyone said nothing but good things about the opportunity – and focus on defensive zone coverage and really closing in on people. I think thought it would be a really good experience and a good step,” he said. I really improved that part of my game and I think it’s going to help me on “So, after hearing all that, it became a no-brainer for me.” the North American ice.” It turned out to be a good thing – for all the involved parties. Bouchard Samuelsson played 699 NHL games over 13 seasons for six different learned to play the game with greater pace, forced by the larger, teams – San Jose, the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, Florida, Detroit international-sized ice surface to learn how to close the ice up fast. and Vancouver. He won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008. His Sodertalje benefited from Bouchard’s contributions – he was No. 3 in high-water mark as a player came his first year with the Canucks, when league scoring by defencemen, with 17 points in the 23 games he played he scored 30 goals. He retired in 2014 and is now running the team in and the team stood third in the Allsvensken standings with an 11-6-1-5 Sodertalje where his own playing career began. record. Samuelsson suggested Bouchard was a great recruit for his team, fitting More importantly, from a personal standpoint, Bouchard will have had in both on and off the ice. two hard months of hard, competitive action under his belt when NHL training camps open for the 2020-21 season, which may enhance his “He has a great personality,” Samuelsson said. “He loves to make jokes. chances of cracking a very deep Oilers’ blue line. I think he liked it here. He was spending time with his teammates more than anything. With Oscar Klefbom out for the season with a shoulder injury, the Oilers do have an opening. Unrestricted free agent Tyson Barrie was signed in “I know they started to play – a new sport here, called paddle tennis. Ask the off-season on a one-year contract, to effectively man the first power Evan about that. He knows what I’m talking about. They had some big play. Slater Koekkoek signed last week and will provide depth and battles going there. It’s like a beach tennis thing – in a cage. It sounds experience. But Barrie and Adam Larsson are both on expiring contracts. really weird, but it’s a lot of fun.” Kris Russell, meanwhile, is signed for this year and next, but at 33, is getting late in his career. Currently, among the team’s younger blue So, paddle tennis? liners, Darnell Nurse, Caleb Jones and Ethan Bear are in the picture for Bouchard laughed. this year. Eventually, though, Bouchard and 19-year-old Philip Broberg figure to be important parts of the Oilers’ defence. “I’d never even heard about it until I went there, and some of the guys invited me to go and play,” he said. “I ended up loving it. On days off, I’d end up going with some of the guys. There was one time, after a game, Samuelsson came in after a loss and wasn’t too happy with us and started calling people out and he brought up paddle tennis, so it threw me off a bit. But then, another time when we were playing, we looked up on the court beside us and there he was playing, running up and down.

“It’s kind of similar to pickleball or tennis. It’s a tennis court, but smaller, and the whole outside is glass. Same rules as tennis. You can use the glass to your advantage, so there’s a whole lot of running, and a whole lot of ball placement. It was fun, and it was also good for me to stay in shape and try a different sport. Now, it’s all I want to do – go find a place to play paddle tennis, because I don’t think we have it yet in Canada.”

Sodertalje is just on the outskirts of Stockholm, but because of the COVID restrictions, Boucharddidn’t get to see everything the Swedish capital has to offer as a city.

“All in all, I loved it there,” said Bouchard. “Being so close to Stockholm was kind of nice, but it was kind of tough too to really see it during these COVID times. But the city – I really liked it. The downtown area was really nice. A lot of guys lived downtown – it was easy to walk to. And the hockey was good as well. It was definitely a different experience, and a different style of play than it is back here, but that’s good — to see other parts of the game.”

Gagner remembered when his son Sam went to play for Klagenfurt in Austria during the last lockout and how it helped him upon his return.

“Sam had his best NHL season that season,” he said. “He had like 40 points in 48 games. It was by far his most productive season if it had been a full season and I just remember why – because I went over and watched him. He was playing like he knew, pride-wise, ‘I should do well here.’ If I don’t, it’s embarrassing. So, it pushes you to levels you don’t take yourself to in training.”

Two months of competition will come in handy now that Bouchard is trying to win an NHL job. Like a lot of other peers and contemporaries, Bouchard is anxious to just get back into the normal rhythm of hockey life.

“It’s just weird,” said Bouchard. “Usually, for eight or nine months of the year, you’re in a ritual. You’ve got practices; you’ve got games to train for. Having to wait six, seven, eight months to play again, was really tough to do. Leading into camp, I think there’s going to be that much more excitement – for the players to get back into it; and for the fans, too, so they’ll have something to watch. I think it’s going to be a really good thing, once the season gets going.”

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197633 Los Angeles Kings and I’m happy he’s in the league. No one likes to play against him. But we’re lucky to have him in the league, as a league, and as fans.”

Swedish connection Kings veterans Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown showing that 36 is the new Newcomer Lias Andersson had made an early positive impression, in 26 addition to scoring goals the first two days. McLellan took note of Andersson’s feistiness and the ability of the Carl Grundstrom-Andersson- Samuel Fagemo line to create turnovers. By Lisa Dillman Jan 1, 2021 “They all know each other well, so they definitely have some chemistry going,” Kings forward Adrian Kempe said.

Not that many are still standing — or at least skating — from that famed Kempe has had a better and longer read on Andersson because they’ve NHL Draft class of 2003, especially at the top end. played together internationally for Sweden.

Of the top 15 selected, seven are in the NHL as training camps have “He has a lot of skill,” Kempe said. “We were on the same line for a opened or will be opening soon — Vegas Golden Knights goaltender couple of games. He works really hard and is tough to play against — Marc-Andre Fleury, Buffalo Sabres forward Eric Staal, Minnesota Wild good in all situations and he can play on any type of line as well. And I defenseman Ryan Suter, Ottawa Senators defenseman Braydon Coburn, think he’s very excited to be here as well.” Kings forwards Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook. Lewis, Winnipeg bound

Carter and Brown have a combined 2,223 regular-season games of Even though the Kings have parted ways with Trevor Lewis, the veteran experience in the NHL. forward has not been forgotten in L.A. First, the decision to give No. 22 to newcomer Andreas Athanasiou didn’t sit well with a lot of Kings fans. Brown turned 36 on Nov. 4, and Carter did the same on Friday. Carter celebrated by scoring two goals in a scrimmage, one on a partial Lewis, 33, a member of the Kings’ two Stanley Cup championship teams, breakaway and the other as he put in a rebound past goaltender Matt had worn that number for most of his career in Los Angeles. (Two other Villalta. Brown also scored. previous long-term owners of No. 22 were Ian Laperriere and Charlie Huddy.) The early reviews were important, considering Carter underwent hip surgery in the summer, which required lengthy rehabilitation. Carter’s last TOO SOON regular-season game was Feb. 18 in Winnipeg. — KEVIN “FOZZIE” RICCI (@CAPT_BEATDOWN) DECEMBER 30, “He looks good. He feels good,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said on 2020 Friday. “He’s got a smile on his face, which I think is really important for On Friday, the Winnipeg Jets announced that Lewis would be attending him. There’s some pace in his game. He’s with (Austin) Wagner and camp on a professional tryout. Winnipeg’s camp opens on Monday, and (Blake) Lizotte and they play a good hard fast game. We saw the results Lewis will be joining another former teammate, defenseman Derek of it today — he looks fine on the wing. Forbort, who signed with the Jets in free agency. “If Lizotte can take faceoffs on the left side and Carter on the right side, Quote of the day that gives him a chance to start with the puck. We need Jeff to get back to where he was before he got hurt last year. I’m counting on him to play “I can’t really think of anybody who plays like that. He understands the in many different roles — power play, penalty kill, regular shift. If the first game so well and he sees the ice. I feel like he is making the right plays two days are any indication, he’s close to it.” all the time. I guess he’s just Drew Doughty.” — Olli Maatta, on his new partner on the blue line. One of the players mentioned to me, in passing, that Carter’s enthusiasm has been rubbing off on the younger prospects. This was one of those The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 days when 36 was looking like 26.

In the real world, of course, 36 is not that old.

“The hockey world talks about youth all the time and how it’s a young man’s game,” McLellan said. “But if you take care of yourself and you’re committed to the game, you have a chance to play for quite a while. You need legs and you need a good body and Carts and Brownie and a lot of those men from that draft that are still playing have those attributes.”

Conceivably, the nearly 10-month break could extend the careers of other veteran players. Kings captain Anze Kopitar said earlier that he had spoken to a few older players who felt they had their careers prolonged by two or three years when the league shut down for the season in 2004- 05.

“I don’t particularly know if I have the answer,” McLellan said. “But I’m willing to watch and see what happens. I hope it does because there are some good characters that are still left that mean a lot to our game. Not only our guys but guys on other teams and it’s nice to have them in the league.”

Brown, who is one goal away from scoring his 300th, said on Thursday that the extra time off helped him rejuvenate, adding: “At one point it was the longest time in my life I haven’t had skates on my feet. … You forget how much you missed it. Even a hard practice. It feels good to be out there again.”

McLellan brought up Zdeno Chara, the 43-year-old defenseman who signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals worth $795,000 after a 14-year run with the Boston Bruins.

“Any athlete doesn’t want to see the end come, regardless of what sport you’re in, and the more hockey players we can keep in our game for a longer period,” McLellan said. “Look at Chara, going to another team, 1197634 Los Angeles Kings certain and sometimes there would be some tentative plans. I just tried to keep the guys in the loop as much as I could, and once things were more certain, I was communicating a bit more.”

TRAINING CAMP DAY 2 – SCRIMMAGE NOTES, MCLELLAN Don’t Undersell Drew PLEASED, 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS For the second straight day, McLellan made it clear the appreciation that he and the Kings coaching staff has for #8. Doughty has been the unquestioned number one defenseman in LA for nearly his entire career, BY ZACH DOOLEY FOR LAKINGSINSIDER.COMJANUARY 1, 2021 since he was selected second overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The Kings’ Head Coach made clear that he still has nothing but confidence in

Doughty’s game, and appreciation for the contributions he makes to the Good Afternoon, Insiders! team.

Day 2 here at LA Kings training camp brought much of the same from “With Drew, I said this yesterday, right now he’s under-appreciated, what we saw yesterday. The format was identical, minus the order, with maybe because he’s not producing as many points,” McLellan said. Group B leading us off, followed by a scrimmage, and Group A finishing “When you sit in our locker room, when you sit in our office, the things up with their practice session. appreciation level for what he does is quite high. You look at the amount of minutes he plays, the type of competition he plays against, the zone Lines & Pairings also looked identical to yesterday, as there were no starts at times and the amount of game he can control from back there. changes to either the players in each group, or the line combinations, We’re very fortunate to have him.” and all 41 participants were on the ice. Yesterday, Doughty spoke about how he’s felt slighted at times by In today’s scrimmage, the format was similar to yesterday, with a criticisms about his play by the national media. controlled segment for approximately the first one-third of the time, followed by straight up hockey. “A lot of people had me written off as not even a good player anymore, and all of that becomes personal and all that drives me to be better this Group A skated to a 4-2 victory over Group B in the internal scrimmage. year and to make our team better,” Doughty said. Dustin Brown, Kale Clague, Sean Durzi and Lias Andersson scored for Group A, while forward Jeff Carter netted both goals for Group B. From his media availability yesterday, it’s abundantly clear that Doughty Carter’s first goal came on a breakaway, which he snapped past Matthew is fired up for the upcoming season. He spoke about the optimism he has Villalta on the stick side, before a rebound goal from in tight later in the in the younger guys coming in, and his faith in the veterans to hold up scrimmage. Cal Petersen did not allow a goal during his time in net for their end of the bargain as well. Group A, while Andersson’s goal gave him tallies on back-to-back days. A motivated Drew Doughty, a passionate Drew Doughty, and an “Another good day for our group,” Head Coach Todd McLellan said. appreciated Drew Doughty. All good signs for the LA Kings. “They’re going hard, so by the end of the day there’s a bit of a fatigue Hakuna Maatta factor, but nothing we can’t overcome. I thought the scrimmage had a little bit more structure to it, there were more plays made today, which is Olli Maatta was the biggest offseason acquisition by General Manager a good sign…lot of good things.” Rob Blake, joining the Kings from the Chicago Blackhawks in the fall.

McLellan indicated he was pleased with the play of Andersson, who has Maatta, a two-time Stanley Cup champion from his time with Pittsburgh, skated at center on a line with Carl Grundstrom and Samuel Fagemo has partnered with Doughty through the first two days of camp. He and through the first two days. Don’t expect to see much change to that line, Doughty have a prior relationship – they’ve skated together in London or the combinations in general, here at the start. McLellan talked about over the summer, with Doughty a London native and Maatta a London the importance of consistency as the players assimilate back to every- Knights alum – and the left-shot blueliner was extremely excited for his day practices throughout training camp. new opportunity here on the West Coast.

“You’ll see a lot of familiarity with our lines, I think it would be crazy to “I’m just excited, I think it’s a great opportunity for myself, and for the throw them in the blender right now and start all over,” McLellan said. team. Looking at the guys we have, we have a lot of established, older “There are some tendencies that certain individual have and they’re able guy who know how to win, and I think the young guys look good and are to read off each other. Let’s give the familiarity of linemates a chance. If it pushing to get better.” goes well, it’ll stay there, and if it doesn’t go well, then we’ll think about shuffling some individuals around. Both Maatta and Doughty alluded to a building chemistry between the two. Both defensemen said that they think the game the same way as the 3 Key Takeaways – other, and having a past relationship has only helped matters so far.

Roy The Rep More to come on Maatta this weekend, as he continues through his first training camp with the Kings. When Alec Martinez was traded to Vegas last season, he approached his usual defensive partner, Matt Roy, about replacing him as the team’s Expect tomorrow’s practice to have a similar look and feel, before an off- NHLPA rep. While at first, everything was pretty straightforward, what day for the group on Sunday. Following tomorrow’s skate, the scheduled followed was anything but. scrimmages are no longer a part of the practices, per the latest update that was shared. Group A and Group B will skate in longer individual In an offseason that was filled with firsts, considering the COVID-related sessions beginning on Monday, and we will update you here if anything delays to the season, Roy was at the center of the discussions changes. surrounding any potential information on a return to play. While still being a younger player himself, Roy took on the role and found himself in a LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.02.2021 position he never really envisioned himself in before.

“It was very interesting to say the least, I never thought I’d be in a position like that before,” he said. “It was really cool, being a part of the discussions and trying to work around all of the different things being thrown at us all summer. I was grateful to be in that position, being a younger guy, I think it was pretty cool to be a part of.”

While there was a lot discussed, at a lot of different levels, at some points it seemed as though the players didn’t know all that much more than we did. From getting information in droves, to times of silence and everything in between, it was certainly a whirlwind summer for the 26-year-old blueliner on the NHLPA front.

“Some weeks there would be a lot of information thrown at us and other weeks it would be kind of quiet,” Roy said. “Sometimes things would be 1197635 Los Angeles Kings just nice to get a goal and contribute as much as I can, so I’m definitely happy with that.

Jordan Spence – 12/27 THEY SAID IT – WORLD JUNIORS QUOTES On His Game-Opening Goal

It was my first shift and there was a puck in the corner, so I just tried to BY ZACH DOOLEY FOR LAKINGSINSIDER.COMJANUARY 1, 2021 creep in. There was a loose puck in front of the net and it came right to me. Obviously I had to bury that, and I did, so it was really cool.

On Getting The Chance To Play Hear from LA Kings prospects from their time in the World Juniors preliminary rounds. All 9 participating Kings prospects have advanced to It’s unfortunate for [Braden] Schneider getting suspended, but this the quarterfinals, which are slated to begin tomorrow. morning I was at the morning skate and I just wanted to get my mind into it as if I was playing. This afternoon I got the call I was going to be in the Here’s how the quarterfinal matchups stack up – line-up, then they put me on, there was a loose puck there and I scored. There was a lot of emotions going on, just being scratched last game to Canada (Byfield, Spence) vs. Czech Republic (Parik) coming back the next day, playing and scoring. It’s amazing but I’m just USA (Turcotte, Kaliyev, Faber) vs. Slovakia (Chromiak) more happy about us winning the game.

Finland (Simontaival) vs. Sweden (Bjornfot) On How He Stayed Sharp

Russia vs. Germany We just tried to work on our edgework, shots on net, puck-handling, pretty much all of the things we needed to do to get ready for the game. Alex Turcotte – 12/31 For myself personally, I was just trying to do the little things during practice that can help a lot in games. I was just trying to put my mind to On Scoring First vs. Sweden: be ready for tonight’s game. Getting that first goal is obviously huge. We started off with a good Lukas Parik – 12/27 forecheck and threw a greasy one on net and got lucky there. We were playing the right way, and to get one on the board right away – we knew On His Shutout vs. Russia they played last night and they were a little tired – so it was a big confidence booster. It was a great feeling. Of course we played great as a team, the guys helped me a lot so it’s a great feeling, but we have to refocus for other Brock Faber – 12/31 games.

On The Team’s Defensive Play On The Team Win vs. Russia

Lots of credit to [Dustin Wolf] and [Spencer Knight] there. Knighter It was a great feeling, I can’t even describe it. I was just imagining how mentioned previously he gets bailed out by us, but a lot of times he bails this game could happen and the guys looked great, we played really us out. Today, we struggled a little bit defensively, and we have to clean great as a team. The feeling was unbelievable. We have to refocus for some things up, but all in all, we’re coming together nicely and we’re other games, the game against USA, and just play our systems again. building something special in the d-zone. On The Team’s Play Overall On The Team Bonding Together I think everything begins in practice. If we’re good and holding our Playing together with a lot of these guys, we’re pretty familiar with each systems in practice and working hard in practice, that’s how we’re getting other. We’re bonding greatly, we’ve been in the bubble for a long time ready for the games. If we want to win other games, we have to be great now. Being best friends with your teammates obviously helps on the ice. in practice and play as one.

Tobias Bjornfot – 12/31 Kasper Simontaival – 12/27

On The QF Game vs. Finland On Playing With Anton Lundell

I think we need to come together as a group and play against Finland I would say that we have good chemistry, we can find each other on the [they’re a good team]. We need to be better all over the place and take ice. We play pucks to the net, and we see each other on the ice – Roni the puck to the net. Hervonen has played well with us also.

On Playing Against Alex Turcotte On The Team’s Power Play

We had a tough start and Turcotte is a good hockey player, we had some I think it was very important that we scored a goal, two goals in that last battles out there, he’s a good hockey player. period on the power play. It was important for us that we trust the process and got some goals. We’ve been playing well on the power play Quinton Byfield – 12/29 now. On Team Canada’s Play Martin Chromiak – 12/27 I think each game we just keep on building. We’re building more On A Narrow Loss To Canada chemistry and getting more comfortable with the way they want us to play, with the structure. I think we just keep on getting better each game, After the game, we weren’t happy. We had so many opportunities to and that’s what you have to be [doing] in a short tournament like this. score the tying goal, so we were unhappy with that, but I think we did a really good job [throughout the game]. On Finding His Game On Their Approach To Playing Canada In camp, I wasn’t playing hockey for 8-9 months there, and that definitely affects you a little bit and I had to ease myself back into it almost. I We were ready before the game. We had a good system, so I think we definitely found my footing and just been playing the same way, just played really good defensively. We had a few chances, so we just have trying to play hard and find the structure and everything just kind of to be ready for tomorrow and hopefully we will win the game. happened tonight. I think [me and linemate Jacob Pelletier] had a good connection with some goals. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.02.2021

On Getting His First Goal

It was definitely a big relief. Not getting a goal last year definitely hurt a little bit, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything, we still came home with a gold medal and that’s the objective and that’s the same thing here. It was 1197636 Minnesota Wild

Former NHL GM Randy Sexton joins Wild as senior advisor

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune JANUARY 1, 2021 — 12:18PM

Randy Sexton, a former general manager of the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators, was named senior advisor to Wild General Manager Bill Guerin on Friday.

The 61-year-old Sexton was assistant GM for the Buffalo Sabres the past three seasons. He joins Jack Ferreira as a senior advisor for the Wild.

Sexton crossed paths with Guerin in Pittsburgh where Sexton worked for seven seasons. He joined the Penguins as assistant director of amateur scouting in 2010 and was promoted to director of amateur scouting in 2015.

He was key in helping bring the NHL to Ottawa as one of the Senators' founders, and held a number of roles besides general manager, including president and chief executive officer. He joined the Panthers as assistant GM in 2007 and was general manager in 2009-10.

Sexton is a native of Brockville, Ontario, and played college hockey at St. Lawrence University (1978-82). His son, Ben, played briefly in the NHL for Ottawa and is in the Penguins organization. Another son, Patrick, played at Wisconsin.

Star Tribune LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197637 Minnesota Wild But they will face an unrelenting Big Ten schedule; the Gophers entered the Top 25 at No. 21 on Monday; seven other conference foes are ranked above them. Answering whether they are "for real" can only be achieved with a larger sample size. Goodbye, 2020. What's ahead for Minnesota sports in 2021? 7) After a not-so-promising start, can the Gophers women's basketball team turn things around? Lindsay Whalen's third year, on the other hand, is off to a rough start. Minnesota is 1-4, and those four losses have come By Michael Rand JANUARY 1, 2021 — 10:17AM by an average of 24 points.

Injuries and illness severely limited practice time and player availability You might have gotten up this morning a little disappointed that all of the early on. Seeing meaningful improvement, starting Sunday at Wisconsin, problems of 2020 didn't just vanish with the turning of the calendar, but will tell us a lot where the program is headed. rest assured: this year figures to at least get gradually better, particularly 8) Is this the year the Twins finally win a playoff game? I was in the from a local sports perspective. press box the last time the Twins won a postseason A lot of that improvement will depend on the answers to 10 big questions game. I was in my late 20s. looming as we get acquainted with this year. Let's dive in and peer into Now I'm in my mid-40s, the Twins have lost 18 consecutive playoff our crystal ball: games, and before anyone in that organization talks about the World 1) What will in-person attendance look like in 2021 when and if fans are Series they first need to win one game when it matters most. The Twins allowed back in the stands? Minnesota sports fans have been almost should still have the roster to compete. But we've also said that countless exclusively limited to watching their favorite teams on TV since mid- times in the last 16 years. March because of COVID-19. 9) After coming up just short of playing for championships, can the Lynx But with promising vaccine results and a large percentage of the and Minnesota United take another step this year? Behind dynamic population likely to be inoculated in 2021, the gradual return of fans in the newcomers — WNBA Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield and stands is a good possibility. Argentine sensation Emanuel Reynoso — the Lynx and United were one step away from competing for championships in 2020. Twitter is far from a perfect survey tool, but the vast majority of those who responded to a query of mine said they think the Twins — at some point Even getting back to that spot for either organization would be an this summer — will be the first local team able to have large crowds. That accomplishment in 2021, but the talent is there — and hopefully the fans seems about right to me, with Minnesota United on a similar timetable. will be, too.

There are obviously no guarantees, though. It will be interesting to see 10) Who will be the next breakout Minnesota sports star? When 2020 how it plays out. started, we had no idea Reynoso, Dangerfield or Justin Jefferson — among others — would become such huge parts of the local sports 2) Can the Timberwolves get Karl-Anthony Towns healthy and figure out scene with their excellent debut seasons. Who will be a breakout star in what they have with their core of players? The Wolves' best player didn't 2021? miss a single game the first three seasons of his career. He missed five in his fourth season; last year he missed 29 with two different injuries, Kaprizov is an obvious candidate, as is whomever the Vikings take with and this year he's already been temporarily shelved by a dislocated wrist their first-round pick. Perhaps the Wolves' Anthony Edwards … or the after appearing in just two games. Twins' Alex Kirilloff.

The Wolves desperately need to get KAT on the court with D'Angelo Or maybe the player who will take Minnesota by storm isn't even on our Russell, Anthony Edwards, Malik Beasley and other members of their radar yet. After all, that's the best part about a new year: We don't know core — if not to make a playoff push this season, then at least to find out what's going to happen, and nothing bad has happened yet. how else they need to add to their roster going forward. Star Tribune LOADED: 01.02.2021 3) Will the Vikings' offseason feature major changes or minor retooling? The Vikings are guaranteed to finish with their first losing season since Mike Zimmer's first year as head coach in 2014 no matter what happens in Sunday's finale at Detroit.

What was the primary culprit: A roster that's an odd mix of veterans and young unproven players that lacks talent? Inconsistency at key positions? Injuries? A muddled offseason because of the pandemic? The answer will determine whether there are sweeping changes — or if the Vikings will essentially try again with the same formula in 2021 and hope for better results.

4) Is the debut of Kirill Kaprizov with the Wild going to catapult that team into new territory? Call me a sucker for potential, but I'm more interested in this year's Wild team than I have been in a while — even more so than the years when you could pretty much bank on a top-eight finish in the Western Conference.

The arrival of Kaprizov and his likely pairing with Kevin Fiala could make the Wild legitimately fun to watch — and could foretell better days ahead.

5) Is the Gophers men's hockey team good enough to reach the Frozen Four? At some point this season — perhaps as soon as Sunday when play resumes against Arizona State — the Gophers are going to face some adversity.

For now, they are riding high: A No. 1 ranking and a perfect 8-0 record achieved without trailing for a single second in any of those eight games. Bob Motzko's Gophers have turned a corner. How far around that corner they venture is a question for March — and perhaps April.

6) After a promising start, is the Gophers men's basketball team for real? Richard Pitino's team looks like it has more depth, grit and balance than past versions — attributes that were on display in a flurry of impressive recent victories. 1197638 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens' Tomas Tatar scores on New York Rangers' Alexandar Georgiev during second period in Montreal on Feb. 27, 2020.

Year in review: Canadiens' playoff berth, new additions give fans hope Canadiens 2021 preview: Young centres in spotlight for retooled Habs Montreal Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. celebrates his team's victory over the Calgary Stampeders in Montreal on Oct. 5, 2019.

Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jan 01, 2021 • Alouettes 2021 preview: Adjusting to a changing CFL landscape

New York City defender Ronald Matarrita, right, and Montreal Impact forward Bojan Krkic battle for the ball during match at Yankee Stadium Canadiens fans aren’t the only ones looking forward to the 2021 NHL on Oct. 24, 2020, in New York. season. Impact 2021 preview: Rebranding and retooling for an uncertain season “I always try to keep the expectations down, I guess,” Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said after signing Brendan Gallagher to a six-year, Canadiens Jesperi Kotkaniemi keeps his eye on the puck in linesman US$39-million contract extension in October. “But we’ve got some good Travis Toomey's hand during faceoff against the San Jose Sharks in things as a group. I can’t wait to start. I wish it was next week. We’ll have Montreal on Oct. 24, 2019. to wait, but I think our players are also very excited, which means a lot. Montreal Canadiens listed as longshots to win Stanley Cup So we’ll see. But I think it’s going to be fun, so I can’t wait to start.” Corey Perry of the Dallas Stars celebrates after scoring the game- There will be a lot of new faces on the Canadiens when the 56-game winning goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second 2021 NHL season finally starts on Jan. 13, including backup goalie Jake overtime period to give the Stars the 3-2 victory in Game 5 of the 2020 Allen, defenceman Joel Edmundson and rookie blueliner Alexander NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on Sept. 26, 2020. Romanov, along with forwards Josh Anderson, , Corey Perry and Michael Frolik. Corey Perry, Michael Frolik give Canadiens' special-teams units a boost

Expectations will be high after Bergevin’s off-season acquisitions and Bergevin made long-term commitments to Anderson (seven years, spending spree, which included signing defenceman Jeff Petry to a four- US$38.5 million) and Toffoli (four years, US$17 million) after acquiring year, US$25-million contract extension. After playing almost US$8 million them during the off-season. Anderson is coming off shoulder surgery in under the NHL salary cap for the last three seasons, the Canadiens are March and a disappointing season in which he posted 1-3-4 totals in 26 right up against the US$81.5-million cap and should be a much improved games with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Canadiens are hoping the team from the one that went 31-31-9 during the 2019-20 regular season 6-foot-3, 222-pound power forward can regain the form that saw him post before upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round of the 27-20-47 totals in 82 games with the Blue Jackets in 2018-19. Toffoli expanded COVID-19 postseason and then losing to the Philadelphia posted 24-20-44 totals in 68 games last season split between the Los Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks.

“At the end of the season, Marc told me where all the holes are on our The Canadiens definitely look better on paper heading into the 2021 roster and he filled every single one of them with the new players,” season, but the games will be played on the ice and there are still some Canadiens owner/president Geoff Molson told Chris Nilan on TSN 690 question marks. Radio. “So expectations I think are pretty high. I think hope is really high and I couldn’t ask for anything better because I couldn’t have answered Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic polled 15 U.S.-based NHL team front-office that question in the same way a year ago and now I can. And so I think executives, scouts and coaches to get their predicted order of finish in that our fans have something to look forward to and we’ve been waiting the all-Canadian division. Two picked the Canadiens to finish first, four for this moment for a long time.” had them finishing second, one had them third, six had them fourth, one had them fifth and one had them sixth. Because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the Canadiens will play in an all-Canadian division in 2021 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Let the games begin. It should be fun. Senators, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.02.2021 Vancouver Canucks. Every game will be Hockey Night in Canada.

One thing that could work against the Canadiens is a short, 10-day training camp slated to start on Jan. 3, with no preseason games. With so many new faces in the lineup, there won’t be a lot of time for the team to jell and a slow start to a short season could be devastating.

The Canadiens are hoping Edmundson and Romanov will add depth and physical play on the blue line. Anderson and Toffoli will be counted on to boost an offence that ranked 19th in the NHL last season, scoring an average of 2.93 goals per game, and a power play that ranked 22nd with a 17.7 per cent success rate. Perry and Frolik add depth and experience at the bargain-basement price of US$750,000 each, while Allen will finally provide Carey Price with a solid backup goalie.

But the two players the Canadiens will be counting on most are young centres Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who blossomed during the postseason, bringing their games to “a new level” in Bergevin’s words. Suzuki led the Canadiens in postseason scoring with 4-3-7 totals in 10 games, while Kotkaniemi tied Suzuki for the team lead with four goals.

