SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 05/18/19 1144766 Ducks prospect scores twice, but Gulls fall to 1144795 Whatever player moves Holland makes will be around Wolves in OT Oilers draft 1144767 Max Comtois develops into ‘total package power forward’ 1144796 Holland has long list of coaching candidates he's looking during challenging into 1144797 Dmitri Samorukov is off to the and is the Oilers’ fastest rising prospect 1144768 Final schedule is announced 1144769 Bruins believe rest won’t mean rust for Tuukka Rask 1144770 We don’t know when the Stanley Cup Final will start, but 1144798 ROYAL LINEAGE: ALEX TURCOTTE, COLE CAUFIELD here are the variables (FEAT. TONY GRANATO) 1144771 ’s improv routine in Game 4 gets rave reviews Minnesota Wild 1144772 The series turned on special teams, and the Bruins were 1144799 Wild forward Luke Kunin joins U.S. team at hockey world way better championships 1144773 Bruins equipped for Cup finals with smothering defense 1144800 Former Gopher, Wild hockey players chosen to lead 1144774 Bruins fans see good omen in bear’s romp through Stillwater hockey Arlington 1144801 Duluth's 97-year-old hockey legend Mark Sertich keeps on 1144775 David Backes beats adversity, becomes key part of skating Bruins’ run 1144802 Wild forward Luke Kunin added to Team USA roster 1144776 Noted Boston-hater Alex Bregman does sensible thing, gives up, admits he's rooting for Bruins in Stanley Cup F Canadiens 1144777 Bruins' Perfection Line lives up to its name in clinching 1144803 Hickey on hockey: Mitch Marner is worth offer-sheet risk Cup berth for Canadiens 1144778 Zdeno Chara has kind words for Rod Brind'Amour after 1144804 What the Puck: NHL grass is greener on Bruins' side of handshake line exchange the fence 1144779 How Bruins can make history by bringing third straight title 1144805 Why the Canadiens would be wise to sign Joel Armia to a to Boston short-term deal 1144780 Backes emotional at chance to win a Cup after 'thinking about it for a long time' Devils 1144781 10 signs the Bruins are steaming toward lifting the Stanley 1144806 How Devils prospect Marian Studenic has soaked in World Cup Championships while playing in his native Slovakia 1144807 2019: How ex-Devils defenseman John Moore helped Boston Bruins win Eastern 1144782 Final Four's numbers show how far Ralph Krueger has to Conference Fin go to fix Sabres 1144808 NJ Devils dissolve partnership with Metropolitan Riveters 1144783 Sabres goalie Carter Hutton hopeful Ralph Krueger will ahead of schedule bring defensive structure 1144809 John Davidson the right man for job at critical Rangers 1144784 What made Mark Giordano’s season so incredible and junction why a repeat performance is possible 1144810 John Davidson returns to Rangers after stepping down from Blue Jackets Carolina Hurricanes 1144811 John Davidson named new Rangers president 1144785 Stinging loss but a promising future for the Canes 1144786 Despite bowing out of the playoffs, the 2018-19 NHL Hurricanes taught us many lessons 1144812 As the Blues Seek the Stanley Cup, a Hockey Hub Grows in St. Louis Chicago Blackhawks 1144787 A year after finally reaching the NHL, 33-year-old goalie Jeff Glass seeks a path back 1144813 Flyers need to add a No. 2 center to improve team and 1144788 How the Chicago Steel utilized hockey development in give Nolan Patrick better matchups | Sam Carchidi their impressive turnaround 1144814 If can't work his magic with Flyers' roster, pressure mounts for Chuck Fletcher 1144789 Breaking down what Colorado should do with their own free agents 1144815 Marcus Pettersson, Zach Aston-Reese among Penguins due pay raises Columbus Blue Jackets 1144816 First Call: Dominik Simon finally scores; Bruins keep 1144790 New York Rangers hire John Davidson; Blue Jackets Eastern sweeps alive elevate Jarmo Kekalainen to alternate governor 1144817 Quietly subpar season from Justin Schultz didn’t help 1144791 Puppy adoption keeps "Bobrovsky" and "Panarin" in town Penguins’ cause 1144792 John Davidson is leaving the Blue Jackets to return to the 1144818 Penguins' big hitters of the past weigh in on team's New York Rangers physicality Dallas Stars 1144793 Which Stars prospects should you keep your eyes on? 1144794 ‘It’s a really good day after you learn that Esa is going to be here for a long time.’ Websites 1144819 Game 4 takeaways: Erik Karlsson’s health among a few 1144850 The Athletic / The logistics of dropping everything and concerns crossing an ocean because your country needs you 1144820 Sharks’ bad puck luck spoils solid Game 4 from Martin 1144851 The Athletic / Duhatschek Notebook: Redefining what Jones constitutes a blockbuster NHL trade 1144821 Sharks lose game; have they lost Erik Karlsson? 1144852 The Athletic / Proposing 15 changes that would improve 1144822 Things to know: Sharks lineup change, Braun on Blais hit the NHL and second line struggles 1144853 The Athletic / DGB Grab Bag: Not another replay review, 1144823 Sharks center could soon share mark set by two other how to celebrate waved-off goals and the craziest braw NHL greats 1144854 .ca / Berube helps Blues bounce back from 1144824 NHL admits its 'unfortunate miss' on Timo Meier's illegal controversy in Game 4 win over Sharks hand pass 1144855 Sportsnet.ca / Beware of the 5 NHL teams with extra 1144825 Sharks vs. Blues Game 4 watch guide: Projected lines and first-round draft picks defensive pairs 1144856 Sportsnet.ca / Analyzing Erik Karlsson: Is the UFA-to-be in 1144826 Erik Karlsson is still hurt, and Tomas Hertl’s line is still decline? struggling as Sharks drop Game 4 to Blues 1144857 Sportsnet.ca / Groin concerns surround Sharks' Erik Karlsson ahead of Game 5 vs. Blues St Louis Blues 1144858 Sportsnet.ca / Kakko thinks he can go No. 1 at 2019 NHL 1144827 Hand of Death knocked Blues down, but not out Draft ahead of Hughes 1144828 Leaving the pass behind? Blues try to move past the 1144859 TSN.CA / Kessel tops first TSN Trade Bait board of the controversy spring 1144829 Blues notebook: Dunn's status uncertain for Game 4 and 1144860 TSN.CA / ‘Game management’ at the root of NHL’s beyond officiating issues 1144830 Haute Couture: Sharks center on a -scoring spree 1144831 Media Views: Bet on it — big changes planned for Fox Sports Midwest SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1144832 St. Louis pounds San Jose in series television ratings Tampa Bay Lightning 1144833 Tampa Bay, we are not alone with our sports stigma 1144834 Lightning is gone, but, stigma will linger 1144835 Erik Cernák emerged seemingly from nowhere on the Lightning’s blue line Maple Leafs 1144836 Enlightened Leafs embrace the wisdom of the long game | The Star 1144837 Team scoring spree rocks Anthony Mantha’s worlds | The Star 1144838 Marchment comes up big for Marlies in series opener 1144839 Bruins’ playoff success must be frustrating for Maple Leafs to watch 1144840 One year after watching Calder Cup run from the sidelines, Jeremy Bracco is driving force behind Marlies playo 1144849 Canucks Under the Microscope: 1144841 Golden Knights might lose free agent Pierre-Edouard Bellemare 1144842 Vegas executives detail the importance of their season without any players 1144843 Capitals’ blue line depth is an oft-touted strength, one that may be tested by offseason turnover 1144844 Free agent stock WATCH: Blues, Sharks have plenty of depth scorers who will hit the market this summer. Any fi 1144845 NHL Playoffs 2019 Roundup: Bruins sweep Hurricanes, city of Boston championship bound again 1144846 2018-19 Washington Capitals seasons in review 1144847 Catching up with T.J. Oshie: An injury update, rooting for former teammates in playoffs and more 1144848 Free agent stock WATCH: Boston rattles the unflappable Justin Williams 1144766 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks prospect Max Comtois scores twice, but Gulls fall to Wolves in OT

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 9:21 pm | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at 9:38 PM

Cody Glass of Chicago beat Jeff Glass of San Diego with the game- winning goal on a breakaway 14:03 into sudden-death to give the Wolves a 5-4 victory Friday over the Gulls in Game 1 of the AHL’s Western Conference final in Rosemont, Illinois.

Cody Glass got free after the Gulls’ Chase De Leo slashed his stick out of his hands in the neutral zone. Glass headed to the Chicago bench for a new stick and when he turned back to rejoin the play, the Wolves had gained possession and he was behind the last line of San Diego’s defense.

Tomas Hyka passed the puck ahead to Cody Glass and he beat Jeff Glass (no relation) to cap a back-and-forth game in which the Wolves rallied for the tying goal with 3:05 left in regulation play. Nic Hague tied it for Chicago after the second of Max Comtois’ two goals gave San Diego a 4-3 lead.

“We’ve been through enough now,” San Diego coach told reporters. “We don’t get overly excited or overly down about anything. We understand these games are going to go long sometimes. We understand there’s going to be swings of momentum and lead changes, and we just need to stay in the moment no matter what our circumstance is.”

Game 2 is Saturday at . The best-of-7 series then shifts to San Diego’s Pechanga Arena for Games 3, 4 and 5 on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (if necessary). The winner advances to the Calder Cup final to face the winner of the Eastern Conference final.

Toronto leads Charlotte 1-0, after a 2-1 victory Friday in Game 1.

The Gulls, the Ducks’ AHL affiliate, erased deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 and then took an all-too-brief 4-3 lead when Comtois scored at 10:43 of the third period. Comtois slammed home a pass off the end boards from teammate Adam Cracknell, the second of his two assists.

The Wolves, the Vegas Golden Knights’ affiliate, rallied to tie it on Hague’s goal. Tobias Lindberg, Daniel Carr and Tye McGinn also scored for the Wolves. Corey Tropp, Comtois and Andy Welinski also scored for the Gulls.

San Diego is 3-2 in overtime during the playoffs; the Wolves are 2-0.

“No need to dwell on the past, nothing you can do about it,” Cracknell told reporters. “Can’t feel sorry for ourselves because we lost the game. We’re not going to come in here and sweep the series. Obviously, that would be the goal, but right now we’re down 1-0.”

Max Jones sat out for the fourth consecutive game because of a head injury suffered in Game 3 of the Gulls’ second-round series against the Bakersfield Condors. Troy Terry, another top Ducks prospect, hasn’t played since breaking his leg in a March 29 game against the Calgary Flames.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144767 Anaheim Ducks of over 800 games between the AHL and NHL. “He’s a smart player. He’s a lot of fun to play with and I know he’s going to make the simple play when needed. And he can make the difficult plays, especially in tight Max Comtois develops into ‘total package power forward’ during or when he’s under pressure. challenging season “We’re working every day together to try to keep him moving in the right direction.”

By Eric Stephens May 17, 2019 Reminded of his knack for scoring once he joins a team, Comtois smiled broadly and chuckled.

“I don’t know if it’s coincidence,” he said. “Every time I get the chance to SAN DIEGO – If it was just the promise and honor of being for be on the ice, every time I get the chance to play, I want to make a Team Canada in the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships and then difference. It’s part of my game to be ready off the bat and create some handling the disappointment and pitfall of not collecting a medal of any momentum for my team. I’m happy I did it in the first shift in here and in color on home soil and then dealing with a torrent of criticism that Anaheim. reached the level of cyberbullying, it would be enough to say this season for Max Comtois was eventful for a young player with his eyes fixed on “When I get the chance, I want to take it. I’m hungry. It makes me a the NHL. better player when I have the chance. If I don’t score the first shift, then I’m trying to make something (happen) every shift. If it works, it works. If For him, it was only the tip. it doesn’t work, still create some stuff.”

Four teams. Scoring as soon as he played for each. A knee injury. A This year has not only been about showing up and playing hockey. There separated shoulder. A playoff run. Another playoff run – one that is still has been growth as a person. going. It’s been something as simple as showing the proper respect to new For all that’s happened so far, it might feel like Comtois has had two teammates and involving himself in the team’s mission as much as they seasons jammed into one. So much and yet the end goal stays in direct have, particularly those who have been grinding for the entire season. Or sight. something like learning how to handle biting critiques of his play and much worse in his direction. “A lot of travel,” said the native, sitting after a practice during their push for a Calder Cup title. “It’s been fun. A lot of As the only returning player from Canada’s gold medal-winning squad at experiences in this year. A lot of things that I can grab and put in my back the 2018 World Juniors, Comtois was selected to captain the 2019 club. pocket that I needed. I know what it takes now to stay here and I’m just The most successful nation in WJC play with 17 titles has medal hungrier to work harder in the summer and to hopefully stay in Anaheim expectations every year, and the specter of winning gold and for the whole year next year.” successfully defending as the host country this time was closely followed from coast to coast. Comtois envisions himself on the Ducks, and they can see the high- paced big left wing in their lineup, possibly when the puck gets dropped Comtois relished that pressure. Three straight wins to open the the first time in October. Heck, he made the club following an impressive tournament kept Canada on course, but criticism of the left wing began to training camp last fall. The 20-year-old is a talent for sure. How good of a simmer and bubble. His exaggerated reaction to some hits from opposing talent is a bit of a question, but to this point, he’s been able to succeed at players gave him the label of one who embellishes, and that didn’t sit well each level. with many Canadian hockey fans, especially when he had the “C” on his sweater. Opposing players also took issue. Russian captain Klim Kostin Surely, he is the only Anaheim prospect to have A) scored a goal on his suggested that he worked at a circus in his previous life and was taking first shot, barely into his first shift, B) score inspiration from soccer players. minutes into his first game, C) score in his first game of the season during his final year in junior hockey, and D) score The criticism was growing and, in this age of social media, widespread. during the opening period for his team in the WJC, all in the same And that was just the beginning. season. After he didn’t score on a shot that could have sent Canada into But Comtois has been more than that statistical oddity. Much more. the semifinals and Finland scored minutes later, Comtois was under attack on Twitter. His Instagram page was filling with profane comments. Right now, he’s back with the Gulls as they prepare for a meeting with Several vile messages blew past the line of decorum. the to open the best-of-7 Western Conference final Friday night. Once his final season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey 'S MAXIME COMTOIS IS DENIED BY 'S UKKO-PEKKA League ended, Comtois joined San Diego for its second-round AHL LUUKKONEN ON THE PENALTY SHOT. #CANVSFIN series against Bakersfield and not only scored the winning goal in Game #WORLDJUNIORS #REPRESENT PIC.TWITTER.COM/Q15GFGYP77 1 to end a four-overtime thriller – his first playoff game on the pro level – but had a goal and assisted on another in the Game 6 series clincher. — TSN (@TSN_SPORTS) JANUARY 3, 2019

The four-overtime marathon at Bakersfield’s Rabobank Arena is a Instead of shutting himself off from social media completely, Comtois memory, naturally. Comtois recalled how he was able to go without any used the platform to send out a tweet stating how cyberbullying is a additional nourishment because he likes to eat something closer to threat within the medium and that no individual should be a victim of it. games. But during the second OT intermission, he was starting to cramp Months later, he doesn’t shy away from that topic. and had a BioSteel shake. A slice of pizza was consumed after the game “It happens to a lot of players,” Comtois said. “Like I said earlier in the moved past the 120-minute mark. “Probably ate like six bananas,” media, it’s not supposed to happen. It’s not a good thing. Sometimes Comtois said. “Something like that.” people forget that we’re human. It’s a tough job. Sometimes you score, Finally, at 4 minutes, 20 seconds of the fourth extra period, Comtois took sometimes you won’t score. I didn’t get it. It’s part of the game. Some a pass from Kevin Roy and put the puck past Condors Shane people love you, some people’s going to hate you forever. Starrett. It was 12:20 a.m. – more than five hours after the listed 7 p.m. “I just took it like a man. I know it doesn’t really affect me. I was just start time. Ostensibly as for several others that night, it was the longest making sure that my family was OK, that they didn’t take it seriously. It game he had ever played. shouldn’t be part of the game, but it is. We just got to deal with that.” “It was crazy,” Comtois said. “Everybody was tired. We were trying to Allain Roy, Comtois’s agent, said good leaders take negatives to make a make the game simple. When we had a chance to put it in, we had to do statement to their team and the people around them. “And that’s what he it. (Kevin) made a good play to buy me time and I just found a way to put did,” Roy said. it in.” “There’s some stuff to him for sure,” Roy continued. “Both his parents are An instant impact. How he goes about it has been readily noticeable. hardworking people. He didn’t come from a privileged background. If you “You’re going to score pretty goals once in a while but he’s going to the go to (his hometown of) Chateauguay-Mercier, you’ll see it’s blue collar. hard areas to score goals,” said Gulls forward Adam Cracknell, a veteran Very honest, hard-working people. Every team he’s been on, he’s been “And as the season’s over, he’s already calling up. ‘Hey Marc, when can I asked to be a leader. And he’s grown along the way. get back on the ice? When are we going to do this?’”

“I think if you ask Max, he’ll tell you there’s some he thought he did a Getting better never ends. Lavigne said Comtois is so focused on his good job being a leader and other teams maybe he could have handled career development that he and the other coaches who work with him stuff like a 16-year-old, 17-year-old handled stuff and learned from it. But offer reminders to dial it back and make sure he has fun outside the rink. the best part about Max is exactly that. Even if he doesn’t do it right, he learns from it. And that’s why he’s become a better player. He’s become “It was always a priority, his training,” Lavigne continued. “That really a better person. He’s matured quickly. helped a lot. He just kept improving and improving and improving. Even this summer, we’ve got a lot of hours planned, just one working on his “And even the whole World Junior thing with social media, he took that quickness and his first three steps. Because once he gets going, it and spun it into a positive. Spoke about a big problem in our new age, swells. Now we just have to work on the quickness in the first three which is cyberbullying. For him to be able to see that and actually find a steps, which is pretty important in today’s hockey. silver lining in this and turn it into a positive, it’s because he’s a good leader.” “Everything is so quick and east-west, not just north-south. Ongoing process.” It was important to say something then. It still is now. The fastest way for a young player to earn respect from older teammates “Because I think it happens way too much,” Comtois said. “And it’s not is to show that he is invested and willing to work on things that don’t just because it happened to me. It happens in the NFL. It happened to come easy. Or the things are solely about effort. Cracknell saw that right some of the best players in the world. It’s just something that’s away when Comtois was recruited for the Gulls’ Calder Cup chase. unacceptable. There’s people suffering because of that. Even kids, even young kids that start playing hockey. Sometimes they see it and their “He’s sacrificing the body,” Cracknell said. “He’s taking hits to make parents don’t want that for their kids, so they don’t make them play. plays. He’s blocking shots. He’s doing a lot of things that put the team first. The minute he’s going to have individual success, we’re going to “Just important that we talk about it. We try to make a difference. I just have line success. All the things that he does is building towards that. wanted to talk about it and make sure people understand what the problem is. We got to find a solution as a civilization.” “He’s a player that right now a lot of a people are watching, and he’s on the other team’s radar too knowing that he’s a lethal player and he’s a At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, with a powerful skating stride and the kind of hard guy to play against. That’s just a step in the right direction for him to touch around the net and shot that easily beat San Jose Sharks goalie be a National Hockey League player and he can learn that now and have Martin Jones on his very first NHL try, Comtois still lasted until the 50th fun and have success while we’re doing it right now.” choice in the 2017 draft, when the Ducks made him their initial selection after losing their first-round pick to Dallas in their acquisition of Patrick Said Lavigne: “I‘ll get my younger kids to go on the ice with him Eaves. sometimes just to see what real work ethic is. He’s a good model for the younger kids.” It was no horrendous oversight by a bunch of NHL teams that were in position to draft him. Roy said the winger was considered a late first- or How good is Max Comtois? How high is his ceiling? early second-round pick in most projections. It wasn’t as if he was a “I think Max could be a good, important player on a team,” Button said. “I possible top-10 choice who endured a precipitous fall. But there was still don’t think he’s a first-line left wing. And that’s not a knock against Max. I initial disappointment when other names were announced on the morning just think he ideally suits – I tell you the guy I would compare him to is of the draft’s much more low-key second day. Chris Kunitz. Now I know Kunitz played with (Sidney) Crosby and I’m not “If you’re a 17-, 18-year-old kid, it’s human nature that you’re going to trying to dismiss that. But Maxime is a really good, strong winger. A say, ‘Well, I’m going to go late in the first.’ Because that’s what you really winger that can play outside the dots. Play along the boards. Drive play believe,” Roy said. to the net. Play down low below the goal line. Really make it difficult for opponents to be able to stop. And he can wear you down because he’s There were reasons why Comtois wasn’t seen to go that high. big, thick and heavy.”

“When he was a younger player, he was a really top-end prolific scorer,” Kunitz was a college free agent the Ducks signed, waived, reclaimed and said , a former NHL general manager who is now a TSN then watched develop, as the gritty 20-goal scorer did the grunt work on analyst and draft expert for the Canadian sports network. “I think that the a line with Teemu Selanne and Andy McDonald before doing the same reason he dropped in the draft in the second round was because I think as a solid finisher for Crosby over nine seasons in Pittsburgh. He had 35 he was trying to find that balance between what was his game going to goals for the Penguins in 2013-14 and has played over 1,000 games with be looking like at the NHL level and what was his game to that point. And four teams. I think he felt like he had to put up numbers. I got to put up points. Comtois is bigger than Kunitz and already has a high-level wrist shot. He “Most players, when they’re younger, can put up points. It doesn’t also has a similar doggedness to go into the corners and then make his necessarily mean you’re going to continue to do it at the same rate as way to the net, which he showed often in the Bakersfield series by you go up the levels. I think he was in a transition period in junior, in his creating room either for himself or his linemates. Button thinks the draft year.” youngster has found the style of play that will make him successful in the NHL. His second season in the offensive-minded QMJHL was a down one – 22 goals and 51 points in 64 games for the , numbers that “He’s a player that can make you uncomfortable,” Button said. “Because didn’t match his rookie year despite playing in two more contests. It was he’s a really good, strong skater. And because of the size and the power a bad year in his mind, one he has often referenced since draft night. that he has, he can close on you. Not only can he close on you and force you to do things a lot quicker than you want to as a defenseman and a There were other aspects beyond the numbers. Comtois has tools. But defender, but he can punish you physically. He can take you off the puck were they elite tools? His skating had been one potential red flag. and make it uncomfortable not just in the sense that he’s coming, but he “Well, it was kind of like a two-step thing because when I first saw him in can hit you some real wallop. And I think that becomes significant. bantam, he had a very – I wouldn’t say like an ugly stride – but he “His leverage, his speed, his quickness allows him to play in the open pounded into the ice a lot,” said Marc Lavigne, an agent within the Roy ice. And it allows him to play in small areas and in those tight areas. Sports Group that specializes in the Montreal area and eastern Canada. Because he’s hard to knock off the puck. With that type of agility and that “He was one of those skaters that would kind of push off his toe and use type of leverage and that type of power, he becomes a really effective the spring off his ankle. He would push down on the ice and so he’d player in what I like to call the small area situations and the body-on-body make a lot of noise when he was skating. Lost a lot of energy. There was battles. He really excels in that area.” a little bit biomechanical work and flexible work that needed to be done.” MAX COMTOIS. QUADRUPLE OVERTIME. GAME-WINNER. Lavigne put Comtois with skills coach Marcin Snita to fix that stride and  #FLIGHTTOTHECUP | #LETSGOGULLS employed strength coach Francis Touchette to add definition in his PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZR6IYYANZV already-projectable frame for a potential NHL power forward. And the young Comtois was a dutiful and devoted student, with Lavigne going so — X- SAN DIEGO GULLS (@SDGULLSAHL) MAY 4, 2019 far as to use the word religious. “He’s great to work with,” Lavigne said. Summing him up, Button views Comtois as “a clear-cut top-six winger” who can be a first-line forward if he’s paired with the right center. The numbers have been there since he struggled in that 2016-17 season. The following year was a 44-goal, 85-point breakout campaign with Victoriaville in just 54 games.

An Eastern Conference scout said, “I think he’s going to be an impact NHL player. Total package power forward. Skills aren’t high-end but one of the better total package prospects.”

And in this season that’s been divided in several ways, Comtois has regularly found the net against equal or better competition. The Ducks would have loved to keep him in San Diego for the whole year, but he didn’t meet the AHL age requirement for North American-born players. They returned him to the QMJHL and all he did for Drummondville – which had acquired him from Victoriaville last summer – was put up 31 goals in 25 games spread over two time periods while leading the Voltigeurs with 11 goals in their 16 playoff games.

One could have sulked after being returned at a level where nothing more needed to be proven. Especially when one is with a new team for what would be barely over a half season. Comtois wanted to be a player the Voltigeurs could lean on, and have another crack at a President’s Cup, the QMJHL championship.

Halifax, which had Ducks prospects Antoine Morand and Benoit-Olivier Groulx, would eliminate Drummondville in the semifinals.

“When (the Ducks) sent me back, they put everything clear to make sure that my game doesn’t change and I’m doing the right things,” Comtois said. “At first, I was a little bit down because I had the taste of everything, and I wanted to stay (in Anaheim) and help the team to win. But at the same time, the rule is part of the game. I couldn’t play in the ‘A’ so I was happy to go back to Drummondville.

“We had a really good team and we were pushing for a Cup. We fell short but it was just an amazing year. I didn’t want to put too much on myself. I just wanted to play the same game that I had success with in Anaheim. It paid off and I think I did a really good job this year to keep my game simple and just keep improving myself.”

At a draft-night party for his clients that included No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier, Roy had a conversation with Comtois. The two talked about his disappointment in not getting selected in the first round. Roy stressed how that heartbreaking moment would be nothing more than a memory when he played his first NHL game. The longtime agent was watching when Comtois beat Jones, the proven Sharks goalie, and dialed him up after the Ducks’ opening-night win to remind him of that draft-night talk.

“It was a good lesson for him,” Roy said. “And, honestly, maybe that was fate. Maybe that was what needed to happen for Max. For him to go into the second round and be like, ‘OK, I’m going to have to earn it maybe a little bit more.’ And that’s what he did.

“To his credit, he really took that and used it as fuel. Had a huge summer in the gym. Worked his ass off. Once he got drafted, he said, ‘I’m going to camp to make that team.’ He was not going there just to make an impression. To his credit, that’s what he did.”

Comtois has scored at every level this season and Roy doesn’t believe he will stop once he becomes an everyday regular with the Ducks. What he likes most about the youngster is that he’ll continue working even when he hits a stretch where the goals aren’t coming. “Even if he goes on a 10-game streak where he doesn’t score, he’ll find his way back,” Roy said. “Because he understands what gets him there.”

Dallas Eakins is coaching several promising talents on the Gulls. The challenge for players like Comtois as they head upward on their arc, Eakins said, is “not to do it just on night one, but to do it night two and then night 15 and 25 and 50.”

“With Max in particular, he’s done about everything you can in junior hockey,” said Eakins, a candidate for the Ducks’ current opening. “He’s gotten his toe in the water at the NHL level. And now he’s here trying to find his way. For any of these guys, I think the ceiling’s as high as they want it to be.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144768 Boston Bruins

Stanley Cup Final schedule is announced

By Matt Porter Globe Staff,May 17, 2019, 11:08 p.m.

The Eastern Confeence champions will be back on the ice on Memorial Day.

The Eastern Confeence champions will be back on the ice on Memorial Day.(jim davis/Globe staff)

Either the Blues or Sharks will meet the Bruins on Monday, May 27, in Boston, to open the Stanley Cup Final.

The NHL announced the schedule Friday night. TD Garden and the Eastern Conference champions will host Games 1 and 2.

Boston (107 points during the regular season) has home-ice advantage over San Jose (101) and St. Louis (99).

The Stanley Cup Final schedule:

Game 1: Monday, May 27 at TD Garden, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Game 2: Wednesday, May 29 at TD Garden, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 3: Saturday, June 1 at West winner, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 4: Monday, June 3 at West winner, 8 p.m. (NBC)

*Game 5: Thursday, June 6 at TD Garden, 8 p.m. (NBC)

*Game 6: Sunday, June 9 at West winner, 8 p.m. (NBC)

*Game 7: Wednesday, June 12 at TD Garden, 8 p.m. (NBC)

*if neccesary

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144769 Boston Bruins “I think we’re realizing how to win,” Krug said. “Maybe in that first series we were trying to do too much. We figured we’d have to score some goals to beat a high-powered offense. Eventually we figured out the best Bruins believe rest won’t mean rust for Tuukka Rask way to do that was to put pucks behind their D and go to work and grind out goals, grind out zone time. That bleeds through the lineup.”

“Especially,” he said, “when Tuuks makes the big saves.” Adrian Walker ■ At first glance, the tougher Final matchup would be San Jose.

The Sharks’ blue line, with Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, and Marc- RALEIGH, N.C. — Patrice Bergeron was in mid-sentence when Brad Edouard Vlasic, is loaded. Burns and Karlsson have 30 combined points Marchand and Tuukka Rask, wearing suit jackets over their “Eastern in 17 games, and Vlasic is a forward-eraser. Conference Champions” T-shirts, busted into the press conference. Few teams have captains with the talent and heart of Joe Pavelski. “We’re going to join you, Bergy,” Marchand declared to a room full of Logan Couture (14-6—20) leads the postseason in scoring, Tomas Hertl reporters after the Bruins broomed the Hurricanes Thursday, finishing a is a 1B center, Timo Meier is a high-skill power forward, and Gustav sweep of the Eastern Conference final. Nyquist has been a Marcus Johansson-like addition.

Bergeron was sitting next to an empty chair. Marchand grabbed another They also have the requisite “win it for” guy in Joe Thornton, especially from the front row for his netminder, so that Rask, too, could express how after getting to the Final in 2016. special it was to once again chase the Stanley Cup together. The Blues have less top-end talent, but center Ryan O’Reilly is a handful, “It means a lot,” Rask said, sitting between two men with whom, as Jaden Schwartz is quietly excellent, Vladimir Tarasenko is waiting to Bergeron noted, he has grown up, matured, in hockey and in life. None break out, and an Alex Pietrangelo-led blue line is rugged. were married or parents the last time the Bruins reached this stage, in 2013. Their quality crash line of Patrick “Big Rig” Maroon, ex-Leaf Tyler Bozak, and rookie Robert Thomas has provided big moments. “It’s so difficult to advance in the playoffs, let alone make it to the finals. Like Bergy said, we need to enjoy this, and realize we have a lot of work Neither goalie — San Jose’s Martin Jones nor St. Louis’s Jordan to do.” Binnington — at present is on Rask’s level. Neither team has won a Stanley Cup. The Bruins will spend the weekend resting, seeing their families and friends, and watching how the West will be won. Beginning Sunday, The Bruins will have plenty of time to scout. they’ll be back at practice, trying to stay sharp. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.18.2019 Rask is a razor they hope rest will not rust.

“I don’t think the break will hurt him, other than your typical . . . you lose some of your sharpness of game intensity,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I just see Tuukka, not only as a goalie but as a person, just a really zoned- in guy right now, really even-keeled. So I don’t see why that would change in a week.

“I think the sharpness of not playing will affect the whole team. But after he gets back in the flow, I’m assuming, hopefully, it’s quick for him. Other teams have gone through it in the playoffs. We haven’t. This will be new to us.

“I assume he’ll come out of it very well. He’s played a lot of hockey, too. During the season, he hasn’t played this many consecutive games. I think the break will do him some good.”

It’s hard to be better than this. Rask has allowed 32 goals in 17 playoff games, posting a .942 save percentage, 1.84 GAA, and two shutouts. Only five goalies this postseason have had a better overall save percentage than Rask has on the penalty kill (.924). His goals saved above average (13.65) is nearly double second-place Ben Bishop (7.25).

The standard for playoff excellence may have shifted. In 2011, Tim Thomas allowed 51 goals in 25 games, with a .940 save percentage, 1.98 GAA, and four shutouts. In 2013, Rask gave up 46 goals in 22 games, going .940, 1.88, with three clean sheets.

“He’s so in the zone right now, you almost don’t even want to talk to him,” defenseman Matt Grzelcyk said. “He’s playing unbelievable hockey, something I’ve never seen personally. We’re going to need it going forward.”

Other observations on the Bruins’ advancement to the Final:

■ In the last moments of Game 4, before Zdeno Chara led a swarm of Bruins through the Zamboni door at PNC Arena, Rask saluted his fellow netminder. After redirecting Carolina’s final shot to the corner, he pointed his blocker at Jaroslav Halak, who was waiting in the wings.

“He’s been such a big part of our group, Jaro, all year,” said Rask. “I’ve been on that side, you know, not playing in the playoffs. He’s been a really big part of our group. Happy that he’s my partner.”

■ Marchand’s rearrangement of the dais aside, these Bruins are no party-crashers. The 107-point beasts of the East have the requisite skill, depth, netminding, and temperament to win it all. Torey Krug said the rise in performance — seven games to beat Toronto, six for Columbus, and four fo Carolina — wasn’t a function of opponent. 1144770 Boston Bruins

We don’t know when the Stanley Cup Final will start, but here are the variables

Adrian Walker

It’s the question that has been at top of everyone’s mind since the Bruins completed their sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night.

When is the Stanley Cup Final going to begin? The answer? We don’t know.

Here’s what we can tell you:

■ We likely won’t know when it will begin until the Western Conference final is over. The San Jose Sharks lead the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, and could wrap up the series with wins in Game 4 Friday night in St. Louis and Game 5 Sunday afternoon at San Jose.

■ A Blues win Friday night would even the series, 2-2, in which case the earliest the Western Conference finals could conclude would be Game 6 on Tuesday night at St. Louis.

■ Should the Western Conference series go the distance and a Game 7 is necessary, that would be Thursday in San Jose.

■ Another factor the NHL may take into consideration is that since the Final will begin in Boston for Games 1 and 2, San Jose would need time to figure out the logistics of a trip to the East Coast on short notice.

■ One clue came in the Game 4 postgame press conferences: “I don’t think we can start any earlier than a week from now — so that’s a long stretch for us,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy after Thursday night’s 4- 0 victory.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144771 Boston Bruins Miller, who banged up his knee in an awkward fall in St. Paul the last week of the season.

Miller was missed most in Round 2 vs. the Blue Jackets, whose compete Bruce Cassidy’s improv routine in Game 4 gets rave reviews level and roster integrity were higher than what the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes threw at the Bruins.

Adrian Walker The Jackets were fast and physical, and Miller’s brawn and battle likely would have made for an easier time contending with their high-profile forwards. Nonetheless, once down in that series, 2-1, the Bruins ran the table in Games 4, 5, and 6, surrendering but four goals on the 115 shots Chara, 42, entered Round 1 this spring vs. Toronto with 159 games on that made their way to Rask (an astounding .965 save percentage). The his playoff CV, the equivalent of nearly two NHL regular seasons. Bruins won the three games by an aggregate 11-4. “He’s our leader, we want to have him with us every step of the way,” Improv, of course, is essential at this time of year. No team plays every said Charlie McAvoy. “But just because he wasn’t out there, he was with other night, at this scheduling pace and this compete level, without holes us in spirit. developing. Thus far, Butch Cassidy’s Hole in the Wall Gang has proven “He is always with us, regardless. We saw his face there before the the ability to negate, or outlast, the three different styles of teams they’ve game. He just kind of has that presence. He dials everybody in and I faced. think we all sharpen up a bit when we see him. We’re playing for him.” Rask has been the No. 1 reason for that, by far, along with a diversity of Quite a contrast to just two years ago, when McAvoy, then the newly scoring (19 scorers) the Bruins haven’t enjoyed since their run to the ’88 acquired man-child from Boston University, was pressed into the playoff Cup Final. That scoring has helped them control the clock. They will lineup to make his NHL debut against . All because the back line enter the final round with a stunning advantage of greater than 3-1 in was torn apart by injury, with both rookie Brandon Carlo and the more lead time (516:26 vs. 138:24) over the 17 games. seasoned Krug unable to play in any of the six games against the It is never easy. The schedule alone is engineered in a way to make it Senators. the most difficult eight weeks in sports, a tableau of carved faces, Coach Bruce Cassidy had to patch it all together with the likes of Joe tendons torn, and bones broken or ground into pumice. It is the sweet Morrow, John-Michael Liles, and Tommy Cross. Strongman Adam hell of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Bruins Thursday night in Raleigh McQuaid could dress for only a pair. officially walked through those gates again for a third time in nine years. If you’re going through hell, Winston Churchill once said, keep on going. The two stalwarts on the backline in ’17 were Chara and Kevan Miller, both of whom spent Thursday night in the Boston dressing room, Boston Globe LOADED: 05.18.2019 watching a back line of Matt Grzelcyk, Connor Clifton, John Moore, McAvoy, Krug, and Carlo help Tuukka Rask spin a 24-save shutout.

Again, folks, an impressive night of improv.

“Just crazy to think we closed this thing out,” said McAvoy. “I am trying to take a step back and soak it all up, but emotionally I am a little bit drained right now.”

McAvoy is not alone. The Stanley Cup grind is the hardest in all sport, with games typically played every other night, at a pace and force many factors above what we normally see over the course of an 82-game regular season. The closer in Carolina was the 17th game for the Bruins in a playoff run that began with the series opener vs. Toronto April 11.

Quick math: That’s 17 games in 36 days.

And now they’re worried about what might happen to their edge — which has helped them deliver seven straight wins — while awaiting to see whether they will face San Jose or St. Louis in the Final.

“I don’t think we can start any earlier than a week from now — so that’s a long stretch for us,” said Cassidy. “So we’ll sit down, probably make a call or two, talk to someone who’s handled it.

“We do have Black Aces, a group we can scrimmage to try to keep an edge. But even then, if you scrimmage, are guys really going to be physical against one another? They’re not.

“So I don’t have a great answer right now. That’s why we’ll have to sit down internally and see what the best fit is, and ask the guys in the room.”

Cassidy, who has never experienced a Cup Final as a coach or player, has proven adept at finding answers on the fly. Keeping this roster tuned and focused, though not easy, won’t be the equivalent of, say, the patch- and-sand job he was forced into two years ago.

In ’17, facing elimination in Game 6 at home, with the back line in its sorry state, Cassidy also had to figure how to wring more scoring out of a thin offensive corps. It came down to Matt Beleskey or Ryan Spooner, the very definition of rock and a hard place. He went with Beleskey and, fittingly, the season ended in a thud — the back line too thin and a forward group that asked too much of too few.

Two years later, Cassidy’s gang is far more complete, though he no doubt would feel far better if the next few days of rest delivered both Miller (knee) and Chara (undisclosed) back to the lineup in something akin to full working order. The chance of that is better with Chara than 1144772 Boston Bruins a shot on net. In need of a push, they could barely manage a nudge, needing 12 minutes and 12 seconds to come up with their first shot since falling into the 1-0 hole. They cobbled together but eight more for the rest The series turned on special teams, and the Bruins were way better of the night, none of them forcing Rask out of his calm, composed posture.

Rask, 12-5 in the post-season, picked up his second shutout, lowered his Adrian Walker goals-against mark to 1.84, and lifted his save percentage to .942.

“He just looks like he’s having fun out there,” said McAvoy. “We are reaping the benefits from it.” Once surviving that push, the Bruins scored six times in the next five periods and allowed the upstart Canes but a lone goal by defenseman Now it’s the Blues or Sharks, with two more dates (TBA) penciled in to Calvin de Haan. Their fast, young forwards were blanked. Their spiritual the Causeway Street calendar. Four more wins for a Cup. leader, Justin Williams, couldn’t produce a thing. Brind’Amour couldn’t find an answer. “I mean, just crazy to think that we closed this thing out,” said McAvoy. “And were going to the Stanley Cup Final! I’m just trying to take a step The series, billed as Carolina’s youthful speed vs. Boston’s broad-based back and soak it all up.” scoring and veteran leadership, ended up an easy sweep that should allow the Bruins upward of a week’s respite before returning to the Cup Boston Globe LOADED: 05.18.2019 Final for a third time in nine seasons.

Beyond the Canes’ inability to improv, the series turned on special teams, with the Bruins scoring seven times on 15 power-play advantages, while also gutting the Canes power play, the Boston PK units allowing them only one goal on the man-up in 14 chances.

“That was a key part of the series,” acknowledged Brind’Amour, his power play equally impotent in earlier series wins over the Caps and Islanders. “We knew it going in, and unfortunately it bit us.”

The win was the seventh straight for the Bruins, their best postseason run since the glory days of and the Big Bad Bruins. It was ’72 when they last strung seven W’s, a season that ended with John Bucyk highstepping the big trophy around the inside of Madison Square Garden.

“This,” bellowed 98.5’s Judd Sirott in the broadcast booth, “is a Black- and-Gold freight train!”

On the clinching night, when the Canes couldn’t put one of their 24 shots by Rask, the Bruins were able to rely on the oldest of playoff standards: Their best players were their best players. Specifically, top-liners Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak rolled up 11 shots and, more important, four goals, four assists, and eight points. The Canes’ best players were duds.

Pastrnak was not aboard in 2011 or 2013, the club’s last two appearances in the SCF, but Marchand and Bergeron were key parts, particularly to the Cup win over Vancouver in ’11. They are central to the success of a team that has been better from round to round the last 6-7 weeks, with Rask — the club’s No. 1 tender in the ’13 SCF loss to Chicago — playing the best playoff hockey of his career.

Brad Marchand celebrates his empty-net goal with the Bruins bench.

Brad Marchand celebrates his empty-net goal with the Bruins bench.(Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

The biggest difference in the team that next will face San Jose or St. Louis is the surrounding cast of young players, particularly on defense. That unit turned in shutout work Thursday even while team captain and defensive stalwart Zdeno Chara had to sit out for only the second time in the club’s last 132 playoff games. Youngsters Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Connor Clifton, and Matt Grzelcyk stepped up and kept the Canes from mounting a serious threat on Rask, or even the slightest hint that Canes could get back in the series. The Storm Surge was swamped.

“I think we just competed hard for every puck,” said a beaming McAvoy, the former BU standout in his third playoff season with the Black and Gold. “We had the mindset that we were going to win all those battles — we were just going to stick with what’s been giving us success. Breaking pucks out. Just a selfless effort. Guys jumping in lanes to block shots (23 in total).

“I mean, what a game . . . a series clinching game. It’s just crazy to think about that were going to the Stanley Cup Final. Just a dream come true.”

The Canes, who fell behind on Pastrnak’s goal with 4:46 gone in the second period, managed but a total of 13:08 lead time for the series. The Bruins led in every game for a total of 136:24, an overwhelming 10:1 ratio.

The most telling part of the night came in the minutes after Pastrnak’s strike. In foray after foray into the Boston end, the Canes couldn’t muster 1144773 Boston Bruins “It’s been a special group since Day 1,” Bergeron said. “You need everybody to be a part of it and contribute. It’s been that way, that’s the only way you can really advance. There’s a lot of work in front of us, but Bruins equipped for Cup finals with smothering defense it’s a special feeling.”

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By MARISA INGEMI | May 18, 2019 at 12:09 am

The Bruins identity has been connected to their defense from Day 1. That’s the buy-in Bruce Cassidy established with his players, and they’ve responded.

For everything else they did well against the Carolina Hurricanes — special teams, goaltending, depth scoring — the defensive, lock-down effort in Game 4 is why the B’s are going to the .

There’s plenty impressive about a shutout on the road against a team that had lost in its own barn just once in the playoffs (Game 3 Tuesday night), holding a team facing elimination off the board for 60 minutes. But what the Bruins did was otherwordly. They prevented the Hurricanes, the team that led the NHL in shots, from getting what would even resemble a scoring chance for the final two periods.

Just four shots allowed in the second period, two allowed in the first five minutes of the third, made it feel like Carolina was done well before the final buzzer.

It was the Bruins at their absolute best, and they did it without Zdeno Chara.

“I don’t recall a lot of slot chances,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I don’t know if the analytics would back that up. I assume they would. Those are the most dangerous ones, so we kind of kept them outside.”

That effort included 27 minutes from Torey Krug, who led all B’s skaters in time on ice; a far cry from the perceptions about the defenseman who some wanted shipped out of town, citing a lack of defensive prowess.

“We talk about that just because we have guys out, whether it’s Z or Charlie [(McAvoy in Game 1) we don’t need any superheroes back there to step in,” Krug said. “It’s just about playing good solid hockey, and our systems will take over eventually. We have a great goaltender that backstops us and gives us a chance to win. Like I said before, no superheroes. Just good solid plays and we’ll be OK.”

It included Patrice Bergeron, who fielded questions all series about his lack of production (one 5-on-5 goal all postseason) scoring twice, including once at even strength.

It included David Pastrnak, once a victim of Internet outrage calling for his healthy scratch early in the Columbus series, having one of his best showings in the playoffs.

“Over the last few years, we’ve built something special with the young guys,” Bergeron said. “They’re a big part of this group and this team. They want to get better. They are big-time players and they relish any challenge, so it’s been a fun ride.”

That’s just the way the Bruins were built; adapt and adjust to whatever the game presents, and step up when needed.

The defense exuded that most of all.

Kevan Miller was out, John Moore thrust in, Connor Clifton in his first handful of NHL games, McAvoy just 21 years old, Brandon Carlo playing his first playoff hockey.

It wasn’t just enough to beat the Hurricanes and get to the Stanley Cup finals. It was enough for their most magnificent clinic of the season in shutting down a desperate team.

This postseason, at first, felt like growth from the shortened run a year ago. They toppled Toronto in the first round and this time they were ready for the second round. They put their foot on the gas and did not let up.

They didn’t let it off in the Eastern Conference finals, either. Without their captain, with three more cracks at winning it, including two on home ice, the Bruins clamped down and finished off the Hurricanes in four games.

That’s what the identity has been all season, after all. And they’ve never really gone out of character. 1144774 Boston Bruins

Bruins fans see good omen in bear’s romp through Arlington

By JONATHAN NG | PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 8:36 pm | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at 9:32 PM

Bruins fans said the bear captured in Arlington is a good sign coming just hours after the team secured a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.

A few fans shopping at the Boston ProShop inside TD Garden said the Arlington bear was simply cheering on the hometown team.

“If there was a bear climbing in the trees near Boston, then it must have been coming out celebrating with the rest of us in the community,” said Nick Leung, 39, of Brookline.

The Bruins swept the Hurricanes in four games, easily advancing to the Cup finals.

“This is the perfect time to be living in Boston,” added Leung, who said he’s played hockey since childhood. “It has been nearly 100 days since Boston’s last championship and this is something that we’ve been waiting for, and I think it’s well deserved.”

The bear sighting lit up Twitter with Bruins jokes flying around. Luckily, the young bear was tranquilized and relocated to western Mass. Nobody was hurt.

“It’s a good omen for us,” said Steve Quireyns, 53, of Holbrook. “I hope they bring him here to Boston and make it the official mascot.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144775 Boston Bruins this group. He’s such a great leader. We build so much emotion off the way that he plays. He’s just such a phenomenal guy, such a great teammate, and he’s had an incredible career.

David Backes beats adversity, becomes key part of Bruins’ run “When you see a guy that’s been around that long and he hasn’t had an opportunity to play for a Cup, when he finally has that opportunity, there’s a lot of emotion. (Patrice Bergeron) said it before. When you play in this By STEVE CONROY PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 6:59 pm | league for a long time, you start to appreciate and understand how hard it UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at 7:00 PM is to win and how few opportunities you get to win that Cup. We have the chance to play for it this year, and you could see how excited he was. It

was awesome to see.” RALEIGH, N.C. — As far as dream seasons go, this one has had a few There still is a chance the B’s will line up in the finals against the St. undesirable detours for David Backes. Louis Blues, the team he once captained. After having his 2017-18 season end early because of a concussion on a “I don’t know if it would be extra special, but it would be a lot of emotion,” J.T. Miller hit in the Game 5 of the Bruins’ playoff series against the Backes said. “It’s a place that’s near and dear to my heart, still got a lot of Tampa Bay Lightning, Backes did not get through the first month of this friends (there) and I wish them the best, but we’re concentrating on the season before suffering another head injury. He missed just five games, Boston Bruins winning a Stanley Cup with this group of brothers we’ve but as the season wore on, the 35-year-old veteran saw his playing time created here. We’re all in for our team and whoever our opponent is, wane until finally, after a dozen years mostly spent as an elite NHL we’re going to face them head on.” center, he was a healthy scratch. Backes even was scratched for the first game of the playoffs. That’s exactly how Backes faced his challenges this season.

But through persistence and his own professionalism, Backes worked his Boston Herald LOADED: 05.18.2019 way back into the lineup, finding time on the second line with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk and making contributions in short minutes. And now, he’s in the Cup finals for the first time career, four wins away from the ultimate goal.

It might not be how he scripted it, but as he spoke with reporters after the B’s sweep of the Hurricanes – a bit glassy eyed with emotion – it was clear his particular journey has made this run all the more special.

“It’s very gratifying,” Backes said. “When you’re out, it’s kind of like a psychology experiment. What are you going to do with your brain? Are you going to let it go wild and have a pity party for yourself, or are you going to prepare for the next opportunity that you get, capitalize on it and make the most of it and make it tough on them to take you back out of the lineup?

“I think I’ve chosen the latter and been able to step in, make an impact. I don’t know if anyone thought it would be back with (Krejci), but we found a little bit of chemistry. He’s moving pretty well, he’s an excellent player with his vision with the puck, Jake’s speed, and hopefully I disrupt something, create a turnover and let the skill take over. Whatever minutes you get, you’ve got to make the most of them. I tell myself I’ve got to get 15 minutes worth of work in seven or eight. That’s what my mindset is.”

Backes’ signing of a five-year, $30 million deal in 2016 was controversial from the start. But while you can quibble about the money – which always matters in a salary cap system – there’s little doubt that three years into the deal, he’s had an overall positive influence on this team.

You could argue that without Backes, the Bruins would not have made the playoffs in 2017. That means Charlie McAvoy would not have gotten his first taste of the postseason. David Pastrnak would not have learned those hard lessons in the six-game loss to the Senators. Sean Kuraly would not have grown with playoff experience.

But while it’s true his productivity has decreased with age, he’s proven in these playoffs he still can contribute. After being scratched for the first game of the playoffs against the Maple Leafs – perhaps the only mistake coach Bruce Cassidy has made during this run – Cassidy turned to Backes to instill some life into the team. Backes delivered with an early assist and handful of hits in Game 2 that put the B’s back in the series.

He sat the last two games of the Toronto series and the first three against Columbus, but with the B’s trailing 2-1 in that series, Cassidy went back to Backes. He again responded with a helper in a Game 4 win, and he scored the goal that put the nail in the Blue Jackets’ coffin in Game 6. Backes has been in the lineup for every game of the team’s current seven-game win streak.

In weighing youthful speed versus the intangibles Backes brings, Cassidy has leaned toward the latter. It doesn’t mean it can’t change if things don’t go well in the Cup finals, but Backes has had a hand in getting the B’s this far.

His teammates appreciate the road he’s taken to get here.

“It’ awesome to see the passion and emotion that he had on his face after this game,” Brad Marchand said. “He’s been such a huge part of 1144776 Boston Bruins

Noted Boston-hater Alex Bregman does sensible thing, gives up, admits he's rooting for Bruins in Stanley Cup Final

By John Tomase May 17, 2019 7:31 PM

BOSTON -- Dear Boston: Alex Bregman can't stay mad at you.

The Astros All-Star raised eyebrows this winter when he declared he's sick of watching Boston teams win championships.

"After watching the Patriots win and with the Red Sox beating us last year, there's no other city that I would like to beat more this year than Boston," Bregman told the "Going Deep with Chad and JT" podcast in February.

Speaking to NBC Sports Boston before the series opener Friday night vs. the Red Sox, Bregman struck a more complimentary tone.

Alex Cora: "I work in probably the greatest sports city"

"It's an incredible city that has a lot of wins," he said. "They win in football, they win in , they win in , they win in hockey. It's great even just to walk around and feel the energy from...whether it's now the Stanley Cup or the Red Sox or the Patriots, everybody loves their sports here. That's really, really incredible."

Ahh, yes. The Bruins! They swept the Hurricanes on Thursday to reach their third Stanley Cup Final since 2011. Bregman was asked if he'd be rooting for the B's or whoever wins in the West between San Jose and St. Louis, just to give another city a chance.

