SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 9/20/2020 Anaheim Ducks New York Rangers 1193641 Gary Bettman says 2020-21 NHL season might not start 1193668 When Gotham was Eden: The great wins and good times until January of a magical year in Big Apple sports 1193642 Ducks mailbag, Part II: The case for tanking and the free 1193669 Rangers should pursue Islanders’ Matt Martin under one agent options condition 1193670 As buyout window approaches, will this be Henrik Boston Bruins Lundqvist's final week with NY Rangers? 1193643 Well-traveled Geoff Ward has found a coaching home with 1193671 When will new NHL season begin, and what will it look Calgary like? Chicago Blackhawks Philadelphia Flyers 1193644 Dylan Strome, a restricted free agent, faces crucial 1193672 Answering Flyers fans' questions about trades, signings, moment in his Blackhawks tenure the 2021 expansion draft, and more 1193673 Alain Vigneault sent a message to more than just the Dallas Stars veterans 1193645 Stars' Game 1 victory proves the Stanley Cup Final can make heroes out of anyone Pittsburgh Penguins 1193646 Stars notebook: How Dallas slowed down Lightning’s top 1193674 Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Don’t be surprised if Penguins line; Jamie Oleksiak’s ‘Big Rig’ hat trick trade newly re-signed Jared McCann 1193647 ‘Go get that Cup’: Dallas-area athletes and local sports 1193675 Rossi’s mailbag: Are the Penguins’ moves about cap legends sent their best wishes to the Dallas Stars space or budget? 1193648 Lightning knew exactly how Stars would attack in Game 1, they still couldn’t stop Dallas’ defensemen San Jose Sharks 1193649 Stars' Joel Hanley scores first career goal in Game 1 of 1193676 Re-evaluating the Barclay Goodrow trade and the Sharks’ Stanley Cup Final other pre-deadline deals 1193650 A family tradition: Stars’ Rick Bowness, Jamie Oleksiak hoping to add to their families’ trophy cases St Louis Blues 1193651 Stars’ Corey Perry, Joe Pavelski have gone through some 1193677 Blues' contract talks with Pietrangelo hit stalemate battles, but never as teammates until now 1193652 Anton Khudobin’s 35-save Game 1 the latest in growing Tampa Bay Lightning list of impressive postseason performances 1193678 Lightning-Stars Game 1 report card: Beware the blueliners 1193653 Dallas Stars take Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final, and this 1193679 Was that just a hot goaltender or a bad omen for the team simply just has that look Lightning in Game 1? 1193654 Bubble Dispatch: How the Stars, Anton Khudobin defeated 1193680 Lightning’s Pat Maroon logs 10-minute penalty after the Lightning in Game 1 buzzer 1193655 Stars 20/20: Anton Khudobin and Dallas take Game 1 of 1193681 Rested Stars beat Lightning in Game 1 of Stanley Cup the Stanley Cup Final final 1193656 How the 2020 Cup finalists were built: Big trades, key 1193682 Lightning-Stars Game 1 live Stanley Cup final updates signings and savvy picks 1193683 Former Lightning goalie Ben Bishop is on the Stars, but 1193657 Stanley Cup Final staff prediction: What to expect from where is he? Stars-Lightning 1193684 Lightning’s Brayden Point in lineup for Game 1 of Stanley Cup final Edmonton Oilers 1193685 Patrick Maroon brings toughness, tenacity, grit, leadership 1193658 Lowetide: European leagues are open, and Oilers to Lightning prospects are everywhere 1193686 Lightning fans show plenty of spirit ahead of Stanley Cup final Los Angeles Kings 1193687 Lightning dismissed Rick Bowness two years ago. Now 1193659 Gary Bettman says 2020-21 NHL season might not start both are playing for the Stanley Cup until January 1193688 Lightning defensemen hungry for their first Stanley Cup 1193660 What does the Kings’ ‘Perfect Draft’ team look like? Let’s 1193689 Welcome to the Lightning bandwagon, new hockey fans do a redraft 1193690 Bubble Dispatch: How the Stars, Anton Khudobin defeated the Lightning in Game 1 Minnesota Wild 1193691 Lightning 20/20: Is Game 1 loss to Stars a cause for 1193661 Dane Mizutani: Wild GM Bill Guerin finally doing what concern or just a blip? needs to be done 1193692 Stanley Cup Final staff prediction: What to expect from Stars-Lightning New York Islanders 1193662 Rangers should pursue Islanders’ Matt Martin under one Vancouver Canucks condition 1193697 Canucks assistant Manny Malhotra joins Leafs, ‘very 1193663 Ranking the most rewarding NY teams to come out of excited for this opportunity’ nowhere 1193664 Matt Martin reuniting with young daughter after Islanders’ ouster 1193665 When will new NHL season begin, and what will it look like? 1193666 5 memorable moments from Islanders' 2019-2020 season 1193667 Offering perspective on the Islanders' 2019-20 season is virtually impossible Vegas Golden Knights 1193693 Golden Knights’ successful start historic even beyond hockey 1193694 Marc-Andre Fleury’s future with Knights has 4 likely outcomes 1193695 NHL