“I thought we took a really good step forward in the bubble in Toronto, especially with our young players,” Bergevin said. “Now, it was a small sample, I understand it was 10 games.”

The Canadiens are counting on Suzuki, 21, and Kotkaniemi, 20, to play the same way over a 56-game period, which isn’t a guarantee. Phillip Danault will also have something to prove as the veteran centre heads into the final season of his contract with the opportunity to become an unrestricted free agent during the summer. Wingers Tomas Tatar and Joel Armia are also heading into the final season of their contracts and can become unrestricted free agents. 1197639 Nashville Predators Sunday: Training camp begins (Predators plan to have camp at Bridgestone Arena; Click here for regular-season schedule )

April 12: Trade deadline (1 p.m. Central) What to expect as Predators open camp for 2021 season May 11: Playoffs begin

July 9: Last possible day for Stanley Cup Final PAUL SKRBINA July 17: Deadline for expansion draft protection lists (4 p.m. Central)

July 21: Expansion draft for Seattle Kraken (7 p.m. Central) Camping in the winter usually isn't ideal. July 23-24: NHL Draft But that's the ripple effect the COVID-19 pandemic has left, with most July 28: Restricted/unrestricted free agency begins (11 a.m. Central) NHL teams opening training camps Sunday for what for now is a 56- game shortened season that will feature only intradivisional play. Tennessean LOADED: 01.02.2021 The Predators are scheduled to officially open camp Sunday at Bridgestone Arena, though formal, on-ice practices won't begin until at least Monday.

This preseason will be different. There will be no preseason games, for one. And camp will be significantly shorter than usual.

Fans

While some teams will allow a limited number of fans to start the regular season, the Predators are not one of them.

The team said fans won't be permitted inside Bridgestone Arena when the Predators begin play Jan. 14 against the Blue Jackets, even after the Metro Public Health Department approved 15% capacity earlier this week. The team said it will continue to work on a plan with the mayor's office and local officials that eventually would allow a limited number of fans.

What's different?

Besides no fans or a limited number of fans and realigned divisions to limit travel, each team will have a "taxi squad," a minimum of four players and a maximum of six players, that will be allowed to practice and travel with the team in case of a need for emergency call-ups. This is in addition to the 23-man roster. Each team must also carry three goalies on its active roster, and if one is on the taxi squad, he counts as part of that four to six. While on the taxi squad, players on two-way contracts will have their salary "buried," meaning it won’t be counted against the cap.

Players who are moved to the taxi squad must clear waivers.

Who will be in camp?

The Predators have a few prospects who could land on the taxi squad, including goalie Connor Ingram, forwards Rem Pitlick and Philip Tomasino as well as defensemen Jeremy Davies. Others such as defensemen Alexandre Carrier and Frederic Allard as well as forwards Michael McCarron and Anthony Richard, among others, are likely to get a look during camp.

Story lines going into camp

Youth movement?

Predators general manager David Poile suggested strongly there would be a youth movement this season. While younger players such as Eeli Tolvanen are likely to see their minutes increase with Craig Smith, Nick Bonino and Kyle Turris gone, the team opted to sign some "older" free agents such as Brad Richardson (35), Eric Haula (29) and Mikael Granlund (28).

Hynes, Take II

Coach John Hynes was hired nearly a year ago and had but two months to work with his team before the season was suspended for five months. He'll have another abbreviated go at it this winter, which promises him more time to implement his style and system.

Pekka Rinne's last stand?

New father Pekka Rinne's contract expires after this season. At 38, he's likely the team's backup going into camp, with Juuse Saros the starter. Will a long layoff and a shortened season bring him back for another year in Nashville? That remains to be seen, but Rinne probably will play more because of the compacted schedule.

Key dates 1197640 Nashville Predators playoff spot. If there’s any team ready for that challenge, though, it’s the Blue Jackets.”

Hateability: Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella has softened somewhat Predators rivalry index: Which Central Division team should you hate the since the team hired him in 2015, but he can still be ornery and makes an most? easy villain. Then there is that frigging cannon. You are never ready for the cannon.

Rivalry potential: When the Blue Jackets were in the Central Division By Adam Vingan Jan 1, 2021 from 2000-13, the Predators dominated them, winning 50 of 74 games. Expect their season series this year to be a little bit more competitive,

and be prepared for plenty of Seth Jones-Ryan Johansen hot takes. For this season only, the NHL schedule will be entirely division-based. Dallas Stars That means the Predators will face seven teams — Carolina, Chicago, Outlook: The Stars made no major changes after losing to the Tampa Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida and Tampa Bay — eight times each. Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final. Ben Bishop and Tyler Seguin, The top four finishers will qualify for the playoffs. however, will miss most of the regular season as they recover from The Predators are going to become intimately acquainted with their offseason surgery. opponents this season, so consider this a guide to navigating the Hateability: How was your Jan. 1, 2020? How about your April 2019? potential rivalries within the new-look Central Division. Pretty crappy, right? Carolina Hurricanes The Stars have been sticking it to the Predators for two years. People Outlook: Once again, the Hurricanes are a trendy preseason pick. Their don’t forget. (At least Corey Perry is gone.) forwards, led by Sebastian Aho, 23, are young and dynamic. Jaccob Rivalry potential: The Stars are creeping up on the Blackhawks on the Slavin and Dougie Hamilton, who finished fifth and seventh in Norris Predators’ list of rivals. If the past couple of years are any indication, this Trophy voting last season, respectively, headline a stout defense. season could put them over the top. Put it all together and the Hurricanes will be in the mix to win their first Detroit Red Wings (and only) Central Division title. Outlook: They are not your older sibling’s Red Wings. They have not Hateability: Admittedly, it is hard to dislike the Hurricanes. They play an finished higher than 25th in the league over the past four seasons, entertaining style of hockey and have embraced the absurd, rallying including a last-place finish last season. This season is expected to be around the “bunch of jerks” label and celebrating home wins with more of the same. elaborate “Storm Surges.” (Also, a 42-year-old operations manager for a Toronto ice rink won a game for them as an emergency goaltender last Hateability: Longtime Predators fans do not need an excuse to hate the season.) Red Wings. In the Predators’ first decade, the Red Wings were the evil empire. When the Predators toppled them in the first round of the 2012 The Hurricanes, though, have won seven of their 10 games against the playoffs, it was a seminal moment in franchise history. Predators since 2015. Maybe that helps generate some ill will, especially if that run of success continues. Go ahead and get your Red Wings hatred out of storage.

Rivalry potential: Predators-Hurricanes has the makings of a very fun Rivalry potential: This Predators-Red Wings rivalry will not inspire the rivalry. You have geographical proximity and exciting players on both same level of animosity as the original, mostly because the Red Wings teams. It would be worth it alone to watch Andrei Svechnikov and Filip are bad. Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg are not Forsberg try to one-up each other with lacrosse goals all season. walking through that door.

Chicago Blackhawks Florida Panthers

Outlook: “The Blackhawks are going to be awful this season.” Outlook: The hiring of three-time Stanley Cup winner Joel Quenneville as coach and the signing of Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70 million contract That was The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus on Tuesday, when the Blackhawks in summer 2019 did not stop the Panthers’ cycle of mediocrity. announced captain Jonathan Toews is out indefinitely with an Luszczyszyn predicts a sixth-place finish in the division this season, unspecified illness. It was not the only piece of bad news the Blackhawks which would mean no playoffs for the Panthers for the 17th time in the received this week; Kirby Dach underwent wrist surgery Monday that will past 20 years. force him to miss at least four months. Hateability: The Panthers are the personification of the shrug emoji. So, In October, Blackhawks management acknowledged in a letter to fans ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. that they are rebuilding, so expectations for this season were already low. Lazerus’ advice to those fans: “Embrace the suck.” Rivalry potential: “We said, ‘meh.’ M-E-H. Meh.”

Hateability: If you are reading this, you probably hate the Blackhawks Tampa Bay Lightning already. Just the sight of Patrick Kane’s name is filling you with rage. (This might not be the best time to remind you of the myriad ways Kane Outlook: The Lightning exited the postseason bubble with their second has tortured the Predators over the years.) Stanley Cup and are the favorites to win it this season. There is no team as complete as the Lightning, who have stars at every position. Rivalry potential: Even if the Blackhawks stink and fewer fans are in the building, the Predators will be as fired up to play them as they always Hateability: We heard all offseason the Lightning were facing a salary- are. There is too much bad blood after two decades of sharing a division cap reckoning. But then they signed all of their restricted free agents and three playoff series, most recently the Predators’ historic first-round without issue and traded for contracts that can be stashed on long-term sweep in 2017. injured reserve.

Columbus Blue Jackets If that makes your blood boil, just wait until Nikita Kucherov, who is out for the regular season, returns for the playoffs, when there are no cap Outlook: Written off after Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene and Artemi constraints. Panarin bolted in free agency in 2019, the Blue Jackets were better than anticipated, finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference. Rivalry potential: The Lightning have what the Predators want. That should motivate the Predators as they measure themselves against the Max Domi is there now, and newly signed Pierre-Luc Dubois, fresh off a defending champions. postseason coming-out party, is ready to take the next step in his young career. The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021

In his Blue Jackets season preview, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn wrote, “In a tough division, they’ll have to work for every inch to earn a 1197641 Nashville Predators It’s often what can decide a playoff series as the winning team has that higher-end forward group that’s difficult to stop. With all due respect to Filip Forsberg, no team in the league is going into a series all that worried about having to stop him, especially with the surrounding help he has. Nashville Predators 2020-21 season preview At one point it did look like he would finally be that guy for Nashville. At age 21 and 22 he had back-to-back 30-goal seasons for Nashville and then he really exploded in 2017-18 at age 23 scoring 64 points in 67 By Dom Luszczyszyn Jan 1, 2021 games, followed by 16 in 13 in the playoffs. All that while being a dominant two-way force at five-on-five with a 55 percent expected goals rate and 66 percent actual goals rate. It looked like he had finally taken More than any team, it feels like there are a million ways this season can that step towards being a true elite forward and this model valued him at end for the Nashville Predators. They can be good, they can be great. 3.1 wins at the end of that season, enough to rank within the league’s 30 They can be bad, they can be awful. They can be boringly average too, best forwards. that’s always a possibility and for the Predators it’s the most likely one as it’s exactly what they are: average. But just as quickly as he arrived into that tier, he vanished from it back to his previous level as an ordinarily strong first-line forward. There’s The teams who seem to have the widest range of possible outcomes are nothing wrong with that, but it’s the difference between being “The Guy” always those teams, the average ones capable of surprising or on a contending core and being a complementary piece on it. Forsberg disappointing. There are many who feel Nashville is a team leaning started to look more like the latter and Nashville’s contender status towards the former trajectory having been in consistent decline since began to fade as a result. peaking with a Stanley Cup final berth in 2017. Part of the issue there is who Forsberg plays with, namely Ryan Last season’s ugly qualifying round loss to Arizona felt like everything Johansen the team’s current first-line center by name, but not value. coming to a crossroads and that’s where we’re at now. The Predators are Nashville acquired him when he was 23 in an attempt to solve this same right on the edge of the playoff bubble and it seems as if their golden problem after seeing him post 71 points at age 22, only for him to settle hour is coming to an end. in as a 60-point center going forward. Just like Forsberg, Johansen showed that elite flash for just a single season, but struggled to sustain it The Projection going forward. The Predators start the year with just a 55 percent chance at making the A capable first-line forward was good enough for Forsberg, especially playoffs, the lowest chance any of my models have ever given them. one with Johansen’s elite passing ability, but Johansen’s utility has been Things are indeed as bleak as they seem in Nashville for a team that has in decline in recent seasons, mainly in terms of driving play. That was a previously been a near playoff lock over the past few seasons. big part of the allure of Nashville’s top line. They almost always got the The team’s chances are over 50 percent and they are on the right side of best of you at five-on-five, earning around 55 percent of the actual and the line, but with how competitive the Central Division should be, the expected goals when playing together. That was always the case for Predators do look vulnerable. It wouldn’t be a shock at all to see either Forsberg, up until last season when the team was only barely above Columbus or Florida overtake them in the standings. average with him on the ice and Johansen seems partially to blame. His on-ice numbers have generally lagged behind Forsberg’s and last At the same time, this is a team that underachieved mightily last season, season his expected goal rate fell under 50 percent for the first time as a had epic goaltending struggles for half the season, and still looked like a Predator. Even together, the duo was under 50 percent, a stark probable playoff bet when the season went on pause. Almost all of their departure from year’s past. players had down years and there’s plenty of room to bounce back. At five-on-five the team’s goal and expected goal stats were nearly identical In 2018-19, that top line had serious defensive issues (though made up to Washington’s, a team many are still very high on, a benefit of doubt for it on offense) and it seems like they sacrificed far too much offense Nashville isn’t being afforded. trying to amend that problem. With Johansen on the ice, the Predators cut 0.32 expected goals against per 60 from the year prior, but also saw There are many signs pointing downward for Nashville’s current roster their expected goals for drop by 0.86 per 60. That naturally led to a big where even the most optimistic wouldn’t call this a contender by any decrease in offense. means. I’m not sure the Predators are done just yet though. This is a roster with some elite talent on defense and a surprising amount of depth The bigger problem last year though might have the top line’s third up front. If some of the top forwards can bounce back, the Predators wheel, Viktor Arvidsson, who fell off a serious cliff, leading to his current might be a more formidable opponent than they’re currently being given 1.4-win rating. He was projected to be worth 2.5 wins at the start of last credit for. season, but actually delivered just 0.55 over 57 games. Forsberg had just a 43 percent expected goals rate with Arvidsson last season and it might The Roster be why the top line only played 125 minutes together last season — for For clarity, each player’s projected win value shown is over a full 82- whatever reason they just weren’t clicking during the regular season. The game pace to better visualize each player’s expected true talent level. trio’s goals percentage results were still great, but the underlying process The team’s simulated record accounts for injuries and expected time suggests that was mostly a mirage. missed using a games played projection. It was all very strange for Arvidsson who was just a season removed The problem with Nashville since, well, the start of the franchise has from looking like one of the league’s best goal scorers, but he stopped always been its lack of elite game-breaking offensive talent. Everyone doing the things that got him there. In each of the past four seasons he knows the team is a regular defenseman factory and has churned out took 11-to-12 shots-per-60 at five-on-five, and averaged one expected some quality netminders too. The list of top forwards that can make an goal per 60 on his own. Last season his shot rate dropped to eight per 60 opposing coach quiver or give a goalie butterflies, however, is almost and his individual expected goal rate followed to just 0.76, both the non-existent. In the team’s entire franchise history, there have only been lowest of his career. If you’re a scorer who’s not scoring and not really two seasons where a player scored over 75 points, both of which were by playing defense, that’s an issue. Paul Kariya about 15 years ago when NHL scoring was at a high. By All that points to a top line that once looked quite strong coming up well point per game he was still outside the league’s top 30 over that two-year below average barring a resurgent season. That’s not exactly out of the stretch. Only two others, Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumont in 2007-08, have question and mostly hinges on Arvidsson finding his 2018-19 gear. There eclipsed 70. is also plenty of reason for hope from the trio’s excellent playoff showing. Others have come close by points per game, but it’s still a pretty pathetic It was just 42 minutes over four games against a weak team where history of offense that’s nearly unrivaled league-wide. Only Arizona, Nashville was often trailing, but the line looked like they were back to Minnesota and Montreal are comparable and that company should really their vintage selves, and then some. Small samples are always fun speak for itself. Though the Predators have got by just fine forging a because the numbers get crazy and that certainly applies here where the defensive identity to combat the issue, it’s part of the reason the team trio carried an 81 percent expected goals percentage against Arizona, has been “fine” and not anything more. outscoring the Coyotes 4-1. That’s pure domination. It’s too bad the team’s other three lines all struggled. If the JOFA line can’t find its past magic, the Predators do have another especially the defensively sound Cousins, that’ll still be very tough to option for the top line and that’s their other $8 million center, Matt replicate. Duchene. He was Forsberg’s second most common linemate last year after Mikael Granlund, but that only encapsulated 41 percent of That’s offset by hopeful bounce-backs in the top six, but also by what Forsberg’s minutes as the lineup blender was spinning far too liberally should be a strong fourth line. Grimaldi is a nifty little player that should last season. That trio was an extremely effective line earning nearly 60 thrive in even easier minutes while both Colton Sissons and Calle percent of the expected and actual goals together, but for some reason Jarnkrok can benefit from being pushed down the lineup. Between the only played 224 minutes together — rarely for any consistent stretch of six, there’s definitely two good lines to be constructed and that all comes time. This visualization from Hockey Viz showing a player’s most down to how all the pieces fit together. Kunin is a guy who mostly just common linemates is one of my favorites and really exemplifies the shoots, so he makes sense next to a speedy passer like Haula and a coaching horror show from last season. There’s absolutely no reason the solid forechecker like Cousins. Sissons also qualifies for that role, but following chart should look like a strangely colored rainbow for a team’s he’s probably better paired with an actual driver with puck skills like best forward. Grimaldi.

Chart via HockeyViz The forward group overall is passable if not mostly unspectacular, and to be honest the same goes for the defense with the obvious exception of The extreme lack of linemate consistency for Forsberg all season is the top pairing. Nashville’s total defensive value ranks fourth in the entire highly unusual and likely played a role in not only him looking less than league, but that’s mostly a result of owning the best defense pair in his usual self, but the rest of the top six too. There’s no flow and no time hockey. The total value of the defense corps is 6.7 and 5.5 of that comes allowed for the players to get in a groove and build chemistry. It puts from Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis, two defensemen the model considers to unneeded pressure on a player to know that if things don’t work out be elite. quickly, things will change quickly. That’s no surprise for Josi after winning the Norris Trophy last season. And that brings up the other problem with Nashville’s treatment of He was the best defenseman in hockey and the engine of this entire Forsberg and its other top forwards: their ice-time. All around the league, team. From a puck-moving perspective Josi’s play was simply a majority of teams play their best forwards 19 or 20 minutes per night, incomparable to any other defender last season as he ranked nearly first sometimes more. They give them over 60 percent of the power-play time. in shots, shot assists, entries, entry percentage, exits, and exit In Nashville only four forwards have earned 19 minutes or more in a percentage. season since 2014-15, the year the team acquired Johansen. Last year Granlund led the team at 17:48 with Forsberg playing just 17:21. That His offensive zone presence, in particular, was incredible where he partially explains why Forsberg has found himself topping out at around somehow not only ranked first in primary shot assists per 60 with three 65 points and even when he earned 64 in 67 games, he still only played more than the next-best defenseman but also second in shots. It’s very 17:28 per game. Forsberg played at a 62-point pace last year, but if he difficult to manage both and in total he had over 30 primary shot earned 20 minutes per night and 65 percent of the team’s power-play contributions per 60 for the season. John Carlson, the next-best time, he would’ve likely scored seven extra points. That’s enough to put defender, had 24. In fact, only five forwards league-wide had more him at a 72-point pace. involvement in a team’s shot generation. It was the same story in terms of actually entering the zone where Josi carried the puck in 76 percent of It all points to the team’s inability to put their best forwards in a position to the time, well ahead of the next-best defender, and did so 20 times per succeed last season and that goes for Duchene too. He was the team’s 60, which was six more than the next best as well. On the zone exit side, big free-agency splash and those expecting him to live up his contract- no one bested his 54 percent controlled exit rate and that no doubt year hype were likely disappointed with a season where he scored at a turned into many of those entries. Josi was an end-to-end machine. 52-point pace. That’s not great, but there was some bad shooting luck there where he scored on under 10 percent of his shots for the first time I can’t remember another defenseman who was that large of a focal point in his career. He was previously a 14.6-percent shooter and he seems to a team’s attack and it of course led to some strong results with a 53 like a bounce-back candidate for next season with that in mind. The lack percent expected goals share and 62 percent of the actual goals. With of minutes, the lineup inconsistency, and the lack of time with the team’s the way he was creating chances, I don’t have too much doubt he drove best winger all play a role too though in what was likely a frustrating first a lot of that offense. The question that’s very difficult to answer is season for Duchene. The organization seems loyal to Johansen, but at whether a team should want a defenseman being that involved given this point putting Duchene next to Forsberg is probably much more their position on the ice relative to the net. It sort of ties in with the team’s optimal considering how the two looked together. Duchene is much more lack of an elite forward too. Josi is sort of forced to be the focal point of gifted with the puck on his stick, especially in transition and is nearly as the offense as the most talented player on the team, but it’s also a good of a playmaker as Johansen. He shoots the puck a fair amount too, possibility that designation cannibalizes opportunity from the forwards to making him less predictable on offense. Duchene is a driver and that’s create their own offense. what the Predators need at the top of the lineup. With Granlund’s Josi’s 53 percent expected goal share is a shade less than Ryan Ellis’s defensive presence on the other side, the team has the makings of a 56 percent though and underscores just how valuable his partner is too. strong first line. Granlund’s return does indeed make a big difference for His transition stats aren’t as strong because, well, Josi got a lot of the the team, even if his production has cratered in Nashville. That potential opportunity, but he still grades out very well in his own right. At five-on- top line takes the defensive pressure off of both Johansen and Arvidsson five his 1.6 points-per-60 was only slightly below Josi’s 1.74 and he’s who seemed to struggle with it last season. generally the primary defensive driver here. He has a lowed expected The top six doesn’t look great overall, but there’s still potential with goals against rate than Josi in each of the last three seasons, though part everyone in the right role and with some positive regression after a down of that may be a result of who the two play with when apart. year. Eeli Tolvanen finally making the team is another X-factor too and As long as that duo is on the ice, the Predators should expect to win he has some offensive upside. The strength of the team’s forward group those matchups. The issue is winning the others and that was a big is not in the top six though, it’s in the bottom six, which looks like it can problem last season. Mattias Ekholm is a man on his own island and be among the league’s very best with the 12th-ranked third line and the spent most of last year babysitting either Dante Fabbro or Jarred Tinordi. second-ranked fourth line. Combined, only three other teams are Ekholm has a history of effective play, but Fabbro sunk that and the pair expected to get more value out of their bottom six than Nashville. was out-chanced and outscored by a considerable degree. Consider that It’s tough to know exactly how the lines play out here (especially with the duo earned a 48 percent expected goals rate together and that Nashville loving to aggressively mix things up) with so many new faces. Fabbro similarly dragged Josi (!) down to 47 percent. That gives a sense The entire third line is brand new with Nick Cousins, Erik Haula, and of what Ekholm was up against. It’s amazing he even ended up above Luke Kunin and while it does appear decent, the Predators will be in break-even and that’s because he somehow coaxed decent numbers out tough replicating the magic created by last year’s third line. Nick Bonino of both Tinordi and Dan Hamhuis, both of whom are gone this season. and Craig Smith are both gone and that’s one of the reasons the Ekholm is a defenseman that can do it all, but asking him to carry Fabbro Predators overall rating dropped from season-to-season. Those two with might be a bridge too far. Optimistically, the 2016 No. 17 pick is only 22 Rocco Grimaldi on the left side were arguably Nashville’s best line last and that was only his first NHL season. To his credit, he’s also already a season and the only one that was generally exempt from the line blender. solid puck-mover. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have many comps who In 400 minutes together that line earned 59 percent of the expected goals carved out top-four value after putting up those kinds of results in their and 73 percent of the actual goals. As good as the new three are, age-21 season. That leaves a pretty sizeable hole in the top four if he can’t figure things out quickly.

Last season the third pair was generally a bad vibe all around. Hamhuis looked mostly fine, but every other defender had an expected goals rate under 47 percent. Considering how sheltered the third pair is in Nashville, they should be doing significantly better. With Mark Borowiecki and especially Matt Benning, the team looks much improved in that regard as both grade out above replacement level (all of the team’s options last year were well below as the result of struggling in easy minutes). Benning has a history of crushing cushy minutes and it wouldn’t shock me to see him slide up next to Ekholm if Fabbro can’t cut it. Borowiecki’s on-ice results may not look promising, but he played shockingly difficult minutes in Ottawa and should look much better here in a sheltered role. It’s an average third pairing which is a big step up from usual.

The usual in Nashville generally means great goaltending behind a strong defense, but that wasn’t the case last season for the first half of the year and that was the biggest reason the team struggled early on. The Predators couldn’t buy a save under coach Peter Laviolette. From the start of the season until the day he got fired, Pekka Rinne allowed 15 goals above expected in 25 games while Juuse Saros allowed 11 in 21. It didn’t matter who was in net. They both looked like shooter tutors. It’s very difficult winning with that kind of goaltending and it’s impressive the Predators even had a 90-point pace given those circumstances.

That may have been on coaching, but those numbers were so bad they were bound to turn around given the goalie’s previous results. That’s exactly what happened for Saros. His progression has been a slow burn, but after last season he’s finally entrenched himself as the team’s starting goalie after an incredible second half where he saved 13 goals above expected in his final 19 games, the second-best mark in the league behind only Connor Hellebuyck and enough to make him positive for the year. That was off the strength of a .935 save percentage and he finished the year with a .915. Rinne on the other hand kept on bleeding and finished the year with the third-worst goals saved rate at minus-21. This is very much Saros’s net now and he grades out pretty well here, ranking 19th in goals saved over the last two seasons.

His continued progression (and limiting Rinne’s starts) is very important to the team’s bottom line this year. That’s obvious for any team, but especially so for a team with an average, unassuming offence. We saw how that played out for Nashville last season and the Predators can’t afford a repeat.

They only have so many chances left with this core and though the odds are against them suddenly returning to their previous form, the Predators really aren’t that far removed from greatness. Last season was a year where a lot went wrong for them and it’s possible that was only a sign of things to come. If you squint hard enough though, it’s not that difficult to see a year where everything goes right again, close to their old normal. With the team as currently constructed, somewhere in the middle is still the most likely though.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197642 New Jersey Devils

Devils’ Nico Hischier to miss start of camp after suffering injury while training

Updated Dec 30, 2020; Posted Dec 30, 2020

By Chris Ryan

The Devils will be on the ice for the start of training camp in a matter of days, but Nico Hischier won’t be with them.

NJ Advance Media confirmed that Hischier suffered a leg injury in early December while training in Switzerland, and he will be sidelined for at least the start of the preseason, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported. It’s unclear if he’ll be ready when the Devils open the regular season on Jan. 14.

Hischier did not need surgery following the injury, and it is not viewed as a long-term issue. He is considered day-to-day/week-to-week. He is already in New Jersey after traveling earlier this month.

After playing in all 82 games as a rookie in 2017-18, Hischier has missed time due to injuries each of the past two seasons. He played in 69 games in 2018-19 and 58 games in 2019-20.

If Hischier does need to miss the start of the regular season, the Devils will need to shuffle their center depth chart to replace their presumed No. 1 center.

Jack Hughes and Travis Zajac were the two players who were most likely going to compete for the No. 2 center spot, so they would likely take the middle on the top two lines without Hischier.

Pavel Zacha can serve as the Devils’ third center, and the team has a variety of prospects capable of taking the fourth spot. Michael McLeod, Nick Merkley and Brett Seney all have experience at center in the AHL, and all three have played at least a handful of games at center in the NHL.

Star Ledger LOADED: 1197643 New York Islanders

Lamoriello: We Have High Hopes for Noah Dobson

Published 14 hours ago on January 1, 2021By Christian Arnold Noah Dobson

Noah Dobson will have plenty of expectations on him when the 2020-21 season begins in 12 days.

The 20-year-old defenseman will be taking the place of the departed Devon Toews, who was dealt in October to the Colorado Avalanche. At the time, New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters that he wouldn’t have made the deal with Colorado if he wasn’t confident Dobson could step up in Toews’ place.

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Lamoriello doubled down on that confidence on Thursday during his pre- training camp media availability.

“We have certainly high hopes for him, but he has high hopes for himself,” Lamoriello said about Dobson. “He’s a tremendously talented young man who has something you can’t teach, and that’s hockey sense. We’ll just have to wait and see how things go and how the grind of every night affects him. He’s prepared for it and he’s ready for it.

“We feel that he should be a regular player in the lineup and a difference player.”

Head coach Barry Trotz likely won’t throw Noah Dobson into the fire right off the bat. Dobson was limited to 12:55 during his lone appearance in the Islanders’ playoff run last summer.

Dobson was also a regular in the lineup following the injury to Adam Pelech in January. He appeared in 34 games in Pelech’s place and averaged 13:17 of ice time.

Lamoriello said on Thursday that the organization felt that Dobson benefited a lot from his time with the team and working with the veteran players during the regular season and in the playoff bubble.

“what helped him tremendously, in my opinion, was being in the bubble and working every day,” Lamoriello said. “Players took a day off here or there and (Dobson) could be in a full practice 100 percent. I thought he left on a great note getting in and playing the way he did in the last game that he played.”

The other benefit that Noah Dobson will have is being able to learn from the likes of Andy Greene. Lamoriello confirmed during Thursday’s call that Greene, along with Matt Martin and Cory Schneider, had agreed to terms on a new deal and would be at training camp on Sunday.

Greene worked with Dobson during summer camp prior to the start of the playoffs and the two will likely be paired with one another for the start of the new season.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197644 New York Rangers forces, border restrictions and ongoing questions about the morality of playing sports in a world at war.

ImageFrank Calder, the N.H.L. president until his death in 1943, guided Upcoming N.H.L. Season Will Have Flashes of Other Difficult Eras the league through wartime seasons.

In 1940, after the Canadian government passed a new mobilization act, all able-bodied men aged 21 to 45 were required to complete 30 days of By Stephen Smith military training. N.H.L. players were permitted to do theirs before the season started, and the Montreal Canadiens joined a militia unit en Jan. 1, 2021 masse, the local 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars.