"I don't really pay attention that much to hockey, but since you said it, I'm going to root for them now," Bregman said with a smile. "I'm going to root for the Bruins."

File under: Resistance is Futile.

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Bruins' Perfection Line lives up to its name in clinching Cup berth

By Joe Haggerty May 17, 2019 4:12 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Bruins' Perfection Line wasn’t quite living up to its name in the conference final entering the fourth and final game in the best-of-seven series. Instead it was more about the team's roster depth and its secondary scoring coming to the forefront and doing the job as Boston built up a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

But Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak were on a mission in Thursday night’s Game 4 as their line accounted for all four goals scored and eight points overall in a 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena to finish off the clean sweep.

“I think the last few games we knew that we could be a little bit better than what we’ve been,” admitted Brad Marchand. “With the situation we were in — up 3-0 — everybody wanted to be at their best, and I think everybody brought their best tonight. Sometimes it bounces your way. You look at [Bergeron’s] history and the way he steps up in big games. Pasta was great tonight.

“The reason we’ve been successful is because we’ve had each line and every D-pairing step up and play big in big situations. When you’re able to rely on everyone it makes it easier to just focus on doing your own job, and do what you’re expected to do. You all just gel together in those situations.”

Bergeron scored the second and third goals of the game on the power play, and finished with a dominant performance in yet another elimination game with the two goals, three points, 11 shot attempts, four takeaways and three blocked shots while filling out the score sheet.

It was clear that it was going to be a perfect kind of night from the very first period when it took great saves from Curtis McElhinney to keep Marchand and Pastrnak off the board. Eventually that dam busted open, however, as the B’s top players provided pressure and then got awarded a couple of power plays in the second period that they turned into damage-makers.

The Perfection Line finished with the four goals, 11 shots on net and a whopping 26 shot attempts in a dominant puck possession performance that eventually turned into enough finished plays to dust off the Hurricanes. The eight points that the trio combined for actually outnumbered the points (six) that Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak put up in the first three games of the series vs. the Hurricanes, so it was the perfect time for the big guns to step up.

“It hasn’t been one line [in the playoffs], but [in Game 4] it was. The big line was there,” said Bruce Cassidy. “I’m proud of the guys especially with the way they played today. They’ve earned the right to be there in the Stanley Cup Final. We’ve beaten three good teams. There’s some unfinished business. We want to enjoy it, but we understand that there are four more steps to take.”

Certainly it will be four steps that will be a little more easily attained if the Perfection Line lives up to its name in the Cup Final as it did while closing out the Hurricanes in dominant fashion during Game 4.

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Zdeno Chara has kind words for Rod Brind'Amour after handshake line exchange

By Justin Leger May 17, 2019 4:01 PM

After the Bruins defeated the Hurricanes in Game 4 to complete the sweep and advance to the Stanley Cup Final, Zdeno Chara shared a special moment with Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour.

In the handshake line, Brind'Amour was heard on NBC Sports' broadcast telling the B's defenseman, "Much respect for you. You can't keep doing this. Good for you. Good luck to you."

On Friday, Chara posted the video of the exchange on Instagram along with a caption that shows the immense respect the two have for one another.

"Rod is a true leader and was a tough warrior to play against," Chara wrote. "At last nights handshakes his words meant a lot to me. Balancing respect and intensity are what playoffs are all about."

If you needed more proof that handshake lines are one of the coolest traditions in all of sports, there you go.

Chara did not play in Game 4 due to an undisclosed injury, but the 21- year veteran is expected to be back on the ice for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final where the B's will take on either the San Jose Sharks or the St. Louis Blues.

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How Bruins can make history by bringing third straight title to Boston

By Darren Hartwell May 17, 2019 12:30 PM

Yes, the Celtics spoiled the city's chances at a Boston Slam. But three out of four ain't bad, right?

That's an understatement, of course. The Bruins, who advanced to the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday after sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes, have the chance to raise Boston's incredible sporting success to historic heights.

Bruins' "Perfection Line" lives up to billing in Game 4

If the Bruins defeat the San Jose Sharks or St. Louis Blues to win this year's Stanley Cup, Boston sports teams will hold three of the Big Four (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL) championships at the same time, as the 2018 Red Sox are the defending World Series champions and the 2018 New England Patriots are reigning Super Bowl champs.

According to Boston Sports Info on Twitter, only two other cities have accomplished a similar feat, and both did so more than 80 years ago.

Important

2 other cities held 3 Championships before

Detroit- 1935/36- had to win 8 games/4 rounds

NY- 1927/28- had to win 6 games/4 rounds

If Bruins are successful

Boston- 2018/19- had to win 30 games/10 rounds

Look at the volume

So it has NEVER been done not even close pic.twitter.com/7tDsyL1HWc

— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) May 17, 2019

As you can see, 's 1935/1936 teams and New York's 1927/28 teams both had much shorter paths to their titles. (The 1927 didn't even play in a championship game.) They also had far less competition, as the NHL had fewer than 10 teams in both years.

So, if we're talking about the "modern era" -- after the NFL-AFL merger in 1966 and the NHL and NBA's expansion to 20-plus teams in the 1970s -- Boston can become the first city ever to complete the title three-peat if the Bruins win the Cup.

That's pretty remarkable, considering it's hard enough for one sports region to hold two consecutive titles. The last to do so was the Bay Area (the 2014 San Francisco Giants and 2014-15 Golden State Warriors), which has six professional sports teams compared to Boston's four.

Boston already has double-dipped twice in the 21st century -- in 2003/04 (Patriots and Red Sox) and 2007/08 (Red Sox and Celtics) -- but the Bruins can had a historic third scoop in 2018.

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Backes emotional at chance to win a Cup after 'thinking about it for a long time'

By Joe Haggerty May 17, 2019 10:07 AM

RALEIGH, N.C. – David Backes waited 13 seasons and 928 regular- season games for it, and now the 34-year-old Bruins forward is going to the Stanley Cup Final for the very first time in his distinguished, standout NHL career.

Certainly a chance at a Cup was part of the reason he signed a five-year contract with the Bruins in free agency, and the scenario coming to life left him with a massive grin on his face after the Cup Final-clinching win.

It also left him emotional in the moments that followed the victory as the reality set in that he was realizing one of his long-held NHL dreams.

“I’ve thought about this moment for a long time, of playing for that ultimate prize you dream of when you’re a kid. Now it’s reality. It’s us against one other team, and one of us is going home with that Stanley Cup,” said Backes, who was then asked if this Cup Final could become a ‘Win one for Backes’ type of affair given that so many veteran B’s players already have Cup wins on their resume. "We’re concentrated on the Boston Bruins winning a Stanley Cup. With this group of brothers we’ve created here, we’re all in for our team, and whoever the opponent is, we’re gonna face them head on."

Backes wasn’t a big impact player in Boston’s 4-0 win in Game 4 over the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena on Thursday night while clocking under 10 minutes of ice time, but he’s made a positive impact on the B’s during their playoff run. He certainly brought some physical thump to the lineup in the first round against the Maple Leafs, and the B’s won three in a row vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets after he was inserted into the lineup for the second round.

Backes scored a goal in Game 2 of the conference final against the Hurricanes, and has a solid two goals and five points in the 11 games he’s suited up for during the postseason. So the hard-nosed, hard-hitting power forward certainly played a role in the Black and Gold getting to this point in the postseason, and it’s something his teammates are appreciative of while they’d clearly love to win a Cup for him after all this time.

“It was awesome to see the passion and the emotion that he had on his face after this game,” said Brad Marchand. “He’s been such a huge part of our group. He’s such a great leader. We build so much emotion off the way that he plays, and he’s such a phenomenal guy and great teammate. He’s had an incredible career. When you see a guy that’s been around for that long and he hasn’t had an opportunity to play for a Cup, and then he finally has that opportunity? It’s a lot of emotions.

“When you play in this league for a long time, you start to appreciate and understand how hard it is to win, and how few opportunities you get to win that Cup. We have that opportunity to play for it this year and you can see how excited he was. It was awesome to see.”

The best part of all of this is still yet to be decided.

Obviously it’s a great story if Backes finally gets that Cup he’s been chasing for more than a decade, and it’s still possible he might do just that against the St. Louis Blues team that he captained prior to jumping to Boston. In a Stanley Cup Final where storylines and narratives rule the day, that will be one of the best ones for the Bruins.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144781 Boston Bruins The No. 1 center leads all playoff performers with six man-up strikes. He is three off Cam Neely’s franchise record of nine power-play goals, which No. 8 set in 1991.

10 signs the Bruins are steaming toward lifting the Stanley Cup All year, Bergeron has been the Bruins’ preferred look from the bumper position. In his own way, Bergeron is mimicking the power-play lethality of Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos. By Fluto Shinzawa May 17, 2019 Ovechkin and Stamkos usually have time to grip and rip their one-timers from the left circle. Bergeron has to do his business in tighter quarters between the circles. Bodies and sticks are clustered more tightly in It is possible the Bruins will be idle for more than a week. A normal team Bergeron’s perimeter. Yet he has two strengths that give him the upper would be at risk of atrophy. hand: the hockey sense to find a soft spot and the rapid release on his The Bruins are not normal. partial one-timer to put dangerous pucks on net.

The best of the best at Mass. General Hospital could not have practiced 5. Cassidy is a difference-maker more acuity than that of the Black-and-Gold surgeons in their Carolina In Round 1, Cassidy got the better of Mike Babcock. The Toronto coach closeout. Entering the night, all the Hurricanes wanted was one win. The stubbornly kept to his hard matches, zone blows and stretch passes. two teams could have played until Christmas without that happening. Against Columbus, Cassidy made his most critical adjustments on San Jose or St. Louis will put up a tougher fight. But the way the Bruins special teams. He acknowledged his penalty killers were spending too are playing, the Sharks or Blues project to be victims more than much time denying Artemi Panarin’s one-timer. So Cassidy instructed his opponents. The following accomplishments from the last three rounds forwards to shift their coverage and limit Seth Jones’ time walking the signal a Stanley Cup in Boston’s future. blue line. 1. Tuukka Rask is the best goalie on the planet On the power play, after Boone Jenner threatened to go on a one-man It has been a valley-to-peak season for the ace. It is just a matter of time shorthanded rampage, Cassidy got on his attackers to make stronger until he tops out on Mt. Everest. puck plays at the blue line.

Rask is playing like he’s 10 feet tall and six feet wide. He is showing no In the Eastern Conference final, Cassidy let Rod Brind’Amour coach weaknesses, which is critical for any dialed-in goalie. Because of how himself out of the playoffs. In Game 2, when Petr Mrazek was flailing on gigantic he looked against Carolina, the Hurricanes were practically too many shots, Brind’Amour kept his starter in the game instead of hanging their heads as they loaded their sticks. They knew their shots going to Curtis McElhinney. In Games 3 and 4, the Hurricanes repeatedly were futile. and predictably fed their defensemen for low-percentage blasts. The Bruins were happy to collapse, stuff shooting lanes and smother the There are times that Rask’s size and speed allow him to make saves forwards’ followup opportunities. even when he’s off his game. This is not one of those times. He is stopping pucks like every goalie coach would want: tracking pucks, 6. Reinforcements at every position reading plays, staying on his feet and executing textbook technique. He Chris Wagner’s coaches and teammates were crushed. The fourth-liner’s started the playoffs with a raggedy Game 1 against Toronto. Since then, Cup run is most likely over after he took all of Justin Faulk’s Game 3 slap Rask has been just about flawless. shot off the right arm. But Noel Acciari was ready to assume Wagner’s 2. Rask is intimidating opponents responsibilities in Game 4. Acciari played 18:14 in the clincher, third-most among team forwards. It is not just that Rask is stopping every shot he should and turning aside pucks he shouldn’t. He is doing so in a purposeful manner. By making all On defense, John Moore made his series debut because of Zdeno of his saves look routine, Rask is daring shooters to make impossible Chara’s undisclosed injury. Moore played only 11:48 in a sheltered role. shots. But he gave the Bruins enough on the third pairing to allow Matt Grzelcyk to fill Chara’s spot next to Charlie McAvoy. Teuvo Teravainen was “I want to play calm and make myself look big,” Rask said after Game 3. Grzelcyk’s most common 5-on-5 opponent (7:10 of shared on-ice time). “Maybe even tough chances, make it look easy. If that’s in the zone, then Teravainen did not score. so be it.” Torey Krug, meanwhile, led all defensemen with 27:00 of play. Krug and Rask now has seven career playoff shutouts, second-most in team Brandon Carlo kept Sebastian Aho scoreless. history after (eight). “For the most part, I don’t recall a lot of slot chances,” Cassidy said. “I 3. The No. 1 line is roaring don’t know if the analytics will back that up. I assume they would. Those are the most dangerous ones. So we kept them outside and forced them In Game 3, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak to get inside our big (defensemen). Tonight without (Chara), it was a little submitted a stinker. In 7:13 of 5-on-5 play, according to Natural Stat bit more of a challenge. But you’ve got to give Torey and Grizz a lot of Trick, the top trio allowed 10 attempts while recording only four of their credit for handling some big bodies in the tough areas.” own. The outcome: a ghastly 28.57 Corsi For rating. 7. Chara will heal while the Bruins await their matchup The next day, the three huddled with assistants Joe Sacco and Jay Pandolfo to review their shifts. The video was not pretty. But it reminded The captain was well enough to complete Game 3. He fulfilled media them of how they have to play: swarming, overwhelming, anticipatory obligations the following day. He went through part of his off-ice morning offense in the attacking zone. routine at PNC Arena prior to Game 4. This would likely indicate the degree of his injury is not significantly severe. “They weren’t very good in Game 3. They acknowledged it,” Bruce Cassidy said. “Jay and Joe will usually sit them down and go through “This time off will help him,” Cassidy said of Chara, who joined his some shifts with them when they look out of sync. Because they’ve got teammates for the on-ice celebration after the clincher. “I believe he’ll be such good chemistry, that’s when we usually know they need to dial it ready to go in Game 1, whenever that is. We don’t think it’s serious. But back in — when they’re a little out of sorts in the neutral zone, not making I’ve said that before about some of our other guys and found out later.” plays to each other, not supporting the puck in terms of almost three individuals as opposed to a line.” 8. The penalty kill does not have holes

They got the message. At 5-on-5 in Game 4, the three combined for one In Game 1, Aho scored on Carolina’s first power play of the series. The goal, six shots for, zero shots against. Bergeron and Pastrnak slammed Hurricanes failed on their next 11 man-advantage opportunities. Rask home power-play goals. Marchand added an empty netter. It was men was the Bruins’ best killer. But Rask had help from his teammates: Carlo, against boys. Chara, Marchand and Joakim Nordstrom, the four leaders in shorthanded ice time. 4. Bergeron is a menace on the power play Nordstrom, the ex-Hurricane, was especially crisp. As F1, Nordstrom was very good at disrupting Carolina’s breakouts and killing valuable time down the ice. The fourth-liner was at his best in Game 3, when he and Bergeron helped kill Carolina’s 4-on-3 and 5-on-3 looks. Chara, meanwhile, was on the ice for the entirety of both kills.

9. The right side of the defense is suppressing shots

The Bruins executed their most smothering performance of the series in Game 4. The heat map of Carolina’s 5-on-5 attempts illustrates how McAvoy, Carlo and Connor Clifton limited looks on their side of the ice.

The three righties are all good skaters. McAvoy and Clifton are the most punishing hitters of the trio. Carlo has the best stick of the bunch. Their combined strengths are making their side of the ice a place where offense goes to die.

10. David Krejci’s consistency continues

The 33-year-old is not playing a support role, even if he centers the second line and takes shifts on the No. 2 power-play unit.

Krejci was the only Bruin to record a point in every game of the Eastern Conference final. He is the team leader in even-strength points (11). He has 101 career playoff points, third-most in Bruins history, behind only Ray Bourque (161) and (102). Second place is in Krejci’s sights.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144782 Buffalo Sabres 25. Buffalo 109

Goals against

Final Four's numbers show how far Ralph Krueger has to go to fix Sabres 1. N.Y. Islanders 92

3. St. Louis 98

By Mike Harrington|Published Fri, May 17, 2019|Updated Fri, May 17, 7. Boston 109 2019 11. Carolina 114

18. San Jose 132 Ralph Krueger insisted on his opening conference call with Buffalo reporters Wednesday that the 2019 Sabres are ahead of the Edmonton 31. Buffalo 154 Oilers he coached in 2013, who were mired in the "rebuild phase Goal differential completely." 1. Tampa Bay +50 The Sabres, of course, have big-name talents Jack Eichel, Rasmus Dahlin and Sam Reinhart, as well as the promise of many younger 2. St. Louis +44 players on the NHL roster and in the organization. 3. Boston +39 None of that has translated into results. The Sabres have missed the 4. Carolina +36 playoffs for an NHL-high eight straight years and were 22 points shy of the final slot this season. But GM Jason Botterill knows Krueger has 7. San Jose +17 been taking notes on the NHL during his time with Southampton FC in the English Premier League, and Krueger even joked that NHL.com was 31. Buffalo -45 still the homepage on his computer even though he was across the Comment: Krueger dropped the "difficult to play against" cliche during his ocean serving as the chairman of a soccer team. conference call when asked how he wanted the Sabres to play. They "Sometimes when you're not working in the National Hockey League, were, in fact, the easiest team in the league to play against. people actually talk to you a lot more and give you more advice," Botterill He said his run with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup "confirmed the said. "I think Ralph has actually learned a lot from those interactions the way I'd like to operate." Of course, he had lots of elite players. last couple of years." "It was an opportunity at the highest level against the best players in the We're going to see how much Krueger has learned. One suggestion that world to test a system of play which will be the core of what we will be is normally obvious is watch the teams that play deep into the playoffs, implementing here," Krueger said. "I've seen no reason to adjust that but that really seems to be a good starting point this year. core plan of wanting to have a team that's aggressive in regards to way it Especially since Jan. 1, the exploits of conference finalists Carolina, pressures the puck and uses speed in the attack as a balance to that." Boston, San Jose and St. Louis proved very predictive on who might Sounds like something Dan Bylsma and Housley said, too. Folks around have success in the playoffs, and they gave an easy window to the here will believe it when they see it. Sabres' trouble. Power play Let's look at some statistics since the new year, comparing the Sabres to the four finalists. 1. Tampa Bay 27.2

Wins 4. Boston 25.2

1. Tampa Bay 31 5. San Jose 23.7

T-2. Carolina 30 7. St. Louis 21.8

T-2 St. Louis 30 8. Carolina 21.7

4. Boston 28 13. Buffalo 19.8

7. San Jose 25 Penalty kill

31. Buffalo 12 1. Columbus 91.2

Points 5. St. Louis 84.8

1. St. Louis 65 13. Carolina 82.0

3. Carolina 62 16 Boston 80.6

4. Boston 61 25. San Jose 77.9

10. San Jose 52 26. Buffalo 77.5

31. Buffalo 28 Comment: The Sabres have enough elite talent to have an elite power play and, as the numbers show, it makes a big difference. Boston, for Comment: Probably not enough attention around the league paid to the instance, is converting at 34 percent in its 17 playoff games to date. post-Jan. 1 standings, which heavily favored the Blues and Hurricanes and gave a big nod to the . Of course, it was play Shooting pct. (5 on 5) after Jan. 1 that got Phil Housley fired. 1. San Jose 10.0 Goals for 8. Carolina 8.8 1. Tampa Bay 154 T-11. Boston 8.2 2. Carolina 150 T-11. St. Louis 8.2 3. San Jose 149 28. Buffalo 6.9 6. Boston 148 Comment: The Sabres were probably in a lot of streaks of bad luck later 9. St. Louis 142 in the season, especially from their top players. Jeff Skinner, for instance, was still getting plenty of shots on goal, but the pucks stopped going in. just non-reviewable. I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but that’s They do, however, need to work for higher quality shots. the truth.

Save pct. (5 on 5) "The way the rules are written, any chance there is to review, everything is reviewed that’s reviewable. But as the rules currently stand, the play is 1. Dallas .942 non-reviewable.”

4. St. Louis .934 Get on that one, GMs. No reason to let officials hang like this.

8. Boston .927 Preds going for big arena upgrades

11. Carolina .925 Chalk up another 1990s-era arena about to undergo major renovations 30. Buffalo .903 as we continue to wait on word for anything to be done with KeyBank Center. The Nashville Predators are the latest team making bold moves, 31. San Jose .897 striking a new lease agreement with the city and planning to invest $350 million into Bridgestone Arena. PDO (Shooting + Save Pct.) Things will start in 2021 when the franchise intends to add about 1,200 1. Tampa Bay 102.8 seats to the upper level and build a new press box. In reality, the Preds 4. St. Louis 101.6 will be building their first press box. The media has long resided at the top of the upper level in converted sections of seating accessible only by 7. Carolina 101.3 winding through fans in the concourse, an issue that's only replicated in . 10. Boston 100.9 There are several premium areas of the building under consideration for 18. San Jose 99.8 the money as well. Sales tax and ticket tax revenue will be the biggest 31. Buffalo 97.3 sources of cash for the upcoming work.

Comment: The Sharks don't survive unless goaltender Martin Jones fixes The Tennessean said the team has already spent about $80 million in his game like he has since midway through the Vegas series. St. Louis upgrades on the arena in the last eight years, with basically a 50-50 split obviously rode Jordan Binnington to its big bounce back and Boston's of the cost between ownership and public dollars. Tuukka Rask might be the Conn Smythe Trophy favorite after stopping WNYers in Calder showdown 95 of 96 shots in his team's three clinching games. We're guaranteed of having a local product play for the Calder Cup The Sabres simply didn't get enough saves from Carter Hutton and Linus because the AHL's East final is pitting defending champion Toronto Ullmark. Some of that was subpar play in the net; some was the against Charlotte. That means West Seneca's Chris Mueller of the of difficult scoring chances their easy-to-play-against defense gave up. Marlies is going head to head with Nichols School product Andrew Krueger needs to find an improvement at goalie coach and hope his Poturalski of the Checkers. defense can stop leaving the out to dry. If the Sabres don't improve these two numbers, they have no chance. Poturalski leads all remaining players in the playoffs with 13 points in seven games (five goals, eight assists). Mueller has five goals and nine When Botterill said Krueger's performance in "high-pressure situations" assists in his seven games as both teams are 7-0 through two rounds of like the Olympics was impressive and a factor in his hiring, it was the postseason. Mueller was third in the league during the regular laughable because there are no high-pressure situations in Buffalo. The season with 33 goals while Poturalski was fifth in points with 70. Sabres haven't spent March chasing a playoff berth since 2012. The Western Conference final is pitting San Diego (Anaheim) against Until they fix some of the above areas — and revamp the roster again — Chicago (Las Vegas). San Diego upset Edmonton's Bakersfield affiliate, there won't be any next year either. the league's top team by points percentage, in six games to get there. Sabres GM Jason Botterill likes Ralph Krueger's 'high-pressure' Around the boards experience • How lopsided was the NHL East final? The Bruins led for 136 minutes, Sharks' tainted run 24 seconds during their four-game sweep while the Hurricanes led for If the Sharks win the Stanley Cup, it will be as tainted as can be. Three just 13:08. incredible calls that were all game-changers, including two obvious • Imagine the frustration of being a Leafs fan this weekend. You had the gaffes. The toenail challenge that went their way to wipe out Colorado's Bruins down, 3-2, heading into Game 6 of the first round at home — but tying goal in Game 7 of the second round was the right call, although blew the series and then watched the entire bracket explode with the Gabriel Landeskog was heading out of the zone and that's hardly the quick elimination of Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Washington. spirit of the offside challenge. No shock the Boston-Toronto Game 7 winner is heading to the Cup final. But the Game 7 major penalty fiasco against Vegas and the obvious As it turned out, this was absolutely the Leafs' best chance since 1967 to missed hand pass that led to the Game 3 overtime winner Thursday in get there. St. Louis have clearly put officials in the crosshairs this spring. Neither play was reviewable because the only things the eyes in Toronto can • It will be interesting to follow the path to the draft and see if thinking on help with are offside, goalie interference or pucks directed into the goal the top two picks remains the same. When New Jersey won the lottery, it by high sticks or , or ones immediately played off the mesh behind was assumed the Devils would take American center Jack Hughes, the net. leaving Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko to the Rangers at No. 2.

The answer is simple: You have to go to replay to get these plays right. But Hughes has been pedestrian at the World Championships and Kakko Especially on goals. Especially in overtime. has been an absolute monster, leading the tournament in goals. It's reminiscent of 2017, when Nolan Patrick was the presumptive No. 1 pick This corner's suggestion would be to drop the offside challenge and allow all year but the Devils took Nico Hischier and left Patrick to Philadelphia coaches the chance for one challenge per game on any violation they at No. 2. New Jersey GM Ray Shero seems to have gotten that one right want. Major penalty, puck over the glass, offside, goalie interference, and you wonder if he's going to go down a similar road. hand pass, whatever. Most coaches will hold it until the third period (or OTs) anyway. The scouting combine is May 31 and June 1 in HarborCenter. The first round of the draft is June 21 in Vancouver. Speaking to a pool reporter after Game 3, series officiating supervisor Kay Whitmore seemed to be giving hints he thinks that kind of play • Floyd Smith, the Sabres' first captain and coach of the 1975 Stanley should have been looked at. Cup finalists, turned 84 on Thursday — the same day Skinner turned 27.

"It’s a non-reviewable play. You can read between the lines," Whitmore Buffalo News LOADED: 05.18.2019 said. "You can figure out what you want. You watched the video. But it’s 1144783 Buffalo Sabres player on the roster next season, said. "You’re always in games. It’s better to win those 2-1 games where you grind it out than to try to win 6-5 shootouts. I think it’s a lot more sustainable playing that way, knowing the Sabres goalie Carter Hutton hopeful Ralph Krueger will bring defensive consistency of defense is going to be there every night. From what you structure hear about Ralph, that seems to be what he wants, to create that D-zone structure but to still let guys play offensively."

Despite leading a rebuilding organization in a lockout-shortened season, By Lance Lysowski|Published Fri, May 17, 2019 Krueger was lauded for his ability to implement a defensive structure during his 48 games as coach of the Edmonton Oilers in 2012-13.

Though the Oilers allowed the second-most 5-on-5 shot attempts that When watching the Stanley Cup playoffs from his offseason home in season, their penalty kill ranked ninth in the league. He also was able to Thunder Bay, , Buffalo Sabres goalie Carter Hutton noticed a quickly install such a game plan as coach of Team Europe at the 2016 common thread among teams still playing in mid-May. , leading a roster of players from eight countries to Defensive structure. the final against Canada.

The high-powered offenses in Pittsburgh, Washington and Tampa Bay During Krueger's introductory conference call with reporters Wednesday, did not reach the second round, while teams with less high-end skill used he spoke of wanting to use the Sabres' speed in the offensive attack but their discipline without the puck to advance closer to the Cup final. also detailed how he and General Manager Jason Botterill agree that defensive structure is as important. This was not a revelation for Hutton. The 33-year-old played behind such structure in 2017-18 with the St. Louis Blues, who are facing the San "I like the way Jason has been putting this group together and the way he Jose Sharks in the Western Conference final. But the different thinks," Krueger said. "He understands the necessity of being strong with perspective reminded Hutton why the Sabres buckled in the season's and without the puck and developing a team game that's dynamic and second half and gave him one specific topic to ask about when he called allows this core group of players to develop and show their skill, but at around asking about his new coach, Ralph Krueger. the same time find the discipline as a group to defend properly."

Those conversations have Hutton brimming with optimism that history The Sabres struggled to do that under Phil Housley. Their man-on-man won't repeat itself. defensive-zone coverage failed throughout the season's second half. Even veteran players such as Jason Pominville would lose track of "I kind of looked him up, truthfully, to try to figure out more about him," opponents, allowing too many quality shot attempts on Hutton and Hutton told The Buffalo News in a phone interview Thursday night. "From Ullmark. talking to people, everything is coming back in high regard. He comes with a long resume and pretty detailed. He’s a gifted man in a lot of There also were problems with puck management and clearing traffic different areas, so I think it’s going to be exciting for sure. It’s going to be from in front of the net. Upon hearing of Krueger's hiring, Hutton called a good change of pace." Sabres assistant coach Steve Smith, who worked with Krueger for three seasons in Edmonton. Hutton is an example of how defensive structure can benefit a goaltender. He posted a career-high .931 save percentage in 32 games Hutton wanted to ask about defensive structure, the one quality he with the Blues last season, which earned him a three-year free-agent thought the Sabres needed in a . Smith offered a glowing contract with the Sabres. endorsement, detailing how Krueger was detail-oriented and helped develop young players in a defensive structure that did not stifle offensive The change gave Hutton the opportunity to finally be a full-time starting creativity. goalie in the NHL, and he buoyed the Sabres with a .936 save percentage in eight appearances during the team's 10-game win streak Hutton also spoke to a mutual friend of many players from Krueger's one from Nov. 8-27. season as coach and learned about the latter's impact on future Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, who recorded 50 points as a 21-year-old that He and backup goalie Linus Ullmark bailed out the Sabres with season. remarkable saves on odd-man rushes and shots from the slot. Buffalo failed to adapt when teams around the league started to play tighter Botterill is hoping Krueger can help further the development of core defense following the holiday break in December. players Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Dahlin and Casey Mittelstadt. Krueger has yet to meet the players, though he will speak to Rather than trying to grind out wins, the Sabres tried to outscore every Eichel and Reinhart next week in Slovakia, where the IIHF World opponent, while neither Hutton nor Ullmark could stop the seemingly Championship is being held. growing number of high-danger scoring chances. Krueger also texted many of the Sabres' players to introduce himself and "After Christmas it seems to tighten up and I don’t think we did as well as express excitement. Hutton shared the same emotion. we should have and I think we paid for it," Hutton said. "I think you watch these high-powered teams get knocked out -- Pittsburgh, Washington, "I think it’s great we have someone coming in who is going to be full- Tampa -- by teams who play really, really sound defensive structure. steam ahead and want to help our team improve," Hutton said. "It will be Teams that defend hard. You need the skill, but you have to keep the an exciting time and an interesting time. In a lot of ways, it can be a kick puck out of your net and you need to play well defensively." start and something to look forward to."

Hutton finished the season with a pedestrian .908 save percentage and Buffalo News LOADED: 05.18.2019 3.00 goals-against average in a career-high 50 games, while both goalies combined for a 5-on-5 save percentage of .915, which ranked 25th in the NHL.

Hutton faced at least 40 shots nine times, the sixth-highest total behind Toronto's Frederik Andersen and New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist (12), Ottawa's Craig Anderson (11), and 's Connor Hellebuyck (10) and Anaheim's John Gibson (10). Hutton saw 35 to 39 shots on 11 occasions. He faced at least 40 shots only once in 32 games with the Blues last season.

While watching the playoffs, Hutton was reminded of the help he received in St. Louis. The Blues' starting goalie, 25-year-old rookie Jordan Binnington, is a Calder Trophy finalist after posting a .927 save percentage and 1.89 goals-against average while facing 40 or more shots twice in 32 games.

"I think playing with that structure presents a better opportunity for me personally and for the team to do well," Hutton, who could be the oldest 1144784 Calgary Flames According to Puckiq.com, no Flames player played more often against elite competition than Giordano (over 41 percent of his ice time). His offensive contributions paced not only Calgary’s blue line, but much of What made Mark Giordano’s season so incredible and why a repeat the league (only Brent Burns scored more points). He led the team in performance is possible possession and almost any underlying number you care to name. He was both a defensive stalwart and an offensive star, all at 35 years old. The man is a unicorn.

By Kent Wilson May 17, 2019 Giordano’s influence was so strong this season, his presence completely halted Brodie’s apparent decline. While the 28-year old had his periods of

struggle, overall his results were completely reformed alongside When Flames captain Mark Giordano signed his current and biggest Giordano, after years of a clear, downward trend. In fact, if we look at contract extension it was 2015 and he was 32 years old. Brodie away from Gio, we see his numbers take a massive nosedive:

Now as Brad Treliving and the Flames have learned, signing NHLers (Via Natural Stat Trick) over the age of 30 to big, long-term contracts can have some ugly That’s an eight-to-ten point difference in all major shot, chance and goal consequences. Generally players tend to see their level of play steadily metrics for Brodie when he’s with and without Giordano. It’s the degrade as they drift past 30 years old, with many exiting the league (or difference between a well above average top-pairing defender and a being consigned to a support/depth role) by the time they’re 35. That’s marginally below-average second pairing guy. Rasmus Andersson, Gio’s why, even though Giordano’s AAV of $6.85 million was a bargain at the only other semi-regular partner, saw similar impacts to his results. time relative to his contributions, the deal projected as a potential boat anchor down the road. Giordano makes everyone around him better due to his mix of high-end skill, incredible conditioning and tireless work ethic. He is an above Except that Giordano seems to age like Benjamin Button. In direct average skater and passer who is capable of efficiently moving the puck defiance of Father Time, Giordano has generally improved as he has in transition. No other Flames defender is more adept at either angling aged, peaking this season at 35. Not only was Giordano’s Norris caliber opposing players into the boards or winning the puck during a battle turn impressive in general, but his 74-point effort while playing against down low. Gio can also hit to hurt if an opposing player happens to skate some of the best players the NHL has to offer might go down as one of into the Flames end with his head down. the best single seasons by a Flames defender, ever. Offensively, Giordano has way above average instincts. He’s equally With his contract still a huge bargain and his position as perhaps the capable of unleashing a dangerous slapshot from the point, or skating to Flame’s most important skater, Giordano remains much more than just the top of the circle and wristing a seeing-eye shot over a goalie’s glove. the team’s emotional and inspirational leader heading into his 36-year-old season. As noted, the list of the captain’s weaknesses is short. If anything, the difficulty of his minutes plus his tenacity means Giordano takes more What happened? penalties than he draws (which is true of most defenders). Beyond that, Heading into the season, there was some question about how Giordano Giordano’s primary weakness is his age and that fact that, at some point, would handle being reunited with TJ Brodie on the club’s top pairing. he isn’t going to be able to perform at this level. Dougie Hamilton and Giordano had formed one of the best defensive The future duos in the league for a few seasons prior to Hamilton’s trade, while Brodie’s results had slowly but inexorably diminished away from Gio. Giordano is the front runner for the Norris trophy this season. For most There was a non-trivial chance that the newly reformed partnership 35-year-olds, the rest would be downhill from here. That said, Giordano would falter given the captain’s age and Brodie’s apparent decline. has been defying the odds his entire career. He is extremely unlikely to replicate this incredible season next year, but he was also unlikely to Instead, Giordano and Brodie were good immediately. By the end of make the NHL, become a top-four defenseman, become the Flames November, Giordano already led the Flames blue line in possession captain, etc. (over 56 percent), even strength points, (12, only four back of team leader Monahan at the time) and points-per-game (a mind-boggling Though the organization has fairly decent depth on the back end, 0.92). He was still playing against the other teams’ top players more than Giordano remains, by far, the club’s best blueliner. anyone else on the club and consistently outshooting and out-chancing them. The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019

Unlike many of the Flames other top players, Giordano’s level of play never really wavered during the regular season. Game after game, week after week, month after month, Gio’s results were consistently above board. He played against the best in the game and put up near-league leading shot, chance and points results.

By the end of the year, the gap between Giordano and the rest of the Flames blue line was clear. His 40 even strength points were good for fourth best on the team (behind only Johnny Gaudreau, Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk) and more than most defenders score in a season, period. His possession rate of 57.3 was the best amongst all Flames skaters and almost two full points clear of his regular partner Brodie (55.8 CF%). Only guys like Andrew Mangiapane and Austin Czarnik (who played irregularly) had a better scoring chance and expected goals for ratios than the captain.

The season ended with Giordano matching Al MacInnis’ 74 points from Calgary’s iconic 1989 roster. The team seemed destined to enjoy a long playoff run as a result.

Except, like the rest of the team’s stars, Giordano struggled to match the Avalanche’s speed and intensity in the postseason. For the first time in 2018-19, Giordano finally seemed mortal.

Strengths and weaknesses

Most players – even superstars – tend to have at least one or two glaring weaknesses. That’s not really true of Giordano though. The Flames captain is exceptional everywhere and has a positive impact across nearly every aspect of the game. 1144785 Carolina Hurricanes games. But the Canes regrouped and won three times at PNC Arena to force a Game 7 in Washington.

It went to overtime, then double overtime before Brock McGinn got a Stinging loss but a promising future for the Canes stick on Justin Williams’ centering pass -- Mr. Game 7 with the big assist to win Game 7. That momentum carried over into the second-round series against the New York Islanders and the Canes won in four straight BY CHIP ALEXANDER games.

MAY 17, 2019 03:30 PM If the playoffs were a “ whole different animal” as Williams called them, so were the Bruins in the playoffs. Rask was spectacular against the

Canes. The Boston power play was nearly unstoppable -- the Bruins had While the Boston Bruins gathered around the Prince of Wales Trophy, two power-play scores Thursday and seven in the four games. celebrating Thursday as Eastern Conference champions, the Carolina While the last game was a “dud,” as Brind’Amour called it, the city, the Hurricanes somberly gathered in their locker room at PNC Arena. community was alive again in April and into May. The tailgates, the A final playoff loss is a shock to the system, no matter the score or the playoff parties, Hamilton the Pig, sellout crowds ... old playoff memories series outcome. The reality, so stark, was that the Canes had lost 4-0 to were rekindled and new ones made. the Bruins and been swept in the best-of-seven series, leaving few of the The Canes’ last loss ended with Canes fans giving them a standing players willing to take a big-picture look at the season while the loss was ovation in the final minutes. That didn’t end until the team had left the ice, so fresh and the season at an end. leaving the Bruins behind to celebrate. “Obviously it’s a bitter taste in your mouth, and probably in the next “They’ve been unbelievable all year and especially in this playoff run,” couple of days I’ll realize what we did accomplish this year and we’ll use Staal said. “They gave us life in that first series and they pushed us in that as motivation to make it farther next year,” defenseman Jaccob that second one and they were great here in the third. Unfortunately we Slavin said. didn’t give them a good enough show in the third round but we The Canes, if grudgingly, conceded they had been beaten by the better appreciate the support and hopefully this team will continue to work like team. The Bruins had the best goaltender, Tuukka Rask. They had the we did this year to give them a show.” best special teams and the better depth. Bruins power plays became As Slavin said, “They know what we accomplished this year and I think almost automatic scores while the Canes seemed jittery and out of sorts they have the taste in their mouth that they want more next year, too.” on their power plays. The Bruins won twice at PNC Arena, where the Canes were 5-0 in the first two series wins. News Observer LOADED: 05.18.2019 “We have to learn from this and I’m sure we are,” center Sebastian Aho said. “At the moment, it stinks. It hurts. Kind of a tough way to end the season ... but we can remember this feeling and hope to have success in the future.”

There were doubts in early October, after preseason training camp ended, that this could happen, that the Canes could end nine years of frustration and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009. An injury to Scott Darling created questions about goaltending. The Canes were about to start the season with rookies dotting the lineup -- Andrei Svechnikov and Warren Foegele among them.

And what about the man behind the bench? Rod Brind’Amour was a warrior of a player, the captain of Carolina’s 2006 Stanley Cup champions and a relentless worker as an assistant coach. But it would be his first year as a head coach, at any level.

With December coming to a close, things were bleak for the Canes, who were 15-17-5 and 10 points out of playoff position. Brind’Amour kept telling his team to stick to the process and keep working, promising things would turn. Justin Williams, Brind’Amour’s chosen team captain and an extension of the coach, did the same.

Then it all came together: quality goaltending from Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney, timely goals, more victories in close games, a key trade for a scoring forward, Nino Niederreiter. The Canes won, even with workhorse center Jordan Staal out with a concussion in January and February.

The Canes became the talk of the league, and not just for their Storm Surge postgame frolics after home-ice wins. Starting with a 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on New Year’s Eve, they were 31-12-2 in their last 45 games, the second-most wins in the league in that span.

Before the season began, Aho talked about setting goals, saying he wanted the Canes to have a 100-point season and be a team that’s “in the last four.” Prophetic or not, Aho and the Canes finished with 99 points (46-29-7) in the regular season and was one of four teams to reach the conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“We’re a better team this year. Anything can happen,” Aho said in September.

The Canes won at home (24 victories) and on the road (22), topping 40 wins for the eighth time in franchise history. They clinched their 14th playoff berth as the first wild-card team in the Eastern Conference. That’s what happened.

And then the Washington Capitals series happened. The Caps, intent on repeating their merry Stanley Cup run from 2018, won the first two 1144786 Carolina Hurricanes Brind’Amour mentioned that it’s tougher for the older guys to come this far and not lift a Cup.

“When you’ve been through the wars that (Williams) has, and I don’t Despite bowing out of the playoffs, the 2018-19 Hurricanes taught us know what his plans are yet, but the likelihood of getting this far is rare, many lessons right?,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s tough. It’s almost harder for older guys, because you tell younger guys you may not ever get back here, and they’re like like ‘Yeah, right, whatever.’ But when they’re 10 years down By Sara Civian May 17, 2019 from here they’ll say ‘Oh yeah, he was right.'”

I asked Dougie Hamilton before if he’s trying to enjoy this run more than he did when he was younger, and he said the same exact thing. He The Hurricanes ran into a red-hot Tuukka Rask and Bruins team as their remembered thinking he’d do this every year as a 19-year-old, then 19- season ended in an Eastern Conference Final sweep, but the lessons year-old Andrei Svechnikov next to him giggled. they taught us on their way to their first playoff appearance in a decade will endure. While Svechnikov can’t take this for granted — he isn’t the type to — it was so important the budding star of the franchise got this far in his first You’re never too old season when the last one to come around with such promise just left A suddenly robust Hurricanes media contingent trickled into the locker after eight prime seasons of nothing at all. room after the season-ending, 4-0 loss Thursday to the Bruins. Even the He expects to be here again. He knows what it feels like to be here, thirstiest among us knew to leave the usual go-to Justin Williams alone knows what it takes to get here, and is giggling at the people he respects for awhile. It’s unclear if his kids were consoling him or if he was the most telling him he won’t. All ahead of schedule. consoling his kids, but it looked like both. The Hurricanes were the best regular season team in the league in the He ended up addressing the media in his gear, sporting a cheek scar still tail end of back-to-backs. Brind’Amour would contest that the goalie fresh from a regular season game against the Panthers, a gray playoff tandem had a lot to do with that, but he mostly credits the blissful beard and some festive beads his kids gave him. ignorance of his team. He’s said they just don’t process how tired they WILLIAMS ADDRESSING THE MEDIA WITH BEADS I’M ASSUMING are yet. HIS KIDS GAVE TO HIM TO MAKE HIM FEEL BETTER WHEN HE It was the same deal in the playoffs. WAS HUGGING THEM A FEW MINUTES AGO PIC.TWITTER.COM/UH9HKAFJQI “Coming into this year with the young guys, and coming into the playoffs it was all talk,” Brind’Amour said. “You tell them, ‘This is how it’s gonna — SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) MAY 17, 2019 go, you gotta be ready, you gotta enjoy every minute,’ all that stuff. Now “I’m proud of what we’ve done, I’m proud that we’ve made ourselves that they’ve had a taste of it, I don’t have to say it again. I mean, they relevant again, I’m proud that we raised the bar in this organization,” know. That’s why I was surprised they got this far, I’ll be honest. Not Williams said. “It’s just tough to reflect right now when things are so having been there, not knowing how hard it is. They found out how hard it sudden. I didn’t think it would be done like this. But you tip your cap is. … Everyone has to be that much better. I’m looking at (Sebastian sometimes, and Boston played great.” Aho) right now like he had to be a little bit better, and he knows that. Next time that comes around you’re a little hungrier.” A sweep featuring maybe two collective good periods for the Hurricanes is an unfit ending to a story about resiliency. It sits better if you think of it Aho had five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 15 postseason as the first chapter. The protagonist of the rest of the book is anyone’s appearances, his GAR/WAR currently is top five in these playoffs, but he guess, but the 37-year-old captain is the story so far. came up short in the inches of the game that’d be the difference between making it this far and winning it all. He knows it. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour expected his former linemate to motivate the room, and there was an obvious expectation that Williams would play “At the moment, it stings, you know? It hurts,” he said Thursday. “It’s a his hardest. It’s tough to imagine Brind’Amour or Williams thought it’d tough way to end the season, but we’re going to look at the big picture, amount to one of the best years of his career. remember this feeling and hope that it helps us in the future.”

But it did. Where you might be critical of a team’s “star player” in these moments, this run in Aho’s third NHL season was clearly premature. Aho will be Williams ended the regular season with his most points (53) since 2012 back. He, Svechnikov, Warren Foegele and the rest of the young Canes (59, LA Kings). He scored goals off his “junk,” off his cheek and off his know exactly what it takes now. skill. (James Guillory / USA Today) He’s been accused of losing his composure this postseason with his 18 penalty minutes in 15 games, and that’s fair. He didn’t look like his Fun is OK collected self at all sometimes, mostly during his three penalties in the There was a generation of lost hockey fans in North Carolina. They grew first period of Game 3, all on Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. up from 2009-2018, as the team they were supposed to enjoy didn’t If you’re going to die on this hill, though, you gotta point out that in his qualify for the playoffs. most penalty-ridden nights, he was also the most dangerous Cane on the For an entire decade, supporting this team was more like an exercise in ice. masochism. It’s a double-edged sword that’s existed his whole career. He racked up When these Canes first gathered in a circle, Skol clapped and leaped 34 penalty minutes in 26 games played when he won the Cup in 2006. into the boards, they were breaking down the fourth wall. He got to 35 in 26 games played with the Kings in 2014. His tamest Cup- winning PIMs were 15 in 20 in 2012. “We see you,” the Storm Surge meant to say. “And we’re different.”

Eighteen in 15 this postseason. There were kids centimeters from their TVs clapping along, now fans for life. There were adults giving into their silliness, clapping along at games. He was trying to “find an edge, any edge,” he said. He was trying to fire Brind’Amour’s son could even be found rowing his imaginary kayak one up his team the way he had all season, I’d say. night. Everyone has a favorite. No, he didn’t win the Cup, but he gave the Hurricanes the heart he had “It’s fun, people,” Brind’Amour once put it. when he did win his Cups, and that was enough for a significantly less talented roster to make the Eastern Conference Final. The Hurricanes reminded fans new and old that it’s OK to enjoy a hard- fought win. “You want to see a guy give everything he had this year?” Brind’Amour said. “Take a look. I was shocked that he had the year he had. Pretty The Storm Surge was a lesson in being your weird self, not only ignoring amazing to me.” the haters but profiting off of them. It was a first step in these Canes proving to their fans that something they could cheer for was on the You’re never too young horizon. “I feel like this is a little bit more of a family atmosphere than a hockey run, but the fans on their feet giving the team a standing ovation send off team and its fans. I feel we’ve all been encapsulated in what we’ve done regardless said it all. this year, and we’ve all done it together,” Williams said. “To see this crowd and the area the way we want it to be and the way I remember it is The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 awesome to see. It was a genuine great relationship between us.”

That doesn’t end here.

Catharsis is real

This season has been a downright grind since Jan. 1, but there were also so many instances of relief. There was the first win at Madison Square Garden in 17 tries, the first win in Vancouver since the 90s, goaltenders stealing them games for the first time in forever, Greg McKegg’s multi- point, five-dollar-beer-night debut.

There was, most famously, a playoff run for the first time in a decade.

The mini goals and side quests were an actual embodiment of the “take things day by day” cliche so many hockey players spout.

Hard work pays off, no matter who’s watching

This team will forever be the “Bunch of Jerks,” but hopefully the history books save some room for Grit and Grind. There was a team-wide buy- in, as there is with any unexpected run and unlikely heroes.

The hockey world saw Foegele emerge out of nowhere on his Erik Cole run. His teammates saw him doing push-ups on the ice by himself during his regular season scoring drought. The world saw Aho’s postseason struggles, his teammates saw him averaging 24-plus TOI some nights to make it to the postseason. Everyone talked about the Storm Surge, few saw the conditioning that won those games for the Canes in the first place.

Proving a believer right feels better than proving a hater wrong

The words the Hurricanes use to describe playing for Brind’Amour say it all:

“I would run through hot coals for that guy.” — Jordan Martinook

“He could motivate a pack of mice.” — Martinook

“He has you ready to run through a wall then you realize the game doesn’t start for an hour and a half.” — Williams

All year, Brind’Amour was putting players that maybe didn’t get a chance elsewhere out in situations that demanded trust, and he was relentless about it. McKegg got Game 7 overtime shifts. Nino Niederreiter got the first-line role he deserved after being buried in Minnesota’s depth chart — Brind’Amour kept him there after a franchise-worst minus-six one night against the Jets.

You’re allowed to make mistakes on this team, so long as you’re trying. That was a source of relief for many Hurricanes who’d felt they had to be perfect for other coaches. They wanted to reward Brind’Amour’s faith in them. I’d say they did.

“I knew coming in I had great people around me. And I needed to know that,” Brind’Amour said. “I think I learned that I can handle it. I think as a new guy coming in, you’re never quite sure that the way you’re gonna do it is gonna be OK. You have nothing really to look back on and say ‘Does that work?’ but I think I can handle it. And I think we’ll be all right.”

Can’t reach the Cup final without a functional power play

No Hurricanes player in the last locker room scrums of the season thought the issue was running out of gas. Each of them pointed to their special teams failings.

The Canes went 1-for-14 on the power play against the Bruins, and a brutal 5-for-52 overall in the playoffs.

A visibly upset Jordan Staal: “Let’s face it. They played a great series, and they were the better team, obviously. In the end, I think our special teams kind of killed us.”

Williams: “Their power play was better, and their penalty kill was better. It’s tough when you lose the special teams battle against this team every single night.”

Brind’Amour: “We get a power play, it sucks the life out of us.”

The power play struggles were looming all season and finally ended the Hurricanes’ season. A 4-0 loss at home featuring the one blemish that wouldn’t go away was an unfortunate way to end an otherwise incredible 1144787 Chicago Blackhawks Cup title would be quite an accomplishment, but it would be hard to top last season on Glass’ list of highlights.

“Playing my first NHL game was special,” Glass said. “Getting my first A year after finally reaching the NHL, 33-year-old goalie Jeff Glass seeks win at the United Center, that was cool, too. I think most of the memories a path back I’ll cherish (from) my time here in Chicago (are) the relationships and friendships I made with some of the guys.

Jimmy Greenfield “There’s a reason why they won so many Stanley Cups; there’s some pretty special guys in that locker room. I had the privilege of playing with them and getting to know a few of them. That’s probably the part I’ll cherish the most.” If Jeff Glass’ thick red beard ever turns white, it won’t be hard to imagine him as a department-store Santa Claus. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 05.18.2019 Not that he has the belly for it, but the 33-year-old goalie’s cheery disposition remains off the charts.

Blackhawks fans first got wind of Glass during the 2017-18 season when he made his NHL debut on Dec. 29 at age 32 and became a feel-good story during a dismal campaign. Glass’ 15-game tenure didn’t bring on- ice success — he went 3-7-3 with a 3.36 goals-against average and .898 save percentage — but it did come with rewards that go far beyond the scoresheet.

“Last year was a fun year for me, personally,” Glass said Thursday. “At the time you don’t really enjoy it as much as you do after. Once I got home in the summertime it kind of sunk in that I checked off a few things on my list of things to do. If anything, it made me more motivated this summer to get back to that level.”

The Hawks didn’t re-sign Glass, and as he has done throughout a nomadic career that landed him in Russia for seven years, he moved on. He is the starting goalie for the San Diego Gulls, the opponent of the Wolves in the AHL’s Western Conference finals that begin Friday night at Allstate Arena.

“Obviously, I didn’t play (in the NHL) this year but it’s still on my list of things to do and get back to that level,” Glass said. “I think last year I proved I can play there. It was one of the best organizations to play with, so it was a lot of fun.”

While he reveled in finally making it to the NHL 13 years after the Senators drafted him in the third round, Glass found himself without a team when summer ended. He attended Flames training camp on a professional tryout but wasn’t offered a contract. Within a couple of weeks, the Maple Leafs called. They signed Glass to an AHL contract with their affiliate in Toronto.