Commish Bettman: NHL Teams Taking ‘Revenue Hit’ From Pandemic, But Clubs Will Weather Revenue Shortfall Websites 1193698 The Athletic / ‘I’m dressed for climbing Everest’: Cold rinks, unique NHL run for Jim Hughson 1193699 Sportsnet.ca / Stars check all the boxes in Game 1 win over Lightning 1193700 Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: Why stunning Eric Staal trade is a clear win for Sabres 1193701 Sportsnet.ca / Why Joe Pavelski chose Dallas over Tampa Bay for his Stanley Cup shot 1193702 Sportsnet.ca / Lightning not reaching for easy excuses after Game 1 letdown 1193703 Sportsnet.ca / Gary Bettman short on specifics ahead of 2020-21 NHL season 1193704 TSN.CA / Dylan Cozens takes aim at WJC repeat, Buffalo Sabres roster spot and a moose Winnipeg Jets 1193696 What would the Jets’ ‘Perfect Draft’ team look like? Let’s do a redraft SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1193641 Anaheim Ducks He added, “The only good news in this context is that the ownership of the 31, soon to be 32 NHL franchises has never been stronger and healthier. While nobody has any revenue coming in right now and owners Gary Bettman says 2020-21 NHL season might not start until January are obviously writing checks to cover overhead and expenses, our franchises will get through this and will come out stronger on the other side.” By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST Bettman also said he’s opposed to keeping the expanded playoff format put in effect this summer, a plan that included 24 teams in postseason SEP. 19, 20204:38 PM play instead of the usual 16. “I think what we did this year we needed to do to be fair to the clubs that were on the bubble. … in terms of making the playoffs,” he said, “and I think we did the right thing in that regard but The 2020-21 NHL season could start in late December or “slip into I’m not sure that that’s necessarily a prototype for the future. In fact, I still January” depending on the health conditions and COVID-19 regulations believe that what we have in a normal year is the right way to go.” in place later this year, Commissioner Gary Bettman said on Saturday before the start of the Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and A return to what was once considered normal in terms of scheduling the Tampa Bay Lightning in Edmonton, Canada. remains far off. Bettman said he intends next season to feature an 82- game schedule for each team and full playoffs, but a late December or Speaking during the state of the league news conference he customarily early January start would push the season into the summer months conducts before Game 1 of the Final, Bettman emphasized the NHL has again. Bettman said he wants to avoid that, but he didn’t elaborate on made no plans regarding a start date for next season. However, his how that could be done. suggestion of a potential January launch reflected a shift in thinking to a later date than the previously anticipated date of Dec. 1. “My preference would be to stay out of summer as much as possible. Our fans typically like watching us through the fall, winter and into the spring Canadian government regulations limiting the entrance of travelers from and it’s always been a goal to be done by the end of June,” he said. the United States continue to pose a significant obstacle for the league’s “Playing late July, August, September is something that was important to planning because seven of the league’s 31 franchises are located in do now and if we can avoid it we will, but again it’s premature to have an Canada. “There’s no point right now in making definitive comments on answer to that question other than we understand the issue and we’re our plans because there’s still too much we don’t know,” Bettman said going to try and deal with it as best we can.” during a Zoom media conference. Bettman also said that while the end of the NHL’s successful return to “Nobody can tell me whether or not the border between Canada and the play plan is near, he’s not relaxing yet. “Actually handing the Cup over to United States is going to be open by a date certain, nobody can tell me the captain of the winning team will probably be the first time since March what the state of COVID-19 is going to be, nobody can tell me whether or 12 I’ll breathe a sigh of relief,” he said. “And maybe I’ll get a full night’s not our arenas will be able to have either socially distanced or fully sleep.” occupied buildings, and we’re going to have to do the same thing we did to get ready for the return to play: explore all the options, be flexible and agile enough to implement when the time comes.” LA Times: LOADED: 09.20.2020 Bettman also said that while next season might start with no fans in the stands — which has been the case for postseason games in the Toronto and Edmonton postseason bubbles — fans might be allowed back in next season as conditions allow.