In the summer of 1942, just months after the United States joined the The first time a pandemic halted a professional hockey season was in fight, it seemed that the Canadian government would finally determine 1919, when an outbreak of the Spanish flu ended the Stanley Cup finals that pro hockey was more of a distraction than the war effort could afford. before a champion could be crowned. Just days after the cancellation, Calder made the case for continuing. Prospects were bleak, he was led Montreal Canadiens defenseman Joe Hall, who had played in the finals, to understand. But Elliott M. Little, director of Canada’s Selective Service, died in a Seattle hospital of pneumonia related to the flu. He was 37. acknowledged the value of maintaining the N.H.L. in some form. “Or A century later, amid the dread of the coronavirus pandemic, the N.H.L. else,” he told The Canadian Press, “we would face the problem of did what hockey authorities couldn’t do back then, recalibrating after a replacing what it at present means to hundreds of thousands of shutdown to finish the 2019-20 campaign in two Canadian bubbles, with Canadians in entertainment and maintenance of morale.” the Tampa Bay Lightning winning the Stanley Cup in September. The season proceeded, with adjustments. Roster sizes were reduced Now, as the N.H.L. prepares for the mid-January start of a second from 15 to 14, and the league no longer required teams to dress a season that will be impacted by the virus, crises and contingencies echo minimum of 12 players for every game. Overtime was abolished, too, in from deep in the league’s 103-year history. order to get traveling teams out of rinks on time, in deference to wartime restrictions on delaying or rescheduling trains. If all goes according to plan, the N.H.L. will play a 56-game schedule — rather than the usual 82 — that will go through May, with playoffs to “Every sport is experiencing war problems, and hockey has by far the follow. The Stanley Cup is slated to be awarded no later than July 9. The toughest going of all,” Rangers General Manager Lester Patrick said league said it hoped to start the 2021-22 season as usual, in October. early that season in an interview with The New York Daily News. He had his eye on the big picture at the time, but he was also sizing up his With the league’s 31 teams realigned to eliminate cross-border travel team’s straitened competitive circumstances. during the regular season, the N.H.L. will, for the first time in its history, have every Canadian team, all seven of them, alone in one division. There were, that fall, 74 N.H.L. players on active service with the U.S. and Canadian armed forces. The men recruited to replace them on the There is something of a precedent for that: Starting in 1926, when the ice weren’t always top talents. Rangers made their debut, and lasting through 1938, the N.H.L. split its teams into Canadian and American divisions. But to balance the The Rangers, Patrick argued, had suffered more than most, having lost numbers, the Canadian division accommodated the New York Americans nine regulars from the previous season’s squad. “We’re about all out of and the St. Louis Eagles. players,” he said.

In the 1970s, the upstart World Hockey Association featured a truly all- More and more players were called to the colors, or volunteered to serve, Canadian division for two of its seven seasons, with as many as six as the war went on. They included some of the league’s brightest stars, teams. Not everybody was enthusiastic about it: Owners of the W.H.A.’s like the Leafs captain Syl Apps (Canadian Army), Boston goaltender nine teams based in the United States during those two seasons feared Frank Brimsek (U.S. Coast Guard), and the Bruins’ entire first line of Milt that the arrangement might lead to secession and an exclusively Schmidt, Bobby Bauer and Woody Dumart (Royal Canadian Air Force). Canadian league. For the season starting this month, the N.H.L. will reflect the times in While that didn’t transpire, when the W.H.A. merged with the N.H.L. in much smaller ways. 1979, three of the four teams the N.H.L. absorbed were based in Canada: the Quebec Nordiques, the Edmonton Oilers and the Winnipeg Rosters will be altered, for instance — although this time, instead of Jets. contracting, league lineups will expand. Each team will carry a taxi squad of four to six players to facilitate replacing injured players without call-ups Like everything else in the past 10 months, a new N.H.L. season will having to go into quarantine. begin amid lurking doubts. Many of the other shifts in operating procedures have become common In that, it recalls the era when the upheaval of World War II whittled during the coronavirus pandemic. Coaches will be required to wear rosters and raised questions of whether the league should carry on at all. masks while patrolling their benches. If need be, teams will temporarily relocate to neutral arenas in cities not their own. In 1939, when Canada went to war, five of the seven N.H.L. teams were based in the U.S., but hockey still predominantly ran on Canadian fuel: As for fans, several U.S. teams, including the Arizona Coyotes, hope to That season, 90 percent of the players had been born north of the accommodate reduced crowds in their arenas, but current health border. regulations won’t allow any spectators in Canada.

The New Orleans Saints’ star running back, Alvin Kamara, is placed on New York Times LOADED: 01.02.2021 the N.F.L.’s Covid reserve list.

Virginia State Senator Ben Chafin has died from Covid-19-related causes.

Trump left town, but New Year’s festivities continued at Mar-a-Lago, indoors and without masks.

The first wartime season carried on more or less as usual, with some notable modifications. The Toronto Maple Leafs, for example, incorporated a course on firing machine-guns into their preseason training regimen. The following spring, the Rangers collected the 1940 Stanley Cup.

From there, things got increasingly difficult. Before his death in 1943, N.H.L. President Frank Calder navigated the league through complications like limited manpower as players entered the armed 1197645 Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators have been thrilled with what they've seen from Tim Stuetzle at juniors

Bruce Garrioch

Publishing date:Jan 01, 2021

Tim Stuetzle isn’t even at Senators training camp, but he’s the talk of the town.

The Ottawa Senators’ No. 3 overall selection in the NHL draft in October will lead Team Germany into its quarterfinal on Saturday against Russia at the world junior championship in Edmonton, but his efforts at the tournament have been nothing short of brilliant.

Stuetzle had two goals and three assists in a 5-4 victory over Switzerland on Wednesday night.

Speaking to reporters on a Zoom call Friday after wrapping up the skates at the Canadian Tire Centre, Senators head coach D.J. Smith noted he was impressed with what he’s seen from Stuetzle, who has 10 points in four games.

“He’s a special player and when you see a special player play, that’s why (they are) drafted first, second or third overall. They’re franchise- changers sometimes,” Smith said. “When you watch that kid out there, playing against his peers and what he can do, it’s incredible.

“It’s just a matter of strength and confidence because the NHL is full of first, second or third overall picks and there’s still people watching who expect him to come here and do that right away. They don’t realize that these are the best defenders and the best players in the world. You’ll be out there against Auston Matthews, Bo Horvat and all these players on a nightly basis that have been through this process.

“He’s still going to have some growing pains, but a finished product Tim Stuetzle looks like one heck of a hockey player.”

And that’s why GM Pierre Dorion was also trying to temper expectations when he spoke to reporters Thursday.

Stuetzle will start on the wing, but Smith hasn’t quite settled on his lines.

“The world junior is one thing, the DEL (Germany’s top league) is another” Dorion said. “But his development and for him to be the best player he can be, I think it’s more of a D.J. question. We talked about that this morning and I think, for the first year, he’ll probably be playing more left wing than centre.”

“But he’s got a lot of traits of a centre as far as his ability to generate plays off the fly, how he carries the puck a lot and how he gains the zone. If you look at his analytic numbers, they’re off the charts as far as puck possession. He’s got a lot of great qualities of a centre, and also what comes with that is play away from the puck and defensive responsibilities. As much as he’s definitely got high NHL talent, away from the puck there’s still work to be done.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197646 Ottawa Senators that’s been with their group for a while because they know what to expect and they know a lot of things they do that they can hit the ground running.

GARRIOCH: Coach D.J. Smith is confident there will be plenty of “We have so many new pieces, but as we continue this journey and competition for jobs at Senators' camp continue to get better, you’re just going to plug pieces in. Everybody knows I always talk about the Boston Bruins and how they’ve been good for a long time because they just plugged players in and kept chugging along. That’s what we’re trying to be.” Bruce Garrioch That’s why Smith plans to split his groups into an Ottawa and Belleville Publishing date:Jan 01, 2021 group by late next week. That doesn’t mean players won’t shuttle back and forth for intra-squad games and scrimmages during camp.

The Ottawa Senators will ring in the new year by holding their first scrimmage at training camp Saturday. “Competitiveness is the No. 1 thing I’m looking for at this point in our And by this time next week, coach D.J. Smith and his staff are hopeful rebuild,” he said. “You have to be ultra-competitive, and in order to do they’ll be in a position to make decisions with general manager Pierre that you have to be in really good shape. The guys that check off the Dorion and the rest of the hockey operations staff on what much of the boxes as the best-conditioned players, then we move to Stage 2 and see roster will look like when the season gets underway Jan. 15 against the what you do in the scrimmages and practices. Toronto Maple Leafs at the Canadian Tire Centre. “It’s not going to be like other years where you get three to four weeks to Of course, decisions will be a little more difficult without any exhibition make a decision. You’re going to have to make a decision based on games to help make judgments, but in speaking with reporters on a practice. Some of our young kids who were really good in the AHL and Zoom call Friday afternoon Smith echoed Dorion’s comments that the had good games up here, we’re going to have to trust the coaches (in club’s young prospects will be given every opportunity to show they Belleville) for their development, but to this point all the young kids have belong at this level. looked great.”

“When you make a young guy earn their spot, it gives you a better Ottawa Sun LOADED: 01.02.2021 chance that guy’s not going to up-and-down and up-and-down or you put him on the team because you think it’s his time and the league eats him up,” said Smith. “So, if a young player outplays a veteran player and takes his job, then the likelihood is he’s ready.

“Sometimes when you see a young guy given a job, the guy gets here and it’s overwhelming, and 15 to 20 games in you’re bringing a veteran in to do that job and the kid goes back to the AHL. Pierre has done a really nice job of bringing in older players that know the league. If our younger players are ready to take their job and run with it every day they’re going to play. Regardless of what happens, we’re going to have the most rookies in Canadian division.”

And that’s what seems to be lost in all this talk about the Senators acquiring veteran centre Derek Stepan from the Coyotes along with forward Cedric Paquette and defenceman Braydon Coburn in a deal with Tampa last week. These guys were brought in to help the young players and push them. It’s called competition.

Those three veterans haven’t been on the ice yet because Stepan’s still in Arizona after his wife, Stephanie, gave birth to the couple’s third child. Paquette and Coburn have arrived from Tampa, but are in self-isolation until early next week. Their arrival in camp will allow Smith to settle on some lines and defensive pairings.

Logan Brown on the ice at the Ottawa Senators' training camp on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021. Matt Tidcombe, OSHC

“There’s no real set lines. We’ll have to see what we’ve got when we’ve got everybody together,” said Smith, who added No. 3 pick Tim Stuetzle also needs to be inserted when his stint with Team Germany at the world juniors is over.

The first couple of days were focused on conditioning and having scrimmages will get the staff a chance to start seeing where all the pieces Dorion has brought in fit. A shortened season means the club needs to have depth and the organization has done a good job in that area with the changes made in the last nine months.

Smith has been pleased with the way everybody showed up to camp.

“The guys we’ve brought in, the veterans, not shockingly, it’s just good to see, and for the young guys to see, what it takes to stay in the NHL and continue to be competitive,” said Smith. “These guys that have been away a long time have put the work in. These guys have come ready and they’re some of the best-conditioned guys at camp at this point.”

The key to all of this with little time to prepare and a lot of new faces is to make sure the organization uses its time on the ice wisely.

“You can’t touch everything, and you have so many new bodies, so with no exhibition games you’ve really got to use these practices to get your systems and get your faceoffs because there’s so many little things that go into it,” Smith said. “That’s probably the advantage of having a coach 1197647 Philadelphia Flyers

Report: Flyers to play Boston in outdoor game in Lake Tahoe on Feb. 21

by Sam Carchidi,

Report: Flyers to play Boston in outdoor game in Lake Tahoe on Feb. 21

The Flyers’ 56-game schedule will include a twist: an outdoor game in Nevada against the Boston Bruins on Feb. 21.

It will be part of a two-game “Outdoor Weekend” showcase in Lake Tahoe, according to Sportsnet in Canada. The other game: Colorado vs. Vegas on Feb. 20.

Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher did not respond when asked for confirmation in a text message.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the picturesque Edgewood Tahoe Resort, home of a popular celebrity golf tournament, will host the games. They will be held around the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes. Fans will not attend, the report said.

This would be the Flyers’ fifth outdoor game in their history and their second against Boston. They lost to the Bruins in overtime, 2-1, in the Winter Classic at Fenway Park in 2010.

The Flyers are 1-2-1 in outdoor games, with a dramatic 4-3 overtime win over visiting Pittsburgh in 2019. In that game, the Flyers scored two goals with their goalie pulled to tie the score, 3-3, then won in overtime on Claude Giroux’s goal before 69,620 fans at rainy, percolating .

Since 2003, the NHL has had 30 regular-season outdoor games, including three last season.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197648 Philadelphia Flyers Teams can carry 23 players and, because of COVID-19, have a taxi squad that includes four to six players. The Flyers will probably carry 29 players, and they will practice and travel with the team.

Five burning questions facing Flyers as abbreviated training camp begins Morgan Frost, Samuel Morin, Connor Bunnaman, Linus Sandin, Carsen | Sam Carchidi Twarynski, Tanner Laczynski, Wade Allison, and Mark Friedman are among the players fighting for roster and taxi-squad spots. Morin is intriguing as he tries to make the switch from defenseman to left winger. Alex Lyon appears to be set as the No. 3 goalie and figures to be on the by Sam Carchidi, taxi squad. Each team must carry three goalies.

4. Who will become Ivan Provorov’s partner on the top defensive pairing? Buckle up. The NHL season is coming at you. Fast. Phil Myers makes the most sense to fill the spot vacated by Matt The Flyers will begin the on-ice portion of their shortened training camp Niskanen’s retirement. Myers is right-handed, he showed last season he Monday at their Voorhees training facility. Nine days later, the 56-game could play against big-time forwards, and he has the size (6-foot-5, 215 season will start. pounds) to hand out punishment.

There won’t be much time for NHL coaches to make lineup decisions in That said, it’s worth noting that Fletcher recently said he liked the camp, causing more experimentation in the season’s first month. For the chemistry Myers and Travis Sanheim developed on the second pairing Flyers, coming off an impressive 41-21-7 season in which they earned last season. Maybe it was an innocent comment. Or maybe in their first playoff series victory since 2012, that will be especially evident discussions with head coach Alain Vigneault, they are against breaking on defense. up the No. 2 duo.

Here are five burning questions Flyers coaches will try to answer during If the second-pairing defenders remain together, that would make Erik camp: Gustafsson and Justin Braun the only defensemen who could be paired with Provorov if Vigneault decided he wants a right-side defender on that Left winger Oskar Lindblom (left, behind the net) and center Nolan unit. (Gustafsson is left-handed, but he has played primarily the right side Patrick (right), shown in a game two years ago, are key players as the over the last three seasons.) If Vigneault decides he doesn’t mind having Flyers try to build off a much-improved 2019-20 season. two lefties together, that would make Sanheim a candidate to be paired with Provorov. Left winger Oskar Lindblom (left, behind the net) and center Nolan Patrick (right), shown in a game two years ago, are key players as the Sean Couturier (center), shown celebrating his goal with Travis Konecny Flyers try to build off a much-improved 2019-20 season. (left) and Claude Giroux in a game against Dallas last season, will again anchor the Flyers' top line. For the second straight year, Couturier won 1. Will Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom be healthy enough to the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team's MVP last season. contribute? Sean Couturier (center), shown celebrating his goal with Travis Konecny This is the most important question in camp. And positive vibes are (left) and Claude Giroux in a game against Dallas last season, will again emanating. anchor the Flyers' top line. For the second straight year, Couturier won Patrick missed all last season because of a migraine disorder, but he has the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team's MVP last season. been skating during informal workouts in Voorhees and, from all 5. What will the lines and defensive pairings look like? accounts, looking good and sleeping better. If healthy, he is penciled in as the third-line center and he will get more favorable matchups than A shortened camp works against any prospects’ cracking the lineup when he was on the second line (before Kevin Hayes’ arrival) two unless there are injuries. The Flyers will have an advantage over a lot of seasons ago. teams because they didn’t make many offseason changes, so they can go with familiar lines and pairings because they already have chemistry. Lindblom was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer last December and, after grueling chemotherapy treatments, returned and played in the final That’s one of the reasons Vigneault might keep Sanheim and Myers as two playoff games. He has been given a clean bill of health, and the the No. 2 defensive pairing and try someone else with Provorov. Flyers are hoping he returns to the form he displayed early last season, when he shared the team lead with 11 goals before his diagnosis. It should be noted, however, that lines and pairings figure to be more fluid than usual in the season’s first month. With a shortened camp, there New Flyers defenseman Erik Gustafsson skating in Voorhees on Dec. won’t be as much time to experiment with combinations. To some extent, 23. He might be on one of the team's power-play units. the early part of the season will be used for that.

ZACK HILL/FLYERS When all the dust settles, this could be the Flyers’ lineup:

New Flyers defenseman Erik Gustafsson skating in Voorhees on Dec. Line 1: Sean Couturier centering Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny. 23. He might be on one of the team's power-play units. Line 2: Hayes centering Lindblom and Jake Voracek. 2. How do the Flyers fix their power play, which was broken in the playoffs? Line 3: Patrick centering James van Riemsdyk and Joel Farabee.

Adding a free-agent sniper such as Mike Hoffman would have helped, Line 4: Scott Laughton centering Michael Raffl and Nic Aube-Kubel. but GM Chuck Fletcher bypassed the winger, who signed a tryout If Patrick is healthy and blossoms, center would clearly be the Flyers’ contract with St. Louis and is expected to stay there. strength. They also have versatility because Giroux can shift from left Patrick and Lindblom could help the power play, and newcomer Erik wing to center if needed. The Flyers were seventh in the NHL in goals Gustafsson might get time on the second unit. per game (3.29) last season, and that was without Patrick for the entire year and without Lindblom for 39 of the 69 games. And keep an eye on It will be interesting to see if Michel Therrien, the power-play coach, Farabee; he showed lots of promise as a rookie and could blossom. juggles the units or makes some strategic changes that make the Flyers less predictable. The power play was much improved in the regular Defense 1: Provorov and Myers. season, going from tied for 22nd in the NHL the previous year (17.1%) to Defense 2: Sanheim and Gustafsson. 14th (20.8%). But it was awful in the postseason (4-for-52, 7.7%), including 0-for-13 against the Islanders, with just 11 shots on goal — and Defense 3: Shayne Gostisbehere or Robert Hagg and Braun. that was a big reason they lost that conference semifinal in seven games. The defense, which was tied for No. 7 (with Stanley Cup-champion 3. Will any of the team’s prospects crack the opening-night roster, and Tampa Bay) in the NHL as it allowed 2.77 goals per game last season, which ones will be on the taxi squad? will probably take a step backward because of Niskanen’s retirement. That said, Fletcher should have enough cap space to add a veteran defenseman at the April 12 trade deadline, if needed. It’ll be interesting to see how Gostisbehere, 27, looks now that he is healthy. Can he regain the form that produced 65 points in 2017-18 and made him an ultra-dangerous player on the power play?

Any defensive shortcomings that arise because of Niskanen’s departure could be offset by goalie Carter Hart. With a year of experience behind him, he figures to cover up defensive mistakes even better than last season.

Goalie 1: Hart.

Goalie 2: Brian Elliott.

In his first full NHL season, Hart did not disappoint. He was good in the regular season and even better in the playoffs. He has the reflexes, composure, and talent to be among the league’s elite — and when is the last time you could say that about a Flyers goaltender?

Elliott is a very capable backup, and, with a condensed schedule, he figures to get at least 15 of the 56 starts. That would give Hart 73% and Elliott 27% of the games.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197649 Philadelphia Flyers work.” … Couturier said defenseman Phil Myers was around 180 pounds when he first met him five years ago. And now? “He’s a monster – 6-4, 6- JOBS 5 and 220. He’s grown into becoming a man and he skates well and has a good shot. I think with the year of experience, he’s just going to get Sean Couturier recalls past, says fast start is imperative in shortened better and better and he’s got all the tools to become a pretty special D- NHL season man in this league” down the road. ... Myers, who turns 24 on Jan. 25, is among the candidates to play on the top pairing with Ivan Provorov.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.02.2021 by Sam Carchidi,

Sean Couturier recalls past, says fast start is imperative in shortened NHL season

To climb to the next level, the Flyers must get off to a quick start and build off that momentum -- and avoid what happened to them in a shortened season eight years ago.

That’s the assessment of veteran center Sean Couturier, and since he is the team’s reigning two-time MVP (Bobby Clarke Trophy winner) and one of its most insightful players, his opinion should carry a lot of clout.

“First of all, we need to get off to a good start, especially with a shortened season,” Couturier, who won his first Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward last season, said in a Webex call with reporters Monday. “I had gone through it in the lockout year. We had a good team, but we just got off to a poor start and couldn’t make up ground in time to make the playoffs. Once you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen. That’s another part of our game where we’ll have to take another step as the year goes on.”

Couturier was referring to the 2012-13 lockout-delayed season, when the Flyers went 23-22-3 in a 48-game campaign and missed the playoffs after a 2-6 start. That was the season coach Peter Laviolette used goalie Ilya Bryzgalov in 22 straight games because he didn’t have a reliable backup.

In the pandemic-shortened 2021 season, teams will play 56-game schedules starting Jan. 13, when the Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“If you come out of the gates with a poor start after 10, 15 games, there’s not many games to catch up,” said Couturier, who is preparing for his 10th NHL season.

Because the team made few offseason changes and has the same returning coaching staff, it should enable the condensed training camp -- on-ice sessions will run Jan. 4-12 -- to run smoother, Couturier said.

Winning a playoff round last season will also help, especially for the young players who saw what it takes to move on, Couturier said.

Couturier, 28, said playing home games at the Wells Fargo Center, instead of a “bubble” like they did in the postseason, will enable players to get on a “somewhat more normal schedule.” It will also enable him to spend time with his infant daughter, Ella, who was born July 23, three days before the Flyers headed to their Eastern Conference hub city, Toronto.

“It’ll be a lot better for me and the guys with families,” he said.

The Flyers will play their seven East Division rivals eight times apiece.

“Every game is more important because you’re playing within your division and you’re playing for the same playoff spot every night, basically. There’s probably more value to each game,” he said. “It’s going to be a little bit different, but like I said, it’s going to be important to get off to a good start. … It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be fun. There’s going to be some rivalries that will build up.”

Couturier said center Nolan Patrick, who missed last season with a migraine disorder, has been skating well and “looks good” in informal sessions in Voorhees. “We’re excited to have him back and he could be a big asset for us this year.”

Camp opens with medical and fitness testing Sunday.

Breakaways

Couturier called defenseman Erik Gustafsson a “great addition” but said the Flyers would miss Matt Niskanen’s leadership and veteran play. … There was a positive side to the COVID-19 restrictions: Couturier said he was able to spend a lot of time at home with his family. “I took advantage of that,” he said, “and now I’m excited to get back here and get back to 1197650 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers playing intriguing new outdoor game this year

by Adam Hermann

We're only 10 hours into 2021, but the new year is bringing all kinds of surprises, like a fascinating new series of outdoor NHL games.

And the Flyers are reportedly involved.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the league is holding a two- day, two-game outdoor showcase at Lake Tahoe on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21, and the Flyers are one of the four teams involved in the series. Yes, really!

NBC10 Philadelphia has since confirmed the report.

From Sportsnet's report:

"According to multiple sources, the NHL is beginning its Mystery, Alaska experiment, with four teams as part of a unique two-game, two-day “Outdoor Weekend” showcase at Lake Tahoe. Edgewood Tahoe Resort, home of the popular celebrity golf tournament, is hosting these games, which will be played around the 16th, 17th and 18th holes.

"It is, at this point, a one-year project, but if it works, the NHL may consider making off-beat, “natural wilderness,” picturesque locations a regular occurrence. Whatever the case, this has a chance to be a special look in a challenging season."

Jeez, that sounds amazing.

The Flyers will face the Bruins and the other game in the showcase will be the Avalanche vs. the Golden Knights, according to Sportsnet.

Considering the outdoorsy roots of the game, any time the NHL can put a hockey game outside, it should do so. And putting the game in new locales is a definite plus, particularly when they're as gorgeous as Lake Tahoe.

Here's a view from the Edgewood Tahoe Resort Golf Course on Google Maps, for reference:

Yeah, that sort of backdrop will do just fine.

The orange and black have been involved in four outdoor games in franchise history: a 2-1 loss to the Bruins in the 2010 Winter Classic, a 3- 2 loss to the Rangers in the 2012 Winter Classic, a 4-2 loss to the Penguins in the 2017 Stadium Series, and a 4-3 win over the Penguins in the 2019 Stadium Series.

The Flyers open the regular season Jan. 13 at home against the Penguins. Buckle up.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197651 Philadelphia Flyers “(Vigneault) told me about the lack of — in the playoffs, especially against the Islanders — the lack of physicality, that the boys, the guys were kind of getting pushed around, even against Montreal,” Morin said of the meeting in October when the head coach first proposed the idea. Samuel Morin, forward? Flyers committed to giving position change a “They kind of need a guy to answer that.” real shot Unsurprisingly, Fletcher concurred, also arguing that the playoffs are a different animal.

By Charlie O'Connor Jan 1, 2021 “I think you see it in the playoffs, size is an important element of winning,” he said. “Having a physical component to your lineup is incredibly

important. There’s certainly a lot of teams in our division that are big, With just hours remaining in 2020 — the most “different” calendar year in physical teams. We think this will help us in that regard. so many ways — the Philadelphia Flyers offered up a slice of normality: “Sam is a big man. He can skate. He can shoot the puck. Obviously, he an interview session with a player who’s looking to make the big club at understands the game defensively, which is a big part of the game as training camp next week. well when you’re playing in a bottom-six role.” “Forward Samuel Morin,” Flyers Director of Public Relations Joe Siville Will that be enough to help turn Morin into a useful depth forward? The announced to reporters on the video conference call as Morin’s smiling Flyers will soon find out. face appeared on the screen for all to see. How serious are the Flyers about this? Wait, what? Forward Samuel Morin? Didn’t they mean defenseman — the position Morin has played since junior hockey, when he excelled In short: They’re pretty serious about giving Morin a shot. This isn’t a enough to be drafted 11th overall by Philadelphia in 2013? publicity stunt, or a way to artificially keep a young player’s hopes high.

Nope. General manager Chuck Fletcher proved 2020 could deliver one My understanding is that Morin will have a real chance to crack the 23- last unexpected piece of news, though this one landed on the “intriguing man opening night roster, presumably as the 13th forward if all 12 and fun” side of the scale rather than the all-too-familiar soul-crushing projected players for the lineup (including Nolan Patrick, who, of course, end: Morin will enter training camp at a new position — left wing — in an is the biggest question mark) are good to go. But even if Morin doesn’t attempt to give the 25-year-old a better chance to make an impact for the make the roster out of camp, he’s essentially a lock for the six-man taxi Flyers after two consecutive ACL tears that ground his development to a squad that will practice in Voorhees, N.J., and would be just a quick halt. paper transaction away from playing in a game.

“He hasn’t played a lot of hockey (over the past three years),” Fletcher Expect the taxi squad to be used as something of a revolving door for acknowledged. “He wants to do whatever he can to play. I think this is an bottom-of-the-lineup players, at least to start the season. Morin would opportunity for him to get ice time and be with our club.” have to clear waivers to be placed on the taxi squad, but there’s little concern he won’t clear. It was already unlikely another team would claim Why are the Flyers moving Morin to wing? a 25-year-old defenseman with little-to-no NHL experience who’s coming Fletcher and Morin made it clear Thursday this wasn’t an impulsive off two ACL tears in the same knee; it’s a near-impossibility a team would decision on the eve of training camp. Morin has been preparing to play claim such a player who’s also in the process of learning a new position. left wing in 2020-21 since October, when the team first presented him So Morin will essentially be in a 25- or 26-skater group (not including with the idea. The impetus behind the suggestion was the front office’s goalies) in the mix to start on a nightly basis. Will he be gifted a spot on long-held belief that the lineup needed a physical, intimidating presence. the fourth line? Of course not. But he’s also not going to be ignored by “I think this was an idea that AV (head coach Alain Vigneault) and the coaching staff when they fill out the lineup cards. It’s not hard to (assistant coach) Ian Laperriere had,” Fletcher said. “I think certainly envision Vigneault deciding the team could use a physical presence having a little bit more size and physicality up front is an area we felt we against a specific opponent, or in the second game of a back-to-back needed to address. You’re looking for players to bring that element and after the first game got especially testy, and sending Morin out there. play.” Remember: This is a reaction to a problem they identified and have been discussing internally for months. Morin wasn’t going to play much on defense this season. Setting aside the fact that returning to play NHL-caliber defense after appearing in just The Flyers did poke around this offseason attempting to find a physically 28 pro games over the past three seasons would be incredibly difficult for imposing forward, but they couldn’t acquire one at an acceptable price a player who hadn’t proven he was a true-talent NHLer at the position point who also doubled as a useful player, according to a source. when healthy, cracking the blue-line depth chart was shaping up to be a Instead, they’ve decided to try and construct one — notably, by asking Herculean challenge. The Flyers look poised to have eight defensemen Morin to emulate the style of one of the few unrestricted free agents who on their opening night roster — Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, Philippe fits that mold. Myers, Justin Braun, Erik Gustafsson, Shayne Gostisbehere, Robert “I looked at some guys that I want to copy (their) game,” Morin said when Hägg and Mark Friedman, who is no longer waiver exempt and will be asked how he’s preparing for the position shift. “The big guy I copy and given every chance to make the team at camp. That’s not even watch a lot of his clips, even right now I watch (him) every day, 20 accounting for fast-rising prospect Egor Zamula or quad-A types such as minutes a day, is Matt Martin from the Islanders. Really simple game. unrestricted free-agent signing Derrick Pouliot and returnee Tyler Really, really simple and really efficient. The puck is always behind the Wotherspoon. D-man and he always finishes his hit. His shifts are honestly like 30 In other words, it was easy to imagine Morin buried on the defense depth seconds (long); then he just (goes on a) change and (Mathew) Barzal is chart. After all, how could the Flyers trust him to play 15 or 16 minutes a on the ice, and they are (immediately) buzzing in the offensive zone night, especially over far more proven options? With the immediate future because of just the little details (Martin) does.” of the American Hockey League in question and potentially not an option So why didn’t the Flyers just sign Martin, then? The general feeling in for playing time, 2020-21 was shaping up be yet another lost season of NHL circles is that even though he’s technically an unrestricted free development for Morin as a defenseman. agent, Martin remains committed to re-signing with the Islanders once The situation at forward is a bit different. For starters, the Flyers don’t they’ve finalized their salary cap situation and signed Barzal, a restricted have a forward who fits Morin’s theoretical archetype, even if they are free agent, to a lucrative extension. But through Morin’s comments, it’s teeming with quality young depth at the position; Carsen Twarynski is clear the Flyers felt like they needed a Matt Martin-type, and if they probably the closest to possessing Morin’s physical upside, and he’s couldn’t get him, the best move was to have their biggest, toughest nowhere near as imposing. Second, it’s far easier to shelter and limit the internal piece try to copy him. minutes of a forward than a defenseman. If you’re the Flyers, and you All signs are pointing to Morin playing a real role for the Flyers in 2020- feel you need someone with Morin’s playing style in the lineup, forward is 21, and being a legitimate bottom-of-the-lineup option for Vigneault. the “simpler” spot in which to slot him. But will it work? And do the Flyers actually need to fill this ‘hole’? And don’t be mistaken: They viewed it as a need. In fact, the Flyers’ brain trust saw it as a big reason for the team’s playoff ouster last season. We know why the Flyers are doing this. We know why the Flyers want to massive 6-foot-6 frame. In theory, he could be a cheap, physical, useful do this. But that doesn’t prove they actually should be doing this. Or, put fourth liner. That’s a far cry from what the organization hoped for in 2013 another way: Is this absence of physicality in the lineup an issue that when it invested a first-round pick in him, but still a player with value. needs to be addressed, especially in such an unorthodox way? After all, it’s not every day a player on the roster bubble is asked to change Can he do it? It’s fair to be skeptical, given Morin’s age, injury history and positions in an attempt to get him more playing opportunity. inability to prove himself at his natural position. But it also feels right to root for a player who has dealt with bad injury luck over the past three Well, the Flyers’ brain trust doesn’t seem to be wrong in their belief that seasons and is still chasing his dream of a full-time NHL job. It certainly the team struggled to create quality scoring chances in the postseason would be a fantastic story if he pulled it off. — at least in comparison to the regular season. The eye test and public metrics support that stance. The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021

Chance data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick; xG data via Evolving-Hockey.