Glass played 10 games with the Marlies before he was traded to the Ducks and assigned to the Gulls. As the regular season wore on, Glass earned more playing time, and he’s started all 10 Gulls playoff games, going 7-3 in the first two rounds.

His most impressive performance was one of the best in AHL history. In Game 1 of the Gulls’ second-round series against the Bakersfield Condors, Glass stopped 51 shots in a 3-2 quadruple-overtime victory, the fifth-longest game in league history.

The 51 saves set a franchise record and helped reinforce what Glass already knew: he’s nowhere near done playing.

“I feel like I’m just getting started,” Glass said. “I went overseas to Russia for seven years, and I learned a lot about myself over there. It was really important for my development to get over there. When you come back you get to work with some really good goalie coaches and some top people that make you realize you want to put the work in. I still feel I’ve got a lot of rubber left on the tires.”

Glass’ infectious personality meshed well with former Hawks coach . “I loved him.” Glass said.

He also developed lasting relationships with many teammates, including goalie Collin Delia, who had a successful 16-game stint with the Hawks this season. Glass was Delia’s backup in Rockford last season when the IceHogs made it to the Western Conference finals.

“I’m super happy for Collin," Glass said. “It was a long road for him. I know that sounds weird; he did it all in a year from the East Coast to the NHL. But at the start of the year I watched him struggle, and we knew the potential he had.”

Now Glass is the one to watch. Delia and the rest of the Hawks are home for the summer while Glass still has plans to play into June. A Calder 1144788 Chicago Blackhawks held the same position at the College of the Holy Cross. Assistant coach Mike Garman has done a little bit of everything in the goalie world. Belfry brought on Adam Nicholas, who also works with NHL players. The Steel How the Chicago Steel utilized hockey development in their impressive also created a director of player personnel position for Tristan Musser, turnaround who had been at the Academy of Hockey in Buffalo, N.Y., and the USNTDP in recent years.

Hardy sought to break down walls between departments and include By Scott Powers May 17, 2019 everyone in the conversation. In doing that, they cultivated ideas and put them to use in development sessions, practices and games.

“At the end of the day, it’s the kids’ team, but Greg, Brock and Mike drive GENEVA, Ill. — Owen Power may have been new to the USHL at the the bus for them,” said Hardy, who was named USHL general manager start of the season, but he quickly grasped that the Chicago Steel had of the year. “We can provide all these ideas whether it’s resources, some serious work to do. Darryl’s knowledge or Adam’s knowledge. The reason it’s been “Yeah, the first weekend didn’t look good,” Power said. successful to this point and that I really don’t know if we can put a cap on how successful it can be is that we’re working on these things during the The Steel dropped their first two weekend games in September, the week and then they’re expected to implement them, whether it’s second a 10-5 loss. They were outscored 18-9 after three games. After something Darryl came up with, something Brock came up with, Greg 12 games, the Steel held a 4-7-1 record. They had been beaten three came up with, who came up with it doesn’t matter, they’re expected to try times by the Muskegon Lumberjacks, one of the league’s favorites, by a it in the game. combined score of 16-5. The Steel were taking some mighty lumps and were positioned near the bottom of the USHL power rankings. “And where our team is different is we look at it in a way of try it, fail in a game. And where another team where you fail, you don’t go back over None of that surprised Steel general manager Ryan Hardy. The coaching the boards, you know what I mean. Where our coach, if a guy makes a staff had been assembled late, as had the roster. It was a younger team. huge mistake, blows a tire, something goes sideways on him, the puck They were also implementing a new development process that would goes in the back of the net, no problem, you’re going back out next shift, include performance coach Darryl Belfry and his staff, having them work glad you tried it. And because they’re able to fail, they’re able to succeed, hand in hand with first-year Steel coach and his staff. you know, having done that. And then a month later, it’s a part of their arsenal. It’s not just something they’re afraid to do.” It would take time. Hardy thought of the season as being “a bite-the- bullet” year, and the Steel would be better prepared for next season. Darryl Belfry, who’s worked with NHL stars like Patrick Kane, knows what Patience was required. it takes to succeed in hockey. (Scott Powers/The Athletic)

And then came the surprise. What happened over the ensuing months is The Steel designed development plans for each player and adjusted as the story of how a collective vision can successfully come together much needed throughout the season. Among the forwards, they sought to faster than anyone anticipated. create acceleration through crossovers and apply their skills at high rates of speed. They taught the defensemen a newer style of skating that After incorporating daily individual skill sessions on top of their team eliminated crossovers and taught them how to defend within that style. practices, integrating and involving all the departments – development, scouting and coaching – in the entire process, and, most importantly, Steel defenseman Matteo Pietroniro, the team’s captain, is one player getting the players to buy into the plan, the Steel evolved from one of the who saw his game continually grow throughout the season. league’s worst teams to one of its best over the course of this season. “The Pietroniro one is interesting,” Belfry said. “I think he’s come miles. In On Friday night, they’ll host the Sioux Falls Stampede in Game 3 of the the time that I’ve been here, he’s always been incredibly hard working, USHL’s Clark Cup final. what you would define as good character. That’s Pietroniro. He’s that kid. He’s a mature kid also for his age, like the way he thinks and the way he “If you had told me we were going to be this good after the first weekend, embraced a lot of the individual skill work. We like to teach our I wouldn’t have believed you,” Power said. “From where the team started defensemen a little different way to skate. We started this process like and where each individual is now, that’s a huge difference. I think the last year and Matteo was part of that process to get the foundation of vast majority is from the development stuff.” that. He was showing me a clip today of this play he had where he just The “development stuff” began years ago with talks between Steel owner automatically used this footwork that we’ve been working on for a while Larry Robbins and Belfry. Robbins, a billionaire hedge fund manager, is now. It’s to the point he doesn’t even have to think about it. It’s so known for thinking outside the box and has never been stingy when it ingrained because not only did we start it last year, it’s been incorporated comes to his hockey team. He approached Belfry, who works with some in defensive drills the coaching staff does during the team practice. It’s all of the NHL’s premier players, with the idea to blend individual interwoven into everything they’re doing. We’re reinforcing it in all the development into a team setting. Belfry was intrigued and eventually same group and individual sessions. Now it’s just wholly ingrained into accepted the position. his game.”

“For me, when I was first approached by Larry, it was like he was Moore explained how the coaching staff furthers that development in interested in trying to do something different,” Belfry said. “So, that’s of practices and games. course what I was interested in as well. You see the league, it’s largely a “I think if you watch our team there’s a big focus on our details,” Moore weekend league, so you do have several days leading up to the said. “Just as one example, you take the defensemen, our associate weekend. So the schedule lends itself well to being able to do some head coach Brock Sheahan, who works with the D, has done a things. I was really intrigued by it when I first started here. When we phenomenal job of the details of their footwork on line-rush against, their brought Ryan (Hardy) on board and he assembled the staff, then it really stick detail on line-rush against. Same thing in the D zone, not getting started to present itself. Like, there’s a lot more opportunities to do some crossed over down low, guarding low. Everything is heel-to-heel pivot. It’s interesting things. For me, that was the real driving force. stick on puck. It’s pulled in. The blades aren’t up in the air. The blade’s “Initially, I want to do something different, but I have own my opinion, and on the puck the whole time. that’s great, but they only take us so far. We need a true collaboration. “With Brock working with the skill guys when they come in, they hear the The coach has to come in and provide ideas as well, which is exactly details. Then they go on the ice to add those details into the skill what we have. Everyone on our staff is throwing ideas into the pile, and components and really break down the footwork, really break down that the best idea’s winning. It’s shown up with our kids. It’s been an stick detail. And then we get to a team practice and now we’re putting D interesting kind of start to where we’re at, and it really feels like we’re just in drills that are working on elements whether it’d be in a game, working getting started, which is kind of the interesting part.” on the skills that they worked on in the morning and everything just adds Nearly everyone with the Steel has an impressive hockey background. to each other. There are even times where we’re learning from Darryl Hardy is a former Boston Bruins amateur scout and director of player and Adam and they’re learning from us as far as we saw things this way, personnel with the U.S. National Team Development Program should we do it this way or this way, and you just have a collective whole (USNTDP). He hired head coach Greg Moore from the USNTDP, where of I think progressive thinkers who are working toward one common goal he had been an assistant. Steel associate head coach Brock Sheahan of making everything better, smarter and more efficient. And I think you watch our details in a game compared to some of other opponents and the details are there, it’s just cleaner, more simpler and you can tell each player is playing the same way and not on our own page doing their own thing.”

For Pietroniro, it’s been an eye-opening experience. He said players bought in from the start, and he’s surprised how far his game has come in a year.

“I would say my skating’s improved tremendously from when I started to focus on it and from what they showed me what to do,” Pietroniro said. “Simple movements, less crossing over. Offensively, I was able to slow my game down a lot more and read options and just overall take in a lot more, do more pre-scanning of the ice and see what I had and take my time and realize how much time I had to make a play. Overall, my 200- foot game improved everywhere, offensively, defensively, neutral zone. … It was really cool to see something you had done through the week and doing it every time in a game. It just improved all the time.”

From the defensemen like Pietroniro, Power, Luke Reid and John Spetz to forwards like Nick Abruzzese, Robert Mastrosimone, Neil Shea, Mathieus De St. Phalle, Adam Robbins and Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, the Steel have seen most of their players make strides this season.

As their individual numbers improved, the team results did, too. They were 25-13-1 and moved up to fourth in the power rankings by February. They finished the regular season 37-21-4. In the playoffs, they knocked off the Cedar Rapids RoughRidgers in four games in a best-of-five conference semifinal series and then did the same to the top-seed Lumberjacks in the Western Conference final.

Josiah Slavin, 27, was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018. (Courtesy of the Chicago Steel)

Josiah Slavin, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect, was an interesting case for the staff because he was acquired in late January when the Steel looked like they would be contenders. Slavin had skill and ability, but he hadn’t been taught what the Steel players had been all season.

“It was completely new,” Slavin said. “No other team does stuff like that 1-on-1 skill sessions. When I came in, I honestly felt behind because of the amount of work they were going. There’s just a ton of skills to work on, bunch of little things unique to one’s game. Some footwork stuff I needed to work on. It all accumulated to developing one’s game.

“I thought I developed a ton. I thought I developed more when I got to Chicago and expanded something else I wasn’t able to at Lincoln. It wasn’t because of Lincoln, but because of everything we’ve done here is so amazing.”

As fast as everything happened this season, the Steel staff still believes they’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible for this team. They exceeded expectations for this season, which makes next season even more exciting.

“As the weeks have gone by and more and more of these pieces have started to go in and the kids are starting to take control of it and shape of it, it’s just been mind-boggling to me,” Belfry said, “because I’m with Ryan, you always think like based on the level of the kids and the ability of the kids that they’re going to able to improve by a lot, but not until we kind of get into the season and see how it actually played out, I think it’s been a real surprise to us in how far it’s come. It’s really intriguing as to what’s even more possible because we’ve had this year. We just wanted to lay a foundation, get the pieces in place and now we’ve seen the pieces really get together. Where are we going to be a year from now?

The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144789 Colorado Avalanche recreate the excellence he displayed in leading Colorado to its late- season playoff surge a year ago. It’s obvious whose net it is now.

Verdict: seemed to make it pretty clear in his presser earlier Breaking down what Colorado should do with their own free agents this week that Varlamov will not be a priority. He said he will stay in touch with Varlamov as July 1 free agency plays out. Varly will look for greener pastures elsewhere. BY AJ HAEFELE MAY 17, 2019 11 MINS Sven Andrighetto (RFA) – Andrighetto had his opportunities to prove it in the NHL. They moved him around the lineup and tried to make it work. Ultimately he landed as an odd-man out once the playoffs rolled around. That’s the number of players in the Avalanche organization that don’t The greatest indictment of his future came when the Avs rolled out an 11- currently have contracts for next season. The maximum limit is 50 and forward lineup in the playoffs with Andrighetto a healthy scratch. To me, most teams spend the season in the 48 range. All this means is that said it all. Colorado’s front office has plenty of work to do in making decisions on some futures here. Verdict: Andrighetto does not receive a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. Let’s jump into a breakdown of who needs re-signing and which players they are likely to bring back and let go. Alexander Kerfoot (RFA) – Kerfoot is arbitration eligible and I think that’s where this probably goes. Kerfoot has two 40-point seasons in the first NHL Roster two years of his NHL career. He’s a maddening player at times because Derick Brassard (UFA) – It was an iffy roll of the dice at the trade he’s involved in so many scoring opportunities that don’t result in goals deadline to acquire a player who had fallen off so hard in both Pittsburgh but…he’s also involved in so many scoring opportunities. He’s not a guy and Florida and his addition to Colorado made very little impact overall. who gets caved in defensively and he actually emerged as Colorado’s He slowly worked his way down the lineup, spending most of his playoffs best faceoff man this past season. He’s an interesting player as he’s on the fourth line. Across regular season and playoffs, he scored just five more of a classic ‘tweener than a true top-six guy but numbers don’t lie. points in 29 games (4g, 1a). The Avs gave up a third-round selection for Verdict: He’ll definitely be back. I expect one of the sides to file for those five points so it’s easy to say that didn’t work out. If they don’t sign arbitration and for them to settle before a hearing ever takes place. Brassard, they will receive a sixth-round pick from Florida. Kerfoot is a valuable commodity as he’s the only forward outside the top Verdict: Expect that pick to be conveyed. There is no legitimate reason to line to record 40 points the last two years. His secondary scoring is an sign Brassard. important element to achieving better balance on this offense. He shouldn’t go anywhere. Colin Wilson (UFA) – For about 60 games or so, this was a pretty easy decision. Wilson struggled to stay healthy, was moved around the lineup Vladislav Kamenev (RFA) – Injuries have stolen the last two seasons frequently, and failed to carve out a consistent role. Then the switch from him so who he is as an NHL player is still entirely up in the air. The flipped near the end of the season and he was an impact player in the only reputation he’s earned so far is injury-prone and that’s always a run to secure a spot in the postseason. Then the playoffs started and questionable designation. Is he brittle or just unlucky? Either way, the Wilson went to another level entirely, scoring eight points in 12 games Avs don’t really know who he is yet but there’s no reason to give up on (and a ninth that was infamously called back; cool rules, NHL). There’s a him yet. case to be made here. Verdict: He gets a qualifying offer (QO), probably signs it, and comes Verdict: Let him test the market. His inability to consistently stay healthy back for a third try at earning a full-time NHL job. in two years is a concern. He provides good work along the wall and in J.T. Compher (RFA) – Like Kerfoot, he has arbitration available to him front of the net, which Colorado lacks in general. Reality is his production and he’s absolutely coming back. What his contract looks like is up for doesn’t scream “Must re-sign” but he could be a solid guy to bring back in debate but there’s no doubting he’ll be back. the second wave of free agency if the Avs miss out on other targets. Verdict: They will offer him a QO for now and then begin hammering out Gabriel Bourque (UFA) – A guy the Avs liked more than everyone else an actual contract. This is another potential arbitration case for Colorado. who watched their games, it’s obvious he has value in their eyes. He’s a A bridge deal here would make plenty of sense. fourth line player who just barely gets into games, though, and while he plays on the PK there’s a legitimate question as to how effective he really Mikko Rantanen (RFA) – He does not have arbitration available to him is on it. Is his PK work enough to justify the complete lack of offense he this year and his agent has strongly hinted at bridge deals for his two brings? high-profile clients this summer (Rantanen and Patrik Laine). This could be a lengthy negotiation. Verdict: No, I don’t think it does. Without any additions, Colorado’s fourth line could look quite a bit more dynamic than it often did this past year. Verdict: He’s obviously staying. With Vladislav Kamenev getting back to health, he could center the fourth line with Matt Nieto and A.J. Greer (or potentially another prospect) as Ryan Graves (RFA) – This kid was a revelation for Colorado. Needing a his wings. That’s a line with way more upside. Bourque did well to boost on the blue line, Graves finally got his call-up and he did what he continue to earn one-way deals from the Avalanche but it makes for the had to do in order to force the Avs to keep him the rest of the season. organization to move on now. He’s young and he proved to be a quality bottom-pairing defender. While he’s certainly not better than any of Colorado’s current top-six guys, he’s Patrik Nemeth (UFA) – One of the better finds in recent years from quality depth and young enough that he could be around for a while. Colorado’s pro scouting department, Nemeth has been nothing short of a warrior on Colorado’s bottom pairing the last two years. There is Verdict: Definitely receives a QO. He’s going to compete in training camp absolutely nothing he did wrong here but he’s become the victim of a for the same job he finished the season with. numbers game. With Makar taking his spot in the lineup next season, Nikita Zadorov (RFA) – The heavy-hitting Russian machine is set for Mark Barberio and Ryan Graves can serve as the 7th/8th D on the back another contract showdown with Colorado’s front office. It’ll be interesting end. to see how this one plays out because arbitration is on the table this time Verdict: He walks. He should have a legit market, too. Teams are always around and I can’t imagine it doesn’t come into play. The complete lack desperate for competent help to shore up their defense and Nemeth of offense from Zadorov means there’s a hard ceiling on how high his could absolutely be that guy. For once, Colorado’s depth makes it easy contract can realistically be. This is going to be a fascinating deal to to let a quality defender go. Nemeth’s work should be rewarded on the follow. open market. Verdict: It may not be a pretty process but this one will eventually get Semyon Varlamov (UFA) – It ultimately ended up playing out more or done. Big Z should be patrolling Colorado’s blue line for another couple less how the Avalanche hoped it would. Philipp Grubauer eventually took of years, minimum. the starter’s job, led the Avs to the playoffs, and even upped his level of AHL Roster play once there. Varlamov, meanwhile, faltered in March as he tried to Max McCormick, Andrew Agozzino, Scott Kosmachuk (UFA): McCormick was acquired midseason for J.C. Beaudin and did the veteran thing for the Eagles (I guess? He wasn’t very good) while Kosmachuk was okay as their annual AHL free agent that stops by for one year. Agozzino grew up in the Avalanche organization and in my eyes shouldn’t be going anywhere. Just keep him and let him continue to be a face of the Eagles as they continue to add more prospects to the group.

Verdicts: Lose McCormick and Kosmachuk, keep Agozzino.

David Warsofsky (UFA): After appearing for the Avalanche in the playoffs, Warsofsky didn’t see any action in Denver this season. Given they rotated a number of players from the Eagles into the NHL lineup at some point, that’s a pretty clear indication of where this is headed.

Verdict: Warsofsky walks.

Pavel Francouz (UFA) – Francouz was excellent as the starter for the Eagles in his first season in North America. With Varlamov likely departing the organization, I fully expect the Avalanche to target him as their potential NHL backup behind Grubauer. Sakic said they would begin contacting agents and working through negotiations this week and next. I imagine Francouz is one of the first phone calls he should make.

Verdict: Bring him back. 100%.

Julien Nantel, A.J. Greer, Sheldon Dries, Dominic Toninato (RFA) – This is a pretty clean group overall. Nantel has been around for a while and it just really isn’t working out for him. Greer just had his best season in the AHL and should be loudly knocking on the NHL’s door next season. Dries appeared in more games for the Avs (40) than the Eagles (25) in the regular season. I expect those numbers flip next year. Toninato had a solid overall year and certainly did enough to warrant keeping around.

Verdicts: Nantel leaves, Greer and Toninato definitely stay. The tough call here I think is Dries. Is he in the NHL plans? Or is he more quality AHL depth at 25? If he comes back, there needs to be a real plan in place. I could just as easily see the organization moving on from him but this is one of the few true toss-ups in my eyes.

Mason Geertsen, Anton Lindholm, Sergei Boikov (RFA) – This trio of drafted players seems like they have all run their course for Colorado. Of course, the Avs need somebody to play on the defense next to Nic Meloche and Mark Alt (Conor Timmins, too, we all hope) next season. Lindholm and Boikov could have options back in their home countries they might prefer. I’ve actually liked Geertsen’s overall development so keeping him out of this trio is my favorite option. Boikov’s friendship with Kamenev and Igor Shvyrev is another wrinkle that could help keep him around another year.

Verdicts: I say keep Geertsen and let Lindholm and Boikov explore other options but the Avs might value some of the off-ice value Boikov brings to the organization.

Spencer Martin (RFA): There are still flashes of greatness from Martin, including his legendary 68-save shutout last season for the Eagles. Those flashes are just that, though, and he doesn’t play at a high enough level consistently. The team has already signed Adam Werner to come over from Sweden and compete for one of the jobs with the Eagles. I’m just not sure what the organization would be hoping to get from Martin in bringing him back unless he simply has no other offers and would rather play for the in the ECHL.

Verdict: Have to let him go. It simply didn’t work out but Martin should really be able to continue finding work. He’s a pro-caliber goalie, just not an NHL-caliber one.

The 26th player was goaltender Joe Cannata, who recently signed in Sweden.

That does it for the predictions on the current roster. As the summer progresses, we’ll get into more of the free agency process and which players from other teams the Avalanche should be keeping tabs on.

BSN DENVER LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144790 Columbus Blue Jackets After Davidson took over, leaving the same post with the St. Louis Blues, the Jackets went 285-209-46 for a .528 winning percentage. They also made four postseason appearances, including the past three years, and New York Rangers hire John Davidson; Blue Jackets elevate Jarmo posted a winning record in six of his seven seasons. They topped 40 Kekalainen to alternate governor wins four times and reached 50 wins once (2016-17).

“He helped us forge a winning culture based on preparation, hard work, accountability and honesty,” Priest said in a statement. “He set the tone Brian Hedger and hired talented people that put in place a plan to build the Blue Jackets through the draft and player development, with the end goal Posted May 17, 2019 at 1:07 PM Updated May 17, 2019 at 7:42 PM being a team that could compete and have success at the highest-level on a yearly basis.”

Perhaps the biggest compliment John Davidson will get regarding his Priest and majority owner John P. McConnell thanked Davidson and his seven-year tenure as president of hockey operations for the Blue Jackets wife, Diana, on a personal level, sending him off with their blessings on a was the general consensus about its end Friday. job well done.

Davidson’s widely anticipated decision to join the New York Rangers as Kekalainen, meanwhile, is eager to tackle the challenge ahead — which team president, announced by both teams, was met with a sense of mild is to keep the Blue Jackets afloat amid potentially rocky free-agent seas disappointment by most Blue Jackets fans on social media. this summer.

There wasn’t panic. There wasn’t a sense of woe. There was simply a “I’m forever grateful for the opportunity that he’s given me and my family,” little sadness that a popular guy, who in many ways put the Blue Jackets Kekalainen said of Davidson. “He gave me the opportunity to work, he on the map, was leaving. The mood was a direct byproduct of the gave me the authority to work and he gave me support to do what we winning culture Davidson helped construct. needed to do, as far as the staff goes. We’ll lose one valuable part of it now, in him, but the work continues and we have a great staff in place.” “We’re obviously sad to see him go,” said general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, whom Davidson hired in 2013 as the NHL’s only European- Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019 born GM — a distinction he still owns. “We’re excited for his unique opportunity and, you know, we’re going to keep moving forward with the same philosophy.”

Davidson, who signed a four-year extension with the Blue Jackets in September, had a clause tied to the Rangers in his contract. He has spent 45 years in the hockey business, and 30 of them were spent in New York as both a Rangers goalie and beloved broadcaster.

Those roots are what led to his decision to come full circle in his front- office career.

“I have come to love this organization and the city,” Davidson said of the Blue Jackets and Columbus in a statement released by the Jackets. “There was only one opportunity that I would’ve considered leaving for, and the one before me now is that opportunity. ... I am extremely proud of the work we’ve done over the past seven years and know that one of the challenges before me now will be competing against this group moving forward.”

If anybody knows what that entails, it’s Davidson. After all, he’s the one who hired Kekalainen in February 2013 and signed off on his GM’s staff changes ever since.

Kekalainen, who is in Slovakia for the men’s world championship, will continue as general manager but will add “alternate governor” to his title, joining fellow alternate governor Mike Priest, the team’s president.

Davidson’s position will not be filled, which means the possibility of promoting Kekalainen into that role — and promoting associate GM Bill Zito to GM — isn’t going to happen. Zito has interviewed with multiple teams.

“I’ve been a general manager for six years in the National Hockey League and I’ve got a lot of unfinished business in that role — and we’re going to move forward with me being a general manager,” Kekalainen said. “Hopefully (Zito) will remain with us in the role that he’s had before, because he’s a big part of it ... but I’m going to be the GM and that’s going to be my role. That’s going to be my focus. That’s my dream job. I’m not done.”

Who gave him that dream job?

That would be Davidson, who will now wear a Rangers logo on his polo shirts. Kekalainen’s goal is to keep the Blue Jackets on their current path, sailing toward the ultimate goal of the Stanley Cup.

It’s a path started by Davidson, who leaves behind quite a legacy.

Before his arrival in October 2012, the Blue Jackets had an overall franchise record of 342-441-33-86 in their first 11 seasons, which works out to a paltry .379 winning percentage. They made the Stanley Cup playoffs just once, in 2009, and that was the only time they had topped the 40-win plateau — going 41-31-10 under coach and GM Scott Howson. 1144791 Columbus Blue Jackets As of Thursday, only Nutivaara and two puppies were unclaimed – both named after guys playing in Slovakia for the men’s world championship. One is a black, white and brown pup Morrison named after defenseman Puppy adoption keeps "Bobrovsky" and "Panarin" in town Zach Werenski, while the other is carmel brown and white – named after center Alexander Wennberg.

“I went with more unique names or some of the more notable names, so Brian Hedger that if they were put online, people would be like, ‘Oh, Foligno, Panarin ...’ that kind of stuff,” Morrison said. “I also did the best I could for

gender.” As expected, Panarin was first to go. She also named two of the pups after stars Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky went next, right on Panarin’s tail, followed by Foligno, Dubois Bobrovsky, who might not be Blue Jackets much longer. Each could and Jenner. Only Wennberg, Werenski and the leader of the pack, leave via free agency this summer, but their popularity was just too high Nutivaara, are left – and they, too, would like to find new homes soon. to pass up.

Has the Blue Jackets’ widely discussed offseason of change already “Yeah, I couldn’t leave them out,” Morrison said. “I was hoping that if I’d begun? In the middle of May? named them that, maybe they would stay. Maybe they’d just adopt their puppies and stay.” Well, not quite. Not yet, anyway. If they don’t obey, it will be fitting considering the order the puppies were What has begun, and is already in the latter stages, is the adoption claimed. “Panarin” went first, followed by “Bobrovsky,” who has a process of seven beagle-mix puppies and their mother from the Licking distinctive “eye patch” of brown fur on his white body. County Humane Society – strays rescued in the Portsmouth area of Southern Ohio and dubbed with Blue Jackets names upon arrival in April. “We had a family come in who were all in Blue Jackets stuff and they were like, ‘Are any of the puppies spoken for?’” said Jackie Poe, an “I was one of the ones who helped do the initial intake for the puppies, LCHS adoption counselor and hockey fan (Washington Capitals). “I was and I was like, ‘Hey, I’ve got an idea ... can we name them Blue Jackets like, ‘Bobrovsky and Panarin,’ and they just started laughing. I was like, “I stuff?’” said Lucy Morrison, a 21-year old animal caregiver at LCHS and know ... it just worked out that way.′ Blue Jackets fan who named them. “I was hoping at the time that after they got out of (a foster stay) that we’d still be in the playoffs, maybe the Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019 end of a third series, and they would be adopted once we were in the Stanley Cup. It didn’t work out that way, but it has still worked out pretty nicely.”

Morrison, a senior animal sciences major at Ohio State, became a Blue Jackets fan April 23, 2014 at Nationwide Arena. She and her dad attended Game 4 of the team’s first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, when captain Nick Foligno scored in overtime for the Jackets’ first-ever home playoff win.

“After that, I’ve just been obsessed,” she said. “It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”

This season, Morrison and her dad attended Game 3 in the first round – watching the Blue Jackets take a commanding 3-0 lead in their eventual sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“That was actually the day I named the pups,” she said. “I was just too excited about everything, so I was like, ‘I’ll just name this litter Blue Jackets names, just for a little luck.’”

They weren’t even old enough to be adopted at that point.

“They came to us when the pups were three-weeks old, mom and the puppies,” said Lori Carlson, executive director of LCHS, which publicized the CBJ-themed adoptions earlier this week. “Puppies have to be eight- weeks old to be adopted and have to have enough weight on them – so they lived with a foster family for five weeks.”

Kris and Rick Mitchell, plus daughters Addie and Julia, were that family – housing all eight dogs at their Newark home. Along with nurturing the puppies and giving their mother some help, the Mitchells – who are also Blue Jackets fans – made sure their guests didn’t miss the team’s first foray into the second round.

“It was like destiny,” said Kris Mitchell, one of Carlson’s go-to calls whenever LCHS gets canine moms and puppies. “We do like the Blue Jackets ... (so) they watched some playoff games with us.”

The pups also gained notoriety thanks to their names.

The LCHS marketing campaign utilized social media posts about them and Carlson appeared with one of the puppies – named after Pierre-Luc Dubois – on NBC4′s Find-A-Friend segment Tuesday with Bob Nunnally.

“That’s kind of how the word got out,” Carlson said. “Puppies move more quickly, so mom is who we really need to get adopted.”

The mother, Nutivaara, is named after defenseman Markus Nutivaara. She is a beagle mix estimated to be 4-years old and her pen at the humane society is about 10 feet away from her pups, who will remain at the facility until they are neutered. 1144792 Columbus Blue Jackets Davidson’s departure could be just the start of a flood of personnel leaving the organization this summer.

Bobrovsky and Panarin, arguably the two best players to ever dress for John Davidson is leaving the Blue Jackets to return to the New York the franchise, are only two of the unrestricted free agents. No. 1 center Rangers Matt Duchene is also free to walk on July 1, as is forward Ryan Dzingel, defenseman Adam McQuaid and goaltender Keith Kinkaid.

By Aaron Portzline May 17, 2019 Also, assistant GM Bill Zito, who has negotiated contracts for the club since his arrival in 2013, has interviewed with several NHL clubs for vacant GM positions, most recently expansion Seattle.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — John Davidson spent much of the last year trying The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 to convince the Blue Jackets’ top players, Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin, to commit long term to Columbus, imploring them to believe that the grass isn’t always greener in the big city or by the ocean.

But on Friday, Davidson became the first shoe to drop in what could be a mass exodus this summer for the organization.

Davidson, the president of hockey operations since 2012, is leaving the Blue Jackets with four years remaining on his contract to assume a similar role with the New York Rangers, with whom he spent six years as a player and nearly 20 years as a broadcaster.

The Rangers are expected to introduce Davidson at a news conference on Wednesday.

”The winning culture that now is entrenched in all of us will continue under the direction of Jarmo Kekalainen, who will now serve as an alternate governor in addition to general manager, and the leaders within our hockey operations department. We remain committed to improving on the successes we’ve had in recent seasons with the goal of bringing a Stanley Cup championship to Columbus,” Blue Jackets business operations president Mike Priest said in a statement.

Oh, the irony that Davidson could be joined later this summer in New York by Panarin, who counts the Rangers among his preferred destinations with unrestricted free agency looming on July 1.

Davidson’s departure leaves a hole at the top of the Blue Jackets and puts general manager Kekalainen — Davidson’s first big hire in February 2013 — atop the chain of command in the hockey operations department.

The Blue Jackets do not plan to hire from the outside to fill Davidson’s role, an indication that majority owner John P. McConnell and Priest believe the hockey operations department is now stable enough to operate without somebody above Kekalainen.

“When we hired John Davidson in October 2012, I said I thought he was the perfect person to lead our hockey operations efforts. Nearly seven years later, I believe I was right. He joined our team at a very difficult time and led a transformation that has resulted in consistent winning and appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. J.D. is a man of great character and compassion and I completely understand his interest in the unique opportunity before him. I know leaving Columbus is a difficult decision for him as he has a genuine love of our community and organization, but the possibility of returning to his roots in New York where he spent three decades as a player and broadcaster, is an extraordinary circumstance for him and his family,” McConnell said in a statement.

“On behalf of my family, our ownership group and the entire Blue Jackets organization, I want to thank J.D. and wish him, Diana and their family nothing but the best in the years to come.”

That’s a testament to the job Davidson did since he joined the Blue Jackets after the 2011-12 season, a dark and turbulent time for the organization. Captain Rick Nash had asked for a trade, fans were protesting and demanding changes at the top, and the Blue Jackets had just finished with the worst record in the NHL.

The Blue Jackets were 285-209-46 during Davidson’s time in Columbus, the ninth-most wins in the NHL during that stretch. Only Pittsburgh (319), Tampa Bay (318), Washington (318), St. Louis (316), Boston (308), Anaheim (306), San Jose (299) and Chicago (296) have won more.

Columbus had a winning record in six of Davidson’s seven seasons, qualified for the playoffs four times, including the past three seasons, and missed out on a fifth berth in 2013 on an end-of-season standings tie- breaker with Minnesota. 1144793 Dallas Stars

Which Stars prospects should you keep your eyes on?

By SportsDayDFW.com

The Stars' season may have recently come to a close, but it's never too early to look towards the future.

Dallas has plenty of prospects that could make big impacts in seasons to come. ESPN.com recently looked at the entire Central Division and identified which prospects on each team have the most potential to have success in the NHL.

For the Stars, Ty Dellandrea was the only Dallas player designated by ESPN as having the potential to be an "impact NHL player." The prospect was drafted by the Stars 13th overall in the 2018 NHL draft and is currently playing for the AHL affiliate Texas. Dellandrea has continued to progress since he was drafted and at 18-years old, he has plenty of time to improve and learn even more.

Included on the list of five Stars prospects that are "likely to be everyday" contributors to an NHL team are Denis Gurianov, Joel L'Esperance and Jason Robertson.

Gurianov had his best season in North America this year with 20 goals and 28 assists in the AHL. The first-round pick from Russia also played in 21 NHL games and scored his first career NHL goal. He has a shot to see significant minutes next season.

L'Esperance, who ESPN also named as the team's breakout prospect, came out of nowhere after signing with the Stars as a free agent out of Tech. He scored 30 goals in the AHL this season. He also got NHL experience this year, playing in 18 games, and he appears ready to see even more time in the NHL next season.

While leading the OHL in scoring this season (117 points), Robertson showed off what he can do offensively, but still has some work to be done. He was selected in the 2nd round of the 2017 draft by the Stars and has shown significant offensive improvement every season.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144794 Dallas Stars He has leadership qualities, and he’s just getting to that age where he’s going to be able to vocalize. I don’t think it’s going to be all the time, but I think when he does, it’s going to get the whole attention of the dressing ‘It’s a really good day after you learn that Esa is going to be here for a room.” long time.’ That brings up an interesting point about leadership and expectation in an NHL dressing room. The days of a third-liner or energy player wearing the “C” are all but gone. Today’s captains are almost always one of the By Sean Shapiro May 17, 2019 highest-paid players on the roster.

With salaries publicly available, a natural feeling can emerge that the best-compensated players must be the ones leading the charge on a Jim Montgomery was in an upbeat mood on Thursday afternoon. nightly basis. “It’s a good day,” the Dallas Stars’ head coach said. “Actually, it’s a really “I think nowadays the new generation of players, it does impact them,” good day after you learn that Esa is going to be here for a long time.” Montgomery said. “It didn’t impact it when you were my generation Esa, of course, is Esa Lindell, whom the Stars signed to a six-year before, being part of a room or being vocal was more natural back then, contract extension worth $5.8 million per season. Lindell, who turns 25 when it is now. And maybe that [salary transparency] does have later this month, would have been a restricted free agent come July 1, something to do with it. But there is a more defined pecking order that and his long-term extension was on the forefront of Dallas’ to-do list after goes with the salary order, and that’s something we are trying to change the season came to an end. here in Dallas.”

Lindell was the Stars’ busiest skater during the 2018-19 season. He was While Montgomery is excited about Lindell’s capacity to lead, he and the one of three players to appear in all 82 regular season game and led rest of the Stars are also thrilled about a long-term defensive core built Dallas with an average of 24 minutes, 20 seconds of ice time per game. around Lindell, Klingberg and Heiskanen. Those numbers climbed in the playoffs, where Lindell averaged 26:58 in “That’s a lot of money, but he’s worth every penny,” an NHL scout said 13 games before Dallas fell to the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the Thursday after Lindell’s deal was announced. “[The Stars] have the second round. makings of one of the best defensive groups in the NHL.” “He impacts the game so much more than people realize,” Montgomery Lindell’s new deal runs through the end of the 2024-25 season. said. “He’s an impact player who decides a lot of games whether we are Heiskanen will be due a new contract, his first big payday, in 2021. winning or losing because of his ability to shut people down. His ability to Klingberg’s team-friendly deal ends in 2022. With Lindell signed long- create transitional offense, his ability to win one-on-one battles, his term, Stars general manager Jim Nill won’t have to juggle multiple major competitive level. And the exciting part to me is there is so much there defensive contracts at once. room for growth with him, in my opinion.” “It’s very important, we know we’ve got him for the next six years and Montgomery said a few key factors led him to that conclusion. between those three guys we know that’s a very strong core to build a “He already manages those minutes so well, but he’s only going to get defense around,” Nill said. “In today’s game, with how the cap works and better with the puck,” Montgomery said. “He’s had three different head with expansion coming up, there’s always going to be changes on your coaches. So what’s gonna happen when he actually knows what he’s team… but we know we’ve got three guys that any team would want. supposed to do in all situations and can start the year like that? At both We’ve got Esa for six, Miro is going to be here for a long, long time, and ends of the ice, he’s just gonna be so much more comfortable and more John Klingberg has three more years and then I’m going to get him commanding of how we’re going to play with him and his teammates, like extended after that. So we’ve got three core pieces here for a long time vocally. And demanding, not only [of] himself, but his teammates. This is for the Dallas Stars, and it makes our defense really as good as anybody someone that is a huge part of our core leadership.” in the league.”

Montgomery compared it Lindell starting the 2019-20 season at “level The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 eight out of 10” after having to re-set to “level four” under a new coach in each of the past two seasons.

Lindell spent much of the season as John Klingberg’s running mate, and it was a defensive partnership where Lindell deferred more often than not, with Klingberg as the primary puck mover. But Montgomery said Lindell’s stretch without Klingberg, when the Swede had broken his hand, showed that the lefty could take over games consistently.

“I thought that when John got hurt he knew he had to elevate his game offensively, and he did it without sacrificing any of his strengths that were already there,” Montgomery said. “It just shows the ability to add layers to their game without sacrificing, which is really hard to do.”

Lindell registered nine of his 32 points in the 19 games Klingberg missed. He also averaged 1.84 shots per game during that stretch, up from his average of 1.51 when Klingberg was in the lineup.

“You lose somebody of a quality of Klingberg for six weeks, you need to have a stud defenseman underneath him,” Montgomery said. “And what we found out, not only did we have one, we had two (with Miro Heiskanen). So it was somewhat sensational for the overall development. It probably hurt as a team, but if you look at the overall development for the future it was a hidden benefit.”

Montgomery keeps referring to Lindell as part of his long-term leadership group, someone he feels will help define a winning culture that he believes the Stars started to build in his first season at the helm.

“That’s the biggest room for growth as a Dallas Star; it’s his leadership we want to bring more out of,” Montgomery said. “He has so much respect in the dressing room, and people want to hear him. He’s just not there yet where he asserts himself in that capacity, but that’s something that’s going to happen more and more with him. I think this contract in itself says ‘You are a main guy now.’ That, and his evolution as a person. 1144795 Edmonton Oilers A: “I came here with an open mind. I’ve known Craig for a long, long time. We’ve done some things internationally I think and I would see him at things like the world junior and we would talk for half an hour, so we’ve Whatever player moves Holland makes will be around Oilers draft had a relationship. When he told me he had something else going in our two-hour meeting in San Diego last week, I said: ‘Are you sure you don’t want to be an Oiler?’ So I guess what I’m saying is I didn’t even have an opportunity to see if it would work here.” Jim Matheson, Q: Will Gretzky be getting MacTavish’s job as VP of hockey ops?:

A: “I spent lots of time with Keith in San Diego (watching the Bakersfield It’s cliche but there really aren’t enough hours in the day for Ken Holland farm team in the playoffs). He knows I would like him stay. We have to sit right now. down some more but it’s not like when we talk it’s a short meeting. I want Pro meetings, amateur meetings, talking to people about a new head the fans the know when I talk to people whether it’s Craig or Keith, it’s not coach and other things that come up. The Edmonton Oilers’ new general for seven minutes. When I talk to Scott Howson it’s for an hour.” manager hasn’t seen any golf courses here yet and he shoots in the 70s. Q: How open is your management style? No time for that. A: “Anytime there’s change people want to sit down and know what their “Thursday morning, I met with the head athletic trainer and team doctor role will be, what their salary will be, is it a big or small role? I respect for 90 minutes because they wanted to walk through with me how people, the game of hockey and I go through a process, while some everything works from a medical perspective here. Giving me updates on people don’t like that word. I have meetings with people and they’re not all the injuries,” said the new Edmonton Oilers general manager, pointing five minutes.” to Jesse Puljujarvi’s double hip surgery. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.18.2019 “I’m getting important information and it’s important I show people respect.”

Holland still has lots on his plate after his first 10 days on the job. Some long-suffering Oiler fans want him to sweep everybody out. It’s not going to happen, although former coach and GM and senior vice-president of hockey ops Craig MacTavish has left to coach the KHL Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team.

Interim GM Keith Gretzky certainly seems like he’ll have a large role going forward but many others are wondering where they stand: Scott Howson (VP of player development), Duane Sutter (VP of player personnel), Bill Scott (director of salary cap management) and the amateur and pro scouts.

Q: At your just-completed pro meetings did you talk about what kind of players you need, like better bottom-six guys, wingers who can score?

A: “We went over all the Edmonton Oilers players, talked about last year’s Oiler team, talked about Bakersfield and which players might have a chance with us … are they just American League players? Then Scott Howson made a presentation on all the Oiler prospects (junior, college), giving us a time-line on the (Evan) Bouchards and (Dmitri) Samorukovs.”

Q: Do you feel you’ve got a good book on the other NHL teams?

A: “We went over the other 30 teams, all the unrestricted free agents we might look at. We talked about what we liked or didn’t like. It’s like fantasy hockey where you throw around ideas, so when I’m on the phone talking to another general manager I can bring up a name. There is a rumour mill, there’s information I’ve gathered as general manager in Detroit, that Keith Gretzky gathered when he was doing this job. Yes, we’re looking at teams that missed the playoffs, are they more interested in making changes (trades) to their teams?

“Keith Gretzky talked to us this week about what possible trades were out there in the three months he was working the phones as general manager of the Oilers. We talked about what we had to do between now and mid-July to build the team.

“I’ve talked to Craig, I talked to Keith, I talked to Ken Hitchcock and the assistant coaches Glen Gulutzan and Trent Yawney, also the pro scouts and I feel in the time I’ve been here I have a good grasp on the Oilers and their players and what needs to be done. Now I have to go and do it over the next six weeks.”

Q: There’s almost no trades made after the season and before the draft, although Jordan Martinook got dealt from Arizona to Carolina for Marcus Kruger May 3, 2018.

A: “It would make your (media) jobs a lot it easier if we had a trade a week but the reality is they’ll happen at the draft. The chances of a trade happening next Tuesday or Wednesday is highly remote. Every organization is in the same mode we’re in. Right now is when every team is doing their planning and other than finding a coach, the decisions will happen from, say, June 20 to July 5. After the draft, you’ve got interviews with (free-agent) players before July 1.”

Q: Was MacTavish’s job up in the air before he accepted a job coaching in Russia? 1144796 Edmonton Oilers “Jay’s developed from a video coach to an NHL assistant coach to a head coach in the American League. He’s got a ton of experience and he’s a top-notch AHL coach.”

Holland has long list of coaching candidates he's looking into Is he a top-notch NHL head coach?

“He might be but at the end of the day he’s only coached one year,” said Jim Matheson, Published:May 17, 2019 Holland. “The more experience you can get at whatever job you have in life, the better you’ll be. Whether you’re a player or a coach you have to Updated:May 17, 2019 3:00 AM MDT build a resume so when you walk in … that resume says lots. Jay is in the process of building a very good one.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.18.2019 Ken Holland probably feels like a juggler trying to keep so many balls in the air.

The Edmonton Oilers general manager is talking to his pro scouting people, his amateur scouts about the upcoming draft and his team’s medical staff about the injured players, all with his head coaching search wedged into the full picture.

Holland, who has been on the job for 10 days, has started the process of finding his first head coach, but whether it’s Seattle expansion team front man , Dallas assistant Todd Nelson, Oilers assistant Glen Gulutzan, Columbus assistant Brad Shaw, Oilers farm coach Jay Woodcroft, or anybody else on his extensive list, it’s not happening tomorrow.

There are no age considerations. It could be somebody close to 60. It might be somebody 45. All he wants is somebody with a strong presence, somebody who commands a dressing room and a players bench.

“I believe in that very much,” said Holland, sounding a lot like his former coach with the , Mike Babcock, Part 2. “I’ve got a list of 12 to 14 people with a resume I would consider talking to. I’m not meeting them all but I am calling around to gather information to see if I want to spend some time with them.

“I’ve talked to lots of people in the industry, I’m formulating my thoughts and I have talked to a couple of (candidates). I’ll talk to a couple more.

“I’ve leaned on (outgoing Oilers coach) Ken Hitchcock for names because he’s coached against these guys and if he hasn’t, he can pick up the phone and call somebody who’s worked with them,” said Holland. “Ken Hitchcock’s one of the most successful coaches in NHL history and he moves in the coaching circles. I respect his thoughts.”

“I don’t have time to interview 12 to 14 people and I don’t think it’s necessary to talk to that many, but I wanted a long list so I could pare it down. From a time frame, I’d like to think in the next couple of weeks we’ll name a coach, if not sooner.”

Tippett’s name has been front and centre because he’s coached over 1,100 games in Dallas and Arizona. He leads the experience parade in the Pacific Division with Pete DeBoer (San Jose), (Vegas), Todd McLellan (L.A.) and Bill Peters (Calgary) the Oilers may need that match wits with those guys, but not necessarily.

Holland’s also said he wants a coach he can grow with, so maybe that’s somebody younger, like Nelson, who is on that 12-14 man list. Holland knows Nelson, the interim coach here after Dallas Eakins was fired late in 2014, from when he coached Detroit’s farm team in Grand Rapids for three years.

But whether he makes the final cut, who knows?

Holland feels farm coach Jay Woodcroft, who also worked with the Red Wings for several years as one of Mike Babcock’s assistants, did a bang- up job in Bakersfield. But, his elevation to NHL head coach after just one year as a one in the AHL, may be a tad premature.

“I’m really impressed and proud at the development, the growth of Jay,” said Holland. “I saw it when Mike Babcock hired him out of college to be the Detroit video coach. He had a little job, now 12 years later he’s the head coach of our American League team and he did a fabulous job in creating a great culture, a positive feeling.

“As the head coach Jay had a massive influence on all of that happening. It’s so important to have a good minor-league program with a competitive environment where you put kids in with older players and they learn how to win. The playoffs for Bakersfield were great for that. I watched (Evan) Bouchard and (Tyler) Benson and some of the young . 1144797 Edmonton Oilers minutes every night. He was outstanding with Russia at the world juniors and really hasn’t dropped off at all.”

During the playoffs this spring, Samorukov’s numbers exploded. Burnett Dmitri Samorukov is off to the Memorial Cup and is the Oilers’ fastest said the Storm made some adjustments in their power play and that the rising prospect young Oilers prospect was a big part of the change (and success). “He’s a special young man, and has a bright future ahead of him,” said Burnett.

By Allan Mitchell May 17, 2019 Projecting Samorukov

Possibly the best thing to happen to Samorukov is the Oilers’ newly stated plan to slow play young professionals. There’s a lot of hype There were signs early on that the Edmonton Oilers felt Dmitri coming through for him now, but there are struggles ahead. That’s the Samorukov was a different kind of prospect. The club drafted him June nature of the business. Defence is hard. Ken Holland rarely fast-tracked 24, 2017, in Chicago and signed him nine weeks later (Sept. 7) — rare defenders as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings and it’s likely behaviour for the team to rush to sign a third-round draft choice. we’ll see a traditional entry-level three seasons from Samorukov. Edmonton traditionally signs its first-round picks in the weeks that follow the draft, but the second-rounders and below have to wait at least a Two years ago, after he was drafted in the summer, Samorukov attended summer, maybe two. Ryan McLeod, Edmonton’s second-round pick in training camp before being sent back to junior on Sept. 17. A year later, 2018, signed his entry-level deal May 1, 2019, 10 months after his in the fall of 2018, he looked a day late and a dollar short, and was sent selection. out Sept. 16 along with 2018 draftee Olivier Rodrigue. That was probably a tell, the organization had higher expectations for him and his dull Draft day conversations about Samorukov included great praise but also training camp showing didn’t warrant further time with the big club. some frustration over inconsistent play. The major scouting sources had him as a second- to third-round pick. Corey Pronman said: “Samorukov Samorukov’s reaction to the quick demotion: A brilliant season, and is mobile. His skill level isn’t elite, but he’s a smart puck-mover. On confirmation that signing him just nine weeks after he was drafted was defence, he’s not afraid to get involved in the physical play and can win the right play. battles. I see solid hockey IQ in his game.” What does it all mean?

Draft year review Samorukov will play in the Memorial Cup this weekend and next week for The deployed a talented young group of defencemen in the Storm. It will be a great showcase for his considerable skills and a 2016-17, Samorukov’s draft year. Here’s how he compared to his fellow chance for fans to see his progress. rearguards offensively and in goal differential at 5-on-5. In the fall, every player begins with a new slate. Fans should expect The Storm allowed 95 more goals than scored in 2016-17, so it was a Samorukov to go deeper into training camp than in his previous two universal struggle among the team’s regular defencemen. Merkley led seasons, but his pro career will begin in Bakersfield. Edmonton’s depth the team in scoring, with McFadden and Samorukov both finishing inside chart at his position has many hurdles, from Oscar Klefbom, Darnell the top 10. Samorukov survived the season, but didn’t shine in any single Nurse and Andrej Sekera in the NHL to Caleb Jones, William Lagesson category compared to his fellow defencemen (I’ve listed all blue who and Keegan Lowe in California. played more than 37 games). Seeing these numbers, and marrying them If this season is a reflection of this player in all areas, and he continues to to Pronman’s words, I think it’s fair to say the scouts saw something the spike? Coaches will give him more playing time and he will find his way numbers did not imply on his draft day. up the depth chart. Chances are we’ll see him in the NHL during his Draft-plus-one review entry-level deal and it’s possible that first NHL game occurs in 2019-20. The key for the Oilers, and for fans, is to resist rushing the recall. One of the things the 5-on-5 on-ice goal counts show us is how much time each defenceman is spending on the ice. Despite pedestrian totals Samorukov will tell us who he is, on the ice and by the numbers. He is and a poor goal differential at 5-on-5, it was clear Samorukov was already far beyond his draft number; perhaps there’s another gear. Credit playing a lot in the discipline at 17. The trend continued in 2017-18. to Oilers scouts; Samorukov was a helluva pick at No. 84 overall. And the one thing Oilers fans can hold on to is that he has a fairly complete skill Samorukov improved across all categories, with the big item being goal set, making him the most valuable player type. Samorukov can play suppression (GA fell from 77 to 61 at 5-on-5). He’s moving up the depth defence, he can skate well, he plays the modern game of retrieval and chart, having some offensive success and is close to the top in goal outlet splendidly. If he has turned a gear and can impact offensively, we differential. That’s a nice step forward for the young defenceman. could be talking about Samorukov’s exploits for a long time. He’s one of the main reasons to look toward training camp in the fall, while observing Draft-plus-two review him in the Memorial Cup with Guelph for a taste of what’s to come. The Guelph Storm exploded in 2018-19, increasing wins season over The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 season from 30 to 40 and winning the OHL championship. Samorukov led the surge, blossoming as an impact 5-on-5 performer. Offensively he showed nice growth, but his on-ice 5-on-5 goal differential really tells the story.

All numbers are via prospect-stats.com.

Guelph traded several defencemen during the year, including Ryan Merkley, so it makes comparisons difficult, but suffice to say Samorukov played a major role on an OHL championship team.

Samorukov’s growth during his OHL career suggests he exceeded his draft number and his scouting report, but it’s important to confirm via the eye test.

George Burnett’s view

The Storm’s coach (and general manager) is George Burnett, who was the Oilers head coach in 1994-95. Since 2000, he has coached in the OHL for , Belleville, Hamilton and for the last two years, Guelph. Just ahead of the Memorial Cup which begins Friday, Burnett talked to Guy Flaming from The Pipeline Show about Samorukov and his impact on the team.

“He could easily be our MVP in the playoffs as well. His ability to defend, big hard hits, plays against the best players every night, plays big 1144798 Los Angeles Kings Alex Turcotte

Team: U.S. National Development Team U-18 (in 2018-19)

ROYAL LINEAGE: ALEX TURCOTTE, COLE CAUFIELD (FEAT. TONY Birthday: February 26, 2001 GRANATO) Hometown: Island Lake, IL

Position: Center JON ROSENMAY 17, 2019 Height: 5’11

Weight: 180 ALUMNIAUDIONEWS LINKSNHL NEWSPROSPECTS AND SCOUTINGVIDEO 2018-19 points: 37 GP, 27-35=62, 22 PIM (with USNTDP)

You recall the disclaimer. The LA Kings are slotted to pick 5th and 22nd NHL Central Scouting: 4 (North American skaters) in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, June 21 at Rogers Arena in International Scouting Service: 6 (May 1) Vancouver. They might take U.S. National Team Development Program forwards Alex Turcotte or Cole Caufield with that 5th pick. They might TSN.ca: Bob McKenzie: TBD not! As part of the recurring Royal Lineage feature, LA Kings Insider will TSN.ca/Craig Button: TBD familiarize you with a handful of players who may be available when it’s Los Angeles’ turn to step towards the podium on Friday night. TSN.ca/Darren Yourke: 9 (May 9)

And to get you familiar with these Badgers-to-be, LAKI reached out to The Athletic/Corey Pronman: TBD University of Wisconsin Men’s Hockey Head Coach Tony Granato, he of 380 games and 305 points in an LA Kings uniform, a Legends Night, a ESPN.com/Chris Peters: 4 (May 6) special appreciation for Bob Miller, and an incoming class among the NHL.com/Mike Morreale: TBD country’s best with five players listed in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, including Turcotte and Caufield among the top-10 North McKeen’s Hockey: 4 (April 9) American skaters. Future Considerations: 9 (Winter) So! Alex Turcotte. Center. He comes with another disclaimer. He’s very possibly going to be the fourth pick in the draft. But there have been NJ.com/Chris Ryan: 7 (May 14) unforeseen variables every year – variables at that very fourth spot – and Keep in mind that these aren’t final rankings because the Royal Lineage given that Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and Bowen Byram appear poised feature is debuting earlier this year. There will still be movement that in to occupy the first three spots in the draft, whether he’s available at five Turcotte’s case will trend towards a selection as one of the earliest likely will come down to a yes or no from Colorado. players chosen after Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko are off the board. Like Hughes, Caufield and several others who will be profiled for the fifth Several rankings are yet to take into account players’ performances at pick, Turcotte played for a dynamic U.S. National Development Team U- the U-18 World Championship, and I’ll continue to share updates and 18 squad, where he posted 27 goals and 62 points in 37 games after developments relating to trends near the top of the draft. moving past a pair of injuries that derailed the first half of the season. Rena Laverty/USNTDP One was the dreaded hip injury that we know all too well, but Turcotte had a terrific second half, setting the stage for what was expected to be And, lo, Cole Caufield. Make sure you also check out Lisa Dillman’s an important U-18 tournament that would influence how he’d trend recent breakdown on Cole ($), who is among those who will certainly be towards the draft. Turcotte was actually sick at the event, with USNTDP considered by Los Angeles. When you look at Turcotte, Caufield, Trevor U-18 team Head Coach John Wroblewski confirming on Adam Kimelman Zegras or perhaps Matthew Boldy, the Kings could end up drafting their and Mike Moreale’s NHL Draft Class podcast that he was still rebounding first USNDTP player since Hudson Fasching in 2013, and their first in the from a bout of mononucleosis and playing at “around 75%.” He still first round since Derek Forbort in 2010. managed to put up four goals and nine points in seven games, ranking fifth on the team in scoring, even though he had been zapped of strength Caufield. In Upper-Midwestern syntax, it actually translates to “premier for weeks and hadn’t practiced with the official tournament team prior to goal scorer.” He scored 14 goals in seven games at the U-18s! They say arriving late and joining them in Sweden. never to use punctuation, or profanity, but damn you, AP Stylebook, this is a blog, and we’re talking about Cole Caufield’s ability to bury the puck. Granato describes it best in our conversation, but much of what we hear Anyway, those 14 goals were five more than were scored by Jack about Turcotte is his skating and tenacity, and specific to his skating, his Hughes, who ranked second in overall tournament goal scoring, and acceleration. And while he certainly profiles as a highly skilled offensive- accentuates a season with the U-18 team in which he amassed 72 goals minded player, he’s also an effective forechecker with a bulldog nature in 64 games. The previous single-season goal record was Auston as a 5-foot-11, 180-pound center who goes to hard places at both ends Matthews’ 55 in 2014-15; Caufield also set the all-time NTDP record with of the ice to win pucks. 127 goals, which included 44 in 40 games with the U-17 team in 2017- 18. “When I saw him play the first time, the thing that stood out to me was how hard he played without the puck, so if the other team had the puck, ALSO: He is 5-foot-7. Chicago sniper Alex DeBrincat, who didn’t turn 21 he got it back for his team fast,” Granato said. “He reminded me of until December and still scored 41 goals this season, is also 5-foot-7, and Jonathan Toews that way, he reminded me of Kopitar that way, and for a their comparisons are inescapable. 15-year-old kid to understand and be that committed to it, especially when you’re that high end of a skilled player, was something that stood Via Chris Peters of ESPN: out to me.” Caufield says he models his game after DeBrincat, the Blackhawks’ new Via Morreale: star winger. The ability to find space and absolutely wire a puck are among the easy comparables aside from size and nationality. He has a NTDP coach John Wroblewski considers Turcotte one of the driving natural scoring instinct that might even rival DeBrincat, who graduated forces of the team. from the OHL as one of the league’s top 10 all-time scorers.

“Alex plays an abrasive style and is a jackknife because he’s got so “With Cole, it’s a combination of things,” says John Wroblewski, who many different tools,” Wroblewski said. “Jack Hughes is our most coached Caufield the past two seasons with the U.S. team. “For truly electrifying player but Alex is right there as our most valuable player great players, it has to be a mix, and he’s got it. It’s the truest stick I’ve because his game just transcends so much in so many different areas. ever seen coming through the NTDP. Everything that comes off of it is pure. But there’s something else there. It’s a burning desire to play the “He has grit, can slow it down, speed it up, bring it to the net or play on game. True enjoyment and elation every time the puck goes into the net. the half-wall.” That combination is pretty deadly.” Rena Laverty/USNTDP It’s also important to note that born on December 18, DeBrincat was a late-birthday draft pick, while Caufield was born January 2, 2001 and was the oldest player at the U-18s. Malcolm Gladwell devoted the first chapter of Outliers explaining why that was important; there are skeptics as well as advocates of his study.

But while there is a tend towards a smaller, faster NHL, Caufield, like DeBrincat, is also a puck hound who retrieves well and wins pucks back, and once in the offensive zone is very capable of finding the soft ice to unleash his acclaimed shot. He was listed at 162 pounds at the U-18s, and while there’s work to be done on his lower body as he nears the pro game, Granato also cautioned against an obtuse one-track focus towards bulking up.

“His ability to get open and be elusive and find space in the offensive zone gives him the opportunity to use his greatest asset, which is his shot. So you don’t want to slow him down by putting on a bunch of muscle and weight just to put muscle and weight on,” he said, noting that Caufield will find success by playing the same type of game that resulted in such a dream season for the Under-18 team.

“To be able to do that, he’s going to have to rely on his quickness, he’s going to have to continue, strengthwise, especially through his core and through his legs, to grow and develop that way to play an 82-game season,” Granato continued. “But his pure ability and his ability to play in traffic has always been something that he’s been willing to do, and it hasn’t affected him in any way. He hasn’t been beat up, he hasn’t slowed down as the season’s gone along. For the most part, he’s been very, very healthy for a younger player.”

Rena Laverty/USNTDP

Cole Caufield

Team: U.S. National Development Team U-18 (in 2018-19)

Birthday: January 2, 2001

Hometown: Stevens Point, WI

Position: Right Wing

Height: 5’7

Weight: 162

2018-19 points: 64 GP, 72-28=100, 39 PIM (with USNTDP)

NHL Central Scouting: 8 (North American skaters)

International Scouting Service: 16 (May 1)

TSN.ca: Bob McKenzie: TBD

TSN.ca/Craig Button: TBD

TSN.ca/Darren Yourke: 5 (May 9)

The Athletic/Corey Pronman: TBD

ESPN.com/Chris Peters: 5 (May 6)

NHL.com/Mike Morreale: TBD

McKeen’s Hockey: 13 (April 9)

Future Considerations: 16 (Winter)

NJ.com/Chris Ryan: 8 (May 14)

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144799 Minnesota Wild

Wild forward Luke Kunin joins U.S. team at hockey world championships

By Sarah McLellan

MAY 17, 2019 — 11:34AM

Wild forward Luke Kunin was added to the U.S. national team roster today and joined the team in Slovakia, where it is participating in the World Championships.

Kunin's season ended when the Iowa Wild was eliminated from the American Hockey League playoffs. He had six goals in 11 playoff games at Iowa after scoring six goals in 49 games with the Wild.

The former University of Wisconsin standout was captain of the U.S. junior national team when it won a gold medal in 2017.

The U.S. roster is now maxed out at 25 players. It is 3-1 in the tournament so far and has three preliminary round games remaining, including one against Denmark on Saturday.

Wild defenseman Ryan Suter is also on Team USA.

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144800 Minnesota Wild

Former Gopher, Wild hockey players chosen to lead Stillwater hockey

By David LaVaque

MAY 17, 2019 — 10:34AM

Earlier this winter, Mira Jalosuo and Greg Zanon were coaches in the Stillwater youth ranks on opposite sides of a split ice practice session. Months later, they became varsity head coaches at the high school level.

Jalosuo, a Finland-born defender who played college hockey at Minnesota, and Zanon, a Canada-born defenseman who played professional hockey for the Wild, are eager to co-author a new ice age in Stillwater.

“When he got the job, I called to congratulate him,” said Jalosuo, named in April to lead the girls' program. “I know both of us want to support each other and make Stillwater hockey one community.”

“We’re fighting for the same purpose,” Zanon said.

Both coaches seek to make their respective programs thrive. The Stillwater girls’ program won state titles in 2007 and 2009. The boys broke through and reached state tournaments in 2014 and 2016.

Both rookie head coaches plan to put their teams in the state tournament mix. And they have a similar philosophy on how best to get the job done.

“My roots as a Finnish hockey player taught me to be gritty,” said Jalosuo, 30, who won two NCAA titles at Minnesota and a bronze medal with Finland at the 2018 Olympics. “That means being willing to block shots, backchecking and outworking other teams.”

Zanon, 38, who embodied that style in 493 NHL games played from 2005-13, said, “We want to be a skating team that’s hard-nosed. We want teams to hate having to play us.”

Zanon, his wife and three children live in Lake Elmo. While some of the Stillwater hockey parents unsuccessfully lobbied for Zanon’s services, middle daughter Alayna nudged her father to get back on the ice. Helping out with the 10-year-olds led to an after-practice meeting with Matt Doman, boys’ varsity coach. That led to Zanon volunteering to help the varsity for part of the 2017-18 season, which turned into an assistant role last winter.

“This was an opportunity to get back into the team atmosphere of hockey,” Zanon said. “I don’t know that it was so much wanting to coach. But high school is a good age. You can give them as much as they can absorb and you see them blossom. And when does a job at an elite program like Stillwater going to open up?”

Jalosuo knew Eric St. Martin, director of girls’ hockey within the Stillwater Area Hockey Association, and got involved with skills training and coaching. Last season, her U12A team posted a 42-6-2 record.

Coaching the varsity means Jalosuo gets to simplify her hockey life. Last winter, while coaching in the youth ranks, she also served as assistant coach at both Wayzata, a top-10 high school program, and Hamline University, which reached the NCAA Division III championship game.

“I was all over the place,” she said with a laugh.

Restoring Stillwater’s place among the state’s elite ignites Jalosuo’s competitive instincts.

“I like the pressure to be successful in order to keep your job,” she said. “I was the same way as a player. I like the challenge.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144801 Minnesota Wild Teammates care about Sertich, who lives alone and cooks for himself in the four-bedroom house where he grew up after his parents emigrated from Croatia, and are quick to help him with whatever he needs.

Duluth's 97-year-old hockey legend Mark Sertich keeps on skating “I often say to myself, ‘If it wasn’t for these guys I probably wouldn’t be where I’m at right now,’ ” Sertich said.

By Pam Louwagie Star Tribune On the three mornings he drives to the rink each week, Sertich rises at 5 a.m. so he can get in a few exercises before playing: a couple dozen MAY 17, 2019 — 12:12PM push-ups, a few lifts of 18-pound weights, leg stretches.

“It’s kind of nice to be in shape,” he said, though he noted, “when I was young I did a lot more.” DULUTH – Mark Sertich sat inside the hockey locker room early Thursday, fumbling with an arthritic finger to tighten the laces on his Now, Sertich says, he’ll take whatever he can get. skates. He couldn’t fully stroke his right leg on his skates because of his injury, He had torn a tendon in his right hip while skating several months earlier, but, he said, “you do what you have to do.” and the injury had been hard to shake. Doctors told him surgery likely wouldn’t help — not at age 97. Straddling the boards to glide onto the ice Thursday morning, Sertich nimbly handled the puck with his stick, his hand-eye coordination still So Sertich had been toughing it out, unwilling to give up the game that strong. He can still stop pucks with his skate blades and work them into has kept him young at heart for so long, the game that led him to a “great stickhandling position, one player noted. bunch of guys” and teammates who now feel like family. Mark Sertich, who will be 98 in July, still laces up his skates three times a “I hope it gets better,” Sertich said under his gray handlebar mustache as week for games with his friends at the Essentia Duluth Heritage Center. he reached to pull on his jersey. “It takes time I guess.” The team put him at center ice for the opening faceoff, where he and his Teammate Butch Williams, a former NHL right wing, couldn’t resist a little opponent tapped their sticks three times before vying for the puck. dry ribbing: Sertich won. “Some of those nagging injuries can last into your hundreds,” he quipped, the room erupting in laughter. “Look at that!” a teammate marveled from the bench.

Hours before the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center would induct Players tend to give Sertich a little bit of a berth. That’s what you do for a Sertich into its Athletic Hall of Fame at a dinner Thursday evening, his revered fixture at the rink. teammates — a few less than half his age — couldn’t help but gush with “You don’t want to be the guy that knocks him over,” one player admitted. amazement over Sertich amid the teasing. “You’d be banned here for life. This is supposed to be all in fun.”

“A wonderful, wonderful man,” Williams called him. Sertich knows it, but he still teases them back. They’re afraid, he says “Unbelievable,” said another teammate, noting that Sertich will turn 98 in with a smile, that he might get the best of them. mid-July. After a few shifts up and down the ice, Sertich, wearing No. 15, When the team awarded Sertich a lifetime achievement certificate and positioned himself in front of the goal as a teammate fed him the puck. free ice time fees on his 80th birthday, nobody thought they’d be covering He hesitated a bit, changing his rhythm to try to throw off the goalie. his expenses for the next 18 years. Williamson daughter-father duo named Wayzata girls' hockey coaches “They gave me a good deal,” Sertich said. “I’ll stick with that as long as I can.” Williamson daughter-father duo named Wayzata girls' hockey coaches

The players, many of whom are retired or active firefighters, have seen Then he swung his stick, lifting the puck into the air and safely into the “Sertie” lose teeth in the rink, break his ankle, puncture a lung and bloody net. his face in a fall. “He got a goal!” someone said from the bench. Despite the bumps and bruises, he keeps bouncing back. A few minutes later, Sertich returned the favor, feeding the puck to a Maybe it’s less surprising once people understand that Sertich is a guy teammate for a goal. whose Army division liberated a concentration camp in Austria and served under Gen. George Patton in World War II’s Battle of the Bulge; “Nice pass Sertie!” a player yelled. who raised seven children with his wife and coached their youth hockey As Sertich rested on the bench while others rotated onto the ice, teams; who took up marathon-running and has a lifetime entry into the teammates congratulated him on his day’s accomplishments. NorthShore Inline Marathon. “Pretty lucky,” Sertich said with a nod. “Pretty lucky.” For a few years now, Sertich has been beating his own achievements as the Guinness World Record-holder for oldest player.

But it’s the friendships formed through hockey that help keep him going, Star Tribune LOADED: 05.18.2019 Sertich says.

Teammates often gather for coffee at Sertich’s kitchen table after their 8 a.m. games, walking unannounced through the back door of his West Duluth home and helping themselves to a cup.

They talk about hockey, sure, but they also talk about current affairs, their families, their health.

Team organizer Dane Youngblom, 63, helps Sertie arrange appointments with the VA hospital for hearing aids and other medical needs.

“My doggone hearing is just shot,” Sertich said.

For a few years, Sertich has been beating his own achievements as the record-holder for oldest ice hockey player. 1144802 Minnesota Wild

Wild forward Luke Kunin added to Team USA roster

By Dane Mizutani | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 10:02 am | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at 2:57 PM

It’s official: Green Line to cut weekday service from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Wild forward Luke Kunin has been added to the Team USA roster and will join the team at the World Championships in Slovakia. He was the final addition to the roster which is now at the maximum of 25 players allowed.

Kunin, 21, recorded 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in 49 games with the Wild last season while bouncing up and down the lineup. It was a big step forward for Kunin, who spent last offseason recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

A first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, Kunin already has two gold medals to his name — one as the captain of the U.S. National Junior Team and one as the captain of the U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team. He played two seasons at the University of Wisconsin prior to turning pro.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144803 For starters, the value of high-priced snipers can be overrated.

Remember last summer when was the big catch for the ? The oddsmakers installed the Leafs as a Stanley Hickey on hockey: Mitch Marner is worth offer-sheet risk for Canadiens Cup favourite and, while Tavares had a good season, the Leafs were bounced in the first round of the playoffs.

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE This playoffs show there is no correlation between high-scoring stars and playoff success, and the final four lineup illustrates the truth that, once a Updated: May 17, 2019 team makes the playoffs, anything can happen.

If you look at the top 25 scorers in the NHL, you’ll see that only two of them — Boston’s Brad Marchand and San Jose defenceman Brent Burns In an ideal world, Canadiens general manager would hit a — are still playing. The four division leaders were all bounced in the first home run in the NHL free-agent derby this summer and add some round and they combined to win a total of six games. scoring punch by signing Matt Duchene. Those results are a rebuke of the misguided Montreal fans who were Or Artemi Panarin. rooting for last year’s team to go in the tank so they would have a better Or maybe he could shore up the defence by adding two-time Norris chance in the draft lottery. The inherent danger in that strategy is it Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. breeds a losing culture. The Canadiens might have missed the playoffs, but they provided the fans with exciting hockey and reasons to hope for It’s more likely his focus will be to build on the success the Canadiens the future. enjoyed during the past season by looking at players who can fill a top- six forward role or a top-four defence spot without breaking the bank or saddling the team with a long-term contract for a declining talent. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.18.2019 Success might seem like a strange word to describe a season in which the Canadiens failed to make the playoffs but, when you consider the expectations going into the season, the campaign has to be considered a success and there’s every reason to believe that next season will be better even if Bergevin doesn’t hit that home run.

Panarin or Duchene would be a nice addition, but it’s almost certain Panarin is headed to the , probably in a package deal that includes Columbus teammate and fellow Russian Sergei Bobrovsky.

As for Duchene, the rumour mill says the Canadians are pursuing him and, at first glance, Montreal has the cap space to overpay him at US$8- 9 million a season. According to the folks at CapFriendly.com, Bergevin is US$10 million under the cap, which is expected to go up by another US$4 million next season. But before you start throwing money at Duchene on a long-term deal, you have to consider the Canadiens have to deal with Max Domi next summer, while Brendan Gallagher, and Tomas Tatar become unrestricted free agents in 2021.

There is one long-term, big-money deal that is worth pursuing and that involves an offer sheet for Mitch Marner, who is the Toronto’s Maple Leafs’ best player. Offer sheets are rare and GMs who offer them run the risk of upsetting their peers. But Bergevin noted in his season-ending address to the media that they represent an available tool and Marner is worth the shot.

One impediment to offer sheets is the compensation due if they are successful. If the Canadiens offered Marner a salary between US$8.54 million and US$10.56 million and they are successful, the Canadiens would have to give the Leafs two first-round draft choices, as well as a second-rounder and a third-rounder. Bergevin hates giving up draft picks, but that is a fair price to pay for a 22-year-old who is already an established star in the NHL.

The Leafs would have the opportunity to match the Canadiens’ offer — nine of the 10 previous offer sheets have been matched — but that would represent a win of another kind for Montreal. The Leafs have serious salary-cap issues after giving big-money deals to John Tavares, and, inexplicably, William Nylander. Even without an offer sheet, the Leafs are going to have problems satisfying Marner, who has to get more than the US$7 million the team gave Nylander.

There is an argument to be made the Canadiens can move forward with nothing more than a minor tuneup. The urgency to find help up the middle is gone, but it would be nice to add a top-six forward, preferably someone who can help the power play. A left-handed defenceman is another priority and, until Charlie Lindgren shows he can do the job, an experienced backup goaltender is a must.

There’s a variety of affordable mid-range forwards who might be available, players like Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, Micheal Ferland and Brett Connolly. And, if Bergevin is looking for a low-rent, offer-sheet candidate, he could consider the Leafs’ , who would feel right at home with Montreal’s growing Finnish population.

There are some lessons the Canadiens can learn from this year’s playoffs. 1144804 Montreal Canadiens among any player, I think, especially after they play here. Not to say my time in Montreal wasn’t great, it was. But there was a lot of adversity and when things don’t go well, you’re always looking for answers. It seemed What the Puck: NHL grass is greener on Bruins' side of the fence that a lot of the times it was directed towards me.”

In another words, yet another Hab who is much happier in another organization. Interesting. BRENDAN KELLY, MONTREAL GAZETTE

Updated: May 17, 2019 Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.18.2019

Here’s a quick and easy quiz to start things off today.

How many Stanley Cups have the Montreal Canadiens won since 2011? How many times in the last eight years have they made it to the Cup final? The answers are zero and zero.

With the Boston Bruins sweeping those Carolina Hurricanes “jerks” via a 4-0 pummelling Thursday night, the Habs’ archrivals are set to go the Cup final for the third time since 2011. To refresh the selective memories of delusional Habs fans, Boston won the Cup in 2011, then made it back to the final in 2013 and famously came within seconds of forcing Game 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks. So that adds up to one Cup and three finals in eight years, and most people I know think the Bruins are the most likely 2019 Cup winners.

Yet here in Montreal, so many are still saying that everything is just fine and dandy with their hockey team. The strange argument goes something like this: We missed the playoffs for the third time in four years, but we have all these great prospects and the future’s bright. Well I’d suggest that predicting the future, plus $4.50, will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Who knows what’s gonna happen in the next few seasons?

All we know for sure is what happened in the past and by that measure, the situation with the Canadiens is dire. In my last column, I pointed out our real rivals are the Bruins, but I’m beginning to wonder how long that will last. You can only be rivals in the NHL if you meet in the playoffs and you can’t meet anyone in the playoffs if you don’t reach the post-season. The fact is there is a real rivalry building between the Maple Leafs and the Bruins because they’ve met in a few recent hard-fought post-season series.

So it’s hard not to look at the fact the Bruins are headed back to the final and think, why is it Marc Bergevin’s Canadiens can’t have that kind of success? There’s is justifiable excitement about the young players coming down the Habs pipeline, such as , Nick Suzuki, Josh Brook and Ryan Poehling.

But even if they all turn out to be full-on NHL successes — which is unlikely — you still have to ask: Where are the team’s equivalent of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnák and Brad Marchand? You might say Montreal has the best goalie in hockey in Carey Price, but your friendly neighbourhood Bruins fan will retort the Bs have a goalie, Tuukka Rask, who is playing better in the playoffs than Price ever did and is costing them US$3.5 million less annually than Price.

(One of the reasons Rask is flying in the playoffs is because he was well rested. That’s because the Bruins have a quality backup in Jaroslav Halak, who played 40 games this season. Price played 66 games because Bergevin oddly did not get a decent backup when it became clear Antti Niemi was no longer NHL material. Price would likely have been exhausted if the Habs had made the playoffs.)

The fact is the Bruins are a better team than the Habs. End of story.

Pacioretty embraces Vegas: Did you see Max Pacioretty’s comments about how much he loves playing for the Vegas Golden Knights? The former Canadiens captain told The Athletic’s Jesse Granger: “Being in Vegas has exceeded all my expectations. We have everything here, the best fans, the best ownership, coaching, players in the room, weather, city and building. It’s really a privilege to not only play in the NHL, but really to play in Vegas. Who would’ve thought that before there was a team here that we would be talking about this place as a destination that every player wants to play in this organization?”

It’s hard not to see the comments as a veiled hit at Canadiens management, underlining once again that there is no love lost between Bergevin and Patches. That becomes even clearer farther down in the column: “Genuinely, I meant everything that I said about this organization, the city and the fans. It would be ranked No. 1 in the NHL 1144805 Montreal Canadiens Though his overall production may warrant such a raise, the fact that he struggled mightily when playing without Kotkaniemi is a red flag.

Armia does a decent job at 5-on-5, helps the penalty kill and provides a Why the Canadiens would be wise to sign Joel Armia to a short-term deal warm body for the power play. But there’s a fair amount of evidence to suggest that the Canadiens could surely upgrade the roster by replacing Armia with a better player. By Marc Dumont He’s a decent option, but as Kotkaniemi continues to develop, you’ll May 17, 2019 eventually want someone on his line that not only improves No. 15’s play, but can also tread water on his own.

A short-term deal seems like the perfect solution for all involved, When the Canadiens acquired Joel Armia, Steve Mason and a couple of especially if Armia believes he can improve his overall play in the next picks from the for Simon Bourque, they were hoping they couple of years. It also provides the Canadiens with the option of trading found a winger that would fill several needs on the roster. the player in the near future without teams having to worry about a long- Prior to Armia’s arrival, the Canadiens only had two forwards who shot term contract. from the right side; Brendan Gallagher and Andrew Shaw. At 6-foot-4 As it stands, Armia is a good, not great, placeholder that can be and 210 pounds, Armia immediately became the tallest and heaviest sacrificed as trade bait if the Canadiens find an opportunity for an regularly-used forward on the team. It also didn’t hurt that Armia upgrade, which, given his results, shouldn’t be an impossible task. happened to come from Pori, the same town in Finland rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi calls home.

Armia would not only serve as a mentor to the young centre when it The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 came to adjusting to life in the NHL, but given they have a similar frame, the elder Finn taught Kotkaniemi how to better use his size in puck battles, which happens to be one of Armia’s greatest strengths and one of Kotkaniemi’s greatest weaknesses.

Armia finished the season with 13 goals and 10 assists in 57 games, a pro-rated 82-game total of 19 goals and 14 assists – very respectable numbers for a third-line player.

When playing with Kotkaniemi on the third line, the pair enjoyed a fair amount of success, controlling the majority of the shots, goals and 5-on-5 scoring chances.

However, when Kotkaniemi played without Armia, his numbers remained impressively high. The same cannot be said about Armia’s time away from Kotkaniemi. When he wasn’t playing with his fellow countryman, he produced below-replacement level numbers. Well below. On the Finnish scale of excellence, he was much closer to a Niinimaa than a Lehtinen.

This phenomenon held true when Artturi Lehkonen was separated from Kotkaniemi as well, he had a significant downtick in numbers, though he still managed to maintain decent results. We can draw a fairly straight line correlating the success of the two older Finns with their time spent with the 18-year-old centre, an incredibly rare feat for such a young player.

Overall, Armia’s 5-on-5 production dropped this season from 1.69 points per 60 with the Jets last season to 1.14 points per 60 with the Canadiens. Though that’s definitely not ideal, it has more to do with his lack of secondary assists this season.

Despite his rather timid production, Armia saw his ice time increase in three key situations: 5-on-5, the penalty kill and the power play.

His presence on the power play was a situational issue rather than a reward for good results. As previously mentioned, the Canadiens lacked right-handed shots, especially on the power play. In a desperate attempt to replace Alex Galchenyuk’s goal-scoring, Armia became their presence on the right side by default, which, as you know by now, did not yield fantastic results.

In just under 100 minutes of power play ice time, Armia scored two goals and added four assists. It was actually the first time in Armia’s career that he’s managed to score on the power play, despite playing over 200 minutes on the man advantage prior to his first goal.

Relative to the rest of the team, Armia actually had decent results, though we should keep in mind that we’re talking about a historically awful power play and Armia’s track record in that situation is about as bad as it gets.

However, his time on the penalty kill yielded different results. When Armia was on the ice, opponents had a much harder time shooting from high danger areas.

Determining value

To get an idea of his next contract, we once again turn to the analysts at Evolving-Hockey.com, who project the restricted free agent could earn up to $3.43 million per year over a two-year term. 1144806

How Devils prospect Marian Studenic has soaked in World Championships while playing in his native Slovakia

Updated May 17, 1:28 PM; Posted May 17, 12:14 PM

By Chris Ryan

The Devils are well represented by NHL talent at the 2019 IIHF World Championships.

But the tournament has a little extra meaning for prospect Marian Studenic, who has the privilege to play the tournament in his home country.

Studenic has suited up for host Slovakia during the tournament, and knowing the championships would be played there, he kept the thought in the back of his mind during the 2018-19 campaign before getting the official invite to the team.

Kaapo Kakko is off to a red-hot start at the World Championships. Will it impact his draft position with Jack Hughes?

“During the season, I tried to just focus on what I was doing there, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about the possibility of being on this team,” Studenic told NHL.com. “I was hoping to be invited, for sure. I knew it would be a special opportunity and maybe the only time I’ll have the chance to play in the World Championship here in Slovakia.”

And during Slovakia’s games so far, Studenic has found a way to make an impact. He had three assists during the team’s first four games, which included an upset over the in the opening match of the tournament.

Slovakia won its second game on Friday, beating France to keep its hopes for a berth in the medal round alive.

Studenic was a 2017 fifth-round pick by the Devils, going 143rd overall, and after playing one additional season of junior hockey with the Hamilton Bulldogs, he turned pro with the Binghamton Devils in 2018-19.

His speed helped him quickly assimilate to the AHL, where he finished with 13 goals and 15 assists in 64 games during his first pro season.

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Stanley Cup Playoffs 2019: How ex-Devils defenseman John Moore helped Boston Bruins win Eastern Conference Finals

Updated May 17, 10:35 AM; Posted May 17, 10:29 AM

By Mike Rosenstein

The Boston Bruins are four victories away from winning the 2019 Stanley Cup. And a pair of former New Jersey Devils are part of the winning equation for Boston.

New Jersey traded forward Marcus Johansson to the Bruins in February before the deadline. General manager Ray Shero got back a 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 fourth-round pick.

Boston got a solid contributor for its title run, with Johansson picking up three goals and six assists in 15 playoff games.

And then there’s defenseman John Moore. He signed with the Bruins last summer, getting a five-year, $13.75 million contract. He played in 61 regular season games this season, collecting four goals and 13 points.

2019 NHL Draft prospect Kaapo Kakko scored another absurd goal for Finland at the IIHF World Championships.

But Moore had been missing in action during the playoffs, suiting up for just four games. Until Thursday night, when Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was a scratch with an undisclosed injury. According to the Boston Globe, Moore did a good job filling some big shoes for Boston.

On Thursday, Chara, 42, ceded his lineup spot to John Moore, who played for the first time since Game 7 of the Toronto series. Moore had struggled with an upper-body injury since he was checked in the back by Tampa Bay’s Adam Erne on March 25.

Moore, like Chara a left shot, allowed Cassidy to maintain his left-right balance. Matt Grzelcyk moved up to play with McAvoy, his fellow BU Terrier. Moore skated on the third pair with Connor Clifton. The trusted Torey Krug-Brandon Carlo pair remained intact. Krug skated 27 minutes, while Carlo logged 23:28.

Moore also filled Chara’s spot as Carlo’s partner on the penalty kill.

Moore logged 11:48 of ice time over 17 shifts and helped shut down the Hurricanes’ offense in Game 4, which saw Carolina go 0-for-2 on the power play. The Bruins won 4-0 to complete a four-game sweep of the Hurricanes.

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said he expects Chara to return for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the San Jose Sharks or St. Louis Blues, which means Moore could return to his spot on the bench.

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NJ Devils dissolve partnership with Metropolitan Riveters ahead of schedule

Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer

Published 6:31 p.m. ET May 17, 2019 | Updated 6:32 p.m. ET May 17, 2019

In the fall of 2017, the Devils took a bold step toward supporting the growth of hockey and women in sports by entering into a partnership agreement with the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women’s Hockey League.

It was a progressive move to become the first NHL team to align with the then-burgeoning women’s league, but the partnership has come to a close with a year left on the contract.

ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported the demise of the partnership Friday and the team confirmed the move in a statement to the network.

"Recognizing the current landscape, we believe the best way to support the future of women's hockey is by reallocating our resources to focus strategically on grassroots initiatives that positively impact female youth hockey players in our area, while leveraging our resources to help train, support and develop women's hockey players competing at the highest levels.”

The Riveters won the in March of 2018 but the league has struggled to gain traction. After the CWHL folded earlier this year, a number of players refusing to play for the NWHL or any other North American professional women’s league until a single, sustainable league is created.

Riveters and USA Hockey star has been one a vocal member of that group. One of the highest-paid players in the league, she makes roughly $8,000 a year. Team USA allows her to train full-time and she is supplementing her income with sponsorships and a job designing sportswear collection called AK28, in partnership with Gongshow Lifestyle Hockey Apparel.

But other players make as little as $2,500 per season. Many don’t live in the areas their teams call home and are forced to pay their own way to fly games and those not backed by a governing body have other jobs. The athletes don't have health insurance, equipment managers and the Riveters went several months without an athletic trainer last season.

The concern is that the league’s model has proven unsustainable.

There are rumors of a forthcoming women’s league that will be backed by the NHL, similar to the NBA’s partnership with the WNBA, but so far those rumors are unsubstantiated.

The Devils were not only the first but also the last NHL team to partner with an NWHL team. Last week, Buffalo Sabres’ owner Kim Pegula announced she would relinquish control of the Buffalo Beats, one of five teams in the NWHL.

The Devils and shared resources with the Riveters, including the team’s practice facility, RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House. The goal was also to utilize the team’s marketing and sale arms in an effort to help promote the team and grow the game.

But excluding ice time, that benefits of the partnership were somewhat overstated.

The club did bundle Riveters tickets with Devils’ tickets and sold tickets through their website but the marketing efforts were scarce when it came to reaching new fans. Grassroots efforts didn't come to fruition. The Riveters were treated as an afterthought.

The two clubs did partner up for a Learn to Play program for girls this spring. The eight-week program is still ongoing, set to conclude Sunday.

The Riveters will remain in the area but will have to find another place to call home.

Bergen Record LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144809 New York Rangers season, and with unknown prodigy Igor Shesterkin coming over from the KHL, what is the Rangers’ future in nets — the place where Davidson so admirably patrolled from 1975 until the early 1980s before injuries John Davidson the right man for job at critical Rangers junction derailed him?

These are good questions to have. The Rangers are in a good place, still in familiar hands. There is continuity in this transition while also bringing Brett Cyrgalis renewed perspective.

“Today is the start of a new and exciting chapter in New York Rangers history,” Garden chairman James Dolan said in a statement. It was becoming clear this was the only solution for the Rangers, the only one that made enough sense they would wait for it. Dolan hired the right guy. The only guy. Now it’s to be seen if J.D. can do the job. How much longer does not have to be pondered any more, as the Blueshirts got their man and John Davidson is returning to the fold to be team president. New York Post LOADED: 05.18.2019 One might be inclined to say, “Oh baby!”

Davidson — the longtime Rangers broadcaster, who coined that phrase, and the goalie who led the Blueshirts to the 1979 Stanley Cup final on a bum knee — is deservedly a fan favorite. There is the intelligence and experience that make “J.D.” a home run for the job. There also is the personality and loyalty that make him a match unlike any other to replace a legend like Glen Sather as the man running one of the league’s marquee franchises.

With Sather’s compatriot also stepping down Thursday, the corner office is all Davidson’s. General manager Jeff Gorton has done a terrific job to get the Rangers to the point at which they’re rounding the corner, but now it’s Davidson at the wheel during the most critical juncture.

There is a lot of work to do. This rebuilding is at a point at which it can either be accelerated or slow-played through a plethora of big-time decisions. There are the two first-round picks, including No. 2 overall that represents the Rangers’ best draft position since they took in the 1966 amateur draft.

So Davidson will be closely watching the NHL combine that comes in two weeks in Buffalo, studying to understand what he will get in either Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko after the Devils pick at No. 1. And Davidson will be scouring the market, inquiring about Evgeni Malkin, thinking about buying out Kevin Shattenkirk, evaluating exactly what he has in Harvard defenseman Adam Fox.

Maybe most importantly, Davidson has the inside knowledge of the exact worth of Artemi Panarin, the electric Russian winger who was under his stewardship in Columbus for the past two seasons and will hit the market on July 1 as the most coveted free agent. To be able to make a competitive offer with the Panthers in tax-free Florida, the Rangers might have to be in the neighborhood of $10 or $11 million per year. That is a major investment, and likely the biggest decision this team has had to make since “The Letter” went out in February 2018.

There is no denying the Rangers are moving in the right direction. They made their run, got as close as Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup final. So credit to Sather and Schoenfeld and Gorton for getting them to that point. But just as much credit goes to them for knowing when to pull the plug.

Cleaning house while stockpiling picks and prospects was the easy part. The idea of rebuilding is refreshing during a phase like that.

It gets a lot harder to stomach when it comes to evaluating exactly what is left. This is where franchises can go off the rails for years, if not into a perpetual cycle of self-sabotage and delusion. A relatively clean slate is also an open canvas for new mistakes.

And there are landmines left all over this landscape.

John Davidson, Rangers goalie

Like what kind of future does former No. 7-overall Lias Andersson have? Where does restricted free agent Pavel Buchnevich fit in as he enters the offseason with arbitration rights? How about the Rangers’ top pick from this past draft (No. 9 overall), the precocious 19-year-old forward Vitali Kravtsov, who will be in training camp?

Oh, and then there is the goalie.

Just what is the approach to 37-year-old Henrik Lundqvist, who has two more years left on his deal at $8.5 million per and has been nothing less than the club’s backbone for a decade and a loyal trooper during this turbulent time? With Alex Georgiev showing flashes of potential this past 1144810 New York Rangers

John Davidson returns to Rangers after stepping down from Blue Jackets

By Zach Braziller

May 17, 2019 | 1:16pm | Updated May 17, 2019 | 7:08PM

John Davidson is coming home, back to Broadway where he was a beloved player and announcer. He’s coming back to where he has spent so much of his professional career, hoping to make the Rangers a spring factor once again.

The Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations stepped down on Friday afternoon to take the same position with the Rangers, it was announced. Davidson is leaving his post after seven mostly successful seasons to join the Rangers, who were in the market for a new president after Glen Sather stepped down in April after running the team since 2000.

“I am excited and humbled to be named the President of the New York Rangers,” Davidson said in a press release. “The opportunity of rejoining the Rangers organization and returning home to New York, where my family and I have spent so many wonderful years, was one I simply could not pass up. I want to thank James Dolan for offering me this chance to come home.”

Davidson will run the show and establish a vision for the organization while general manager Jeff Gorton will continue in his rebuilding, which is now a year and few months in the works. Davidson was the runaway favorite for the position, a reason there were very few names in the mix, especially once Steve Yzerman took the job as the Red Wings’ general manager. Once the Blue Jackets were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Bruins, the wheels began to turn.

“Today is the start of a new and exciting chapter in New York Rangers history,” owner James Dolan said. “John Davidson is one of the premier executives in the National Hockey League. As we continue to build a team that can consistently compete for the Stanley Cup, John’s knowledge of the game and his experience and passion for the Rangers logo make him the ideal choice to oversee our Hockey Operations department. I am thrilled to welcome ‘JD’ and his family home.”

The 66-year-old Davidson called Rangers games and was a lead analyst on national broadcasts for several networks for 19 years after his playing days were over before leaving in 2006 to be the Blues’ president. He was with St. Louis for six years and reached the playoffs twice before a new ownership group came in and bought him out of his contract. He joined the Blue Jackets in 2012. Under Davidson’s watch, Columbus qualified for the postseason four times, including the franchise’s first-ever playoff series victory, a mammoth upset of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning this spring. As a player for the Rangers from 1975-83, he led them to the 1979 Stanley Cup Finals on an injured left knee and then transitioned into broadcasting, where he was affectionately known simply as “J.D.” His “Oh baby” catchphrase became a staple.

“John and I have remained good friends. John as good as it gets,” longtime broadcast partner said when Davidson was back in town for the 1994 Rangers’ 25-year anniversary celebration. “He is a wonderful person and self made man, who has done wonderful things with his life and just to be around him is great. He is one of my closest friends in the world. Whatever he did, he did the best.

“He was so well respected by those around the league that he became an executive of two teams — the Blues and Blue Jackets. He brought both teams to an excellent level of success. Any time we could be together is a special time.”

New York Post LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144811 New York Rangers

John Davidson named new Rangers president

Beloved former goaltender and TV color man John Davidson is returning to the Rangers as the club’s president, succeeding Glen Sather, who stepped down from the position last month.

The Rangers announced Friday that Davidson, who had been president of hockey operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets, has agreed to be their new president. He is expected to be introduced at a Madison Square Garden news conference next week.

“John Davidson is one of the premier executives in the National Hockey League,’’ Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan said in a news release. “John’s knowledge of the game and his experience and passion for the Rangers logo make him the ideal choice to oversee our hockey operations department. I am thrilled to welcome ‘JD’ and his family home.’’

Davidson, 66, spent seven years as the Blue Jackets’ president of hockey operations. Before that, he spent six years in the same position with the St. Louis Blues. He was always the Rangers’ top target to replace Sather — the only target, really, once Steve Yzerman became the Detroit Red Wings’ general manager — after Sather announced in early April that he would be stepping down.

The Rangers had to wait until Columbus was eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs before they could request permission to talk to Davidson.

Early Friday afternoon, the Blue Jackets sent out a news release saying that the Rangers had asked for permission to talk to Davidson and that he had resigned his position with Columbus after being granted that permission to speak to them. A couple of hours later, the Rangers made their announcement.

“I am excited and humbled to be named the president of the New York Rangers,’’ Davidson said. “The opportunity of rejoining the Rangers organization and returning home to New York, where my family and I have spent so many wonderful years, was one I simply could not pass up.’’

Davidson joins the Rangers at a pivotal time. They announced in February 2018 that they would rebuild, and the club has been sellers at the last two NHL trading deadlines, shipping away captain Ryan McDonagh and mainstays Rick Nash, Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes, among others, in exchange for prospects and draft picks.

Now, after winning the second pick in the draft lottery, the Rangers have an opportunity to speed up their rebuild.

Presuming the Devils take American Jack Hughes with the No. 1 pick, the Rangers would get the opportunity to select Finnish forward Kaapo Kakko, who has been the biggest sensation at the World Championships this month.

Taking Kakko — or Hughes, if the Devils take Kakko — could prompt the Rangers, led by GM Jeff Gorton, to move aggressively this summer by diving into the free-agent market or dealing prospects and/or draft picks for NHL-ready players.

On Thursday, the Rangers announced that Jim Schoenfeld, a senior vice president and assistant general manager had stepped down from his position, which suggests Davidson might look to bring in a lieutenant to assist him as he gets reacquainted with the organization.

Dave Maloney, currently a radio analyst for the Rangers, is expected to be in the mix for a position in Davidson’s circle of advisers. Maloney was the captain of the 1978-79 Rangers team that advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against Montreal. Davidson was the goaltender on that team, and he and Maloney are great friends.

Colin Stephenson

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144812 NHL “If you go to Toronto and you want an alumni to run a practice, it’s going to cost you two or three thousand dollars,” he said. “Here, we’re giving back for nothing to the game that’s given us everything.”

As the Blues Seek the Stanley Cup, a Hockey Hub Grows in St. Louis As their fans well know, the Blues have never won the Stanley Cup, doomed by circumstances that not even their bounty of superstars — Bernie Federko and , and Al MacInnis, By Ben Shpigel Adam Oates and Brett Hull — could counteract. But by staying relevant, making the playoffs 25 straight seasons over one stretch, the Blues May 17, 2019 stimulated awareness.

“If the Blues weren’t fun to watch,” said the ex-Blues forward Cam ST. LOUIS — Scott Rupp flipped open the red spiral notebook he keeps Janssen, of Eureka, Mo., “I probably wouldn’t have stuck with it.” as president of the St. Louis Amateur and ran his Laughing, Janssen, 35, said he wished he had the foresight to emulate index finger down the inside cover, along a column of surnames and Hull, the charismatic Hall of Fame sniper who played in St. Louis from birthdays that swells every year. Written in neat blue penmanship, they 1988 to ’98 and spurred a surge in rink construction and interest. Instead, represent players who grew up in the area and have appeared in the Janssen took after enforcers like and Kelly Chase. Before N.H.L. Janssen’s pugilistic nature enabled him to play in the N.H.L., it got him That list now numbers 22, and of that group, 14 skated this season, when tossed from youth tournaments. Rupp would monitor their stats on his phone each night. At this late stage The gap between the AAA squads’ top players and the next tier in those of the playoffs, with three teams left, his ritual does not last long. The days was stark. Facing teams from Michigan and Illinois, Chris Butler, only St. Louis player still active is Patrick Maroon, who foiled another now in the Blues’ system, said they hoped to keep the local product, Dallas goalie Ben Bishop, to score the winning goal in score close enough to avoid a running clock. McKenna said his teams double overtime of Game 7 last round — for none other than the struggled, too, but at least when they played near Detroit, they could hometown Blues. cross into Canada and, because of the favorable exchange rate, buy “This is beyond what I ever thought would happen,” said Scott equipment at lower prices. Sanderson, a longtime pillar in the amateur hockey community. “To get us into a big tournament in Toronto or Detroit, I had to bring up The pipeline of American hockey snaking from Massachusetts west into an Al MacInnis or Brett Hull signed stick,” said Basil McRae, a former Michigan and Minnesota has meandered south, following the Mississippi Blue who coached in the AAA program and is now the director of player River into an area thronging with tradition but that until recently had not personnel for the Columbus Blue Jackets. “By the time our group was 14 produced the talent to match the fervor. A decades-long endeavor — or 15, we were winning the national championship. We’d get phone calls rinks sprouting, participation swelling, Blues alumni staying in town to saying, ‘You have to come to the tournament.’ We went from basically coach — culminated in 2016, when five St. Louis-bred players were having to bribe ourselves in to being a draw.” drafted in the first round, or five more than ever before. The moment that altered the perception of St. Louis as a youth hockey The St. Louis influence could be seen this spring at wellspring came in 2009, when the AAA Blues, coached by MacInnis, a downtown, where former Blues like Keith Tkachuk and Chris Pronger — Hall of Fame defenseman, won the prestigious Quebec International who, like so many of their peers, settled and coached in town — have Pee-Wee tournament. During one fertile stretch, three St. Louis teams cheered on a team that was last in the league standings on Jan. 2 but were ranked among the top three nationally in their age groups. rallied to reach the Western Conference finals. St. Louis and the San McRae theorized that St. Louis’s relative isolation — 300 miles from Jose Sharks are tied, 2-2, entering Game 5 on Sunday. Chicago, the nearest hockey hotbed — accelerated players’ But it could also be sensed in on a November night in Philadelphia. After development. Because it was too expensive to travel for games every goalie Mike McKenna recorded his only victory of the season, for Ottawa, weekend, they trained. McRae estimated they logged 150 to 200 hours of the first teammate to congratulate him was a “curly-haired pipsqueak” practice time. named Brady Tkachuk, who used to launch shots at McKenna at area The practices, high-tempo and intense, focused on nurturing individual hockey camps. skill and cultivating tenacity. At a rink in exurban Wentzville, Mo., the world’s best sled goalie, Steve The only times Brown endorsed trips to tournaments was when the team Cash, an ardent Blues fan who used to play inline hockey against could face good competition. Otherwise, he pit his best players — Maroon, hones his craft. In Kosice, Slovakia, 20-year-old Clayton Keller Matthew Tkachuk, Brady’s older brother; Luke Kunin; Keller; and Brown’s of Swansea, Ill., across the Mississippi from St. Louis, has two points in son Logan — against one another at practice. four games for the American team at the world championships. Complementing practice with inline hockey helped them enhance their “All these young kids coming up — they all know somebody who played vision and hands. Bryan Keller, Clayton’s father, said the hours his son in the N.H.L.,” Sanderson, 49, said. “I didn’t know anybody. In St. Louis, spent rollerblading in the family’s basement were critical in his who did you know? Now they all know these guys. Now it’s a tangible development. goal.” Many of the early standouts had N.H.L. pedigrees, like Yan and Paul The incubation has spanned years and generations, springing in earnest Stastny; Neil Komadoski Jr.; and Connor Dunlop, Blake’s son, all of from the Blues’ arrival in 1967. The players who lingered after retirement, whom attended Chaminade College Preparatory School. Matt Hrubes, enticed by the schools and the reasonable cost of living, meshed with a who played at Chaminade and later coached there for 16 years, used to robust network of natives passionate about growing the game. joke that those players learned more at the dinner table than he could “It’s taken a lot of time and a lot of effort,” said Blake Dunlop, a former coach them in four years. Blue who helped popularize the AAA program, the highest level of minor They usually did not last four years. The elite soon fled — for junior hockey. “Obviously, we brought hockey knowledge to the kids. And teams, then for college and the professional ranks. Hrubes could not credibility.” predict that players like Bishop or Butler would reach the N.H.L. because Many of the ex-Blues became involved to coach their children. They he had no local basis of comparison. When they left Chaminade, in 2005, wound up inspiring hundreds, if not more. Nearly 25 years later, Janssen, the first N.H.L. player born and bred in the area, had yet to McKenna, now 36, can still hear one such former Blue, John Wensink, make his league debut. demanding they pass the puck tape to tape, like a bullet. Players like Janssen, Butler, McKenna and Joe Vitale (now a Blues “We were all afraid to let them down,” McKenna said, “because we knew analyst for KMOX-AM), foreshadowed the boom of 2016, when Calgary they knew what they were talking about.” drafted Matthew Tkachuk at No. 6. Arizona took Keller next. Picking 11th, Ottawa grabbed Logan Brown. Kunin, selected at No. 15, landed with The former Blues defenseman Jeff Brown was devastated when he was Minnesota. When Boston chose Trent Frederic at No. 29, Rupp cried. traded to Vancouver in 1994 and came back to St. Louis after he retired. Without a son on the team, Brown joined the AAA staff. “I remember sitting on the couch thinking, ‘It’s amazing how far we’ve come,’” McKenna said.

His father, Terry, played on the area’s first youth hockey team, in the early 1960s, and his grandfather Bill would drive two hours, to Springfield, Ill., to play on a rink that had boards.

“If my grandpa saw this, he’d have tears in his eyes,” McKenna said.

Kirkwood Youth Hockey Association, where Hrubes’s sons play and where the enrollment, Hrubes said, has doubled in the last three or four years. More and more, Hrubes has noticed players he once coached returning to lead the next wave, including Komadoski.