The perception at Flyers HQ was that the team was stymied offensively in large part because the physicality of the Canadiens (particularly their defensemen) and the Islanders. Was that the case? Well, it’s one of those back-and-forth arguments that is tough to unequivocally prove either way. The Flyers will contend that they arrived at this conclusion after extensive tape study of the playoff games; skeptics might respond that the traditional hockey community falls back on the “we weren’t physical enough” excuse too often as a crutch to explain on-ice failures, and that the real team-building answer is to just keep adding skill, in whatever form it might take.

The same philosophical debate was out in full force after Tampa Bay’s long-awaited Stanley Cup title in 2020. Traditionalists pointed to the Lightning’s additions of bigger, tougher players such as Patrick Maroon, Zach Bogosian and Luke Schenn — along with more talented players with “sandpaper” like Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow — as the reason the team finally broke through. Only by adding those elements were the hyper-talented Lightning finally able to march through the playoffs, they argued. The other side held that it was only a matter of time before a team as good as Tampa Bay won it all, and saying the stylistic inclinations of the bottom-of-the-lineup players put them over the edge — and not players like Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman playing elite-level hockey for two straight months — was foolish at best and disingenuous at worst. Hold on a second, the traditionalists fired back, those superstars were able to play their best in part because of the extra space afforded to them by the presence of the physical role players. And round and round we go.

Samuel Morin and Wayne Simmonds celebrate a goal in the 2017 preseason. (Eric Hartline / USA Today)

For me, there’s an overarching question that bridges the gap between the two sides and really cuts to the heart of what matters most in this debate: Can Morin actually become a useful NHL forward?

Setting aside physicality for a second, the biggest reason players like Maroon and Bogosian and Schenn didn’t hold the Lightning back in the 2020 playoffs is because they all played pretty solid hockey in the bubble. Sure, they hit and stuck up for teammates — and likely provided intangible value there that impacted the team’s results — but they also weren’t on-ice liabilities. Can Morin avoid being a liability even as he tries to learn a new position on the fly?

Some on social media scoffed at Morin going to school on Martin’s game. But for the past two seasons, Martin has been a useful cog on a great fourth line. In 2018-19, the line of Martin, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck posted a 55.17 percent expected goals for rate at five-on- five; last season, they barely dipped to 54.75 percent. Martin isn’t fake, “he hits people so that means he’s good” useful. He’s actually useful, and if Morin could mirror Martin, he’d absolutely deserve a spot in the Flyers’ lineup.

That said, Morin is 25 and moving to a position he last played years ago as a youngster. One could certainly argue that forward is an “easier” position than defenseman in terms of responsibilities, but easier doesn’t equal easy, especially when doing so involves making a full-scale adjustment to your on-ice mentality. It’s possible Morin ends up just as overwhelmed on the fourth line as Chris Stewart — who was brought in for similar reasons — proved to be last season, and in that case, there’s no amount of intangible value that can make up for a player getting outshot 71-34 and outscored 10-3 at five-on-five, as Stewart did. The Flyers can afford to grant Morin some on-the-job training, but not if the team is getting crushed when he skates. The East Division playoff race is going to be tight; a team can’t afford to give goals and points away.

In the here and now, however, it’s a neat experiment. Morin has always possessed plus straight-line speed (his acceleration is nothing special, but once he gets going, look out), an aggressive on-ice mentality and a 1197652 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen to miss start of training camp

SETH RORABAUGH | Friday, January 1, 2021 5:29 p.m.

Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen will not be present for the start of the team’s training camp Sunday because of his immigration status.

“He has an immigration timing issue, so he will get here partway through camp,” general manager Jim Rutherford said by phone on Friday.

A native of Finland, Kapanen is seen as a candidate to play on the right wing on the top line centered by Sidney Crosby this upcoming season.

Rutherford was hesitant to say if Kapanen would be available by the start of the regular season. The Penguins are scheduled to open the 2020-21 campaign on Jan. 13 with a road game against the rival Philadelphia Flyers.

“This is an immigration issue, so I don’t have a timeline on it,” Rutherford said.

Given the coronavirus pandemic, Kapanen’s delay in joining the team is expected to be amplified by a quarantine protocol.

The Penguins reacquired Kapanen in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Aug. 25, 2020. A first-round pick of the Penguins in 2014, Kapanen was dealt to Toronto in July 2015 as part of the blockbuster trade that brought star forward Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh.

Training camp for the Penguins is scheduled to take place at PPG Paints Arena.

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197653 Pittsburgh Penguins

Minor League Report: Nailers get first win of the season

SETH RORABAUGH | Friday, January 1, 2021 5:21 p.m.

Two goals by forward Patrick Watling led the Wheeling Nailers to a 4-3 home win against the Indy Fuel on Thursday at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling on Thursday.

It was the Nailers’ first win of the season.

Defenseman Shane Kuzmeski and forward Brady Tomlak also scored for Wheeling (1-3-2), and goaltender Shane Starrett made 25 saves on 28 shots in the victory.

Highlights:

The Nailers’ next game is on 7:05 p.m. Saturday against the Fuel.

Tribune Review LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197654 Pittsburgh Penguins something out of defensemen with lesser skills such as Deryk Engelland or Brooks Orpik.

Matheson will have a chance to operate in a far more stable environment Penguins A to Z: Can Mike Matheson finally realize his potential? than he ever experienced with the Panthers.

In the short-term, Matheson figures to find a home on the Penguins’ third pairing as Brian Dumoulin and Marcus Pettersson are ahead of him on SETH RORABAUGH | Friday, January 1, 2021 8:01 a.m. the depth chart. A strong skater who isn’t afraid to initiate a rush up ice, Matheson has the primary attribute generally required to be a

defenseman in Pittsburgh. As the NHL prepares for a new season scheduled to start in mid- His puck management and positioning are in dire need of immediate January, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by- improvement, however. player look at all 48 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Long-term, Matheson’s contract — which has the sixth-largest salary cap Jason Zucker. hit on the Penguins — will have a no-movement clause that kicks in after the 2020-21 season. That means Matheson is eligible to be selected in Mike Matheson the upcoming expansion draft this summer. The Penguins could mimic Position: Defenseman what they did in the 2017 expansion draft and convince the Seattle Kraken to select Matheson by sending a future asset, such as a draft pick Shoots: Left or prospect, to sway general manager Ron Francis to take on Matheson’s contract. Age: 26 That, of course, would be contingent on Matheson finally realizing some Height: 6-foot-2 of his potential this upcoming season. Weight: 188 pounds Tribune Review LOADED: 01.02.2021 2019-20 NHL statistics: 59 games, 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists)

Contract: Third year of an eight-year contract with a salary cap hit of $4.875 million. Pending restricted free agent in 2026.

Acquired: Trade, Sept. 24, 2020

Last season: Mike Matheson was supposed to be part of the solution in of turning around a woebegone franchise.

Instead, he was just another in a seemingly endless line of prospects who languished in the purgatory that is the seemingly endless rebuilding project otherwise known as the Florida Panthers.

A first-round pick (No. 23 overall) in 2012 under the regime of former general manager , Matheson was seen as part of an influx of young players — along with stars such as Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau — who would turn the unremarkable Panthers into a Stanley Cup contender.

And by the time he debuted late in the 2015-16 season, Matheson even had a small role in the Panthers making an all-too-rare postseason appearance that spring under coach Gerard Gallant.

Whatever momentum the Panthers harassed that season was snuffed out as Tom Rowe took over as general manager and head coach. Not coincidental, the Panthers missed the playoffs the following campaign and Tallon was back in office by April of 2017.

Only six months later, the Panthers went all in on Matheson and signed him to a monster eight-year contract worth nearly five million per season. It was an exorbitant amount for a player full of potential but light with accomplishment.

Matheson ate plenty of minutes in all situations on the ice but never scored more than 27 points in a season. And the Panthers’ success on the ice was limited to be kind.

Last season, Matheson struggled under another coach, Joel Quenneville, as he was an occasional healthy scratch during the regular season as well as the Panthers’ final two playoff games in their preliminary round series against the New York Islanders.

With another general manager, Bill Zito, taking over, the Panthers parted ways with Matheson and his monster contract by dealing him along with forward Colton Sceviour to the Penguins in exchange for forward Patric Hornqvist.

By the time Matheson’s tenure in Florida had concluded, he had played for four different coaches and two different general managers over parts of five seasons.

The future: The Penguins are hoping to use a similar formula for success with Matheson. Give him a lesser role and hope he thrives. It worked for defensemen such as Ian Cole and Justin Schultz. And new assistant coach Todd Reirden has a well-documented track record of getting 1197655 Pittsburgh Penguins

Kasperi Kapanen dealing with immigration issues ahead of Penguins camp

Mike DeFabo

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan planned to open training camp with newcomer Kasperi Kapanen skating on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel.

Just one problem. Kapanen is still in Finland.

An immigration issue has prevented the Penguins' new winger from traveling to the United States ahead of training camp, general manager Jim Rutherford told the Post-Gazette.

Rutherford said the club doesn’t yet know for certain when Kapanen will arrive or when he'll be available to play. Per NHL rules, players who travel to take part in training camp will have to go through a seven-day quarantine that includes COVID testing on Days 1, 3, 5 and 7. So once Kapanen arrives in the states, he'll be sidelined at least another week.

Training camp is set to begin on Sunday. The season begins Jan. 13 in Philadelphia. Asked if there’s a chance Kapanen could miss the start of the regular season, Rutherford said he doesn’t know the answer at this time.

“He’s skating and getting ready,” Rutherford said. “Hopefully we get him here sooner than later.”

It is fair to wonder how this speedbump will impact Kapanen’s transition to a new club. Sullivan said last week that the Penguins will not be able to cover every aspect of their team concept during the brief camp that will include about seven practices and a game-simulation day.

With Kapanen out, Bryan Rust is the top right winger on the depth chart. However, he was originally projected to play alongside Evgeni Malkin. It remains to be seen how Sullivan will choose to fill that hole in the short or long term. Some other options might include lefty Brandon Tanev (who typically plays on Teddy Blueger's right side), Evan Rodrigues or Sam Lafferty. How Sullivan addresses the absence may begin to hint at if this is a short-term question or one that could linger.

The Penguins initially acquired Kapanen in August from Toronto in exchange for a package that included a 2020 first-round pick and prospect Filip Hallander. Kapanen, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right winger, became an NHL regular in 2018-19, tallying 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 78 NHL games. The breakout year earned him a three-year bridge deal that runs through 2021-22 with a $3.2 million average annual value.

But during this year’s pandemic-shortened season, Kapanen went through what he termed a bit of a “sophomore slump.” He recorded a solid 36 points but was missing some of the scoring touch with 13 goals and 23 assists.

The Penguins are betting that production will improve when he's skating in the top-six. But first, he’ll have to get here.

The other 22 forwards, 13 defensemen and four goalies listed on the camp roster are all in the United States and should be ready to participate. The one exception is Zach Aston-Reese, who will be limited as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery.

Post Gazette LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197656 Pittsburgh Penguins game in the Montreal series was that the rest of his game got neglected as he tried to climb outside of his head. McCann is a good player with 30- goal potential. Focus on your all-around game and the guy we saw the first half of last season will return. Countdown to camp: 21 resolutions for successful Penguins season Brian Dumoulin, don’t be afraid to raise your voice: In recent seasons, the blue-liner has emerged as a secondary leader. With Patric Hornqvist now in Florida, the Penguins will need another player or three to amp up Matt Vensel the chatter. Given how Dumoulin leaves it all out on the ice always, guys will listen.

To count down the days until Penguins training camp, Pittsburgh Post- Mike Matheson and Cody Ceci, delete your Twitter app: Some fans on Gazette beat writers Matt Vensel and Mike DeFabo will dive into a new social media have already decided that you’re no good before even hockey topic each weekday until the first puck rattles the Plexiglass at seeing you play a game in black and gold. Stick to watching puppy PPG Paints Arena on Jan. 3. Today, the series concludes with New videos on Facebook until you actually get a fair opportunity to prove any Year’s resolutions for the Penguins. skeptics wrong.

See ya later, 2020. Don’t let the Zamboni doors hit you on your way out. Tristan Jarry, don’t overthink it: Jarry began his friendly takeover of the crease last November, finding an All-Star groove while starting 21 times Happy New Year, Penguins fans. Obviously, 2020 was awful for reasons in 32 games. He was not as sharp once the Penguins started feeding far more important than hockey games. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit more starts to Matt Murray. Murray was dealt to Ottawa in October, North America, the Penguins were fortunate to get a shot at the Stanley leaving the starting gig for Jarry. Jarry, 25, now must grapple with the Cup, even if they crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash like a physical and mental challenges of being the go-to guy. He should be fine disposable mask. if keeps taking it one puck at a time.

Now, mercifully, the calendar turns to 2021 with hope that we all might John Marino, stay hungry: Keep playing with poise and growing your soon find some sense of normalcy, both outside of hockey arenas and in. offensive game and you could be skating on the top defensive pair by 2022. For the Penguins, a new season begins soon. Training camp will open Sunday at PPG Paints Arena and the puck drops on the upcoming Brandon Tanev, stop eating mustard packets on the bench: Gross, dude. season on Jan. 13. Kasperi Kapanen, look at Bryan Rust: The Penguins think that on a line To help them ring in 2021, we offer up 21 resolutions. If everyone sticks with Crosby or Malkin, you can top your previous highs of 20 goals and to them, their season could end with a celebratory countdown and 44 points. But they brought you in for the subtle ways you can help them champagne. win with your wheels, not your stick. Rust has grown his offensive game and would’ve hit 30 goals last season had it not been cut short. But he Sidney Crosby, pace yourself: For the captain, last season was a has not forgotten that forechecking and 200-foot play are what got him reminder that this can’t last forever. Crosby, now 33, missed three the opportunity to do it. months after sports hernia surgery and was bothered by something prior to the playoffs. There is no doubt he still has what it takes to win the Hart Jim Rutherford, have someone hide your phone: GMJR loves to wheel Trophy again — health permitting. But a fourth Stanley Cup is what really and deal, and savvy trades helped make him a Hall of Famer. But he matters. In a condensed season, he should keep the big picture in mind must remain patient, with so many new faces and not much time to come and ease up when it is needed. together. Making trades may be tough, anyway, with tight purse-strings and strict quarantine protocols. By all means, if the Penguins are in the Evgeni Malkin, don’t pace yourself: This may seem counterintuitive given playoff mix two months in, Rutherford should try to improve the roster by that he is a year older than Crosby. Of course, Malkin can’t fizzle out the April 12 deadline. again in the playoffs. But the Penguins need him to start strong. With 56 games, there is far less margin for error. A slow start could cost them a Teddy Blueger, get better on faceoffs: You don’t need us to tell you that. playoff spot. Last season, we saw you staying late after practice to work on faceoffs with Matt Cullen and other coaches. Bring that 45.1% success rate up a Jason Zucker, sign up for Rosetta Stone: You’ll probably be spending a few percentage points and you’ll get even more ice time in high-leverage lot of time with Geno, so it wouldn’t be a bad thing to speak a little moments. Russian. Sam Lafferty, embrace your role: With Zach Aston-Reese sidelined to Jake Guentzel, forget 2020 happened: The All-Star welcomed in the last start the season, there will be least one opening in the bottom six. With new year by having shoulder surgery that sidelined him for six months. In your size, speed and occasional snarl, this is your chance to seize a the playoff loss to Montreal, he got just one of 13 shots past Carey Price. permanent role. Jake, just chalk 2020 up as a lost year like the rest of us and bounce back strong. Marcus Pettersson, become a reliable penalty-killer: Pettersson in his first two years in Pittsburgh didn’t see much ice time when it wasn’t 5-on- Bryan Rust and Chad Ruhwedel, get your sleep now: Congrats to both of 5. With Jack Johnson gone, the Penguins could use a trustworthy lefty these Penguins, who with their respective wives are expecting their first for their second PK unit. Pettersson, the lanky 24-year-old, figures to get kids during the season. Being a dad rocks. But you’re going to want to the first crack. rest up. Casey DeSmith, stay sharp and bring good vibes: The No. 2 goalie Kris Letang, play within yourself: It would be foolish to demand that initially struggled with being sent to the minor leagues last fall. As the Letang completely change his game. His instincts and skill with the puck season went on, DeSmith pulled it together and gave an undermanned on his stick has made him the top-scoring blue liner in Penguins history. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team a shot most nights. DeSmith is in Pittsburgh However, it’s not unreasonable to ask the 33-year-old to rein it in a bit to open 2021 and will stick around if he is who he was two years ago, after his turnover rate has climbed three years in a row to an alarming when he was sharp in games after longer layoffs and a selfless, team- 3.05 per 60 minutes last season. Channel your inner Kenny Rogers and first player at the practice facility. know when to fold ’em. Mike Sullivan, be a little flexible: Back in the fall, the coach said he didn’t Todd Reirden, get these guys skating: With no fans at PPG Paints Arena think he had to overhaul his approach in terms of on-ice schematics or to open the season, the top power play might hear screams of “move managing personalities. But in the eyes of some outsiders, the Penguins your feet!” instead of “shoot the puck!” Reirden, back again as an must evolve. That doesn’t mean to suddenly pivot to heavy hockey or assistant, is tasked with pushing the Penguins to be more active and bag practices for team-bonding laser-tag sessions. But new ideas should unpredictable with an enemy in the box. The “organized chaos” he be considered and Sullivan has to find what works best for this group, not encouraged during his last stint here helped them rank among the league past Cup-winners. leaders despite having a bunch of lefties, too. This Penguins squad as a whole, don’t assume you’re in: You’ve got a Jared McCann, focus on the little things: He last scored on Jan. 14, 2019. good coach and enough talent to at least win one playoff series. But If a beat writer can clearly recite that factoid after several beers, you you’ve got to get there first. With a shorter season, a stacked division and know it's a sizable slump. But what put McCann in street clothes for a only four playoff spots up for grabs, a 15th straight playoff appearance is no formality.

Post Gazette LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197657 Pittsburgh Penguins influence, everyone on the Penguins is a little more aware, and a little more careful about concussions. This is a good thing

• I don’t know how much Crosby’s return from a concussion is a part of Sidney Crosby’s concussion 10 years later and the NHL’s progress his legacy, but it should be. Those were scary times for him. Crosby since: Yohe would feel like himself for a stretch of days, dominating practices and making some observers wonder why he wasn’t yet playing in games. Then, one morning, he’d be taking a shower and would be struck with a headache. And it was back to square one. By Josh Yohe Jan 1, 2021 Crosby seemed to work his way through the concussion. One day in

Denver, long after practice had ended, Crosby nearly made himself sick It has been a decade since the day the music almost died. on the ice while working out by himself. He just stayed on his right knee for 10 minutes gathering himself. It was a jarring thing to watch but also Sidney Crosby, chief of the hockey world and still among the NHL’s shed some light on how much it meant to Crosby to return to the NHL brightest stars, will begin his 16th season with the Penguins on Jan. 13. and to again be the world’s greatest player. This shouldn’t be taken for granted. For more than a year, it was fair to wonder if Crosby would still be playing in 2021, let alone at the level that He endured a lot of sleepless nights and barely played hockey for 15 has catapulted him from superstar to among the greatest players in months. For a creature of habit like Crosby, this must have been history. excruciating.

The Penguins were at the center of the hockey universe 10 years ago on When he stepped onto the ice at the Winter Classic, he this night. They’d just been featured with the Washington Capitals by undoubtedly was the world’s greatest hockey player. When he finally HBO in the kind of mainstream exposure that often eludes the NHL. The returned for good at Madison Square Garden in March 2012, he, still, Winter Classic had a different feel back then. It’s still a big deal, but it undoubtedly was the world’s greatest hockey player. And he would be so was new, fresh and exciting in 2011, and so were the Penguins. for the better part of another decade.

They’d precociously reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 as a bunch of What happened that night against the Capitals wasn’t a good thing, nor kids. They’d won the Cup one year later at Joe Louis Arena. It was should it be remembered as such. A careless blow was delivered. A presumed that their hiccup against the Canadiens in the second round of player with a concussion stayed in the game. the 2010 playoffs was a mere fluke, a belief reinforced by the way they However, much good has been realized since that night. In a sport that began the 2010-11 season. The Penguins were hockey’s best team that far often turns a blind eye toward injuries of any kind, concussions are season and Crosby was its best player, producing an outrageous 32 serious. I suspect a player of Crosby’s magnitude suffering from such an goals and 66 points in the season’s first 41 games, putting him on a pace awful concussion got the attention of many people. for 64 goals and 132 points, both of which would have been career highs. A dynasty was surely in the making. And what of Crosby himself? He’s one of the greatest players of all time by anyone’s estimation and his return from a concussion, in many ways, Then came a David Steckel shoulder to the head at, of all places, Heinz was his finest hour. Field. A few days later, in a game in which Crosby never should have played, a tap from behind by Victor Hedman bumped Crosby’s head into If Wayne Gretzky is about untouchable numbers, Mario Lemieux is about the glass. It was a far more innocent-looking play than the Steckel hit, but untouchable talent, and Bobby Orr is about changing the game, then it triggered a 15-month saga that saw Crosby play in only eight games. Crosby is most assuredly about pure determination. He has more talent Along the way, he missed 101 games and his life was forever changed. than most, and on the rare occasions he faces an equal, he will merely will his way to victory. It’s his greatest trademark. So, too, was hockey, Crosby’s career and his legacy. Let’s count the ways. We saw it beautifully illustrated starting one decade ago tonight. It’s too bad that it happened, but it resulted in a lot of good, and it gave us a • In the past decade, the perception of concussions and their severity has comeback story for the ages from an organization that knows a thing or changed unimaginably. It took a player of Crosby’s magnitude to open two about just that. eyes. Before Crosby’s concussion, many in hockey circles did not believe head injuries were a major problem. In previous generations, you were The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 expected to pop a couple of Advils and play even if you had a headache. Otherwise, you were soft. That’s literally the way things were.

But when the face of hockey missed more than a year in his prime to a head injury, it got everyone’s attention. No, it wasn’t the thing that helped people realize the danger of concussions. Don’t think for a second, however, that it didn’t play a massive role.

• We don’t label concussions the way we once did. Dan Bylsma infamously met with the media before a game in Boston in January of 2011 and said Crosby was out with a “mild concussion” and that he was expected to miss around one week. At the time, this comment was met with a shrug of shoulders. A decade later, the phrase “mild concussion” no longer exists, as it’s widely recognized that concussions are unpredictable. It was only 10 years ago but, in this context, it might as well have been a century ago. We’ve come a long way in how seriously we take brain injuries.

• The Penguins have become so much more aware of concussions, and when I say the Penguins, I mean the players. Multiple players endure concussions every season on every NHL roster. It’s an inescapable reality of playing a really fast, really physical game on a really hard surface. In the Penguins’ locker room, Crosby has literally become the concussion godfather. Year after year, players who are dealing with a concussion — or who are concerned that they may have received one — go to Crosby first.

One good thing that came from Crosby’s time dealing with a career- threatening concussion is that he knows almost everything there is to know about them, his personal experience and subsequent research made him a legitimate authority on this subject. Because of Crosby’s 1197658 Pittsburgh Penguins Oddly, the team has been one of the most resilient regular season teams when one of the stars are injured. Without diving into the team psyche, the numbers show the team is good at overcoming adversity, but not when they’re healthy. Identity & Swagger: 3 (Should Be) Penguins New Year Resolutions Go figure.

Players privately groused about the Penguins trade, which sent Hornqvist Published 16 hours ago on January 1, 2021By Dan Kingerski to Florida. They did so not because Hornqvist was a 40-goal scorer, but because he was the figurative beating heart inside the locker room.

Not only will the Penguins have to find that drive to overcome an Feel free to grab a shovel and bury 2020. It wasn’t a banner year for the unprecedented season in which they will be confined to hotels on the Pittsburgh Penguins, either. After surviving an onslaught of significant road and are encouraged to sequester at home, but they will have to find injuries to core players, the Penguins slumped to third place in the Metro a new locker room leadership structure. Division before the pandemic pause and missed out on a Qualifying Round bye. Those are no small tasks, but you never know who will step forward and what the new results will be. You know what happened next as the Penguins landed with a thud in the Toronto bubble. Four games later, the 24th seeded (of 24 teams), Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 01.02.2021 Montreal Canadiens sent the Penguins home with not so much as a note from the principal.

This offseason, GM Jim Rutherford set about remaking the team in a younger and faster mold. He accomplished that, but whether the Penguins are better is a matter of debate.

Patric Hornqvist, his energy and heart are gone. So too are Justin Schultz, Jack Johnson, Nick Bjugstad, and a pair of first-round picks. Kasperi Kapanen, Mike Matheson, Cody Ceci, Mark Jankowski, and Evan Rodrigues take their place.

(Should Be) Pittsburgh Penguins New Year’s Resolutions

1. Stay Healthy

The Penguins could have rented a wing at UPMC with the number of surgeries, injuries, and impediments which befell them in 2020. Only one player is on record as testing positive for COVID (the name was never released), but Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Just Schultz, Brian Dumoulin, Bjugstad, Zach Aston-Reese, and Jake Guentzel missed weeks or had surgery.

And that list is just off the top of my head. Did I miss anyone?

Subset: Let the goalie see the shot, avoid unnecessary shot-blocking, and try to hit them before they hit you.

2. Forecheck, Identity, Swagger

The Penguins blazed through the NHL from March 2016 onward to their Stanley Cup win. In the process, their forecheck was oppressive. Defensemen raced to pucks and made bad decisions. Game 7 of the 2016 Eastern Conference Final remains a gold standard as the Penguins refused to allow the Tampa Bay Lightning out of the defensive zone.

Where has that forecheck gone?

The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t been significantly faster than the opponent since. The 2017 team was a counter puncher. And subsequent versions have struggled to find their identity and swagger.

Matheson may be the fastest defenseman in the NHL. He’s that quick. His biggest problem is making things worse. When things go sideways, one source close to Matheson told us, “Since (Boston College), it’s been in his DNA to compound issues by trying too hard (to change the game or atone for a mistake).”

Turnovers and more mistakes follow, but he is lightning fast.

Kapanen and Rodrigues are also fast. With Jason Zucker and Bryan Rust, the Penguins have an abundance of speed.

Rutherford delivered a younger and faster roster. Now, it’s up to head coach Mike Sullivan and the team to fulfill the vision.

3. Find the Hunger, Leadership

Call it the holy grail of successful, aging teams. While the Pittsburgh Penguins have plenty of new faces who are barely old enough to rent a car, the core is still the same trio, which has three Stanley Cups.

No human can question Sidney Crosby’s desire and dedication, and the same goes for Malkin and Letang, but there has been a disconnect. Since 2017, when the Penguins have been pushed, they’ve folded. 1197659 San Jose Sharks “Two really good players, really fast and we chewed that ice up pretty good early on,” Marleau said of Gambrell and Leomard. “As the practice went on, things were getting a little sloppy. But for the most part, we were zipping around pretty good out there.” Bob Boughner explains how he’ll likely utilize his goalies early in season GETTING DEFENSIVE: The Sharks’ top two defense pairs on the first on-ice day of camp were as expected — Brent Burns with Radim Simek and Erik Karlsson with Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Still, the question remains By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: January 1, 2021 at 3:55 p.m. | as to who the Sharks’ sixth and seventh defensemen will be at the start UPDATED: January 1, 2021 at 4:33 p.m. of the season.

Two of those candidates, Jacob Middleton and Ryan Merkley, were San Jose Sharks goalies Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk had at least paired together Friday. At 6-foot-4, 221 points, about 11 pounds heavier one thing in common as they began training camp together in Scottsdale, than he was last season, Middleton, healthy again after an injury-plagued Ariz. this week. 2019-2020 season, would definitely add some bulk to the back end, while Merkley (5-11, 175) is clearly the more skilled option. As of Friday, it had been 300 days since either player had started a game. Jones’ last start came March 8 against the Colorado Avalanche at “It’s only day one but I think (Middleton’s) one of those guys, there’s SAP Center in San Jose. That same night, about 350 miles south, probably three or four of those guys, that are vying for those two spots,” Dubnyk was in net for Minnesota Wild against the Anaheim Ducks at the Boughner said. Honda Center in Orange County. Mario Ferraro, the presumed Sharks’ fifth defenseman, was paired with With that in mind, Bob Boughner said Friday that he expects Jones and former Arizona State standout Brinson Pasichnuk, another roster hopeful. Dubnyk to split goaltending duties in the early part of the season. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 01.02.2021 Starting Jan. 14 with their opener against the Arizona Coyotes, the Sharks will play eight games in 15 days. They’re scheduled to stay in Arizona and play the Coyotes again Jan. 16, followed by two games each against the St. Louis Blues, the Wild and the Avalanche from Jan. 18-28.

After that, Jones’ and Dubnyk’s roles, depending on how each goalie is playing, might become a bit clearer.

“We believe we have two good goalies, two No. 1 goalies, so we’re going to have to treat it that way for the first little part,” Boughner said “These guys, it’s been so long since they both played, that they’ve both got to see games.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of flip-flopping and sharing the net early, and then hopefully one of those guys takes the net.”

Certainly Jones feel that it can be him, especially since he’s come to camp about as rested for a season as he’s been since he joined the Sharks in 2015.

From the 2015-16 season to the end of the 2019-20 regular season, no NHL goalie was busier. Jones started 292 regular season games in that span, plus all 60 of the Sharks playoff games. Dubnyk wasn’t far behind, with 305 combined starts for the Wild between the regular season and playoffs.

No one needs a reminder how the workload took its toll on Jones after he posted subpar .896 save percentages in each of the last two seasons.

Now, nearly 10 months removed from his last start, Jones is ready to put into practice what he’s worked on with goalie coach Evgeni Nabokov and the team’s goalie consultant, Adam Francilia, throughout the offseason.

In the summer, Jones spent more time with Francilia in Kelowna, British Columbia on his biomechanics.

“It’s another set of eyes,” Jones said of working with Francilia. “You get a different perspective when you work with different people. It’s a lot of different biomechanics stuff in the gym and on the ice where you just see different things and how you’re moving and making sure you’re doing it efficiently.

Ideally, from the Sharks’ perspective, both Jones and Dubnyk will feel rejuvenated and can push each other throughout the 56-game season.

“The game’s so fast right now and it’s played at such a high pace that it’s just tougher to play a lot of games,” Jones said. “Obviously if you can be fresh and have two goalies playing well, and they’re a little fresher, that’s obviously a good thing.”

PATTY AND THE KIDS: Patrick Marleau, 41, spent the first day of training camp on a line with center Dylan Gambrell, 24, and fellow winger John Leonard, 22.

To put that into perspective, Gambrell was less than a year old when Marleau was drafted by the Sharks in 1997. By the time Leonard was born in Aug. 1998, Marleau had already completed his first season in the NHL. 1197660 San Jose Sharks

Sharks reportedly not part of NHL's Lake Tahoe outdoor games

BY NBC SPORTS BAY AREA STAFF

The Sharks are scheduled to play in St. Louis on Feb. 20, and that game evidently will stay there.

Normally, that wouldn’t be news, but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that multiple sources revealed the NHL plans to have the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights play outdoor games at Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Lake Tahoe next month.

The Avalanche will face the Golden Knights (Feb. 20), and the Flyers will meet the Bruins (Feb. 21) in games played on a rink around the resort golf course’s 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Fans will not be allowed to attend, according to Sportsnet, and both games will be televised nationally by NBC.

But the Sharks, whose normal SAP Center home is just a 224-mile drive from Edgewood, will not be a part of it. At first blush, that’s a surprise, especially when you consider their proximity to Tahoe, along with the Vegas rivalry and what interest any game against the hated Golden Knights could attract. However, San Jose is coming off one of its worst seasons in franchise history, as it finished last in the Pacific Division and didn’t qualify for the NHL’s playoff restart in Canada last summer.

The Avalanche, who instead will play Vegas, finished second in the Central Division, lost to eventual Stanley Cup finalist Dallas in the second round of the playoffs, and feature a promising lineup led by 93-point scorer Nathan McKinnon and captain Gabriel Landeskog.

So, any San Jose fans wanting an outdoor dust-up with Vegas might have to pin their hopes on ex-Shark Joonas Donskoi – now with the Avs – bringing the bad blood that characterizes the Pacific rivals’ often- intense meetings

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197661 San Jose Sharks

Jumbo's absence not lost on Sharks, their ears in training camp

BY MARCUS WHITE

The Sharks will hold their first practices of training camp Friday in a different state amid a global pandemic, approximately four months later than they're used to.

Perhaps none of the circumstances surrounding camp are stranger than the Jumbo-sized hole in their locker room.

For the first time since 2005, Joe Thornton isn't on the Sharks' training camp roster. He's a Toronto Maple Leaf now, preparing for his 23rd NHL season a continent away from the franchise with which he became synonymous over parts of 15 seasons.

Thornton's absence wasn't lost on anyone, or their ears, when the Sharks reported to the Ice Den in Scottsdale, Ariz. for the first day of training camp Thursday.

"It was a little bit more quiet, but ... it's part of hockey," Tomas Hertl said of the 41-year-old in a video conference call with reporters Thursday. "It's changing. We for sure miss him. I knew Jumbo for eight years. He helped me through my whole career. He was great to me from the [start and] a close friend."

Thornton's 1,055 points in 1,104 games in teal are the second most in franchise history behind Patrick Marleau, who re-signed with the Sharks this offseason, and Thornton's 804 assists are the most. Thornton still compiled 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) while averaging 15:30 per night in 70 games last season, and San Jose will need to replace him down the middle of its third line.

The void is perhaps even larger among the team's leaders. Thornton wore a letter for just about the entirety of his Sharks career, setting the tone with his larger-than-life personality. Captain Logan Couture and defenseman Brent Burns both mentioned they'd read Joshua Kloke's piece in The Athletic earlier this week, which compiled NHL players' best stories about the legendary center.

Replacing the man behind the anecdotes is easier said than done, but Sharks coach Bob Boughner said he noticed Couture being a more vocal leader during small, informal workouts in San Jose. He also mentioned Burns, Hertl, Marleau and veteran defensemen Erik Karlsson and Marc- Edouard Vlasic as players he expects to speak up more.

"I think the guys know it's their time," Boughner said. "We've got to pick up the slack from where Jumbo [left], and there's certain guys that got to take that opportunity."

Thornton and the Leafs begin training camp Jan. 3, just 10 days before he can debut for Toronto against the rival Montreal Canadiens. While the Sharks prepared to begin life without him, at least one of Thornton's teammates heard from the bearded center Thursday.

Burns revealed to reporters he FaceTimed with Thornton on Thursday morning, noting that meant he technically saw his now-former teammate at the start of camp once again. It surely helped Burns to see Thornton, whom he called "one of his closest friends," but the Sharks have yet to truly begin life without Jumbo.

"I think that as we move along, I think you're going to notice more and more small things that guys had gotten accustomed to," Karlsson said. "So it's going to be a process. We all miss him very dearly, and we wish him all the best in Toronto. We know he's gonna do great there, and the guys there are gonna have to experience the joy that he brings every day to the rink, and that's something we're gonna have to try to fill that void here as quickly as possible."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197662 San Jose Sharks Handemark is in the mix, along with Gambrell, Gregor, True, Joel Kellman, Sasha Chmelevski, and Maxim Letunov for the open third and fourth-line center roles. His 6-foot-4 frame and faceoff acumen — he led the SHL in Face-off Percentage in two of the last three years — are what Handemark Steps in, Middleton Bulks Up separate him from the crowd.

So what was Handemark’s first impression of North American hockey?

Published 4 hours ago on January 1, 2021By Sheng Peng “High pace. A lot of skating. A lot of new things to learn for me.”

Ironically, a lack of pace and foot speed were common criticisms of Handemark in Sweden. We’ll see if he’s up to speed shortly. Welcome to Day 2 of San Jose Sharks’ training camp! San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 01.02.2021 These were actually the Sharks’ first official on-the-ice sessions since the pause in the 2019-20 NHL season on Mar. 11. It’s been nine months!

Here were the on-the-ice groups, these will change a little from day to day.

A couple interesting notes: Patrick Marleau said he practiced next to center Dylan Gambrell and John Leonard in Group 1 this morning. Noah Gregor also played center in that group.

This corroborates what Bob Boughner said last week, about Gambrell and Gregor being in the mix for the very open third-line center competition. The injured Alex True will also be right there as well when he begins training camp, hopefully in a matter of days.

Also, a worthwhile sidebar for San Jose fans hungry for some Sharks action:

Today, Martin Jones spoke about his off-season preparations, Patrick Marleau talked about how this lay-off compared to the 2012-13 and 2004-05 lockouts, Fredrik Handemark gave his first impressions of NHL hockey, Jake Middleton revealed how he changed his game this off- season, and Bob Boughner gave us some insight on why Gambrell might have a leg up in the 3C competition, along with why he might be going with Marc-Edouard Vlasic-Erik Karlsson as a pairing again. Also, we make a guess on what the Sharks’ power play units will be.

Marleau Looks Back, Why Will This Year Be Different for Jones?

Jake Middleton is coming into camp 10 pounds heavier.

“It was one of the things that I worked on over the summer. There was a lot of reflection that I was able to do throughout this extended off- season,” Middleton, now 221 pounds, revealed. “One of things I really wanted to do was put on some mass.”

It’s part of what the 25-year-old hopes will separate him from the competition for San Jose’s sixth and seventh defenseman roles. The 6- foot-3 defender is counting on the extra mass to make him harder to play against.

“It’s just a physical presence that you’d like to bring. An intimidating factor.”

That’s an element Ryan Merkley and Brinson Pasichnuk, perhaps Middleton’s most immediate competition, may not have as much of.

The 2014 seventh-round pick is also looking for better injury luck this season. Two minutes into his first game of the year, on October 4, 2019, he suffered an upper-body injury because of a Ryan Reaves hit. Later in the season, he was hobbled by an ankle injury.

Between the Sharks and the Barracuda, Middleton played just 42 contests last year.

“Being able to play heavier while also playing fast was something I really worked hard on this summer,” the defenseman said, before quipping, “I hope I look as quick as I usually do.”

HANDEMARK STEPS INTO THE CIRCLE

What do the San Jose Sharks have in Fredrik Handemark?

“I see myself as a two-way centerman. Try to use my big body and protect the puck in the offensive zone, down low,” Handemark said in his introduction to San Jose media. “Try to be good at the faceoff circle. Take responsibility in the d-zone.”

This jibes with what Swedish hockey expert Uffe Bodin told us about Handemark over the summer:

How Will Fredrik Handemark Help the Sharks? 1197663 San Jose Sharks We believe we have two good goalies, two no. 1 goalies. Both of these guys, it’s been so long since they’ve both played, they’ve

got to both see games. There’s going to be a lot of flip-flopping, sharing SAN JOSE SHARKSBoughner on Vlasic-Karlsson, Why Gambrell Might the net early, hopefully one of those guys takes the net over. Have Leg Up for 3C Boughner, on Noah Gregor and Dylan Gambrell playing center today:

We want to see both those guys at center. We know both can play wing. Published 7 hours ago on January 1, 2021By Sheng Peng We’ve talked about that third-line center hole that we’re looking to fill.

Dylan, whether he’s playing wing or not, he’s capable of getting into the Welcome to Day 2 of San Jose Sharks’ training camp! faceoff circle and taking draws on the right side. That’s what we were lacking last year, a right-handed shot centerman. These were actually the Sharks’ first official on-the-ice sessions since the pause in the 2019-20 NHL season on Mar. 11. It’s been nine months! They’re both going to get a good look at center in camp.

Here were the on-the-ice groups, these will change a little from day to Boughner, on Karlsson’s skating today: day. He looked good today. He was moving well. His feet looked really quick. A couple interesting notes: Patrick Marleau said he practiced next to He looked strong out there. His tempo was good. center Dylan Gambrell and John Leonard in Group 1 this morning. Noah WHAT WILL SHARKS’ POWER PLAY UNITS BE? Gregor also played center in that group. Boughner may have given some clue about what the San Jose Sharks’ This corroborates what Bob Boughner said last week, about Gambrell PP units might be to start the year. and Gregor being in the mix for the very open third-line center competition. The injured Alex True will also be right there as well when He noted that Burns and Karlsson, both in Group 1, will stay in that group he begins training camp, hopefully in a matter of days. throughout training camp, but that forwards will cycle back and forth. The reason? He wants all the forwards to play with Burns and Karlsson Also, a worthwhile sidebar for San Jose fans hungry for some Sharks throughout camp, including the different power play groups. action: Today, Logan Couture, Timo Meier, and Kevin Labanc were the likely PP Good news! #SJSharks say they want to stream both Teal-White forwards in Group 1. In Group 2, will Evander Kane, Tomas Hertl, and scrimmages (Jan. 8 and Jan. 10). Not confirmed yet pending Ice Den Ryan Donato get a look with Burns and Karlsson tomorrow? technological logistics — but we might be getting some Sharks hockey before Jan. 14! San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 01.02.2021 — Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) January 1, 2021

Today, Martin Jones spoke about his off-season preparations, Patrick Marleau talked about how this lay-off compared to the 2012-13 and 2004-05 lockouts, Fredrik Handemark gave his first impressions of NHL hockey, Jake Middleton revealed how he changed his game this off- season, and Bob Boughner gave us some insight on why Gambrell might have a leg up in the 3C competition, along with why he might be going with Marc-Edouard Vlasic-Erik Karlsson as a pairing again. Also, we make a guess on what the Sharks’ power play units will be.

Marleau Looks Back, Why Will This Year Be Different for Jones?

Bob Boughner told us a lot today about his plans for the San Jose Sharks.

He explained why, despite Vlasic-Karlsson’s struggles as a pairing, they’re back together. He outlined a goaltending rotation to start the season. He noted why Dylan Gambrell might have a leg up on the third- line center competition. And he offered an update on Karlsson’s skating and hinted at possible power play units.

Boughner, on reuniting Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Erik Karlsson, Radim Simek and Brent Burns during the first on-ice session, Vlasic-Karlsson’s recent struggles:

It can change.

We wanted to start that way with some familiarity and get some flow to practice.

If they’re playing their best, they can feed off each other.

Both guys would admit they had off-years. When both have off-years, you’re going to have long nights.

We talked about the need for having our best players be our best players. Certainly those two are the names we think about. If they both bring their game, how they’re capable of playing, I think that’s going to be a great duo.

Things could change and we’re not going to be married to that combination if things aren’t working out, but I trust that both those guys have come back and put the other stuff behind them and want to have good seasons.

Boughner, on starting season with Martin Jones-Devan Dubnyk rotation, then hoping one will emerge as No.1: 1197664 San Jose Sharks

Marleau Looks Back, Why Will This Year Be Different for Jones?

Published 11 hours ago on January 1, 2021By Sheng Peng

Welcome to Day 2 of San Jose Sharks’ training camp!

These were actually the Sharks’ first official on-the-ice sessions since the pause in the 2019-20 NHL season on Mar. 11. It’s been nine months!

Here were the on-the-ice groups, these will change a little from day to day.

A couple interesting notes: Patrick Marleau said he practiced next to center Dylan Gambrell and John Leonard in Group 1 this morning. Noah Gregor also played center in that group.

This corroborates what Bob Boughner said last week, about Gambrell and Gregor being in the mix for the very open third-line center competition. The injured Alex True will also be right there as well when he begins training camp, hopefully in a matter of days.

Also, a worthwhile sidebar for San Jose fans hungry for some Sharks action:

Today, Martin Jones spoke about his off-season preparations, Patrick Marleau talked about how this lay-off compared to the 2012-13 and 2004-05 lockouts, Fredrik Handemark discussed the art of the faceoff, Jake Middleton revealed how he changed his game this off-season, and Bob Boughner gave us some insight on why Gambrell might have a leg up in the 3C competition, along with why he might be going with Marc- Edouard Vlasic-Erik Karlsson as a pairing again. Also, we make a guess on what the Sharks’ power play units will be.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197665 San Jose Sharks

Sheng on Sharks’ Training Camp: Gregor as 3C? Ozzy & Tristen on Barracuda?

Published 17 hours ago on January 1, 2021By JD Young Noah Gregor

JD is joined by Sheng Peng from San Jose Hockey Now to dig into Day 1 of San Jose Sharks’ training camp. We examine the roster and explain why Ozzy Wiesblatt is in Arizona but not at the Sharks’ camp — we also chat about why he and fellow 2020 Draft pick Tristen Robins might be playing for the Barracuda sooner than anticipated. Next, we look at the Sharks’ third-line center competition and why speed might be the name of the game for who gets that job (9:30). Also, will the goalies get a true 50/50 share of the workload (16:30)? Finally, we review yesterday’s San Jose Sharks’ Zoom media availability, including why Tomas Hertl needs new pants (19:00).

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197666 Tampa Bay Lightning Johnson, (Killorn) could move in there and get a look at being the trigger man. We’ve seen him there before. I assume they’ll get it back to the point. I mean, look what Victor Hedman was able to do in the playoffs with 10 goals. He had 11 goals all year, and he went to another level How can the Lightning replace Nikita Kucherov and other camp when it came to actually scoring goals. And certainly the power play was questions answered part of that. There could be a focus on puck management from the top, with Hedman or Sergachev, starting from there and not from the right

wing. By Joe Smith Jan 1, 2021 How do you think the defense will look? You think it could go back to Victor Hedman-Jan Rutta on the first pair, Ryan McDonagh with Erik Cernak on the second pair and Mikhail Sergachev on the third? How Brian Engblom knows there are tons of questions when it comes to the does Tampa Bay account for the fact that Sergachev is more than a Lightning as training camp opens. third-pairing defenseman when it comes to minutes?

How will the defending Cup champs replace Nikita Kucherov? That’s a very interesting scenario. I think a lot depends on Cal Foote, what kind of camp he has. He would have the inside track in my mind to What will the team’s defense pairs look like? stick with the team, whether that’s a sixth or seventh defenseman. Is Which young players will step up? Sergachev going to be with Foote on the third pair? It’s possible. Or will Sergachev be with Luke Schenn? That’s a realistic approach. Sergachev But the one the two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman got the most can play the off side (his right), but it seems like the coaching staff — 99 often this offseason was: Who will be his play-by-play partner? percent of coaching staffs in the league — because of the pace of the Well, Engblom, the team’s broadcast analyst, said the Lightning have game, they don’t like having guys on their off sides. They don’t like them found the replacement for Hall of Famer Rick Peckham. on their backhands all the time.

No, it’s not NHL Network broadcaster and former Lightning goalie Kevin Sergachev really established himself down the stretch and in the re-start Weekes, who sparked speculation because of his tweets he was in town and playoffs. They weren’t hiding him, he was in all situations … in recent days (just stopping through while driving to Miami). Big-name Sergachev was getting a lot of ice time against top-level players, and free agent John Forslund turned down Tampa Bay. We know the they will expect more from him, rightfully so. Lightning have spoken with former radioman John Ahlers, who is with the Another thing is that all the best-laid plans can get thrown out. Change Ducks as their TV play-by-play voice. So who will it be? can be good. You don’t always have to go back to the same thing. “I’m not at liberty to tell you,” Engblom said with a chuckle. “But they Chemistry is just as important, if not more important than up front. Look finally got one. They’re gonna make an announcement in a day or two.” at the re-start and how well Zach Bogosian played with Hedman. Who expected that? They stuck with it quite a bit. So those things take care of But Engblom was a lot more forthcoming with his insights on what Tampa themselves. Bay might do to tackle some of its biggest questions heading into Sunday’s first day of camp. Engblom spent 45 minutes with The Athletic Mikhail Sergachev, who signed a new contract this offseason, is one of on Thursday covering an array of topics, from handling the loss of Tampa’s top defensemen. (Dan Hamilton / USA Today) Kucherov to Cal Foote’s chances to make the team and how the Tyler You mentioned Cal Foote. I think all eyes will be on him in camp. It’s a Johnson saga will play out. short camp, no exhibition games. What did you think of him in summer Note: Conversation has been edited lightly for clarity. camp and what are you looking for in camp to tell you if he’s ready to make the team? The biggest question I think is how will the Lightning replace Kucherov, who had hip surgery on Tuesday and is out for at least the regular There won’t be a lot of scrimmaging. So it’ll be execution, doing drills, season. (The team said Wednesday that the initial indications are that breakouts. It’ll be hard to (decide) unless he shows up and they look at the procedure solved his hip issue.) What do you think the team will do, him and go, “He’s not ready.” He’s going to get a chance early unless he and what are you looking for in camp? shows he’s completely dropped the ball and is in lousy shape, not up to speed. But I think it’s his spot to lose right now because you look at Well, Kucherov is obviously one of the best players in the world, so we money-wise and everything else. know what they’ll say: that they can’t replace him, that it’ll be a collective effort. He was a driving force in the playoffs. And on the power play, you With Foote, is it mostly about his foot speed? His skating? His reads? know they get it to No. 86 right away, right? So that’s the first one of the What needs to show up in his play? first things that go through my head is the power play. The power play is It was all of that. Foot speed, handling the tempo. The coaching staff gonna look different. It’s gonna feel substantially different because remarked on it in summer camp, they thought he made a really good everything does flow through him. improvement. It looked like he had really done some really good work Who is that one guy whose numbers are really gonna kick up now? I and worked on the right things. He was quicker. He was stronger. It’s mean, you know, as great as Brayden Point is, can he go to another about getting used to the pace of play day in and day out, playing at a level? You know that Point’s time will go up, (Steven) Stamkos’ time will high level and getting a feel for guys like Sidney Crosby and Alex go up. Who’s the winger that’s going to eat more minutes? Maybe this is Ovechkin, the top-level players. What does it feel like to be up against the time for (Tyler) Johnson, who’s, over the last couple of years, been those guys? That is just experience, no coach or anything can really help on virtually every one of the four lines at one time or another. He has you with that. Those are situations for a defenseman that can really make played center and has played wing. And because of that being moved or break your ability to crack the lineup. You’re faced with a lot of one-on- around, the numbers haven’t been what they were a few years ago or ones, and when you’re the new guy on the block, they’re going to test more, right? But you would think because he’s a right winger, that he you for sure. It’s all about experience and confidence. might be that guy. There’s gonna be a few guys who will get a chance One thing I think will be fascinating is Tyler Johnson and his relationship and it will be whoever takes the ball and runs with it. You saw what with the team. General manager Julien BriseBois said last week he’s (Ondrej Palat) did in the playoffs with Stamkos out? He got the chance spoken with Johnson and he doesn’t expect any issues. And Johnson first, and he was outstanding and he never relinquished that spot. has been a real good pro, team guy over the years. From what I heard, The one thing you mentioned is the power play. I’m curious what you Johnson seemed to handle this situation well. But for a veteran player to think of who goes in the spot on that right side. And I think we all know be put on waivers, asked for a list of teams he could get traded to, then Stamkos will be back in his spot. You’ll probably have Point in the middle, be back with the team? It has to hurt a little. You’ve been traded before. Alex Killorn or Pat Maroon down low. But who do you put in Kucherov’s What’s it like from a player’s perspective? spot? I’ve thought Mikhail Sergachev could be an interesting choice. It’s an unusual situation. I don’t think there are a lot of guys in a given They might come up with a totally different look. Not even the same year that go through this. It’s hard for me to put myself in his place. I’ve structure. Most teams sort of use that 1-3-1. Pointer was in the middle been traded, but it wasn’t in circumstances like this. I think you just play. when he was out there. He could drift off to the side where Kucherov He’s a really good pro. He’s not a new kid on the block. The players was, and then you can plug in somebody else in the middle. Could be understand the salary cap. I’d be willing to bet money that going into the playoffs when they had their players-only meetings, even sitting around I like it a lot. You’ve heard people say a lot over the years, “We just have and having a drink, saying, “We know darn well this group is not staying to play our own game.” Players and coaches say that because normally together.” Virtually no team stays together from one year to the next. you’re home to St. Louis one night and then home to Florida, then off to They’re a close-knit group, Tyler has been a big part of that. He knows Chicago. So you have different opposition all the time. But this will be what his salary is and has probably gone in with his eyes wide open. more like the playoffs, where you’re making adjustments. You’re seeing They’ll never forget playing with each other, winning the Cup. the same faces day after day for four, maybe seven games. That’s what I like about this format, you get more familiarity with the players because The whole waivers thing, it’s unique because of his talent level. It shows you play them so often — back-to-backs, three in a row. I think there’s a you what the salary cap does. It’ll be interesting, with (Kucherov) out, better chance of having a really sound game. So this is a different look. (Johnson) is no dummy. He’s likely seeing this as a big chance for him to You’re going to play everyone eight times, that’s a huge difference. get back to that ice-time level that he hadn’t had in recent years. He can fill that spot. I would think he’s right at the front of the list to be that guy What’ll be interesting to me is who are on the taxi squads. There will be because of his skill level because you can play him on the power play around six players, and that can really help the Lightning manage the and play him a lot. This would be an excellent chance for Tyler to really cap, potentially carrying only 20-21 players on the active roster. My expand his numbers from the previous years and get off to a good start. sense is you’ll see guys like Luke Witkowski (who can play defenseman and wing), Foote (if he doesn’t make the team), Alex Barre-Boulet, a Every year, there are younger players who step up and take their game goalie like Spencer Martin, maybe a Gemel Smith, Ross Colton. What do to another level. Last year, we saw Carter Verhaeghe and Mitchell you think? Stephens play well as rookies, even getting some playoff time. This year, I’m looking at Alex Volkov, who really impressed the coaching staff and I’m really interested in that, and how do you practice with them? How veteran players with how he looked in summer camp and in the practices often do you integrate them into the rest of the team. I would think Barre- in the bubble. Is this the year for him to break out into a regular role? Boulet is a slam dunk. He’s been Rookie of the Year, an All-Star in the American Hockey League. He’s proven his worth and he’ll be in that They clearly like him a lot. Getting dropped into the Stanley Cup final is a fourth-line center conversation, so Stephens has got some competition. pretty good indication of what management thinks of you. That’s who you Gemel Smith, I thought he was really impressive in the summer. He’s not have to impress. So getting put in for Game 6, that really says as flashy offensively, but he’s got some experience. He’s got some size something. He has shown the skill level, and players like him too, they to him. He knows how to grind, so don’t count him out too. Then we have like playing with him. They see his ability, what it takes to play. Having the usual guys we talk about, the Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk. gone through that, he should be ready to step in and be a regular. The rest will be confidence. Can you get off to a good start? He’s gonna get Then you look at what Mathieu Joseph went through last year, a real his opportunities for sure. He’s going to be playing on the right side, he’s painful experience in the NHL (a “humbling” demotion to AHL Syracuse got a chance to take some minutes. I have no doubt they’ll drop him in on at midseason). That’s tough for a player, you have to get a grip on the power play too. We’ll see if he can get his confidence level up or if it’ll yourself again and work your way up, which he did. You know how highly be too much, too soon. motivated he’s going to be to fight his way in there. He’s got the speed. Has he become a better player that learned from the coaching staff in the With Cedric Paquette traded (along with Braydon Coburn) to the AHL? Is he going to focus on the right things? You cannot overlook Senators, do you believe Mitchell Stephens can step in as the fourth-line Joseph because he’s going to be as highly motivated as anybody on this center? team to make a big impression.

I think he proved that as the season went on, and then certainly in the The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 playoffs. He’s a very conscientious, smart guy who knows how to play the game his way. He has figured out who he is and what he can do. What I was talking about before about defensemen and dealing with one- on-ones, centers have to do that too. It’s your responsibility level, how good are you at understanding where you’re supposed to be, playing the clock and the score too. He has all those things and showed some hands and ability to score some goals and add some offense. I think Stephens has proved he can be that guy, so that’s a door open to him.

My initial thought with the Lightning’s lines — which will change often — is to start with Palat-Point and either Stamkos, Killorn, Johnson on the right wing. They could also put Stamkos to be on Line 2 with Anthony Cirelli and Killorn, guys he’s played with often. You can keep the Barclay Goodrow-Yanni Gourde-Blake Coleman line together, with Pat Maroon, Stephens and Volkov or Mathieu Joseph on the fourth. What are you feeling?

That makes sense, and it’ll change. We saw Killorn with Stamkos sometimes. Johnson can go with Point a lot. Coleman is a guy we got a really good look at. We didn’t see his goal-scoring ability kick in the way it did with New Jersey, but he was smart enough to understand this team is a lot more loaded than New Jersey. Let’s not forget, he’s scored 21 goals. He’s getting a fresh start. So if he can play right wing and left wing, he might get moved up to the top line too. There’s going to be some movement and different options.

Change is good. Sometimes you can go back to the old ways, same old lines, and it doesn’t look very good. You have to realize that one of the things you’ll face is that this is not last year. St. Louis found that out, so did Washington, the year before. You got to the top? Great. But every team is looking a little different. So if you try to re-create what you did last year, that could be wrong. If you try to re-create a feel that was working for you before, you’re not paying attention to what’s in front of you. That’s a really common area that individual players fall into.

It certainly looks — on paper — like the divisional formats will be good for the Lightning. There are several rebuilding teams in the Central Division, from Detroit to Chicago. The Panthers are still trying to find themselves with all the changes. I know there are going to be some good teams, like Carolina and Columbus, for example. But do you see this division — where the top four teams make the playoffs and face each other in the first two rounds — is beneficial for Tampa Bay? 1197667 Toronto Maple Leafs But it’s going to come down to the wealthy young millionaires to really make this happen. Matthews, Marner and William Nylander are not kids anymore. Inexperience is no longer an excuse. When camp opens they will have a combined 889 regular-season games and 75 playoff games For all the Leafs’ off-season changes, real change will have to come from between them, as well as 327 regular-season goals. The clock is officially within ticking. Matthews and Nylander will be unrestricted free agents in three years.