The caliber of instruction, coupled with an entrenched culture and rising participation, is primed to make St. Louis an American hockey hub. It’s unlikely that the area will again churn out five first-round picks, but that, McRae said, is fine.

The overall depth should continue to improve; another AAA program, CarShield, has popped up. More players will earn Division I scholarships and compete in juniors, the Paralympics or, like Jincy Dunne, on the women’s national team. Some may even wind up, years from now, in one of Rupp’s notebooks, or in the handshake line after a grueling N.H.L. playoff series.

When Maroon and Bishop found each other at the end of their series last week, they shared a long embrace. Behind them, a member of the Blues’ Blue Crew skated past.

New York Times LOADED: 05.18.2019

1144813 Philadelphia Flyers has a very reasonable cap hit ($4.5 million annually for the next three seasons).

The Flyers’ upper management wants the team to be bold in the off- Flyers need to add a No. 2 center to improve team and give Nolan season. Dealing for Kadri would fit that description. Patrick better matchups | Sam Carchidi William Nylander, 23, trade candidate: Like Kadri, Nylander could be dealt because of the Marner situation. After holding out and signing Dec. by Sam Carchidi 1, Nylander had just seven goals in 54 games. That followed strong performances in each of his first two full seasons, when he had 61 points each year. Nylander, an outstanding puck handler, has five years left on a contract that has an annual $6.96 million cap hit. He’s young, fast, and Repeat after me: Nolan Patrick is not a bust. Nolan Patrick is not a bust. intriguing. Nolan Patrick is not a bust. In a deal for Kadri or Nylander, the Flyers have draft picks and There, don’t you feel better? defensemen who could interest the Maple Leafs. Granted, in his first two seasons, the Flyers’ 6-foot-2, 198-pound center has not performed like the guy who, for most of his draft year, was projected to be selected No. 1 overall in 2017 before slipping to No. 2, Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.18.2019 behind Nico Hischier.

Still, there’s no reason to panic, no reason to call Patrick a bust after he started his career with consecutive 13-goal seasons that produced 30 and 31 points, respectively.

He’s only 20, and while he didn’t make offensive strides this season — Patrick’s point total was tied for 96th among NHL centers — he did improve defensively and he did show glimpses of the player who had received glowing reviews when he tore up the junior-level competition.

Remember, it took until his sixth season before he blossomed into an offensive force. Patrick has played just two seasons.

Remember, Florida center Aleksander Barkov, drafted No. 2 overall (like Patrick) in 2013, began his career by scoring eight and 16 goals in his first two seasons. Since then, he has had seasons of 28, 21, 27, and 35 goals.

Patrick needs to get hungrier for the puck, needs to shoot more, needs to play with more confidence. That will come with time.

In the meantime, the Flyers could do Patrick — and themselves — a service by dropping him from the No. 2 to the No. 3 center spot. That will give him more favorable matchups and, provided general manager Chuck Fletcher signs or acquires a center, will upgrade the offense.

Fletcher has said he will do whatever it takes to improve the Flyers, including pursuing restricted free agents. Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point, Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, Toronto’s Mitch Marner, and Vegas’ William Karlsson are among the gifted restricted free agents who either play center or can play the position. It would be stunning, however, if their respective teams didn’t match offer sheets.

Matt Duchene, 28, unrestricted free agent: The speedy Duchene has seven seasons with 20-plus goals on his resume and he is coming off a career-best season in which he had a combined 31 goals and 70 points with Ottawa and Columbus. His defense won’t remind people of Couturier, but he would give the Flyers a strong one-two punch down the middle.

Kevin Hayes, 27, unrestricted free agent: Signing the 6-foot-5, 216-pound Hayes, regarded as a strong two-way player who also kills penalties, makes sense because he blossomed under new Flyers coach Alain Vigneault when they were together with the New York Rangers. He is 27, won’t be as expensive as Duchene, and is coming off a career-best 55- point season with the Rangers and Jets.

Brock Nelson, 27, unrestricted free agent: The Islanders are reportedly trying hard to re-sign the 6-3, 212-pound center, but if they don’t get it done before July 1, Fletcher figures to kick the tires on Nelson, who once starred for at North Dakota. Nelson, a Minnesota native, had 25 goals and a career-high 53 points for the surprising Islanders this season.

Nazem Kadri, 28, trade candidate: The Maple Leafs will likely trade a key player to free cap space to sign Marner. The 6-0, 192-pound Kadri, who hurt Toronto by getting suspended during the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, is a candidate to be moved. From the Flyers’ perspective, it might be the perfect time to roll the dice on a player they call “Naz.” Toronto’s management is down on him, and he is coming off a 16-goal year, the lowest output in any of his seven full seasons. He plays on the edge, had consecutive 32-goal seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18, and 1144814 Philadelphia Flyers Michel Therrien has 38 postseason victories under his belt as a head coach and took a team to the Stanley Cup Final. owns three playoff series victories as a head coach and has a ring as an assistant.

If Alain Vigneault can't work his magic with Flyers' roster, pressure If this group can't produce the results with the Flyers' roster, Fletcher will mounts for Chuck Fletcher have to take a longer, much more serious look at the players in place and make his hardest decisions yet.

By Jordan Hall At that point, it may be the only action left.

May 17, 2019 8:45 PM

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Chuck Fletcher was brought in because things weren't going well enough and quickly enough for the Flyers.

The predicament he inherited required eventual change.

After all, sitting alongside team president Paul Holmgren back in November, Comcast Spectacor chairman and CEO Dave Scott said the Flyers were eyeing a general manager with a "bias for action," among other qualities.

With time and evaluation, Fletcher has begun providing the desired action.

A new head coach is on board, bringing extensive experience and outside perspective, while two new assistants with strong pedigrees have been hired.

But perhaps the most influential part in shifting the Flyers' course has remained mostly intact: the roster. That could drastically change this upcoming offseason with free agency and potential trades. However, Fletcher, facing his first offseason as the Flyers' GM, doesn't see an exodus needed with the current roster — or at least not yet.

"The Flyers are a great opportunity. You guys are in this market, for me coming in from the outside, I know when Paul Holmgren approached me about being the general manager of the Flyers, I'm like, 'Wow.' This is a premium job in the National Hockey League and we're set up where we should have an opportunity to get better quickly," Fletcher said April 18. "I know we need more good players, but we have a lot of good players. It's not like you have to gut this thing — we have cap space, we have picks. We have really good staff, really good staff. On the scouting and management side, I've added one person, I haven't subtracted anything. There's a good group here and we have the ability to get better quickly if we all do our job."

Therein lies a poignant and undeniable pressure on Fletcher in Year 1 with the Flyers under Alain Vigneault's watch.

Aside from Wayne Simmonds, who became an inevitable piece to move given the circumstances, the Flyers' core has survived. So, too, has the overall makeup of the roster.

Fletcher, Vigneault and the Flyers believe this team can win with a refined system and different guidance. They don't exactly see a team that has missed the playoffs every other season since 2012-13, a stretch consisting of three first-round exits.

Will Fletcher add this summer? Of course — the ability to do so is one of the reasons why Vigneault found the Flyers as an attractive destination. When Fletcher was hiring Vigneault, the two established a list of areas in which the Flyers can improve.

"We're looking at some options and if we can put the right things in place," Vigneault said at his introduction, "it's going to be a lot of fun."

Significant subtraction was not featured on the list.

"There's some solid youth with a lot of upside here that is coming into its own," Vigneault said. "There's great goaltending, being one of those youth pieces. There's a solid core group that, in my mind, needs the right direction. And you've got the combination, also, of some solid veteran players that have been in the league a few years, that can still contribute at a high level in this league. … After discussing it with a lot of people that I respect their opinion in the NHL, I feel that the Flyers are a very good team that with the proper direction, proper mindset, proper culture and people working together, will be a very good team in the near future."

That's why Year 1 will be so telling.

Vigneault is a coach with a tremendous track record of winning during his first season on the job. He did so at three separate stops (see story). 1144815 Pittsburgh Penguins

Marcus Pettersson, Zach Aston-Reese among Penguins due pay raises

JONATHAN BOMBULIE

Friday, May 17, 2019 5:03 p.m.

The Pittsburgh Penguins don’t have much work to do this summer when it comes to re-signing their own restricted free agents.

When they do get around to the task, defenseman Marcus Pettersson and winger Zach Aston-Reese will be due the biggest raises, according to hockey-graphs.com’s annual free-agent contract projections.

Among players who could reasonably be expected to start next season on the NHL roster, the Penguins have five restricted free agents to sign – Pettersson and Juuso Rikkola on defense and Aston-Reese, Teddy Blueger and Adam Johnson up front.

According to the website’s projections, Pettersson will receive a two-year deal with an average salary of about $1.63 million. His salary cap hit was $794,167 last year.

Aston-Reese is in line for a two-year deal with an average salary of about $1.29 million per year. He made $925,000 last season.

The projections point to one-year deals for Blueger, Johnson and Riikola. Blueger would get a pay raise from $650,000 to $892,390. Johnson would take a pay cut from $925,000 to $743,261 and Riikola would get a cut from $925,000 to $861,017.

In total, the raises given to RFAs won’t have a great impact on the team’s salary cap situation. Jake Guentzel’s new contract, however, will.

Guentzel’s pay will go from $925,000 last season to $6 million in the first year of a five-year deal next season.

That increase will put the Penguins well over the salary cap. Penciling in a lineup with 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies, the team’s projected salary total next season stands at about $85.3 million. The cap is expected to be set around $83 million.

General manager Jim Rutherford has suggested that significant roster changes are in store after a disappointing finish to last season. Those changes will have to include at least a couple million in salary savings.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144816 Pittsburgh Penguins Working in the minors, you have to take on multiple jobs. Sometimes you are the broadcaster, clubhouse attendant, director of travel and media relations guy all in one.

First Call: Dominik Simon finally scores; Bruins keep Eastern sweeps alive Tribune Review LOADED: 05.18.2019

TIM BENZ

Friday, May 17, 2019 6:51 a.m.

In Friday’s “First Call,” we finally see Dominik Simon score a goal. Not for the Penguins, of course. John Daly’s pants are better than his game. And the Bruins keep the sweep trend rolling in the Eastern Conference.

So when is Dominik Simon going to score?

Oh. Now?

That’s a goal and two assists for the Penguins forward at the World Championships. He has four points in the competition so far for the squad.

The Czechs beat Latvia, 6-3. Simon totaled six points from March 1 through the end of the NHL playoffs. His last goal came on March 16.

The Bruins finished off a four-game sweep of Carolina last night in the Eastern Conference finals with a 3-0 win.

Goalie Tuukka Rask continues a Conn Smythe push. That’s his second shutout of the playoffs. The Bruins goalie yielded only five goals in the series.

Only once has Rask allowed more than three goals in the 2019 playoffs. That was Game 4 in Toronto during the first round, and the Bruins won that one, 6-4, anyway.

So this means the team that swept the team who managed to sweep the Penguins just got swept, too.

You follow that? The Islanders swept the Penguins. Then they were swept by the Hurricanes. Then the Hurricanes went down in four straight against the Bruins.

I suppose we can then assume whoever wins the Western Conference will defeat Boston, 4-0, in the Stanley Cup Final.

Sorry, Bruins. It’s been a good run.

Does this count as a 12-game losing streak for the Penguins?

I’d say that’s Daly in a nutshell, wouldn’t you?

How about those pants?!

Even Shaquille O’Neal’s jacket thinks those are a little much.

And much like most of those wearing Yankees pinstripes for real, Daly is too banged up to move on his own. So he’s using a cart.

It was an experience he called “almost embarrassing.”

The 1991 PGA champion’s play wasn’t much better. He shot a 5-over 75.

Tennis temper tantrum

I can’t say he lost his temper.

This is his temper.

Crazy scenes in Rome.

That’s tennis player Nick Kyrgios in Rome leaving his match. And that was his chair leaving the ground.

For this offense, the right-hander was fined about $22,000, forfeited all prize money and points earned during the event and was told to cover the costs of his hospitality.

He appears very upset about it.

Marc Schwartz is the play-by-play voice of the of the Atlantic League.

It’s a long way to the big leagues as a broadcaster. 1144817 Pittsburgh Penguins

Quietly subpar season from Justin Schultz didn’t help Penguins’ cause

JONATHAN BOMBULIE

Friday, May 17, 2019 7:00 a.m.

Most of the players who had a bad year for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season did so at a high volume. The struggles of Evgeni Malkin, and Patric Hornqvist, for instance, were loud.

Justin Schultz, on the other hand, had a bad year quietly.

Perhaps it’s because he spent much of the season on the injured list with a broken leg.

Perhaps it’s because his stat line when he was on the ice – 2 goals, 13 assists and an even plus-minus rating in 29 games – was nothing remarkable. It doesn’t compare favorably to his 27 points and plus-22 rating from the season before, but it wasn’t alarming.

It only requires a cursory look beyond those numbers, however, to find some trouble.

When Schultz was on the ice at five on five this season, the Penguins had 45.2% of the shots and 45.3% of the shot attempts. Both figures ranked 11th among the 12 defensemen the team used. Both figures were by far the worst of his four-year tenure with the Penguins.

It would be easy to chalk up Schultz’s woes to the fact that he and frequent defense partner Jack Johnson did not fare well as a pair, but that wouldn’t be entirely accurate. Schultz’s numbers with and without Johnson are very similar.

In 383 minutes with Johnson at five on five, Schultz’s on-ice shot-attempt percentage was 45.0%. In 107 minutes without him, it was 46.3%.

With Johnson, the Penguins outscored their opponents 16-11 when Schultz was on the ice five on five. Without him, the Penguins were outscored 5-3 with Schultz on the ice.

Besides, the more pertinent reason for Schultz’s struggles might be more obvious than all that: It’s hard for a player to simply shake off a broken leg like nothing ever happened once he returns to the lineup.

He suffered the injury Oct. 13. He didn’t play again until Feb. 16.

“It wasn’t easy, obviously missing a large portion of the season,” Schultz said. “It’s not easy coming back. But I thought the trainers and everyone did a good job of getting me ready. I felt pretty good. Obviously it’s a big summer for me, getting back to, for sure, 100 percent.”

Under normal circumstances, Schultz might be a likely trade candidate as the Penguins are looking to shed salary and change up the roster this offseason. He is, after all, entering the final year of a contract that pays him $5.5 million annually.

It’s probable, though, that he will perform better the further removed he is from his injury. The Penguins might be better off benefitting from that improvement than letting another team reap the rewards.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144818 Pittsburgh Penguins “If you’ve [got a] guy who can go out there on a regular shift and not be a detriment to your team, that can also bring physicality, I think that’s the key,” he said.

Penguins' big hitters of the past weigh in on team's physicality

Post Gazette LOADED: 05.18.2019 Adam Bittner Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The debate has raged in earnest since the moment Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen concussed Sidney Crosby with a brutal cross check in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals two years ago.

Should the Penguins load up on physical players to protect stars like their captain and fellow center Evgeni Malkin? Or is a team game that prioritizes speed and skill up and down a lineup the path to championships in the modern NHL?

Three of the most celebrated hitters and punchers in club history said Thursday that they fall somewhere in the latter camp.

“I don’t think you need an enforcer these days,” said , who played for the Penguins from 1999 to 2001. “We played in a different era. When I played for Pittsburgh, we had [Mario] Lemieux, we had Jaromir Jagr, [Martin] Straka. We had a plethora of guys that were very talented, but you had to defend them. Now I think it’s more about a team toughness and not backing down, but you don’t need a guy to protect guys, so I think Pittsburgh’s fine that way.”

The former winger was in town along with fellow ex-Penguins Arron Asham and Francois Leroux to tape an “Enforcer’s Night” episode of CBS Sports Network’s “Poker Night in America: Celebrity Home Game” at the Rivers Casino on the North Shore. The episode will air on the network May 23.

The gathering presented a perfect opportunity to discuss where the role fits in the NHL’s landscape and the Penguins’ strategy.

A few weeks after the Niskanen hit and a second consecutive Stanley Cup victory in 2017, general manager Jim Rutherford acquired winger Ryan Reaves, a celebrated fighter, in a deal with St. Louis. Since then, he’s added the heavyweight presence of defensemen such as Jamie Oleksiak and through trades.

Those moves produced questionable results. Reaves saw little playing time before Rutherford shipped him to Las Vegas in a subsequent deal for center Derick Brassard. Oleksiak was returned to Dallas this past season. And while Gudbranson received good reviews after coming to the team at the trade deadline in March, the group around him never seemed to resolve where he fit into its overall identity.

For that reason, Asham believes it’s important for the Penguins to find some balance in their pursuit of toughness.

“I think there’s always room for a guy to be an enforcer-style player,” Asham said. “Now, there’s not a guy who just goes out there and fights. You have to be able to play the game.

“There’s not really a true super heavyweight like there was five years ago ... those guys are long gone now.”

Among the reasons is that star players tend to do a pretty good job of taking care of themselves.

The Niskanen hit notwithstanding, all three enforcers praised Crosby and Malkin for their awareness and knack for avoiding unnecessary risks for the most part.

“I watch every single game that these guys play,” Barnaby said. “I don’t see them getting taken advantage of on a nightly basis.”

Inconsistency in officiating and the league’s approach to discipline are probably the bigger issues.

Niskanen, for example, was not suspended for the cross check on Crosby, but teammate Tom Wilson was banned for three playoff games last season for delivering a high hit that broke the jaw of Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese.

Leroux thinks it’s important not to overcompensate, though. He feels inconsistency will always be part of the game, and that the best thing teams like the Penguins can do is make sure they’re fielding rosters that can stand their ground but punish teams on the scoreboard, too. 1144819 San Jose Sharks havoc with the Sharks’ ability to break out, as Martin Jones faced five shots in the first 3:41.

“It was exactly the opposite of what we wanted,” said Tomas Hertl, who Game 4 takeaways: Erik Karlsson’s health among a few concerns scored a power play goal at the 6:48 mark of the third period. “We started slow, turned over too many pucks, they came hard and we were kind of lucky it was just 2-0 after first. Jonesy made a couple huge saves. By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group “We had chances, but it’s hard. They’re playing at home and we’re losing 2-0. We had a couple good chances. We tried, but we can’t start like that. PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 10:10 pm | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at The first was really ugly.” 10:13 PM 2. Binnington shines, but Sharks needed to do more to disrupt his rhythm: Jordan Binnington played his best game of the series with 29 saves. But his performance Friday was reminiscent of Philipp Grubauer’s SAN JOSE — Perhaps there was only one sight uglier than the Sharks’ effort in Game 4 of the second round, when he had a 32-save shutout. start to Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the St. Louis Blues on Friday. After that game, the Sharks grumbled that they made life too easy for Grubauer, and the same thing was heard after Friday night. It was the one of defenseman Erik Karlsson on the Sharks’ bench late in the third period, lurched over in obvious discomfort. “We tried, but we have to be a little harder,” Hertl said. “We’re shooting from the outside. They kind of box out a lot. We have to just be in the Karlsson returned late the third after the Sharks had pulled Martin Jones, eyes of the goalie. We have to do a better job in front of him, just make it attempting to tie the game with the extra attacker on the ice. But the a little harder. It’s too easy to save right now for him.” Sharks couldn’t beat Blues goalie Jordan Binnington a second time and lost 2-1, setting up a pivotal Game 5 at home on Sunday with the series Binnington was outstanding in the Blues’ series against Dallas, finishing now tied 2-2. with a .922 save percentage and a 2.18 goals against average in seven games. Is he just starting to get hot after after he allowed 12 goals in the Sharks coach Pete DeBoer didn’t have a health update after the game on first three games. Karlsson, who missed a handful of shifts after he left the ice at a stoppage in play with 9:24 left in regulation time. Karlsson came back “Yeah, he made some good saves,” Pavelski said of Binnington. “We had with just under two minutes left, a good sign for the Sharks that he was some good chances and we can get a little better. If we can get him able to gut it out for one final push. moving a little bit, some of our opportunities (might go). But he played well, gave up one goal and we gave up two. What are you going to do Still, for a player who missed 27 of the Sharks’ final 33 games due to about it?” groin and leg injuries, there has to be some concern for how effective Karlsson might be for the rest of this series. 3. Power play shows some signs of life: The Sharks power play went 1- for-3 but had just four shots on goal in 4 minutes and 13 seconds of time Karlsson has played in all 18 Sharks playoff games to this point, with the man advantage. registering 15 points, including the game-winning overtime goal in Game 3. Including Friday’s game, he’s averaged 25 minutes and 32 seconds of “Well we got a goal,” DeBoer said. “Like I said, I think you have to give ice time per game, second-most on the Sharks behind Brent Burns them some credit. I think they’re doing a good job penalty killing like we (28:46). are on ours. It’s that time of year. Got a big goal on it tonight, gave us a chance to push at the end.” Friday, Karlsson finished with 25:09 of ice time, had four shots on goal and nine shot attempts. Before this latest malady, his health had “We just now have to play a little bit simple,” Hertl said. “Just shoot it. improved to the point where any lingering was hardly noticeable midway One guy has to be in the front of the net and just dig in, because we’re through the second round. struggling a little bit right now. For sure we have to be a little bit better.”

Sharks defenseman Justin Braun said he didn’t see what might have happened to Karlsson. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.18.2019 “You know, he’s just kind of rolling it,” Braun said. “I’m not really sure what happened there. I don’t know.”

Before Friday, the Sharks were 39-0 this season when allowing two or fewer goals. But they got what they came for in St. Louis — as they took back home ice advantage, setting up a best-of-three for a chance to go to the Stanley Cup Final.

“You’re in the Western Conference final, 2-2, against a really good team. I feel pretty good,” DeBoer said. “We’ve got home ice advantage. I feel good.”

Some takeaways.

1. ‘Ugly’ start too much to overcome: The Sharks knew the Blues were going to make a push to start Game 4, and St. Louis didn’t disappoint, scoring 35 seconds into the first period after a Brent Burns giveaway. It’s the third time in these playoffs the Sharks have allowed a goal in the first minute of play.

The Sharks fell behind 2-0 on a goal credited to Tyler Bozak, although it appeared the puck appeared to be inadvertently kicked in by Braun.

“Yeah, you know, it’s something we’ve kind of had a problem with this playoffs so far,” Braun said. “It’s been awhile since that’s happened, but we’ve got to come out with a better start.

“I thought our second and third was really good. The start just wasn’t what we needed and kind of buried us for the night.”

Considering the way the Colorado Avalanche came out the same way in Game 4 in the second round, when they were down 2-1 in the series at the time, there had to be some belief that that the Sharks would handle the start to Friday’s game a little better. But the Blues’ forecheck wreaked 1144820 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ bad puck luck spoils solid Game 4 from Martin Jones

By STEVE OVERBEY/CORRESPONDENT |

PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 9:44 pm | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at 9:47 PM

ST. LOUIS – Sharks goalie Martin Jones expected an early push by the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 of the Western Conference final on Friday.

He got it.

But the Sharks still couldn’t stop the onslaught.

St. Louis forward Ivan Barbashev scored just 35 seconds into the contest to set the tone for the Blues, who hung on for a 2-1 win that evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2 heading back to San Jose for Game 5 on Sunday afternoon.

The Blues, still stinging from a 5-4 overtime loss in Game 3, came out with a jump from the opening whistle.

And it appeared to catch the Sharks flat-footed.

“We’ve got to be more ready at the start of the game, for sure,” Jones said. “The way the last game ended, we should have known how they were going to come out. We were maybe a little casual.”

Brent Burns was unable to clear the puck from behind the net after a crowd-pleasing hit from Alexander Steen. Instead, it went up the boards to Barbashev, who took a shot that nicked off the stick of Gustav Nyquist and into the net.

The Blues scored their second goal on just their ninth shot, a power-play tally late in the first period by Tyler Bozak that bounced off the skate of Justin Braun and between Jones’ legs.

“It was a tough start obviously,” Burns said. “After that, I think we battled back.”

Jones certainly rebounded in grand fashion, stopping the final 13 shots he faced. Several of the saves were of the highlight-reel variety.

“He kept us in it,” admitted Tomas Hertl, who scored on a third-period power play to trim the deficit to one with 13:12 left in regulation.

Jones stopped Bozak on a shorthanded breakaway midway through the third period. He also stonewalled Brayden Schenn five minutes later.

In addition, Jones halted on a clean break in the opening period.

“(He’s) been dialed in for a while,” San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said.

Jones, who was pulled in two of the Sharks’ first four games in their opening-round series against Vegas, turned in one of his finest efforts of the postseason on Friday.

He stopped 20 of 22 shots and both St. Louis goals came on defections off Sharks’ players. Still, he was saddled with the loss.

“Two pretty tough bounces,” Jones said. “You kind of shake it off and move on. I felt good, I thought we did a good job the rest of the night.”

Jones has remained steady throughout the emotional up-and-downs of this series. He says he feels good heading back to San Jose with two home games and the Sharks two wins away from a berth in the Stanley Cup final.

“We’re in a good spot,” Jones said. “Again, a missed opportunity tonight to put them in a tough hole. Win our home games and we’re looking good.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144821 San Jose Sharks

Sharks lose game; have they lost Erik Karlsson?

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 7:42 pm | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at 8:45 PM

ST. LOUIS — There’s a perception that luck has played a role in the Sharks’ success so far this postseason.

They didn’t have much Friday night.

They lost 2-1 in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the St. Louis Blues and they might have lost the services of Erik Karlsson. The two-time Norris Trophy stayed on the bench for most of the last nine minutes and all signs pointed to the right groin injury that caused him to miss 17 of the last 18 regular-season games.

“I don’t have anything for you there,” coach Pete DeBoer said when asked about Karlsson’s status.

Time will tell, and soon. The series, tied at 2-2, will resume Sunday with a noon game in San Jose.

The Sharks might have been coming home with a chance to clinch their place in the Stanley Cup final had it not been for a poor start Friday. They allowed two first-period goals — actually, they contributed mightily to both — and never could make it all the way back against Blues rookie goalie Jordan Binnington.

Binnington faced 30 shots and stopped all but one, Tomas Hertl scoring on the power play at the 6:48 mark of the third period.

“That’s maybe the best I’ve felt about our game in this series so far, even though we lost,” DeBoer said.

Sharks goalie Martin Jones made 20 saves but couldn’t catch a break on the Blues’ first two goals.

A Brent Burns clearing attempt from behind the Sharks net, with Alex Steen in his face, instead went to Ivan Barbashev along the wall. His shot toward the net appeared to be redirected by Gus Nyquist, and the puck got past Jones for a 1-0 Blues lead 35 seconds into the game.

At the 17:53 mark of the first, moments after Melker Karlsson had a glorious scoring chance stopped by Binnington, Tyler Bozak was credited with his fourth goal of the playoffs as the Blues took a 2-0 lead. After a scramble in front of the Sharks net following a shot from the point, it appeared Justin Braun inadvertently kicked the puck forward and into the San Jose net.

Many felt the Sharks got away with a fortunate break in overtime of Game 3, as a Timo Meier hand-pass in the Blues’ zone eventually made its way to Erik Karlsson, who beat Binnington at the 5:23 mark of the extra session to give the Sharks a 5-4 win.

Added to incidents involving Cody Eakin of the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 7 and the Colorado Avalanche’s Gabriel Landeskog in Game 7 of the second round, there was a feeling — however strong — that the Sharks have had their share of good fortune.

Thursday, DeBoer pushed back on that notion, saying he thought it was a “ridiculous statement,” a sentiment Sharks players echoed Friday morning,

“I don’t think so.,” Hertl said. “We’re battling. We had two seven-game series. We’re battling through a lot of ups and downs. I don’t think it’s lucky. We just work for it. I don’t care what everybody’s saying. We deserve to win. I don’t like lucky overall. If you work for it, you deserve it.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144822 San Jose Sharks “We created a couple of good chances. Myself, I should have scored two goals. So finally we’re getting a little bit better,” Hertl said. “The chances are there. We still have to help the team win, but for myself, if the goals Things to know: Sharks lineup change, Braun on Blais hit and second aren’t coming I just try to help out on faceoffs, PK, whatever I can. line struggles “For sure, our line can be a little bit better, but last game we got a couple of bounces, a couple of chances. Last game, Jumbo’s line stepped it up. It can be our line tonight.” By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group Kane has two assists in his last eight games, but perhaps just as concerning is his lack of shots. Kane led all Sharks forwards in the PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 11:49 am | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at regular season, but has only four in three games this series as time and 4:43 PM space has disappeared.

A more direct approach might help.

ST. LOUIS — With the Sharks looking to take command of the Western “I think we just need to get some more pucks to the net. Instead of Conference Final against the St. Louis Blues, Marcus Sorensen rejoined maybe looking for those little plays or delays, just a little bit more north the lineup Friday after he was a healthy scratch for Game 3. hockey with our line and getting some more pucks to crash into the net,” Kane said. “We had a couple of shifts in that game where, when we did Sorensen began Game 4 against the Blues on the fourth line with that, we had some good scoring opportunities and had some success Barclay Goodrow and Joonas Donskoi. Micheal Haley, who had 5 spending time in their end during those shifts. minutes and 50 seconds of ice time in Game 3 — a 5-4 Sharks win in overtime that gave them a 2-1 series lead — will be a scratch. “We can do that more consistently and spent less time in our zone, too.”

“I’ll be ready for Game 4 tonight,” Sorensen said.

The Sharks kept their other three forward lines intact, as Melker Karlsson San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.18.2019 remained on the Sharks’ third line with Joe Thornton and Kevin Labanc. In Game 3, Thornton scored two goals for the first time in 176 NHL playoff games and Labanc had two assists.

Sorensen had played 16 straight playoff games before he sat Wednesday, but his ice time gradually diminished as his production dipped.

Sorensen went without a point in the final five games of the Sharks’ second round series against the Colorado Avalanche, and the first two games of the conference final. He had 10:34 of ice time in Game 1 and 10:00 in Game 2. He started the playoffs averaging roughly 13-14 minutes per game.

“I thought Hales did an outstanding job for us,” DeBoer said Friday morning. “Marcus I think you get 14 games, 15 games into the playoffs, he’s not the biggest guy. I think sometimes you need a reset, maybe an extra day off, burst of energy. Maybe a couple days off. We have depth on our roster and we’re going to use that as we go here.

“I don’t think we’re a tired team, but there’s no hiding from the fact that we have played (17) games and we’ve got fresh guys so we’re going to use them when we feel fit.”

THE HIT PARADE: Justin Braun has taken more than his share of punishment in the first three games of the conference final. Braun took a staggering 11 hits in Game 3, after he absorbed six hits in Game 1 and four hits in Game 2.

The biggest and potentially scariest hit Braun took in Game 3 came from Sammy Blais, who made contact with Braun’s head with his shoulder with the puck to the right of Sharks goalie Martin Jones in the third period. Braun was able to get up from the hit but no penalty was called.

“It is what it is. Missed some calls that game, gotta move on,” Braun said Friday morning. “I feel fine. Been hit harder than that, I guess.”

Braun is averaging 21:29 of ice time so far in the playoffs.

“He plays the game the right way. He doesn’t avoid contact,” DeBoer said. “Bounces back up every time and gets ready to play again. I was worried about him last game, took that high hit to the head and thankfully no injury. Those are the ones you worry about with him. The clean hits I don’t worry about. He takes that and always jumps up.

“It’s the ones that are to the head like that that you worry about, but thankfully there was no injury.”

MISSING PRODUCTION: Three games into the series and Tomas Hertl and Evander Kane have combined for one point, an assist by Kane on Logan Couture’s empty net goal in Game 1, a 6-3 Sharks win.

Since the puck hasn’t gone in of late for both Hertl and Kane, they’re trying to find other ways to contribute. Hertl, for instance, has taken a team-high 403 faceoffs since the playoffs began, more than double the total of Logan Couture (189) and Thornton (185). 1144823 San Jose Sharks

Sharks center could soon share mark set by two other NHL greats

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: May 17, 2019 at 9:09 am | UPDATED: May 17, 2019 at 12:22 PM

ST. LOUIS — The next goal that Sharks center Logan Couture scores in the playoffs will put him in a tie with Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby for the most goals scored by any player in any one postseason over the past 22 years.

Right now, unless the Sharks win it all, Couture probably couldn’t care less.

Couture’s been on a blistering pace since the playoffs began more than a month ago, and especially since the start of the Western Conference Final against the St. Louis Blues

Couture enters Game 4 of the conference final on Friday with five goals in three games, and he leads the NHL in postseason scoring with 14 goals and 20 points. Crosby had 15 goals when the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009 and Alex Ovechkin had 15 last season when the Washington Capitals won their first Cup.

Since 2010, Ovechkin leads all playoff scorers with 50 goals. Couture is next on the list with 48 and Crosby and Sharks captain Joe Pavelski each have 42.

That’s all well and good, but for Couture, “Those guys have won and I haven’t. So those numbers don’t mean anything unless we win the Stanley Cup.”

Couture has taken on a larger share of the scoring load since the conference finals began. He has five of the Sharks 13 goals this round, while Joe Thornton, Erik Karlsson and Timo Meier each have two.

Tomas Hertl, Evander Kane and Pavelski have combined for one goal, a 5-on-3 power-play goal by Pavelski in Game 1.

After Couture scored with 1:01 left in the third period on Wednesday to tie Game 4, which the Sharks won 5-4 in overtime, coach Pete DeBoer said, “Just kind of get numb to it. You shouldn’t. I think it’s one of those playoffs runs we’ll look back at years down the road and say, ‘Wow, what a competitor, what a leader.’

“But when you’re in the heat of the moment, he’s just doing what he does.”

Joe Sakic had 18 goals for the Colorado Avalanche in their run to the Stanley Cup in 1996. The NHL all-time record for goals in one postseason is 19, a mark shared by Reggie Leach, who did it in 1976 with the Philadelphia Flyers, and , who equaled that mark in 1985 with the Edmonton Oilers.

“He does a lot of stuff for us that helps us win games,” Meier said. “He obviously comes up with big goals but also does a fantastic job defensively, plays all three zones. He plays an honest game. As a teammate, it’s obviously unbelievable to have a guy like that on the team.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144824 San Jose Sharks

NHL admits its 'unfortunate miss' on Timo Meier's illegal hand pass

By Dalton Johnson

May 17, 2019 2:02 PM

Eric The Clown said it best when George Costanza couldn't move on: "You're living in the past, man!"

The St. Louis Blues need the same message, too, after Game 3 of the Western Conference final.

After the Blues fell to the Sharks 5-4 in overtime Wednesday, the team couldn't stop complaining about what appeared to be a non-reviewable illegal hand pass by Sharks winger Timo Meier before Erik Karlsson's game-winning goal.

But it sounds like the Blues actually have plenty of reasons to be so frustrated.

“It was an unfortunate miss by our on-ice officials,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. “They were among our most highly performance-rated officials in our league this year. Mistakes happen, and I think everyone involved on both teams and with the League understand that.

"Can we create a better mousetrap to minimize either the incidence or impact of those mistakes? That’s what our competition committee, our GMs and ultimately our board will have to figure out. For now, we will turn the page and move on.”

There's no turning back now, though. The league has admitted its mistake and surely will look further into a solution in the offseason.

The goal gave the Sharks a two-games-to-one series lead over the Blues. St. Louis now can either be stuck in the past or tie it up on their home ice Friday night.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144825 San Jose Sharks

Sharks vs. Blues Game 4 watch guide: Projected lines and defensive pairs

By Chelena Goldman

May 17, 2019 10:19 AM

The San Jose Sharks are looking to stay in the win column as they gear up for Game 4 of the Western Conference final in St. Louis against the Blues.

San Jose is coming off a widely talked-about 5-4 overtime win in Game 3. After giving up four goals in the second period and trailing the Blues 4- 3, Logan Couture buried the game-tying goal with 1:01 left in regulation to force overtime. Erik Karlsson tallied the game-winner at 5:23 in OT, although the goal drew a lot of speculation when it appeared that a hand pass had put the play in motion.

Since the play was nonreviewable, the goal stood.

The Sharks are 20-20 all-time in Game 4 situations, 8-10 when playing on the road. They are 0-2-0 in Game 4s through their current playoff run.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144826 San Jose Sharks Hertl’s power-play marker at 6:48 of the third period, poking in a loose puck behind Jordan Binnington after a heavy Burns slapper, brought them back to within a single goal.

Erik Karlsson is still hurt, and Tomas Hertl’s line is still struggling as “Maybe the best I’ve felt about our game in the series so far, even though Sharks drop Game 4 to Blues we lost,” DeBoer said. “We put two goals in our own net off our own guys. Didn’t get the start we wanted, got on our heels the first shift, took a couple penalties … then not finding a way to get a couple more goals. I By Kevin Kurz thought we did a lot of good stuff.”

May 17, 2019 Joe Pavelski said: “Their start, we just probably weren’t good enough. Gave up two quick ones but we battled, we had our chances. We felt we

sustained some attack (time) for a while and came up a little short. ST. LOUIS — For approximately seven-and-a-half minutes in the final Definitely room for improvement for sure.” stretch of a game in which the Sharks desperately needed a goal, Erik Hertl’s goal was his first point of the series, as he’s still looking for his first Karlsson sat on the visitors’ bench on Friday at Enterprise Center in point at even strength. Linemates Pavelski and Evander Kane don’t yet obvious discomfort. have a point at 5-on-5 either. At some point, that critical line is going to Moments before taking a seat, something looked wrong on the ice, too. have to have some sort of impact. On a Sharks power play, Tyler Bozak took possession of the puck in the Blues coach Craig Berube has given Hertl the toughest possible Blues’ defensive zone and chipped it past an overly aggressive Brent matchup, as Selke Trophy candidate Ryan O’Reilly has gotten the bulk of Burns. Karlsson struggled to race back as Bozak charged ahead and got the shifts against the Sharks’ top scoring forward in the regular season. a shot off on Martin Jones with 9:26 to go in regulation. It’s possible Karlsson was still feeling the effects of a heavy hit about five minutes “You have to check them hard. He’s tough to handle,” Berube said on earlier when St. Louis’ Brayden Schenn hammered him into the wall. Friday morning. “He’s a big kid that’s strong and skates well.” After that collision, Karlsson stood in place for several seconds before making his way back to the bench. While DeBoer praised his team’s performance in the game, that didn’t prevent him from shuffling his lines in the third period. Pavelski went to Although he eventually returned for the final two minutes of the Sharks’ Joe Thornton’s line with Kevin Labanc, while Joonas Donskoi replaced 2-1 defeat in Game 4, tying the Western Conference final series with the him on the Hertl line with Kane. It didn’t work. Blues at two games apiece, Karlsson’s inability to play at such a crucial time was just the latest example that the pair of groin injuries he What they could have used, of course, was a healthy and agile Karlsson, sustained in the regular season are still affecting him. It’s fairly obvious who didn’t appear from 11:36 of the third period until 18:05, just after that the Blues are targeting him too, which, well, why wouldn’t they? Jones was pulled for an extra attacker. There were a few loose pucks According to Natural Stat Trick, Karlsson has absorbed 15 hits in the around the crease late in the period, but unlike in Game 3, the Sharks series, second only to Justin Braun’s 21. couldn’t find the equalizer.

Karlsson’s effectiveness has wavered throughout the Sharks’ playoff run. The Sharks are 7-11 all-time when a playoff series is tied two games In just the past two weeks, he was excellent in Game 5 of the second apiece, including 1-0 this year, beating Colorado after splitting the first round against Colorado, but struggled in Game 6 and Game 7, including four games of that second-round series. Game 5 is on Sunday at noon at taking two avoidable penalties in that decisive match against the SAP Center. Avalanche. Against the Blues, Karlsson posted his first two goals of the “We have to play a different game at home,” Hertl said of the Sharks, playoffs in the Sharks’ 5-4 win in Game 3, including the controversial who are 7-3 in the playoffs at SAP Center. “We have to start right away overtime winner. More importantly, he was cruising around all over the from the first minute and score the first goal.” ice with ease. Pavelski said: “We understand momentum swings get reset each night, But then Game 4 happened, and in a series that seems even more and you’ve got to go and earn it.” physical than the Sharks’ first-round matchup with Vegas, Karlsson — who has 15 points (2g, 13a) in 18 games — will surely continue to be in the crosshairs of Blues forecheckers. Whether he can withstand it, and whether the Sharks can overcome his unpredictable play, could very well The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 determine who moves on to face the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final.

Naturally, Pete DeBoer wasn’t saying much after the game about Karlsson’s apparent injury.

“I don’t have anything for you there,” said DeBoer, when asked about Karlsson laboring on the bench.

The Blues came out flying in Game 4, surely ticked off at the way they lost Game 3 after a missed Timo Meier hand pass, and scored a pair of goals that went in off Sharks players. Ivan Barbashev’s shot after a Burns giveaway redirected off Gus Nyquist’s stick and through Jones just 35 seconds into the game, and later Bozak was credited with a goal that Braun inadvertently kicked into his own net during a scrum in front of the blue paint.

While the goals were unfortunate, the Sharks were still a bit lucky to be down just 2-0 after 20 minutes. The Blues had several good looks from between the circles, but Jones made a good stop on Sammy Blais shortly after Barbashev’s goal, and the dangerous Vladimir Tarasenko missed the shot off the rush a few minutes later.

“It was exactly the opposite of what we wanted,” Tomas Hertl said of the first period. “We started slow, turned over too many pucks, they came hard and we were kind of lucky it was just 2-0 after first. Jonesy made a couple huge saves. … We tried, but we can’t start like that. The first was really ugly.”

The Sharks found their game in the second and outshot the Blues 21-12 the rest of the way. Shot attempts were even more lopsided, as the Sharks had 73 for the game compared with just 35 for St. Louis. 1144827 St Louis Blues who went from fourth on the depth chart to Calder Trophy finalist. The next time he looks nervous will be the first.

The Blues overcame concussions that claimed games from David Perron Hand of Death knocked Blues down, but not out and Tyler Bozak, battled countless undisclosed injuries and illnesses to others and fielded an entirely healthy team just one time before April.

Ben Frederickson The brutal beginning for ? He shook it off and served crow.

Vladimir Tarasenko’s slow start? No problem. He broke through once Before we rank the San Jose Hand of Death up there with the iron claw more on Wednesday. Great sign. on the list of most lethal knockout punches, perhaps we should consider the strength of our hometown hockey team’s jaw. Schwartz’s career-worst season? Old news. He now has nine postseason goals, tied with San Jose’s Tomas Hertl for second-most By now, the Blues’ backs are so comfortable in a corner, their shoulder goals this postseason. blades rest naturally at an angle of 90 degrees. The Blues lost back-to-back games to Winnipeg in the first round and They are not at ease unless considerable pressure is applied. trailed 2-0 entering the third period before scoring three third-period goals to win Game 5. The harder, the better. They lost their cool against Dallas in Game 4 of the second round, A preponderance of evidence says so. slashing the Stars and finding themselves on the brink of elimination It is this confounding character trait that has grayed hair and frayed before winning two straight games. hearts during the Blues’ long, strange trip to these Western Conference For whatever reasons, the Blues are at their best when they are coming finals. from behind. We panic. So, no, it did not sound like happy talk when they simply shrugged off The Blues just push forward. what will go down as one of the worst officiating mistakes in the history of St. Louis sports. Nothing has changed now. And if this team finds a way to overcome Game 3, it deserves to go down We were too busy lobbing Molotov cocktails on Twitter on Wednesday as one of the most resilient teams in the history of St. Louis sports. night to realize the Blues were handling the madness better than anyone else. To paraphrase Hall of Famer Brett Hull’s message to Blues fans before Wednesday night’s game: Hey buddy, the Blues are still here. Craig Berube’s team had, for the most part, turned the page by the time the dressing room doors opened to the waves of media that arrived to The San Jose Hand of Death knocked them down, no doubt. record the fire and brimstone that never came. Just don’t confuse down with out. Whatever the Blues truly felt about the officials’ unforgivable missed call on Timo Meier’s illegal hand pass to set up the Sharks’ game-winning overtime goal was swallowed down whole. Only the occasional belch of St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019 anger blurted out in interviews.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Berube said Thursday morning, back at the scene of the crime. “Seriously. It’s over with. Things happen in games. That’s the way it goes sometimes. We had an opportunity to close that game out in regulation, and we didn’t. That’s how I look at it.”

The hard truth is, he’s right.

If Jaden Schwartz scores on an open net, the Blues are entering Friday’s Game 4 with a 2-1 advantage in this best-of-seven series.

If Alex Pietrangelo doesn’t needlessly ice a puck with a 2-1 lead after the Sharks pulled goalie Martin Jones, there would have been less time for San Jose to set up its game-tying goal.

If the Blues don’t lose track of Logan Couture, the one San Jose player they cannot afford to forget about, then the game never leaves regulation.

The Blues did not control what they could control.

Then the officials lost control.

Berube’s team can’t put time on cinder blocks and rewind its odometer. It can turn the terrible non-call into another milestone on its white-knuckle drive toward altering an organization’s cursed destiny. A glance in the rear-view mirror can be reassuring at a time like this. It reminds you where you’ve been. This franchise’s history is littered with ruin. This team’s history is filled with obstacles overcome.

The Blues pulled through a dreadful start that claimed the head coaching career of Mike Yeo before they were reborn under Berube. They became just the fourth team since the 2000-01 season to carry a points percentage of .413 or lower into December, then make the playoffs. And of those four teams, they are the first to make it out of the postseason’s first round. The worst team in hockey on Jan. 2 is now one of the four teams left standing this postseason.

The Blues weathered the transition from struggling star goalie Jake Allen to season-saving replacement Jordan Binnington, a 25-year-old rookie 1144828 St Louis Blues To move forward in the series, the Blues must tighten up on defense. They knew it would be a challenge to keep the lid on San Jose’s potent offense, and with the exception of Game 2 — a 4-2 win at SAP Center — Leaving the pass behind? Blues try to move past the controversy they haven’t done that.

The Sharks scored six times in Game 1, albeit one into an empty net. And the Blues allowed five goals in Game 3 Wednesday, albeit one By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrapped in controversy. Goalie Jordan Binnington simply hasn’t been as sharp in this series.

“We scored four goals in a playoff game, we should win it,” Berube said. From the start of these highly entertaining and occasionally controversial “I think we can do some things better without the puck. Again, some of playoffs, the Blues’ mantra has been to ignore the noise, minimize it’s self-inflicted by us on the goals, and we’ve got to clean that up a little distractions and focus on the task at hand. bit.” To underscore the importance of this, the team has stayed in a hotel on It wouldn’t hurt to pay closer attention to Logan Couture, either. He has game days for home games during the playoffs. They practice in the absolutely killed the Blues in this series with five goals, including one with morning, take a bus to the hotel, relax and focus for a few hours, and 61 seconds left in regulation Wednesday that sent the game into then head back to Enterprise Center for the game. overtime tied 4-4. There has been a lot of noise out there since the non-call on Timo “He’s a good player,” Berube said. “Good players find a way to produce, Meier’s hand pass that resulted in the game-winning goal Wednesday by and he’s doing that right now. We can definitely focus on that a little bit the San Jose Sharks. more when he’s out there.” For example, it was impossible Thursday morning to turn on any local Inexplicably, the Blues let two Sharks slip behind their defense on the radio station and not hear at least some discussion of the play that play, one of them Couture. As the season progressed, the Blues became resulted in the Erik Karlsson goal and a 5-4 victory by the Sharks in adept at closing out tight games, but that wasn’t the case at the end of Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. the third period Wednesday. If you drove by the Southside Church of God in Sappington on Thursday Besides the defensive breakdown, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo iced the you saw this sign: “God Sees All, Including Hand Passes.” puck twice after the Sharks had sent goalie Martin Jones to the bench for The FanDuel Sportsbook announced it was refunding all St. Louis an extra attacker. And Jaden Schwartz missed a chance at the open net moneyline bets due to the “controversial nature” of San Jose’s game- by inches from near center ice. winning goal. “At the end of the day, it’s close,” Schenn said. “It’s a game of inches, Then there was the fact that one of the referees who missed the hand obviously. I had a chance there at the end, Schwartzy hit the post (on his pass, Marc Joannette, is the same guy who couldn’t get out of way when empty-net attempt), and they come back down and score with a minute David Perron attempted to clear the puck around the end boards in left.” Game 7 of the Dallas series. And then came overtime, and the hand pass. Instead, Joanette kicked the puck off the post and right in front of the net, where Dallas’ Mats Zuccarello swooped in to score the tying goal. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019 There’s more, lots more, but that’s just a “noise” sampler, if you will. So how do the Blues stay away from all this?

“We need to move on after this decision,” Vladimir Tarasenko said. “It’s not going to change anyway. So we have option to discuss about it for next (couple) days and be not ready for next game. Or just step over it.

“Yeah, we’re down in the series, but we have a chance to tie it again. So it’s our focus, and focus on ourselves. There’s a lot of stuff around. It’s your guys’ job (in the media) to do this, too, but (it’s) our job to prepare ourselves. And I think the best way to prepare is stay tight and focus on our game and not on anything going from outside of the team.”

If they do that, maybe they can tie the best-of-seven series at 2-2 with a victory Friday at Enterprise Center. If not, maybe they lose Friday and they’re down 3-1 and facing elimination Sunday in San Jose.

So as upset as he might have been about the blown call, coach Craig Berube almost instantly tried to turn the page to Friday and Game 4.

“We have to move on from it,” Berube said Thursday. “We’ve moved on already. That game’s over.”

His players at least seem to be talking that talk.

“It’s a hard job (for the officials),” defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. “They’re the best at what they do. You can argue for whatever happened, but bottom line is we let the game get to overtime. I think for us, it’s done.

“There’s no sense looking behind you. We’ve got a big game tomorrow. I think what we learned from last night is that if we play the way we can — and the second period was a perfect example — that we’re fine in this series. So that’s our focus now. We’re not too worried about yesterday.”

Bouwmeester was one of the Blues on the ice when Karlsson scored the game-winner. He collided with Meier just before Meier made the hand pass from his knees. Some observers felt Bouwmeester may have touched the puck with his leg after Meier’s hand pass, but Bouwmeester said he never got a leg on the puck.

Asked what he saw on the play, forward Brayden Schenn said: “I think we’ve all seen it. Move on from it. Don’t worry about it.” 1144829 St Louis Blues David Perron’s two-goal performance marked the first multi-goal playoff game of his career.

Blues notebook: Dunn's status uncertain for Game 4 and beyond St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019

By Jim Thomas and Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The status of Blues defenseman Vince Dunn is uncertain, not only for Friday but for the rest of the series, after he took a puck to the face midway through the first period of Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to San Jose in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

Dunn was stationed near the front of the Blues’ net when a wrist shot by Brenden Dillon struck him in the face. Dunn stumbled over the bench with a bloody mouth and had to be helped through the tunnel to the locker room for treatment.

He did not return for the remainder of the game, forcing the Blues to get by with just five defensemen for 2 ½ periods.

Besides damage to his teeth, it’s possible Dunn has a broken jaw and/or a concussion. Coach Craig Berube provided no details Thursday except to say Dunn was “day-to-day right now.”

Dunn, 22, is one of the Blues’ top puck-movers and offensive threats from the blueline. He had 12 goals and 23 assists and was plus-14 during the regular season. So far in the playoffs, he has two goals, five assists and is minus-3.

“He’s a guy that plays a lot of different situations, obviously on the power play,” defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said. “Five on five, he’s a guy that can skate and move the puck, and helps to get out of your end pretty clean.

“I don’t know how long he’ll be out or what the deal is yet, but he’s a guy who’s played really well for us all year. When something like that happens, it’s never good, but it’s something you can rally around, and it’s going to be an opportunity for someone else.”

Carl Gunnarsson, who told the Post-Dispatch on Wednesday that he was healthy and ready when called upon, is the likely replacement for Dunn.

In the first round of the playoffs, a five-minute major penalty in Game 7 against Vegas allowed the Sharks to get back in the game and advance to the second round. In Round 2, an offside challenge wiped out a goal by Colorado that would have tied the game. And then there was that illegal hand pass by Timo Meier on Wednesday night.

Sharks coach Peter DeBoer resents the suggestion that his team has been lucky.

“You know, you play 60 minutes of hockey,” DeBoer said. “This team, it irks me when you use words like that because this team has played four or five elimination games — not moments. Twelve to 15 periods of elimination hockey against Vegas, against Colorado in Game 7, so I think it’s a ridiculous statement.

“I heard (Carolina coach) Rod Brind’Amour speak out about it, I read an article, and I thought he said it best: Those things happen so quickly on the ice, and there are so many bodies flying around and there are split- second decisions and it’s easy when we sit there on the bench or you guys look at a TV monitor and criticize and hold people accountable for errors that happen in milliseconds.

“You know what? We’ve found a way. And we’ve faced a lot of adversity. We’ve had calls go against us and we’ve had calls go for us, and we’re still standing. For anybody to minimize that, I think is disrespectful to our group and what we’ve done.”

Doug Armstrong has been named a finalist for the NHL’s general manager of the year award.

Other finalists are Boston’s Don Sweeney and Carolina’s Don Waddell.

In Wednesday’s game, defenseman Colton Parayko became only the second player in Blues playoff history with three assists in an NHL “final four” game, joining Ab McDonald from 1970.

The Blues’ four-goal second period was their first period of four or more goals in the playoffs since they scored five in the second period of Game 6 of the 2000 conference quarterfinals against … San Jose. 1144830 St Louis Blues “Yeah we didn’t play well as a line,” Couture said. “We didn’t create much offensively, we gave up two to their guys. It was nice to find a way to score one at the end of the game and we won it in overtime.”

Haute Couture: Sharks center on a goal-scoring spree

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019 By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch

When San Jose forward Logan Couture scored the tying goal in Game 3 with 1:01 to play in the third period, the question was both How did it happen? and What took him so long?

The goal was the 14th this postseason for Couture, five more than anybody else. (Jaden Schwartz of the Blues is tied for second with nine.) In his NHL career, Couture has 48 postseason goals. That’s the second most in the NHL since he made his playoff debut in 2010, putting him two behind Alex Ovechkin and above teammate Joe Pavelski, Sidney Crosby of the Penguins (both with 42) and Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks (41).

So what’s it like being in such elite company?

“Those guys have won (the Stanley Cup) and I haven’t,” Couture said Thursday. “So those numbers don’t mean anything unless we win the Stanley Cup.”

If the Sharks do win the Cup, it will likely be because of Couture, who hasn’t exactly single-handedly carried the team, but who has done much of the heavy lifting and has to be a favorite at this point for the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP. Couture had six goals in the Vegas series, including two in the pivotal Game 7. He had a hat trick in Game 3 against Colorado as the Sharks took a 2-1 lead in the series. And he has five goals in three games so far against the Blues. In 17 playoff games this season, the 10th-year center from Guelph, Ontario, has 20 points. If he gets to the Stanley Cup Final, he’ll have a shot at the record for most goals in one postseason, 19, by Reggie Leach with Philadelphia in 1976, and Jari Kurri with Edmonton in 1985. (Though many NHL greats didn’t get a chance because there were fewer rounds in the playoffs in their day.) At the rate he’s scoring against the Blues, he could have the record by the end of this series.

So even if his Game 3 goal was the easiest of the bunch, a tap in from inches out, it was filled with drama, saving what almost was a major collapse for the Sharks.

“No (surprise),” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. “Just kind of get numb to it. You shouldn’t. I think it’s one of those playoffs runs we’ll look back at years down the road and say, wow, what a competitor, what a leader. But when you’re in the heat of the moment, he’s just doing what he does.”

“It’s pretty impressive,” said Sharks goalie Martin Jones. “He’s just a reliable player in the big moments of the big games. Those are the kind of guys you need if you want to have success in the playoffs. He’s been huge for us for sure.”

Couture, who has played his entire career with San Jose, which drafted him with the ninth pick in 2007 (Kane was the No. 1 pick that year), is coming off a season where he had career highs in assists (43) and points (70), to go along with 27 goals, down from the career-high of 34 the season before. He finished the regular season second on the team in assists and takeaways and was third in points.

“He’s a good player,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “Good players find a way to produce and he’s doing that right now. We can definitely focus on that a little bit more when he’s out there. I think we’re doing a pretty good job but he’s hot. He’s a big-time player for them. But we’ve got to make sure we’re a little tighter to him.”

His teammates also see him as more than just a goalscorer.

“He does a lot of stuff for us that helps us win games,” said linemate Timo Meier. “He obviously comes up with big goals but also does a fantastic job defensively, plays all three zones. He plays an honest game. As a teammate, it’s obviously unbelievable to have a guy like that on the team.”

If there should be a scary thing for the Blues – as if Couture’s play in this series isn’t scary enough – it’s that even when they did a solid job defending Couture and his line (Gustav Nyquist is the third member), they couldn’t keep him from scoring. For all they did, Couture was able to get room to work in front of the crease and score. 1144831 St Louis Blues was) the engagement — such as amount of participants, how many questions they answered, and how long they were active on the site."

If things fall into place, there could be a day when viewers can make real- Media Views: Bet on it — big changes planned for Fox Sports Midwest time bets on the TV screen and mobile devices on items such as the odds of the next batter hitting a home run, the result of the next shot in basketball (conventional basket, 3-pointer, miss, foul, etc.) and the By Dan Caesar St. Louis Post-Dispatch number of yards a football play will net.

"We anticipate playing a leading role in these types of initiative going forward," Ripley said. He called sports betting a "mega-trend." We don't know what Fox Sports Midwest will be called if its pending sale to Sinclair Broadcast Group is approved by federal regulators. But we do Ripley also indicated that Sinclair would want to produce more know that Sinclair plans to bring a considerable amount of sports programming than regionals such as FSM now have. The current fare gambling content to its telecasts. does not go much beyond game telecasts, pregame and postgame shows. FSM, the local television home of the Cardinals and Blues, is one of 21 regional sports networks (known in the business as RSNs) that the He also suggested that some of the local sports networks' content could government has ordered the Walt Disney Company to sell. end up on local Sinclair over-the-air stations, such as Channel 30. And he is undeterred by the trend of viewers to abandon traditional cable TV Disney tried to acquire the RSNs in a $10.6 billion deal it struck with 21st for alternative programming providers such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, etc. Century Fox in 2018 to buy many of its properties, including its film and television studios and several cable channels, among them FX and "We believe such concerns have been overstated," he said. "Sports- and National Geographic. But the Department of Justice ruled that Disney news-viewing viewership among the key 25-54 demographic is growing would have to sell The Sports Networks because of concerns about it relative to all other content as (over-the-air) entertainment is losing share monopolizing the sports TV landscape. It already owns behemoth ESPN due to the emergence of streaming and on-demand options. (But) sports as well as ABC Sports. and news are typically consumed live, which plays to our strength. Local sports not only have resilient and loyal fan bases, but is some of the Sinclair also is a powerhouse. It owns or has a hand in 191 local most-watched programming on television. television stations in 89 markets — including St. Louis, with KDNL (Channel 30). That's the most stations for any company in the United "They are an incredible entertainment value for the price of less than a States. Starbucks cappuccino per month. One household gets to enjoy almost every night their local MLB, NBA and NHL team in prime time. An Some cable and satellite TV operators have expressed concern that incredible value for anyone." Sinclair would gain too much power in trying to set prices for the content. But Sinclair chief executive Chris Ripley said in a recent conference call "We will become the leading local sports and news company in the with financial analysts to discuss the acquisition of The Sports Networks country. There is a lot to like about this transaction." that he doesn't foresee any problems in gaining federal approval. Not to be left out, Fox Sports recently announced it is buying a small "We do expect that to go fairly quickly given this is a derivative stake in The Stars Group, owner of PokerStars, for about $236 million. transaction off the Disney-Fox merger," he said, adding that he expects The companies plan to get into sports betting this fall, under the name the deal to close by September. The transaction involves media rights to "Fox Bet," in states in which they are licensed. 42 teams — 14 in , 16 in the NBA and 12 in the NHL. And ESPN announced this week that it is forming a partnership with casino megapower Caesars Entertainment and will construct a studio to Ripley indicated that no immediate major changes are planned. produce sports-gambling content in The Linq (formerly Imperial Palace), one of eight casino/hotels it owns on the Las Vegas Strip. Look for "One of the reasons why this asset is so special is (because of) the reports and full-length programs from there to be featured prominently on people around it that built it into what it is today and that are here to ESPN and related outlets after the facility opens next year. deliver on what it could be tomorrow as a part of the Sinclair family," he said. "We look forward to welcoming you and working with you once we "The sports betting landscape has changed, and fans are coming to us close. We also look forward to continuing the great relationship this for this kind of information more than ever before,” ESPN vice president business has had with the teams, owners, fans and respective leagues." of business development Mike Morrison said in a statement. “We are poised to expand our coverage in a big way.” The regionals, including FSM, could have a vastly different approach down the line.

Ripley is extremely bullish on sports gambling, which the Supreme Court St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019 ended the ban on across the country last year and which numerous states since have legalized (though not Missouri and Illinois).

"This is expected to become a $5 billion industry over the next six years, and we see upside from increased viewership, advertising and in-play betting integrated directly into the media," he said. "With over 5,300 live events per year, we believe the RSNs will be in an optimal position to benefit from the positive impact of legalized sports betting."

His vision goes beyond merely listing basic point spreads and over-under totals. He points to gambling-related telecasts that already have popped up, such as some the NBA's Washington Wizards tinkered with this season. There was no real cash betting; instead, a point system was used to award prizes.

“Combining the excitement of live Wizards games with engaging predictive gaming and data feeds will deliver a very entertaining experience for viewers, from first-time gaming players to savvy sports bettors,” NBC Sports Washington general manager Damon Phillips said shortly before the package began.

The gambling-centric productions appeared on a secondary outlet (similar to Fox Sports Midwest Plus in this area), while the traditional telecasts were shown on the main channel.

"We were very pleased with all of the metrics from the eight telecasts," an NBC Sports Washington spokesperson said. "Especially (impressive 1144832 St Louis Blues

St. Louis pounds San Jose in series television ratings

By Dan Caesar St. Louis Post-Dispatch

May 17, 2019

The Stanley Cup semifinal matchup between the Blues and Sharks now is mired in controversy following the non-call Wednesday of an illegal hand pass that allowed San Jose’s goal in overtime to stand, allowing the Sharks take a 2-1 lead in the series.

But there is no room for bickering about which market is dominating in television ratings for the three skirmishes to date. St. Louis is routing the San Francisco Bay Area, of which San Jose is included, by a nearly 3-1 rate. That’s according to Nielsen, which tracks viewership. The contests have been seen in 14.4 percent of homes in the St. Louis market, with the figure at 4.9 in the Bay Area.

Viewers there are much more interested in the local team in the NBA semifinals. The Golden State Warriors drew a 21.9 rating (on ESPN) in the Bay Area for the opener of their showdown with Portland on Tuesday night.

Game 3 was the first in the Blues’ series that overlapped a Cardinals contest. Hockey (on NBCSN) trounced baseball (on Fox Sports Midwest) 13.6-3.7 in St. Louis ratings.

On the air

Former Blues defenseman and broadcaster provided analysis for NBCSN’s telecast of Game 3, and is set to do so again Friday for Game 4.

He has replaced , who called the first two contests before moving to the Boston-Carolina series. Milbury took over there for , who has gone to Baltimore to be on NBC and NBCSN’s Preakness Stakes and related horse-racing coverage over the next couple days.

Kenny Albert continues to be NBCSN’s play-by-play broadcaster for Blues-Sharks, with Pierre McGuire again reporting from between the benches. Game 4 is set to begin at about 7:10 p.m.

BY THE NUMBERS

Television ratings in St. Louis and the San Francisco Bay Area for the first three games of the Blues-Sharks NHL playoff series:

GAME BAY STL

1. 5.1 15.4

2. 5.0 14.1

3. 4.6 13.6

Avg. 4.9 14.4

Notes: Game 1 on NBC (KSDK, Channel 5), others on NBCSN.

The rating is the percentage of homes tuning in.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144833 Tampa Bay Lightning Washington, D.C.: Dan Snyder

Winnipeg: Marty Schottenheimer (kidding)

Tampa Bay, we are not alone with our sports stigma

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.18.2019

By Martin Fennelly

Published Yesterday

The Lightning’s first-round sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets will be something that could take a while for Tampa Bay to live down. Here’s a look at the sports stigmas of other markets:

Atlanta: Falcons, 28-3.

Baltimore: Super Bowl III, ’69 World Series

Boston: Ruth, Dent, Buckner

Buffalo: Four Super Bowl whiffs, wide right in Tampa.

Calgary: Game 6 vs. Lightning, 2004

Chicago: Curse of the Billy Goat

Cleveland: The Drive, Byner’s fumble, Willie Mays, Marty Schottenheimer

Edmonton: The Gretzky Trade.

Dallas/Fort Worth: One strike away, Leon Lett.

Denver: Four Super Bowl losses before Elway revenge.

Detroit: 1957 NFL champions Lions

Green Bay: The onside kick

Houston: Choke against Bills, Lorenzo Charles

Jacksonville: 32 minutes away from Super Bowl.

Kansas City: Chris Chambliss, George Brett’s hemorrhoids, Marty Schottenheimer

Memphis: Dana Kirk, John Calipari

Montreal: Best record, work stoppage, moving vans

Milwaukee: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leaves

Miami: Fire sales

Minnesota: Four Super Bowls, Gary Anderson

Nashville: The Tackle

New York: Rangers 1940 drought, Knicks 1973 drought

New Orleans: The Aints

Las Vegas: Holtby’s save

Los Angeles: Donald Sterling

Oakland: Charlie Finley, Tuck rule, Vegas

Oklahoma City: Harden, Durant

Orlando: Nick Anderson misses, Shaq hits road, Spurrier and Apollos

Portland: Jailblazers

Pittsburgh: Sid Bream

Phoenix: Amari Stoudemire-Robert Horry.

Philadelphia: Gene Mauch, ‘64 Phillies

Sacramento: Up 3-1 on the Lakers

San Diego: Los Angeles Chargers, Marty Schottenheimer

Seattle: Run the ball, Pete.

St. Louis: Don Denkinger

Toronto: Maple Leafs, 1967

Vancouver: Game 7 loss, riot 1144834 Tampa Bay Lightning We don’t deserve it.

But there it is.

Lightning is gone, but, stigma will linger We own it.

It will be with us for a long while.

By Martin Fennelly Ask Boston.

Published Yesterday But maybe there is a way out.

Again, ask Boston.

ST. PETERSBURG — The Lightning is done but Tampa Bay is an Just don’t ask Buffalo. astounding place to live. We have a world championship in football and one in hockey. Why us?

We don’t deserve to be Buffalo. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.18.2019

By the way, I mentioned Buffalo recently in a column about the Lightning’s epic nose dive.

A few days later, a Bills fan emailed me.

Marty, read your article about the Bolts demise this morning. Bringing Buffalo into it caught my attention. Stay in your lane, Bro. At least we won playoff games.

This is what it’s going to be like.

Buffalo looking down on us.

Stigma, anyone?

The Lightning juggernaut is done. No use lingering around the autopsy table. Tampa Bay’s humiliating first-round hockey collapse has been registered in the book of the dead, burned into this town’s collective sports psyche. It has taken up permanent residency. If stigmas can own a voter’s card, this one does.

It’s now just a matter of how long those seven days in April will echo in Tampa Bay sports history.

“You can either be motivated by it or you can just not pay attention to it,” Lightning center Brayden Point said two days after the Lightning were swept into oblivion by Columbus. “We know what happened. I don’t think we’re going to look at those things and be offended by it. We can use it as motivation.”

But do they really know what happened?

Do they have any idea?

Boston is a city of champions these days. The hockey Bruins are tracking that way. But think people in Boston knew what they were getting themselves into when their Red Sox traded Babe Ruth? Well, they knew it by the time Bucky Dent carried the Green Monster or the baseball went through Bill Buckner’s wickets. It took forever to shake the stigma.

It was that way in the Twin Cities when the Vikings lost a fourth Super Bowl? Or when Gary Andesron missed that kick. It is that way in Cleveland with the Browns and Indians.

The Lightning made a mess. I don’t want to read about them. I don’t want to hear about them. If I saw any of the players in the mall, I’d go into one of those bedding stores, where no one ever buys a bed, just to hide.

These guys are Stigma carriers.

Why does this whole town have to be part of it?

Why should an entire community have to wear the horns of shame, the scarlet letter, the mark of the pentagram, all of that?

Not only that, but if you look around, we’re shaky all over.

We’ve got a football team that hasn’t made the playoffs in 12 years, hasn’t won a playoff game since Super Bowl night in 2003. Even with Bruce Arians on the job, it’s a desperate situation.

The Rays? They’re off to a great start, love the way they play, but they want a new home that no one in Tampa Bay wants to build them. Packing boxes await.

That’s our sports town right now, folks, the lousy Bucs, the antsy Rays and a hockey team that doesn’t know what greatness entails.

It’s a lousy deal for all of us. 1144835 Tampa Bay Lightning

Erik Cernák emerged seemingly from nowhere on the Lightning’s blue line

By Diana C. Nearhos

TAMPA — Erik Černák packed for a week but stayed for five months. The young defenseman impressed out of training camp, but no one expected him to carve a spot for himself in the NHL so quickly.

Černák was recalled from Syracuse when Anton Strålman was hurt. Then Strålman’s injury lingered and the rookie got a longer look, a better opportunity. He took it and ran, never to return to the AHL.

The 21-year-old hadn’t even been on fans’ radar. A year ago, the Lightning seemed stocked with young defensemen, including Mikhail Sergachev, Jake Dotchin and Slater Koekkoek. No one was really looking to the prospect pool, but when they did it was to Cal Foote (the 2017 first-round pick).

Dotchin came into camp out of shape and was released. Koekkoek underperformed. So when Stralman got hurt, the Lightning turned to Černák, the 2015 second rounder who came as part of the Ben Bishop trade with Los Angeles.

Černák, known as Drago for his resemblance to Rocky Balboa’s rival, has a commanding presence on the ice at 6-feet-4, 225 pounds. He uses that big body to add a physicality the Lightning didn’t have a lot of on defense.

He quickly settled into a pairing with Ryan McDonagh, taking on opponents’ top lines, without any of the liability one might expect from a rookie in that role. Černák rotated in and out of the lineup before securing his full-time spot in early February (only leaving the lineup for a lower- body injury).

“He trusts his strengths,” McDonagh said of Černák late in the season. “He’s a big guy, and he can skate really well for his size, too. He doesn’t make the game hard on himself. He puts himself in a good position to stay on top of his man.”

McDonagh watched Černák grow more comfortable with the puck, as well, as he started to jump into the offense more, something expected of defensemen in the Lightning’s system.

It took awhile for Černák to score his first goal (31 games to be specific), but when he did, the whole team reacted. He put a wrister past Rangers star Henrik Lundqvist and was mobbed by teammates on the ice and the bench.

He might have joined the organization without fanfare in a trade that focused its attention on the goalie battle, but now the Lightning and its fans are happy to have Černák making an impact.

Erik Černák’s season

High: After dancing around each other previously, Černák dropped the gloves with heavyweight Tom Wilson on March 30 and held his own, though he lost a tooth in the duel.

Low: For a while, Černák was one of the five defensemen rotating in and out of the lineup, while the Lightning figured out what to do with seven blueliners.

By the numbers

3 points in the playoffs, to lead the Lightning (a good sign for Černák and bad for the team)

198 hits, second on the team and more than any other defenseman by 94.

16 points on the season, tied for fewest among players with at least 20 games.

0 expectations of Černák coming into the season.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144836 Toronto Maple Leafs This kind of philosophy — that it takes time to do a job well and it’s not helpful to have your key people constantly looking over their shoulders — isn’t the primary reason the Bruins are going to be playing for the Cup for Enlightened Leafs embrace the wisdom of the long game | The Star the third time in nine years, but it’s part of the story.

The Leafs appear to be trying to establish the same type of common- sense approach: hire strong people, let them do their jobs over a By Damien Cox reasonable period of time.

Sports Columnist “I sometimes hear people say the window is small. I think the window is small if you make bad decisions,” Shanahan said this week. “I would say Fri., May 17, 2019 if you’re smart, the window can be quite large. If we’re intelligent and we continue to plan and we continue to scout and develop, the window can be quite significant if it’s built the right way.” Brendan Shanahan’s six-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs was announced this week with little fanfare. There are many, many reasons why Leaf teams pre-Shanahan weren’t able to have this kind of stable situation. Why Pat Burns was hired in Not that he’d want it any different. He prefers being part of the wallpaper, 1992 and gone by ’96. Why Brian Burke arrived in late November 2008 letting his top hockey people handle the limelight. and was fired slightly more than four years later. Why Ken Dryden and Pat Quinn worked together but were barely on speaking terms. Why nine So here’s why it matters that he’s staying. different men coached the team in the 1980s. Why lasted It’s another victory over the forces of instability that have plagued this only 160 games. franchise since the last time it lifted the Stanley Cup. Those days are long gone, and MLSE deserves credit for charting Change, often abrupt and poorly considered, has been the tradition of the another course. It started, at least for the Leafs, with the hiring of post-1967 Leaf hockey operations. The notion that one man could be GM Shanahan by Tim Leiweke in 2014. That Shanahan has now been re- for 22 years, like David Poile has done in Nashville, or that one man upped for another six seasons, despite all the disappointment and white could coach the team for 11 years, as Joel Quenneville did in Chicago noise that followed this spring’s loss to Boston, tells you stability is here with the Blackhawks, have been entirely alien concepts in Toronto. for a long run.

It became a cultural thing around these parts, sucking in those surrounding the team, the media and the fans. Look at the utterly Toronto Star LOADED: 05.18.2019 ridiculous calls for Mike Babcock’s head after the Leafs lost in the first round to Boston — a strong Bruins team, it turns out, that will now have home-ice advantage in the Cup final.

Babcock was hired for eight years. These people wanted him gone after four, the last two of which had been 100-point regular seasons. The “insiders” wanted you to believe the coach was in trouble. His third-period use of Auston Matthews in Game 7 against the Bruins was the pretext, but the real driving force was the concept in Toronto that change is always coming, that change for the sake of change is better than the status quo because the status quo is equivalent to inaction.

When rookie GM suggested that Babcock’s work would be reviewed, some leapt upon his words as an indication that a coaching change was in the works, that Dubas somehow believed a move was important because it had been argued on TV and elsewhere that Toronto’s “window” for possible success was closing and it was incorrectly assumed Dubas was listening to those people.

But nothing was further from the truth. Shanahan simply wanted the hockey world to see a functioning organization in which the coach answers to the GM, and the GM answers to the team president, who answers to ownership.

So you heard not a peep from Shanahan for the few stormy days in which Babcock’s job was supposedly hanging in the balance, before Dubas made it clear he had no intention of changing coaches now.

This is the way a good organization should run. That doesn’t mean change won’t eventually come, particularly if the youthful Leafs aren’t able to progress. But it’s also entirely possible that by 2023, the Leafs could have a team president (Shanahan) who has been there for almost a decade, a GM (Dubas) with five years under his belt and nine years in total with the organization, and a coach (Babcock) having completed his eighth season.

This kind of stability is unprecedented for this team since the days of Conn Smythe. Continuity, of course, doesn’t guarantee anything in what will soon be a 32-team league, just like Poile’s long run in Tennessee has yet to see the Predators lift the Cup.

But given the 47 years of constantly shifting sands and often tumultuous change in Toronto that preceded Shanahan, isn’t this approach at least worth a try?

The Cup final-bound Bruins are an interesting study. Yes, Bruce Cassidy has only been on the job since 2017. But Claude Julien was the coach before him for a decade. Don Sweeney has been GM in Boston only since 2015, but Peter Chiarelli was there before him for a decade. Cam Neely, meanwhile, has been a team executive since 2007 and president since 2010. Jeremy Jacobs has owned the team since 1975. 1144837 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Star LOADED: 05.18.2019

Team Canada scoring spree rocks Anthony Mantha’s worlds | The Star

By Kevin McGran

Sports Reporter

Fri., May 17, 2019

If there’s one thing Anthony Mantha loves doing, it’s scoring goals.

“It’s the best feeling in hockey,” Mantha said in a phone interview with the Star. “That’s what you play for. You want to be part of the offence. You want to score. It’s the best feeling there is.”

Mantha has been feeling pretty good lately, leading Team Canada with five goals and four assists at the world championship in Kosice, Slovakia.

Canada sat in third place in Group A on Friday, behind Germany and Finland, with three wins (over Slovakia, France and Britain), one loss (to Finland) and two preliminary-round games to go.

Next is Germany on Saturday, followed by the Americans on Monday, when Mantha will line up against Detroit Red Wings teammate Dylan Larkin.

Playing mostly with Kyle Turris and Jared McCann, Mantha has emerged as an offensive force for Canada, supplying some of the offence the team might have lacked after an injury to Leafs centre John Tavares.

As an NHLer, Mantha is only starting to reach his potential as a power forward, after being drafted 20th overall by the Red Wings in 2013. The 24-year-old scored 25 goals this past season — his career high after three full campaigns — in 67 games. His average of 0.72 points per game ranked second Larkin (0.96) in Detroit.

“I’m aiming to be a good player,” said Mantha. “I want to be an impact player every night. That’s what I’m trying to build, and that’s exactly what’s happening right now at the world championships.”

If the Red Wings rise next season, in what is a very tough Atlantic Division, Mantha and Larkin will be at the team’s forefront. At the worlds, Mantha is getting a confidence boost as one of the team’s go-to scorers, which he thinks will translate to more success in the NHL.

“It’s playing with the best players there is,” he said. “Every night is a challenging game and you play against great players, and you play against new players that don’t play in the NHL. It’s a great overall experience.”

It’s also a bit of an eye-opener. Hockey lightweight France pushed back in Thursday’s game, trailing just 3-2 in the third period before Mantha’s second goal of the game. Finland, playing largely without NHLers despite having some at their disposal, beat Canada.

“They play on the big ice year-round. They don’t play in the NHL, so they know exactly how to play on those rinks,” Mantha said. “For them, playing against us, it’s their one chance to show off against NHL (players). They’re super-motivated every time they step on the ice. They probably look at some of the guys (on Canada) as idols, and here they get a chance to play against them.”

It’s safe to say Canada does not have its best players here. Any of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Morgan Rielly or Mitch Marner — to name just a few — would be a big help. But getting players such as Mantha, who combine high-end potential with something to prove, is an important building block for Hockey Canada.

This is Mantha’s first world championship as an NHLer. He has represented Canada twice before: finishing fourth at the 2014 world juniors, and third at the world under-18s in 2012.

“It means a lot to be here,” said Mantha. “When you get a call from your country, I didn’t hesitate at all. I said yes right away. They called me with seven or eight games left in the season. It was pretty early, and I had time to get ready for it.

“For me, I haven’t played a playoff hockey game in three or four years. It’s the closest feel to a playoff hockey game there is.” 1144838 Toronto Maple Leafs The war on NHL zebras in the playoffs can’t discourage the search for new candidates in coming years.

The league has intensified efforts to get more former players into its Marchment comes up big for Marlies in series opener training program via the ECHL and AHL.

“This is a developmental league for everybody,” reminded Vellucci. “You Lance Hornby could say a guy never coached in the NHL, but how’s he going to do that unless he gets an opportunity? It’s a big thing for the young refs to work here.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mason Marchment is already a major distraction “The last two years, a lot of guys I’ve coached for and against in junior in this series. who are just retiring from hockey; Corey Syvret, Carter Sandlak, Mike Duco, who all played in the OHL, are now refereeing in the AHL and With people wondering if he can be the net presence/general irritant that doing a great job. About six or seven of them are new this year. the Maple Leafs lack in big wingers, Marchment supplied the Marlies’ 2-1 winner Friday night in Game 1 of the AHL Eastern Conference final “Sure, there’s things you have to learn, but they have a great feel for the against the Checkers. game. As long as you know they’re not trying to do one over on you, then I’m fine with that. The young guys will come over to the bench and say ‘I “I just try and slow guys down as much as I can, get in their head,” said missed it’. That’s all you want.” the 23-year-old Marchment, who rumbles around on a line with Trevor Moore and Adam Brooks. “I know a lot of guys don’t like to get hit and Keefe concurred. that’s where I come in.” “The AHL is for coaches, trainers, managers, media people and Marchment managed to stay out of the box despite some questionable officiating is no different. You have to remind yourself it’s the minor collisions and when the Marlies needed a big play in front, the 6-foot-4 leagues for everyone and mistakes will be made. Everyone’s trying to son of former NHLer Bryan Marchment was there to tip Timothy learn and go up. Liljegren’s point shot. What he lacks in natural scoring, he makes up for in the trenches. “I look at the officials calling the games now as opposed to this point last year and there’s a lot of turnover. That’s because a lot of our top officials “Great pass by Timmy, I was screening for him, he put it right on the ‘T’ are in the NHL now.” and it slid in there nice and slow. A hell of a moment,” said Marchment. ICE CHIPS Coach gets similar efforts from big men such as Pierre Engvall and veteran Colin Greening. Dubas is not with the Marlies in Carolina this weekend, taking in the start of the Memorial Cup in Halifax … Eemeli Räsänen, the super-sized “Marchment had a really big hit early to get himself and our team Finnish defender, the Leafs picked in the second round of 2017, will play involved,” Keefe added. “Those are the kind of goals we’ll need in this at home with Jokerit of the KHL next year, but Toronto retains his rights series.” … Winger Tomas Jurco of the Checkers grew up near Leafs defenceman Martin Marincin in Kosice, Slovakia. Part of Jurco wishes he was with GAME ON Marincin on the national team with their city hosting the world After a fast-paced but scoreless first period, the Marlies struck during a 5- championships. “It’s tough to watch, but I want to achieve something on-3, Jeremy Bracco and Rasmus Sandin setting up Dmytro Timashov. here for my future,” said Jurco … The rolled But Moore was stopped on a breakaway, then he and Brooks just missed over the Florida EDverblades 6-0 on Friday to take a 3-1 lead in their a 2-on-1 shorthanded goal, before too many Marlies jumped into the ECHL conference final, again two teams affiliated with the Leafs and attack and were caught on Haydn Fleury’s goal after he played the night Carolina. before in the Hurricanes’ elimination game.

The best defenceman in the game might have been Marlies rookie Mac Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.18.2019 Hollowell, who stayed in the lineup despite Calle Rosen’s return, with Joe Duszak getting scratched. Hollowell probably saved two goals in the first period, breaking up a slot pass with a Checker open and sweeping a puck off the goal line. His body position for a 5-foot-9 blueliner was excellent all evening.

“You come to the bench, the guys cheer you on and it definitely helps a lot” said the former Soo Greyhound, well known to Keith and Leafs GM Kyle Dubas before he was drafted.

Kasimir Kaskisuo made 26 saves for the win.

MARLIES MIRROR

Charlotte coach Mike Vellucci said scouting Toronto was like “looking in a mirror”.

“Let’s face it, Bill Peters was here (coaching the parent Hurricanes a few years), he worked for Mike Babcock and the systems were pretty much the same. Rod (Brind’Amour) changed a few things, but you look at the neutral zone, you look at the defensive zone there are a lot of similarities. I don’t think there will be too many surprises.”

STORM SURGE

The Checkers took back defencemen Fleury, Jake Bean and forward Patrick Brown after the Canes were eliminated on Thursday night.

The Marlies brought Moore and Rosen back right after the Leafs were eliminated and rounded that off by adding KHL free agent forward Egor Kroshkov. During the nine-day hiatus in this series, which allowed Rosen to recover from a shoulder injury, the Marlies brought back defenceman Jesper Lindgren from his champion Finnish club HPK, but didn’t use him Friday.

EARNING THEIR STRIPES 1144839 Toronto Maple Leafs of 50 attempts — seven of those goals came against the Leafs — for a 34% success rate that is almost unheard of in a year when no other team was better than 28.2%.

Bruins’ playoff success must be frustrating for Maple Leafs to watch Offensively, the Bruins received production from all lines. The big guns (Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak) combined for 22 goals and 46 points in 17 games. But it wasn’t just the top line that did Michael Traikos damage. Third-line forwards Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson also combined for nine goals and 21 points.

The Leafs didn’t have that depth. If Auston Matthews, John Tavares and RALEIGH, N.C. — This has to be killing the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mitch Marner weren’t scoring, then no one was. William Nylander How could it not? managed just one goal. Patrick Marleau had none. Nazem Kadri missed six games because of a suspension. That’s an awful formula for success. No one wants to live their life in the past, always asking themselves ‘what if,’ and wondering what might have happened had they done things Defensively, the Bruins stack up better than the Leafs. While Morgan differently. But you can be sure that question is being asked in Toronto a Rielly might be better than anyone on Boston’s blue line, I’d take Charlie day after the Boston Bruins punched their way to the Stanley Cup final McAvoy, Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo ahead of any of following a four-game sweep against the Carolina Hurricanes. the Toronto’s other six defencemen. Even when McAvoy or Chara missed a game, Boston had the depth to not miss a beat. So let’s play the ‘what if’ game. But the biggest reason why Boston has gotten this far is that it adapted to What if the Leafs had beaten the Bruins in the Eastern Conference its opponent. quarterfinal? What if they had held on and won Game 6? What if they hadn’t laid an egg in Game 7? In the first round, the Bruins faced a Leafs team that relied on speed and creativity to score goals and then went up against a Blue Jackets team What then? that tried to bully you all over the ice. Carolina was a blend of both, with their defence aggressively taking away the neutral zone and their Would the Leafs had then defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in the forwards preferring to play below the dots. second round and also swept the Carolina Hurricanes? Would it be them — and not the Bruins — who are now resting up to play either the San Could the Leafs have changed their stripes? Could they have withstood Sharks or the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup final? the in-your-face style that Columbus had used to sweep Tampa Bay? Could their defence have handled Carolina’s forecheck and cycle game? It sounds so easy. But that’s because the Bruins made it look that way. Maybe. After all, as good as Boston has looked lately, even head coach I don’t remember there ever being an easier path to reaching the final. Bruce Cassidy admitted that the team improved with each round. In fact, For that, the Leafs should be kicking themselves. following that 4-0 win in Game 4 against the Hurricanes, he pretty much This was their year. With Tampa Bay, Washington and Pittsburgh all out said that first-round series against Toronto might have been the team’s in the first round — and Calgary, Winnipeg, Nashville and Vegas gone in toughest challenge the Bruins faced in the playoffs. the West — all the Leafs had to do was get by Boston. For the Leafs, it was yet another reminder of what could have been. Beat the Bruins and you then faced the eighth-seeded Blue Jackets, followed by the seventh-seeded Hurricanes and a Sharks or Blues team that has logged a ton of miles in the playoffs. So yeah, watching the Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.18.2019 Bruins celebrate, you can’t help but think that the Leafs blew an opportunity to do something special.

This could have been them posing in front of the Prince of Wales Trophy on Thursday night. Then again, hold that thought.

The thing with alternate realities and butterfly effects is that you cannot just hop into your Delorean and simply swap one team out for another and expect the same results. This isn’t Back to the Future. You can’t suggest that had Ottawa scored in a Game 7 overtime against the Penguins in the 2017 conference final that they would have also defeated the Predators for the Stanley Cup. Nor can you say that Vegas — and not San Jose — would be on the cusp of reaching the final if not for some questionable officiating in Game 7 of a first-round series against the Sharks.

So the fact that Toronto had two chances at defeating Boston does not actually mean that the Leafs and Bruins are equals. If anything, losing to them illustrated the gap between a team that is four wins away from its second championship — and third trip to the final — in eight years and one that has lost in the first round in each of the past three years.

The Bruins beat the Leafs because they had a hotter goaltender, because they won the special teams battle, and because they were deeper on offence and defence. They were more experienced. They were better at adapting to whatever their opponent was throwing at them.

Had the Leafs advanced to the second round, there was no guarantee that they would not have advanced to the final. They might not have gotten past the Hurricanes or the Blue Jackets for that matter.

As good as Toronto’s Frederik Andersen played in the first round, Boston’s Tuukka Rask was that much sharper. And he kept it up, by then outduelling Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky in the second round and holding Carolina to just five goals in four games. After 17 games, he has a stingy of 1.84 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

Rask was a big reason why Boston’s penalty kill (86.3%) limited Toronto to just three goals on 16 shots. But it was the Bruins’ power play that has really carried them during these playoffs. The team has connected on 17 1144840 Toronto Maple Leafs defence prospect . “He’s obviously known for his passing abilities but he’s a pretty good dangler too. It’s fun to watch.”

Bracco, a Freeport, N.Y.-native, has won at every level. His name is One year after watching Calder Cup run from the sidelines, Jeremy etched in the U.S. National Team Development Program record books Bracco is driving force behind Marlies playoff run (second in all-time assists and fourth in all-time points). He’s won gold medals at the under-17, under-18 and under-20 level, and he’s won the one trophy that eludes Sidney Crosby – a Memorial Cup. By Hailey Salvian Last year was the first time hockey seemed like a challenge for him. After May 17, 2019 his Memorial Cup run with the Windsor Spitfires, he got mononucleosis, which carried into training camp. He wasn’t in shape, which meant the

talented winger rarely played early in the season. During that time, Last season, Jeremy Bracco was forced to sit and watch all but four of however, he dedicated himself to the gym and bonded with veteran Rich the ’ playoff games as they went on to win the team’s Clune. As the season went on, he started playing more and producing first-ever Calder Cup. After every game, his routine was the same – he’d offensively, but ultimately stayed on the sidelines in the playoffs when call his childhood best friend. Andreas Johnsson came back from his stint with the Leafs.

“Last year he struggled a bit … he just didn’t get to play in the playoffs,” “I think growing up I have always been one of the top dogs and for me to said , Bracco’s longtime friend. “I knew that hurt him a lot, sit there last year and accept that you’re not going to play was hard, so we would FaceTime every day over the playoffs.” absolutely,” Bracco said.

This year, though, things are different. Instead of having to use “But it was nice to have Dickey (Clune) there and our friendship grew FaceTime, Bracco and Duszak can talk face-to-face after Duszak signed insurmountably during that time. We were roommates and doing a two-year entry-level contract with the Leafs in March. And instead of everything together throughout the playoffs. He was there for me and being a healthy scratch, Bracco has become the driving force of the obviously anytime I needed him he was there, and I like to think I Marlies’ offence and a big reason the team has swept the first two rounds reciprocate the other way around. I think our friendship really blossomed of the Calder Cup playoffs. big time that way.”

The Leafs’ second-round pick – 61st overall – in the 2015 draft put up 79 Keefe said he made the decision to sit Bracco because he was thinking points in 75 games during the regular season, second in the AHL. He is about the bigger picture of his professional career. It wasn’t because now the Marlies’ franchise record holder for points, assists (57) and Bracco wasn’t producing, because he certainly was, but Keefe said they power-play assists (31) in a single season. And, he has shown no signs were playing “the long game.” of slowing down through the playoffs, with 11 points in the Marlies’ first “He had to make improvements in his fitness and his habits and all those seven games. things that are important for him to fully develop and meet his potential,” Watching his best friend and teammate succeed on the ice this year, Keefe said. Duszak said he “can’t be happier for him.” “So that’s what last season was about and we just happened that we had Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe also gave Bracco high praise. enough depth in our organization here to still be competitive so that we could prioritize his development and not just force him out the door and “Jeremy has been incredible in terms of meeting the challenge of being into the lineup and try to get what you can out of him.” an everyday player, playing over 20 minutes a night and finding ways to produce when other teams are targeting him.” Keefe didn’t make Bracco a healthy scratch without a plan and promise in mind, though. When the Marlies ultimately won the Calder Cup, the While his final numbers are impressive, Bracco will be the first to admit coach immediately pulled Bracco aside and told him: “This is going to be his season didn’t start the way he wanted it to. He tallied only one goal your team next year.” and one assist in the first nine games. That’s when Keefe pulled Bracco into his office for a meeting. Bracco smiles at the memory now.

“We had a bit of a powwow, he sat me down and talked to me and I’m “I remember standing on the ice and everybody is all excited and always the guy who likes to know where I stand and anytime a coach can everything and Keefer kind of grabbed me,” he said with a laugh. “It was talk to you it’s nice,” Bracco said. kind of out of the blue there, but I know it’s a memory obviously I’ll remember.” “So that was something Keefer did, and it turned the whole season around for me.” Keefe didn’t expect Bracco to nearly top the league in scoring (because those accolades are not something he ever thinks about) but said he is Come November, Bracco had taken control of the Marlies and never not surprised by Bracco’s offensive rise. looked back; he tallied 70 points in the final 66 games of the season, compared to nine points in the first 18. When asked about Bracco’s “I did feel strongly that offensively the team would be his and he would be dominance this year, his teammates and coaches will tell you the 22- the catalyst of the group and that’s because I believe in his talent and he year-old sophomore simply thinks the game faster than most and his showed it last season,” he said. “This year I knew he was going to get a brain is his No. 1 skill. better opportunity and I felt he was ready for it and he’s proven us right in that regard.” “A guy like Jeremy Bracco, you take one option away, he is looking for another, you take that one away and he’s got something else up his Bracco said he attributes his success to a good offseason where he sleeve,” said Bracco’s linemate Chris Mueller. didn’t let Keefe’s messaging or vote of confidence go to waste.

Bracco’s play has rubbed off on Mueller, too. After posting 19 goals and “I had a good summer,” he said. “I think I put myself in a position to come 51 assists last season, the veteran centre reached a career-high 33 into training camp and succeed.” goals and added 32 assists in 60 games this season. Duszak can attest to that. “(Bracco) is a guy that his entire life has made other people look good,” “When he came home this offseason it was game on. He took no off Keefe said. “For him to continue to do that at this level is good to see.” days, he wanted to get better,” he said about Bracco. His elite playmaking ability goes hand-in-hand with his ability to go heel- “The knock on a lot of us Long Island guys is we don’t have the physical to-heel in the offensive zone and open up his feet to survey the ice, a presence of NHL guys or pro guys in general. We lack height and weight unique skating style and impressive edgework not used by many players and we aren’t strong enough blah blah blah, so when he came home this (Jeff Skinner is one of the best). It’s a move he learned figure skating as summer he was dedicated, he dropped a couple pounds, got skinnier, a child and one that makes Bracco difficult to read and catch when he is got in shape more.” flying around the ice. Bracco said he didn’t spend too much time in New York last summer, “You always think he’s going to pass the puck and when he uses that opting instead to utilize the Leafs’ and Marlies’ training facilities and staff. move (the heel-to-heel) it can catch you off guard a little bit,” said Leafs He said he also spent time observing the NHL players and learning how to truly be a pro.

“You can learn a lot just by watching them,” he said. “Whether it’s working out with them or catching the tail end of their conditioning or watching them come in in the morning and stretch out and prepare and you see what it takes to be at that level and stay at that level and be successful at that level.”

With a matchup against the Charlotte Checkers in the Eastern Conference final starting Friday, Bracco and Keefe are understandably focused on playoffs, not what next season will hold for the young star.

But with the Leafs in the midst of their offseason – the draft and free agency both looming – people want to know which Marlies players will be able to step up next season and perhaps offer a low-cost, efficient option on the NHL roster.

The Leafs face a number of wrinkles to their opening day roster with both Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott unlikely to be ready after offseason surgeries (knee and shoulder, respectively). There are also a number of unknowns when it comes to trades and UFAs – like Jake Gardiner, Ron Hainsey and Tyler Ennis – being subtracted from the roster.

Last week, James Mirtle compiled a number of salary-cap scenarios for Toronto ranging from basic to complicated and highly speculative. In three of the four scenarios, including one titled “dream offseason,” Bracco was in the mix.

For Bracco to get a promotion, though, Connor Brown would likely need to be traded to open up a spot on the right wing depth chart. Unless there are injuries, Bracco is not at a place in his game to replace Mitch Marner or William Nylander. Nor does he really fit the mold of the typical fourth- line winger Mike Babcock likes to roll out. But subtracting Brown for Bracco could be a step up for the team in terms of puck movement and productivity.

The larger question remains, though. Is he ready?

Bracco has said Keefe trusting him to run the first power play unit has been a major key to his confidence. But on the Leafs, he most definitely will not be in the same role. On the power play for the Marlies he stays on the right flank, which is where Marner plays for the Leafs. The Leafs also aren’t lacking in players who are small but skilled with a pass-first mentality – how many of those players will Babcock realistically want on his roster?

The big decision for the Leafs is whether they want Bracco playing bottom six, 5-on-5 minutes next season in the NHL or have him spend another season being the top dog in the AHL.

Someone with good insight on this is Keefe, who has seen a number of his players graduate to the Leafs during his four-season tenure with the organization.

Keefe said he knows a player is ready to move on when they are dominating at the AHL level. Offensively, he said Bracco is more than ready, but said there is more to the equation than just that.

“Certainly, he has shown that game after game against the best teams in the league and the hardest time of the year to score,” he said.

“But we are still looking for him to carry play more shift to shift. He has established himself as a game-breaking player but there is a lot more that happens in a 60-minute game and that’s the next step for him is to be a player when nothing is really happening offensively that he is still able to have productive shifts.”

Even though there is work to be done, there is more than a good chance Bracco will get an extra-long look for a job with the Leafs next season.

“His game-breaking ability being what it is, well that’s hard to find,” said Keefe. “That’s the type of player who doesn’t spend much time in this league.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144841 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.18.2019

Golden Knights might lose free agent Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

May 17, 2019 - 6:54 PM

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was the glue on the Golden Knights’ fourth line for two seasons, a hard-working center who kept wingers such as Ryan Reaves and William Carrier focused on the finer points of every game plan.

Notice the past tense, though?

That’s because Bellemare is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and with the Knights pushed against the salary cap, the 34- year-old might have played his final game for the club.

“Obviously, Vegas is going to have the first shot at it, and then it’s all about if they want me here or not,” Bellemare said on exit interview day in April. “I’ve done everything I can to help the team, and if they decide I’m not the right person for the job, I’d be happy for the team because they would get somebody better than me in the spot. But obviously if they want me, I would love to stay.”

Bellemare emerged as one of the top penalty killers for the Knights after he was selected from Philadelphia in the expansion draft and an integral part of the team’s leadership group, serving as alternate captain the past two seasons.

He posted six goals and a career-high 16 points in 72 games to help the Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season and finished this past season with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 76 games.

“He’s really good in the defensive zone, and that’s what he brings,” Reaves said. “You can see him on the penalty kill. He blocks shots better than anyone in the league. He’s really good in the defensive zone, so we have the confidence of not getting scored on, and we’re adding in some offense that allows him to play us a little more.”

Bellemare suffered a right knee injury on his final shift during Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals and watched the Knights’ gut- wrenching 5-4 overtime loss to San Jose in Game 7 from a secluded room at SAP Center.

He wore a heavy brace on his knee during his exit interview with the media, and coach Gerard Gallant said it probably was a two- to three- week injury.

“I went through a few T-shirts that game,” Bellemare said. “You trust the team to do the job. We didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but, yeah, very frustrating to not be able to help.”

Bellemare is at the end of a two-year, $2.9 million contract and indicated he was looking for more security than a one-year deal.

The Knights must make cost-cutting moves this offseason to comply with the projected $83 million salary cap and might not be able to squeeze in Bellemare.

In addition, they are crowded down the middle with centers Paul Stastny, Cody Eakin and Erik Haula under contract for next season, restricted free agent William Karlsson negotiating an extension and prospect Cody Glass in the pipeline.

Bellemare raved about his time in Las Vegas and said he and his wife are considering living here after his career is complete. But he noted there were no talks between his agent and the Knights during the season about a new deal.

“Right from, I think, last year in the summer, my agent said that they had a talk and he said that they’re going to let the season play out and then after that there was going to be talks,” Bellemare said. “I’m not the kind of person that likes to talk about this kind of stuff until there is something black and white. There’s no point in talking about it; you can’t affect it, really.”

1144842 Vegas Golden Knights how teams put themselves into more challenging situations with the cap,” McCrimmon explained. “All types of lessons can be learned in that type of a process.”

Vegas executives detail the importance of their season without any Like Vegas, Seattle’s management staff will be starting its franchise with players a clean slate, with no bad contracts negotiated by a past regime. The Golden Knights were able to learn from other teams’ mistakes, hoping to avoid making them themselves. By Jesse Granger If Seattle hires a general manager with no prior experience at the May 17, 2019 position, the time can also be a great learning experience. It was for McCrimmon, who spent 28 years with the Brandon Wheat Kings prior to

joining Vegas’ staff. The search for Seattle’s first NHL general manager doesn’t appear to be McCrimmon worked his way up from player to coach to general manager, hurried. and eventually became the owner of the Wheat Kings. He knew the The franchise is taking its time, continuing its process as some notable like the back of his hand, and while there are names like Kelly McCrimmon and Ken Holland come off the board. NHL similarities to the NHL, the first year in Vegas was valuable for his Seattle president and CEO Tod Leiweke said he interviewed Columbus development as well. assistant general manager Bill Zito last week, but multiple sources told “The WHL is like the NHL-light,” McCrimmon said. “Everything that they The Athletic that Seattle is in no rush to make a hire. do in the NHL, in terms of a draft and develop league. You draft all the And there’s might not seem to be a reason to rush. After all, the 2019 best bantam players in Western Canada. That exact mindset of scouting, NHL Draft — which Seattle is not part of — is still more than a month out. doing a good job with the draft and making sure you develop players within the organization. The schedule is the same as the NHL. The rules However, there is a great advantage to getting a management team in are the same as the NHL. Obviously it’s a real important supplier of place as early as possible, as Golden Knights newly-named GM Kelly players in the NHL draft. There are a lot of similarities, I’ve always felt, McCrimmon said recently. between running a team in that league and running a team in the National League. “The year that people would know the least about — year one and our preparation for expansion — was fascinating in terms of the excitement “Obviously in professional hockey there is a different component with the of the challenge,” McCrimmon said, referring to the entire 2016-17 NHL business side of the league, but a lot of the leg work is quite similar.” season where McCrimmon and then-general manager George McPhee spent hundreds of hours scouring the NHL for unearthed talent. McCrimmon believes the first year in Vegas helped prepare him for eventually taking a general manager job of his own, which he did when McCrimmon stressed multiple times how incredibly vital that first year on the Golden Knights promoted him on May 2. the job was, before they ever had a player on the roster. “The ability for me to work alongside George, who has spent his entire McPhee was hired as Vegas’ first general manager on July 13, 2016, 11 career being an NHL general manager, really filled in the gaps,” months and five days before the 2017 expansion draft. Former Coyotes McCrimmon said. coach Dave Tippett, who is a senior advisor for the Seattle NHL franchise, acknowledged to The Athletic’s Craig Morgan that there are So while making the best possible hire should be atop Seattle’s priorities, certainly benefits to hiring soon. they shouldn’t wait too long to make the decision.

“There is, if the right guy is available,” Tippett said. “There is a lot of work “It’s hard to even quantify how valuable that was,” McCrimmon said, that can be done early, even identifying people you’d like to bring into “because it was an incredibly educational experience.” your organization.”

In Vegas, McPhee wasted no time building his scouting staff, hiring The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 McCrimmon as assistant general manager on August 2, 2016. The first in-person meeting between the two came in an airport in Vienna, Austria.

The two were traveling to Slovakia to scout prospects in the Ivan Hlinka tournament.

“When we first started, I told Kelly when I was trying to hire him that he would be involved in every single thing here and the first thing we did,” McPhee said. “I forgot we had our first meeting in the airport in Vienna, but I divvied up the teams, I said you take these 15 NHL teams, I’ll take these 15 NHL teams; you deal with them all year, I’ll deal with these. And we shared everything, basically co-managed, for three years.”

Like most teams, the Golden Knights created a war room with a full depth chart of all 30 NHL teams and their AHL affiliates, with every player ranked based on their assessments. But unlike every other team, Vegas had an entire NHL season to only concern itself with scouting other teams. No games of their own to be played. No contract negotiations. No trades to be hashed out. Just observing.

“It was extremely valuable in that over the course of those 11 months we knew all 30 NHL teams inside-and-out, right down to their AHL teams, as we prepared for our expansion draft,” McCrimmon said.

McPhee and McCrimmon obviously used their time wisely, discovering untapped talent from a bevy of organizations. Whether it was finding a top-line center buried on the fourth line in Columbus in William Karlsson, convincing Pittsburgh to send a second-round pick to Vegas to take Marc-Andre Fleury, or swindling both Alex Tuch and Erik Haula from Minnesota, the Golden Knights navigated the expansion draft masterfully.