None of Thornton, Simmonds or Brodie are going to come in and tell the By Damien Cox team’s best players how to play or how to conduct themselves. That’s got Fri., Jan. 1, 2021 to come from within. We saw it on the ice from Matthews last season, who became more of a 200-foot player and defensive presence despite having the worst moustache in hockey.

Ten short days to get ready for the season. That’s it for the Maple Leafs. It’s not really about whether Simmonds can play a hard game or ride shotgun for someone. It’s whether Nylander, for example, can get himself No exhibition games. Then a deep dive into a congested, competitive all- to play a harder game. It was never about bringing in others to change Canadian schedule that must be completed by May 8. the team. It’s about whether those already here can change. My goodness, how good would it be if the NHL could do it this way every If Brodie does have an impact on the overall defensive shield, that could season? help Andersen, who is in the last year of his contract. But better defence Given that it’s not 1955, the players should be arriving in elite condition at is a team thing, not just a blue-line thing. all 31 camps. If all the systems and schemes and defensive coverages The Leafs were actually reasonably sound defensively against the low- aren’t in place for the beginning of the season, well, the hockey will be scoring Blue Jackets, but only scored 10 goals themselves in five games that much more entertaining for all of us until the coaches batten down and were shut out twice. They just didn’t have enough people willing to the hatches. get to the nasty places. That’s one of the key areas that’s going to have The Leafs, again loaded with potential and expectations and an to change for this season to have a different conclusion. established roster, get started with medicals on Sunday and are on the The Leafs got a nice break temporarily moving to a new division that’s ice Monday. They then have slightly more than a week to set their roster, weaker than the one they left. But, by the playoffs, it’s going to again be put lines and defensive pairs together and establish a useful taxi squad the kind of hockey with an edge that has tripped up these Leafs time and before hosting the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 13. time again. No precise time or place has yet been set for that game, or any of the Either their big boys have spent the last five months preparing games within the all-Canadian division. But if all goes well, and with the themselves to play with more sandpaper, or Keefe will have to demand it. help of the federal government giving special treatment for players and We’ll start seeing the evidence in 10 days. staff entering the country in the middle of a pandemic for reasons few can really understand, we should anticipate the Leafs and Habs teeing it Toronto Star LOADED: 01.02.2021 up at 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. that night at Scotiabank Arena.

Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe better have their boys ready and rarin’ to go right away, because competition in the North Division is going to be frenetic and intense from opening night on.

When we last saw the Leafs, they were exiting the 24-team bubble playoffs in midsummer without even managing to win a round. Columbus went the distance to win a best-of-five game series, mostly riding suffocating defensive play and standout goaltending from Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins.

The Leafs pulled off a stunning comeback in Game 4, but once again Toronto netminder Frederik Anderson wasn’t the best goalie in a playoff series and once again there was strong belief among many that the Leafs’ preference to play no-hit, all-skill hockey contributed to their downfall. Other series storylines included the injury loss of defenceman Jake Muzzin, the inclusion and then the exclusion of junior hockey call-up Nick Robertson, the use of a power line involving Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares, and the Leafs’ pathetic shooting percentage in the series.

We are going to find out relatively early in this season if that defeat stung. We know Toronto’s best players are very talented and very rich. What we don’t know is whether they have the internal drive, the hunger, to dig a little deeper and get this team to the next level.

Bluntly, we don’t know whether they’re sick and tired of failing in the playoffs.

Dubas, seemingly listening more to the public criticisms of his team than ever before, added winger Wayne Simmonds for grit and centre Joe Thornton for size and experience early in the summer. Signing Zdeno Chara would have added more of all those qualities, but that happened late in 2020 and in a pandemic, crossing the border might not have worked for him and his family, anyway.

A reasonable expectation would be for Simmonds (eight goals last season) and Thornton (31 points in 70 games) to have a limited statistical impact on the speedy, high-scoring Leafs. They, along with defenceman T.J. Brodie, might help the Leafs occasionally play a different kind of game when the situation calls for it. Bodies that could have pushed back against Boone Jenner last summer, for example, would have been helpful. 1197668 Toronto Maple Leafs What new looks can we expect on special teams? There are improvements to be made on the penalty kill, as the Leafs

were 21st last season at 77.7%. KOSHAN: Delving into some Leafs questions before the club goes Defenceman Cody Ceci, gone to Pittsburgh in free agency, led the Leafs camping in shorthanded ice time. Each of the next six Leafs in that category return, beginning with stalwart Muzzin. There could be an increased role for Rielly, who came in at just under two minutes last season. Terry Koshan Brodie was fourth among Flames defencemen in penalty-killing time, and Publishing date:Jan 01, 2021 considering he is unlikely to get much of a look on the Toronto power play, it could become a bigger role for him with the Leafs. The Leafs will

also need to replace Kasperi Kapanen’s time on the PK, which averaged Finally, it’s here: Maple Leafs training camp, 2021 abbreviated edition. one minute 39 seconds. Perhaps Engvall, who is capable, or Vesey, gets a longer look. We figure Bogosian will factor in as well. Happy New Year, indeed. Frederik Andersen’s save percentage in his 52 games while the Leafs We’ll take what we can get during this pandemic, including a 56-game were on the penalty kill was .857; only three goalies who played in at National Hockey League regular season slated to start on Jan. 13. least 52 games (Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck and Carey Price) had a better number. The Leafs will undergo medicals at the Ford Performance Centre on Sunday, followed by the start of on-ice sessions on Monday. On the power play? We’ll be curious to see if assistant coach Manny Malhotra has any inclination toward making a change to the No. 1 unit You might have been privy to the news that general manager Kyle Dubas (Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander and Rielly). Does Simmonds get a was a busy man in the months that followed the Leafs’ qualifying round look with that group, perhaps replacing Nylander at net-front? loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, re-shaping the bottom half of the forward group while adding a top defenceman in TJ Brodie. With the second unit, Thornton will slot in, Simmonds as well if he is not with the top group. If Robertson makes the roster, he’s going to get a The Leafs’ nucleus is intact and, as such, Toronto is considered by many shot. And don’t forget Spezza. to be the favourite to win the all-Canadian North Division. But what would the start of camp be without pressing questions? The Leafs tied for fifth on the power play last season. They’ll tell you, though, there is potential for greater success with a man advantage. Some of the Leafs issues on our mind as we get geared up for the NHL’s return: Will camp be the start of something good for Frederik Andersen?

How will coach Sheldon Keefe make the additions work at forward? If we had to bet, yes. He’s in a contract year, he’s coming off an up-and- Specifically, how will players such as Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds down season and he heard the talk of a possible off-season trade that and Jimmy Vesey be worked into the lineup? never happened.

There probably has been a little too much hand-wringing over this. Never mind that Andersen is a soft-spoken man. He will have it on the front-burner to rebound and help take the Leafs far. When you have a top six that includes Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, captain John Tavares, William Nylander, Zach Hyman and Ilya Mikheyev, And if not, Jack Campbell is a solid No. 2. what comes next on the third and fourth lines shouldn’t be keeping people up at night. Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.02.2021

We would assume that Alex Kerfoot gets moved back to the wing and, probably, Jason Spezza resumes his role as the centre on the fourth line. Will Thornton, at 41, have the stamina to be an everyday third-line centre? Vesey will be on the wing on the third line, we presume. Fact is, Dubas has built a cupboard stocked with forward depth.

The challenge for Keefe will be finding combinations that work immediately, more or less, once the games start. If not? Consider that the group waiting in the wings would include Pierre Engvall, Alexander Barabanov, Joey Anderson, Travis Boyd and Nic Petan. There’s going to be hunger on the taxi squad.

Is there any way that Brodie doesn’t play on Morgan Rielly’s right side?

Unlikely. The Leafs liked Brodie for many reasons, and high on the list was Brodie’s strong pairing with Mark Giordano with the Calgary Flames. Brodie is the guy Rielly has been waiting for since, well, his early days with the Leafs.

The bigger question for the Leafs on the blue line is similar to what we’re going to see up front. You have Rielly-Brodie, and Jake Muzzin-Justin Holl. Then, a third pair including two of Travis Dermott, Zach Bogosian and Mikko Lehtonen (with apologies to Rasmus Sandin).

Dermott will have some motivation after signing his qualifying offer, while Bogosian will be looking to build on some good Stanley Cup minutes with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lehtonen has been pencilled in for power-play work. Something will have to give in camp.

Will Nick Robertson make the club?

The odds last summer weren’t great for Robertson, even coming off a 55- goal season with the Peterborough Petes. Yet Robertson, who has since turned 19, not only cracked the roster for what turned out to be a brief Leafs post-season appearance, but made an impact. His determination hasn’t waned, and now he has some experience to go with it. Even taking into account the depth at forward, we will be surprised if Robertson doesn’t find a way to stickhandle his way through it. 1197669 Toronto Maple Leafs Jack Campbell: Can he push Andersen for the starter’s job? A lot to ask of a goalie with just 64 NHL games played and a .916 save

percentage? Perhaps. But it’s possible. Managing Andersen will be a One question for every Maple Leaf to start the 2021 season balancing act for Keefe: as much as he’ll want to rely on what he knows works in a shortened season, the leash for players who stumble will be that much shorter.

By Joshua Kloke Jan 1, 2021 Aaron Dell: If injuries occur, can he win a few games in a pinch?

As it stands, a full(ish) season with Campbell backing up Andersen makes for a noted improvement on a season with Michael Hutchinson as After months of questioning whether the 2021 NHL season would even a backup. But should Andersen or Campbell fall to injury, possible given take place, it finally looks like it’s going to start on Jan. 13. One question the compressed schedule, is Dell capable of making the stops down and many more to go, especially when it comes to the Toronto Hutchinson couldn’t? We’re talking about a small handful of games at Maple Leafs and the upcoming season. most here, sure. And with a .908 career save percentage over 107 NHL Early projections for the Maple Leafs are favourable, but there’s still a lot games, he’s a fine No. 3. But with backup goalies in Toronto, fans will still that has to go right for the team to progress past the first round of the grit their teeth. playoffs for the first time since 2004. Travis Dermott: Can he push for a top-four spot and avoid being exposed So what are some of the questions facing this revamped Leafs team? in the expansion draft?

The Athletic considers one question surrounding each player ahead of Given how well Justin Holl and Jake Muzzin played together last season, training camp: they’ll likely start together on the second pair. So can Dermott, on a one- year contract, play his way higher in the lineup and make himself the top- Frederik Andersen: How will he perform in the playoffs? four defenceman the Leafs need? Or, with young defencemen eager to find a spot in the roster, do the Leafs expose him to Seattle in the Few Leafs have their play continually scrutinized like Andersen, and with expansion draft? good reason. That scrutiny will only continue, especially in a contract year. My bet is he gets the full season to prove he can perform in Pierre Engvall: Can he reclaim his NHL job? pressure-packed playoff games. If he doesn’t play well when it matters most, a lot of the questions about Andersen’s future here could have a Engvall is waivers exempt, so he could start the season on the taxi final answer. squad. Just how long he spends there is another story. If an injury occurs, and Engvall slots in, is his versatility, penalty killing and skating Joey Anderson: Is there anything he can do to get himself in the mix this enough to keep him in the lineup? He was scratched to start the playoffs season? but did get back in the lineup. Keefe’s familiarity with him helps his case this season. His three-year contract in October was perhaps longer than anticipated, and to me, speaks to the belief management has in him as a piece of the Justin Holl: How secure is his spot in the top-four? team’s puzzle. Still, he remains an outsider to crack the roster in his first season. He’ll need to play his high-tempo, defence-first game What a difference a season makes. After spending the majority of the consistently in any brief auditions to push others out of that fourth line 2018-19 season in the press box, you had to wonder if Holl was going to role and make himself more of a lock for a bottom-six role next season. be an NHL defenceman with the Leafs, period. He now looks like a lock to play second-pair minutes against tough opposition with Muzzin. If he Alexander Barabanov: How much value will he provide for his contract? regresses, could Dermott or another candidate, bump him to the bottom pair? With Barabanov going up against Anderson, Pierre Engvall, Nick Robertson and Travis Boyd for one of the final spots on the fourth line, I’d Zach Hyman: What will his next contract look like? give Barabanov the slight edge, at least to start. Head coach Sheldon Keefe will want to see what he has in the KHL veteran. What kind of Hyman is ever reliable for the Leafs, both in his style of play and his off- value will he provide after signing a one-year, $925,000 contract? Will he ice demeanour. He doesn’t have many questions to answer with his play follow Ilya Mikheyev’s path and provide energy every night, with a little and his $2.25-million cap hit this season is a bargain. The impending offence to boot? Or will he be depended on more defensively? UFA feels like a long-term Leaf, but with Andersen also UFA and Rielly in need of a new deal the following year, what will it cost? Zach Bogosian: How much of an impact will his physical presence make on the bottom pair? Alex Kerfoot: What does another level look like for him?

The 30-year-old was signed as part of an effort to make the Leafs For now, the question he’ll have to answer is whether he can continue to tougher to play against. If Bogosian logs 16 or 17 minutes a night, will he kill penalties and be defensively responsible at 5-on-5 while chipping in contribute that? And how much less physical will the Leafs be if he offensively as he did early in his career with the Colorado Avalanche. rotates in and out of the lineup to give Lehtonen minutes? Playing alongside Thornton would be a good start.

Travis Boyd: Will he cement himself as a full-time NHL player? Mikko Lehtonen: Is he ready for a top-six NHL role?

Boyd was one of the first players signed when free agency opened and This is bound to be one of the most-asked questions in training camp. he made his own expectations clear. Lehtonen followed up a stellar first season in the KHL by producing at a point-per-game clip through 17 KHL games this season. But he’s walking “I believe I’m good enough to be an everyday NHL player,” he said in into a completely new environment, and nothing from winning a October. “And I don’t think I was given that chance in Washington. And consistent blue line job to falling well outside the top-six would be I’m just looking for a chance to prove that.” surprising.

It’s a small sample size, but some underlying numbers from his 5-on-5 Timothy Liljegren: Is he an NHL defenceman? play with the Capitals last season suggest he’s capable of producing with the Leafs. I still believe Liljegren can become an NHL defenceman. He looked composed as the guy in the AHL last season and his defensive play has T.J. Brodie: Will he be Morgan Rielly’s saviour? improved. My faith, however, was shaken after his middling 11 game NHL stint last season. It’s worth wondering if the continued expectations Among the many offseason additions, Brodie appears to be the fan around him, a 2017 first-round pick, impacted his confidence at the NHL favourite and for good reason: He’s the defensively responsible level. A scenario in which he forces himself into the NHL lineup is very defenceman long coveted to play with Rielly. There’s no question he’s an tough to imagine. This will lead to more domination at the AHL level, but upgrade on Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci, but to what degree? We can’t more questions about his ceiling. assume his transition will be smooth (look at how difficult Barrie’s adjustment in Toronto was). But if they find chemistry, Rielly could play Martin Marincin: How many more nicknames can he earn this season? even better and the team, as a whole, could make necessary defensive improvements. Kidding aside, what else can you ask of Marincin? He’s on a cheap, one- I have Sandin at the top of Toronto’s prospect pool as he’s more of a year deal, just as he was the previous two seasons. He’ll give the Leafs sure thing than Robertson. But even Robertson has played some games solid work on the bottom pair with some time on the penalty kill. He’ll since March. Sandin has not. With the additions on the blue line, he draw in for some, but not a lot of games. And I suspect we’ll be asking projects to be on the taxi squad. The Leafs opted not to loan him over in the same question again in 2021. Europe this season, instead asking him to focus on bulking up.

Mitch Marner: Can he free himself from the weight of expectations? We won’t get an answer to this right away, but how much different will Sandin look having been on the sidelines for so long? Marner is a star in Toronto, but last season he looked like a player with the weight of a city on his shoulders, perhaps unnecessarily. Gone was Wayne Simmonds: Is he healthy enough to play an entire season? the carefree, upbeat winger that emerged in 2016 and in his place was a hyper-critical and sometimes sullen player. We saw something similar Simmonds and his trainer have said he’s physically prepared to play this from William Nylander after his contract negotiations garnered headlines season after battling injuries since 2017. The menacing style of play the year before, and he followed it up with a dominant season. expected of Simmonds is a taxing one. If he can stay healthy, that will go a long way to make the Leafs a far more difficult team to play against. It’s worth wondering how a more lighthearted Marner off the ice might influence his freewheeling style on the ice. The Leafs are going to have Jason Spezza: Does he have another season like 2019-20 in him? plenty of veterans to wear the team’s failures this season. Marner will The obvious question is how much Spezza has left in the tank at 37. Last out-earn most of them, yes, but he can also create chances in a way season went about as well as could be expected for him. I wouldn’t be they, and few players in the league can. shocked to see him in a more limited role in the shortened season to Forgive the lack of expert analysis, but this scene comes to mind, in all maximize his offensive output and replicate last season’s results. the right ways, when discussing Marner: We also know he has worked closely with Robertson and Justin Brazeau Auston Matthews: Will he win the Rocket Richard Trophy and Hart on their skills development. What’s intriguing is whether there will be Trophy? other young Leafs to learn from his 18 seasons of experience.

Matthews is unquestionably one of the best players in the league, and his John Tavares: Which version of Tavares will emerge? dominance makes him incredibly valuable. Is the John Tavares of 2018-19, who logged career highs in goals and I don’t dabble much in hot takes, but I definitely caught the ear of Jonas points, the player Leafs fans should hope to see in a shortened season? Siegel recently when I said Matthews’ progression last season makes Or will we see the Tavares from last season, who played just fine but was him primed for a season that could include the Rocket Richard and Hart outmatched in the playoffs? With his salary, he’s up at the top of the list Trophies, and potentially one of the greatest single seasons from a Leaf. of Leafs under the most pressure.

I say he is more than capable of proving my take to be true. Joe Thornton: What sort of influence will he have in the Leafs dressing room? Ilya Mikheyev: Can we expect more of the same after his 39-game rookie season? I get the questions about whether or not he can still play 41, but the more people I spoke to about Thornton this offseason, the more I wondered if Mikheyev was one of the more consistent performers for the Leafs in his his signing was as much an effort to bring a change of attitude to the brief rookie campaign, making him arguably the surprise of the season. Leafs. Getting much the same from him in terms of the energy he brings and his output (21 5-on-5 points in 39 games) would still make his $1.645-million Jimmy Vesey: What does he have to do to bounce back from a cap hit a bargain. disappointing 2019-20 campaign?

Jake Muzzin: As he ages, can he remain an effective counter against the Vesey was one of the more intriguing bets made by the Leafs in the opposition’s top lines? offseason. If he gets more chances on the power play than he received in Buffalo, could he contribute close to the five goals he scored on the You could make a case that Muzzin is the team’s best defenceman, power play in 2016-17 with the New York Rangers? Playing with more based on his reliability defensively and his ability to make smart, if talented linemates could help his cause, too. unspectacular, plays in the offensive zone. Paired with Holl, he’ll do the heavy lifting defensively against the best forwards in the all-Canadian Maybe that means reuniting him with former Harvard linemate Alex division. But with age, wear and tear, how much longer can he keep up Kerfoot. They were described as “about as unstoppable duo as you that style of play? would get,” during their time in college. Would it make sense for Keefe to play them early on with Thornton as the playmaker at centre? If it gives William Nylander: Can he find another gear in the playoffs? the Leafs more scoring punch lower in the lineup, it’s an option to consider. There’s no reason to think Nylander won’t have another offensively dominant regular season. But like a few other key players on this list, he’ll The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 be judged on whether he can elevate his effort, defensive play and production when it matters in the playoffs.

Morgan Rielly: How will T.J. Brodie, and a return to full health, impact his season?

On paper, you have to think his performance will be bolstered alongside Brodie after logging time with Ron Hainsey, Cody Ceci and Nikita Zaitsev over the past three seasons.

And then there’s the question of his health. After playing injured most, if not all, of last season, will an extended break help him rediscover his form from his lights-out 2018-19 season, or should we still temper expectations?

Nick Robertson: Does he force his way onto the opening night roster?

Jonas Siegel has essentially asked this question two different ways in the past few weeks, because it’s the only real question of Robertson. Though he struggled at times in a small four-game sample size through last season’s qualification round, there’s no question his determination both on and off the ice will make for difficult decisions for Keefe.

Rasmus Sandin: How much will a lack of playing time hurt his development? 1197670 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights release 40-player training camp roster

David Schoen

January 1, 2021 - 11:42 am

The Golden Knights announced their training camp roster Friday, with 40 players set to participate.

The first practices are scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Monday at City National Arena, with the team split into two groups. Practices are closed to the public but will be streamed through the team’s various social media accounts.

The roster includes the maximum 36 skaters (24 forwards, 12 defensemen) and four goaltenders. Training camp is slated to wrap up Jan. 13.

The Knights open the season Jan. 14 against Anaheim at T-Mobile Arena.

One notable omission from the roster is forward Peyton Krebs, the team’s first-round pick in 2019. Krebs is playing at the World Junior Championship and has three goals and six points in four games for Team Canada.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon said Dec. 23 that Krebs was expected to join the Knights camp after Canada’s run at the tournament was completed.

Canada plays Czech Republic in the quarterfinals Saturday. The gold- and bronze-medal games are scheduled for Tuesday.

“(Krebs will) come to Las Vegas from the World Juniors, and from there we’re going to give him an opportunity to be evaluated,” McCrimmon said.

Included with the forward group is winger Jack Dugan, who led the NCAA in scoring as a sophomore at Providence before turning pro in the summer. Dugan will wear No. 8.

Forward Tomas Jurco is expected to participate after he underwent surgery on his left hip in December. Jurco, who will wear No. 13, signed with the Knights as a free agent.

Other newcomers at forward are free-agent signing Daniel O’Regan (No. 21) and Dylan Sikura (No. 15), who was acquired from Chicago in exchange for Brandon Pirri.

Along with 21-year-old winger Lucas Elvenes, the leading scorer for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League last season, they will try to crack a lineup that appears set at forward heading into the season.

Players who don’t make the team will be part of the taxi squad or be assigned to the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL.

Coach Pete DeBoer must decide on his defense pairings, but his top six appear to be set on the blue line. Free-agent signing Alex Pietrangelo officially is listed as No. 7.

Defenseman Carl Dahlstrom (No. 63) came over from Winnipeg in the trade for Paul Stastny and adds depth. Jake Bischoff, Dylan Coghlan, Nicolas Hague and Jimmy Schuldt will try to make the jump from the minors.

Prospect Kaedan Korczak is skating with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship and it’s not clear whether the 2019 second-round pick will join with Krebs following the conclusion of the tournament.

In goal, Robin Lehner and Marc-Andre Fleury are joined by Oscar Dansk. Teams are required to carry one goalie on their taxi squad if there are two active goalies on the NHL roster.

Logan Thompson will serve as the fourth goaltender.

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Golden Knights to play outdoor game in Lake Tahoe

David Schoen

January 1, 2021 - 11:45 am

The Golden Knights will feel the wind in their hair and the frost on their faces while playing outdoors next month.

The game against Colorado on Feb. 20 will take place at Lake Tahoe as part of the NHL’s “Outdoor Weekend,” a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed Friday.

The news was first reported by Sportsnet in Canada.

Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, which is home to the American Century Celebrity Championship golf tournament, is hosting the event. The rink reportedly is being built near the 16th, 17th and 18th holes of the golf course, with the lakefront serving as a backdrop.

A Knights spokesperson referred all questions about the event to the league office, which did not comment.

A representative at Edgewood Tahoe Resort said the property’s marketing and public relations team was out of the office.

The Knights’ Saturday matchup against the Avalanche, which was originally scheduled as a Colorado home game, will be televised nationally on NBC, KSNV-3 locally.

Boston and Philadelphia are scheduled to play outdoors at Lake Tahoe the following day on NBC, according to the report.

There is a three-day break on the schedule prior to the Knights and Avalanche facing off for the third of four consecutive games between the clubs.

The Knights did not play in an outdoor game in their first three seasons. Colorado hosted Los Angeles in the NHL Stadium Series on Feb. 15 at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium, losing 3-1 to the Kings.

Fans will not be permitted at the game, with attendance at Edgewood Tahoe Resort limited to the team’s traveling parties along with production and game management staff.

The NHL has played 30 regular-season outdoor games since 2003 with venues ranging from Fenway Park to and Notre Dame’s football stadium to last year. Not all of the games have been played in frigid temperatures, but the average temperature for Stateline on Feb. 20 is a high of 44 degrees and a low of 18; last Feb. 20, it was 49/22 degrees.

The scene is expected to be reminiscent of the 1999 film “Mystery, Alaska,” in which the New York Rangers are flown to a remote northern outpost to play an outdoor exhibition game against residents of the small town.

The two outdoor games would help replace the loss of the Winter Classic, the league’s annual outdoor spectacle that has taken place on New Year’s Day since its inception in 2008.

The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of that game between the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues at Target Field in Minneapolis.

The 56-game season is set to begin Jan. 13 around the league, while the Knights open Jan. 14 against Anaheim at T-Mobile Arena.

The NHL is using the abbreviated season to experiment with new ideas. It previously looked at holding outdoor games in Lake Louise, Alberta, and Park City, Utah, but ran into problems, according to Sportsnet.

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Report: Golden Knights to play outdoors at Lake Tahoe this season

Justin Emerson

Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 | 8:04 a.m.

The Golden Knights are heading outdoors.

Sportsnet reported on Friday morning that the Golden Knights will play the Colorado Avalanche at Lake Tahoe on Feb. 20. The game will be part of a two-day showcase at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort, along with a game between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers.

The game is the Golden Knights’ only game on NBC and the only NBC telecast on a Saturday.

The resort is home to a popular celebrity golf tournament, and the plan is to play around the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. There will be no fans in attendance, but a picturesque view of the mountains and the lake could provide a tremendous backdrop on television.

Considering the unique nature of this season, the NHL is willing to experiment with some ideas it ordinarily wouldn’t. If this works well, it could become an annual occurrence, Sportsnet noted.

The Golden Knights have never played an outdoor game. The Avalanche hosted one at the Air Force Academy in Colorado last season.

Vegas and Colorado are in the same West Division this season thanks to realignment because of the coronavirus pandemic. They are projected to be two of the top teams in the league next season.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197673 Vegas Golden Knights — all four losses were by one goal, with two coming in overtime. It was a successful playoff run, but ask any player and they’ll tell you the same thing: It doesn’t feel successful if you don’t win the last game of the season. Top 10 Vegas Golden Knights moments from 2020 No. 6: Golden Knights defeat Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of second Vegas Golden Knights' Ryan Reaves Take a Knee round

Any Game 7 victory is a cause for celebration, but the Golden Knights needed this one. The setup was eerily similar to the 2019 playoffs: Vegas Justin Emerson takes a 3-1 lead in the series, only to lose twice and force a Game 7. Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 | 2 a.m. This one against the Canucks even had a five-minute penalty, the flashpoint moment in the Game 7 against the Sharks a year earlier.

This time, though, the Golden Knights prevailed. They killed off Ryan The hope is that hockey in 2021 will start to look normal again. Reaves’ penalty to keep the game scoreless, Robin Lehner made a tremendous save and Shea Theodore broke a 0-0 tie in the third period The coronavirus pandemic played a major role in the oddities of the to spark Vegas’ eventual 3-0 victory. As far as must-win games go, it was Golden Knights in 2020, but even without pausing for the pandemic, the the Golden Knights’ biggest victory of the season. year would have been a bonkers one by the standards of any NHL team. No. 5: Golden Knights acquire Robin Lehner from Chicago The chaotic year saw Mark Stone’s return to Ottawa, Max Pacioretty’s first All-Star Game, Jon Merrill’s game as a forward, the Golden Knights It was the trade that launched a thousand questions about the Golden earning the top seed in the Western Conference and so many others Knights’ plans in net, both for the short- and long-term. Lehner was an didn’t even crack the top 10 moments of the year. established star, having finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting in 2019. His arrival came amid one of Marc-Andre Fleury’s worst statistical Which ones did? We take a look. seasons. Oh, and Lehner was seven years younger and a free agent at No. 10: Golden Knights match franchise record with eight-game winning the end of the season. streak Lehner and Fleury split the rest of the regular season, but Lehner The Peter DeBoer coaching era arrived with an exclamation point in assumed the mantle of starter in the playoffs, grabbing the net for 16 of February. The Golden Knights stumbled for the first few months of the the 20 games. He signed a five-year extension in October, cementing season, and benefited from no team in the division taking it and running him as the goalie of the future. It led to plenty of speculation Fleury might away. That opened the door for the Golden Knights to seize the Pacific be traded, but that never developed, and the Golden Knights will enter with a winning streak, and that’s just what they did. the season with two expensive starting goalies.

They beat the Blues, Islanders, Capitals, Lightning and Panthers — all No. 4: Golden Knights sign Alex Pietrangelo, trade Nate Schmidt postseason teams — to sweep a season-long five-game home stand. In another of an ever-increasing list of bold moves, the Golden Knights They went on the road to beat the Ducks, then returned home to cap the signed the best free agent on the market. It just came at the expense of streak with wins against the Oilers and Sabres. It vaulted Vegas to the perhaps the biggest fan-favorite. Pietrangelo was a star defenseman for top of the division, a perch it remained atop for the rest of the year. the Blues, and his impending free agency had been linked to Vegas well No. 9: Marc-Andre Fleury’s agent takes to Twitter beyond just this offseason. But it was still stunning to see it happen.