But that wasn’t the only thing they learned during their first year.

“Along the way there’s a very thorough evaluation of every team’s salary cap, how teams get into favorable position with respect to the cap, and 1144843 Washington Capitals scored six goals with 21 assists in 74 games last year. Washington was also high on right-handed shots Connor Hobbs, Colby Williams and Tyler Lewington, who played in two NHL games this season. Williams is a Capitals’ blue line depth is an oft-touted strength, one that may be tested restricted free agent. by offseason turnover Siegenthaler has an edge on the field with his experience from this season, but there could be more than just one opening. The Capitals’ blue line hasn’t seen much turnover over the past few seasons, so this By Isabelle Khurshudyan upcoming year potentially presents a rare opportunity.

May 17 at 3:40 PM “There’s always a bit of pressure, but at the end, you just got to play the game and just got to enjoy the moment," Siegenthaler said. "Not

everyone is able to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and I think it was a The visiting locker room at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., only has so huge experience, too, that takes you one more step further in your many stalls, so before the Washington Capitals’ first game there in their career. You’ve just got to learn from it.” first-round playoff matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes last month, rookie Jonas Siegenthaler was stationed in an auxiliary area. He was up with the big club for the postseason, a reward for a successful 25-game Washington Post LOADED: 05.18.2019 stint earlier in the year, but he hadn’t yet cracked the lineup for his Stanley Cup playoff debut.

That came days later, along with a new stall before Game 4 in the series. By the end of the series, he was playing on a top pairing with John Carlson, and while the Capitals ultimately fell to the Hurricanes in double overtime of Game 7, Siegenthaler’s play was a silver lining, especially as it pertains to the future of the blue line.

Washington has long touted defense as the jewel of its prospect pipeline, and with turnover to the Capitals’ corps expected this summer, that depth finally might be tested.

“Next season’s going to be huge," Siegenthaler said last month. "I’ll do my best in the summer to keep myself in even better shape. My goal is to be here a long time and for rest of my career, and yeah, just gotta work for it.”

The four teams that reached the conference finals all have mobile, aggressive blue liners who contribute to the offensive attack, a direction the Capitals have steadily moved toward. Washington’s defense suffered with slick-skating Michal Kempny out for the postseason after he tore his left hamstring, but he’s expected to recover by the start of training camp in September. He presumably will slot back into his usual spot beside Carlson, reuniting the team’s top duo. The second and third pairings, however, are expected to see some turnover a year after the Capitals returned the entire top six, which didn’t leave much opportunity for the organization’s prospects.

Veteran Brooks Orpik, 38, is considering retirement, and even if he does play next season, it probably won’t be with the Capitals, who are expected to run into salary-cap constraints. That cap crunch could force the trade of defenseman Matt Niskanen, who’s under contract for two more seasons at a $5.75 million hit. He struggled to start the season, then rebounded well, but with Washington’s midseason trade for Nick Jensen, Niskanen appears to be expendable. The Capitals quickly extended Jensen to a four-year, $10 million deal with a team-friendly $2.5 million cap hit, and like Niskanen, he’s a right-handed shot. Jensen is also four years younger and a better skater. He played in a mostly third-pair role with Washington, but he was averaging roughly 20 minutes per game with Detroit earlier in the season.

Christian Djoos’s second year with the Capitals was derailed by a two- month absence after compartment syndrome forced left thigh surgery, but as a restricted free agent this summer, he’s expected to be re-signed and perhaps play with Siegenthaler on the team’s third pairing. Orpik has been a constant there for the past three years, but with his likely departure, that duo is expected to get younger and more mobile while sacrificing some of the physicality Orpik provided.

“He’s been great for us over the five years," General Manager Brian MacLellan said of Orpik. “He’s done everything and more that we thought we’d get out of him. So, it’s been a good relationship. We’ll see how he does here with his injuries and his attitude and whether he wants to continue playing and whether we have room. Would we rather go with one of our younger guys instead of him? We’ll cross that bridge when he makes his decision.”

The Capitals’ past two first-round picks have been defensemen — Lucas Johansen in 2016 and Alex Alexeyev in 2018 — and since 2015, 12 of the team’s 22 draft selections have been used on blue liners. Johansen and Alexeyev both had injury-plagued seasons, with the latter injuring his knee in March. Johansen played in just 45 games in the American Hockey League this season, registering three goals and 11 assists; he 1144844 Washington Capitals Louis. Think of him as Washington’s version of Andre Burakovsky. His age (27), experience and versatility should entice teams looking for depth scoring this summer. Maybe the Caps?

Free agent stock WATCH: Blues, Sharks have plenty of depth scorers Stock: Up who will hit the market this summer. Any fits for Caps? Tim Heed, D

A depth defenseman who played in 37 NHL games this year and just two By Brian McNally in the playoffs. Held his own in minimal ice time at even strength (20:01) May 17, 2019 3:19 PM and was on the ice for one San Jose goal. Not an impact free agent. At 28 just hoping to find a team in need of depth on the right side.

Stock: Down The offseason continues for Capitals players, but the job never stops for management. While the Caps don’t have much money to work with under Micheal Haley, F the salary cap this summer, general manager Brian MacLellan and staff A rugged fourth-liner whose toughness got him in the lineup early in the are still watching the conference finals closely for players who might fit Vegas series in the first round. Haley has appeared in nine playoff next year’s roster. games. He doesn’t have a point. On his second and probably last go- With that in mind, here’s a look at where the free agent “stock” of each around with the Sharks. pending unrestricted free agent in the Western Conference Final stands Stock: Down now through three games between the Sharks and the Blues. Game 4 is tonight at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports Network. ST. LOUIS BLUES

SAN JOSE SHARKS Patrick Maroon, F

Joe Pavelski, F A true hometown hero in St. Louis, where he was born, Maroon has three goals and three assists in the playoffs. A big man at 6-foot-3, 227 Sharks captain isn’t going anywhere. You can’t imagine him playing for pounds, Maroon is tough to move from the front of the net. But he’s also another team. He missed six playoff games due to a head injury and 31 and on his fourth NHL team and he’s only topped 20 goals and 40 received a rousing standing ovation when shown on the scoreboard at points once. He does have 63 games worth of playoff experience, the SAP Center. He has four goals and nine assists in 11 playoff games. though, so he could be a good fit on a third line somewhere. The Capitals At age 34 Pavelski is good where he is. Not the player he once was, but probably want more speed than Maroon would provide. They already a true leader and the heart-and-soul of a San Jose team looking for its have enough big bodies (Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin) with more pure first Stanley Cup. skill. Maroon scored the overtime game-winner in Game 7 of the second Stock: Neutral round series vs. Dallas, but it’s unclear he can get more than the one- year, $1.75 million deal he signed with the Blues last summer. Joe Thornton, F , D The long wait for a Stanley Cup has been brutal for Thornton, now a third-line center at age 39. He’s come so close so many times with the Injuries limited Gunnarsson to just 25 games during the regular season. Sharks and this could be his final chance. He's still a force on the ice, He has appeared in nine playoff games, but his time in St. Louis appears though not the dominant offensive player he once was. Thornton has 10 to be dwindling after five seasons. Gunnarsson played the final two points (four goals, six assists) in the playoffs. He will finish his career with games of the first-round series against Winnipeg and all seven games San Jose. against Dallas in the second round before getting hurt in Game 7. He returns tonight against San Jose in Game 4 in place of the injured Vince Stock: Neutral Dunn. At best the Swede is a cheap depth defenseman this offseason at age 32. Gustav Nyquist, F Stock: Down Nyquist has been a playmaker on the top line at right wing with 10 assists and a goal in 17 games. He produces without a ton of power-play time Chris Thorburn, F and had a great regular season after being acquired from the Red Wings at the trade deadline on Feb. 25. Nyquist had a $4.75 million cap hit this Tough year for a 13-year NHL veteran who played one game for the season. In line for a raise at age 29, but probably too expensive for the Blues and then was dispatched to the AHL for the rest of the season. He depth scoring Washington needs. was recalled for the playoffs but has yet to appear in a game. Soon to be 36, his career is likely over. Stock: Up Stock: Down Erik Karlsson, D Michael Del Zotto, D He will be one of the most sought-after defensemen on the open market after playing the final season of his contract with the Sharks. The long- Split 42 games between Vancouver, Anaheim and the Blues this season, time blueliner still has great offensive gifts at age 28. but has not appeared in a playoff game. St. Louis picked up Del Zotto at He showed that again by scoring the controversial overtime winner in the trade deadline on Feb. 25 for depth they haven’t needed. He turns 29 Game 3 against the Blues. Karlsson has 15 points in 17 Stanley Cup next month so he should still garner some interest in a similar role, but playoff games. The Caps already have their Carlson (John) on the right after signing consecutive two-year deals with Philadelphia and then side so this one is not an option for them. Vancouver he likely won’t get much more than a one-year minimum deal. The Caps could probably find a better option if they need a veteran No. 7 Stock: Up defenseman who won’t play much.

Joonas Donskoi, F Stock: Down

A roller-coaster playoffs for Donskoi, who has scored 14 goals each of the past two seasons and been a fixture in the San Jose lineup for four. He was a healthy scratch the first three games of the first-round series Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019 against Vegas but returned to play three games before getting hurt in Game 6.

Donskoi missed the next five games, but he’s made an impact since returning in Game 5 of the second-round series against Colorado. His one goal this postseason was a huge one. It proved to be the game- winner in Game 7 against the Avalanche. Donskoi has played on the fourth line in every game of the Western Conference Final against St. 1144845 Washington Capitals

NHL Playoffs 2019 Roundup: Bruins sweep Hurricanes, city of Boston championship bound again

By Sammi Silber

May 17, 2019 12:14 PM

The Bruins came into Game 4 swinging, as they saw their opportunity to sweep the Hurricanes and advance to the Stanley Cup Final. They made the most of that chance and came out on top, putting on a show with a 4- 0 win Thursday to sweep and take the Eastern Conference, putting themselves four wins away from their first championship since 2011.

The first period saw a lot of chances being exchanged back and forth, as Carolina led 13-11 in shots as both teams headed to the locker room scoreless.

However, the Bruins would start to gain their rhythm less than five minutes into the second period, when David Pastrnak crashed the net and tapped in a feed from Brad Marchand past Curtis McElhinney to make it 1-0 Boston. The Bruins would get another power-play tally later in the frame when Patrice Bergeron and Pastrnak started a give-and-go, on which Bergeron struck on a one-timer to make it 2-0.

About halfway through the third, Pastrnak and Bergeron would combine for yet another goal after Pastrnak picked up a loose puck and sent it across to a wide-open Bergeron, who buried the feed as McElhinney failed to get over in time. Marchand sealed the deal with an empty-netter to clinch the series for Boston.

This will be the Bruins' third Cup Final appearance in the last decade. In their last appearance in 2013, they fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. Zdeno Chara and the team elected not to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy; over the last three seasons, both Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin had picked up the trophy and went on to win the Cup. They'll face the winner of Sharks-Blues, who face off in Game 4 Friday at 8 p.m. EST on NBCSN.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144846 Washington Capitals points in eight games. He was able to show flashes of what he was capable of, but he still has ways to go, especially if he's brought back next season.

2018-19 Washington Capitals seasons in review Travis Boyd, C/W

Despite an injury that sidelined him to start the year, Boyd was able to By NBC Sports Washington Staff start the season off right and win a roster spot. Inconsistency in the latter part of the year, where he went 25 games without a goal from January to May 13, 2019 7:13 PM March, would place him in and out of the lineup. Still, with impressive point streaks here and there, Boyd finished the year with a strong rookie

campaign with five goals and 20 points in 53 games. Coming off a Stanley Cup title, the Washington Capitals had heightened Dmitrij Jaskin, RW expectations for 2018-19, especially with their rookies having gained experience and their stars having played to their highest potential. Claimed off waivers before the start of the season to potentially play full- However, the season didn't end in the fashion that Washington expected. time on the fourth line, Jaskin wasn't able to generate a lot of offense and in turn, didn't earn a lot of playing time this year. He finished with just two Here's how each player did this season and their overall report cards as goals and eight points in 37 games and was a minus-5. we look back at the Caps' campaign this past season. John Carlson, D Alex Ovechkin, LW Coming off a hefty contract extension, Carlson was able to carry his After putting up 49 goals in the regular season and 15 in the playoffs last game to the next level and prove himself as a blueliner worthy of the year, many wondered if Ovechkin, 33, could keep up the pace coming off Norris Trophy with a 70-point campaign in the regular season. his first Stanley Cup title. However, he surpassed all expectations and silenced critics with a year that amounted to 51 goals, 89 points, his Matt Niskanen, D eighth Rocket Richard award and several milestones to boot. He also capped off the year with a strong, physical showing in the first round Again paired with Dmitry Orlov on the top-4, Niskanen was called upon to against Carolina, where he registered four goals and five points. step up and maintain Washington's blueline depth and be a leader in the locker room. While he was solid, he didn't greatly impress this season, Nicklas Backstrom, C putting up a minus-3 rating after finishing with a plus-24 rating last year.

Year after year, Backstrom has been outstanding for the Capitals and an Dmitry Orlov, D elite NHL center, though he's gone under the radar. However, this year, with yet another consistent showing with at least 20 goals and 50 assists Though he played well and provided a lot of insurance for the Caps this for the fourth straight year. He also came in clutch for Washington toward year, it wasn't Orlov's best season as his performance would decline at the end of the season, when he had 11 points in seven of eight games in times, especially in January, when he managed just three points and was a span from late February to mid-March. He also led the Caps in goal- on the ice for seven goals against. However, he redeemed himself at the scoring through the playoffs, where he registered five goals and end of the season and was able to contribute offensively in the playoffs ultimately finished with eight points against the Hurricanes. with four assists in seven games.

T.J. Oshie, LW Braden Holtby, G

Despite continued injury and concussion woes, Oshie still managed to After struggling in the 2017-18 regular season but coming up huge en have a strong season as the Caps' second-leading goal scorer (25) and route to the Capitals' first Cup title, many looked to Holtby to have a another 50-point campaign. He continued to bring a lot of energy and bounce-back season. While he was decent, he still showed his fair share was a huge asset on the first and second line. He had a decent of struggles, putting up a 2.82 GAA and .911 save percentage, the postseason performance with a goal and assist through the first four second-worst regular season showing in his career behind last year, games, but his season was cut short when a hit from Warren Foegele led where he registered a 2.99 GAA and .907 save %. to a broken clavicle. Pheonix Copley, G

Tom Wilson, RW In his first year up in the NHL backing up Braden Holtby, Copley proved Controversy surrounded Wilson again to start the season after a to be solid and consistent in the crease for Washington with a 2.90 GAA preseason hit on Oskar Sundqvist led to yet another suspension, this one and .905 save percentage, which is decent for a rookie. However, there's lasting 20 games. However, after his return, he got off to an outstanding still room for improvement as he enters his sophomore year. start and never slowed down, putting up 11 goals and 19 points through his first 18 games and ultimately ending up with 22 goals and 44 points by the time the season was over. Overall, he proved his worth as a top- Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019 line forward and continues to show tremendous upside moving upward.

Jakub Vrana, LW

With higher expectations following his rookie campaign and coming into a contract year, Vrana was able to exceed his potential with extra work at practice and offensive prowess. He put up his first career 20-goal campaign, finished as Washington's third-leading goal scorer (24) and totalled 47 points to prove his worth to the organization.

Carl Hagelin, RW

Coming in at the trade deadline, Hagelin fit in right away, putting up a strong performance for Washington through his versatility, devotion on special teams and offensive chemistry. He finished the regular season strong and had three goals and 11 points in 20 games with the Caps, and also led all forwards in shorthanded ice time. Look for him to be a key piece of the lineup if he returns in 2019-20.

Andre Burakovsky, RW

After a year of inconsistency and struggles with confidence, Burakovsky came into the season with a different approach. However, the ups and downs continued as he put up 12 goals and 25 points; however, he did perform well leading up to and following the trade deadline with seven 1144847 Washington Capitals “I love Stick, but after Carolina beat us you kind of want to see them lose,” Oshie said. “But it will be exciting to the end…[St. Louis and Washington] I’ve loved and one thing both didn’t have was a Catching up with T.J. Oshie: An injury update, rooting for former championship. To see the way this city rallied around the Stanley Cup teammates in playoffs and more last year - there’s more people here, but I imagine it would be pretty big there, too. And there’s a lot of people in that [Blues] crowd that have had season tickets since Day One. It would be pretty special for them to hoist the Cup in St. Louis.” By Brian McNally

May 17, 2019 6:37 AM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019

SPRINGFIELD — The sling is still a thing for Capitals forward T.J. Oshie.

On April 19, Oshie underwent surgery on his fractured right clavicle following a shove into the boards from behind in the final minutes of Game 4 of a Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Oshie missed the final three games of that series and watched helplessly as Washington was eliminated in double overtime of Game 7. He still winces sometimes when bumped on the healing collarbone. The sling is supposed to serve as a warning to stay away, but that doesn’t always work so well.

But Oshie is looking forward. He took some time to decompress after the disappointing injury and the loss to the Hurricanes. His season really ended April 18, after all, so the fire to return to the ice is already there. Oshie has spent the past two weeks getting his legs back into shape. And while it will be some time yet before he can do upper-body work - no weights or gripping anything until about the middle of June - that still leaves a full summer to get ready for 2019-20 when the Capitals figure to be a contender again.

“We’re about a month away from me being able to do full-body workouts, but I’ll be flying on all cylinders when mid-September comes around” said Oshie, speaking Thursday at a STRIVERS event at The St. James, a sports, wellness and entertainment facility in Springfield that was introducing its upscale lifestyle and performance apparel, gear and tech line. Redskins tight end Vernon Davis was also in attendance.

Training camp seems like a long way away. But Oshie thinks the extra rest will be good for a team that never really had time off last summer after winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. The championship celebration, the parade, the loss of coach , free agency and each player’s day with the Stanley Cup all blurred together. It seemed like they were all right back at MedStar Iceplex for the start of the new season.

“When we saw each other last year for training camp, it felt like ‘Hey – good to see you. Been a couple of weeks,’” Oshie joked. “It was longer than that, but it’s what it felt like. So the hugs were still kind of hugs of ‘We’re champions still.’ This year when we show up it’s gonna be hugs because of ‘I miss you. It’s been a while. Let’s get to work and be ready to try to get a title again.’”

Oshie, unlike past years, will spend most of the summer in Washington with his wife, Lauren, and daughters, Lyla and Leni. He said he’s keeping tabs on his former team, the St. Louis Blues. That’s where he spent the first seven years of his career before the 2015 trade to Washington.

There are 10 players still with St. Louis from when Oshie was there. He sees the parallels between the Capitals’ 44-year wait for that elusive first Stanley Cup and Blues fans waiting 52 for the Cup. St. Louis is down 2-1 to the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Final after a controversial overtime loss in Game 3, but Game 4 is tonight at 8 p.m. on NBC Sports Network.

“There’s a lot of guys there I went to battle with on a nightly basis,” Oshie said. “It’s nice seeing them contend and fighting and clawing their way to the finish line.”

The Blues are in a fight for Oshie’s affections, however. Marcus Johansson was a teammate for his first two years with the Capitals. After missing out last year following a trade from Washington Johansson will play in the Stanley Cup Final with the Boston Bruins, who clinched the Eastern Conference on Thursday night with a series sweep of Carolina.

David Backes, also with the Bruins now, was a Blues’ captain during Oshie’s time there. He, too, will play for the Cup for the first time. Justin Williams also played two years in Washington with Oshie, still good friends with the man they call ‘Stick’ but not quite over losing to Williams’ Hurricanes yet. 1144848 Washington Capitals will turn 36 this month, but I think it is safe to say he has done enough to earn at least a backup role on an NHL team and likely is not in danger of hitting waivers again prior to the 2019-20 season.

Free agent stock WATCH: Boston rattles the unflappable Justin Williams Greg McKegg, F

Stock: Up

By J.J. Regan Of all the Carolina players who played in at least 10 games in the May 17, 2019 6:15 AM playoffs, no one averaged less ice time than McKegg. He still finished the postseason with two goals. For a fourth line player with a $715,000 cap hit, he certainly provided as much offense as the Hurricanes could have hoped. His goal in Game 1 gave Carolina its only lead in any game for The Boston Bruins made short work of the Carolina Hurricanes in the the entire series. Eastern Conference Final. While the Bruins will be thinking about nothing but playing for the Stanley Cup the next few weeks, the Stanley Cup In an age where depth scoring is becoming increasingly important, Final series will be the last time some of the team’s free agents will wear McKegg looks like a solid free agent target for any team looking for a a Boston uniform. For Carolina’s free agents, Thursday may be the last fourth-line player. time they lace up their skates in Raleigh. Petr Mrazek, G Could any of those pending free agents help the Capitals? Can the Caps afford any of them? Stock: Neutral

With that in mind, here’s a look at where the free agent “stock” of each The playoffs ended on a sour note for Mrazek, but Carolina did not lose pending unrestricted free agent in the Eastern Conference Final stands the series because of goaltending. He showed with his performance in now that the series is over. the regular season and in the playoffs up to Game 1 what he can do. For a goalie on a one-year contract worth only $1.5 million, it is hard to see NOTE: This list includes only UFAs. how his stock could have fallen after two bad games against a team that was clearly far superior than Carolina. Boston Bruins Justin Williams, F Noel Acciari, F Stock: Down Stock: Neutral One of the stories of the series was how the Bruins, especially Brad Acciari played in only two games in the conference final due to an Marchand, were able to rattle the normally unflappable Williams, Mr. undisclosed injury. He did not record a point in either game though he did Game 7 himself. Williams’ frustration was especially evident in Game 3 log some decent ice time. when he took three minor penalties. Marcus Johansson, F No one can deny that Williams played a major role in Carolina’s run to Stock: Up the conference final as the team captain and he showed this season that he can still be an effective top-six winger. He also will turn 38 on Oct. 4. The former Cap has been a massive addition for Boston and was a major He still has value, but he is battling his age and the shot he took his factor in Games 1 and 2 against Carolina, recording one goal and two reputation this series certainly does not help his stock. assists. Johansson ranks seventh on the team this postseason with nine points and of those seven he logs the lowest average ice time so he is making his minutes count. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.18.2019 All the talk about Johansson being soft or not a playoff performer has gone right out the window this postseason.

Steven Kampfer, D

Stock: Neutral

Kampfer is Boston’s No. 7 on defense and he has played in only two games this entire postseason. He only got into the lineup for Game 1 because of Charlie McAvoy’s one-game suspension, but in that game, he scored his first career playoff goal and the first goal of the series.

Carolina Hurricanes

Micheal Ferland, F

Stock: Down

After a sweep, there are few players from Carolina that are going to walk away satisfied with how they played. Ferland suited up for Game 1 against Boston for the first time since leaving Game 3 in the first round against the Caps with an injury. He recorded an assist in Game 1 and a big hit in Game 2 and that was pretty much the extent of what he contributed in the conference final.

Ferland was held to only a lone assist in the four-game sweep and for a player who contributed 40 points for the Hurricanes this season, he really needed to find a way to contribute more offensively.

Curtis McElhinney, G

Stock: Up

Can I interest you in a 2.01 GAA and .930 save percentage in the playoffs? McElhinney may have only appeared in five games this postseason, but the stats he managed are still pretty darn impressive.

McElhinney ended up in Carolina when the team claimed him off waivers from Toronto before the season. His total cap hit was $850,000. Sure, he 1144849 Vancouver Canucks scoring 10 fewer goals. Suffice to say if the Canucks’ power play returns to the top 10, a playoff berth becomes a more realistic goal.

The blue-line remains a massive concern. A healthy Edler and Chris Canucks Under the Microscope: Travis Green Tanev would go a long way toward fixing that problem but that’s out of Green’s control. He has more to say about Hughes’s development and that will be one of the main storylines to this Canucks season. Ed Willes As for the rest of the lineup, you can quibble about a Loui Eriksson here or a Nikolay Goldobin there. But their indifferent play is more the responsibility of the player than the coach. Opinion: There are a lot of positive signs with coach Travis Green but we won’t have a clear idea about his abilities until the Canucks’ young As things stand, the Canucks need upgrades at, minimally, three building blocks mature. positions, and that will give Green a fighting chance. But if reinforcements don’t arrive, the coach will be left trying to squeeze more Name: Travis Green out of players who offer less. Age: 48 Greatest strength: Green succeeded in establishing an identity with the Position: Head coach Canucks last season and that was no small thing. While they were lacking in skill and high-end talent, they played hard and stuck to the Career stats: The Canucks’ record in Green’s two years as their head system most nights. coach is 66-71-22. At the end of the season, Green’s defence included Ashton Sautner, Alex Contract status: Heading into the third year of a four-year deal. Biega and Luke Schenn, who all spent time in the minors last season, and the Canucks were competitive in virtually every game. How 2018-19 went: Depends on your point of view. Last season the Canucks improved by eight points while scoring seven more goals and The improvement of the young players was also an encouraging sign, but allowing 13 fewer. A number of their young players — most notably Bo the Canucks need Pettersson, Horvat, Boeser, Hughes, Virtanen, Horvat, Troy Stecher and Ben Hutton — also showed improvement under Stecher and Adam Gaudette to take another step in their development. Green’s watch. That’s a lot to ask but that’s on the coach.

But — and isn’t there always a but with the Canucks? — Green’s team Greatest weakness: The snarky answer is the lineup. It’s difficult to judge finished 12th in the West and were out of the playoff conversation by the Green as a coach because in two years with the Canucks he’s lacked the end of February. talent to make a difference. That’s beginning to change.

So how do the Canucks get back into that conversation? As mentioned there are a lot of positive signs with Green, but we won’t have a clear idea about his abilities until the Canucks’ young building The challenge for Green will be in extracting a similar level of blocks mature. improvement next year as the Canucks experienced this year. That means another standout season from goalie Jacob Markstrom and a The big question(s): Can this team compete for a playoff berth next contribution from backup Thatcher Demko. season? Can they make the playoffs in two seasons?

It means an improved performance from the blue-line. It means improving the power play and developing a secondary scoring source from a group that includes Tanner Pearson, Josh Leivo, Sven Baertschi Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.18.2019 and Jake Virtanen. Thus far, only Pearson has established himself as a 20-goal scorer at the NHL level.

Even their most ardent critic would concede the Canucks started to trend in the right direction last season under Green’s watch. But he’ll be facing a more demanding standard in 2019-20 and this team can’t take a backward step.

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

It has been six weeks since the Vancouver Canucks began their summer holidays, nine points shy of a wild-card berth into the NHL playoffs. Today we continue our microscopic examination of the team’s roster:

Next: Brandon Sutter

Alex Biega

Jake Virtanen

Quinn Hughes

Nikolay Goldobin

Jim Benning

Chris Tanev

Alex Edler

Troy Stecher

Ben Hutton

How the future looks: See above. The Canucks have identified three foundational pieces in Elias Pettersson, Horvat and Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes figures to join that group next season.

Hughes and a healthy Alex Edler should help the power play that is imperative for the Canucks’ success.

In Green’s first year, and with the Sedins in the lineup, the Canucks had the NHL’s ninth-ranked power play. Last year it plummeted to 17th while 1144850 Websites The Blue Jackets centre’s itinerary was considerably longer as well. He drove two hours to Chicago and took a two-hour flight to Philadelphia, followed by another eight-hour flight to Budapest, Hungary. From there, it The Athletic / The logistics of dropping everything and crossing an ocean was another two-and-a-half-hour drive to Kosice. With all the layovers because your country needs you included, it was a 17-hour trip.

“I ate, took a little nap and played the game,” Dubois said Monday after Canada beat Slovakia with 1.8 seconds left in regulation. By Marc Antoine Godin Even though Dubois had to get over the Blue Jackets’ elimination at the May 17, 2019 hands of the Boston Bruins relatively quickly, Myers had an entirely different challenge. Prior to playing France on Thursday, his last time on

the ice was April 13. KOSICE, Slovakia — Philippe Myers was working out at the gym near “I hadn’t skated in a little more than a month, and I felt a bit rusty, but I’m Moncton, New Brunswick, on Wednesday. Sweat was pouring off him as happy with how it went,” Myers said after the game. “The coaches knew I the Philadelphia Flyers defenceman was putting in the work necessary to hadn’t skated in a while, and they told me they would ease me in slowly. secure a full-time role on the blue line next season. It had been a month I’ll play more and more as we go.” since he last played a hockey game, but he was not taking it easy. Alain Vigneault, the new Flyers coach getting a preview of his young Towards noon, his phone rang. The call was technically coming from defenceman, had six players available on the blue line, but Myers played Slovakia, but in reality, it was his country calling. Team Canada needed a only a little over nine minutes against France. After playing 5:10 in the defenceman for the World Championships to replace the injured Brandon first period, Myers played just under four minutes in the final two periods Montour, and it wanted Myers. combined. He quickly went home, grabbed something to eat and started packing. “I don’t feel too bad, but it was my first game, and I’m pretty excited,” He needed to be in a Canada uniform in less than 22 hours. The race Myers said. “I’m sure I’ll be tired tonight.” was on. It’s not only the travel time that makes this whole process a bit frantic. Cool, I’ll get to see the guys from the world junior team, and the guys There is also the fact that these players are asked to play in a world- from Philly, too. class hockey tournament with at least six hours of jet lag to handle. Oh, right, I’m going to go play for my new coach, too. Dr. Charles Samuels, a sleep specialist who worked with Hockey Canada Ummm, will I make it in time? during the 2012 world juniors in Ufa, Russia, thinks young athletes can get over this hurdle with relative ease. The decision to accept Team Canada’s invitation to Slovakia was easy. Actually getting to Kosice in time to play the next afternoon wouldn’t be. “If he was well-rested when he got on the plane and left, he should be There was a 15-hour trip ahead of him. fine, actually,” Samuels said. “But if he plays all games and makes it to the gold-medal round, the bottom line is that he’s going to be worn out by “I took the plane at 4:30 from Moncton to Montreal, and then I was on a the end. So the coach needs to know that; he may play really well for the 6:45 flight from Montreal to Vienna, and then Vienna here,” Myers first two or three games and then crater. And that will all be a function of, explained after playing in that game Thursday against France. “I got here one, his ability to rest and sleep each night. And then the other is that the about an hour and a half before the game, after spending the night in circadian effect is going to kick in at some point. But it may not; maybe planes and airports. But the plane was pretty comfortable, and even if I he’s highly resilient to jet lag, which is great because he’s young.” didn’t get my regular night’s sleep, I still managed to get three or four hours in.” Though jet lag is not a major concern for Samuels, he stressed the importance of recuperating as soon as players arrive at their destination. When a player gets injured in the NHL, calling up one from the minors is A player who pushes as hard as he can without sufficient rest risks not not all that complicated. But calling up someone from another continent making it to the end of the tournament. can present some logistical challenges. Management needs to quickly find a healthy player who is willing to pack and travel to join the team at a “I’m not worried about that trip and jumping on the ice and playing, as moment’s notice. long as he knows that starting tonight, he needs to start resting when he has the opportunity,” he said. “He might make it nicely through these Canada began its game Monday against host Slovakia with seven days. The guys that won’t do well are just going to push hard, hard, hard defencemen, but halfway through, that number was down to five. and then they will just crater at the end. Montour’s sprained MCL meant his tournament was over, but Dante Fabbro’s mouth injury was more difficult to diagnose. Canada needed to “Six time zones isn’t so bad, but if I were the team doctor, the only thing I find a defenceman before its next game, two days later against France. would do with this kid is give him a sedative so he sleeps at night. Because the biggest disturbance that will occur is that he won’t be able to But it’s not as if management in tournaments like this isn’t prepared. The stay asleep. At about 3 or 4 in the morning, he’s going to wake up and work of identifying potential injury replacements had already been done have trouble getting back. A sedative might get him over the hump, and by GM Jason Botterill and assistants Ron Francis and . When he might do quite well.” it became clear Wednesday morning that Fabbro would be unable to play Thursday, Francis and Hextall pulled out that list. Myers had no trouble getting his eight hours in after arriving in Slovakia, but Dubois clearly got the same advice Samuels recommends. “It’s a bit of a tough balancing act. Sometimes you may have a guy in mind, but he might still be playing and somebody else has just lost out, “I was really tired, so I didn’t think sleeping would be a problem,” Dubois and the timing of it is kind of tricky,” Francis said. “Or you may have a said. “I woke up a few times that first night, but I took some melatonin guy that you think is ready to come and wants to come, and at his last and went back to sleep.” playoff game, he gets injured or something and he’s no longer an option. Every year, we see announcements of one player pulling out of the It throws a little wrench in your plans. worlds and another player being added to the roster, but it is easy to “But I think the three of us have tried to work well together in filling those forget the sometimes monumental challenge those call-ups represent for voids as quickly as we possibly can with the right player. And Hockey the players involved. Canada has been great, once we make that decision, in all the logistics “I think at my age, I appreciate even more how young they are and how of getting those players over here.” resilient they are,” Francis said. “We emphasize with each of those guys Earlier in the week, it was Pierre-Luc Dubois and Tyson Jost who found when they fly over like that: That’s a long day of travel. And if you don’t themselves in a race against the clock. Dubois didn’t get a last-minute feel 100 percent, we certainly don’t want to put you in the lineup. All three invite quite like Myers — he had time to take care of some things in of those guys said they felt good, they wanted to play the one to help Columbus, Ohio — but he still jumped into uniform shortly after his arrival their country and their teammates. They went in and did a good job for in Kosice. us. “But when you’re young, I think you get over here and the adrenaline starts kicking in when you see that red and white jersey and you get to pull it over your head.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144851 Websites deal that saw Matt Duchene originally traded to Ottawa in a swap that saw Kyle Turris land in Nashville and Samuel Girard in Colorado might qualify, if only for the sheer volume of pieces that were moved (Colorado The Athletic / Duhatschek Notebook: Redefining what constitutes a ended up with seven, four players and three draft choices). blockbuster NHL trade Where does P.K. Subban for rank?

According to former NHL general manager Craig Button, now an analyst By Eric Duhatschek for the TSN Network, Subban-for-Weber was the last trade that he would legitimately describe as a blockbuster – two teams exchanging their de May 17, 2019 facto No. 1 defencemen for each other. It was a calculated risk undertaken by both the Montreal Canadiens and the Nashville Predators

and is the sort of move that you rarely ever see GMs prepared to make What constitutes a true blockbuster trade in 2019? anymore.

Seriously, what are the criteria? In polling a handful of current and former GMs, the three primary reasons they gave for why it’s so hard to complete these mega-swaps are 1. The I started to ruminate about the subject a few weeks ago because the call salary cap; 2. The complications of no-trade, no-move clauses; 3. Risk. for change among the teams that stumbled out of the first round of the playoffs was so staggering that it made me wonder: Are the types of Let’s review all three factors: “blow it up” moves that were called for so reasonably and eloquently on The salary cap: Arguably, the hardest part of finding any fit between two social media even possible? teams seeking to make a major move is the salary cap – and more Because no one seemed immune from the criticism, even some of this specifically, the high rate of pay that most of these players earn. It’s hard year’s highest regular-season achievers – Steven Stamkos in Tampa, to move an $8-million player for a $1-million player unless you’re Vegas Mitch Marner in Toronto, Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary. in your first year or two and you have an artificial amount of available salary-cap space. There was a time when the vast majority of fans could be disappointed in their teams’ collective results – especially when high expectations No-move, no-trade clauses: Realistically this is a secondary part of point weren’t met – but understood that only one team ever really wins and No. 1. Often players who are firmly in their primes, earning hefty salaries, consequently, you would come to terms with the disappointing result also negotiate some sort of protection – that they’re in a team’s long-term stoically. plans and not an asset to be quickly flipped. Some teams, as an organizational rule, will not permit no-movement clauses as they tend to ‘Wait ‘til next year’ was probably the most popular cliché of a previous have a dampening effect on the market for the players that have the clout generation. Nowadays, you almost never hear it. Disappointment quickly to negotiate them. turns into anger, which can then veer into fury. And of course, the anger and fury are usually directed towards the high-priced talent that couldn’t Risk: In a sport where so much can go wrong – injuries, unexpected translate their regular-season performances into postseason success. slumps, a GM simply misreading the value of the assets changing hands – a lot of managers tend to be risk-averse. There is a team in northern But how realistic is it to even contemplate – let alone pull off – a so-called Alberta that did a lot of roster shuffling over the past few years and blockbuster? For starters, you need to define what level of transaction instead of getting better, they are actually worse. And the GM meets the standard of a genuine blockbuster – and here I’ll start with a responsible for those miscalculations is no longer employed. Accordingly, mea culpa. Last year, at the NHL’s 2018 Draft, the five-player trade there tends to be greater job security if you employ a conservative between Carolina and Calgary that sent Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm approach to managing – no home runs maybe, but fewer chances of to the Flames for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and prospect Adam striking out too. The problem, of course, is that a lot of fan bases don’t Fox was characterized in many precincts as a blockbuster deal. want their teams just trying to leg out scratch singles. They want their organization swinging for the fences – but you better connect on more I used the term myself to describe the deal. But after the fact, I wondered than your share, or you might get Chiarelli-ed. if that wasn’t an exaggeration? Broadly speaking, the thing that made the greatest general manager in Because realistically, when you broke the trade down, it was a 44-point history, Sam Pollock, so successful – lots of assets at his disposal, no forward (Lindholm) for a 41-point forward (Ferland) and a 32-point artificially imposed spending restrictions – no longer exists in today’s defenceman (Hanifin) for a 44-point defenceman (Hamilton), with an NHL. interesting prospect (Fox) thrown in the mix. Good players all, but let’s be real. It was the No. 5 and 6 scorers on one non-playoff team exchanged How can a GM drum up a blockbuster scenario that makes sense for two for the No. 6 and 8 scorers on another non-playoff team. teams; mitigates the risk on both sides; makes the dollar amounts roughly work; and ultimately – the most important consideration of all – Not exactly Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais for Jean Ratelle and Brad makes you a better team? Park. Therefore, was the Carolina-Calgary trade really, truly a blockbuster? Or have we devalued the term ‘blockbuster’ so much in this How can a GM be convinced that a Sean Monahan for a Sean Couturier day-and-age that an intriguing middle-of-the-lineup exchange was the or a Gaudreau for a Taylor Hall makes sense not only from a talent point new standard by which we anoint blockbuster status? of view but also factoring in the overall team equation and the disruption that those sorts of deals might make at the top of your roster? The more I thought about it, the more I came to believe that was probably the case. It’s a tall order.

There is a part of me now that thinks a true blockbuster has to involve The king of the blockbuster trade, dating all the way back to his start as a one or more genuine difference makers. When Wayne Gretzky was GM with the Washington Capitals in 1982, is David Poile. traded to the Los Angeles Kings in the prime of his career, that was a true blockbuster. You could argue that when Dale Hawerchuk was traded Now the general manager of the Nashville Predators, Poile says the to the Buffalo Sabres for Phil Housley, that was a true blockbuster – two ability to make trades has become much more complicated since his start future Hall of Famers traded for each other when they were still viable, in the league when he pulled off a memorable franchise-altering contributors. Eric Lindros for five players (including Peter Forsberg), a blockbuster soon after taking over the reins in Washington. Poile traded first-rounder and 30 pieces of silver was a true blockbuster. Doug away two of owner Abe Pollin’s favorite players, and Ryan Gilmour as part of a 10-player exchange between Toronto and Calgary Walter, to Montreal in a package that netted the Capitals , was a true blockbuster. The first three times Chris Pronger was traded – , and . Washington’s to St. Louis, to Edmonton and then to Anaheim – could all be argued as turnaround in the standings can be traced to that single, seminal deal. worthy of the blockbusters moniker. After eight consecutive years out of the playoffs, the Capitals became a playoff team in 1982-83 (posting a 29-point, year-over-year improvement) In recent years, you could argue that Erik Karlsson traded to San Jose and qualified for postseason play in each of the next 14 years. That was would qualify as a blockbuster, since he has won multiple NHL awards. considered a bold strike at the time – and probably a hard trade to Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen, both players still early enough in their duplicate in the modern era. careers, but with big upside, would be absolutely close. The three-way “There is absolutely no question in my mind the biggest single change I’d been promoting a possible swap between the New York Islanders and that has affected what you would call a blockbuster deal is the salary the Flames that would see the Islanders take on James Neal’s contract cap,” Poile said in an interview. “When I first started doing the job, I can’t (in the hopes that he could find an offensive role on a team that needs to remember where money was ever a factor in a deal I did or didn’t do. boost its scoring) and in exchange, they would send Andrew Ladd to Calgary, where he played most of his junior hockey and it would bring “The second thing, which is coupled with the money, is free agency. Free him closer to home. At this stage in his career, the 33-year-old Ladd agency was never a consideration (because the age of unrestricted free probably isn’t ever going to a 50-point scorer again, but as recently as agency was set at 31). So now, not only are you looking at the players’ 2016-17, his first year with the Islanders, he did manage 23 goals in 78 dollars, you’re also looking at a players’ age and when he has the right to games. If you made that deal, you’d do so in the hopes that Ladd could become a free agent. take on the sort of leadership role you imagined Neal would have “If Team A and Team B want to make a deal, Smith for Jones, but Smith provided. Neal made it to consecutive Stanley Cup finals prior to signing is signed for five years and he’s 23 and Jones is 27 and only signed for with Calgary, but Ladd actually won two championships – one with one more year and then becomes an unrestricted free agent, those are Carolina in 2006, another with Chicago in 2010 – and if there’s one thing trades that used to be made all the time. But now they’re not – because Calgary learned during this year’s first-round exit to Colorado, it was that of cap considerations and free agency considerations. That’s what’s the playoffs are a completely different animal than regular-season changed. hockey; and it probably wouldn’t hurt to have another warm body in the lineup that understands the commitment needed to win in the “You’re asking me, what constitutes a blockbuster deal? I would agree postseason. with you. If you’re trading a top goaltender, or one of your top-four defenceman, or a player from your top line, that’s a blockbuster trade.” But if you’re dealing in hypotheticals, you might even consider a more complicated scenario in which you’d involve the Vancouver Canucks in Poile apprenticed with – nicknamed Trader Cliff within the the conversation and turn it into a three-way deal, all involving players on industry – in both Atlanta and Calgary and thus has never been afraid to bad contracts: Ladd, Neal and Loui Eriksson. What if Eriksson ended up contemplate a major trade. But not every manager approaches the trade in Calgary (to join fellow Swedes Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and market with the same unflinching confidence. others); Neal went to the Islanders; and Ladd – who is from Maple Ridge, B.C. and played his junior hockey in Coquitlam – ended up with the According to Button, one of the problems in the current era is the rush to Canucks to help mentor their young talent? judgment -and the difficulty of asking fan bases to be patient when a team’s playoff hopes and dreams go off the rails, which is what Some people have Milan Lucic heading to the Canucks in a similar sort happened all over the NHL map this spring. of salary-dump scenario – Vancouver repatriating the hometown boy – but Ladd might actually make more sense. All but Neal have some sort of “You heard people say in the past: ‘Oh, you’ll never win with Steve contractual protection from being moved, but the reality is – and Lucic Yzerman’; or ‘you’ll never win with Alex Ovechkin. Right?’” Button said. recently acknowledged this publicly – if it isn’t working one place, “And long before they ever won a Stanley Cup, my answer was, ‘I’ll take sometimes you need to be eager as a player to waive that no-move my chances with them – because they’re great players. And I’ll take my protection in the hopes that it works somewhere else. chances with Joe Thornton too. Kenny Holland (former Red Wings’ GM, now the new Edmonton Oilers manager) and I laugh about this all the This past week, I spoke to a retired GM about the realities of completing time. He’ll say, ‘yeah, people tell me all that those guys can do is score – one of these financially complex deals – and he ran down a checklist of well, the last time I checked, at the end of the night, the team with the factors that would have entered into his thinking that might be overlooked most goals wins the game.’ by outsiders:

“Can you imagine though that was once said – that you can’t win with You know the player on your own team better than you know the player Steve Yzerman? I mean, you might not have won with these guys yet, you’re getting – and so while you might do as much due diligence as you but they’re great players – and yes, you can win with them.’” possibly can by consulting former teammates and coaches, the reality is, until they’re in your dressing room, you won’t really know how well they This year, following the Flames’ first-round exit, the theory was put will function within the context of your group. Sometimes, you’re forward that the team probably couldn’t win a championship with pleasantly surprised at how seamless the transition is. Other times, you Monahan as their No. 1 centre. But as Button pointed out: “Monahan has quickly come to understand why a player was available in the first place. scored exactly 150 goals over the last five years. He’s averaged 30 goals a year. So, let’s go through the league, and find out how many other guys As a manager, you’ve got to be careful not to focus strictly on what a have averaged 30 goals for the last five years. If you traded Sean player can’t do. There is usually a good reason why a team may be Monahan, that’s 30 goals and 75 points out of your lineup. Where are listening to offers for one of their players – and it’s almost always you going to get them back? Or Gaudreau? If you trade Gaudreau, because there is a box they’re not checking to your satisfaction. Maybe where are you going to get a point-a-game guy to replace his production? the player isn’t physical enough. Maybe he doesn’t think the game fast It’s all well and good to say, ‘we’re going to trade this guy’ or ‘we’re going enough. Maybe his skating skills in the go-go NHL leave something to be to trade that guy’ but at the end of the day, you run the risk of making desired. Accordingly, there is a buyer beware component to every trade your team worse, not better, if you do. conversation, and the goal ultimately is to weigh the good against the bad – because even players with shortcoming in their games, or who “I’m looking today at different teams that were disappointed by their don’t always display a consistent level of competitiveness, can still help playoffs this year. Obviously, the Tampa Bay Lightning would be at the you if they give you something you don’t already have. He cited top of the list. But Steven Stamkos just had an unbelievable year in terms Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton as an example of a polarizing player. There of his rebound – and he also has a no-move clause. So great. You’re were a couple of bailouts in the playoffs – one against Alex Ovechkin in going to blow it up? How do you do that? It’s great to consider it, but the opening round against Washington – that received a lot of attention when you start to sit down and really examine how you do that – good on national TV. But after Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks, Hamilton luck!” might also have the second-best ability of any player in the league at The trading game: Part 2 getting the puck to the net through traffic either with his shot or by walking the line. So … some bad, some good in his game. The goal as a According to Button, beyond the challenge of executing a blockbuster manager is to weigh the pros against the cons and determine if the first deal, the hardest trades to make are the ones featuring players not living outweighs the second. Because if you’re looking to trade for the perfect up to the dollar value of their contracts. player, he said, that just isn’t going to happen. If a team has a perfect player, odds are pretty good they’re not trading him away. Just about every team has one or more players that fit this category and they are problematic because they limit your flexibility in terms of what You have to anticipate how a player fits into your mix or chemistry. There you may or may not be able to do elsewhere to fix your roster. is a debate – of how many prickly hard-to-like personalities you can have on your team. One GM has what he describes as “a two-asshole limit.” Not surprisingly, much of the offseason trade chatter focuses on how a Some think you can carry as many as three. But probably not more. You team might get out from under those contracts. Or if they can’t get out look for fit – and reasonably high performance married to a relatively low from under them, is there a way that you can swap your problem for maintenance personality is ideally what you’re seeking. someone else’s, in the hopes that a change of scenery, a different message from a different coach or just simplify the revitalization that a “The bottom line is, trades are so risky because the league is so close,” fresh start can sometimes bring makes it worth your while. the former GM said. “Somebody said to me this year, as an outsider, referring to the Edmonton Oilers, ‘boy do they need help.’ And yet, this was late in the season and they were only three games out of the playoffs. If you looked at this year’s NHL, there were so many teams in the mix for such a long time. So, you’ve got to be careful and if you do make a trade, your focus needs to be on who you’re acquiring, not on what you’re trading away. If you’re just focused on trading someone away, that’s usually not a very good place to start.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144852 Websites I’ve written about this one before for The Athletic, so I won’t dive in much deeper, and I don’t think I really need to. It’s downright moronic that some games are worth more than others and the idea that “playoff races The Athletic / Proposing 15 changes that would improve the NHL would be over by Christmas” is a fallacy. It incentivizes passive play in the final minutes, the time of the game that should be the most exciting.

A win is a win. A loss is a loss. Just like nearly every other league on the By Dom Luszczyszyn planet. Simple.

May 17, 2019 But Dom, what about shootout wins, which shouldn’t be worth the same as a regulation win?

3. Abolish the shootout On a night when the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues delivered a high-octane, fast-paced 5-4 playoff tilt with multiple comebacks, almost I can’t remember the last shootout I watched or cared about. No one no one was talking about the actual game when it ended. cares about the shootout anymore, and with the addition of 3-on-3, we don’t really need it anymore, either. Games are solved more often in Instead, everyone’s talking about the controversial winner that came overtime now, and simply extending that five more minutes should take about via a blatant hand pass, yet another egregious error from officials care of a large majority of games. According to 538, 84 percent of 3-on- that ended up deciding the game. Human error is understandable, but 3s would be solved in the first 10 minutes. If it’s not over by then, just call there have simply been far too many instances of this in these playoffs, it a tie. This year, 271 games went to overtime, which equates to roughly which have highlighted some glaring issues regarding the league from 43 ties, or about 1.5 per team. I don’t like ties, but I can live with that. certain minutiae being reviewable (offsides), but not others (hand passes, pucks out of play) to the standard of officiating in each game. Every 4. Full-time 4-on-4 night, it feels like there’s a new moment of controversy. Even before the playoffs, there was the matter of divisional playoff seeding that OK, the first three were no-brainers, so let’s introduce a little chaos into showcased the imbalance of certain playoff matchups. this. For the record, I am fully aware this will never happen, as it would likely mean fewer NHL jobs, but we all saw how exciting the game I don’t think the league is broken, not fundamentally anyway, but there became with the advent of dropping a player in overtime, and the same are so many things about it that make me want to scream into the void, can be done in regulation, too. Over the past two seasons, the average especially in comparison to the way things are done in other leagues. I’ve 5-on-5 scoring rate is 2.4 goals per 60. It’s 3.2 goals per 60 at 4-on-4. said this before and I’ll say it again: Hockey is the best sport, but the NHL That equates to a 33 percent scoring increase, something this league still is the worst league. needs, as the largest reason for its randomness is the lack of goals. More goals would lead to the better team winning more often than not, and less More than any other, it feels like the NHL is the league most largely coin-flipping on ice. shaped by tradition, where things are done because that’s how they’ve always been done. It’s like adding the forward pass in 1929 was the The reason it’s difficult to score in the NHL is there’s simply not much penultimate brushstroke and adding offside a year later was the finishing room out there. Players are bigger, and they close gaps faster; the ice is touch – no need to change much else for 90 years, right? There seems too small to contain all those bodies. Some would argue that the solution to be little progressive thought about how to improve the game, which to that is a bigger ice surface, but that only adds ice to low-scoring areas. should be the goal for an entity whose main goal is providing What’s needed is more space in relevant areas, and 4-on-4 would entertainment. accomplish that.

No matter what you think of the state of the sport, there’s always room for 5. No offsides (on zone entries) improvement. That’s why I’m here today. I want what’s best for the league, and my vision for that is one where dynamic skill and fast-paced Those who have followed me for a while know I’ve been a staunch action are on display every night, where players have more freedom and supporter of the End Offsides movement. If it’s a no to 4-on-4 hockey their movement is more liquid, where rulings don’t feel arbitrarily enforced (having both would be overkill), then the next best solution toward freeing and where outcomes are slightly more deterministic. up space is allowing players to enter the zone freely without the puck. Again, I’ve written about this before for The Hockey News, and I think the Luckily for some of you who will no doubt hate 95 percent of the ideas positives far outweigh the drawbacks. Offside was created in 1930 to listed here, I’m not in charge of anything. But if I were the supreme ruler counter the forward pass, but all it does now is clog up the neutral zone of the NHL, these are the things I would at least consider. (something no one but the coaches like watching) and limit offence. It hinders creativity, and taking it out would give players much more space Please note that I’m not suggesting to make every single change listed with the puck. It’s an archaic rule that serves no beneficial purpose to the here, especially as some would be unnecessary and/or over the top in modern NHL. conjunction with others, nor am I saying that these changes should be implemented without any testing whatsoever. 6. Call the rulebook

1. Playoff seeding Again, the object is creating more space for players, and by far the easiest way to do that is to simply call the damn rules. Every single To me, this is the most obvious change that needs to be made. Since the playoff game is littered with interference, obstruction and at least 20 league changed its playoff format in the 2013-14 season, there’s been at cross-checks, and I’m just not sure when those things stopped being least one series every year where two top-eight teams faced each other penalties. Is it the second Wednesday of every April? Is it the first in the opening round and five series where two top-four teams faced Wednesday of every October? Why are there even different penalty each other in the second round. It’s unjust and makes a mockery of the standards depending on what month it is? Why does the calendar dictate regular season, which at this point simply does not matter – not if the what gets called? Why should any of that matter when there’s only one third-best team has to face the seventh, or the fifth has to face the ninth. rulebook, not several depending on what time, period, day or month it is? The solution here is simple: Go back to a 1-vs.-8 playoff format, and no, It just makes it all subjective and gives referees way more power than division winners shouldn’t automatically get the top two seeds, either. they reasonably should have. Their objective is not to decide the There’s another injustice that needs to be recognized here: Being a top- outcome of a game, but they’re deciding it every single time they let an 16 team in the league and missing the playoffs altogether. It happened to infraction go. They arbitrarily blur the lines of what is and isn’t a penalty in Montreal this season even though the Canadiens finished 14th (!!!), and it the name of game management, when the decision should be much happened to Florida last year. In total, it’s occurred eight times in the more black-and-white. Not every call will be so crystal clear, but it feels salary cap era, more than once every two seasons. How do you fix that like what is and isn’t called now is just as much of a coin flip as without going 1-vs.-16 (which would be a travel hassle for a lot of everything else this league has to offer. teams)? How about a play-in game against the worst playoff team. Think It might be a power-play festival initially, and no one wants that, but of it as the “ball don’t lie” game, where the inequity is solved by simply players will adapt. They know the rules, and it’ll be a helluva lot easier to playing for the final spot and letting the hockey gods determine which follow them when they’re consistent from game to game. team deserves to be in the playoffs.

2. Point system Here’s the other thing about calling the rulebook: It means calling it right If all anyone cares about is the playoffs anyway, why not shorten the for both sides. Here’s a multiple-choice question the league needs to regular season and make the playoffs a little bit longer to compensate. ponder. Right now, there’s a bit too much randomness involved in a best-of- seven series. According to work done by Michael Lopez, in order to If Team A commits eight crimes and Team B commits two crimes, what achieve the same level of determinism as the NBA, where the better should the penalty count be? teams win 80 percent of the time, the NHL would need to have a best-of- A. Team A gets three penalties, Team B gets two penalties. 51 series to match. Obviously, that’s ridiculous (and we don’t really want the same determinism as the NBA anyway), but perhaps a small bump B. Team A gets eight penalties, Team B gets two penalties. up might help slightly. I’m talking best-of-nine, where the first team to five wins. Five is a nicer number than four anyway. C. Team A gets eight penalties, Team B gets seven penalties. That could make the playoffs up to eight games longer at most, so to D. Prison rules, no penalties for either team. balance that, I would lop off 10 games from the regular season to get to If you answered anything but “B,” you might have what it takes to be an 72 games. Less of the boring stuff, more of the games everyone wants. NHL referee. 11. Lower the UFA age Think it’s unfair for one team to have six more power plays than another? This, to me, is a no-brainer simply based on research of when NHLers Tough. Ask instead why it’s currently fair for one team to abuse the actually become their most productive selves. By the time players reach rulebook six more times than another team and get away with it. UFA age, most are already on the decline. By lowering the age, it gives 7. Penalty adjustments front offices a better chance to improve their team with players in the prime of their career, and it gives players more leverage to take Something that’s always bothered me is penalty severity. I’m not sure advantage of those years. At present, most teams are paying way too how the NHL came up with two minutes, four minutes and then, for some much for past production, leading to a lot of free-agent busts while reason, five minutes. What’s the logic behind those three numbers simultaneously screaming that their young stars are asking for too much specifically? My proposed adjustment goes well with calling the rulebook money when it’s much more likely the latter will be actually worth their and allows referees to manage games to their discretion while actually respective contracts. (Remember everyone, including me, being up in making calls. Introducing a one-minute and a three-minute penalty would arms about the Leon Draisaitl contract, which now looks like a bargain?) give referees an option from one minute all the way to five on the severity of a call. Maybe a ticky-tack slash doesn’t deserve a full two, but it was a Honestly, this may be solved by every general manager in the league slash, so why not give it a one-minute infraction? See a call that’s worse being locked in one room every June 30 and being forced to watch a than your average penalty but not worth a major, why not give it three or PowerPoint presentation on age curves in the NHL. four instead? With this system, there are no more minors or majors or 12. Luxury tax double minors, it’s just a penalty based on severity according to the referee. I hesitate to give them that power, but I believe it would be a We’re currently in the section of this post where the end goal is more reasonable compromise. You ask them to be strict rule enforcers but also liquidity. It aims for more freedom for players and teams and more allow them more options to dictate the punishment length. exciting off-ice action for fans. The hard cap has been great for the league’s goal of achieving parity, but in a sport as random as hockey, Also, one more penalty adjustment. No more head hits. The NHL has a where parity is already a natural byproduct of the game, I’m not sure it’s concussion problem, whether it wants to admit that or not. Putting a 100 percent necessary anymore. blanket ban on hits to the head should help mitigate that. It won’t stop concussions from happening completely — hockey is still a rough-and- There need to be ways for the best teams to gain an extra edge in a tumble sport — but there needs to be action to lower the risk of it sport where parity will always reign, especially in contending years. A happening and damaging the post-NHL lives of many players. Again, luxury tax would help with that. It would mean teams can go over the cap hockey players can and will adapt. Asking them to not hit each other in slightly and pay a tax to the league in order to do so (with that money the head isn’t that big of a request. For those who don’t get it, and there perhaps being redistributed to smaller-market teams in the form of will be a few, stricter punishments will need to be implemented. revenue-sharing).

8. Power-play adjustments There are some fears that such a system would allow for the league to be overwrought by superteams like the NBA, but that’s unlikely in hockey Two changes here: The penalty-killing team can’t ice the puck, and a based on my own research on the subject. Plus, superteams are goal doesn’t negate the power play. That last one will especially go hand- awesome and fun to watch, so I don’t really care if there is one. There’s in-hand with the penalty adjustments listed above. The name of the game no better story in sports than watching either a team like that go on a is scoring goals, and this should further deter players from taking dynastic run, or a team like that crumbling at the hands of the underdog. penalties knowing the costs become much higher. 13. Abolish the draft Some might fear what happened to Vegas in Game 7, where the Golden Knights allowed four goals in the same major penalty, but those I’ve been on the fence with this one for a while, but the more I think about instances are extremely rare and unlikely. It’s also not on the referees it, the less down I am with forcing 18-year-old kids to play for a team they that a team is so porous during a penalty kill that it would allow that many don’t want to. It’s restrictive to a player’s rights and freedoms. goals to begin with. For teams, the draft incentivizes losing and tanking, rewarding bad 9. Video review management where being incompetent can be spun as a plan. In a hard- cap league where cap space is limited, I’m not sure it’s as necessary as Oh, yeah, the reason we’re all here. I already went into this in our many tend to believe. With proper optimization, bad teams should have roundtable. The gist is to make anything reviewable but put a time limit more space to sign younger players, lessening the risk that players sign (around 60 seconds) on the review to limit delaying games and only with good teams. discourage splitting hairs. Events should be overturned only if they’re egregious enough. Getting it right is valuable, but if it takes five minutes There are decent arguments to both sides, so perhaps a compromise to decide what’s right, then it’s simply too close to call and should go can be met where the draft is still in place, but players can opt out of it if back to human judgment at the time of the event. they choose to, allowing high-profile prospects more leverage and freedom to choose where they want to start their careers. There could In this scenario, I’d give each coach two challenges (lose a timeout on a even be a limit as to how many draft-eligible players can be signed pre- first miss and a two-minute penalty on a second miss) with some leeway draft. for automatic review depending on the context. 14. More liquidity in player movement I also like the idea of an eye-in-the-sky fifth official who can communicate with the referees via headset, which was proposed by some colleagues Freedom of choice shouldn’t stop with the draft. Along with lowering the in the roundtable. UFA age, there should be more liquidity in general with players having opt-outs and options that allow them to leave if management doesn’t hold 10. Shortened regular season and longer playoffs up its end of the bargain in building a competitive team around them. Stares directly at Connor McDavid. In that vein, the current term limits of eight years for a team’s own player and seven for a free agent are also too high and handcuff teams and players more than many seem to realize. That needs to be lowered by a lot and should help both teams and players in the long run. With the salary cap always increasing, more contract flexibility also allows players to take advantage of a larger revenue pool. There are many instances — especially for young, elite talent — where a player’s on-ice value near the end of the contract far exceeds his earnings.

15. More hiring diversity

The last one is perhaps the most important one. When it comes to NHL hires, teams have a type: old, white, male. I understand that there is likely a higher portion of those types with interest and experience in and around the game, but that doesn’t mean that other groups of people shouldn’t be represented. This is something being championed right now in the NBA, and they said it best: It’s not about filling quotas, it’s about finding the right people for jobs. The best people available aren’t always the ones hired or even in the hiring pool, because those are often limited by a self-fulfilling cycle of networking in an “old boys club” filled with people who look exactly the same.

It’s brought about by a culture that believes the best person to run the team is someone who used to play the sport — something every other sport is moving away from. Of course, the hiring pool will look the way it does when the leading candidates are just more people who played the game in a game that’s predominantly white. And it’s those people who not only look the same but also think the same leading to stale and tired plans and archaic thinking, rather than a progressive outlook on how to improve a team’s fortune. It’s about being more open-minded into how to make a team better that goes beyond giving the keys to the team based on how well the job candidate played on the ice.

In that vein, there’s one last thing I’d love to see in my lifetime: Invite the best women’s hockey players to a professional tryout at training camp. Based on the way some of these women have looked next to NHL All- Stars at past events, there isn’t much doubt they can at least hang with those in the bottom half of the league, if not surpass them. The game is moving toward more skill and speed, and some players like Hilary Knight and Marie-Philip Poulin have that in spades while still having the size to handle the rigours of the NHL. A philosophical shift in having skill at every position rather than fourth-line or third-pair role players should also help with that.

I’m not saying let’s sign them on the spot, but the idea that these women can make it has become far more likely in my mind over the past year. At the very least, what’s the harm in giving them a chance to show what they’ve got in comparison to NHLers? Either it works and a team has found a new player, or it doesn’t and we’re right back to where we started.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144853 Websites pass interference this year, which everyone will hate). They don’t check to see if forward progress was stopped or whether the game clock had expired. Basically, they review a list of some things but not others. Just The Athletic / DGB Grab Bag: Not another replay review, how to like the NHL. celebrate waved-off goals and the craziest brawl ever In favor: But what if the NHL’s list is wrong?

Opposed: Then we can fix that by adding or subtracting specific items. By Sean McIndoe Maybe glove passes that lead directly to a goal are in that category. But be specific. What should we review? May 17, 2019 In favor: Everything!

Opposed: No. This week’s debate: The Sharks beat the Blues in overtime on Wednesday thanks to a missed call on a glove pass that was not In favor: Why not? Like all the smart people are saying, we need to stop reviewable. Is it time to expand replay? arguing about where to draw the line and just get the calls right.

In favor: It sure is! We have the technology, and we need to get these Opposed: Here’s a situation. It’s overtime in the playoffs, and the home calls right. Bring on the reviews. team scores. The fans explode, the players pile on the ice to celebrate, confetti falls, all of that. Then a few minutes later the referee skates to Opposed (laying face down on the floor and not moving): Do we really center ice and announces that it turns out that a winger had his toe over have to do this? the line on a faceoff that came well before the goal, so he invokes Rule 76.6 and the goal doesn’t count. How would you feel about that? In favor: What, the reviews? In favor: That would be completely ridiculous and every reasonable Opposed (slowly sitting up): No, this whole debate. We’ve been doing person would hate it. some version of this for what feels like months. Every game brings some new wrinkle or subsection of the rulebook to argue about, but it’s Opposed: Great, welcome to team “we can’t review everything.” Now basically the same discussion over and over again. let’s get to work on drawing those lines.

In favor: Well, it’s the biggest hockey story of the week. It would be weird In favor: Fine, but that doesn’t mean they’re drawn in the right place now. if we didn’t mention it. Opposed: No, it doesn’t, and it’s OK to have that conversation. But it Opposed: Sure. But we’ve kind of covered this ground, haven’t we? I starts with acknowledging that this is a really tough question, the answers wrote about why I think that replay review for penalties will be a slippery aren’t simple, the risk of unintended consequences is huge, and we need slope to disaster. We did the pucks in the netting thing. We did that to really think about this before we start fundamentally changing the heated debate on Puck Soup. We did the roundtable about Cody Eakin. game. And that doesn’t mean stomping your feet and demanding that we We did yesterday’s roundtable on the glove pass. We’ve done the Twitter review everything in the whole rulebook because we have to “just get it debates. Good lord, so many Twitter debates. right.”

In favor: Well, the fact that there’s so much discussion of the topic kind of In favor: You’re cranky about this. indicates that people like talking about it, right? Opposed: I told you I didn’t want to do this again. Opposed: Does it? I don’t see anyone who seems to like anything at all. Everyone is just mad all the time. If typing “GET IT RIGHT” in all caps In favor: It’s OK, we’re done now. solved the problem, we’d be in great shape. Opposed: Until next time.

In favor: Fans are mad because the system is broken. So let’s figure out In favor: See you next week? how to fix it. Opposed: See you next week. Opposed: Do we have to? The final verdict: See you next week. In favor: Yes. The third star: Tuukka Rask and (sort of) Charlie McAvoy – They were Opposed (wearily rising like Westley at the end The Princess Bride): sent out to face the media together after Game 3, but only Rask got any Fine. Let’s do this. questions. That left McAvoy to awkwardly slink off, but not before Rask In favor: OK, so rather than cover the same old ground, let’s talk about casually knifed him with a “Thanks for coming Chuck.” some of the new-ish ideas that are coming out of this latest controversy. The second star: Justin Williams’ new diet – One nice thing about the Here’s one you’re hearing a lot this week: Shouldn’t the NHL be like the Hurricanes’ run is that we all got to expand our hockey vocabularies. First NFL, where every scoring play is automatically reviewed? we learned about getting kicked in the ding ding, and now this.

Opposed: Yes. The first star: Vladimir Putin – Man, it turns out he’s pretty awesome at In favor: But then you … wait, yes? You agree with the idea? hockey. Look at how he expertly avoids that defenseman who is frantically turning away from him, and then slips the puck past a Opposed: Sure. goaltender who practically dislocates a hip to get his pad up.

In favor: Oh. OK. So that’s one new thing we can… Passive Huggressiveness: The act of players openly celebrating a goal that they know has already been waved off. Opposed: Except it’s not new. When you think you’ve scored a goal but you see the referee waving it In favor: Huh? off, there are a few different ways you can go. You can rush over and Opposed: It’s not new. People are suggesting this like it’s a new idea. But start arguing. You can smash your stick and look furious. You can stand the NHL already automatically reviews every scoring play. They check to there and look bewildered, maybe throwing in an exaggerated arms up make sure the puck was over the line, time hadn’t expired, there was no motion to really drive home the point. You could quietly head to the high-stick or kicking motion … all this stuff gets reviewed automatically, bench and wait for the ruling without making a big dramatic scene out of every time, plus a few additional things in overtime. You don’t necessarily it. (That last one has literally never happened, but in theory it could.) notice because there’s usually no controversy. But what you’re Or you could go with my personal favorite option: Just keep celebrating. suggesting already happens. That’s what the Bruins went with on Tuesday, when they lost a goal to an In favor: OK, but that’s only a few things. The NFL reviews everything. interference call.

Opposed: But they don’t. They don’t go back and look at whether an That is some near-perfect passive huggressive behavior right there. They offensive player was lined up a half inch out of place. They don’t check definitely know the goal has been waved off. Jake DeBrusk nearly gets for missed penalties like holding or illegal blocks (although they’re adding karate chopped in the Adam’s apple by the referee waving his arms, but he just no-sells it and keeps going. David Pastrnak sees the call and “Boy I’m telling you, we had a pier-sixer here you can not believe.” Still starts to argue, and even points it out to all his teammates, before he just not wrong, and MacLean finally throws to a clip of what happened. kind of shrugs and heads over to celebrate anyway. There’s no commentary, because again, this was before the broadcast even started. How much would you pay to have retroactively I’ve always respected this move, because it strikes just about the perfect record a call for the next 10 minutes? I feel like I’d pay a lot. balance between being a prick (“Let’s openly ignore the authority figure doing his job”) and just having fun (“Hey, we’re hugging, you can’t have a By the way, you can usually win a beer off old-time hockey fans by problem with hugging”). It’s a jerk move with plausible deniability built asking them who shot the puck into the net to start the brawl. Most of right in. And it sends a nice message of confidence that you’re sure the them will say Lemieux, but it’s actually Corson who does the honors. But ruling is going to be overturned. the Flyers go after Lemieux anyway, because he’s Claude Lemieux, and off we go. Does it work? No, usually not. It didn’t help the Bruins, whose goal was (correctly) wiped out. But it’s the thought that counts. So hug it out, boys. Hospodar pummels Lemieux as Resch watches on, while Corson … well, They can’t take that away from you. (At least until we start reviewing Corson pretty much doesn’t do anything. As designated bodyguards go, those too.) he’s uh, not great.

It’s a big week for weird Philadelphia Flyers anniversaries, as we’ll see in Lemieux finally tackles Hospodar, whose head sure seems to bounce off the YouTube section. Monday will mark 44 years since the Fog Game in the ice in the process, and they roll around until players from both teams the 1975 Stanley Cup final between the Flyers and Sabres, so let’s make start showing up. The first on the scene is Patrick Roy, who also doesn’t this week’s obscure player Jim Lorentz. jump in. Man, how much did the 1987 Canadiens hate Claude Lemieux? When even Patrick Roy doesn’t feel like fighting for you, you may not be Lorentz was a forward who broke in with the Bruns in the late ’60s and a popular teammate. won a Cup in 1970 before heading to the Blues in 1970-71. He had a quick stint with the Rangers before being dealt to the Sabres in 1972, At first, the reinforcements are basically there to break it up. As MacLean where he settled in to play seven seasons, four of which saw him top 20 explains, many of them didn’t have their sweaters on, and a few didn’t goals. He finished his pro career in 1978, having played 659 NHL games even have skates. But and Chris Nilan eventually pair off, and recording 161 goals and 399 points. He’d go on to a successful and that’s when things get completely out of control. There are more than career in broadcasting, doing color and occasional play-by-play on TV a few tough guys in the mix, including John Kordic, and and radio for the Sabres. His grandson Steven is a Hurricanes prospect Sergio Momesso, and no officials to break anything up. The whole thing in the AHL. goes for at least 10 minutes before they can break it up, and again, this is all before the game has even started. Jim Lorentz was a decent scorer and a relatively clean player. But the most memorable thing he ever did with a hockey stick didn’t involve a “I was gonna go on … I would have broke it up in no time and goal or a pass or even a penalty. No, it was the time he murdered a flying straightened them out,” Cherry tells us, but he wasn’t allowed. This is not rodent. That moment came on May 20, 1975, in that same infamous Fog the first time he had problems with rules about how many guys could be Game. The bat showed up to periodically dive bomb the ice during the out on the ice. game, Lorentz managed the impressive feat of swatting it out of midair, and Philadelphia’s Rick MacLeish barehanded it out of play. Cherry and MacLean talk through the rules, and we learn that there isn’t one for this situation (although they do have “a policy”). They laugh at the Did Lorentz’s act of midair batslaughter bring on the curse of the fog? Not idea of a 30-foot boundary, but MacLean informs us that they can call necessarily, of course, but yes, it definitely did. fighting penalties and issue ejections for a pregame incident – but only five per team. I love that somebody came up with that rule, then was like This week also marked the anniversary of what may have been the “Whoa, whoa, we don’t want to get crazy here, better put a limit on it.” dumbest brawl in NHL history, and that’s saying something. After all, this But yeah, guys like Brown and Nilan are clearly not going to play in this is a league where we’ve seen guys beat fans with shoes. But we’d never game. seen anything quite like what happened between the Flyers and Habs 32 years ago, and we almost certainly never will again. Hey, here’s a fun fact: Brown and Nilan do in fact play in this game. It turns out nobody gets penalized at all. The league just decided to say the But to get a sense for just how strange this night was, imagine you’re a hell with it and play the game, then sort it out later. I’d express hockey fan back in 1987 and you’re tuning in to amazement at that, but at this point in NHL history we’re less than a year expecting to watch an important playoff game. There’s no Twitter or away from the Donut Incident, so maybe we should just be glad nobody round-the-clock sports networks, so you have no idea that anything’s was wearing a yellow raincoat. amiss. You’re expecting to see the opening faceoff. Instead, you see this. And with that, Cherry and MacLean cut to commercial, which is the It’s May 14, 1987, and we’re coming to you live from Montreal. The Habs Molson Canadian “this magic moment” series of ads with the creepy are hosting the Flyers in Game 6 of the conference final, needing a win to pickup artist that I still remember to this day even though I need extend the series. It’s a big game. Except, there’s no game. Not yet. Facebook to tell me when my own family’s birthdays are. Being a hockey Instead, we have Ron MacLean and . fan in the 1980s may have broken my brain.

This is back in the day when Cherry would show up throughout the show, So here’s the epilogue. First, the Flyers won the game to take the series, instead of just on Coach’s Corner. Here, he jumps right into trying to and nobody cared. Second, the league did eventually drop the hammer explain what’s going on to the viewers. And the problem starts, as they on both teams, throwing around fines and suspending Hospodar for the so often do, with Claude Lemieux. rest of the playoffs. We also found out that Flyers coach Here’s the setup. Lemieux has a superstition where he likes to finish off had dressed 24 guys for the pregame skate, just in case you thought the the pregame warmup by shooting the puck down into the other team’s Flyers didn’t know exactly what was about to happen. net. The Flyers have decided that this bothers them, so they’ve warned But the biggest fallout came that offseason, when the NHL added rule him to cut it out, and have even assigned backup goalie to 70.1 to the book. That’s the one that brings an automatic 10-game guard the net. They’ve also sent tough guy Ed Hospodar to deliver a suspension for anyone who comes onto the ice to fight. You still see that message: Don’t shoot the puck. Or else. rule come into play from time to time, but it basically put an end to the The warning seems to work, and Lemieux leaves the ice. Hospodar and days of the bench-clearing brawl for good. Resch do too. But then, as you can see in this shot from an ice-level As for today’s NHL, we still see the occasional pregame dispute, but let’s camera, Lemieux tries to sneak back on, with Shayne Corson serving as just say they’re handled slightly differently. his bodyguard. So Hospodar and Resch rush back out, and all hell breaks loose.

“Believe me folks, something happened here,” Cherry tells the viewers. The Athletic LOADED: 05.18.2019 He’s not wrong.

“You just don’t do things like that to another team’s net,” Cherry continues. “That’s your sacred little spot.” Hockey is a weird sport. 1144854 Websites For all the talk about the Sharks’ good fortune in these playoffs after two titanic officiating mistakes, including one that saved their season against the Knights, went in their favour.

Sportsnet.ca / Berube helps Blues bounce back from controversy in But a couple of St. Louis goals ticked in off San Jose defenceman Justin Game 4 win over Sharks Braun on Wednesday, and on Friday, the Blues took the lead at 35 seconds when Burns gave away the puck and Ivan Barbashev’s centring pass ramped in off the stick of Sharks forward Gustav Nyquist. Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet And although Blues’ Tyler Bozak got the last touch on the power-play May 17, 2019, 10:59 PM goal scrummed in at 17:53 of the first, the puck had been cleared by Sharks goalie Martin Jones against one of his players, then bounced to

Bozak. ST. LOUIS – The most important coaching Craig Berube did this series Of course, the Blues were so vastly superior at the start that the Sharks wasn’t even during a game. were lucky not to trail by more than 2-0. It wasn’t finding a way to wring more from Vladimir Tarasenko or “I don’t think about whether it’s lucky or not; we kind of the deserved the changing the St. Louis Blues’ power play or tweaking the defence goals (against),” Hertl said. “Same like last game, I thought we deserved pairings. It was walking into the dressing room late Wednesday to tell his the win. Today, they were better in the first. They came hard and played players, emotional and vibrating with anger about a non-call that decided hard, and we were slow and losing pucks. So we deserved it.” a playoff game against them, that everything was going to be alright. Hertl dived to poke in a puck and cut the St. Louis lead in half at 6:48 of “He comes in and says: ‘Forget about it, move on,’” St. Louis centre Ryan the third period after Burns’ one-timer trickled under Binnington. O’Reilly explained Friday. “He said: ‘We’re going to be alright, we’ll respond the right way.’ And we did.” “You could come here (after Wednesday’s game) and mope around and say we got screwed, or turn the page and move on, and that’s what we “We went home with the right mentality,” winger David Perron said. “I did,” veteran Blue Brayden Schenn said. really believe it made a difference.” “We just talked about it, you know, ‘you’ve just got to move on,’” Berube O’Reilly said Berube believed in his players, and on Friday they earned said Friday. “The next day, I could tell just by the energy and how they more trust by dominating the San Jose Sharks at the start of Game 4 and came in the next day and the way they were reacting that they were hanging on to win 2-1 to even the Western Conference Final at two ready for Game 4.” games apiece. Two wins away from playing for the Stanley Cup, both teams should be All that fury and frustration over the uncalled hand pass that set up ready for Sunday. But will Karlsson? Sharks’ Erik Karlsson’s overtime winner on Wednesday was channelled towards the start on Friday. The Blues were up 1-0 after 35 seconds and could have led by three or four goals after six minutes. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.18.2019 Eventually, they needed frantic defending and a couple of saves from Jordan Binnington as the Sharks attacked six-on-five in the final two minutes – “Just madness and you just hope for the best,” the goalie said – but the Blues did what they had to do.

They’re not only still in this series, they must now be considered the favourites.

The Blues head to San Jose for Game 5 on Sunday with a 6-2 road record, easily the best of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And in losing the series’ lead on Friday, the Sharks may have suffered an equally severe blow to Karlsson.

The magnificent defenceman, who missed 27 games late in the regular season with a groin-related injury, has looked at times like he is skating on one leg. But with the game on the line Friday, the two-time Norris Trophy winner wasn’t skating at all. He played only one shift in the final 10 minutes: the last 1:55 when San Jose had an extra skater and essentially ran a power play in the St. Louis zone.

Karlsson’s previous five shifts lasted 44 seconds, 18, 30, 45 and 28. He logged 18:49 in the first two periods, then 6:20 in the third. San Jose coach Peter DeBoer has been using primarily five defencemen, limiting sixth man Joakim Ryan’s ice time.

When rookie St. Louis defenceman Vince Dunn suffered a broken jaw in Game 3, Berube had reliable Carl Gunnarsson to bring in from the bullpen. The Sharks don’t have that kind of spare part. And even if they did, Karlsson’s ability with the puck is irreplaceable.

The series appears to have tilted in the Blues’ favour, although the Sharks are loaded with experience and firepower up front and haven’t lose two straight playoff games since they fell behind the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 in the opening round more than a month ago.

“It’s two great teams going at it,” Brent Burns, the Sharks’ other world- class defenceman, said. “You want a better start, but they get a vote, too. They’re a great team.”

“We just have to dig in and be better because we need to win at home,” San Jose centre Tomas Hertl said. “It’s for sure a little bit frustrating because we got a huge win last game in overtime and we come here (tonight). . . and we come out slow. We just have to be better next game.” 1144855 Websites them with the right veterans to return to the post-season as quickly as possible.

“It’s really exciting as we look to next year and what could be our Sportsnet.ca / Beware of the 5 NHL teams with extra first-round draft opening-night roster. We could have some new, young, exciting faces, picks could have some free agents, some nice players,” Gorton said.

“The ability to pick second overall in this draft and have a good summer Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox just reinforces that the future looks pretty bright in New York.”

May 17, 2019, 9:35 AM Colorado Avalanche

Another club poised to set up camp at the podium this June is the Avalanche, with a whopping five picks in first three rounds. The trade winds, they are a-blowing. Upon his young club’s second-round playoff elimination, GM Joe Sakic Come June 21 in Vancouver, keep an eye on the five NHL teams that vowed to be “more aggressive this year” regarding the talent he targets in hold an extra first-round pick to use at the 2019 NHL Draft. free agency.

Last spring, four late first-round selections were swapped on draft night, There’s no reason that aggressiveness shouldn’t spill onto the draft floor. starting at No. 22. Sakic is armed with a sweet cap cushion, his exciting roster is on the rise, and last year he smartly swung a draft-day trade with Washington to While hockey general managers, largely a conservative bunch, are secure his new No. 1 goalie, Philipp Grubauer. loathe to part with a high first-rounder at the risk of missing out on an elite talent (or ticking off their owner or their fan base), those mid-to-late Colorado holds its own No. 16 pick as well as the fourth-overall selection, Round 1 tickets, especially for those teams with one in the bank, tend to acquired from Ottawa Senators as part of the three-way swap that sent be in play. forward Matt Duchene to Ottawa in 2017.

Use those choices wisely, however, and your scouts can hit a home run. “We’re going to listen to all options,” Sakic said on locker cleanout day.

Before breaking down the handful of clubs with bonus first-rounders this “To be honest with you, we’re comfortable at 4. We know we’re going to year, let’s look at some examples of late-Round 1 coups from the past get a good player. We know we’re going to get a good player at 16. We five years: have five picks in the first three rounds this year, so we’ve got to do our best to hit those. You don’t always have that opportunity.” • 2018: Toronto traded down from 25 (with St. Louis) and still stole Rasmus Sandin at pick 29 last spring. A teenage phenom in the Livestream every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, -free. Plus American Hockey League this season, he’ll push to crack the big roster stream the Blue Jays & MLB, Raptors and NBA Playoffs matchups and as early as next fall. more.

• 2017: All Montreal’s Ryan Poehling did was score a hat trick plus a Los Angeles Kings shootout winner in his NHL debut last month. The Habs swiped the forward at No. 25. Chicago may have secured an even better steal, Although it took too long for the Kings to embrace a reset, GM Rob taking stud right-shot defenceman Henri Jokiharju at 29. Blake’s January trade of core defenceman Jake Muzzin to Toronto for a first-rounder and a pair of enticing prospects signaled a concerted effort • 2016: The final first-round pick of this draft, centre Sam Steel, is poised to get younger and faster. to provide Anaheim with much-needed offence for years to come. With an incredible 10 picks at the Vancouver draft, including seven in the • 2015: Ottawa’s Colin White (pick 21), Vancouver’s Brock Boeser (23), first four rounds, Blake is well equipped to stock the cupboards with Philadelphia’s Travis Konecny (24), and the Islanders’ Anthony young, fast talent. Beauvillier (28) are all real-deal forwards taken late. His Kings have the fifth-overall pick as well as the Leafs’ No. 22 • 2014: Boston grabbed superstar David Pastrnak at No. 25. Beauty. selection.

Here is a look at the teams with more than one first-round pick this year It will be intriguing to see if Blake, who oversees one of the NHL’s oldest — a sweet bit of currency that could be used to trade for a roster player, rosters, dangles the 22nd pick in trade to help his Cup-winning core exchange for multiple later-round picks, or used to pluck the Pastrnak or (Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, Jonathan Quick) or goes Boeser of the 2019 class. full-blown rebuild here. Either way, change is coming to L.A.

How did they get them? And how will they use them? “A top-five pick regardless is huge,” Doughty said. “That can help turn around the franchise right off the bat. New York Rangers “We have full confidence that with whatever changes are made, we can We might look back at 2019 as the summer of Jeff Gorton. improve next season and make a run for the playoffs.” The lottery-blessed Blueshirts GM spent the past two trade deadlines Buffalo Sabres clearing cap space and now has four draft selections in the first two rounds at his disposal. He’s already scooped blue-chip NCAA prospect Of all five teams on this list, we’re pegging Buffalo as least likely to trade Adam Fox and is expected to be a player in free agency. Gorton controls a first-rounder — mostly because the Sabres don’t hold a second-round how rapidly this reset goes. pick this year as a result of last summer’s Jeff Skinner deal. (They don’t own a fifth-rounder, either.) In addition to winning the second-overall pick — an enviable position that forces rival New Jersey to make the choice between Jack Hughes and In addition to selecting seventh overall, GM Jason Botterill will also Kaapo Kakko — Gorton also owns the Winnipeg Jets‘ pick at No. 20 as benefit from one of the yet-to-be-determined late first-rounders he part of the trade for rental centre Kevin Hayes. obtained from either San Jose or St. Louis.

No way he trades Number 2, but with four picks in the first two rounds, Despite having the dubious distinction of owning the NHL’s longest active Gorton has enough currency and flexibiliy to acquire a right-now player if playoff drought, Botterill did not sound like a man scrambling for a quick he so chooses. fix when he spoke this week upon hiring culture-changing coach Ralph Krueger. “It’s a great opportunity for us to draft in the second position in an unbelievable draft. So we’re excited about the calibre player made “We’re looking long term here,” Botterill told reporters. “We can available to us,” Gorton told reporters after moving up on April’s lottery understand a fan’s perspective, but it can’t impact our decisions, our night. “Second will afford us some different looks and thought processes vision of how our team needs to eventually look.” as we go through this.” In Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres have cornerstones at key Gorton recently told Matt Larkin of The Hockey News that he’s trying to positions. They’re trying to re-sign pending UFA Jeff Skinner but, even if stockpile as many talented young players as possible while surrounding successful, are not one or two bodies away from contending in the loaded Atlantic Division.

Anaheim Ducks

Bob Murray, on the other hand, sounds more like an executive gunning for a post-season return in 2020.

“This group should have competed for a playoff spot,” Murray said, following a disastrous Ducks campaign spiked with injury woes. The GM went behind the bench himself after firing Randy Carlyle mid-stream to dissect his roster’s issues.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do. We got three picks in the top 40, and I’m looking forward to that part of it. I think there are some very good players in the top of this draft.”

Anaheim holds the ninth pick as well as the better of the Sharks or Blues’ late first-round pick, which Murray acquired from Botterill as part of his package for trading defenceman Brandon Montour to the Sabres in February.

Even with veteran Ryan Kesler (hip surgery) likely heading toward long- term injured reserve, Murray will be too tight on salary cap space to make much of a free agency splash.

Flipping his extra first-round pick is an option should he choose to help his roster contend for the playoffs in 2019-20.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144856 Websites despite the lower save percentages he’s maintained some of the best overall defensive metrics in the game.

His low on-ice save percentage relative to teammates isn’t new this Sportsnet.ca / Analyzing Erik Karlsson: Is the UFA-to-be in decline? season — it’s a part of how Karlsson plays.

The other area of perception working against Karlsson comes from his Andrew Berkshire own shooting percentage.

May 17, 2019, 2:42 PM From his breakout second season up until 2016-17, Karlsson scored on 7.29 per cent of his shots on goal — a spectacular number for a defenceman. His shooting was consistent, too, never wavering beyond 6.5 to 7.8 per cent over a full season, until last year. In 2017-18 he Throughout the 2018-19 NHL season there has been a wide division on scored on just 4.6 per cent of his shots and this season just 1.8 per cent. opinion about Erik Karlsson. Ever since he won his first Norris Trophy way back in 2011-12 — a controversial choice at the time — he has been A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts considered among the league’s best defencemen. Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday.

Based on the numbers that I deal with on a daily basis, he has Two seasons do not make a trend, especially two beset by injuries, but undisputedly been the best defenceman in the NHL since 2013-14 which, it’s entirely within reason to worry if Karlsson’s goal scoring is for the record, is after Matt Cooke accidentally sliced Karlsson’s Achilles evaporating. The thing is, his on-ice impact remains unaffected by it. tendon and caused him to miss nearly an entire season. It’s worth pointing out that his poor goal differential from earlier in the Since that time Karlsson has had lingering injury troubles despite not season self-corrected as the year wore on and while Karlsson was on the missing many games until this season, but he has always found a way to ice the Sharks had a goal differential that was 4.75 per cent better than maintain his dominance at the top of the field in his position. Using the when he was on the bench. year-by-year breakdowns from my Sportsnet ranking project I do every summer, since 2013-14 Karlsson has ranked 1st, 2nd, 1st, 1st, and 2nd The issue for Karlsson now is that his playoffs started much like his each season. He was beaten out once by P.K. Subban and once by regular season did, and the Sharks are 4.16 per cent worse in goal Drew Doughty, but not varying nearly as much as either of them on a differential with him on the ice than when he’s off in the playoffs. year-by-year basis. My policy is never to put too much stock in short-term playoff When you’re playing at that high of a level with a relatively strong performance, but nevertheless, let’s examine Karlsson’s play relative to consensus about it, any drop in performance is going to be highlighted. his teammates recently and find out if there are any major warning signs. There will undoubtedly be a large group of fans, observers, analysts, and Goals fluctuate a lot, but even going back to the 2016-17 season where media who are looking for a story about the best no longer being the we last saw “fully healthy” Karlsson, his numbers in San Jose this regular best. Just ask Sidney Crosby how many times he metaphorically ‘passed season compare remarkably strong. the baton’ as the best player in the world before Connor McDavid arrived on the scene and actually earned that label. In the playoffs Karlsson has seen his control of high danger chances drop into the red, but he’s still strong in shot attempt differential. It This year, for the first time since the lockout-shortened 2013 season, appears he has become extremely focused on controlling passes to the Karlsson missed more than 11 games. He played in just 53 regular slot, where he has improved each of the past two seasons in relative season matches and was besieged by the unluckiest start to a season of impact and gone absolutely bonkers in the playoffs. his career. Despite the fact the underlying numbers showed that Karlsson was his normal, dominant self in the first month of the season, his on-ice Pass defence is something defencemen can reliably control more often goal differential was terrible and his point production was not what than high danger scoring chances, so I wouldn’t be too worried about everyone expected, so criticism began to mount. how Karlsson’s looking here. In fact, despite the bad goal differential he appears to be having a pretty strong post-season. Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the There is of course, on more factor: the pivoting. country’s most beloved game. Karlsson’s mobility issues in that specific area aren’t enough to drag him Paired with the bad goal differential, people have been noticing for a out of elite player status by any stretch. It’s not like he’s suddenly a bad couple of seasons now that Karlsson has had difficulty pivoting on his skater, but it is an area where opponents can exploit him. bad foot, which has exposed him off the rush and caused him to be at fault for goals against. This has led to the assumption that Karlsson might The question then becomes how much of an exploitable weakness is it? just be damaged goods now, which is a tough thing for a generational When Karlsson gets caught it’s always going to show up in highlight defenceman heading into unrestricted free agency. reels, so our brains will bookmark those moments in our memories and prioritize them. But on balance, is Karlsson a liability off the rush because But is it actually true? of his pivoting?

The difficulty with pivoting absolutely exists and it may be something We can go back to 2016-17 and look at a three-year stretch to see how Karlsson has to deal with for the rest of his career, but how much of an Karlsson handles chances off the rush compared to his teammates. effect that has on his on-ice impact is up for debate. For the two previous seasons, Karlsson has been a mostly average There are a couple issues of perception working against Karlsson at the defenceman at handling and creating chances off the rush, although you moment. For example his on-ice save percentage at 5-on-5 was just have to account for the increased level of difficulty that comes with .8947 in the regular season, which is a little outrageous even on a team playing against the best opponents most nights. That alone should dispel that struggled to get saves. However, it was even worse last season at any worry that Karlsson is a particular liability off the rush, but this .8917 — both numbers are far off from the previous four seasons that season should put that idea six feet under the ground. fluctuated between .910 and .9262. Not only was Karlsson better than team average at controlling rush With that said, Karlsson has almost always had a negative impact on his chances this season, he was absurdly effective, improving his team’s on-ice save percentage. teammates’ differentials by 6.5 per cent while he shared the ice with them. Part of that comes from facing top competition night in and out, and part is the pressure that was put upon him to create offence in Ottawa, which Eventually Karlsson is going to decline. Time is undefeated in sports and forced him to take more risks. But I don’t think we can rule out that in life. Karlsson individually does things that leads to tougher situations for his goalies. But it hasn’t happened to him yet and whatever limitations have worked their way into Karlsson’s game over the years, he has found ways to Throughout his career, Karlsson has had significantly more success compensate and remain dominant. driving on-ice shooting percentage than on-ice save percentage, but Anyone imagining that he would all of a sudden be a problem for whatever team he signs with this summer is going to be very wrong.

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Sportsnet.ca / Groin concerns surround Sharks' Erik Karlsson ahead of Game 5 vs. Blues

Mike Johnston | @MikeyJ_MMA

May 18, 2019, 12:38 AM

The San Jose Sharks dropped a tightly-contested Game 4 to the St. Louis Blues and a point of concern for the team heading into Game 5 will be the status of Erik Karlsson.

The star blueliner missed half of January, half of February, and all of March with a lingering groin injury and during Friday’s game it appeared he reaggravated it.

Karlsson finished the game with 25:09 of ice-time – Brent Burns was the only skater on either team to log more ice-time – but there was a stretch in the second half of the third period where he remained on the Sharks bench, clearly in discomfort, for more than seven consecutive minutes.

The two-time Norris Trophy winner returned to the ice for the final 1:55 of the third frame as the extra attacker once goalie Martin Jones was pulled, however he was labouring and not nearly as mobile as he was earlier in the game.

“I don’t have anything for you there,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters following the game when asked about Karlsson’s health status.

If Karlsson is forced to miss any time, or if his mobility is significantly impacted going forward, it’ll be a huge blow to San Jose’s back end.

Karlsson, who only suited up for 53 regular-season games, was just hitting his stride in the post-season. The pending unrestricted free agent scored twice in Wednesday’s Game 3, including the overtime winner, and registered an assist on his team’s lone goal on Friday to bring his playoff total to 16 points in 18 games.

The Western Conference Final is now a best-of-three with Game 5 set to take place Sunday afternoon at the SAP Center.

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Sportsnet.ca / Kakko thinks he can go No. 1 at 2019 NHL Draft ahead of Hughes

Mike Johnston | @MikeyJ_MMA

May 17, 2019, 7:45 PM

Kaapo Kakko isn’t lacking much in terms of high-end hockey skill. All you have to do is watch Team Finland play at the 2019 IIHF World Championship and you’ll quickly realize this.

The 18-year-old prospect doesn’t lack confidence either. In fact, Kakko believes he can leapfrog American Jack Hughes as the top draft-eligible prospect in hockey in time to be selected first overall at the 2019 NHL Draft.

Hughes and Kakko appear locks to go one-two on June 21 in Vancouver, and although Hughes has been ranked slightly ahead of Kakko for most of the 2018-19 season, Kakko’s stock has risen thanks to his performance at the worlds.

“I’ve played well,” Kakko told NHL.com correspondent Aaron Vickers via a translator. “I haven’t paid much attention to Jack Hughes and his game, but I’m confident I’ve been able to let everyone see my skills and the level of my game. It’s not going to be an easy choice for the teams.”

As of Friday, Kakko is tied for the tournament lead in goals with six and his seven points leads all Finnish players.

Several of his goals have been of the highlight-reel variety.

As are some of the things he does in practice.

The New Jersey Devils hold the top pick and think highly of both players, as do the New York Rangers who hold the second-overall selection.

“It’s great that people are interested in me and my game, of course,” Kakko added. “I’m glad I’ve been able to play well and execute. There are so many great NHL players in this tournament and it’s huge I’ve been able to play well against them. I’m hoping I could play in the NHL.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.18.2019 1144859 Websites which only Columbus can give, plus push down the salary cap hit on what is sure to be a monster new deal.

Would a team like the New York Rangers be willing to give up a pick or TSN.CA / Kessel tops first TSN Trade Bait board of the spring prospect in order to make that happen, or would they just wait until July 1 and get him for nothing?

Frank Seravalli Here is TSN Hockey’s first Trade Bait board of the spring, which always seeks to blend a player’s prominence with his likelihood of a trade:

1. Phil Kessel, PIT RW 31 82 27 82 Penguins GM Jim Rutherford put the NHL on alert when he said in an $6.8M 3 end-of-season interview that, “there could be changes, big changes,” to Pittsburgh’s core. 2. Jacob Trouba, WPG RD 25 82 8 50 $5.5M RFA One month after the Penguins’ sweep at the hands of the New York Islanders, Phil Kessel is most likely the first player to go if Rutherford is 3. Ryan Callahan, TBL RW 34 52 7 going to blow it up. 17 $5.8M 1

That’s why two-time Stanley Cup champion Kessel is No. 1 on the first 4. Jason Zucker, MIN LW 27 81 21 TSN Trade Bait board of the spring. 42 $5.5M 4

“Every possibility is on the table right now,” Rutherford told reporters. 5. P.K. Subban, NSH RD 30 63 9 31 $9M 3 Kessel, 32, was in the Conn Smythe conversation during both Penguin runs. Only 12 NHL players have more points than Kessel’s 174 over the 6. Michael Frolik, CGY LW 31 65 16 last two seasons. There are three years remaining on his contract at a 34 $4.3M 1 $6.8 million AAV, with the Maple Leafs still retaining $1.2 million. 7. Connor Brown, TOR RW 25 82 8 But the Kessel Experiment may have run its course in the Steel City. 29 $2.1M 1

Rutherford admitted that there were issues in the Penguins’ dressing 8. Kyle Turris, NSH C 29 55 7 23 room this season and Kessel’s friction with coach Mike Sullivan and even $6M 5 linemate Evgeni Malkin has been evident. The Penguins’ Kessel 9. Kevin Shattenkirk, NYR RD 30 73 2 Whisperer, assistant coach Rick Tocchet, left to be the head coach of the 28 $6.65M 2 two seasons ago. 10. Artemi Panarin, CBJ RW 27 79 28 Because of that friction and other chemistry issues, Rutherford said this 87 $6M UFA season was actually Sullivan’s best coaching job with the Penguins. 11. Travis Hamonic, CGY RD 28 69 7 “The dynamic of the team this season, it was difficult for him to deal 19 $3.86M 1 with,” Rutherford told The Athletic. “This team never came together. It just never did. I don’t want to go into all of the details, but Mike had to 12. Nikita Zaitsev, TOR RD 27 81 3 deal with a lot of circumstances this year. He had to keep things under 14 $4.5M 5 control.” 13. Olli Maatta, PIT LD 24 60 1 14 Speaking of control, this is the final year the Winnipeg Jets have $4.08M 3 defenceman Jacob Trouba under restricted free agent control, which is why the 50-point defenceman will likely be on the move. The Jets will 14. Colin Miller, VGK RD 26 65 3 have a tough time trying to fit him in under their salary cap structure. 29 $3.88M 3 Would Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings or the Colorado 15. Milan Lucic, EDM LW 30 79 6 Avalanche make a play for Trouba? 20 $6M 4

At No. 3, Ryan Callahan represents one of the salary cap casualties coming in Tampa Bay with Brayden Point up for a new deal. J.T. Miller, Alex Killorn, Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson are also candidates to be TSN.CA LOADED: 05.18.2019 moved.

The Minnesota Wild nearly pulled the trigger on trading Jason Zucker in the waning minutes of February’s trade deadline. That bell can’t be unrung, so will Paul Fenton revisit this summer?

The Preds' season barely ended before the P.K. Subban rumours grew legs again. Will David Poile tinker with his blueline? No doubt that he will want cost certainty, or at least an idea of what it will cost to re-sign Roman Josi, before going down that road with Subban, whose no-trade clause was voided after his move from Montreal in 2016.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, so there are plenty of options for Kyle Dubas to reshuffle the Toronto Maple Leafs’ salary cap puzzle with three eight-figure cap hits likely on the roster next season once Mitch Marner re-signs.

Connor Brown in a third-line wing role at $2.1 million seems to be a luxury the Leafs can’t afford. Dubas could also explore trading one of Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson – who both need new deals – or even Nazem Kadri.

Regardless of the situation up front, Dubas may see what defenceman Nikita Zaitsev – who has five years left on his deal at an annual hit of $4.5 million – would fetch on the trade market.

Meanwhile, as GM Jarmo Kekalainen picks up the pieces in Columbus, Artemi Panarin is a candidate to be part of the first sign-and-trade deal in NHL history. That could garner Panarin an eighth year on his contract, 1144860 Websites Combine this with Lopez’s research, which shows that teams called for multiple infractions in a row are much more likely than not to draw a penalty in the future, and you can certainly conclude that ‘game TSN.CA / ‘Game management’ at the root of NHL’s officiating issues management’ is at the heart of everything officiating teams work for. The only conclusion left is that the evening up of all penalty calls is the goal of officiating teams, and that’s a problem.

Travis Yost Recommendations to fix video review and move officials are worthy discussions to have, and almost certainly will happen this summer with

the 31 general managers. But until we fix the ‘game management’ issue Publicly, the National Hockey League has remained calm. But with the that exists in the NHL, I’m not sure it’s going to matter. way the 2018-19 postseason has played out, there surely must be Right now, the objective is not to call the game correctly, but to call the concerns about the state of officiating and the way it is affecting the game equally. That’s a foundational failure. outcome of games.

There have been concerns with officiating performance for years – more on that in a moment – but it has certainly come to a head over the last TSN.CA LOADED: 05.18.2019 month, with a number of games being decided by bad or missed calls. The most prominent example remains the five-minute major doled out to Cody Eakin of the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 1, which effectively decided the outcome of an entire series.

But that one awful call – a call the NHL apologized for – hardly tells the whole story. There have been critical missed calls in other games, too. Boston defenceman Charlie McAvoy didn’t receive a match penalty for an obvious head shot that he was later suspended for (not that it helped Columbus any). The most recent example came Wednesday night, where an obvious hand pass in the offensive zone was missed, leading to a San Jose overtime winner.

These are critical calls in high-leverage spots. In a sport where goal scoring is already hard to come by, a handful of bad calls in a game can emphatically change the outcome of a game and a series.

At this point, there is ample debate within the hockey media and fan bases about how to fix the problem. I do believe that the NHL has plenty of talent within the officiating ranks (it’s hard to imagine that there is a pool of untapped talent hidden around the world). The issue is more that, even with this type of talent calling games, the error rates appear incredibly high. The issue has reached a legitimate breaking point in these playoffs.

There are plenty of qualitative debates about what the league should or shouldn’t consider this summer. The most popular tend to concern the expansion of video review and the movement of an official upstairs. Both have pros and cons. The one aspect I haven’t seen a solution for is how to fix the human behavioural issues that have long existed within officiating ranks.

Plenty of research exists on this front, but the long and short of it is that officiating teams don’t call games; they manage them. Michael Lopez’s seminal research clearly exhibited what he called “biased impartiality,” or an officiating team’s attempt at being perceived as fair above all else. Phil Birnbaum’s research showed similar results. This is critical, because it’s the one data point we have that suggests referees have more of an interest in balancing calls than getting the calls right. That is a foundational failure, and until it is fixed, you will always have quality criticisms.

The best way to show this, simplistically speaking, is to show how actual referees behaved against simulated referees. Randomly sampling half of the 2018-19 season shows that the average game included about 7.4 penalties, with a standard deviation of 3.1. If we merely flipped coins to assess penalties knowing how many would be called, we would expect to see a fairly flat and predictable distribution of penalty allocation. When we measure it against what referees actually called, you can see that they are greatly interested in ‘game management.’

Pay specific emphasis to the highlighted sections here:

Simulating every one of these randomly sampled games would show sporadic allocation of penalties. That means you have some games where one team doesn’t see a single power play, another game where they see all of the power plays, and a fairly linear trend between the two.

In reality, this never happens. The data shows three things: officiating teams almost never call a game where a team has none of the penalties or all of the penalties, which seems almost impossible. Consequently, you can guess what happens in the middle. Nearly 60 per cent of games saw an even or close to even split in penalties called, regardless of how many minors or majors were observed over the course of the game.