In the end it was more of a sideshow that didn’t affect anything, but it was Pietrangelo signed a massive seven-year deal, making him the second still jarring to see the prominent agent of a beloved player post a picture highest-paid Golden Knight and fifth highest-paid defenseman in the of Fleury with a sword through his back with “DeBoer” written on the league. Vegas didn’t have room under the salary cap, and made room by sword. The implication was obvious — that agent Allan Walsh felt his sending Schmidt to Vancouver and Paul Stastny to Winnipeg for a future client was betrayed by DeBoer, who started fellow goalie Robin Lehner in draft pick. It changed the complexion of the Golden Knights, giving them 16 of the 20 playoff games. the true No. 1 defenseman they had been seeking. They have stars at every position arguably at the expense of depth, which makes for an Fleury and DeBoer both shook it off and said it didn’t matter, and Fleury interesting case study this season. asked Walsh to delete the post. Fleury and DeBoer get along well enough, even delivering bikes together as part of a holiday toy drive. It No. 3: Ryan Reaves leads push for racial justice protests in playoffs appears there is no lasting damage done, but that was a weird day on The ongoing battle for racial justice came to the sports world in 2020, and the internet. the Golden Knights had a major role in how it affected hockey. Following No. 8: Golden Knights bring AHL to Henderson, Silver Knights are born the death of George Floyd this summer, athletes from across all sports pocketed the usual “stick to sports” policy and became outspoken critics, The Golden Knights had a strong American Hockey League agreement often involving the cancellation of postponement of games. with the Chicago Wolves but wanted a team closer to home. In February they announced their intention to purchase the San Antonio Rampage Ryan Reaves, Robin Lehner and two Dallas Stars knelt for the national and relocate them to the Las Vegas Valley, which gained approval soon anthem ahead of their round-robin game, days after Minnesota’s Matt after. Later those plans formed to base the team in Henderson, where Dumba became the first NHL player to kneel. Then in the second round, they built a new practice facility and are constructing a new arena. players, led in part by Reaves, boycotted playing, forcing the league to postpone games. Then came the name: the Henderson Silver Knights. Vegas will have its AHL affiliate right down the road, allowing players to easily transfer No. 2: Golden Knights fire Gerard Gallant, hire Peter DeBoer as coach between the teams without flights to Chicago, and allow coaches and This is one that definitely feels like happened five years ago. The Golden staff to watch the AHL squad on a nightly basis. It’s also a testament to Knights were slumping and decided the cure was dismissing the first the growing popularity of hockey in the valley that the Golden Knights felt coach in franchise history and replacing him with the man he called a they could support two professional teams in the area. “clown” during a heated playoff series just eight months prior. DeBoer No. 7: Golden Knights fall in Western Conference Final to Stars took over and after a slow start, led the Golden Knights’ resurgence to the top of the Pacific Division. The end of the season is always a crusher. It wasn’t as heartbreaking as losing in the Stanley Cup Final or falling in a controversial Game 7, but It’s easy to forget how divisive this move was. Gallant was beloved in the Golden Knights believed they were built to win the Stanley Cup. Then Vegas and DeBoer was very much not. It also seemingly came out of they met Dallas in the conference finals, and could not put the puck in the nowhere, with Gallant getting the news the morning after the first game of net. a road trip. Gallant had won the Jack Adams as coach of the year just two seasons ago, but Vegas made its decision. One division title and an Vegas scored just eight goals in the five games, with three coming in its appearance in the conference final later, it’s hard to argue with the only victory of the series. The Golden Knights struggled against Dallas’ results. defense-first system and goalie Anton Khudobin but never played poorly No. 1: Pandemic halts NHL season

Almost everything that happened in 2020 is related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It started on March 9, when the NHL and other sports leagues announced locker rooms would be closed to the media, the first sign things were happening. The Golden Knights held one availability in the video room at City National Arena where no one really knew what was going to happen next. They flew to Minnesota on March 11 for their game the next night that never happened.

The season paused for more than four months, resuming in a bubble in Canada. The Golden Knights got a new coach, a new goalie, a new defenseman and reached the conference finals all in 2020. But the year will always be remembered as the season that COVID-19 disrupted.

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Goodbye Raiders, Hello Golden Knights: Las Vegas Market Pivots From NFL to NHL In January Of New Year

January 1, 2021

Alan Snel

Buh-bye 2020 and Las Vegas Raiders.

Hello 2021 and Vegas Golden Knights.

The Raiders’ crazy yo-yo season of impressive wins over the Chiefs, Saints and Browns and ugly losses to the Dolphins and Falcons ends in Denver Sunday a day before the Golden Knights open the 2021 training camp at City National Arena in Summerlin for the truncated 56-game schedule that opens Jan. 14 at T-Mobile Arena.

The Raiders’ bizarre season was made even more strange by inaugurating a $2 billion stadium in Las Vegas without a single paid fan in the 65,000-seat domed stadium that was completed in late July.

Meanwhile, the Golden Knights enter their fourth season after a pandemic bubble run ended in Edmonton in mid-September when VGK lost to Dallas in the Western Conference Finals and after a soap opera situation surfaced between goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury and new starter Robin Lehner after Fleury’s agent posted a controversial picture.

Golden Knights fans also learned this morning that VGK are scheduled to play the Colorado Avalanche in the first of two outdoor NHL games in Lake Tahoe, Nevada on Feb. 20. The Knights are scheduled to play the Avs at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort at Lake Tahoe, while Philly is set to play Boston the next day Feb. 21 at the NHL’s two-day “Outdoor Weekend.”

The Knights training camp even has a presenting sponsor — Martin- Harris Construction. With no fans at games and all that lost revenue, the Golden Knights do have income from their many sponsors.

All practice sessions at City National Arena are closed to the general public, but each practice will be streamed daily as part of the Training Camp Bulletins with commentary provided by various VGK broadcasters.

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Laviolette is starting 'fresh' with every player, including Kuznetsov

J.J. Regan

When Todd Reirden was relieved of his duties as head coach, the lack of consistency and holding players accountable was a big reason cited by general manager Brian MacLellan.

"I think we had an underperformance from a couple guys in the last two playoff series," MacLellan said.

He added, "I think consistent compete level from some guys would help our goal moving forward and I think you know those buttons do need to be pushed. We need to hold guys accountable when they don’t perform up to standards."

Though MacLellan never specifically mentioned Evgeny Kuznetsov, it is hard not to think he was one of the players MacLellan was referring to.

After a brilliant run in the 2018 postseason in which he scored 32 points in 24 games, we have yet to see Kuznetsov return to that level on a consistent basis.

But as Laviolette takes over in Washington, he is not doing so with any preconceived notions of any of his new players.

"From my standpoint and where I sit right now, there hasn't been anything with any of the players good or bad," Laviolette said Tuesday in a video conference. "There hasn't been inconsistencies or consistency problems. I'm the new coach going in there and it's my job to get these guys up to speed, to get them on an identity, to get them to play hard for each other, to play hard for the team, for the city."

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Even if Laviolette does not want to single Kuznetsov out, Kuznetsov remains one of the most important players on the team. Without his contribution in 2018, the Capitals do not win the Stanley Cup. But that level of play has proved elusive since.

In 2018-19, Kuznetsov scored 72 points in 76 games, followed by six points in seven playoff games and only one goal. In 2019-20, he scored 52 points in 63 games and five points in eight postseason games. Penalties are also an issue has he ranked third on the team last season in minors taken with 20.

But being able to build a rapport with Kuznetsov, or with any player for that matter, has proven difficult for Laviolette due to the coronavirus.

"I've had conversations with [Kuznetsov]," Laviolette said. "It's been a bit different, not your normal, not being in there and being around the guys, even though we can't work with them, but just to say hi or to move with them. Everything's kind of been over the phone."

But for fans who are hoping to see players held accountable in the upcoming season, you really have nothing to worry about.

Laviolette has a well-earned reputation for being a no-nonsense coach. It is why he was hired and, though every player will start with a blank slate, Laviolette made clear what his priorities will be for his players as a coach.

"For a new coach coming in, your job is really try to get the most of the team, the most out of each player," Laviolette said. "That won't change from Kuzy or Alex Ovechkin or whoever you might talk about. That's the responsibility of the coaches to try to push guys to be their best, try to push your team to be their best."

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Chara isn't coming to Washington to take over: 'This is Alex’s team'

J.J. Regan

For 14 years, Zdeno Chara has worn a C on his chest as captain of the Boston Bruins. That run will end this season now that Chara has signed with the Capitals. While Chara was no doubt brought to Washington largely for his leadership, he says he is ready to take a backseat to the team's established leaders.

Sometimes, strong personalities can butt heads when they end up on the same team, but Chara does not see that happening in Washington.

"This is Alex’s team and [Peter Laviolette's] team," Chara said in a video conference Thursday. "So I’m very much looking forward to trying to help them as much as I can with my experiences on and off the ice.”

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In fact, there is a sense of relief that comes with playing with a guy like Ovechkin, especially for a defenseman. That relief stems from the fact that Chara knows he won't have to play against Ovechkin anymore.

“I think we all know that Alex is a very, very talented player," Chara said. "He plays extremely hard, he’s a leader of the team and he’s a pure goal scorer and a future Hall of Famer. I think any time you go against a guy like that, you have to be obviously very, very sharp and ready to play. I think that we all know what Alex can bring on the ice and how extremely well he competes. So anytime you’re battling with guys like that, you have to bring your best. Now kind of being on the same team, I’m very much looking forward to kind of playing with him."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197677 Winnipeg Jets Burning questions — and why there's still an air of uncertainty hanging over the team.

"I think we’re past the point of outside things distracting our team. I think Winnipeg Jets return to ice with sights set on swift start to short season whether it was guys in the past who have not had contracts at this time, going into camp, there have been situations left and right, it feels like. So we’re kind of past the point of letting outside distractions worry our team," said Copp. Mike McIntyre "So we’re just trying to get going, get all together on the first day of

training camp, get practising and start to build that team feeling, that On your marks. Get set. Go! camaraderie and get ready to go for the regular season."

The sprint to the 2021 Stanley Cup final officially begins Sunday, as NHL 3) BLUE-LINE teams open abbreviated training camps leading into the start of a Easily the No. 1 issue to be settled is who plays where, and with whom. truncated new season that will be unlike anything seen before. Assuming no other moves are made, Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo It will mark the first time the Winnipeg Jets have hit the ice since they seem like a lock to be on the top defensive pairing, and Neal Pionk with were bounced from the Edmonton bubble Aug. 6, in a four-game be on the second unit. But who plays with him on the left side? qualifying-round series elimination to the Calgary Flames. Free-agent signing Derek Forbort seems like the best bet to start, but he Fittingly, the Flames are up first in a 56-game regular-season schedule will be challenged by the likes of rookie Dylan Samberg, sophomore Ville that kicks off Jan. 14 at Bell MTS Place. Heinola (depending on the severity of the injury the Finnish prospect Where Winnipeg ends up in the new all-Canadian division remains to be suffered during Friday's preliminary-round loss to the Canadians at the seen. Pundits have been placing it anywhere from first to sixth, showing World Juniors) and former AHL defenceman of the year Sami Niku. just how competitive things should be north of the border. Every empty- Nathan Beaulieu and Tucker Poolman may resume the third-role pairing arena game will be a proverbial "four-pointer" and should have a playoff- that looked promising towards the end of last season, but there could be type vibe — absent raucous fans, of course — especially since teams will plenty of moving parts, as head coach tries to find be playing mini-series to cut down on travel. combinations that improve Winnipeg's play in its own end. "There will be some interesting dynamics there. Playing two and three 4) TOP-SIX MIX and sometimes even four games where you are playing just one team in a row… It’s never been seen before like that and it’s going to be The top two centre slots are set in stone, but how will Maurice use his interesting to see how all that plays out as well," Jets general manager wingers? Kevin Cheveldayoff said this week. Does he start with Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor flanking Mark "I’m just excited to look over all the possibilities; I know the coaches are Scheifele on the top line, and reunite Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers with Paul extremely excited about preparing for the games." Stastny on the other? Does he grant the disgruntled Laine his wish of playing with Scheifele and move Wheeler down? It's cliché to say a quick start to the season is important, but it's especially true in a year where there isn't nearly as much runway to work It's a good problem to have, with plenty of options available. with. 5) BOTTOM-SIX MIX Added importance is on the 10-day training camp (reduced from the usual three weeks). There are no exhibition games to work off the rust, You can pencil Adam Lowry and Copp in on the third line. But who plays and expanded rosters in the form of a "taxi squad" should keep the with them? Roslovic would have been the favourite, but he remains at competitive juices flowing from Day 1. home in Columbus, Ohio, hoping Cheveldayoff finds a trade partner. Does the aging, declining Mathieu Perreault get another look? How about "We get right to it. We’ve got to start with the intensity right from the first the rising Jansen Harkins or Mason Appleton? day of practice. We’ve got a hockey game in 10 days and we’ve got to get ready. Maybe there is a little bit more jump, more passion, more Will this be the year that Jets prospect finds a intensity in practice, just because we know we’ve got to prepare Nate Thompson is likely the fourth-line centre to start, at least until David ourselves for that first night," said Jets forward Andrew Copp, Gustafsson (undisclosed injury) is ready for full-time work. Then you "At the start of (normal) training camp, you get through testing and you’re have prospects such as Kristian Vesalainen, C.J. Suess, Joona Luoto, like, ‘All right, we’ve got a bunch of time to work up to where we need to Kristian Reichel and the injured Marko Dano vying for playing time. be for the first game.’ We don’t have that here," he said. 6) WILD CARD "We’ve got to be ready right away and you can’t start out 0-4; (the Cole Perfetti will be a late arrival at camp, as the centre is currently vying games) matter right away. It will be good. It will be a fun way to get for a World Juniors gold medal with Team Canada in Edmonton. going." After landing in Winnipeg, Perfetti, along with Heinola (Team Finland), To help get you set for the 10th season of Jets 2.0, here are 10 key will be subjected to a mandatory seven-day quarantine. That could put storylines to follow: one, or both of them, very close to opening night of the season, and 1) COVID-19 could hinder their chances of being in the lineup off the hop.

It's going to be an ever-present theme, for camp, as well as the regular Perfetti will certainly get into some games this season. Whether it's more season. Players will be under extensive health and safety protocols, than six, which would wipe out the first year of his entry-level contract, which will pretty much restrict them to their residences and rink at home, will likely be dictated by his play. The future is bright for the 10th-overall and hotel and rink on the road (with some exceptions). pick in 2020, who turned 19 on Friday.

Testing will be frequent and fast. Given the high case numbers in most 7) TAXI SQUAD markets, teams will be hoping players come through unscathed, with The Jets can carry a maximum of 23 skaters, including two goaltenders, minimal disruption to scheduled events. As we've seen in MLB and the and they may wish to go one or two less to give them some breathing NFL, that is much easier said than done. room under the salary cap. That's where the four-to-six-player taxi squad 2) MOVING, SHAKING comes into play.

Is Patrik Laine really here to stay, at least for this season? Will Jack With the AHL not starting until Feb. 5, at the earliest, this group will Roslovic's trade wish be granted or will the restricted free agent practise with the NHL team to be ready when called upon. One spot will ultimately be re-signed? Will a couple players being brought in on go to a goaltender (likely Eric Comrie); the rest are up for grabs. professional tryout offers make the grade? Is this defensive group the Jets are really prepared to go to battle with? It's possible the Jets may want to use these spots on more veteran players, such as depth defenceman Luca Sbisa and forward Dominic Toninato.

8) MASKED MEN

There's no question who the undisputed No. 1 in net is.

"Having the Vezina winner in net is always a good place to start," Copp said of being able to lean on goalie Connor Hellebuyck.

No kidding. However, managing his workload in a shortened season, which includes nine sets of back-to-back games, will put added pressure on NHL understudies. In this case: Laurent Brossoit, who can hopefully bounce back from a difficult campaign last season.

It will start in camp, where replicating game-like situations will be challenging.

9) SPECIAL TEAMS

Winnipeg's power play and penalty kill units were letdowns last season. Improvement in both areas would go a long way to helping the overall product.

The Jets have brought in a new assistant coach, Dave Lowry, to perhaps add some new wrinkles. Stastny should resume his old spot on the top power-play unit, while Forbort is a shot-blocking and penalty-killing pro on the back end.

This area is often overlooked in practices, especially training camp. Maurice and company will want to spend plenty of time trying to get it sharp before game time.

10) BUILDING, BONDING, BATTLING

One of the intangibles in team sports is the ability to quickly bring a new group together in the name of a common goal. According to Cheveldayoff, teams that find a way to do that best, under less-than-ideal circumstances, will likely be among the front-runners.

"Hockey is such a team sport, and you have to rely on that person sitting next to you so much. That person's going to be sitting six-feet away, so to speak. Away from the rink, players are very close. Will you have that ability to develop that kind of chemistry, that kind of bond? I think those are the kinds of things that teams are going to have to work extremely hard a, to try to find those nontraditional ways to bond and to get together during these unprecedented times," he said.

"This is starting something new. There's lots of changes on virtually every team. There's young players... you have to find ways to integrate them into the lineup and into the fabric of the team."

There will no doubt be plenty of obstacles to overcome along the way, including having no traditional home-ice advantage in the form of a packed arena cheering every move.

"I think the things that obviously stick out to you are when you go into a city and you play a three-game set. What's that going to be like? You don't experience that until you get into playoffs and even in playoffs, it's a different situation, so those are going to be interesting dynamics," said Cheveldayoff.

"It's going to be the team that can adapt, and it's the team that doesn't get flustered when something happens or there's a delay or your tests don't show up on time and you have to delay practice for three hours... Those are the kind of things that we might have to face," he said.

"The teams that can adapt to that and roll with those kind of punches are the ones that are going to be successful."

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Former Kings forward hoping to stick with Jets

Mike McIntyre

A two-time Stanley Cup champion has been invited to Winnipeg Jets training camp on a professional tryout offer, hoping to crack the roster and land a new contract.

Trevor Lewis, 33, has spent his entire 12-year NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings, winning it all during the 2011-12 and 2013-14 seasons. He can play all three forward positions and has 70 goals and 93 assists in 674 regular-season games, and 11 goals, 12 assists in 79 post-season contests.

Lewis was not re-signed by the organization which drafted him in the first round, 17th overall (2006) upon expiration of his most recent deal following last season. The 6-1, 202-pound product of Salt Lake City could potentially work his way into a bottom-six role.

The Jets announced two other PTOs as part of a 39-player roster released Friday. Goaltender Cole Kehler, a 23-year-old from Altona, has spent his first two pro seasons primarily in the ECHL. And defenceman Jimmy Oligny, a 27-year-old from Quebec, has played the last two years on an AHL deal with the .

Winnipeg will bring five goaltenders, 15 defencemen and 19 forwards to camp, which begins Sunday with medicals and off-ice testing, then ramps up with the first on-ice sessions Monday at Bell MTS Iceplex.

This doesn't include forward Cole Perfetti or defenceman Ville Heinola. The pair are currently playing in the World Junior tournament in Edmonton, and will have to undergo a mandatory seven-day quarantine once they arrive in Winnipeg. With the quarterfinals set for Saturday (Canada plays the Czech Republic, while Finland plays Sweden), their arrival could be delayed. The semi-finals will be held Monday, the bronze and gold medal games on Tuesday.

However, both players will be added once they clear protocols. Teams are only allowed to have a maximum of 36 skaters, and an unlimited number of goaltenders, during camp.

One notable absence on the current roster is forward Jack Roslovic. The 23-year-old restricted free agent has requested a trade and remains back home in Columbus without a new contract.

Three players begin the year on the injured list. Veteran centre Bryan Little, whose career is over due to a head/ear injury suffered last season, will be placed on long-term injured reserve once the season begins, allowing him to still collect his salary but give the Jets some cap relief in the process.

Forwards David Gustafsson and Marko Dano are also still recovering from injuries they suffered while skating overseas last month on loan by the Jets. They would be added to the mix once they are given a medical green light.

Winnipeg must reduce its roster to a maximum of 23 total players in advance of the Jan. 14 season opener against Calgary. They can also assign between four-and-six skaters to a "taxi squad" which will practice with the team, but not count towards the salary cap. This is to off-set the fact the AHL isn't set to drop the puck until February at the earliest.

The Jets have broken their roster into two groups. The main one, which will consist of NHL regulars, will skate daily at 11 a.m. The other smaller group will be up bright and early, hitting the ice at 7:30 a.m.

The big gap is required under extensive health and safety protocols to limit the number of players in the rink at any given time. All skates are closed to the public, but a limited number of media will be able to cover them in person.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.02.2021 1197679 Winnipeg Jets had the benefit of coming to an NHL training camp yet. We’ve kind of been frothing at the mouth for a couple of years to get him into the pro ranks and now the time is here. Ville Heinola has had the benefit of playing over in Finland so his game, hopefully, will be at a level that will Jets training camp roster promises intense competition leading into turn heads here right away. season “Obviously, he had a great training camp last year. We’re just looking for him to come in and have matured that much more over the course of time. And a player like Logan Stanley, who has had the opportunity to Ted Wyman play two years of pro. You’re looking for that development and you’re Jan 01, 2021 looking for those guys to take that next step. We think we’ve got great depth and we’ve got a couple of guys we think there’s a lot of room to grow with.”

One glance at the Winnipeg Jets’ training camp roster tells you just how competitive things will be at the IcePlex starting on Monday. The Jets have invited five goalies to camp, including Vezina Trophy The Jets unveiled their 39-player roster on New Year’s Day as they winner Connor Hellebuyck, veteran backup Laurent Brossoit, long-time prepare to take medicals and physicals on Sunday and hit the ice prospect Eric Comrie, Russian entertainer Mikhail Berdin and PTO goalie Monday ahead of an abbreviated 2021 NHL season. Cole Kehler.

There will be 19 forwards in camp, along with 15 defencemen and five Barring injury, the only competition here will be among the latter three goalies, and there should be intriguing battles among two of those goalies, to see which one lands on the Jets’ taxi squad. groups. The Jets will name a 23-man roster prior to opening the 56-game season While the Jets are pretty well set at when it comes to their top six on Jan. 14 at home against their Canadian (North) Division rival Calgary forwards — Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Paul Stastny, Flames. Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers — there should be plenty of competition for spots on the third and fourth lines, with only Andrew Copp and Adam They’ll be able to keep 4-6 players — including at least one goalie — on Lowry guaranteed to have jobs. their taxi squad during the season. Those players can practice with the team, join team activities and travel, if necessary. The rest of the group includes the likes of promising second-year forward Jansen Harkins, 2017 first-round pick Kristian Vesalainen, veteran centre Training camp opens Sunday with medicals and physicals, and on-ice Nate Thompson, third-year winger Mason Appleton, veteran winger sessions begin Monday at the IcePlex. The Jets will skate in two groups Mathieu Perreault, and free-agent pickup Dominic Toninato. Those each day until Jan. 10, at the IcePlex. The “main” group will be on the ice players will be among a group of 11 players competing for four spots in at 11 a.m., each day. the lineup and a couple of spots on the taxi squad. Practices are closed to the public due to COVID-19 health orders. Another intriguing name in that group is winger Trevor Lewis, a 34-year- JETS TRAINING CAMP ROSTER old, 12-year veteran, who has played 674 NHL games, all with the Los Angeles Kings. FORWARDS (19)

Lewis, who has won two Stanley Cups and scored 70 NHL goals, will Andrew Copp attend camp on a professional tryout. Nate Thompson Blue-chip prospect Cole Perfetti, who turned 19 on Friday, will not attend camp, as he is playing for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Jansen Harkins Championship and will have to quarantine for seven days after that Adam Lowry before he can join the Jets. Still, Perfetti, the second-leading scorer in the last season, should get a look with the Jets, at Mason Appleton very least for seven games, before his entry-level contract kicks in. Trevor Lewis* There’s are extra jobs available right now up front, with fourth-year winger Jack Roslovic not in camp. Roslovic is a restricted free agent and Paul Stastny is home in Columbus, Ohio, having asked for a trade. Blake Wheeler

Meanwhile, forwards David Gustafsson, who started last season with the Nikolaj Ehlers team, 13-year veteran centre Bryan Little, who is expected to go on long- term injured reserve, and Marko Dano, are all injured and are not Patrik Laine expected to take part in training camp. Skyler McKenzie On defence, the battle will be waged among players not named Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Dylan DeMelo and Derek Forbort. Those four Joona Luoto players figure to be locks in the lineup, and third-year blue-liner Tucker Mark Scheifele Poolman should be close to joining them. C.J. Suess The real question comes in figuring out who will play on the left side of the third pairing — likely alongside Poolman — and who will be the depth Kyle Connor defencemen. Mathieu Perreault The list of candidates is long. Kristian Reichel While veteran Nathan Beaulieu likely has the inside track, at least heading into camp, he’ll be pushed by the likes of 2017 second-round Kristian Vesalainen pick Dylan Samberg, 2016 first-rounder Logan Stanley, former AHL Dominic Toninato defenceman of the year Sami Niku and veteran Luca Sbisa. DEFENCE (15) This is not even factoring in, right now, 2019 first-rounder Ville Heinola, who is playing for Finland at the WJHC and will not attend training camp Dylan DeMelo (see Perfetti). However, he started last season with the Jets at 18 years Tucker Poolman old and had a goal and four assists in eight games while looking very comfortable on the blue-line. Neal Pionk

“We’ve got some young players that we’re looking forward to seeing,” Luca Sbisa Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. “Dylan Samberg has not Sami Niku

Derek Forbort

Jimmy Ogilny*

Josh Morrissey

Declan Chisholm

Luke Green

Dylan Samberg

Nelson Nogier

Johnny Kovacevic

Logan Stanley

Nathan Beaulieu

GOALIES (5)

Connor Hellebuyck

Laurent Brossoit

Cole Kehler*

Eric Comrie

Mikhael Berdin

INJURED (3)

David Gustafsson

Bryan Little

Marko Dano

* Professional tryout offer

TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

Monday, Jan. 4 to Friday, Jan. 8

Practice 7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m., Bell MTS IcePlex

Practice 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Bell MTS IcePlex

Saturday, Jan. 9

Off day

Sunday, Jan. 10

Practice 7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m., Bell MTS IcePlex

Practice 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Bell MTS IcePlex

Monday, Jan. 11 to Wednesday, Jan. 13

Practice 7:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m., Bell MTS Place

Practice 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Bell MTS Place x-Practices not open to the public

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.02.2021 1197680 Vancouver Canucks

5 things to know about the Vancouver Canucks' 2020-21 training camp

The Vancouver Canucks begin preparation for the new season on Sunday at Rogers Arena

Patrick Johnston

Jan 01, 2021

Vancouver Canucks 2020-21 training camp starts Sunday with player physicals as they try to improve on a 2019-20 season that saw them advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 3-1 series win in the qualifying round over the Minnesota Wild.

The young Canucks surprised many by taking down the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues four games to two in the first round, before succumbing in seven games to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference semifinals.

Here are five things you need to know as they open training camp with team physicals on Sunday:

1: Where is it?Rogers Arena. COVID-19 means no moving around the province, as the team has been doing in recent seasons. They were in Victoria last year. Whistler the year before. If you have a good arena and a nice hotel, you’re a candidate city going forward.

2: How many players are there?There are 36 skaters and four goalies. Prospect Lukas Jasek is currently quarantining at the hotel and once he clears, may join the broader group though time is tight.

3: How long is camp?Just over a week. No exhibition games. The first game of the regular season is Jan. 13 in Edmonton.

4: What’s at stake?Most of the lineup is clearly set, but there will be some decisions to be made on the blue-line — rookies Olli Juolevi, Jalen Chatfield, Jack Rathbone and Brogan Rafferty are all expected to be in the mix — and which minor league veterans will make up the taxi squad, the handful of players who will stay in Vancouver once the season starts to serve as close-at-hand minor league depth.

5: Who are the new faces?Beyond the four rookie defencemen — Juolevi did skate in a Stanley Cup qualifying round game last summer — the Canucks traded for veteran defenceman Nate Schmidt from the Vegas Golden Knights. Schmidt is expected to partner either Quinn Hughes or Alex Edler on one of the two top defence pairings.

General manager Jim Benning also signed Jayce Hawryluk, a feisty winger who scored a bunch in the but has been mostly a bit part winger with the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators so far in his NHL career. He’s expected to bring energy to the Canucks’ third and fourth lines.

Benning also signed veteran goalie Braden Holtby to work alongside Thatcher Demko, who starred in the Canucks’ second-round playoff defeat to the Vegas. Holtby is a former Vezina Trophy winner and backstopped the Washington Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197681 Websites

The Athletic / All the details of NHL’s outdoor games at Lake Tahoe

Scott Burnside

Jan 1, 2021

The NHL, looking to add some pizzazz to a truncated 2021 season that will be played without fans in many markets, is planning to play two outdoor games in the picturesque setting of Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

The NHL is hoping to build its own rink on a section of the golf course at Edgewood Tahoe Resort on the shores of Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada, with the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights playing on Feb. 20, and the Boston Bruins and PhiladelphiaFlyers playing on Feb. 21, The Athletic has confirmed.

The news was first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The resort has its own skating facility but the NHL’s plans are to build its own rink in the area of the golf course’s 16th, 17th and 18th holes.

No fans would be in attendance, and the idea is that the game presentation would highlight the aesthetics of playing outdoors in a pristine, mountain setting.

Plans remain fluid for the event but with the traditional New Year’s Day Winter Classic long ago scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic, this would be an opportunity for the NHL to create an in-season marquee event that could help generate additional revenues through sponsorships and advertisements during a season when revenues are going to substantially reduced.

NBC, the league’s national rights holder in the United States, has included both games on its schedule of games that will be broadcast on NBC. The Feb. 20 game is the only Saturday game on the main NBC network until mid-April when they begin a regular schedule of Saturday games.

NHL officials have been looking at possible venues for such an event since the summer’s return to play playoff tournaments were being held in bubble settings in Toronto and Edmonton. At one point, there was discussion of having two outdoor events, one in Canada and one in the United States. Lake Louise, Alberta, was on the map earlier and there was some discussion about Canmore, Alberta, as well as a number of mountainous areas in the western United States, like Utah and the Grand Teton area in Wyoming, east of Idaho. Logistics, including being able to build and maintain two NHL-style rinks in different locations in different countries, have at this point have reduced this idea to a four-team event in Nevada.

Restrictions to entering Canada, including those coming from the United States, forced the NHL to create an all-Canadian division for the 56- game schedule that is set to begin on Jan. 13.

Some teams had looked at holding their own outdoor games this season, which would have allowed greater numbers of fans in attendance than in indoor arenas, but several sources familiar with the dynamics felt the cost to construct and maintain such outdoor rinks over a long period of time would be prohibitive, making it unlikely outdoor games will be held in individual markets.

As The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported, teams who expressed an interest in this outdoor possibility included Los Angeles (later in the season), Boston, Carolina, Nashville, Florida and Dallas. It would cost more than $1 million to set up and operate a semi-permanent ice rink, which is what would be required to host multiple games over a longer period of time than the usual outdoor games put on by the NHL. And there could be additional costs to repair the field after the game and from weather extremes like snow, heavy wind and rain,

The Athletic LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197682 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / NHL planning two outdoor games at Lake Tahoe for 2021 season

I am hearing that this is the approximate location.

Elliotte Friedman

January 1, 2021, 9:00 AM

When the NHL on NBC broadcast schedule was released last week, one game stood out as an oddity: Colorado at Vegas on Feb. 20. It is the network’s lone Saturday telecast before April 17.

The next day, there’s a Philadelphia-Boston matchup that’s also a bit strange. For the Bruins, it's their only game in six days; for the Flyers it's their only one in five. In the travel-friendly East Division, that’s unusual.

There is a logical explanation.

According to multiple sources, the NHL is beginning its Mystery, Alaska experiment, with four teams as part of a unique two-game, two-day “Outdoor Weekend” showcase at Lake Tahoe. Edgewood Tahoe Resort, home of the popular celebrity golf tournament, is hosting these games, which will be played around the 16th, 17th and 18th holes.

It sounds dynamite, and I’m curious to see it. (Although, it feels wrong that Joe Pavelski will not be playing. He finished third at the 2018 golf event.)

The NHL, searching for something different in a season where fan involvement will be extremely limited, scouted several locations for a scenic event. Right after the Edmonton bubble, there was a trip to Lake Louise, AB — but signage limits on government property nixed that. Another option was Park City, Utah.

Fans will not be in attendance, with the number of people limited to about 400 — basically the teams’ travelling parties and whoever is needed to work. It will give television different opportunities to broadcast the games, such as drone cameras.

It is, at this point, a one-year project, but if it works, the NHL may consider making off-beat, “natural wilderness,” picturesque locations a regular occurrence. Whatever the case, this has a chance to be a special look in a challenging season.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.02.2021 1197683 Websites For swimmers, the age was 21. For grand masters, it was 31.4. The mean age for setting a track world record is 26.1.

Of course there are outliers in the goalie ranks, greats like Martin Sportsnet.ca / Oilers face big questions in net with Smith, Koskinen Brodeur or Carey Price, whose 30s game still translates. But neither battling aging curve Smith nor Koskinen can be included in any bracket that contains hockey’s greats. With respect, the two Oilers goalies are not in that echelon of netminder.

Mark Spector So what echelon are they in?

January 1, 2021, 9:52 AM There were 28 goalies who played at age 31 and up last season, though one of those was David Ayres, the 42-year-old practice goalie who beat

the Maple Leafs for Carolina. (And it must be noted that the Dallas Stars EDMONTON — So, let’s talk about age. rode a pair of 33-year-olds — Ben Bishop in the regular season and Anton Khudobin in the playoffs — to a berth in the Stanley Cup Final.) You’ve got two players, aged 38 and 32. Doesn’t matter what sport we’re playing. Among those 28 goalies, only seven posted a save percentage higher than .915: Koskinen and Corey Crawford (.917 apiece), Cam Talbot and OK, we’re not playing golf, and we’re not curling. Jaroslav Halak (.919), Bishop (.920), Tuukka Rask (.929) and Khudobin (.930). A new season is on the horizon, and the two aging players are both being counted on to improve. Because when the big games arrived last Fifteen of the 28 had a save percentage of .907 or worse. For season, they were not good enough as a pair, or as individuals. perspective, of the 52 goalies who played 25 games or more last season, Smith’s .902 ranked him 42nd. So, we come to the question: What would be the chance that those two athletes — again, any sport — will improve their level of play at their He’d have to improve to match his age in that category, which isn’t a respective ages? good sign.

That’s the question that Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland Holland hasn’t finished building in Edmonton, not by a long shot. answered for us when he walked into the recent free agent deadline in hot pursuit of Jacob Markstrom. If he thought returning the tandem of He’ll need a goalie, maybe sooner than later. Mikko Koskinen (32), and Mike Smith, who turns 39 in March, was a Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.02.2021 good idea, he wouldn’t have been plotting to offer Markstrom a long-term deal, right?

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We all know how that pursuit ended, leaving Markstrom in a Calgary Flames uniform — and Oilers fans wondering how a goaltending tandem that was average at best last year is supposed to improve this season.

Koskinen is the one who gets the most heat, after receiving that three- year, $13.5 million deal that still has two years to run. But for the 34 starts he gave the Oilers last season, he was fine. His .917 save percentage was 12th among goalies who played over 30 games, and only Connor Hellebuyck (.922) and Markstrom (.918) gave Canadian teams better starting numbers than Koskinen.

The problem with “The Three Metres of Koskinen,” as the Finns call the six-foot-seven netminder, is that he is not a 60-game goalie. In a normal season, Koskinen is a 45-game goalie who requires a backup that can give a team the other 37 starts.

That’s where the Oilers' situation gets murky, with Smith celebrating his 39th birthday on March 22 — well before the playoffs are set to begin.

Age is just a number, you say? Well, so is .902, Smith’s save percentage last season. And .900, Smith’s save percentage over the past two seasons.

Smith is, in many ways, the alpha dog that this Oilers team requires: a leader who hates to lose and whose physically intimidating presence goes a long way in an NHL room. Eventually they drop the puck, however, and he steps into the one position that can make or break a team. And as the birth certificate indicates his shift from 38 to 39, it reminds us of a tried but true sports cliché:

Father Time is undefeated.

31 Thoughts: The Podcast

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

French researchers looked at 11,200 performances among track athletes, swimmers and chess grand masters. They found that for each set of athletes there came an age where they began to experience an irreversible decline in their abilities. 1197684 Websites AHL resumes factor in roster selection “You’re going to have to make a decision based on practice,” Smith said.

He added that for younger players, their performance in the AHL last Sportsnet.ca / D.J. Smith pleased with player conditioning as Senators season will be taken into account, as well as the input from Belleville camp opens Senators head coach Troy Mann.

“We’re going to have to trust the coaches down there and their development. But to this point, all the young kids have looked great.” Wayne Scanlan Head start helps January 1, 2021, 4:54 PM Ottawa was one of the seven teams allowed to open camp three days earlier than the franchises involved in play-in and playoff rounds this past summer and fall. Smith feels that is a help, especially for a team that has In his first media availability on Day 2 of Ottawa’s training camp, made as many personnel changes as the Senators. Senators head coach D.J. Smith said he couldn’t be more pleased with the conditioning of his players. “As you go through it day by day, you find things you haven’t touched on and to have this (extra time) allows us to get the skating out of the way Kudos to them, because the Senators haven’t played a hockey game so we can get down to systems and special teams,” Smith said. “They're since March 11 and won’t play another until Jan. 15 when this unusual so important when the season starts.” NHL season begins. Smith was particularly impressed with the readiness of his veteran players. Advantage, Paul Maurice

“It is good to see and good for young guys to see what it takes to stay in Exhibition games are not only beneficial for young prospects, they also the National Hockey League and continue to be competitive,” Smith said, allow incoming veterans -- like Erik Gudbranson, Josh Brown, Evgenii on a Zoom call with reporters Friday afternoon. “These guys have been Dadonov, Alex Galchenyuk, just to name a few -- a chance to apply a away a long time and they’ve put the work in. They’ve come ready and team’s systems. This is Smith’s second season as head coach, and he they’re some of the best conditioned guys at our camp at this point.” will be working with a very different roster from his first season.

As an example, Smith cited forward Artem Anisimov for his strong play “You can’t touch everything. And you have so many new bodies. And early in camp. with no exhibition games you’ve really got to use these practices to get your systems, and your faceoffs -- there’s so many things that go into it,” “You would think a player who’s been around and is as good as Arty, Smith says. might be rusty,” Smith said. “And he has arguably been one of our best players. I'm really not disappointed with anyone. Our competitive level is “And that’s probably the advantage of having a coach that has been with where it’s gotta be.” his group for a while. Like Paul Maurice (with the Winnipeg Jets).

As for that supposed competitive advantage for players who had been “Players know what to expect from him. They know a lot of things he participating in games in Europe in October and November? That has does and they hit the ground running. worn off, according to Smith. “We have so many new pieces. But as we continue this journey here and “Unfortunately, for the guys who played in Europe, when they come over continue to get better, you are just going to plug pieces in. I always talk here, they have to quarantine,” Smith says. “So the advantage you had about the Boston Bruins and how they were good for a long time. No kind of subsides when you sit there for 14 days.” matter who they plugged in they kept chugging along. And that’s what we’re trying to be.” With Ontario under strict lockdown, media are not allowed into the Canadian Tire Centre to watch training camp. For now, Smith is going to Sign up for NHL newsletters be our eyes and ears. Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to Here are some highlights of what he touched on during a wide-ranging your inbox! interview session with media: *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. 31 Thoughts: The Podcast Most rookies in great white north Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what With all the talk of Ottawa’s prospects from Belleville not getting an they think about it. opportunity because of the influx of veterans in the off-season, Smith would like everyone to appreciate just how young his team could be. Skate or perish in the Canadian division “I think we’ve done a good job, Pierre (Dorion, GM) has, of bringing in Not surprisingly, the first two days of Ottawa’s camp have focused on players that know the league and if our younger players are ready, conditioning. Saturday will bring the first scrimmages and on Sunday, the they’re going to play,” Smith said. “Regardless of what happens, we are focus is special teams. Monday is a scheduled day off. going to have the most rookies in the Canadian division. By far. Maybe more rookies on our team play this year than in the whole division Conditioning will be next to godliness for an Ottawa team that doesn’t combined. have the skill of a Toronto Maple Leafs or Edmonton Oilers in the newly formed North Division. “Younger players are going to play. That’s not the issue. It’s just when they’re going to play and how much they’re going to play.” “One of the strengths we’re going to have to have is to be able to skate with these teams,” said Smith, a former Maple Leafs assistant. “You look Like Dorion, Smith wants to see the prospects earn their NHL spots, at the Canadian division and the amount of talent, especially high-end rather than have them be anointed before camp. talent -- if you can’t skate with them you are going to be in trouble. “When you make a young guy earn his spot, it gives you a better chance “So one of the things we are going to have to do is make sure our that kid is not going to go up and down, up and down,” Smith says. conditioning is at the level where we can skate all night.” “Sometimes when you see a guy given a job, a lot of times it’s overwhelming and 20 games in you’re bringing a veteran in to do that job With that in mind, the first phase of analysis by Smith and his staff will and the kid goes back to the AHL. involve identifying which players are in the best shape. “If a young player outplays an older player and takes his job, the “You have to be ultra competitive and in order to be that, you have to be likelihood is he’s ready.” in really good shape,” Smith says. “So, the guys that check off the boxes as the best conditioned players we move to stage 2 and see what you do Tapping into taxi squad in the scrimmages, see what you do in the practices.” Smith fully expects to make good use of the expanded rosters this For safety and health reasons, there won’t be exhibition games this season, with as many as six players on a taxi squad. season. “I think that is what has to happen,” he says. “We have to have a ‘next “He’s going to be a very good player when his chance comes. If it’s right man up mentality.’ For us to have success and take a step this year we away, middle of the year or whatever it is, he’s going to be a very good have to do it with depth.” player.”

To outwork other teams in a compressed schedule, Smith plans on Old school divisional rivals rotating different players in and out of the lineup. Smith said the all-Canadian division, with teams playing a rival as many “We’re going to need fresh bodies,” he said. “There’s going to be back-to- as nine or ten times in a single season, is going to fuel resentment. But in backs. Guys will sit out and then come in and help. a good way.

“I don't want to rock guys' confidence, making them nervous every night “It really is like old school hockey when it comes to inter-divisional play. (by being scratched). “But there are going to be some guys who come in In our division (Atlantic) we might play the Maple Leafs in October and and out and that’s going to make us more competitive.” then not see them till January.

NHL group set after six, seven days “Now you’re going to play them maybe three times in a week. It’s going to be really competitive. The Senators will likely break into two groups, with an NHL group and a so-called AHL group, after six or seven camp days. But players from that “You’re going to know guys' tendencies. And obviously it’s going to come AHL group can rejoin the other at any time. Four players are not yet here, down to talent and ability but it’s also going to come down to will and with recently acquired U.S.-based players Derek Stepan, Cedric which team wants to play the hardest every night.” Paquette and Braydon Coburn having to go through protocols before joining camp. And prospect Tim Stuetzle is still in Edmonton playing the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.02.2021 world juniors.

Smith will not use any set line combinations until all the players are here, and hinted that his lines could vary during the season depending on whether his team is home or away.

Stepan can mentor young centres

Stuetzle will start the season at left wing, Smith confirmed. And the coach relishes his new depth at centre with the additions of Stepan from Arizona and Paquette from Tampa Bay.

“There is going to be a deeper battle at centre,” said Smith, who plans to move centres to the wing as needed, as the Lightning so often did en route to winning the Stanley Cup.

Whether Stepan displaces any of the centre prospects, he will help them get better, Smith says.

“Stepan can protect young centres, whether it’s Logan Brown or Josh Norris,” Smith said. “He can play the hard minutes. He can play against the league’s best.”

Smith noted that in Toronto, Auston Matthews benefitted from playing behind Tyler Bozak and Nazim Kadri. It was similar for Bo Horvat behind Henrik Sedin.

“Stepan is going to help Norris or Brown,” Smith said. “He can show them the way.”

Stuetzle is ‘special’

Like everyone else in hockey, Smith is enjoying watching Tim Stuetzle dazzle and dominate at the world juniors. But he will need time to adjust to the NHL.

“When you see a special player play, that’s why you draft them first, second, third overall,” Smith said of Ottawa’s third overall pick in 2020. “They’re franchise changers sometimes.

“When you watch that kid play against his peers, it’s just incredible.

“People watch that and expect him to do that right away (in the NHL) but these are the best defenders, the best players in the world. You’re going to be out there against Auston Matthews and Bo Horvat and all these players on a nightly basis that have been through this grind.

“He’s still going to have some growing pains. But as a finished product, Tim Stuetzle looks like one heck of a hockey player.”

Brannstrom stays at left D

With six NHL starters on defence, the Senators don’t have a lot of room for Erik Brannstrom to crack the roster as a regular, but Smith said there is no plan to have him shift to the right side. Brannstrom has said he is comfortable playing the right side, though he shoots left.

“We have a lot of depth on the right side at this point,” Smith said.

“I think he’s going to be a better left defenceman. I think he’s able to make more plays on that side. And it’s an unfortunate year with a short AHL season, or whatever happens, a lot of the younger guys aren’t going to get the minutes they would have had -- whether you’re playing in the America League or NHL, you’re always playing. 1197685 Websites then, he will be an ideal candidate to move down Interstate 5. Think about it: Holtby is a great teammate, proven winner, likes the Pacific Northwest and, when back in form, his $4.3 million cap hit will be an attractive, portable bargaining chip for an expansion team. Sportsnet.ca / 3 bold Vancouver Canucks predictions for 2021 The reason Canucks general manager Jim Benning was unwilling to grant expansion immunity to Markstrom is the presence of Demko, who isn't going anywhere. Iain MacIntyre 3. Josh Leivo is the ex-Canuck the team will miss the most January 1, 2021, 1:12 PM There was always a financial inevitability to the Canucks losing

Markstrom and defenceman Chris Tanev if those players were able to VANCOUVER – None of the bold hockey predictions for 2020 included a leverage full market value elsewhere during the NHL recession. The once-in-a-century global pandemic that would not only shutter the NHL team actually upgraded from Tanev by acquiring Nate Schmidt from the but pose an existential threat for all of us. Vegas Golden Knights, and as long as goalie guru Clark works a little magic with Holtby and Demko, the downgrade in goal for Vancouver And if you predicted for the Vancouver Canucks that J.T. Miller would should not be fatal. outscore Elias Pettersson, defenceman Quinn Hughes would lead all rookies in points and still not win the Calder Trophy, and that the team The Canucks mishandled negotiations for third-pairing defencemen Troy would not only make the Stanley Cup playoffs but win two rounds — in a Stecher. But he was a 15-minute player for coach Travis Green, and the summer bubble in Edmonton — your hot takes would have gotten you Canucks should be able to replace him internally. We have already shamed off Twitter (if such a thing is possible). mentioned that, at least offensively, Boeser will minimize the loss of Toffoli on the top line. But Leivo, who followed Markstrom and Tanev to We can guess and project and try to look ahead, but you never really the Flames, would have been a prime candidate to move into the vacant know what’s coming. That’s what makes sports such fun and life so right wing spot in the top six. difficult. As it is, the enigmatic Jake Virtanen appears to have the best chance of The NHL is about to stage a 56-game season without fans; its bedrock getting promoted to Bo Horvat’s wing on the second line, or even beside Canadian franchises are grouped together in a historic North Division, Pettersson on the top unit if Green chooses to play Boeser with Horvat and the Canucks could finish anywhere from first and last. Here are three and Tanner Pearson. But candidates for the job are so thin that even six- bold predictions for 2021. goal scorer Loui Eriksson will be considered (if he’s not in the press box) and it’s not impossible that raw rookie Nils Hoglander is rushed into a 1. Brock Boeser will outscore Tyler Toffoli prime role. Given the profile of these players and their NHL histories, this seems a Leivo, who had seven goals and 19 points in 36 games before his lot more like a lock than a wild prediction. season ended last December with a shattered knee, could have filled the But consider Boeser is coming off an injury-interrupted season that saw void with his savvy and heavy two-way game, especially since playing him go goal-less in his final 12 games before a 17-game playoff run that with Horvat comes with difficult matchup minutes. included just four goals and 11 points. Toffoli, meanwhile, was But Leivo, his feelings hurt by the offer of a substantial pay cut from last everybody's favorite new Canuck after he arrived from Los Angeles last season’s $1.5 million salary, chose to leave Vancouver for Calgary on a February to replace the injured Boeser on the top line — promptly one-year, $875,000 contract that was a paltry $50,000 more the Canucks scoring six times in 10 games alongside Pettersson and Miller. were offering. The opportunity Green would have given Leivo was worth None of the free-agent departures from the Canucks in October seemed exponentially more than that. to distress the fan base as much as Toffoli, who signed a relatively Leivo might have scored 20 goals this season had he stayed. Both he modest four-year, $17 million contract to play for the Montreal and the Canucks may regret he didn’t. Canadiens. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.02.2021 Toffoli is a career 20-goal, 45-point player who does so much more than score that it's foolish to argue his exit is not a setback in Vancouver.

But let’s remember a couple of things: Boeser has proven he is the better offensive player — even if his 200-foot game is still evolving — and most of the Canucks’ success last season, including those playoff series wins against Minnesota and St. Louis, was achieved with Boeser and without Toffoli. And the Canucks were already 10th in the league in scoring before the Toffoli trade.

Toffoli isn't going to be playing with Pettersson and Miller this season. Boeser will be, and at age 23 he should be better than he was in 2020. If he stays healthy, Boeser is getting 30 goals and 70 points.

2. Braden Holtby could be one-and-done as a Canuck (meaning Thatcher Demko will start the season after, if not this one)

We expect a bounce-back season from Holtby who, comfortable with his new surroundings and goalie coach Ian Clark, should be closer this year to his .916 career save percentage than the uncharacteristic .897 he posted last season in Washington.

Ironically, this makes the 31-year-old goaltender less likely to stay in Vancouver for the second and final year of the contract he signed this past off-season. That deal came without any trade or movement restrictions -- key obstacles during the team’s failed negotiations to retain starting goalie Jacob Markstrom, who eventually got in Calgary both the money and protection he was looking for.

Remaining Time -1:19

Holtby has skills and pedigree to rediscover his game in Vancouver

There is finally a date for the Seattle Kraken expansion draft — July 21, 2021 — and if Holtby plays as well as he and the Canucks expect before 1197686 Websites Tourigny warned against complacency as Canada prepares to play the Czech Republic, who finished fourth in Group B and got blown out by the Swedes (7-1) and Americans (7-0).

Newhook "probably 50-50" to play vs. Czechs "People don't give enough credit to the Czechs," Tourigny insisted. "They're a really good five-on-five team so we need to make sure we are Team Canada centre Alex Newhook missed practice and is "probably 50- humble and go into that game knowing it will be a tough match." 50" to play in Saturday's quarterfinal against the Czech Republic, per head coach Andre Tourigny. "If it was [Friday] he would not play, but we'll The coach pointed out that most of the Czech line-up has a positive plus- see [Saturday]," Tourigny said. Mark Masters has more from the minus rating despite some of the lopsided scores. And the Czechs Edmonton bubble. already pulled off one big upset in this tournament by shutting out Russia 2-0.

"The Czechs did us a favour by beating the Russians," Tourigny said. Mark Masters "They showed us how good they can be. There's no way we'll take them lightly."

Although Canada has looked really good so far in outscoring opponents Team Canada practiced inside the Edmonton bubble on Friday. 33-4 in the preliminary round, the pressure of an elimination situation is Team Canada centre Alex Newhook missed practice and is "probably 50- going to be a new sensation for this group. 50" to play in Saturday's quarterfinal against the Czech Republic, per "You play Finland and you want to win, but it's not do or die," Tourigny head coach Andre Tourigny. said. "Now, we need to get down to business and make sure we're "If it was [Friday] he would not play, but we'll see [Saturday]," Tourigny focused on the task, urgent with the task and patient with the outcome said. and not focusing on stuff we cannot control."

The Boston College product left Thursday's game against Finland late in --- the first period after a shoulder-to-shoulder check by Eemil Viro. If Canada gets its forecheck game going against the Czechs on Saturday Connor Zary, who started the game as the 13th forward, moved up to then they should be in great shape. All four of Canada's lines were take Newhook's spot alongside Cole Perfetti and Peyton Krebs and the coming in waves at the Finns. Calgary Flames first rounder remained on that line at Friday's practice. "They're getting in really quick," observed defenceman Thomas Harley. "Z has been really good," Tourigny said. "He had been put in a tough “They're not giving them a chance to set up or turn around and even look. situation. When you're not playing a regular shift it's tough to stay in the They are forcing rims and finishing their hits, which makes it a whole lot game and every time I put him out there he did a really good job easier in the third period because those D don't want to go back and get [Thursday] and the game before so he earned it." pucks any more."

It's been an emotional couple of days for Zary who signed an entry-level "We came out and played our best game so far," said Canada's leading contract with the Flames only hours before puck drop on Thursday. That scorer Dylan Cozens. "Reloading on pucks is our biggest thing. They'd piece of unfinished business had been on his mind during the World move it up the wall and we'd have our high guy reload and create Juniors. turnovers and then we'd go back at them and get good changes in the offensive zone and get fresh legs out and just keep dominating them by "Honestly, that gives you a little bit of a second wind," the Kamloops cycling the puck." Blazers centre said, "a little bit of adrenaline knowing that's over with and that can be out of your head." Tourigny described Team Canada's forecheck as "beautiful" and praised his players for keeping their shifts short so they could maintain the Canada's Newhook a game-time decision, Zary ready to fill in if needed pressure most of the night.

Alex Newhook did not practice with Team Canada after colliding with "When you have that depth you have to exploit that depth," Tourigny Finnish defenceman Eemil Viro on Thursday. Head coach Andre said. "You have to play with a pace where you push the game." Tourigny says Newhook is a game-time decision for their quarter-final against the Czech Republic. Connor Zary filled in for Newhook at practice The coach noted that when you're playing at that level it can only be and is ready for his number to be called if needed. sustained for 30-40 seconds and not 40-50 seconds.

--- "The energy was phenomenal," Tourigny noted.

Zary, who picked up an assist in the 4-1 win over Finland, credits Blazers Team Canada riding wave of momentum into quarter-final showdown co-owner Shane Doan for helping him be ready for this promotion. with Czechs

"I was on the phone with Shane Doan the other night and he said he's After outscoring the opposition 33-4 in the preliminary round, Team been through this a lot of times and on different occasions with Team Canada is riding a wave of momentum into the knockout stage at the Canada. He said, 'No matter what you do, you got to keep telling yourself World Juniors. The stacked lineup featuring 19 first-round picks is living you're going to be ready. You got to write things down and remember up to the sky-high expectations even without injured captain Kirby Dach, those things and those little things are the things you're going to do when and as Mark Masters reports, the only team that may be able to beat the opportunity arises. That is something I took to heart ... and when that them is themselves. chance did happen I was ready for it." --- Zary's teammate and close friend Daylan Kuefler lived with Doan for a Jan Mysak lets out a laugh when asked what he thinks about Team year, which is how he got to know the retired NHLer, who represented Canada. Canada at the 2004 World Cup, 2006 Olympics and several World Championships. "They're pretty good," the Czech captain said. "It's going to be a tough game. I know that. Every player on that team is really good. We have to --- be a very tough team. We want to beat them. We'll see. Nothing is One day after watching his team throttle the Finns, Tourigny identified at impossible." least one area that can be improved. Mysak, a forward who played for Hamilton in the Ontario Hockey League "The big thing is the box out in our zone," the coach observed. "We were last season, said the Czechs will look to replicate their performance not hard in our box outs so in the third period they had a few deflections against Russia. and rebound situations. They [did] not get the right bounce, but it could've "We played as a team," he noted. "We played hard. We played together. been dangerous." We blocked a lot of shots and our goalie [Lukas Parik] had a good game so that's going to be key points." Mysak scored two goals and added an assist in the four preliminary Quinn - Byfield - Pelletier round games. What's it look like when he's at his best? Mercer - Suzuki - Tomasino "I lead the team," he said. Byram - Drysdale With the OHL still on pause, Mysak is playing in the top Czech league for his hometown team Litvinov and has received advice on how to be a Harley - Schneider good leader from general manager and coach Jiri Slegr. Guhle - Barron

The Canadiens second round pick in October's draft has also been Korczak (R) - Spence texting with Tomas Plekanec throughout the tournament. The best advice from the long-time Hab? Levi

"When I asked him how he made the NHL, he told me he did everything Garand they told him." Gauthier Czech captain Mysak knows the dangers Canada presents, says his Injured: Kirby Dach (wrist, out for the tournament), Alex Newhook (upper team is excited for quarters body, day-to-day) Czech Republic captain Jan Mysak admits it will be tough to play against TSN.CA LOADED: 01.02.2021 a team like Canada and knows that his team will have to play tough and as a unit to pull off the upset. The Canadiens 2020 draft pick said the mood in the Czech camp is good and they are excited for the challenge in the quarter-finals.

---

If you attend a Team Canada practice, you're going to notice Jakob Pelletier. The Val d'Or Foreurs winger is, of course, a talented player, but he is also a loud one. Pelletier will often be heard yelling out something after nice plays or even just at the start of a drill. It sounds like, "Yi! Yi! Yi!"

"I'm kind of like the guy who wakes up in the morning and is on," Pelletier explained. "I kind of love to scream and to talk and, not disturb people, but to be a morning sunshine."

Pelletier said the yell is something he thought up during the selection camp in Red Deer, Alta.

"He's an amazing guy," said Krebs. "He brings a lot of energy to the group. I think every time I talk to the guy I laugh a little bit just because he's got good jokes. He's a beauty and he's a big part of our team and a lot of guys look up to him."

Pelletier is an emotional guy on the ice and after banking a puck in off Dylan Holloway on Thursday night he kissed the Oilers first rounder on the helmet while on the bench.

"I'm a touch-able guy," Pelletier said with a laugh. "I like to hug people and be close to them and it was kind of in the moment. A lot of joy."

Canada had to work hard for this one! Dylan Holloway is credited with the goal pic.twitter.com/51dsEeSXPX

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 1, 2021

---

Bowen Byram has incredible offensive instincts and the ability to make jaw-dropping plays. And while the Vancouver Giants defenceman does have three assists so far at the World Juniors, it has been the well- rounded nature of his game that's been most notable.

"I don't need to be wowing anybody or anything like that," he said of his performance. "I just got to play solid at both ends of the rink and contribute offensively when I can. I feel like I'm doing that."

The Colorado Avalanche prospect, who posted 52 points in 50 Western Hockey League outings last season, seems to control the game whenever he's on the ice and that's why Tourigny is playing him more than anyone else. Byram leads the team in ice time (21:06 per game) and is tied with partner Jamie Drysdale for the tournament lead with a plus-13 rating.

"I want to make the NHL this year and I think that's how you do it," he said. "So, just trying to make sure I have good habits, being underneath the puck, making a good first pass, moving the puck quickly and trying to play a detailed two-way game."

---

Lines at Canada's 20-minute practice on Friday:

Holloway - McMichael - Cozens

Perfetti - Zary - Krebs 1197687 Websites

USA TODAY / Reports: NHL planning two outdoor games at Lake Tahoe for 2021 season

Jimmy Hascup

While the NHL's standard slate of outdoor games in 2021 was postponed, the league is planning to host two of them at Lake Tahoe this season, according to multiple reports.

The matchups will feature the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 20 and the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins on Feb. 21 at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort in Stateline, Nevada, according to Sportsnet and The Athletic. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the event will be played around the 16th, 17th and 18th holes and will max out at "about 400" team personnel and event workers without fans. NBC included those matchups and dates on its broadcast schedule.

The 56-game NHL season is set to start Jan. 13.

According to The Athletic, the scheduled Jan. 1 Winter Classic game at Minnesota's Target Field between the Wild and St. Louis Blues will take place next year. The 2021 Stadium Series game on Feb. 20 at Carter- Finley Stadium with the Carolina Hurricanes was postponed with no new date announced.

USA TODAY LOADED: 01.02.2021